Themed collection Energy and Environmental Science Recent Review Articles

Although the concept of a lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery promises an energy density surpassing that of conventional Li-ion cells, prototype cells have lagged far behind.

Novel means of using photoluminescent materials to increase photosynthetic efficiency are proposed and evaluated.

In this perspective, we propose a holistic framework for assessing battery sustainability and offer recommendations for developing battery chemistries and components that are more environmentally and socially responsible.

This perspective shines light on alternative module designs, discussing their pros & cons.

This perspective provides information on durability challenges and future actions of anion exchange membrane fuel cells.

This perspective highlights the application of MOFs for solid-state electrolytes, emphasizing their advantages, challenges and future directions.

In this perspective, we present strategies that foster the expulsion of lead from perovskites to obtain a non-hazardous active material.

A perspective on some strategies to trigger new developments for the next generation of Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ solar cells is presented.

Halide segregation represents a severe stability problem for certain mixed-halide perovskites. Here we explore a myriad of methods for mitigating halide segregation, including several largely unexplored approaches that show significant promise.

We reveal the insignificance of advanced materials in further enhancing the energy efficiency of desalination and suggest more impactful approaches.

Manipulation of organic cations and dimensional flexibility can improve the humidity stability of perovskites.

Facilitated by redox catalysts capable of catalytic reactions and reactive separation, chemical looping offers exciting opportunities for intensified chemical production.

Renewable electricity can be leveraged to produce fuels and chemicals from CO₂, offering sustainable routes to reduce the carbon intensity of our energy and products-driven economy.

Recent progress in 2D organic–inorganic superlattices by alternate stacking of organic layers and inorganic sheets is reviewed.

Electrocatalyst design is reviewed in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Additionally, potential AI-/descriptor-based search for materials is discussed.

This review showcases the development of heteroacene-based molecular materials and their role in high performance binary, ternary, tandem and semitransparent organic solar cells.

This review presents the recent progress in advanced bifunctional heteroatom-doped carbon catalysts for rechargeable aqueous and all-solid-state Zn–air batteries, along with current challenges and future perspectives in the field.

This review highlights the importance of controlling the crystallization dynamics for the deposition of high-quality photovoltaic perovskite layers on larger-area coatings.

An in-depth summary about the regulation of the coordination structure in single atom catalysts for the CO₂RR is summarized.

The fundamentals and perspectives in developing zinc-ion electrolyte have been comprehensively revealed, include the basic characteristics, electrolyte/electrode interfaces, practical consideration and future perspectives.

This review provides an overview of recent advances in the synthesis and diverse energy-related applications of nanostructured transition metal phosphides.

Thermal energy harvesting technologies based on composite phase change materials (PCMs) are capable of harvesting tremendous amounts of thermal energy via isothermal phase transitions, thus showing enormous potential in the design of state-of-the-art renewable energy infrastructure.

A review on the current understanding of the K-ion SEI with detailed analysis and insights on the unexplored areas of research.

This review summarizes the history and critical working mechanisms of Li-rich oxides with a special focus on anionic redox reactions.

This review provides the reported key strategies to replace lead in solution-processed photovoltaic systems, achieving perovskite-related metal-halide structures.

This review provides well-organized and up-to-date information about the key factors influencing the properties and performances of alkali-ion transition metal inorganic cathode materials by encompassing a wide scope from atomic to microscopic levels.

We review the working mechanisms, opportunity and challenges of intermediate-temperature and room-temperature sodium–sulfur batteries for low-cost energy storage.

A review on the fundamental understanding and rational design of ideal, dopant-free HTMs for fabricating efficient and stable perovskite solar cells.

This review summarizes state-of-the-art organic electrode materials in multivalent rechargeable batteries and discusses the correlation between structure and performance.

Two-dimensional nonlayered materials afford unique structural and electrocatalytic advantages toward hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution, oxygen reduction, and CO₂ reduction.

This review presents the mechanisms, challenges, strategies, and perspectives in the interface engineering of inorganic-based solid-state Li metal batteries.

Passivation strategies, including film formation, post-treatment and interlayer engineering, are summarized based on an overview of the variety of defects in PSCs.

A comprehensive review on the efficiency progress of inverted perovskite solar cells towards future development and commercialization.

This work summarizes recent progress of low-temperature carbon-based electrodes in perovskite photovoltaic devices and their great up-scalability potential.

The differences and similarities of the Zn electrode in both alkaline and mild electrolytes have been thoroughly clarified.

Significant progress toward the understanding of the electrochemical process has been achieved in the past decades, owning to the advancements in operando characterization techniques.

