Good Electron Transport Research Articles

Designing C9N10 Anchored Single Mo Atom as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Nitrogen Fixation.

Electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a promising route for realizing green and sustainable ammonia synthesis under ambient conditions. However, one of the major challenges of currently available Single-atom catalysts (SACs) is poor catalytic activity and low catalytic selectivity, which is far away from the requirements of industrial applications. Herein, first-principle calculations within the density functional theory were performed to evaluate the feasibility of a single Mo atom anchored on a g-C9N10 monolayer (Mo@g-C9N10) as NRR electrocatalysts. The results demonstrated that the gas phase N2 molecule can be sufficiently activated on Mo@g-C9N10, and N2 reduction dominantly occurs on the active Mo atom via the preferred enzymatic mechanism, with a low limiting potential of -0.48 V. In addition, Mo@g-C9N10 possesses a good prohibition ability for the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction. More impressively, good electronic conductivity and high electron transport efficiency endow Mo SACs with excellent activity for electrocatalytic N2 reduction. This theoretical research not only accelerates the development of NRR electrocatalysts but also increases our insights into optimizing the catalytic performance of SACs.

An Overview of Carbon Dioxide Photo/Electrocatalyzed by Titanium Dioxide Catalyst

AbstractThis study provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in photocatalytic and electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction using titanium dioxide catalysts. The basic concepts of light absorption, electron transport, and reduction processes are introduced in this paper, which also delves into the specifics of photocatalytic and electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide. The paper highlights the key applications and benefits of titanium dioxide, including its strong stability, outstanding light absorption capacity, and good electron transport performance, in the photocatalytic and electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide. Furthermore, it examines the impact of various surface modification techniques on catalytic performance, as well as the effects of various titanium dioxide catalyst forms on catalytic activity and selectivity in carbon dioxide reduction. The in‐depth analysis exhibit promising catalytic properties and hold significant potential for future advancements. However, some obstacles still need to be overcome, such as increasing catalytic activity and selectivity while minimizing energy dissipation. In order to improve catalytic performance and efficiency, future research should prioritize the optimization of structural design and surface modification techniques for catalysts. Additionally, the paper provides a scientific foundation for accomplishing sustainable carbon conversion, it also calls for additional experimental and theoretical research into the mechanism of action for titanium dioxide catalyst.

Simultaneous synthesis of sulfonated reduced graphene oxide@graphene oxide hybrid material for efficient electrochemical sensing of silver ions in drinking water

One of the most important concerns around the world nowadays is the drinking water quality. Silver ions (Ag+) are one of the heavy metal ions that can seriously degrade the water quality and therefore, the human health. Hence, the World Health Organization (WHO) fixed the maximum acceptable concentration of these ions in drinking water at approximately 0.93 µM. Thus, the development of cost-effective and efficient techniques and tools that can help to quantify Ag+ ions in drinking water is of great importance. Herein, we used a new, simple, eco-friendly and low-cost synthesis route to synthesize a sustainable hybrid carbon material, namely sulfonated reduced graphene oxide@graphene oxide (S-rGO@GO) that was utilized as electrode material for Ag+ ions electroanalysis in drinking water. The successful synthesis of S-rGO@GO was evidenced by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, FE-SEM and EDX. The electrochemical characterization of S-rGO@GO revealed its good affinities towards Ag+ and its good electron transport abilities. The sensor prepared from S-rGO@GO (S-rGO@GO/GCE) showed good repeatability and reproducibility. S-rGO@GO/GCE optimization revealed that its best performance is achieved when 5 µL of 1 mg/mL of S-rGO@GO suspension in ultrapure water is used for its fabrication and when the electrodeposition (Ag+ to Ag0) is carried out at -0.1 V vs. SCE for 200 s. The calibration of S-rGO@GO/GCE exhibited a linear relationship in the concentration range of 0.2 to 1.4 µM, with a sensitivity of (0.605 ± 0.015) µA/µM; the statistic LOD was found to be 0.0007 µM. Furthermore, S-rGO@GO/GCE has shown a great potential for real samples analysis.

