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Mainland: This study investigates the intermedia agenda-setting (IAS) relationships among major newspapers in Hong Kong, the U.S. and mainland China concerning the 2019 anti-extradition bill protests. It builds on the protest paradigm to characterize the news attributes adopted by leading media outlets and examined the transfer of attribute agendas at both regional and international levels. A total of 9,646 news items were content analyzed. Granger causality tests revealed that mainland Chinese media were the primary agenda-setter among the three, contrary to previous findings that media agendas mostly flow from the U.S. to other countries. Hong Kong newspapers exerted a bottom-up influence on their U.S. counterparts, setting the attribute agenda regarding Chinese authority and international society. A breakdown of the Hong Kong press into three political camps showed diverse IAS relationships. The findings testify to the co-existence of dominant flows and contra-flows in regional and international news flows and imply that organizational and socio-cultural factors can potentially influence IAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by the mechanism exploration via the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the chromium (Cr) doped CoFe 2 O 4 nanoflowers (Cr-CoFe 2 O 4) are designed and directly constructed on nickel foam as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for LOB, which can achieve low overpotential (0.48 V), high discharge capacity (22030 mA h g−1) and long-term cycling durability (over 500 cycles at 300 mA g−1). [Display omitted] Tailored electrocatalysts that can modulate their electronic structure are highly desirable to facilitate the reaction kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxidation reduction reaction (ORR) in lithium-oxygen batteries (LOB). Although octahedron predominant inverse spinels (e.g., CoFe 2 O 4) have been proposed as promising candidates for catalytic reactions, their performance has remained unsatisfactory. Herein, the chromium (Cr) doped CoFe 2 O 4 nanoflowers (Cr-CoFe 2 O 4) are elaborately constructed on nickel foam as a bifunctional electrocatalyst that drastically improves the performance of LOB. The results show that the partially oxidized Cr6+ stabilizes the cobalt (Co) sites at high-valence and regulates the electronic structure of Co sites, facilitating the oxygen redox kinetics of LOB due to their strong electron-withdrawing capability. Moreover, DFT calculations and ultraviolet photoelectron spectrometer (UPS) results consistently demonstrate that Cr doping optimizes the e g electron filling state of the active octahedral Co sites, significantly improves the covalency of Co-O bonds, and enhances the degree of Co 3d-O 2p hybrids. As a result, Cr-CoFe 2 O 4 catalyzed LOB can achieve low overpotential (0.48 V), high discharge capacity (22030 mA h g−1) and long-term cycling durability (over 500 cycles at 300 mA g−1). This work promotes the oxygen redox reaction and accelerates the electron transfer between Co ions and oxygen-containing intermediates, highlighting the potential of Cr-CoFe 2 O 4 nanoflowers as bifunctional electrocatalysts for LOB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With markedly expansive demand in energy storage devices, rechargeable batteries will concentrate on achieving the high energy density and adequate security, especially under harsh operating conditions. Considering the high capacity (3860 mA h g−1) and low electrochemical potential (−3.04 V vs the standard hydrogen electrode), lithium metal is identified as one of the most promising anode materials, which has sparked a research boom. However, the intrinsically high reactivity triggers a repeating fracture/reconstruction process of the solid electrolyte interphase, side reactions with electrolyte and lithium dendrites, detrimental to the electrochemical performance of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Even worse, when exposed to air, lithium metal will suffer severe atmospheric corrosion, especially the reaction with moisture, leading to grievous safety hazards. To settle these troubles, constructing air‐stable protective layers (ASPLs) is an effective solution. In this review, besides the necessity of ASPLs is highlighted, the modified design criteria, focusing on enhancing chemical/mechanical stability and controlling ion flux, are proposed. Correspondingly, current research progress is comprehensively summarized and discussed. Finally, the perspectives of developing applicable lithium metal anodes (LMAs) are put forward. This review guides the direction for the practical use of LMAs, further pushing the evolution of safe and stable LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the temperature of the battery and improve its thermal safety during use, this paper tentatively designs an oil-immersed battery thermal management system to validate the feasibility of the insulating oil on cooling the discharging battery. Through a series of experiments, the dielectric property of the transformer oil and silicon oil is further confirmed, and their cooling effectiveness is superior to the natural convection. Specifically, the insulating oils not only control the battery temperature below 35 ℃, but also thermally homogenize the battery with temperature differences below 3 ℃ in the discharge rate ranging from 1 to 2 C. Furthermore, both the cooling and homogenization performances demonstrate that the transformer oil is better than silicon oil. This work experimentally demonstrates the performance of silicon oil and transformer oil for cooling the battery, and the feasibility of self-designed oil-immersed battery cooling system is also verified, which can provide effective guidance for the development of higher-efficient direct-contact liquid cooling system in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overcharge is a common case of battery thermal abuse, which can accelerate the aging of battery and cause the attenuation of battery capacity. In extreme conditions, overcharge can generate a large amount of heat, leading to battery failure and thermal runaway. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to improve the safety during the overcharge process. In this paper, phase change materials (PCMs) are used to mitigate the temperature of overcharged lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which proves that PCMs can effectively reduce the battery surface temperature as well as the probability of thermal runaway. In order to identify the appropriate PCM on the thermal management of overcharged LIBs, PCMs with phase change temperatures (PCTs) of 37°C, 43°C, 58°C are used in the tests. The results show that the PCM-37 exhibits the best performance. In addition, different degrees of overcharge also bring different effects to the battery, while the applications of PCMs can well mitigate the sharp increase in temperature. