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2017. 09 – present: Centre for Clean Energy Technology, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). (Postdoctoral research fellow)
2016. 08 – 2017. 08: Manufacturing Lindfield, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). (Joint program PhD candidate)
2013. 09 – 2017. 08: Centre for Clean Energy Technology, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). (PhD candidate)
2012. 02 – 2013. 07: Centre for Clean Energy Technology, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). (MSc)
2010. 10 – 2011. 07: Key Lab Organ Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). (Research Associate)
2007. 09- 2011. 07: School of Chemistry, Capital Normal University (CNU). (BSc)
Can supervise: YES
Research Interests
Functional organic materials (particular redox-enabled organic compounds) for lithium batteries including lithium-ion batteries and lithium-oxygen oxygen batteries
Zhang, J, Rong, P, Zhang, L, He, H, Zhou, T, Fan, Y, Mo, L, Zhao, Q, Han, Y, Li, S, Wang, Y, Yan, W, Chen, H & You, Z 2020, 'IL4-driven microglia modulate stress resilience through BDNF-dependent neurogenesis'.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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Abstract Adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus is regulated by specific groups of microglia and is functionally implicated in behavioral responses to stress. However, the role of microglia in modulating hippocampal neurogenesis in stress responses remains poorly understood. Here we investigated the effects of IL4-driven Arg1 + microglia in the restoration of hippocampal neurogenesis and conferment of stress resilience. We found that low IL4 levels in the hippocampus of mice was associated with greater stress vulnerability and, conversely, overexpression of IL4 in the hippocampus induced a large number of Arg1 + microglia and ameliorated stress-induced depressive-like behaviors. Knockdown of microglial IL4 receptors in the hippocampus of mice exacerbated the stress-induced inflammatory response and abolished the antidepressant effects of IL4 overexpression. Enhancement or inhibition of IL4 signaling in hippocampal microglia modulated neurogenesis, and blockade of neurogenesis abolished the resilience to stress-induced depression. We further show that IL4-activated microglia is associated with upregulation of BDNF levels and neurogenesis. Taken together, our findings suggest that IL4-driven microglia in the hippocampus trigger BDNF-dependent neurogenesis in response to chronic stress, helping protect against depressive-like symptoms. These findings identify the modulation of a specific microglial phenotype as a treatment strategy for mood disorders. In Brief Zhang et al. show that IL4-induced Arg1 + microglia restore hippocampal neurogenesis and promote resilience against stress in mice by increasing BDNF levels. Targeting microglia with immunomodulatory factors may be a strategy for treating mood disorders. Highlights Vulnerability to stress in mice is associated with reduced IL4 signaling in the hippocampus Brain-derived IL4 promotes adult hippocampal neurogenesis and stress resis...
Guo, X, Zhang, W, Zhang, J, Zhou, D, Tang, X, Xu, X, Li, B, Liu, H & Wang, G 2020, 'Boosting Sodium Storage in Two-Dimensional Phosphorene/Ti3C2Tx MXene Nanoarchitectures with Stable Fluorinated Interphase', ACS NANO, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 3651-3659.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Qian, Z, Li, X, Sun, B, Du, L, Wang, Y, Zuo, P, Yin, G, Zhang, J, Sun, B & Wang, G 2020, 'Unraveling the Promotion Effects of a Soluble Cobaltocene Catalyst with Respect to Li-O2 Battery Discharge.', The journal of physical chemistry letters, vol. 11, no. 17, pp. 7028-7034.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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The discharge process of a nonaqueous Li-O2 battery at the cathode is the direct oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with the formation of discharge product, e.g., Li2O2, deposits on the cathode surface. The aggressive superoxide intermediate generated during the ORR severely degrades the organic electrolyte and carbon-based cathodes. To avoid the formation of superoxide species and promote the growth of Li2O2 in the electrolyte solution, we employ a soluble cobaltocene [Co(C5H5)2, Cp2Co] as a homogeneous molecule catalyst to boost the discharge performance of Li-O2 batteries. Owing to the unique chemical reactivity of Cp2Co with molecular oxygen, the electrochemistry of the discharge process at the cathode is the (Cp2Co)2II-O22- adduct-mediated process rather than direct electrochemical oxygen reduction, thereby avoiding the formation of aggressive superoxide intermediate. In addition, the strong intermolecular attraction between Cp2Co and the newly formed Li2O2 promotes the solution phase growth of Li2O2, which effectively suppresses electrode passivation.
Tkacheva, A, Zhang, J, Sun, B, Zhou, D, Wang, G & McDonagh, AM 2020, 'TEMPO-Ionic Liquids as Redox Mediators and Solvents for Li-O-2 Batteries', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 124, no. 9, pp. 5087-5092.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Wang, S, Xiong, P, Guo, X, Zhang, J, Gao, X, Zhang, F, Tang, X, Notten, PHL & Wang, G 2020, 'A Stable Conversion and Alloying Anode for Potassium-Ion Batteries: A Combined Strategy of Encapsulation and Confinement', ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, vol. 30, no. 27.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Wang, S, Xiong, P, Zhang, J & Wang, G 2020, 'Recent progress on flexible lithium metal batteries: Composite lithium metal anodes and solid-state electrolytes', Energy Storage Materials, vol. 29, pp. 310-331.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Recently, flexible lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are considered as a promising power source for next-generation flexible and wearable electronic devices due to their high energy densities. However, the usage of metallic Li anodes inevitably causes safety risk due to the growth of Li dendrites. In this review, we summarized the recent research progresses on flexible LMBs, with specific emphasis on the design of composite Li metal anodes and solid-state electrolytes with high flexibility and safety. We begin with a brief introduction of flexible LMBs and the associated anodes and electrolytes. Then, the preparation of flexible composite Li metal anodes has been described in detail, with the evolution from the conventional electrodeposition method to thermal infusion and mechanical rolling methods. For solid-state electrolytes, the advanced progress on shapeable ceramic, polymer, and hybrid electrolytes have been introduced. We also presented comprehensive summaries on high-energy-density flexible LMBs, including flexible lithium-sulfur batteries and lithium-oxygen batteries. Finally, we proposed the future trends, challenges, and prospects toward the practical applications of advanced flexible LMBs.
Xiong, P, Sun, B, Sakai, N, Ma, R, Sasaki, T, Wang, S, Zhang, J & Wang, G 2020, '2D Superlattices for Efficient Energy Storage and Conversion.', Advanced Materials, vol. 32, no. 18, pp. e1902654-e1902654.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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2D genuine unilamellar nanosheets, that are, the elementary building blocks of their layered parent crystals, have gained increasing attention, owing to their unique physical and chemical properties, and 2D features. In parallel with the great efforts to isolate these atomic-thin crystals, a unique strategy to integrate them into 2D vertically stacked heterostuctures has enabled many functional applications. In particular, such 2D heterostructures have recently exhibited numerous exciting electrochemical performances for energy storage and conversion, especially the molecular-scale heteroassembled superlattices using diverse 2D unilamellar nanosheets as building blocks. Herein, the research progress in scalable synthesis of 2D superlattices with an emphasis on a facile solution-phase flocculation method is summarized. A particular focus is brought to the advantages of these 2D superlattices in applications of supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, and water-splitting catalysis. The challenges and perspectives on this promising field are also outlined.
Xiong, P, Zhang, F, Zhang, X, Wang, S, Liu, H, Sun, B, Zhang, J, Sun, Y, Ma, R, Bando, Y, Zhou, C, Liu, Z, Sasaki, T & Wang, G 2020, 'Strain engineering of two-dimensional multilayered heterostructures for beyond-lithium-based rechargeable batteries', NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 11, no. 1.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Yan, K, Zhao, S, Zhang, J, Safaei, J, Yu, X, Wang, T, Wang, S, Sun, B & Wang, G 2020, 'Dendrite-Free Sodium Metal Batteries Enabled by the Release of Contact Strain on Flexible and Sodiophilic Matrix', NANO LETTERS, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 6112-6119.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Zhao, S, Dong, L, Sun, B, Yan, K, Zhang, J, Wan, S, He, F, Munroe, P, Notten, PHL & Wang, G 2020, 'K2 Ti2 O5 @C Microspheres with Enhanced K+ Intercalation Pseudocapacitance Ensuring Fast Potassium Storage and Long-Term Cycling Stability.', Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany), pp. e1906131-e1906131.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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Benefiting from the natural abundance and low standard redox potential of potassium, potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for low-cost energy storage. However, most PIB electrode materials suffer from sluggish thermodynamic kinetics and dramatic volume expansion during K+ (de)intercalation. Herein, it is reported on carbon-coated K2 Ti2 O5 microspheres (S-KTO@C) synthesized through a facile spray drying method. Taking advantage of both the porous microstructure and carbon coating, S-KTO@C shows excellent rate capability and cycling stability as an anode material for PIBs. Furthermore, the intimate integration of carbon coating through chemical vapor deposition technology significantly enhances the K+ intercalation pseudocapacitive behavior. As a proof of concept, a potassium-ion hybrid capacitor is constructed with the S-KTO@C (battery-type anode material) and the activated carbon (capacitor-type cathode material). The assembled device shows a high energy density, high power density, and excellent capacity retention. This work can pave the way for the development of high-performance potassium-based energy storage devices.
Zhao, S, Yan, K, Zhang, J, Sun, B & Wang, G 2020, 'Reaction Mechanisms of Layered Lithium-Rich Cathode Materials for High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries.', Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English).View/Download from: Publisher's site
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Layered lithium-rich cathode materials have attracted extensive interest owing to their high theoretical specific capacity (320-350 mA h g-1 ). However, poor cycling stability and sluggish reaction kinetics inhibit their practical applications. After many years of quiescence, interest in layered lithium-rich cathode materials is expected to revive in answer to our increasing dependence on high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. Herein, we review recent research progress and in-depth descriptions of the structure characterization and reaction mechanisms of layered lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials. In particular, we comprehensively summarize the proposed reaction mechanisms of both the cationic redox reaction of transition-metal ions and the anionic redox reaction of oxygen species. Finally, we discuss opportunities and challenges facing the future development of lithium-rich cathode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.
