Themed collection Celebrating International Women’s Day 2026: Women in Journal of Materials Chemistry A

Flexible dual-linker-based three-component self-assembly provides a new paradigm for constructing functional 2D and 3D MOFs and understanding their structure–property-relationships in heterogeneous catalysis and environmental remediation.

Graphyne-based materials (GBMs), composed of mixed sp- and sp²-hybridized carbon networks, exhibit tunable pore architectures and unique electronic properties, enabling promising applications in energy, catalysis, and separation technologies.

Anode, air-cathode, and electrolyte stabilization using electrolyte additives by forming a stable SEI enables the formation of toroidal Li₂O₂ and offers stability against ROS species in Li–Air batteries.

The merits and challenges of paired electrolysis are associated with current density, lowering of overpotentials of cathodic half-cell, surface reconstruction of hetero-junction electrodes, and electrolysis under industrial current density.

We review Ag–Bi perovskite-inspired materials, linking structures, defects, processing, and stability to performance and applications like photovoltaics, X-ray detectors, memory devices, and nonlinear optics.

The fascinating nanoforms of carbon when uniquely tailored, capture diverse impurities in water contributing to an impressive nanotechnology solution for water quality amelioration.

This review highlights degradation mechanisms and emerging mitigation strategies for HT-PEM fuel cells under start–stop conditions, guiding the design of durable, high-performance energy systems.

Quinones are prime candidates for aqueous redox flow batteries. This review discusses the chemistry of quinones and degradation pathways in aqueous solution, illuminating their pathway to successful implementation through case studies and examples.

This review highlights the recent progress in the development of anion-exchange membranes for affordable electrochemical energy devices-electrolyzers, fuel cells, and vanadium redox-flow batteries.

This review explores four emerging CO₂-based energy technologies that utilize CO₂ as an active energy carrier, highlighting its roles, challenges, and future strategies in sustainable energy conversion and storage.

The application of electricity to RO and NF, through the superimposition of external electric fields (ENF, ERO) or the integration of electrically conductive membranes (ECMs), represents a promising approach to outperform conventional processes.

A multiscale strategy for porous material-assisted H₂ hydrate storage, bridging materials properties and engineering operations.

This review summarizes progress on Zr-MOFs in light-driven CO₂ reduction, hydrogen evolution, and pollutant degradation. It highlights their stability, tunable porosity, and strategies to boost photocatalytic performance for sustainable and environmental applications.

This work reviews the progress in porous metal chalcogenides for electrocatalytic water splitting, highlighting their innovative design, the importance of the surface area, electrochemical performance, challenges, and future opportunities.

A schematic representation of the transformation from bimetallic to high entropy spinel oxides for the oxygen evolution reaction.

COFs with high stability and tunability face issues of self-stacking and restricted conductivity, whereas their S-scheme heterojunctions address these limitations. This review explores their synthesis, mechanism, applications, etc.

Solvate ionic liquids (SILs) are modular and tuneable, enabling their utilisation in diverse applications spanning energy storage, electrodeposition, and advanced synthesis.

Strategies and influencing factors for enhanced efficiency of solar steam generation systems with an analysis of the gap between theoretical and experimental efficiency.

Compositionally fine-tuned PtAu thin films prepared with magnetron sputtering boost ethylene glycol electrooxidation activity and glycolic acid selectivity, through modifying the electronic and geometrical structure of Pt by surrounding Au atoms.

When the asymmetry of the thermodynamic free energy of LiFePO₄ is accounted for, delithiation occurs through a solid solution pathway, thereby challenging the prevailing notion that this phase is only kinetically stabilized at the nano-scale.

A functionalized polythiophene autonomously produced ∼1 × 10⁻⁴ mol H₂O₂ per g polymer (18% doping level) in aqueous O₂ solutions via ORR. This work opens new applications driven by this process and elucidates degradation mechanisms in OE devices.

The micelle-induced excimer formation of simple chalcone is investigated and applied in synthesis. The concept allowed for the visible light promoted [2+2] photocycloaddition to occur, generating cyclobutanes.

An encapsulated graphene oxide/silk protein aerogel fiber made by coaxial spinning is reported to exhibit ultra-high mechanical properties. The aerogel fiber showed efficient performance in thermal management applications.

Two redox-active vanadium(V)-dithiolene complexes were synthesized, which showed strong pseudocapacitive behavior, high charge storage and excellent cycling stability, highlighting their promise for next-generation energy storage applications.

