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• The central nitrogen vacancy polymerized carbon nitride (FCN) was prepared by hydrothermal calcination. • The photocatalytic degradation rate of TC-HCl by FCN-5 is 0.04751 min−1, which is 2.2 times that of the original CN. • Two new possible degradation paths of TC-HCl were proposed. • The photocatalytic degradation mechanism of •O2– and 1O2 radical of TC-HCl was introduced. • The ecological safety of the restored water body was verified by plant experiment and TEST toxicity assessment software. Carbon nitride had unique structure and electronic properties, and had wide application prospects in the field of photocatalysis. However, the rapid photogenerated carrier recombination efficiency and low photocatalytic activity limit its use. Defect construction was considered to be an effective strategy to improve the photocatalytic activity of carbon nitride. In this paper, nitrogen defective carbon nitride was prepared by formic acid assisted pyrolysis. The formic acid was used to regulate the top atoms and effectively shorten the band gap. Second, the gas released during pyrolysis contributed to the construction of porous structures. SEM, TEM, BET, XPS were used to confirm the presence of nitrogen defective sites. When it was used to photocatalyze the degradation of tetracycline, the main antibiotic pollutant in Dongting Lake, the degradation rate of 95.1 % was achieved in 60 min. Compared with conventional carbon nitride, the degradation rate constants were 0.04751 min−1 and 0.02110 min−1, respectively. Compared with CN, the degradation rate constant of FCN-5 was increased 2.2 times. The photocatalytic degradation activity was verified by photochemical experiments. •O 2 – and 1O 2 active radicals dominate the photocatalytic degradation process. The ecological safety of Dongting Lake water samples repaired by defective carbon nitride has been confirmed, and the toxicity of antibiotics to the germination and growth of legumes has been effectively alleviated. Five cycles of the experiments ensured that the material can be reused. The above work provided reference and basis for the development and design of defective carbon nitride for water body restoration in Dongting Lake basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Urea assembly is the one of the most important weak interaction for the supramolecular adhesive materials (SAMs). • SAMs based on urea assembly are systematically summarized and classified. • The mechanism of urea assembly for enhancing the SAMs performance has been proposed. • Challenges and limitations of urea-assembly-based SAMs are provided, and solutions are given. Supramolecular adhesive materials (SAMs) have garnered significant research interest owing to the outstanding attributes offered by dynamic bonds, including self-healability, stimulus responsiveness, and reversible adhesion. Urea groups with adjustable hydrogen bond strength, directional assembly ability, readily synthesized and amenable to scale-up, represent crucial dynamic bond constituents; this review provides a comprehensive summary of SAMs based on urea assembly. Meanwhile, a comprehensive overview of SAMs' structures, properties, and applications is also provided. SAMs are categorized into four distinct types following the quantity of urea-based assembly sites: one assembly site, two assembly sites, three assembly sites, and multi-assembly sites. Deduced out urea-based assembly promotes molecular weight and cross-linking points increase, which are the main factors for improving the performance of SAMs. The SAMs' limitations, challenges, and prospective directions are also briefly outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Superhydrophobic polystyrene sponge was fabricated successfully via dual-templating method. • The polystyrene sponge showed ultra high adsorption capacity toward oil/organic solvents. • The polystyrene sponge could be regenerated by simple mechanical compression. Abstract Polystyrene is a common material featured with its low cost. In this work, a novel low dense polystyrene sponge with superhydrophobicity and compressibility was prepared successfully by a dual-templating method, including High Internal Phase Emulsions (HIPEs) processing and the introduction of organic template species. For the first time stearic acid or calcium stearate was introduced into the HIPEs system to enhance micro roughness and impart the PolyHIPEs with superhydrophobicity. Besides, owing to the low density, high porosity, interconnected network structure and ultra large void size, the sponge exhibited fast oil adsorption rate and superior oil adsorption capacity of 66.2 g/g toward diesel. After adsorption saturation, the sponge was regenerated by simple squeezing with the deoiling rate over 80%. Importantly, the sponge showed swellable property and about 80% of the initial adsorption capacity was retained after 10 adsorption-compression circles. High adsorption rate, excellent oil adsorption capacity, high selectivity, low cost, compressibility and renewability, all these favourable properties make it an ideal and practical oil adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of nitrobenzene (NB), a carcinogenic and refractory pollutant, in aqueous solution by adsorption, ozonation, electrolysis, and electro-peroxone (E-peroxone) with activated carbon fiber (ACF) was investigated, respectively. Kinetic analyses of NB removal by all the processes followed pseudo-first-order kinetics and the K app of E-peroxone-ACF was 14.90 × 10 −2 min −1 , which was much higher than the others. Besides, the K app of E-peroxone-ACF process reduces slightly to 12.18 × 10 −2 min −1 even after 100 times of ACF recycle, showing a sustainable activity. Moreover, according to the pore texture characteristics, surface functional groups, FTIR, and SEM images, E-peroxone process does not considerably alter the ACF surface, whereas ozone alone can cause substantial damage to it. These results suggested that ACF was induced from an initiator/a promoter into an electrocatalyst in ozonation by free electrons injection. Moreover, comparing with titanium cathode, ACF can remarkably improve the removal of NB in E-peroxone due to the synchronous adsorption of pollutants and ozone as well as the enhancement of H 2 O 2 generation. It indicates that the ACF cathode is a promising material for organic pollutants removal in the E-peroxone process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A tridirectional freezing method was proposed to prepare a PI aerogel with an – 0.79 Poisson's ratio. • The internal structure of herringbone frame endowed the PI aerogel with an ultra-negative Poisson's ratio. • The shape of the PI aerogels can be restored rapidly after a strong impact of a metal ball. • The PI aerogel showed a striking mechanical stability under cyclic compression at 130 °C or –100 °C ambient temperatures. Although various developed materials with a negative Poisson's ratio have been inspired by nature, the preparation of a negative-Poisson-ratio polyimide (PI) aerogel has been difficult because of its inherent structural limitations. These limitations have hindered the expansion of potential PI applications. We developed a tridirectional freezing method to prepare a superelastic PI aerogel with an ultranegative Poisson's ratio. Through dynamic observation, the PI aerogel with a herringbone-tape frame structure exhibited an anisotropic negative Poisson's ratio along three orthogonal axes. The maximum negative Poisson's ratio was –0.79. Combined with a finite-element simulation, the formation mechanism of the large ultranegative Poisson's ratio was investigated. The special internal structure provided the PI aerogels with high fatigue resistance under 10,000-cycle compression at 50% strain, and resilience under the strong impact of a metal ball. The intrinsic thermal stability of the PI provided the aerogel with a striking stability under cyclic compression at 130 °C or –100 °C ambient temperature. Our study provides a practical route for designing superelastic, ultranegative-Poisson-ratio polymer aerogels for applications in strong-impact and high- or low-temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] 15%T5A were compared with nano-TiO2 on OTC removal at optimized conditions. [•] The 15%T5A composite system showed a better anti-interference capability. [•] The 15%T5A proved a more stable activity during recycled use than nano-TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The {1 0 0}, {1 1 0} and {3 1 0} facets in α-MnO 2 were selectively exposed. • α-MnO 2 with exposed {3 1 0} facets can complete photocatalytic oxidation of HCHO. • Photothermal activity of {3 1 0} facet is consistent with photocatalysis mechanism. • This is the first report on facets control of α-MnO 2 as efficient photocatalysts. Formaldehyde (HCHO) causes increasing concerns due to its ubiquitously found in the indoor environment and being irritative and carcinogenic to humans. Therefore, the complete removal of HCHO at room temperature is meaningful. Crystal facet engineering has appeared as a significant strategy for designing efficient catalysts. It is an effective way to improve the catalytic activity by selectively exposing the highly reactive crystal facets. Herein, the {1 0 0}, {1 1 0}, and {3 1 0} facets in α-MnO 2 were selectively exposed, and the differences in the properties and photocatalytic activity of crystal facets have been carefully compared. Specifically, α-MnO 2 with exposed {3 1 0} facets exhibited superior photocatalytic activity, achieving 100% conversion of carcinogenic airborne HCHO under the solar-light irradiation and even 78% removal efficiency under visible light. Interestingly, it