Twisted Perylene Diimides with Tunable Redox Properties for Organic Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Organic rechargeable batteries gain huge scientific interest owing to the design flexibility and resource renewability of the active materials. However, the low reduction potentials still remain a challenge to compete with the inorganic cathodes. This study demonstrates a simple and efficient approach to tune the redox properties of perylene diimides (PDIs) as high voltage cathodes for organic‐based sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). With appropriate electron‐withdrawing groups as substituents on perylene diimides, this study shows a remarkable tunability in the discharge potential from 2.1 to 2.6 V versus Na⁺/Na with a sodium intake of ≈1.6 ions per molecule. Further, this study explores tuning the shape of the voltage profiles by systematically tuning the dihedral angle in the perylene ring and demonstrates a single plateau discharge profile for tetrabromo‐substituted perylene diimide (dihedral angles θ₁ & θ₂ = 38°). Detailed structural analysis and electrochemical studies on substituted PDIs unveil the correlation between molecular structure and voltage profile. The results are promising and offer new avenues to tailor the redox properties of organic electrodes, a step closer toward the realization of greener and sustainable electrochemical storage devices.     

KTi2(PO4)3 with Large Ion Diffusion Channel for High‐Efficiency Sodium Storage

To accommodate the decreasing lithium resource and ensure continuous development of energy storage industry, sodium‐based batteries are widely studied to inherit the next generation of energy storage devices. In this work, a novel Na super ionic conductor type KTi₂(PO₄)₃/carbon nanocomposite is designed and fabricated as sodium storage electrode materials, which exhibits considerable reversible capacity (104 mAh g^?1 under the rate of 1 C with flat voltage plateaus at ≈2.1 V), high‐rate cycling stability (74.2% capacity retention after 5000 cycles at 20 C), and ultrahigh rate capability (76 mAh g^?1 at 100 C) in sodium ion batteries. Besides, the maximum ability for sodium storage is deeply excavated by further investigations about different voltage windows in half and full sodium ion cells. Meanwhile, as cathode material in sodium‐magnesium hybrid batteries, the KTi₂(PO₄)₃/carbon nanocomposite also displays good electrochemical performances (63 mAh g^?1 at the 230th cycle under the voltage window of 1.0–1.9 V). The results demonstrate that the KTi₂(PO₄)₃/carbon nanocomposite is a promising electrode material for sodium ion storage, and lay theoretical foundations for the development of new type of batteries.     

A Postspinel Anode Enabling Sodium‐Ion Ultralong Cycling and Superfast Transport via 1D Channels

Sodium‐ion batteries are intensively investigated for large‐scale energy storage due to the favorable sodium availability. However, the anode materials have encountered numerous problems, such as insufficient cycling performance, dissatisfactory capacity, and low safety. Here, a novel post‐spinel anode material, i.e., single‐crystalline NaVSnO₄, is presented with the confined 1D channels and the shortest diffusion path. This material delivers an ultra long cycling life (84% capacity retention after 10 000 cycles), a high discharging capacity (163 mA h g^?1), and a safe average potential of 0.84 V. Results indicate that the post‐spinel structure is well maintained over 10 000 cycles, surprisingly, with 0.9% volume change, the Sn⁴⁺/Sn²⁺ based redox enables two sodium ions for reversible release and uptake, and the diffusion coefficient of sodium ions is characterized by 1.26 × 10^?11 cm² s^?1. The findings of this study provide a new insight into design of new frameworks with polyelectronic transfers for full performance electrode materials of sodium‐ion batteries.     

Ultrafine MoO2‐Carbon Microstructures Enable Ultralong‐Life Power‐Type Sodium Ion Storage by Enhanced Pseudocapacitance

The achievement of the superior rate capability and cycling stability is always the pursuit of sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). However, it is mainly restricted by the sluggish reaction kinetics and large volume change of SIBs during the discharge/charge process. This study reports a facile and scalable strategy to fabricate hierarchical architectures where TiO₂ nanotube clusters are coated with the composites of ultrafine MoO₂ nanoparticles embedded in carbon matrix (TiO₂@MoO₂‐C), and demonstrates the superior electrochemical performance as the anode material for SIBs. The ultrafine MoO₂ nanoparticles and the unique nanorod structure of TiO₂@MoO₂‐C help to decrease the Na⁺ diffusion length and to accommodate the accompanying volume expansion. The good integration of MoO₂ nanoparticles into carbon matrix and the cable core role of TiO₂ nanotube clusters enable the rapid electron transfer during discharge/charge process. Benefiting from these structure merits, the as‐made TiO₂@MoO₂‐C can deliver an excellent cycling stability up to 10 000 cycles even at a high current density of 10 A g^?1. Additionally, it exhibits superior rate capacities of 110 and 76 mA h g^?1 at high current densities of 10 and 20 A g^?1, respectively, which is mainly attributed to the high capacitance contribution.     

Electrospun NaVPO4F/C Nanofibers as Self‐Standing Cathode Material for Ultralong Cycle Life Na‐Ion Batteries

NaVPO₄F has received a great deal of attention as cathode material for Na‐ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity (143 mA h g^?1), high voltage platform, and structural stability. Novel NaVPO₄F/C nanofibers are successfully prepared via a feasible electrospinning method and subsequent heat treatment as self‐standing cathode for Na‐ion batteries. Based on the morphological and microstructural characterization, it can be seen that the NaVPO₄F/C nanofibers are smooth and continuous with NaVPO₄F nanoparticles (≈6 nm) embedded in porous carbon matrix. For Na‐storage, this electrode exhibits extraordinary electrochemical performance: a high capacity (126.3 mA h g^?1 at 1 C), a superior rate capability (61.2 mA h g^?1 at 50 C), and ultralong cyclability (96.5% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 2 C). 1D NaVPO₄F/C nanofibers that interlink into 3D conductive network improve the conductivity of NaVPO₄F, and effectively restrain the aggregation of NaVPO₄F particles during charge/discharge process, leading to the high performance.     

高浓度玻璃酸钠滴眼液与聚乙二醇滴眼液防治飞秒激光辅助LASIK术后干眼的临床疗效对比

目的:比较高浓度玻璃酸钠滴眼液与聚乙二醇滴眼液防治飞秒激光辅助LASIK术后干眼的临床效果。方法:选取2016年1月至2017年1月在我院视光学中心收治的飞秒激光辅助LASIK术后干眼患者80例并将其随机分为A、B两组,分别给予玻璃酸钠滴眼液(3 g/L)、聚乙二醇滴眼液,在用药后1周、2周、1个月进行干眼体征检查,比较患者用药前后泪液分泌试验(SIT)、泪膜破裂时间(BUT)、角膜荧光素染色(FL)的变化。结果:术后1周,所有患者BUT均较术前显著降低,FL均较术前显著升高,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05),但SIT与术前比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。两组患者用药后SIT数值随时间变化差异没有统计学意义(P0.05);A组和B组分别在用药后1周、2周、1个月时进行比较,SIT变化差异没有统计学意义(P0.05);而A组BUT时间、FL评分改善时间明显早于B组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:滴用高浓度玻璃酸钠滴眼液(3 g/L)对飞秒激光辅助LASIK术后干眼患者的效果明显优于滴用聚乙二醇。