High Capacity Research Articles

Successful In Situ Growth of Conductive MOFs on 2D Cobalt-Based Compounds and Their Electrochemical Performance.

Conductive metal-organic frameworks (cMOFs), as a kind of porous material, are considered to be highly promising materials in the field of electrochemistry due to their excellent conductivity. However, due to the low specific capacitance of pure cMOFs, their application in supercapacitors is limited. By virtue of the high theoretical capacity and excellent chemical stability of Co-based compounds, in this work, cMOFs' M-HHTP (M = Ni, Co, NiCo, HHTP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene) are grown in situ on Co(OH)2, CoP, and Co3O4 nanosheets, resulting in a series of electroactive compounds as electrode materials used in supercapacitors. Among all of the compounds, Ni-HHTP@Co(OH)2 shows the most excellent energy storage performance and outstanding cyclic stability in the application of aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors.

Effect of Hydrotherapy and Physical Activity on Uric Acid and Nitric Oxide Concentrations in Serum Samples

Hydrotherapy is highly recommended for older adults because it offers warmth and support, so people with pain or reduced mobility and balance can move and exercise more freely compared to regular physical activity. The high plasma antioxidant capacity of uric acid in neutralizing oxidative species and the importance of nitric oxide (NO) in vasodilation and inflammatory response are relevant in older adults. This work aimed to evaluate hydrotherapy's effect on uric acid and NO concentrations in a population aged ≥ 60 years before and after hydrotherapy. A randomized study with 37 individuals was divided into two groups: the experimental group, which was evaluated at two time points: T0-before treatment and T1-after 15-hydrotherapy sessions, and the control group, which did not practice any exercise. The determinations of uric acid and NO levels in serum were carried out by spectrophotometry. Statistics were carried out with SPSS. The experimental group showed a significant increase in the concentration of uric acid in T1 compared to T0. NO results did not show significant differences between T0 and T1. Regular hydrotherapy increases the concentration of serum uric acid, potentially beneficial in the performance of antioxidant functions, reducing oxidative stress, delaying aging, and improving the well-being of older adults.

Preparation and characterization of mouse-derived monoclonal antibodies against the hemagglutinin of the H1N1 influenza virus

H1N1 influenza virus is a significant global public health concern. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting specific viral proteins such as hemagglutinin (HA) have become an important therapeutic strategy, offering highly specific targeting to block viral transmission and infection. This study focused on the development of mAbs targeting HA of the A/Victoria/2570/2019 (H1N1pdm09, VIC-19) strain by utilizing hybridoma technology to produce two mAbs with high binding capacity. Notably, mAb 2B2 has demonstrated a strong affinity for HA proteins in recent H1N1 influenza vaccine strains. In vitro assessments showed that both mAbs exhibited broad-spectrum hemagglutination inhibition and potent neutralizing effects against various vaccine strains of H1N1pdm09 viruses. 2B2 was also effective in animal models, offering both preventive and therapeutic protection against infections caused by recent H1N1 strains, highlighting its potential for clinical application. By individually co-cultivating each of the aforementioned mAbs with the virus in chicken embryos, four amino acid substitution sites in HA (H138Q, G140R, A141E/V, and D187E) were identified in escape mutants, three in the antigenic site Ca2, and one in Sb. The identification of such mutations is pivotal, as it compels further investigation into how these alterations could undermine the binding efficacy and neutralization capacity of antibodies, thereby impacting the design and optimization of mAb therapies and influenza vaccines. This research highlights the necessity for continuous exploration into the dynamic interaction between viral evolution and antibody response, which is vital for the formulation of robust therapeutic and preventive strategies against influenza.

Dual-Carbon Phase-Encapsulated Prelithiated SiOx Microrod Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Among silicon-based anode family for Li-ion battery technology, SiOx, a nonstoichiometric silicon suboxide holds the potential for significant near-term commercial impact. In this context, this study mainly focuses on demonstrating an innovative SiOx@C anode design that adopts a pre-lithiation strategy based on in situ pyrolysis of Li-salt of silsesquioxane trisilanolate without the need for lithium metal or active lithium compounds and creates dual carbon encapsulation of SiOC nanodomains by simply one-step thermal treatment. This ingenious design ensures the pre-lithiation process and pre-lithiation material with high-environmental stability. Moreover, phenyl-rich organosiloxane clusters and polyacrylonitrile polymers are expected to serve as internal and external carbon source, respectively. The formation of an interpenetrating and continuous carbon matrix network would not only synergistically offer an improved electrochemical accessibility of active sites but also alleviate the volume expansion effect during cycling. As a result, this new type of anode delivered a high reversible capacity, remarkable cycle stability as well as excellent high-rate capability. In particular, the L2-SiOx@C material has a high initial coulomb efficiencof 80.4% and, after 500 cycles, a capacity retention as high as 97.5% at 0.5 A g-1 with a reversible specific capacity of 654.5mA h g-1.