is found that the high activity of {3 1 0} facet with solar-light irradiation is consistent with the photocatalysis mechanism, rather than solar-light-driven thermocatalysis mechanism. Furthermore, it is confirmed that the {3 1 0} facet can not only promote the effective separation of electron and hole, but also benefit the activation of O 2 , which leads to substantially improved photocatalytic activity. This is the first report on engineering surface structures and facets control in the preparation of α-MnO 2 as highly efficient photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A 3D "Tree blossom" Ni/NC/C complex was synthesized by microwave and pyrolysis methods. • The RL min of the sample was − 63.1 dB at 2 mm, with a broad effective bandwidth of 35.44 GHz (1 mm-5.5 mm). • Ni-O-C and Ni-N bonds were present in the composites. • A lightweight and broadband microwave absorber with low filler loading was obtained. Precursors of a nickel-based metal–organic framework, denoted Ni-MOF, and the loofah plant were prepared by the microwave method, and "tree blossom" Ni/Nitrogen doped Carbon (NC)/ Carbon (C) composites were prepared by in situ pyrolysis under an argon atmosphere. During pyrolysis, the morphology, specific surface area, porous structure and electromagnetic parameters of the Ni/NC/C composites were adjusted by adjusting the pyrolysis temperature. The maximum reflection loss of the corresponding Ni/NC/C composites can reach −63.1 dB at 13.84 GHz and a thickness of 2 mm when the pyrolysis temperature was 650 ℃ and the filling amount was 16 wt%. And the effective absorption bandwidth was 35.44 GHz when the thickness was adjusted from 1 mm to 5.5 mm within the range of 2–40 GHz. Excellent performance comes from conduction loss, dipole and interface polarization, magnetic resonance, multiple electromagnetic reflections and scattering, and equilibrium impedance matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High strength and high toughness were achieved simultaneously in polyimide aerogel. • A multi-level force mechanism was proposed based on in-situ observation. • A spring-like bridge played a key role in increasing compression recovery. • PI aerogel with an isotropic compressive performance in horizontal direction. • The application of PI aerogel could cover extreme high and low temperature. Polyimide aerogels possess various applications in harsh environment but are often limited by poor mechanical property. The ice template method to construct a layered aerogel has structural advantages, but there are still problems of insufficient compression recovery and anisotropy. We investigated the method of forming a spring-like bridge in layered structure, and verified the effect of bridges on the compression deformation, compressive strength, energy dissipation, and fatigue properties. Based on structural observations, a corresponding force mechanism was proposed. After 10,000-cyclic compression at 50% strain, PI aerogels had only 5.8% plastic deformation, 82% stress retention and stable energy dissipation coefficient below 0.3. Interestingly, the compressive performance was isotropic in horizontal direction. Combined with low thermal conductivity, PI aerogels had high structural stability when repeatedly used at 300 °C. This research may provide an available method for design of high-strength and high-toughness polymer aerogels suitable for harsh environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Hybrid catalyst of 4,4′-bipyridine-molybdovanadophosphoric acid is prepared. [•] The catalyst exhibits high phenol yield from hydroxylation of benzene with O2. [•] The catalyst is heterogeneous with high potential for reusability. [•] Two N atoms of bipyridine play a key role in heterogeneous catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel aqueous rechargeable hybrid Zn//Na 3 MnTi(PO 4) 3 battery is firstly devised. • The reversible intercalation/deintercalation of hybrid Na+ and Zn2+ is disclosed. • Zn//Na 3 MnTi(PO 4) 3 batteries show superior rate capability and cycling performance. Aqueous rechargeable batteries have promising application in large-scale energy storage owing to their cost-effective, eco-friendly, high safety and good electrochemical performance. An aqueous rechargeable hybrid sodium/zinc battery with Zn anode, Na 3 MnTi(PO 4) 3 cathode and 0.5 mol L-1 CH 3 COONa and Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 mixed electrolyte has been designed for the first time. The battery delivered a reversible and stable capacity of 95.0 mAh g−1 at 1.5 C for 50 cycles with a high and flat working voltage of 1.75 V vs. Zn2+/Zn. Impressively, the battery showed the excellent cycling performance and superior rate capability, which can be cycled at 10.0 C for 2000 cycles with a capacity retention of 93.6% and a reversible capacity of 55.6 mAh g−1 at 30.0 C. Meanwhile, the co-intercalation mechanism of hybrid Na+ and Zn2+ in the cathode is elucidated by cyclic voltammogram, ex-situ XRD, ex-situ XPS and Rietveld refinement analysis. This work gets insight into the charge/discharge processes of hybrid ions for NASICON-structured Na 3 MnTi(PO 4) 3 , providing a feasible way to design cost-effective, high safety and long-term aqueous rechargeable batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A stable hierarchical Li+/e- conducting shell is constructed on the surface of nano-Si. • Li 2 SiO 3 /C shell is self-sacrificially formed via reaction of native oxide layer and Li salts. • As-obtained sample shows high capacity and good cycling stability. The inevitable surface oxidation of nano-Si inhibits its practical application as anode for lithium ion battery. Here, a hierarchical electronic/ionic conducting shell is smartly constructed by self-sacrificing reaction of native oxide layer on Si nanoparticles with lithium species. The morphological observation shows that Si nanoparticles are wrapped by lithium ionic conductor Li 2 SiO 3 and amorphous carbon as the interlayer and outer layer, respectively. Such hierarchical structure not only provides a tight bond between Si and coating layer, but also improves the interfacial stability and conductivity of Si nanoparticles. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the adsorption of Li 2 SiO 3 on Si (1 1 1) and the adsorption of C on Si/Li 2 SiO 3 are exothermic and spontaneous, and that the electron transfer and ionic conductivity at the surface of Si/Li 2 SiO 3 /C composite is enhanced. As a result, the as-prepared Si/Li 2 SiO 3 /C sample exhibits outstanding cycle stability and rate capability. By optimizing the lithium sources and thickness of native oxide layer, the resulted material exhibits 2106 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1, remains 1583 mA g−1 at 3000 mA g−1, and maintains 70.2% of capacity retention after 200 cycles. This work provides a robust strategy to promote the practical applications of Si nanoparticles as anode for lithium ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A thermally processable bamboo-based plastic substitute (BP/PI) is prepared. • BP/PI exhibits excellent heat-driven reshaping, rehealing, and remolding capabilities. • The tensile strength and flexural strength of BP/PI reach 45.2 MPa and 121.9 MPa. • BP/PI exhibits excellent resistance to water and organic solvents. • BP/PI exhibits excellent chemical degradability, recyclability, and biodegradability. Environmental pollution caused by nondegradable fossil-based plastics is one of the biggest global concerns. Bamboo, which is a renewable and biodegradable biomass resource, is a promising material for developing green plastic substitutes. However, the processing (e.g., thermal processing) of bamboo into plastic substitutes remains a considerable challenge because bamboo is a stable multicomponent structure crosslinked via strong hydrogen bond (H-bond) and covalent-bond interactions, which results in its non-thermoplastic characteristic. Herein, bamboo powders (BPs) were integrated into polyimine (PI) covalent adaptable networks (CANs) using a simple heat-pressing approach, which helped us successfully fabricate a thermally processable composite film (BP/PI). The heat-driven dynamic network exchange characteristic of PI also provides BP/PI with excellent reshaping, rehealing, and remolding capabilities. The multiple H-bond interactions between BPs and PI provide BP/PI with excellent tensile strength (45.2 MPa) and flexural strength (121.9 MPa). BP/PI also exhibits remarkable water and organic solvent resistance, chemical degradability, closed-loop recyclability, and biodegradability. This attractive BP/PI material represents a high-performance and ecofriendly plastic substitute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A single-layer close packed diamond particles network was constructed. • Diamond/Cu composite thin plate with a sandwiched structure was prepared by press-brazing method. • Thermal and mechanical properties were measured and simulated. • Heat dissipation ability of the diamond/Cu composite was increased by 5.7 °C than pure Cu. High-efficiency heat dissipation is crucial for the reliability and durability of high-power electronics devices. Diamond/copper composites have drawn much attention as promising candidate materials for thermal management due to their high thermal conductivity and tunable coefficient of thermal expansion. In this work, a novel method was proposed to fabricate a thin plate of diamond/copper composite based on the construction of single-layer close packed diamond particles network. The composite with a sandwich structure was prepared by press-brazing method, which is cost-effective for both preparation and post-processing. The microstructures of the composite