Homo‐C‐nucleoside analogs IV. Synthesis of 4‐(2,5‐anhydro‐D‐altro‐pentitol‐1‐yl)‐2‐phenyl‐2H‐1,2,3‐triazole homo‐C‐nucleoside. CD assignment of the absolute configuration of the carbon bridge

Dehydrative cyclization of 4‐(D‐altro ‐pentitol‐1‐yl)2‐phenyl‐2H ‐1,2,3‐triazole in basic medium with one moler equivalent of p‐toluene sulfonyl chloride in pyridine solution gave the homo‐C‐ nucleoside 4‐(2,5‐anhydro‐D‐altro ‐1‐yl)‐2‐phenyl‐2H ‐1,2,3‐triazole. The structure and anomeric configuration was determined by acylation, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass spectroscopy. The stereochemistry at the carbon bridge of homo‐C‐ nucleoside 2‐phenyl‐2H ‐1,2,3‐triazoles was determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy.     

Dual‐Confined Flexible Sulfur Cathodes Encapsulated in Nitrogen‐Doped Double‐Shelled Hollow Carbon Spheres and Wrapped with Graphene for Li–S Batteries

Batteries with high energy and power densities along with long cycle life and acceptable safety at an affordable cost are critical for large‐scale applications such as electric vehicles and smart grids, but is challenging. Lithium–sulfur (Li‐S) batteries are attractive in this regard due to their high energy density and the abundance of sulfur, but several hurdles such as poor cycle life and inferior sulfur utilization need to be overcome for them to be commercially viable. Li–S cells with high capacity and long cycle life with a dual‐confined flexible cathode configuration by encapsulating sulfur in nitrogen‐doped double‐shelled hollow carbon spheres followed by graphene wrapping are presented here. Sulfur/polysulfides are effectively immobilized in the cathode through physical confinement by the hollow spheres with porous shells and graphene wrapping as well as chemical binding between heteronitrogen atoms and polysulfides. This rationally designed free‐standing nanostructured sulfur cathode provides a well‐built 3D carbon conductive network without requiring binders, enabling a high initial discharge capacity of 1360 mA h g^?1 at a current rate of C/5, excellent rate capability of 600 mA h g^?1 at 2 C rate, and sustainable cycling stability for 200 cycles with nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency, suggesting its great promise for advanced Li–S batteries.     

Lithium‐Pretreated Hard Carbon as High‐Performance Sodium‐Ion Battery Anodes

Hard carbon (HC) is the state‐of‐the‐art anode material for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). However, its performance has been plagued by the limited initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and mediocre rate performance. Here, experimental and theoretical studies are combined to demonstrate the application of lithium‐pretreated HC (LPHC) as high‐performance anode materials for SIBs by manipulating the solid electrolyte interphase in tetraglyme (TEGDME)‐based electrolyte. The LPHC in TEGDME can 1) deliver > 92% ICE and ≈220 mAh g^?1 specific capacity, twice of the capacity (≈100 mAh g^?1) in carbonate electrolyte; 2) achieve > 85% capacity retention over 1000 cycles at 1000 mA g^?1 current density (4 C rate, 1 C = 250 mA g^?1) with a specific capacity of ≈150 mAh g^?1, ≈15 times of the capacity (10 mAh g^?1) in carbonate. The full cell of Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃‐LPHC in TEGDME demonstrated close to theoretical specific capacity of ≈98 mAh g^?1 based on Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ cathode, ≈2.5 times of the value (≈40 mAh g^?1) with nontreated HC. This work provides new perception on the anode development for SIBs.     

Toward a Low‐Cost Artificial Leaf: Driving Carbon‐Based and Bifunctional Catalyst Electrodes with Solution‐Processed Perovskite Photovoltaics

Molecular hydrogen can be generated renewably by water splitting with an “artificial‐leaf device”, which essentially comprises two electrocatalyst electrodes immersed in water and powered by photovoltaics. Ideally, this device should operate efficiently and be fabricated with cost‐efficient means using earth‐abundant materials. Here, a lightweight electrocatalyst electrode, comprising large surface‐area NiCo₂O₄ nanorods that are firmly anchored onto a carbon–paper current collector via a dense network of nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes is presented. This electrocatalyst electrode is bifunctional in that it can efficiently operate as both anode and cathode in the same alkaline solution, as quantified by a delivered current density of 10 mA cm^?2 at an overpotential of 400 mV for each of the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions. By driving two such identical electrodes with a solution‐processed thin‐film perovskite photovoltaic assembly, a wired artificial‐leaf device is obtained that features a Faradaic H₂ evolution efficiency of 100%, and a solar‐to‐hydrogen conversion efficiency of 6.2%. A detailed cost analysis is presented, which implies that the material‐payback time of this device is of the order of 100 days.     

