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Wooden building materials have advantages in terms of biodegradability, non-toxicity, pollution-free and recycling. Currently, applications of natural wood are extremely limited because of low density, low strength and toughness. Therefore, we reported an effective modification strategy with nano-scale cellulose nanofibrils design to prepare a synergistically enhanced cellulosic material. Via three steps: i) the secondary alcohol hydroxyl groups in C 2 , C 3 position were cut; ii) oxidize the hydroxyl group at C 2 , C 3 position to achieve dialdehyde cellulose; and iii) oxidized again to obtain dicarboxylic cellulose. Subsequently, thanks to the regulation of the average moisture content, the moisture content in the wood surface and subsurface increased in a short time. The wood softening layer contributes to the hotpressing treatment of the wood. The mechanical properties and dimensionality have been greatly improved. The obtained delignified oxidated hot-pressed wood with 0.55 mmol/g carboxyl group content demonstrates excellent strength of 328.8 ± 7.43 MPa and Young's modulus of 8.1 ± 0.14 GPa, which is twice than that of natural wood. Delignified oxidated hot-pressed wood also shows exceptional toughness of 8.3 ± 0.28 MJ/m3. Other than that, the shore hardness indicates 0.55 mmol/g carboxylic group, which could increase the hardness at the wood surface hardness to 72.5 ± 4.29°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holocellulose nanofibrils (HCNFs) are nanoscale objects extracted from biomass resources and have attracted attention as sustainable building blocks for nanomaterials. In this study, we report a top-down approach for extracting HCNFs from manau rattan that involves pulping, bleaching and TEMPO oxidation. The extracted HCNFs showed a uniform width of around 18.5 nm and a length of a few micrometers, high crystallinity (66.5 %), and good thermal stability (302 °C). The extracted HCNFs were used to fabricate HCNF film via vacuum filtration and drying (air drying and solvent exchange drying). Surprisingly, the HCNF film fabricated by solvent exchange drying (HCNF-film SD) simultaneously presented a high total transmittance (93.7 %) and high haze (62.2 %), and its total transmittance was even higher than that of glass. The resulting HCNF-film SD displayed a high tensile strength (84.8 MPa), Young's modulus (3.7 GPa), and toughness (1.4 MJ m−3), making it a high-performance and eco-friendly film for applications in precision optoelectronics and aerospace materials. Manau rattan HCNFs were extracted by pulping, bleaching and TEMPO oxidation, and HCNF film SD with simultaneously high transmittance (93.7 %) and high haze (62.2 %) was fabricated via a simple vacuum filtration and solvent exchange, followed by ambient drying method. [Display omitted] • Manau rattan HCNFs were extracted using pulping, bleaching, and TEMPO oxidation. • HCNF-filmSD was prepared via vacuum filtration and solvent exchange, followed by ambient drying. • HCNF-filmSD simultaneously showed high transmittance (93.7 %) and haze (62.2 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel ultrastrong and tough natural cellulosic fiber bundles (RFs) extracted from vascular tissues of manau rattan stems were obtained and the RFs will play a promising role in the field of nano-advanced functional materials. [Display omitted] • Ultrastrong and tough natural cellulosic fiber bundles (RF) were prepared from vascular tissues of manau rattan stems. • RF S showed higher crystallinity and better thermal stability than RF M and RF L. • Tensile strength and toughness of the RF improved simultaneously as diameter decreased. Natural fibers are an ideal choice for fabricating advanced functional materials. In this study, novel ultrastrong and tough natural cellulosic fiber bundles (RFs) extracted from vascular tissues of manau rattan stems were obtained. The physical, mechanical, chemical, thermal, crystallographic, and morphological characteristics of RFs with different diameters were analyzed. The chemical composition analysis showed that more cellulose and less lignin existed in thinner RFs. Scanning electron microscopic images revealed that manau rattan was mainly composed of vascular bundles, consisting of xylem, parenchyma, and run-through thicker tracheids. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the RF S had higher crystallinity (51.7 %) than RF M (49.7 %) and RF L (47.7 %). The rattan fiber bundles showed simultaneously enhanced tensile strength (170.2 for RF S vs. 65.6 MPa for RF L) and toughness (31.6 for RF S vs. 16.7 MJ/m3 for RF L) as diameter decreased. Tensile strength and toughness were 482.6 MPa and 79.9 MJ/m3 when RF diameter decreased to 0.15 mm. These findings suggested that these RFs will play a promising role in the field of nano-advanced functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The MXene/cellulose scaffold is assembled by hydrogen bonding. • The "brick-mortar" layered microstructure enhances the EMI shielding performance. • The total EMI SE reaches as high as 39.3 dB. • The efficient production of robust and flexible sustainable EMI shielding materials. Electromagnetic-interference (EMI) shielding materials that are green, lightweight, and with high mechanical properties need to be urgently developed to address increasingly severe radiation pollution. However, limited EMI shielding materials are successfully used in practical applications, due to the intensive energy consumption or the absence of sufficient strength. Herein, an environmentally friendly and effective method was proved to fabricate wood-based composites with high mechanical robustness and