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Chinese yam ( Dioscorea opposita ), a traditional medicinal plant, has gained renewed interest in contemporary research due to its broad therapeutic potential. In this study, we developed an adhesive yam microgel through a series of peeling, grinding, sieving, and rehydration processes. Our in vitro experiments demonstrated that the yam microgel was noncytotoxic, effectively scavenged free radicals, and promoted cell migration. Additionally, the microgels exhibit good blood compatibility and biodegradability. In vivo, we first evaluated the hemostatic properties of the yam microgel in different hemorrhage models in rats. It demonstrated strong hemostatic capabilities because it could adsorb many blood cells and platelets, activate platelets, and facilitate coagulation. Furthermore, we observed that the yam microgel promotes the repair of acute skin tissue defects by enhancing cell proliferation and neovascularization as well as modulating the inflammatory response, thereby accelerating wound healing. Finally, we found that the yam microgel can serve as a biological adhesive, effectively promoting wound closure through a mechanism similar to its role in facilitating skin tissue repair. The design of a low-cost, safe, and effective yam microgel will provide a promising strategy for hemostasis and wound healing.

Effective regulation and reconstruction of the microenvironment are critical for the regeneration of chronic wounds. Diabetic wounds, in particular, pose a significant clinical challenge due to increased oxidative stress and dysfunctional healing processes. In this study, a novel therapeutic strategy is developed using 3D copper-magnesium bimetallic antioxidant nano-enzymes (Cu/Mg-MOF) to mitigate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and restore redox balance through electron transfer. To optimize delivery, a thermo-sensitive hydrogel composed of chitosan (CS) and ε-polylysine (PL) is designed, serving as an efficient carrier for the nano-enzymes. This Cu/Mg-MOF@CS/PL hydrogel exhibits excellent physical properties, including injectability, softness, and biocompatibility, making it ideal for application in diabetic wounds. In a diabetic wound model, treatment with Cu/Mg-MOF@CS/PL hydrogel significantly accelerated wound healing, with a closure rate of 90.6% by day 14, compared to just 55.4% in the untreated group. The hydrogel effectively promoted key aspects of wound healing, such as collagen deposition, re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, and immunomodulation. These findings underscore the potential of the Cu/Mg-MOF@CS/PL hydrogel as a promising therapeutic system for enhancing the healing of diabetic wounds., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: To explore the association between television viewing time (TV-hours) and dietary oxidative balance score (DOBS) with the kidney stone risk in males., Methods: We analyzed age, poverty to income ratio, race, education, hypertension, diabetes, smoke, alcohol use, triglycerides, TV-hours, and DOBS data in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2018. Multivariable logistic regression was uesd to evaluate the associations between TV-hours, lifestyle OBS (LOBS), DOBS, Total OBS (TOBS), and the risk of kidney stones. Interaction terms between subgroup measures were used to test for effect modification across subgroups. Mediation analysis was performed to explore the mediating effect of DOBS on the association between TV-hours and kidney stones. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) was applied to describe dose-response relationships between TV-hours and risk of kidney stones as well., Results: The study included 4167 males aged 20 and older, including 417 patients with kidney stones. The results showed that five or more TV-hours a day was associated with a higher risk of kidney stones [odds ratio (OR) = 1.16, (95% CI: 1.04-1.29), p = 0.01], and higher DOBS level was associated with a lower risk of kidney stones [OR = 0.97, (95% CI: 0.95-0.99), p = 0.004]. This association was remarkably consistent across TV-hours subgroups by age, race, alcohol use, hypertension and diabetes. According to the mediation analysis results, prolonged TV-hours is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones, this association is not mediated by DOBS. In other words, the impact of TV-hours on kidney stones risk is mainly a direct effect. When TV-hours is more than 2 hours, the odds ratio began to be greater than 1., Conclusions: Overall, TV-hours was positively associated with kidney stones in males, whereas low DOBS was associated with kidney stones in males. This study suggests that an antioxidant diet and reduced television viewing time may be effective measures to prevent kidney stones in males., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Safety hazards caused by flammable electrolytes have been major obstacles to the practical application of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The adoption of nonflammable all-phosphate electrolytes can effectively improve the safety of SIBs; however, traditional low-concentration phosphate electrolytes are not compatible with carbon-based anodes. Herein, we report an anion-cation interaction modulation strategy to design low-concentration phosphate electrolytes with superior physicochemical properties. Tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphate (TFEP) is introduced as a cosolvent to regulate the ion-solvent-coordinated (ISC) structure through enhancing the anion-cation interactions, forming the stable anion-induced ISC (AI-ISC) structure, even at a low salt concentration (1.22 M). Through spectroscopy analyses and theoretical calculations, we reveal the underlying mechanism responsible for the stabilization of these electrolytes. Impressively, both the hard carbon (HC) anode and Na 4 Fe 2.91 (PO 4 ) 2 (P 2 O 7 ) (NFPP) cathode work well with the developed electrolytes. The designed phosphate electrolyte enables Ah-level HC//NFPP pouch cells with an average Coulombic efficiency (CE) of over 99.9% and a capacity retention of 84.5% after 2000 cycles. In addition, the pouch cells can operate in a wide temperature range (-20 to 60 °C) and successfully pass rigorous safety testing. This work provides new insight into the design of the electrochemically compatibility electrolyte for high-safety and long-lifetime SIBs.

