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Fast ion beams induce damage to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by chemical products, including secondary electrons, produced from interaction with liquid water in living cells. However, the production process of these chemical products in the Bragg peak region used in particle therapy is not fully understood. To investigate this process, we conducted experiments to evaluate the radiolytic yields produced when a liquid water jet in vacuum is irradiated with MeV-energy carbon beams. We used secondary ion mass spectrometry to measure the products, such as hydronium cations (H3O+) and hydroxyl anions (OH−), produced along with ·OH radicals, which are significant inducers of DNA damage formation. In addition, we simulated the ionization process in liquid water by incident ions and secondary electrons using a Monte Carlo code for radiation transport. Our results showed that secondary electrons, rather than incident ions, are the primary cause of ionization in water. We found that the production yield of H3O+ or OH− was linked to the frequency of ionization by secondary electrons in water, with these electrons having energies between 10.9 and 550 eV. These electrons are responsible for ionizing the outer-shell electrons of water molecules. Finally, we present that the elementary processes contribute to advancing radiation biophysics and biochemistry, which study the formation mechanism of DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the dissociation of isolated gas-phase nucleobase molecules induced by mega electron volt (MeV)-energy ions to gain fundamental insights into the reactions of nucleobases upon fast ion irradiation. We studied five nucleobase molecules—adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil—as gas-phase targets. We compared the fragmentation patterns obtained from carbon ion impacts with those obtained from proton impacts to clarify the effect of heavy ion irradiation. We also compared the results with electron impact and photoionization results. In addition, we identified several delayed fragmentation pathways by analyzing the correlation between fragment pairs generated from singly and doubly charged intermediate ions. To determine the lifetimes of delayed fragmentation from singly charged intermediate ions, we evaluated the detection efficiencies of the microchannel plate detector for the neutral fragment HCN as a function of kinetic energy using a new methodology. As the first demonstration of this method, we estimated the lifetimes of C5H5N5+ generated by 1.2-MeV C+ and 0.5-MeV H+ collisions to be 0.87 ± 0.43 and 0.67 ± 0.09 µs, respectively. These lifetimes were approximately one order of magnitude longer than those of the doubly charged intermediate ion C5H5N52+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuning interphase chemistry to stabilize high-voltage NaNi 1/3 Fe 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 cathode via bonding superionic conductor interface. [Display omitted] • NASICON-type Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 is bonded on NaNi 1/3 Fe 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 surface. • The coating layer inhibits surface parasitic reactions and TMs dissolution. • Fast Na+ kinetic and high rate capacity are achieved for the composite electrode. Unstable cathode/electrolyte interphase and severe interfacial side reaction have long been identified as the main cause for the failure of layered oxide cathode during fast charging and long-term cycling for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries. Here, we report a superionic conductor (Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 , NVP) bonding surface strategy for O3-type layered NaNi 1/3 Fe 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 (NFM) cathode to suppress electrolyte corrosion and near-surface structure deconstruction, especially at high operating potential. The strong bonding affinity at the NVP/NFM contact interface stabilizes the crystal structure by inhibiting surface parasitic reactions and transition metal dissolution, thus significantly improving the phase change reversibility at high desodiation state and prolonging the lifespan of NFM cathode. Due to the high-electron-conductivity of NFM, the redox activity of NVP is also enhanced to provide additional capacity. Therefore, benefiting from the fast ion transport kinetics and electrochemical Na+-storage activity of NVP, the composite NFM@NVP electrode displays a high initial coulombic efficiency of 95.5 % at 0.1 C and excellent rate capability (100 mAh g−1 at 20 C) within high cutoff voltage of 4.2 V. The optimized cathode also delivers preeminent cyclic stability with ∼80 % capacity retention after 500 cycles at 2 C. This work sheds light on a facile and universal strategy on improving interphase stability to develop fast-charging and sustainable batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of aqueous zinc-based batteries is greatly restricted by zinc dendrites. One potential solution to this challenge lies in the employment of high-modulus separators. However, achieving both high modulus and large ionic conductivity in a single separator remains a formidable task. Inspired by the wood architecture, this study breaks this trade-off by designing an anisotropic and biodegradable separator. This design significantly improves the modulus along the oriented direction while simultaneously facilitating fast Zn2+ ion transport through aligned vertical channels. Additionally, this configuration resolves the contradiction between low separator thickness and good dendrite-inhibition capability. These benefits are supported by finite element simulations and comprehensive experimental validation, which also underscore the critical role of modulus enhancement for separators. By employing the anisotropic separator, a prolonged life span is realized for Zn||Zn cells, along with improved cyclability in full batteries. This work presents a strategy for separator modification towards dendrite-free metal batteries. The separator plays a crucial role in mitigating dendrites and side reactions in aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Here, authors design an anisotropic separator with high modulus and large ionic conductivity to break the trade-off between low separator thickness and good dendrite-inhibition ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and synthesis of three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with exceptional stability and high proton conductivity are critical for advancing high-temperature fuel cells but remain significantly challenging. In this study, thiadiazole groups were successfully incorporated into a novel 3D COF featuring a five-fold interpenetrated diamond network through a bottom-up self-assembly strategy. The proton conduction of the thiadiazole-based 3D COF (NUST-28) under anhydrous conditions reached up to 8.40 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 120 °C after phosphoric acid doping. Furthermore, the NUST-28 conductor demonstrated good stability at constant temperature and in cyclic experiments. This work paves the way for the design and construction of 3D COFs as platforms for fast ion transportation using reticular chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Transition-metal phosphates/phosphides showcase significant promise for energy-related applications because of their high theoretical electrochemical characteristics. However, sluggish electro/ion transfer rates and kinetically unfavorable reaction sites hinder their application at high mass loading. Herein, a self-supporting electrode based on transition-metal phosphates was successfully fabricated via a one-step electrodeposition process. The nanosheet structure of transition-metal phosphates, formed by interconnecting nanoparticles, effectively mitigates the impact of stress and achieves a high mass-loading (21 mg cm−2) of the electrode. Additionally, the oxygen vacancy-rich and porous nanostructure of transition-metal phosphates endows the as-prepared electrodes with a significantly increased conductivity and fast ion migration rate for enhancing electrochemical kinetics. Consequently, the as-fabricated transition-metal phosphate electrode displays the highest areal specific capacity of 39.2F cm−2. Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitor achieves a maximum energy density of 0.79 mWh cm−2 and a high capacity retention of 93.0 % for 10000 cycles under 60 mA cm−2. This work provides an ideal strategy for fabricating flexible electrodes with high mass loading and synthesizing transition-metal phosphate electrodes rich in oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The unique design of the core–shell heterostructure is significant for obtaining electrode materials with excellent electrochemical properties. In this paper, porous carbon nanofibers (NPC@PPZ) embedded with N -doped porous carbon nanoparticles are used to construct flexible electrodes (NPC@PPZ@Bi 2 O 3). Zeolite imidazole skeleton (ZIF)-8 and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) derived porous carbon fibers and Bi 2 O 3 nanosheets, were utilized as the porous core and multilayer shell, respectively. The unique core and shell result in abundant pores and channels for fast ion transport and storage, high specific surface area, and additional electroactive sites. This perfect structural design enables the NPC@PPZ@Bi 2 O 3 composite electrode to have excellent electrochemical performance. The results show that this electrode can obtain a high specific capacitance of 697 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 and a stable cycling performance at a high current density of 5 A g−1. The strategy developed in this study provides a new approach for the design and fabrication of flexible supercapacitors by electrostatic spinning combined with hierarchical porous structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium metal batteries (SMBs) with the advantages of high energy density and low cost have attracted extensive attention as next‐generation rechargeable battery technology. However, SMBs suffer from severe Na dendrite and undesired solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer, which inevitably destroy cycling durability and safety. Herein, a p‐π conjugated organic molecule (OHTAPQ) with redox‐active carbonyls and pyrazines is employed as a robust artificial SEI layer on Na anode (denoted as OHTAPQ@Na) to address these issues. The unique chelation of N and O with Na+ ions in an OHTAPQ‐based layer facilitates good adsorption capacity and low Na+ diffusion barries for uniform Na deposition behavior. As a result, the OHTAPQ@Na||OHTAPQ@Na symmetric cell shows a long‐term cycle lifespan (over 1500 h at 2 mA cm−2), and the OHTAPQ@Na||Na3V2(PO4)3 cells deliver a capacity retention of 82% after 1600 cycles. This research provides a handy way for anode protection with functional conjugated organics in SMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical solution describing the temperature space-time evolution in a substance heated by monoenergetic fast-ion bunch of an arbitrary duration is obtained. The temperature peak and coordinate of its position are determined in real conditions of ion stopping, when as a result of decrease in ion energy, on the one hand, and an increase in the substance temperature, on the other hand, the Bragg law of stopping power ceases to operate. The dependences of these characteristics on ion-bunch flux density and duration as well as on the initial ion energy are discussed in relation to the medical applications and inertial confinement fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium ion batteries gradually have aroused worldwide interest due to the limited lithium resource. However, the research on the solid‐state potassium‐ion batteries is at its very early stage. The lack of electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and interfacial stability is the major obstacle. In this work, a new phase of potassium carbazolide (KC12H8N, β‐KCZ) is synthesized and expected to be less rigid in the stacking layers than the reported α‐KCZ, indicating weaker cation−π interactions. Upon complexing KCZ with THF, a new type of potassium solid‐state electrolyte is successfully developed (KxCZ‐yTHF), particularly, an optimal composition K0.9CZ‐0.7THF reveals an ionic conductivity as high as 4.2 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 100 °C, which is among the top K+ conductors at this temperature. Furthermore, KxCZ‐yTHF also demonstrates a remarkable electrochemical stability window of 3.1 V, as well as outstanding interfacial stability and compatibility against K2S electrode during a 400‐h electrochemical cycling test. Other advantages of this electrolyte include cold pressing for molding, ease for scaling up, and high safety upon exposure to air. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first report that a potassium organic compound is employed as potassium solid‐state electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving fast ion transport kinetics and high interfacial stability simultaneously is challenging for polymer electrolytes in solid‐state lithium batteries, as the coordination environment optimal for Li+ conduction struggles to generate desirable interphase chemistry. Herein, the adjustable property of organic ligands is exploited in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) to develop a hierarchical composite electrolyte, incorporating heterogeneous and spatially confined MOF nanofillers into a poly‐1,3‐dioxolane matrix. The defect‐engineered University of Oslo‐66 MOFs (UiO‐66d) with tailored Lewis acidity can separate ion pairs and optimize Li+ migration through weakened solvation effects, thereby enhancing ion conductivity by over sixfold (0.85 mS cm−1@25 °C). At the lithium anode side, a densified University of Oslo‐67 MOFs (UiO‐67) layer with conjugated π electrons facilitates anion participation in the solvation sheath, promoting anion reduction and thereby forming LiF/Li3N‐dominated solid electrolyte interphase for isotropic Li deposition. The as‐assembled Li||LiFePO4 full cell delivers superior cycling stability with 92.7% of capacity retained over 2000 cycles at 2 C. Notably, the developed electrolyte demonstrates excellent compatibility with high‐voltage cathodes, achieving 80% capacity retention with LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 over 630 cycles. This work provides valuable insights into decoupling transport and interfacial challenges in solid‐state lithium batteries, paving the way for advanced battery technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving both high ionic conductance and stable Zn metal anode simultaneously remains a challenge with current liquid and solid electrolytes. Here, a viscoelastic soft solid electrolyte (VSSE) strategy is presented that effectively balances Zn ion conduction and Zn anode stability. The VSSE is created by nano‐SiO2 inducing a liquid‐to‐solid transition in a liquid solution containing Zn(BF4)2 salt dissolved in an oligomer (glycerol polyoxyethylene‐b‐oxypropylene ether, GPE) and water. The plentiful oxygen functional group in VSSE provides enough hydrogen bonding sites for water molecules to be completely hydrogen‐bonded to form a state without free water. The bound water serves as a Zn‐O coordination modulator that can weaken the strong Zn‐O coordination, lowering the dissociation energy for Zn ions, realizing fast Zn ion decoupling motion mode. Consequently, the VSSE gives impressive Zn ion conductance of (2.28 ± 0.07) ×10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature 10–1000 times higher than reported solid polymer electrolytes. Simultaneously, the restricted molecular activity of bound water allows for excellent storage/cycle life of the Zn metal anode, which is confirmed by remarkably improved storage life (720 h), shelving‐recovery lifespan (850–1200 h), and cycling life (1400–2050 h). This study offers fresh perspectives on multifunctional electrolyte design strategies based on soft‐matter science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorus (BP) has been recognized as an ideal anode material for fast‐charging lithium (Li)‐ion capacitors (LICs) due to its high theoretical capacity (2596 mAh g−1), appropriate lithiation potential (0.7 V vs Li+/Li) and fast ion diffusion capability. However, large volume change and soluble polyphosphides (LixPs)‐based intermediates during charging‐discharging process seriously deteriorate cycling performance. To address the aforementioned issues, an elaborated design is reported on the binder for BP electrode. The ‐NH2 polar functional group in grafted chitosan (GCS) binder presents strong chemical anchoring effect for both BP and soluble LixPs, achieving superior adhesion force and LixPs constraining capability for enhanced structure integrity of BP electrode. In addition, GCS exhibits strong Li‐ion binding energy that promotes the Li‐ion adsorption at electrode level, leading to a boosted cycle life for BP. As a result, the graphene (G) incorporated BP electrode using GCS binder shows specific capacity of 997.6 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles at 1 A g−1. This study unravels the crucial role of functional groups for binder in high‐performance BP electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel disulfide (NiS2) nanoparticles are encapsulated within nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon nanosheets, which are grown onto carbon nanofibers to form an array structure (NiS2/C@CNF), resulting in a