Enhanced Hg(II) removal using thiourea-functionalized graphene oxide: Lab to pilot scale evaluation

Here, a thiourea-formaldehyde functionalized graphene oxide (G3DTF) is shown to effectively remove mercury (Hg) from various water sources, including ultrapure, bottled, and seawater. Over 99 % of the Hg in each water source is removed with only 10 mg/L of G3DTF resulting in a residual Hg concentration < 1 μg L−1. This concentration falls within the permissible limits established by the European drinking water guidelines. Notably, the presence of chlorocomplexes in seawater does not reduce the sorption efficiency of G3DTF. The sorption process across all water matrices can be accurately described by pseudo-second-order kinetics, with an R2 > 0.99 suggesting chemical interactions between Hg ions and G3DTF functional groups. The equilibrium isotherms demonstrate a remarkably high maximum adsorption capacity (qm) of 1039 mg g−1, exceeding the values reported in literature for the sorption of Hg on carbon-based materials. Remarkably, G3DTF retains its performance in the presence of other metal ions such as Cu, Cd, and Pb. Incorporating G3DTF into commercially activated carbon (AC) at a concentration as low as 2 wt % significantly enhances the efficiency of Hg(II) removal in fixed bed adsorption. The breakthrough curve exhibits enhanced absorption, attaining a 99.7 % removal of Hg(II) within a span of 2 h, surpassing the efficiency of AC. This relevant result represents a substantial advancement towards the adoption of graphene-based nanocomposites as effective commercial remediation materials.

Tunneling Proton Grotthuss Transfer Channels by Hydrophilic-Zincophobic Heterointerface Shielding for High-Performance Zn-MnO2 Batteries.

Hollandite-type manganese dioxide (α-MnO2) is recognized as a promising cathode material upon high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) owing to the high theoretical capacities, high working potentials, unique Zn2+/H+ co-insertion chemistry, and environmental friendliness. However, its practical applications limited by Zn2+ accommodation, where the strong coulombic interaction and sluggish kinetics cause significant lattice deformation, fast capacity degradation, insufficient rate capability, and undesired interface degradation. It remains challenging to accurately modulate H+ intercalation while suppressing Zn2+ insertion for better lattice stability and electrochemical kinetics. Herein, proton Grotthuss transfer channels are first tunneled by shielding MnO2 with hydrophilic-zincophobic heterointerface, fulfilling the H+-dominating diffusion with the state-of-the-art ZIBs performance. Local atomic structure and theoretical simulation confirm that surface-engineered α-MnO2 affords to the synergy of Mn electron t2g-eg activation, oxygen vacancy enrichment, selective H+ Grotthuss transfer, and accelerated desolvation kinetics. Consequently, fortified α-MnO2 achieves prominent low current density cycle stability (≈100% capacity retention at 1C after 400 cycles), remarkable long-lifespan cycling performance (98% capacity retention at 20C after 12000 cycles), and ultrafast rate performance (up to 30C). The study exemplifies a new approach of heterointerface engineering for regulation of H+-dominating Grotthuss transfer and lattice stabilization in α-MnO2 toward reliable ZIBs.

Enhancing Ion Adsorption Capability through the Strong Interaction in Co9S8‐Carbon Hybrids Achieves Superior Sodium Ion Storage

AbstractMetal sulfides materials are promising anode candidates for Na+ storage due to their low cost and high theoretical capacity, while the complex phase transition and inevitable volume expansion during cycling restrain their practical applications. Herein, a simple one‐pot manipulation strategy was designed to construct Co9S8 nanoparticles strongly encapsulated in carbon nanotubes (Co9S8@C/NTs) composite structure with enhanced structural stability and reaction kinetics, resulting in greatly improved Na+ storage performance. Specifically, the obtained Co9S8@C/NTs could exhibit a remarkable capacity of 500 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 after 100 cycles and exceptional cycling stability over 600 cycles with 88 % capacity retention at 1 A g−1. Furthermore, the theoretical calculations combined with systematic characterizations confirm that the strong interaction between Co9S8 and the carbon matrix could greatly enhance the Na+ adsorption ability and facilitate the electron transfer dynamics for superior Na+ storage capability. More importantly, the full cell device can deliver an outstanding energy density of 144.32 Wh kg−1 and a decent cycling life with 82 % capacity retention of almost 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. This work could provide more valuable insights for designing advanced metal sulfide nanocomposites and demonstrate fascinating prospects for commercial application.

