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The application of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) is hampered by the dynamic deterioration of solid-solid contacts. Anodic degradation is primarily attributed to the accumulation of lithium (Li) voids due to the limited Li diffusion abilities of the anodes. Here, a ternary composite Li anode is introduced by comprising carbon materials embedded within the Li-magnesium substrate. This design effectively suppresses the Li void-induced dynamic deterioration of interfacial contact during continuous cycling. The enhanced Li diffusion pathway with accelerated diffusion rate in bulk anode aids in maintaining contact post-Li stripping, therefore mitigating interface damage caused by Li void formation. The ternary composite anode affords an areal capacity of 14.2 mAh cm−2with Li utilization rate of 85%. Cooperated with LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2(NCM622) cathodes, the full cells exhibit long-term stability of >300 cycles under room temperature. These findings provide an effective strategy to construct conformal interfaces for high-capacity and long-life ASSLMBs.

S-redox involving solvated polysulfides is accompanied by volumetric change and structural decay of the S-based cathodes. Here, we propose a synchronous construction strategy for consolidating Li, Se, S, and C elements within a composite cathode via a paradigm reaction of 8Li+2Se+CS2= 2Li4SeS+C. The obtained composite features crystalline Li4SeS encapsulated in a carbon nanocage (Li4SeS@C), exhibiting ultrahigh electrical conductivity, ultralow activation barrier, and excellent structural integrity, accordingly enabling large specific capacity (615 mAh g–1) and high capacity retention (87.3% after 350 cycles) at 10 A g–1. TOF-SIMS demonstrates its superior volumetric efficiency to a similar derivative SeS@C (2Se+CS2= 2SeS+C), and DFT reveals its lower activation barrier than Li2S@C and Li2Se@C. This consolidation design significantly improves the electrochemical performance of S-based cathodes, and the paradigm reaction guarantees structural diversity and flexibility. Moreover, employing a synchronous construction mechanism to maximize the synergistic effect between element consolidation and carbon encapsulation opens up a new approach for developing robust S or chalcogenide cathodes.

The sluggish Li+transport results more Li+accumulating and Li plating at anode-separator interface, with unutilized graphite particles at anode-current collector interface. However, the graphite-hard carbon anode can boost Li+transport without Li plating.

A low-content (5 wt%) magnesium (Mg)-alloyed lithium metal anode is proposed to mitigate the reaction kinetics between lithium metal and electrolytes, which decreases the consumption rate of active lithium and electrolytes and increases the cycle life of lithium metal batteries under demanding conditions.

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are highly considered as next-generation energy storage techniques. Weakly solvating electrolyte with low lithium polysulfide (LiPS) solvating power promises Li anode protection and improved cycling stability. However, the cathodic LiPS kinetics is inevitably deteriorated, resulting in severe cathodic polarization and limited energy density. Herein, the LiPS kinetic degradation mechanism in weakly solvating electrolytes is disclosed to construct high-energy-density Li–S batteries. Activation polarization instead of concentration or ohmic polarization is identified as the dominant kinetic limitation, which originates from higher charge-transfer activation energy and a changed rate-determining step. To solve the kinetic issue, a titanium nitride (TiN) electrocatalyst is introduced and corresponding Li–S batteries exhibit reduced polarization, prolonged cycling lifespan, and high actual energy density of 381 Wh kg–1in 2.5 Ah-level pouch cells. This work clarifies the LiPS reaction mechanism in protective weakly solvating electrolytes and highlights the electrocatalytic regulation strategy toward high-energy-density and long-cycling Li–S batteries.

A post-modification strategy is proposed to precisely construct dual-atom catalysts for oxygen reduction electrocatalysis by introducing direct metal–metal interaction in the precursor.

Immunotherapy is known to be a promising strategy in the clinical treatment of malignant tumors, but it has received generally low response rates in various tumors because of the poor immunogenicity and multiple immunosuppressive microenvironments. A self-delivery photodynamic re-educator, denoted as CCXB, is synthesized through the self-assembly of chlorine e6 (Ce6) and celecoxib (CXB). As a carrier-free nanomedicine, CCXB shows a high drug loading rate, improved water stability, superior cellular uptake, and tumor accumulation capability. In comparison with free Ce6, CCXB triggers much stronger photodynamic therapy (PDT) to reduce the proliferation of breast cancer cells and activates robust immune responses via the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD). Better yet, CXB-mediated cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibition can decrease the level of synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to further improve immunosuppressive microenvironments. With the increase of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and decrease of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in tumor, in vivoantitumor immunity is significantly amplified to inhibit the metastasis of breast cancer. This study sheds light on developing drug codelivery systems with collaborative mechanisms for immunotherapy of metastatic tumors.