plate containing diamond, AgCuTi filler and Cu were examined. The influence of diamond particle size on thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and mechanical properties were also experimentally measured and theoretically simulated. The results show that a single-layer close packed diamond particles network is densely brazed between copper layers to form a composite thin plate. The interface TiC layer is in-situ formed between diamond and AgCuTi matrix. With increase in the diamond particle size to 1200 μm, thermal conductivity of 552.7 W⋅m−1⋅K−1, coefficient of thermal expansion of 10.1 × 10-6 K−1, and flexural strength of 204.3 MPa are achieved, which are in agreement with the theoretical simulated results. As a heat spreader substrate, the heat dissipation ability of diamond/Cu composite is increased by 5.7 °C in comparison with pure Cu plate. Finite element analysis and testing of actual scenarios further confirm the excellent thermal performance of the sandwich structured diamond/Cu composite thin plate, making it a prospective candidate for thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel high-voltage V-based NASICON-type quasi-symmetric SIB was designed. • The PBE-vdW method yields significant improvement to V predictions of NVP and NVPF. • The mechanism of pH regulation to optimize the performance of NVPF was elucidated. • The microscopic factors affecting Na+ diffusion behavior of electrodes were revealed. • Pre-sodiated NVP exhibits favorable kinetics compatibility with NVPF. The conventional V-based NASICON-type symmetric sodium-ion batteries (SSIBs) suffer from insufficient energy density mainly due to the low operating voltage. In this study, a novel high-voltage quasi-SSIB (Q-SSIB) was designed by coupling a high-voltage F-substituted cathode (Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 F 3 @rGO) with a low-voltage pre-sodiated anode (Na 4 V 2 (PO 4) 3 @rGO) by combining experimental and the first-principles approaches. The electrochemical performance of the cathode was improved by slightly regulating the pH value of the precursor solution to optimize the balance between its crystallization quality and purity, with introducing surface energy analysis to help elucidate the mechanism. An electrochemical pre-intercalation strategy was adopted to synthesize the sodium-rich anode. Besides, the ionic diffusion properties of electrodes were systematically studied by combining DSCV, GITT tests and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, demonstrating that the anode presents faster kinetics in the pre-sodiated phase and shows favorable kinetics compatibility with the cathode. The Na 4 V 2 (PO 4) 3 //Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 F 3 Q-SSIB exhibits a high energy density of 340.1 Wh kg−1 and a maximum output voltage plateau of 3.75 V, highly improved compared to the ones (1.8 V, 211 Wh kg−1) in Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 SSIBs. This work provides references from theoretical design to experimental study for boosting the energy density of NASICON-type SIBs for broadening their application prospects in energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To pursue high-performance energy storage devices with both high energy density and power density, nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (CBC-N) derived from bacterial cellulose are used both as a three-dimensional template for space-confined hydrothermal growth of NiCo 2 S 4 , and as the highly conductive negative electrode material for asymmetric supercapacitor assembly. Notably, uniformly dispersed NiCo 2 S 4 nanoparticles with only 3–5 nm are successfully immobilized on the surface of CBC-N fibers to form the CBC-N@NiCo 2 S 4 composite, which effectively prevents the severe aggregation of NiCo 2 S 4 nanoparticles and fully utilizes the outstanding electrochemical activity and capacity of NiCo 2 S 4 as the pseudocapacitive electrode material. Benefiting from the conductive CBC-N fiber template with hierarchical architectures and its coupling with uniformly dispersed NiCo 2 S 4 nanoparticles, the CBC-N@NiCo 2 S 4 composite exhibits high capacitance of 1078 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 and excellent capacity retention of 94.6% (918.5 F g −1 at 5 A g −1 ). Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitor demonstrates high energy density of 42.6 Wh kg −1 at power density of 1500 W kg −1 , and long-term cycling stability of 96.8% retention after 5000 cycles. Therefore, this work provides a new strategy to develop biomass-derived high-performance electrode materials for potential applications in supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Zn2+ as strong Lewis acid act as an electron acceptor, accepting electrons from FeOOH. • Zn2+ is introduced into FeOOH with a looser structure by regulating EDL repulsion. • Leached Fe is compensated by Zn-induced redeposition to achieve self-healing. • The overpotential of optimized Zn 0.5 FeOOH is 250 mV at 100 mA cm−2 for OER. • Zn doping strategy is still applicable in alkaline seawater and AEM electrolyzers. The fast leaching of the Fe catalytic center and low conductivity of FeOOH have hindered the optimal stability and activity of Fe-based electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reactions (OER). Here, Zn2+ is introduced into FeOOH with a looser nanosheet structure by regulating electric double layer (EDL) repulsion during electrodeposition. Meanwhile, as strong Lewis acids, Zn2+ in Zn x FeOOH could act as an electron acceptor, accepting electrons from FeOOH. The doping of Zn2+ shortens the bond length of Fe-O and enhances the covalency of Fe-O to improve electron transport rate and stability. The faster catalytic kinetics also been obtained by facilitating O* to form OOH* intermediates. At 100 mA cm−2, Zn 0.5 FeOOH requires overpotential of only 250 mV and maintains initial activity in 1 M KOH after 120 h. Notably, Zn-induced self-healing is achieved when the leaching and redeposition of Fe reach dynamic equilibrium. In 1 M KOH seawater, Zn 0.5 FeOOH requires overpotentials of 286 mV to produce current density of 100 mA cm−2. At 2.0 V, Zn 0.5 FeOOH can achieve 1000 mA cm−2 in anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolyzer at room temperature. This work provides an effective Zn-induced strategy for designing efficient and stable OER catalysts for industrial development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 3D-blocky catalyst (CoMnO x @sponge) was fabricated via separating Co-Mn bimetallic oxide on sponge. • CoMnO x @sponge exhibited excellent catalytic performance and superior reusability for PMS activation. • CoMnO x @sponge possessed elasticity and could be assembled with a column to remove pollutants continuously. • SO 4 •−, •OH and 1O 2 were the reactive oxygen species responsible for the SIZ degradation. • The possible pathways and declined bio-toxicity of the SIZ degradation were proposed. An elastic and 3D-blocky catalyst (CoMnO x @sponge) was successfully prepared via uniform growth and distribution of Co-Mn bimetallic oxide inside the sponge for the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The results showed that 30 mg/L sulfisoxazole (SIZ) could be completely degraded by PMS (1 mM) activated with CoMnO x @sponge (0.1 g/L) within 5 min. The pseudo-first-order rate constant was calculated to be 1.83 min−1, which was much larger than those from previous reports. The excellent stability and reusability of CoMnO x @sponge were confirmed through 20 recycle runs with more than 90% degradation of SIZ and less than 0.9 mg/L leached metal ions. Singlet oxygen (1O 2), hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and sulfate radicals (SO 4 •−) were determined to be the dominating reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsible for the degradation of SIZ. The possible pathways of SIZ degradation as well as underlying catalytic mechanism were deduced. The bio-toxicity declined obviously after the mineralization of SIZ and the removal of TOC at 5 mg/L SIZ was high up to 90.4%. Furthermore, the system of CoMnO x @sponge/PMS also exhibited the strong anti-interference ability in natural water and the universal degradation capacity towards other common organic pollutants. More remarkably, the 3D-catalyst possessing an elasticity and extremely high porosity could be easily assembled with a column to realize the consecutive degradation of pollutants. The labor- and time-saving removal of pollutants based on a combination of CoMnO x @sponge with PMS makes it great potential in practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Zinc porphyrin complex was synthesized via Alder-Longo and complexation. • PS/zinc porphyrin showed outstanding thermal stability and UV-resistance. • PS/zinc porphyrin exhibited improved mechanically strength and toughness. • PS/zinc porphyrin demonstrated enhanced fire safety properties. Polystyrene (PS) is one of the most commonly used general plastics. Nonetheless, PS is greatly limited by its inherent disadvantages such as high flammability, low stability and brittleness. To address these issues, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-bromophenyl) porphyrin (TBPP) and zinc 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-bromophenyl) porphyrin (Zn-TBPP) were synthesized as multifunctional additives for fabricating high-performance PS composites. Both TBPP and Zn-TBPP showed high thermal stability and excellent UV-absorption, which significantly enhanced the UV-resistance of PS without sacrificing mechanical property after 100 h UV-aging. The addition of 5 wt% Zn-TBPP led to the remarkable improvement of thermal stability of PS (41 °C and 79 °C