A Layered‐Nanospace‐Confinement Strategy for the Synthesis of Two‐Dimensional Porous Carbon Nanosheets for High‐Rate Performance Supercapacitors

A general approach is developed for the synthesis of 2D porous carbon nanosheets (PCNS) from bio‐sources derived carbon precursors (gelatin) by an integrated procedure of intercalation, pyrolysis, and activation. Montmorillonite with layered nanospace is used as a nanotemplate or nanoreactor to confine and modulate the transformation of gelatin, further leading to the formation of 2D nanosheet‐shaped carbon materials. The as‐made 2D PCNS exhibits a significantly improved rate performance, with a high specific capacitance of 246 F g^?1 and capacitance retention of 82% at 100 A g^?1, being nearly twice that of microsized activated carbon particulates directly from gelatin (131 F g^?1, 44%). The shortened ion transport distance in the nanoscaled dimension and modulated porous structure is responsible for such an enhanced superior rate capability. More importantly, the present strategy can be extended to other bio‐sources to create 2D PCNS as electrode materials with high‐rate performance. This will also provide a potential strategy for configuring 2D nanostructured carbon electrode materials with a short ion transport distance for supercapacitors and other carbon‐related energy storage and conversion devices.     

Metal‐Organic Framework‐Derived Carbons for Battery Applications

The applications of carbon and carbon‐based materials with high porosity, high surface area, and functionalities based on metal‐organic framework precursors and/or templates have attracted significant research interest in recent years, particularly in the field of batteries. The chemical and physical properties of carbon and carbon‐based materials obtained by the heat treatment of various metal‐organic framework precursors or templates are improved to a certain extent. In this comprehensive review, the synthetic methods and electrochemical performance of carbon materials derived from metal‐organic frameworks (metal/carbon, metal oxide/carbon, nitrogen‐doped carbon, porous carbon, etc.) along with their applications in batteries are outlined.     

Land‐use conversion and changing soil carbon stocks in China's ‘Grain‐for‐Green’ Program: a synthesis

The establishment of either forest or grassland on degraded cropland has been proposed as an effective method for climate change mitigation because these land use types can increase soil carbon (C) stocks. This paper synthesized 135 recent publications (844 observations at 181 sites) focused on the conversion from cropland to grassland, shrubland or forest in China, better known as the ‘Grain‐for‐Green’ Program to determine which factors were driving changes to soil organic carbon (SOC). The results strongly indicate a positive impact of cropland conversion on soil C stocks. The temporal pattern for soil C stock changes in the 0–100 cm soil layer showed an initial decrease in soil C during the early stage (<5 years), and then an increase to net C gains (>5 years) coincident with vegetation restoration. The rates of soil C change were higher in the surface profile (0–20 cm) than in deeper soil (20–100 cm). Cropland converted to forest (arbor) had the additional benefit of a slower but more persistent C sequestration capacity than shrubland or grassland. Tree species played a significant role in determining the rate of change in soil C stocks (conifer < broadleaf, evergreen < deciduous forests). Restoration age was the main factor, not temperature and precipitation, affecting soil C stock change after cropland conversion with higher initial soil C stock sites having a negative effect on soil C accumulation. Soil C sequestration significantly increased with restoration age over the long‐term, and therefore, the large scale of land‐use change under the ‘Grain‐for‐Green’ Program will significantly increase China's C stocks.     

An Ultrafast Rechargeable Hybrid Sodium‐Based Dual‐Ion Capacitor Based on Hard Carbon Cathodes

Hybrid sodium‐based dual‐ion capacitors (NDICs), which integrate the advantages of supercapacitors and sodium‐ion batteries, have attracted tremendous attention recently. In this work, hybrid sodium‐based dual‐ion capacitors are successfully developed with nitrogen‐doped microporous hard carbon as the cathode and soft carbon as the anode. N‐doping is beneficial to the functional groups, porous structure, and electric conductivity of hard carbon. Hybrid NDICs possess a wide voltage range (0.01–4.7 V), high‐energy density of 245.7 W h kg^?1 at a power density of 1626 W kg^?1, long cycle life (1000 cycles), and outstanding rate performance.     

