Themed collection 2017 Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers

Scalable manufacturing of high-aspect-ratio multi-material electrodes are important for advanced energy storage and conversion systems. There is a need to understand how one goes from a colloidal state through processing to a functional porous electrode. Such knowledge enables ink-engineering for electrode performance and durability optimization.

Approaches to enhance the performance of recent sensitizers employed in dye-sensitized NiO photocathodes for DSC and DSPEC devices are described.

Inverse-opal structured isoporous membranes can exhibit outstanding separation properties of high selectivity and high permeability.

This review summarises the recent advances of various strategies in improving the performances of BiVO₄ in photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical systems.

This review discusses the correlation between structure formation, nanostructural details and mechanical properties in biobased high performance materials formed from renewable cellulose nanofibrils.

The mixed cation lead halide perovskite solar cells exhibited improved performance and enhanced stabilities.

Over the past few years, lead halide perovskites have emerged as a class of dominant semiconductor materials in the photovoltaic (PV) field with an unprecedented sharp enhancement of power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 22.1%, as well as in other promising optoelectronic applications due to their extraordinary and unique properties.

Controlled synthesis for electrode materials and excellent electrochemical performances were introduced for advanced supercapacitors.

The sodium storage performance of layered metal dichalcogenide anodes enhanced through nanostructure engineering, crystal structure modulation, doping/alloying and composite design is systematically reviewed.

This review firstly proposes the concept of water-facilitated CO₂ capture materials. The strategies of avoiding the negative effects of water and maximizing the positive effects of water are tentatively proposed.

In this review, the recent developments of novel configurations for Li–S batteries, including hierarchical gradient cathodes, modified separators, solid-state electrolytes and lithium anode protection, are presented.

This review article summarises the progress, challenges and prospects of nanostructured cathode materials for lithium–sulfur batteries.

Metal halide perovskites, particularly lead halide perovskites, have seen extraordinary breakthroughs in photovoltaics with power conversion efficiency swiftly surging to over 22% in the past few years, demonstrating their huge potential for rivalry with crystalline silicon solar cells in terms of production cost and performance for the future photovoltaic market.

A new series of bimetallic COMOC-2(V)/DUT-5(Al) frameworks are developed and fully characterized.

Li metal has been considered as the ultimate anode material for high-density electrochemical energy storage technology because of its extremely high specific capacity (3860 mAh g⁻¹), lowest redox potential, and ability to enable battery chemistries with lithium free cathode materials.

A robust two-dimensional covalent organic framework (COF-JLU5), which exhibits excellent heterogeneous photocatalytic performances for oxidative C–H functionalizations under visible-light irradiation using O₂ as a green oxygen source, is reported.

The volume expansion of a sulfur cathode can be accommodated by fabricating a composite structure with a soft sorbent (graphene) and a hard skeleton (SiC) material in lithium sulfur batteries.

σ _b of NBT is optimised by acceptor-doping, which is restrained by oxygen-vacancy diffusivity limit in perovskites.

An excellent electrocatalyst for reversible oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution synthesized by direct growth of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes on cobalt boride nanoparticles.

Operando XAFS provides quantitative evidence of structural distortions of platinum oxide as an active site during photocatalytic water splitting.

We report a novel metal–organic framework showing a very efficient, selective and fast Hg²⁺ removal.

Aqueous N₂ electrochemical reduction at low overpotential of 0.14 V is achieved on (110)-oriented Mo nanofilm at ambient pressure.

A N-doped porous carbon coated cobalt oxide nanoarray electrode was prepared with excellent bifunctional oxygen catalytic performance, and demonstrated good stability and high efficiency in a Zn–air battery.

A series of new non-fullerene small molecule acceptors (NTIC, NTIC-Me, NTIC-OMe and NTIC-F) based on the acceptor–donor–acceptor (A–D–A) architecture, using hexacyclic naphthalene-(cyclopentadithiophene) as the central unit, were designed and synthesized.

An all-carbon aromatic ring substitutionally doped g-C₃N₄ was synthesized with greatly enhanced light absorption, band structure and carrier separation, achieving a 3 times higher hydrogen evolution rate (HER).

Facilitated by supplementary thermal energy converted from sustainable solar irradiance, the electrocatalytic water splitting kinetics of cobalt phosphide superstructures are considerably enhanced.

Graphene foil with high electrical conductivity exhibits versatile features, as a flame-retardant material and a substitute for metal current collectors.

An in situ electrochemical Ni-incorporating strategy is developed to tailor the electronic structure of β-FeOOH and the as-prepared Ni incorporated β-FeOOH exhibits a high oxygen evolution electrocatalytic performance in alkaline media.

Carbon nitride nanotubes with enhanced optical absorption and advanced charge carrier behavior stimulate photocatalytic hydrogen production.

The best performance copolymer exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 9.08%, representing the highest value for ternary conjugated D–A copolymers.

A high electrocatalytic performance free-standing film based on molybdenum carbide nanoribbons between N-doped graphene nanolayers was developed.

MoO_3−x spheres with plasmonic and amorphous features were obtained as highly active and stable photoanodes for water oxidation.

Au octahedra have been encapsulated into Pd nanoframes to further enhance the catalytic activity of Pd nanoframes toward Suzuki coupling reactions.

After carbonization of bamboo nanocellulose aerogels in ammonia gas, the obtained nitrogen-doped carbon nanofiber (N-ACNF) aerogels with a tunable nanostructure were found to be ideal candidates for high-performance anodes in LIBs.