Direct arylation-derived non-ionic star-shaped oligomeric CIL materials with Dramatically reduced work functions for organic solar cells

Although numerous photoactive layer materials have been explored for organic solar cells (OSCs), the cathode interface layer (CIL) materials still largely lag behind, however. Till now, ionic perylene diimide (PDI) derivatives are one of the most representative conjugated small molecules CIL materials for OSC. In this study, three new non-ionic star-shaped oligomeric CIL materials named W1, W2 and W3 involving 1,3,5-tribromo-2,4,6-trifluoro-benzene building, cyclopentadithiophene, rhodamine and 2-(5,6-difluoro-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-ylidene)malononitrile blocks were designed and facilely synthesized via atom-economic direct C–H arylation for OSC. In the follow-up study of structure-property correlation, it was found that all three molecules possess the deepened work function (WF). W1-3 show good electron transport, and are introduced into the PM6:Y6 system to further explore its effect as CIL that, can effectively suppress charge recombination. Among them, W1 has the best effect of reducing the WF, which reduces the WF of the Ag electrode from 4.30 eV to 3.41 eV. Owing to its deepest WF and best alcoholic processability. The W1-based devices achieve a highest-power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.53 %, corresponding to a VOC of 0.85 V, a JSC of 25.17 mA cm−2, and an FF of 67.21 %. Our work opens up a new direction for non-ionic, non-PDI and non-fused ring star-shaped CIL materials, and thus diversify the CIL materials.

Thienyl naphthodipyrrolopyrrole (TNDP)-based polymers semiconductor for n-type OFETs

Naphthodipyrrolopyrrole (NDP)-based materials as the n-type semiconductor materials are investigated, which present a good electron transport mobility. However, all the reported NDP were phenyl-substituted ones (PhNDP). Compared to the phenyl substituted chromophore, the thiophene substituted ones were often more promising due to its small size, S⋯S interaction, as well as the electron-rich behavior for the thiophene. Thus, in this work the new chromophore thiophene-substituted NDP (TNDP) was designed and synthesized for the first time via Knoevenagel reaction. In addition, two donor-acceptor typed copolymers PNDP-2T and PNDP-IDT containing TNDP were prepared. The result showed that the two polymers present not only a good aggregation and strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect, but also a low lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) ∼ -4.17 eV. This is advantageous for the charge transport within the single molecules as well as across the neighboring polymer chains. In addition, the low LUMO energy level is beneficial for the electron injection from electrode into the semiconductor layer. As a consequence, both polymers presented n-type behavior. The electron transport mobility of PNDP-IDT was up to 0.99 cm2 V−1 s−1, which is among the highest electron mobility reported for conjugated polymers. In addition, this value is higher than the PNDP-based polymers with similar chemical structure. This work clearly shows that TNDP is an appealing electron-deficient building block for novel π-conjugated polymers with application potential in the n-channel semiconductors.

Research progress of amorphous catalysts in the field of electrocatalysis

Amorphous materials feature unique structures and physicochemical properties, resulting in their synthesis and applications becoming a dynamic and fascinating new research direction. The high specific surface area, abundant active sites, and good electron transport properties endow amorphous materials with excellent electrocatalytic properties, thus appealing to increasing attention. Based on this, the summary of the current research status of amorphous catalysts in the field of electrocatalysis is urgent and important. In this review, the research progress of amorphous catalysts in electrocatalysis is systematically introduced, focusing on the classification, synthesis methods, modification strategies, characterizations, and electrocatalytic application (including hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, carbon dioxide reduction reaction, and nitrogen reduction reaction). Finally, this review proposes the prospects and challenges for the future development of high-active and high-selectivity amorphous electrocatalysts.

Construction of gradient hierarchical and hetero-interfaces structure for ultra-broad microwave absorption

Currently, carbon materials derived from biomass are widely sought after as electromagnetic absorbing(EMWA) materials owing to the unique structure, as well as the wide range of natural acquisition pathways, economic viability, and simple processing. However, due to the high dielectric properties, mismatched impedance and single attenuation mechanism, they cannot achieve efficient EMWA performance. Herein, the biomass carbon/Co/porous carbon magnetic composites with a layered gradient structure were fabricated by in-situ deposition of ZIF-67 on the lotus leaf base and then pyrolysis at high temperature. By adjusting the pyrolysis temperature, the sample obtained at 650 ​°C achieved a minimum reflection value (RLmin) of −34.2 ​dB at a matching thickness of 2.6 ​mm, and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 7.12 ​GHz. The results indicate that this magnetic composite with a multi-sized layered gradient porous structure has a good electron transport network, a large number of heterogeneous interfaces, and dipole polarization centers, which are conducive to multiple reflection and scattering of microwaves, conduction loss, interface loss, magnetic loss, and impedance matching of materials. Therefore, this work provided a reference for optimizing the EMWA performance of carbon materials and designing a layered gradient porous magnetic composite with multi-sized structure.