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of PCMs on improving the thermal safety of overcharging LIBs and further provide guidance on the development of more efficient battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) where the overcharge usually occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The structure and catalytic properties of BiCeVMoO catalysts with different composition for selective oxidation of propane have been investigated. It has been shown that bismuth may be substituted by a low amount of cerium while the Scheelite structure of BiVMoO remains unchanging. With the increasing of Ce (Ce/(Ce+Bi)>0.15), new phases of CeVO4 and Ce2(MoO4)3 formed. The cerium which probably entered into the lattice of BiVMoO promotes the forming of acrolein, and the selectivity to acrolein increased to a maximum at Ce/(Ce+Bi) atomic ratio=0.15 (45mol% at ∼30mol% propane conversion). Further increasing Ce content results in further oxidation of propylene and acrolein to CO x due to the strong oxidative ability of catalysts. The proper amount of introduced cerium, which probably occupied the lattice sites of Bi3+ enhanced the oxidative ability of catalysts moderately by increasing the activity and the amount of surface active oxygen species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The as-synthesized molybdenum nitrides and carbide has higher conversion of alkadienes and selectivity of alkenes for selective hydrogenation of longer chain alkadienes (C10–C13) than the supported palladium catalyst used in industry at higher temperature and pressure. The introduction of oxygen element to the surface of molybdenum nitride or carbide is favorable to improvement of selectivity of alkenes. The passivated molybdenum nitride or carbide catalyst pretreated in H2 at 450 °C has higher yield of alkenes than corresponding unpassivated and passivated molybdenum nitride or carbide, respectively. It was proved by XPS that the modification of molybdenum nitride or carbide by oxygen results in the change of oxidation states of molybdenum and their content. Decreasing of Mo0 content and improvement of Mo2+ and Mo3+ are favorable to the elevation of selectivity of alkenes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In situ EPR investigation by using CO as probe molecules shows that even pre-reduced by H2 at lower temperature results in SMSI for anatase titania supported palladium catalyst, but not for rutile titania supported palladium catalyst. The reason of the different behavior between rutile and anatase titania supported palladium catalyst is discussed. The very different catalytic properties between anatase and rutile titania supported palladium catalyst pre-reduced at lower temperature, and the rapid change of conversion and selectivity of titania supported palladium catalyst with the elevation of pre-reduction temperature further confirm the above-mentioned results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nanosized molybdenum boride and carbide were synthesized from MoO3, KBH4, and CCl4 by thermo-synthesis method at lower temperature. The relative content of Mo, Mo2C, and molybdenum boride in the product was decided by the molar ratio between MoO3, KBH4, and CCl4. Increasing the molar ratio of CCl4 to MoO3 was favorable to the production of Mo2C. Increasing the molar ratio of KBH4 to MoO3 was favorable to the production of molybdenum boride. By carefully adjusting the reaction conditions and annealing in Ar at 900°C, a single phase of MoB could be obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduced orthorhombic and trigonal system into 0.5La 0.6 Sr 0.4 MnO 3 -0.5LaMn 0.6 Co 0.4 O 3 (LSMCO) by selectively incorporating Sr and Co cations into the LaMnO 3 framework during the sol-gel process, which is used to explore the relationship among crystal structure, electronic states and catalytic performance. [Display omitted] Sculpting crystal configurations can vastly affect the charge and orbital states of electrocatalysts, fundamentally determining the catalytic activity of lithium-oxygen (Li–O 2) batteries. However, the crucial role of crystal configurations in determining the electronic states has usually been neglected and needs to be further examined. Herein, we introduce orthorhombic and trigonal system into 0.5La 0.6 Sr 0.4 MnO 3 -0.5LaMn 0.6 Co 0.4 O 3 (LSMCO) by selectively incorporating Sr and Co cations into the LaMnO 3 framework during the sol-gel process, which is used to explore the relationship among crystal structure, electronic states and catalytic performance. Based on both experimental and theoretical calculations, the dual-crystal configurations induce strong lattice distortion, which promotes MnO 6 octahedra vibration and shortened Mn O bonds. Furthermore, the suppressed Jahn-Teller distortion weakens the orbital arrangement and accelerates the charge delocalization, leading to the conversion of Mn3+ to Mn4+ and optimized electronic states. Ultimately, this resulted in optimized Mn 3d and O 2p orbital hybridization and activated lattice oxygen function, leading to a significant improvement in electrocatalytic activity. The LSMCO catalyzed Li–O 2 battery achieves enhanced discharge capacity of 14498.7 mAh/g and cycling stability of 258 cycles. This work highlights the significance of inner structure and presents a feasible strategy for engineering crystal configurations to boost electrocatalysis of Li–O 2 batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Full‐dimensional (FD) massive MIMO can overcome the limitation of the physical space at the base station (BS) and meet the increasing capacity requirement for future wireless communications. However, the pilot overhead for the acquisition of the channel state information (CSI) at the BS could be prohibitively high due to the large number of antennas. In this letter, exploiting the Kronecker property of the channel, we propose a low‐rank matrix fitting based channel estimation (LMFCE) scheme to reduce the pilot overhead in FD massive MIMO systems. The simulation results illustrate that the proposed LMFCE scheme can significantly reduce the pilot overhead for the channel estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presenting a three-dimensional organic–inorganic composite frame material that features nitrogenous functional groups with zincophilicity as an artificial bi-functional layer coated on the zinc foil, to protect the Zn anodes and improve its electrochemical behaviors. [Display omitted] Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSs) are drawing extensive attention because of their cost-effectiveness and diminished safety hazards. Nevertheless, large-scale application of ZHSs has been hindered by the severe side reactions and rampant dendrites growth on the surface of Zn metal anodes. Herein, we propose a three-dimensional organic–inorganic composite frame material as an artificial bi-functional layer coated on the zinc foil, featuring nitrogenous functional groups with zincophilicity (abbreviated as NCFM@Zn). The nitrogen (N) site's strong adsorption capacity and synergistic effect of the sub-nanopore size promote rapid desolvation of zinc ions and reduce side reactions, while also prolonging galvanized nucleation's Sand's time and allowing for even nucleation. Moreover, the uniform distribution of N on the layer results in homogeneous zinc ions flux and supports consistent zinc plating while inhibiting dendrites generation. As a result of this unique artificial bi-functional layer, symmetric Zn cells can survive 2500 h at 2.5 mA cm−2. High-areal-capacity zinc||activated carbon hybrid supercapacitors also demonstrate 20,000 cycles at high Coulombic