Issue 1, Volume 1 – 6 articles

Cover Story (View full-size image):
A black single crystal of LaH3 specimen in the laboratory has been found serendipitously transformed into white powders when exposed to air within 24 hours. The crystal structure models of the black and white samples have been determined to be LaH3 and La(OH)3 by advanced single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) techniques. Such discovering motivates the discrimination of three possible transition paths from LaH3 to La(OH)3 by comparing the formation enthalpy with first-principles calculations as well as by a self-designed hydrogen detection setup. It has been lastly found that the O2 molecules in the air prefers penetrating into the LaH3 (111) surfaces and resulted in the rapid formation of La(OH)3.
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Editorial

19 June 2024

Article

12 August 2024

Comparative Study: Biodegradable Chelating Agents vs. Aqua Regia for Extraction of Indispensable Elements from Pyrite Ore of Bagrot, Gilgit Baltistan

This study investigates the optimization of metal extraction from Bagrot pyrite ore, with a focus on gold recovery. Initial characterization using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) provided a comprehensive elemental profile of the ore. Fire assaying was employed to establish a baseline gold concentration. Systematic leaching experiments were conducted, varying parameters such as reaction time, temperature, and stirring speed, and the results were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Among the chelating agents tested Ethylenediamine N-N′ disuccinic acid (EDDS), Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) only limited efficacy in gold extraction was observed. In contrast, ammonium thiosulfate demonstrated substantial potential for effective gold recovery. Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) and N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) were determined to be ineffective for metal leaching under the tested conditions. This research highlights the critical role of reagent selection and parameter optimization in enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of gold extraction processes, positioning ammonium thiosulfate as a promising alternative to traditional cyanide-based methods.

Review

23 October 2024

Chemical Recycling and Upcycling of Waste Plastics: A Review

The indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste represents a significant environmental hazard. Conventional remediation techniques, such as landfilling and incineration, also encounter limitations and are unable to adequately address the pollution issue. Chemical recycling and upcycling represent an effective method for the degradation of plastics into oligomers and subsequent transformation into other product substances. This review provides an overview of the various chemical treatment methods currently in use, from the earliest thermal degradation techniques to the emerging strategies. The conventional techniques for thermal degradation of discarded plastics frequently encounter difficulties due to the necessity for elevated temperatures, substantial energy consumption, and the generation of a heterogeneous product mixture. Significant advances have been made in the fields of catalytic solvolysis, hydrotreating, and oxidative cleavage for the recycling and upcycling of plastics under mild conditions. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the chemical treatment methods currently employed for plastics, with a particular focus on the principles and current developments, as well as the reaction mechanisms involved. Additionally, it offers a detailed introduction to various advanced catalytic technologies and the catalysts utilized. Finally, it presents prospective outlooks for different methods, based on their current development status and the gap between actual needs.

Review

01 November 2024

Waste Resin Derived Carbon Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries

As the environmental issues caused by waste resin become increasingly severe, there is an urgent need to develop ways to handle it in a high-value and harmless manner. Turning waste resin into functional carbon materials is a realizable and promising scheme, which could be a trigger to carry forward emerging sustainable battery technologies and applications. However, there are few review articles about the basics and research progress of the waste resin derived carbon materials for sodium-ion batteries. This review article provides a brief overview mainly about resin recycling and the potential usage of the resultant carbon materials for sodium-ion batteries. Specifically, we show the potential improvements in existing research, focusing on utilization of the waste as well as the significance of new routes for resin recycling. This work offers insights for the design of sustainable carbon materials for battery systems.

Article

14 November 2024

The Discovering of Rapid Formation La(OH)3 from LaH3

It was found that the single crystal of LaH3 specimen with $${Fm\overline{3}m}$$ (No.225) will decompose into powders within 24 h, which is later characterized to be La(OH)3 by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) measurements. The discovery motivates the examination of three possible transition paths by comparing formation enthalpy with first-principles calculations and employing a custom- designed hydrogen detection setup. Furthermore, the most suitable adsorption position of O2 molecules on the (111) surfaces has been investigated by comparing the adsorption enthalpy from different candidate positions by utilizing first-principles calculations, implying the pivotal role of O2 molecules played in the rapid formation of La(OH)3 along the optimal transition path.

Review

06 December 2024

Recent Progress of High Safety Separator for Lithium-Ion Battery

With the rapid increase in quantity and expanded application range of lithium-ion batteries, their safety problems are becoming much more prominent, and it is urgent to take corresponding safety measures to improve battery safety. Generally, the improved safety of lithium-ion battery materials will reduce the risk of thermal runaway explosion. The separator is a key component of lithium-ion batteries. It plays a crucial role in battery safety, serving as one of the most effective measures against internal short circuits.Separator failure is a direct cause of the thermal runaway and can be specifically divided into three categories: puncture, melting, and thermal shrinkage. The requirements for an ideal lithium-ion battery separator have a synergistic effect on the electrochemical performance, safety, and scalability of lithium-ion batteries. Focus on the separator, this review summaries the mechanism of separator in thermal runaway process, and reports the recent progress of high safety separator from the perspective of material preparation.

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