Ternary organic bulk-heterojunction strategy enables efficient light utilization for perovskite solar cells

Extending the photoresponse into the near-infrared region (NIR) is an urgent research topic in perovskite solar cells. A ternary bulk heterojunction (BHJ) layer composited with PC61BM, D18-Cl and Y6 was deposited onto the perovskite to broaden light absorption. The ternary BHJ layer can absorb low-energy photons in the NIR region (800–920 nm) and generate excitons. Subsequently, these excitons dissociate into free electrons and holes at the donor-acceptor interface, thus extending the device's photo response up to 920 nm. Moreover, due to the good electron transport capabilities of the acceptors Y6 and PC61BM in the BHJ film, the BHJ layer also acts as the electron transport layer in the inverted PSC device. The inverted P–I–N device based on perovskite/BHJ achieved an external quantum efficiency (EQE) up to 30% in the near-infrared range. Compared to control PSCs, the short-circuit current (JSC) increased from 21.64 to 24.35 mA cm−2, resulting in a high PCE of 19.88%. Additionally, the high hydrophobic surface of the ternary layer contributes to the good long-term stability of the device. The results demonstrate that the ternary organic bulk heterojunction is an effective strategy for achieving efficient light utilization in the near-infrared region and enhancing power conversion efficiency in perovskite solar cells.

π-Extended giant dimeric acceptor as a third component enables highly efficient ternary organic solar cells with efficiency over 19.2%

Ternary strategy with a suitable third component is a successful strategy to improve the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). Very recently, Y-series based giant molecule acceptors or oligomerized acceptors have emerged as promising materials for achieving highly efficient and stable binary OSCs, while application as third component for ternary OSCs is limited. Here a novel π-extended giant dimeric acceptor, GDF, is developed based on central Y series core fusion and rigid BDT as linker, and then incorporated into the state-of-the-art PM1:PC6 system to construct ternary OSCs. The GDF has a near planar backbone, resulting in increased π-conjugation, excellent crystallinity, and good electron transport capacity. When GDF is introduced into the PM1:PC6 system, it ensues in a cascade like the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) energy level alignment, a complementary absorption band with PM1 and PC6, higher and balanced hole and electron mobility, slightly smaller domain size, and a higher exciton dissociation probability for PM1:PC6:GDF (1:1.1:0.1) blend film. As a consequence, the PM1:PC6:GDF (1:1.1:0.1) ternary OSC achieves a champion PCE of 19.22%, with a significantly higher open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current density, compared to 18.45% for the PM1:PC6 (1:1.2) binary OSC. Our findings show that employing a π-extended giant dimeric acceptor as a third component significantly improves the photovoltaic performance of ternary OSCs.

Boosting the recyclability of flame-made Bi2O3 via insitu immobilization in cellulose acetate nanofibers for efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B dye

Flame spray pyrolysis is a novel fast-process for producing functional metal oxides. However, these functional nanomaterials are challenged with poor recyclability in water treatment from pollutants such as dyes. Herein, Bi2O3 nanoparticles were produced by flame spray pyrolysis and spun together with eco-friendly cellulose acetate polymer into nanofiber membrane via electrospinning technique. The results reveal that cellulose acetate (CA) has good interaction with the particles, leading to reduced band gap, retardation of fast recombination of carriers and good electron transportation on the surface of the nanofiber membrane. The Bi2O3/CA nanofiber membrane records similar photocatalytic performance to that of flame-made Bi2O3 nanoparticles, that is about 95% dye degradation at 90 min, which was far better than CA and Bi2O3/polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membranes. The electron spin resonance test and free radical scavenger test reveal that abundant hydroxyl radicals serve as the most active species that enhance photocatalytic degradation of dye on Bi2O3/CA nanofiber membrane. The flexible Bi2O3/CA nanofiber membrane also demonstrates easy recyclability after several runs with no significant decline in performance. This study pins the effectiveness of using eco-friendly cellulose acetate in obtaining inorganic-organic composite to concurrently achieve good photocatalytic performance and recyclability.

