Slow Cycling Research Articles

3D Printed Carbon Nanotube/Phenolic Composites for Thermal Dissipation and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.

Here we demonstrate direct ink write (DIW) additive manufacturing of carbon nanotube (CNT)/phenolic composites with heat dissipation and excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities without curing-induced deformation. Such polymer composites are valuable for protecting electronic devices from overheating and electromagnetic interference. CNTs were used as a multifunctional nanofiller to improve electrical and thermal conductivity, printability, stability during curing, and EMI shielding performance of CNT/phenolic composites. Different CNT loadings, curing conditions, substrate types, and sample sizes were explored to minimize the negative effects of the byproducts released from the cross-linking reactions of phenolic on the printed shape integrity. At a CNT loading of 10 wt %, a slow curing cycle enables us to cure printed thin-walled CNT/phenolic composites with highly dense structures; such structures are impossible without a filler. Moreover, the electrical conductivity of the printed 10 wt % CNT/phenolic composites increased by orders of magnitude due to CNT percolation, while an improvement of 92% in thermal conductivity was achieved over the neat phenolic. EMI shielding effectiveness of the printed CNT/phenolic composites reaches 41.6 dB at the same CNT loading, offering a shielding efficiency of 99.99%. The results indicate that high CNT loading, a slow curing cycle, flexible substrates, and one thin sample dimension are the key factors to produce high-performance 3D-printed CNT/phenolic composites to address the overheating and EMI issues of modern electronic devices.

Slow Voltage Relaxation of Silicon Nanoparticles with a Chemo-Mechanical Core-Shell Model.

Silicon presents itself as a high-capacity anode material for lithium-ion batteries with a promising future. The high ability for lithiation comes along with massive volume changes and a problematic voltage hysteresis, causing reduced efficiency, detrimental heat generation, and a complicated state-of-charge estimation. During slow cycling, amorphous silicon nanoparticles show a larger voltage hysteresis than after relaxation periods. Interestingly, the voltage relaxes for at least several days, which has not been physically explained so far. We apply a chemo-mechanical continuum model in a core-shell geometry interpreted as a silicon particle covered by the solid-electrolyte interphase to account for the hysteresis phenomena. The silicon core (de)lithiates during every cycle while the covering shell is chemically inactive. The visco-elastoplastic behavior of the shell explains the voltage hysteresis during cycling and after relaxation. We identify a logarithmic voltage relaxation, which fits with the established Garofalo law for viscosity. Our chemo-mechanical model describes the observed voltage hysteresis phenomena and outperforms the empirical Plett model. In addition to our full model, we present a reduced model to allow for easy voltage profile estimations. The presented results support the mechanical explanation of the silicon voltage hysteresis with a core-shell model and encourage further efforts into the investigation of the silicon anode mechanics.

Soil health under forage and grazing lands in the humid United States

Abstract Soil health describes critical functions that can be influenced by land management. Some key soil characteristics are inherent and not altered appreciably, such as texture, mineralogy, and landscape position. Other soil properties and processes can be changed by land management, such as soil organic matter, nutrient concentrations, and the capacity to infiltrate and store water. How and when forage and grazing lands are harvested can modify photosynthesis and allocation of carbon to roots and exudates in soil. Grazing intensity, characterized primarily by stocking rate, is a key management strategy that alters cycling of carbon (C) and associated plant nutrients. Stocking method, nutrient amendment (source, timing, and rate), forage utilization strategy, season of grazing/deferment, type and class of livestock, and livestock distribution on the landscape are other important management strategies that can either negatively affect compaction, nutrient concentration, and greenhouse gas emissions or stimulate greater water holding capacity, slow and steady cycling of nutrients, and soil C and nitrogen (N) sequestration. Responses of soil health to pasture management can be effectively characterized by its essential functions: (i) producing plants for food and fiber, (ii) cycling nutrients, (iii) storing organically bound elements like C and N, (iv) protecting water quality, (v) supplying water and plant growth–promoting compounds, (vi) enabling animal habitat, (vii) harboring biodiversity, and (viii) buffering against toxic accumulation of trace metals and xenobiotic compounds. This review focused on soil health responses to forage and grazing land management in the humid region of the eastern United States. Areas for further research were also identified.

