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Lithium (Li) metal batteries are considered one of the most promising electrochemical energy storage systems. However, the uncontrollable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and Li deposition lead to poor stability and safety concerns, hindering their wide utilization for energy devices. Herein, we propose a high-flux charge transfer layer (HCTL) with efficient mixed electron/ion transport dynamics to achieve a remodeled SEI and highly reversible Li deposition. As a concept, an ultra-thin graphitized reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotube (GrGO/CNT) film has been designed and fabricated as an HCTL to protect the Li anode. The fabricated GrGO/CNT film exhibits excellent electronic conductivity and ionic diffusivity. As a result, the Li/HCTL electrode based on GrGO/CNT exhibits a prolonged cycling lifespan with a high current density and high areal capacity (2.5 mA cm−2, 2.5 mA h cm−2 with 2000 cycles). These excellent properties have been proved to benefit the uniform, LiF-rich and strengthened SEI induced by this HCTL. As a result of the synergistic effects of the fast electron/ion transport dynamics and the reformative SEI layer, the assembled Li/HCTL‖LiCoO2 full battery delivers satisfactory cycling stability and high-rate performance. This study presents a fresh strategy to fabricate high-performance Li anodes for stable Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical tungsten oxide nanostructures, controllably assembled with one-dimensional nanosized building blocks, which exhibit different exposed facets and crystal phases were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal reaction assisted by urea. Systematic and comprehensive investigations indicate that urea plays a significant role in tuning the exposed facets of the building blocks and controlling the crystal phase by effectively regulating the process of nucleation. By adjusting the amount of urea, a suitable crystal phase can be obtained and the exposed facets can be tuned to achieve the highest photocatalytic activity of tungsten oxide. It has been found that (020) is the active facet of orthorhombic WO3·0.33H2O but not of hexagonal WO3. The orthorhombic WO3·0.33H2O exposing the largest amount of (020) facets shows the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B under visible light illumination, which is 4.1 times as high as that of the sample exposing the least amount of (020) facets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]