self-supporting film. This encapsulated structure not only prevents the agglomeration of NiS2 nanoparticles, but also memorably buffers its volume changes during charge/discharge cycles, thereby maintaining structural integrity. The nitrogen and sulfur co-doping enhances electronic conductivity and facilitates the faster ion transport of the carbon backbone, improving the low conductivity of the NiS2/C@CNF anodes. Consequently, the NiS2/C@CNF electrode exhibits a remarkable rate ability, reaching 55.4% of its capacity at 5 A g−1 compared to that at 0.1 A g−1, alongside an impressive cycling stability, with 89.9% capacity retention over 1500 cycles at 2 A g−1. This work underscores the efficacy of the 3D carbon backbone encapsulation strategy for enhancing the sodium storage property of transition metal-based anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D layered materials, combined with ion intercalation and diffusion storage mechanisms, are among the most promising storage materials for high‐performance rechargeable ion batteries (especially NH4+ storage systems). However, slow interlayer ion diffusion dynamics hinder their development. Most of the research focuses on the diffusion mechanism of interlayer hydrogen bonds, ignoring the special structure and function of the interlayer. In this study, the Mg(H2O)62+ intercalation strategy of MoS2 is proposed and the weak interlayer constraint and sulfur vacancy interlayer structure are co‐constructed. It is found that the intercalation of ions increased the interlayer spacing, effectively increased the ion storage space, and reduced the interlayer constraint of NH4+; Meanwhile, sulfur vacancy reduces the activity and number of NH4+ coordination sites. This special interlayer structure promotes the diffusion kinetics of NH4+. This aspect of concern has been almost ignored in previous studies. This work advances to provide insights and a fundamental understanding of ion diffusion behavior in layered structural features, paving the way for the development of sustainable energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐level pseudocapacitive materials require incorporations of significant redox regions into conductive and penetrable skeletons to enable the creation of devices capable of delivering high power for extended periods. Coordination nanosheets (CNs) are appealing materials for their high natural electrical conductivities, huge explicit surface regions, and semi‐one‐layered adjusted pore clusters. Thus, rational design of ligands and topological networks with desired electronic structure is required for the advancement in this field. Herein, we report three novel conjugated CNs (RV‐10‐M, M=Zn, Ni, and Co), by utilizing the full conjugation of the terpyridine‐attached flexible tetraphenylethylene (TPE) units as the molecular rotors at the center. We prepare binder‐free transparent nanosheets supported on Ni‐foam with outstanding pseudocapacitive properties via a hydrothermal route followed by facile exfoliation. Among three CNs, the high surface area of RV‐10‐Co facilitates fast transport of ions and electrons and could achieve a high specific capacity of 670.8 C/g (1677 F/g) at 1 A/g current density. Besides, the corresponding flexible RV‐10‐Co possesses a maximum energy density of 37.26 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 171 W kg−1 and 70 % capacitance retention even after 1000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupling desalination with electrocatalytic reactions is an emerging approach to simultaneously addressing freshwater scarcity and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the salt removal rate in such processes is slow, and the applicable water sources are often limited to those with high salt concentrations. Herein, we show high‐performance electrocatalytic desalination by coupling with electrochemical CO2 reduction using a carbon catalyst. A ZIF‐8‐derived carbon catalyst embedded with Cu nanoparticles delivers a high Faradaic efficiency of 94.3 % for CO production at 288 μmol cm−2 h−1. The efficient CO2 electroreduction generates high current densities, which drive fast salt ion transfer across ion exchange membranes. The integrated device enables one of the highest salt removal rates of 1043.49 μg cm−2 min−1 among various desalination methods. Drinking water can be obtained with an ion removal rate of 99 % when natural seawater is used as the water source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In this work, we aim to explore numerically the behavior of beam energetic particles in the Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT), a superconductive device equipped with a Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) system capable of injecting neutrals up to 510 keV. Method: We explore beam ionization and beam slowing down for different DTT plasma scenarios. Numerical simulations are performed using the ASCOT suite of codes, including a wide-range scan of plasma density and beam injection energy. For different plasma conditions, we estimate shine-through losses, including the heat fluxes on the first wall thanks to dedicated particle tracing simulations. Orbits of newly-born fast ions are characterized by means of the constant of motion phase space, showing how trapped energetic particles' population and prompt losses change with plasma density and NBI energy. Results and discussion: Slowing down simulations show that NBI injection at 510 keV is well coupled to DTT plasmas. DTT NBI will be one of the sources of auxiliary ion heating, with an absorbed power ratio of up to ∼50% depending on plasma and beam parameters. At low plasma densities, energetic particle confinement is less efficient, and NBI power and/or energy reduction is expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fusion neutron source (FNS) based on the gas-dynamic trap (GDT, Budker Institute, Novosibirsk) is considered for confinement of two-species plasma heated by neutral beam injection in a regime where the fast ion distribution function is far from Maxwellian. Kinetic instabilities are expected to develop in this regime, and in this paper we investigate the ion-cyclotron instability evolving in moderate densities of pure hydrogen and mixed deuterium–hydrogen target plasmas. The properties of the studied unstable mode, such as its azimuthal wavenumbers, propagation direction and its being affected by changes in the bulk plasma density and composition, allow us to identify it as the drift cyclotron loss cone (DCLC) instability. This mode scatters fast ions and thereby leads to drops in diamagnetic flux signals and increases longitudinal energy and particle losses, with the average energy of the lost ions estimated to be far above the temperature of warm Maxwellian ions. Our interpretation is that the unstable wave grows due to interaction with the fast ions located near the loss cone in the velocity space and scatters them. Applying the method of suppressing the DCLC instability by filling the loss cone with warm plasma, we have determined the values of plasma density and deuterium percentage that allow us to suppress the DCLC instability in the GDT. These findings justify using mixed bulk plasmas in fusion neutron source operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the big mirror magnetic trap (Gas-Dynamic Trap, Budker Institute, Russia), a system for recording of collective Thomson scattering spectra of microwave radiation has been developed to focus on the study of velocity distribution function of fast ions. A diagnostic complex includes a high-power 450 kW/54.5 GHz gyrotron as a source of probing radiation, two independent highly sensitive radiometers operating in the range of 54.47 ± 0.55 GHz for simultaneous registration of scattered radiation in two orthogonal geometries, and quasi-optical systems for focusing the probing and diagnostic microwave beams. We report the results of the last experimental campaign of 2023 with plasma heating by neutral beams, in which the scattering signals from the fast ions have been detected accompanied by high-frequency instability of plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much attention has been paid on research and development on solid electrolytes for all-solid-state Li batteries. Although halide solid electrolytes such as Li3YCl6 and Li3InCl6 are promising due to fast Li ion conductivity and oxidation-resistant against positive electrode, a better understanding of their reactivity with atmospheric H2O is required for commercialization. In this study, the gas evolution tolerances of Li3YCl6 and Li3InCl6 were investigated. Temperature-programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD-MS) experiments at dew points below − 60 °C and gas detector tube experiments at dew points of − 30 °C both revealed significant differences in the