The long-standing ethylene carbonate-propylene carbonate (EC-PC) disparity in graphite anodes exemplifies a broader challenge: whether solvated ions can be stripped efficiently enough to avoid solvent-assisted insertion. Here, through systematic screening of commercial graphites, PC-based electrolytes, and polymer binders, we show that solvent co-intercalation in graphite is a system-level kinetic outcome arising from competition between conventional Li[+] intercalation and solvent-assisted insertion under galvanostatic polarization. We introduce the "lowest achievable potential" (PLA), a semi-quantitative operational descriptor of how far a graphite-electrolyte system can be polarized before PC co-intercalation becomes dominant under defined testing conditions. Through integrated experimental and computational analysis, we show that the observed electrolyte-dependent PLA trends arise from coupled changes in Li[+] solvation and interphasial chemistry. Temperature-switching and electrolyte-exchange experiments indicate that neither bulk solvation nor the preformed interphase alone determines graphite stability. Instead, their relative contributions depend on the electrolyte formulation and operating conditions. Graphite surface disorder, carbon coatings, and binder chemistry provide additional electrode-side regulation. These findings establish a unified kinetic framework linking bulk solvation, interfacial regulation, and operating conditions to destructive PC co-intercalation.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) employing high-nickel layered oxide cathodes are regarded as highly promising candidates for high energy density. However, operating Ni-rich cathodes at elevated cut-off voltage accelerates electrolyte decomposition and irreversible structural deterioration. To address these obstacles, we developed a bifunctional LiPF6-based carbonate electrolyte which strategically incorporates trimethoxyboroxine (TMBO) and 1,3,6-hexanetricarbonitrile (HTCN) additives to concurrently stabilize the cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) and the bulk electrolyte. The designed electrolyte preferentially oxidizes to form a robust CEI enriched in LiF and B─O species, effectively isolating the cathode from direct contact with the electrolyte and suppressing transition metals dissolution. In addition, the stability of electrolyte is improved by suppressing electrolyte decomposition and HF generation, thereby mitigating cathode structural degradation. Consequently, the designed electrolyte enables exceptional long-term cycling stability, the Li//NCM811 cell with a high mass loading of 12 mg cm[-2] retain 80.5% of its initial capacity after 200 cycles at 4.6 V. Furthermore, the Ah-level NCM811//Si-C pouch cell achieves long-term cycling over 400 cycles with a capacity retention of 82.2% at 4.5 V. This work provides an effective approach to electrolyte optimization for high-voltage LIBs and offers important guidance for the design of multifunctional additives.

Aquatic ecosystems are under stress worldwide due to extreme weather, overfishing, and pollution. Restoration approaches, such as the deployment of artificial reefs, are needed to mitigate this environmental stress. Here, we designed and tested a living artificial reef consisting of a solid calcium carbonate ceramic structure inoculated with microalgae embedded in a hydrogel matrix. The calcium carbonate ceramic structure was sintered at temperatures as low as 500 °C without thermal decomposition in air using only 1 wt % lithium fluoride. Hydrogel encapsulation protected the microalgal cells and allowed them to grow and remain attached to the ceramic surface. We show that small-scale prototype living artificial reefs removed 69 and 81% of the phosphorus and nitrogen, respectively, from estuarine water after incubation in the laboratory for 24 h. Future efforts to optimize geometry, increase scale, and demonstrate field deployment will be necessary to develop this technology as a mechanism to restore nutrient-contaminated aquatic ecosystems.

LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) are widely associated with stable battery cycling, despite the intrinsically poor Li[+] conductivity of crystalline LiF. Here, we investigate how crystallization and the temporal dynamics of local Li-F coordination states regulate ion transport in LiF-Li2CO3 inorganic interphase models. A fine-tuned neuroevolution potential enables 10 ns machine-learning molecular dynamics (MLMD) simulations of systems containing approximately 13,000 atoms. Cooling pure LiF from 1000 to 800 K induces rock-salt-like ordering, a pronounced increase in octahedral coordination, and a three-order-of-magnitude decrease in the long-time Li[+] diffusivity. Motif-resolved survival and interconversion analyses reveal that this transport suppression is associated not only with the instantaneous octahedral population, but also with the emergence of long-lived octahedral states and an approximately 200-fold reduction in tetrahedral-octahedral exchange. Representative climbing-image nudged elastic band pathways yield migration barriers of 0.75 and 1.65 eV for tetrahedral-like and octahedral coordination environments, respectively, supporting the greater kinetic constraint imposed by octahedral coordination. Incorporation of Li2CO3 suppresses LiF crystallization, disrupts persistent octahedral networks, and restores dynamically exchangeable non-octahedral environments. The resulting diffusivity varies non-monotonically with carbonate content, while the highest-diffusivity composition shifts toward a higher carbonate content upon cooling. These results extend static coordination descriptions by identifying coordination-state persistence and exchange kinetics as dynamic atomistic descriptors of ion transport in heterogeneous LiF-rich inorganic interphases.