efficiency, thus highlighting the utter convenience and potential of this strategy for modifying rechargeable metal hybrid supercapacitor surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical biosensor, as a real-time and rapid detection method, has rarely been explored in marine monitoring. In present work, microbial electrochemical biosensors based on two design strategies: disperse system and integrated microbial electrode, were systematically discussed and their feasibility in marine biotoxicity assessment were investigated. An isolation method was initially investigated to eliminate the potential interference and detect the biological response accurately. The influence of water salinity on the current response was eliminated by adopting the salt-tolerant bacteria Staphylococcus aureus as test microorganism and buffer solution with sufficient ionic strength. The biotoxicity of heavy metal ions and pesticides were sensitively determined. Furthermore, a novel integrated microbial biosensor was designed by immobilizing S. aureus with a redox-active gel that consists of chitosan and poly (diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) mixture and confined potassium ferricyanide via electrostatic interaction. The IC 50 values for Cu2+, Zn2+, Cr 2 O 7 2− and Ni2+ were 3.01 mg/L, 1.34 mg/L, 7.64 mg/L and 9.41 mg/L, respectively. This work not only verified the feasibility of electrochemical biosensor in marine pollution monitoring, but also compared the pros and cons of two biosensor design strategies, which provide a guidance for the future development and application of marine monitoring devices based on electrochemical method. [Display omitted] • Microbial electrochemical biosensor is rarely explored in marine monitoring. • An isolation method and an integrated biosensor were designed and compared. • Salt-tolerant bacteria Staphylococcus aureus was used as test microorganism. • The biosensors are stable and sensitive in the hyper-saline condition of seawater. • The biotoxicity of heavy metal ions, pesticides and real seawater were detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upper shift of the d-band level of Fe active sites was realized by regulating electronic structure of NiFe 2 O 4 /MoS 2 heterostructure, fundamentally improving the electrocatalytic performance of NiFe 2 O 4 /MoS 2. [Display omitted] The electronic structure of cathode catalysts dominates the electrochemistry reaction kinetics in lithium-oxygen batteries. However, conventional catalysts perform inferior intrinsic activity due to the low d-band level of the active sites makes it difficult to bond with the reaction intermediates, which results in poor electrochemical performance of lithium-oxygen batteries. Herein, NiFe 2 O 4 /MoS 2 heterostructures are elaborately constructed to reach an electronic state balance for the active sites, which realizes the upper shift of the d-band level and enhanced adsorption of intermediates. Density functional theory calculation suggests that the d-band center of Fe active sites on the heterostructure moves toward the Fermi level, demonstrating the heterointerface engineering endows Fe active sites with high d-band level by the transfer and balance of electron. As a proof of concept, lithium-oxygen battery catalyzed by NiFe 2 O 4 /MoS 2 exhibits a large specific capacity of 21526 mA h g−1 and an extended cycle performance for 268 cycles. Moreover, NiFe 2 O 4 /MoS 2 with strong adsorption to intermediates promotes the uniform growth of discharge products, which is favor of the reversible decomposition during cycling. This work presents the energy band regulation of the active sites in heterostructure catalysts has great feasibility for enhancing catalytic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light olefins (C2â€"C4) play a crucial role as basic ingredients in chemical industry, and oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of light alkanes to olefins has been one of the popular routes since the shale gas revolution. ODH of light alkanes has advantages on energy-and-cost saving as compared with traditional direct dehydrogenation, but it is restricted by its overoxidation which results in the relatively low olefin selectivity. Boron nitride (BN), an interesting nanomaterial with an analogous structure to graphene, springs out and manifests the superior performance as advanced catalysts in ODH, greatly improving the olefin selectivity under high alkane conversion. In this review, we introduce BN nanomaterials in four dimensions together with typical methods of syntheses. Traditional catalysts for ODH are also referred as comparison on several indicatorsâ€"olefin yields and preparation techniques, including the metal-based catalysts and the non-metal-based catalysts. We also surveyed the BN catalysts for ODH reaction in recent five years, focusing on the different dimensions of BN together with the synthetic routes accounting for the active sites and the catalytic ability. Finally, an outlook of the potential promotion on the design of BN-based catalysts and the possible routes for the exploration of BN-related catalytic mechanisms are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient CO 2 electrodes require optimized catalytic activity and a delicate electrode structure. However, it is often insufficient to consider only a single factor when constructing a high-performance electrode. In this study, we elaborately prepare the freestanding Fe-doped CoP catalysts on N-doped carbon cloth (Fe-CoP@N-CC) substrates, which synergistically realizes electronic structure tuning of the catalysts and electrode structure modification. The experimental and theoretical calculations reveal that the electrode structure, consisting of fully covered nanowires on an N-CC skeleton, promotes mass transfer and accommodates products. The introduction of N atoms in Fe-CoP@N-CC leads to increased defects and strong Co–N–C bonds at the interface, enhancing interfacial electron transfer. Furthermore, Fe doping optimizes the electronic structure of Fe-CoP@N-CC. This synergistic enhancement facilitates the kinetics of both CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) and CO 2 evolution reaction (CO 2 ER), resulting in the formation of large-size spherical morphologies following the solution pathway. The improved electrocatalytic performance of Fe-CoP@N-CC electrodes was demonstrated by their high discharge capacity of 4127 mAh g−1 and cycling stability of 446 h in Li–CO 2 batteries. These findings emphasize the significance of compatibility between electrode structure and catalytic activity in the design of CO 2 electrode. • Fe-doped CoP on N-doped carbon cloth (Fe-CoP@N-CC) substrates were fabricated. • Enlarged reaction active area and promoted mass transfer. • Strong Co–N–C bonds at the interface can facilitate interfacial electron transfer. • Enhanced CO 2 RR and CO 2 ER kinetics are realized. • Optimizing morphology and discharge product pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although studies have investigated cyber-rumoring previous to the pandemic, little research has been undertaken to study rumors and rumor-corrections during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. Drawing on prior studies about how online stories become viral, this study will fill that gap by