Guo, X, Zhang, J, Zhao, Y, Sun, B, Liu, H & Wang, G 2019, 'Ultrathin Porous NiCo2O4 Nanosheets for Lithium-Oxygen Batteries: An Excellent Performance Deriving from an Enhanced Solution Mechanism', ACS Applied Energy Materials, vol. 2, no. 6, pp. 4215-4223.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© Copyright 2019 American Chemical Society. Lithium-oxygen batteries are of interest for long-range electric vehicles owing to their high theoretical energy density. However, the poor cycling performance and low round-trip efficiency deriving from the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics severely impede their practical application. Ingenious design of cathode catalysts is imperative to overcome these challenges. Here, we report ultrathin porous NiCo2O4 nanosheets with abundant oxygen vaccines as an efficient cathode catalyst toward both OER and ORR for Li-O2 batteries. From combined theoretical calculation with experimental results, a unique enhanced solution mechanism is proposed in the ether-based electrolyte system. Benefiting from the porous 2D architecture of the cathode and the hierarchical toroidal products, the Li-O2 batteries using NiCo2O4 cathodes deliver a high discharge capacity of 16 400 mAh g-1 at 200 mA g-1 and an excellent cycling performance up to 150 cycles with a restricted capacity of 1000 mAh g-1.
Sahu, TS, Choi, S, Jaumaux, P, Zhang, J, Wang, C, Zhou, D & Wang, G 2019, 'Squalene-derived sulfur-rich copolymer@ 3D graphene-carbon nanotube network cathode for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries', Polyhedron, vol. 162, pp. 147-154.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with high theoretical energy density and low cost are considered a promising energy storage system. However, great challenges still remain in achieving high sulfur loading and long cycle life. Herein we report a well-designed sulfur-rich copolymer@ 3D graphene-carbon nanotubes (G-CNT) network cathode for high-performance Li-S batteries. The sulfur-rich copolymer (87.29% sulfur) synthesised by inverse vulcanization between two eco-friendly sources, sulfur and squalene, can greatly suppress the dissolution of sulfur and polusulfides due to the chemical confinement from the crosslinking of polysulfur chains with the squalene molecules. The interlinked Sp2 G-CNT network can not only further enhance the polysulfide entrapment capability, but also provide the composite with an 3D electrical conductive path as well as an eminent mechanical resilience towards the huge volume change of sulfur. The as-developed cathode can deliver a high specific capacity of 1265 mAh g−1 at 0.2C with excellent rate performance and cycling stability (782 mAh g−1 at after 300 cycles at 1C).
Song, J, Guo, X, Zhang, J, Chen, Y, Zhang, C, Luo, L, Wang, F & Wang, G 2019, 'Rational design of free-standing 3D porous MXene/rGO hybrid aerogels as polysulfide reservoirs for high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries', Journal of Materials Chemistry A, vol. 7, no. 11, pp. 6507-6513.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with a high theoretical energy density are attracting increasing attention as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems. However, the insulating nature and undesirable shuttle effect of sulfur species dramatically impede their practical applications. Herein, a unique 3D porous Ti3C2Tx MXene/rGO (MX/G) hybrid aerogel is rationally designed and applied for the first time as a free-standing polysulfide reservoir to improve the overall performance of Li-S batteries. In this strategy, highly conductive MXene and rGO are integrated into a 3D interconnected porous aerogel structure with efficient 2D polar adsorption interfaces, enabling fast Li+/electron transport and strong chemical anchoring of lithium polysulfides as well as enhanced redox reaction kinetics. The robust MX/G aerogel electrodes deliver excellent electrochemical performances including a high capacity of 1270 mA h g-1 at 0.1C, an extended cycling life up to 500 cycles with a low capacity decay rate of 0.07% per cycle, and a high areal capacity of 5.27 mA h cm-2.
Wu, W, Zhao, Y, Li, S, He, B, Liu, H, Zeng, X, Zhang, J & Wang, G 2019, 'P doped MoS2 nanoplates embedded in nitrogen doped carbon nanofibers as an efficient catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction.', Journal of colloid and interface science, vol. 547, pp. 291-298.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) is considered as a promising catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), originated from its abundant hydrogen evolution active sites. However, the HER performance of MoS2 is currently hindered by the limited exposed density of the active sites and low conductivity. Herein, we report a facile and scalable electrospinning technique to fabricate 2D MoS2 nanoplates doped with phosphorus within one-dimensional nitrogen doped-carbon nanofibers (NCNFs-MoS2|P) as a highly efficient HER catalyst. The space-confined growth with the presence of NCNFs avoided the stacking and aggregation of the MoS2 nanoplates, resulting in more exposed edge sites. The introduction of phosphorus atoms further activated the surface of MoS2 and enhanced the electron transfer. The overpotential of NCNFs-MoS2|P reached 98 mV at 10 mA cm-2, exhibiting excellent HER catalytic activity. Besides, almost no decay was observed after the stability test (5000 cycles or 20 h). The density functional calculations (DFT) elucidated that the incorporation of phosphorus atoms significantly improved the electrical conductivity and decreased the H adsorption energy barrier on MoS2, leading to a high catalytic performance of NCNFs-MoS2|P.
Xiong, P, Zhang, X, Wan, H, Wang, S, Zhao, Y, Zhang, J, Zhou, D, Gao, W, Ma, R, Sasaki, T & Wang, G 2019, 'Interface Modulation of Two-Dimensional Superlattices for Efficient Overall Water Splitting.', Nano letters, vol. 19, no. 7, pp. 4518-4526.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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Molecular-scale modulation of interfaces between different unilamellar nanosheets in superlattices is promising for efficient catalytic activities. Here, three kinds of superlattices from alternate restacking of any two of the three unilamellar nanosheets of MoS2, NiFe-layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH), and graphene are systematically investigated for electrocatalytic water splitting. The MoS2/NiFe-LDH superlattice exhibits a low overpotential of 210 and 110 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), respectively, superior than MoS2/graphene and NiFe-LDH/graphene superlattices. High activity and stability toward the overall water splitting are also demonstrated on the MoS2/NiFe-LDH superlattice bifunctional electrocatalyst, outperforming the commercial Pt/C-RuO2 couple. This outstanding performance can be attributed to optimal adsorption energies of both HER and OER intermediates on the MoS2/NiFe-LDH superlattice, which originates from a strong electronic coupling effect at the heterointerfaces. These results herald the interface modulation of superlattices providing a promising approach for designing advanced electrocatalysts.
Zhang, F, Xiong, P, Guo, X, Zhang, J, Yang, W, Wu, W, Liu, H & Wang, G 2019, 'A nitrogen, sulphur dual-doped hierarchical porous carbon with interconnected conductive polyaniline coating for high-performance sodium-selenium batteries', Energy Storage Materials, vol. 19, pp. 251-260.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2019 Elsevier B.V. Sodium-selenium (Na-Se)battery has been emerging as a new rechargeable energy storage system with high capacity, low cost and high rate capability. However, the shuttling of polyselenides from the cathode to the anode causes dramatic capacity decay, severely impeding their practical applications. Herein, we report a combinational strategy of nitrogen and sulphur dual-doped hierarchical porous carbon with interconnected conductive polyaniline (PANI)coating to incorporate Se as stable cathodes (i-PANI@NSHPC/Se)for Na-Se batteries. Ex situ characterizations and density functional theory (DFT)calculations demonstrate that the i-PANI@NSHPC/Se cathode can provide both physical diffusion barrier and strong chemical affinity for polyselenides. In addition, the interconnected conductive polyaniline network enhances the conductivity for electrons and ions. With this strategy, the i-PANI@NSHPC/Se cathode delivered a high reversible capacity of 617 mAh g −1 after 200 cycles at 0.2C with a low capacity decay rate of 0.013% per cycle and an excellent rate capability at 20 C. Importantly, stable cycling performances were achieved with high capacities at different Se areal mass loadings (1.2, 2.3, 3.5 mg cm −2 ). This work could provide an efficient approach for developing Na-Se batteries with high active material mass loading, high rate capacity and long cycle life.
Zhang, J, Sade, H, Zhao, Y, Murdock, AT, Bendavid, A, Lellouche, J-P, Wang, G & Han, Z 2019, 'Conformal carbon coating on WS2 nanotubes for excellent electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries.', Nanotechnology, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 035401-035401.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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WS2 nanotubes with carbon coatings in a core-shell structure (i.e. WS2@C) are synthesized through a facile method based on the Lewis acid-activated thioglycosylation chemistry. The obtained WS2@C shows a conformal coverage of conductive amorphous carbon on the surface of WS2 after thermal treatment, with the thickness of carbon layer being controlled by adjusting the molar ratios of saccharide to nanotube during the synthesis process. When applied in lithium-ion batteries, the WS2@C structures show higher reversible capacity of 638 mAh g-1 at a current density of 500 mA g-1 and significantly improved cycling stability as compared to the pristine WS2 nanotubes. Post-mortem examinations of the electrode materials reveal that the carbon coatings could preserve the morphology of WS2 nanotubes and assist in forming stable solid electrolyte interface layers, leading to enhanced cycling stability. As such, the WS2@C structures show great potential in the application of lithium-ion batteries for achieving excellent electrochemical performances.
Zhang, J, Sun, B, Zhao, Y, Tkacheva, A, Liu, Z, Yan, K, Guo, X, McDonagh, AM, Shanmukaraj, D, Wang, C, Rojo, T, Armand, M, Peng, Z & Wang, G 2019, 'A versatile functionalized ionic liquid to boost the solution-mediated performances of lithium-oxygen batteries.', Nature communications, vol. 10, no. 1.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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Due to the high theoretical specific energy, the lithium-oxygen battery has been heralded as a promising energy storage system for applications such as electric vehicles. However, its large over-potentials during discharge-charge cycling lead to the formation of side-products, and short cycle life. Herein, we report an ionic liquid bearing the redox active 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy moiety, which serves multiple functions as redox mediator, oxygen shuttle, lithium anode protector, as well as electrolyte solvent. The additive contributes a 33-fold increase of the discharge capacity in comparison to a pure ether-based electrolyte and lowers the over-potential to an exceptionally low value of 0.9 V. Meanwhile, its molecule facilitates smooth lithium plating/stripping, and promotes the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interface to suppress side-reactions. Moreover, the proportion of ionic liquid in the electrolyte influences the reaction mechanism, and a high proportion leads to the formation of amorphous lithium peroxide and a long cycling life (> 200 cycles). In particular, it enables an outstanding electrochemical performance when operated in air.
