Fabricating Na/In/C Composite Anode with Natrophilic Na–In Alloy Enables Superior Na Ion Deposition in the EC/PC Electrolyte

In conventional ethylene carbonate (EC)/propylene carbonate (PC) electrolyte, sodium metal reacts spontaneously and deleteriously with solvent molecules. This significantly limits the practical feasibility of high-voltage sodium metal batteries based on Na metal chemistry. Herein, we present a sodium metal alloy strategy via introducing NaIn and Na2In phases in a Na/In/C composite, aiming at boosting Na ion deposition stability in the common EC/PC electrolyte. Symmetric cells with Na/In/C electrodes achieve an impressive long-term cycling capability at 1 mA cm−2 (> 870 h) and 5 mA cm−2 (> 560 h), respectively, with a capacity of 1 mAh cm−2. In situ optical microscopy clearly unravels a stable Na ion dynamic deposition process on the Na/In/C composite electrode surface, attributing to a dendrite-free and smooth morphology. Furthermore, theoretical simulations reveal intrinsic mechanism for the reversible Na ion deposition behavior with the composite Na/In/C electrode. Upon pairing with a high-voltage NaVPOF cathode, Na/In/C anode illustrates a better suitability in SMBs. This work promises an alternative alloying strategy for enhancing Na metal interfacial stability in the common EC/PC electrolyte for their future applications.

Electroconvection near an ion-selective surface with Butler–Volmer kinetics

We study the effects of interfacial kinetics on the electro-hydrodynamics of ion transport near an ion-selective surface using a combination of linear stability analysis and numerical simulation. The finite kinetics of the electrolyte–electrode interface affects the ion transfer and electroconvection in many ways. On a surface of fixed topography, such as a metal surface of slow and stable ion deposition or covered by a polymer membrane, the finite kinetics reduces the current in one-dimensional ion diffusion/migration, increases the critical voltage for the onset of the electroconvective instability, changes the dynamics of the electroconvection and the overlimiting current, and enhances the lateral ion diffusion within the interfacial layer. The first three effects are indirectly caused by the reaction kinetics and can be characterized by an effective voltage difference across the liquid electrolyte. In comparison, the last effect is controlled by a direct interplay between kinetics and nonlinear electroconvection. Scaling laws for ion transport and features of electroconvection are proposed. We also analyse the linear stability of a surface which evolves under ion deposition and find that the finite kinetics decreases the growth rate of both electroconvective and morphological instabilities and therefore modifies the wavenumber of the most unstable mode.

Electrochemically mediated gradient metallic film generation

Metallic films with a controlled gradient can be fabricated on substrates via electrochemically induced metallic ion deposition.

The biomedical sensor Cell-Fit-HD4D, reveals individual tumor cell fate in response to microscopic ion deposition

Here we present the biomedical sensor cell-fluorescent ion track hybrid detector4D (Cell-Fit-HD4D) to reveal individual tumor cell fate in response to microscopic ion deposition in ion beam therapy. The sensor enables long-term monitoring of single tumor cells after clinical ion beam irradiation in combination with single-cell dosimetry. Cell-Fit-HD4D is read out in-situ by conventional optical microscopy. Direct visualization of a clinical ion beam is hereby possible for the first time. The possibility to reveal fate of individual cells from a cell cohort demonstrates that our biomedical sensor clearly differs from conventional experiments that characterize cellular response after radiation on a population level. Cell-Fit-HD4D is therefore used to mimics the clinical situation of a defined tumor depth during tumor treatment by ion beam therapy. Our biomedical sensor is able to provide crucial input for current mechanistic approaches to biophysical modelling of the effect of ionizing radiation on biological matter. In the clinical context, obtaining multi-dimensional physical and biological information on individual tumor cells is an important step to further transform ion beam therapy into a highly precise discipline within oncology.