Lithium metal anode (LMA) is a promising candidate for achieving next-generation high-energy-density batteries due to its ultrahigh theoretical capacity and most negative electrochemical potential. However, the practical application of lithium metal battery (LMB) is largely retarded by the instable interfaces, uncontrolled dendrites, and rapid capacity deterioration. Herein, we present a comprehensive overview towards the working principles and inherent challenges of LMAs. Firstly, we diligently summarize the intrinsic mechanism of Li stripping and plating process. The recent advances in atomic and mesoscale simulations which are crucial in guiding mechanism study and material design are also summarized. Furthermore, the advanced engineering strategies which have been proved effective in protecting LMAs are systematically reviewed, including electrolyte optimization, artificial interface, composite/alloy anodes and so on. Finally, we highlight the current limitations and promising research directions of LMAs. This review sheds new lights on deeply understanding the intrinsic mechanism of LMAs, and calls for more endeavors to realize practical Li metal batteries.

Rational electrolyte design is essential for stabilizing high-energy-density lithium (Li) metal batteries but is plagued by poor understanding on the effect of electrolyte component properties on solvation structure and interfacial chemistry. Herein, regulating the solvation structure in localized high-concentration electrolytes (LHCE) by weakening the solvating power of solvents is proposed for high-performance LHCE. 1,3-dimethoxypropane (DMP) solvent has relatively weak solvating power but maintains the high solubility of Li salts, thus impelling the formation of nanometric aggregates where an anion coordinates to more than two Li-ions (referred to AGG-n) in LHCE. The decomposition of AGG-nincreases the LiF content in solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), further enabling uniform Li deposition. The cycle life of Li metal batteries with DMP-based LHCE is 2.1 times (386 cycles) as that of advanced ether-based LHCE under demanding conditions. Furthermore, a Li metal pouch cell of 462 Wh kg−1undergoes 58 cycles with the DMP-based LHCE pioneeringly. This work inspires ingenious solvating power regulation to design high-performance electrolytes for practical Li metal batteries.

Comprehensive analyses on thermal runaway mechanisms are critically vital to achieve the safe lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. The reactions between dissolved higher-order polysulfides and Li metal were found to be the origins for the thermal runaway of 1.0 Ah cycled Li–S pouch cells. 16-cycle pouch cell indicates high safety, heating from 30 to 300 °C without thermal runaway, while 16-cycle pouch cell with additional electrolyte undergoes severe thermal runaway at 147.9 °C, demonstrating the key roles of the electrolyte on the thermal safety of batteries. On the contrary, thermal runaway does not occur for 45-cycle pouch cell despite the addition of the electrolyte. It is found that the higher-order polysulfides (Li2Sx ≥ 6) are discovered in 16-cycle electrolyte while the sulfur species in 45-cycle electrolyte are Li2Sx ≤ 4. In addition, strong exothermic reactions are discovered between cycled Li and dissolved higher-order polysulfide (Li2S6and Li2S8) at 153.0 °C, driving the thermal runaway of cycled Li–S pouch cells. This work uncovers the potential safety risks of Li–S batteries and negative roles of the polysulfide shuttle for Li–S batteries from the safety view.

A premature liquid–solid deposition process of lithium polysulfide is revealed at higher thermodynamic potential than Li2S deposition in Li-S batteries. A supersaturation deposition mechanism is proposed to rationalize the above findings based on thermodynamic simulation.

Rechargeable zinc–air batteries have attracted extensive attention as clean, safe, and high-efficient energy storage devices. However, the oxygen redox reactions at cathode are highly sluggish in kinetics and severely limit the actual battery performance. Atomic transition metal sites demonstrate high electrocatalytic activity towards respective oxygen reduction and evolution, while high bifunctional electrocatalytic activity is seldomly achieved. Herein a strategy of composing atomic transition metal sites is proposed to fabricate high active bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts and high-performance rechargeable zinc–air batteries. Concretely, atomic Fe and Ni sites are composed based on their respective high electrocatalytic activity on oxygen reduction and evolution. The composite electrocatalyst demonstrates high bifunctional electrocatalytic activity (ΔE = 0.72 V) and exceeds noble-metal-based Pt/C + Ir/C (ΔE = 0.79 V). Accordingly, rechargeable zinc–air batteries with the composite electrocatalyst realize over 100 stable cycles at 25 mA cm−2. This work affords an effective strategy to fabricate bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for high-performance rechargeable zinc–air batteries.

