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Creep damage model of rock considering the influence of fractional order and temperature
To address the shortcomings of traditional rock creep models, including neglecting the time-varying cumulative effect of thermal damage, low accuracy in describing accelerated creep, and failing to reflect the thermo-mechanical coupling rheological mechanism of deep high-temperature rock mass, this paper proposes a fractional-order rock creep damage model considering temperature influence, based on continuum damage mechanics and fractional calculus theory. Firstly, a time-varying thermal damage evolution equation dependent on both temperature level and heating duration is developed, and a temperature-coupled stress creep damage equation is established synchronously to realize the synergistic evolution of dual time-varying damage, with damage only acting on the fractional viscosity coefficient to keep the elastic modulus unchanged. Then, combined with the improved fractional-order Kelvin element and optimized Nishihara model, the uniaxial creep damage model is derived via rigorous equation derivation and integration, and the corresponding triaxial model is further deduced for complex engineering stress conditions. Finally, model verification and comparison are conducted based on rock creep tests under 25 °C, 50 °C, 75 °C and 100 °C. The results indicate that the model can accurately characterize the full three-stage creep behavior of rock, with the predicted curves in excellent agreement with test data and all correlation coefficients exceeding 0.95. Compared with the classical Nishihara model and existing models, the proposed model has higher fitting precision and better performance in capturing accelerated creep inflection points, verifying its superiority and reliability, and providing theoretical support for long-term stability analysis of deep high-temperature rock engineering.
Diagnostic accuracy of the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) in screening for fall risk among individuals with vestibular disorders
Vestibular disorders significantly impair postural stability and elevate fall risk, necessitating the use of validated assessment tools. While the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) is a comprehensive measure of balance, diagnostic cut-off scores tailored to the vestibular population remain poorly defined. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Mini-BESTest in identifying fall risk among individuals with vestibular disorders. Forty-two participants underwent assessment using the Mini-BESTest, 4-Meter Walk Test (4MWT), and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Fall risk was classified using a dual-criteria approach: (1) fall history and severity (e.g., injury, frequency, and frailty) and (2) physical performance benchmarks on the 4MWT and TUG. Participants were subsequently categorized into low or intermediate-to-high fall risk groups. Accuracy was determined via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The results yielded an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.69, indicating poor-to-modest discriminatory ability. At the optimal cut-off score of ≤ 23, the scale demonstrated high sensitivity (92.3%) and low specificity (44.8%), resulting in a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 1.67 and a negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of 0.17. Exploratory subscore analysis revealed that only the reactive postural control domain provided significant discriminatory trends under bootstrap analysis (95% CI: 0.516–0.823). These results suggest that while the comprehensive total score of Mini-BESTest remains the necessary standard for primary risk stratification due to the scale’s validated unidimensional design, reactive postural control performance represents a key underlying physiological driver of instability in this population. Recognizing this specific domain impairment can better assist clinicians in tailoring targeted, individualized therapeutic interventions during vestibular rehabilitation.
Table tennis and cognitive skills: A study on attention and decision making in sports science students
This research aimed to reveal the effects of table tennis on students’ careful decision-making and concentration skills. The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design with groups assigned through random allocation. The study was carried out with a total of 28 students (X age = 20.65 ± 1.70), 14 of whom were studying at the department of physical education and sports of a state university and taking an elective table tennis course (X age 19.79 ± 1.89) and 14 who did not take a table tennis course (X age 21.43 ± 1.16). The data in the research were obtained using the “Personal Information Form”, “D2 Attention Test” and “Melbourne Decision Making Scale”. Analysis of variance (2x2 ANOVA) was used for repeated measures in the analysis of data. According to the research findings, an increase was observed in the pre-test–post-test mean scores for concentration and careful decision-making in the experimental group. Similarly, a smaller increase was observed in the control group. Analysis results revealed that the time effect was significant for the variables of concentration performance (F = 16.328; p < .001) and careful decision-making (F = 4.759; p = .038). However, it was determined that the group × time interaction was not significant for the variables of concentration performance (F = 1.879; p = 0.182) and careful decision-making (F = 3.933; p = 0.058). In conclusion, while table tennis is thought to contribute to the development of attention and decision-making skills, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to more clearly establish the intervention’s effects.