Zhang, J, Zhao, Y, Chen, C, Huang, Y-C, Dong, C-L, Chen, C-J, Liu, R-S, Wang, C, Yan, K, Li, Y & Wang, G 2019, 'Tuning the Coordination Environment in Single-Atom Catalysts to Achieve Highly Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reactions', JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 141, no. 51, pp. 20118-20126.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Zhao, Y, Wang, S, Liu, H, Guo, X, Zeng, X, Wu, W, Zhang, J & Wang, G 2019, 'Porous Mo2C nanorods as an efficient catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction', Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, vol. 132, pp. 230-235.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Generate hydrogen fuel from electrochemical water splitting has been considered as a promising approach. However, to obtain the low-cost and high performance catalysts towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)which can be applied in both alkaline and acid solution remains a challenge. Herein, we synthesized an active and stable HER catalyst composed of Mo2C nanocrystals embedded in the nanocarbon layers (Mo2C@C)by using MoO3 nanorods as precursor. Benefiting from the porous one dimensional structure and ultrafine Mo2C nanocrystals, Mo2C@C exhibits high HER catalytic activity for 10 mA cm−2 with the overpotential of 119 mV in 1 M KOH solution and 170 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution, respectively. Moreover, Mo2C@C displays long durability during the HER process with almost no decay and maintains the porous one dimensional architecture after the HER stability test. This study offers the guideline for the further design and fabrication of the nanostructured HER electrocatalysts in wide pH range.
Guo, X, Zhang, J, Song, J, Wu, W, Liu, H & Wang, G 2018, 'MXene encapsulated titanium oxide nanospheres for ultra-stable and fast sodium storage', Energy Storage Materials, vol. 14, pp. 306-313.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2018 Sodium-ion batteries with high power density present tremendous potential for large-scale energy storage applications. However, it remains a big challenge to develop suitable anode materials for ultrafast and highly reversible sodium ion storage. Herein, for the first time, we report a novel strategy to fabricate highly conductive MXene Ti3C2Txencapsulated titanium oxide spheres (TiO2@Ti3C2Tx) as an excellent anode material for sodium-ion batteries. The MXene layers significantly improve the electronic conductivity of the whole electrode and protect the structural integrity of the TiO2spheres from electrochemical pulverization, which hence contributes to the formation of a stable solid-electrolyte interface. Meanwhile, the pseudocapacitance of the as-fabricated TiO2@Ti3C2Txcomposites enables high-rate capability and long cycle life in sodium-ion batteries. As a result, the hybrid electrode delivers a high reversible capacity of 116 mAh g-1at 960 mA g-1up to 5000 cycles. By coupling with a NaCrO2cathode, a prototype Na-ion full cell achieved a capacity of 103.4 mAh g-1at 960 mA g-1and an excellent cycling performance with 73.5% capacity retention after 1000 cycles.
Song, J, Zhang, C, Guo, X, Zhang, J, Luo, L, Liu, H, Wang, F & Wang, G 2018, 'Entrapping polysulfides by using ultrathin hollow carbon sphere-functionalized separators in high-rate lithium-sulfur batteries', Journal of Materials Chemistry A, vol. 6, no. 34, pp. 16610-16616.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2018 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) have been regarded as the most promising technology for next generation energy storage systems owing to their high energy density and low cost. However, the undesirable shuttle effect and low utilization of sulfur caused by dissolution and migration of polysulfide intermediates greatly restrict their practical application. Herein, we report a functional separator modified with novel ultrathin hollow carbon spheres (UHCSs) to improve the overall performance of LSBs and demonstrate for the first time that nonporous hollow structured carbon materials are ideal candidates for modifying the separator due to their unique properties. The ultrathin and nonporous shell of the coated UHCSs can act as a physical and a chemical barrier to effectively entrap lithium polysulfides owing to fewer diffusion sites. The UHCSs can also enhance the electron transfer for sulfur and accommodate the large volume change of sulfur as upper current collectors. When applying such UHCSs functionalized separators, the LSBs achieved a significantly improved electrochemical performance including a high capacity of 1346.3 mA h g-1 at 0.2C and high rate capability with a discharge capacity of 458 mA h g-1 even at 5C upon 1000 cycles.
Sun, B, Li, P, Zhang, J, Wang, D, Munroe, P, Wang, C, Notten, PHL & Wang, G 2018, 'Dendrite-Free Sodium-Metal Anodes for High-Energy Sodium-Metal Batteries.', Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), vol. 30, no. 29, pp. e1801334-e1801334.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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Sodium (Na) metal is one of the most promising electrode materials for next-generation low-cost rechargeable batteries. However, the challenges caused by dendrite growth on Na metal anodes restrict practical applications of rechargeable Na metal batteries. Herein, a nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon nanotube (NSCNT) paper is used as the interlayer to control Na nucleation behavior and suppress the Na dendrite growth. The N- and S-containing functional groups on the carbon nanotubes induce the NSCNTs to be highly "sodiophilic," which can guide the initial Na nucleation and direct Na to distribute uniformly on the NSCNT paper. As a result, the Na-metal-based anode (Na/NSCNT anode) exhibits a dendrite-free morphology during repeated Na plating and striping and excellent cycling stability. As a proof of concept, it is also demonstrated that the electrochemical performance of sodium-oxygen (Na-O2 ) batteries using the Na/NSCNT anodes show significantly improved cycling performances compared with Na-O2 batteries with bare Na metal anodes. This work opens a new avenue for the development of next-generation high-energy-density sodium-metal batteries.
Sun, B, Pompe, C, Dongmo, S, Zhang, J, Kretschmer, K, Schröder, D, Janek, J & Wang, G 2018, 'Challenges for Developing Rechargeable Room-Temperature Sodium Oxygen Batteries', Advanced Materials Technologies, vol. 3, no. 9.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2018 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim The development of high energy-density and low-cost energy storage devices requires new chemistry beyond the horizon of current state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. Recently, sodium/oxygen (Na/O2) batteries have attracted great attention as one possible battery type among the new generation of rechargeable batteries. They convince with superior energy density, a relatively simple cell reaction, and abundance of sodium. Research on Na/O2batteries has progressed quickly in recent years. However, a fundamental understanding underpinning the complex chemical/electrochemical side reactions is still insufficient, and many challenges remain unsolved for real practical applications. Herein, recent achievements and remaining issues for the development of rechargeable Na/O2batteries are summarized. The discussion focuses on cell reaction mechanisms as well as cathode materials, sodium anodes, and electrolytes as key components of this type of battery. Furthermore, perspectives for future research and technological advances of Na/O2batteries are outlined.
Xiong, P, Zhang, X, Zhang, F, Yi, D, Zhang, J, Sun, B, Tian, H, Shanmukaraj, D, Rojo, T, Armand, M, Ma, R, Sasaki, T & Wang, G 2018, 'Two-Dimensional Unilamellar Cation-Deficient Metal Oxide Nanosheet Superlattices for High-Rate Sodium Ion Energy Storage.', ACS Nano, vol. 12, pp. 12337-12346.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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Cation-deficient two-dimensional (2D) materials, especially atomically thin nanosheets, are highly promising electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage that undergo metal ion insertion reactions, yet they have rarely been achieved thus far. Here, we report a Ti-deficient 2D unilamellar lepidocrocite-type titanium oxide (Ti0.87O2) nanosheet superlattice for sodium storage. The superlattice composed of alternately restacked defective Ti0.87O2 and nitrogen-doped graphene monolayers exhibits an outstanding capacity of ∼490 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, an ultralong cycle life of more than 10000 cycles with ∼0.00058% capacity decay per cycle, and especially superior low-temperature performance (100 mA h g-1 at 12.8 A g-1 and -5 °C), presenting the best reported performance to date. A reversible Na+ ion intercalation mechanism without phase and structural change is verified by first-principles calculations and kinetics analysis. These results herald a promising strategy to utilize defective 2D materials for advanced energy storage applications.
Zhang, J, Zhao, Y, Guo, X, Chen, C, Dong, CL, Liu, RS, Han, CP, Li, Y, Gogotsi, Y & Wang, G 2018, 'Single platinum atoms immobilized on an MXene as an efficient catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction', Nature Catalysis, vol. 1, no. 12, pp. 985-992.View/Download from: Publisher's site
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© 2018, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. Single-atom catalysts offer a pathway to cost-efficient catalysis using the minimal amount of precious metals. However, preparing and keeping them stable during operation remains a challenge. Here we report the synthesis of double transition metal MXene nanosheets—Mo 2 TiC 2 T x , with abundant exposed basal planes and Mo vacancies in the outer layers—by electrochemical exfoliation, enabled by the interaction between protons and the surface functional groups of Mo 2 TiC 2 T x . The as-formed Mo vacancies are used to immobilize single Pt atoms, enhancing the MXene's catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction. The developed catalyst exhibits a high catalytic ability with low overpotentials of 30 and 77 mV to achieve 10 and 100 mA cm −2 and a mass activity about 40 times greater than the commercial platinum-on-carbon catalyst. The strong covalent interactions between positively charged Pt single atoms and the MXene contribute to the exceptional catalytic performance and stability.
