Prof. Peng Dong | Publications & Academic Profile | SinoGreenTech

Research Publications & English Decoded Briefs

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4362-y

Precision design of asymmetric cobalt single-atom catalysts for high-performance zinc-air batteries

The commercial viability of zinc-air batteries (ZABs) is constrained by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which necessitates robust, cost-effective catalysts. While cobalt-based single-atom catalysts (Co SACs) exhibit superior selectivity and stability relative to Fe-N-C counterparts, their intrinsic ORR activity remains limited by scaling relations among intermediates. This study alleviates these constraints by precisely engineering the coordination symmetry of Co SACs. Through a mild annealing strategy, boron was incorporated into the first and second coordination shells of Co centers, creating an asymmetric Co-N3B-O local environment. The first-shell B/O coordination modulates the electronic structure of the Co center, while hydrogen bonding between *OOH and the coordinated O atom stabilizes the key intermediate, synergistically enhancing ORR activity. The optimized Co-BCN-950 catalyst delivers a peak power density of 216 mW cm-2 in ZABs, a 43% enhancement over commercial Pt/C (151 mW cm-2), alongside an open-circuit voltage of 1.43 V and a specific capacity of 790 mAh g-1. These findings establish a paradigm for tailoring the local coordination of SACs, enabling next-generation high-stability energy storage systems.

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Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60661-5

Green Synthesis of Hierarchical NaY Zeolite from Perlite for Enhanced Knoevenagel Condensation

Hierarchical aluminum-rich zeolites are promising catalysts for Knoevenagel condensation, but their synthesis is often costly and energy-intensive. This work reports a green route to hierarchical NaY zeolite using submolten salt (SMS) activated perlite as the sole silicon and aluminum source. The product exhibits high purity and crystallinity, with a framework SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio of approximately 4.2, intercrystalline mesopores centered at about 20 nm, large external surface area, and abundant basic sites. Crystallization studies reveal that small crystals initially assemble on the activated perlite surface, then grow and aggregate to form a crystal-packed morphology with intercrystalline mesopores. In the Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde with ethyl cyanoacetate, the hierarchical NaY zeolite achieves higher benzaldehyde conversion than conventional NaY zeolites, attributed to improved mass transfer and increased basic site accessibility. This work provides a cost-effective and sustainable catalyst while valorizing natural perlite.

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3951-4

Toward efficient and stable lithium storage: molten salt electrolysis-constructed amorphous Si-dominant anodes with synergistic interfaces

Silicon anodes offer an ultrahigh theoretical capacity (4200 mAh g−1) but suffer from >300% volumetric expansion during cycling and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, leading to rapid capacity fading. Here, we design a hierarchical composite p-cSi@aSi@MgSiN2@C featuring a porous crystalline-amorphous silicon core (p-cSi@aSi), an in-situ MgSiN2 transition layer, and an outer nitrogen-doped carbon shell. The 3D interconnected pores accommodate volume expansion, while amorphous silicon enables isotropic lithiation-induced strain, eliminating crystalline phase transition barriers. The MgSiN2 layer transforms into a tough Li3N-rich SEI with ultra-fast ion channels, and the carbon shell provides mechanical confinement and electronic conductivity. This synergistic interface engineering achieves an initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 81.4%, a charge transfer resistance of 16.4 Ω after 200 cycles (64% reduction), and a Li+ diffusion coefficient of 1.72×10−11 cm2 s−1. The anode delivers 1719.3 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C after 200 cycles and 823.8 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C after 500 cycles. The molten salt electrolysis synthesis achieves a current efficiency of 68.12% and specific energy consumption of 12.76 kWh kg−1, with an estimated electricity cost of 1154.69 USD ton−1, only 20% of commercial Si/C anodes. This work resolves the ICE-cycle life trade-off and provides a scalable, cost-effective approach for next-generation high-energy batteries.

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