Zr-based halide solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) hold significant commercial potential owing to their cost-effectiveness, excellent mechanical deformability, and superior oxidative stability. However, their practical applications are still hindered by limited room-temperature ionic conductivity and insufficient compatibility with high-voltage oxide cathodes. Here, a oxygen-doped high-entropy SSE (HESSEO, Li2.89Zr0.72Nb0.07Mo0.07Ta0.07Hf0.07Cl4.9O1.1) was synthesized by introducing M (M = Nb, Mo, Ta, and Hf) and O ions into Li2ZrCl6 (LZC), achieving a high ionic conductivity of 2.13 mS cm-1 at room temperature. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed that HESSEO exhibits higher Li+ diffusion coefficients and lower diffusion barriers compared with those of LZC. All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) with HESSEO demonstrated excellent long-term cycling stability, delivering an initial discharge capacity of 187.2 mAh g-1 and retaining 78.8% of the capacity after 1000 cycles at 2 C with the cutoff voltage of 4.3 V (vs. Li+/Li). Moreover, the batteries maintained stable operation for over 300 cycles even at 1 C with a higher cutoff voltage of 4.5 V. This multi-ion synergistic design provides a viable strategy to simultaneously enhance the ionic conductivity and high-voltage stability of halide SSEs, offering a practical approach for the development of commercially relevant ASSBs.
Solid-state lithium battery (SSLB) operating at ultralow temperatures (< -60°C) poses a formidable challenge for conventional solid-state electrolytes (SSEs), including polymeric and inorganic materials. Herein, we report the design and fabrication of electron-cloud-homodistributed metal-organic framework (ECH-MOF) with weakly temperature-dependent Li+ transport as SSE materials for SSLB operation at ultralow temperatures. To be specific, the metal nodes anchor electron-rich ClO4 - anions as Li+ conducting sites, and organic ligands with strong electron-withdrawing groups contribute to electron cloud homodistribution along Li+ transport path, affording a spatially uniform, ultralow-energy-barrier landscape for ultralow-temperature Li+ transport. We reveal that Li+ in ECH-MOF SSE migrates via a quantum-tunneling-like slipping manner, rather than the classical thermally activated hopping manner. The ECH-MOF SSE yields the ultralow Ea of 0.045 eV and single Li+ conductivity of 1.2 × 10-5 S cm-1 at -60°C-a temperature where most SSEs are essentially insulators. The assembled high-voltage NCM 811||Li half-cell delivers high discharge capacity of 109.2 mAh g-1 with high-capacity retention of 62% after 1000 cycles at -60°C and 1C, extending the operational envelope of SSLBs into the ultralow-temperature regime. The electron-cloud homogenization strategy presents a universal platform for developing next-generation low-temperature ionic conductors (H+, Li+, Na+, Zn2+, etc.).
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are limited by interfacial instability and an intrinsic trade-off between mechanical strength and ionic conductivity in polymer gel electrolytes (PGEs), restricting their cycling durability and practical application. Here, we report a topology-regulated crosslinker strategy that redefines crosslinkers from passive structural components to active regulators of ion transport and interfacial chemistry. A tetra-armed poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (4-PEtOx) crosslinker is integrated into a zwitterionic network to construct a hydrogel electrolyte (4-PVEX). The unique molecular topology establishes a dense yet dynamic hydrogen-bonding framework, enabling continuous Zn2+ transport pathways while maintaining high mechanical strength. As a result, 4-PVEX stabilizes the Zn/electrolyte interface, promotes uniform dendrite-free Zn deposition, suppresses parasitic reactions, and effectively immobilizes polyiodide species while accelerating iodine redox kinetics. Zn||Zn symmetric cell exhibits stable cycling for over 2700 h, and Zn||Cu cell delivers an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.7% over 1000 cycles. Moreover, Zn||I2 full cell retains 90% of its initial capacity after 10 000 cycles at 10 C. This work demonstrates molecular topology as a powerful design dimension for advanced gel electrolytes and provides new insights into interfacial and transport regulation in aqueous metal batteries.
Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) require efficient electrocatalysts to boost the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)/ oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics at the air cathode. However, designing high-activity catalysts faces considerable challenges due to spatial and electronic constraints. Herein, a boron-doped hollow spherical porous carbon (HS-FeNi-BNC) anchored with Fe-B-Ni diatomic sites is prepared via a facile B-bridging strategy, realizing the regulated construction of heteroatom doping and diatomic active sites. HS-FeNi-BNC possesses abundant micropores/mesopores, uniformly dispersed FeNi diatomic centers (0.27 nm spacing) with a Fe-B-Ni bridge structure, and topological carbon defects induced by B/N co-doping. HS-FeNi-BNC exhibits exceptional trifunctional electrocatalytic performance in alkaline electrolytes, with an ORR E1/2 of 0.864 V, an OER overpotential of 308 mV and a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) overpotential of 301 mV at 10 mA cm-2. HS-FeNi-BNC-based ZABs achieve an outstanding wide-temperature operating range of -10 °C to 60 °C, a specific capacity of 761.51 mAh g-1 and a Zn utilization efficiency of 92.9%, outperforming Pt/C + RuO2-based ZABs. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the Fe-B-Ni bridge structure triggers p-d orbital hybridization, regulating metal site electronic structures, optimizing reaction intermediate adsorption and accelerating interfacial electron transfer. This work advances the development of high-efficiency heteroatom-modified non-noble metal multifunctional catalysts.
Biomass-derived hard carbon is a promising anode for high-performance sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of its low cost and structural tunability. Here, spherical lignin-derived hard carbon was developed, and the carbonization temperature was tuned from 900 to 1400 °C to regulate surface chemistry, turbostratic structure, and pore texture, enabling a systematic correlation between structure evolution and electrochemical behavior. Increasing the carbonization temperature progressively reduces oxygen-containing functional groups and shifts the initial capacity distribution toward the low-voltage plateau region, accompanied by an increase in initial Coulombic efficiency. Consequently, the spherical hard carbon synthesized at 1300 °C exhibits a high reversible discharge capacity of 335.9 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1 and a long cycle life over 1600 cycles with 80.45% capacity retention at 500 mA g-1. Moreover, high-temperature battery tests from 20 to 80 °C with different NaPF6 concentrations in the electrolytes show that operating temperature and NaPF6 concentration jointly regulate the capacity. The hard carbon anode with 2 M NaPF6 in diglyme (DEGDME) electrolyte demonstrates the increased capacity at high temperature, indicating improved high-temperature performance. This work provides a practical strategy to develop spherical lignin-derived hard carbon anodes for high-temperature SIBs by coordinating carbonization temperature and electrolyte formulation.
Understanding how electrolytes modulate the interfacial behavior of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is critical for predicting their environmental fate and guiding remediation strategies. In this study, we systematically investigated the surface activity and interfacial partitioning of four PFAS regulated in U.S. and European drinking water standards, along with a C4 PFAS, in the presence of eight inorganic salts representing diverse cationic and anionic identities. Surface tension results were modeled using the Szyszkowski equation, extended with mean ionic activity (a*) to unify electrolyte effects. This framework was found to effectively capture short-chain PFAS behavior, but parameter fitting for long-chain species produced highly variable values, reflecting ion-specific effects and model limitations. Multivariate analysis, including principal component analysis and clustering, revealed distinct patterns governed by PFAS chain length and ion type. Density functional theory simulations provided molecular-level insight, showing that cations modulate interfacial adsorption through electrostatic binding, orbital polarization, or co-localization effects depending on hydration properties and electronic structure. These findings highlight the limitations of conventional activity-based models for long-chain PFAS and underscore the need to incorporate specific ion effects into interfacial transport models. Our integrated experimental-computational framework advances mechanistic understanding of PFAS-electrolyte interactions and offers new perspectives on their air-water interfacial behavior. These findings have important environmental implications, as electrolyte composition in natural and engineered waters may significantly alter PFAS interfacial accumulation, transport, and aerosolization potential. Incorporating specific ion effects into predictive models may improve the assessment of PFAS fate in water treatment systems and contaminated aquatic environments.