An integrated interface configuration (IIC) is reconstructed through in-situ interface chemistry, which can efficiently regulate charge transport kinetics and thereby achieve uniform lithium platting.

In the pursuit of next-generation energy storage systems, solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) that can match both high-voltage cathodes and lithium metal anodes have attracted considerable attention in both industry and academia due to their high-energy density, enhanced safety, and cycle-life benefits. However, SSLMBs suffer from severe degradation of solid electrolytes (SEs) along with the continuously increasing cutoff voltage. Consequently, designing a compatible SE is crucial for high-voltage SSLMBs. In this review, the recent developments of high-voltage SSLMBs in the field of SEs are summarized, including their fundamental understanding, interfacial degradation mechanisms, and application prospects. Moreover, we specifically highlight the design principles needed to achieve intrinsic and extrinsic stability for SEs under high voltage. Finally, a summary of the existing challenges and perspectives on the high-voltage-stable SEs and SSLMBs are also discussed with the aim of guiding the development of state-of-the-art SEs for future high-energy and high-safety SSLMBs.

A 700 Wh kg−1-level rechargeable lithium-sulfur pouch cell is constructed. The high energy density is record breaking and is expected to propel the application of lithium–sulfur batteries.

Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is pivotal in dictating the stability of anodes in non-aqueous batteries. However, electrolyte decomposition mechanism as an indispensable piece of the puzzle to construct a stable SEI is with few quantitative understandings. Herein, as a quantitative descriptor, the apparent electron transfer number (ETN) is acquired by a facile yet precise methodology in working lithium metal batteries with lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI)-dimethyl carbonate (DMC)-based localized high-concentration electrolyte. Through accurate measurements of the electrolyte evolution and concurrently accumulated inactive Li by electrolyte quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (ely-qNMR) and titration-qNMR, respectively, the decomposition rates of different electrolyte components and ETNs that define the fate of electrolyte can all be acquired in a “one-stop” fashion. The recognition of ETNs (1.0 for DMC and 5.1 for LiFSI) provides pioneering insights into the electrolyte decomposition mechanism and affords new visions for electrolyte design to promote the continuous rise of non-aqueous rechargeable batteries.

With the rise of the specific surface areas of Li deposits, the initial exothermic temperature between Li metal and electrolyte reduces gradually. The heat release of per gram Li increases firstly and then reduces in a working battery.

Small solvent molecules have been found to enable a previously unknown ion-transport mechanism in battery electrolytes, speeding up charging and increasing performance at low temperatures.

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have great potential as high-energy-density energy storage devices. Electrocatalysts are widely adopted to accelerate the cathodic sulfur redox kinetics. The interactions among the electrocatalysts, solvents, and lithium salts significantly determine the actual performance of working Li–S batteries. Herein, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), a commonly used lithium salt, is identified to aggravate surface gelation on the MoS2electrocatalyst. In detail, the trifluoromethanesulfonyl group in LiTFSI interacts with the Lewis acidic sites on the MoS2electrocatalyst to generate an electron-deficient center. The electron-deficient center with high Lewis acidity triggers cationic polymerization of the 1,3-dioxolane solvent and generates a surface gel layer that reduces the electrocatalytic activity. To address the above issue, Lewis basic salt lithium iodide (LiI) is introduced to block the interaction between LiTFSI and MoS2and inhibit the surface gelation. Consequently, the Li–S batteries with the MoS2electrocatalyst and the LiI additive realize an ultrahigh actual energy density of 416 W h kg–1at the pouch cell level. This work affords an effective lithium salt to boost the electrocatalytic activity in practical working Li–S batteries and deepens the fundamental understanding of the interactions among electrocatalysts, solvents, and salts in energy storage systems.

