Uniform Growth Research Articles

A closed 3D printed microfluidic device for automated growth and differentiation of cerebral organoids from single-cell suspension.

The development of 3D organoids has provided a valuable tool for studying human tissue and organ development in vitro. Cerebral organoids, in particular, offer a unique platform for investigating neural diseases. However, current methods for generating cerebral organoids suffer from limitations such as labor-intensive protocols and high heterogeneity among organoids. To address these challenges, we present a microfluidic device designed to automate and streamline the formation and differentiation of cerebral organoids. The device utilizes microwells with two different shapes to promote the formation of a single aggregate per well and incorporates continuous medium flow for optimal nutrient exchange. In silico simulations supported the effectiveness of the microfluidic chip in replicating cellular microenvironments. Our results demonstrate that the microfluidic chip enables uniform growth of cerebral organoids, significantly reducing the hands-on time required for maintenance. Importantly, the performance of the microfluidic system is comparable to the standard 96-well plate format even when using half the amount of culture medium, and the resulting organoids exhibit substantially developed neuroepithelial buds and cortical structures. This study highlights the potential of custom-designed microfluidic technology in improving the efficiency of cerebral organoid culture.

A high-flash-point quasi-solid polymer electrolyte for stable nickel-rich lithium metal batteries

In the exploration of next-generation high-energy–density batteries, lithium metal is regarded as an ideal candidate for anode materials. However, lithium metal batteries (LMBs) face challenges in practical applications due to the risks associated with organic liquid electrolytes, among which their low flash points are one of the major safety concerns. The adoption of high flash point quasi-solid polymer electrolytes (QSPE) that is compatible with the lithium metal anode and high-voltage cathode is therefore a promising strategy for exploring high-performance and high-safety LMBs. Herein, we employed the in-situ polymerization of poly (epoxidized soya fatty acid Bu esters-isooctyl acrylate-ditrimethylolpropane tetraacrylate) (PEID) to gel the liquid electrolyte that formed a PEID-based QSPE (PEID-QSPE). The flash point of PEID-QSPE rises from 25 to 82 °C after gelation, contributing to enhanced safety of the battery at elevated temperatures, whereas the electrochemical window increases to 4.9 V. Moreover, the three-dimensional polymer framework of PEID-QSPE is validated to facilitate the uniform growth of the solid electrolyte interphase on the anode, thereby improving the cycling stability of the battery. By employing PEID-QSPE, the Li|LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2 cell achieved long-term cycling stability (Coulombic efficiency, 99.8%; >200 cycles at 0.1 C) even with a high cathode loading (∼5 mg cm−2) and an ultrathin Li (∼50 μm). This electrolyte is expected to afford inspiring insights for the development of safe and long-term cyclability LMBs.

Ni/Ni4N nanoparticles anchored on 3D necklace-like carbon framework as free-standing bifunctional host for practical Li-S full cells

Inhibiting the shuttle effect, accelerating sulfur redox kinetics and controlling lithium homogeneous deposition are significant to achieve the flexible lithium-sulfur (Li-S) cells with high energy density and safety. In this study, we successfully synthesized a three-dimensional (3D) free-standing necklace-like fabric consisting of heterostructured Ni/Ni4N nanoparticles confined into hollow carbon cages implanted with N-doped carbon nanofibers (Ni/Ni4N@NCC). This unique 3D necklace-like framework and interface electronic structure of Ni/Ni4N@NCC could effectively addresses the challenges associated with both sulfur cathode and lithium anode in Li-S cells. Combine with experimental tests and DFT simulations, Ni/Ni4N@NCC not only strengthened chemical anchoring and accelerated lithium polysulfides conversion, but also induced Li uniform deposition and growth due to its excellent lithiophilicity and low Li diffusion energy barrier. For the anode, the lithium foil coating with Ni/Ni4N@NCC interlayer (denoted as Li-Ni/Ni4N@NCC anode) showed exceptional long-term cycling stability over 1000 h at the high current density of 5 mA cm−2 for high areal capacity of 5 mAh cm−2. The S-Ni/Ni4N@NCC||Li-Ni/Ni4N@NCC cell with sulfur loading (6.8mg cm−2) exhibited high areal capacities of 6.11 mAh cm−2. The synergetic effect of fascinating necklace-like structure and heterogeneous interface offer instruction for the practically viable design of high-performance flexible Li-S full cells.