Photoresponse, thermal and electrical behaviors of MXene-based polysulfone nanocomposite

The Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheet was prepared by 40% (v/v) hydrofluoric acid etching at 20 °C for 48 h and delamination of bulk MAX Ti3AlC2 precursor material. A 2D nanomaterial MXene Ti3C2Tx as a nanofiller was introduced to polysulfone (PSulfone) matrix. MXene and PSulfone/MXene nanocomposite systems were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope, Fourier-transform infrared and thermogravimetric analysis instruments. Dielectric and electrical characterization of PSulfone/MXene nanocomposite was carried out. The electrical resistance of Ti3C2Tx MXene from measurement current (I)–voltage (V) was measured as 116 Ω. Pure PSulfone matrix exhibits typical insulator behavior, and MXene exhibits a good conductor behavior. But, when MXene was added to the pure PSulfone matrix, the resistance of the MXene/PSulfone nanocomposite increased moderately compared to that of pure MXene. In spite of the excess of surface functional groups, MXene showed surprisingly good electron transport across the surface, while in the case of PSulfone/MXene nanocomposite, the insulating behavior of PSulfone significantly reduced the electron transport of MXene. The semiconductor behavior of PSulfone/Ti3C2Tx MXene nanocomposite indicates that MXene provides efficient charge carrier transfer in the nanocomposite system. By comparing the TGA results between the PSulfone and different weight ratios of PSulfone/Ti3C2Tx MXene nanocomposites, it was determined that MXene nanosheets had a significant effect in slightly accelerating the thermal degradation of PSulfone. Optical conductivity was investigated by preparing a film of PSulfone/MXene nanocomposite on an interdigital contact. It was observed that the optical current values changed depending on the increasing illumination intensity. Considering current–voltage measurements, the photocurrent generation potential of PSulfone/MXene nanocomposite shows that it can be used in photodevice production.

Oxygen Vacancies Riched PrOx Polycrystalline Nanorods on Graphene Nanosheets as Advanced Oxygen Catalysts for Lithium‐Oxygen Batteries

AbstractThe slow reaction kinetics of Li−O is currently the most pressing technical obstacle to the development of lithium‐oxygen batteries. The Li2O2′s growth/decomposition pathways dominate the battery performance and can be optimized by exploring efficient cathode catalysts. Herein, we prepare regular, polycrystalline, oxygen vacancy (VO)‐riched PrOx uniformly anchored on few‐layered graphene (FLG) nanosheets to boost the Li−O reactions. XRD, TGA, XPS, SEM, TEM, SEAD, and electrochemical test techniques are used to study their chemical composition, microstructure, battery performance, and the effect of FLG on the formation of polycrystalline and VO. It is confirmed that FLG provides a large specific surface area and good electron transport. Moreover, it works as an anchoring substrate to transform PrOx from single crystal to polycrystalline, which is beneficial for exposing catalytic sites and VO and improving the battery performance. This unique composition and structure offer efficient active sites, accelerate electron transport, and regulate the Li2O2′s nucleation to form nanofilms or nanosheets on the catalyst. With this cathode catalyst, the battery achieved an ultralow total overpotential of 0.618 V, with a discharge capacity of 11489 mAh g−1 in the ultimate‐capacity mode and a superior cyclability of 85 cycles under the limited capacity of 500 mAh g−1.

Two-dimensional Mo1-xB2 with ordered metal vacancies obtained for advanced thermoelectric applications based on first-principles calculations.

The study and development of high thermoelectric properties is crucial for the next generation of microelectronic and wearable electronics. Derived from the recent experimental realization of layers of transition metal molybdenum and boride, we report the theoretical realization of advanced thermoelectric properties in two-dimensional (2D) transition metal boride Mo1-xB2 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.125, 0.15)-based defect sheets. The introduction of metal vacancies results in stronger d-p exchange interactions and hybridization between the Mo-d and B-p atoms. Meanwhile, the ordered metal vacancies enabled transition metal borides (n-type Mo0.9B2) to widen the d-bandwidth and raise the d-band center, leading to a relatively high carrier mobility of 3262 cm2 V-1 s-1 and conductivity twice that of a bug-free n-type MoB2 layer, which indicates that it presents good electronic and thermal transport properties. Furthermore, investigations of the thermoelectric performance exhibit a maximum ZT of up to 3.29, which is superior to those of currently reported 2D materials. Modulation by defect engineering suggests that 2D transition metal boride sheets with ordered metal vacancies have promising applications in microelectronics, wearable electronics and thermoelectric devices.

