In this paper we describe a modified (AEG/CH) coated separator for Li-S batteries in which the shuttling phenomenon of the lithium polysulfides is restrained through two types of interactions: activated expanded graphite (AEG) flakes interacted physically with the lithium polysulfides, while chitosan (CH), used to bind the AEG flakes on the separator, interacted chemically through its abundance of amino and hydroxyl functional groups. Moreover, the AEG flakes facilitated ionic and electronic transfer during the redox reaction. Live H-cell discharging experiments revealed that the modified separator was effective at curbing polysulfide shuttling; moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the cycled separator confirmed the presence of lithium polysulfides in the AEG/CH matrix. Using this dual functional interaction approach, the lifetime of the pure sulfur-based cathode was extended to 3000 cycles at 1C-rate (1C = 1670 mA/g), decreasing the decay rate to 0.021% per cycle, a value that is among the best reported to date. A flexible battery based on this modified separator exhibited stable performance and could turn on multiple light-emitting diodes. Such modified membranes with good mechanical strength, high electronic conductivity, and anti-self-discharging shield appear to be a scalable solution for future high-energy battery systems.

We report on a series of new self-assembled cyclometalated dirhenium(I) metallacyclic complexes via an unprecedented rhenium-mediated C-H bond activation and the relationship between their structures and luminescence properties.

An organic-inorganic hybrid zinc phosphate with 28-ring channels was synthesized by use of an organic ligand instead of organic amine template under a hydro(solvo)thermal condition. This crystalline zinc phosphate contains large channels constructed from 28 zinc and phosphate tetrahedral units. The walls of the channels consist of two types of zincophosphate chains, in which the Zn atoms are coordinated by 2,4,5-tri(4-pyridyl)-imidazole ligands as pendent groups. This compound exhibits yellow emission and interesting properties of removing cobalt, cadmium, and mercury cations from aqueous solution. A new two-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid zincophosphate was also obtained by changing the solvent mixture ratios in the synthesis.

Three porous metal-organic frameworks, namely {[Zn 2 IJazpy)IJaip) 2 ]·2DMF} n (1, azpy = 4,4′-azobipyridine, H 2 aip = 5-aminoisophthalic acid), {[Zn 2 IJdipytz)IJaip) 2 ]·1.15DMF·0.85MeOH} n (2, dipytz = di-3,6-IJ4-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine) and {[Zn 2 IJtpim)IJaip) 2 ]·2.5DMF·2H 2 O} n (3, tpim = 2,4,5-triIJ4-pyridyl)imidazole), were synthesized under mild conditions. All of the compounds consisted of a honeycomb-like layer, ijZnIJaip)] n , further pillared by N-donor ligands to form two-dimensional (2D) porous pillared-bilayer frameworks with 1D channels created inside the bilayers (4.1 × 10.1 Å 2 for 1, 4.1 × 11.1 Å 2 for 2, and 5.1 × 9.8 Å 2 for 3). The resulting MOFs showed different pore volumes and channel shapes depending on the length and shape of the pillar ligands (35.7%, 41.7%, and 33.9% for 1-3, respectively). The pore volume in 3 decreased due to the presence of the uncoordinated pyridyl group of the tpim ligand. The frameworks of 1 and 2 show flexible properties upon undergoing solvent-exchange processes and their CO 2 adsorption properties are different.These latter properties are affected by the functional groups of the linear pillar ligand (-NN-and tetrazine group). In particular, compound 3 possesses less flexibility upon undergoing a solvent-exchange process and preferentially absorbs CO 2 more efficiently rather than H 2 and N 2 . CrystEngCommThis journal is