Fast Reaction Research Articles

A sulfur-infiltrated mesoporous silica/CNT composite-based functional interlayer for enhanced Li–S battery performance

The design and construction of functional interlayers for lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries has attracted much attention and was demonstrated to be effective to alleviate the notorious “shuttle effect.” An often neglected issue is that the introduction of interlayer will reduce the overall energy density of the battery. In this work, we report a sulfur-infiltrated mesoporous silica/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite as an interlayer for Li–S batteries. The mesoporous silica with large surface area (842 m2 g−1) and pore volume (0.85 cm3 g−1) can not only ensure abundant exposed sites for polysulfide capture but also accommodate a large amount of sulfur inside the pore structure. CNT was composited with silica to enhance the electronic conductivity of the interlayer, which is beneficial for fast sulfur redox reaction kinetics and improved utilization of sulfur. Compared to the pristine and CNT-modified separator, the mesoporous silica/CNT composite-modified separator enables better cycling stability and rate performance. More importantly, it was demonstrated that separately incorporating sulfur into a cathode and interlayer enables better battery performance than locating all the sulfur in the cathode. At a total sulfur loading of 4 mg cm−2 (3 mg cm−2 sulfur on the cathode and 1 mg cm−2 on the mesoporous silica/CNT interlayer), a high initial discharge capacity of 1410 mAh g−1 and a retained capacity of 952 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles were exhibited. This work provides important guidance for future design of functional interlayers for practical Li–S batteries.

Redox mediator enabling fast reaction kinetics and high utilization of iodine in aqueous iodine redox flow battery

Aqueous iodine redox flow batteries (AIRFBs) have been identified as a promising technology for large-scale energy storage. However, practical capacity of AIRFBs is limited by the relatively low utilization of iodine caused by the low reaction kinetics. Here, we report an electrode modified by cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CoHCF), which supports a redox-mediating process developing alternative redox reaction pathways of iodine with reduced redox activation energies. Contributed by the strong adsorption of iodine by CoHCF, redox reaction kinetics of iodine species is accelerated, and the utilization of iodine in batteries is increased. Applying the CoHCF modified carbon felt as cathode electrode, the constructed zinc-iodine redox flow battery exhibits a high iodine utilization reaching 95.59% of the theoretical capacity at a current density of 20 mA cm−2, which enhances 139.89% comparing to the battery without electrode modification. The redox mediator-based electrode enabling fast reaction kinetics and high utilization of iodine species offers a promising strategy enhancing the battery performance thereby advancing the development of AIRFBs.

Exploring Ti active sites in Ziegler-Natta catalysts through realistic-scale computer simulations with universal neural network potential

We investigate the interaction dynamics between TiCl4 molecules and a MgCl2 (110) cluster to understand the complexities of Ziegler-Natta catalysts through molecular dynamics simulations. Our study reveals significant distortion of Mg atoms at the edge of cluster, influencing TiCl4 adsorption behavior, cluster stability, and reactivity. Various TiCl4 configurations on the MgCl2 surface, such as octahedral and bridging forms, illustrate the versatility of surface in accommodating different molecular arrangements, affecting catalytic performance. We explore diverse adsorption sites influenced by surface topology and electronic properties, revealing a range of adsorption energies from 15.7 to 29.2 kcal/mol. This indicates a complex interplay of molecular forces, significantly impacting catalytic efficiency at distorted sites. Nudged Elastic Band calculations reveal varied activation energies for ethylene insertion, suggesting faster reaction rates at certain sites and highlighting highly favorable dynamics at Corradini type Ti active sites. All these findings offer new directions for enhancing catalyst performances.