Restraining Lattice Oxygen Escape by Bioinspired Antioxidant Enables Thermal Runaway Prevention in Ni−Rich Cathode Based Lithium−Ion Batteries

AbstractNi−rich cathodes are hopeful materials for advanced lithium−ion batteries (LIBs) due to high capacity. Nonetheless, the chemical crosstalk triggered by reactive oxygen (O*) represents a critical factor in thermal runaway (TR). Currently, there are few effective means to prevent this parasitic reaction. Here, inspired by the O* scavenging effect of β−carotene in living organisms, it is innovatively identified that β−carotene can impede TR by restraining the escape of O* during the thermal decomposition of nickel−rich cathodes. Using LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 as model and extending to higher nickel content cathodes (LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2, LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2), it is demonstrated that β−carotene can undergo an in situ oxygen copolymerization reaction to trapping O*, thereby attenuating chemical crosstalk. Additionally, the generated oxygen copolymer can also adjust band center of the O 2p orbitals of delithiated cathode, alleviating the charge compensation behavior of oxygen anions, and thus delaying the phase transition of charged LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2. As a result, the TR trigger temperature of NCM811∣Graphite pouch cell is increased from 131.0 to 195.0 °C and maximum temperature is reduced from 657.8 to 412.4 °C. This work introduces a new and simple strategy for designing functional additives to block TR, offering a promising avenue for advancing the safety of LIBs.

LaCl3-based sodium halide solid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity for all-solid-state batteries

To enable high performance of all solid-state batteries, a catholyte should demonstrate high ionic conductivity, good compressibility and oxidative stability. Here, a LaCl3-based Na+ superionic conductor (Na1−xZrxLa1−xCl4) with high ionic conductivity of 2.9 × 10−4 S cm−1 (30 °C), good compressibility and high oxidative potential (3.80 V vs. Na2Sn) is prepared via solid state reaction combining mechanochemical method. X-ray diffraction reveals a hexagonal structure (P63/m) of Na1−xZrxLa1−xCl4, with Na+ ions forming a one-dimensional diffusion channel along the c-axis. First-principle calculations combining with X-ray absorption fine structure characterization etc. reveal that the ionic conductivity of Na1−xZrxLa1−xCl4 is mainly determined by the size of Na+-channels and the Na+/La3+ mixing in the one-dimensional diffusion channels. When applied as a catholyte, the NaCrO2||Na0.7Zr0.3La0.7Cl4||Na3PS4||Na2Sn all-solid-state batteries demonstrate an initial capacity of 114 mA h g−1 and 88% retention after 70 cycles at 0.3 C. In addition, a high capacity of 94 mA h g−1 can be maintained at 1 C current density.

Highly reversible zinc metal anode enabled by strong Brønsted acid and hydrophobic interfacial chemistry

Uncontrollable zinc (Zn) plating and hydrogen evolution greatly undermine Zn anode reversibility. Previous electrolyte designs focus on suppressing H2O reactivity, however, the accumulation of alkaline byproducts during battery calendar aging and cycling still deteriorates the battery performance. Here, we present a direct strategy to tackle such problems using a strong Brønsted acid, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (HTFSI), as the electrolyte additive. This approach reformulates battery interfacial chemistry on both electrodes, suppresses continuous corrosion reactions and promotes uniform Zn deposition. The enrichment of hydrophobic TFSI– anions at the Zn|electrolyte interface creates an H2O-deficient micro-environment, thus inhibiting Zn corrosion reactions and inducing a ZnS-rich interphase. This highly acidic electrolyte demonstrates high Zn plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency up to 99.7% at 1 mA cm–2 ( > 99.8% under higher current density and areal capacity). Additionally, Zn | |ZnV6O9 full cells exhibit a high capacity retention of 76.8% after 2000 cycles.