Heterogeneous associations of socioeconomic status with metabolic disease in racial and ethnic subgroups in the United States: A cross-sectional cohort study in NHANES and All Of Us
Background Unfavorable socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with adverse health outcomes and is believed to at least partially mediate racial and ethnic health disparities such that some clinical risk algorithms now incorporate SES measures. However, whether the associations of improved SES with improved health are uniform across US racial and ethnic subpopulations is unknown. Methods and Findings Among adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2018 and the All of Us cohort v7, we used logistic regression to examine the association between SES measures (education and income) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity prevalence, comparing this association in the overall population and in subgroups of self-reported race and ethnicity. modeling SES in several ways to assess for race-by-SES interactions and non-linear or threshold effects. Results Age-adjusted rates of T2D and obesity were highest among non-Hispanic Black, Mexican American, Other Hispanic, and Other/Multi-Racial participants and in those with lower SES. In stratified analyses, higher educational attainment and income were independently associated with lower rates of prevalent T2D and obesity among non-Hispanic White and Asian participants, with smaller or even reversed associations observed among other racial and ethnic groups, particularly non-Hispanic Black participants, in both datasets. Heterogeneity was confirmed by in race-by-socioeconomic interaction analyses. SES measures demonstrated variable patterns of association with disease (e.g., linear, threshold, or U-shaped associations) based on the SES measure, outcome, racial or ethnic group, and dataset used. Conclusions The direction, magnitude, and shape of the association between SES and metabolic disease are heterogeneous across US racial and ethnic groups, SES measures selection and transformation, diseases, and datasets. To prevent biased estimates in both research and clinical calculators which increasingly attempt to incorporate SES, researchers and clinicians should examine for heterogeneity of associations between groups, particularly racial and ethnic groups.
Enriched and Sustained Oxygen Vacancies in Amorphous NiWO <sub>x</sub> Enhance and Stabilize Urea Electrooxidation
ABSTRACT Urea electrolysis is promising for energy‐saving hydrogen production and effective treatment of urea‐polluted water. However, the activity and stability of Ni‐based electrocatalysts for the anodic urea oxidation reaction (UOR) are limited by the lack of active NiOOH and strong intermediates adsorption. Although oxygen vacancies (O v ) benefit for the UOR, continuous generation and stabilization of O v remain challenges. Herein, we propose an “amorphous oxygen mechanism (AOM)” for urea electrooxidation in amorphous nickel tungsten oxide (NiWO x ) with tunable O v concentrations. Systematic experimental and theoretical studies demonstrate that enriched O v, not only facilitate the formation of active NiOOH species, but also significantly reduce the energy barrier of the rate‐determining step. More importantly, the amorphous state allows more defects, which enables the in situ regeneration and sustainability of O v during the UOR via a continuous oxygen escape in the amorphous catalyst. Notably, NiWO x with the highest O v achieves an ultralow potential of 1.34 V at 10 mA cm −2 with incredible 400 h stability. Moreover, only 1.46 V is demanded for urea electrolysis with 100 mA cm −2 in an anion‐exchange membrane electrolyzer. The long‐term stability is also impressive. This work highlights the significant role of amorphous structure, providing valuable insights into catalyst design in electrocatalysis.
“Molecular Shakers” as Transmembrane Single‐Molecule Channels Toward 1:1 Cl <sup>−</sup> /K <sup>+</sup> Cotransport
ABSTRACT Cation–chloride cotransporters (CCCs) are an important family of chloride channel proteins that mediate electroneutral transport of Cl − with Na + and/or K + . In this study, we introduced ultracycles (molecular shakers—so named for their cocktail‐shaker‐like shape) designed to mimic the binding sites and functions of KCC1. These ultracycles incorporate both anion (S Cl1 , S Cl2 ) and cation (S K ) binding sites within the single‐molecular backbone. The synthesis was achieved through dynamic nucleophilic aromatic substitution, starting from a rigid‐flexible macrocyclic precursor and diphenol derivatives. Planar lipid bilayer measurements demonstrated that the molecular shakers function as single‐molecule channels, mediating ion transport. By varying the structural features of the lower and larger rims of the macrocycle, as well as the glycol chains and the pH of the bulk solution, we achieved a permeability ratio up to P Cl − / P K + = 0.83.