H2O and HCl evolution behavior of Li3YCl6 and Li3InCl6. In TPD-MS, the onset temperature of HCl evolution for Li3YCl6 (~ 100 °C) was significantly lower than that for Li3InCl6 (~ 220 °C), indicating that Li3InCl6 solid electrolytes have superior gas evolution tolerance. This difference may be attributable to differences in the retention of H2O derived from the material synthesis stage and from contact with the atmosphere during the measurements. In particular, based on first-principles calculations, the low-temperature HCl evolution observed in Li3YCl6 was ascribed to the partial replacement of Cl− ions by OH− ions upon contamination with trace H2O. Because the heating and drying of solid electrolytes (including slurries) are inevitable processes during battery manufacturing, these findings can aid in the rational design of halide solid electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the confinement of fast ions is crucial for plasma heating and non-inductive current drive, i.e., for the operation of a fusion reactor. Interactions between fast ions and magnetohydrodynamic instabilities can reduce the performance of fusion reactions. Measuring the spatial shape and amplitude is crucial for constraining numerical modeling of the interaction between fast ions and these instabilities. Soft x rays can be used to study these magnetic instabilities. In particular, SXR tomography is used to reconstruct the two-dimensional profile of the SXR emissivity requiring only line integrated measurements, thus providing the spatial structure of the instabilities. This work presents SXR tomography reconstruction performed on synthetic SXR emissions from the Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak Upgrade device. The synthetic SXR emissions are derived from time dependent tokamak transport data analysis code (TRANSP/NUBEAM) simulations. Different tomographic reconstruction models are compared, and the effect of two additional fans of intersecting lines of sight on the reconstructions' performances is investigated. The additional intersecting lines of sight greatly improve the accuracy of the reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast pyrolysis of pre-treated birch wood in a super-heated steam environment produces a condensate rich in anhydrosugars. With the objective to obtain several product streams from this condensate, the possibility of extracting additional chemical species is explored, thus promoting the development of a pyrolysis-based biorefinery. In this work, the extraction and recovery of pyrolytic phenols from birch wood pyrolysis condensate was studied using ion exchange resins. With an aim to achieve effective phenol recovery, while obtaining high purity levoglucosan, basic ion exchange resins, both in OH− and Cl− form, as well as polystyrene-divinyl resins without functional groups were compared. This study characterizes the influence of sorbent matrix type and porosity, functional group and counter ion on the sorption of various aromatic compounds. It was concluded that the counter ion of the ion exchange resins had the most influence on the pyrolytic phenol adsorption, while in the case of unfunctionalized resins smaller pore size improved removal of phenols from the pyrolysis liquids. Of the resins tested, the most effective at the removal and recovery of pyrolytic phenols were strongly basic, macroporous, anion exchange resins in OH− form. The possibility to reuse the sorbents and solvents is explored to make the over-all process more environmentally friendly and economically feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spacecrafts observe signatures of duskside magnetic reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail associated with the presence of oxygen O+ $\left({\mathrm{O}}^{+}\right)$ ions of ionospheric origin. The exact role of O+ ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ ions in mediating reconnection remains largely unknown due to the local nature of observational techniques. We analyze results from global three‐dimensional hybrid (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) simulations of O+ ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ outflows and demonstrate that oxygen ions, escaping from the top of the ionosphere into the lobes, may cause disruptions on the duskside of the proton‐formed magnetotail, adding up to its turbulent, unsteady nature. These O+ ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ ions are shown to be capable of inducing magnetic flux ropes in the current sheet that thins out toward the dusk flank of the magnetotail due to Hall and ion kinetic effects. Unlike magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations, where dawn‐dusk magnetotail asymmetries may develop due to nonuniform ionospheric conductivity, the hybrid simulations demonstrate duskside tail disruptions on much faster ion gyroscales. Plain Language Summary: Being one of the most important and ubiquitous elements of space weather, magnetic reconnection (breaking and merging of oppositely directed magnetic field lines in a plasma) globally governs the dynamics of the Sun‐Earth system. Current approaches to investigating this phenomenon in the Earth's magnetotail (the extension of the magnetosphere in the antisunward direction) largely assume that the magnetosphere is dominated by solar wind plasma, which mostly consists of protons. Recent satellite observations, however, have provided ample evidence of the important role played in magnetic reconnection by relatively cold ions of ionospheric origin, such as oxygen O+ $\left({\mathrm{O}}^{+}\right)$ ions. By conducting global three‐dimensional simulations, we account for full‐orbit dynamics of both solar wind protons and oxygen ions of ionospheric origin and show that intense flows of O+ ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ from the top of the ionosphere may modify and disrupt the near‐Earth magnetotail. In these simulations, we demonstrate the ability of oxygen ions to induce "magnetic flux ropes" (bundles of magnetic field lines of the same direction), confined to the duskside of the magnetotail, in agreement with observations. Physical effects responsible for the formation of these fundamental signatures of magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail are crucial to understanding and forecasting space weather. Key Points: Oxygen ions of ionospheric origin (O+) are shown to induce flux ropes in the near‐Earth magnetotail in hybrid simulationsO+ ions disrupt the plasma current sheet that thins out on the duskside due to Hall and ion kinetic effectsO+ induced flux ropes are confined to the dusk flank of the current sheet, in agreement with observations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing limited Li‐metal (<10 mAh cm−2) is desirable to achieve high‐specific‐energy Li‐metal batteries (LMBs). However, the rapid Li‐metal depletion and anode pulverization severely restrict the cycle life of LMBs. Herein, 3D carbon‐based scaffold is proposed as a host to construct a composite Li‐metal anode (ZOS‐CF@Li) with a limited Li amount of 8 mAh cm−2 via molten Li infusion assisted by the lithiophilic ZnO/ZnS. In situ TEM reveals that the ZnO/ZnS can spontaneously convert into ionically conductive Li2O/Li2S and electronically conductive LiZn‐alloy, contributing to faster ion/electron transport and favorable dendrite‐free deposition. The experiment results combined with theoretical calculations confirm that the inorganic Li‐salts with high elastic modulus and super lithiophilicity enable homogenous electric field distribution and reduced Li‐diffusion energy barriers. Therefore, the ZOS‐CF@Li anode exhibits stable cycling over 1100 h with low overpotential under 5 mAh cm−2 in the symmetric cell. Furthermore, stable cycle performances coupled with high mass loading of LiFePO4 (20 mg cm−2) and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (18 mg cm−2) at low N/P ratios of 2.38 and 2.25 are achieved in the full‐cells, respectively. The Li||LFP pouch‐cell can maintain a high‐capacity retention of 97.7% after 90 cycles. This work will shed light on the design of a carbon‐based host for building stable Li‐anode in high‐energy‐density LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MOFs‐like polyoxometalate (POMs) electrodes, harvesting combined advantages of interlocking porosity and multi‐electron transfer reaction, have already emerged as promising candidates for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), yet the origins of the underlying redox mechanism in such materials remain a matter of uncertainty. Of critical challenges are the anomalously high storage capacities beyond their theoretical values and the fast ion diffusivity that cannot be satisfactorily comprehended in the theory of crystal lattice. Herein, for the first time we decode