With the dramatic developments of portable and wearable electronics, future energy storage devices become not only thin, light, and cheap, and but also ultraflexible. Micro-supercapacitors exhibit short ion diffusion distance, high power density, superior cycling lifetime, robust mechanical flexibility and safety. They are considered as one competitive alternative to high power sources for full integration into the manufacturing process of electronics.
　　Two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene and analogous nanosheets (e.g. metal oxides) are becoming a groundbreaking material platform for constructing new flexible planar micro-supercapacitors. They own large surface areas, high mechanical flexibility, ultra-thinness, good electrical conductivity, and high theoretical capacitance (e.g., ~550 F g-1 for graphene). Importantly, planar micro-supercapacitors using graphene and 2D materials can fully utilize the planar device geometry and advantageous features of 2D nanosheets for on-chip energy storage. Moreover, such planar micro-supercapacitors that render electrolyte ions the ability to rapidly interact with all graphene layers in the horizontal direction are superior to conventional sandwich-like stacked devices.
　　The scientists WU Zhongshuai and BAO Xinhe et al from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics reported the successful fabrication of stacked-layer heterostructure films (denoted as TP/EG). This film was prepared from thiophene (TP) nanosheets and electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EG) for high-rate and flexible micro-supercapacitors (TP/EG-MSCs) with superior rate capability and enhanced volumetric capacitance. This work has been published online in high-profile Advanced Materials.
　　Stacked-layer heterostructure films from thiophene nanosheets and electrochemically exfoliated graphene for high-rate and flexible micro-supercapacitors (Imaged by ZHAO Xuejun)
　　The 2D heterostructure films are produced by alternating deposition of electrochemically EG nanosheets and redox-active conducting TP nanosheets (thickness of 3.5 nm) in sequence, and exhibit large-area uniformity. Notably, the produced films were directly served as binder- and additive-free electrodes for flexible supercapacitors. Remarkably, the resulting microdevice exhibited a pronounced pseudocapacitance contribution with an enhanced volumetric capacitance of more than ~300 F cm-3. Meanwhile, the TP/EG-MSCs can be operated at high rate of up to 1000 V s-1, offering ultrahigh rate capability, as well as unprecedented flexibility under different bending states. This new stacked-layer heterostructures films has an integrated synergetic effect of ultrathin pseudocapacitive TP nanosheets and capacitive EG nanosheets. It can guarantee fast ion diffusion and electron transport throughout the binder-free compact film electrode. It is believed that this strategy of assembling stacked-layer heterostructure films will open up novel possibility for realizing 2D graphene and analogous redox nanosheets for new-concept thin-film energy storage devices. It will hold great promise for powering the integrated circuits.(Text and Imaged by ZHAO Xuejun)
　　Funder: Ministry of Science and Technology of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province, DICP, ERC Grant on 2DMATER and EC under Graphene Flagship.
　　Dr. LU Xinyi
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84379201,
　　E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn 
　　

　　With the dramatic developments of portable and wearable electronics, future energy storage devices become not only thin, light, and cheap, and but also ultraflexible. Micro-supercapacitors exhibit short ion diffusion distance, high power density, superior cycling lifetime, robust mechanical flexibility and safety. They are considered as one competitive alternative to high power sources for full integration into the manufacturing process of electronics.
　　Two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene and analogous nanosheets (e.g. metal oxides) are becoming a groundbreaking material platform for constructing new flexible planar micro-supercapacitors. They own large surface areas, high mechanical flexibility, ultra-thinness, good electrical conductivity, and high theoretical capacitance (e.g., ~550 F g-1 for graphene). Importantly, planar micro-supercapacitors using graphene and 2D materials can fully utilize the planar device geometry and advantageous features of 2D nanosheets for on-chip energy storage. Moreover, such planar micro-supercapacitors that render electrolyte ions the ability to rapidly interact with all graphene layers in the horizontal direction are superior to conventional sandwich-like stacked devices.
　　The scientists WU Zhongshuai and BAO Xinhe et al from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics reported the successful fabrication of stacked-layer heterostructure films (denoted as TP/EG). This film was prepared from thiophene (TP) nanosheets and electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EG) for high-rate and flexible micro-supercapacitors (TP/EG-MSCs) with superior rate capability and enhanced volumetric capacitance. This work has been published online in high-profile Advanced Materials.
　　Stacked-layer heterostructure films from thiophene nanosheets and electrochemically exfoliated graphene for high-rate and flexible micro-supercapacitors (Imaged by ZHAO Xuejun)
　　The 2D heterostructure films are produced by alternating deposition of electrochemically EG nanosheets and redox-active conducting TP nanosheets (thickness of 3.5 nm) in sequence, and exhibit large-area uniformity. Notably, the produced films were directly served as binder- and additive-free electrodes for flexible supercapacitors. Remarkably, the resulting microdevice exhibited a pronounced pseudocapacitance contribution with an enhanced volumetric capacitance of more than ~300 F cm-3. Meanwhile, the TP/EG-MSCs can be operated at high rate of up to 1000 V s-1, offering ultrahigh rate capability, as well as unprecedented flexibility under different bending states. This new stacked-layer heterostructures films has an integrated synergetic effect of ultrathin pseudocapacitive TP nanosheets and capacitive EG nanosheets. It can guarantee fast ion diffusion and electron transport throughout the binder-free compact film electrode. It is believed that this strategy of assembling stacked-layer heterostructure films will open up novel possibility for realizing 2D graphene and analogous redox nanosheets for new-concept thin-film energy storage devices. It will hold great promise for powering the integrated circuits.(Text and Imaged by ZHAO Xuejun)
　　Funder: Ministry of Science and Technology of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province, DICP, ERC Grant on 2DMATER and EC under Graphene Flagship.
　　Dr. LU Xinyi
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84379201,
　　E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn 
　　