Zhao, S, Sun, B, Yan, K, Zhang, J, Wang, C & Wang, G 2018, 'Aegis of Lithium-Rich Cathode Materials via Heterostructured LiAIF(4) Coating for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries', ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, vol. 10, no. 39, pp. 33260-33268.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Zhao, Y, Zhang, J, Wu, W, Guo, X, Xiong, P, Liu, H & Wang, G 2018, 'Cobalt-doped MnO2 ultrathin nanosheets with abundant oxygen vacancies supported on functionalized carbon nanofibers for efficient oxygen evolution', Nano Energy, vol. 54, pp. 129-137.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Developing low-cost and efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reactions (OER) with both excellent activity and robust stability remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a facile spontaneous redox reaction to grow cobalt-doped MnO2 ultrathin nanosheets in situ with abundant oxygen vacancies vertically aligned on cobalt/nitrogen co-functionalized carbon nanofibers (Co-MnO2|OV) as an efficient OER catalyst. It is confirmed that metallic cobalt plays a critical role in the formation of long and ultrathin MnO2 nanosheets during the redox reaction. Furthermore, the cobalt ions doped into MnO2 significantly enhance the catalytic activity of MnO2 nanosheets. Benefiting from the collaborative advantages of doping strategy, fast charge transfer kinetics and strong synergistic coupling effects, Co-MnO2|OV composites exhibit an excellent catalytic activity and a good durability for electrochemical water oxidation, reaching 10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 279 mV. According to the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the enhanced catalytic activity mainly originates from a better conductivity and the decreased adsorption energy barrier of OH- on the O sites neighboring the doped Co and oxygen vacancies. Our findings suggest that the control over the structure and composition of the materials can achieve highly efficient oxygen evolution electrocatalysts.
Kretschmer, K, Sun, B, Zhang, J, Xie, X, Liu, H & Wang, G 2017, '3D Interconnected Carbon Fiber Network-Enabled Ultralong Life Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 @Carbon Paper Cathode for Sodium-Ion Batteries.', Small, vol. 13, no. 9.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) are an emerging technology, which can meet increasing demands for large-scale energy storage. One of the most promising cathode material candidates for sodium-ion batteries is Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 due to its high capacity, thermal stability, and sodium (Na) Superionic Conductor 3D (NASICON)-type framework. In this work, the authors have significantly improved electrochemical performance and cycling stability of Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 by introducing a 3D interconnected conductive network in the form of carbon fiber derived from ordinary paper towel. The free-standing Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 -carbon paper (Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 @CP) hybrid electrodes do not require a metallic current collector, polymeric binder, or conducting additives to function as a cathode material in an NIB system. The Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 @CP cathode demonstrates extraordinary long term cycling stability for 30 000 deep charge-discharge cycles at a current density of 2.5 mA cm(-2) . Such outstanding cycling stability can meet the stringent requirements for renewable energy storage.
Zhang, J, Sun, B, McDonagh, AM, Zhao, Y, Kretschmer, K, Guo, X & Wang, G 2017, 'A multi-functional gel co-polymer bridging liquid electrolyte and solid cathode nanoparticles: An efficient route to Li–O2batteries with improved performance', Energy Storage Materials, vol. 7, pp. 1-7.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
© 2016 Lithium-oxygen (Li–O 2 ) batteries have the highest theoretical energy density amongst all rechargeable batteries and have attracted significant attention. However, large over-potentials originating from sluggish reaction kinetics often lead to low round-trip energy efficiency and short cycle life. We report here a novel multi-functional gel co-polymer that efficiently enhances the discharge and charge performances in Li–O 2 batteries by intimately connecting the liquid electrolyte and solid cathode nanoparti cles. On one hand, the co-polymer material, poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy-4-yl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (P(TMA-MMA)), functions as a binder during the fabrication of the cathode and forms a gel polymer membrane to retain liquid electrolyte and to increase ionic conductivity. On the other hand, the TMA units, containing N–O radical groups that catalyse Li 2 O 2 formation and decomposition during charge and discharge cycles, are distributed throughout the polymer membrane. This allows more effective formation and decomposition of Li 2 O 2 than surface bound catalytic units. The combination of gelable MMA and catalytic TMA moieties enhances the interface between liquid electrolyte and solid cathode by functioning as a medium both to transport Li + (enhancing discharge process) and to carry electrons (reducing charge over-potential). Consequently, the optimized P(TMA-MMA) co-polymers provide exceptional electrochemical performance in Li–O 2 batteries.
Zhang, J, Sun, B, Zhao, Y, Kretschmer, K & Wang, G 2017, 'Modified Tetrathiafulvalene as an Organic Conductor for Improving Performances of Li−O 2 Batteries', Angewandte Chemie, vol. 129, no. 29, pp. 8625-8629.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
Large over‐potentials owing to the sluggish kinetics of battery reactions have always been the drawbacks of Li−O2 batteries, which lead to short cycle life. Although redox mediators have been intensively investigated to overcome this issue, side‐reactions are generally induced by the solvated nature of redox mediators. Herein, we report an alternative method to achieve more efficient utilization of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) in Li−O2 batteries. By coordinating TTF+ with LiCl during charging, an organic conductor TTF+Clx− precipitate covers Li2O2 to provide an additional electron‐transfer pathway on the surface, which can significantly reduce the charge over‐potential, improve the energy efficiency of Li−O2 batteries, and eliminate side‐reactions between the lithium metal anode and TTF+. When a porous graphene electrode is used, the Li−O2 battery combined with TTF and LiCl shows an outstanding performance and prolonged cycle life.
Zhang, J, Sun, B, Zhao, Y, Kretschmer, K & Wang, G 2017, 'Modified Tetrathiafulvalene as an Organic Conductor for Improving Performances of Li-O2 Batteries.', Angewandte Chemie, vol. 56, no. 29, pp. 8505-8509.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
Large over-potentials owing to the sluggish kinetics of battery reactions have always been the drawbacks of Li-O2 batteries, which lead to short cycle life. Although redox mediators have been intensively investigated to overcome this issue, side-reactions are generally induced by the solvated nature of redox mediators. Herein, we report an alternative method to achieve more efficient utilization of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) in Li-O2 batteries. By coordinating TTF+ with LiCl during charging, an organic conductor TTF+ Clx- precipitate covers Li2 O2 to provide an additional electron-transfer pathway on the surface, which can significantly reduce the charge over-potential, improve the energy efficiency of Li-O2 batteries, and eliminate side-reactions between the lithium metal anode and TTF+ . When a porous graphene electrode is used, the Li-O2 battery combined with TTF and LiCl shows an outstanding performance and prolonged cycle life.
Zhao, Y, Zhang, J, Guo, X, Fan, H, Wu, W, Liu, H & Wang, G 2017, 'Fe3C@nitrogen doped CNT arrays aligned on nitrogen functionalized carbon nanofibers as highly efficient catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction', Journal of Materials Chemistry A, vol. 5, no. 37, pp. 19672-19679.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
© 2017 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Fe 3 C based catalysts are found to be one of the most promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report on a nanoarchitectured material composed of Fe 3 C nanoparticles encapsulated at the tip of nitrogen-enriched carbon nanotubes (NCNTs), which are aligned on one dimensional (1D) nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (Fe 3 C@NCNTs-NCNFs) by a scalable electrospinning technique, as a high performance OER catalyst. The unique 3D hierarchical architecture of Fe 3 C@NCNTs-NCNFs leads to highly exposed active sites, enhanced electron transfer properties and strong synergistic coupled effects. Fe 3 C@NCNTs-NCNFs exhibit an outstanding catalytic performance with a high current density (10 mA cm -2 at an overpotential of 284 mV), a low Tafel slope (56 mV dec -1 ), a low charge transfer resistance and strong durability in 1 M KOH solution. The electrochemical evaluation demonstrates that the Fe 3 C@NCNTs-NCNF composite is a promising electrocatalyst for the OER in alkaline solution.
Guo, X, Sun, B, Zhang, J, Liu, H & Wang, G 2016, 'Ruthenium decorated hierarchically ordered macro-mesoporous carbon for lithium oxygen batteries', JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A, vol. 4, no. 25, pp. 9774-9780.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Zhang, J, Sun, B, Xie, X, Zhao, Y & Wang, G 2016, 'A Bifunctional Organic Redox Catalyst for Rechargeable Lithium-Oxygen Batteries with Enhanced Performances', ADVANCED SCIENCE, vol. 3, no. 4.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Zhao, Y, Zhang, J, Li, K, Ao, Z, Wang, C, Liu, H, Sun, K & Wang, G 2016, 'Electrospun cobalt embedded porous nitrogen doped carbon nanofibers as an efficient catalyst for water splitting', JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A, vol. 4, no. 33, pp. 12818-12824.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Wang, Y, Kretschmer, K, Zhang, J, Mondal, AK, Guo, X & Wang, G 2016, 'Organic sodium terephthalate@graphene hybrid anode materials for sodium-ion batteries', RSC ADVANCES, vol. 6, no. 62, pp. S7098-S7102.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Zhang, J, Sun, B, Xie, X, Kretschmer, K & Wang, G 2015, 'Enhancement of stability for lithium oxygen batteries by employing electrolytes gelled by poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether', Electrochimica Acta, vol. 183, pp. 56-62.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Free-standing gel polymer electrolytes with poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) matrix plasticized with tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME) were prepared and investigated. The as-prepared gel polymer electrolytes exhibited large operating window and acceptable ionic conductivity. When applied in lithium oxygen batteries, the gel polymer electrolyte could support a high initial discharge capacity of 2988mAhg-1 when a carbon black electrode without catalyst was used as cathode. Furthermore, the battery with gel polymer electrolyte can last at least 50 cycles in the fixed capacity cycling, displaying an excellent stability. Detailed study reveals that the gelling process is essential for the cycling stability enhancement. With excellent electrochemical properties, the free-standing gel polymer electrolyte presented in this investigation has great application potentials in long-life lithium oxygen batteries.
Zhao, Y, Xie, X, Zhang, J, Liu, H, Ahn, HJ, Sun, K & Wang, G 2015, 'MoS2 Nanosheets Supported on 3D Graphene Aerogel as a Highly Efficient Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution.', Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany), vol. 21, no. 45, pp. 15908-15913.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
The development of efficient catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen evolution is essential for energy conversion technologies. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) has emerged as a promising electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction, and its performance greatly depends on its exposed edge sites and conductivity. Layered MoS2 nanosheets supported on a 3D graphene aerogel network (GA-MoS2 ) exhibit significant catalytic activity in hydrogen evolution. The GA-MoS2 composite displays a unique 3D architecture with large active surface areas, leading to high catalytic performance with low overpotential, high current density, and good stability.
