Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers

This perspective summarizes recent advances in electrochemical humidity sensors and mainly focuses on three aspects: working principles; humidity sensing and power generation performances; self-powered humidity detection system.

Nano-sized high entropy alloy (HEA) catalysts have attracted much attention as extraordinary electrocatalysts in water-splitting applications, i.e., the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

This review addresses four key factors and underlying mechanisms of doping engineering from crystal-field, molecular orbital, and ligand-field theory.

The current review discusses on vanadium- and manganese-based metal–organic frameworks and their derivatives for energy storage and conversion applications along with the potential future advancements in these fields.

A comprehensive review of direct captured CO₂ electro-conversion technology, a promising Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technology that can achieve both techno-economic and environmental viability.

Dual-metal site catalysts embedded in a carbon matrix (referred to as DMSCs) are gaining significant interest in sustainable energy research.

Metal/covalent organic frameworks (MOFs/COFs), with orderly aligned pores and adjustable pore characteristics, offer advantages over traditional fillers in constructing thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes for task-specific separations.

The review illustrates that the magnetic field effect can promote the generation of different nanostructures in material synthesis, achieve the transition from 1D to 2D and 3D structures in material assembly and improve the energy density of supercapacitor by the direct and indirect roles.

The efficient removal of trace impurities is significant for the production of high-purity olefins. This review summarizes the latest advancements in the deep purification of ethylene and propylene using MOF materials.

A novel heat storage ionomer binder with highly efficient heat-storage ability is proposed to function as an internal temperature conditioner, which allows the battery to function steadily over a wider temperature range.

An efficient adsorptive molecular sieving strategy to separate aromatic and cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons via an intrinsic/extrinsic approach.

Three-dimensional porous NiCoP foam supported on Ni foam is a superb bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall seawater splitting, attaining a large current density of 1000 mA cm⁻² at a low cell voltage of 1.97 V with robust stability over 300 hours.

Low-cost sodium-ion batteries hold great potential for large-scale energy storage owing to the abundance of sodium reserves.

A novel strategy produces BNNS microspheres for isotropic thermal conductivity, utilizing high-temperature ultrafast sintering and surface engineering to enhance processability for producing thermal management materials.

The integration of machine learning with high-throughput computation accelerates the precise prediction of novel battery materials.

We demonstrate self-sacrificial templated strategy for the synthesis of hollow and porous PtIr alloyed nanobowls composed of ultrafine nanoparticles and the resulting self-supported Pt₇Ir NBs exhibit superior HER performance.

Interfacial polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) on V₂O₅ nanowires generates the V₂O₅@PEDOT core-sheath structure, which enhances conductivity, suppresses electrode dissolution, and stabilizes V₂O₅ nanowires for zinc ion storage.

Employing atomic interface tuning enhances diatomic catalysts. We rationally designed and synthesized Co–Fe dual-atom sites on S, N-codoped carbon, demonstrating exceptional electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction.

The FeCoMnNiCuNC system accelerates the simultaneous generation of versatile Fe^IVO and ˙OH by the cooperation of highly active Fe, Co, Mn sites and secondary active Ni, Cu sites, along with the promoting efficiency in oxidating emerging pollutants.

We demonstrate a water electrolysis device consisting of two 10 cm² Ni/aramid flexible electrodes with a Si solar cell with >13% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency over 120 hours stability.

The SEI formation mechanism in the absence/presence of LiDFP and LiNO₃ additives.

A zwitterionic fused-ring based energetic material (ZDPT) was prepared. ZDPT has excellent thermal stability (T_d = 347 °C ) and great detonation velocity (D = 8390 m s⁻¹), which endow ZDPT with great potential as a heat-resistant energetic material.

A high-throughput computational workflow based on first-principles density functional theory calculations is developed for the discovery of novel cathode materials for next-generation all-solid-state lithium-ion battery applications.

A zigzag Zn anode was developed using a simple hydrochloric acid etching method to regulate the electric field distribution on the surface. An excellent cycling performance was obtained, attributed to its structural advantages.

An Fe₇S₈/FeS₂ heterojunction grown in hollow fibers was designed. This heterojunction can regulate the valence state of iron sulfide, further change its crystal phase, increase the diffusion coefficient, and contribute to high-rate in SIBs.

Stepwise temperature modulation was realized by the photothermal conversion process, which enabled the growth of complex architectures of CaCO₃ that are composed of multiple polymorphic phases.

Generalization performance of machine learning models: (upper panel) generalization from small ordered to large disordered structures (SQS); (lower panel) generalization from low-order to high-order systems.

We built CuPcS/NiMgFe-LDHs composites and probed the unique photogenerated-carrier transfer mechanism. A series of long-range Forster energy transfers prolonged the lifetime of photogenerated carriers to match the timescale of surface reaction.

This contribution introduces an efficient catalyst of nickel and nitrogen-doped carbon for CO₂ reduction and Zn–CO₂ batteries.

A chemical upcycling route from post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles/fibers to high-performance polymer aerogels is proposed.

Owing to the remarkable adjustability of layers, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) can adopt superior conductivity and a charge-storage capacity.

