Lithium-sulfur batteries can displace lithium-ion by delivering higher specific energy. Presently, however, the superior energy performance fades rapidly when the sulfur electrode is loaded to the required levels—5 to 10 mg cm−2— due to substantial volume change of lithiation/delithiation and the resultant stresses. Inspired by the classical approaches in particle agglomeration theories, we found an approach that places minimum amounts of a high-modulus binder between neighboring particles, leaving increased space for material expansion and ion diffusion. These expansion-tolerant electrodes with loadings up to 15 mg cm−2 yield high gravimetric (>1200 mA·hour g−1) and areal (19 mA·hour cm−2) capacities. The cells are stable for more than 200 cycles, unprecedented in such thick cathodes, with Coulombic efficiency above 99%.

A CO2-sourced self-standing solid electrolyte membrane is prepared and evaluated for room temperature operating lithium batteries.

Hearing loss is the most common neurosensory impairment worldwide. While conductive hearing loss can be managed by surgery, the management of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), related to the damage of sensory cells of the inner ear is more challenging to manage medically. Many causes of SNHL such as sudden idiopathic SNHL, Meniere's disease, noise-induced hearing loss, autoimmune hearing loss or hearing loss from exposure to ototoxic substances can benefit from delivery of otoprotective drugs to the inner ear. However, systemic drug delivery through oral, intravenous and intramuscular methods leads to undesirable side effects due to the inner ear's limited blood supply and the relatively poor penetration of the blood-inner ear barrier (BLB). Therefore, there has been an increased interest for the targeted drug delivery to the inner ear using nanoparticles. Drug delivery through nanoparticles offers several advantages including drug stabilization for controlled release and surface modification for specific targeting. Understanding the biocompatibility of nanoparticles with cochlea and developing novel non-invasive delivery methods will promote the translation of nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery for auditory disorders from bench to bedside.

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Sodium‐ion batteries are alternatives for lithium‐ion batteries in applications where cost‐effectiveness is of primary concern, such as stationary energy storage. The stability of sodium‐ion batteries is limited by the current generation of electrolytes, particularly at higher temperatures. Therefore, the search for an electrolyte which is stable at these temperatures is of utmost importance. Here, such electrolytes are introduced in the form of nonflammable deep eutectic solvents (DESs), consisting of sodium bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide (NaTFSI) dissolved in N‐methyl acetamide (NMA). Increasing the NaTFSI concentration replaces NMA—NMA hydrogen bonds with strong ionic interactions between NMA, Na+, and TFSI−. These interactions lower NMA's highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level compared with that of TFSI−, leading to an increased anodic stability (up to ≈4.65 V versus Na+/Na). (Na3V2(PO4)2F3/carbon nanotube [CNT])/(Na2+x Ti4O9/C) full cells show 97.0% capacity retention after 250 cycles at 0.2 C and 55 °C. This is considerably higher than for (Na3V2(PO4)2F3/CNT)/(Na2+x Ti4O9/C) full cells containing a conventional electrolyte. According to the electrochemical impedance analysis, the improved electrochemical stability is linked to the formation of more robust surface films at the electrode/electrolyte interface. The improved durability and safety highlight that DESs can be viable electrolyte alternatives for sodium‐ion batteries.

Millions of residential and industrial solar panels installed in the late 1980s and early 1990s are approaching the end of their life, resulting in the drastic accumulation of a potential source of environmental pollutiongiven the presence of hazardous materials, such as lead. The foreseen crisis, however, can be turned into a great opportunity by value-added recovery of precious solar-grade silicon (Si) to the highly desired nanostructured silicon for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, we demonstrate a potential end-of-life management option for photovoltaic (PV) panels, representing a step toward producing greener and more energy-efficient Si for batteries. We show that leaching the recovered silicon wafers in critically tuned alkali-acid leaching baths effectively removes the major impurities: lead (Pb), silver (Ag), and aluminum (Al). The ultrapure Si is then nanosized via industrially scalable milling routes to meet the requirements of expansion-tolerant Si anodes for LIBs delivering capacities as high as 1400 mAh g −1 .

The performance of electrode materials in lithium-ion (Li-ion), sodium-ion (Na-ion) and related batteries depends not only on their chemical composition but also on their microstructure. The choice of a synthesis method is therefore of paramount importance. Amongst the wide variety of synthesis or shaping routes reported for an ever-increasing panel of compositions, spray-drying stands out as a versatile tool offering demonstrated potential for up-scaling to industrial quantities. In this review, we provide an overview of the rapidly increasing literature including both spray-drying of solutions and spray-drying of suspensions. We focus, in particular, on the chemical aspects of the formulation of the solution/suspension to be spray-dried. We also consider the post-processing of the spray-dried precursors and the resulting morphologies of granules. The review references more than 300 publications in tables where entries are listed based on final compound composition, starting materials, sources of carbon etc.

Radiative Cooling In article number http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/aesr.202100159, Dries De Sloovere, An Hardy, and co‐workers, show that careful investigation and optimization of the coordination structure of deep eutectic solvents allows the preparation of a viable electrolyte alternative for sodium‐ion batteries. The optimized electrolyte is durable and nonflammable, considerably improving the safety of battery operation. Furthermore, it can offer a more durable electrochemical performance compared to conventional electrolytes.