Themed collection 2022 Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship shortlisted candidates

This editorial provides suggestions on scientific writing from the perspective of early-career chemists to facilitate the writing process and provides relevant resources for early-career researchers in preparing their first manuscripts.

This review highlights the challenges and scope of the electrodeposited copper foam nanoarchitecture and its unique properties for various energy applications.

Porous conducting polymers are intriguing heat harvester candidates. This review focuses on the different strategies to vary the porosity range (from micro- to macro-pores) and their impact on thermoelectric properties.

2D molecular crystal lattices form a compelling class of 2D materials with synthetically-tunable properties and the potential to spawn a new generation of devices for optoelectronics and energy sustainability.

Based on the “bifunctionality index”, which can be both measured and calculated, we elaborated a joint volcano plot for O₂ reduction and evolution. The plot shows how scaling relations limit the bifunctional performance of single-atom catalysts.

Designing smart windows with carbon and copper replacing platinum and iodine: stability, efficiency and sustainability at the same time.

Multimodal techniques are required to characterize amorphous Li₃PS₄ (LPS).

Nano-interfaces between MnO_x islands and NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets were tuned using atomic layer deposition thereby enhancing oxygen evolution activity.

In this study, the relationship between structure, cation disorder and Na-ion conduction properties is elucidated in a series of Na_3−xY_1−xZr_xCl₆ solid electrolytes.

Hindered urea bonds are introduced as self-healing units in a polymer electrolyte for Li-metal batteries. Differently from standard commercial separators, the poly(urea-urethane) system works for hundreds of cycles after several damage/healing steps.

Al substitution and subsequent Na excess in Na₂Mn₃O₇ were achieved by a ceramic method, realizing the high-performance Na_2.4Al_0.4Mn_2.6O₇ oxygen-redox cathode for Na-ion batteries. A comparison between the two cathodes revealed the role of Al doping.

(Ba_1−xSr_x)_0.98Eu_0.02ScO₂F produces a tunable emission from cyan to green upon Sr²⁺ substitution. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations revealed that Sr²⁺ weakens the local rigidity lowering the efficiency and thermal stability of the phosphors.

Electron density, Fermi level position, and chemical bonding are essential markers when developing high hardness complex borides.

The formation of a BiSb alloy develops partial charges on the surface, enhancing N₂ adsorption and NH₃ production.

Mn-alloyed TiO₂ coatings prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and annealing acheived stable two-electron selective water oxidation to produce hydrogen peroxide, where the desired products require thermodynamically unfavorable pathways.

Unprecedented water vapor uptake of 320% was demonstrated with SPEEK at an unexpectedly low degree of sulfonation of 19% due to the high S–S distance.

Poly(ether-ether-ketone) obtains intrinsic microporosity with spirobisindane, Tröger's base, and triptycene contorted structures for organic solvent nanofiltration.

The intrinsically defective nature of garnet-type electrolytes is revealed, probing the chemistry of the surface, grains and grain boundaries.

A universal approach for improving the cycling stability of pseudocapacitors is demonstrated via combined covalent and non-covalent conjugation chemistry followed by unique in situ electropolymerization of an organic–inorganic hybrid xerogel material.

A facile route for electrochemical synthesis of single-phase Ni₅P₄ on copper foam results in a core-shell nanostructures catalyst for the efficient generation of hydrogen with a very less overpotential and excellent stability at high current density.

The buried electrocatalytic interfaces between bimetallic sulfide nanosheets and ALD TiO₂ coatings achieved remarkable HER activity improvement, offering a general strategy for improving the charge-transfer kinetics of an electrocatalytic system.

Reaching beyond the upper limits of electromembrane desalination processes with novel graphene-based nanocomposite anion exchange membranes.

Biocompatible, synthetic hydrogels were formed and modified by photomediated oxime ligation with full spatiotemporal control.