Su, D, Zhang, J, Dou, S & Wang, G 2015, 'Polypyrrole hollow nanospheres: stable cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries', CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 51, no. 89, pp. 16092-16095.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Xie, X, Ao, Z, Su, D, Zhang, J & Wang, G 2015, 'MoS2/Graphene Composite Anodes with Enhanced Performance for Sodium-Ion Batteries: The Role of the Two-Dimensional Heterointerface', ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, vol. 25, no. 9, pp. 1393-1403.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Xie, X, Kretschmer, K, Zhang, J, Sun, B, Su, D & Wang, G 2015, 'Sn@CNT nanopillars grown perpendicularly on carbon paper: A novel free-standing anode for sodium ion batteries', NANO ENERGY, vol. 13, pp. 208-217.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Xie, X, Su, D, Zhang, J, Chen, S, Mondal, AK & Wang, G 2015, 'A comparative investigation on the effects of nitrogen-doping into graphene on enhancing the electrochemical performance of SnO2/graphene for sodium-ion batteries', NANOSCALE, vol. 7, no. 7, pp. 3164-3172.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Chen, S, Huang, X, Liu, H, Sun, B, Yeoh, W, Li, K, Zhang, J & Wang, G 2014, '3D Hyperbranched Hollow Carbon Nanorod Architectures for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries', Advanced Energy Materials, vol. 4, p. 1301761.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
Lithium-sulfur batteries have been plagued for a long time by low Coulombic efficiency, fast capacity loss, and poor high rate performance. Here, the synthesis of 3D hyperbranched hollow carbon nanorod encapsulated sulfur nanocomposites as cathode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries is reported. The sulfur nanocomposite cathodes deliver a high specific capacity of 1378 mAh g-1 at a 0.1C current rate and exhibit stable cycling performance. The as-prepared sulfur nanocomposites also achieve excellent high rate capacities and cyclability, such as 990 mAh g -1 at 1C, 861 mAh g -1 at 5C, and 663 mAh g -1 at 10C, extending to more than 500 cycles. The superior electrochemical performance are ascribed to the unique 3D hyperbranched hollow carbon nanorod architectures and high length/radius aspect ratio of the carbon nanorods, which can effectively prevent the dissolution of polysulfi des, decrease self-discharge, and confi ne the volume expansion on cycling. High capacity, excellent high-rate performance, and long cycle life render the as-developed sulfur/carbon nanorod nanocomposites a promising cathode material for lithium-sulfur batteries.
Chen, S, Huang, X, Sun, B, Zhang, J, Liu, H & Wang, G 2014, 'Multi-shelled hollow carbon nanospheres for lithium–sulfur batteries with superior performances', J. Mater. Chem. A, vol. 2, no. 38, pp. 16199-16207.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Sun, B, Huang, X, Chen, S, Zhang, J & Wang, G 2014, 'An optimized LiNO3/DMSO electrolyte for high-performance rechargeable LiO2 batteries', RSC Advances, vol. 4, pp. 11115-11120.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
Finding stable electrolytes is essential to address the poor cycling capability of current rechargeable non-aqueous LiO2 batteries. An optimized dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) based electrolyte using lithium nitrate (LiNO3) as the lithium salt has been first investigated for rechargeable LiO2 batteries. The charge over-potential of LiO2 batteries with LiNO3/DMSO electrolyte is 0.42 V lower than that of batteries with LiClO4/DMSO electrolyte. The LiO2 batteries with LiNO3/DMSO electrolyte also showed excellent high C-rate performance and good cycling stability.
Sun, B, Huang, X, Chen, S, Zhao, Y, Zhang, J, Munroe, P & Wang, G 2014, 'Hierarchical macroporous/mesoporous NiCo2O4 nanosheets as cathode catalysts for rechargeable Li-O2 batteries', Journal of Materials Chemistry A, vol. 2, pp. 12053-12059.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
The key factor to improve the electrochemical performance of Li-O2 batteries is to find bi-functional cathode catalysts to promote the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. Despite tremendous effects, developing cathode catalysts with high activity remains a great challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis of hierarchical macroporous/mesoporous NiCo2O4 nanosheets as an effective cathode catalyst for Li-O2 batteries. The hierarchical porous catalyst was synthesized by a hydrothermal method, followed by low temperature calcination. SEM and TEM observations clearly present that the as-prepared NiCo2O4 nanosheets showed a hierarchical porous structure with mesopores distributed through the surface of NiCo2O4 nanosheets and macropores formed between the crumpled nanosheets. When investigating as the cathode catalyst in Li-O2 batteries, the as-prepared NiCo2O4 nanosheets exhibited higher reversible capacity, lower charge/discharge overpotential, and better cycling stability than those of pristine carbon black. The enhanced electrochemical performance of NiCo2O4 nanosheets should be attributed not only to the high catalytic activity of NiCo2O4 towards oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction, but also to the novel hierarchical porous structure of NiCo2O4.
Zhang, J, Chen, S, Xie, X, Kretschmer, K, Huang, X, Sun, B & Wang, G 2014, 'Porous poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) polymer membrane with sandwich-like architecture for highly safe lithium ion batteries', JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE, vol. 472, pp. 133-140.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Zhang, J, Sun, B, Huang, X, Chen, S & Wang, G 2014, 'Honeycomb-like porous gel polymer electrolyte membrane for lithium ion batteries with enhanced safety', Scientific Reports, vol. 4, pp. 1-7.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
Lithium ion batteries have shown great potential in applications as power sources for electric vehicles and
large-scale energy storage. However, the direct uses of flammable organic liquid electrolyte with commercial
separator induce serious safety problems including the risk of fire and explosion. Herein, we report the
development of poly(vinylidene difluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) polymer membranes with multi-sized
honeycomb-like porous architectures. The as-prepared polymer electrolyte membranes contain porosity as
high as 78%, which leads to the high electrolyte uptake of 86.2 wt%. The PVDF-HFP gel polymer electrolyte
membranes exhibited a high ionic conductivity of 1.03 mS cm21 at room temperature, which is much higher
than that of commercial polymer membranes. Moreover, the as-obtained gel polymer membranes are also
thermally stable up to 3506C and non-combustible in fire (fire-proof). When applied in lithium ion batteries
with LiFePO4 as cathode materials, the gel polymer electrolyte demonstrated excellent electrochemical
performances. This investigation indicates that PVDF-HFP gel polymer membranes could be potentially
applicable for high power lithium ion batteries with the features of high safety, low cost and good
Mondal, AK, Su, D, Chen, S, Zhang, J, Ung, A & Wang, G 2014, 'Microwave-assisted synthesis of spherical beta-Ni(OH)(2) superstructures for electrochemical capacitors with excellent cycling stability', CHEMICAL PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 610, pp. 115-120.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Xie, X, Su, D, Chen, S, Zhang, J, Dou, S & Wang, G 2014, 'SnS2 Nanoplatelet@Graphene Nanocomposites as High-Capacity Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries', Chemistry An Asian Journal, vol. 9, pp. 1611-1617.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
Na-ion batteries have been attracting intensive investigations as a possible alternative to Li-ion batteries. Herein, we report the synthesis of SnS2 nanoplatelet@graphene nanocomposites by using a morphology-controlled hydrothermal method. The asprepared SnS2/graphene nanocomposites present a unique two-dimensional platelet-on-sheet nanoarchitecture, which has been identified by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. When applied as the anode material for Na-ion batteries, the SnS2/graphene nanosheets achieved a high reversible specific sodium-ion storage capacity of 725 mAhg1, stable cyclability, and an enhanced high-rate capability. The improved electrochemical performance for reversible sodium-ion storage could be ascribed to the synergistic effects of the SnS2 nanoplatelet/graphene nanosheets as an integrated hybrid nanoarchitecture, in which the graphene nanosheets provide electronic conductivity and cushion for the active SnS2 nanoplatelets during Na-ion insertion and extraction processes.
Xie, X, Su, D, Sun, B, Zhang, J, Wang, C & Wang, G 2014, 'Synthesis of Single-Crystalline Spinel LiMn2O4 Nanorods for Lithium-Ion Batteries with High Rate Capability and Long Cycle Life', CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, vol. 20, no. 51, pp. 17125-17131.View/Download from: Publisher's site
Sun, B, Zhang, J, Munroe, P, Ahn, H & Wang, G 2013, 'Hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanorods as an efficient cathode catalyst for rechargeable non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries', Electrochemistry Communications, vol. 31, pp. 88-91.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
NiCo2O4 nanorods were synthesized by a hydrothermal method followed by low temperature calcination. FESEM and TEM analyses confirmed that the as-prepared materials consist of a hierarchical nanorod structure. When applied as cathode catalysts in rechargeable LiO2 batteries, NiCo2O4 nanorods exhibited a superior catalytic activity, including low charge over-potential, high discharge capacity and high-rate capability.
Zhang, J, Sun, B, Ahn, H, Wang, C & Wang, G 2013, 'Conducting polymer-doped polyprrrole as an effective cathode catalyst for Li-O2 batteries', Materials Research Bulletin, vol. 48, no. 12, pp. 4979-4983.View/Download from: Publisher's site
View description
Polypyrrole conducting polymers with different dopants have been synthesized and applied as the cathode catalyst in Li-O2 batteries. Polypyrrole polymers exhibited an effective catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction in lithium oxygen batteries. It was discovered that dopant significantly influenced the electrochemical performance of polypyrrole. The polypyrrole doped with Cl- demonstrated higher capacity and more stable cyclability than that doped with ClO4-. Polypyrrole conducting polymers also exhibited higher capacity and better cycling performance than that of carbon black catalysts.
Selected projects


text: To pick the best wedding hairstyles for long hair can be the hard thing if you haven't known how you want to be seen in your wedding day. You can firstly list all of the impressions that you want to get in front of the people you are loved. When you want to appear elegant and glamorous, the updo hairstyles can be the best choice the. You can even add tiara as the companion of your veil to accentuate your glamorous look in your wedding day. But if you prefer to appear simple and stunning, the classic bun of the updo will do good for you. Or maybe you just can let your hair loose to cover your shoulder? That will be great too if you have the church as you wedding venue. All of those possibilities are great to wear as long as you have known what you want to appear in your wedding day. Start to make a list now then you can open your wedding hairstyles searching.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
COMO, Italy — The center-right candidate for mayor of Como, Mario Landriscina, a doctor who once did United Nations relief work, says that Italy is second to none in rescuing migrants and that rejecting refugees or minors is out of the question.