High-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) combined with corticosteroids is the first-line treatment for severe Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in HIV patients but carries a risk of severe hyperkalemia and muscle weakness. We report a 56-year-old male with advanced HIV (CD4: 14 cells/μL) and type 2 diabetes mellitus, treated for PJP with TMP-SMX 20 mg/kg/day and methylprednisolone 80 mg/day. On day 10 of treatment, the patient developed severe muscle weakness and life-threatening hyperkalemia (8.2 mmol/L) unresponsive to medical management, requiring emergency intermittent hemodialysis (IHD). After one hemodialysis session and switching to clindamycin-primaquine, potassium levels normalized within 2 days, and muscle weakness gradually improved and resolved after 4 days. The patient was discharged in a stable condition after 21 days of treatment. This case represents a rare clinical complication with extremely severe hyperkalemia (8.2 mmol/L) accompanied by muscle weakness, likely due to the synergistic effect of hyperkalemia and steroid myopathy. Hemodialysis is an effective and safe intervention for hyperkalemia unresponsive to medical management. Close monitoring of electrolytes and muscle function is crucial in patients receiving high-dose TMP-SMX in combination with corticosteroids, particularly during the first 10 days of treatment.
The calculation of reliable ionic conductivities from molecular dynamics simulations is not a straightforward task, especially for strongly correlated systems, such as ionic liquids or highly concentrated electrolytes, where the Nernst-Einstein approach tends to fail. In this manuscript, we present the newly implemented conduct module for TRAVIS. It allows the calculation of the ionic conductivity using the Einstein-Helfand and Green-Kubo approaches, which explicitly include ionic correlations in their formalism. We provide a broad overview of accessible transport properties and compare methods and best practices for obtaining statistically reliable estimates of ionic conductivity and other physicochemical properties derived from electrolyte molecular dynamics simulations, including transport numbers and the inverse Haven ratio. To validate our implementation and demonstrate the conduct module's capabilities, we simulated the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([EMIm][DCA]) as well as the ether-based electrolyte lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide in ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (LiFSI/DME).
Polymers overcome the solubility issue of organic small molecules and offer superior structure-function designability compared to inorganic counterparts, representing a promising class of anode materials for aqueous magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs). However, their capacity remains relatively low (<200 mAh g-1) due to the insufficient density of accessible redox-active motifs and restricted electron transfer, thereby resulting in an inherent trade-off between electrochemical stability and capacity. Herein, we demonstrate a capacity-stability trade-off-breaking design of hexaazatrinaphthylene self-fused multi-N-heterocycles (PDP) through single-component self-dehalogenation polymerization of the six-electron-transfer 2,8,14-tribromodiquinoxalino[2,3-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (DP) acceptor. The hexaazatrinaphthylene extended π-conjugated structure of PDP maximizes the density of accessible imine sites and enables extensive electron delocalization with a narrow bandgap of 2.48 (vs. 3.13 eV for DP). These features activate rapid multielectron Mg2+ redox reactions at N-heterocyclic motifs with a low activation barrier (0.28 eV), delivering an impressive capacity (375 mAh g-1) for the PDP anode. Moreover, the intramolecular π-π interaction in PDP (-10.2 kcal mol-1) is stronger than the water solvation force (4.9 kcal mol-1), conferring excellent structural anti-dissolution in aqueous electrolytes for long-life MIBs (20 000 cycles). When paired with a high-voltage Prussian blue cathode, the high-capacity PDP anode delivers state-of-the-art energy density (252 Wh kg-1) and cycling stability (88.9% capacity retention over 20 000 cycles). This work broadens the structural diversity of multi-active and stable polymers, marking a good start for advanced MIBs.
To report a rare case of concurrent Gitelman syndrome (GS) and Turner syndrome (TS) and explore their interplay in driving a complex clinical phenotype. A single-case report with literature review. A 34-year-old woman was evaluated via clinical history, laboratory tests (electrolytes, glucose, thyroid function), and genetic analysis (karyotyping, SLC12A3 sequencing). The patient presented with short stature, hypokalemia, and hyperglycemia. Genetic testing confirmed a 45, X/46, XX mosaic karyotype (TS) and compound heterozygous SLC12A3 mutations (GS). Associated conditions included diabetes mellitus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and hyperlipidemia. Insulin and potassium supplementation achieved short-term stabilization. The coexistence of GS and TS likely synergistically exacerbated metabolic and electrolyte derangements. This highlights the need for multidisciplinary, personalized long-term management in such overlapping genetic disorders.