investigating the retransmission of COVID-19 rumors and corrective messages on Sina Weibo, the largest and most popular microblogging site in China. This study examines the impact of rumor types, content attributes (including frames, emotion, and rationality), and source characteristics (including follower size and source identity) to show how they affect the likelihood of a COVID-19 rumor and its correction being shared. By exploring the retransmission of rumors and their corrections in Chinese social media, this study will not only advance scholarly understanding but also reveal how corrective messages can be crafted to debunk cyber-rumors in particular cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The mixed-phase TiO2 photocatalysts with different anatase/rutile/brookite ratios and high specific surface area (157–218m2/g) were prepared by hydrothermal method at 100°C and the effect of rutile content in TiO2 on the BET surface area, light absorption and separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers was studied and correlated to the photocatalytic activity of TiO2. Rutile content increased from 0% to 100% by increasing the amount of TiCl4 in aqueous phase and the initial pH value of reaction solution played an important role in the phase composition of TiO2. The photocatalytic mechanism of mixed-phase TiO2 was discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nanosized metallic molybdenum could be synthesized from MoO3 and KBH4 by solid-state reaction at moderate temperature. The crystallinity, morphology, surface properties of as-synthesized metallic molybdenum were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectral (XPS). The results of its catalytic activity test show that the as-synthesized nanosized metallic molybdenum is superior to the noble metal catalyst 0.3% Pd/Al2O3 for the selective hydrogenation of alkadienes at higher temperature and pressure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, the novel triphenylphosphine-based covalent organic frameworks (P–COF-1) were firstly introduced into polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) to fabricate P–COF-1/PCN heterojunctions via intermolecular π-π interaction. The photocatalytic H 2 production rate over the 9% P–COF-1/PCN heterojunctions is ca. 12 times as much as that of pure PCN. The photoelectrochemical measurements and theoretical calculation results show that due to the well-matched band structure between P–COF-1 and PCN, the photo-generated electrons tend to migrate from P–COF-1 into the conduction band of PCN through the interface of heterostructures. In addition to the π→π∗ electron transition of conjugated tri- s -triazine units in the 9% P–COF-1/PCN with band gap energy of 2.53 eV, the lone pair electrons of P transition to the π∗ orbitals of P–COF-1 (n→π∗) with lower band gap energy of 1.82 eV results in the effective separation of photo-generated carriers and more visible light absorption, and thus enhanced the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. • The P–COF-1/PCN heterojunctions were firstly fabricated by π-π interaction. • The n.→π∗ electron transition was induced in the P–COF-1/PCN heterojunctions. • Hydrogen production rate was enhanced over the 9% P–COF-1/PCN heterojunctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • UMMT coating promotes the Zn2+ diffusion by the strong attraction of −C=O and −NH 2. • UMMT coating serves as a desolvation layer, mitigating the parasitic reactions. • The hydrogen bonding between urea and MMT strengthens MMT's mechanical properties. • The symmetric cell with UMMT@Zn anode survives over 1300 h at 6 mA cm−2 / 3 mAh cm−2. Clay minerals as artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers have played a crucial role in protecting zinc metal anodes for aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) due to their unique layered structure, negatively charged lamellas, ion exchange ability, and electronic insulation. However, the clay mineral layers exhibit limited ability to suppress dendrites and side reactions on the Zn anode in the water-based working environment. This limitation is attributed to the severe volumetric expansion, poor mechanical performance, and inferior zinc ion conductivity. To address these issues, montmorillonite (MMT) is intercalated with urea in this study. The resulting dense and robust UMMT coating layer enhances the diffusion of Zn2+ and increases the Zn2+ concentration at the Zn deposition surface through strong absorption of Zn2+ at −C=O and −NH 2 active sites. As a result, it facilitates the uniform deposition of Zn2+ and inhibits dendrite growth. Additionally, the UMMT coating layer acts as a desolvation layer, mitigating parasitic reactions originated from active water. Consequently, the UMMT coating layer enables stable Zn plating/stripping compared to MMT layer. In symmetric cells, MMT@Zn electrode exhibits a significantly longer lifespan of over 1300 h at 6 mA cm−2 with a capacity of 3 mAh cm−2. Furthermore, it demonstrates enhanced cyclic performance of 254 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1 after 4000 cycles in Zn//V 2 O 5 full cells. This present work presents a strategy to intercalate small-molecule organics into clay minerals, enhancing their protective capacity and expanding their application as SEI layers in AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical collision technique has emerged as a powerful approach to detect the intrinsic properties of single entities. The diffusion model, together with migration and convection processes are generally used to describe the transport and collision processes of single entities. However, things become more complicated concerning microbes because of their relatively large size, inherent motility and biological activities. In this work, the electrochemical collision behaviors of four different microorganisms: Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria), Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive bacteria) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (fungus) were systematically detected and compared using a blocking strategy. By using K 4 Fe(CN) 6 as redox probe, the downwards step-like signals were recorded in the collision process of all the three bacteria, whereas the collision of S. cerevisiae was rarely detected. To further investigate the underlying reason for the abnormal collision behavior of S. cerevisiae , the effect of cell settlement was discussed. The results indicated that ellipsoidal S. cerevisiae with a cell size larger than 2 μm exhibited a cell sedimentation rate of 261.759 nm s−1, which is dozens of times higher than the other three bacteria. By further enhanced convection near the microelectrode or positioned the microelectrode at the bottom of electrochemical cell, the collision signals of S. cerevisiae were successfully detected, indicating cell sedimentation is a nonnegligible force in large cell transport. This study fully addressed the effect of cell settlement on the transport of microbial cells and provided two strategies to counteract this effect, which benefit for the deeper understanding and further application of electrochemical collision technique in single-cell detection. [Display omitted] • The electrochemical collisions of single gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria and fungi were successfully realized. • The effect of cell settlement was discussed for the first time in single-microbe collision. • Influence of diffusion, migration, convection and biological activity on cell transport towards UME was discussed. • Effect of cell settlement was counteracted by removing the supporting electrolyte and utilized in S. cerevisiae collision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is a cost-effective and high-yield precursor for the carbon anode of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). To enhance Na+ storage behavior, it is crucial to prevent long-range graphitization of microcrystals within the coal structure during high-temperature carbonization. Herein, we present a strategy to inhibit graphitized microcrystals of anthracite-derived carbon, which reveals the correlations between the initial Coulombic efficiency (CE) and heteroatom/defects. By introducing NH 3 during the carbonization process of anthracite, it is possible to effectively remove the heteroatoms (O, S, etc.) in anthracite, while also expanding the spacing of carbon layers derived from anthracite. This results in obtaining high capacity and high initial CE. Using Nitrogen-doped anthracite hard carbon (N-AC-1200) as an anode material for SIBs, a high reversible capacity of 220 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 is achieved. Furthermore, a full cell assembled by Na 2/3 Ni 1/3 Mn 2/3 O 2 (NNMO) cathode and N-AC-1200 anode delivers a high capacity of 76 mA h g−1 at 5C. The insights provided by this work will help guide the design of heteroatom-controlled hard carbon microcrystalline environment and provide new ideas for practical hard carbon electrode design principles. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NOx is the main pollutant in the air, which causes many harmful effects on society. The V2O5/TiO2 catalysts are very important to reduce the NOx from the heat engine plants and vehicle exhausts. However, various reasons will affect the performance of the catalysts. In this paper, the polymerization state of surface VOx of supported V2O5/TiO2 catalysts was controlled by changing the pH value of the impregnation precursor solutions, and the redox and acidity properties of the catalysts can be adjusted consequently. The Raman spectroscopy, 51V magic‐angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR), H2‐temperature‐programmed reduction (H2‐TPR), NH3‐temperature‐programmed desorption (NH3‐TPD), NH3‐temperature‐programmed oxidation (TPO) and 15NH3‐NO‐O2‐temperature‐programmed surface reaction (TPSR) were mainly used for the characterization and properties tests of the samples. Although all catalysts in this work had similar surface morphology and the same vanadium loading, the catalyst oxidability decreased while acidity increased with the increasing of VOx polymerization, which causes the NO conversion increases with the increasing of VOx polymerization below 300 °C in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) de‐NOx reaction. This work will promote the advance in catalysis and anti‐pollution fields for human and nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium–oxygen species are very harmful to the environment and human health, and also some vanadium–oxygen species have good biological and biomedical effects to human beings. Thus, the study of vanadium–oxygen species is very significant. The types of V–O species are very complex. So far, however, the various structures of V–O species cannot be identified clearly. In this work, the surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was used to study vanadium–oxygen species in aqueous solution directly. The SERS spectra with high enhancement factor (EF) and detail information were obtained by the enhancement substrates such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), Ag mirror, the Au‐deposited Pt electrodes, and rough Au electrodes. The structures of vanadium‐oxygen species in solutions with different concentration and pH had been well‐characterized firstly by the combination of SERS experiments with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This work will promote the basic study of the V–O species, and it is also a promotion for the SERS and analytical chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of phosphine‐based functional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) has attracted great attention recently. Herein, we present two examples of triphenylphosphine‐based COFs (termed P‐COFs) with well‐defined crystalline structures, high specific surface areas, and good thermal stability. Furthermore, rhodium catalysts with these P‐COFs as support material show high turnover frequency for the hydroformylation of olefins, as well as excellent recycling performance. This work not only extends the phosphine‐based COF family, but also demonstrates their application in immobilizing homogeneous metal‐based (e.g. Rh‐phosphine) catalysts for application in heterogeneous catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A thermal and electrochemical stable quasi-solid electrolyte is constructed. • The quasi-solid electrolyte guarantees the reversible lithium plating/striping behaviors with dendrites-free and dead lithium-free. • A safe anode-free lithium metal pouch cell based stable quasi-solid electrolyte and oxygen-free lithium sulfide cathodes is achieved. • The pouch cells exhibit superior reliability against mechanical damage, electrical and thermal abuse condition. The severe safety risks arising from notorious lithium dendrites growth and radical oxygen-releasing cathodes in organic liquid electrolytes under abuse conditions, hamper the practice application of lithium metal batteries, especially operated with zero lithium excess (anode-free cells, AFC). Herein, we report a stable quasi-solid electrolyte (QSE) composed of thermoplastic polyurethane and nano-fumed silica aerogels with high mechanical robust, superior hydrophobicity, exceptional thermal and electrochemical stability, as well as the capability to achieving dendrite-free deposition behaviors. Furthermore, the introduction of oxygen-free lithium sulfide as cathode fundamentally avoids the lattice oxygen release from the cathode as well as stable redox free of reactive Li metal and oxygen species, further ensure AFC reliability. As a result, a superior stability of 100 cycles with a high average Coulombic efficiency of over 98.6% can be achieved in the integrative quasi-solid and oxygen-free cathode AFC. As a proof of practical application, such AFC pouch cells with safe configuration exhibits superior reliability against mechanical damage, electrical and thermal abuse condition. This safe configuration of AFC based stable QSE and oxygen-free cathodes paves the way for safe LMBs towards the various application conditions, even under abuse circumstance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Isopropylation of acetone with isopropanol to produce MIBK as the neat result. • Iisopropanol as the safe hydrogen source instead of H 2. • Solvent, by-product and catalyst all recyclable & reusable. • Green and practical procedures that generate no wastes. A stepwise isopropylation reaction of acetone is developed for preparation of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) through