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Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have attracted extensive attention for their ultrahigh energy density. However, the uncontrollable growth of Li-dendrites results in poor cyclability and potential safety risks, thus preventing their practical application. Herein, a flexible and cost-effective aqueous polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based solid-state electrolyte is prepared, which enables uniform and dendrite-free Li deposition by introducing Cs+ with an electrostatic shielding mechanism at high current densities. The self-assembly of PEO and bacterial cellulose by hydrogen bonding reduces the crystallinity of PEO and increases uniformly the distribution of lithium ions. With excellent flexibility and thermal stability, such a 3D polymer solid-state electrolyte exhibits an enhanced electrochemical stability window of 5.8 V versus Li/Li+ potential and a high ionic conductivity of 1.28 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 60 °C. The Li‖BC-PEO-Cs+‖Li symmetric cells operate stably for more than 1000 h. Furthermore, Li‖BC-PEO-Cs+‖LiFePO4 (LFP) cells show remarkable enhancement in capacity (163.4 mA h g−1 at 0.1 C), cycling stability (with a capacity retention of 96% after 500 cycles at 1 C) and high functionality and safety (withstanding folding and cutting) in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the impetus to accelerate worldwide market adoption of electrical vehicles and afford consumer electronics with better user experience, advancing fast-charging technology is an inevitable trend. However, current high-energy lithium-ion batteries are unable to support ultrafast power input without any adverse consequences, with the capacity fade and safety concerns of the mainstream graphite-based anodes being the key technological barrier. The aim of this review is to summarise the fundamentals, challenges, and solutions to enable graphite anodes that are capable of high-rate charging. First, we explore the complicated yet intriguing graphite–electrolyte interface during intercalation based on existing theories. Second, we analyse the key dilemmas facing fast-charging graphite anodes. Finally, some promising strategies proposed during the past few years are highlighted so as to outline current trends and future perspectives in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabricating heterointerfaces with optimized electronic structures is a robust strategy to boost the activity of electrocatalysts. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate that the heterointerfaces of metallic Ag and NiFe-oxides on hierarchical nanoarrays facilitate the charge transfer during the OER and optimize the electronic state of NiFe-oxides, thereby significantly boosting the activity for the OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel bifunctional organic sponge photocatalyst can enable the efficient coupling of tertiary amines with ketones in water. The asymmetric transformation can be also achieved by using this sponge photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel near infrared (NIR) phosphorescent osmium complex (Os1) was developed for lysosome tracking and photodynamic therapy. Owing to its NIR photophysical properties, cellular imaging ability and phototoxicity, it has advantages over its ruthenium analogue (Ru1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successfully developed polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, a green and highly transparent polymer material) sponge photocatalyst can catalyze cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) of tertiary amines and various nucleophiles with high efficiency and reusability under visible light irradiation. Through an easy-to-build continuous flow reactor, the sponge photocatalytic reaction can be facilely scaled up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for 'Bifunctional organic sponge photocatalyst for efficient cross-dehydrogenative coupling of tertiary amines to ketones' by Teng Zhang et al., Chem. Commun., 2017, 53, 12536–12539. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]