Manipulation of photosensory and circadian signaling restricts phenotypic plasticity in response to changing environmental conditions in Arabidopsis

Plants exploit phenotypic plasticity to adapt their growth and development to prevailing environmental conditions. Interpretation of light and temperature signals is aided by the circadian system, which provides a temporal context. Phenotypic plasticity provides a selective and competitive advantage in nature but is obstructive during large-scale, intensive agricultural practices since economically important traits (including vegetative growth and flowering time) can vary widely depending on local environmental conditions. This prevents accurate prediction of harvesting times and produces a variable crop. In this study, we sought to restrict phenotypic plasticity and circadian regulation by manipulating signaling systems that govern plants’ responses to environmental signals. Mathematical modeling of plant growth and development predicted reduced plant responses to changing environments when circadian and light signaling pathways were manipulated. We tested this prediction by utilizing a constitutively active allele of the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B, along with disruption of the circadian system via mutation of EARLY FLOWERING3. We found that these manipulations produced plants that are less responsive to light and temperature cues and thus fail to anticipate dawn. These engineered plants have uniform vegetative growth and flowering time, demonstrating how phenotypic plasticity can be limited while maintaining plant productivity. This has significant implications for future agriculture in both open fields and controlled environments.

Electrospun MOF-derived N-doped mesoporous carbon fibers embedded with ultrafine vanadium oxide as an ultralong cycling stability for potassium ion storage

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) are promising options for large-scale energy storage because of their low cost and low redox potential. The use of anodes with porous structures is an attractive strategy to improve the electrochemical properties of KIBs. However, the development of KIB anodes has been hindered by their low capacity and difficulty in synthesizing porous structures. Herein, ultrafine vanadium oxide nanoparticles embedded in porous N-doped carbon nanofibers (VO@PNCNFs) using electrospinning and one-step heat treatment are reported. The uniform growth of vanadium oxide crystals is facilitated by the porous structure of the carbon nanofiber. The numerous pores play a crucial role in the transfer of electrons and ions and provide structural stability to the N-doped carbon matrix. As a result, the VO@PNCNF electrode demonstrates a high reversible capacity (∼205 mA h g−1 at 1.0 A g−1), good cycle stability over 3000 cycles, and excellent rate performance (95 mA h g−1 at 3.0 A g−1).

Controlled Crystal Growth of All-Inorganic CsPbI2Br via Sequential Vacuum Deposition for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.

Vacuum deposition of perovskites is a promising method for scale-up fabrication and uniform film growth. However, improvements in the photovoltaic performance of perovskites are limited by the fabrication of perovskite films, which are not optimized for high device efficiency in the vacuum evaporation process. Herein, we fabricate CsPbI2Br perovskite with high crystallinity and larger grain size by controlling the deposition sequence between PbI2 and CsBr. The nucleation barrier for perovskite formation is significantly lowered by first evaporating CsBr and then PbI2 (CsBr-PbI2), followed by the sequential evaporation of multiple layers. The results show that the reduced Gibbs free energy of CsBr-PbI2, compared with that of PbI2-CsBr, accelerates perovskite formation, resulting in larger grain size and reduced defect density. Furthermore, surface-modified homojunction perovskites are fabricated to efficiently extract charge carriers and enhance the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PeSCs) by modulating the final PbI2 thickness before thermal annealing. Using these strategies, the best PeSC exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 13.41% for a small area (0.135 cm2), the highest value among sequential thermal deposition inorganic PeSCs, and 11.10% for a large area PeSC (1 cm2). This study presents an effective way to understand the crystal growth of thermally deposited perovskites and improve their performance in optoelectronic devices.

Promoting Polysulfide Redox Reactions through Electronic Spin Manipulation.