Construction of electron-interactive CoMoO4 @ CoP core–shell structure on boron-doped graphene aerogel as strongly interface coupled hybrid electrodes for high flexible supercapacitor

Exploring high energy density, lightweight and self-supporting flexible electrodes is essentially significant to flexible energy storage equipment. Herein, boron-doped three-dimensional porous graphene aerogel (BGA) is engineered and novel flake-like CoP encapsulating flower-like CoMoO4 core–shell structure is arranged on it (CoMoO4@CoP/BGA) utilizing a combination of solvothermal, freeze-drying and vapor deposition techniques. Boron-doped graphene aerogel as flexible self-supporting positrode creates a unique three-dimensional porous interface with a larger specific surface area, which is conducive to exposing more active sites and avoids the additional process of adding binders and conductive agents. The heterointerface engineering of CoP epitaxial growth on CoMoO4 can efficiently enhance electrolyte ions adsorption ability and fast reaction kinetics. As expected, the fabricated CoMoO4@CoP/BGA demonstrates a better specific capacitance of 3056.4F/g than that of CoMoO4/BGA (1582.4F/g) and pure CoMoO4 (669.2F/g), apart from retains the remarkable cyclic stability of 88.4 % after 10,000 cycles. Furthermore, a hybrid supercapacitor composed of CoMoO4@CoP/BGA and BGA can provide a high energy density of 50.2 Wh kg−1 at 800.0 W kg−1, and retains good capacitance retention of 95.6 % after 10,000 cycles, which can be attributed to the large specific surface of B doping 3D porous graphene aerogel and the rich strong coupling interface synergy between CoP and CoMoO4. More importantly, this work provides important guidance for the design of heterojunction electrodes based on heteroatom doped graphene aerogel and phosphides @ oxide based flexible energy storage devices.

Clinical, hematological and some biochemical alterations of Rotavirus group A in newborn buffalo calves

Background: Infectious diarrhea of newborns calves is one of the biggest health problems in beef and dairy industries in Basrah, Iraq, Group A rotavirus considers major cause of gastroenteritis in newborn calve of buffalo in the world, leading to serious economic losses specifically in developing countries. The infection has short incubation period, non-viremic, and profuse diarrhea.Methods: Buffalo calves with diarrhea were carefully examined and a sample of their excrement was collected for this particular study. The calves ranged in age from one to thirty days and were equally split between males and females. We found out whether the calves were girls or boys. The calves' ages were considered throughout the sorting process; they originated from different regions of Iraq's Basrah governorate. Moreover, they were further separated into four separate age groups. Blood samples were collected from calves infected with rotavirus so that the objectives of this research could be fulfilled. Biochemical and hematological studies were the intended purposes of the blood sample collection. Finding out how these samples fared in comparison to the control samples in the group was the next stage. Laboratory diagnostics used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), while field diagnostics used a rotavirus antigen fast test kit. Both techniques were used in tandem.Results: With the use of a field-based rotavirus antigen fast detection kit and real-time polymerase chain reaction, 19 out of 30 samples tested positive for rotavirus antigen. Nineteen out of one hundred samples came back positive. Along with it, the highest infection rates were recorded in January (30.7%) and among children aged five to fourteen (27.5%). The afflicted males and females did not vary significantly from one another statistically. The clinical signs of infected calves were also documented. Symptoms included anorexia with or without a loss of suckling ability, lose or somewhat solid stools, mucous, and a milky or light-yellow color. Some of the other symptoms included signs of dehydration, although to varying degrees. Nothing stood out while comparing the patients' vital indicators. In the infected group, sodium levels dropped significantly, and monocyte and lymphocyte production skyrocketed. If we look at potassium levels, we see that there was no statistically significant difference between the infected and control groups. Infected calves had substantially greater levels of red blood cell count, panel C viral load, hemoglobin B, and total lipid content (TLC) when compared with healthy calves.Conclusion: The study record and suggests the role of rotavirus group A as a serious cause of diarrhea in newborns buffalo calves in Basrah governorate, Iraq.Keywords: Rotavirus; Group A; Buffalo; Basrah Governorate

Aerophobic P-MoS2 on MOF-Derived Co,N-Codoped Carbon Nanosheets with Accelerated H2 Bubble Release Dynamics for Efficient Alkaline Water Splitting at 1000 mA cm-2.

