As researchers seek better batteries beyond today’s lithium-ion technology, black phosphorus is drawing growing attention as a high-capacity anode material for lithium-, sodium-, and potassium-ion storage. A new Science Bulletin review examines both the promise and the practical barriers of this material, from structural instability to interfacial degradation, and highlights emerging strategies to address them. The article provides a clear roadmap for developing more durable, scalable, and higher-energy battery anodes for future energy-storage systems.

University of Missouri researchers are exploring ways to grow sweet corn more efficiently to help American farmers cut costs. In a recent study, scientists from Mizzou’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and College of Engineering found sweet corn can be grown using less water without sacrificing the flavor that consumers have come to expect.

To address the long-standing challenges of difficult mass-production and low phase purity in high-entropy sodium vanadium fluorophosphates (HE-NVPF), this study developed a microfluidic system integrated with in-situ Raman spectroscopy. This setup allows for the high-throughput optimization of reaction conditions, achieving an iteration efficiency 400 times higher than traditional methods. Based on these insights, the author developed a microfluidic-assisted spray drying technique, enabling the kilogram-scale production of various HE-NVPF cathode materials . The resulting cathodes demonstrate record-breaking rate performance in sodium-ion batteries, proving the universal potential of this microfluidic synthesis platform.

A recent study shows a new and potentially more energy efficient way for information to be transmitted inside electronic systems, including computers and phones—without relying on electric currents or external magnetic fields. Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and international collaborators demonstrate that simply twisting two layers of certain atom thin magnetic materials allows magnetic signals to carry information instead of relying on electrical currents to do the work.