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Through a simple gelation-solvothermal method with graphene oxide as the additive, a Cu 4 SnS 4 -rich composite of nanoparticles and nanotubes is synthesized and applied for thin and flexible Li-metal batteries. Unlike the Cu 2 SnS 3 -rich electrode, the Cu 4 SnS 4 -rich electrode cycles stably with an enhanced conversion capacity of ∼416 mAh g -1 (∼52% of total capacity) after 200 cycles. The lithiation/delithiation mechanisms of Cu-Sn-S electrodes and the voltage ranges of conversion and alloying reactions are informed by in situ X-ray diffraction tests. The conversion process of three Cu-Sn-S compounds is compared by density functional theory (DFT) calculations based on three algorithms, elucidating the enhanced conversion stability and superior diffusion kinetics of Cu 4 SnS 4 electrodes. The reaction pathway of Cu-Sn-S electrodes and the root cause for the unstable capacity are revealed by in situ / ex situ characterizations, DFT calculations, and various electrochemical tests. This work provides insight into developing energy materials and power devices based on multiple lithiation mechanisms.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth-most lethal cancer among women due to a lack of early detection and late-stage treatment options, and it is responsible for more than 14,000 deaths each year in the United States. Recently, there have been advances in RNA interference therapy, specifically with small interfering RNA (siRNA), to reduce tumor burden for ovarian cancer via gene down-regulation. However, delivery of siRNA poses its own challenges, as siRNA is unstable in circulation, is unable to be effectively internalized by cells, and may cause toxicity in off-target sites. To address such challenges, nanoparticle carriers have emerged as delivery platforms for the biocompatible, targeted delivery of siRNA-based therapies. Several preclinical studies have shown the promising effects of siRNA therapy to reduce chemotherapy resistance and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. This review evaluates the recent advances, clinical applications, and future potential of nanoparticle-mediated delivery of siRNA therapeutics to target genes implicated in ovarian cancer.

During photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, the reactions occur on the surface of the photoelectrode. Therefore, the properties of the interfaces between the various components of the electrode (semiconductor/semiconductor, semiconductor/catalyst, or photoelectrode/electrolyte) affect the PEC performance of the composite material. Notably, surface trap states may hinder charge transfer and transport properties, and also cause Fermi pinning, affecting the quasi-Fermi level and onset potential under illumination, which may in turn influence the PEC performance of the corresponding tandem cells. In this study, plate-like WO 3 array films prepared by an aqueous chemical growth method were employed to highlight the effect of interfacial properties on the performance of a WO 3 -based photoanode. The Mott-Schottky and linear sweep voltammetry experiments prove the existence of surface trap states and Fermi pinning for pristine WO 3 , which are alleviated after an "etching" treatment and disappeared after surface passivation by a Ga 2 O 3 layer. Both etching and passivation increase the oxygen evolution activity and the Faradaic efficiency for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). After loading a permeable catalyst (FeOOH), the photocurrent is further increased, and there is a synergistic effect between loading of the electrocatalyst with etching or passivation. The onset potentials of the samples follow the trends: etch-WO 3 /FeOOH < WO 3 /FeOOH ≤ WO 3 /Ga 2 O 3 /FeOOH < etch-WO 3 < WO 3 < WO 3 /Ga 2 O 3 , indicating that the interfacial properties have a significant effect on the PEC performance. Meanwhile, the modified WO 3 -based electrode was combined with a dye-sensitized solar cell to fabricate tandem cell, which showed 2.42-fold photocurrent density compared with the pristine WO 3 -based tandem cell.