Efficient and selective seawater splitting can be successfully promoted by green manganese ferrite electrocatalysts fabricated and tailored by an original vapor phase route.

A bioinspired nano-assembly of live marine bacteria enables efficient mineralization of phenothiazine dye, highlighting a sustainable approach for microbial–nanomaterial-assisted wastewater remediation.

Zn–NO₃⁻ battery is a “one stone-three birds” strategy enabling energy generation, NH₃ synthesis & nitrate remediation. FeCu(1 : 2)S_x catalyst enhances selectivity via Cu adsorption & Fe hydrogenation, powering 62 LEDs for 70 h.

BN co-doped GP, with low ORR/OER overpotentials, favorable Li₄O₄ formation, fast kinetics, and reduced Li₂CO₃ formation, is a stable, metal-free, environmentally benign bifunctional cathode electrocatalyst for rechargeable non-aqueous Li–O₂ batteries

A computational funnel approach is compared to a genetic algorithm for the design of bioinspired mixed conductors.

FIB-SEM probed the GDL/electrocatalyst/electrolyte interface in Fresh and Used Zn–air batteries. Tomography reveals decompaction, pore formation, catalyst permeation and La segregation, reducing conductivity and O₂ diffusion.

New Zintl compound Eu₁₄GaAs₁₁ shows ultra-low thermal conductivity and a high Seebeck coefficient due to its complex structure, indicating potential for further optimization to enhance thermoelectric performance.

A Pd nanocube-modified PHI composite was successfully fabricated via electrostatic self-assembly and effectively promoted the visible-light-driven hydrogenation of nitriles to primary amines.

NASICON-type materials are promising electrolytes for all-solid-state sodium-ion batteries (ASSSBs); however, the role of pentavalent dopants (V⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺ and Ta⁵⁺) in Na₃Zr₂Si₂PO₁₂ (NZSP) remains insufficiently understood.

Gallium-based liquid metal (LM) nanoparticles hold an exceptional promise for catalysis, energy storage, and printed electronics due to their high conductivity, fluidity, and dynamic catalytic surfaces.

A redox-active covalent organic framework combines pseudocapacitive and faradaic Na storage for fast, stable, high-capacity performance, revealing that calendering-induced electrode densification hinders Na-ion transport by restricting pore access.

In this study, we identified the active sites for the OER and IOR using the BZ-NiCo-H catalyst. The Ni³⁺ in β-Ni(O)OH acts as active sites for the IOR, whereas Ni⁴⁺ in γ-Ni(O)OH acts as active sites for the OER.

Superior device-grade supercapacitor performance using dumb-bell shaped capsular oxo-vanadates functionalized with diphosphonate ligands.

Variable temperature PXRD of K₂ZnV₂O₇ showing impurity KVO₃ melt and recrystallise. The molten KVO₃ causes the high conductivity.

Additive-free, Co-lean NiCoAl LDH microflowers on Ni foam deliver high electrochemical performance and a remarkable Seebeck coefficient, enabling a bifunctional electrode for energy storage and conversion applications.

Rational design of electrode materials with tailored structural and electronic properties is crucial for the development of high-performance supercapacitors.

Balancing performance and cyclability is key for Na-based supercapacitors. The NaClO₄ : [C₃mpip][NTf₂] IL delivers the highest capacitance, NaOTf : PEG400 DES is stable short-term, while 17 m NaClO₄ shows gas evolution and interface instability.

This table of contents highlights the effect of 3d and 4d block ion doping (Fe³⁺, Mo⁶⁺, Rh³⁺) into a δ MnO₂ cathode material, demonstrating suppression of Mn³⁺-induced Jahn–Teller distortion effect.

In this study, we provide valuable insights into the fast rate preconditioning effects on optimization of a zinc ion (Zn–MnO₂) battery performance for long duration.

Exciton–plasmon coupled enhanced absorption and emission rates, and photoluminescence intensity from halide perovskite quantum dots for high-performance solar cells, light-emitting diodes, lasers, and photocatalysts.

The present study highlights the HER electrocatalytic performance of PdIrSnZnMo HEA with the delivery of a low overpotential of 17 mV to reach the benchmark current density (−10 mA cm⁻²) and excellent stability for 100 h in an acidic medium.

The synergistic effect of a chemically-sustaining lubrication mechanism caused by structural doping, redox reactivity and a tribo-oxidative feedback loop.

The MOF-on-MOF-derived V₃O₅/ZnO heterostructure detects MB at 10⁻⁸ M with a 5.9 × 10⁴ SERS enhancement factor. TA spectroscopy confirms its high SERS performance, resulting from efficient charge transfer between the heterojunction and MB.

