Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers

The novel hybridized and integrated nitrogen fixation system has been demonstrated based on the self-power triboelectric nanogenerators as the power generator, which supplies the new framework for future energy harvesting and conversion.

Using homogeneous and heterogeneous metalloporphyrin-based catalysts for electroreduction of CO₂ to value-added materials.

The recent advances in oriented MOFs as electrode materials and solution to poor conductivity as well as random orientations have been discussed.

In this review, we explain the influence and role of the multiscale hierarchy of cellulose fibers in their chemical modifications as exemplified through recent advances in the spatioselective surface chemistry of nanocelluloses.

The currently strategies for activating the TMDC basal planes toward hydrogen evolution reaction were summarized, which are divided into internal and external regulation, depending on whether the pristine structure is altered or not.

The review overviews the mechanism of C–H activation through electron–hole mediated pathways in photo and electrocatalysis, and introduces various strategies to increase the conversion of CH₄ as well as the selectivity to desired products.

In this review, recent electrolyte design strategies and progress are given, along with the discussion of relative key features and properties, as well as the practical design and considerations.

This review, for the first time, systematically summarizes the application of C, Si, Sn, Bi, metal hydrides and lithium titanate as anode materials in solid-state lithium batteries.

The synthesis methods, properties and applications for energy storage and electrocatalysis of MBenes were summarized. Furthermore, discussions and perspectives on the existing problems, major challenges and future development of MBenes were provided.

This review about the recent advances in oxygen vacancies for catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds considers the construction strategies, characterization methods and catalytic effects of oxygen vacancies in catalysts.

The rational design of integrated electrodes and the strategies for improving their performances are reviewed to advance high-rate alkaline water electrolysis. Such electrodes could be extended for other emerging electrocatalytic hydrogen production systems.

Lead-free hybrid perovskites (LFHPs) have sparked considerable research interest in photocatalysis. This review introduces the surface engineering and photophysical behaviors of LFHPs for diverse solar-induced photocatalytic applications.

Since the advent of double network (DN) hydrogels nearly 20 years ago, they have flourished as smart soft materials.

In this review, we focus on the recent applications of Ni–Co–S materials (NCSs) in energy storage devices, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, sensors and microwave absorption, and highlight the intercommunity of NCSs in different application fields.

This review provides a route for constructing advanced IR-ECDs towards real-world applications in smart windows, IR sensors, thermal control and military camouflage.

With a special emphasis on chemistry, this study presents a comprehensive review of the various molecular design, structural properties, and organic synthesis of novel small molecule HTMs, as well as their impact on photovoltaic performance.

Printing techniques promote the development of solid-state batteries by constructing high performance cathodes, dendrite-free anodes, and ideal solid-state electrolytes with versatile structures and configurations.

A comprehensive overview of the research progress toward non-lithium metal ion capacitors, including the mechanisms, electrode materials, electrolytes, and novel device designs, is presented with further perspectives.

The progress in the synthesis of porous carbon fibers and their performance improvement mechanisms for energy and environmental applications are comprehensively reviewed, providing guidelines for the future development of this emerging material.

The highly-active and chemically stable Zn_0.58Co_2.42O₄ cathode allows a record-high fuel cell performance for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells using spinel oxide cathodes.

Monoclinic WO₂ nanoparticles with oxygen vacancies are efficient for electrochemical NO₂⁻ reduction to NH₃, offering an NH₃ yield rate of 14 964.25 ± 826.06 μg h⁻¹ cm⁻² and a faradaic efficiency of 94.32 ± 1.15%.

A novel composite hole transport layer is developed by combining 2PACz with MoO₃. Inverted OSCs with the highest efficiency of 18.49% were achieved, which was much higher than that of the control device based on a MoO₃ HTL (17.46%).

La/Fe co-doped Co₃O₄ nanoparticles supported on aminated CNTs have shown high catalytic activities for the ORR and OER. The specific La/Fe co-doped structure of Co₃O₄ is shown to be the main origin of their high catalytic activities.

Chemical–physical synergistic etching enables the deep reconstruction of NiFe PBA into NiOOH/FeOOH nanoboxes, exhibiting superb OER performance. The NiOOH/FeOOH nanoboxes-based ZABs deliver excellent electrochemical performance.

Two distinctive kinetics-controlled topological transformations were realized on-demand in a dynamic covalent network via a photo-switchable catalyst.

An oriented strategy to build efficient intrinsic proton transport pathways in MOF-808 by functionalizing the MOF skeleton has been proposed.

