Research teams from Xiamen University (XMU) have published three studies in the journal Nature in June, covering lithium battery mechanisms and the evolution of vertebrate brain cell types.
One of the three studies, titled "Revealing competitive interfacial reactions in high-energy Li–S batteries", was led by XMU's Sun Shigang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor Liao Honggang, in collaboration with Professor Huang Yunhui's team from Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Using a self-developed in situ liquid-cell electron microscopy system, the researchers directly observed concentration-driven phase segregation at the electrode-electrolyte interface in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. The study revealed how highly concentrated interfacial layers regulate charge-transfer dynamics through competing surface-mediated and solution-mediated reactions, affecting lithium sulfide deposition and dissolution.
Another study, titled "Fast formation to reinforce lithium-rich cathode", was led by XMU's Professor Peng Dongliang and Professor Xie Qingshui, together with Research Assistant Professor Li Jiantao of Northwestern University. The study found that increasing the initial charge current density from 0.2 C to 2 C improved reversible capacity by 20 percent and extended cycle life by more than 36 percent. The researchers reported that the fast formation strategy improved battery performance while reducing production time and costs.
The third study, titled "Whole-genome duplication shaped cell-type evolution in the vertebrate brain", was led by Professor Sebastian Shimeld of the University of Oxford and Professor Li Guang of Xiamen University. The researchers compared brain cell-type evolution across five chordate species — humans, mice, lizards, lampreys, and amphioxus — using single-cell transcriptome data. The study found that genes retained from ancient whole-genome duplication events played an important role in the diversification of early vertebrate brain cell types.