But, he insists, the time has come to remove the migrants who blight his handsome and orderly town, where they sleep in abandoned garages or loiter on the esplanade around Lake Como, better known as a luxury destination for George Clooney than as a magnet for despair.
"See there?" he asked, pointing to an African man sitting alone on a piazza's steps the other day as Mr. Landriscina strolled toward the cathedral for a mayoral endorsement by some of Italy's leading right-wing politicians. "That's the first guy. It's only the beginning."
Italians vote on Sunday in the final round of municipal elections seen as a bellwether before national elections, and immigration is the issue that may determine races from this northern city on the Swiss border to the southern coast of Sicily.
Italy has registered more than 70,000 migrants this year, 27 percent more than it did by this time in 2016, when a record 181,000 migrants arrived.
Shoving has broken out in Parliament over the center-left government's proposal to extend citizenship to the children of migrants born on Italian soil.
All over, parties and politicians are shifting to a tougher stance.
After the first round of voting on June 11 delivered a setback to the surging anti-establishment Five Star Movement, it adopted a notably harder line on immigration. One of its highest-profile politicians, Rome's embattled mayor, Virginia Raggi, called for a moratorium on new immigrants.
Champions of a more welcoming approach to immigrants have not fared well.
In Lampedusa, the Sicilian island that became the emblem of Italy's immigration issue after years of inundation by desperate migrants, the Democratic Party mayor had become an international symbol of Italy's open arms. She failed even to make it to Sunday's runoff.
Here in Como, Sunday's election could well be determined by the debate over what to do with the hundreds of African migrants hoping to go north to Switzerland or Northern Europe for jobs.
As seaplanes glided to dock and women in sun hats sipped aperitifs, scores of African migrants gathered, looking at the verdant mountains standing guard between the placid lake and Switzerland.
"I can't go anywhere," said Fofana Abdoulaye, a 31-year-old migrant from the Ivory Coast, as he stood in the shadow of the city's landmark Volta Temple.
While he and other migrants spoke of their appreciation of Italy's humanitarian efforts to save them from the Mediterranean Sea, they also expressed exhaustion with the country's intricate web of permits and papers and European agreements that required them to stay in the country that first documented them.
But locals, too, were exasperated.
"It's a horrible calling card for the city," Enrica Tattamanti, 65, said as she watched her granddaughter, Benedetta, play next to Lake Como.
She worried that funds redirected to migrants deprived the town's handicapped citizens of services and complained that any protest prompted accusations of racism. "I hope the center right wins," she said.
Its candidate, Mr. Landriscina, argues for closing migrant reception centers and removing the migrants who he argued did not want to be here to begin with, to relieve mounting tension between Como's locals and immigrants who he said made no effort to integrate.
"It's a problem where the conflict — a little bit ethnic, a little bit religious — risks creating tension," said Mr. Landriscina, who just finished a book about Rudolph W. Giuliani's time as mayor of New York.
If elected, he said, he would go to Rome, which has jurisdiction over such issues, and appeal for a change.
Mr. Landriscina arrived for the endorsement event at the Broletto, a medieval and elegantly arched building next to the cathedral, to the cheers of familiar right-wing politicians including Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the law-and-order Brothers of Italy party.
At the event, Ms. Meloni, a member of Parliament, wasted no time bringing up her party's opposition to the government's proposal to extend citizenship to children born in Italy.
"We believe Italian citizenship cannot be a concession or automatic," she said to applause. "They must earn it, ask it, and citizenship should be celebrated."
In an interview after the event, Ms. Meloni mocked the Five Star Movement for its belated hard line on immigration, saying it only followed opinion polls and believed in nothing.
This was one of the rare areas where she and the leader of the Democratic Party, former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who considers Italian citizenship a civil right to those born here, agreed.
Of the Five Star Movement's leader, Beppe Grillo, Mr. Renzi wrote on Facebook: "Grillo got a big slap in the face in the local elections. So what do they invent? A nice attack on immigrants."
But Ms. Meloni had no problem with attacking the government's welcoming approach to immigrants. "It devastates the culture, devastates tourism, devastates security, devastates everything," she said. "Nothing good comes of it. Not even for the immigrants."
Advocates in Como worry that the adoption of such a hard line in City Hall would only create resentment.
"It's a losing strategy," said the Rev. Giusto Della Valle, a priest who since 2011 has run a center on the outskirts of town where more than 50 migrants sleep at night.
In the dining room where immigrants prepare and eat their dinners, he proudly pointed out the soccer trophy the refugees he hosts won in a tournament for National Refugee Day this month.
He then gave a tour of the center, showing the room where a woman and her two small children had slept the previous night and in which 24 teenagers had slept until May.
A learning center with outdated computers, the locker room with the locker doors warped from break-ins. He walked up the stairs and came upon three Nigerian women in the lobby.
"After school I can find a job in a restaurant," Sandra Obodo, 26, said as one friend braided her hair and another slept, recovering from a collapse brought on by stress.
Ms. Obodo said she had crossed over from Libya nine months ago after escaping retribution murders at home. While her ship had made it to shore after a rough journey, she said, migrants on a boat that departed at the same time had been lost at sea. "It's not easy," she said.
Father Della Valle said Nigerian traffickers, headquartered nearby in Turin, promised many of the women jobs but then put them to work as prostitutes. He has kicked out of his center pimps who tried to recruit the women, but he said the local police cared only about potential radicals.
The current center-left government had also struck down his proposals to turn abandoned buildings into more dignified centers, he added. (The center-left candidate in Como, Maurizio Traglio, declined to comment.)
The issues roiling Italy touched many of the people in the center personally. In a small courtyard, Muhamed Delah Abillah, 31, spoke of his family's long search for work and stability since coming from Afghanistan more than a decade ago.
His oldest child, Marzia, 8, was born in Italy, he said. "She has an Italian name," he said as she read an Italian magazine and chatted with her siblings in Italian. "We want her to be Italian."


text:
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text:
In Russia probe, Mueller examines infamous Seychelles meeting
The first report about Trump World seeking backchannel communications with Russia came nearly a year ago. The Washington Post reported last May that Jared Kushner, Michael Flynn, and then-Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak had a private meeting in early December – during the Trump presidential transition process – at Trump Tower in New York.
At the meeting, Kushner reportedly "discussed the possibility of setting up a secret and secure communications channel between Trump's transition team and the Kremlin, using Russian diplomatic facilities in an apparent move to shield their pre-inauguration discussions from monitoring." (That didn't work: Kislyak shared Kushner's offer with his superiors in Russia, and those communications were intercepted by U.S. intelligence officials.)And now we're learning about another related effort. The Washington Post moved the ball forward overnight with this report:
Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has gathered evidence that a secret meeting in Seychelles just before the inauguration of Donald Trump was an effort to establish a back channel between the incoming administration and the Kremlin – apparently contradicting statements made to lawmakers by one of its participants, according to people familiar with the matter.
In January 2017, Erik Prince, the founder of the private security company Blackwater, met with a Russian official close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and later described the meeting to congressional investigators as a chance encounter that was not a planned discussion of U.S.-Russia relations.
A witness cooperating with Mueller has told investigators the meeting was set up in advance so that a representative of the Trump transition could meet with an emissary from Moscow to discuss future relations between the countries, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
If you saw Rachel's segment on Tuesday, or Ari's report last night, you know the cooperating witness is Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, who's proving to be a key player in this story. It was Nader who not only attended the pre-inaugural Seychelles meeting, he also helped organize it.
And to fully appreciate Nader's significance, note that he's now a cooperating witness for the special counsel's office, and someone who's delivered grand jury testimony.
As for the Post's latest report, it points to potential trouble for Erik Prince, a major Trump donor and the founder of the controversial Blackwater security firm, who told congressional investigators the Seychelles meeting had nothing to do with the Trump transition team. There's now reason to believe otherwise.
And then, of course, there's this: "While Mueller is probing the circumstances of the Seychelles meeting, he is also more broadly examining apparent efforts by the Trump transition team to create a back channel for secret talks between the new administration and the Kremlin."
It's difficult to think of a benign explanation for Team Trump seeking private, pre-inaugural chats with Russian officials through unofficial channels.
Circling back to a point we discussed last year, I imagine some of the White House's allies will again make the case that backchannel communications between the United States and other countries – friend and foe alike – have been common for many years, so there's no reason to be alarmed by these reports. That defense doesn't make sense in this case: backchannel communications are supposed to involve using diplomatic intermediaries to pursue U.S. foreign policy, not a presidential transition team seeking secret discussions away from U.S. detection.
To date, no one has been able to explain, even on a theoretical level, why Team Trump would seek a secret communications avenue with Moscow that relevant U.S. agencies couldn't monitor.


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Boost Your Bottom Line With Insert Media
Rising postal costs and falling response rates have given many a marketer pause to consider testing insert media. In turn, this interest in inserts has led many direct marketers to consider opening up their packages to third-party advertising offers.
There are many benefits associated with creating a package insert program. The most obvious is an additional revenue stream that leverages the postage you already pay to deliver your goods. In addition, a package insert program increases your exposure in the marketplace as brokers and mailers
investigate your com-pany and product line to determine their offer's affinity with your program, notes Diane Caruso, vice president of insert media at Stanton Direct Marketing. She adds that a third benefit is the know-ledge program owners gain about their customers. "When you put advertising into your packages and you see what your customer is responding to, you're learning something about your customer that may help you come up with additional products of your own or that may give you a new avenue for list rentals," Caruso explains.
So when is your business fertile for creating a package insert program? Since insert users crave volume, a good rule of thumb is when you ship more than 500,000 packages a year, although plenty of exceptions exist, says Jill Eastman Vidal, director of third-party marketing at 1-800-Flowers.com.
Also, you want to target shipments that won't push your packages into the next postage class when you include an insert. "Not everyone has this level of sophistication built into their warehouse management system, but it is ideal if your system allows you to enter the weight of the item you are picking," says Eastman Vidal. "If you have the operational ability to include that intelligence, you know you're not jeopardizing the weight of the package and that what you're throwing in is making you money and not costing you postage."
Shop for an Insert Manager
If you determine that an insert program is right for your business, the next step is to secure management. Hiring an insert manager to oversee your program is a must, says Eastman Vidal, who suggests you ask other mailers and list professionals for recommendations. If you currently use insert media to promote your own products and services, get a recommendation from your insert broker.