Rapid bubble release at high current densities results in the detachment of catalysts and performance degradation, posing a persistent challenge in actual alkaline water electrolysis (AWE). Here, hierarchical nanosheet structures (CoNC@P-MoS2) are constructed, with P-doped MoS2 on the surface of Co,N-codoped carbon. It exhibits low hydrogen evolution reaction overpotentials of 30 and 354 mV at 10 and 1000 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH, respectively, with a small Tafel slope of 36 mV dec-1. The constructed CoNC@P-MoS2||NiFe-DLH cell requires only 1.44 and 1.92 V to achieve overall water splitting at 10 and 1000 mA cm-2, which outperforms the traditional catalysts like Pt/C||IrO2. The introduction of P stabilizes surface hydroxyl (OH*) and increases the proton penetration depth, thereby greatly enhancing its intrinsic activity. It also makes the surface aerophobic by introducing more microfeatures, which greatly improves the geometric activity by increasing the bubble release rate (∼5.8 times). Low energy consumption of 3.92 kW h Nm-3 was achieved with an energy efficiency close to 80%. Bubble growth kinetics analysis reveals that the time and growth factors for CoNC@P-MoS2 are increased to 0.54 and 11.79 from 0.45 and 6.09 for CoNC, respectively, which highlights its fast bubble reaction dynamics. The results suggest the feasibility of CoNC@P-MoS2 as a potential high-performance catalyst in commercial AWE.

You're Beautiful When You Smile: Event-Related Brain Potential (ERP) Evidence of Early Opposite-Gender Bias in Happy Faces.

Studies of social cognition have shown gender differences regarding human face processing. One interesting finding is the enhanced processing of opposite-gender faces at different time stages, as revealed by event-related brain potentials. Crucially, from an evolutionary perspective, such a bias might interact with the emotional expression of the face. To investigate this, 100 participants (50 female, 50 male) completed an expression-detection task while their EEG was recorded. In three blocks, fearful, happy and neutral faces (female and male) were randomly presented, with participants instructed to respond to only one predefined target expression level in each block. Using linear mixed models, we observed both faster reaction times as well as larger P1 and late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes for women compared to men, supporting a generally greater female interest in faces. Highly interestingly, the analysis revealed an opposite-gender bias at P1 for happy target faces. This suggests that participants' attentional templates may include more opposite-gender facial features when selectively attending to happy faces. While N170 was influenced by neither the face nor the participant gender, LPP was modulated by the face gender and specific combinations of the target status, face gender and expression, which is interpreted in the context of gender-emotion stereotypes. Future research should further investigate this expression and attention dependency of early opposite-gender biases.

Refractive index sensor based on an annular cavity and an equilateral triangular cavity for temperature detection

The present study proposes a novel refractive index sensor utilizing asymmetric linear scattering frequency phenomena, which is formed by coupling a metal insulator metal (MIM) waveguide structure with an equilateral triangular ring cavity structure(ETRC). The transmission characteristics of the sensor structure were investigated using finite element method (FEM),with a focus on the effect of structure-related variables on sensing characteristics. Due to its advantages of small size, fast reaction speed, and flexibility, the designed sensor can achieve sensitivity and light efficiency values of 2880 nm RIU−1 and 50.53. In addition to this, the sensor structure can also be applied in the field of temperature detection with a sensitivity of up to 1.46 nm °C−1.

Effects of Light on Visual Function, Alertness, and Cognitive Performance: A Computerized Test Assessment

Background: Three computerized tests were designed to evaluate visual function, alertness, and visuocognitive integration under three different lighting conditions (white, red, and blue lighting). Methods: Three computerized tests were designed and programmed using the experimental design software PsychoPy version 2023.2.2. Test 1 evaluated visual acuity (VA), Test 2 assessed contrast sensitivity, and Test 3 measured alertness. This study was conducted on 53 young subjects who performed three computerized tests after adapting to each of the three different lighting conditions. A baseline aberrometric measurement was taken before and after the tests for each lighting condition. Measurements of accuracy and reaction time were taken for each test, along with total, high-, and low-order aberration values for each situation. Results: Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found among the different lighting conditions across the three tests, with white lighting yielding better performance in Test 1 and Test 3. Additionally, the aberrometric analysis revealed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05), with the baseline measurement being more myopic. Conclusions: White lighting produced the best VA results and faster reaction times, whereas red lighting had poorer VA effects. These findings suggest that different lighting conditions induce changes in vision and alertness, although further research is needed to understand the underlying causes.

