Themed collection EES symposium collection
Catalytic selective ring opening of polyaromatics for cleaner transportation fuels
Selective ring opening (SRO) catalysts transform polycyclic molecules in low grade oil to produce cleaner burning diesel fuel. Mechanistic insight, structure-reactivity relationships, catalyst design, and future opportunities for pyrolysis oil refining from municipal solid waste are discussed.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2022,15, 1760-1804
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EE02363B
Endothermic catalytic cracking of liquid hydrocarbons for thermal management of high-speed flight vehicles
Regenerative cooling paired with catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons can address thermal management and efficient fuel combustion in supersonic air streams, as a sustainable approach in developing high-speed flight vehicles.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2022,6, 1664-1686
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SE01999F
Carbon capture and storage (CCS): the way forward
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is vital to climate change mitigation, and has application across the economy, in addition to facilitating atmospheric carbon dioxide removal resulting in emissions offsets and net negative emissions. This contribution reviews the state-of-the-art and identifies key challenges which must be overcome in order to pave the way for its large-scale deployment.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2018,11, 1062-1176
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EE02342A
Comparing the net-energy balance of standalone photovoltaic-coupled electrolysis and photoelectrochemical hydrogen production
Photovoltaic-coupled electrolysis and photoelectrochemical water splitting are two options for storing solar energy as hydrogen. For each technology, the energy inputs and hydrogen output need to be considered to compare the overall energy balance.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2024,17, 1677-1694
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EE02814C
Film-forming polymer nanoparticle strategy for improving the passivation and stability of perovskite solar cells
Highly deformable crosslinked polymer particles enhance perovskite solar cell passivation and stability by binding and distributing throughout the film.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2024,17, 7221-7233
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EE01073F
Nanostructured hybrid catalysts empower the artificial leaf for solar-driven ammonia production from nitrate
This work designed a nanostructured hybrid catalytic layer on commercial Si absorber to empower the artificial leaf for solar-driven ammonia and value-added chemicals production.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2024,17, 5653-5665
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EE03836J
Toward understanding CO oxidation on high-entropy alloy electrocatalysts
Extended high-entropy alloy electrocatalysts as a platform to investigate electrocatalytic CO oxidation and surface structure–property relations.
EES. Catal., 2024,2, 941-952
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EY00023D
Effects of sulfate modification of stoichiometric and lithium-rich LiNiO2 cathode materials
Polyanion modification represents an alternative low-cost strategy to improve the performance of lithium nickel oxide cathode materials.
J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 11390-11402
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TA00284A
Substitution of lead with tin suppresses ionic transport in halide perovskite optoelectronics
Mobile ions cause deterioration in both device performance and stability of lead halide perovskite devices. This study provides direct evidence for substantial suppression of ionic migration effects in tin-containing perovskite compositions.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2024,17, 760-769
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EE03772J
Origins of hydrogen peroxide selectivity during oxygen reduction on organic mixed ionic–electronic conducting polymers
Through experiment and theory, this work explains how a set of OMIEC polymer electrodes selectively reduce oxygen to hydrogen peroxide.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2023,16, 5409-5422
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EE02102E
The more the better: on the formation of single-phase high entropy alloy nanoparticles as catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction
With in situ X-ray powder diffraction and multi-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we probe high entropy alloy nanoparticle formation. When inhibiting precursor mobility, single-phase formation is governed by stochastics and favored for five elements.
EES. Catal., 2023,1, 950-960
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EY00201B
WOx/ZrOx functionalised periodic mesoporous organosilicas as water-tolerant catalysts for carboxylic acid esterification
Kicking out water: optimising the interaction between support hydrophobicity and surface acid sites in WOx/ZrOx/PMO catalysts unlocks an efficient route for the upgrading of low-quality waste bio-oil feedstocks to biodiesel.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2023,7, 1677-1686
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SE01724E
Probing the stability of SrIrO3 during active water electrolysis via operando atomic force microscopy
Using atomically flat SrIrO3 as a model electrocatalyst for water oxidation, we study the interplay between Sr2+ leaching and perovskite dissolution at the nanometer scale through electrochemical atomic force microscopy.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2023,16, 513-522
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2EE03704A
Identifying structure–absorption relationships and predicting absorption strength of non-fullerene acceptors for organic photovoltaics
We combine experiments with density functional theory calculations, statistical analysis, and machine-learning to reveal the structure–absorption strength relationship and predict the absorption strength of organic non-fullerene acceptors.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2022,15, 2958-2973
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2EE00887D
Reconciling models of interfacial state kinetics and device performance in organic solar cells: impact of the energy offsets on the power conversion efficiency
We present a new framework to study organic photovoltaic devices in which a model that integrates device physics with excited state dynamics is applied to explain transient and steady-state spectroscopic and optoelectronic measurements.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2022,15, 1256-1270
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EE02788C
Band-gap-graded Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 drives highly efficient solar cells
Band-gap-graded CZTSSe was formed successfully, and the carrier transport through the p-n junction was improved greatly; thus, the power conversion efficiency was increased by 45%.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2022,15, 693-704
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EE03134A
Coulombically-stabilized oxygen hole polarons enable fully reversible oxygen redox
Coulombic stabilization and large kinetic barrier in concert stabilize oxygen holes and mitigate voltage hysteresis during oxygen redox of positive electrodes in batteries.
Energy Environ. Sci., 2021,14, 4858-4867
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EE01037A
Analysis of manufacturing cost and market niches for Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cells
The manufacturing costs of CZTS with different substrates, major cost drivers, and cost reduction strategies are analyzed. Potential market niches of CZTS products and techno-economic requirements for CZTS commercialization are explored.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2021,5, 1044-1058
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SE01734E
About this collection
We are excited to welcome the community to our home in London for an exclusive symposium hosted by the journal Energy & Environmental Science. This event will bring together leading experts in the field of energy for a day of groundbreaking research presentations. To celebrate, we have selected articles recently published by the speakers and committee to showcase their work in RSC journals.
We hope you enjoy reading these articles and look forward to welcoming you to London in October for the EES Symposium!