LiPF 6 as a dominant lithium salt of electrolyte is widely used in commercial rechargeable lithium-ion batteries due to its well-balanced properties, including high solubility in organic solvents, good electrochemical stability, and high ionic conductivity. However, it suffers from several undesirable properties, such as high moisture sensitivity, thermal instability, and high cost. To address these issues, herein, we propose an electron-donation modulation (EDM) rule for the development of low-cost, sustainable, and electrochemically compatible LiNO 3 -based electrolytes. We employ high donor-number solvents (HDNSs) with strong electron-donation ability to dissolve LiNO 3 , while low donor-number solvents (LDNSs) with weak electron-donation ability are used to regulate the solvation structure to stabilize the electrolytes. As an example, we design the LiNO 3 -DMSO@PC electrolyte, where DMSO acts as an HDNS and PC serves as an LDNS. This electrolyte exhibits excellent electrochemical compatibility with graphite anodes, as well as the LiFePO 4 and LiCoO 2 cathodes, leading to stable cycling over 200 cycles. Through spectroscopy analyses and theoretical calculation, we uncover the underlying mechanism responsible for the stabilization of these electrolytes. Our findings provide valuable insights into the preparation of LiNO 3 -based electrolytes using the EDM rule, opening new avenues for the development of advanced electrolytes with versatile functions for sustainable rechargeable batteries., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Chemical presodiation (CP) is an effective strategy to enhance energy density of sodium ion batteries. However, the sodiation reagents reported so far are basically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) wth low reductive potential (~0.1 V vs. Na + /Na), which could easily cause over-sodiation and structural deterioration of the presodiated cathodes. In this work, Aromatic ketones (AKs) are rationally designed as mild presodiating reagents by introducing a carbonyl group (C=O) into PAHs to balance the conjugated and inductive effect. As the representatives, two compounds 9-Fluorenoneb (9-FN) and Benzophenone (BP) manifest favorable equilibrium potential of 1.55 V and 1.07 V (vs. Na + /Na), respectively. Note that 9-FN demonstrates versatile presodiating capability toward multiple Na uptake hosts (tunneled Na 0.44 MnO 2 , layered Na 0.67 Ni 0.33 Mn 0.67 O 2 , polyanionic Na 4 Fe 2.91 (PO 4 ) 2 P 2 O 7 , Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 and Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 2 F 3 ), enabling greatly improved initial charging capacity of the cathode to balance the irrevisible capacity of the anode. Our results indicate that the Aromatic ketones are competitive presodiating cathodic reagents for high-performance sodium-ion batteries, and will inspire more studies and application attempts in the future., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Low-temperature performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has always posed a significant challenge, limiting their wide application in cold environments. In this work, the high-performance LIBs working under ultralow-temperature conditions, which is achieved by employing the weak-solvation and low-viscosity isobutyronitrile as a cosolvent to tame the affinity between solvents and lithium ions, is reported. The as-prepared electrolytes exhibit a sufficiently high conductivity (1.152 mS cm -1 ) at -70 °C. The electrolytes enable LiCoO 2 cathode and graphite anode to achieve high Coulombic efficiency of >99.9% during long-term cycling at room temperature, and to respectively achieve 75.8% and 100.0% of their room-temperature capacities at -40 °C. Even the LiCoO 2 //graphite pouch cells can retain 68.7% of the room-temperature capacity when discharged at -70 °C, and present stable cycling performance at -40 and 60 °C. This work provides a solution for the development of advanced electrolytes to enable LIBs working at wide-temperatures range., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The solvation structure of Li + plays a significant role in determining the physicochemical properties of electrolytes. However, to date, there is still no clear definition of the solvating power of different electrolyte solvents, and even the solvents that preferentially participate in the solvation structure remain controversial. In this study, we comprehensively discuss the solvating power and solvation process of Li + ions using both experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations. Our findings reveal that