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.).
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.
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.
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.
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.
This work investigates sonoelectrochemical hydrogen production in a 300 kHz sonoreactor using water-methanol electrolytes, with a focus on disentangling purely sonochemical contributions from ultrasound-induced electrochemical enhancement. Ultrasound-only experiments show that methanol addition increases cavitation-driven hydrogen formation by more than an order of magnitude relative to pure water, with an optimum around 1.2 M, but absolute rates remain at the μmol min-1 level and energy efficiencies are far below those of electrolysis. In contrast, electrochemical (EC) and sonoelectrochemical (US@EC) operation at 5.0 V with 0.1 M Na2SO4 produce 10-20 μmol min-1 of hydrogen with Faradaic efficiencies of approximately 50-57%, and ultrasound consistently enhances hydrogen production by 6-32% across the entire methanol concentration range. Gas-saturation experiments reveal that Ar increases the sonochemical hydrogen yield compared with N2, yet both gases provide similar US@EC enhancements, indicating that hydrodynamic effects (bubble detachment, suppression of gas blanketing and diffusion-layer renewal) dominate over direct sonochemical hydrogen formation. Microscopic analysis further shows that 300 kHz ultrasound causes far less mechanical damage to Ti/PbO2 and graphite electrodes than low-frequency ultrasound reported in the literature, highlighting high-frequency operation as a promising strategy to obtain stable, practically meaningful ultrasound-induced enhancement in electrochemical hydrogen production.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Grayanotoxin poisoning, commonly known as "mad honey" intoxication, is a rare but potentially life- threatening condition primarily affecting the cardiovascular system. It is characterized by bradycardia, hypotension, and, in rare cases, extreme QT interval prolongation, which predisposes patients to malignant arrhythmias. We report a 62-year-old male with no prior cardiac history who developed dizziness, nausea, and cold sweats 30 min after ingesting a tablespoon of mad honey. On admission, he exhibited sinus bradycardia, hypotension (70/40 mmHg), and marked QTc prolongation with giant inverted T waves on electrocardiogram. Laboratory and echocardiographic evaluations were unremarkable. The patient was managed with intravenous hydration and magnesium sulfate, resulting in rapid clinical and electrocardiographic recovery within 24 h. Grayanotoxins exert their toxic effects by modulating voltage-gated sodium channels, leading to sustained depolarization and impaired cardiac conduction. While bradycardia and hypotension are well-documented manifestations, extreme QT prolongation remains a rare but critical complication due to its association with ventricular arrhythmias such as torsades de pointes. This case underscores the importance of vigilant cardiac monitoring and electrolyte management in mad honey poisoning. Early recognition and appropriate supportive treatment can prevent fatal outcomes. Mad honey intoxication should be considered in patients presenting with unexplained bradycardia and hypotension, especially in endemic regions. Extreme QT prolongation, although rare, is a significant electrophysiological disturbance that necessitates prompt intervention to mitigate arrhythmic risk.
Myogenic stem cell activator HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) undergoes nitration of tyrosine residues (Y198, Y250) predominantly on fast-twitch fibers to lose its binding affinity to the signaling receptor c-met, in response to peroxynitrite (ONOO-) generation during aging. Here we show that HGF adopts an enhanced form with dynamically increased receptor-binding affinity and nitration-dysfunction resistance through interaction with lipoic acid trisulfide (LASSS) under physiological conditions. When evaluated after exposure to LASSS at a 1:8000 molar ratio to HGF and subsequent ultra-filtration to wash-out un-reacted free LASSS, c-met binding affinity increased more than two-fold over the original non-nitrated HGF. The same LASSS treatment also conferred nitration resistance with a greater effect for Y198 than Y250, indicating a novel mechanism independent of an anti-oxidative function of LASSS. Neither glutathione trisulfide (GSSSG, a potent anti-oxidant) nor lipoic acid enhanced c-met binding or nitration resistance, and thus served as controls. Importantly, pre-administration of LASSS to mice prevented the disuse-induced HGF nitration observed in a tail-suspension model for muscle atrophy, while GSSSG did not. The findings encourage the idea that LASSS may react with HGF to enhance its receptor-binding affinity and nitration resistance, which are known to strongly drive myogenic stem cell dynamics and homeostasis. Application of this model could potentially lead to pioneering strategies to counteract or treat age-related muscle atrophy and impaired regeneration with fibrosis and fat infiltration (including sarcopenia and frailty).
