Hierarchically porous carbon-coated ZnO quantum dots (QDs) (~3.5 nm) were synthesized by a one-step controlled pyrolysis of the metal-organic framework IRMOF-1. We have demonstrated a scalable and facile synthesis of carbon-coated ZnO QDs without agglomeration by structural reorganization. This unique microstructure exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance (capacity, cyclability, and rate capability) when evaluated as an anode material for lithium ion batteries.

High-nickel cathodes attract immense interest for use in lithium-ion batteries to boost Li-storage capacity while reducing cost. For overcoming the intergranular-cracking issue in polycrystals, single-crystals are considered an appealing alternative, but aggravating concerns on compromising the ionic transport and kinetic properties. We report here a quantitative assessment of redox reaction in single-crystal LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 using operando hard X-ray microscopy/ spectroscopy, revealing a strong dependence of redox kinetics on the state of charge (SOC). Specifically, the redox is sluggish at low SOC but increases rapidly as SOC increases, both in bulk electrodes and individual particles. The observation is corroborated by transport measurements and finite-element simulation, indicating that the sluggish kinetics in singlecrystals is governed by ionic transport at low SOC and may be alleviated through synergistic interaction with polycrystals integrated into a same electrode.

Electronic structures of homogeneous bulk samples of Zn0.9Co0.1O which do not exhibit diluted ferromagnetic semiconducting (DMS) behavior have been investigated using photoemission spectroscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. We have found that the Co ions in Zn1−xCoxO are in the divalent Co2+(d7) states under the tetrahedral symmetry. Our finding indicates that the DMS properties will not be produced when Co ions are properly substituted for Zn sites, implying that the DMS properties observed in Zn1−xCoxO thin films are likely to be extrinsic.

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This paper introduces oxygen‐deficient black TiO2 with hierarchically ordered porous structure fabricated by a simple hydrogen reduction as a carbon‐ and binder‐free cathode, demonstrating superior energy density and stability. With the high electrical conductivity derived from oxygen vacancies or Ti3+ ions, this unique electrode features micrometer‐sized voids with mesoporous walls for the effective accommodation of Li2O2 toroid and for the rapid transport of reaction molecules without the electrode being clogged. In the highly ordered architecture, toroidal Li2O2 particles are guided to form with a regular size and separation, which induces the most of Li2O2 external surface to be directly exposed to the electrolyte. Therefore, large Li2O2 toroids (≈300 nm) grown from solution can be effectively charged by incorporating a soluble catalyst, resulting in a very small polarization (≈0.37 V). Furthermore, disordered nanoshell in black TiO2 is suggested to protect the oxygen‐deficient crystalline core, by which oxidation of Ti3+ is kinetically impeded during battery operation, leading to the enhanced electrode stability even in a highly oxidizing environment under high voltage (≈4 V).