3D‐Printed Hydrogel Filter for Biocatalytic CO2 Capture

AbstractInnovative scalable CO2 capture technologies are urgently needed to combat the climate crisis. Reactive absorption in alkaline liquids, an essential process for capturing CO2 at atmospheric pressure, requires high gas–liquid contact and fast reaction kinetics. To meet these needs, self‐supporting hydrogel CO2 gas–liquid contactors (or simply “CO2 filters”) containing the CO2 selective catalyst carbonic anhydrase (CA) are developed using the direct ink writing additive manufacturing approach. The multifunctional filters are composed of semi‐interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels (IPNHs) of poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate/poly (ethylene oxide) (PEG‐DA/PEO) upon photocuring during 3D printing. Formulations with PEG‐DA levels of 30–60 wt% are sufficiently homogeneous and reactive to produce coherent grids. Based on operational parameters, a 56 wt% PEG‐DA formulation is selected to continuously print self‐supporting 3D stacked cylindrical grids, with or without enzymes in ink. The resulting enzyme‐laden IPHN filters deliver ≈3 times higher CO2 capture efficiency than the no‐enzyme control filters in a laboratory‐scale absorption column test. However, the enhancement effect decreases significantly within 2 d of operation, likely due to burst release of enzymes caused by the flowing solution. Covalent crosslinking of CA near the surface, which can improve durability and CO2 capture performance, will be evaluated in future studies.

Multiphase Buffering by Ammonia Sustains Sulfate Production in Atmospheric Aerosols

AbstractMultiphase oxidation of sulfur dioxide (SO2) is an important source of sulfate in the atmosphere. There are, however, concerns that protons produced during SO2 oxidation may cause rapid acidification of aerosol water and thereby quickly shut down the fast reactions favored at high pH. Here, we show that the sustainability of sulfate production is controlled by the competing effects of multiphase buffering and acidification, which can be well described by a characteristic buffering time, τbuff. Both GEOS‐Chem simulations and observations show that globally, τbuff is long enough (days) to sustain sulfate production over most populated regions, where the acidification of aerosol water is counteracted by the strong buffering effect of NH4+/NH3. Our results highlight the importance of anthropogenic ammonia emissions and pervasive human influences in shaping the chemical environment of the atmosphere.

Theta burst stimulation on the fronto-cerebellar connective network promotes cognitive processing speed in the simple cognitive task.

The fronto-cerebellar functional network has been proposed to subserve cognitive processing speed. This study aims to elucidate how the long-range frontal-to-cerebellar effective connectivity contributes to faster speed. In total, 60 healthy participants were randomly allocated to three five-daily sessions of transcranial magnetic stimulation conditions, namely intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS, excitatory), continuous theta-burst stimulation (CTBS, inhibitory), or a sham condition. The sites of the stimulations were the right pre-supplementary motor area (RpSMA), medial cerebellar vermis VI (MCV6), and vertex, respectively. Performances in two reaction time tasks were recorded at different time points. Post-stimulation speeds revealed marginal decreases in the simple but not complex task. Nevertheless, participants in the excitatory RpSMA and inhibitory MCV6 conditions showed direct and negative path effects on faster speeds compared to the sham condition in the simple reaction time (SRT) task (β = -0.320, p = 0.045 and β = -0.414, p = 0.007, respectively). These path effects were not observed in the SDMT task. RpSMA and MCV6 were involved in promoting the path effects of faster reaction times on simple cognitive task. This study offers further evidence to support their roles within the long-range frontal-to-cerebellar connectivity subserving cognitive processing speed. The enhancement effects, however, are likely limited to simple rather than complex mental operations.

Buildup and Consumption of Species in Emulsion Droplets during Aqueous Suzuki Coupling Correlate with Yield.