Catalytic additives able to accelerate the lithium-sulfur redox reaction are a key component of sulfur cathodes in lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). Their design focuses on optimizing the charge distribution within the energy spectra, which involves refinement of the distribution and occupancy of the electronic density of states. Herein, beyond charge distribution, we explore the role of the electronic spin configuration on the polysulfide adsorption properties and catalytic activity of the additive. We showcase the importance of this electronic parameter by generating spin polarization through a defect engineering approach based on the introduction of Co vacancies on the surface of CoSe nanosheets. We show vacancies change the electron spin state distribution, increasing the number of unpaired electrons with aligned spins. This local electronic rearrangement enhances the polysulfide adsorption, reducing the activation energy of the Li-S redox reactions. As a result, more uniform nucleation and growth of Li2S and an accelerated liquid-solid conversion in LSB cathodes are obtained. These translate into LSB cathodes exhibiting capacities up to 1089 mA h g-1 at 1 C with 0.017% average capacity loss after 1500 cycles, and up to 5.2 mA h cm-2, with 0.16% decay per cycle after 200 cycles in high sulfur loading cells.

Impact of 5-Amino-1H Tetrazole on Reducing Silver in Copper Cathodes during Electrorefining with High Silver Content Anode Plates

As the grade of the copper concentrate decreases and its composition becomes increasingly complex, the silver content in anode plates cast after fire refining increases, leading to a higher silver content in the copper cathode during electrorefining and a substantial loss of precious metals. This study investigates the impact of 5-amino-1H tetrazole (5-AT) on reducing silver in copper cathodes during electrorefining with high silver content anode plates. 5-AT forms an “adsorption layer” on the anode surface, reacting with Ag+ released by the anode to form a precipitate and prevent Ag+ from entering the electrolyte. This process agglomerates fine Ag-Se compounds and AgCl particles, creating larger anode slime particles that settle quickly, thus inhibiting fine silver-containing particles from adhering to the cathode. Furthermore, 5-AT adsorbs on the cathode, binding with Cu+ and promoting the Cu2+ electrodeposition process while inhibiting Ag+ electrodeposition. This facilitates uniform copper cathode grain growth and reduces inclusions in the copper cathode. The grain size of the copper cathode initially decreases and then increases as the concentration of 5-AT increases. At an optimal 5-AT concentration of 15 mg/L, the Ag content in the copper cathode decreased from 6.9 ppm to 4.7 ppm, indicating the potential efficacy of 5-AT in improving the quality of electrorefined copper.

Ultra‐High Proportion of Grain Boundaries in Zinc Metal Anode Spontaneously Inhibiting Dendrites Growth

AbstractAqueous Zn‐ion batteries are an attractive electrochemical energy storage solution for their budget and safe properties. However, dendrites and uncontrolled side reactions in anodes detract the cycle life and energy density of the batteries. Grain boundaries in metals are generally considered as the source of the above problems but we present a diverse result. This study introduces an ultra‐high proportion of grain boundaries on zinc electrodes through femtosecond laser bombardment to enhance stability of zinc metal/electrolyte interface. The ultra‐high proportion of grain boundaries promotes the homogenization of zinc growth potential, to achieve uniform nucleation and growth, thereby suppressing dendrite formation. Additionally, the abundant active sites mitigate the side reactions during the electrochemical process. Consequently, the 15 μm Fs−Zn||MnO2 pouch cell achieves an energy density of 249.4 Wh kg−1 and operates for over 60 cycles at a depth‐of‐discharge of 23 %. The recognition of the favorable influence exerted by UP‐GBs paves a new way for other metal batteries.

Ultra-High Proportion of Grain Boundaries in Zinc Metal Anode Spontaneously Inhibiting Dendrites Growth.