Metal–Organic Flexible Glasses Deliver Time‐Chirality‐Color Multi‐Dimensional Photonic Switches
ABSTRACT Combining color tunability with high processability in active optical waveguides remains a major challenge, as conventional crystalline materials are fundamentally limited by brittleness and short excited‐state lifetimes. Here, we introduce a new class of metal‐organic hybrid (MOH) photonic glasses assembled through an evaporation‐induced self‐assembly strategy, simultaneously achieving time‐, space‐, and color‐resolved photonic capabilities that encompass circularly polarized room‐temperature phosphorescence (CPR) and reversible photochromism. The glasses exhibit bright green CPR whose emission color is continuously and dynamically tunable across a broad spectral range through photochromic switching. Mechanistic investigations combining spectroscopic characterization with theoretical analysis attribute the strong CPR to efficient suppression of non‐radiative transitions via multiple intermolecular interactions, while photochromism originates from photoinduced radical generation. Their outstanding processability further enables fabrication of large‐scale, flexible core‐cladding optical fibers that serve concurrently as photonic memory systems and integrated photonic circuits. This work establishes a general design principle for processable photonic glasses that unifies molecular‐level design with macroscopic fiber engineering, charting a well‐defined path toward next‐generation flexible photonic materials and technologies.
Modular Assembly of Bioconjugates Enabled by a Pyridine‐Based Chemoselective Sequential Conjugation Platform
ABSTRACT Site‐selective Cys bioconjugation is central to chemical biology and therapeutic development. Owing to the widespread availability of amine‐containing building blocks, the modular assembly of alkylamines and Cys holds significant promise for diverse applications. However, existing strategies often suffer from reversible linkages, stereochemical heterogeneity, or limited modularity. Here we report a programmable pyridine‐based chemoselective sequential conjugation platform that integrates a thianthrenium leaving group and a fluorine handle on a single pyridine scaffold, enabling sequential, orthogonal coupling of alkylamines and Cys to form non‐chiral, stable aryl‐Cys linkages. The reaction exhibits exceptional functional group compatibility and high chemoselectivity in both the alkylamine‐ and thiol‐conjugation steps. The platform supports late‐stage peptide diversification and stapling, protein functionalization, and streamlined construction of a HER2‐targeting ADC (MRG002) analog with a tunable drug‐to‐antibody ratio. The resulting ADC shows slightly enhanced cytotoxicity in HER2‐positive cells, comparable activity in antigen‐negative controls, and markedly improved payload retention in human serum.
Magnetic‐Field‐Enabled Ultrafast Quench Synthesis of Single‐Atom Catalysts for Efficient Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis
ABSTRACT Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) play a critical role in diverse catalytic applications, but their efficient synthesis remains a significant challenge. Herein, we develop an ultrafast magnetic‐field‐enabled quench (MFEQ) strategy to synthesize a series of M 1 /G‐FeO x (M═Ni, Fe, Co, Ir, Ru, and Pt) SACs within a few seconds. Using Ni 1 /G‐FeO x as a proof of concept, this method leverages the rapid quenching of thermally incandescent Fe foam into an Ni‐containing ethanol solution, triggering simultaneous graphene formation and Ni anchoring. The Ni 1 /G‐FeO x catalyst shows exceptional alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance, operating at 200 mV for 10 mA cm −2 and sustaining 105 mA cm −2 for 330 h without degradation. Notably, the Ni 1 /G‐FeO x ‐catalyzed anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) device exhibits a low voltage of 1.86 V at 1.0 A cm −2 and 600 h long‐term stability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experiments reveal that the strong electronic interactions between Ni 1 /G and FeO x contribute to the optimized electronic structure and reduced energy barrier. Techno‐economic analysis (TEA) highlights the superior energy efficiency of the MFEQ method, which requires only US$19.2 in energy expenditure to synthesize 1 kg of SACs. This work provides new insights into the ultrafast fabrication of SACs.
Harnessing Immunogenic PANoptosis With Iridium(III) Biradical Photosensitizers for Melanoma Photoimmunotherapy
ABSTRACT The efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is fundamentally constrained by an intrinsic photophysical trade‐off between its two ROS‐generating mechanisms. Type I pathways require a strongly reducing excited state to drive electron transfer, whereas type II pathways demand a long‐lived triplet state to enable efficient energy transfer to molecular oxygen. Since both originate from the same triplet manifold, optimizing one property inevitably compromises the other, limiting the oxidative potency and broad applicability of conventional photosensitizers within the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment. To overcome this limitation, in this study, the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a cyclometalated iridium(III) photoswitchable complex is reported, engineered to undergo photo‐induced intramolecular homolytic bond cleavage to generate a transient biradical intermediate. The resulting open‐shell species simultaneously consist of a strongly reducing radical intermediate and a quinoid‐stabilized long‐lived triplet excited state, concurrently activating type I electron‐transfer and type II energy‐transfer pathways to produce in tandem superoxide, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygen. This synergistic dual‐pathway oxidative stress triggers PANoptosis, a coordinated cell‐death program concurrently engaging apoptotic, necroptotic, and pyroptotic machinery, and elicits a robust systemic antitumor immune response, establishing intramolecular biradical generation as a compelling molecular design principle for next‐generation photodynamic cancer immunotherapy.