Ultra-low-temperature operation of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) remains notably challenging because conventional carbonate electrolytes suffer from high Li[+] desolvation barriers and large interfacial impedance, leading to rapid capacity fade. Here, we report a high-entropy solvation structure contributed by the synergistic modulation of multiple anions and solvents. The high-entropy effect of multi-anions with small-sized solvent molecules supports 47 possible solvation configurations, with 82.0% being anion-dominated, achieving a solvation configurational entropy as high as 5.34 × 10[-23] J K[-1]. This promotes the formation of smaller ionic clusters and achieves a weakly solvated structure rich in anions with elevated configurational entropy. This weakens Li[+]-solvent binding, lowers the desolvation energy and drives the formation of a dual-layer, inorganic-rich (LiF, B-F, Li-N, and SOx) solid electrolyte interphase with high Li[+] conductivity. At -20 °C, LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2‖graphite full cell retains a capacity of 99.4% over 380 cycles at 0.2C and 97.5% at 0.5C for 330 cycles. Even at a high rate of 3.0C (-20 °C) and an extremely low temperature of -40 °C, it can still work reversibly. The concept of entropy-driven solvation regulation offers a general platform for designing advanced electrolytes operable under extreme environments.

Morphological changes in the liver were evaluated in mice with implanted B16 skin melanoma after chloroquine and lithium carbonate administration. In mice treated with lithium carbonate, lower volume and numerical densities of degenerative and necrotic lesions were revealed. In mice treated with chloroquine, the number of degenerative and necrotic changes did not differ from that in the pathological control group (mice with tumors). The numerical density of binucleated hepatocytes was higher in the chloroquine-treated group. In tumor-bearing mice treated with either chloroquine or lithium, collagen deposits were detected in the portal triads. The administration of autophagy inducer lithium carbonate promoted intracellular regeneration of hepatocytes. Chloroquine, a well-known autophagy blocker, did not affect the development of hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis, but stimulated the cell regeneration. Collagen deposits were found in all studied groups.

The growing volume of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has increased the need to recover valuable materials while limiting environmental impacts. Conventional hydrometallurgical recycling of spent NCM cathodes generally dissolves Li, Ni, Co, and Mn together, resulting in complex downstream separation. Selective Li recovery and direct cathode regeneration are usually developed separately. Integrating them requires efficient Li removal while retaining a transition-metal matrix suitable for subsequent reconstruction. In this study, lignite carbothermal reduction was coupled with CO2-assisted aqueous leaching and molten-salt relithiation. During roasting, lattice-bound Li was converted into leachable lithium-containing phases, whereas Ni, Co, and Mn were retained predominantly in water-insoluble phases. The carbonate/bicarbonate equilibrium established by dissolved CO2 subsequently promoted the selective transfer of Li into the aqueous phase. Under the optimized conditions, lithium extraction reached 99.8% within 30 min, and Li2CO3 with a purity 98.6% was recovered. The transition-metal-rich residue was then subjected directly to molten-salt relithiation and calcination, avoiding complete dissolution and separate recovery of Ni, Co, and Mn. The regenerated cathode exhibited a well-defined α-NaFeO2-type layered structure and delivered an initial discharge capacity of 202 mA h g[-1] at 0.5C, with 103 mA h g[-1] remaining after 100 cycles. A preliminary economic assessment estimated a net benefit of approximately USD 831.23 per ton of processed feedstock. This integration retains the value of both Li and the transition-metal residue while reducing downstream processing. Further work should focus on microstructural and interfacial control of the regenerated cathode and scale-up validation using compositionally variable feedstocks.