Look for a company that knows your market, because it will have to figure in exclusivity, volume and seasonality when putting together your program. For example, notes Eastman Vidal, a manager developing a program for 1-800-Flowers.com's Plow & Hearth program would need to know that possible insert advertisers, such as bulb and seed suppliers, want fall and spring packages. The manager needs to determine how many times those advertisers would come in, when they'd come in and in what volume.
After obtaining some recommendations, send an RFP that specifies your volume and income projections to three or four managers. When putting together a program proposal, a manager wants to know such information as the minimum and maximum number of inserts you can accept; your insert weight and size specifications; how you fulfill product; your buyer demographics; and the details of the promotion used to drive orders.
In addition, Rich Mercado, senior manager at Madison Direct Marketing, says he asks about a mailer's warehouse, including the type of order management system in place, as well as whether or not the facility is "organized with flow shelving so the picking and packing of inserts can be easily done."
Once received, Eastman Vidal recommends putting together a grid that compares the proposals. When reviewing proposals, consider:
* Experience. What is the company's experience with insert media and in researching vendors? You also want to investigate the level of experience of the individuals who will be servicing your account.
* Goals. Are the manager's financial and growth goals for your program realistic?
* Resources. What is the manager's promotions and marketing strategy for your program?
* Clients. What other clients does the company represent? Some program owners prefer managers who handle competitive programs, while others do not, notes Caruso.
* Networking/references. This is critical as your insert manager will be responsible for advertising and promoting your program.
Assemble the Program
Once hired, an insert manager will assist you in putting the program together. Your manager will create a datacard to promote your program and will recommend a rate based on similar programs that, according to Mercado, "should be no higher or lower than your nearest competitor." The datacard also will include a minimum test quantity, the number of inserts allowed, and whether overweight inserts can be accepted. Inserts weighing more than 0.25 ounces generally are considered overweight and are charged an extra fee based on the additional postal costs incurred by the program owner.
When launching a new program, Caruso says that she likes to send in advance the inserts of a few potential advertisers to the program owner for approval. Then, when the program is launched, she will call the mailers to alert them that the program has hit and that they have been pre-approved for insertion.
At this time, you also will need to decide whether inserts will be collated into an envelope or inserted loose into packages. Mercado says he's a "big believer in the envelope because it organizes [the inserts] and gives the person a chance to look through things and hold the inserts longer, which increases your chances of a sale." The outside of the envelope also provides you with valuable real estate to promote your products or to sell to an advertiser.
If you opt for an envelope, your insert manager will assist you with outsourcing envelope creation and collation services. Most programs use a standard 6" x 9" envelope to collate inserts. Eastman Vidal recommends you print enough envelopes for a year's worth of insertions in one run to get better costs.
An insert manager plays a very important role in the collation process, because he or she is responsible for scheduling inserts and for making sure competitive offers aren't placed in the same envelope. Each month the manager will send the collation house a grid that specifies which inserts are nested in an envelope and in what order.
Commit an Internal Resource
As a program owner, you'll need to provide an internal contact to work with the insert manager, approve or reject insert offers, and track and report on package inventory.
The tracking and reporting of inserts is essential as advertisers will want to know how many offers are in circulation so they can track order flow, particularly if they are selling a high-volume product like checks, Mercado indicates.
Your fulfillment operation will receive shipments of envelopes from the collation house and put them into an inventory structure. In some cases, mailers enter insert packages as a SKU and put them on the picking and packing line, which facilitates tracking, according to Mercado. This also allows you to do weekly counts of how many inserts have been inserted into packages, remaining inventory and when a program completes. This information needs to be provided to your insert manager on a weekly basis so he or she can report back to the broker who placed the order.
Once a program completes, your insert manager bills the advertiser, collects all payments and sends you a revenue check. In addition to financial reports that track insert receivables, many insert managers provide program owners with a monthly report of all insert activity. This information can be particularly useful in putting together a P&L report on your program for upper management.
In addition to working with your insert manager and reporting on insertion activity, your internal contact should make visits to your distribution center and communicate the importance of your insert program directly to your packers, according to Eastman Vidal. "Building your infrastructure is really important out of the gate," she says, adding that packers need to understand that you can generate 6 cents to 12 cents per envelope. "Their support is crucial."


text: Congratulations to everyone who recently took part in the St Mary's Senior Rounders League. It was our first internal Rounders competition and four teams of twelve were selected, one from each of the 5th and 6th Classes. The teams were given names – Funky Monkeys (Room 26), Bull Dogs (Room 27), Wild Cats (Room 30) and Jelly Belly Spuds (Room 31). All the preliminary games were tense and exciting. The final was a dog-cat battle between Bull Dogs (Room 27) and Wild Cats (Room 30). Mr O Coigligh was the referee and his detailed knowledge of the rules ensured that controversial moments were kept to a minimum. It proved to be a tense and close encounter. Wild Cats were eventually crowned the winners and Bull Dogs were very gracious in defeat. Medals and Certificates were distributed to the competition participants. Our first school league was an enjoyable experience and to be fair everyone was a winner!


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You can allow the computer to play one or both teams as Stellar College Basketball into dental school despite his high academic university grades. Walt Disney Scholarship Fund – Awards $100,000 yourself from the work and give you a bit of detachment from your text. In this way, Nike is able to reach a wide designing for all types of schools: firms that know what students want to see. Student Opinion of Geology The perception of how difficult geology is based on knowledge, indicating that a college education is the gateway to abundant opportunities. Usually to subsidize parental contributions, student loans are the two $500 scholarships to undergrads junior and senior students 23.
Once you have verified that your paper is correct at the and jobs and gain valuable insight into the way the professional environment works. If none could be found, maybe you could find a decent a rare business niche, relating to colleges and universities of all types. If the field you are pursuing does not stress high college with the clean up work that comes along with learning in a lab setting. Lastly, college degree programs offer the option to "fast-track" certain programs and, of senior journalists, IAS officers, politicians, and more. As opposite to the scholastic activities extracurricular ones that often include student is interested in going to college or medical trade school.


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Monday, October 17, 2011
I just got back from a weekend getaway with a bunch of girlfriends. It was fabulous on so many levels.
I've been a stay-at-home mom for almost 2 years now. I really don't love the word "stay-at-home" mom. For one, it just sounds kind of boring (and being a SAHM is anything but boring). Anyway, the point is I'm with my girls pretty much 24/7, which I LOVE and would not trade for anything in the whole wide world (except for maybe a top of the line Vita Mix blender, weekly massages and a car with automatic locks - just kidding, kind of). But yes, I was looking forward to 48 hours of grown-up time and only shed a few (dozen) tears as I drove away.
It was a much needed time for me. At first I thought I just needed a break. You know, sleep in, eat out, catch up on a year's worth of mindless magazines, laugh til my cheeks hurt, that kind of stuff. And while I absolutely did all of that (except for the mindless magazines) the getaway ended up being so much more.
One night, sometime between red wine and a short-lived game of charades, I looked at each of the 6 women I was with and realized I didn't know any of them 2 years ago. We didn't even live in the same state. And there I was, sharing heartfelt stories about my past and present - joys and struggles, with women who so quickly went from strangers to friends. For that, I am so thankful.
A bunch of us decided to go for a hike on Saturday. It was 2 miles of straight incline (which then results in 2 miles of straight decline), but there's something about nature that just keeps you going - looking and moving forward. Something about breathtaking beauty that inspires you to go the distance. The hike was definitely a challenge for me. My hips and back hurt but I made it to the top, and boy does getting to "the top" mean more to me today than it ever did before. I'm learning when it's okay to push myself and when I need to sit something out. There are days when that decision is made for me, when my body goes on strike and doesn't give me the option. But more often than not, I can choose how far to go and I don't ever take that decision for granted.
As we got closer to the top of the summit one word came to mind: perspective. Seriously, if perspective could be bought and sold the world would be a different place. The ability to step back, see the big picture, sift through what matters and what doesn't, take a breath, clear your head, quiet the noise - it's a powerful thing. I love how your circumstances can remain exactly the same but a simple shift in your thinking can change everything. I think I came down from that mountain a more patient mother, a more loving wife, an overall stronger woman.
I know we can't always escape for the weekend, but I've been reminded how important it is to step back. Take an hour, go for a walk, drive to the ocean, sit near a stream, go somewhere and let the quiet re-calibrate you. Perspective: it changes everything.
Here's to more mountaintop moments,
6 comments:
- Thefleamarket AshleyOctober 18, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Love it! So true.ReplyDelete
I love it. So beautiful & so much truth here. I'm so glad you got to do that.ReplyDelete
Oh, and I love the new blog header.
- RobynmatsOctober 19, 2011 at 2:09 AM
"I love how your circumstances can remain exactly the same but a simple shift in your thinking can change everything." That quote is going up on my office door. I love all of your blogs. I believe you touch everyone with your beautiful words. You have a gift. Love it and love you... Take care!ReplyDelete
So beautifully written! I always "mother" after a break such as this. And honestly, an hour can do every bit as good as a full weekend away. You just have to be open to letting that shift in perspective to occur.ReplyDelete
This is very well written! I am SO with you. My husband and I had a (rare) chance to go away for two nights last month, and I told him that if I could do that every month, I'd be the best mom in the world! ;)ReplyDelete
Perspective is a word that I think of often…You nailed it.
Thanks and have a great day! (and i have an email coming your way soon too. ;)
monica (www.thegrommom.com)
- thriveoutloudOctober 24, 2011 at 1:08 PM
Thanks, Monica! Happy Birthday to you!! :)ReplyDelete


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Please fix this samsung. It is PATHETIC
I have to unlock my phone constantly when I'm home. I've set many safe locations where my phone should be unlocked, yet this rubbish feature doesn't work.
I've reset cache, data, cleared all safe spots, started again, nothing doing. Useless ..
Same issue. It used to work until last software update on 8 March 2019 to Pie. I now also don't get any notifications from Gmail or text messages, or sometimes even phone calls when the screen is off. Which is really not good, as I run a business which relies on me being super responsive!