t2g electron occupation‐regulated dual‐redox Li‐storage mechanism as the true origin of extra capacity in POMs electrodes. The lattice and electronic transition of active centers and reaction intermediates were systematically decoupled through density functional theory (DFT) and a suite of structural spectroscopic investigations, such as X‐ray absorption near‐edge spectroscopy (XANES), soft X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS) and 7Li solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Enhanced V‐t2g orbital occupation by Li coordination significantly triggers the Hubbard gap closure and reversible Li deposition/dissolution at surface region. Conjugated V−O‐Li configuration at interlayers endow Li+ ion pathways along pore walls as the dominant contribution to the low migration barrier and fast diffusivity. As a result, remarkable cycle stability (~100 % capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 1 A g−1), extremely high specific capacity (1200 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1) and excellent rate performance (404 mAh g−1 at 8 A g−1) were achieved, providing new understandings on the underlying mechanism of POMs electrodes and pivotal guidance for dual‐storage materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garnet‐type solid‐state electrolytes with exceptional stability are believed to promote the commercialization of all solid‐state lithium metal batteries. However, the extensive application of garnet‐type solid‐state electrolytes is greatly impeded on account of their low ionic conductivity. Herein, a high‐entropy fast lithium‐ion conductor Li7(La,Nd,Sr)3(Zr,Ta)2O12 (LLNSZTO) with high lattice distortion is designed. It is found that the enhanced ionic conductivity of the high entropy garnet‐type solid‐state electrolyte LLNSZTO is achieved by introducing disorder in the lattice, which creates fast ion penetration paths with flattened energy landscapes within the pristine ordered lattice. Thus, the prepared high‐entropy garnet‐type solid electrolyte LLNSZTO exhibits low activation energy for Li+ migration (0.34 eV) and elevated ionic conductivity (6.26 × 10−4 S cm−1). Full cells assembled with LLNSZTO electrolyte, lithium metal anode, and LiFePO4 (LFP) cathode exhibit excellent capacity retention of 86.81% after 200 cycles at room temperature. Moreover, the superior ionic conductivity of LLNSZTO enables all solid‐state battery with high‐loading LFP cathode (>12 mg cm−2), achieving stable cycling exceeding 120 cycles. The large area pouch cell (5.5 cm × 8 cm) exhibits stable long‐term cycling performance, showing a capacity retention of 96.50% after 50 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of supercapacitors with ultrahigh power density, high energy density, and compatible integration for wearable microelectronic devices is significant but challenging. Herein, a bimetallic metal–organic framework (Ni/Co-MOF) with oriented nanosheets was obtained via triethylamine (TEA) guiding using a hydrothermal treatment, in which the TEA guides the vertically oriented array structures of the Ni/Co-MOF and ensures a fast ion/electron transmission path. Subsequently, an asymmetric supercapacitor was rationally designed by applying the bimetallic MOF cathode and an activated carbon (AC) anode. The obtained Ni/Co-MOF sample offers a high storage capacity of 2034 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 by harnessing the optimized Ni/Co-MOF with uniformly oriented nanosheet arrays. The constructed asymmetric supercapacitors exhibited a large voltage window of 1.4 V in 3.0 M KOH and an outstanding energy density of 29.5 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 199.1 W kg−1 was obtained, with a remarkable capacitance retention of 89% after 2000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi‐solid sodium batteries, employing quasi‐solid polymer electrolytes (QSPEs) renowned for their high energy density and cost‐effective fabrication, are promising candidates for next‐generation energy storage systems. However, their practical application has encountered impediments such as insufficient ion transport and uneven sodium plating/stripping attributed to suboptimal interfacial compatibility. In this work, an innovative QSPE is developed by incorporating functional additives, specifically fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and tin trifluoromethanesulfonate (Sn(OTf)2), into the poly(vinylidenefluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP)/propylene carbonate (PC) polymer electrolyte. Sn(OTf)2 catalyzes a ring‐opening reaction in PC, thereby reducing transmission barriers and augmenting the transport of sodium ions. Consequently, the resulting HFP‐PC‐FEC‐Sn QSPE demonstrates remarkable ionic conductivity (0.42 mS cm─1) and ion transference number (0.58). Furthermore, it forms a dense and smooth interphase enriched with NaF and metallic Sn, significantly enhancing the long‐term cycling stability of Na symmetric cells, which endure over 3000 h at 0.2 mA cm─2, and effectively suppressing the formation of sodium dendrites. This outstanding electrochemical performance extends to Na3V2(PO4)3/Na full coin and pouch cells across a wide temperature range. This work introduces an innovative approach for designing high‐performance QSPEs suitable for wide‐temperature quasi‐solid sodium batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium metal batteries (SMBs) remain greatly challenging in safety and stability. Herein, a flame‐retardant s designed, self‐purging high‐voltage electrolyte is designed to stabilize SMBs with the use of ethoxy (pentafluoro) cyclotriphosphazene (PFPN) as the electrolyte additive. PFPN can participate in the shell structure of PF6−${\mathrm{PF}}_6^ - $ solvation through stronger van der Waals force to form Na3N, NaF‐rich solid/cathode electrolyte interphase (SEI/CEI) with electronic insulation and fast ion transport. Moreover, harmful impurity (PF5) also can be scavenged by van der Waals force to avoid HF production, which helps to stabilize the electrode interface. Additionally, combustion radicals (H, HO) can be cleared by van der Waals force between radical (RPO) formed by breaking with PFPN and combustion radicals for flame‐retardation purpose. As expected, the high‐voltage Na||Na3V2(PO4)2O2F battery with modified electrolyte can deliver reservation of 92.4%, CE of 99.71% after 2000 cycles, and simultaneously possess excellent high‐rate and fast charging/slow discharging performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) integrate the fast ion conductivity of inorganic electrolytes and the excellent interfacial compatibility of polymer electrolytes. Typically, fluoropolymers and garnets are promising individuals to formulate cutting‐edge CSEs owing to their unique properties. However, the alkaline garnets can induce the dehydrofluorination of fluoropolymers, deteriorating their CSEs performance. Here, for the first time, NH4HCO3 is proposed as a sacrificial inhibitor to effectively prevent the garnet‐induced dehydrofluorination, using Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) and poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVH) as symbolic garnets and fluoropolymers, respectively. Various findings demonstrate that NH4HCO3 can buffer the alkalinity of LLZTO, thereby inhibiting the dehydrofluorination of PVH. In addition, NH4HCO3 can completely decompose to volatiles upon drying without compromising the properties of LLZTO and PVH. Additionally, a polymer‐in‐salt strategy is further introduced by adding high‐concentration LiTFSI salt to the above system, resulting in the PVH/LiTFSI/LLZTO (PLL) CSEs. Benefiting from the synergetic coupling of the sacrificial inhibitor and polymer‐in‐salt strategies, the PLL exhibits an exceptionally high ionic conductivity of 1.2 mS cm−1 at 25 °C and stable voltage of 5.09 V, outperforming other reported CSEs. Consequently, the PLL delivers impressive high‐rate cyclability in solid‐state lithium‐metal batteries with an outstanding capacity retention of 95.4% after 240 cycles at 1 C (25 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of stable single‐component white light emission in metal halide perovskites is still challenging due to the fast halide ion migration and narrow luminescence bands. In this work, all‐inorganic single CsPbClxBr3−x perovskite microplates with stable red‐blue‐green triple color light emission are prepared by introducing europium ions Eu3+ as dopants. Eu doping effectively suppresses ion migration and enables two spatially separated halide phases with stable dual‐wavelength emissions. Furthermore, the incorporation of Eu3+ compensates for the absence of red‐light emission, thereby yielding a superior white emission with exceptional quality. The color rendering index of triple‐color‐emitting perovskites can