Theoretical and experimental investigations of enhanced carbon nanotube-gold interface conductivity through nitrogen doping.

It is necessary to establish high-quality contact between carbon nanotubes and metals in carbon-based devices. However, how to control and reduce contact resistance still remains unsolved. In this study, the effect of N doping in single-walled carbon nanotubes on the contact resistance with gold was studied by combining theoretical calculation with experimental methods. The theoretical results indicate that nitrogen doping in carbon nanotubes can control the bottom of the carbon nanotube conduction band downward, the Fermi level enters the conduction band, the height of the Schottky barrier between the bottom of the carbon nanotube conduction band and the gold Fermi level decreases, and the increase in doping concentration leads to the decrease of Schottky barrier width. As a result, the conductivity between the gold and carbon nanotube interface is enhanced. During experiments, the carrier density and the current of the gold and carbon nanotube device increase gradually with the increase in N doping concentration and a good electron transport channel is established between the gold and carbon nanotubes. The high-quality contact is crucial to reducing the size, improving the performance, and reducing the power consumption of carbon-based devices.

Constructing Carbon Nanotube-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Organic Compounds with Multi-Redox Sites for "All-Temperature" Potassium-Ion Battery Anode and its Step-Wise K-Storage Mechanism.

Organic compounds are regarded as important candidates for potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) due to their light elements, controllable polymerization, and tunable functional groups. However, intrinsic drawbacks largely restrict their application, including possible solubility in electrolytes, poor conductivity, and low diffusion coefficients. To address these issues, an ultrathin layered pyrazine/carbonyl-rich material (CT) is synthesized via an acid-catalyzed solvothermal reaction and homogeneously grown on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), marked as CT@CNT. Such materials have shown good features of exposing functional groups to guest ions and good electron transport paths, exhibiting high reversible capacity and remarkable rate capability over a wide temperature range. Two typical electrolytes are compared, demonstrating that the electrolyte of LX-146 is more suitable to maximize the electrochemical performances of electrodes at different temperatures. A stepwise reaction mechanism of K-chelating with C═O and C═N functional groups is proposed, verified by in/ex situ spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations, illustrating that pyrazines and carbonyls play the main roles in reacting with K+ cations, and CNTs promote conductivity and restrain electrode dissolution. This study provides new insights to understand the K-storage behaviors of organic compounds and their "all-temperature" application.

Lenaite (AgFeS2): A dynamically stable mineral with excellent thermoelectric performance

Diamond-like chalcopyrites have gained superior attention in thermoelectrics due to their attractive thermal transportation. On the mark of exploring environmental-friendly thermoelectric (TE) materials, this work unveils the suitability of lenaite (AgFeS2) through first-principles calculations. Owing to the beneficial band features leading to favourable effective mass, AgFeS2 exhibits good electron transport characteristics. Concurrently, the ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity of 0.47 W m−1 K−1 is realized at 500 K; ascribed to the large Grüneisen parameter, moderate phonon velocity, and Debye temperature. The combinations of these transport properties yield significant figure of merit of 0.87 at 500 K for 1.39 × 1020 holes per cm3. This study not only emphasis the TE properties of lenaite but also facilitates to understand its fundamental properties, including structural, electron and phonon-related properties.

An Electrochemical Sensor Based on Three-Dimensional Porous Reduced Graphene and Ion Imprinted Polymer for Trace Cadmium Determination in Water

Three-dimensional (3D) porous graphene-based materials have displayed attractive electrochemical catalysis and sensing performances, benefiting from their high porosity, large surface area, and excellent electrical conductivity. In this work, a novel electrochemical sensor based on 3D porous reduced graphene (3DPrGO) and ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) was developed for trace cadmium ion (Cd(II)) detection in water. The 3DPrGO was synthesized in situ at a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface using a polystyrene (PS) colloidal crystal template and the electrodeposition method. Then, IIP film was further modified on the 3DPrGO by electropolymerization to make it suitable for detecting Cd(II). Attributable to the abundant nanopores and good electron transport of the 3DPrGO, as well as the specific recognition for Cd(II) of IIP, a sensitive determination of trace Cd(II) at PoPD-IIP/3DPrGO/GCE was achieved. The proposed sensor exhibited comprehensive linear Cd(II) responses ranging from 1 to 100 μg/L (R2 = 99.7%). The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.11 μg/L, about 30 times lower than the drinking water standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Moreover, PoPD-IIP/3DPrGO/GCE was applied for the detection of Cd(II) in actual water samples. The satisfying recoveries (97–99.6%) and relative standard deviations (RSD, 3.5–5.7%) make the proposed sensor a promising candidate for rapid and on-site water monitoring.