With the development of next-generation energy storage systems focusing on green, safe, and sustainable devices, aqueous magnesium (Mg)-air batteries have emerged as promising candidates owing to the intrinsic merits of the Mg metal anode, including low cost, large volumetric capacity, a highly negative electrode potential, and excellent safety. However, the high self-discharge rate and formed discharge products substantially impair the practical discharge performance of Mg anodes with poor anode utilization efficiency and low cell voltage. While anode alloying and electrolyte additive strategies can help mitigate this issue, designing highly efficient electrolyte additives that are compatible with the established anode remains a challenge. This review summarizes recent progress toward understanding the role of electrolyte additives for aqueous Mg batteries, provides insights into the discharge mechanism of Mg-based anode materials in different types of additive-containing electrolytes, and offers strategies for designing high-efficiency mixtures of electrolyte additives. Moreover, a highly promising direction of AI-supported and robotic workflows for the future fast design of advanced electrolyte additives for aqueous Mg batteries is discussed.
Dissolved sulfides are widely distributed in anoxic soils and sediments and can readily reduce the ubiquitous iron(hydro)oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), which strongly adsorb extracellular antibiotic resistance genes (eARGs) and thus inhibit their transformation activity. Here, we investigated whether and to what extent sulfide-induced reductive dissolution of IONPs affects the release and transformation potential of adsorbed eARGs. As the concentration of Na2S increased from 0.05 to 5 mmol/L, the release ratios of adsorbed plasmid from hematite nanoparticles (HNPs) and goethite nanoparticles (GNPs) increased from 0.8 % and 0.6 % to 91 % and 75 %, respectively, with the presence of Pahokee Peat Humic Acid (PPHA, 10 mg C/L). However, in the absence of PPHA, no plasmid was released regardless of the concentration of Na2S. Remarkably, increasing sulfide concentration concurrently reduced the activity of released plasmid to transform Escherichia coli DH5α. This observed much lower transformation activity was accounted for by sulfide-induced deactivation reaction of released plasmid. Intriguingly, PPHA played dual and opposing roles in mediating the transformation activity of released plasmid: an accelerator that prevented re-adsorption of released plasmid back to IONPs and to newly formed FeS, and a suppressor that facilitated electron transfer from sulfides to plasmid to exacerbate its deactivation. Considering the ubiquitous presence of sulfides in anoxic environments and their crucial role in iron cycling, the sulfide-induced release of IONPs-bound eARGs is particularly important and deserves serious consideration when assessing eARGs' fate and the potential for horizontal transfer to bacteria.
Developing molecular structural tuning strategies for ionic molecular rotor (MR)-based β-amyloid (Aβ) fluorescent probes is essential for balancing high sensitivity, signal-to-background ratio (SBR) in wash-free mode, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Compared with the widely used adjustment strategy on the electron donor, π-bridge, and electron acceptor, the nonconjugated hydrophobic part that can directly affect the lipophilicity and dispersion of the whole ionic MRs has been omitted. Herein, we developed a series of diarylbutadiene ionic MRs with variable alkyl chains substituted on the nitrogen atom of pyridinium (DM-Cn), and unveiled the relationship between the length of alkyl (ethyl to undecyl) and the spectral response, binding process, and imaging performance. The N-alkyl extension enhanced the sensitivity, strengthened the binding affinity, and facilitated BBB permeability; however, it hindered achieving a high SBR in the wash-free mode. We successfully deployed three representatives (DM-C2, DM-C7, DM-C11) for both in vitro and in vivo imaging of the Aβ plaques in AD mice, among which DM-C7 with a finite extended N-alkyl chain displayed the most satisfactory and balanced sensing performance. The findings of this study establish a decisive structure-performance relationship for ionic MR-based Aβ probes, which can facilitate the on-demand design of new probes and imaging applications.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a frequent complication of chronic liver disease with portal hypertension that often persists or recurs despite standard treatments. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based bowel preparations are routinely used before colonoscopy; however, their effects on SIBO have not yet been systematically evaluated. We report the case of a 44-year-old man with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, complicated by intrahepatic portal vein thrombosis and esophagogastric varices. Before colonoscopy, hydrogen and methane breath testing revealed hydrogen-positive and methane-negative SIBO, while the gastrointestinal symptoms were mild, with a Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale score of 15. Subsequently, the patient underwent a standard bowel preparation using a PEG electrolyte solution. No antibiotics, probiotics, laxatives, or dietary interventions were administered before or after the procedure. Follow-up breath tests performed 1 week after bowel preparation demonstrated normalization of both hydrogen and methane levels. Importantly, repeat testing at 6 weeks confirmed sustained negativity without any additional interventions. This case highlights a previously unreported phenomenon, suggesting that transient luminal interventions, such as bowel preparation, may influence small intestinal microbial dynamics in selected high-risk patients. This observation should be considered hypothesis-generating, and no conclusions regarding therapeutic efficacy can be drawn from this single case.