acetone condensation and a recoverable Pt/C-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of mesityl oxide (MO) with isopropanol (IPA). Almost quantitative MO conversion (up to 99.9%) and excellent MIBK selectivity (up to 99.3%) could be achieved by the method. Since IPA can be obtained from propane, a cheap petrochemical product, the by-product acetone (AT) generated in the reduction of MO could be easily recovered and reused in the preparation of MO, and the Pt/C catalyst could be recycled and reused, this H 2 - and waste-free reaction may be a green and practical method for preparation of the useful fine chemical MIBK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An amorphous lanthanum-nickel-iron based oxide/hydroxide (a-LNFO). • XAFS confirmed the edge- and face-shared octahedra in a-LNFO. • Randomly arranged terminal and bridging forms expose active sites. • Introducing Ni3+ is benefit to the favorable covalency of metal-oxygen bond. • The a-LNFO based Li-O 2 battery shows excellent electrochemical performance. Constructing well-designed catalysts by manipulating geometrical and electrical structures is regarded as effective strategies for high-performance lithium-oxygen chemistry. However, the high activity and stability of catalysts cannot be always realized simultaneously, which is apt to result in high overpotentials and poor cycling life. Herein, we elaborately construct an amorphous lanthanum-nickel-iron based oxide/hydroxide (a-LNFO) with mixed geometrical configurations of edge- and face-shared octahedra, which exhibits decent catalytic activity and excellent stability. The disordered structure endows randomly arranged terminal and bridging forms and ample oxygen vacancies, exposing massive active sites. Besides, the introduction of Ni3+ with e g orbital occupancy of 1 benefits to the favorable covalency of metal–oxygen bond, which results in the accelerated electron transport and appropriate bond strength between the catalyst and oxygen–containing intermediates, boosting the intrinsic activities toward oxygen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction. Confirmed by X-ray absorption fine structure, short distance between distorted octahedra centers (Ni and Fe cations) reduces the reaction paths and induces strong electrostatic interactions, efficiently accelerating the reaction kinetics. Simultaneously, increased couples of metal-oxygen bonds in edge- and face-shared octahedra ensure the splendid stability. As a proof of concept, the a-LNFO catalyzed lithium-oxygen battery achieves a high specific discharge capacity of 13,617 mAh/g and superior cycling stability of 435 cycles. This work reveals the positive effect of geometrical configuration transformation from corner-shared octahedra to edge- and face-shared octahedra, which provides a feasible strategy for activating oxygen electrode reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUZ-4-based Pt-Sn catalysts with different sodium ion contents were prepared through sequential impregnation method. The structural and catalytic properties of the catalysts were studied by using various techniques combined with micro-reactor tests. The experimental results showed that PtSnNa/SUZ-4 catalysts exhibited high durability, high propylene selectivity and high stability with adequate sodium ion content. Sodium ion additives neutralized the strong acid sites and prevented the formation of coke. However, excess sodium ion not only reduced tin species to metallic tin, which reduced the catalyst activity by forming PtSn alloys, but also led to more Pt particles inside the pore of zeolite, which were easily deactivated by coke. It was found that catalysts with the sodium ion content at 0.5–1.5wt % led to the highest propane conversion and propylene selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The MD simulation proves VRM layer can accelerate Zn2+ transport at the electrode/electrolyte interface. • The VRM layer can effectively reduce the coordination number of water molecules in the Zn2+ solvent shell. • The symmetric cell with VRM@Zn anode achieves a long cycle life of more than 580 h even at 25 mA cm−2/12.5 mAh cm−2. The zinc (Zn) metal batteries suffer from poor plating/stripping behaviors due to the severe dendrite growth and side reactions stemming from the sluggish ion migration at the electrolyte/electrode interface. Despite effectiveness by constructing artificial ion-diffusion layer to alleviate these issues, the intrinsic mechanism of zinc ion (Zn2+) diffusion within the interfacial layer is not well elucidated yet. Here, inspired by the ability of vermiculite (VRM) to promote the self-concentration kinetics of metal ions, this intrinsic issue can be tackled by elaborately constructing VRM with fast ion-transport channels on the surface of Zn metal anodes. This unique ion channel with a natural negatively charged wall can accelerate Zn2+ transport and reduce the presence of water molecules in Zn2+ solvated shell, which can be demonstrated by molecular dynamic simulation. As a proof of concept, the symmetric cell with VRM@Zn anode achieves dendrite-free plating/stripping with a stable cycling life (580 h) even at a high rate of 25 mA cm−2 with a capacity of 12.5 mAh cm−2. Meanwhile, the Zn-carbon supercapacitor with VRM@Zn anode exhibits an extended stability over 5000 cycles at 1 A g−1. This work reveals the internal mechanism of Zn2+ diffusion within the interfacial layer, and provides an avenue for constructing highly reversible Zn metal anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the Pt catalysts supported on CeO 2 nanosheet (NS), nanopolyhedron (NP) and nanorod (NR) with preferentially exposed {100}, {111} and {110} facets, respectively, the NO conversion and N 2 selectivity for NO + CO reaction at 100–250 °C exhibit the order as Pt/CeO 2 -NS{100} > Pt/CeO 2 -NP{111} > Pt/CeO 2 -NR{110}. The higher surface concentration of oxygen vacancies on CeO 2 (NS) can promote the dissociation of NO and result in the highest performance of Pt/CeO 2 -NS{100} catalyst. Moreover, CO intensively chemisorbs on the Pt2+ ions on CeO 2 (NR) support, suppressing the dissociative chemisorption of NO and leading to lower reaction performance of Pt/CeO 2 -NR{110} catalyst. [Display omitted] • The facet–dependent effect of Pt/CeO 2 catalysts for NO + CO reaction has been studied. • The higher O2− vacancy concentration on Pt/CeO 2 -NS{100} catalyst promotes NO dissociation. • The more negatively charged O2− on CeO 2 {110} results in stronger CO adsorption on Pt2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acid and primary amine/amide co-catalyzed acetone condensation was investigated. It was found that l -proline had overwhelming catalytic activity over other amino acids as well as the analogues with similar structures. Surprisingly, thiourea, a very cheap and stable chemical, was found to be the favorable co-catalyst. Co-catalyzed by the recyclable l -proline and thiourea, condensation of acetone led to the useful products mesityl oxide (MO), diacetone alcohol (DAA) and isophorone (IP) in the excellent 96.3% total selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic properties of Cu–ZnO catalysts for glycerol hydrogenolysis to 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO) were tested in a fixed-bed reactor at 