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries are an attractive electrochemical energy storage solution for their budget and safe properties. However, dendrites and uncontrolled side reactions in anodes detract the cycle life and energy density of the batteries. Grain boundaries in metals are generally considered as the source of the above problems but we present a diverse result. This study introduces an ultra-high proportion of grain boundaries on zinc electrodes through femtosecond laser bombardment to enhance stability of zinc metal/electrolyte interface. The ultra-high proportion of grain boundaries promotes the homogenization of zinc growth potential, to achieve uniform nucleation and growth, thereby suppressing dendrite formation. Additionally, the abundant active sites mitigate the side reactions during the electrochemical process. Consequently, the 15 μm Fs-Zn||MnO2 pouch cell achieves an energy density of 249.4 Wh kg-1 and operates for over 60 cycles at a depth-of-discharge of 23 %. The recognition of the favorable influence exerted by UP-GBs paves a new way for other metal batteries.

Photocatalytic degradation of ternary dye mixture using RGO, γ-Fe2O3 and ZnO based binary and ternary nanocomposites

In this work, we report on the improved photocatalytic degradation of a ternary dye mixture of Malachite green (MG), Methyl orange (MO), and Rhodamine B (RhB), by RGO-based binary (RGO/γ-Fe2O3) and ternary (RGO/γ-Fe2O3/ZnO) nanocomposites (NCs). These NCs are synthesized with a green, facile, and rapid microwave irradiation route using Mangifera Indica leaf extract as a reducing agent. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) give clear insight into the phase purity and uniform growth of γ-Fe2O3 and γ-Fe2O3-ZnO nanoparticles over the RGO sheets which confirms the reduction of iron and zinc precursors, and graphene oxide via Mangifera to form NCs. The binary and ternary NCs show 100 % degradation of ternary dye mixture in 40 min and 21 min, respectively, under UV irradiation. UV–Visible spectra confirm a reduced energy band gap, 1.96 eV for ternary NCs, and 2 eV for binary NCs as compared to 2.3 eV for γ-Fe2O3. The reduction in band gap and synergism amid RGO and nanoparticles of γ-Fe2O3 and ZnO presents that suppressed charge carrier recombination, enhanced charge carrier lifetime, improved interfacial charge transfer and availability of more active sites in RGO/γ-Fe2O3/ZnO ternary NCs are responsible for highly efficient photocatalytic activities. Reaction kinetics analysis reveals the suitability of the pseudo first-order kinetics and Freundlich model for dye degradation.

Bioelectricity production and bioremediation potential of Withania somnifera in plant microbial fuel cells

In p-MFCs living plants photosynthesize within a bio-electrochemical circuit. The plant exudes organic waste material from the roots. In the rhizosphere, bacteria consume these wastes by oxidizing them in contrast to the atmosphere that reduces it. This redox reaction along with photosynthesis can be harnessed as bioelectricity. In this work, the plant Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal was used for generating bioelectricity from the root exudates and organic matter available in the soil. An open circuit voltage of 930±21 mV was achieved between multiple cycles of operation. The cell voltage further increased to 1260±140 mV with enrichment in the form of discards from vegetable matter. The peak recorded voltage was 1400 mV. Graphite fibre felt electrodes ensured uniform microbial growth with power densities that were achieved at 57 mW/m2 and 84 mW/m2 with and without enrichment respectively. ATR-FTIR demonstrated complete degradation of specific compounds attached to the carbon matrix in the soil along with the polysaccharide content from the enrichments. Additionally, this work also monitored the changes in soil pH and its homogeneity, the impact of photosynthetically active radiation, humidity, and the presence of CO2 in the air, and how it affects plant growth and ultimately the microbes at the rhizosphere which accounted for the bioremediation and the resultant bioelectricity production. SEM imaging provided additional evidence that the presence of electrochemically active soil bacteria, an anaerobic environment, and electrode characteristics are crucial for the development of conductive biofilms.

Chemical and Mechanical Scarification as Techniques for Overcoming Dormance in Red Tent Seeds (Adenanthera pavonina L.)

