Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers

Ultrafine intermetallics (<5 nm) offer unique catalytic properties but face sintering challenges. We highlight carbon-supported synthesis strategies for precise control, focusing on electrocatalytic applications and future directions.

This perspective highlights how electrode substrate choice critically affects electrocatalyst performance in water splitting, guiding researchers to design better catalysts by leveraging each substrate’s unique properties.

Zinc–air batteries (ZABs) stand at the forefront of energy storage technologies. However, challenges like slow kinetics and low rechargeability persist. MOF–MXene hybrids enhance performance, enabling sustainable ZAB technology.

This review explores the properties of strontium iridate (SrIrO₃) and its potential as a high-performance catalyst for water splitting in both acidic and alkaline environments, providing key insights for the advancement of electrolysis technologies.

This review systematically summarizes the cutting-edge development of covalent organic framework-derived functional interphases for improving Zn chemistry in aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

This paper reviews the working principles and key parameters of TJPSCs and presents recent research progress, focuses on how component optimization, interface engineering, and charge transport layer improvements influence efficiency.

A review about 2D covalent organic frameworks as organic electrode materials for aqueous batteries.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current development of smart batteries, which can be divided into three parts: smart materials, smart manufacturing and smart sensing.

By adjusting the composition of the inner Helmholtz plane and the outer Helmholtz plane, it is expected to improve the desolvation structure of zinc ions, inhibit the side reaction of zinc anode and enhance the long-cycle performance of the battery.

This review clearly elucidates the lineage of the development of NO₃⁻RR from the theoretical mechanism to practical reactions and deepens the understanding of NO₃⁻RR, pointing out the direction for the advanced design of NO₃⁻RR electrocatalysts.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as a compelling alternative to lithium-ion batteries, driven by the abundance of raw materials and lower costs.

The utilization of nickel-based catalysts in hybrid CO₂ electrolysis systems enhances the efficiency of CO₂ reduction by coupling low-energy alternative oxidation reactions, thereby offering an innovative route towards a sustainable carbon economy.

Overview of the applications and performance improvement strategies of pyro-catalysis.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2DTMDCs) are promising in quantum computing, flexible electronics, spintronics, sustainable energy systems, and advanced healthcare.

This review summarizes the recent progress of atomically dispersed metal catalysts for oxygen reduction electrocatalysis, including advanced theories and descriptors, active site structure, and advanced characterization techniques.

The utilization of 2D CTFs in advanced electrochemical energy storage systems not only demonstrates the enhancement of the energy and power densities of these devices, but also promotes their cycling stability and rate performance.

We explored the cutting-edge dual-functional CaL-ICCC process, addressing current limitations and proposing future strategies to minimize energy penalties through integrated multiscale approaches spanning materials, reactors, and systems.

We review the progress on MOF-based separators for LSBs, with a particular focus on the relationship between the MOF structures and their functional roles in polysulfide capture, catalytic conversion, and uniform Li⁺ ion flux regulation.

This review highlights that screen-printed gas sensors are cost-effective and scalable, ideal for environmental, industrial, and healthcare applications.

This review focuses on the transformative role of the carbon-based covalent bridging bonds in the field of sodium-ion batteries, providing valuable insights for advancing the next-generation high-performance sodium-ion batteries.

The construction of multilayer electrolytes can improve the electrode interface and enhance the performance of solid-state batteries.

This review focuses on pore engineering (intrinsic pore size, extrinsic porosity, and pore environment) in porous organic cages and summarizes the roles of pore engineering in various fields.

This review highlights recent advances in Ir-based electrocatalysts based on different design strategies. This review will guide future research in the development of high-performance Ir-based HOR electrocatalysts for AEMFCs.

The utilization of ferroelectrics offers an additional lever to surpass the performance limits of traditional photoelectrodes. In this review, design strategies for ferroelectric photoelectrodes from materials to PEC system design are assessed.

This review examines the integration of artificial intelligence with nanogenerators to develop self-powered, adaptive systems for applications in robotics, wearables, and environmental monitoring.

σ–π synergy and spatial confinement in Cu₁–C₂N motifs optimize the reactivity–stability balance for CO electrocatalysis over conventional Cu–N_x sites.

An effective side-chain halogenation strategy realizes high-performance OSCs with efficiency over 20%.

Nitrogen doping in flash graphene modulates interfacial interactions to enable polymer composites with enhanced properties.

This work shows that reconstructing a Gd³⁺-enriched Helmholtz plane enhances interfacial stability, improves Zn anode reversibility, and boosts capacity and cycling stability in zinc–bromine flow batteries.

A polarization-sensitive photodetector based on 1D vdW Nb₂Pd_1−xSe₅ is reported. Image convolutional processing and proof-of-concept multiplexing optical communications and polarization imaging are demonstrated based on the devices.

Disk-like CuS nanoparticles facilitate the photocatalytic conversion of carbonate-rich waste marble-dust to acetic acid under monochromatic green light, offering a green route for carbon upcycling and waste utilization.

Nickel-mediated interfacial design in Mo₂C/Ni/Fe₃O₄ ternary heterostructures establishes decoupled hydrogen/oxygen-containing intermediate spillover pathways via interfacial Ni–C–Mo and Ni–O–Fe interactions and moderation.

A novel 2PACz/MA composite HTL strategy improves the efficiency and stability of OSCs by optimizing interface quality.

A weakly solvated electrolyte strategy for high-performance fluoride-ion batteries at room temperature.

This work systematically investigates the influence of the sp/sp² hybrid carbon ratio on the NRR catalytic performance of Ti@GY/Gr heterojunctions and explores the underlying mechanisms and relevant descriptor relationships.

