Efficient Synthesis of Highly Crystalline One-Dimensional CrCl3 Atomic Chains with a Spin Glass State

Atomically Engineered Encapsulation of SnS2 Nanoribbons by Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for High-Efficiency Lithium Storage

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are integral to contemporary energy storage, yet current anode material systems struggle to meet the increasing demand for extended range capabilities. This work introduces a novel composite anode material composed of one-dimensional 2H-phase tin disulfide (SnS2) nanoribbons enclosed within cavities of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SnS2@SWCNTs), achieved through precise atomic engineering. Employing aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy, we precisely elucidated the crystal structure of SnS2 within the confines of the SWCNTs. This deliberate design effectively addresses the inherent limitations of SnS2 as a lithium-ion anode material, including its low electrical conductivity, considerable volume expansion effects, and unstable solid electrolyte interface membrane. Testing confirmed that SnS2 transforms into the Li5Sn2 alloy phase after full lithiation and back to SnS2 after delithiation, showing excellent reversibility. The composite also benefits from edge effects, improving lithium storage through stronger binding and lower migration barriers, which were supported by calculations. This pioneering work advances high-performance anode materials for applications.

One-Dimensional High-Entropy Compounds

One-dimensional (1D) high-entropy compounds (HECs) with subnano diameters are highly attractive because long-range electron delocalization may occur along the high-entropy atomic chain, which results in extraordinary properties. Nevertheless, synthesizing such 1D HECs presents a substantial challenge, and the physicochemical attributes of these novel structures remain ambiguous. Herein, we developed a comelting-filling-freezing-modification (co-MFFM) method for synthesizing 1D high-entropy metal phosphide (HEP) by simultaneously encapsulating various metal cations within single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) followed with a phosphorization process. The resulting 1D HEP nanowires confined within SWCNTs exhibit crucial features, including an ultrafine, high-entropy, and amorphous structure, along with a core-shell arrangement. The SWCNT as a shell could donate π electrons to 1D HEP for enhanced electron delocalization and protect 1D HEP as an atomically single-layered protective covering, thus boosting high electrocatalytic activity and stability. Moreover, the co-MFFM method demonstrates scalability for mass production and displays universal applicability to the synthesis of various 1D HECs.

Interlayer Charge Transfer Induced Electrical Behavior Transition in 1D AgI@sSWCNT van der Waals Heterostructures

The emergence of one-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures (1D vdWHs) opens up potential fields with unique properties, but precise synthesis remains a challenge. The utilization of mixed conductive types of carbon nanotubes as templates has imposed restrictions on the investigation of the electrical behavior and interlayer interaction of 1D vdWHs. In this study, we efficiently encapsulated silver iodide in high-purity semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sSWCNTs), forming 1D AgI@sSWCNT vdWHs. We characterized the semiconductor-metal transition and increased the carrier concentration of individual AgI@sSWCNTs via sensitive dielectric force microscopy and confirmed the results through electrical device tests. The electrical behavior transition was attributed to an interlayer charge transfer, as demonstrated by Kelvin probe force microscopy. Furthermore, we showed that this method of synthesizing 1D heterostructures can be extended to other metal halides. This work opens the door for the further exploration of the electrical properties of 1D vdWHs.