Themed collection Recent Open Access Articles

This perspective summarizes design strategies for gas diffusion layers (GDLs), from the aspects of pore, wettability, interface and component integration, while also providing an outlook on the future development of GDLs and highly integrated fuel cells.

Improving overall resource efficiency enhances energy security.

The use of renewable fuels will exacerbate nitrogen oxide emissions, damaging the climate, environment, and human health. Sustainable technologies in development must replace current abatement techniques.

This article investigates the water-conscious production of green methanol in sunny and dry regions, leveraging direct air capture, photovoltaic power, and solid oxide electrolysis.

An Intelligent Battery Management System (IBMS) integrating cloud, IoT, and digital twin technologies, offering scalable, real-time battery management was developed to enhance safety, performance, and lifespan of lithium-ion batteries in EVs.

Production of low-cobalt/cobalt-free cathodes, recycling, continuous manufacturing and fast-charging ability is important. They determine the cell manufacturing cost, supply-chain stability, environmental benignity.

Ultrasound-induced cavitation and dispersed photocatalysts synergistically decompose water into hydrogen, offering higher efficiency. Reasons and future research avenues are explored.

Schematic comparative diagram of the stages involved in moving from compact solid electrode materials to dilute nanofluids and RFB solutions.

The current status and prospects of six routes to electrochemically convert CO₂ into different products are investigated. The study includes for each of these routes an analysis of the costs and of the emissions related to electricity use.

In Spain, biomethane is emerging as one of the great keys, not only for the transformation of the energy mix in the short term, but also to advance towards the decarbonisation of the economy.

Analysis of properties and data – both known and missing – related to materials selection, life cycle assessment, and end-of-life reuse and recycling options for device components to achieve a sustainable design of dye-sensitized solar cells.

Current commercial SIB-cells can go in TR even at a low SOC of 30% and, thus, should be classified alongside LIB-cells. Higher SOCs worsen TR-effects, lowering onset temperature, increasing peak pressure, and raising the risk of jelly roll ejection.

All-solid-state rechargeable air batteries (SSABs) utilizing a novel naphthoquinone-based redoxactive polymer (PPNQ) as the negative electrode material demonstrated exceptional performance.

Visible-light-driven NADH regeneration with a dual-photoelectrode system without external bias was developed.

Visible-light controlled H₂ production from formate with the combination system of a biocatalytic process with formate dehydrogenase and a photoredox reaction of water-soluble zinc porphyrin, methylviologen and colloidal platinum nanoparticles was developed.

Lithium metal is considered as an ideal anode for high-energy density storage systems with dendrites being a major issue for lifetime and safety. A gadolinium additive is found to be suppressing dendrite growth resulting higher performance retention.

We present an experimental proof-of-concept study of organic semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) for visible-light-driven carbon dioxide (CO₂) conversion.

By creating surface vacancy-dopant-mediated solid frustrated Lewis pairs, efficient photochemical conversion of CO₂ to formic acid is achieved on Bi-doped CeO₂ in the presence of strain, which is investigated by using density functional theory.

This study unveils a promising and innovative strategy for electrochemical green H₂ generation utilizing distillery industry wastewater. Investigating simultaneous electrochemical processes, it offers a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment and energy production.

A polymer-electrolyte electrochemical cell, equipped with a Ru/ZrO₂ catalyst at 120 °C, converts CO₂ and H₂O into CH₄ and O₂ with a current efficiency of 85%.

Core–shell transition metal oxide nanoparticles as efficent material for water electrolysis.

Nickel boride supported on a mixed phase cobalt oxide/hydroxide support (Ni_xB/Co₃O₄/Co(OH)₂) acts as a non-precious pre-catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), transforming into an active oxyhydroxide surface.

Dynamic irradiation conditions are shown to result in a significant increase in reactivity in light-driven hydrogen evolution by thiomolybdates. Experimental and theoretical studies shed light on the underlying causes of this observation.

Cobalt manganese sulphide (COMS) electrocatalyst powering bifunctional water splitting.

Sulfur – diphenyl(4-vinylphenyl)phosphine – dicyclopentadiene polymers are reported for use as high-capacity sulfur containing positive electrode for lithium batteries.