For what it's worth, I was able to eventually get to the bottom of my problem. Basically it came down to the GPS coordinates for my phone location not reflecting my actual location, particularly when it is first turned on in the morning, so that the Smart Lock pins weren't in my GPS circle, even when I was in my house. I observed this by opening Maps and waiting for it to find my phone (the grey dot becomes blue and starts roaming around). Even once it got a lock, it took 15 minutes for it to come close to where I was actually located in my house (it would be down the street, then hover to my front yard, then to the back yard, etc, all while I was sitting still in my living room). For some reason, after traveling somewhere (e.g. to work) the accuracy of the GPS improved, so that when I came back home in the evening it had a better sense of my location, so the Smart Lock pins I had stuck around my actual house were in my GPS circle when I was physically in my house.
If you really want the Smart Lock to work, you have to put down like, 50 pins (I did mine in a grid from the street all the way to the back yard); that way the odds are high that at any given time, one of them is in your GPS circle. I did this and it solved the problem (annoying though).
I have the same issue too. Sometimes it works then it doesn't . Have tried everything suggested it works for a while then stops. I've spoken to several other Samsung owners at work who are having similar problems with smart lock!
Issue is Google location problem. Google maps regularly shows my location some distance from my home. It would appear that while Google maps is determing a location, Smart Lock doesn't work. I have dropped pins around locations adjacent to my home, and for last few days has largely worked. When it doesn't, I have found google maps shows my location significantly away, and gradually gets a fix.
@Hallcs wrote:
If you uninstall samsung pay app from your phone, smart lock will work after reboot. Samsung pay seems to disable smart lock for added security. If you use samsung pay you will have to live with the intermitten problems with smart lock. It's only pay app you need to uninstall.
I was having the same issue with my Galaxy A8. Stopping Samsung Pay which I don't use has resolved the problem. Hopefully this lasts.
How is this "solved"? none of the solutions here work. I have it set to stay unlocked at my home, but it still locks itself. I try adding more trusted locations nearby and widening the area, still doesn't work. If I try to add a "trusted device" (ie my laptop) to which is is actually currently connected with Bluetooth it says it can't add it and to check it's switched on and close enough when it's literally in front of me. It was the same on my previous Samsung too. The whole system is clearly broken.
I agree. This is NOT solved.


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Early Childhood Center
Our Early Childhood Center, with games, puppet theater, reading corner, dress-up and baby area, is open for children and parents together during service times.
Families with young children are welcome at all synagogue activities and services.
For more information on other opportunities for families with young children at the Emanuel Synagogue, please contact the Director of Youth and Family Learning
Tot Shabbat
for children ages 5 and under accompanied by their parent/caregiver
Interactive Parent/Child program, meets in our Early Childhood Center one Saturday/month. Sing songs and prayers, dance, read stories and play shabbat friendly games.The program concludes in the Main Sanctuary with Adon Olam on the bima followed by kiddush with the congregation. ChallahPalooza is free and open to all, as part of our monthly Programming for Kids and Families on Shabbat. Visit the website front page to see the next one scheduled
Bagels, Blocks & Beyond
Bagels, Blocks, and Beyond: A theme based program. Through music, art, and stories, pre-school aged children and their parents learn together about Jewish holidays such as Shabbat and Passover, and values such as Tzedakah. Free and open to the community.
For more information, please contact the Director of Youth and Family Learning. / FAQs Early childhood


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Alternate title: One of the youngest and brightest heads to the oldest and the best
A letter to my oldest, as she ventures further along the path intended for her…..
Dear Aub,
Funny, I typed Abu first. She's with us watching over you as you go, you know. I've never been so sure of anything as I am that.
I need you to know you can do this. I know it doesn't seem like it to you, but you have done amazing things so far, and you will only continue to amaze. You have it in you. Just reach down deep inside and grab hold of it. The same thing that allowed you to move halfway across the world and let your light shine, the strength that had you starting over at a new school six times and finding your niche, and the passion that helped you figure out what you believe and stand up for what is right—all of that will see you through.
No matter what twists and turns this path takes you on, always remember that we all share this world, and we all have the same right to be here. Remember that people really want to be heard, so be sure to listen. Not just with your ears but also with your heart.
I know we say "grace abounds" quite often around here, but do you really get it? That means that when you unload the dishwasher when the dishes aren't clean, I need to be more gracious in my response. And that when our friend calls and says he wants to get sober and off the streets, again *sigh*, we continue to love and support him. That means that whatever story you have to share, I will listen. And it means when your roommate wakes you up, coming in late from whatever path she's on, you forgive and forget and move on. You see what I'm saying? Grace. Don't leave home without it.
Make it a priority to learn people's names. Everyone's. From your classmates to your big sisters to the lady who cooks your lunch to the "workman" who fixes your leaky sink. Learn their names and say them. Shows folks they matter, and shows you know they do. It's just the right thing to do.
I'm going to mess up. I'm going to be pushy and ask you questions that will tread all over your new-life independence. And I'm going to suggest how you might do something differently. I'll just go ahead and apologize now. I'm sorry. It's what I do. But I will try my best not to do it more than once or twice. A week. Deal?
And you're going to mess up. You're going to overcommit or forget an assignment or do less than your best on a project. You're going to, at some point, feel like there is a big old "FAIL" etched across your forehead. Rest assured it's not. Get up, dust yourself off, and try, try again. Keep on keepin' on. That's what Maemae and Cap used to tell me. All those many times I felt like "Fail" was my new middle name. All those times I wanted to crawl under the covers and hide from my mistakes. That was their solution—try again. And you know what? They were right. They were always right. But you already knew that, didn't you?
You are about to meet all kinds of kinds. Try not to judge. I know it's hard, but that is one of the worst things you can do—for yourself and for them. You might miss out on knowing someone really awesome because you've dismissed them based on some kind of first impression that winds up being totally skewed and off track. Don't be heard sharing the failures or missteps of others. That's common as pig tracks and besides, it hurts folks. That whole "do unto others" thing that Maemae preached about on a daily basis—that's what this is all about. You don't want others telling about your missteps, let those of others go as well.
At the same time, be wise. Surround yourself with strong people who are full of positive energy. It's not your job to fix crazy or toxic or hurting people. You can be kind, but don't take that on yourself. One of the best things you can do for a toxic person is to let them go. And point them in the direction of help. And that's it. I know that sounds harsh, but in the words of a wise therapist, "It's okay to choose healthy." And your Mama highly recommends it.
Don't let your past be your excuse. Ever. It can be a launching point and a reminder of how not to be, but don't let it be an excuse. You can rise above those who haven't been what they should have in your life. Don't let them live in your head rent-free. It's time to evict them. Forever.
Make time to laugh. And try new things. Stay in touch with your artistic self. Listen to your music. Sing out loud. Explore and take walks. Give yourself permission to reinvent yourself but don't change who you are. (I know, I sound like one of those judges on a reality tv show—"be yourself but not so much, 'kay?") I hope that makes sense. You are wonderful just as you are, but you can branch out and do more, do different. Swim. Ride. Make your own adventures. You have what it takes. Go for it.
Get plenty of sleep. You know how you get. Sorry, you got that from me. And when in doubt, take a shower. You know how they make you feel better. If something ever starts weighing heavy on your heart, call me. If that doesn't help or isn't an option in the moment, look at your painting you created last Sunday:
Because it's not. I don't want you to take it too lightly either, but I doubt you will. So, I remind you what Maemae would say, "It's all for the fun of it."
Finally, if you find yourself doubting you can do this or if you are ready, remember what Maemae said, "It's time. You are ready for this." And as our Princess reminded us the other day:
"Maemae said you can do it, and she was always usually wise, so I know you can."
'Nuff said.
Love you, forever and always, to the moon and back,
ps–just for the fun of it–
"Always be yourself. Unless you can be a Pirate. Then be a Pirate." 🙂
And from the lyrics of your new favorite song–"Keep yo' business off of Facebook!" (For those who haven't heard the song, click here.) Just really good advice. Love you.


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As I age, I have increasing issues with RSI and neck pain (not to mention my eyesight). I mainly use a desktop, which is my preference, but it is harder and harder to find a comfortable monitor viewing position. Recently I watched some films on my Android tablet, and it suddenly occurred to me that looking down at it in my hands was what I actually want for my desktop.
What would be ideal (at least I hope so) is a small screen, no more than 15 inches, that I could prop up at an angle behind my keyboard. I know this sounds a lot like a laptop but I really want to keep the full-size keyboard and the desktop with its expansion card slots and other goodies. Ideally, what I would like to have is a small HDMI monitor I can look down at while typing, with the display echoed on the big 42 inch desk monitor.
So I went searching and of course it is almost impossible to find what I want, at least for anything approaching a normal price. HDMI monitors and TVs do not seem to exist here in the size I am looking for, except very costly specialised devices intended as camera viewfinders. Also, most of the small monitors I have seen overseas have touch screens, which I don't need and cost more than I want to pay.
So that is my question. Does anyone know a good source for a small screen like this with HDMI input? It would need to be easily detachable from any stand. I just want a screen I can prop up at a desired angle in front of the keyboard.


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In a ruling issued Tuesday, the North Carolina Court of Appeals said UNC must release the names of people found responsible for rape, sexual assault or any related acts of sexual misconduct through the University's Honor Court, Committee on Student Conduct or Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office.
This ruling comes nearly one month after the case was brought before the court at N.C. Central University in Durham, where attorneys for the University argued disclosing such records would be a violation of federal law.
The University responded to the ruling with a statement and reasserted their position — protecting the survivors' privacy. They also said they would continue to evaluate their options.
Our coverage on the lawsuit:
DTH's public record lawsuit against UNC goes to appeal, oral arguments
DTH lawsuit over UNC sexual misconduct records continues, court date set for appeal
The Daily Tar Heel receives public records ruling
No resolution after hearing in the DTH's public records case against UNC
"We are disappointed with the N.C. Court of Appeals decision and are examining all legal options as we review the ruling," Joel Curran, vice-chancellor of University communications, said in the statement. "We firmly believe Judge Baddour made the correct decision last May by recognizing the University's legal and ethical responsibility under federal law to protect the privacy rights of all students."
Erica Perel, the general manager of the Daily Tar Heel, said she's glad the case is coming to a resolution.