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) provides spatiotemporal resolution of the changing composition of emulsion droplets during aqueous-surfactant Suzuki coupling. In contrast to previous investigations, the present experiments characterize the full course of a catalytic chemical reaction, addressing key questions about reaction species buildup and correlating these microscale behaviors with bench-scale product yields. At low concentrations of (active) catalyst, droplet environments are stable; however, at higher concentrations, emulsion droplet environments change markedly. These changes are consistent with the buildup and consumption of reaction species inside the droplets. A combination of FLIM and bright-field imaging pinpoints limitations in catalyst solubility as controlling rate and degree of buildup of species in droplets. These solubility limitations are also identified as the cause of a reaction induction period and an origin of the rate-and-reproducibility advantage obtained by adding THF cosolvent. The subsequent mechanistic model from these data led to a bench-scale reaction optimization, wherein premixing the catalyst components bypasses the catalyst induction period, resulting in a faster reaction. The understanding generated by FLIM thus provides an early example of how visualizing changes in droplet compositions on the microscale during ongoing aqueous-organic reactions can be leveraged for enhancing efficiencies in bench-scale reactions.

Blunted stimulus-preceding negativity during reward anticipation in major depressive disorder

BackgroundReward processing dysfunction is a core characteristic of major depressive disorder (MDD), yet event-related potential (ERP) research in MDD has predominantly focused on reward receipt as opposed to anticipation. The stimulus-preceding negativity (SPN) ERP reflects anticipatory brain processing. This study examines whether individuals with MDD exhibit deficits during reward anticipation as evidenced by altered SPN amplitude. MethodsWe assessed prefeedback-SPN amplitudes during a monetary incentive delay (MID) task in individuals with MDD (n = 142, 99 with comorbid anxiety disorders [MDD + ANX]) compared to Controls (n = 37). A mixed analysis of variance was performed on prefeedback-SPN amplitude and behavioral measures, with group (MDD, MDD + ANX, Control) as the between-subjects factor, and feedback (gain, loss) and electrode (F3, F4, Fz, C3, C4, Cz, P3, P4, Pz) as within-subjects factors. ResultsA group main effect revealed faster reaction times for the Control group than MDD and MDD + ANX groups. A group x feedback interaction indicated that the MDD subgroup had smaller prefeedback-SPN amplitudes than MDD + ANX and Control groups when anticipating gain feedback. Additionally, individuals with current MDD, irrespective of past MDD and comorbid anxiety, exhibited smaller SPN amplitudes than Controls prior to gain feedback. LimitationsThe MID paradigm, designed for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data acquisition, lacks optimization for ERP analysis. Moreover, the clinical groups included more females than the Control group. ConclusionsReduced resource allocation to reward anticipation may differentiate MDD from MDD + ANX and Control groups. Further investigation of the neural mechanisms of distinct MDD phenotypes is warranted.

Relationship between visual ability assessment and punch performance in competition in male amateur boxers.

Sport visual ability plays an important role in the performance of elite athletes in competition. However, its relationship with boxers' performance has not been fully understood. This study investigated the relationship between sports visual abilities and in-competition punching performance in 26 highly trained male amateur boxers. Ten visual abilities of the boxers were tested using the Senaptec Sensory Station (Senaptec, Beaverton, OR, United States), including Visual Clarity (VC), Contrast Sensitivity (CS), Depth Perception (DP), Near Far Quickness (NFQ), Target Capture (TC), Perception Span (PS), Multiple Object Tracking (MOT), Eye-Hand Coordination (EHC), Go/No Go (GNG), and Reaction Time (RT). Performance analyses were conducted on national boxing championships conducted by the boxers to analyze their punching accuracy. Correlation and regression analyses showed that punch performance %Hit was very strong correlated with DP, EHC, GNG, and RT, and showed a strong correlation with VC, CS, and PS. %Hit was moderate correlated with MOT, while there was no correlation with NFQ and TC. In addition, RT, EHC, and DP are important visual ability variables for boxers. The results of this study indicate that there is an overall relationship between sports visual ability and boxing performance, but there is also a specific relationship between variables in visual ability and boxing performance, especially faster reaction times, better processing of visual information, and decision-making abilities, and the ability to accurately recognize the distance and position of an opponent and their punches are essential for enhancing boxing performance. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between sport visual ability and more comprehensive performance in boxers, and the possibility of enhancing performance through specific visual training.

The impact of clock timing on VDT visual search performance under time constraint.