the solvating power is dependent on the strength of the Li + -solvent (ion-dipole) interaction. Additionally, we uncover that the anions tend to enter the solvation sheath in most electrolyte systems through Li + -anion (ion-ion) interaction, which is weakened by the shielding effect of solvents. The competition between the Li + -solvent and Li + -anion interactions ultimately determines the final solvation structures. This insight into the fundamental understanding of the solvation structure of Li + provides inspiration for the design of multifunctional mixed-solvent electrolytes for advanced batteries., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a complex disorder of biopsychosocial etiology. Approximately 3%-77 % of adult men worldwide are more or less affected by ED., Objective: This cross-sectional study investigated the association between ED and socioeconomic status (SES) based on a nationally representative adult male population., Methods: The poverty income ratio (PIR), which refers to household income ratio to the established poverty line, was used to assess SES. Oxidative stress related to diet and lifestyle was reflected by oxidative balance score (OBS). Erectile function was evaluated using a questionnaire. Based on the results of the questionnaire, participants were divided into two groups of those without ED (always or almost always be able to erect and keep erection, usually be able to erect and keep erection) and with ED (sometimes be able to erect and keep erection, never be able to erect and keep erection). Multivariate logistic regression, multiple models, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to analyze and describe the interaction between ED, OBS, and SES., Results: Compared with men without ED, those with ED were more likely to be older in age (43.98 vs 37.74, P＜0.0001), and less educated (P < 0.001), and with a ratio of family income to poverty less than 3.5 (P = 0.02), higher BMI (30.11 vs 27.84, P＜0.0001), lower OBS (21.71 vs 23.17, P = 0.04), having habit of smoking (P = 0.04), with diabetes (P＜0.0001), and with hypertension (P = 0.003). Participants with higher PIR were more likely to report good erectile function than those with lower PIR through multivariate analysis (OR = 0.49, 95 % CI = 0.31-0.78, P = 0.005). The RCS model revealed a negative non-linear correlation of PIR with ED when PIR ≤3.89. It is interesting to note that PIR was＞3.89 showed a positive non-linear relationship with ED., Conclusion: The social determinants of health and intake of oxidants and antioxidants were considered as risk factors for ED and could be studied as a research focus in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Fe-based polyanionic sulfate materials are one of the most promising candidates for large-scale applications in sodium-ion batteries due to their low cost and excellent electrochemical performance. Although great achievements have been gained on a series of Na 6-2 x Fe x (SO 4 ) 3 (NFSO-x, 1.5 ≤ x ≤ 2.0) materials such as Na 2 Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , Na 2 Fe 1.5 (SO 4 ) 3 , and Na 2.4 Fe 1.8 (SO 4 ) 3 for sodium storage, the phase and structure characteristics on these NFSO-x are still controversial, making it difficult to achieve phase-pure materials with optimal electrochemical properties. Herein, six NFSO-x samples with varied x are investigated via both experimental methods and density functional theory calculations to analyze the phase and structure properties. It reveals that a pure phase exists in the 1.6 ≤ x ≤ 1.7 region of the NFSO-x, and part of Na ions tend to occupy Fe sites to form more stable frameworks. The NFSO-1.7 exhibits the best electrochemical performance among the NFSO-x samples, delivering a high discharge capacity (104.5 mAh g -1 at 0.1 C, close to its theoretical capacity of 105 mAh g -1 ), excellent rate performance (81.5 mAh g -1 at 30 C), and remarkable cycle stability over 10,000 cycles with high-capacity retention of 72.4%. We believe that the results are useful to clarify the phase and structure characteristics of polyanionic materials to promote their application for large-scale energy storage., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Science China Press. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