Probiotic Abilities of Lactobacillus spp. Isolated from Algerian Fermented Wheat ‘Hamoum’ intended to Use in Broiler Production

Background: The use of probiotics has become popular in the broiler poultry industry due to its positive results on the health of animals, as well as the safety of consumers. In general, probiotics are isolated and selected In vitro from several sources. Despite this, only a few studies focused on isolating probiotics from cereals, which are the main natural food source for poultry. This study aimed to evaluate and identify an autochthonous Lactobacillus spp. isolated from Algerian fermented wheat “Hamoum” as potential probiotics for use in broiler feed. Methods: This research was conducted over the period between 2019-2022. Five bacterial isolates of the genus Lactobacillus were tested for their hemolysis activity, exopolysaccharides production, the ability to withstand the simulated hostile conditions of the chicken’s gut and their capacity to acidify the concentrate feed beverage. Finally, molecular identification was performed using the REP-PCR technique. Result: These isolates were found to produce exopolysaccharides and have no hemolytic activity. Also, could tolerate simulated gastric acidity. However, only three isolates were able to survive in the presence of bile salts and were found to have a high capacity for acidifying medium in a relatively short time. These isolates were identified as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum subsp plantarum. Those strains can be considered safe candidate probiotics for use in broiler feeds feed. Further studies are needed to investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of these isolates through an in vivo experiment on broiler chickens.

Zn2+-storage mechanism in V6O13 with nanosheets for high-capacity and long-life aqueous zinc-metal batteries.

V6O13 with a nanosheet structure was employed as a cathode material for aqueous zinc metal batteries. V6O13 delivered a high specific capacity of 425 mA h g-1, outstanding rate performance and durable cycling with high capacity retention of 86% after 3000 cycles. Moreover, in situ X-ray diffractometer (XRD), ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) were employed to ascertain the reaction mechanism of Zn2+ storage.

Quinuclidine N-oxygenation mediated by flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) 1 and FMO3 in kidney and liver microsomes from humans, monkeys, dogs, and pigs.

Flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) are a family of enzymes that are involved in the oxygenation of heteroatom-containing molecules. In humans, FMO3 is the major hepatic form, whereas FMO1 is predominant in the kidneys. FMO1 and FMO3 were also identified in monkeys, dogs, and pigs. The predicted contribution of human FMO3 to drug candidate N-oxygenation could be estimated using the classic base dissociation constants of the N-containing moiety. A basic quinuclidine moiety was found in the natural quinine and medicinal products. Consequently, N-oxygenation of quinuclidine was evaluated using liver and kidney microsomes from humans, monkeys, dogs, and pigs as well as recombinant FMO1, FMO3, and FMO5 enzymes. Experiments using simple reversed-phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence monitoring revealed that recombinant FMO1 mediated quinuclidine N-oxygenation with a high capacity in humans. Moreover, recombinant FMO1, FMO3, and/or FMO5 in monkeys, dogs, and pigs exhibited relatively broad substrate specificity toward quinuclidine N-oxygenation. Kinetic analysis showed that human FMO1 efficiently, and pig FMO1 moderately, mediated quinuclidine N-oxygenation with high capacity, which is consistent with the reported findings for larger substrates readily accepted by pig FMO1 but excluded by human FMO1. In contrast, human FMO3-mediated quinuclidine N-oxygenation was slower than that of the typical FMO3 substrate trimethylamine. These results suggest that some species differences exist in terms of FMO-mediated quinuclidine N-oxygenation in humans and some animal models (monkeys, dogs, and minipigs); however, the potential for quinuclidine, which has a simple chemical structure, to be inhibited clinically by co-administered drugs should be relatively low, especially in human livers. Significance Statement The high capacity of human flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) 1 to mediate quinuclidine N-oxygenation, a basic moiety in natural products and medicines, was demonstrated by simple reversed-phase liquid chromatography using fluorescence monitoring. The substrate specificity of FMO1 and FMO3 toward quinuclidine N-oxygenation in monkeys, dogs, and pigs was suggested to be relatively broad. Human FMO3-mediated quinuclidine N-oxygenation was slower than trimethylamine N-oxygenation. The likelihood of quinuclidine, with its simple chemical structure, being clinically inhibited by co-administered drugs is relatively low.

