Si has been considered as one of the most attractive anode materials for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high gravimetric and volumetric capacity. Importantly, it is also abundant, cheap, and environmentally benign. In this review, we summarized the recent progress in developments of Si anode materials. First, the electrochemical reaction and failure are outlined, and then, we summarized various methods for improving the battery performance, including those of nanostructuring, alloying, forming hierarchic structures, and using suitable binders. We hope that this review can be of benefit to more intensive investigation of Si-based anode materials.
Pure single‐crystalline Na1.1V3O7.9 nanobelts are successfully synthesized for the first time via a facile yet effective strategy. When used as cathode materials for Na‐ion batteries, the novel nanobelts exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. Given the ease and effectiveness of the synthesis route as well as the very promising electrochemical performance, the results obtained may be extended to other next‐generation cathode materials for Na‐ion batteries.
ZnO ultrathin films with varied thicknesses of 7-70 nm were prepared at 200 °C on Si and fused quartz substrates by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The impact of film thickness and annealing temperature on the crystallinity, morphology, optical bandgap, and photocatalytic properties of ZnO in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light irradiation (λ = 365 nm) has been investigated deeply. The as-deposited 28 nm thick ZnO ultrathin film exhibits highest photocatalytic activity, ascribed to the smallest band gap of 3.21 eV and proper thickness. The photocorrosion effect of ALD ZnO ultrathin films during photocatalytic process is observed. The presence of MB significantly accelerates the dissolution of ZnO ultrathin films. The possible photoetching mechanism of ZnO in MB solution is proposed.
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