It has long been the goal to develop rechargeable batteries with low cost and long cycling life. Polyanionic compounds offer attractive advantages of robust frameworks, long-term stability, and cost-effectiveness, making them ideal candidates as electrode materials for grid-scale energy storage systems. In the past few years, various polyanionic electrodes have been synthesized and developed for sodium storage. Specifically, doping regulation including cation and anion doping has shown a great effect in tailoring the structures of polyanionic electrodes to achieve extraordinary electrochemical performance. In this review, recent progress in doping regulation in polyanionic compounds as electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is summarized, and their underlying mechanisms in improving electrochemical properties are discussed. Moreover, challenges and prospects for the design of advanced polyanionic compounds for SIBs are put forward. It is anticipated that further versatile strategies in developing high-performance electrode materials for advanced energy storage devices can be inspired., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The anionic redox reaction (ARR) has attracted extensive attention due to its potential to enhance the reversible capacity of cathode materials in Li/Na-ion batteries (LIBs/SIBs). However, the understanding of its activation mechanism is still limited by the insufficient mastering of the underlying thermodynamics and kinetics. Herein, a series of Mg/Li/Zn-substituted Na x MnO 2 and Li x MnO 2 cathode materials are designed to investigate their ARR behaviors. It is found that the ARR can be activated in only Li-substituted Li x MnO 2 and not for Mg- and Zn-substituted ones, while all Mg/Li/Zn-substituted Na x MnO 2 cathode materials exhibit ARR activities. Combining theoretical calculations with experimental results, such a huge difference between Li and Na cathodes is closely related to the migration of substitution ions from the transition metal layer to the alkali metal layer in a kinetic aspect, which generates unique Li(Na)-O-□ TM and/or □ Li/ Na -O-□ TM configurations and reducing reaction activation energy to trigger the ARR. Based on these findings, an ion-migration mechanism is proposed to explain the different ARR behaviors between the Na x MnO 2 and Li x MnO 2 , which can not only reveal the origin of ARR in the kinetic aspect, but also provide a new insight for the development of high-capacity metal oxide cathode materials for LIBs/SIBs., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Sodium metal is a promising anode for high-energy-density sodium rechargeable batteries (RSBs). However, the low Coulombic efficiency (CE) of the Na plating/stripping process and the problem of safety hinder their practical application. Herein, we report a facile strategy for employing the fluorinated phosphate solvents to realize highly reversible Na plating/stripping and improve the safety performance. The fluorinated phosphate molecules reduce the polarity of the solvent and lower the coordination number to Na + , which makes it possible to form the anion-induced ion-solvent-coordinated (AI-ISC) structures with high reduction tolerance. Moreover, the fluorination treatment enhances the oxidation resistance of the phosphate solvent, enabling compatibility with the high-voltage Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 2 F 3 (NVPF) cathode. As expected, the Na@Al//NVPF full cell with the as-prepared 0.9 M NaFSI/tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphate (TFEP) demonstrates a capacity retention of 83.4% after 200 cycles with an average CE of 99.6%. This work opens a new avenue for designing high-energy-density RSBs with improved safety performance.

Laser scribing technology is a straightforward technique to fabricate porous graphene, yet only conducted with polymeric precursors. Compared to polymers, molecular engineering of small organic molecules is much easier, which can be used to modify the graphene with tailored performance. Here we report the first employment of a laser to respectively transform small organic molecules, pentacene quinone and tetraazapentacene quinone (TAPQ), into graphene (P-LIG and N-LIG) as high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes. The TAPQ, as the N-fused molecular precursor, produces nitrogen-doped graphene. Both N-LIG and P-LIG exhibit significant self-enhancement of capacity upon cycling; the N-LIG anode delivers reversible capacities of 5863 mAh g -1 at 0.2 A g -1 and retains 1970 mAh g -1 at 2 A g -1 after another 500 cycles, which is the best performance for the graphene-type anode. Kinetics studies and structural characterizations verify that the surface- and diffusion-controlled processes are both progressively optimized, providing extra lithium storage upon cycling. It is also supported by small-angle X-ray scattering that the disordering level of micropores is increased upon