increases in the thermal decomposition temperature at 5 wt% mass loss under N 2 and air, respectively). Moreover, contributed from the strong π-π interaction between porphyrins and PS chains, the mechanical properties of PS were enhanced when 5 wt% Zn-TBPP was added into PS (11.1% increase in tensile strength and 96.6% increase in elongation at break). Furthermore, compared to TBPP/PS, Zn-TBPP/PS exhibited an improved flame retardant performance with 26.0%, 14.4% and 31.5% reduction of peak heat release rate, peak CO and CO 2 production respectively, indicating the catalytic flame retardant effect from zinc element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive heavy metals are inhibitory or even toxic to microorganisms in biological wastewater treatment systems. Given the promising prospects of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), this work details a novel remediation strategy for preventing anammox failure due to heavy metal overload (in this study, Cu(II) overload). The strategy involves combining ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) washing with bioactivity stimulation via low-intensity ultrasound. Kinetic experiments and batch activity assays were employed to determine the optimal concentration of EDTA and washing time, and changes in reactor performance and granule characteristics were tracked by continuous-flow monitoring to evaluate the long-term effects. The two-step desorption process revealed that the Cu in anammox granules was primarily introduced via adsorption (approximately 84.9%) and that low-energy adsorption sites were predominant (accounting for 58.6%). The Cu internalized in the cells (approximately 12.5%) could then diffuse out of the cells and be gradually washed out of the reactor within 20 days. Thereafter, ultrasound irradiation at intervals of 8 days contributed to accelerated performance, with a nitrogen removal rate (NRR) increasing rate of 0.1971 kgN m −3 d −2 . The NRR was able to return to normal levels within 64 days, whereas the recovery of dehydrogenase activity (DHA) was hysteretic, requiring approximately 110 days. Gradual improvements in granule diameter, settling properties, extracellular polymeric substances and heme content were also detected. Overall, these results demonstrate that external removal of the adsorbed Cu followed by internal repair of the metabolic system may represent an important and useful recovery method in wastewater treatment plant operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Integration of thermal regulation and friction reduction functionalities in a nanocomposite coating for electronic packaging. • Inspired by Camponotus ants, coatings with hierarchical micro/nanostructures were developed for efficient radiative cooling and friction reduction. • Utilization of PEO for rapid and eco-friendly coating fabrication, offering potential for large-scale production of multifunctional radiative cooling materials. • Achieving high infrared emissivity and substantial reduction in LED temperature (21.5 °C), alongside outstanding friction reduction performance. To date, the demand for electronic packaging materials with combined highly efficient heat dissipation and low friction attracts intensive attention. There have been hardly any reports of coatings that provide simultaneous radiative cooling, thermal conduction, and friction reduction properties. In the present work, a novel biomimetic nanocomposite coating is gown on the titanium alloy substrate. The coating consists of a TiO 2 ceramic layer adorned with hemispherical protrusions and is enriched with hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) flakes and CNTs on the surface. The optimal microstructures are determined through Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulation calculations and then prepared using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The results show that the hierarchical micro/nanostructures enable the coating to achieve an infrared emissivity of ∼ 0.9 within the 3–14 wavelength range, whilst h-BN and CNTs contribute to the thermal conduction of the TiO 2 -BN/CNTs ceramic coating. The advantage of the biomimetic nanocomposite coating over the bare titanium alloy is that the coating facilitates a reduction in the equilibrium temperature of a 5 W LED by around 21.5 °C. In addition, the coating exhibits outstanding friction reduction performance with a low friction coefficient (COF) of 0.15 over a sliding distance of 94.2 m, benefitted from the lubrication effect of h-BN and CNT. This work introduces a straightforward and environmentally friendly approach to fabricating bifunctional thermal regulation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high overpotentials are substantial obstacles for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). The development of non-precious metal electrocatalysts with low overpotentials and high Faradaic efficiencies is crucial for NRR. In this study, we synthesized a series of cobalt-doped WC electrocatalysts by incorporating Co single-atoms into WC lattices. The NRR performance was evaluated using linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and chronoamperometry in a 0.10 mol/L H 2 SO 4 electrolyte.The results demonstrated that the potential onset for NRR on Co 0.05 W 0.95 C was −0.05 V vs RHE, and the ammonia yield of Co 0.05 W 0.95 C electrocatalyst reached 32.49 ± 0.06 µg·h−1·cm−2 with a Faradaic efficiency of 27.17 ± 0.5 % at a low overpotential of 192 mV under ambient conditions while the performance of the pure cobalt metal is very poor reported by the previous report for NRR. Furthermore,the addition of SCN- ions in the 0.10 mol/L H 2 SO 4 electrolyte reduced the current for NRR.This observation suggests that the Co atoms doped in WC lattices serve as active sites for N 2 reduction. Theory calculations further verified that N 2 molecules were adsorbed on cobalt atoms in Co-doped WC lattices by N 2 -bridge bonds, called enzymatic mechanism, nitrogen molecules were reduced to ammonia following the enzymatic mechanism, which resulted in an extremely low overpotential for NRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ru@Beta was directly synthesized to confine Ru NPs within Beta zeolites. • Ru@Beta was highly active in the N-alkylation of amines with aromatic alcohols. • High yield/TON/TOF, stable recyclability, and broad substrate scope were obtained. • Synergy of confined Ru NPs and acid sites contributed to the high performance. • Moderate Ru − H intensity on the confined metal sites accelerated H-transfer process. Direct hydrogen transfer amination of alcohols with amines is an environmentally friendly and atom-economical route for the synthesis of N-alkylamines. Noble metal species are highly catalytic active sites, but the exorbitant price makes the urgency to boost the atom efficiency with stable recyclability. Herein, we demonstrated that encapsulation of Ru nanoparticles (NPs) within BEA zeolite through direct hydrothermal approach greatly promoted the catalytic efficiency in the N-alkylation of aromatic alcohols and amines under additive- and solvent-free conditions, resulting in the high yield (∼93 %), maximum turnover number (TON) of 12,822 and turnover frequency (TOF) of 9012 h−1, with stable recyclability and extendable substrate scope. The kinetic studies and in-situ characterizations revealed that the synergy of confined Ru NPs and adjacent acid sites of BEA zeolite significantly promoted the C–H bond activation in the rate-determining step of alcohol dehydrogenation into aldehydes. Besides, the acid sites also accelerated the condensation of aldehyde intermediates and anilines to promote the kinetic equilibrium, while the moderate strength of the Ru–H bond resulting from the confined Ru NPs is advantageous to balance the dehydrogenation and hydrogenation steps to reach the fascinating H-transfer process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Single VO 4 sites were constructed on hydrophobic poly(ionic liquid)-derivative. • Combination of ion-exchange and pyrolysis caused the formation of V(IV) species. • The stability and hydrophobicity of the catalyst were enhanced after pyrolysis. • The catalyst was efficient in the H 2 O 2 -mediated benzene hydroxylation to phenol. • High H 2 O 2 utilization efficiency > 90 % was reached with large TOF above 900 h−1. Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2)-mediated benzene hydroxylation is one of the most attractive avenues towards green synthesis of phenol, a crucial industrial feedstock. Nonetheless, it remains one challenge to explore efficient catalysts, especially the one allowing high H 2 O 2 utilization efficiency to fulfill the safety production. In this work, isolated single VO 4 sites were constructed on the hydrophobic poly(ionic liquid)-derivative through copolymerization of dinuclear imidazolyl ionic liquid and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), ion change with ammonium metavanadate (NH 4 VO 3), and the pyrolysis under moderate temperature. The combination of V(IV) single sites and a hydrophobic surface made the catalyst effectively catalyzing the phenol synthesis from benzene oxidation with H 2 O 2 , giving phenol selectivity above 99 %, H 2 O 2 utilization efficiency of 92 %, and turnover frequency (TOF) beyond 900 h−1. The catalyst was stably recycled and exhibited broad substrate compatibility. The pyrolysis step strengthened both stability and activity, significantly contributing to the high catalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The TiO2 anode with mesoporous shell was formed by one-step hydrothermal method. [•] The effects of hydrothermal temperature on the performance of LIBs were studied. [•] The TiO2 anode without annealing achieved superior electrochemical properties. [•] The synthesis method of anodes provided a new strategy for high-performance LIBs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Multilayer hollow MnCo 2 O 4 microsphere with oxygen vacancies was fabricated. • Vo-MnCo 2 O 4 demonstrates an enhanced OER activity and durability. • Oxygen vacancy is critical to the improvement of OER activity. • DFT calculations reveal the effect of oxygen vacancy on the OER activity. Highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction are of technological importance in energy conversion and storage. Surface modification is one of the most promising strategies for improving the activity of such electrocatalysts. Herein, we report the multilayer hollow MnCo 2 O 4 microsphere enriched with oxygen vacancies induced by the plasma-engraving technique for the first time. The defective MnCo 2 O 4 microsphere exhibits an excellent catalytic activity and durability as compared to pristine MnCo 2 O 4. Our electrochemical analysis, combined with first-principles calculations, reveals that the improved electrocatalytic performance is attributed mainly to abundant active sites after the plasma treatment and the effects of the introduced oxygen vacancies. The oxygen vacancy not only reduces the density of states near the Fermi level but also lowers the Co d-band center , weakening the adsorption of the intermediates. This facilitates the desorption of the adsorbates, which is necessary for oxygen evolution reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multilayer hollow MnCo 2 O 4 microsphere with oxygen vacancies was fabricated. • Vo-MnCo 2 O 4 demonstrates an enhanced OER activity and durability. • Oxygen vacancy is critical to the improvement of OER activity. • DFT calculations reveal the effect of oxygen vacancy on the OER activity. Highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction are of technological importance in energy conversion and storage. Surface modification is one of the most promising strategies for improving the activity of such electrocatalysts. Herein, we report the multilayer hollow MnCo 2 O 4 microsphere enriched with oxygen vacancies induced by the plasma-engraving technique for the first time. The defective MnCo 2 O 4 microsphere exhibits an excellent catalytic activity and durability as compared to pristine MnCo 2 O 4. Our electrochemical analysis, combined with first-principles calculations, reveals that the improved electrocatalytic performance is attributed mainly to abundant active sites after the plasma treatment and the effects of the introduced oxygen vacancies. The oxygen vacancy not only reduces the density of states near the Fermi level but also lowers the Co d-band center , weakening the adsorption of the intermediates. This facilitates the desorption of the adsorbates, which is necessary for oxygen evolution reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A surface reconstruction technique was employed to restore the degraded NCM811. • The residual lithium and NiO were in-situ converted into La 4 NiLiO 8 repair layer. • The detrimental phase transitions and electrolyte corrosion were suppressed. • The concentration of oxygen vacancies has been reduced. • The regenerated NCM811 shows better capacity and cyclability than the pristine one. The cost-effectiveness and higher energy density of nickel-rich cathodes have made them appealing for electric vehicles, generating significant interest in their advancement. Unfortunately, the cathodes' high surface activity presents a challenge in humid air conditions, leading to structural degradation. The deterioration leads to the creation of the NiO rock-salt structure and residual lithium, impeding the pathways for Li+ movement throughout the entire system. Concurrently, the reduction of unstable Ni3+ triggers the generation of reactive oxygen species, causing the emergence of oxygen vacancies. These vacancies, in turn, diminish the cathode's structural stability. Herein, to mitigate the degradation of nickel-rich cathodes following storage, a surface reconstruction technique was employed to convert residual lithium and NiO phase into a conductive La 4 NiLiO 8 repair layer. This in-situ regeneration resulted in an impressive regenerative electrochemical capacity of 56.2 mAh/g at 1C for the 28d-1La sample. Additionally, the surface reconstruction technique effectively decreased the concentration of oxygen vacancies, resulting in improved durability of the cathode structure. Furthermore, the La 4 NiLiO 8 repair layer effectively suppressed detrimental phase transitions and mitigated electrolyte corrosion. This study presents a straightforward and efficient regeneration strategy for degraded nickel-rich cathodes resulting from storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hierarchically porous zeolite-A lattices (ZALs) were successfully fabricated using an innovative direct ink writing method. • The ZALs adsorbent demonstrates remarkable efficiency in capturing radioactive Cs+ through highly effective ion exchange. • The ZALs adsorbent possesses excellent radiation resistance and structural stability. • The short-term sealing of Cs-loaded ZALs was achieved by utilizing geopolymer as the immobilization material. Fabricating porous structures to manipulate ion transport and storage is of great significance for both fundamental research and practical applications. Recent advances in additive manufacturing have opened up new opportunities to develop hierarchical zeolites as ideal adsorbents for modulating ion dynamics, while the advanced synthetic strategies and structural parameters that determine their microscopic adsorption and immobilization behavior remain largely unexplored. Here we develop a versatile direct ink writing approach to produce Zeolite-A lattices (ZALs) with controlled patterns and hierarchical porosity. Combining ion adsorption kinetics with first-principles calculations provides insights into ion exchange, migration, and localization pathways through the oxygen-membered rings that underlie the exceptionally high Cs+ adsorption capacity of up to 106.3 mg/g. The adsorption kinetics fitting results showed that the quasi-second-order fit of the ZALs adsorbent generally exhibited higher R2 values than the quasi-first-order fit, indicating that the adsorption of Cs+ was ion exchange. Furthermore, the excellent radiation resistance and the developed geopolymer coating technology endow the ion-loaded the ZAL with near-unity ion immobilization efficiency. Our findings not only demonstrate an advanced method for large-scale production of high-performance adsorbents, but also provide microscopic insights into the underlying mechanisms of ion adsorption and storage, paving the way for efficient hazardous ion management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The pigments (melanoidins) in molasses wastewater are refractory to conventional biological treatment. Ferric chloride was used as coagulant to remove color and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from molasses effluent. Using jar test procedure, main operating conditions such as pH and coagulant dosage were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, up to 86% and 96% of COD and color removal efficiencies were achieved. Residual turbidity in supernatant was less than 5NTU and Fe3+ concentration was negligible because of effective destabilization and subsequent sedimentation. The results of high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) show that low molecular weight (MW) fraction of melanoidins is more reactive than high MW fraction and increase in the concentration of the lowest MW organic group is related to the capacity of charge neutralization. Aggregate size measurement reveals the size effect on the settleability of flocs formed, with larger flocs settling more rapidly. Charge neutralization and co-precipitation are proposed as predominant coagulation mechanism under the optimum conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A fractal-patterned coating is designed for superhydrophobicity and passive cooling. • The coating is fabricated by plasma electrolytic oxidation and hydrothermal treatment. • The coating with high emissivity enhances the passive heat dissipation efficiency. • The coating has robust water-repellence, self-cleaning and anti-corrosion properties. Effective surface passive cooling and superhydrophobicity is vital for promoting more flexible application of energy power system for aircraft and aerospace. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a fractal-patterned coating on TA15 titanium alloy for superhydrophobic and passive cooling performance through plasma electrolytic oxidation and hydrothermal treatment successively. The coating exhibits excellent corrosion resistance and self-cleaning properties, largely thanks to the fractal structure and low surface energy. Additionally, the micro-hole's infrared trapping effect and TiO 2 lattice absorption significantly increase the emissivity over the thermal wavelength range. When functioned on a titanium radiator, such a coating can reduce the temperature by as much as 9.3 °C. Therefore, the passive heat dissipation and superhydrophobic multi-functional coatings are expected to be a promising candidate for heat exchange equipment that requires exposure to harsh external environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The abundant HA crystals were rapidly formed on the MAO coating by MH treatment. • The unique microstructure of the bioactive coating was clearly revealed by TEM method. • The MH treated MAO coating had better cell response and gene expression levels. • The osseointegration of the MAO coating was greatly improved after MH treatment. A bioactive coating with the outwards growth of the uniform and abundant hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals was quickly fabricated on titanium (Ti) by microarc oxidation (MAO) and microwave hydrothermal (MH) treatment. The MAO coating consisted of a few of TiO 2 nanocrystals and lots of amorphous phase containing Ca, P, Si, Ti and O. The MH treating time has significant influence on the surface morphology, elemental concentration and phase composition of the MAO coating. After MH treatment for 10 min, large numbers of HA columnar crystals were rapidly formed on the outermost surface of the MAO coating. However, long MH treating time (60 min) could give rise to the dissolution of the HA columnar crystals and lead to the formation of lots of Na 0.23 TiO 2 nanoflakes on the outer surface. As compared with the Ti and MAO coating, the MH treated MAO coatings showed better cell adhesion and proliferation as well as higher expression levels of various genes such as the bone morphogenetic protein 2, bone sialoprotein, osteopontin and alkaline phosphates genes. This improvement was probably attributed to the formation of large numbers of HA columnar crystals on the surface. After implantation for 16 weeks, the MH treated MAO coating for 10 min possessed the best osseointegration ability due to the high bioactivity of the HA columnar crystals, including the good bone-implant contact interface, less soft tissue at the interface, more new bone formation and higher interface bonding strength with the bones. Thus, the hybrid technology of the MAO and MH treatment could be considered as the rapid and effective surface modification technology, showing a promising application in the biochemical filed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A Ca-Cr doped niobate with high emissivity and low thermal conductivity was designed. • The formation of gap states and lattice distortion increases emissivity to 0.9. • The fluctuating bonding enables strong phonon scattering, low thermal conductivity. Maximizing energy output via thermal radiation when blocking unfavored heat transfer through thermal conduction is the main challenge of radiative thermal management for various industrial and aerospace applications. Here we report a Ca-Cr co-doped Y 3 NbO 7 ceramic that integrates a near-unity broadband (0.3–14 μm) emissivity (>0.9) with an ultralow thermal conductivity (<1.6 W·m−1·K−1). Experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrate the formation of impurity energy levels as gap states, enabling optical absorption at low photon energies and thus improving the emissivity in visible and near-infrared bands (0.3–2 μm). The lattice distortion and extra multi-mode vibrations induced by Ca-Cr doping improve the emissivity in mid-infrared range (2–14 μm). The intrinsic inhomogeneity of chemical bonds in Y 3 NbO 7 enables strong scattering of heat-carrying vibrational modes and thus an ultra-low thermal conductivity. This doped Y 3 NbO 7 exhibits a record high emissivity to thermal conductivity ratio of 0.56, showing great potential in radiative thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 2D tungsten oxide nanosheets with abundant oxygen vacancies was constructed. • Pt species were loaded on 2D tungsten oxide to fabricate Schottky junctions. • The catalyst was efficient in benzene hydroxylation with dioxygen under visible light. • Oxygen vacancies promoted the O 2 adsorption and activation to accelerate reaction. • Schottky junctions improved the charge transfer and the successive hydroxylation. Solar-driven benzene oxidation with dioxygen (O 2) provides a green and sustainable alternative for phenol production, but the construction of heterogeneous photocatalysts remains a huge challenge for efficient conversion under visible light irradiation and ambient conditions. Herein, we reported a facile microwave assisted strategy for the defect engineering of two-dimensional (2D) tungsten oxide while well maintaining the original crystalline architecture. Abundant oxygen vacancies were constructed on the 2D tungsten oxide, which remarkably promoted photochemical (light harvesting, charge separation and transfer) and O 2 activation behaviors, this promotion effect was further strengthened by the hybridization with Pt species with the formation of Schottky junction. The champion catalyst enabled a high phenol yield of 11.3% with a selectivity of 91% in the visible-light-driven benzene hydroxylation with atmospheric O 2 at room temperature. The catalyst can be facilely recovered and reused with stable activity. The oxygen vacancies and Pt co-catalyst were demonstrated to play vital roles in the photocatalytic formation of the reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl radials, ·OH) for effective oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A novel superhydrophobic Al 2 O 3 /cerium hexadecanoate double-layer coating was designed. • The composite coating was fabricated by combining plasma electrolytic oxidation and electrodeposition. • The high emissivity double-layer surface enabled a significant LED temperature drop. • The composite coating showed superior self-cleaning, anti-corrosion and adhesion strength. Abstract To enhance the heat dissipation and anti-corrosion performance simultaneously, a superhydrophobic Al 2 O 3 /cerium hexadecanoate (Al 2 O 3 /CH) composite coating with high adhesion strength has been fabricated by plasma electrolytic oxidation and subsequent electrodeposition. The Al 2 O 3 /CH composite coating with a contact angle of 165.5° shows excellent water repelling and self-cleaning ability owing to the micro/nano structure and low surface energy. The composite coating enhances the corrosion potential of pure Al from −0.742 to −0.730 V and lowers the corrosion current density by two orders of magnitude. Thanks to the high emissivity in the wavelength range from 2.5 to 25 μm, the Al 2 O 3 /CH coated sample enables the operation temperature of a 5 W LED to drop approximately by 9.3 °C compared with Al substrate. In addition, the Al 2 O 3 /CH composite coating exhibits higher adhesion strength than that of the CH single layer. Therefore, the superhydrophobic coating is expected to be a promising candidate for heat dissipation and anti-corrosion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Ultrathin ZTO layer coated ZnO nanocone arrays was achieved by solution methods. • Thermal instability issue of perovskite deposited on ZnO was addressed by ZTO coating. • ZTO passivates the ZnO surface defects thus promotes charge extraction at interface. • ZTO-passivated ZnO based devices showed remarkably enhanced efficiency and stability. Abstract ZnO has been widely applied as an efficient electron transport material (ETM) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to advantages including easy fabrication and superior electron mobility. However, the thermal instability of perovskite layers deposited on top of ZnO has been a notorious issue, impeding the development of ZnO-based PSCs. Herein, we demonstrate a simple in-situ grown ZnO nanocone arrays and solution-processed ultrathin Zn 2 SnO 4 (ZTO) passivation layer. The latter not only circumvented the thermal instability issue by physically isolating the perovskite film and ZnO, but assisted in charge extraction efficiency between the ETM/perovskite interface by passivating the defects on ZnO surface. Consequently, ZTO-passivated ZnO ETM based PSCs delivered a power conversion efficiency as high as 18.3% with a V oc of 1.07 V, a J sc of 23.2 mA/cm2, a FF of 0.74 and remarkably enhanced stability. Therefore, introduction of utilizing a thin ZTO layer shows strong promise in ultimately solving the thermal instability issue of ZnO-based PSCs, paving the way for their practical use by making full use of the prominent advantages offered by ZnO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) is the most widely used buffer material for a variety of thin-film solar cells including Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 . However, reports have shown that CdS film obtained by chemical bath deposition (CBD) is not the ideal buffer layer for pure sulfide CZTS solar cell. Zinc doping is a viable approach to modifying the CdS buffer film, but the present methods are far from satisfactory. Here, we innovatively developed an effective way of Zinc doping using partial electrolyte (PE) treatment, resulting in state-of-the-art buffer layer for solar cells based on high-surface-waviness CZTS light absorber. Our study shows that this Zn PE-treated CdS film improved the properties including coverage, full-range light transmittance and conduction band alignment with CZTS. Ultimately, the resultant modified CdS film boosted the open-circuit voltage of our devices by more than 100 mV, yielding power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.30%. We note that this is the highest efficiency that has been reported for all solution-processed CZTS solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • α-MnO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 Z-scheme heterojunction is in-situ constructed. • α-MnO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 can 100% mineralization of HCHO with the irradiation of solar-light at ambient temperature. • The mechanism of photothermal catalysis was discovered to be thermal-assisted photocatalysis rather than solar-light driven thermalcatalysis. Formaldehyde (HCHO), as the most common indoor air pollutant, undoubtedly poses a huge threat to people's health. It is of practical importance to achieve complete decomposition of HCHO to harmless CO 2 at room temperature. Herein, α-MnO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 