In general, the present disclosure is directed to methods for synthesizing vanadium oxide nanobelts, as well as the corresponding chemical composition of the vanadium oxide nanobelts. Also described are materials which can incorporate the vanadium oxide nanobelts, such as including the vanadium oxide nanobelts as a cathode material for use in energy storage applications (e.g., batteries). The vanadium oxide nanobelts described herein display structural characteristics that may provide improved diffusion and/or charge transfer between ions. Thus, batteries incorporating implementations of the current disclosure may demonstrate improved properties such as higher capacity retention over charge discharge cycling.

All inorganic perovskites for short-wave IR (SWIR) devices having improved chemical stability and long-term stability. Improved methods of making all inorganic perovskites for short-wave IR (SWIR) devices are also disclosed herein.

A method of forming an activated carbon sorbent from a seagrass. The method involves treating a seagrass with a base solution to form an intermediate solid, drying the intermediate solid to form a precursor, and pyrolyzing the precursor at 600 to 1000° C. to form the activated carbon sorbent. Preferably the seagrass is Halodule uninervis. The activated carbon sorbent is used in a method of removing an organic pollutant from a contaminated water. Preferred organic pollutants removed are phenols, specifically 2,4-dimethylphenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol.

An alumina grain has a single-crystal structure and has an approximate regular octahedral stereoscopic morphology. Eight sides of the alumina grain belong to the {111} family of crystal planes of γ-state alumina, and the grain size is 5-100 μm. The alumina grain is unique in crystal plane exposure and distribution, simple and feasible in preparation, and low in cost, and has higher operability, and thus has good application prospect in the field of catalysis and adsorption.

Disclosed are novel precursor particles for preparing a cathode active material including transition metal precursor particles containing one or more transition metals, and one or more of an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal, wherein the alkali metal and the alkaline earth metal are contained in one or more of inner and outer parts of the transition metal precursor particles, and a novel precursor powder including the novel precursor particles.

The positive electrode active material is capable of reducing positive electrode resistance, exhibiting better output characteristics, and having high mechanical strength when the positive electrode active material is used in a lithium ion secondary battery. Secondary particles have a d50 of 3.0 to 7.0 μm, a BET specific surface area of 2.0 to 5.0 m.sup.2/g, a tap density of 1.0 to 2.0 g/cm.sup.3, and an oil absorption amount of 30 to 60 ml/100 g. In each of a plurality of primary particles having a primary particle size of 0.1 to 1.0 μm, a coefficient of variation of the concentration of an additive element M is 1.5 or less. The volume of a linking section between the primary particles per primary particle, obtained from the total volume of the linking section and the number of primary particles constituting the secondary particles, is 5×10.sup.5 to 9×10.sup.7 nm.sup.3.

A solid electrolyte: (compound A) a compound that has a crystal phase having an argyrodite-type crystal structure and that is represented by Li.sub.aPS.sub.bX.sub.c, where X is at least one elemental halogen, a represents a number of 3.0 or more and 6.0 or less, b represents a number of 3.5 or more and 4.8 or less, and c represents a number of 0.1 or more and 3.0 or less; and (compound B) a compound that is represented by LiX, where X is as defined above. The compound B has a crystallite size of 25 nm or more. The solid electrolyte preferably has a BET specific surface area of 14.0 m.sup.2/g or less.

Regeneration of degraded cathode particles in lithium-ion batteries is achieved using a combination of hydrothermal treatment of cycled electrode particles followed by short thermal annealing. The methods provide for direct regeneration of Li-ion cathode materials including LiCoO.sub.2, LiMn.sub.2O.sub.4, LiFePO.sub.4, and Li.sub.xNi.sub.y Mn.sub.z Co.sub.1−y−zO.sub.2, in an economical and environmentally-friendly process.

An iron-containing Chevrel phase material, contains iron and Mo.sub.6S.sub.8 clusters, in particular an iron-containing Chevrel phase material having a formula Fe.sub.xMo.sub.6S.sub.8, wherein 2≤x≤4. The iron-containing Chevrel phase provides an efficient catalyst for the electrochemical production of ammonia from water and nitrogen gas.

Methods for making nanocomposites are provided. In an embodiment, such a method comprises combining a first type of nanostructure with a bulk material in water or an aqueous solution, the first type of nanostructure functionalized with a functional group capable of undergoing van der Waals interactions with the bulk material, whereby the first type of nanostructure induces exfoliation of the bulk material to provide a second, different type of nanostructure while inducing association between the first and second types of nanostructures to form the nanocomposite.