Na‐Mn‐O Nanocrystals as a High Capacity and Long Life Anode Material for Li‐Ion Batteries

Searching for a new material to build the next‐generation rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with high electrochemical performance is urgently required. Owing to the low‐cost, non‐toxicity, and high‐safety, the family of manganese oxide including the Na‐Mn‐O system is regarded as one of the most promising electrode materials for LIBs. Herein, a new strategy is carried out to prepare a highly porous and electrochemically active Na_0.55Mn₂O₄·1.5H₂O (SMOH) compound. As an anode material, the Na‐Mn‐O nanocrystal material dispersed within a carbon matrix manifests a high reversible capacity of 1015.5 mA h g^?1 at a current density of 0.1 A g^?1. Remarkably, a considerable capability of 546.8 mA h g^?1 remains even after 2000 discharge/charge cycles at the higher current density of 4 A g^?1, indicating a splendid cyclability. The exceptional electrochemical properties allow SMOH to be a promising anode material toward LIBs.     

Advanced Carbon‐Based Anodes for Potassium‐Ion Batteries

The ever‐increasing demand for large‐scale energy storage systems requires novel battery technologies with low‐cost and sustainable properties. Due to earth‐abundance and cost effectiveness, the development of rechargeable potassium ion batteries (PIBs) has recently attracted much attention. Since carbon‐based materials are abundant, inexpensive, nontoxic, and safe, extensive feasibility investigations have suggested that they can become promising anode materials for PIBs. This review not only attempts to provide better understanding of the potassium storage mechanism, but also summarizes the availability of new carbon‐based materials and their electrochemical performance covering graphite, graphene, and hard carbon materials plus carbon‐based composites. Finally, the critical issues, challenges, and perspectives are discussed to demonstrate the developmental direction of PIBs.     

Spontaneous Growth of 3D Framework Carbon from Sodium Citrate for High Energy‐ and Power‐Density and Long‐Life Sodium‐Ion Hybrid Capacitors

Carbon sheets with 3D architectures, large graphitic interlayer spacing, and high electrical conductivity are highly expected to be an ideal anode material for sodium‐ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs). Pursuing a simple synthesis methodology and advancing it from the laboratory to industry is of great importance. In this study, a new approach is presented to prepare 3D framework carbon (3DFC) with the above integrated advantages by a direct calcination of sodium citrate without aid of any additional carbon source, template, or catalyst. The first‐principle calculations verify that the large interlayer spacing and the curvature structure of 3DFC facilitate the sodium ion insertion/extraction. As a consequence, the optimal 3DFC sample exhibits high reversible capacity as well as excellent rate and cycling performance. On this basis, a dual‐carbon SIHC is fabricated by employing 3DFC as battery‐type anode and 3DFC‐derived nanoporous carbon as capacitor‐type cathode. It is able to deliver high energy‐ and power‐density feature as well as outstanding long‐term cycling stability in the potential range of 0–4.0 V. This study may open an avenue for developing high‐performance carbon electrode materials and pushes the practical applications of SIHCs a decisive step forward.     

Bottom‐Up Confined Synthesis of Nanorod‐in‐Nanotube Structured Sb@N‐C for Durable Lithium and Sodium Storage

Antimony (Sb) has emerged as an attractive anode material for both lithium and sodium ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity of 660 mA h g^?1. In this work, a novel peapod‐like N‐doped carbon hollow nanotube encapsulated Sb nanorod composite, the so‐called nanorod‐in‐nanotube structured Sb@N‐C, via a bottom‐up confinement approach is designed and fabricated. The N‐doped‐carbon coating and thermal‐reduction process is monitored by in situ high‐temperature X‐ray diffraction characterization. Due to its advanced structural merits, such as sufficient N‐doping, 1D conductive carbon coating, and substantial inner void space, the Sb@N‐C demonstrates superior lithium/sodium storage performance. For lithium storage, the Sb@N‐C exhibits a high reversible capacity (650.8 mA h g^?1 at 0.2 A g^?1), excellent long‐term cycling stability (a capacity decay of only 0.022% per cycle for 3000 cycles at 2 A g^?1), and ultrahigh rate capability (343.3 mA h g^?1 at 20 A g^?1). For sodium storage, the Sb@N‐C nanocomposite displays the best long‐term cycle performance among the reported Sb‐based anode materials (a capacity of 345.6 mA h g^?1 after 3000 cycles at 2 A g^?1) and an impressive rate capability of up to 10 A g^?1. The results demonstrate that the Sb@N‐C nanocomposite is a promising anode material for high‐performance lithium/sodium storage.     

miR‐370 and miR‐373 regulate the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis by modulating one‐carbon metabolism via SHMT‐2 and MECP‐2, respectively