Anode-Free Aqueous Aluminum Ion Batteries.

Aqueous aluminum ion batteries (AAIBs) possess the advantages of high safety, cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness and high theoretical capacity. However, the Al2O3 film on the Al anode surface, a natural physical barrier to the plating of hydrated aluminum ions, is a key factor in the decomposition of the aqueous electrolyte and the severe hydrogen precipitation reaction. To circumvent the obnoxious Al anode, a proof-of-concept of an anode-free AAIB is first proposed, in which Al2TiO5, as a cathode pre-aluminum additive (Al source), can replenish Al loss by over cycling. The Al-Cu alloy layer, formed by plating Al on the Cu foil surface during the charge process, possesses a reversible electrochemical property and is paired with a polyaniline (cathode) to stimulate the battery to exhibit high initial discharge capacity (175 mAh g-1), high power density (≈410Wh L-1) and ultra-long cycle life (4000 cycles) with the capacity retention of ≈60% after 1000 cycles. This work will act as a primer to ignite the enormous prospective researches on the anode-free aqueous Al ion batteries.

Understanding water adsorption in hierarchical carbon — The significance of pore connectivity and functional group configurations

Hierarchical carbon has drawn considerable attention due to its high capacity and fast kinetics in gas separation and purification in the fuel industry. The presence of water in most applications poses a challenge; hence, understanding how water interferes with the removal of undesired substances in the micro-mesoporous structure of the hierarchical carbon is required to assess and manage its impacts. Monte Carlo simulation was conducted in this paper to investigate water adsorption in a serially connected micro and mesopore model that mimics the hierarchical carbon. Our results reveal the critical role of pore connectivity, the topology of the junction between micropore and mesopore, and functional groups. Notably, the junction facilitates the formation of water clusters having a convex interface at the junction, followed by their coalescence with the localized clusters in the mesopore to form a liquid-like condensate with the concave interface. It is this transition from clusters with a convex interface to condensate with the concave interface that is the prerequisite for mesopore filling. Temperature has an opposing effect in the filling of micropores and mesopores; for the former, the onset of filling occurs at higher reduced pressure as the temperature is increased, while the opposite is true for mesopores. Our simulation results provide significant insights into the mechanism of water adsorption, which paves the path for utilizing hierarchical carbon in removing harmful substances from water-laden feed streams.

Oligopeptide‐Induced Multifunctional Interface Layer with Protonated Hydrophobic Behavior and Strong Affinity for Highly Stable Zinc Anode

AbstractZinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted wide attention due to their low redox potential, high capacity, and intrinsic safety. However, key issues such as zinc dendrite growth, corrosion, and passivation on zinc anode detrimentally affect the electrochemical performance. Herein, as proof of a concept of oligopeptide, glutathione with functional groups including –NH2 and −SH is introduced as an electrolyte additive to construct a multifunctional electrode–electrolyte interface layer on the zinc anode. A protonated amino group (NH3+) is formed, which prevents the adsorption of water molecules on the Zn anode, building a hydrophobic interface layer and thus attenuating corrosion. Moreover, the strong interaction between the −SH and the zinc allows glutathione molecules to be tightly anchored to the electrode surface, constructing a robust interface layer. Consequently, a long cycling life of nearly 3000 h at 1 mA cm−2 for the Zn||Zn symmetric battery is achieved, and a stable cycling life of 1600 h is demonstrated at 3 mA cm−2. Furthermore, Zn||activated carbon (AC) hybrid capacitor with the glutathione‐containing electrolyte runs stably for nearly 28 000 cycles at 5 A g−1, among the best results of reported Zn hybrid capacitors.

Performance of β-carotene-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers under dynamic in vitro digestion system: Influence of the emulsifier type.