cycling for N-LIG, corresponding to the enhancement of microporous level. Our work successfully develops a novel facile approach to fabricating heteroatom-doped microporous graphene exhibiting high performance and provides new insight into the lithium storage mechanism., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The unique structural characteristics of one-dimensional (1D) hollow nanostructures result in intriguing physicochemical properties and wide applications, especially for electrochemical energy storage applications. In this Minireview, we give an overview of recent developments in the rational design and engineering of various kinds of 1D hollow nanostructures with well-designed architectures, structural/compositional complexity, controllable morphologies, and enhanced electrochemical properties for different kinds of electrochemical energy storage applications (i.e. lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium-selenium sulfur batteries, lithium metal anodes, metal-air batteries, supercapacitors). We conclude with prospects on some critical challenges and possible future research directions in this field. It is anticipated that further innovative studies on the structural and compositional design of functional 1D nanostructured electrodes for energy storage applications will be stimulated., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Lithium metal has been considered as an ideal anode candidate for future high energy density lithium batteries. Herein, we develop a three-dimensional (3D) hybrid host consisting of Ag nanoparticle-embedded nitrogen-doped carbon macroporous fibers (denoted as Ag@CMFs) with selective nucleation and targeted deposition of Li. The 3D macroporous framework can inhibit the formation of dendritic Li by capturing metallic Li in the matrix as well as reducing local current density, the lithiophilic nitrogen-doped carbons act as homogeneous nucleation sites owing to the small nucleation barrier, and the Ag nanoparticles improve the Li nucleation and growth behavior with the reversible solid solution-based alloying reaction. As a result, the Ag@CMF composite enables a dendrite-free Li plating/stripping behavior with high Coulombic efficiency for more than 500 cycles. When this anode is coupled with a commercial LiFePO 4 cathode, the assembled full cell manifests high rate capability and stable cycling life., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)

The application of lithium metal anodes for practical batteries is still impeded by safety issues and low Coulombic efficiency caused mainly by the uncontrollable growth of lithium dendrites. Herein, two types of free-standing nitrogen-doped amorphous Zn-carbon multichannel fibers are synthesized as multifunctional hosts for lithium accommodation. The 3D macroporous structures endow effectively reduced local current density, and the lithiophilic nitrogen-doped carbon and functional Zn nanoparticles serve as preferred deposition sites with low nucleation barriers to guide uniform lithium deposition. As a result, the developed anodes exhibit remarkable electrochemical properties in terms of high Coulombic efficiency for more than 500 cycles at various current densities from 1 to 5 mA cm -2 , and symmetric cells show long-term cycling duration over 2000 h. Moreover, full cells based on the developed anode and a LiFePO 4 cathode also demonstrate superior rate capability and stable cycle life., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

With many apparent advantages including high surface area, tunable pore sizes and topologies, and diverse periodic organic-inorganic ingredients, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been identified as versatile precursors or sacrificial templates for preparing functional materials as advanced electrodes or high-efficiency catalysts for electrochemical energy storage and conversion (EESC). In this Mini Review, we first briefly summarize the material design strategies to show the rich possibilities of the chemical compositions and physical structures of MOFs derivatives. We next highlight the latest advances focusing on the composition/structure/performance relationship and discuss their practical applications in various EESC systems, such as supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, fuel cells, water electrolyzers, and carbon dioxide/nitrogen reduction reactions. Finally, we provide some of our own insights into the major challenges and prospective solutions of MOF-derived functional materials for EESC, hoping to shed some light on the future development of this highly exciting field.