Purpose: Evaluate chemical and mechanical scarification techniques, as methods for overcoming dormancy in red vine seeds. Theoretical Framework: Based on scientific articles found on search engines and books in the field of seeds, types of forest seeds, types of dormancy in forest seeds and techniques for overcoming dormancy. In order to support the explanation of how techniques for overcoming dormancy are related to the rate and time of germination of red seed seeds, and how germination time can subsequently affect the quantity of seedlings produced, as well as their initial growth. Method: The experiment was installed to test the following treatments: T0 – without scarification; T1 – mechanical scarification; T2 chemical scarification with 80% H2SO4 for half an hour; T3 – chemical scarification with 80% H2SO4 for one hour; T4 – chemical scarification with 0.4% KNO3 for half an hour; T5 – chemical scarification with 0.4% KNO3 for one hour. The design used was completely randomized, with six treatments, five replications and 20 seeds in each replication. At the end of 30 days, counting from the beginning of germination, the following variables were evaluated: germination speed index (IVG), average germination time (TMG), germination percentage (G) and germination speed index (IVG). Results and Conclusion: The most efficient methods for germinating the red tent seeds were mechanical scarification with sandpaper and immersion in 0.4% KNO3 for half an hour. However, mechanical scarification would be the most easily used and least expensive method for producing seedlings in nurseries. Research Implications: These results indicate that the mechanical scarification technique is an efficient method for overcoming the dormancy of the red tent, which is integumentary. Understanding the most efficient and effective techniques for overcoming dormancy in seeds of species that present this characteristic is important to allow, within the nursery, germination to occur quickly and uniformly. Consequently, making it possible to obtain seedlings with more uniform sizes, even though these are produced from seeds. Originality/Value: A high germination rate and uniform initial growth are important factors within the nursery, especially if it is of a commercial nature, but also for the restoration of areas, because it allows seedlings to be obtained in less time.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Characterization of ZnMoS4 Nanorods on Nickel Foam Substrate for Advanced Hybrid Supercapacitor Applications.

A single-step hydrothermal method was utilized to grow ZnMoS4 (ZMS) nanorods uniformly. Initially, [MoS4]2- and Zn2+ ions interacted to create active nucleation centers, which then led to the formation of primary particles. These particles then underwent spontaneous aggregation and self-assembly on the nickel foam (NF) substrate, which served as a superior 3D interconnecting network template. This aggregation occurred nearly perpendicular to the NF and promoted the uniform growth of ZMS nanorods. The nanorods structure ensures efficient and rapid electrolyte accessibility and ion diffusion, resulting in an increased specific capacitance (Cs) of 2,116 Fg1- (846.4 C g-1) at 1 A g-1 and maintaining about 90% of their capacitance after 10,000 cycles of galvanic charge-discharge (GCD). In a hybrid supercapacitor configuration, ZMS@NF//AC@NF achieved a peak specific power of 7.2 kW.kg-1 and a specific energy of 40.3 Wh.kg-1. Remarkably, it preserved 93% of its initial capacitance after more than 20,000 cycles. These findings affirm the potential of binder-free ZMS nanorods as effective positive electrodes in advanced hybrid supercapacitors.

Optical properties of NiO films: Effect of nitrogen-doping, substrate temperature and band gap estimation using machine learning

In this study, nickel oxide (NiO) thin films were synthesized on glass substrates using RF magnetron sputtering with varying nitrogen (N) doping ratio and substrate temperatures to explore modifications in their structural, morphological, and optical properties. The films were prepared using a high-purity NiO target under controlled sputtering conditions. Structural analysis by X-ray diffraction revealed an improvement in crystallinity in the (200) direction with increasing N ratio. In contrast, higher N ratio led to the suppression of (111) and (220) peaks, indicating a significant influence of N on the crystal structure and orientation. The films’ thickness and morphology, examined using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, showed uniform and homogeneous growth with smooth surface topologies. Optical properties, assessed by UV–Vis-NIR spectrophotometry, demonstrated a decrease in transmittance and a redshift in the absorption edge with increased N doping, corresponding to a narrowing of the energy bandgap from 3.7 eV to 3.45 eV. This bandgap reduction is attributed to N incorporation substituting oxygen sites, introducing defect states within the band structure. Additionally, the impact of substrate temperature on film growth enhanced crystallinity and orientation along the (111) plane at higher temperatures, with a simultaneous reduction in film thickness due to increased adatom mobility and potential thermal decomposition. The evaluation of Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR) and Ridge Regression (RR) models revealed their effectiveness in predicting band gap values for thin films at varying substrate temperatures and thicknesses. While RR excelled in predicting a band gap of 3.6 eV for a film with a substrate temperature of 24 °C and a thickness of 112.7 nm, KRR outperformed in predicting a band gap of 3.65 eV for a film with a substrate temperature of 24 °C and a thickness of 107 nm. These findings elucidate the dual influence of N doping and substrate temperature on enhancing the functional properties of NiO thin films, promising for applications in optoelectronic devices and gas sensors.