The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism underlying the association between one‐carbon metabolism and DNA methylation during chronic degenerative joint disorder, osteoarthritis (OA). Articular chondrocytes were isolated from human OA cartilage and normal cartilage biopsied, and the degree of cartilage degradation was determined by safranin O staining. We found that the expression levels of SHMT‐2 and MECP‐2 were increased in OA chondrocytes, and 3′UTR reporter assays showed that SHMT‐2 and MECP‐2 are the direct targets of miR‐370 and miR‐373, respectively, in human articular chondrocytes. Our experiments showed that miR‐370 and miR‐373 levels were significantly lower in OA chondrocytes compared to normal chondrocytes. Overexpression of miR‐370 or miR‐373, or knockdown of SHMT‐2 or MECP‐2 reduced both MMP‐13 expression and apoptotic cell death in cultured OA chondrocytes. In vivo, we found that introduction of miR‐370 or miR‐373 into the cartilage of mice that had undergone destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery significantly reduced the cartilage destruction in this model, whereas introduction of SHMT‐2 or MECP‐2 increased the severity of cartilage destruction. Together, these results show that miR‐370 and miR‐373 contribute to the pathogenesis of OA and act as negative regulators of SHMT‐2 and MECP‐2, respectively.     

Hierarchically Porous N‐Doped Carbon Fibers as a Free‐Standing Anode for High‐Capacity Potassium‐Based Dual‐Ion Battery

Potassium‐based dual‐ion batteries (KDIBs) have emerged as a new generation of rechargeable batteries, due to their high cell voltage, low cost, and the natural abundance of potassium resources. However, the low capacity and poor cycling stability largely hinder the further development of KDIBs. Herein, the fabrication of hierarchically porous N‐doped carbon fibers (HPNCFs) as a free‐standing anode for high‐performance KDIBs is reported. With a free‐standing hierarchical structure (micro/meso/macropores and nanochannels) and high‐content of nitrogen doping, the HPNCFs not only provide intrinsic electron pathways and efficient ion transport channels, but also afford sufficient free space to tolerate the volume change during cycling. Consequently, the KDIBs made from a graphite cathode and an optimized HPNCFs anode deliver a high reversible capacity of 197 mAh g^?1 at a specific current of 50 mA g^?1, and excellent cycling stability (65 mAh g^?1 after 346 cycles at a specific current of 100 mA g^?1, the capacity calculation of the KDIBs is based on the mass of the anode). These results indicate that the properly designed HPNCFs can effectively improve the capacity and cycling stability of the KDIBs, indicating a great potential for applications in the field of high‐performance energy‐storage devices.     

Structural Engineering of Multishelled Hollow Carbon Nanostructures for High‐Performance Na‐Ion Battery Anode

Hard carbon has long been considered the leading candidate for anode materials of Na‐ion batteries. Intensive research efforts have been carried out in the search of suitable carbon structure for an improved storage capability. Herein, an anode based on multishelled hollow carbon nanospheres, which are able to deliver an outstanding electrochemical performance with an extraordinary reversible capacity of 360 mAh g^?1 at 30 mA g^?1, is designed. An interesting dependence of the electrochemical properties on the multishelled structural features is identified: with an increase in the shell number of the model carbon materials, the sloping capacity in the charge/discharge curve remains almost unchanged while the plateau capacity continuously increases, suggesting an adsorption‐filling Na‐storage mechanism for the multishelled hollow hard carbon materials. The findings not only provide new perspective in the structural design of high‐performance anode materials, but also shed light on the complicated mechanism behind Na‐storage by hard carbon.     

Recent Progress on Stability Enhancement for Cathode in Rechargeable Non‐Aqueous Lithium‐Oxygen Battery

The pressing demand on the electronic vehicles with long driving range on a single charge has necessitated the development of next‐generation high‐energy‐density batteries. Non‐aqueous Li‐O₂ batteries have received rapidly growing attention due to their higher theoretical energy densities compared to those of state‐of‐the‐art Li‐ion batteries.To make them practical for commercial applications, many critical issues must be overcome, including low round‐trip efficiency and poor cycling stability, which are intimately connected to the problems resulting from cathode degradation during cycling. Encouragingly, during the past years, much effort has been devoted to enhancing the stability of the cathode using a variety of strategies and these have effectively surmounted the challenges derived from cathode deteriorations,thus endowing Li‐O₂ batteries with significantly improved electrochemical performances. Here, a brief overview of the general development of Li‐O₂ battery is presented. Then, critical issues relevant to the cathode instability are discussed and remarkable achievements in enhancing the cathode stability are highlighted. Finally, perspectives towards the development of next generation highly stable cathode are also discussed.     

