Themed collection The Role of Inorganic Materials in Renewable Energy Applications

Welcome to this themed issue of Dalton Transactions entitled: ‘The role of inorganic materials in renewable energy applications’.

This perspective summarizes recent advances in the use of (oxy)nitrides and oxysulfides as light harvesting semiconductors for photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Nanoporous Co-doped Zn_1−xCd_xS fabricated with ZnCo-ZIFs as templates afford a high H₂-production rate, corresponding to 45.2 and 422.2 times larger than those of Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S and CdS without using ZIF as template.

Identification of active sites for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a key role in the design and fabrication of high-performance cobalt-based electrocatalysts.

Nickel phosphide (Ni₂P) was used as an excellent water oxidation cocatalyst for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, which could significantly promote the hole injection efficiency and suppress the back reaction of water oxidation over a Ti⁴⁺ doped Fe₂O₃ photoanode.

Films prepared by cold spray have potential applications as photoanodes in electrochemical water splitting and waste water purification.

Titanium niobium oxynitrides (TiNbON) are an attractive category of potential photocatalysts, but strategies for preparing them remain limited.

The introduction of an Al₂O₃ recombination barrier layer at the interface between TiO₂ and CdSe can effectively improve the PEC hydrogen evolution performance.

Photocatalysts such as LaTiO₂N offer an excellent opportunity to shift the global energy landscape from a fossil fuel-dependent paradigm to sustainable and carbon-neutral solar fuels.

Uniform Co(III) sites were obtained on the silica surfaces. Thermal treatment under vacuum resulted in significant changes in the properties of the Co(III) sites.

A new type of boron-doped graphitic carbon nitride (B-g-C₃N₄) nanosheets was prepared by a benign one-pot thermal polycondensation process.

A novel synthesis of BaTaO₂N photocatalyst with low defect density is introduced for promotion of overall water splitting performance.

(LaTiO₂N)_1−x(LaCrO₃)_x continuous solid solutions were developed and showed enhanced photocatalytic H₂-evolution activities under visible-light irradiation because of their narrowed bandgaps and increased lattice distortion.

A facile, two-step synthetic approach was developed to produce a novel, three-dimensional porous Ni/Ni₃S₂ nanostructured catalyst. This unique structure can expose sufficient Ni/Ni₃S₂ interfaces to the electrolyte to obtain synergetic catalytic effects.

The photocatalytic activity of semiconductors is largely governed by their light absorption, separation of photoinduced charge carriers and surface catalytically active sites, which are primarily controlled by the morphology, crystalline size, structure, and especially the electronic structure of photocatalysts.

The development of highly active, cost-effective, environmentally friendly and stable g-C₃N₄ based photocatalysts for H₂ evolution is one of the most anticipated potential pathways for future hydrogen utilization.

Carbon layer coating can restrain the structural aggregation of α-Fe₂O₃ nanorods upon 800 °C sintering and improve their PEC performance for water oxidation.

Visible-light active MnV₂O₆ with suitable band positions for both water oxidation and reduction.

Since Fe₂O₃ is a promising photoanode material for water splitting, it has attracted much attention, while other phases of ferric oxide are ignored. Here, β-Fe₂O₃ was used as a photoanode material for solar water splitting, and a solar photocurrent of ca. 0.12 mA cm² at 1.6 V_RHE was observed.

Silver and palladium alloy nanoparticle catalysts for reductive coupling of nitrobenzene through light irradiation.

A heterostructured nanohybrid photocatalyst composed of ultrasmall CdS and NiS_x nanoparticles has been prepared by a self-template synthetic strategy.

Synergistic effects of n/n junctions and hydrogenation have enhanced the optical, electronic and photocatalytic properties of graphitic C₃N₄ nanosheets.

Hollow and single crystal α-Fe₂O₃ was prepared by a hydrothermal method, which showed enhanced PEC performance on coating with ultra-thin Al₂O₃.

This work reveals an interesting Ti–Cec system with various structures, where PTC-91 and PTC-94 have good photocatalytic activity and stability in water-splitting hydrogen evolution.

Brown carbon/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposites synthesized by two-step calcination exhibited a wide visible light response range and improved photocatalytic H₂-generation performance.

Novel layer-like Ni(OH)₂ co-catalyst-decorated ZnIn₂S₄ microsphere photocatalysts were synthesized for the first time via a facile in situ deposition method to boost the photocatalytic H₂-production performance.

Iron–cobalt bimetal oxide nanorods (Fe_1.1Co_1.9O₄) can efficiently catalyze water oxidation under the reaction conditions of photocatalytic and electrochemical. This superior photocatalytic performance owes to the best balanced flat-band potential of Fe_1.1Co_1.9O₄.

The photocatalytic performance of a new layered perovskite K₂CaNaNb₃O₁₀ of the Ruddlesden–Popper phase was compared to Dion–Jacobson type KCa₂Nb₃O₁₀.

Bi₂₅FeO₄₀ microtetrahedra, microcubes and microspheres were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method and the microcubes showed enhanced photo-Fenton catalytic activity.

Cobalt oxide decorated octahedral ceria hollow structures (CoO_x/CeO₂) with various contents of CoO_x nanoparticles were prepared via a simple chemical impregnation method.

Electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) has been considered as an ideal method to simultaneously solve the energy crisis and environmental issue around the world.

Robust, double-shelled ZnGa₂O₄ hollow spheres were fabricated for photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to methane.