Fabrication of Tailored Membranes with Special Surface Wettability Features for Highly Efficient Crude Oil-in-Water Emulsion Separation.

Treating oily wastewater streams such as produced water has a huge potential to resolve the issue of wastewater disposal and generate useful water for reuse. Among different techniques employed for oily wastewater (oil-in-water; O/W emulsion) treatment, membrane-based separation is advantageous owing to its lower energy consumption, recycling, ease of operation, and wider scope of tuning the active layer chemistry for enhanced performance. In line with the possibilities of enhancing the performance of the membranes for efficient O/W emulsion separation, the current work is designed to yield five different variants of polyaniline (PANI) active layers with special surface wettability features (superhyrophilic and underwater superoleophobic) on a ceramic alumina support. To achieve variants of PANI on ceramic alumina supports, emulsion polymerization was carried out, and different concentrations of initiator ammonium persulfate (APS) were applied to lead to PANI-A@Aluminum Oxide membrane, PANI-B@Aluminum Oxide membrane, PANI-C@Aluminum Oxide membrane, PANI-D@Aluminum Oxide membrane, and PANI-E@Aluminum Oxide membrane corresponding to 0.15, 0.25, 0.35, 0.5, and 1.0 M concentrations of initiator. The variation in initiator concentration resulted in different PANI growth patterns; hence, the resultant membranes showed different structural, physical, and performance features. Different characterization techniques including 1H NMR, SEM, FE-TEM, AFM, water contact angle, XRD, EDX, and ATR-FTIR confirmed a more uniform and continuous growth of PANI (PANI-B) using a 0.25 M initiator concentration. The resultant PANI-B@Aluminum Oxide membrane showed an excellent surfactant stabilized crude O/W emulsion separation reaching >99% with a permeate flux of 2154 L m-2 h-1 (LMH) at 4 bar using a 100 ppm surfactant stabilized crude oil-in-water emulsion. The fouling and cleaning cycles revealed that the membrane can be reused with a 70% recovery of the initial permeate flux.

Study on hormone induction of the male parent and embryonic development, gonad differentiation, and growth of “All-female No.1” Culteralburnus

Female Culter alburnus was faster in growth rate than males. In this study, the gynogenetic G2 and the pseudo-male G2' were used as the female and male parents, respectively, to breed a new national variety “All-female No.1” C. alburnus (AFC). Hormone induction, embryonic development, gonadal differentiation, and growth of AFC were studied. The results showed induction with low concentrations of 17α-methyltestosterone in a indoor-net cage culture was not effective. Under the stimulation of 17α-methyltestosterone, some gonads had a tendency to transform into testis, but not completely. There were three types of gonads in 5-month-old and four types of gonads in 12-month-old fishes, however, they all differentiated into ovaries in 15-month-old fishes. Testosterone propionate and high concentrations of 17α-methyltestosterone in pond culture induction had a good effect resulting in ①a functional pseudo-male with normal testis development that could successfully extrude semen during the breeding period, ②a pseudo-male with normal testis development, but could not extrude semen, and ③the appearance of intersexual glands. The second experiment revealed that with common fish, all-female fish embryo had normal embryonic development. The development time and morphological characteristics of each stage were similar, but the development of the all-female embryo was slightly slower than the common embryos. The gonad differentiation of the all-female embryo were normal and none differentiated into testis, which indicated that all-female could ensure the female sex without affecting the normal gonad differentiation. The correlation between body weight, length, and month-age of all-female and common fish was strong. The all-female had faster growth rate and more uniform growth specification than the common fish. Therefore, the use of testosterone propionate and high concentrations of 17α-methyltestosterone in pond culture induction could avoid complete degeneration of gonads into ovaries. The all-female embryo had the advantages of normal embryonic development and gonadal differentiation, faster growth, and uniform growth specification.