High‐Efficiency Large‐Area Carbon Nanotube‐Silicon Solar Cells

Currently studied carbon nanotube‐silicon (CNT‐Si) solar cells are based on relatively small active areas (typically <0.15 cm²); increasing the active area generally leads to reduced power conversion efficiencies. This study reports CNT‐Si solar cells with active areas of more than 2 cm² for single cells, yet still achieving cell efficiencies of about 10%, which is the first time for CNT‐Si solar cells with an active area more than 1 cm² to reach the level for real applications. In this work, a controlled number of flattened highly conductive CNT strips is added, in simple arrangement, to form a CNT‐Si solar cell with CNT strips in which the middle film makes heterojunctions with Si while the top strips act as self‐similar top electrodes, like conventional metal grids. The CNT strips, directly condensed from as‐grown CNT films, not only improve the CNT‐Si junctions, but also enhance the conductivity of top electrodes without introducing contact barrier when the CNT strips are added onto the film. This property may facilitate the development of large‐area high‐performance CNT or graphene‐Si solar cells.     

Defect‐Rich Soft Carbon Porous Nanosheets for Fast and High‐Capacity Sodium‐Ion Storage

Soft carbon has attracted tremendous attention as an anode in rocking‐chair batteries owing to its exceptional properties including low‐cost, tunable interlayer distance, and favorable electronic conductivity. However, it fails to exhibit decent performance for sodium‐ion storage owing to difficulties in the formation of sodium intercalation compounds. Here, microporous soft carbon nanosheets are developed via a microwave induced exfoliation strategy from a conventional soft carbon compound obtained by pyrolysis of 3,4,9,10‐perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride. The micropores and defects at the edges synergistically leads to enhanced kinetics and extra sodium‐ion storage sites, which contribute to the capacity increase from 134 to 232 mAh g^?1 and a superior rate capability of 103 mAh g^?1 at 1000 mA g^?1 for sodium‐ion storage. In addition, the capacitance‐dominated sodium‐ion storage mechanism is identified through the kinetics analysis. The in situ X‐ray diffraction analyses are used to reveal that sodium ions intercalate into graphitic layers for the first time. Furthermore, the as‐prepared nanosheets can also function as an outstanding anode for potassium‐ion storage (reversible capacity of 291 mAh g^?1) and dual‐ion full cell (cell‐level capacity of 61 mAh g^?1 and average working voltage of 4.2 V). These properties represent the potential of soft carbon for achieving high‐energy, high‐rate, and low‐cost energy storage systems.     

Soil carbon sequestration and land‐use change: processes and potential

When agricultural land is no longer used for cultivation and allowed to revert to natural vegetation or replanted to perennial vegetation, soil organic carbon can accumulate. This accumulation process essentially reverses some of the effects responsible for soil organic carbon losses from when the land was converted from perennial vegetation. We discuss the essential elements of what is known about soil organic matter dynamics that may result in enhanced soil carbon sequestration with changes in land‐use and soil management. We review literature that reports changes in soil organic carbon after changes in land‐use that favour carbon accumulation. This data summary provides a guide to approximate rates of SOC sequestration that are possible with management, and indicates the relative importance of some factors that influence the rates of organic carbon sequestration in soil. There is a large variation in the length of time for and the rate at which carbon may accumulate in soil, related to the productivity of the recovering vegetation, physical and biological conditions in the soil, and the past history of soil organic carbon inputs and physical disturbance. Maximum rates of C accumulation during the early aggrading stage of perennial vegetation growth, while substantial, are usually much less than 100 g C m^?2 y^?1. Average rates of accumulation are similar for forest or grassland establishment: 33.8 g C m^?2 y^?1 and 33.2 g C m^?2 y^?1, respectively. These observed rates of soil organic C accumulation, when combined with the small amount of land area involved, are insufficient to account for a significant fraction of the missing C in the global carbon cycle as accumulating in the soils of formerly agricultural land.     

Micro‐ and Mesoporous Carbide‐Derived Carbon–Selenium Cathodes for High‐Performance Lithium Selenium Batteries

Nanocomposites of selenium (Se) and ordered mesoporous silicon carbide‐derived carbon (OM‐SiC‐CDC) are prepared for the first time and studied as cathodes for lithium‐selenium (Li‐Se) batteries. The higher concentration of Li salt in the electrolytes greatly improves Se utilization and cell cycle stability. Se‐CDC shows significantly better performance characteristics than Se‐activated carbon nanocomposites with similar physical properties. Se‐CDC also exhibits better rate performance and cycle stability compared to similarly produced sulfur (S)–CDC for Li/S batteries.