Confining nanostructured electrode materials in porous carbon represents an effective strategy for improving the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of hybrid hollow nanostructures composed of highly dispersed Co 3 O 4 hollow nanoparticles (sub-20 nm) embedded in the mesoporous walls of carbon nanoboxes (denoted as H-Co 3 O 4 @MCNBs) as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The facile metal-organic framework (MOF)-engaged strategy for the synthesis of H-Co 3 O 4 @MCNBs involves chemical etching-coordination and subsequent two-step annealing treatments. Owing to the unique structural merits including more active interfacial sites, effectively alleviated volume variation, good and stable electrical contact, and easy access of Li + ions, the H-Co 3 O 4 @MCNBs exhibit excellent lithium-storage performance in terms of high specific capacity, excellent rate capability, and cycling stability., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have drawn enormous attention in the past few years from both academic and industrial battery communities in view of the fascinating advantages of rich abundance and low cost of sodium resources. Among various electrode materials, mixed metal sulfides (MMSs) stand out as promising negative electrode materials for SIBs considering their superior structural and compositional advantages, such as decent electrochemical reversibility, high electronic conductivity, and rich redox reactions. Here, a summary of some recent developments in the rational design and synthesis of various kinds of MMSs with tailorable architectures, structural/compositional complexity, controllable morphologies, and enhanced electrochemical properties is presented. The effect of structural engineering and compositional design of MMSs on the sodium storage properties is highlighted. It is anticipated that further innovative works on the material design of advanced electrodes for batteries can be inspired., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The growth of Li dendrites hinders the practical application of lithium metal anodes (LMAs). In this work, a hollow nanostructure, based on hierarchical MoS 2 coated hollow carbon particles preloaded with sulfur (C@MoS 2 /S), was designed to modify the LMA. The C@MoS 2 hollow nanostructures serve as a good scaffold for repeated Li plating/stripping. More importantly, the encapsulated sulfur could gradually release lithium polysulfides during the Li plating/stripping, acting as an effective additive to promote the formation of a mosaic solid electrolyte interphase layer embedded with crystalline hybrid lithium-based components. These two factors together effectively suppress the growth of Li dendrites. The as-modified LMA shows a high Coulombic efficiency of 98 % over 500 cycles at the current density of 1 mA cm -2 . When matched with a LiFePO 4 cathode, the assembled full cell displays a highly improved cycle life of 300 cycles, implying the feasibility of the proposed LMA., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Hybrid materials, integrating the merits of individual components, are ideal structures for efficient sodium storage. However, the construction of hybrid structures with decent physical/electrochemical properties is still challenging. Now, the elaborate design and synthesis of hierarchical nanoboxes composed of three-layered Cu 2 S@carbon@MoS 2 as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries is reported. Through a facile multistep template-engaged strategy, ultrathin MoS 2 nanosheets are grown on nitrogen-doped carbon-coated Cu 2 S nanoboxes to realize the Cu 2 S@carbon@MoS 2 configuration. The design shortens the diffusion path of electrons/Na + ions, accommodates the volume change of electrodes during cycling, enhances the electric conductivity of the hybrids, and offers abundant active sites for sodium uptake. By virtue of these advantages, these three-layered Cu 2 S@carbon@MoS 2 hierarchical nanoboxes show excellent electrochemical properties in terms of decent rate capability and stable cycle life., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The construction of hybrid architectures for electrode materials has been demonstrated as an efficient strategy to boost sodium-storage properties because of the synergetic effect of each component. However, the fabrication of hybrid nanostructures with a rational structure and desired composition for effective sodium storage is still challenging. In this study, an integrated nanostructure composed of copper-substituted CoS 2 @Cu x S double-shelled nanoboxes (denoted as Cu-CoS 2 @Cu x S DSNBs) was synthesized through a rational metal-organic framework (MOF)-based templating strategy. The unique shell configuration and complex composition endow the Cu-CoS 2 @Cu x S DSNBs with enhanced electrochemical performance in terms of superior rate capability and stable cyclability., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Metal sulfides have received considerable attention for efficient sodium storage owing to their high capacity and decent redox reversibility. However, the poor rate capability and fast capacity decay greatly hinder their practical application in sodium-ion batteries. Herein, an elegant multi-step templating strategy has been developed to rationally synthesize hierarchical double-shelled nanoboxes with the CoS 2 nanosheet-constructed outer shell supported on the CuS inner shell. Their structure and composition enable these hierarchical CuS@CoS 2 nanoboxes to show boosted electrochemical properties with high capacity, outstanding rate capability, and long cycle life., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Metal sulfides with excellent redox reversibility and high capacity are very promising electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries. However, their practical application is still hindered by the poor rate capability and limited cycle life. Herein, a