An innovative natural speed breeding technique for accelerated chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) generation turnover

BackgroundThe slow breeding cycle presents a significant challenge in legume research and breeding. While current speed breeding (SB) methods promise faster plant turnover, they encounter space limitations and high costs. Enclosed environments risk pest and disease outbreaks, and supplying water and electricity remains challenging in many developing nations. Here, we propose an innovative natural speed breeding (nSB) approach to achieve two generation cycles per rabi season under natural open field conditions in chickpea. This cost-effective, environmentally friendly method offers a location-specific alternative to prevalent SB techniques.ResultsTwo field experiments were conducted. First, 11-day-old fresh immature green (FIG) seeds exhibited an 80% germination rate, reducing the duration of the breeding cycle by 14%. In second, abiotic stresses such as atmospheric, nutrient, soil, and water stresses reduced the duration of the breeding cycle by 40%, 18%, 15%, and 18%, respectively. Despite the shortened generation time, we consistently obtained a minimum of 4–6 pods plant-1, ensuring continuity in the subsequent breeding cycle without compromising the nSB process.ConclusionOur investigation revealed that the combination of this location advantage (40%) with the sowing of FIG seeds (14%) enables Baramati to achieve progress from F2 to F5 in 1.5 years, with two generation cycles per rabi (cool) season. Using the nSB method can save 3 years, marking a notable reduction from the conventional six-year timeline. Moreover, incorporating the additional abiotic stresses mentioned above will further reduce the generation advancement time. Therefore, nSB accelerates generation turnover and reduces varietal improvement time at a low cost.

A top-down slow breathing circuit that alleviates negative affect in mice.

Although breathing is primarily automatic, its modulation by behavior and emotions suggests cortical inputs to brainstem respiratory networks, which hitherto have received little characterization. Here we identify in mice a top-down breathing pathway from dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) neurons to pontine reticular nucleus GABAergic inhibitory neurons (PnCGABA), which then project to the ventrolateral medulla (VLM). dACC→PnC activity correlates with slow breathing cycles and volitional orofacial behaviors and is influenced by anxiogenic conditions. Optogenetic stimulation of the dACC→PnCGABA→VLM circuit simultaneously slows breathing and suppresses anxiety-like behaviors, whereas optogenetic inhibition increases both breathing rate and anxiety-like behaviors. These findings suggest that the dACC→PnCGABA→VLM circuit has a crucial role in coordinating slow breathing and reducing negative affect. Our study elucidates a circuit basis for top-down control of breathing, which can influence emotional states.

Enhanced Cell Growth and Astaxanthin Production in Haematococcus lacustris by Mechanostimulation of Seed Cysts

The slow growth and complex life cycle of Haematococcus lacustris pose significant challenges for cost-effective astaxanthin production. This study explores the use of microfluidic collision treatment to stimulate the germination of dormant seed cysts, thereby improving photosynthetic cell growth and astaxanthin productivity in H. lacustris cultivated in well plate and flask cultures. The flow rate (1.0–3.0 mL/min) and the number of T-junction loops (3–30) were optimized in the microfluidic device. Under optimal conditions (a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min with 10 loops), the total cell number density in well plate cultures increased by 44.5% compared to untreated controls, reaching 28.9 ± 2.0 × 104 cells/mL after 72 h. In flask cultures, treated cysts showed a 21% increase in astaxanthin productivity after 30 d, reaching 0.95 mg/L/d, due to higher biomass concentrations, while the astaxanthin content per cell remained constant. However, excessive physical collision stress at higher flow rates and loop numbers resulted in reduced cell viability and cell damage. These findings suggest that carefully controlled cyst mechanostimulation can be an effective and environmentally friendly strategy for Haematococcus biorefining, enabling the production of multiple bioactive products.

TMIC-52. DECODING METABOLIC INTERACTIONS IN GLIOBLASTOMA TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE SPATIAL TRANSCRIPTOMIC AND PROTEOMIC ANALYSIS

