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Here, four MOFs, namely Sc-TBAPy, Al-TBAPy, Y-TBAPy, and Fe-TBAPy (TBAPy: 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(p-benzoic acid)pyrene), were characterized and evaluated for their ability to remediate glyphosate (GP) from water. Among these materials, Sc-TBAPy demonstrates superior performance in both the adsorption and degradation of GP. Upon light irradiation for 5 min, Sc-TBAPy completely degrades 100% of GP in a 1.5 mM aqueous solution. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that Sc-TBAPy exhibits enhanced charge transfer character compared to the other MOFs, as well as suppressed formation of emissive excimers that could impede photocatalysis. This finding was further supported by hydrogen evolution half-reaction (HER) experiments, which demonstrated Sc-TBAPy’s superior catalytic activity for water splitting. In addition to its faster adsorption and more efficient photodegradation of GP, Sc-TBAPy also followed a selective pathway towards the oxidation of GP, avoiding the formation of toxic aminomethylphosphonic acid observed with the other M³⁺-TBAPy MOFs. To investigate the selectivity observed with Sc-TBAPy, electron spin resonance, depleted oxygen conditions, and solvent exchange with D₂O were employed to elucidate the role of different reactive oxygen species on GP photodegradation. The findings indicate that singlet oxygen (¹O₂) plays a critical role in the selective photodegradation pathway achieved by Sc-TBAPy.

 

Fluoride is a promising charge carrier for batteries due to its high charge/mass ratio and small radius. Here, we report commercial copper powder exhibits a reversible capacity of up to 222 mA h g −1 in a saturated electrolyte of 16 m KF. This electrolyte suppresses dissolution of CuF 2 , the charged product. Furthermore, the KF solid comprised in the Cu electrode facilitates a high initial capacity. Our results showcase the potential of aqueous fluoride batteries using copper as an electrode. 

Using elemental selenium as an electrode, the redox-active Cu 2+ /Cu + ion is reversibly hosted via the sequential conversion reactions of Se → CuSe → Cu 3 Se 2 → Cu 2 Se. The four-electron redox process from Se to Cu 2 Se produces a high initial specific capacity of 1233 mA h g −1 based on the mass of selenium alone or 472 mA h g −1 based on the mass of Cu 2 Se, the fully discharged product. 

It remains a challenge to design aqueous electrolytes to secure the complete reversibility of zinc metal anodes. The concentrated water‐in‐salt electrolytes, e.g., 30 m ZnCl₂, are promising candidates to address the challenges of the Zn metal anode. However, the pure 30 m ZnCl₂electrolyte fails to deliver a smooth surface morphology and a practically relevant Coulombic efficiency. Herein, it is reported that a small concentration of vanillin, 5 mg mL_water⁻¹, added to 30 m ZnCl₂transforms the reversibility of Zn metal anode by eliminating dendrites, lowering the Hammett acidity, and forming an effective solid electrolyte interphase. The presence of vanillin in the electrolyte enables the Zn metal anode to exhibit a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.34% at a low current density of 0.2 mA cm⁻², at which the impacts of the hydrogen evolution reaction are allowed to play out. Using this new electrolyte, a full cell Zn metal battery with an anode/cathode capacity (N/P) ratio of 2:1 demonstrates no capacity fading over 800 cycles.

 

Dual‐ion batteries that use anions and cations as charge carriers represent a promising energy‐storage technology. However, an uncharted area is to explore transition metals as electrodes to host carbonate in conversion reactions. Here we report the reversible conversion reaction from copper to Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂, where the copper electrode comprising K₂CO₃and KOH solid is self‐sufficient with anion‐charge carriers. This electrode dissociates and associates K⁺ions during battery charge and discharge. The copper active mass and the anion‐bearing cathode exhibit a reversible capacity of 664 mAh g⁻¹and 299 mAh g⁻¹, respectively, and relatively stable cycling in a saturated mixture electrolyte of K₂CO₃and KOH. The results open an avenue to use carbonate as a charge carrier for batteries to serve for the consumption and storage of CO₂.

 

Dual‐ion batteries that use anions and cations as charge carriers represent a promising energy‐storage technology. However, an uncharted area is to explore transition metals as electrodes to host carbonate in conversion reactions. Here we report the reversible conversion reaction from copper to Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂, where the copper electrode comprising K₂CO₃and KOH solid is self‐sufficient with anion‐charge carriers. This electrode dissociates and associates K⁺ions during battery charge and discharge. The copper active mass and the anion‐bearing cathode exhibit a reversible capacity of 664 mAh g⁻¹and 299 mAh g⁻¹, respectively, and relatively stable cycling in a saturated mixture electrolyte of K₂CO₃and KOH. The results open an avenue to use carbonate as a charge carrier for batteries to serve for the consumption and storage of CO₂.

 

Plating battery electrodes typically deliver higher specific capacity values than insertion or conversion electrodes because the ion charge carriers represent the sole electrode active mass, and a host electrode is unnecessary. However, reversible plating electrodes are rare for electronically insulating nonmetals. Now, a highly reversible iodine plating cathode is presented that operates on the redox couples of I₂/[ZnI_x(OH₂)_4−x]^2−xin a water‐in‐salt electrolyte. The iodine plating cathode with the theoretical capacity of 211 mAh g⁻¹plates on carbon fiber paper as the current collector, delivering a large areal capacity of 4 mAh cm⁻². Tunable femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy coupled with DFT calculations elucidate a series of [ZnI_x(OH₂)_4−x]^2−xsuperhalide ions serving as iodide vehicles in the electrolyte, which eliminates most free iodide ions, thus preventing the consequent dissolution of the cathode‐plated iodine as triiodides.

 

Plating battery electrodes typically deliver higher specific capacity values than insertion or conversion electrodes because the ion charge carriers represent the sole electrode active mass, and a host electrode is unnecessary. However, reversible plating electrodes are rare for electronically insulating nonmetals. Now, a highly reversible iodine plating cathode is presented that operates on the redox couples of I₂/[ZnI_x(OH₂)_4−x]^2−xin a water‐in‐salt electrolyte. The iodine plating cathode with the theoretical capacity of 211 mAh g⁻¹plates on carbon fiber paper as the current collector, delivering a large areal capacity of 4 mAh cm⁻². Tunable femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy coupled with DFT calculations elucidate a series of [ZnI_x(OH₂)_4−x]^2−xsuperhalide ions serving as iodide vehicles in the electrolyte, which eliminates most free iodide ions, thus preventing the consequent dissolution of the cathode‐plated iodine as triiodides.