be tuned successfully by controlling the halogen ratios, and the optimal microplate achieved a Commissions Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.32, 0.32). The results present a new enlightenment for the preparation of low‐cost single‐component white light materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear gyrokinetic (GK) simulations using the Gyrokinetic Toroidal Code (GTC) [Lin et al., "Turbulent transport reduction by zonal flows: Massively parallel simulations," Science 281, 1835–1837 (1998)] have been performed to investigate Toroidicity-driven Alfvén Eigenmodes (TAEs) driven by the neutral beam injection (NBI) induced fast ions in the Mega-Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) to identify the non-perturbative and kinetic effects of thermal plasma. A specific TAE in MAST discharge 26887, with an on-axis NBI power of approximately 1.5 MW and plasma current around 800 kA, exhibited frequency chirping, and the tangential soft x-ray camera array resolved the radial mode structure peaked near | q | = 1.5. Various excitation methods were used in the GTC linear simulations, illustrating this code's capability to realistically represent the mechanisms and behaviors of fast ion-driven TAEs in spherical tokamaks. The radial structures from these GK simulations closely match measurements and calculations performed using the NOVA ideal MHD code, though with the frequencies approximately 10 kHz lower, likely due to various kinetic and non-perturbative effects. The simulations measured the damping rates due to continuum damping, radiative damping, and ion Landau damping, revealing that ion Landau damping has the most significant contribution to the total damping rate of the TAE. A comparison of growth rates of TAEs excited by fast ion Maxwellian and slowing-down distributions shows that the TAEs excited by a fast ion anisotropic pitch distribution (as part of the slowing-down distributions) are more unstable compared to those excited by a Maxwellian distribution with an equivalent fast ion beta. This shows that the use of fast ion anisotropy alters the number of fast ions to be in shear Alfvén resonance, and hence, it can greatly affect the stability of TAEs. These tests can be performed with the GTC but impossible with ideal MHD simulations, highlighting the necessity of kinetic simulations such as the GTC for a precise prediction of the TAE stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Potassium ion batteries (PIBs) are of great interest owing to the low cost and abundance of potassium resources, while the sluggish diffusion kinetics of K+ in the electrode materials severely impede their practical applications. Here, self‐hybridized BiOCl0.5Br0.5 with a floral structure is assembled and used as anode for PIBs. Based on the systematic theoretical calculation and experimental analysis, the unbalance of charge distribution between Cl and Br atoms leads to an enhanced built‐in electric field and a larger interlayer spacing, which can enhance the K+ diffusion. Furthermore, the K+ insertion causes the energetic evolution of polar states in the BiOCl0.5Br0.5 crystal framework, where the dynamic correlation between the K+ and the halogen atoms leads to the formation of hole‐like polarons, which significantly improves the K+ diffusion and reaction kinetics during the charging/discharging process, giving important implications to design the electrode materials with high electrochemical performance by engineering the interaction between electronic structure and interface. Therefore, the BiOCl0.5Br0.5 anode obtains an excellent performance of 171 mAh·g–1 at 1 A·g–1 over 2000 cycles in PIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flake biochar electrode materials with fast ion transport function were prepared by KOH activation walnut shell used as raw material. The effects of carbonization temperature and KOH-to-biochar ratio were systematically evaluated using physicochemical characterization and electrochemical performance testing. The optimized walnut shell biochar (WSC800–2), produced at 800 °C with a KOH-to-biochar ration of 2:1, exhibited an exceptional specific surface area (2,287 m2 g−1), the highest porosity (0.824 cm3 g−1), and an excellent specific capacitance (369.51 F g−1, 10 mV s−1). Furthermore, in desalination experiments, WSC800–2 achieved a high salt adsorption capacity of 15.70 mg g−1 at 1.2 V, 500 mg l−1 NaCl solution. The electrode also exhibited outstanding cycling stability, retaining 97.0% of its performance after 10 adsorption/desorption cycles. These findings highlight the potential of walnut shell-derived biochar as an effective material for capacitive deionization and future desalination technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we employ a unique multi‐instrumental approach for a comprehensive examination of Polarization Jet (PJ) (or, another name, Subauroral Ion Drift (SAID)). A diverse set of data is used to assess the connection between the appearance of the inhomogeneous structure of PJ/SAID and its reflection in ground‐based observations during geomagnetic activity. Our approach combines satellite (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, NorSat‐1, Swarm) and ground‐based (ionosondes, magnetometers, GPS/GLONASS receivers) data, allowing us to study PJ/SAID in detail and compare satellite data with ground‐based measurements. We describe the characteristic patterns on ionograms that may indicate the presence of PJ/SAID and how ionosondes can be used to study PJ/SAID. Polarization Jet Strata and irregularities of plasma parameters can cause multiple reflections, which are visible in ionograms as F‐spread. The splitting of the F2 trace into two or more traces on ionograms may indicate the presence of PJ/SAID near the observation point. Data from GPS/GLONASS receivers in regions where PJ/SAID is observed enable the construction of local total electron content maps, visualizing how PJ/SAID is reflected in those maps. It is shown how the geomagnetic latitude of PJ/SAID changes during the geomagnetic activity. Furthermore, this case is notable because not only PJ/SAID but also STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) is observed at subauroral latitudes in Northern Europe during the examined geomagnetic event. Plain Language Summary: Narrow and extended structure known as a polarization jet (PJ) or the sub‐auroral ion drift (SAID) is regularly observed in the subauroral region at the boundary of the auroral oval in the evening and night hours during geomagnetic activity. The PJ/SAID is a fast westward ion drift and is one of the main signatures of a geomagnetic disturbance in the ionosphere. On the one hand, this phenomenon is interesting from the point of view of fundamental physics, since there is still no generally accepted single point of view on the mechanisms that cause PJ/SAID. On the other hand, the decrease in the density of the ionospheric plasma within PJ/SAID substantially affects the conditions for the propagation of shortwave radio waves, which indicates the practical importance of studying PJ/SAID. This study uses a multi‐instrumental approach to study the properties of PJ/SAID by comparing various observations, including satellite ones. We explain how ionosondes, GPS/GLONASS receivers and magnetometers can serve as indicators of the presence of a PJ/SAID during geomagnetic disturbances using ground‐based data. The appearance and development of PJ/SAID are closely linked to the recently discovered optical phenomenon in the subauroral region known as STEVE, which is also observed. Key Points: Polarization Jet (PJ)/ Subauroral Ion Drift (SAID) is studied using a multi‐instrumental approach and detailed comparison of satellite and ground data is carried outIt is shown how PJ/SAID and STEVE manifests on traces on ionograms, magnetograms and local TEC mapsPJ Strata and small‐scale plasma irregularities can cause multiple reflections, which are visible in ionograms as F‐spread [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Potassium ion batteries (PIBs) are of great interest owing to the low cost and abundance of potassium resources, while the sluggish diffusion kinetics of K+ in the electrode materials severely impede their practical applications. Here, self‐hybridized BiOCl0.5Br0.5 with a floral structure is assembled and used as anode for PIBs. Based on the systematic theoretical calculation and experimental analysis, the unbalance of charge distribution between Cl and Br atoms leads to an enhanced built‐in electric field and a larger interlayer spacing, which can enhance the K+ diffusion. Furthermore, the K+ insertion causes the energetic evolution of polar states in the BiOCl0.5Br0.5 crystal framework, where the dynamic correlation between the K+ and the halogen atoms leads to the formation of hole‐like