Combinatorial methods were used to search for active alloy electrocatalysts for use in enzyme-free amperometric glucose sensors. Electrode arrays (715-member) containing combinations of Pt, Pb, Au, Pd, and Rh were prepared and screened by converting anodic current to visible fluorescence. The most active compositions contained both Pt and Pb. Bulk quantities of catalysts with compositions corresponding to those identified in the screening experiments were prepared and characterized. The best alloy electrocatalysts catalyzed glucose oxidation at substantially more negative potentials than pure platinum in enzyme-free voltammetric measurements. They were also insensitive to potential interfering agents (ascorbic and uric acids, and 4-acetamidophenol), which are oxidized at slightly more positive potentials. Rotating disk electrode (RDE) experiments were carried out to study the catalytic mechanism. The improvement in catalytic performance was attributed to the inhibition of adsorption of oxidation products, which poison Pt electrodes.

alternatives to next-generation batteries, have attracted extensive attention due to their high energy density and low cost. Metallic Li is considered as the ultimate choice of anode material for LMBs, owing to its ultrahigh theoretical capacity (3860 mAh g −1 ) and lowest electrochemical potential (−3.04 V vs the standard hydrogen electrode), [2] LMBs were pioneered during the 1970s, but they have not been successfully commercialized due to the significant safety concerns [3][4][5] associated with Li-dendrite growth during the repeated Li plating/ stripping process. The challenges of commercial application of metallic Li anodes can be summarized as follows: 1) Li tends to deposit unevenly to form dendritic and mossy-like morphology on the electrode during electrochemical cycling, which can subsequently penetrate the separator and cause internal short-circuits and thermal runaway. The dendritic Li could also be isolated from the bulk Li or current collector during the stripping process, becoming "dead Li" due to the absence of electronic contact, which leads to increased resistance, fading capacity, and short cycle life. [6] 2) The side reaction between Li and liquid electrolyte results in the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the electrode surface. The unstable SEI layer is very fragile and easily fractured during the Li plating/stripping process. As a result, fresh Li is exposed and further consumes more electrolyte to form new SEI. This repetitive process endlessly consumes both Li and electrolyte, leading to growing interfacial resistance and decreasing Coulombic efficiency (CE). [7] 3) Owing to its "hostless" nature, Li metal undergoes a relatively infinite volume change during electrochemical cycling. This phenomenon causes significant challenges as it can often cause damage to the SEI during plating/stripping. [3] Among all the challenges of the Li-metal anode, the SEI plays a crucial role as a passivation layer to prevent further reactions between Li and electrolyte, hence improving electrochemical performance. A self-formed SEI is generally composed of the stacking of many small domains, including LiF, Li 2 O, Li 2 CO 3 , and organic Li compounds, with heterogeneous composition, ionic conductivities, and mechanical properties. [8] However, the deposition of dendritic or mossy-like Li still occurs during Metallic Li is considered as one of the most promising anode materials for next-generation batteries due to its high theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential. However, its commercialization has been impeded by the severe safety issues associated with Li-dendrite growth. Non-uniform Li-ion flux on the Li-metal surface and the formation of unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) during the Li plating/stripping process lead to the growth of dendritic and mossy Li structures that deteriorate the cycling performance and can cause short-circuits. Herein, an ultrathin polymer film of "polyurea" as an artificial SEI layer for Li-metal anodes via molecular-layer deposit...

All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (SSLIBs) are promising candidates to meet the requirement of electric vehicles due to the intrinsic safety characteristics and high theoretical energy density. A stable cathodic interface is critical for maximizing the performance of SSLIBs. In this study, operando X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) combined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) is employed to investigate the interfacial behavior between the Ni-rich layered cathodes and sulfide solid-state electrolyte. The study demonstrates a metastable intermediate state of sulfide electrolyte at high voltage and parasitic reactions with cathodes during the charge/discharge process, which leads to the surface structural reconstruction of Ni-rich cathodes. Constructing a uniform interlayer by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is also employed in this study to further investigate the cathodic interface stability. These results provide new insight into the cathodic interface reaction mechanism and highlight the importance of advanced operando characterizations for SSLIBs.

All-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) have attracted significant attention due to their superior safety and high energy density. However, little success has been made in adopting Li metal anodes in sulfide electrolyte (SE)-based ASSLMBs. The main challenges are the remarkable interfacial reactions and Li dendrite formation between Li metal and SEs. In this work, a solid-state plastic crystal electrolyte (PCE) is engineered as an interlayer in SE-based ASSLMBs. It is demonstrated that the PCE interlayer can prevent the interfacial reactions and lithium dendrite formation between SEs and Li metal. As a result, ASSLMBs with LiFePO 4 exhibit a high initial capacity of 148 mAh g −1 at 0.1 C and 131 mAh g −1 at 0.5 C (1 C = 170 mA g −1 ), which remains at 122 mAh g −1 after 120 cycles at 0.5 C. All-solid-state Li-S batteries based on the polyacrylonitrile-sulfur composite are also demonstrated, showing an initial capacity of 1682 mAh g −1 . The second discharge capacity of 890 mAh g −1 keeps at 775 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles. This work provides a new avenue to address the interfacial challenges between Li metal and SEs, enabling the successful adoption of Li metal in SE-based ASSLMBs with high energy density.

Construction of highly stable covalently attached multilayer films was achieved by UV irradiation of ionic self-assembled multilayer films of diazo-resins and poly(sodium styrene sulfonate).