A better understanding of how emulsifier type could differently influence the behavior of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) under the gastrointestinal digestion process, as well as at the cellular level, is of utmost importance for the NLC-based formulations' optimization and risk assessment in the food field. In this study, NLC composed by fully hydrogenated soybean and high-oleic sunflower oils were prepared using soy lecithin (NLC Lβ) or Tween 80 (NLC Tβ) as an emulsifier. β-Carotene was entrapped within NLC developed as a promising strategy to overcome β-carotene's low bioavailability and stability. The effect of emulsifier type on the digestibility of β-carotene-loaded NLC was evaluated using an in vitro dynamic digestion model mimicking peristalsis motion. The influence of β-carotene-loaded NLC on cell viability was assessed using Caco-2 cells in vitro. NLC Tβ remained stable in the gastric compartment, presenting particle size (PS) similar to the initial NLC (PS: 245.68 and 218.18nm, respectively), while NLC Lβ showed lower stability (PS>1000nm) in stomach and duodenum phases. NLC Tβ also provided high β-carotene protection and delivery capacity (i.e., β-carotene bioaccessibility increased 10-fold). Based on the results of digestion studies, NLC Tβ has shown better physical stability during the passage through the in vitro dynamic gastrointestinal system than NLC Lβ. Moreover, the developed NLC did not compromise cell viability up to 25µg/mL of β-carotene. Thus, the NLC developed proved to be a biocompatible structure and able to incorporate and protect β-carotene for further food applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of this study hold significant implications for industrial applications in terms of developing nanostructured lipid carriers from natural raw materials widely available and used to produce other lipid-based products in the food industry, as an alternative to synthetic ones. In this respect, the β-carotene-loaded NLC developed in this study would find a great industrial application in the food industry, which is in constant search to develop functional foods capable of increasing the bioavailability of bioactive compounds.

Photoelectric synapses based on all-two-dimensional ferroelectric semiconductor heterojunction

Abstract Photoelectric synapses are attaching intensive attention due to its low power consumption and adaptive learning. However, traditional ferroelectric field effect transistors are not conducive to the integrated application in artificial intelligence systems. Here, we design the all two-dimensional photoelectric synapse device based on WSe2/MoS2/α-In2Se3 ferroelectric van der Waals heterojunction, which has high memory capacity (memory on/off = 105) and synaptic function. In addition, we simulate an artificial neural network to modify the handwritten digit recognition of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In particular, the recognition rates are 92.4% and 93.6% for electrical synapse and photoelectric synapse, respectively. This work provides an effective strategy for achieving stable integration of neuromorphic computing.

An N-Rich Polymer for the Selective Recovery of Gold from Wastewater.

The recovery of valuable gold from wastewater is of great interest because of the widespread use of the precious metal in various fields and the pollution generated by gold-containing wastes in water. In this paper, a water-insoluble cross-linked adsorbent material (TE) based on cyanuric chloride (TCT) and ethylenediamine (EDA) was designed and used for the adsorption of Au(III) from wastewater. It was found that TE showed extremely high selectivity (D = 49,213.46) and adsorption capacity (256.19 mg/g) for Au(III) under acidic conditions. The adsorption rate remained above 90% eVen after five adsorption-desorption cycles. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model, suggesting that physical adsorption with a multilayer molecular overlay dominates. Meanwhile, the adsorption mechanism was obtained by DFT calculation and XPS analysis, and the adsorption mechanism was mainly the electrostatic interaction and electron transfer between the protonated N atoms in the adsorbent (TE) and AuCl4-, which resulted in the redox reaction. The whole adsorption process was the result of the simultaneous action of physical and chemical adsorption. In conclusion, the adsorbent material TE shows great potential for gold adsorption and recovery.

Building an Elastic Mechanical Network for Highly Efficient Silicon‐Based Anodes

AbstractSilicon (Si), known for its high theoretical capacity, holds promise for developing high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, the intrinsic low conductivity and substantial volume expansion limit its commercial application. Developing a binder that can suppress the massive volume expansion while improving Si conductivity is particularly important for LIBs based on Si anode. Here, grafting natural adhesive cationic guar gum (CGG) with small molecular acrylamide (AM) is proposed and applied it to the Si‐based anode. The rigid guar gum main chain and the elastic polymerized acrylamide (pAM) side chain forms a 3D network that completely encapsulated Si nanoparticles and cross‐linked with the natural hydroxyl groups on the surface of Si particles through abundant functional groups. Numerous link anchors and robust mechanical networks facilitate lithium‐ion transport and effectively mitigated the significant stress generated by silicon during charge and discharge cycles. Based on this innovative design, the Si@CGG@pAM@SP (Super P) electrode demonstrates excellent long‐term cycle stability and rate performance. The Si@CGG@pAM@SP electrode preserves 2086 mAh g−1 discharge capacity after 100 cycles (corresponding to 91.5% capacity retention). Physical characterization and electrochemical tests confirm the rationality of the polymer binder design, serving as a valuable reference for the material design of lithium‐ion batteries.