polarons, which significantly improves the K+ diffusion and reaction kinetics during the charging/discharging process, giving important implications to design the electrode materials with high electrochemical performance by engineering the interaction between electronic structure and interface. Therefore, the BiOCl0.5Br0.5 anode obtains an excellent performance of 171 mAh·g–1 at 1 A·g–1 over 2000 cycles in PIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porous structure is critical for carbonaceous electrode‐based zinc‐ion capacitors (ZICs) to achieve excellent electrochemical performance, but the corresponding porous structure‐electrochemical performance relationship is yet to be fully understand. Herein, three types of N‐doped carbons with different porous structures are developed to investigate the relationship between the pore size distribution and the electrochemical performance of the devices. The optimized porous carbon (LVCR) exhibits large electrochemical surface area, plentiful oxygen functional groups, and hierarchical porous structure that facilitates electron transfer and ion diffusion. Consequently, the LVCR‐based ZIC exhibits a remarkable peak power density of 31.4 kW kg−1 and an impressive specific energy density of 126.6 Wh kg−1. Moreover, it demonstrates exceptional longevity, retaining the capacitance of 97.7% even after undergoing 50 000 cycles. Systematic characterization demonstrates that the macroporous and mesoporous structures determine the different stages of Zn2+ storage kinetics. The excellent Zn2+ storage and electrochemical performance of LVCR are attributed to the fast ion transport channels provided by the hierarchical porous structure and facilitated reversible chemisorption and desorption. This work not only deepens the understanding of charge storage mechanism, but also provides guidelines for rationally designing carbonaceous materials toward high‐performance ZICs in the view of porous structure‐electrochemical performance relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) are a class of promising materials for capacitive deionization. However, the kinetic mismatch between their slow ion storage rate and the demand from short‐time desalination severely limits their desalination performance. Here, a group of structure‐tuneable Ni‐Mn PBAs have been developed by a combination strategy of surface‐protected chemical etching and Ostwald ripening to study their ion storage kinetics. Treating them as demos, the characterizations and investigations, e.g., in situ XRD in a three‐electrode system, dynamic impedance, finite element simulation, and DFT calculations etc., reveal that the slow ion diffusion caused by the severe agglomeration of the nanoparticles and the unsuitable lattice parameter controls the final desalination behavior. Therefore, the correspondingly optimized sample (HC‐t) possessing a microscale hollow structure, nanoscale shell thickness, and expanded lattice, displays a fast ion storage kinetics with the ratio of surface‐controlled current as high as 82% at a scan rate of 20 mV s−1. Consequently, it delivers an impressive desalination capacity of 120.8 mg g−1 (2.06 mmol g−1 Na+) with a fast average desalination rate of 0.25 mg g−1 s−1 (0.004 mmol g−1 s−1) at 1.2 V, competitive with those reported in the literature. Moreover, the elucidation of the structure‐performance correlation provides valuable insights for the development and design of next‐generation PBAs for capacitive deionization (CDI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising platforms for membrane separations, while remaining challenging for separating ions in a fast and selective way. Here, we propose a concept of COF membranes with vertically aligned nanorods for efficient separation of rare metal ions. A quaternary ammonium-functionalized monomer is rationally designed to synthesize COF layers on porous substrates via interfacial synthesis. The COF layers possess an asymmetric structure, in which the upper part displays vertically aligned nanorods, while the lower part exhibits an ultrathin dense layer. The vertically aligned nanorods enlarge contact areas to harvest water and monovalent ions, and the ultrathin dense layer enables both high permeability and selectivity. The resulting membranes exhibit exceptional separation performances, for instance, a Cs+ permeation rate of 0.33 mol m−2 h−1, close to the value in porous substrates, and selectivities with Cs+/La3+ up to 75.9 and 69.8 in single and binary systems, highlighting the great potentials in the separation of rare metal ions. Covalent organic frameworks (COF) membranes designed for the separation of ions in a fast and selective way are desirable. Here, the authors report COF membranes with vertically aligned nanorods to enlarge contact areas and harvest water and monovalent ions with high permeability and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial membranes with ion‐selective nanochannels for high‐efficiency mono/divalent ion separation are of great significance in water desalination and lithium‐ion extraction, but they remain a great challenge due to the slight physicochemical property differences of various ions. Here, the successful synthesis of two‐dimensional TpEBr‐based covalent organic framework (COF) nanosheets, and the stacking of them as consecutive membranes for efficient mono/divalent ion separation is reported. The obtained COF nanosheet membranes with intrinsic one‐dimensional pores and abundant cationic sites display high permeation rates for monovalent cations (K+, Na+, Li+) of ≈0.1–0.3 mol m−2 h−1, while the value of divalent cations (Ca2+, Mg2+) is two orders of magnitude lower, resulting in an ultrahigh mono/divalent cation separation selectivity up to 130.4, superior to the state‐of‐the‐art ion sieving membranes. Molecular dynamics simulations further confirm that electrostatic interaction controls the confined transport of cations through the cationic COF nanopores, where multivalent cations face i) strong electrostatic repulsion and ii) steric transport hindrance since the large hydrated divalent cations are retarded due to a layer of strongly adsorbed chloride ions at the pore wall, while smaller monovalent cations can swiftly permeate through the nanopores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance compact capacitive energy storage is vital for many modern application fields, including grid power buffers, electric vehicles, and portable electronics. However, achieving exceptional volumetric performance in supercapacitors is still challenging and requires effective fabrication of electrode films with high ion‐accessible surface area and fast ion diffusion capability while simultaneously maintaining high density. Herein, a facile, efficient, and scalable method is developed for the fabrication of dense, porous, and disordered graphene through spark‐induced disorderly opening of graphene stacks combined with mechanical compression. The obtained disordered graphene achieves a high density of 1.18 g cm−3, sixfold enhanced ion conductivity compared to common laminar graphene, and an ultrahigh volumetric capacitance of 297 F cm−3 in ionic liquid electrolyte. The fabricated stack cells deliver a volumetric energy density of 94.2 Wh L−1 and a power density of 13.7 kW L−1, representing a critical breakthrough in capacitive energy storage. Moreover, the proposed disordered graphene electrodes are assembled into ionogel‐based all‐solid‐state pouch cells with high mechanical stability and multiple optional outputs, demonstrating great potential for flexible energy storage in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anion‐reinforced solvation structure favors the formation of inorganic‐rich robust electrode‐electrolyte interface, which endows fast ion transport and high strength modulus to enable improved electrochemical performance. However, such a unique solvation structure inevitably injures the ionic conductivity of electrolytes and limits the fast‐charging performance. Herein, a trade‐off in tuning anion‐reinforced solvation structure and high ionic conductivity is realized by the entropy‐assisted hybrid ester‐ether electrolyte. Anion‐reinforced solvation sheath with more anions occupying the inner Na+ shell is constructed by introducing the weakly coordinated ether tetrahydrofuran into the commonly used ester‐based electrolyte, which merits the accelerated desolvation energy and gradient inorganic‐rich electrode‐electrolyte interface. The improved ionic conductivity is attributed to the weakly diverse solvation structures induced by entropy effect. These enable the enhanced rate performance and cycling stability of Prussian blue||hard carbon full cells with high electrode mass loading. More importantly, the practical application of the designed electrolyte was further demonstrated by industry‐level 