Themed collection Global Energy Challenges: Materials and Nanotechnology

Noble metal dewetting on self-organized TiO₂ nanotubes – nanoscopic design of photocatalysts towards green H₂ generation.

This report reviews various topochemical molten salt synthesis (TMSS) reactions and their applications in fulfilling the demand for the tunable morphology of perovskite materials.

HKUST-1 has emerged as the bastion of multifunctional hybrid solids; we discuss the past, present and future of Cu-based metal–organic frameworks.

The orderly assembly of photoactive donor and acceptor phosphors within the gallery of 2D layered nanosheets presents obviously long-lived luminescence and effective energy transfer.

Au nanoparticles isolated on the tips of a thermally stable, radially aligned nano-structure providing a highly sinter-resistant catalyst.

This paper describes a simple hydrothermal anion exchange method to synthesize Bi-based binary metal oxides (BiMO_x (M = W, V, and Mo)) with controlled morphologies used as photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water oxidation.

UiO-66 and analogues were successfully tailored to chemoselectively capture As^V oxyanions at the hydroxylated node and neutral As^III species with the thiolated organic linkers. More efficient and faster uptake of As^V can be achieved with increasing defect densities, increasing pore aperture sizes, and decreasing particle sizes.

Ni– and Co–porphyrin multilayers on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets are reported as novel bifunctional catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).

We report the synthesis and photoelectrochemical assessment of phase pure tetragonal matlockite structured BiOX (where X = Cl, Br, I) films.

Open-metal sites are shown to significantly increase the CH₄ storage capacity of porous materials. It is shown that the capacity is not determined solely by their CH₄ affinity, but also by their geometry as well as by guest molecules.

A high-efficiency noble-metal-free oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst was obtained based on the pyrolysis of the inexpensive precursor cobalt dithiolene (an S₄-chelate complex) on simultaneously reduced graphene oxide (GO) as a support matrix.

Surfactant- and support-free metallic, interconnected and unprotected Ru nano-chain networks are synthesized and screened for catalytic nitro arene hydrogenation and OER studies. Their excellent catalytic and electrocatalytic activities are due to the advantages of having unprotected Ru⁰ surfaces.

The metal-organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 incorporated into a mixed-matrix membrane (MMM) exhibits enhanced water stability while maintaining gas removal capabilities commensurate with those of the free powder form.

A Co-based MOF/GO sandwich-type composite with a sheet-like shape was fabricated, and converted to porous CoP/rGO with a retained layered structure. CoP/rGO exhibits superb HER activity in acid solution, and can also be used as a bifunctional catalyst for water splitting in basic media.

Heavy-atom-free triplet photosensitizers are developed and visible-to-ultraviolet photon upconversion is realized via triplet–triplet annihilation.

Determination of the mechanical energy storage performance of the aluminum fumarate metal–organic framework A520.

Structural inhomogeneity on a micrometer-scale across a CH₃NH₃PbI₃ single crystal is responsible for a local modulation of the optical band gap, which is also highly sensitive to humidity.

Single-crystalline highly porous nanocubes with complex 3D dendritic structure, uniform cubic morphology, and tunable bimetallic and multimetallic compositions were prepared by tailoring the growth kinetics in one-pot synthesis.

We report adsorption behaviors of a typical fluorocarbon R22 (CHClF₂) in a new series of isoreticular porous coordination frameworks [Zn₄O(bpz)₂(ldc)].

Cu²⁺ doped CeO₂ porous nanomaterials were synthesized by calcining CeCu–MOF nanocrystals. They exhibited a superior bifunctional catalytic performance for CO oxidation and selective catalytic reduction of NO.

Protogenic phytic acid is immobilized by its gelation with iron nitrate in DMF. The resulting pelletized xerogel is observed to show a high proton conductivity of 2.4 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ at 120 °C and is tried as solid electrolyte for dry H₂/O₂ fuel cell operation.

We report striking time-dependent ion transport characteristics at nanoscale interfaces in current–potential (I–V) measurements and theoretical analyses.