　　Young Scientist Symposium on Physical Chemistry, organized by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), was held in November 4-7 at Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP). More than 100 young scientists who are funded by the NSFC in recent years as distinguished and excellent young scholars from Chinese universities and research institutions attended the meeting.
　　At the opening ceremony, Dr. Feixue Gao from NSFC encouraged young scientists to strengthen collaboration and communications, especially in the interdisciplinary fields.Prof. Weihai Fang from Beijing Normal University, Prof. Zhongqun Tian from Xiamen University, Profs. Xueming Yang and Xinhe Bao from DICP gave plenary lectures. The symposium included 48 oral and 21 poster presentations, covering material science, calculational chemistry, theoretical catalysis, bio catalysis, catalytic chemistry, reaction dynamics, membrane science, photocatalysis and characterization techniques.
　　

　　Young Scientist Symposium on Physical Chemistry, organized by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), was held in November 4-7 at Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP). More than 100 young scientists who are funded by the NSFC in recent years as distinguished and excellent young scholars from Chinese universities and research institutions attended the meeting.
　　At the opening ceremony, Dr. Feixue Gao from NSFC encouraged young scientists to strengthen collaboration and communications, especially in the interdisciplinary fields.Prof. Weihai Fang from Beijing Normal University, Prof. Zhongqun Tian from Xiamen University, Profs. Xueming Yang and Xinhe Bao from DICP gave plenary lectures. The symposium included 48 oral and 21 poster presentations, covering material science, calculational chemistry, theoretical catalysis, bio catalysis, catalytic chemistry, reaction dynamics, membrane science, photocatalysis and characterization techniques.
　　

　　Invited by Dr. Chuanyao Zhou, Dr. Xiaopeng Li from University of South Florida visited Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) from October 30th to 31st and gave a talk entitled "Self-Assembly of Giant Metallo-Supramolecules with Increasing Complexity and Stability".
　　Xiaopeng Li introduced the construction of various metal-mediated self-assembly of two- and three-dimension metallo-supramolecules making use of highly directional and predictable feature of the metal coordination, and discussed how to advance the design, research and development of new synthetic materials with molecular level precision and high physical performance.
　　During the visit of the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Xiaopeng Li discussed the feasibility of investigating the physical and chemical properties at supramolecule interface and potential collaboration with Chuanyao Zhou and Zefeng Ren.
　　Xiaopeng Li's research work is focused on supramolecular chemistry, supramolecular polymers and functional materials. He has published more than 70 papers in Nature Chemistry, PNAS, J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew Chem. Int. Ed., Nano Lett. and other international academic journals. (By Chenyao Shang and Chuanyao Zhou)
　　

　　Invited by Dr. Chuanyao Zhou, Dr. Xiaopeng Li from University of South Florida visited Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) from October 30th to 31st and gave a talk entitled "Self-Assembly of Giant Metallo-Supramolecules with Increasing Complexity and Stability".
　　Xiaopeng Li introduced the construction of various metal-mediated self-assembly of two- and three-dimension metallo-supramolecules making use of highly directional and predictable feature of the metal coordination, and discussed how to advance the design, research and development of new synthetic materials with molecular level precision and high physical performance.
　　During the visit of the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Xiaopeng Li discussed the feasibility of investigating the physical and chemical properties at supramolecule interface and potential collaboration with Chuanyao Zhou and Zefeng Ren.
　　Xiaopeng Li's research work is focused on supramolecular chemistry, supramolecular polymers and functional materials. He has published more than 70 papers in Nature Chemistry, PNAS, J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew Chem. Int. Ed., Nano Lett. and other international academic journals. (By Chenyao Shang and Chuanyao Zhou)