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While biochar and manure can provide considerable benefits to soil properties, how these amendments may alter soil microbial activity and decomposition processes remains unknown. In a split‐split‐split‐plot experiment, we amended a sandy loam soil with three rates of manure (whole plot; 0, 3, 9 Mg ha−1) and biochar (split‐plot; 0, 2.5, 10 Mg ha−1), and installed three species of wood stakes (split‐split‐split plot; triploid poplar, Populus tomentosa Carr.; trembling aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx.; and loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L.) on the soil surface and in the mineral soil (split‐split plot) to serve as a substrate for microbial degradation. Wood stakes were sampled 3 years after installation to assess decomposition rates (mass loss), and changes in wood carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). In addition, soil extracellular enzyme activities at the 0–20 cm depth were examined. Biochar alone, especially 10 Mg ha−1, increased wood stake decomposition and moisture content on the soil surface and in the mineral soil. Manure at the rate of 9 Mg ha−1 increased soil N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase, α‐glucosidase, and aryl sulfatase activities by 91%, 17%, and 48% respectively. Because of the synergistic benefits of biochar and manure, we suggest that, in this climatic regime and soil texture, 10 Mg ha−1 biochar can be used for soil C sequestration and soil quality improvement, and 9 Mg ha−1 manure can be used in combination with biochar to build soil organic matter in plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar and manure can be used for sustainable land management. However, little is known about how soil amendments might affect surface and belowground microbial processes and subsequent wood decomposition. In a split‐split‐split plot design, we amended soil with two rates of manure (whole plot; 0 and 9 Mg ha−1) and biochar (split plot; 0 and 10 Mg ha−1). Wood stakes of three species (hybrid poplar, triploid Populus tomentosa Carr.; aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx.; and pine, Pinus taeda L.) were placed in two positions (horizontally on the soil surface, and inserted vertically in the mineral soil), which served as a substrate for fungal growth. In 3 years, the decomposition rate (density loss), moisture content, and fungal community (via high‐throughput sequencing methods) of stakes were evaluated. Results indicated that biochar and/or manure increased the wood stake decomposition rates, moisture content, and operational taxonomic unit abundance. However, the richness and diversity of fungi were dependent on wood stake position (surface > mineral), species (pine > the two Populus), and sample dates. This study highlights that soil amendment with biochar and/or manure can alter the fungal community, which in turn can enhance an important soil process (i.e., decomposition). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial interfaces can alleviate the side reactions and the formation of the metallic (e.g., Li, Na, and Zn) dendrites. However, the traditional ones always breakdown during the repeated plating/stripping and fail to regulate the electrodeposition behaviors of the electrodes. Herein, a self‐healable ion regulator (SIR) is designed as a desolvation shield to protect the Zn electrodes and guide the Zn electrodeposition. Benefiting from the intermolecular hydrogen bonds, SIR shows a superb capability to in situ repair the plating/stripping‐induced cracks. Besides, the results of theoretical calculations and electrochemical characterizations show that the coating reduces water molecules in the solvated sheath of hydrated Zn2+ and restrains the random Zn2+ diffusion on the Zn surface. Even with a coating layer of only 360 nm, the SIR‐modified Zn electrode exhibits excellent long‐term stability for >3500 h at 2 mAh cm−2 and >950 h at an ultrahigh areal capacity of 20 mAh cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial interfaces can alleviate the side reactions and the formation of the metallic (e.g., Li, Na, and Zn) dendrites. However, the traditional ones always breakdown during the repeated plating/stripping and fail to regulate the electrodeposition behaviors of the electrodes. Herein, a self‐healable ion regulator (SIR) is designed as a desolvation shield to protect the Zn electrodes and guide the Zn electrodeposition. Benefiting from the intermolecular hydrogen bonds, SIR shows a superb capability to in situ repair the plating/stripping‐induced cracks. Besides, the results of theoretical calculations and electrochemical characterizations show that the coating reduces water