A novel 3-phenylpropylamine intercalated molecular bronze with ultrahigh layer spacing as a high-rate and stable cathode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Perspective: Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have gained increasing attention owing to their low cost and high safety. Although hydrated vanadium oxides exhibit rich redox chemistry and open layer architecture, the insertion of multivalent Zn2+ during cycling inevitably leads to host collapse and severe vanadium dissolution. Accordingly, various ions and conducting polymers have been introduced into the interlayer to produce vanadium bronzes with a robust crystal structure. However, these pre-intercalated vanadium bronzes demonstrate limited improvement and still face the challenge of metal ion displacement and confusing reaction mechanisms. Herein, we report a novel molecular bronze with intercalated 3-phenylpropylamine for use as an AZIB cathode, which produces an ultrahigh interlayer of 18.0 Å. The cathode delivered an improved capacity of 420 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, an impressive rate capability of 158 mAh g−1 at 35 A g−1, and an outstanding lifespan with a capacity retention of 94% over 1200 cycles at 2A g−1. Furthermore, the reaction mechanism of H+/Zn2+ co-insertion was investigated in detail. This work proves that this strategy is universal for vanadium oxide bronzes and opens a new avenue for the fabrication of novel molecular bronzes as advanced AZIB cathodes

Effect of the pore length and orientation upon the electrochemical capacitive performance of ordered mesoporous carbons

By utilizing hard template method to adjust the mesopore length, and alkali activation to generate micro pores, two hierarchical porous carbons (HPCs) were prepared. With controlling of their mesopore length and the activation conditions, the complex system composed by HPCs and electrolyte was simplified and the effect of mesopore length on the performance of HPCs as electrodes in supercapacitors was investigated. It is found that with the mesopore length getting smaller, the ordered area gets smaller and the aggregation occurs, which is caused by the high surface energy of small grains. HPC with long pores (HPCL) exhibits a donut-like morphology with well-defined ordered mesopores and a regular orientation while in HPC with short pores (HPCS), short mesopores are only orderly distributed in small regions. Longer ordered channels form unobstructed ways for ions transport in the particles while shorter channels, only orderly distributed in small areas, results in blocked paths, which may hinder the electrolyte ions transport. Due to the unobstructed structure, HPCL exhibits good rate capability with a capacitance retention rate over 86% as current density increasing from 50 mA/g to 1000 mA/g. The specific capacitance of HPCL derived from the cyclic voltammetry test at 10 mV/s is up to 201.72 F/g, while the specific capacitance of HPCS is only 193.65 F/g. (C) 2016 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved

Effect of the pore length and orientation upon the electrochemical capacitive performance of ordered mesoporous carbons

By utilizing hard template method to adjust the mesopore length, and alkali activation to generate micropores, two hierarchical porous carbons (HPCs) were prepared. With controlling of their mesopore length and the activation conditions, the complex system composed by HPCs and electrolyte was simplified and the effect of mesopore length on the performance of HPCs as electrodes in supercapacitors was investigated. It is found that with the mesopore length getting smaller, the ordered area gets smaller and the aggregation occurs, which is caused by the high surface energy of small grains. HPC with long pores (HPCL) exhibits a donut-like morphology with well-defined ordered mesopores and a regular orientation while in HPC with short pores (HPCS), short mesopores are only orderly distributed in small regions. Longer ordered channels form unobstructed ways for ions transport in the particles while shorter channels, only orderly distributed in small areas, results in blocked paths, which may hinder the electrolyte ions transport. Due to the unobstructed structure, HPCL exhibits good rate capability with a capacitance retention rate over 86% as current density increasing from 50 mA mA mV F

Multiple Functions of the RNA-Binding Protein HuR in Cancer Progression, Treatment Responses and Prognosis

The human embryonic lethal abnormal vision-like protein, HuR, is a member of the Hu family of RNA-binding proteins. Over the past decade, this ubiquitously expressed protein has been extensively investigated in cancer research because it is involved in the regulation of mRNA stability and translation in many cell types. HuR activity and function is associated with its subcellular distribution, transcriptional regulation, translational and post-translational modifications. HuR regulation of target mRNAs is based on the interaction between the three specific domains of HuR protein and one or several U- or AU-rich elements (AREs) in the untranslated region of target mRNAs. A number of cancer-related transcripts containing AREs, including mRNAs for proto-oncogenes, cytokines, growth factors, and invasion factors, have been characterized as HuR targets. It has been proposed that HuR has a central tumorigenic activity by enabling multiple cancer phenotypes. In this review, we comprehensively survey the existing evidence with regard to the diverse functions of HuR in caner development and progression. The current data also suggest that HuR might be a novel and promising therapeutic target and a marker for treatment response and prognostic evaluation

Vapour induced phase inversion: preparing high performance self- standing sponge- like electrodes with a sulfur loading of over 10 mg cm 2