The electrochemical stability of metastable lithium-rich layered cathodes is intrinsically governed by their synthetic history, yet the correlation between ion-exchange thermodynamics and structural evolution remains elusive. Here, using layered P3-Na0.6[Li0.2Mn0.8]O2 as a precursor, the spontaneous ion-exchange synthesis of O3-Li0.6[Li0.2Mn0.8]O2 (O3-LLM RT) at room temperature yields one of the most promising layered Li-Mn-O cathodes reported to date in LiPF6-based carbonate electrolyte at room temperature. However, elevated synthesis temperatures induce manganese ion migration, which hinders the reversible interlayer migration of Li[+] into the transition metal layers. This structural impediment triggers irreversible lattice oxygen activation and degrades structural stability (e.g. at 280°C, denoted the high-temperature O3-LLM sample as (O3-LLM HT)). Consequently, the perfect layered O3-LLM RT cathode exhibits a high specific capacity of 250 mAh/g with an excellent cycling stability of 88.1% capacity retention (vs. the 51.9% for O3-LLM HT) after 400 cycles at 2.0-4.8 V, ranking at the top of the Li-Mn-O layered cathodes. These findings provide insights into the design and optimization of metastable materials for high-energy-density batteries.

In this work, we deconvolute the roles of LiPF6, ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), and vinylene carbonate (VC) in the electrolyte solvation structure and silicon anode calendar aging. By varying the mole fractions of the electrolyte constituents and utilizing a voltage hold protocol, we extract the roles of each component in the silicon anode calendar lifetime. Interestingly, the LiPF6 concentration does not affect calendar aging, whereas increasing and decreasing the EMC and VC mole fractions, respectively, lowers the electrode surface passivity. The calendar lifetime results align with EMC coordination numbers derived from MD simulations, which indicate the inner solvation sheath's role in calendar aging mechanisms. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data show that the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) species can be tuned through the electrolyte formulation and solvation structure. Li+-EMC coordination structures decompose to form insoluble alkanes, C-O species, and lithium carbonate (Li2CO3), while the anion coordination complex decomposes into LiF and LixPOyFz. Postaging, the surface lithium content of the SEI is partially replaced by C-O species from preferential decomposition of noncoordinated VC. However, the inorganic lithium species (LiF, LixPOyFz, and Li2CO3) remain constant, suggesting the dissolution of nonpolar organolithium species due to EMC's low dielectric constant and high coordination number. This triggers continuous electrolyte decomposition to reform the SEI, which lowers the silicon anode's calendar lifetime.

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) are emerging as sustainable polymer matrices for gel-polymer electrolytes; however, their ion-transport properties are limited by surface-chemistry-derived interactions. In this work, we demonstrate that a single, time-controlled APTES functionalization step provides an effective and scalable route to enhance the ionic transport characteristics of CNF-based gel-polymer electrolytes. The pristine and functionalized CNF membranes are imbibed with PF6 [-]-based carbonate liquid electrolytes for both lithium (Li[+])- and sodium (Na[+]) systems. By optimizing the functionalization duration, the ionic conductivity increases from ≈0.07 to 0.60 mS cm[-1] (Li[+]) and from ≈0.1 to 2.02 mS cm[-1] (Na[+]), accompanied by an increased apparent cation transference number, while preserving the fibrous morphology, mechanical integrity, and thermal stability. In LiFePO4 || Li half-cells, the optimized A-CNF electrolyte delivers stable rate capability and long-term cycling beyond 1000 cycles, with reversible non-monotonic capacity evolution associated with polarization relaxation, as supported by overpotential analysis and dQ/dV measurements. The A-CNF electrolyte also enables efficient Na[+] transport in Na3V2(PO4)3 || Na half-cells, showing minimal capacity loss (<5%) and narrow voltage hysteresis from 0.1C to 1C. These results establish single-step APTES-modified CNFs as a versatile and sustainable gel-polymer electrolyte platform for both lithium- and sodium-ion batteries.

Lithium-coordinated LUMO energies of 1432 monofluorinated additives were predicted by interpretable machine learning (R[2] = 0.89) to identify key structural descriptors. Decoupled electronic and geometric descriptors of polar accessibility and compact topology in cyclic carbonate scaffolds were revealed by Shapley analysis; one candidate exhibited an orbital energy of 1.76 eV, which is lower than that of conventional fluoroethylene carbonate.