Abstract INTRODUCTION Within the GBM microenvironment, distinct micro-niches arise from independent cancer cell lineages with unique metabolic needs, characterized as Fast Cycling Cells (FCCs) and Slow Cycling Cells (SCCs). FCCs preferentially utilize aerobic glycolysis for energy, whereas treatment-resistant SCCs depend on lipid metabolism. Our study decodes the molecular and spatial heterogeneity within the GBM microenvironment, focusing on the dichotomy of immune infiltrates and the metabolic interactions between SCCs and the immune compartment in human GBM patients. METHODS We performed spatial transcriptomics and proteomics combined with geospatially resolved single-cell neighborhood analysis of IHC-stained GBM tissues using CellProfiler and the SNAQ algorithm that we developed to investigate the specific immune microenvironment of SCCs and FCCs. Holotomography and fluorescence-based time-lapse imaging coupled with flow cytometry were used to study lipid transfer between immune cells and GBM cells. Finally, the effects of pharmacological and genetic targeting of lipid transfer were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS Our study establishes a connection between spatial metabolic heterogeneity and immune diversity, highlighting how specific tumor cell lineages correlate with characteristic immune micro-niches. In particular, SCCs exploit the metabolic properties of recruited immunosuppressive myeloid-derived cells, which metabolically support tumor cells by facilitating lipid transport and supporting SCC metabolism. Our results show that inhibiting lipid transfer affect SCCs, remodels the immune microenvironment, delays tumor growth and improves disease outcome. Our study also demonstrates a correlation between predicted sensitivity to lipid-modifying drugs, such as statins, and the SCC phenotype. This correlation could enable stratification and selection of patients most likely to benefit from such treatments. CONCLUSIONS This study establishes critical connections between the TME, cellular metabolism, anti-tumor immunity, and treatment vulnerabilities. Our research provides novel insights into how metabolic exchanges contribute to tumor progression and suggests that targeting metabolic interactions could be an effective therapeutic strategy for GBM.

Ultrafast Na-Ion Storage in Amorphization Engineered Hollow Vanadium Oxide/MXene Nanohybrids for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Hybrid Capacitors.

Sodium ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs) address the high power and energy requirements in energy storage devices but face significant challenges arising from the slow kinetics and cycling instability of the anode side. Introducing atomic disorder and employing structural engineering in anode materials proves to be effective strategies for achieving rapid charge storage. Here, it is demonstrated that N-doped MXene encapsulated amorphous vanadium oxide hollow spheres (VOx@N-MXene HSs) offer multidirectional open pathways and sufficient vacancies, enabling reversible and fast Na+ insertion/extraction. Machine learning potentials, coupled with molecular simulation techniques, confirm the presence of more abundant pores within the amorphous vanadium oxide (VOx) structure. The simulation of the charging/discharging process elucidates the authentic reaction path and structural evolutions of the VOx@N-MXene HSs, providing sufficient insight into the atomic-scale mechanisms associated with these structural superiorities. The full SIHCs devices demonstrate a high energy density of 198.3 Wh kg-1, along with a long-term cycling lifespan of 8000 cycles. This study offers valuable strategies into the intricate design and exploration of amorphous electrodes, contributing to the advancement of next-generation electrochemical energy devices.

The slow slip event cycle along the Izmit segment of the North Anatolian Fault

The occurrence of aseismic creep along seismogenic faults significantly impacts seismic hazard assessment by releasing accumulated stress and reducing the slip deficit. Since the 1999 Mw7.6 Izmit earthquake on the North Anatolian Fault in Türkiye, while aseismic creep has been observed as a postseismic response to the Izmit rupture, additional slow slip events were detected in 2015 and 2016, accommodating several millimeters of relative displacement over periods of approximately one month. By automating Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar time series processing from 2016 to 2021 (FLATSIM project) and applying specific post-processing, we extract the tectonic signal to estimate the slip dynamics of the Izmit segment, including the detection and characterization of slow slip events. Modeling the slip distribution at depth on a 2D fault interface within a layered elastic half-space, we estimate a locking depth of 11km and steady creep between 2 and 5km. Above the steady creep zone, we identify two new shallow slow slip events in March 2018 and November 2019, with moment magnitudes of 4.3 and 4.4, respectively. Based on creepmeter measurements, we estimate a lateral propagation velocity of 6.4km/day for the 2019 event. The location of these shallow slow slip events above the sedimentary-bedrock interface suggests a critical role of variations in frictional properties in the occurrence of transient slip events.

Managing Downtime: Actionable Strategies for Productively Filling Slack Periods

This article provides evidence-based strategies for capitalizing on slow work cycles rather than letting productivity suffer. Drawing on over 40 years of scholarly literature across multiple disciplines, the article outlines a framework for constructively navigating periods of lower workload. It advocates first adjusting one's mindset to view downtime positively as opportunity rather than negatively as a problem. Tactics are then presented for comprehensively inventorying available resources and strategically targeting them towards high-impact undertakings. The importance of systematically tracking progress is emphasized. Real-world case examples from marketing and manufacturing industries demonstrate impact. The article concludes by emphasizing how effectively addressing variability through temporary, targeted investments strengthens long-term organizational agility, performance and prosperity.

