Nanoporous Triazine-Framework-Assembled Electrolyte Interphase Layer as a Lithiophilic Gridding for Uniform Lithium Deposition and Dendrite Inhibition

Lithium metal is widely utilized due to its high theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential. However, the growth of uncontrollable lithium dendrites and increased voltage polarization during lithium stripping and plating can severely impact cycling stability. In this study, we propose a nitrogen-rich triazinyl nanoporous organic polymer (DCP-CTF) as an artificial solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) for a lithium-metal anode. The spatial distribution of the porous layered array structure enables the gradient migration of Li+. Meanwhile, the rigid nanochannels can also restrict the excessive growth of Li depositions through the steric confinement effect and reduce the generation of lithium dendrites. By combining density functional theory calculations with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, we demonstrate the functional lithiophilic coordination of DCP-CTF. The electron-rich triazine ring acts as a donor to attract Li+, and the pyridine nitrogen group serves as an effective lithium anchoring site. The abundant distribution of these lithiophilic sites can regulate Li+ transfer, thereby ensuring smooth lithium deposition and inhibiting dendrite formation. As a result, the DCP-CTF-modified lithium-metal anode exhibits exceptional electrochemical stability of more than 2500 h of cycling in an ether-based electrolyte at a high current density of 20 mA cm–2

Effects of maxadilan at various concentrations in iPS cells exposed to UVC.

<p>Cell viability in iPS cells that were exposed to 50 J/m², 75 J/m² and 100 J/m² UVC and treated with maxadilan (at 0 nM, 3 nM, 5 nM, 10 nM, 20 nM, 30 nM and 50 nM) was detected by WST-8 analysis. iPS cells without UVC irradiation were used as control. Values are expressed as the mean of OD ± SEM of three independent experiments. ** <i>P</i><0.01 <i>vs.</i> control group using Dunnett's test. #<i>P</i><0.05 or ##<i>P</i><0.01 <i>vs.</i> UVC+0 nM Maxadilan group using Dunnett's test.</p

PAC1 mRNA and protein were expressed in iPS cells.

<p>The expression of PAC1 mRNA in iPS cells by RT-PCR analysis (a). The expression of PAC1 protein in iPS cells by western blot analysis showed that there are three kinds of PAC1 isoforms (b). The molecular weights of these PAC1 isoforms (1, 2 and 3) vary from about 50 kDa to 80 kDa.</p

List of primers.

<p>List of primers.</p

RT-qPCR analysis of mRNA expression in iPS cells with or without maxadilan.

<p>Comparison of relative gene expression levels of Nanog, OCT4, PAX6, NESTIN, UTF1, SOX2, Rex1 and TERT in iPS cells between the control group and iPS cells treated with 100 nM maxadilan by RT-qPCR analysis. iPS cells that were not treated with maxadilan served as the control. Values are expressed as the mean of relative gene expression levels ± S.E.M of three independent experiments. There are no significant differences between the two groups (<i>p</i>>0.05 with the Student's <i>t</i>-test).</p

Comparison of protein expression levels in iPS cells with or without maxadilan.

<p>Comparison of protein expression levels of Nanog, OCT4 and SOX2 in iPS cells between the control group and iPS cells treated with 100 nM maxadilan by western blot analysis. iPS cells that were not treated with maxadilan served as the control. Results are normalized to β-actin. Values are expressed as the mean ± S.E.M of three independent experiments. There are no significant differences between the two groups (p>0.05 with the Student's t-test).</p

Fertility measurement of the female mice directly injected with bpV(HOpic).

<p>(<b>A</b>) Weekly comparison of the cumulative number of pups for the low dose bpV(HOpic)-injected mice (n = 2, blue bars), high dose-injected mice (n = 2, red bars) and control mice (n = 2, black bars). All mice had been bred with CD-1 strain males. (<b>B</b>) Weekly comparison of the cumulative number of pups produced by breeding the F1 mice. Breeding between F1 males and F1 females produced by low dose-injected females (n = 2, red bars), breeding between F1 males and F1 females produced by high dose-injected females (n = 2, green bars) and breeding between F1 males and F1 females produced by PBS-injected females (n = 2, black bars). n = number of breeding pairs used.</p

Western blot analysis in iPS cells with or without maxadilan.

<p>Western blot analysis of Nanog, OCT4 and SOX2 protein expression in iPS cells of both the control group and iPS cells treated with 100 nM maxadilan. iPS cells that were not treated with maxadilan served as the control. The results are representative of three independent experiments.</p

Enhanced follicular development by transient treatment of neonatal mouse ovaries with the PTEN inhibitor bpV(HOpic).

<p>(<b>A</b>) Comparison between the sizes of treated and control ovaries transplanted under the kidney capsules. One ovary from a PD3 mouse was cultured for 24 h with 1 µM bpV(HOpic) and another ovary was cultured without bpV(HOpic) and then transplanted under the capsule of each kidney of the same ovariectomized recipient as described in <i>Materials and Methods</i>. Ovaries that were treated with bpV(HOpic) before transplantation grew bigger than the non-treated control ovaries. K represents kidney tissue from the recipient, O represents the transplanted ovary, and the ovarian border is outlined by dashed circles. Scale bar = 1 mm. (<b>B</b>) Morphological analysis of treated and control ovaries excised from the kidney capsules. Ovaries from PD3 mice were cultured for 24 h with or without 1 µM bpV(HOpic) before transplantation under each kidney capsule of the same ovariectomized recipient as described in <i>Materials and Methods</i>. One day after the transplantation, recipient mice were treated daily with 2 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin for 18 days. Fourteen hours before being killed, the mice were treated with 5 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin. Ovaries were excised from the kidney capsules and embedded in paraffin, and serial sections of 8 µm thickness were prepared and stained with hematoxylin. A larger number of antral follicles were observed in the bpV(HOpic)-treated ovaries (arrows) than in the control ovaries. The experiments were repeated at least 4 times, and 5 mice were used each time. Scale bar = 250 µm.</p

RT-qPCR analysis of mRNA expression in EBs from iPS cells with or without maxadilan.

<p>RT-qPCR analysis comparing the relative gene expression levels of PAX6 and NESTIN in the EBs from the control group and from iPS cells treated with 100 nM maxadilan. iPS cells that were not pretreated with maxadilan served as the control. Values are expressed as the mean of relative gene expression levels ± S.E.M of three independent experiments. There are no significant differences between the two groups (<i>p</i>>0.05 with the Student's <i>t</i>-test).</p