molecules in the solvated sheath of hydrated Zn2+ and restrains the random Zn2+ diffusion on the Zn surface. Even with a coating layer of only 360 nm, the SIR‐modified Zn electrode exhibits excellent long‐term stability for >3500 h at 2 mAh cm−2 and >950 h at an ultrahigh areal capacity of 20 mAh cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its merits of high specific capacity and intrinsic safety for aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs), Zn metal as anode suffers from dendritic growth and severe corrosion during battery operation. Here, an electrolyte surfactant of succinimide (SI) that occupies the compact region of the electrical double layer (EDL) at the Zn/electrolyte interface, which protects the Zn surface from the parasitic corrosion in aqueous electrolytes is reported. More importantly, both theoretical calculation and electrochemical analysis demonstrate that the occupation of SI at the EDL can restrict the self‐diffusion of Zn adatoms and tune interfacial reaction kinetics during Zn deposition, thereby promoting small and dense nuclei rather than large Zn dendrites. Accordingly, SI surfactants enable a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.95% and a long cumulative plated capacity over 6800 mAh cm−2 at 20 mA cm−2 for 10 mAh cm−2. Moreover, the feasibility of SI is also demonstrated on a long‐term cycling stability in Zn‐VS2 batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with high Li+‐ion conductivity is desperately desired for lithium (Li) metal anodes. However, it remains challenging to build a robust SEI rationally for the Li‐metal anodes in carbonate electrolytes. Herein, a heterogeneous nitride‐rich SEI that consists of organic nitrides on the surface and inorganic nitrides inside by stepwise‐reduction electrolyte design is constructed. The heterogeneous structure endows SEI with the capability to capture and distribute Li+ on the surface and facilitate internal Li+ transportation, leading to the redistributed Li+ flux and uniform Li electrodeposition. With the newly‐formulated carbonate electrolyte, Li||Cu cells deliver a high Coulombic efficiency of 98.0% after 300 cycles at 0.5 mA cm‐2 and 0.5 mAh cm‐2. Meanwhile, superb cycling stability is also determined with full Li‐metal cells using LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 and high‐loading LiFePO4 (12.0 mg cm−2) cathodes. This study provides a promising strategy to regulate the SEI components and stabilize the Li anodes by rational electrolyte design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor interfacial contacts of Li mental/solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) cause high impedance and induce lithium dendrite growth, which hinders the practical viability of solid‐state batteries (SSBs). Optimizing the surface chemistry of SSEs has been widely adopted for improving the Li/SSE interfacial contact. Their surface's microstructure, another critical factor influencing the actual performance of SSBs, however, has seldom been paid attention to; and the corresponding mechanism remains unclear. Addressing this issue, the authors herein propose a "surface microstructure optimization" strategy that can significantly enhance the Li/SSE interfacial contact, and in the meantime, quantify the correlations between SSB's performance and SSE's surface roughness regarding the interfacial resistance, current focusing, critical current density (CCD), and lithium deposition. Based on these fundamental understandings, a low‐surface‐roughness SSE is developed, which shows extremely small interfacial impedance (1.7 Ω cm2) and ultra‐long stable cycling life (4500 h at 0.2 mA cm−2). This work not only comprehensively demonstrates the fundamental relationship between the surface microstructure of SSEs and their battery performance but also presents a new insight into the modulation of surface kinetics of ceramic SSEs toward achieving dendrite‐free SSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: interfacial wettability; lithium metal batteries; solid-state batteries; surface microstructure EN interfacial wettability lithium metal batteries solid-state batteries surface microstructure 1 1 1 06/06/23 20230602 NES 230602 B Lithium Metal Anodes b In article number 2300165, Xiaowei Wang, Jiafeng Zhang, Ji Liang, and co-workers present an innovative "surface microstructure optimization" approach to improve the interface contact between solid-state electrolytes and lithium metal anodes. Interfacial wettability, lithium metal batteries, solid-state batteries, surface microstructure Revealing the Influence of Surface Microstructure on Li Wettability and Interfacial Ionic Transportation for Garnet-Type Electrolytes (Adv. [Extracted from the article]