Arsenic pollution of water and soil is a global environmental and public health issue that requires sustainable remediation. Metal-tolerant plant species are used in phytoremediation to significantly remove metals from contaminated locations. This study tested Hydrocotyle umbellata L. against five Arsenic concentrations (500,750,1000,1250,1500 µg L-1 from T1 to T5 respectively,) in Hoagland solution for 10 days to assess its phytoextraction potential. This was done using triplicate randomized block design. Pearson Correlation analysis, ANOVA, Multivariate Regression, and CART models are used for statistical analyses. These statistical characteristics were used to examine H. umbellata's Arsenic uptake and its effects on factors like fresh and dry weight, translocation factor (TF), bio-concentration factor (BCF), chlorophyll content (Chl.), and electrolyte leakage. All treatments had BCF greater than 1 and a maximum BCF value was shown by T5 as 32.65. The strong metal uptake, greatest BCF reduced dry weight indicates physiological stress in H. umbellata, which can collect and translocate Arsenic from roots to stolon. Highest BCF and TF values accompanying As translocation to shoots indicate H. umbellata's phytoextraction capacity and adaptation to Arsenic stress. Hydrocotyle umbellata is a good option for environmental remediation in places with mild As contamination, according to the study’s findings. The plant showed a significant As uptake in all of plant parts. Additionally, the transfer of As metal to aboveground portions (leaves and stolon), which may subsequently be harvested and metal removed, confirmed H. umbellata’s suitability as a phytoremediation agent for As.
Membrane-free redox flow batteries offer simplified design and reduced cost, but their electrochemical performance remains limited. Here, a high-voltage nonaqueous membrane-free Li-organic hybrid flow battery was constructed using a biphasic electrolyte. The bottom-phase anolyte is a deep eutectic solvent formed by lithium hexafluorophosphate and 2,2,2-trifluoroacetamide, which provides a wide electrochemical stability window of 4.81 V, low viscosity of 13.8 cP, high ionic conductivity of 8.59 mS·cm-1, and stable compatibility with lithium metal. The top-phase catholyte is dichloromethane containing a long-alkyl-chain phenothiazine derivative, which exhibits excellent redox reversibility and strict confinement in the upper phase. The biphasic system achieved an open-circuit voltage of approximately 3.6 V and stable operation at 0.5 M concentration, retaining 85.6% of theoretical capacity with a Coulombic efficiency of 97.6% after 100 cycles. In flow configuration, the 0.5 M battery maintained over 92% capacity after 10 days of continuous cycling with minimal self-discharge. A preliminary cost estimation yielded $134.8 kWh-1, which is lower than vanadium redox flow batteries, and both electrolyte phases displayed strong flame resistance. This study provides a viable design strategy to enable membrane-free nonaqueous Li-organic hybrid flow battery by leveraging eutectic lithium chemistry and immiscible solvent interfaces.
Plants constantly face changes in environmental conditions, leading to the development of a range of acclimatory mechanisms in their photosynthetic apparatus. The regulation of light harvesting by plants under stress conditions represents one of the key acclimatory steps for the sustainability of photosynthetic organisms ensuring plant growth and development under new conditions. The light-harvesting regulation at the level of light quanta absorption is achieved by modulating the size of light-harvesting antenna of photosystem II (PS II) either due to post-translational protein modifications, such as state transitions, or changes in the gene expression level of the light-harvesting PS II antenna proteins. Another essential regulating mechanism is the enhancement of the energy dissipation as heat, protecting plants from photodamage. In this study, we investigated how barley (Hordeum vulgare) plants regulate light energy absorption under drought and soil salinity conditions. Changes in the energy dissipation capacity and in the PS II antenna size during short-term and long-term exposure to these factors were revealed. The dynamics of hydrogen peroxide accumulation closely paralleled changes in PS II organization, suggesting its involvement in signaling processes regulating light-harvesting. The novelty of this work is that drought and salinity in low light initiated the same mechanisms of light quantum absorption regulation as high light conditions, though with differing temporal responses. These responses are coordinated through redox signaling and serve to maintain the balance between energy input and utilization. The identified patterns provide insight into barley acclimatory strategies and their implication for crop sustainability.