Selective Degradation of Polyurethanes in Mixed Plastic Wastes via Ir‐Catalyzed Hydrogenolysis
ABSTRACT Chemical recycling of plastic waste has been widely undertaken to address a circular carbon economy. However, the presence of different polymers or composites in plastic waste complicates its chemical degradation into reusable chemical feedstocks. Here, we report the selective degradation of polyurethanes in mixed plastics with polyesters and polyamides using H 2 as a reactant, contrarily to the implicitly low reactivity of urethanes against esters and amides. This chemoselectivity enables selective chemical recycling of urethanes in mixed textiles and end‐of‐life car seats, while thermoplastic polyesters and polyamides can be separated for mechanical recycling. This innovative recycling approach facilitates composite separation and resource circulation in mixed plastic waste, addressing a pressing global concern.
Engineering LE–CT State Synergy in Aminoboranes for Single Molecule White Light Emission and Dual‐Mode Chiroptical/Phosphorescence Output
ABSTRACT Axially chiral aminoboranes that integrate multiple emissive functions within a single molecular framework are reported. These compounds exhibit dual emission, originating from two electronically distinct excited states: high‐energy fluorescence from a binaphthyl‐localized state and low‐energy emission from an aminoborane‐centered charge‐transfer state. Circularly‐polarized luminescence is observed exclusively from the high‐energy channel, directly linking chiroptical activity to the binaphthyl‐localized excited state. Restricting intramolecular motion enhances high‐energy emission. In contrast, incorporation into a rigid polymer matrix enables efficient triplet harvesting, affording persistent room‐temperature phosphorescence with lifetimes on the order of seconds. This RTP feature further enables time‐gated optical encoding, highlighting the potential of these materials for anti‐counterfeiting applications. The combination of white‐light emission, selective circular polarization, and ultralong phosphorescence in a single scaffold establishes a molecular design strategy for multifunctional chiroptical materials.
Covalent Organic Framework Photocatalysts: Decoding Linkage Chemistry in Hydrogen Peroxide Synthesis From Air and Water
ABSTRACT Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) provide a polymer platform for exploring covalent linkages to design ordered skeletal and porous architectures. However, the role of linkages in controlling structural and functional evolutions remains to be well explored. In this study, we reported hexaphenyltriphenylene COF photocatalysts constructed with ketazine or azine linkages that differ by a single pinpoint methyl substituent, enabling a controlled interrogation of linkage chemistry. Unexpectedly, the ketazine linkage enhances water uptake, accelerates transport, and directs water confinement within trigonal pores. Simultaneously, it modulates the π‐electronic structure through hyperconjugation and inductive/resonance effects, extends light absorption, lowers exciton binding energy, prolongs charge‐separated lifetimes, and promotes balanced charge transport. These synergistic structural and electronic evolutions translate into exceptional photocatalysis for hydrogen peroxide production from air and water under ambient conditions. Ketazine‐HPTP‐COF achieves a production rate of 8.17 mmol g −1 h −1 with an apparent quantum yield of 15.1% at 420 nm, outperforming azine‐linked, amorphous, and other photocatalysts. The system operates under sunlight, enabling scalable production, and maintains activity across tap water, rainwater, and seawater. Mechanistic studies reveal dense yet spatially resolved photocatalytic sites, where linkage sites mediate oxygen reduction and knot units drive water oxidation, promoting photosynthesis through efficient charge and mass transport.
