Poly(pentacenetetrone sulfide) (PPTS) as a cathode for PIBs exhibits high electrochemical performance. Novel methods are also demonstrated for inhibiting K dendrites.

A robust and porous Zr metal-organic framework (MOF) based on a BINAP-derived dicarboxylate linker, BINAP-MOF, was synthesized and post-synthetically metalated with Ru and Rh complexes to afford highly enantioselective catalysts for important organic transformations. The Rh-functionalized MOF is not only highly enantioselective (up to >99% ee) but also 3 times as active as the homogeneous control. XAFS studies revealed that the Ru-functionalized MOF contains Ru-BINAP precatalysts with the same coordination environment as the homogeneous Ru complex. The post-synthetically metalated BINAP-MOFs provide a versatile family of single-site solid catalysts for catalyzing a broad scope of asymmetric organic transformations, including addition of aryl and alkyl groups to α,β-unsaturated ketones and hydrogenation of substituted alkene and carbonyl compounds.

Innovative solid-phase sorbent technologies are needed to extract radionuclides from harsh media for environmental remediation and in order to close the nuclear fuel cycle. Highly porous inorganic materials with remarkable sorptive properties have been prepared by topotactic transformations of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) using both basic and acidic solutions. Treatment of Ti and Zr nanoMOFs with NaOH, Na3PO4, and H3PO4 yields Ti and Zr oxides, oxyphosphates, and phosphates via sacrificial removal of the organic ligands. This controlled ligand extraction process results in porous inorganic materials, which preserve the original MOF morphologies and impart useful surface functionalities, but are devoid of organic linkers. Structural investigation by X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals preservation of the coordination environment of the scattering metal. Changing the MOF template introduces different metal and structural possibilities, while application of different digest solutions allows preparation of metal oxides, metal oxyphosphates, and metal phosphates. The high stability and porosity of these novel materials makes them ideally suited as nanosorbents in severe environments. Their potential for several radionuclide separations is demonstrated, including decontamination of high level nuclear waste, extraction of lanthanides, and remediation of radionuclide-contaminated seawater.

batteries crucially relies on electrochemical characteristics of electrode materials, i.e., anode and cathode materials. [ 1 ] Various alternative anode materials have recently been developed, including silicon-based composites, [ 2,3 ] nanoscale transition metal oxides, [ 4,5 ] titanium-based materials, [ 6,7 ] and graphene-based sulfi de, [ 8 ] etc. These materials have demonstrated excellent rate capability and specifi c capacities several times higher than conventional graphite anodes. Since capacities of cathode materials are usually much lower than those of anodes, the cathode is considered as the limiting factor for lithium ion batteries. To a great extent, development of newgeneration lithium ion batteries is limited by the low energy density, low operating voltage, and poor rate capability of cathode materials. [ 9 ] Recently, the emerging Li-excess layered oxides have attracted a great deal of research efforts due to their high capacities. These cathode materials can be cycled over a broad voltage range between 2.0 and 4.8 V versus Li/Li + and deliver specifi c capacities higher than 250 mAh g −1 . They also offer many other advantages such as low cost, environmental benignity, and safety. [ 10 ] A representative example is Li-excess ternary manganese-nickel-cobalt oxide, composed