Dehumidification is significant for environmental sustainability and human health. Traditional dehumidification methods involve significant energy consumption and have negative impact on the environment. The core challenge is to expose hygroscopic surfaces to the air, and appropriately store the captured water and avoid surface inactivation. Here, a nanostructured moisture‐absorbing gel (N‐MAG) for passive dehumidification, which consists of a hydrophilic nanocellulose network functionalized by hygroscopic lithium chloride, is reported. The interconnected nanocellulose can transfer the captured water to the internal space of the bulky N‐MAG, eliminating water accumulation near the surfaces and hence enabling high‐rate moisture absorption. The N‐MAG can reduce the relative humidity from 96.7% to 28.7% in 6 h, even if the space is over 2 × 104 times of its own volume. The condensed water can be completely confined in the N‐MAG, overcoming the problem of environmental pollution. This research brings a new perspective for sustainable humidity management without energy consumption and with positive environmental footprint.
Dehumidification
Dehumidification is significant for environmental sustainability and human health. In article number 2200865, Wenshuai Chen, Guihua Yu, and co‐workers report the development of a nanostructured moisture‐absorbing gel by integration of hygroscopic lithium salt and hydrophilic nanocellulose networks. The gel maintains a large hygroscopic active area for capturing water from air, and thus exhibits super‐moisture‐absorption ability. Even in a space with a volume over 20 000 times of its own, it demonstrates fast dehumidification without energy input and environment pollution.
The interface plays a pivotal role in stabilizing metal anode. Extensive studies have been made but systematic research is lacking. In this study, preliminary studies are conducted to explore the prime conditions of interfacial modification to approach the practical requirements. Critical factors including reaction kinetics, transport rate, and modulus are identified to affect the Zn anode morphology significantly. The fundamental principle to enhance the Zn anode stability is systematically studied using the TEMPO‐oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCNF) coating layer with thin a separator. Its advantageous mechanical properties buffer the huge volume variation. The existence of hydrophilic TOCNF in the Zn anode interface enhances the mass transfer process and alters the Zn2+ distribution with a record high double‐layer capacitance (390 uF cm−2). With the synergetic effect, the modified Zn anode works stably under 5 mA cm−2 with a thin nonwoven paper as the separator (thickness 113 µm). At an ultra‐high current density of 10 mA cm−2, this coated anode cycles for more than 300 h. This strategy shows an immense potential to drive the Zn anode forward toward practical applications.
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