Anisotropic Magneto‐Chiral Dichroism in Lanthanide Complexes
ABSTRACT In this work, we report the preparation of a chiral Er(III) complex specifically designed to assess the influence of the magnetic anisotropy axes orientation on its magneto‐chiral dichroism (MChD). High resolution MChD measurements performed along the three principal crystallographic axes revealed pronounced anisotropic effects on both MChD signal line shapes and intensities. By combining, for the first time, angle‐resolved torque magnetometry, comprehensive magneto‐optical spectroscopy on oriented single crystals, absorption measurements under magnetic fields up to 30 T and theoretical calculations, we provide clear experimental insight into the anisotropic nature of the MChD in lanthanide complexes. Specifically, we evaluate the extent to which Er moderate anisotropy enables signal persistence across a wide range of crystallographic orientations. These results allow the identification of the key role played by both the orientation and the magnitude of magnetic anisotropy in the MChD response of chiral lanthanide complexes, representing a significant step toward the directional control of magneto‐chiroptical responses in lanthanide‐based molecular materials.
Editable Hydrogen Bond Network Within the Electric Double Layer for CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction
ABSTRACT The hydrogen bond network (HBN) of water is dynamic and highly sensitive to electrified interfaces, where its rigidity can be significantly altered. Tuning this property is crucial, as it directly impacts electrocatalytic performance and is a key requirement for scaling these processes industrially. In this study, the rigidity of the HBN within the electrical double layer (EDL) during electrolysis was edited by introducing different quaternary ammonium cations to a 1 M KHCO 3 buffer solution. CO 2 electroreduction was conducted using the different electrolytes, and the results reveal that the performance is highly dependent on the rigidity of the HBN within the EDL. A HBN with high rigidity favors CO production, whereas a HBN with low rigidity increases the formation of formate and H 2 . Notably, the production of C 2+ is maximized in an electrolyte where the HBN has moderate rigidity. By tuning the rigidity of the HBN, a Faradaic efficiency of 90.9% for C 2+ products is achieved with a current density of 0.81 A cm −2 over a typical Cu electrode. In situ spectroscopic and electrochemical measurements reveal that the rigidity of the HBN governs the configuration of the reaction intermediates and the kinetics of water dissociation, thereby dictating the final product distribution.
Strain‐Tuned d‐Band Center Coupling Dual‐Plasmon Effect in CuIn Alloy for Driving CO <sub>2</sub> Photoreduction
ABSTRACT Photocatalysis driven by plasmon effect offers a green and sustainable method for converting CO 2 into liquid fuels. However, the limitations of traditional plasmonic catalysts result in low catalytic efficiency. Here, an indium (In) atomic layer has been developed as a new plasmonic material, while Cu is incorporated into the In lattice to form a CuIn alloy, yielding a dual‐plasmonic photocatalyst. The alloying of Cu and In induces significant lattice compression strain and shortens interatomic electron transfer distance. This electron redistribution endows the Cu‐In site pairs with an electron‐rich structure and modulates the d‐band center to optimize adsorption capacity. This dual‐plasmon effect strengthens electron–phonon coupling and optimizes the thermodynamics of surface reactions, enabling CuIn to maintain high activity and stability. This work provides a new design strategy for the development of strain‐tuned dual‐plasmon materials.
Anomeric Amide Enabled Divergent Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Ureas, Carbamates, Thioesters, and Amides From Aldehydes
ABSTRACT Divergent synthetic transformations that convert a single precursor into a range of structurally distinct products are powerful tools for rapidly exploring chemical space. Although numerous strategies exist for converting versatile functional handles such as halides and boronic acids into a multitude of reactive intermediates, there remains a pressing need for methodologies that exploit alternative linchpin fragments to open complementary avenues to molecular complexity. Herein, we report a divergent, anomeric amide‐enabled, aldehyde functionalization strategy, allowing access to unsymmetrical ureas, carbamates, thiocarbamates, thioesters, amines, or amides, all in a one‐pot procedure. Unique to this transformation is the formation of N ‐Boc‐hydroxamate intermediates, which serve as privileged platforms for orthogonal activation via Lossen‐type rearrangements, single‐electron transfer, or nucleophilic substitution, generating a diverse selection of reactive intermediates. Overall, this work establishes N ‐halo‐ O ‐activated hydroxycarbamate‐type anomeric amides as valuable reagents for aldehyde diversification, offering a complementary approach to molecular complexity generation from feedstock compounds.