Under back illumination conditions, under-layered Ag-SrTiO₃ heterostructure systems demonstrate a high faradaic efficiency of 80% and a notable CO production rate of 12 µmol h 1mg-1 at −0.8 V vs. RHE.

A low-cost gas chromatography setup was fabricated using PANI-modified silica gel as densely packed stationary column material for the effective separation of H₂ and CO₂ gases.

A one-pot synthesis of polymer-supported metalloporphyrin catalysts is demonstrated. The random-coil polymer chain allows coordination of axial ligands and distal groups to the active centre, thereby enhancing electrochemical catalysis performance.

Modulating the electrochemical performance of Li-rich layered oxides through solvothermal induced defects.

The first systematic comparison of different hybridization strategies for MIL-101(Cr)/GO composites that simultaneously evaluates both gravimetric and volumetric H₂ storage and delivery performance.

Aggregated Cu-NPs supported on FAU were successfully redispersed into small clusters (∼2 nm) during the simultaneous conversion of FAU to BEA by IZT process. Significantly high acetaldehyde selectivity (>70%) was achieved using transformed catalyst.

Multivalent Fe atoms attached to OV-rich 2D-BiOBr nanodiscs have been fabricated and utilized for photocatalytic NH₃ production from N₂. The role of active sites and OVs has been clearly investigated by experimental and computational studies.

This study examines BaZr_xCe_0.8−xY_0.1Yb_0.1O_2.9 proton conductors using X-ray and neutron diffraction with thermogravimetric analyses, revealing how hydration, composition, and temperature affect symmetry, phase transitions, and structural stability.

A self-powered, flexible, durable, and adaptable Janus MOFs-based membrane generates electricity from ambient humidity for next-generation sustainable wearable energy harvesters.

[Mo₃S₄Cl₃(en)₃]Cl clusters modulate g-C₃N₄ electronically, creating trap states that enhance charge separation and visible-light activity, unveiling a new route to tailor photocatalysts for efficient ROS generation and pollutant degradation.

An optimized gel polymer electrolyte membrane with a unique layered structure enables high ionic conductivity, wide electrochemical stability, and long-cycling LiFePO₄ battery performance.

Predicted superior Li-ion ionic conductor Li₉B₁₉S₃₃ was experimentally synthesized and characterized.

We explore the potential of novel double-transition-metal MXenes as electrode materials for multivalent metal-ion batteries using density functional theory. Our results reveal that these MXenes exhibit excellent specific storage capacities and low diffusion barriers.

Efficient electrocatalysts integrated into an anion exchange membrane electrolyzer enable simultaneous oxygen and hydrogen evolution in seawater, exhibiting high activity and durability while suppressing anodic corrosion.

Insufficient thermal stability of phase change materials (PCMs) remains a fundamental limitation for next-generation battery thermal management.

The present work deals with the design of an MXene-based model electrocatalyst via surface and interface engineering for lowering the E_a and accelerating the RDS of the multi-step HER in alkaline media.

The multiple-crosslinking ionogel electrolyte, combined with regulated Li⁺ environments, enabled rapid Li⁺ conductive pathways and high-performance quasi-solid-state lithium metal batteries.

Developing efficient integrated advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) is vital for sustainable treatment of antibiotic-contaminated water.

Core-twisted PBI-based COFs grown on WO₃ 3D-NS photoanodes enable photocurrent densities up to 590 ± 50 μA cm⁻² under green-light irradiation (>20 h, 1 sun, λ > 490 nm) using sulfonate hydroquinone as a redox mediator.

NiO dissolution into 8YSZ during fabrication of solid oxide cells accelerates degradation. Distinct pathways of oxide ion diffusivity degradation of 8YSZ are revealed, with temperature-dependent effects on phase transformation and Ni precipitation.

Lithium-ion cells with comparable capacity retention despite differences in surface chemistry between highly fluorinated and fully fluorine-free electrolytes and binders.

The modulator chemistry is used to develop novel thiol-functionalized MOF-808 that exhibits high Ag⁺ adsorption capacity (365 mg g⁻¹) with rapid kinetics (<10 min). The MOF effectively separates Ag⁺/Pb²⁺ from Al³⁺, under acidic conditions.

Multivalent Cu sites on reduced TiO₂ enable high solar H₂ evolution, visible-light activity (λ > 380 nm), and long-term stability, with operando UV-DRS revealing dynamic Cu redox.