250 °C and 2.0 MPa H2. The relation between composition, surface properties, and catalytic performance of glycerol hydrogenation of Cu–ZnO catalysts was studied using nitrogen adsorption (BET methods), XRD, H2temperature-programmed reduction, and N2O chemisorptions. It was found that there was a close link between the surface CuO amount of Cu–ZnO catalyst and the reactivity for glycerol hydrogenation. The Cu–ZnO catalyst (Cu/Zn = 1.86) which had the highest surface Cu amount showed the best catalytic activity for glycerol hydrogenolysis. Furthermore, Cu–ZnO catalyst presented good stability and remarkable catalytic activity for glycerol hydrogenolysis to 1,2-PDO using raw glycerol derived from the fat saponification as feedstock. Glycerol hydrogenolysis to 1,2-PDO on Cu–ZnO catalyst in fixed-bed reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The structure and catalytic properties of Pd catalyst supported on the outer surface or inner surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been investigated by using various experimental techniques combined with acetylene selective hydrogenation tests. It has been shown that Pd/CNTs-out catalyst exhibits higher ethylene selectivity than Pd/CNTs-in catalyst for acetylene selective hydrogenation. The electron interaction between CNTs support and palladium particles is responsible for higher ethylene selectivity over Pd/CNTs-out catalyst. Graphical Abstract: It is found that Pd/CNTs-out catalyst exhibits higher ethylene selectivity than Pd/CNTs-in catalyst for acetylene selective hydrogenation. The electron interaction between CNTs support and palladium particles is responsible for higher ethylene selectivity over Pd/CNTs-out catalyst.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Cu2+–MCM-41 mesoporous materials with different loadings of copper species in the framework have been prepared by hydrothermal method and characterized by using various physico-chemical methods combined with the selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3. It has been shown that the particle size of metallic copper formed after hydrogen reduction is much smaller than that in the supported catalysts prepared by impregnation method, and that the SCR activity of catalyst increases obviously with the increase of Cu content to 10wt.% because of its higher dispersion of copper metal in the mesoporous catalyst even at higher Cu loading. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Taking the advantage of the inherent chemical activity arisen from the nitrogen incorporation for nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs), we have developed a facile strategy for the construction of binary Pt–Ru/NCNT electrocatalysts. Alloyed Pt–Ru nanoparticles have been directly immobilized onto the outer surface of NCNTs without pre-modification due to the nitrogen participation. The Pt–Ru nanoparticles have a high dispersion, a narrow size distribution of 2.5–3.5nm and tunable chemical composition. These catalysts have been evaluated for methanol oxidation and show good stability and better CO tolerance than the monometallic Pt/NCNT catalyst due to the bifunctional and electronic effects. The Pt5Ru5/NCNT catalyst shows superior electrocatalytic performance to the commercial Pt5Ru5/C catalyst. The easy fabrication and excellent performance of the NCNT-based Pt–Ru alloy catalysts indicate their potential application in direct methanol fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Deactivation of the supported V2O5/TiO2 catalysts due to deposition of alkali and alkaline earth metal salts in fly ashes is one of the most important problems in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO x by NH3. In this work, the poisoning effect of Na+ and Ca2+ ions doped on the V2O5/TiO2 catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3 has been studied. It has been shown that the Na+ and Ca2+ ions doped can poison the V2O5/TiO2 catalyst and the Na+ ions exhibit greater poisoning effect than Ca2+ ions. The NO rate constant k on the Na+-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst decreased very sharply from 97.1 to 35.0cm3 g−1 s−1 with increasing Na/V molar ratio from 0.00 to 0.20. In comparison, k on the Ca2+-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst remained almost unchanged when Ca/V molar ratio was below 0.05. Further increasing Ca/V molar ratio to 0.20 resulted in an obvious decrease of k from 101.8 to 46.3cm3 g−1 s−1. It was suggested that Na+ ions combined strongly with dispersed vanadia species, neutralized the Brønsted acid sites and reduced their reducibility. In comparison, Ca2+ ions slightly affected the Brønsted acid sites of catalyst. Besides, the dispersed vanadia species on the Ca2+-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst had higher reducibility than Na+-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst. The different poisoning effects of Na+ and Ca2+ ions doped on the V2O5/TiO2 catalyst were correlated not only to the surface acidity but also to the reducibility of catalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The structure and catalytic properties of PtSn catalyst supported on Al2O3-modified SBA-15 (Al2O3/SBA-15) have been studied by using various experimental techniques combined with propane dehydrogenation tests. It has been shown that the PtSn/Al2O3/SBA-15 catalyst exhibits higher activity than PtSn/SBA-15 catalyst and higher stability than conventional PtSn/γ-Al2O3 catalyst for propane dehydrogenation. The characterization results of the catalysts have revealed that on pure SBA-15 tin is easier to be reduced to metallic state due to weak interaction of Sn species with SBA-15 support, resulting in lower H2 uptake and thus lower catalytic activity of PtSn/SBA-15. Modifying the internal pores of SBA-15 by alumina can enhance the interaction between Sn and Al2O3/SBA-15 support, resulting in the increase of catalytic activity for propane dehydrogenation. Moreover, the PtSn/Al2O3/SBA-15 catalyst has larger bare fraction of Pt surface after coke deposition, leading to higher catalytic stability than the PtSn/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The Ni 2 P/CTF photocatalyst prepared by solid state chemical reduction method. • The H 2 evolution rate for 2.8%Ni 2 P/CTF is almost the same as that of 3.0%Pt/CTF. • The Ni 2 P cocatalysts act as active centers for H 2 evolution of CTF photocatalyst. [Display omitted] The covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) have recently become a new generation of organic semiconductor for photocatalytic hydrogen production from water splitting because of their great application potentials. However, the CTFs need to be combined with noble-metal-cocatalysts to achieve photocatalytic water splitting. Herein, we reported the noble-metal-free Ni 2 P/CTF composites as an efficient catalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. With increasing the Ni 2 P alloy loading on the surface of CTF, the photocatalytic activity increases obviously and then decreases gradually, and the highest photocatalytic H 2 evolution rate is achieved for 2.8%Ni 2 P/CTF, which is almost the same as that of 3.0%Pt/CTF photocatalyst. It has been revealed that the Ni 2 P alloy act as a cocatalyst for effectively suppressing the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes, promoting