Emergence of cyclic hypoxia and the impact of PARP inhibitors on tumor progression.

Tumor hypoxia is a dynamic phenomenon marked by fluctuations in oxygen levels across both rapid (seconds to minutes) and slow (hours to days) time scales. While short hypoxia cycles are relatively well understood, the mechanisms behind longer cycles remain largely unclear. In this paper, we present a novel mechanistic mathematical model that explains slow hypoxia cycles through feedback loops involving vascular expansion and regression, oxygen-regulated tumor growth, and toxic cytokine production. Our study reveals that, for the emergence of slow hypoxia cycles, endothelial cells must adapt by decreasing receptor activation as ligand concentration increases. Additionally, the interaction between tumor cells and toxic cytokines influences frequency and intensity of these cycles. By examining the effects of pharmacological interventions, specifically poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, we also demonstrate how targeting cell proliferation can help regulate oxygen levels. Our findings enhance the understanding of hypoxia regulation and suggest PARP proteins as promising therapeutic targets.

Overturned doping inert Ce into mesoporous CuO for enhanced peroxydisulfate activation and bisphenols degradation

Transition metal oxides have been recently investigated as excellent catalyst for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation, but suffers from slow redox cycle of metal species. In this work, a novel avenue for facilitating valence cycles of Cu2+/Cu+ was proposed by overturned doping inert Ce into mesoporous CuO. Increased formation of active sites (Cu-Ce interface) and oxygen vacancy was achieved, resulting in accelerated interfacial electron transfer and facilitated valence cycles of Cu2+/Cu+. The Ce-doped mesoporous CuO (CeCuOx) exhibited greatly enhanced activity toward PDS activation and efficient removal of different bisphenols in a wide pH working range. The degradation of bisphenols followed a nonradical oxidation pathway based on electron transfer process (ETP), and CeCuOx@PDS complex was proved to be the primary reactive species. The CeCuOx/PDS system exhibited good stability and superior catalytic performance in complicated water matrix, and would be a promising catalyst for wastewater purification. This work provides a new prospect for boosting the redox behavior of metal active sites for environmental remediation.

Revealing interfacial degradation of Bi2Te3-based micro thermoelectric device under current shocks

Micro thermoelectric devices (micro-TEDs) offer great potential for IoT and electronic thermal management. However, they face challenges with reliability under high current densities. This study elucidates the failure mechanisms of Bi2Te3-based micro-TEDs subjected to current shocks. Experimental results indicate that at a high current density of 1800 A/cm2, the internal resistance of micro-TEDs increased by 12.9 % to 2.034 Ω. This led to a 52.0 % decrease in maximum output power at a 20 K temperature difference, dropping to 1.53 mW. Additionally, as the frequency of ON/OFF current applied to micro-TED increases, the resistance growth rate jumped from 0.764 mΩ/h for slow power cycling to 2.328 mΩ/h for fast power cycling. This indicates that higher cycling frequencies exacerbate the degradation of the device. In-situ TEM analysis revealed that current-induced elemental diffusion and electrical stress release led to the formation of NiTe2 nanoparticles and intergranular fractures within the Bi2Te3 materials. These results indicate that interfacial degradation and subsequent grain delamination are primary causes to micro-TED failure under current shocks. These findings underscore the significance of considering electrical stress in micro-TED design to enhance reliability and performance for high-power applications.

Insight on physical–mechanical properties of one-part alkali-activated materials based on volcanic deposits of Mt. Etna (Italy) and their durability against ageing tests

