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A 3D layered Ni(HCO3)2/rGO nano-architecture was fabricated by coordination self-assembly for high performance storage of Li-ions with fast electrode kinetics and a super-long life., Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been the dominating technology for electric vehicles (EV) and grid storage in the current era, but they are still extensively demanded to further improve energy density, power density, and cycle life. Herein, a novel 3D layered nanoarchitecture network of Ni(HCO3)2/rGO composites with highly uniform Ni(HCO3)2 nanocubes (average diameter of 100 ± 20 nm) wrapped in rGO films is facilely fabricated by a one-step hydrothermal self-assembly process based on the electrostatic interaction and coordination principle. Benefiting from the synergistic effects, the Ni(HCO3)2/rGO electrode delivers an ultrahigh capacity (2450 mA h g–1 at 0.1 A g–1), ultrafast rate capability and ultralong cycling stability (1535 mA h g–1 for the 1000th cycle at 5 A g–1, 803 mA h g–1 for the 2000th cycle at 10 A g–1). The detailed electrochemical reaction mechanism investigated by in situ XRD further indicates that the 3D architecture of Ni(HCO3)2/rGO not only provides a good conductivity network and has a confinement effect on the rGO films, but also benefits from the reversible transfer from LiHCO3 to LixC2 (x = 0–2), further oxidation of nickel, and the formation of a stable/durable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film (LiF and LiOH), which are responsible for the excellent storage performance of the Li-ions. This work could shed light on the design of high-capacity and low-cost anode materials for high energy storage in LIBs to meet the critical demands of EV and mobile information technology devices.

Efficient solar-thermal energy conversion and storage is significant to overcome current energy shortage problems. Monitoring solar-thermal energy storage process by an evident and convenient display is conducive to improving energy utilization. Herein, fluorescent thermochromic wood-based composite phase change materials (WPCMs) were constructed for visual solar-thermal energy conversion and storage. It was fabricated by encapsulating polyethylene glycol (PEG) and aggregation-induced emission carbon dots (AIE-CDs) showing blue dispersed emission and red aggregation-induced emission into delignified wood (DW). The DW well-preserved the distinctive anisotropic porous structure and prevented the leakage problem of PEG. The WPCMs possessed great solar-thermal conversion capacity benefitting from strong and broad solar light absorption behaviors of AIE-CDs. Additionally, WPCMs showed real-time and visual fluorescent thermochromic property, it exhibited red AIE, and the fluorescence (FL) decreased and shifted into the blue emission band under solar radiation. The solar-thermal energy conversion and storage led to solid–liquid transformation of WPCMs, which promoted AIE-CDs’ dispersion, thereby changing the FL. It also exhibited a high latent heat of fusion (160.8 J·g−1), favorable stability over 150 heating–cooling cycles, thermal stability below 210 °C and good shape stability. The WPCMs can be extended to applications in energy-saving buildings and optical lighting materials with visual thermal regulation capability.

Formaldehyde (FA) is a widespread indoor air pollutant, and its efficient detection is a major industrial challenge. The development of a building material with real-time and visual self-detection of FA gas is highly desirable for meeting both construction and human health demands. Herein, a luminescent transparent wood (LTW) as the building material was developed for dual-channel, real-time, and visual detection of FA gas. It was fabricated by encapsulating multicolor lignin-derived carbon dots (CDs) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) into a delignified wood framework. It exhibited 85% optical transmittance, tunable room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP), and ratiometric fluorescence (FL) emission. The tunable luminescence was attributed to different CD graphitization and surface functionalization. The color-responsive ratiometric FL and delayed RTP detections of FA were displayed over the range of 20-1500 μM (

Due to the lack of effective strategies on the treatment of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), we established a multifunctional nanoplatform (GNS@IR820/DTX-CD133) for the synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT)/photodynamic therapy (PDT)/chemotherapy (CT) under the monitoring of multimodal near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence/photoacoustic (PA) imaging. Benefiting from the guided effect of CD133 antibody, GNS@IR820/DTX-CD133 can targetedly deliver the loaded drug to the tumor tissues, which can further contribute to the combined therapeutic effect. Our experimental results prove that the bio-distribution of GNS@IR820/DTX-CD133 can be monitored with NIR fluorescence and PA imaging. In addition, the application of GNS@IR820/DTX-CD133 for in vitro and in vivo therapy achieves the excellent antitumor effects of the synergistic PTT/PDT/CT strategies under the NIR-light irradiation. Therefore, as a multifunctional nanoplatform integrating the PTT/PDT/CT strategies with tumor multimodal imaging or drug tracing, GNS@IR820/DTX-CD133 has the great potential for clinical applications in the antitumor therapy of CRPC.