the separation and migration of the charge carriers, thereby improving the efficiency of photocatalytic H 2 evolution. This work provides a promising strategy for preparation of cheap and stable photocatalytic system based on CTF for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible-light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel well-ordered super-microporous layered material, silica-pillared niobic acid, was synthesized by a guest-exchange route and structurally characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared absorption spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), transmission electron micrographs (TEM), nitrogen adsorption method and ammonia-temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD). The obtained silica-pillared layered niobic acid had a supergallery of 1.78nm, a large BET surface area of 250m2 g−1, and a high thermal stability exceeding 973K.The pillared layered material was also found to be an efficient solid acid catalyst for the vapor-phase Beckmann rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime. When 1-hexanol was fed with cyclohexanone oxime, this solid catalyst exhibited a 100% conversion of the oxime with a selectivity of ε-caprolactam beyond 85% at a reaction temperature of 613K and a WHSV of 0.17h−1 in terms of cyclohexanone oxime, and there was no significant change of the conversion and selectivity within 6h. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel PtSnNa/ZSM‐5 monolithic catalyst was designed and synthesized for the propane dehydrogenation reaction, which was a significant transformation in industry. Experimental results showed that although the propane conversion and the propylene selectivity gradually fell down along with the reaction time, the descent speed of the PtSnNa/ZSM‐5 monolithic catalyst was slower than that of the granule catalyst and the propane conversion and propylene selectivity of the reaction with monolithic catalyst still remained at a high level after 12 hr. The monolithic catalyst had regular pore structure that facilitated the separation of the product from the catalyst and reduced the limitation on internal and external diffusion and mass transfer, and led to the high catalytic activity and stability. The catalyst could be easily fabricated and was of highly industrial application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Magnetic and durable catalyst. • Iron as the catalytic metal. • High reaction selectivity. • Using air as oxidant. Fe 3 O 4 micro-particles encapsulated within silica bearing an outer layer of ordered mesoporous mSiO 2 -Fe (Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @mSiO 2 -Fe) were synthesized. The material was a magnetically separable catalyst for the oxidative cracking reaction of styrene to produce benzaldehyde selectively, which was a very important transformation from the industrial viewpoint. Characterizations showed that this material was formed by a typical core-shell structure with uniform hexagonal mesopores possessed high specific surface area. The unique material structure facilitated the adsorption and mass transport of the organic molecules over its surface and enhanced the durability of the materials. Notably, the catalyst allowed the utilization of air as partial oxidant so that the reaction could employ reduced amount of H 2 O 2 , leading to an even safer process from large-scale application viewpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polymeric carbon nitride nanocages (PCNCs) with mesoporous hollow spherical structures and a spherical shell thickness of ca 50 nm have been successfully prepared via an ZnO-template method, in which the ZnO@PCN core-shell structures were fabricated by simple calcination of ZnO nanospheres and deposited melamine, followed by sequential treatment with hydrochloric acid and aqueous ammonia for thorough removal of ZnO templates and residual Zn2+ ions. The as-prepared pure PCNCs were characterized by various physico-chemical techniques combined with the photocatalytic oxidation reaction of rhodamine B in aqueous solution and the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic evaluation results indicate that the PCNCs catalysts show higher activity for both photocatalytic reactions than the bulk PCN catalysts prepared by conventional calcination method. The characterization results have shown that the enhanced photocatalytic properties of PCNCs catalysts are mainly attributed to their larger specific surface area, more mesoporous in the range of 2–50 nm, lower band gap energy, higher visible light absorbance and more efficient electron-hole separation in the shell of hollow spherical nanocages than those of bulk PCN. Moreover, the PCNCs catalysts with hollow spherical structures exhibit an excellent reusability in both photocatalytic reactions. Image 1 • The polymeric carbon nitride nanocages with mesoporous structure were successfully prepared via ZnO-template method. • The polymeric carbon nitride achieved superior photoredox performance for dye degradation and hydrogen evolution. • The higher visible light absorption and better electron-hole separation promoted the performance of nanocages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-sulfur (Li–S) battery has aroused intensive attention due to its intrinsicly high capacity and energy density. However, the sluggish kinetics of lithium polysulfide (LiPS) redox conversion and shuttle effect severely damage the sulfur utilization, rate performance, and cycling stability of Li–S batteries. In this work, we report that Ru-doping induced phase transformation from MoP to Mo 4 P 3 (Ru–Mo 4 P 3) could significantly facilitate the electrocatalytic conversion of LiPS. When Ru–Mo 4 P 3 nanoparticles (NPs) are decorated on hollow carbon spheres (HCS), the S/HCS-Ru-Mo 4 P 3 electrode delivers high reversible capacities of 1178 mAh g−1 and 660 mAh g−1 at 0.5C and 4C in Li–S battery, respectively. The rate performance of the developed S/HCS-Ru-Mo 4 P 3 is among the best of the reported transition metal phosphide cathodes for Li–S batteries. When the S loading is as high as 6.6 mg cm−2, S/HCS-Ru-Mo 4 P 3 retains a reversible areal capacity of 5.6 mAh cm−2 after 50 cycles, higher than that of the commercial Li-ion battery (4 mAh cm−2). The excellent Li–S battery performance can be attributed to the intrinsically active Ru–Mo 4 P 3 phase combining with hollow carbon structure, which significantly facilitates the electrocatalytic conversion and entrapment of LiPS. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel magnetically separable mesoporous silica‐supported palladium catalyst was designed and prepared for the selective hydrogenation of naphthalene to tetralin, which is an important transformation from a practical viewpoint. In the catalyst, Pd nano grains were dispersed uniformly and protected within the mesoporous silica shells being coated on the Fe3O4 core, so that the durability of the catalyst could be significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intercalation behaviour of titanium(IV) (triethanolaminato)-isopropoxide (abbreviated as TEAIP) in a series of layered protonic metal oxides was investigated. Two novel inorganic–organic hybrid nanocomposites have been obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]