2D Tungsten Borides Induced Interfacial Modulation Engineering Toward High-Rate Performance Zinc-Iodine Battery.

Aqueous zinc-iodine batteries are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage due to their high energy density and low cost. However, their development is hindered by several drawbacks, including zinc dendrites, anode corrosion, and the shuttle of polyiodides. Here, the design of 2D-shaped tungsten boride nanosheets with abundant borophene subunits-based active sites is reported to guide the (002) plane-dominated deposition of zinc while suppressing side reactions, which facilitates interfacial nucleation and uniform growth of zinc. Meanwhile, the interfacial d-band orbits of tungsten sites can further enhance the anchoring of polyiodides on the surface, to promote the electrocatalytic redox conversion of iodine. The resulting tungsten boride-based I2 cathodes in zinc-iodine cells exhibit impressive cyclic stability after 5000 cycles at 50 C, which accelerates the practical applications of zinc-iodine batteries.

In situ constructing fluorine/nitrogen-enriched interface on highly lithiophilic carbon fiber/MXene/ZnS skeleton for stable lithium anodes

Metallic lithium (Li) is an excellent electrode material for high-energy-density batteries; however, the continuous growth of Li dendrites and the poor deposited volume consistency of Li severely influence the stability of Li anodes. Herein, a LiF-Li3N/LiNxOy-enriched SEI is prepared in situ using a strongly lithiophilic 3D carbon fiber/MXene/ZnS (CMZ) skeleton. Multiscale in situ and ex situ characterizations reveal the mechanisms for Li nucleation and growth on the CMZ skeleton, proving that Li grows tightly over CMZ fibers. This behaviour is attributed to the CMZ skeleton, which provides abundant atomic-level active sites for the uniform and dense nucleation of Li. Electrochemical tests confirm that SEI enriched with LiF-Li3N/LiNxOy can effectively improve Li deposition kinetics, ensure uniform mass transfer and rapid migration of lithium ions in the SEI, and guarantee uniform growth of Li. Consequently, a half cell with a Li-CMZ electrode delivers a high Coulombic efficiency (99.83 %), an ultralong cycling life (17,860 h), and an excellent rate performance (30 mA cm−2). Moreover, full cells consisting of a Li-CMZ anode and different cathodes exhibit superior cycling stabilities. For Li-CMZ ‖ LiFePO4 pouch cell, 84 % capacity is maintained after 300 cycles at 1 C.

Ectopic expression of OsWOX9A alters leaf anatomy and plant architecture in rice.

Ectopic expression of OsWOX9A induces narrow adaxially rolled rice leaves with larger bulliform cells and fewer large veins, probably through regulating the expression of auxin-related and expansin genes. The WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) family plays a pivotal role in plant development by regulating genes involved in various aspects of growth and differentiation. OsWOX9A (DWT1) has been linked to tiller growth, uniform plant growth, and flower meristem activity. However, its impact on leaf growth and development in rice has not been studied. In this study, we investigated the biological role of OsWOX9A in rice growth and development using transgenic plants. Overexpression of OsWOX9A conferred narrow adaxially rolled rice leaves and altered plant architecture. These plants exhibited larger bulliform cells and fewer larger veins compared to wild-type plants. OsWOX9A overexpression also reduced plant height, tiller number, and seed-setting rate. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed several differentially expressed auxin-related and expansin genes in OsWOX9A overexpressing plants, consistent with their roles in leaf and plant development. These results indicate that the ectopic expression of OsWOX9A may have multiple effects on the development and growth of rice, providing a more comprehensive picture of how the WOX9 subfamily contributes to leaf development and plant architecture.