The immobilization of heavy metals (HMs) in contaminated karst farmland is crucial for soil remediation and ecological restoration. This study evaluated the effects of lime (CA), organic fertilizer (F), and their combination (F-CA) on the immobilization of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu, alongside associated changes in soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities, in contaminated farmland soil from a lead-zinc mining area. Results from a 60-day field incubation experiment showed that both CA and F-CA markedly reduced the bioavailability of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu. Specifically, CA lowered diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu by 50 %-87.2 %, 97.8 %-98.3 %, 89.4 %-92 %, and 8.7 %-66.5 %, respectively, while F-CA achieved reductions of 77.4 %-92.5 %, 70.6 %-90.6 %, 61.8 %-71.6 %, and 22.5 %-66.9 % (P < 0.05). The immobilization of heavy metals was primarily attributed to increases in soil pH, electrical conductivity, and exchangeable Ca and Mg. In contrast to CA, which suppressed microbial diversity and enriched potentially pathogenic fungi, the F-CA treatment enhanced bacterial and fungal diversity, promoted a more complex and stable microbial network, enriched beneficial keystone taxa, and enhanced nitrogen, sulfur, and iron cycling processes. Mantel test, random forest, and partial least squares path model (PLS-PM) analyses confirmed that while abiotic fixation contributed to HM immobilization, the total effect exerted by biotic processes was stronger than that of abiotic factors, highlighting the dominant role of microbial regulation. Overall, the F-CA amendment represents an effective strategy for stabilizing HMs in karst agricultural soils by integrating abiotic and microbial pathways to enhance remediation efficiency and soil ecological health, offering mechanistic insights for improving amendment-assisted bioremediation.
The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 is a promising technology for a versatile conversion of CO2 emissions into a reactive feedstock, in a process compatible with intermittent renewable power supply. It requires first efficient catalysts with low over potential and high selectivity. Second, the setup must allow for an efficient use of the CO2 feed, toward a complete conversion. Third, catalyst and electrolytic parameters have to be optimized for long-term stability. Here, we implement Ag as a selective catalyst for CO2 reduction into CO, shaped into silver nanowires to ensure both a large electrochemical surface area and a high conductivity. The sprayed silver nanowire electrodes are tested i) in a flow cell for electrochemical characterization in three-electrode configuration, and ii) in a zero-gap electrolyzer offering high throughput and tightness for accurate Faradaic efficiency FECO measurements and relevant current density. They demonstrate state-of-the-art catalytic efficiency from -1.0 VRHE, and a stable FECO exceeding 90% over 8 h. Surprisingly, this long-term stable electrocatalytic performance contrasted with the morphological changes in the silver nanowire electrode observed early in CO2RR, even at low current density. We show that these structural changes correlate with the partial removal of the polymer capping layer around the silver nanowires.
Multicomponent nanowire aerogels (MNWAs) integrate 1D anisotropy with 3D porous frameworks, yet their synthesis remains challenging due to incompatible reduction kinetics and immiscibility of multicomponent systems. Herein, we develop a "confined topological transformation" strategy to directly fabricate MNWAs. We uncover the critical role of "confined interfacial bonding evolution competition mechanism" in governing noble metal interactions with Te templates during transformation. The MNWAs enable efficient value-added conversion of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), demonstrating their practical potential. Specifically, the PdPtRuRhIrTe MNWAs/C exhibit remarkably high Faraday efficiency of 91.7% and yield rate of 12.05 mmol h-1 mg-1 for glycolic acid in electrocatalytic PET-derived ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR), which is higher than that of multicomponent nanopartical aerogels and PdTe/PtTe/PdPtTe nanowire aerogels. Notably, the PdPtRuRhIrTe MNWAs/C maintain stable operation for over 1000 h in cyclic tests at an industrial-level current density of 100 mA cm-2 in a membrane electrode assembly, with electrolyte replacement every 24 h. Further analysis and theoretical calculations reveal that the multicomponent nature synergistic effect of PdPtRuRhIrTe MNWAs promote the electronic and mass transmission, modulate the adsorption of surface-adsorbed *OH and EG, thereby lowering the energy barrier of the potential determining step (the formation of *HOCH2CHOHOH) and ultimately enhancing the electrocatalytic performance.