The 3D Co/Ni–TPNB-COF couples redox-active sites due to the charge redistribution between Ni(II)-porphyrin and Co(II)-porphyrin, and further simultaneously enhances its electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction and oxygen evolution performances.

A cobalt polyphthalocyanine framework coated by polyaniline shows excellent oxygen-resistant CO₂ electroreduction performance with high CO selectivity of up to 87.4% and an industry-level j_CO of −270 mA cm⁻² under 5% O₂ feed gas in acidic media.

By integrating polyethylene fiber and a rationally designed, in situ formed polymer network, an ultra-thin, flexible and high mechanical robustness solid polymer electrolyte with a thickness of ≈5 μm is constructed.

CO₂ gasification-reforming facilitates CO₂ utilization and yields CO-rich syngas for municipal waste management. Catalysts are essential for enhancing syngas production via catalytic tar reforming.

One-dimensional heterostructured NiFeCo–OH/NiTe nanorod arrays with amorphous/crystalline interfaces have been rationally synthesized, exhibiting an excellent OER electrocatalytic performance.

Co–Co₂C catalysts supported on carbon-coated ordered mesoporous silica showed superior performance for HAS than catalysts with uncoated and amorphous supports.

Operating principle of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs).

Superhydrophilic COFs with D–A structure accelerate photocatalytic synthesis of H₂O₂ using water as a proton supply reservoir.

The precisely defined FeN₄₊₄ active sites in fully π-conjugated polyphthalocyanine frameworks establish a dual-pump-driven electron fast shuttle path—electron-rich Fe centers and electron-poor C atoms—ensuring continuous production of ¹O₂.

A dual-function strategy is proposed that uses sodium ascorbate to modify Ti₃C₂T_x MXene for flexible and free-standing electrodes for capacitive deionization, enhancing its oxidation resistance and salt adsorption capacity.

The highly active additive Cu₂SnTe₃ generates multi-scale defects, effectively reducing lattice thermal conductivity. Along with optimized weighted mobility, the higher quality factor yields a competitive ZT value in the (Bi,Sb)₂Te₃-based composite.

The potassium bromide (KBr) acts as modifier to form Zn–Br complexes with higher solubility in a tough bentonite (BT) reinforced dual network quasi-solid electrolyte for flexible zinc–air batteries with enhanced zinc reversibility and kinetics.

The strong intramolecular hydrogen-bond of curcumin was broken by ionization, and curcumin anions form a weaker intermolecular hydrogen bond which is easily disrupted, making it easy to react with iodine and form a new strong halogen bond.

A La_0.6Sr_0.4CoO₃/MoS₂ composite electrocatalyst was prepared by a sol–gel method and subsequent dry ball milling for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under alkaline conditions.

Herein, we present Ir-doped NiFe-LDH nanosheets synthesized via a pulsed laser irradiation strategy, showing superior electrocatalytic OER kinetics. We investigate the origin of activity in NiFeIr-LDH through in situ/operando Raman and DFT studies.

The development of non-precious metal electrocatalysts for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) that are highly durable, cost-effective, and efficient is crucial to advancing the use of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs).

A linear-structure polyimide with an enhanced molecular dipole was obtained by molecular structure tailoring, which has enhanced built-in electric field and was first utilized for efficient piezocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants.

Synergistic electronic metal–support interaction between V₂O₃/V₈C₇ and Pt realizes the development of a high-performance deuterium evolution catalyst.

The first multi-transition metal cathode was examined for fluoride ion batteries, showing different redox behaviour of cobalt and nickel on charging and discharging.

Ru/NCDs with ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles loaded on N-doped carbon dots were constructed. The confinement effect and Ru-like hydrogen adsorption capacity of NCDs effectively facilitate the hydrogen spillover process and boost the HER activity.

Mixed-anion compounds for fluoride-ion conductors have been explored. Through a material within the BaS–LaF₃–BaF₂ ternary phase diagram, we discovered a novel fluorosulfide, La_2.7Ba_6.3F_8.7S₆, which exhibits fluoride-ion conduction.

A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with complementary nanopatterns was fabricated by block copolymer self-assembly using Mussel-inspired surface engineering. The TENG yielded enhanced electrical outputs and was applied to gait monitoring system.

ZrO₂ stabilized Cu⁺ can optimize *CO adsorption and promote the following C–C coupling to achieve 70+% FE_C2+ in a wide potential range.

Significant CT inversion can be achieved via hybridization of the triplet CT state with high-lying local triplet states, which benefits to concurrently reduce the triplet recombination and driving force for higher-efficiency organic photovoltaics.

We have unveiled that a closed-loop carbazole side chain is superior to an open-loop diphenylamine side chain in designing both efficient and stable nonfused-ring electron acceptors.

This work reveals the intrinsic correlation of the crystal phase of CoMnO-based spinel oxides with its optical properties and solar thermal conversion efficiency.

We demonstrate a link between workflow management and instrument automation tools, effectively bridging “trust” from tracking data provenance with automated “control” of experiments. We illustrate our approach using a battery cycling case study.

Ten kinds of COFs were prepared with different functional groups to investigate structure–property–activity relationship. The crucial factor influencing the properties of COFs and reaction activity was the electron affinity of their initial monomers.