As promising, safe, high-power electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), titanium-dioxide-based anodes that have been prepared to date are still restricted by their limited specific capacity. In this work, we demonstrate a facile electrochemical anodization for TiO_x nanotubular arrays of oxygen defects in a nitrogen atmosphere. In comparison with those fabricated under air conditions, the as-prepared nanotubular arrays present much reduced impedance with oxygen defects, which allow fast electronic and ionic transport in the TiO_x nanotubular arrays. The binder-free anode based on as-prepared TiO_x nanotubular arrays exhibited record-setting capacities (395, 325, and 235 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2, 1, and 10 C, respectively) among TiO₂-based anode materials, that is, approaching state-of-the-art TiO₂ electrodes for LIBs.

A three-dimensional (3D) silicon/carbon nanofiber–graphene (Si/CNF-G) nanostructure is constructed by encapsulating Si nanoparticles in carbon nanofibers, followed by wrapping with graphene nanosheets. The graphene-wrapped silicon/carbon nanofibers hybrids have the advantages of good dispersion of Si nanoparticles inside the 3D carbon network. Meanwhile, the 3D carbon network can also act as a current collector to promote charge transfer and maintain stable electrical contact of the Si nanoparticles. The resulting Si/CNF-G composites can be used directly as binder-free electrodes. The composite exhibits a stable capacity retention and a reversible capacity of 878 mAh g⁻¹ for up to 100 cycles, along with a high rate capacity (514 mAh g⁻¹ at 5.0 A g⁻¹). These results provide a promising research platform for fabricating stable electrodes with improved electrochemical performance.

In this paper, photoelectric cooperative induced patterned wetting is demonstrated on a hydrophobic ordered polymeric honeycomb structure surface, which is prepared by BF method, then photosensitizing with a dye and hydrophobizing with low-surface-energy materials; finally, photoelectric cooperative induced patterned wetting is achieved on such a hydrophobic honeycomb structure surface. These results indicate that this work is promising for broadening the applications of photoelectric cooperative liquid reprography, which break the limitations of only using inorganic materials and super-hydrophobic materials. It should be of great scientific interest to extend the relevant research from inorganic nanorod, nanopore, and nanotube structures to polymeric honeycomb structures, because polymeric materials can overcome the inherent drawbacks of the inorganic materials owing to their advantages of low specific weight, flexibility, tunable material properties, and wide variety.

As a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries, Si is still facing great challenges owing to the rapid capacity fade, which is mainly caused by the large volume changes during cycling. We have rationally designed novel 3D porous carbon–silicon frameworks by self-assembly of the phenol formaldehyde resin and triblock copolymer. The triblock copolymer acts as both structure-directing agent and template for the formation of a uniform carbon shell and the generation of bimodal porous structures. The as-fabricated porous carbon–silicon (PC–Si) hybrid exhibits an initial capacity of 1868 mA h g⁻¹ with a columbic efficiency of 41 %. The columbic efficiency rapidly increases to 99 % and the capacity remains at ≈1000 mAh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles suggesting a much more stable cycling and enhanced capacitance compared to Si with direct carbon coating. Such an excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the formation of continuous mesoporous structures in the exclusive 3D conductive frameworks.