template-based strategy is developed to synthesize nitrogen-doped carbon-coated Cu 9 S 5 bullet-like hollow particles starting from bullet-like ZnO particles. With the structural and compositional advantages, these unique nitrogen-doped carbon-coated Cu 9 S 5 bullet-like hollow particles manifest excellent sodium storage properties with superior rate capability and ultra-stable cycling performance., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We report the synthesis of cobalt sulfide multi-shelled nanoboxes through metal-organic framework (MOF)-based complex anion conversion and exchange processes. The polyvanadate ions react with cobalt-based zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) nanocubes to form ZIF-67/cobalt polyvanadate yolk-shelled particles. The as-formed yolk-shelled particles are gradually converted into cobalt divanadate multi-shelled nanoboxes by solvothermal treatment. The number of shells can be easily controlled from 2 to 5 by varying the temperature. Finally, cobalt sulfide multi-shelled nanoboxes are produced through ion-exchange with S 2- ions and subsequent annealing. The as-obtained cobalt sulfide multi-shelled nanoboxes exhibit enhanced sodium-storage properties when evaluated as anodes for sodium-ion batteries. For example, a high specific capacity of 438 mAh g -1 can be retained after 100 cycles at the current density of 500 mA g -1 ., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The design and synthesis of hierarchical microboxes, assembled from SnS nanoplates coated with nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries, is demonstrated. The template-engaged multistep synthesis of the SnS@NC microboxes involves sequential phase transformation, polydopamine coating, and thermal annealing in N 2 . The SnS@NC composite with two-dimensional nano-sized subunits rationally integrates several advantages including shortening the diffusion path of electrons/Na + ions, improving electric conductivity, and alleviating volume variation of the electrode material. As a result, the SnS@NC microboxes show efficient sodium storage performance with high capacity, good cycling stability, and excellent rate capability., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Antimony-based electrode materials with high specific capacity have aroused considerable interest as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, we develop a template-engaged ion-exchange method to synthesize Sb 2 Se 3 microclips, and the as-obtained Sb 2 Se 3 microclips are further in situ coated with polypyrrole (PPy). Benefiting from the structural and compositional merits, these PPy-coated Sb 2 Se 3 microclips exhibit enhanced sodium-storage properties in terms of high reversible capacity, superior rate capability, and stable cycling performance., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

It is of great importance to develop cost-effective electrode materials for large-scale use of Na-ion batteries. Here, a binder-free electrode based on necklace-like structures composed of Fe 3 N@C yolk-shell particles as an advanced anode for Na-ion batteries is reported. In this electrode, every Fe 3 N@C unit has a novel yolk-shell structure, which can accommodate the volumetric changes of Fe 3 N during the (de)sodiation processes for superior structural integrity. Moreover, all reaction units are threaded along the carbon fibers, guaranteeing excellent kinetics for the electrochemical reactions. As a result, when evaluated as an anode material for Na-ion batteries, the Fe 3 N@C nano-necklace electrode delivers a prolonged cycle life over 300 cycles, and achieves a high C-rate capacity of 248 mAh g -1 at 2 A g -1 ., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Electrode materials based on electrochemical conversion reactions have received considerable interest for high capacity anodes of sodium-ion batteries. However, their practical application is greatly hindered by the poor rate capability and rapid capacity fading. Tuning the structure at nanoscale and increasing the conductivity of these anode materials are two effective strategies to address these issues. Herein, a two-step ion-exchange method is developed to synthesize hierarchical Cu-doped CoSe 2 microboxes assembled by ultrathin nanosheets using Co-Co Prussian blue analogue microcubes as the starting material. Benefitting from the structural and compositional advantages, these Cu-doped CoSe 2 microboxes with improved conductivity exhibit enhanced sodium storage properties in terms of good rate capability and excellent cycling performance., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Grid-scale energy storage batteries with electrode materials made from low-cost, earth-abundant elements are needed to meet the requirements of sustainable energy systems. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with iron-based electrodes offer an attractive combination of low cost, plentiful structural diversity and high stability, making them ideal candidates for grid-scale energy storage systems. Although various iron-based cathode and anode materials have been synthesized and evaluated for sodium storage, further improvements are still required in terms of energy/power density and long cyclic stability for commercialization. In this Review, progress in iron-based electrode materials for SIBs, including oxides, polyanions, ferrocyanides, and sulfides, is briefly summarized. In addition, the reaction mechanisms, electrochemical performance enhancements, structure-composition-performance relationships, merits and drawbacks of iron-based electrode materials for SIBs are discussed. Such iron-based electrode materials will be competitive and attractive electrodes for next-generation energy storage devices., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Tin(II) sulfide (SnS) has been an attractive anode material for sodium ion batteries. Herein, an elegant templating