An emerging dry electrode technology was used to prepare scalable and flexible sheet-type composite sulfur cathodes in all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries. Benefiting from the unique fibrous distribution of binder, the solid-state composite sulfur cathodes with low content (1 wt%) exhibited excellent mechanical and electrochemical properties.

The lithium stripping and dead lithium formation processes are simulated with galvanostatic phase field methods, revealing the mechanism on lithium metal battery discharge electrochemical properties.

A comprehensive understanding of multiple Li kinetics in batteries is essential to break the limitations of mechanism study and materials design. Various kinetic processes with specific relaxation features can be clearly identified in timescales. Extracting and analyzing the timescale information in batteries will provide insights into investigating kinetic issues such as ionic conductions, charge transfer, diffusions, interfacial evolutions, and other unknown kinetic processes. In this regard, the timescale identification is an important method to combine with the non-destructive impedance characterizations in length scale for online battery monitoring. This perspective introduces and advocates the timescale characterization in the views of the basic timescale property in batteries, employing the concept of distribution of relaxation time (DRT) and presenting successful applications for battery diagnosis. In the future, we suggest that timescale characterizations will become powerful tools for data extraction and dataset building for various battery systems, which can realize data-driven machine learning modeling for practical application situations such as retired battery rapid sorting and battery status estimations.

The effect of various sulfur-containing components in SEI for stabilizing lithium metal anodes in lithium–sulfur batteries is disclosed. High content of high-valence sulfur-containing species (Li2SO3and Li2SO4) in SEI is conducive to uniform lithium deposition and stabilizing lithium metal anodes. Contrastively, low-valence sulfur-containing species (Li2S and Li2S2) in SEI result in aggressive lithium dendrites and dead lithium.

A data-driven approach based on time-series-based machines learning techniques was developed to forecast the capacity degradation trajectory of lithium batteries, which only adopt historic data for the prediction on an individual battery. Sensible prognosis on compromised-quality, lab-made batteries was achieved with superior prediction accuracy and mechanistic insights into battery degradation chemistries.

Systematic evaluation on a 400 Wh kg−1lithium–sulfur pouch cell is carried out regarding the electrode morphology, spatial distribution and species analysis of sulfur, and capacity retention of the electrodes to reveal the working and failure mechanism of Li–S batteries under practical conditions.

The industrialization of solid-state batteries (SSBs) with high energy density and high safety is a growth point. The scale-up application toward using SSBs is mainly restrained by batch fabrication of large-sheet, high-energy electrodes (>4 mAh/cm2) and robust thin solid-state electrolytes (SSEs; <50 μm) to achieve the high-energy-density demand of >400 Wh/kg. Conventional slurry casting fabrications in SSBs suffer from fragility, solvent sensitivity, and blocked ionic transport. Dry battery electrode (DBE) is an emerging concept and technology in the battery industry that innovates electrode fabrication as a “powder to film” route. The DBE technique can significantly simplify the manufacturing process, reconstruct the electrode microstructures, and increase the material compatibilities. This perspective introduces the concept of DBE techniques and analyzes their superiorities, protocols, scientific principles, and potential attempts at improving the performances and production efficiency of SSBs, aiming to popularize the promising DBE toward the industrialization of SSBs.

Specific solvent molecules tend to be enriched in the vicinity of a polar polymer host due to a strong dipole–dipole interaction, which results in a LiF-rich SEI guiding uniform Li deposition.

Tumor cells activate DNA repair pathways to combat the oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS), contributing to their resistance to photodynamic therapy (PDT). Herein, a self-delivery photodynamic sensitizer is developed to enhance oxidative damage by blocking the DNA repair pathway through poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition. Specifically, the photodynamic sensitizer (CeOla) is constructed based on the self-assembly of the photosensitizer chlorine e6 (Ce6) and the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Ola). Of note is that carrier free CeOla has a high drug content and favorable water stability, which could be effectively internalized by tumor cells for robust PDT upon light irradiation. Moreover, CeOla could inhibit the activation of PARP, promote the upregulation of γ-H2AX and reduce the expression of Rad51, thereby blocking the DNA repair pathway to sensitize tumor cells for PDT. As a consequence, the self-delivery CeOla greatly promotes the tumor cell apoptosis and shows a high antitumor performance with low side effects. It serves as a novel platform for the development of self-delivery nanomedicine to overcome oxidative resistance in tumor treatment.

