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Inferior specific capacity and sluggish redox kinetics are the most stubborn problems lithium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries (LIBs and LSBs) are facing, respectively. Here we report a facile fabrication of self-supported hollow Co 3 O 4 @carbon nanotubes on carbon cloth (H-Co 3 O 4 @CNT/CC) through a mild pyrolysis-oxidation process. The additive- and binder-free H-Co 3 O 4 @CNT/CC shows excellent electrochemical performances as both LIBs and LSBs electrodes. As a robust integrated anode for LIBs, the areal capacities are 2.72 mAh cm−2 at the current density of 0.5 C over 1000 cycles. While as a durable cathode host for LSBs, favorable areal capacities of 2.37 mAh cm−2 are maintained with a low capacity decay of 0.11 % per cycle at the sulfur loading of 6 mg cm−2 and current density of 1 C after 400 cycles. Electrochemical technology, ex situ Raman spectroscopy and DFT calculations are performed to comprehensively analyze H-Co 3 O 4 @CNT/CC via thermodynamics and kinetics. It is demonstrated that the hierarchically hollow interior structure, strong adsorb ability of Co 3 O 4 toward polysulfides and three-dimensional (3D) inter-connected conductive carbon framework are responsible for the high areal capacity, fast redox kinetics and cycling durability. [Display omitted] • The integrated electrode possesses the merits of hollow nanostructured Co 3 O 4 and 3D inter-connected conductive network. • Electrochemical technology and DFT calculations are performed to comprehensively analyze H-Co 3 O 4 @CNT/CC. • H-Co 3 O 4 @CNT/CC delivers high areal capacities of 2.72 mAh cm-2 after 1000 cycles at 0.5 C as anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very significant to boost separation efficiency of photoinduced charge carriers and to extend absorption light range from ultraviolet light into visible light region for photocatalysts. Here, Ti 3 C 2 incorporation boosted the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers of MoS 2 , extended absorption light region, heightened the absorption intensity of visible light, and enhanced photocatalytic stability. The rhodamine B (RhB) solution could be completely degraded using MoS 2 /Ti 3 C 2 under visible light after only 30 min. The comparing evaluation of photocatalytic activity signified that the reaction kinetics of RhB photodegradation over MoS 2 /Ti 3 C 2 increased 1.4 and 3 times under UV light and visible light irradiation, respectively. Experimental tests and density functional theory (DFT) calculation confirmed the formation of MoS 2 /Ti 3 C 2 Schottky junction, in which Ti 3 C 2 served as electron sink. The photogenerated electrons in MoS 2 easily transferred to Ti 3 C 2 phase due to driving force of built in electric field, which realized efficient separation of photocarriers and prolonged the life span of photoproduced holes. We sincerely hoped this catalyst could be widely applied in wastewater treatment field. The flower-like MoS 2 grew on lamellar Ti 3 C 2 to form MoS 2 /Ti 3 C 2 Schottky junction that easily promoted photogenerated charge separation. [Display omitted] • MoS 2 /Ti 3 C 2 Schottky junction was synthesized by a simple and low-cost method. • The photocatalytic activity of MoS 2 /Ti 3 C 2 was higher than that of benchmark MoS 2. • The boosted catalytic activity was interpreted via experiments and DFT calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]