Breaking up with a loved one is often a painful life experience, one that is difficult to recover from. Researchers from SWPS University, however, suggest that a simple step can help. Writing down the story of a past relationship increases the effectiveness of thinking about the past and future in close relationships. It is also associated with a better understanding of the causes of relationship breakdown, they write in the prestigious journal PLOS One.

Unsatisfied initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and structure collapse are two problems still hindering the practical applications of silicon anodes. Hybriding Si with other metallic components can effectively improve the structural stability but is still not suitable to achieve high ICE. A high proportion of hybrid metallic components is essential for desired structural stability, yet it severely impairs the reversibility of lithiation and delithiation. Here, a 5 at%-vanadium hybriding strategy to stabilize Si film anode to deliver a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 92.1% with a discharge capacity of 2434.9 mAh g^-1 and a desirable capacity retention of 80% after 100 cycles at 1 A g^-1. Physical and electrochemical analysis demonstrates the Li_xPO_yF_z-rich inorganic SEI and the low film internal strain are two advantageous factors for the desirable Li-ion storage reversibility and stability.