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries constitute promising next-generation energy storage devices due to the ultrahigh theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg–1. However, the multiphase sulfur redox reactions with sophisticated homogeneous and heterogeneous electrochemical processes are sluggish in kinetics, thus requiring targeted and high-efficient electrocatalysts. Herein, a semi-immobilized molecular electrocatalyst is designed to tailor the characters of the sulfur redox reactions in working Li–S batteries. Specifically, porphyrin active sites are covalently grafted onto conductive and flexible polypyrrole linkers on graphene current collectors. The electrocatalyst with the semi-immobilized active sites exhibits homogeneous and heterogeneous functions simultaneously, performing enhanced redox kinetics and a regulated phase transition mode. The efficiency of the semi-immobilizing strategy is further verified in practical Li–S batteries that realize superior rate performances and long lifespan as well as a 343 Wh kg–1high-energy-density Li–S pouch cell. This contribution not only proposes an efficient semi-immobilizing electrocatalyst design strategy to promote the Li–S battery performances but also inspires electrocatalyst development facing analogous multiphase electrochemical energy processes.

This is an exploratory study on mental accounting and food budgeting of agricultural households, in which we assumed that agricultural households may have a mental account for consumption of their self-produced food. Accordingly, they may reserve a certain quantity of self-produced food as a set budget for own consumption, implying that they may keep on consuming their own produce until they have consumed the quantity set for the mental budget. By making the mental accounting assumption, we hypothesized that the consumption of self-produced food is independent of market price. Also, we hypothesized that the consumption of self-produced food is increasing in the quantity of production if production is lower than the set budget, and independent of the quantity of production if production exceeds the set budget. By applying a double-log demand model and using survey data from six poor rural counties in China, we tested these hypotheses for five food items, which are rice, flour, potatoes, pork, and eggs. We found that the hypothesis of no significant effect of price holds for flour, potatoes, and pork if production is lower than the set budget, and for rice, pork, and eggs if production is higher than the set budget. Production has a significant positive effect on consumption of self-produced food but with a much greater influence when production is lower than the set budget for all five food items. These findings partly support our assumption of mental accounting of self-produced food. Limitations, policy implications, and possible future studies are discussed.

SEI failure mechanisms, involving thermal failure, chemical failure, and mechanical failure and effective regulation strategies are summarized in this review.

Electrolyte design is essential for stabilizing lithium metal anodes and localized high-concentration electrolyte (LHCE) is a promising one. However, the state-of-the-art LHCE remains insufficient to ensure long-cycling lithium metal anodes. Herein, regulating the solvation structure of lithium ions in LHCE by weakening the solvating power of diluents is proposed for improving LHCE performance. A diluent, 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4-octafluoro-5-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy) pentane (OFE), with weaker solvating power is introduced to increase the proportion of aggregates (an anion interacts with more than two lithium ions, AGG-n) in electrolyte compared with the commonly used 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether (TTE). The decomposition of AGG-n in OFE-based LHCE intensifies the formation of anion-derived solid electrolyte interphase and improves the uniformity of lithium deposition. Lithium metal batteries with OFE-based LHCE deliver a superior lifespan of 190 cycles compared with 90 cycles of TTE-based LHCE under demanding conditions. Furthermore, a pouch cell with OFE-based LHCE delivers a specific energy of 417 Wh/kg and undergoes 49 cycles. This work provides guidance for designing high-performance electrolytes for lithium metal batteries.

A double-layer carbon (DLC) sulfur cathode configuration is proposed to construct high-sulfur-content and high-performance Li–S batteries.

The generation and evolutional behavior of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) fatally dictate the performance of working anodes, especially lithium (Li) anodes. In this Opinion, we describe the critical rationale in understanding competitive SEI formation on a working Li metal anode. First, the fundamentals that determine the competitive SEI-forming reactions at the Li/electrolyte interface are analyzed. Moreover, we elucidate the kinetic competition between SEI growth and Li deposition in the case of exposure to fresh Li surfaces during the Li electroplating process. Several important factors involving electrolyte formulation, current density, and temperature that can intrinsically modulate the kinetic competition are comprehensively summarized. Finally, future research trends regarding dynamic SEI formation and its correlation with the manner of Li electroplating are addressed.