Tetrachloroaluminate anions doped in a poly(triarylamine) layer can improve the wettability of perovskite precursor solution and passivate interfacial trap defects at buried interfaces.

One-shot transformation of ordinary polyesters into vitrimers is demonstrated, based on a novel cross-linking mechanism involving three distinct steps of hydrolysis, epoxy-opening, and trans-esterification reactions.

Using polyelectrolyte materials, a simple and effective artificial light-harvesting system is constructed. This work promotes the application prospect of artificial light-harvesting system based on polyelectrolyte materials in photocatalysis.

Two polymerized small molecule acceptors with wide bandgaps of ∼1.65 eV and high-lying LUMO energy levels above −3.70 eV were designed by introducing a novel terminal unit. Efficient all-PSCs with high V_OC over 1.10 V were achieved.

Modulation of anisotropic facets and surface charge properties of semiconductor photocatalysts play significant roles in accelerating the photogenerated charge separation in heterogeneous photocatalysis.

A method through the SMSI and heterostructure of Pt–RuO₂@KB to construct a stable charge redistribution is first proposed, showing superior overall water splitting performance, with excellent intrinsic activity, catalytic activity and stability in 0.1 M HClO₄ electrolyte.

The NiFe-oxyhydroxide/C OER catalyst is prepared through the hydrolysis of nickel and iron salts in the presence of carbon black. It exhibits an overpotential of 269.6 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and a mass activity of 593.1 A g⁻¹ at an overpotential of 320 mV.

With a duetting electronic structure modulation of Ru atoms, H* adsorption and water dissociation energies are optimized, allowing RuSe₂@NC catalysts with higher HER activity than that of Pt catalysts and promising industrial-scale applications.

Atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs) are judiciously stabilized as simultaneous charge relay mediators and photosensitizers for photocatalytic organic transformation.

Fe₂O₃/CP acts as an electrocatalyst enabling efficient NH₃ generation via NO reduction, capable of attaining a faradaic efficiency of 86.73% and an NH₃ yield of 78.02 μmol h⁻¹ cm⁻². The Fe₂O₃-based Zn–NO battery offers a power density of 1.18 mW cm⁻².

The incorporation of free halide ions into MOF-808 makes it a promising water-harvesting material with high working capacity and good cycle stability.

10Cu/TiO_2−x exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic performance toward nitrate reduction to ammonia due to the abundant oxygen vacancies at the interface.

Near-backbone manipulation of the alkyl chain branching point yields an efficient polymer donor L3 for organic solar cells.

Herein, Ni³⁺ and oxygen vacancies were synergistically integrated on NiO@TiO₂ by magnetron sputtering, providing nearly 10-fold higher yield and faradaic efficiency.

A type of all-in-one hypergolic MOF has been described, in which CTB ligands as triggers impart active sites for the ignition reaction and imidazole ligands with different substituent groups as bandgap mediators could optimize the hypergolicity.

Stable PdCoH nanosheets for efficient EOR were designed by introducing oxophilic metal cobalt and interstitial hydrogen into the Pd lattice. The synergistic effect of Co and H atoms boosts EOR performance with high CO tolerance and C1 selectivity.

Doping the Co element into the traditional La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO_3−δ cathode material triggers the activity of the cathode/electrolyte interface in the composite cathode, leading to impressively high cell performance for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells.

This study clarifies the heat generation and release of a 57.5 Ah HED (266.9 W h kg⁻¹) Li-ion cell with a nickel-rich cathode and SiO_x/graphite anode. Significant heat accumulation and delayed heat release effects in large-format cells are uncovered.

Uniform peanut-like P3-type K_0.45Mn_0.5Co_0.5O₂ hierarchical microparticles are fabricated through an elegant self-templating method, demonstrating enhanced potassium storage performance.

We report a soft-templating method for the synthesis of high surface area nickel phosphide catalyst (Ni₂P). Ni₂P exhibits a 40–50% CO₂ reduction products selectivity over H₂ formation at current densities ranging from 50–300 mA cm⁻² in a flow cell.

A porous ZnIn₂S₄ photocatalyst rich in sulfur vacancies shortens the charge transfer pathway, rapidly capturing the photogenerated electrons, which enhances the separation and migration ability of photoexcited charge carriers, thus enhancing photocatalytic H₂ evolution.

The anionic properties of electrolytes play a significant role in determining the electrochemical performance of VS₂/SNC anodes, which is interpreted from the angle of solvation effect and corresponding electrode/electrolyte interface properties.

