The lithiation/delithiation in LiFePO4 is highly anisotropic with lithium-ion diffusion being mainly confined to channels along the b-axis. Controlling the orientation of LiFePO4 crystals therefore plays an important role for efficient mass transport within this material. We report here the preparation of single crystalline LiFePO4 nanosheets with a large percentage of highly oriented {010} facets, which provide the highest pore density for lithium-ion insertion/extraction. The LiFePO4 nanosheets show a high specific capacity at low charge/discharge rates and retain significant capacities at high C-rates, which may benefit the development of lithium batteries with both favorable energy and power density.

Single-Crystalline LiFePO4 Nanosheets for High-Rate Lithium Batteries

Self-assembly of nickel phosphate-based nanotubes into two-dimensional crumpled sheet-like architectures for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

Due to unique structural porosity, low-cost, and good catalytic activity, oxygen evolution reactions over 3d transition elements have gained immense attention in recent years. Herein, we report the fabrication of three different metal phosphates, e. g. Co-phosphate (CoPO), Ni-phosphate (NiPO), and Ni−Co-phosphate (NiCoPO) using the corresponding metal sources and phosphoric acid as a phosphorus source under hydrothermal conditions without using any structure-directing agent. Since the as-prepared metal-based phosphates exhibit high surface area with good interparticle porosity and contain transition metals in the material frameworks, these materials have been investigated for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Among the three metal phosphates, the as-synthesized CoPO catalyst shows efficient electrocatalytic activity toward OER, with an overpotential of 350 mV at 10 mA cm in 1.0 M KOH solution and a relatively low Tafel slope of 60.7 mV dec. The good electrocatalytic performance of CoPO is attributed to its higher specific surface area and pore volume compared to other two catalysts. The CoPO-modified electrode also shows a high stability up to 15 h at a constant potential of 1.58 V, suggesting its promising future for OER catalysis.

Facile Synthesis of Nanoporous Transition Metal-Based Phosphates for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Over the past decade, transition metal phosphate materials have attracted enormous interest for various functional devices. In addition to being low‐cost, earth‐abundant and environmentally benign, transition metal phosphates have several unique advantages including high stability, unique chemical/physical characteristics and tunable multifunctionality, making them ideally suited for advanced highly‐efficiency energy conversion and storage applications. In this Review, the synthetic strategies for transition metal phosphates are summarized, and the most recent advances in the development of transition metal phosphates are described for efficient electrocatalysis such as oxygen evolution, hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions, highlighting the impact of their morphologies and structures on the electrochemical performance and practical applications in overall water splitting and rechargeable metal‐air batteries. Finally, the challenges facing the development of transition metal phosphates in the field of energy conversion and storage are outlined, together with directions of further research and perspectives.

Insights into Transition Metal Phosphate Materials for Efficient Electrocatalysis

Bisphenol A is an oil-derived, large market volume chemical with a wide spectrum of applications in plastics, adhesives and thermal papers. However, bisphenol A is not considered safe due to its endocrine disrupting properties and reproductive toxicity. Several functional substitutes of bisphenol A have been proposed in the literature, produced from plant biomass. Unless otherwise specified, the present review covers the most significant contributions that appeared in the time span January 2015-August 2019, describing the sustainable catalytic synthesis of rigid diols from biomass derivatives. The focus is thereupon on heterogeneous catalysis, use of green solvents and mild conditions, cascade processes in one-pot, and continuous flow setups. More than 500 up-to-date references describe the various substitutes proposed and the catalytic methods for their manufacture, broken down according to the main biomass types from which they originate.

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Biomass-derived chemical substitutes for bisphenol A: recent advancements in catalytic synthesis

Metal phosphate- and phosphonate-based nanoarchitectured materials offer a unique opportunity to design hierarchically porous nanomaterials consisting of interconnected micropores, mesopores, and macropores. Due to their strong affinity toward the metal centers, the phosphate and phosphonate moieties act as ligand sites/linkers to form a wide spectrum of nanoarchitectured materials. In this review, we have summarized the synthetic routes in designing key microporous and mesoporous phosphate and phosphonate molecular sieves. Designing novel nanoarchitectures of metal phosphate- and phosphonate-based microporous and mesoporous materials for catalysis, adsorption, optoelectronics, electrochemical cells, fuel cells, and biomedical applications will further enrich the chemistry of these porous solids in the future.

Tang Jing

Papers

Nanoarchitectured Metal Phosphates and Phosphonates: A New Material Horizon toward Emerging Applications