Self-delivery of photosensitizer and immune modulator to tumor site is highly recommendable to improve the photodynamic immunotherapy yet remains challenging. Herein, self-delivery photoimmune stimulators (designated as iPSs) are developed for photodynamic sensitized tumor immunotherapy. Carrier-free iPSs are constructed by optimizing the noncovalent interactions between the pure drugs of chlorine e6 (Ce6) and NLG919, which avoid the excipients-raised toxicity and immunogenicity. Intravenously administrated iPSs prefer to passively accumulate on tumor tissues for a robust photodynamic therapy (PDT) with the induction of immunogenetic cell death (ICD) cascade to activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and initiate antitumor immune response. Meanwhile, the concomitant delivery of NLG919 inhibits the activation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1) to reverse the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Ultimately, the photodynamic sensitized immunotherapy with iPSs efficiently inhibit the primary and distant tumor growth with a low system toxicity, which would shed light on the development of self-delivery nanomedicine for clinical transformation in tumor precision therapy.

Lithium-ion battery has greatly changed our lifestyle and the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) covered on the graphite anode determines the service life of a battery. The formation method and the formation temperature at initial cycle of a battery determine the feature of the SEI. Herein, we investigate the gap of formation behavior in both a half cell (graphite matches with lithium anode) and a full cell (graphite matches with NCM, short for LiNixCoyMn1−x−yO2) at different temperatures. We conclude that high temperature causes severe side reactions and low temperature will result in low ionic conductive SEI layer, the interface formed at room temperature owns the best ionic conductivity and stability.

Lithium metal batteries are strongly considered as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation high-performance battery systems. However, the uncontrollable growth of lithium dendrites and the highly reactive lithium metal result in the severe safety risks and the short lifespan for high-energy-density rechargeable batteries. Here, we demonstrate a hydrophobic and ionically conductive ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer layer can not only endow lithium metal anodes with an air-stable and anti-water surface, but also efficiently suppress the lithium-dendrites growth during the electrochemical cycling process. Therefore, the introduction of the EVA copolymer as a bifunctional protection layer simultaneously improves the anti-water/air performance and electrochemical cycling stability of lithium metal anode.

The high specific capacity and energy density of lithium–sulfur batteries have attracted strong considerations on their fundamental mechanism and energy applications. However, polysulfide shuttle is still the key issue that impedes the development of Li–S batteries. Exploring nanocrystal hosts for polysulfide immobilization and conversion is a promising way. In this contribution, we have investigated well-dispersed Co9S8nanocrystals grown on graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets with different degrees of dispersion as cathode host materials for Li–S batteries. The Co9S8-GO composite with 1 wt% GO (GCS1) has an average crystal size of 76 nm and shows the strongest adsorption capability toward lithium polysulfides. When used as the host material for the cathode of Li–S batteries, the GCS1-sulfur composite exhibits an initial specific capacity of ~1000 mAh g−1at 0.5 C and shows an average decay rate of 0.11% for 500 cycles. This work on the dispersion control of Co9S8nanocrystals may inspire more investigations on well-dispersed nanocrystal based hosts for Li–S batteries.

The trimethylene sulfate (TMS) was introduced to regulate Li deposition. The sulfuryl-containing components and increased content of Li2O were introduced into fluorinated SEI, further improving the homogeneity of solid electrolyte interphase and promoting uniform Li deposition in batteries under practical conditions.Image, graphical abstract

The interface of electrodes is vital significance to the efficient utilization of energy and the development of new energy storage systems. The specific absorption and solvation structure are the joint factors to effect the feature of interface, further dominating the services life of a working battery.Image, graphical abstract

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have long been expected to be a promising high-energy-density secondary battery system since their first prototype in the 1960s. During the past decade, great progress has been achieved in promoting the performances of Li–S batteries by addressing the challenges at the laboratory-level model systems. With growing attention paid to the application of Li–S batteries, new challenges at practical cell scales emerge as the bottleneck. In this Outlook, the key parameters for practical Li–S batteries to achieve practical high energy density are emphasized regarding high-sulfur-loading cathodes, lean electrolytes, and limited excess anodes. Subsequently, the key scientific problems are redefined in practical Li–S batteries beyond the previous ones under ideal conditions. Finally, viable strategies are proposed to address the above challenges as future research directions.