Z-scheme heterojunction was constructed through the in-situ growth of α-MnO 2 nanowires on the surface of g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. Owing to the construction of Z-scheme heterojunction, α-MnO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite exhibits excellent photothermal catalytic activity, achieving complete mineralization of HCHO with the illumination of 191 mW/cm2 solar-light at GHSV of 180 L/g cat ·h. Particularly, even under one sun and visible light radiation, the α-MnO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite can still maintain 60% and 68% HCHO conversion, respectively. The formation of α-MnO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 Z-scheme heterojunction not only effectively inhibits the photogenerated electron-hole pairs recombination, but also overcomes the band defects of the individual component. Furthermore, the mechanism of the photothermal catalysis of α-MnO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite was discovered to be thermal-assisted photocatalytic process rather than solar-light driven thermalcatalysis. On the one hand, the thermal energy generated from light radiation can accelerate the migration of photo-generated carriers and improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons from vacancies; on the other hand, it can decrease the activation energy of lattice oxygen and produce more surface-active oxygen species. This work provides cost-effective strategies and suggestions for decomposing HCHO and other VOCs in indoor air at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple method for successfully preparing GT-PAC-nZVI/S was developed. • The removal rate of nitrate by GT-PAC-nZVI/S at optimal conditions can reach 93%. • GT-PAC-nZVI/S has good anti-oxidation and anti-agglomeration properties. • The nitrate removal mechanism was complexation, redox, adsorption coprecipitation. In this study, A green reducing agent green tea extract is used instead of traditional sodium borohydride and porous activated carbon was supported to prepare nano-zero valent iron (nZVI) combined with sulfate (GT-PAC-nZVI/S) to remove Nitrate Nitrogen (NO 3 –-N) in wastewater. SEM-EDS, BET, XRD and FTIR characterization results confirmed that effective preparation of porous and high specific surface area and successful loading of sulfide nZVI on PAC. Batch experiments were conducted to measure the effects on the removal of nitrate nitrogen of different parameters including pH, temperature, dosage, interfering agents, carbon-iron ratio and iron-sulfur ratio. The experimental results demonstrate that GT-PAC-nZVI/S has a high nitrate nitrogen removal rate and reduction product gaseous nitrogen can reach 93.00% and 22.10%, respectively, at pH = 7, the dosage of GT-PAC-nZVI/S = 4 g/L, temperature of 60 ℃, iron-sulfur ratio = 1:0.3 and time of 95 min. And interfering ion HPO 4 2- have the strong inhibition for NO 3 –-N degradation. The adsorption isotherm and kinetic data for GT-PAC-nZVI/S was fitted well with the Langmuir and pseudo-second order model, respectively, indicating that the adsorption process for nitrate was chemisorption. Furthermore, GT-PAC-nZVI/S enhanced the removal of nitrate nitrogen through complexation, redox, and adsorption co-precipitation. This work highlights the efficient remediation of nitrate-nitrogen water pollution by porous activated carbon loaded with sulfide nZVI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a synthetic strategy to rapidly construct a ZnO core and N-doped porous carbon with embedded Co 3 ZnC nanoparticles shell heterostructure for electromagnetic wave absorption. ZnO colloidal is used as template and zinc source to fabricate ZIF67@ZIF8@ZnO core–shell structures as precursors. After annealing, the double-layered ZIF coating transforms into N-doped porous carbon and dispersive Co 3 ZnC nanoparticles shell outside the ZnO core. Compared with pristine ZnO colloidal and pure ZIF67 derived porous carbon/Co nanoparticles composites, the core–shell heterostructures shows the most prominent electromagnetic wave absorption properties with strong absorption (minimum reflection loss of −62.9 dB) and broad effective absorption bandwidth (5.5 GHz). The enhanced properties can be ascribed to the multiple interfaces, doped atoms and groups, as well as the improved impedance matching endowed by the unique core–shell structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facilely recyclable catalytic system towards liquid-phase reductant-free aerobic oxidation of benzene to phenol is built by simultaneously using graphitic carbon nitride (C 3 N 4 ) and Ch 5 PMoV 2 . Especially, the hybrid Ch 5 PMoV 2 is regarded as a temperature-controlled phase-transfer catalyst that prepared by modifying Keggin-type V-containing polyoxometalate anions (PMoV 2 ) with choline (Ch) cations. The combined catalyst C 3 N 4 -Ch 5 PMoV 2 shows a high activity with 10.7% phenol yield, 8.94 h −1 turnover frequency (TOF) and superior reusability under the optimized reaction conditions. Full characterizations and analyses including electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and density functional theory (DFT) calculation are used to demonstrate the phase-transfer character and tuned redox property of Ch 5 PMoV 2 . Furthermore, a synergistic catalytic mechanism is proposed and discussed based on the experimental and DFT calculation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

V-containing BEA zeolite (Vβ) with the V/Si molar ratio of 1‰ was hydrothermally synthesized and fully characterized. It delivered the tetrahedral, highly isolated atomically dispersed V species owning the intermediate covalence state between +4 and +5 (closer to +5) within zeolite matrix, endowing oxidation capability without compromising acidity. In the low-temperature liquid-phase methylation of phenol with methanol, Vβ showed high yield (turnover number up to 5946), good reusability and preferential chemoselectivity towards the C-alkylation products ( o - and p -cresols). In situ FTIR spectra suggested an acid-oxidation bifunctional mechanism involving the oxidative activation of methanol via formaldehyde. Moreover, alkylation of phenol with various other alcohols was also efficiently catalyzed by Vβ, wherein the large-sized alkylation agency showed special regioselectivity. This work not only achieves selective production of cresols through methylation of phenol at low temperature, but highlights the potential of designing high performance heterogeneous catalyst with highly dispersed active sites via controlling the chemical composition of heteroatom zeolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A modification strategy of sodium ion and ammonium ion intercalation is proposed. • The function of sodium ion intercalation is revealed. • The reversible Zn2+ (de)intercalation reaction mechanism is investigated. • Development limitations of Zn cathode in aqueous environment are highlighted. Aqueous zinc ion battery (AZIBs) has become a research hotspot because of its advantages of low cost, high safety and environmental protection. However, AZIBs still face challenges in achieving excellent rate performance, long service life, and wide temperature range due to slow Zn2+ diffusion kinetics. In this work, we developed a nonstoichiometric Na 0.3 (NH 4) 0.6 V 4 O 10 ·0.4H 2 O(NVO-Na) cathode material for AZIBs. The combined effects of pre-intercalated Na+ and structural water in NVO enhance the diffusion kinetic, reduce the electrostatic repulsion of Zn2+ (de)intercalation and keep the layer structure stable. The results show that NVO-Na cathode delivers an impressive specific capacity of 400.2 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.1 Ag −1 and an excellent capacity retention of 97.2 % after 2000 cycles at 10 A g−1. In addition, the reversible intercalation mechanism of zinc ions in NVO-Na was investigated through ex-situ XRD and XPS analysis. The combined effect of pre-intercalated Na+, structural H 2 O molecules and remaining NH 4 + keeps the layer structure stable during the reversible Zn2+ (de)intercalation reaction. This modification method provides a promising direction for the preparation of high-performance AZIBs cathode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NASICON-structured Na 3 MnTi(PO 4) 2.83 F 0.5 cathode was first synthesized. • The introduction of F regulates the microstructure. • The incorporation of F- significantly enhances sodium storage performance. • The reversible solid-solution structural evolution in NMTPF-0.5 was revealed. NASICON-structured materials with high ionic conductivity, robust structure, and high operation potential have aroused extensive attentions as cathode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the poor intrinsic electronic conductivity and low specific capacity are crucial obstacles for practical application of NASICON materials. Herein, a new NASICON-structured Na 3 MnTi(PO 4) 2.83 F 0.5 (NMTPF-0.5) with the hierarchical and porous structure is synthesized by a simple sol–gel method. The Rietveld refinements and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) chemical analysis confirms the NASICON structure of NMTPF-0.5. The unique structural design significantly enhances rate performance. Meanwhile, the introduction of F- stimulates electrochemical activities of Mn, and stabilizes crystal structure compared with traditional Na 3 MnTi(PO 4) 3. Consequently, the NMTPF-0.5 achieves the high energy density of 511 Wh kg−1 at 0.1C, an outstanding rate performance (364 Wh kg−1 at 10C), and the desirable cycling stabilities exceeding 500 cycles at 10C. The ex-situ XRD reveals the insertion/extraction of Na+ through the