To obtain a satisfactory rate performance of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with a high sulfur loading, the vapour induced phase inversion (VIPI) process was used to prepare sponge-like porous electrodes. It is suitable for various solvents, binders and materials on account of phase separation principles and produces electrodes with enhanced adhesive properties, high electrolyte uptake and improved capability in electron/ion transport. As a result, batteries assembled with the VIPIE delivered a high initial discharge capacity of 1171 mA h g(-1) and presented a capacity retention of 56.6% within 400 cycles at 0.5C. Additionally, a high discharge capacity of 693 mA h g(-1) could be also obtained at 2C due to the facilitated electron/ion transport. An electrode with a high sulfur loading of 19 mg cm(-2) could be realized. The 10 mg cm(-2) sulfur loaded VIPIE delivered a high capacity of 1300 mA h g(-1) at 0.05C (equaling to an areal capacity of 13.0 mA h cm(-2)) and showed a high capacity retention of 90.7% within 60 cycles at 0.1C

Oxygen Charge transfer reaction at the Pt/YSZ interface

用极化法研究了不同温度和氧分压下Ｐｔ／ＹＳＺ界面氧的电荷传递过程．研究发现氧电荷传递过程的阴、阳极电荷传递系数为１，不随温度和氧分压而变．从实验和反应机理推导得到，Ｐｔ／ＹＳＺ界面的交换电流密度和氧分压之间存在，ｉ０＝２ＦＫｒ（ＫＯ２ＰＯ２）１／４（１＋ＫＯ２ＰＯ２）１／２的关系．通过数学分析还获电化学反应速度常数，氧在Ｐｔ表面上吸附平衡常数等重要参数Oxygen Charge transfer reaction has been investigated by various degrees of potential polarization at the Pt/YSZ interface. Anodic and cathodic charge transfer coefficients were found to be unity over the wide range of oxygen partial pressures and temperatures. While the exchange current density of the interface was found dependent on the partial pressure of oxygen in accordance with the relation: i 0=2FK r(K O 2 P O 2 ) 1/4 (1+K O 2 P O 2 ) 1/2 . Several important parameters, such as electrochemical rate constant, equilibrium constant of oxygen adsorption on Pt surface had also been extracted.作者联系地址：中国科学院大连化学物理研究所Author's Address: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 11602

Kinetic behavior of the Pt/YSZ solid electrolyte interface exposed to O_2+He mixture

用循环伏安、线性扫描等电化学方法研究了Ｐｔ／ＹＳＺ固体电解质界面的电化学行为，发现氧在Ｐｔ上的电化学吸附过程是Ｔｅｍｋｉｎ吸附过程，吸附量随时间对数增加。吸附氧的阴极还原是不可逆的过程。通过研究获得吸附氧阴极还原过程的电荷传递系数、Ｔｅｍｋｉｎ系数等重要参数。Electrochemical behavior of the Pt/YSZ solid electrolyre interface has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and linear potential sweep technique. It was found that the electrochemical adsorption of oxygen on the Pt surface follows the Temkin adsorption model. The amount of oxygen species increases logarithmically with time. Two oxygen species are electrochemically formed on the Pt surface. One is atomically adsorbed, the other probably subsurface oxygen or Pt oxide. The electrochemical reduction of adsorbed oxygen is kinetically irreverable. The cathodic peak potential is affected both by the potential sean rate and the amount of oxygen ahorbed on the surface. Kinetic parameters, such as, cathodic charge transfer coeffcient, Temkin parameter have been extracted.作者联系地址：中国科学院大连化学物理研究所Author's Address: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dailian 11602

Preparation and Examination of Planar Type Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

对固体氧化物燃料电池（ＳＯＦＣ）进行研制．在ＹＳＺ固体电解质上制备成功Ｌａ０．８Ｓｒ０．２ＭｎＯ３阴极和Ｎｉ－ＹＳＺ陶瓷阳极，并解决了高温无机密封技术难题，组装出平板式ＬＳＭ／ＹＳＺ／Ｎｉ－ＹＳＺ单电池．在９５０℃，Ｈ２为燃料时，电池最大输出功率密度达０．１２Ｗ／ｃｍ２．对阴、阳极性能分析得出，ＬＳＭ电极的电化学性能与国外报道的电极性能相当，电池功率密度较低主要是由Ｎｉ－ＹＳＺ陶瓷电极电化学活性较差和电池内阻（界面接触电阻）较大造成的．The solid oxide fuel cells of planar type(SOFC) have been developed after successfully preparing La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 cathodes and Ni YSZ ceramic anodes on YSZ plates and solving the high temperature sealing technical problem. Examination of the single cells fabricated showed that the maximum power output at 950 ℃ for H 2 as fuel and air as oxidant reached 0.12 W/cm 2. It was found that the large polarization overpotential of the Ni YSZ anode and the Ohmic losses of the cells were two main factors responsible for the relative low output power density.作者联系地址：中科院大连化学物理研究所Author's Address: Dalian Inst. of Chem. Phys., Chinese Acad. of Sci., Dalian 11602