A long-cycle-life aqueous rechargeable sodium/zinc battery was obtained with a high energy density of 170 W h kg−1.

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The low electrochemical utilization of S and fast capacity fading can be effectively diminished by immobilizing sulfur in porous carbon via the interaction of a small amount of selenium in S-rich S1−xSex/C (x ≤ 0.1) composites.

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This article presents a high precision method for Ba isotope measurements using multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS).

In this study the homogeneity of the zinc isotopic composition in the NIST SRM 683 reference material was examined by measuring the Zn isotopic signature in microdrilled sample powders from two metal nuggets. Zinc was purified using AG MP-1M resin and then measured by MC-ICP-MS. Instrumental mass bias was corrected using the "sample-standard bracketing" method and empirical external normalisation with Cu doping. After evaluating the potential effects of varying acid mass fractions and different matrices, high-precision Zn isotope data were obtained with an intermediate measurement precision better than ± 0.05‰ (d 66 Zn, 2s) over a period of 5 months. The d 66 Zn JMC-Lyon mean values of eighty-four and fourteen drilled powders from two nuggets were 0.11 ± 0.02‰ and 0.12 ± 0.02‰, respectively, indicating that NIST SRM 683 is a good isotopic reference material with homogeneous Zn isotopes. The Zn isotopic compositions of seventeen rock reference materials were also determined, and their d 66 Zn values were in agreement with most previously published data within 2s. The d 66 Zn values of most of the rock reference materials analysed were in the range 0.22-0.36‰, except for GSP-2 (1.07 ± 0.06‰, n = 12), NOD-A-1 (0.96 ± 0.03‰, n = 6) and NOD-P-1 (0.78 ± 0.03‰, n = 6). These comprehensive data should serve as reference values for quality assurance and interlaboratory calibration exercises.

Due to the costly short-term transients, frequency regulation, and load balancing, the electrical power grid faces an urgent need for largescale energy storage. The long durability, high power and energy density, and low cost needed for stationary energy storage posing constant challenges for conventional battery technology inspire people to explore new kinds of energy storage technologies. Here, we assembled an aqueous rechargeable sodium ion battery by using NaMnO 2 as a cathode material and NaTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 /C composites as anode materials in 2 M CH 3 COONa aqueous electrolyte. This battery system could work in a wide voltage range from 0.5 V to 1.8 V, giving an energy density of 30 W h kg À1 (based on the total mass of active materials) and could retain 75% of the initial capacity after 500 cycles at the 5 C rate. What is more, the earth-abundant precursors, environmental friendliness and inherent safety made this battery system particularly attractive for stationary energy storage applications. † Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: SEM images of the as-prepared fresh cathode and anode electrodes; cycle performance of the full cell using 1 M Na 2 SO 4 as an electrolyte at a rate of 5 C; XRD pattern and SEM images of the anode material aer 500 cycles; XRD pattern and SEM images of the cathode material aer 500 cycles; the calculation procedure for the energy density/power density of a full cell; and energy densities and average operating voltages of different aqueous rechargeable sodium ion batteries. See