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1. A highly stable and conductive cerium‐doped Li ₇ P ₃ S ₁₁ glass‐ceramic electrolyte for solid‐state lithium–sulfur batteries

   https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.19712  

   Mirtaleb, Amirhossein; Wang, Ruigang (June 2024, Journal of the American Ceramic Society)

   Abstract In this report, a facile wet chemical method using acetonitrile combined with thermal annealing was used to prepare Li₂S‐P₂S₅(LPS) based glass‐ceramic electrolytes with (1 wt%, 3 wt%, and 5 wt% Ce₂S₃) and without Ce₂S₃doping. The crystal structure, ionic conductivity, and chemical stability of Li₇P₃S₁₁glass‐ceramic electrolytes were examined at varying temperatures (250–350°C). The results indicated that the highest ionic conductivity of 3.15 × 10⁻⁴S cm⁻¹for pure Li₇P₃S₁₁was observed at a temperature of 325°C. By incorporating 1 wt% Ce₂S₃and subjecting it to a heat treatment at 250°C, the glass ceramic electrolyte attained a remarkable ionic conductivity of 7.7 × 10⁻⁴(S cm⁻¹) at 25°C. Furthermore, it exhibited a stable and extensive electrochemical potential range, reaching up to 5 volts when compared to the Li/Li⁺reference electrode. By tuning the glass transition and crystallization temperature, cerium doping seems to make Li₇P₃S₁₁more chemically stable, compared to its original 70Li₂S‐30P₂S₅counterpart. According to Raman and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, cerium doping inhibits the decomposition of highly conductive P₂S₇^4‐(pyro‐thiophosphate) to PS₄³⁻and P₂S₆⁴⁻. Doped LPS has a greater crystallinity and more uniform microstructure than pure LPS, according to XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Consequently, Li₇P_2.9Ce_0.1S₁₁electrolyte shows great potential as a solid‐state electrolyte for constructing high‐performance sulfide‐based all‐solid‐state batteries. 

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2. How and why do species break a developmental trade‐off? Elucidating the association of trichomes and stomata across species

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16328  

   Baird, Alec S; Medeiros, Camila D; Caringella, Marissa A; Bowers, Julia; Hii, Michelle; Liang, John; Matsuda, Joshua; Pisipati, Kirthana; Pohl, Caroline; Simon, Benjamin; et al (May 2024, American Journal of Botany)

   Abstract PremisePrevious studies have suggested a trade‐off between trichome density (D_t) and stomatal density (D_s) due to shared cell precursors. We clarified how, when, and why this developmental trade‐off may be overcome across species. MethodsWe derived equations to determine the developmental basis forD_tandD_sin trichome and stomatal indices (i_tandi_s) and the sizes of epidermal pavement cells (e), trichome bases (t), and stomata (s) and quantified the importance of these determinants ofD_tandD_sfor 78 California species. We compiled 17 previous studies ofD_t–D_srelationships to determine the commonness ofD_t–D_sassociations. We modeled the consequences of differentD_t–D_sassociations for plant carbon balance. ResultsOur analyses showed that higherD_twas determined by higheri_tand lowere, and higherD_sby higheri_sand lowere. Across California species, positiveD_t–D_scoordination arose due toi_t–i_scoordination and impacts of the variation ine. AD_t–D_strade‐off was found in only 30% of studies. Heuristic modeling showed that species sets would have the highest carbon balance with a positive or negative relationship or decoupling ofD_tandD_s, depending on environmental conditions. ConclusionsShared precursor cells of trichomes and stomata do not limit higher numbers of both cell types or drive a generalD_t–D_strade‐off across species. This developmental flexibility across diverse species enables differentD_t–D_sassociations according to environmental pressures. Developmental trait analysis can clarify how contrasting trait associations would arise within and across species. 