18650 cylindrical cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon anode‐based Li‐ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used ranging from portable electronics to electric vehicles (EVs). Here a novel carbon material called microzonal carbon is introduced, synthesized from waste hard rubber (WHR), as an anode material for next‐generation LIBs. This material consists of a hybrid carbon structure embedded with short range ordered carbon zones, including expanded graphene sheets and nanopores. Two types of microzonal carbons (M‐5H and M‐10H) are tested in LIBs to unveil their electrochemical performance. The anode fabricated with M‐10H provides a high initial coulombic efficiency (60%), reversible capacity (377 mA h g−1 at 0.13 C), rate capability (275 mA h g−1 at 2.6 C) and cyclic stability (capacity retention of 99% at 0.13 C after 100 cycles). The electrochemical properties of microzonal carbon can be attributed to its unique hybrid carbon structure, facilitating fast ion diffusion, high electronic conductivity, and the ability to form stable interphase. Therefore, this work presents new insights into the electrochemical behavior of microzonal carbon as an anode material in next‐generation LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical application of solid polymer electrolyte is hindered by the small transference number of Li+, low ionic conductivity and poor interfacial stability, which are seriously determined by the microenvironment in polymer electrolyte. The introduction of functional fillers is an effective solution to these problems. In this work, based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it is demonstrated that the anion vacancy of filler can anchor anions of lithium salt, thereby significantly increasing the transference number of Li+ in the electrolyte. Therefore, flower‐like SnS2‐based filler with abundant sulfur vacancies is prepared under the regulation of functionalized carbon dots (CDs). It is worth mentioning that the CDs dotted on the surface of SnS2 have rich organic functional groups, which can serve as the bridging agent to enhance the compatibility of filler and polymer, leading to superior mechanical performance and fast ion transport pathway. Additionally, the in situ formed Li2S/Li3N at the interface of Li metal and electrolyte facilitate the fast Li+ diffusion and uniform Li deposition, effectively mitigating the growth of lithium dendrites. As a result, the assembled lithium metal batteries exhibit excellent cycling stability, reflecting the superiority of the carbon dots derived vacancy‐rich inorganic filler modification strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of stable solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) with high‐ionic conductivity and the rational design of electrode/electrolyte interfaces remains challenging for solid‐state lithium batteries. Here, for the first time, a high‐performance solid‐state lithium‐oxygen (Li−O2) battery is developed based on the Li‐ion‐conducted hydrogen‐bonded organic framework (LHOF) electrolyte and the HOF‐DAT@CNT composite cathode. Benefiting from the abundant dynamic hydrogen bonding network in the backbone of LHOF‐DAT SSEs, fast Li+ ion transport (2.2×10−4 S cm−1), a high Li+ transference number (0.88), and a wide electrochemical window of 5.05 V are achieved. Symmetric batteries constructed with LHOF‐DAT SSEs exhibit a stably cycled duration of over 1400 h with uniform deposition, which mainly stems from the jumping sites that promote a uniformly high rate of Li+ flux and the hydrogen‐bonding network structure that can relieve the structural changes during Li+ transport. LHOF‐DAT SSEs‐based Li−O2 batteries exhibit high specific capacity (10335 mAh g−1), and stable cycling life up to 150 cycles. Moreover, the solid‐state lithium metal battery with LHOF‐DAT SSEs endow good rate capability (129.6 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C), long‐term discharge/charge stability (210 cycles). The design of LHOF‐DAT SSEs opens an avenue for the development of novel SSEs‐based solid‐state lithium batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoS2 is widely reported as anode material for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). However, its ability to operate effectively across a wide temperature range and at high rates continues to pose fundamental challenges, limiting its further development. Herein, a monolayer Fe‐doped MoS2/N,O‐codoped C overlapping structure is designed and employed as an anode for wide‐temperature‐range SIBs. Fe doping imparts MoS2 electrode with zero bandgap characteristics, an increased interlayer spacing, and low sodium‐ion diffusion energy barriers across wide operation temperatures. Impressively, Fe atoms doped into the MoS2 lattice can be reduced to superparamagnetic Fe0 nanocrystals of ≈2 nm during conversion reactions. In situ magnetometry reveals that these Fe0 nanocrystals can be used as electron acceptor in the formation of space charge zones with Na+, thereby triggering strong spin‐polarized surface capacitance that facilitates fast sodium‐ion storage over a wide temperature range. Consequently, the designed MoS2 electrode demonstrates exceptional fast‐charging capability in half/full cells operating at −40–60 °C. This study provides novel perspectives on the utilization of heteroatom doping strategies in conversion‐type electrode material design and proves the effectiveness of spin‐polarized surface capacitance effect on enhancing sodium‐ion storage over a wide temperature range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing suitable anode materials to fabricate metal‐free Zinc ion battery is a promising strategy to solve the issues of Zn metal anode, such as dendrite growth and side reactions. However, the reported anode materials face shortcomings such as unsatisfactory rate performance, low mass loading, etc. Herein, featuring synergetic proton‐dominated storage and electron transfer, a conjugated polyimide nanocomposite trapped by multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (PPN‐MWCNT) is developed for high‐loading, fast‐rate organic anode materials in metal‐free Zinc ion battery. Specifically, abundant hydrophilic active sites and nonplaner conjunctional structure in PPN achieve proton‐dominated storage with two steps four electrons mechanism, leading to fast ion diffusion, and the intimate contact between the polymer and MWCNT via in situ polymerization ensures the excellent charge transfer and robust structure. Thus, the PPN‐MWCNT electrode delivers low redox potential, ultrahigh rate performance (50 A g−1), superior loading capability (≈40 mg cm−2) and exceptional long‐term cyclability (over 12 000 cycles). More importantly, the full batteries assembled with PPN‐MWCNT anode and different cathodes deliver a high energy density of 106.4 Wh kg−1 (PPN‐MWCNT//MnO2) and 83.7 Wh kg−1 (PPN‐MWCNT//active carbon‐I2), exceeding the most reported metal‐free Zinc ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-phase protection layers induce a reinforcement effect on the Zn anode. Specifically, Sb nanoparticles can act as nucleation sites to promote the uniform Zn deposition and homogenize the electric field around the Zn surface. While ZHS micrometer-size sheets possess sufficient electrolyte wettability, fasting ion transfer kinetics and anti-corrosion, and thus guaranteeing uniform ion flux and suppressing dendrite growth and side reactions. [Display omitted] Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries with abundant resources and high safety have gained extensive attention in energy storage technology. However, the cycle stability is largely limited by notorious Zn dendrite growth and water-induced interfacial side reactions. Here, a uniform and robust protection layer consisting of metal antimony (Sb) nanoparticles and micrometer-size sheets Zn 4 (OH) 6 SO 4 ·5H 2 O (ZHS) is purposely designed to stabilize Zn anode via an in situ chemical reaction strategy. The two-phase protection layers (Sb/ZHS) induce a reinforcement effect on the Zn anode (Zn@Sb/ZHS). Specifically, Sb nanoparticles play the part of nucleation sites to facilitate uniform Zn plating and homogenize the electric field around the Zn surface. ZHS micrometer-size sheets possess sufficient electrolyte wettability, fast ion transfer kinetics, and anti-corrosion, thus guaranteeing uniform ion flux and inhibiting H 2 O decomposition. As expected, the symmetric Zn@Sb/ZHS//Zn@Sb/ZHS cells achieve a minimal voltage hysteresis and a reversible cycle of over 2000 h at 1 mA cm−2. By pairing with the MnO 2 cathode, the full cell exhibits a significantly improved stability (∼94.17 % initial capacity after 1500 cycles). This study provides a new strategy to design artificial protection layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]