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have been recognized as promising substitutes for current energy-storage technologies owing to their exceptional advantages in very high-energy density and excellent material sustainability. The cathode with high sulfur areal loading is vital for the practical applications of Li–S batteries with very high energy density. However, the high sulfur loading in an electrode results in poor rate and cycling performances of batteries in most cases. Herein, we used diameters of 5.0 (D5) and 13.0 (D13) mm to probe the effect of electrodes with different sizes on the rate and cycling performances under a high sulfur loading (4.5 mg cm−2). The cell with D5 sulfur cathode exhibits better rate and cycling performances comparing with a large (D13) cathode. Both the high concentration of lithium polysulfides and corrosion of lithium metal anode impede rapid kinetics of sulfur redox reactions, which results in inferior battery performance of the Li–S cell with large diameter cathode. This work highlights the importance of rational matching of the large sulfur cathode with a high areal sulfur loading, carbon modified separators, organic electrolyte, and Li metal anode in a pouch cell, wherein the sulfur redox kinetics and lithium metal protection should be carefully considered under the flooded lithium polysulfide conditions in a working Li–S battery.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) with high energy density are perceived as the most promising candidates to enable long-endurance electrified transportation. However, rapid capacity decay and safety hazards have impeded the practical application of LMBs, where the entangled complex degradation pattern remains a major challenge for efficient battery design and engineering. Here, we present an interpretable framework to learn the accelerated aging of LMBs with a comprehensive data space containing 79 cells varying considerably in battery chemistries and cell parameters. Leveraging only data from the first 10 cycles, this framework accurately predicts the knee points where aging starts to accelerate. Leaning on the framework’s interpretability, we further elucidate the critical role of the last 10%-depth discharging on LMB aging rate and propose a universal descriptor based solely on early cycle electrochemical data for rapid evaluation of electrolytes. The machine learning insights also motivate the design of a dual-cutoff discharge protocol, which effectively extends the cycle life of LMBs by a factor of up to 2.8.

Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials (LRMO) are promising for enhancing energy density of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). Nonetheless, the development of efficient Li+/e–pathways is hindered by the poor electrical conductivity of LRMO cathodes and their incompatible interfaces with solid electrolytes (SEs). Herein, we propose a strategy of in-situbulk/interfacial structure design to construct fast and stable Li+/e–pathways by introducing Li2WO4, which reduces the energy barrier for Li+migration and enhances the stability of the surface oxygen structure. The reversibility of oxygen redox was improved, and the voltage decay of the LRMO cathode was addressed significantly. As a result, the bulk structure of the LRMO cathodes and the high-voltage solid–solid interfacial stability are improved. Therefore, the ASSBs achieve a high areal capacity (∼3.15 mAh/cm2) and outstanding cycle stability of ≥1200 cycles with 84.1% capacity retention at 1 C at 25 °C. This study offers new insights into LRMO cathode design strategies for ASSBs, focusing on ultrastable high-voltage interfaces and high-loading composite electrodes.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) assist in breast cancer (BRCA) invasion and immune resistance by overproduction of extracellular matrix (ECM). Herein, we develop FPC@S, a photodynamic immunomodulator that targets the ECM, to improve the photodynamic immunotherapy for fibrotic BRCA. FPC@S combines a tumor ECM-targeting peptide, a photosensitizer (protoporphyrin IX) and an antifibrotic drug (SIS3). After anchoring to the ECM, FPC@S causes ECM remodeling and BRCA cell death by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) in situ. Interestingly, the ROS-mediated ECM remodeling can normalize the tumor blood vessel to improve hypoxia and in turn facilitate more ROS production. Besides, upon the acidic tumor microenvironment, FPC@S will release SIS3 for reprograming CAFs to reduce their activity but not kill them, thus inhibiting fibrosis while preventing BRCA metastasis. The natural physical barrier formed by the dense ECM is consequently eliminated in fibrotic BRCA, allowing the drugs and immune cells to penetrate deep into tumors and have better efficacy. Furthermore, FPC@S can stimulate the immune system and effectively suppress primary, distant and metastatic tumors by combining with immune checkpoint blockade therapy. This study provides different insights for the development of fibrotic tumor targeted delivery systems and exploration of synergistic immunotherapeutic mechanisms against aggressive BRCA.