Conducting Visual Display Terminal (VDT) visual search tasks under time constraint has broad applications in fields such as security checks, medical diagnostics, and rescue operations. While excessive time pressure can impair performance, moderate time pressure can motivate individuals to complete tasks and increase productivity. Investigating the positive impact of time pressure on visual search tasks has become a crucial area of study. Clock timing plays a vital role in the visual interface, influencing the perception of time pressure and impacting visual search performance. However, existing research has paid little attention to the induction of time pressure and the impact of clock timing in VDT visual interfaces on visual search performance. Hence, the objective of this study is to investigate the impact of clock timing on VDT visual search performance under time constraint. The content of the experimental tasks was determined through a pilot experiment. The formal experiment was conducted in two phases over six sessions. Participants were tasked with locating the letter "E" embedded within the distractor letter "F," displayed with a clock area above the interface. The first phase of experiments included conditions of no clock, 4-min clock timing, and 4-min countdown clock timing. In the second phase of the experiment, the clock display method was a countdown clock, with three experiments conducted featuring long time, medium time, and short time. Search speed and accuracy were used as primary performance evaluation metrics to examine the impact of clock timing methods and duration on visual search performance. Twenty-one undergraduate students participated in the formal experiment. In the first phase of experiments, participants demonstrated significantly faster reaction times (RTs) in tasks where a clock display was present compared to tasks without (ANOVA, F(2, 60) = 4.588, P = 0.014). However, there were no significant differences in accuracy rates across different timing conditions (ANOVA, F(2, 60) = 0.146, P = 0.865), and no significant correlation between RTs and accuracy was found (Kendall's R = 0.11, P = 0.914). During the second phase, RTs decreased significantly as time constraints became more stringent (ANOVA, F(2, 60) = 7.564, P < 0.05). Conversely, accuracy rates decreased significantly under shorter time constraints (ANOVA, F(2, 60) = 4.315, P < 0.05), with a negative correlation observed between RTs and accuracy (Kendall's R = 0.220, P < 0.01). Compared to conditions without clock displays, having clock displays significantly improved the speed of the visual search task, although the difference in accuracy was not statistically significant. In the context of shorter clock countdown limits, Shorter timing constraints resulted in faster search speeds but also led to reduced accuracy and increased fatigue. Overall, a correlation exists between search speed and accuracy in visual tasks, where higher speed often correlates with lower accuracy. These findings provide valuable insights into clock timing design for visual search interfaces under time pressure.

Adapting Minds: Exploring Cognition to Threatened Stimuli in the Post-COVID-19 Landscape Comparing Old and New Concerns about Pandemic.

The global population has been significantly affected by the pandemic in terms of physical and mental health. According to transactional theory, individuals have undergone an adaptation process influenced by cognitive control abilities. Emotional responses to COVID-19-related stimuli may interfere with top-down attentional processes, thereby hindering adaptation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19-related stimuli on attentional processing and to determine whether psychological factors could modulate these effects. A sample of 96 healthy undergraduate students participated in an emotional Stroop task in which they were presented with a series of stimuli, including both neutral and negative COVID-19-related as well as non-COVID-19 stimuli. COVID-19-related PTSD, as an index of distress (PTSS), and trait anxiety were evaluated. Results showed that participants were more accurate in identifying COVID-19-related stimuli compared to non-COVID-19 stimuli. Being female and having higher retrospective PTSS scores related to COVID-19 were predictive of faster reaction times for both neutral and negative COVID-19-related stimuli. This heightened attentional bias toward COVID-19-related stimuli suggests that individuals may be more sensitive to stimuli associated with the pandemic. The results suggest that the association between COVID-19 stimuli and attentional biases extends beyond emotional valence, being retrospectively influenced by mental health, suggesting potential pathways to future mental health challenges.

Mechanistic Insights into the Direct Deoxygenation of Phenolic Compounds over Novel Heusler Alloy Catalysts.