EMI shielding performance by a MXene/cellulose scaffold assembly strategy. The lignocellulose composites with a millimeter–thick mimic the "mortar-brick" layered structure, resulting in excellent mechanical properties that can achieve the compressive strength of 288 MPa and EMI shielding effectiveness of 39.3 dB. This "top-down" method provides an alternative for the efficient production of robust and sustainable EMI shielding materials that can be used in the fields of structural materials for next-generation communications and electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Lithium storage performance of EC and PC systems in HC anodes at 25 °C is studied. • Cycling performance of EC and PC systems at −20 °C and −40 °C is investigated. • The PC system maintains faster ion diffusion behavior at low temperatures. • The PC system maintains high capacity at low temperatures. • The effects of carbonisation temperatures on the performance of HC are compared. Hard carbon (HC) anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become more promising anode materials due to their high capacity, excellent capacity retention, superior cycling stability, low operating potential and mild electrode expansion. However, the compatibility of commonly used carbonate-based electrolytes in HC anode systems has rarely been investigated. Here, we systematically investigate the effects of the two most commonly used major components in electrolyte systems, ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate, on the HC anode of LIBs, including the cycling performance, Li+ transport kinetics, and electrolyte–electrode interface composition. The results show that the propylene carbonate system possesses better cycling stability and kinetics in HC anodes for LIBs. Especially at low temperatures, the propylene carbonate system exhibited high-capacity retention (57.7 % at −20 °C and 24.1 % at −40 °C). Mechanistic studies reveal that Li+ possess lower solvation energy in propylene carbonate, which can be easily separated from the solution to participate with the charging and discharging process. Moreover, due to the lower freezing point of propylene carbonate (−48.8 °C), PC-electrolyte based LIBs deliver good low temperature cycling stability. This work will provide guidance for the selection and design of HC anodes and electrolytes for LIBs in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) hold immense promise for energy storage due to their potential advantages over existing technologies in terms of electrochemical performance, cost, and safety. Nevertheless, the commercialization of ZABs is still limited by the slow cathode reaction, especially the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) during discharge and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during charging. In the region of the triphase catalyst/electrolyte/gas interface that is decisive for the performance of ZABs, the low utilization of catalytic sites and the lack of oxygen transfer efficiency are the key constraints on the enhancement of performance. Recent advancements have aimed to address these interfacial limitations through innovative microstructure and bioinspired engineering approaches. This review delves into these latest developments, investigating interfacial issues at both the microscopic and mesoscopic levels. Furthermore, we explore the development of a comprehensive theory–structure–function relationship based on the triphase interface, encompassing in-depth understanding, structural considerations, and microenvironmental modulation. Finally, this review identifies the principal challenges, potential opportunities, and prospective avenues for the regulation of triphase interfaces. This review discusses established strategies and promising research directions aimed at further improving the performance of ZABs with the aim of advancing the commercialization of ZABs and paving the way toward clean and sustainable energy storage solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, balsa wood, poplar wood, and birch wood were selected to systematically study precursors on the structure and Li-storage properties of wood-based hard carbon thick electrodes (WHCTEs). After carbonization, the densities of balsa, poplar, and birch carbon (Bal-W, Pop-W, and Bir-W) reach 99.29, 279.13, and 608.14 mg cm⁻3, respectively. The specific surface areas of Bal-W, Pop-W, and Bir-W are 798, 729, and 609 m2 g⁻1, respectively. Bal-W is rich in mesopores at 2–4 nm; Pop-W also has a certain amount of mesopores; while Bir-W has almost no mesopores but large numbers of micropores concentrated at 1.2 and 1.6 nm. In the battery test, due to the highest mass loading, Bir-W retained the largest remaining capacity among the three samples after 200 cycles at 1 mA cm⁻2. The remaining capacities of Bal-W, Pop-W, and Bir-W are 12.27, 34.15, and 41.03 Ah L⁻1, respectively. It is found that mass loading, specific surface area, and pore size distribution have a greater influence on the electrode capacity performance. In addition, the kinetic features of the Li-ion storage of WHCTEs were studied. This work may provide an important reference for the field of WHCTEs for alkali metal ion batteries and can promote its practical application. • The effect of precursor on wood-based carbon electrodes was systematically studied. • Denser precursor led to higher mass loading and more defective microstructure. • Hierarchical porosity facilitates the Li-ion storage performance of electrodes. • The kinetic features of the Li-ion storage of wood-based electrodes were studied. • The design orientation of wood-based electrodes was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]