Ni-based metal organic frameworks (Ni-MOFs) with unique hierarchical hollow ball-in-ball nanostructure were synthesized by solvothermal reactions. After successive carbonization and oxidation treatments, hierarchical NiO/Ni nanocrystals covered with a graphene shell were obtained with the hollow ball-in-ball nanostructure intact. The resulting materials exhibited superior performance as the anode in lithium ion batteries (LIBs): they provide high reversible specific capacity (1144 mAh/g), excellent cyclability (nearly no capacity loss after 1000 cycles) and rate performance (805 mAh/g at 15 A/g). In addition, the hierarchical NiO/Ni/Graphene composites demonstrated promising performance as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Such a superior lithium and sodium storage performance is derived from the well-designed hierarchical hollow ball-in-ball structure of NiO/Ni/Graphene composites, which not only mitigates the volume expansion of NiO during the cycles but also provides a continuous highly conductive graphene matrix to facilitate the fast charge transfer and form a stable SEI layer.

Cell adhesion is a basic requirement for anchorage-dependent cells to survive on the matrix. It is the first step in a series of cell activities, such as cell diffusion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. In vivo, cells are surrounded by extracellular matrix (ECM), whose physical and biochemical properties and micromorphology may affect and regulate the function and behavior of cells, causing cell reactions. Cell adhesion is also the basis of communication between cells and the external environment and plays an important role in tissue development. Therefore, the significance of studying cell adhesion in vitro has become increasingly prominent. For instance, in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, researchers have used artificial surfaces of different materials to simulate the properties of natural ECM, aiming to regulate the behavior of cell adhesion. Understanding the factors that affect cell behavior and how to control cell behavior, including cell adhesion, orientation, migration, and differentiation on artificial surfaces, is essential for materials and life sciences, such as advanced biomedical engineering and tissue engineering. This article reviews various factors affecting cell adhesion as well as the methods and materials often used in investigating cell adhesion.

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Efficiency, cost, and lifetime are the primary challenges for stationary energy storage with vanadium-redox flow and sodium-sulfur batteries as promising options. In particular, room temperature sodium-sulfur battery systems offer the potential for safe, simple, low-cost and high energy density storage, but the high reactivity or solubility of sodium polysulfides in common liquid electrolytes for carbonates or glycols, respectively, leads to rapid performance loss on cycling. Herein, we demonstrate a robust route to mostly inhibit reactivity of the sulfides with carbonate electrolytes (and also inhibit the diffusion of polysulfides