Against the backdrop of the global energy transition and the scarcity of lithium resources, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as a crucial alternative energy storage technology. Graphite, the anode material used in commercialized lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), exhibits a Na[+] storage specific capacity of less than 40 mAh g[-1] due to the difficulty of Na[+] intercalation. In contrast, hard carbon, possessing a short-range ordered and long-range disordered structure, achieves a Na[+] storage specific capacity of 200-350 mAh g[-1] along with excellent cycling and rate performance, making it the core anode material for the commercialization of SIBs. Moreover, by acting as an ion transport channel and participating in the construction of the electrolyte solution/hard carbon interface, the electrolyte formulation directly affects the performance of the hard carbon anode. This paper reviews the research progress of electrolyte solution for hard carbon (HC) anodes in SIBs and systematically compares five categories of electrolyte solution systems, namely classic carbonate ester electrolyte solution, ether-based electrolyte solution, high-concentration electrolyte solution, phosphate-based electrolyte solution, and new-type electrolyte solution such as carboxylate, sulfone, and nitrile-based electrolyte solutions. Meanwhile, it sorts out the characteristics and optimization paths of the aforementioned electrolyte solutions, which is of great significance for breaking through interface bottlenecks and promoting the development of SIBs.

Constructing a robust, highly conductive solid electrolyte interphase is the key to unlock the high-rate potential of lithium negative electrodes for broad applications. Here we propose a simple yet effective strategy, by introducing a sulfur-containing compound and LiNO3 as dual additives into a conventional carbonate electrolyte. As an example, 3-sulfolene is found to enhance the dissolution of LiNO3, and it works with NO3- to regulate the Li+-solvation structure and facilitate the formation of a robust while uniform solid electrolyte interphase rich in Li3N/Li2S/Li2O inorganics, enabling rapid Li+ transfer and high interfacial stability. Consequently, Li | |LiFePO4 cells achieve 81.7% capacity retention after 6,000 cycles at 80 C, while Li | |LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cells maintain 81.3% capacity after 500 cycles at 10 C. Moreover, two pouch cells with specific energy exceeding 500 Wh kg-1 (calculated based on total mass of the pouch cells) retain 92.1% and 91.8% of initial capacities after 143 and 149 cycles (charged at 0.1 C and discharged at 0.3 C), respectively. This work provides a general dual-additive strategy to promote the formation of an inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase for high-rate lithium negative electrodes.

Stabilizing lithium-sulfur batteries in carbonate-based electrolytes requires simultaneous control over sulfur behavior and interfacial chemistry. In this work, we present a cooperative strategy that combines a poly-(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-derived ultramicroporous carbon (UMC) sulfur host with a 3,6-dioxa-1,8-octane-dithiol -poly-(ethylene glycol) (DODT-PEG) copolymer electrolyte additive to address these challenges in a unified manner. The ultramicroporous structure of UMC physically confines sulfur species within subnanometer pores, limiting polysulfide formation and outward diffusion, while the DODT-PEG copolymer modifies the cathode/electrolyte interphase to promote ion-conductive pathways and stabilize sulfur redox reactions. Through structural, electrochemical, impedance, and postmortem analyses, the distinct roles of sulfur confinement and interphase regulation are identified and correlated with improved electrochemical behavior. The combined system enables high reversible sulfur utilization, stable cycling with a Coulombic efficiency of >99%, and enhanced rate capability. Li//Li symmetric cell analysis further reveals that the beneficial effect of the copolymer additive is localized at the cathode rather than at the lithium surface. This work demonstrates that coordinated host design and electrolyte engineering provide a simple and scalable route for improving Li-S battery performance in conventional carbonate electrolytes.

Conventional LiPF6-based carbonate electrolytes undergo severe oxidative decomposition above 4.3 V, triggering uncontrolled interphase growth, transition-metal dissolution, and accelerated capacity decay-challenges further compounded under fast-charging and elevated-temperature conditions. Herein, we propose a reactive-cluster-guided solvation reorganization strategy to reconstruct the Li[+] solvation structure and interfacial reaction pathways, thereby enabling dual-interface stabilization. Highly polar MMDS spontaneously anchors PF6 [-] via ion-dipole interactions, forming reactive (PF6 [-])-MMDS clusters, which redirect cathode-side interfacial decomposition toward sulfur-containing inorganic-rich CEI formation, while LiDFOB reconstructs the primary Li[+] solvation sheath to enhance desolvation kinetics. Their coupled action yields thin, dense, and inorganic-rich CEI/SEI layers, jointly suppressing parasitic reactions, transition-metal dissolution, and rock-salt surface reconstruction. With ultra-low additive loading, LE-HV@GPE delivers an ionic conductivity of 2.64 mS cm[-] [1] and a Li[+] transference number of 0.57. Gr‖NCM811 pouch cells achieve outstanding durability under high-voltage (4.6 V), fast-charging (3C), and elevated-temperature (45°C) conditions, with full compatibility with existing manufacturing operations. This work establishes a solvation-engineering paradigm for dual-interface-stabilized gel polymer electrolytes under harsh operating conditions.