Metal oxide-based materials are emerging as a promising family of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts.

In this review, we discuss the merits and major challenges of p-type binary and ternary Cu-based metal oxide photocathodes and present the latest research effort in modifying the materials towards high-performance photocathodes.

This review summarizes recent progresses in material and structural designs of zinc anodes for high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

This review summarizes the recent advances and future challenges for Cu₂Se-based thermoelectric materials.

A review of power-to-liquid for methanol, DME and FT-fuels focusing on commercial synthesis technologies and current power-to-liquid concepts.

For applying metal–air batteries using seawater-based electrolytes, the influence of chloride anions on the ORR/OER electrocatalytic mechanisms and rational design strategies for chloride-resistant electrocatalysts are summarized.

This review summarizes the latest advances in hydrogen evolution reaction under neutral conditions to enlighten future researches.

The quantitative isotope measurement has emerged as a powerful toolbox for molecular-level understanding of reaction mechanisms in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis.

This review details the groundwork made in the most recent years on the development of TENGs for wave energy conversion systems and discusses future perspectives in the scope of autonomous, self-powered sensor buoys and other offshore floating platforms.

An overview of the recent electroanalytical methods and their hyphenated techniques for the characterization of novel ion battery anodes is presented.

We review recent strides in understanding and manipulating photoinduced charge transfer in heterojunctions between 2D transition metal dichalcogenides and other semiconductors, with implications for a broad array of energy applications.

In this Review, we showcase the fundamental processes of intermolecular and intramolecular singlet fission (SF).

This review summarizes the progress of pre-lithiation technologies involving the fundamental research and practical application of LICs.

A review on manganese oxide-based electrocatalysts for the water oxidation reaction.

This review discusses how morphology and interface engineering promote electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction, providing general design principles to fabricate advanced electrode catalysts.

A review on the versatility of atomic layer deposition and chemical vapor deposition for the fabrication of stable and efficient perovskite solar cells.

The key factors for high-quality all-inorganic perovskite crystal growth.

An overview of the recent technical advances and major dilemmas facing currently available flexible metal–gas batteries for use in wearable electronics is presented.

Single/dual-atom and cluster metal catalysts have emerged as a new frontier in catalysis. This review highlights recent advances and provides a state-of-the-art understanding of MOF-based synthesis strategies and their prospective applications.

In this review, intra- and intermolecular engineering strategies for improving the efficiencies of porphyrin based dye-sensitized solar cells are briefly summarized, revealing the in-depth structure–photovoltaic performance correlations.

Focusing on the atomic-scale engineering of CVD grown 2D TMDs, we discuss the six engineering strategies to tailor the electronic structure, conductivity and electrocatalytic properties in detail. Finally, challenges and perspectives are addressed.

Organic materials offer a new opportunity to develop high-performance, low-cost, environmentally benign sodium ion batteries. This review provides insights into the different sodium storage mechanisms in various categories of organic materials.

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is one of the most important electrochemical reactions in energy conversion and storage technologies, such as fuel cells and metal–air batteries.

Enhancing the stability of perovskite solar cells is crucial to the deployment of this technology. Carbon-based materials are promising candidates for providing long-term stable perovskite solar cells suitable for commercialization.

Optical energy can be transformed into electricity, photons, and chemical bonds using colloidal quantum dots as the scaffold.

This review focuses on fundamental understanding, various synthesis routes, chemical/electrochemical stability of halide-based lithium superionic conductors, and their potential applications in energy storage as well as related challenges.

This review summarizes the recent progress of GDY based catalysts for key gas involved reactions in energy conversion.

Recent achievements of 2D perovskites for various optoelectronic applications along with their basic properties and future opportunities are discussed.

Surface/interface nanoengineering of electrocatalysts and air electrodes will promote the rapid development of high-performance rechargeable Zn–air batteries.

This review proposes a deep insight into the mutual interactions among structures, synthesis, and electrochemical performance and mechanisms of organosulfur compounds in lithium–sulfur batteries.

This review provides enriched information for understanding the charge storage mechanisms of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), as well as the importance of intrinsic structure engineering for enhancing the performance of TMDs in energy storage.

Assessing the impact of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, so-called intelligent cyber-physical systems, on emission reduction in the critical sector of energy provision.

Photovoltaic devices have become ideal alternatives instead of common energy sources owing to their superior mechanical robustness and excellent power conversion efficiency that can be used for supplying wearable electronic devices.

Functional substructures towards artificial light trapping hierarchies inspired by the natural photosynthesis system.