Biodegradable Pea Protein Fibril Hydrogel-Based Quasi-Solid-State Zn-Ion Battery

Zinc-ion batteries show great potential as the next-generation power source due to their nontoxic, low-cost, and safe properties. However, issues with zinc anodes, such as dendrite growth and parasitic hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs), must be addressed to commercialize them. Solutions, such as quasi-solid-state electrolytes made from synthetic polymer hydrogels, have been proposed to improve battery flexibility and energy density. However, most polymers used are nonbiodegradable, posing a challenge to sustainability. In this study, hydrogels made from biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol) and protein nanofibrils from pea protein, a renewable plant-based source, are used as an electrolyte in aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Results show that the flexible and biodegradable hydrogel can enhance the zinc anode stability and effectively restrict HER. This phenomenon is because of the hydrogen-bond network between nanofibril functional groups and water molecules. In addition, the interaction between functional groups on nanofibrils and Zn2+ constructs ion channels for the even migration of Zn2+, avoiding dendrite growth. The Zn||Zn symmetric cell using the hydrogel electrolyte exhibits a long lifespan of over 3000 h and improved capacity retention in the Zn||AC-I2 hybrid ion batteries by suppressing cathode material dissolution. This study suggests the potential of biodegradable hydrogels as a sustainable and effective solution for biodegradable soft powering sources

Ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogenation of CO(2)as a route to methyl esters for use as biofuels or fine chemicals

A novel robust diphosphine–ruthenium(II) complex has been developed that can efficiently catalyze both the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol and its in situ condensation with carboxylic acids to form methyl esters; a TON of up to 3260 is achievable for the CO2 to methanol step. Both aromatic and aliphatic carboxylic acids can be transformed to their corresponding methyl esters with high conversion and selectivity (17 aliphatic and 18 aromatic examples). On the basis of a series of experiments, a mechanism has been proposed to account for the various steps involved in the catalytic pathway. More importantly, this approach provides a promising route for using CO2 as a C1 source for the production of biofuels, fine chemicals and methanol