KBH₄ and NaBH₄ prevent oxidation and passivate defects in perovskites. Both increase grain size and efficiency, but NaBH₄ offers superior performance, boosting shelf life 5-fold (>900 h) in 60% humidity compared to reference devices.

A titanium–cerium redox flow battery (Ti–Ce RFB) operated at 150 mA cm⁻² with 70% energy efficiency over 80 h and 100 cycles.

A sustainable clay-to-zeolite synthesis cuts CO₂ emissions by 90%, enabling high-performance CO₂/H₂O adsorption with minimal environmental impact.

Surface defects of low-temperature sputtered NiO_x migrate into the perovskite bulk and are detrimental to the NiO_x–perovskite interface and the cell stability. Bulk doping with copper and/or SAM surface passivation of the NiO_x improve the stability.

A plasmonic Ag–Si/MgO/ZnO photocatalyst made by a solid-phase reaction delivered a superior visible-light CH₃OH yield of 357.53 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹. Results revealed that the catalyst sustained high methanol production over extended operation.

An integrated literature review and process simulation framework is used to compare biofuel, e-biofuel and e-fuel pathways in terms of carbon conversion, energy efficiency, costs, and life-cycle GHG emissions.

Black soldier fly larval lipids hydroprocessed over Ce/La-NiMo/Al₂O₃via batch, continuous and VGO co-processing, achieving full deoxygenation. High kerosene and diesel yields obtained demonstrate aviation fuel potential.

This study evaluates how evolving energy systems change GHG emissions of CCU and traditional chemical and fuel production, enabling fairer comparisons to inform viable climate mitigation pathways.

Hierarchical bimetallic CoNi-MOF-derived electrocatalyst with synergistic Co–Ni interactions, abundant active sites, and enhanced charge transfer, achieving high HER activity and long-term stability in AEM water electrolysis.

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) offers a promising method to process wet biomass and realise its full potential as a renewable energy source, as well as to efficiently treat waste biomass streams.

Use of residues from sugar beet refineries in the Netherlands could fulfil half the Dutch demand for virgin ethylene based plastics in a circular economy. Reduction of carbon dioxide to ethanol/methanol causes high electricity costs.

Porous CoNiMoS nanoflower electrodes synthesized through sulfur-tuning to modulate morphology and charge transport for high-performance supercapacitor applications.

This study presents a detailed investigation into the photocatalytic properties of facet-engineered bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr) using the pattern illumination time-resolved phase microscopy (PI-PM) technique.

Biomass-derived FeNiNC catalyst enhances OER/ORR activity, improving energy efficiency in seawater batteries.

Systematically expounding the design of a hybrid triboelectric nanogenerator (H-TENG) for collecting wind and water flow energy and analyzing its electrical performance in response to different parameters.

We present the quantitative evolution of the sulfur strand length distribution in organo-sulfur cathodes, determined by operando X-ray absorption spectrometry based on a self-absorption corrected linear combination analysis.

In this study, a novel chemical looping ammonia cracking (CLCr) process was designed for efficient hydrogen production.

Controlled synthesis of Ag-alloyed Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (ACZTS) thin films with wide range of Ag/Cu ratios via a solution process enables phase transition, lattice expansion, and bandgap tuning, yielding stable absorbers for next-generation photovoltaics.

Low-valence cation codoping at Ti⁴⁺ sites under flux treatment transforms BaTiO₃ from an inactive perovskite into an unprecedentedly efficient photocatalyst for overall water splitting, achieving 27.5% apparent quantum yield (AQY) at 365 nm.

While biofuel production capacity in the U.S. is expanding, the capacities remain limited compared to fuel demand.

In a new holistic framework to assess marine e-fuels across technological, economic, environmental and safety dimensions, e-methanol consistently outperforms marine diesel oil, and ammonia holds long-term promise if safety challenges can be overcome.

This study presents an integrated system of liquid organic hydrogen carrier dehydrogenation and gas purification through electrochemical pumping.

Improving the catalytic performance in the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of lignin oils to produce liquid fuels, while meeting industrial requirements, is important for addressing current environmental challenges.