Structured macro-droplets, stabilized by self-assembled and jammed hemispherical Janus particles at water–oil interfaces, enable scalable fabrication of multi-functional granular materials, e.g., magnetic/fluorescent capsules.

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.

DFT reveals oxygen vacancies on SnO₂ stabilize polarons, driving efficient O₂ activation and CO oxidation. These findings enable advanced SnO₂-based sensor design, leveraging defect engineering to boost catalytic and sensing performance.

NiF₂/FeF_x was synthesized via the co-precipitation method. The formation of multi-component fluorides promotes structural reconstruction and increases the participation of lattice oxygen, thereby improving the oxygen evolution reaction activity.

An enzyme-mimic matched pockets for efficient substrate-selective catalysis in complex mixtures.

Thermostable thin-film composite nanofiltration membranes are fabricated via interfacial polymerization by integrating PIP with MPD as the aqueous monomers, which show high MgSO₄ rejection at 85 °C.

Schematics of the “one stone, three birds” strategy proposed for the p-block elemental B₂@C₃N₄/Gra electrocatalyst.

Pt nanoparticles show a quantum-induced ORR catalysis transition near 1.5 nm, where classical size–activity trends fail. Below this size, quantum confinement enhances activity, making a quantum boundary for size- and symmetry-driven catalyst design.

A nanoconfined interpenetrating ZnCdS–COF heterojunction enhanced interfacial coupling and built-in electric field, prolonging carrier lifetime to boost photocatalytic H₂O₂ production and thiophenol coupling under visible light.

Ultrathin Pt-based high entropy alloy nanowires are synthesized through a simple coreduction method, exhibiting abundant exposed active sites and outstanding catalytic activity in both alkaline MOR and HER processes.

Charge-trapping in silicon nitride anodes govern structural transformations during the initial lithiation.

The tolerance of differentially aged batteries under typical abuse conditions plays a critical role in battery safety protection design.

We have designed a NiCo-MOF decorated Zr/Sm co-doped Fe₂O₃ photoanode with a p–n heterojunction. Zr/Sm co-doping enhanced bulk conductivity, while NiCo-MOF passivated surface-trapping states and served as a cocatalyst.

Synergistic Nb-Mo dual sites on MoSe₂ edges enable urea electrosynthesis at an ultralow limiting potential (−0.35 V) by efficiently activating N₂ and facilitating C–N coupling, while simultaneously suppressing competing reactions.

Two bicarbazole 2D COFs, NUST-69/70, with distinct electronics, show efficient water-splitting and good bifunctional HER/OER activity. Notably, NUST-70 with D-A benzothiadiazole moiety, modulates sites/charge transfer, boosting OER at 292 mV.

Catalytic pyrolysis converts waste PET bottles into oxygen-functionalized carbon nanotubes for supercapacitor electrodes, demonstrating 103.6% capacity retention after 10 000 cycles in a two-electrode system.

The N-doped NiHf alloy was successfully synthesized through plasma, demonstrating excellent electrocatalytic performance toward the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline seawater.

Heterocyclic amines modify the structure of ZIF-8, yielding a defective ZIF, a mixed-phase material, and a new layered ZIF phase. These changes enhance porosity and defect levels in the resulting nitrogen doped carbons.

A novel strategy has been developed to precisely enhance the energy dissipation performance of the PDMS double-network elastomers by modulating the viscoelastic properties of the dynamic borate PDMS network.

Grain boundary engineering enables high thermoelectric performance in polycrystalline SnS by synergistically reducing lattice thermal conductivity through mass transport and enhancing carrier mobility via grain growth promotion.

An ionic thermoelectric hydrogel (HIG) for heat harvesting and fire protection was prepared. NaCl modulation enabled p–n conversion and p–n junction exhibited a much higher thermopower. HIG showed good potential for applications in supercapacitors.

We homogenize liquid-like Cu atoms via phase-dependent diffusion and quenching, suppressing clustering and vacancies by freezing a uniform Cu sublattice, thereby significantly reducing carrier concentration and lattice thermal conductivity.

Alpha-Fe₂O₃ nanorods modified with Fe₂TiO₅ and Pt enable efficient light-driven water oxidation and the ORR, serving as a bifunctional cathode in solar Zn–air batteries with 50 h stability, low charging, and high discharging potentials.

The self-assembly processes of two L-phenylalanine methyl ester-functionalized naphthalene diimide triads were thoroughly examined. The correlation between the molecular structure, assembly morphology, and functionality was illustrated.

Bowl-like B, N co-doped carbon anchoring ultrafine Li₃VO₄ nanocrystals were fabricated via in situ molecular cross-linking assisted spray drying route, improving the electrochemical lithium-ion storage kinetics and the power density of Li₃VO₄.

Capacitive deionization using novel phosphorylated cathodes and a small electrical potential is optimized to achieve monovalent cation adsorption with low energy consumption, removing sodium from water without reducing the calcium concentration.

Incorporating Me-4PACz into low-donor-content blends enables self-assembled hole transport pathways and reduced trap states, simultaneously achieving AVT (37.53%) and PCE (10.70%) in semi-transparent organic photovoltaics with an LUE of 4.01%.

The oxygen vacancies in Cu@CeO₂-OVs significantly increase the interfacial electron density, promote electron transfer and intermediate stability, thereby reducing the C–C coupling energy barrier and achieving highly selective C₂H₄ generation.

Solar desalination technology has garnered considerable attention due to its eco-friendliness, sustainability, and cost-efficiency; however, its practical application is impeded by the drawback of low water yield.