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in one-part alkali-activated materials, which utilize solid-form alkali activators, within the construction industry. This approach is becoming popular due to its simpler and safer application for cast-in-situ purposes, as compared to the conventional two-part method. At this purpose, we have pioneered the use of volcanic deposits of Mt. Etna volcano (Italy) as precursor for the synthesis of a unique one-part formulation. This was done to assess its performance against both traditional and two-part alkali-activated materials. The study employed a comprehensive range of investigative techniques including X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, hydric tests, mercury intrusion porosimetry, ultrasound, infrared thermography, spectrophotometry, contact angle measurements, uniaxial compressive strength tests, as well as durability tests by salt crystallization and freeze–thaw cycles. The key findings on the studied samples are as follows: i) small size of pores and slow absorption-drying cycles; ii) satisfying compactness and uniaxial compressive strengths for building and restoration interventions; iii) high hydrophily of the surfaces; iv) lower heating dispersion than traditional materials; v) significant damage at the end of the salt crystallization test; vi) excellent resistance to freeze–thaw cycles. These newly developed materials hold promises as environmentally friendly options for construction applications. They offer a simplified mixing process in contrast to the conventional two-part alkali-activated materials, thus providing an added advantage to this class of materials.

Validation and user experience of a dry electrode based Health Patch for heart rate and respiration rate monitoring

Successful implementation of remote monitoring of vital signs outside of the hospital setting hinges on addressing three crucial unmet needs: longer-term wear, skin comfort and signal quality. Earlier, we developed a Health Patch research platform that uses self-adhesive dry electrodes to measure vital digital biomarkers. Here, we report on the analytical validation for heart rate, heart rate variability and respiration rate. Study design included n = 25 adult participants with data acquisition during a 30-minute exercise protocol involving rest, squats, slow, and fast cycling. The Shimmer3 ECG Unit and Cosmed K5, were reference devices. Data analysis showed good agreement in heart rate and marginal agreement in respiratory rate, with lower agreement towards higher respiratory rates. The Lin’s concordance coefficient was 0.98 for heart rate and 0.56 for respiratory rate. Heart rate variability (RMSSD) had a coefficient of 0.85. Participants generally expressed a positive experience with the technology, with some minor irritation from the medical adhesive. The results highlighted potential of this technology for short-to-medium term clinical use for cardiorespiratory health, due to its reliability, accuracy, and compact design. Such technology could become instrumental for remote monitoring providing healthcare professionals with continuous data, remote assessment and enhancing patient outcomes in cardiorespiratory health management.

Targeting Cervical Cancer Stem Cells by Phytochemicals.

Cervical cancer (CaCx) poses a significant global health challenge, ranking as the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. Despite the emergence of advanced treatment strategies, recurrence remains a bottleneck in favorable treatment outcomes and contributes to poor prognosis. The chemo- or radio-therapy resistance coupled with frequent relapse of more aggressive tumors are some key components that contribute to CaCx-related mortality. The onset of therapy resistance and relapse are attributed to a small subset of, slow-proliferating Cancer Stem Cells (CSC). These CSCs possess the properties of tumorigenesis, self-renewal, and multi-lineage differentiation potential. Because of slow cycling, these cells maintain themselves in a semi-quiescent stage and protect themselves from different anti-proliferative anti-cancer drugs. Keeping in view recent advances in their phenotypic and functional characterization, the feasibility of targeting CSC and associated stem cell signaling bears a strong translational value. The presence of CSC has been reported in CaCx (CCSC) which remains a forefront area of research. However, we have yet to identify clinically useful leads that can target CCSC. There is compelling evidence that phytochemicals, because of their advantages over synthetic anticancer drugs, could emerge as potential therapeutic leads to target these CCSCs. The present article examined the potential of phytochemicals with reported anti-CSC properties and evaluated their future in preclinical and clinical applications against CaCx.

Electrochemical Kinetics of LiFePO4 Cathode Material in Non-flammable Inorganic Liquid Electrolyte.

We unveil the fundamental insights of electrochemical kinetics of LFP cathode material and the passivation layer formation in the SO2-based non-flammable inorganic liquid electrolyte (IE). The influence of temperature and electrochemical potential cutoff in the electrochemical activity of LFP cathode and IE is disclosed. Furthermore, the materials compatibility, structural and chemical stability of LFP in IE is demonstrated using very slow galvanostatic cycling in combination with LiFePO4||Li0.1FePO4 symmetric cells. The lithium storage performance of LFP half-cell using inorganic electrolyte is presented with the optimum voltage window. LFP half-cells exhibit discharge capacities of 147, 111, and 75 mAh/g at 1, 4, 8 C rates, respectively, with coulombic efficiencies of ~99.98 %. The electrochemical behavior and mechanism of LFP||Graphite cell in IE is investigated while concurrently tracking the electrochemical potentials of LFP and Graphite half-cell.