Pilot scale operation and validation of an integrated system for autothermal reforming of biogas with subsequent conversion of synthesis gas to methanol. Operation optimization and robust system start-up and steady-state operation.

2,5-Bis(furan-2-ylmethyl)cyclopentan-1-one, a precursor for renewable jet fuel and high-value electronic photolithography material, was selectively synthesized via a cascade aldol condensation/hydrogenation reaction of furfural and cyclopentanone.

A nanostructured CuBi₂O₄ photocathode by surfactant-assisted sol–gel dropcasting method showed a high photocurrent density of −3.8 mA cm⁻² and charge separation efficiency of 30.5% at 0.2 V vs. RHE in 0.1 M Na₂SO₄ with H₂O₂ as an electron scavenger.

Copper nanowires with fivefold twinned structures (t-CuNWs) are shown to be effective as cathode catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ (CO₂RR) in a zero-gap electrolyzer to produce ethylene.

Enhanced electron transfer in MFCs using bio-Pd catalyst and marine bacteria.

Scalable screen printing of Bi/Te-doped SnSe enables carrier-type control and enhanced power output in flexible devices.

Unsupported catalyst nanoparticles in fluorine-free PEMFC electrodes alleviate the protonic versus mass transport resistance trade-off, enhancing overall electrode performance.

Methanol reforming is carried out at ultra-low temperatures around 423 K catalyzed by supported liquid phase molecular Pu-pincer catalysts (Ru-SLP). The formed hydrogen is directly fed to a HTPEM fuel cell to demonstrate the feasibility.

The direct methanol hydrogen peroxide fuel cell (DMHPFC) with a pH-gradient microscale bipolar interface (PMBI) achieves a high open circuit voltage of 1.69 V and peak power density of 630 mW cm⁻² by optimising an alkaline anode and acidic cathode.

The performance of LIBs deteriorates over time due to various aging mechanisms, among which lithium plating (LP) is critical. The goal of this research was to analytically approve the presence of LP, prior identified by non-destructive methods.

This study uses operando neutron imaging and electrochemical data to reveal how flow field geometry and electrode structure shape concentration profiles and transport dynamics in organic redox flow cells.

The lacunar Co^II[Co^III(CN)₆]_2/3□_1/3 Prussian blue analogue confines ammonia borane (NH₃BH₃) via a dual mechanism: with chemisorption onto coordinatively unsaturated Co²⁺ sites and physisorption within the vacancies of the porous structure.

Phosphorus-doped Ni and Fe foams as efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution: a DFT and electrochemical investigation of Ni(111) and Fe(110) surfaces.

Blending, hydrotreating, and distilling tall oil fatty acids with Canadian refinery feeds offers a sustainable path to produce gasoline, kerosene, and diesel-range fuels, supporting low-carbon fuel goals in commercial transportation.

This study presents the development and optimisation of a co-production process for methanol and carbon monoxide via methane decomposition using Aspen Plus.

A low-cost syringe-based printer enables sustainable fabrication of organic solar cells, organic field-effect transistors, and supercapacitors, demonstrating its versatility and potential for scalable, eco-friendly printed electronics.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is limited by high activation barriers and sluggish kinetics, constraining the efficiency of water electrolysis.

Bio-oil from biomass pyrolysis contains a wide range of oxygenated compounds, limiting its direct use as a fuel due to chemical instability and low energy density.

Here, a transparent hydrogel membrane is made from waste potato peels for next-gen smart windows. The material can adjust to temperature, reducing indoor heat, and boosting solar panel efficiency by up to 15%. Our approach is a step forward in energy-efficient, climate-responsive architecture.

This study provides a comprehensive thermophysical characterization of a new potential oxygenate fuel composed of hexane as a surrogate for fossil fuel, cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) as a synthetic fuel, and propan-1-ol as a biofuel.

In this work, hard carbon active material and lignin binder were produced from holm oak waste feedstock. The obtained materials were used to prepare bio-based anode materials for sodium ion batteries, with promising rate capability and long cycling stability even at high current rates.

The selection of pretreatment methods is critical to achieving high product yields during bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass.