Recently, the Li-S primary battery with energy density of 500 Wh/kg (650 Wh/L) has been achieved in Prof. Huamin ZHANG and Prof. Hongzhang ZHANG’s group, due to the successful R&D of novel sulfur hosts. The sulfur hosts were designed as hierarchical orderly porous carbon materials with large pore volume, high specific surface area. This research work was published on the “Scientific Report 2015, 5, 14949” and named as “Lithium Sulfur Primary Battery with Super High Energy Density: Based on the Cauliflower-like Structured C/S Cathode”.
　　With further breakthrough in the Key materials, the energy density of Li-S primary battery has achieved 860 Wh/kg (1000 Wh/L), with good shelf stability and discharge stability at room temperature. The as developed Li-S primary battery shows promising for commercial application.
　　The Li-S Primary Battery with High Energy Density Break Through the Technology Bottleneck(Photo by Hongzhang ZHANG)
　　This group mainly engages in the R&D of key Lithium battery materials, including the carbon materials, sulfur composite, electrode structure, membrane, binder and electrolyte for batteries application. The related research works in 2015 are published as follows: J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, 3, 19469-19475，J. Mater. Chem. A 2015, 3, 15314-15323， ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2015, 7. 25002–25006，ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2015, 7, 3389-3397，ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2015, 7, 3590-3599，Dalton Trans, 2015, 44, 17579-17586，RSC Advances., 2015, 5, 86137-86143，RSC Advances 2015, 5, 26273-26280，ChemPlusChem, 2015, 80, 390-395.
　　This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the “100 Talents” Foundation of Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics. (Text & Photo by Hongzhang ZHANG)
　　

　　Invited by Dr. ZHOU Chuanyao from State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dr. Katrin R. Siefermann, the group leader of Ultrafast Dynamics in Complex Systems at the Leibniz Institute of Surface Modification, visited DICP on November 10-11.
　　Dr. Katrin R. Siefermann from Leibniz Institute of Surface Modification Visited DICP(Photo by ZHOU Chuanyao)
　　Dr. Siefermann gave a talk entitled “Ultrafast Electron Dynamics at Interface” which attracted more than 30 researchers from the field of surface dynamics, ultrafast spectroscopy, photovoltaics and so on. She described her research on the ultrafast electron dynamics on liquid jet, dye sensitized solar cell system and perovskite investigated by femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) at the molecular level, and had a detailed discussion with the attendees. During her stay, she visited the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, State Key Laboratory of Catalysis and the Division of Solar Energy. Prof. Shengye Jin, Dr. Chuanyao Zhou, Prof. Qiang Fu, Dr. Xiuli Wang, Prof. Xin Guo and Dr. Rengui Li introduced their research and discussed the key questions in the related fields and potential collaboration.
　　Dr. Katrin R. Siefermann’s Biography
　　Katrin Siefermann obtained her PhD in 2010 at the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Georg-August-University Gottingen under the supervision of Prof. Bernd Abel. Subsequently, she worked as a PostDoc in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with Prof. Daniel M. Neumark, Prof. Steven R. Leone and Dr. Oliver Gessner. Since August 2012 she has been working as a group leader at the Leibniz Institute of Surface Modification (IOM). Her current research interests are concerned with the fundamental understanding of ultrafast processes in complex functional materials, with a particular focus on surface and interface dynamics induced by light. Goal is to understand these systems on a molecular level and their dynamics on femtosecond timescales. Her tools to visualize dynamic processes in these complex systems are innovative and unique techniques from the field of ultrafast spectroscopy. (Text/Photo by Chuanyao Zhou)
　　

　　Recently, Dr. Yanqiang Huang from the State Key Laboratory of Catalysis led by Prof. Tao Zhang, in collaboration with Dr. Xinkui Wang from Dalian University of Technology, has made new progress in gold catalysis. They were the first to realize pure formic acid dehydrogenation by using a heterogeneous Schiff base functionalized gold catalyst. The record turnover frequency (TOF) was as high as 2882 h-1 at a mild temperature of 50°C without any additives. The successful application of the heterogeneous gold catalyst for high-concentration formic acid dehydrogenation, will pave a way for rational design of new types of catalysts for energy storage and evolution by formic acid. The work has been recently published in Energy & Environmental Science (2015, 8, 3204-3207).
　　 
　　DICP Scientists Realize Pure Formic Acid Dehydrogenation by Using A Heterogeneous Schiff Base Functionalized Gold Catalyst(Photo by HUANG Yanqiang)
　　Hydrogen has been considered as one of the best candidates to satisfy the increasing demands for an efficient and clean energy supply. Controlled storage and release of hydrogen are the widely known technological barriers in the fuel cell based hydrogen economy. Recently, formic acid, was identified as a safe and convenient hydrogen carrier in fuel cells designed for portable use, due to its high energy density, non-toxicity and excellent stability. However, efficient heterogeneous catalysis for H2 production from formic acid dehydrogenation could only be achieved with the presence of additives, such as triethylamine and formate, or at a low concentration of formic acid (generally less than 1 M), which will not only decrease its hydrogen storage capacity, but also restrict its application in fuel cells due to the traces of amines volatilized. In the study, the unusual performance for pure formic acid dehydrogenation can be attributed to the synergistic mechanism between the Schiff base and gold nanoparticles at the interface, which facilitated the O-H bond dissociation and then undergo β-hydride elimination to produce CO2 and H2. Moreover, the formed gold nanoparticles with an encapsulating structure significantly increases the interfacial area between the Schiff base and gold NPs. Further studies about the unique mechanism between the Schiff base and gold as well as its application in the field of heterogeneous catalysis are ongoing in their lab.(Text/ Photo by HUANG Yanqiang) 
　　

　　A review article, entitled “Catalytic Transformation of Lignin for the Production of Chemicals and Fuels”, has been recently published in Chemical Reviews (Chem. Rev. 2015, 115, 11559-11624) by the group of Prof. Tao Zhang from the State Key Laboratory of Catalysis.
　　Review Article on Lignin Catalytic Conversion was Published on Chemical Reviews(Photo by LI Changzhi)
　　Lignin is a complex three-dimensional amorphous polymer consisting of methoxylated phenylpropanoid units of various types. It accounts for 10-35% by weight, up to 40% by energy in biomass, the production chemicals and/or fuels from lignin will greatly improve the economics of the overall biorefinery process. This review describes lignin structure, property and isolation methods. The important progress on acid/base-catalyzed depolymerization, pyrolysis, hydroprocessing , oxidation, gasification, as well as liquid-phase and steam reforming of lignin are subsequently highlighted. Moreover, an overview of new lignin characterization technologies, involving a fundamental understanding of different catalytic mechanisms and how to design robust catalysts are proposed. The key issues and future trend of lignin conversion are provided as well. This review comprehensive summarizes the latest advances in the chemical reactions of lignin and model compounds, particularly those in recent five years, which will allow us to draw guidelines in the selective depolymerization of lignin to value-added products and fuels.
　　These works have been financial supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the CAS President’s International Fellowship for Visiting Scientists. (Text/Photo by Dr. Changzhi Li)
　　

　　On Nov.9-10th DICP Symposium (XXXIX) on Functional Metabolomics was held in the biotechnology building in Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Academician Prof. Shengli Yang and Prof. Yukui Zhang were honorable Chairman of the Symposium, and Prof. Guowang Xu was Chairman of the Symposium. Deputy director, Prof. Zhongmin Liu, gave the opening speech for the symposium. More than 30 outstanding scientists in the field of analytical chemistry, metabolomics and clinical medicine were specially invited to give lectures. They came from Germany, UK, Denmark, South Korea, United States, Spain and mainland China including Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai Institute of Life Sciences, CAS, the Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Nanjing Medical University, Harbin Medical University, Huazhong Agricultural University, Dalian Medical University etc. More than 80 people from Macau, Hong Kong, mainland China and 50 staffs and students from DICP attended the symposium, participated in the academic exchange and discussion.
　　 
　　 
　　 
　　 
　　DICP Symposium (XXXIX) on Functional Metabolomics was successfully held
　　This DICP symposium aimed at exchanging new technologies and methods for functional metabolomic studies, exhibiting latest results in clinic and plant studies, and discussing the main problems and future directions in metabolomics, and facilitating collaborations of multi-disciplines. The symposium had several different topics, besides new methods of metabolomics and proteomics, also highlighted latest metabolomics research results on diabetes and cancers for diagnosis and treatment, exhibited the potential role of the functional metabolomics in precision medicine. In addition to outstanding scientists from Imperial College, Harvard, Cambridge and NIH, DICP faculty members including Shengli Yang, Guowang Xu, Lihua Zhang, Haiyang Li, MingliangYe, Hai-long Piao, Yang Liu and Long Yu were also invited to give presentations.
　　Before the DICP symposium, the advanced training courses of metabolomics were held. More than 130 participants from universities, institutes, and hospitals in Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China joined the training courses. With rich contents from analytical techniques to applications, this training courses achieved the expected effect, also promoted the applications and development of metabolomics in China.
　　DICP Symposium (XXXIX) on Functional Metabolomics was successfully held (Photo by Peiyuan Yin/Wansheng Liu)
　　This successful symposium further strengthens international exchanges and cooperation in functional Metabolomics field between DICP and abroad, and also promotes DICP to become an important base of metabolomics research in the world. (Text: Xiaoli Hou, Hailong Piao, Pictures: Peiyuan Yin，Wansheng Liu)
　　

　　Cell components consist of functional biological macromolecules, including proteins and nucleic acids, as well as their environment and function modulator small molecules, including organic molecules, phospholipids, water and metal ions. Identification of proteins and small molecules, proteins and the complex itself and the interaction between the two are the two primitive processes in the functionality of cells. Our biomolecular simulation study group (1106), since its inception in 2009, has been devoted to the development of theoretical approaches and applying these techniques to study these primitive processes.
　　Identification and interaction between drug molecule and its targeted protein molecule is one of the primitive processes as described above. By understanding the molecular mechanisms of the occurrence and transformation of diseases, new drug development costs and cycles are increasingly beyond people's expectations. Since the unpredictability in preliminary studies of marketed drugs as well as the complexity of human body and the disease itself, they become the drug of choice to treat some diseases. Discovering new uses in drug already on the market has become a hot and difficult research target.
　　Based on years of experience in cooperation with international biopharmaceutical companies as well as the experience in molecular modeling and theoretical method development, our group, in collaboration with Professor Yang Yongliang Dalian University of Technology, proposed a new calculation method. Taking advantage of the geometrical and biochemical similarities of drug molecules and protein binding pockets, molecular dynamics simulation calculations may be used to determine marketed drugs with similar functionalities. Specifically for the existed drug donepezil dealing with Alzheimer's disease (Alzhmeir Disease / AD), calculated using the newly developed strategy, found a kidney cancer drug pazopanib may have with a similar function. The effect of pazopanib was further proved by experiments in protein level as well as organism level, with only 1/5 dose of donepezil was needed thus the toxicity was also greatly reduced. Our research expanded the use of existing drugs, and provided a new research strategy to locate new features of existing drugs. The paper published on文章发表在Chemical Science 2015 "Computational discovery and experimental verification of tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib for the reversal of memory and cognitive deficits in rat model neurodegeneration" http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2015/SC/c4sc03416c
　　 
　　DICP Researchers Made A New Progress in Theorytcial Investigation of Identification and Interaction between Biological Macromolecule and Small Molecular
　　By the media attention, Science and Technology Daily made a report on the front page on August 3 after the article was published, and followed by China Daily Chinese net, Chinese Academy of Sciences Web site and many other news media.
　　Recently, the Chemical Science published the 25 most downloaded articles in the third quarter (July - October) and our paper was ranked No. 9 in the above articles, with more than half of the extra attentions from Germany. Besides, in this quarter our article is also the most highly ranked articles from China!