Data from this pilot program suggest that the immersive, virtual teaching method is well suited to team-based, reflective practice and learning of disaster management skills.

Synthesis parameters, storage conditions, and electrolyte chemistry are all critical parameters limiting the cycling performances of disordered rock salt cathodes.

This work reports a comprehensive study of a novel polyol method that can successfully synthesize layered LiNi0.4Mn0.4Co0.2O2, spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, and olivine LiCoPO4 cathode materials. When properly designed, polyol method offers many advantages such as low cost, ease of use, and proven scalability for industrial applications. Most importantly, the unique properties of polyol solvent allow for great morphology control as shown by all the resulting materials exhibiting monodispersed nanoparticles morphology. This morphology contributes to improved lithium ion transport due to short diffusion lengths. Polyolsynthesized LiNi0.4Mn0.4Co0.2O2 delivers a reversible capacity of 101 and 82 mAh g -1 at the high current density of 1000 mA g -1 and 2000 mA g -1 , respectively. It also displays surprisingly high surface structure stability after charge-discharge process. Each step of the reaction was investigated to understand the underlying polyol synthesis mechanism. A combination of in situ and ex situ study reveals the structural and chemical transformation of Ni-Co alloy nanocrystals overwrapped by a Mn-and Li-embedded organic matrix to a series of intermediate phases, and then eventually to the desired layered oxide phase with a homogeneous distribution of Ni, Co, and Mn. We envisage that this type of analysis will promote the development of optimized synthesis protocol by establishing links between experimental factors and important structural and chemical properties of the desired product. The insights can open a new direction of research to synthesize high-performance intercalation compounds by allowing an unprecedented control of intermediate phases using experimental parameters.