Climate change intensifies drought in several regions. Here, we assess how water availability and air humidity regulate photosynthesis in epiphytic cyanobacterial biofilms on Jacaranda mimosifolia. We combined field measurements with controlled laboratory experiments, exposing biofilms to hydration-dehydration cycles and assessing, by chlorophyll fluorescence: potential quantum yield (Fv/Fm), relative electron transport rate (rETRmax), and photosynthetic photon flux density at saturation (PPFDsat). Historical precipitation and relative humidity (RH) data from the last six decades were analysed. Biofilms were completely inactive under dry conditions (Fv/Fm = 0), but rapidly recovered photosynthesis (Fv/Fm≈0.5) within two hours of rehydration. A bark water content of approximately 16% was sufficient to restore 50% of Fv/Fm, whereas higher water availability (> 30%) was required to recover rETRmax and PPFDsat. Air humidity influences the duration of water availability, whereas photosynthetic reactivation depends primarily on liquid water. Climate analyses (1961-2024) revealed an increase in the local frequency of drier days (RH < 60%; Vapour Pressure Deficit > 1; rainfall = 0 mm). This trend suggests that these biofilms are increasingly exposed to prolonged water stress, potentially compromising their ecological functioning and associated ecosystem services. Overall, our findings highlight the vulnerability of epiphytic cyanobacterial biofilms to ongoing climatic drying.
Gallium-based liquid metals exhibit attractive properties for precision manipulation, combining high fluidity, superior electrical conductivity, and electrically tunable interfacial behavior. Their deformable liquid interfaces provide a promising route for adaptive contact with irregular, fragile, or soft objects. Conventional rigid fixtures may induce surface microscratches, structural damage, or residual contamination when manipulating precision components, such as glass microspheres or optical elements, limiting their use in high-precision assembly. To address these limitations, we propose a compact flexible gripper system that uses an electrically driven Galinstan droplet as the primary actuating element. By regulating the interface between the droplet and the electrolyte through coupled electrocapillary and electrochemical processes, the liquid metal undergoes controllable deformation, enabling stable gripping, holding, and release. Under reverse voltage, the interfacial state of the droplet recovers, allowing the droplet to retract and release the object without visible residue. Integrated with a compact motion platform, the system enables automated transport of small objects under controlled experimental conditions. The effects of applied voltage, NaOH concentration, electrolyte volume, electrode size, clamp geometry, and Galinstan droplet volume were systematically investigated to evaluate the gripping and release performance. The gripper achieved stable clamping within 0.2-4 s and exhibited a relatively long stable holding duration at a low voltage of approximately 0.15 V. In addition to precision glass microspheres, the gripper successfully transported representative objects with different material properties and geometries, including ceramic spheres, iron spheres, and small fish specimens with characteristic sizes of approximately 2 mm. Load-bearing tests further identified a maximum stable transportable load of 0.4 g for the gripper with a 2.25 mm aperture. This work provides a feasible strategy for electrically controlled and gentle manipulation of small objects, demonstrating the potential of Galinstan droplet grippers in precision assembly and small-scale automated handling.
LiFeyMn1-yPO4 (LFMP) has been regarded as one of the most promising cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries owing to its higher energy density compared to LiFePO4 (LFP). However, induced by the Jahn-Teller effect of Mn3+, the interfacial side reactions and unstable cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) of LFMP severely limit the full realization of its high energy density advantage. To address these challenges, we develop a localized weak-solvation electrolyte consisting of 1.0 M lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) in a mixture of tetrahydropyran (THP) and triethyl phosphate (TEP). In this electrolyte, the high HOMO level of LiBOB promotes its preferential interfacial oxidation, while the weak solvation ability of THP weakens the Li+-TEP coordination, creating a localized weak-solvation environment that facilitates the formation of an anion-derived CEI layer on LFMP. Consequently, a thin boron/phosphorus-rich CEI effectively suppresses parasitic side reactions and markedly enhances the cycling stability of LFMP. Moreover, even with a high mass loading of 11.8 mg cm-2, this electrolyte enables the LFMP cell to achieve a high-capacity retention of 95.0% after 300 cycles at 25°C and 85.9% after 150 cycles at 55°C.