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Hard carbons attract myriad interest as anode materials for high-energy rechargeable batteries due to their low costs and high theoretical capacities; practically, they deliver unsatisfactory performance due to their intrinsically disordered microarchitecture. Here we report a facile ion-catalyzed synthesis of a phenol-formaldehyde resin-based hard-carbon aerogel that takes advantage of the chelation effect of phenol and Fe, which consists of a three-dimensionally interconnected carbon network embedded with hydrogen-rich, ordered microstructures of expanded nanographites and carbon micropores. The chelation effect ensures the homodispersion of Fe in the polymer segments of the precursor, so that an effective catalytic conversion from sp to sp carbon occurs, enabling free rearrangement of graphene sheets into expanded nanographite and carbon micropores. The structural merits of the carbon offer chances to achieve lithium/sodium storage performance far beyond that possible with the conventional carbon anode materials, including graphite and mesocarbon microbeads, along with fast kinetics and long cycle life. In this way, our hard carbon proves its feasibility to serve as an advanced anode material for high-energy rechargeable Li/Na batteries.

Long-term stability is an essential requirement for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to be commercially viable. Heterojunctions built by low-dimensional and three-dimensional perovskites (1D/3D or 2D/3D) help to improve the stability...

Bioinspired polymeric woods with excellent overall performance can be fabricated by a self-assembly and curing process of resins.

Systematic encapsulation of PVSK solar cells is comprehensively reviewed by considering external encapsulation against H2O/O2 intrusion, along with internal encapsulation to improve the intrinsic stabilities of their constituting layers.

The photovoltaic performance of hybrid halide perovskite solar cells at extreme low temperatures is investigated in depth. Enhanced open-circuit voltage and efficiency are found at temperatures from 290 to 180 K. The mechanism is related to phase-transition-induced self-elimination of intrinsic defects for perovskites at low temperatures. The highest efficiency over 25% at 220 K is ultimately achieved to demonstrate the feasibility of perovskite solar cells in an aerospace environment chamber.

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L-Ti3C2 was prepared by exfoliating Ti3AlC2 in 40% HF. With sulfur-loaded L-Ti3C2 as cathodes, Li–S batteries deliver a high initial discharge capacity of 1291 mA h g−1, an excellent capacity retention of 970 mA h g−1 and coulombic efficiency of 99% after 100 cycles.