method has been developed for the rational design and synthesis of hierarchical SnS nanotubes composed of ultrathin nanosheets. In order to enhance the electrochemical performance, carbon coated hierarchical SnS nanotubes (denoted as SnS@C nanotubes) have also been obtained by simply adding glucose into the reaction system. Benefiting from their unique structural merits, the SnS@C nanotubes exhibit enhanced sodium storage properties in terms of good cycling performance and superior rate capability., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Layered metal oxides have attracted increasing attention as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the application of such cathode materials is still hindered by their poor rate capability and cycling stability. Here, a facile self-templated strategy is developed to synthesize uniform P2-Na 0.7 CoO 2 microspheres. Due to the unique microsphere structure, the contact area of the active material with electrolyte is minimized. As expected, the P2-Na 0.7 CoO 2 microspheres exhibit enhanced electrochemical performance for sodium storage in terms of high reversible capacity (125 mAh g -1 at 5 mA g -1 ), superior rate capability and long cycle life (86 % capacity retention over 300 cycles). Importantly, the synthesis method can be easily extended to synthesize other layered metal oxide (P2-Na 0.7 MnO 2 and O3-NaFeO 2 ) microspheres., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

High voltage, high rate, and cycling-stable cathodes are urgently needed for development of commercially viable sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, we report a facile spray-drying method to synthesize graphene-scaffolded Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 microspheres (NVP@rGO), in which nanocrystalline Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 is embedded in graphene sheets to form porous microspheres. Benefiting from the highly conductive graphene framework and porous structure, the NVP@rGO material exhibits a high reversible capacity (115 mAh g -1 at 0.2 C), long-term cycle life (81% of capacity retention up to 3000 cycles at 5 C), and excellent rate performance (44 mAh g -1 at 50 C). The electrochemical properties of a full Na-ion cell with the NVP@rGO cathode and Sb/C anode are also investigated. The present results suggest promising applications of the NVP@rGO material as a high performance cathode for sodium ion batteries.

Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have been considered as a promising alternative for the next generation of electric storage systems due to their similar electrochemistry to Li-ion batteries and the low cost of sodium resources. Exploring appropriate electrode materials with decent electrochemical performance is the key issue for development of sodium ion batteries. Due to the high structural stability, facile reaction mechanism and rich structural diversity, phosphate framework materials have attracted increasing attention as promising electrode materials for sodium ion batteries. Herein, we review the latest advances and progresses in the exploration of phosphate framework materials especially related to single-phosphates, pyrophosphates and mixed-phosphates. We provide the detailed and comprehensive understanding of structure-composition-performance relationship of materials and try to show the advantages and disadvantages of the materials for use in SIBs. In addition, some new perspectives about phosphate framework materials for SIBs are also discussed. Phosphate framework materials will be a competitive and attractive choice for use as electrodes in the next-generation of energy storage devices.

Hierarchical carbon framework wrapped Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 (HCF-NVP) is successfully synthesized through chemical vapor deposition on pure Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 particles. Electrochemical experiments show that the HCF-NVP electrode can deliver a large reversible capacity (115 mA h g(-1) at 0.2 C), superior high-rate rate capability (38 mA h g(-1) at 500 C), and ultra-long cycling stability (54% capacity retention after 20 000 cycles)., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Olivine NaFePO4/C microsphere cathode is prepared by a facile aqueous electrochemical displacement method from LiFePO4/C precursor. The NaFePO4/C cathode shows a high discharge capacity of 111 mAh g(-1), excellent cycling stability with 90% capacity retention over 240 cycles at 0.1 C, and high rate capacity (46 mAh g(-1) at 2 C). The excellent electrochemical performance demonstrates that the aqueous electrochemical displacement method is an effective and promising way to prepare NaFePO4/C material for Na-based energy storage applications. Moreover, the Na2/3FePO4 intermediate is observed for the first time during the Na intercalation process through conventional electrochemical techniques, corroborating an identical two-step phase transition reaction both upon Na intercalation and deintercalation processes. The clarification of the electrochemical reaction mechanism of olivine NaFePO4 could inspire more attention on the investigation of this material for Na ion batteries.

FePO4 nanospheres are synthesized successfully through a simple chemically induced precipitation method. The nanospheres present a mesoporous amorphous structure. Electrochemical experiments show that the FePO4/C electrode demonstrates a high initial discharging capacity of 151 mAh g(-1) at 20 mA g(-1), stable cyclablilty (94% capacity retention ratio over 160 cycles), as well as high rate capability (44 mAh g(-1) at 1000 mA g(-1)) for Na-ion storage. The superior electrochemical performance of the FePO4/C nanocomposite is due to its particular mesoporous amorphous structure and close contact with the carbon framework, which significantly improve the ionic and electronic transport and intercalation kinetics of Na ions.