ZnS-assembled CdIn2S4 Z-type heterojunction as a photoelectrochemical sensor for ultra-trace detection of m-nitrophenol in environmental water samples

Characterized by high toxicity and difficult degradation, m-nitrophenol (3-NP) is an environmental pollutant that endangers the environment and biological systems. Therefore, the development of analytical techniques for the detection of low concentrations of 3-NP is critical for the environment and human health. In this work, spherical CdIn2S4 and tiny ZnS particles were prepared by a hydrothermal method, and the Z-type ZnS/CdIn2S4 heterojunction material was obtained by ultrasonically assembling ZnS onto CdIn2S4. The Z-type ZnS/CdIn2S4 heterojunction possesses a better photocurrent response and a good electron transport capacity, and it can efficiently separate the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Therefore, a photoelectrochemical sensor for accurate detection of 3-NP in water was constructed based on the Z-type ZnS/CdIn2S4 heterostructure. The sensor has a detection range from 5 × 10−12 M to 1 × 10−8 M and an extremely low limit of detection (1.28 ×10−12 M), which is rare among other sensors. Meanwhile, the sensor showed excellent performance in real samples, indicating that it can effectively monitor 3-NP in real water samples. The validation of the sensor using UV–visible spectra also yielded satisfactory results.

Rational design of a CoFe-prussian blue analogue-derived three-dimensional ternary nanocatalyst with efficient ORR/OER catalytic performance for Zn-air batteries

To effectively alleviate the aggregation of catalytic active sites, the rational design and simple preparation of a nanocatalyst with an ideal configuration plays a decisive role. Herein, a CoFe-prussian blue analogue (PBA) decorated with composite carbon/nitrogen sources (C/Ns) is prepared as the precursor to synthesize a three-dimensional (3D) ternary nanocomposite by a two-step calcination method. In this 3D nanocomposite, the 0D CoFe alloy nanoparticles derived from the PBA are mostly embedded in 1D N-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) and partially loaded on 2D N-doped carbon nanosheets. Accordingly, the aggregation of alloy nanoparticles is greatly alleviated while a 3D nanostructure with large specific surface area, porosity, good electron transport properties and exposed active sites can be formed. The alloy nanoparticles are excellent electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction/oxygen evolution reactions, while also facilitating the formation of conductive NCNTs. Density Functional Theory calculations confirm the synergy between the Fe, N doped carbon and (110) crystal plane of the CoFe alloy that accounts for the electrocatalytic activity. The assembled Zn-air batteries show an open circuit voltage of 1.510 V, power density of 196.1 mW cm−2 and an operational durability of 300 h. Moreover, the assembled all-solid-state batteries display the potential for practical applications. This work demonstrates that the configuration of the electrocatalyst can significantly affect its catalytic performance.

Ultrafast Carbonized Wood of Electrode-Scaled Aligned-Porous Structure for High-Performance Lithium Batteries

The use of carbonized wood in various functional devices is attracting considerable attention due to its low cost, vertical channels, and high electrical conduction. However, the conventional carbonization method requires a long processing time and an inert atmosphere. Here, a microwave-assisted ultrafast carbonization technique was developed that carbonizes natural wood in seconds without the need for an inert atmosphere, and the obtained aligned-porous carbonized wood provided an excellent electrochemical performance as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. This ultrafast carbonization technique simultaneously produced ZnO nanoparticles during the carbonization process that were uniformly distributed on the aligned-porous carbon. The hierarchical structure of carbonized wood functionalized with ZnO nanoparticles was used as a host for achieving high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries: the highly conductive carbonized wood framework with vertical channels provided good electron transport pathways, and the homogeneously dispersed ZnO nanoparticles effectively adsorbed lithium polysulfide and catalyzed its conversion reactions. In summary, a new method was developed to realize the ultrafast carbonization of biomass materials with decorated metal oxide nanoparticles.