Enhancement of Photocatalytic Antimicrobial Performance via Generation and Diffusion of ROS

Review Enhancement of Photocatalytic Antimicrobial Performance via Generation and Diffusion of ROS Xiaojuan Bai 1,2,*, Yihan Cao 1, Bowen Zhu 1, Rujiao Liu 1, Jiaqian Dong 1, and Hua Yang 1 1 Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China 2 Beijing Energy Conservation & Sustainable Urban and Rural Development Provincial and Ministry Co-construction Collaboration Innovation Center, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China * Correspondence: baixiaojuan@bucea.edu.cn Received: 8 June 2024; Revised: 8 August 2024; Accepted: 20 August 2024; Published: 20 September 2024 Abstract: The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant infections globally emphasizes the urgent need for effective antimicrobial strategies. Photocatalysts, known for their efficiency, broad-spectrum activity, and environmental benefits, present a promising alternative. With the development of natural solar light driven photocatalysts, the antimicrobial and bactericidal range has been further extended. Photocatalytic materials can be activated by various light wavelengths to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can effectively eliminate a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. However, the limited optical response range, suboptimal bandgap, and slow electron cycling limit the efficient generation of ROS, resulting in lower sterilization efficiency of photocatalytic antimicrobials. Additionally, the short half-life and limited migration distance of ROS restrict their antimicrobial activity. This review focuses on the process and mechanism of ROS generation in photocatalytic reactions, and highlighting the recent advances in the typical photocatalysts. We also explore strategies to enhance ROS diffusion and utilization, including morphology control, noble metal deposition, doping, co-catalyst loading, vacancy introduction, surface functionalization, and heterojunction construction. These strategies aim to increase the efficiency of ROS generation and prolong their activity, thereby enhancing the overall antimicrobial effectiveness. Thereafter, the review presents state-of-the-art applications of photocatalysts in water purification, medical coatings, and air disinfection. Furthermore, it explores key challenges and opportunities that may drive future innovations and advancements in photocatalytic antimicrobial applications, aiming to develop more effective and sustainable solutions.

Insights into performance and mechanism of CuCo2O4/MXene composite as an efficient peroxymonosulfate activator for p-nitrophenol degradation

The slow redox cycle during oxidation and the toxicity risk due to leaching of metal ions greatly hinder the practical application of transition metal-based catalysts in advanced oxidation processes. In this study, a novel layered-structured CuCo2O4/MXene composite was prepared by self-assembling CuCo2O4 spinel with two-dimensional MXene and used as a heterogeneous catalyst based on peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for the oxidative degradation of p-nitrophenol (4-NP). Benefiting from its unique structure, the degradation efficiency of 4-NP by CuCo2O4/MXene-activated PMS was close to 100 % within 10 min at the initial pH 7.0. Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance demonstrated that both radical (SO4•- and •OH) and non-radical (1O2) pathways were involved in the degradation of 4-NP. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that the introduction of MXene could significantly promote the efficient redox cycling of Cu2+/Cu+ and Co3+/Co2+ on the catalyst surface, thus providing a continuous driving force for the PMS activation. More importantly, CuCo2O4/MXene exhibited good ionic interference resistance, high stability and low metal ion leaching rate, suggesting its potential practical application. This work not only demonstrates that CuCo2O4/MXene is a promising catalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants by PMS activation, but also provides a new idea for the development of efficient PMS-activated catalysts for pollutant degradation.

Effect of the Formation Rate on the Stability of Anode-Free Lithium Metal Batteries.

Anode-free Li-ion batteries (AFBs), where a Cu current collector is used to plate and strip Li instead of a classic anode, are promising technologies to increase the energy density of batteries. In addition, AFBs are safer and easier to manufacture than competing Li-metal anodes and solid-state batteries. However, the loss of Li inventory that occurs during the operation of AFBs limits their lifespan and practical application. In this study, we find that, in particular, the current density used during the formation of AFBs has a considerable impact on the cycling stability of the cell. We optimize the formation protocol based on experimental and computational observations of thresholds associated with morphological changes in the plated Li and the chemical composition of the solid-electrolyte interphase. Unlike graphite anodes, which require slow formation cycles, AFBs exhibit improved cycling behavior when formed at the highest current densities that avoid dendritic Li formation. We verify that this strategy for optimizing the formation current density is effective for three different electrolyte formulations and, therefore, provides a straightforward universal rationale to optimize the formation protocols for AFBs.