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have attracted worldwide attention as promising next-generation rechargeable batteries due to their high theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg–1. The actual energy density of Li–S batteries at the pouch cell level has significantly exceeded that of state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. However, the overall performances of Li–S batteries under practical working conditions are limited by the sluggish conversion kinetics of the sulfur cathodes. To overcome the above challenge, various kinetic promotion strategies have been proposed to accelerate the multiphase and multi-electron cathodic redox reactions between sulfur, lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), and lithium sulfide. Nowadays, kinetic promoters have been massively employed in sulfur cathodes to achieve Li–S batteries with high energy densities, high rates, and long lifespans. A comprehensive and timely summary of cutting-edge kinetic promoters for sulfur cathodes is of great essence to afford an in-depth understanding of the unique Li–S electrochemistry.

Li-metal anodes are one of the most promising energy storage systems that can considerably exceed the current technology to meet the ever-increasing demand of power applications. The apparent cycling performances and dendrite challenges of Li-metal anodes are highly influenced by the interface layer on the Li-metal anode because the intrinsic high reactivity of metallic Li results in an inevitable solid-state interface layer between the Li-metal and electrolytes. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on the interfacial chemistry regarding the interactions between electrolytes and ion migration through dynamic interfaces. The critical factors that affect the interface formation for constructing a stable interface with a low resistance are reviewed. Moreover, we review emerging strategies for rationally designing multiple-structured solid-state electrolytes and their interfaces, including the interfacial properties within hybrid electrolytes and the solid electrolyte/electrode interface. Finally, we present scientific issues and perspectives associated with Li-metal anode interfaces toward a practical Li-metal battery.

Mutations in LIM domain binding 3 (LDB3) gene cause idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM), a structural heart disease with a complicated genetic background. However, the association of polymorphisms in the LDB3gene with susceptibility to IDCM in Chinese populations remains unexplored as dose the impact on clinical presentation. We sequenced all exons and the adjacent part of introns of the LDB3gene in 159 Chinese Han IDCM patients and 247 healthy controls. Then we detected the distribution of polymorphisms in the LDB3gene in all participants and assessed their associations with risk of IDCM. Additionally, we conducted a stratified genotypephenotype correlation analysis. The A allele of rs4468255 was significantly associated with IDCM (P<0.01). The rs4468255, rs11812601, rs56165849, and rs3740346 were also associated with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (P<0.05). Notably, a higher frequency of rs4468255 polymorphism was observed in implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients under a recessive model (P<0.01), whereas the significant association disappeared after adjusting for potential confounders. However, in the dominant model, notable correlations could only be observed after adjusting for multi parameters. The rs4468255 was significantly correlated with IDCM of Chinese Han population. A allele of rs4468255 is higher in IDCM patients with ICD implantation, suggesting the influence of genetic background in the generation of this response. In addition, rs11812601, rs56165849, and rs3740346 in LDB3show association with brain natriuretic peptide, DBP, and LVEF levels in patients with IDCM but did not show any association with IDCM susceptibility. 探讨 LDB3(LIM domain binding 3) 基因多态性 与中国汉族特发性扩张型心肌病发病的相关性, 并分析 LDB3基因多态性对患者临床表现和植入 型心律转复除颤器 (ICD) 植入的影响。 首次明确 LDB3基因多态性与中国汉族特发性扩 张型心肌病发病密切相关, 发现了三个与脑钠 肽、舒张压、左室射血分数相关的多态性位点和 一个与植入心律转复除颤器相关的多态性位点。 本研究纳入我院 159 例中国汉族特发性扩张型心 肌病患者和 247 例无亲缘关系健康对照并收集基 线临床资料。 提取外周血 DNA 后, 聚合酶链式 反应扩增 LDB3基因的14 个外显子, 经 Sanger 一代测序, 获得基因突变位点。 通过关联分析, 研究基因多态性与特发性扩张型心肌病发病之 间的相关性。 根据连锁不平衡系数和基因分布频 率进行单倍体分析, 研究不同单倍体分型对特发 性扩张型心肌病发病的影响。 在 LDB3基因多态性分析中, 发现9 个多态性位 点符合哈代-温伯格平衡。 其中 rs4468255 位点多 态性与中国汉族特发性扩张型心肌病发病密切 相关。rs11812601、rs56165849 和 rs3740346 位点 多态性与患者舒张压、左室射血分数存在显著关 联 (P<0.05)。 且携带 rs4468255 多态性的患者 更倾向于安装植入型心律转复除颤器。