Efficient and Safe Membrane‐Free Flow Electrolyzer for Formate Synthesis and Direct Fuel Cell Integration
ABSTRACT Membrane‐free electrocatalysis represents a promising alternative to conventional systems, yet the potential H 2 /O 2 intermixing stands as the foremost barrier to practical implementation. Here, we report an efficient and safe membrane‐free flow electrolyzer that kinetically matches methanol oxidation and CO 2 reduction for symmetric formate production. To suppress H 2 /O 2 generation, we developed low‐cost, separate catalysts that can operate compatibly in a single electrolyte. When stabilized by lattice‐matched FeOOH, Ni 5 (II)O(OH) 8 , a new material synthesized for the first time, addresses the common issue of Ni‐based catalysts being oxidized to NiOOH. This feature effectively suppresses competing O 2 evolution, enabling ∼100% methanol‐to‐formate conversion within an expanded potential window. In parallel, SO 4 2− incorporated Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 shields methanol from the electrolyte while promoting highly exclusive CO 2 reduction to formate at evaluated current densities. Thus, the system achieves >195% overall formate Faradaic efficiency over a record‐wide current density range (2.0 to 424.6 mA cm −2 ) with minor H 2 /O 2 production rates (e.g., H 2 : 1.6 mL h −1 , O 2 : 0.5 mL h −1 , at 200 mA cm −2 ), demonstrating excellent production efficiency and safety under fluctuating renewable energy input. The produced formate‐rich solution can be further utilized in a high‐performance fuel cell. This work establishes a low‐cost and safe CO 2 ‐to‐power loop route for sustainable energy conversion.
Modular Core‐Substituted Naphthalenediimide‐Based Metal–Organic Frameworks for Red‐Light‐Driven Photocatalysis
ABSTRACT Red‐light‐driven photocatalytic reactions present a superior alternative for overcoming inherent limitations of conventional ultraviolet (UV) and blue‐light photocatalysis, including shallow penetration depth, photodamage of light‐sensitive compounds, and limited reaction selectivity. Nevertheless, molecular engineering strategies for achieving efficient red‐light heterogeneous photocatalysts remain scarce and pose significant challenges. Herein, this work designed and synthesized two novel isostructural metal–organic frameworks (MOFs, denoted as NHEt‐cNDI‐Cu 3 and SEt‐cNDI‐Cu 3 ) based on core‐substituted naphthalenediimide (cNDI) derived dyes. The two MOFs exhibited comparative high surface area and decent water/chemical stability. Intriguingly, their broad and intense light absorption, which is intrinsically inherited from their constituent cNDI ligands, bestowed them with great promise in long‐wavelength light photocatalysis. Especially, NHEt‐cNDI‐Cu 3 was found to be quite prominent in photocatalyzed sulfide oxidations and oxidative coupling of benzylamine under red‐light irradiation. In contrast, the performance of its analogue, SEt‐cNDI‐Cu 3, was five times lower, although their photocatalytic activity was very close under blue‐light excitation. The mechanistic study further elucidated that the LUMO of cNDI‐based MOFs governed the photocatalytic reactivity, which furnished a new platform for molecular engineering design of long‐wavelength photocatalysts and subsequently boosted sustainable chemistry.
Direct Growth of Na‐Ion Conducting Na <sub>3</sub> O <sub>15</sub> Si <sub>6</sub> Y Solid Glass Electrolyte With Reduced Interfacial Resistance for Safer Room‐Temperature Sodium–Sulfur Pouch Cells
ABSTRACT The stability of the solid electrolyte–electrode interface is critical for solid‐state batteries. Traditionally developed solid electrolytes are prone to high interfacial resistance due to the way the electrolyte is applied to the electrodes, and no effective method has yet been devised to resolve this issue. Here, we report a solid‐vapor growth method for directly growing a Na + ‐conducting solid electrolyte on a sodium metal anode, thereby minimizing interfacial resistance. As a result, the solid electrolyte (i.e., Na 3 O 15 Si 6 Y) exhibits a reduced interfacial resistance of approximately 6.2 Ω.cm 2 , accompanied by a room‐temperature Na‐ion conductivity of ∼1.6 mS·cm − 1 . Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations suggest that Na + ions are the primary charge carriers in the Na 3 O 15 Si 6 Y system and experience a low activation energy barrier (∼0.25 eV) for Na‐ion diffusion. Larger bottleneck sizes contribute to the low activation energy barrier and high ionic conductivity of Na 3 O 15 Si 6 Y. A full cell comprising a Na metal anode with an as‐grown solid electrolyte and a sulfur cathode operates for over 140 cycles, with an average Coulombic efficiency of ∼99.0%. Moreover, a 3 × 3 cm 2 pouch cell delivers ∼450 mAh·g −1 reversible capacity and demonstrates the stability and scalability of solid vapor‐grown electrolytes for advanced solid‐state battery applications.