Ultrathin Ir_xRu_1−x cubic nanocages with precisely controlled atom accuracy of six atomic layers and well-defined {200} facets exhibit significantly low overpotential for the HER and OER in acidic medium.

Fractional Fe incorporation in Ni–Ni₃B furnishes a nanocatalyst that cooperatively enhances hydrogen production from ammonia borane following enzyme-like kinetics.

A stretchable hydrogel sensor has been developed with a high fatigue threshold, low hysteresis, and high resolution of strain sensing capability.

Synopsis: a versatile conductive elastomer with broad and long-term temperature tolerance for dual-responsive sensors.

A multifunctional interlayer with Mg, LiF, and Li₃N has been in situ constructed on the surface of LATP via a facile drop-casting method, which restrains the decomposition of LATP and improves the interfacial stability during cycling.

KFSI salt as an additive in electrolyte can enable highly reversible and nondendritic plating–stripping of Na metal anodes.

A pelletized self-supported cathode based on a pairwise/sandwich-like assembly of a TaO₃ nanomesh and reduced graphene oxide for high-areal-capacity Li–S batteries.

1,2,4-Triazole sodium is used as a multifunctional cathode sodiation additive in full-cells, which achieves a NaF-rich cathode electrolyte interface and also inspires a facile method to prepare free-standing electrodes.

We have developed a novel type of solar-powered interfacial evaporation system based on MoS₂-decorated magnetic phase-change microcapsules for highly efficient seawater desalination and wastewater purification under intermittent solar illumination.

Block copolymers composed of poly(trimethylene carbonate) and polylactide can be processed at ambient temperature under pressure by a reversible pressure-induced phase transition between an ordered (solid) state and a disordered (melt/solid) state.

The synergistic combination of oxygen vacancies, dual OER/ORR catalysts, and the complementary catalyst with oxygen-mediating capability in the Co₃O₄/Ru–CeO₂/Li₂O_2−x successfully activated reversible anion redox reaction in lithia-based cathodes.

We report an n-type metal–organic complex (Br–C₆H₄–NH₂)₂CuBr₂. This substance uniquely combines giant power factor, ultrahigh electrical conductivity, high electron mobility, remarkable air stability, easy synthesis, and cheap laboratory procedures.

Na₃ZnGaS₄ is a new class of Na⁺-conducting solid electrolytes. Herein, vacancies are introduced into Na(2) sites by adjusting the Zn/Ga ratio. The conductivity of vacancy-incorporated Na_2.8Zn_0.8Ga_1.2S₄ is increased by more than two orders of magnitude.

A dilute glutamate anion is introduced to form an in situ SEI-protected Zn anode, it exhibits stronger corrosion resistance and more nucleation sites, leading to superior reversibility of Zn plating/stripping and remarkable cycle stability.

Ni–N₂C₂ SACs were obtained by the cleavage of Ni–O bonds and formation of Ni–C bonds.

A family of novel coordination polymers (CPs) with topological diversity has been prepared based on a bis-terpyridine ruthenium linker. They provide a unique platform for the development of multifarious photofunctions.

A flexible and stable zinc-ion hybrid capacitor has been fabricated with a polysaccharide-reinforced hydrogel electrolyte and binder-free carbon fabric cathode, and displays an impressive cycling performance with a capacity retention of 93.5% over 10 000 cycles as well as high energy/power density of 113.2 W h kg⁻¹/15752.4 W kg⁻¹.

The synergistic effect of Cl⁻ ion stabilizing the Ag cathode , the Na⁺ ion regulating the Zn deposition and the flexibility of carbon nanotube fibers endows fibrous quasi-solid-state mild Ag–Zn batteries with admirable durability and flexibility.

The assembly of the heterogeneous microreactor is a promising approach for CO₂ photoreduction attributed to its abundant microchannel, intimate contact, high exposed surface area, and favorable heat-mass transfer.

Carbons with varying porosity and N-content exhibit tunable thermodynamics of CO₂ adsorption, stemming from synergy between confinement and surface chemistry. Further, size-sieving CO₂/N₂ adsorption selectivity occurs in sub-nanoscale interlayers.

Leveraging electronic structure calculations in combination with ab initio-based non-adiabatic carrier dynamics simulations, insights into photoinduced carrier dynamics and hydrogen evolution reaction of organic PM6/PCBM heterojunctions are revealed.

Deposition of deep-trap, high-temperature-resistant layers by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process enables non-destructive and controllable preparation of high-performance high-temperature polymer dielectric films.