To investigate the corrosion and interfacial behavior of acidic zinc-based battery systems, this study employed 1 mol/L H2SO4 as a model electrolyte and focused on the severe corrosion and hydrogen evolution of zinc anodes in strongly acidic environments. A triazine derivative designed (ZBZ) was selected as a candidate organic inhibitor, and its inhibition performance and mechanism in the Zn / SO 4 2 - system were systematically examined. Electrochemical testing, surface morphology and composition analyses, and theoretical calculations reveal that ZBZ forms a dense, stable organic film on the zinc surface via multisite strong adsorption and a rigid conjugated skeleton, effectively suppressing zinc anodic dissolution and cathodic hydrogen evolution. As a result, the electrochemical stability and reversibility of the zinc electrode in strong acid are markedly enhanced. This work provides fundamental data on zinc anode corrosion in sulfuric acid and represents the extension of triazine-based organic inhibitors to highly reactive Zn / SO 4 2 - strong-acid systems, offering a basis for electrolyte optimization in acidic zinc-based batteries and for the molecular design of highly active zinc anode corrosion inhibitors.
Pyrolysis-derived Fenton-like catalysts show promise for the resourceful utilization of iron sludge. However, catalysts prepared directly from iron sludge often exhibit limited performance due to an inefficient Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycle. In this work, a solvothermal Cu2S-modified iron-sludge-based catalyst/hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) system was developed for ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation. Specifically, FC-160-3, synthesized with a Cu2S to iron sludge-derived carbon mass ratio of 3:10 and subjected to a hydrothermal temperature of 160 °C, demonstrated the best activation performance. The FC-160-3/H2O2 system removed 98.1 % of CIP within 90 min, with a rate constant of 0.0455 min-1, outperforming the unmodified iron-sludge-based catalyst/H2O2 (0.0007 min-1) and Cu2S/H2O2 system (0.0152 min-1). Meanwhile, FC-160-3 exhibited low metal ion leaching and excellent stability. Additionally, Cu2S modification induced structural distortion and carbon skeleton disruption in the iron-sludge-based catalyst, which increased the surface abundance of C=O, pyrrolic-N, graphitic-N, and oxygen vacancies (OV). The synergistic interaction between Cu2S and iron sludge enhanced a shift in the oxidation pathway from a radical-dominated mechanism to a non-radical mechanism. Besides, Short-chain intermediates were generated with lower molecular weight and reduced toxicity during the catalytic process. The research provides a scientific approach for developing iron sludge-based catalysts for wastewater treatment.
The degradation of persistent organic pollutants like 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) remains a critical challenge in wastewater treatment. Transition-metal sulfides have emerged as promising Fenton-like catalysts owing to their tunable electronic structures and abundant redox-active sites. Herein, we report a highly efficient Fenton-like system using ternary copper-iron sulfide (CuxFeySz) nanocatalysts for 4-CP degradation. Three CuxFeySz phases-CuFe₂S₃, CuFeS₂, and Cu₅FeS₄-were synthesized and systematically evaluated, with CuFe₂S₃ demonstrating superior catalytic activity, achieving complete degradation of 20 mg/L 4-CP within 7 min using 5 mmol/L H₂O₂. Mechanistic studies reveal that sulfur vacancies in CuFe₂S₃ serve as key features, enhancing H₂O₂ adsorption and activation, as evidenced by in situ Raman spectroscopy. Comparative studies with CuFe₂S₃ analogues (0.7-CuFe₂S₃, 0.9-CuFe₂S₃, Fe₃S₄, and Cu₈S₅) confirm the unique catalytic efficiency of stoichiometric CuFe₂S₃, attributed to its optimal electronic structure and vacancy density. This work not only presents CuFe₂S₃ as a cost-effective and high-performance Fenton-like catalyst but also lays a solid foundation for the application of naturally occurring copper-iron sulfide minerals in wastewater treatment.
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.
Recently, advanced oxidation processes based on single-atom catalysts have been extensively adopted in water treatments. Although some studies have identified low toxicity in degradation products, the mechanistic understanding remains unclear. In this work, an efficient catalyst named BC-Fe was developed by anchoring atomically dispersed Fe onto biochar (BC) derived from microalgae using a convenient impregnation method. The catalyst of BC-Fe enhanced performance in activating peroxydisulfate (PDS) for the degradation of tetracycline (TC). The BC-Fe/PDS system demonstrated faster TC degradation rate constant of 0.073 min-1. Mechanism investigations revealed that the atomically dispersed Fe-N4 sites activate PDS via efficient electron transfer, generating high-valent metal-oxo (HVMO) species as the primary reactive oxidants. These HVMO species selectively oxidized electron-rich moieties in TC, leading to progressive ring-opening and mineralization into low-toxicity intermediates. Moreover, TC served as an electron donor to the HVMO species, enabling their reduction and forming a favorable cycle of valence states of Fe. This work provides an efficient and environment-benign strategy for the oxidation of antibiotics with minimal secondary pollution.