The catalytic deoxygenation of phenolic compounds is a crucial step in the valorization of biomass resources, which can effectively enhance the heating value and stability of primary biofuel. In this study, the catalytic mechanism of four Heusler alloy catalysts for the direct deoxidation pathway of phenol was studied through electronic structure regulation by element occupation. We found that Heusler alloys catalysts exhibit excellent catalytic activity in the dissociation activation of H2 and the cleavage of aryl hydroxyl bond (CAr-OH) bonds. The energy barriers for the direct cleavage of the CAr-OH bond in phenol on Ni2MoAl, Co2MoAl, Ni2NbAl and Ni2MoGa catalysts are 0.86, 0.95, 1.09, and 1.28 eV, respectively. And Y element of the X2YZ catalyst has a significant impact on this reaction, while the X element has a complex influence on the hydrogenation step of the unsaturated benzene ring. Microkinetic analysis further substantiates that the phenol (CAr-OH) bond cleavage step in the reaction exhibits a fast reaction rate and high extent of reaction. The reaction of hydroxyl hydrogenation to produce water exhibits the highest energy barrier, serving as the rate-determining step of the entire reaction. This issue could potentially be addressed by further fine-tuning the electronic structure.

High-Energy–Density Fiber Supercapacitors Based on Transition Metal Oxide Nanoribbon Yarns for Comprehensive Wearable Electronics

AbstractFiber supercapacitors (FSs) based on transition metal oxides (TMOs) have garnered considerable attention as energy storage solutions for wearable electronics owing to their exceptional characteristics, including superior comfortability and low weights. These materials are known to exhibit high energy densities, high specific capacitances, and fast redox reactions. However, current fabrication methods for these structures primarily rely on chemical deposition, often resulting in undesirable material structures and necessitating the use of additives, which can degrade the electrochemical performance of such structures. Herein, physically deposited TMO nanoribbon yarns generated via delamination engineering of nanopatterned TMO/metal/TMO trilayer arrays are proposed as potential high-performance FSs. To prepare these arrays, the target materials were initially deposited using a nanoline mold, and subsequently, the nanoribbon was suspended through selective plasma etching to obtain the desired twisted yarn structures. Because of the direct formation of TMOs on Ni electrodes, a high energy/power density and excellent electrochemical stability were achieved in asymmetric FS devices incorporating CoNixOy nanoribbon yarns and graphene fibers. Furthermore, a triboelectric nanogenerator, pressure sensor, and flexible light-emitting diode were synergistically combined with the FS. The integration of wearable electronic components, encompassing energy harvesting, energy storage, and powering sensing/display devices, is promising for the development of future smart textiles. Graphical Abstract

A Multi‐Active Site Subnano Heterostructures Catalyst Grown In situ POM and Fe0.2Ni0.8Co2O4 onto Nickel Foam Toward Efficient Electrocatalytic Overall Water Splitting

AbstractDesigning efficient, durable, and cheap bifunctional electrocatalysts is a challenging goal in water splitting. Herein, trivanadium‐substituted Keggin‐type polyoxometalate H6PV3Mo9O40 (POM) and Fe0.2Ni0.8Co2O4 (FNCO) are in situ grown onto nickel foam (NF) yielding a self‐supporting nanoflower‐like heterojunction via convenient hydrothermal reaction. The POM‐Fe0.2Ni0.8Co2O4/NF as HER and OER electrocatalyst, displays low overpotential (89 and 259 mV) and high electrode stability at 10 mA cm−2. POM‐FNCO/NF as the cathode and anode requires a lower voltage (1.58 V) to provide 10 mA cm−2 for overall water splitting (OWS), which is better than that of commercial catalysts. The electronic sponge characteristics of POM provide more active sites and fast reaction kinetics for HER and OER. The synergy of POM and FNCO optimizes the electron distribution at the interface and enhances the intrinsic activity of HER/OER. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations show that water molecules preferentially bind to Co sites on POM‐FNCO. Additionally, POM has proton‐coupled electron transfer properties and its modified FNCO exhibits thermodynamic advantages. The synergistic effect of these two factors enables the efficient overall water splitting of POM‐FNCO. This study offers a novel pathway for the construction of self‐supporting efficient catalysts by in situ growth of POM nanoclusters and spinel oxide sub‐nanometer heterojunctions on NF.