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3. Low V _p /V _s Values as an Indicator for Fractures in the Critical Zone

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL105946  

   Flinchum, B A; Grana, D; Carr, B J; Ravichandran, N; Eppinger, B; Holbrook, W S (January 2024, Geophysical Research Letters)

   Abstract Poisson's ratio for earth materials is usually assumed to be positive (V_p/V_s > 1.4). However, this assumption may not be valid in the critical zone because near Earth's surface effective pressures are low (<1 MPa), porosity has a wide range (0%–60%), there are significant texture changes (e.g., unconsolidated vs. fractured media), and saturation ranges from 0% to 100%. We present P‐wave (V_p) and S‐wave (V_s) velocities from seismic refraction profiles collected in weathered crystalline environments in South Carolina and Wyoming. Our data show that ∼20% of the subsurface has negative Poisson's ratios (V_p/V_svalues < 1.4), a conclusion supported by borehole sonic logs. The low V_p/V_svalues are confined to the fractured bedrock and saprolite. Our data support the hypothesis that weathering‐generated microcracks can produce a negative Poisson's ratio and that V_p/V_svalues can thus provide insight into important critical zone weathering processes. 

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4. Bounds on stomatal size can explain scaling with stomatal density in forest plants

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70626  

   Liu, Congcong; Muir, Christopher D; Sack, Lawren; Li, Ying; Xu, Li; Li, Mingxu; Zhang, Jiahui; de_Boer, Hugo Jan; Han, Xingguo; Yu, Guirui; et al (December 2025, New Phytologist)

   Summary A prevailing hypothesis posits that achieving higher maximum rates of leaf carbon gain and water loss is constrained by geometry and/or selection to limit the allocation of epidermal area to stomata (f_S). Under this ‘stomatal‐area minimization hypothesis’, higherg_s,maxis associated with greater numbers of smaller stomata because this trait combination increasesg_s,maxwith minimal increase inf_S, leading to relative conservation off_Ssemi‐independent ofg_s,maxdue to coordination in stomatal size, density, and pore depth. An alternative hypothesis is that the evolution of higherg_s,maxcan be enabled by a greater epidermal area allocated to stomata, leading to positive covariation betweenf_Sandg_s,max; we call this the ‘stomatal‐area adaptation hypothesis’. Under this hypothesis, the interspecific scaling betweeng_s,max, stomatal density, and stomatal size is a by‐product of selection on a moving optimalg_s,max.We integrated biophysical and evolutionary quantitative genetic modeling with phylogenetic comparative analyses of a global data set of stomatal density and size from 2408 vascular forest species. The models present specific assumptions of both hypotheses and deduce predictions that can be evaluated with our empirical analyses of forest plants.There are three main results. First, neither the stomatal‐area minimization nor adaptation hypothesis is sufficient to be supported. Second, estimates of interspecific scaling from common regression methods cannot reliably distinguish between hypotheses when stomatal size is bounded. Third, we reconcile both hypotheses with the data by including an additional assumption that stomatal size is bounded by a wide range and under selection; we refer to this synthetic hypothesis as the ‘stomatal adaptation + bounded size’ hypothesis.This study advances our understanding of scaling between stomatal size and density by mathematically describing specific assumptions of competing hypotheses, demonstrating that existing hypotheses are inconsistent with observations, and reconciling these hypotheses with phylogenetic comparative analyses by postulating a synthetic model of selection ong_s,max,f_S, and stomatal size. 

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5. Understanding Electrochemical Reaction Mechanisms of Sulfur in All‐Solid‐State Batteries through Operando and Theoretical Studies **

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202302363  

   Cao, Daxian; Sun, Xiao; Li, Fei; Bak, Seong‐Min; Ji, Tongtai; Geiwitz, Michael; Burch, Kenneth S.; Du, Yonghua; Yang, Guochun; Zhu, Hongli (May 2023, Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   Abstract Due to its outstanding safety and high energy density, all‐solid‐state lithium‐sulfur batteries (ASLSBs) are considered as a potential future energy storage technology. The electrochemical reaction pathway in ASLSBs with inorganic solid‐state electrolytes is different from Li‐S batteries with liquid electrolytes, but the mechanism remains unclear. By combining operando Raman spectroscopy and ex situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, we investigated the reaction mechanism of sulfur (S₈) in ASLSBs. Our results revealed that no Li₂S_8,Li₂S_6,and Li₂S₄were formed, yet Li₂S₂was detected. Furthermore, first‐principles structural calculations were employed to disclose the formation energy of solid state Li₂S_n(1≤n≤8), in which Li₂S₂was a metastable phase, consistent with experimental observations. Meanwhile, partial S₈and Li₂S₂remained at the full lithiation stage, suggesting incomplete reaction due to sluggish reaction kinetics in ASLSBs. 

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