High-power sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with long-term cycling attract increasing attention for large-scale energy storage. However, traditional SIBs toward practical applications still suffer from low rate capability and poor cycle induced by pulverization and amorphorization of anodes at high rate (over 5 C) during the fast ion insertion/extraction process. The present work demonstrates a robust strategy for a variety of (Sb-C, Bi-C, Sn-C, Ge-C, Sb-Bi-C) freestanding metal-carbon framework thin films via a space-confined superassembly (SCSA) strategy. The sodium-ion battery employing the Sb-C framework exhibits an unprecedented performance with a high specific capacity of 246 mAh g, long life cycle (5000 cycles), and superb capacity retention (almost 100%) at a high rate of 7.5 C (3.51A g). Further investigation indicates that the unique framework structure enables unusual reversible crystalline-phase transformation, guaranteeing the fast and long-cyclability sodium storage. This study may open an avenue to developing long-cycle-life and high-power SIBs for practical energy applications.

Nowadays, it is of great significance and a challenge to design a noble-metal-free catalyst with high activity and a long lifetime for the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds. Here, a 2D structured nanocomposite catalyst with graphene supported CuNi alloy nanoparticles (NPs) is prepared, and is promising for meeting the requirements of green chemistry. In this graphene/CuNi nanocomposite, the ultra-small CuNi nanoparticles (∼2 nm) are evenly anchored on graphene sheets, which is not only a breakthrough in the structures, but also brings about an outstanding performance in activity and stability. Combined with a precise optimization of the alloy ratios, the reaction rate constant of graphene/Cu61Ni39 reached a high level of 0.13685 s(-1), with a desirable selectivity as high as 99% for various aromatic nitro-compounds. What's more, the catalyst exhibited a unprecedented long lifetime because it could be recycled over 25 times without obvious performance decay or even a morphology change. This work showed the promise and great potential of noble-metal-free catalysts in green chemistry.

The NiCo/NiO–CoOx ultra-thin layered catalyst exhibits high-performance towards H2 generation from N2H4·H2O without alkali as a catalyst promoter at 25 °C.