reversible solid-solution mechanism. Moreover, we statistically analyze how the electrochemical properties and microstructure affected by various F- substitution amounts. This study explored a novel strategy for designing high capacity and high power-density cathode materials for SIBs via the microstructure and crystal structure optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Highly graphitic activated biochar was obtained via acidic and K 2 FeO 4 treatment. • Biochar-based electrodes endowed 3DES with excellent Cu(Ⅱ) and TOC removal ability. • Complete complexation of Cu(Ⅱ) with EDTA was in favor of the EDTA degradation. • O, Fe, and C sites on the electrode surface contributed to the Cu-EDTA removal. • Adsorption alleviated the oxidation burden for Cu-EDTA decomplexation. Herein, we report a novel strategy for the fabrication of almond shell biochar-based materials containing highly dispersed graphene nanosheet structures by sequential treatment with hydrochloric acid and potassium ferrate. The resulting material serving as particle electrodes endowed the three-dimensional electrolysis system with excellent and stable Cu-ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (Cu-EDTA) decomplexation and mineralization ability, along with Cu(Ⅱ), chemical oxygen demand, and dissolved total organic carbon removal efficiencies of 96.8%, 92.5%, and 86.2%, respectively. In contrast to excess Cu(Ⅱ) or EDTA, the complete complexation between Cu(Ⅱ) and EDTA facilitated EDTA degradation. During the reaction, the adsorption toward Cu(Ⅱ), rather than EDTA, in the complexing system, alleviated the burden of electrochemical oxidation for Cu-EDTA decomplexation. This, together with direct and indirect electrocatalytic oxidation mediated by adsorbed hydroxyl radicals on the particle electrode surface, contributed to the enhanced removal of Cu-EDTA. Density functional theory calculations further demonstrated the main types of active sites and the importance of the graphene nanosheet structure of the particle electrodes. This work provides different perspectives on the electrocatalytic removal of heavy metal complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A dual-layer coating integrating multiple heat dissipation and mechanochemical robustness is designed. • The coating with high emissivity (>0.8) enhances the passive heat dissipation and cooling efficiency is up to 12.6%. • The rapid liquid circulation in microchannels with superhydrophobicity can achieve sustainable cooling. • The super-repellent coating demonstrates enticing damage-resistance, thermal stability, and self-cleaning. Multi-mode heat dissipation is a promising approach for more efficient thermal management. Nevertheless, a simultaneous demonstration of multiple heat dissipation along with mechanochemical stability is challenging. Herein, a novel super-repellent dual-layer coating (SDC) has been fabricated via plasma-induced high temperature liquid-phase assisted oxidation and deposition technique. Based on the optimal adjustment of organic–inorganic multilayer structure, a thin polymer-like layer with hierarchical structures was constructed on the Al 2 O 3 ceramic bottom skeleton, endowing the coating with multiple heat dissipation and mechanochemical robustness. The incorporation of organic nanoparticles not only gives the superhydrophobicity of coating by adjusting surface roughness, but also promotes the passive radiative heat dissipation. Accordingly, the dual-layer coating exhibits enhanced emissivity (>0.8) over the thermal wavelength range, due to the Al 2 O 3 lattice absorption as well as vibration and rotation of the functional group of polymer-like layer assisted further by micro/nanostructure's infrared trapping effect, thereby reducing the temperature to 9.5 °C for 5 W power LED. Simultaneously, the rapid liquid circulation in superhydrophobic microchannels is directly embedded inside the radiators, further boosting cooling efficiency. Moreover, after prolonged exposure to highly corrosive media (aqua regia, NaOH and NaCl), the super-repellent dual-layer coating shows excellent chemical stability. Meanwhile, the samples present enticing mechanical durability (>60 cycles), environmental stability (>120 days), thermal cycling stability (up to 400 °C) and self-cleaning function. Notably, the coating has superior electrical properties to meet the insulation shielding requirements of overall package structure. This work not only affords multi-mode heat dissipation for large power devices to achieve more sustainable cooling, but also paves a new way to design and fabricate multi-functional integrated electronic packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Calcination temperature and carbon content were found to affect electrochemical properties of LIBs. [•] The relationship between the LIBs performance and the carbon content is revealed. [•] The TiO2/C composite prepared at 400°C exhibited large capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the temperature of a solar probe or an orbital spacecraft has been successful in the spectral selectivity regime by maximizing the sunlight reflection and irradiating heat to the cold universe. Despite the extensive work on the adjustment of the absorbance/emissivity ratio, few efforts have been devoted to the modulation of heat conduction. In fact, the backlit-side of the spacecraft facing the cold universe is ideal for radiative cooling, as long as the sunlight generated heat is transferred effectively to the backlit surface with minimum heating of the interior structures. Here, by using a hexagonal‑boron nitride (h-BN) and Al 2 O 3 dual-layer coating, we demonstrate a strategy for space solar thermal shielding that combines radiative cooling and anisotropic thermal conduction. The in-plane alignment of the top-layer h-BN flakes to the coating surface leads to a highly anisotropic thermal diffusion behavior, enabling rapid in-plane heat transfer and effective out-of-plane thermal insulation. The spectral selectivity optimization allows the dual-layer coating to reflect nearly 89% of solar irradiation while having an emissivity >0.86 across the thermal infrared wavelength. Moreover, the coating exhibits remarkable spectral stability under proton irradiation, showing its great potential in aerospace applications. [Display omitted] • An h-BN/Al 2 O 3 dual-layer coating with radiative cooling and anisotropic thermal conduction functions was designed. • The coating was fabricated by a facile one-step LPES method. • The coating cools a spacecraft by conducting heat to the backlit-side and radiates it to the cold universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the temperature of a solar probe or an orbital spacecraft has been successful in the spectral selectivity regime by maximizing the sunlight reflection and irradiating heat to the cold universe. Despite the extensive work on the adjustment of the absorbance/emissivity ratio, few efforts have been devoted to the modulation of heat conduction. In fact, the backlit-side of the spacecraft facing the cold universe is ideal for radiative cooling, as long as the sunlight generated heat is transferred effectively to the backlit surface with minimum heating of the interior structures. Here, by using a hexagonal‑boron nitride (h-BN) and Al 2 O 3 dual-layer coating, we demonstrate a strategy for space solar thermal shielding that combines radiative cooling and anisotropic thermal conduction. The in-plane alignment of the top-layer h-BN flakes to the coating surface leads to a highly anisotropic thermal diffusion behavior, enabling rapid in-plane heat transfer and effective out-of-plane thermal insulation. The spectral selectivity optimization allows the dual-layer coating to reflect nearly 89% of solar irradiation while having an emissivity >0.86 across the thermal infrared wavelength. Moreover, the coating exhibits remarkable spectral stability under proton irradiation, showing its great potential in aerospace applications. [Display omitted] • An h-BN/Al 2 O 3 dual-layer coating with radiative cooling and anisotropic thermal conduction functions was designed. • The coating was fabricated by a facile one-step LPES method. • The coating cools a spacecraft by conducting heat to the backlit-side and radiates it to the cold universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new route to promote the efficiency of copper species in the Al-containing MCM-41, by anchoring the copper species into the artificial defects on the channel wall, was proposed and validated in this article. These artificial defects in Al-MCM-41 were fabricated by acid leach of framework alumina, and three different loading methods, dry impregnation and grinding as well as microwave irradiation methods were utilized to disperse the copper oxide of 0.6wt.% on the mesoporous support. Al-MCM-41 itself was also modified with CuO through dry impregnation as the comparison. The influence of modification on the structure and performance of Al-containing MCM-41 was investigated by use of XRD and N2 adsorption-desorption. A kind of volatile nitrosamine N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), the typical carcinogenic pollutant in environment, was used in both instantaneous adsorption and temperature programmed surface reaction (TPSR) to explore the adsorption and catalytic properties of these mesoporous composites. Besides, Mass spectrometer was employed to analyze the gaseous products of NPYR decomposed during TPSR procedure. The CuO modifier anchored in acid-leached sample possessed a higher activity in eliminating volatile nitrosamines, in comparison with those located on the parent Al-containing MCM-41. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]