A meter-length graphene-confined, polypyrrole film was fabricated by scalable wet-spinning technology for cycling stable supercapacitors.

Confining smaller and fewer SnO₂ nanoparticles within honeycomb-like carbon nanoflakes demonstrated superior cycle stability and rate capability for lithium storage.

A core–shell Fe–Co₃O₄@Fe–Co–Bi nanoarray (Fe–Co₃O₄@Fe–Co–Bi/CC) acts as a superior catalyst electrode for water oxidation, with the need of an overpotential of 420 mV to drive 10 mA cm⁻² in 0.1 M K-Bi.

We report a facile approach for the one-step room-temperature preparation of nearly monodisperse AgPd alloy nanoparticles supported on semiconductor graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN). The AgPd/g-CN nanocatalysts are highly active and durable for dehydrogenation of formic acid under visible light or dark at ambient condition.

A type of functionalized nanoparticles filled transparent wood composite for heat-shielding-window applications.

Controllable fabrication of metal–organic polyhedra in confined cavities with improved properties was realized through in situ site-induced assembly.

In situ polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) is achieved on the surface of 2D Ti₃C₂T_x MXene without using any oxidant, resulting in improved lithium ion storage capability of Ti₃C₂T_x/poly-EDOT hybrids.

While lithium metal anodes have the highest theoretical capacity for rechargeable batteries, they are plagued by the growth of lithium dendrites, side reactions, and a moving contact interface with the electrolyte during cycling.

Free standing Ni nanobelts dispersed in HTMs were developed for high efficiency and ambient stable mesoscopic perovskite solar cells.

Wedge-shaped colored TiO₂ nanoarrays grown on Ti foam have been synthesized with full solar spectrum harvesting.

Inspired by the “tip effect”, hollow cupric oxide spheres can be used as an effective host for Li–S batteries.

We constructed defective heterointerfaces of p-SnO on n-SnS₂ nanosheets by plasma treatment to improve the anode performance in Li-ion batteries.

A novel bioinspired polydopamine derivative was prepared by self-polymerization of 6-(2-aminoethyl)-3-hydroxypyridin-2(1H)-one in an alkaline medium. It could be used as precursor to produce pyridinic N-rich carbon nanocapsules with a desired N doping content and superior electrocatalytic activity and stability for the ORR.

Remarkably improved thermoelectric properties are achieved through the synergetic effects of the resonance levels, the valence band convergence, and the carrier concentration optimization by chemical doping.

We report on a barium disilicide (BaSi₂) system as a potential absorber material for thin-film solar cells within the density functional theory framework by using advanced methods like GW and BSE and elucidate the first report on the molecular orbital diagram and defect physics in BaSi₂.

Investigation of a newly developed IL-derived composite electrode, synthesized via the salt templating method for utilization in vanadium redox flow batteries.

We designed a three-dimensional hierarchical structure of cyclized-PAN/Si/Ni by the CVD method for mechanically stable silicon anodes.

Sodium-ion battery technology, the existing electrodes, and electrolytes are still in the early stage of development, and more intense research is necessary before moving to mass production and application.

Theoretical study on two-dimensional multilayered MXenes for hydrogen production from water splitting.

Thermoelectric transport properties of EuZn₂Sb₂ can be well understood by a SPB conduction and the κ_L-reduction leads to zT-enhancement.

We report a facile approach to prepare 3D hierarchically porous graphene/nitrogen-rich carbon foams via introducing graphene oxide nanosheets into commercial melamine foam. The assembled solid-state symmetric supercapacitors deliver considerably enhanced energy storage capability and excellent cycling stability.

Colloidal engineering by controlling the size of colloidal clusters in the perovskite precursor was developed to induce monolayer CH₃NH₃PbI₃ films.

A novel method is described for production of a two-tiered hierarchical nickel hydroxide nanosheet via self-regulating acid-etching.

A new photovoltaic system based on single layer group-IV monochalcogenides MX (M = Ge, Sn; X = S, Se) exhibits high performance.

Tailoring the chemistry of mixed polymers leading to excellent battery performance. A novel avenue with surface chemistry control of materials.

A novel approach, combining sulfurization and cation-exchange processes, is developed to fabricate hollow ZnCdS rhombic dodecahedral cages from ZIF-8, which exhibit superior catalytic activity and durability for hydrogen evolution from water splitting under cocatalyst-free and visible-light driven conditions.

Highly conductive porous Na-embedded carbon nanowalls exhibit excellent counter electrode performance for HTM-free perovskite solar cells without metal electrodes.

Solid-phase adsorbents for rare-earth ions are prepared by covalently binding organophosphate ligands on mesoporous silica via a versatile metal(IV)–O–P linkage.

Temperature induced Cu₂SnS₃ phase transition from a defective cubic to a monoclinic structure assessed by Raman spectroscopy and leading to higher photovoltaic efficiency.

Mesoporous single-crystal NiO was synthesized by controlling metal ion hydrolysis and solvent evaporation rates, exhibiting excellent electrochemical activities.

Nano-scale Al₂O₃ coating was effective at resolving the degradation pathways of the cathode surface in sodium-ion batteries.

Numerous energetic coordination complexes (Mn^II, Fe^II, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II, Zn^II, and Ag^I) using 1-methyl-tetrazole as the ligand were synthesized and tuned by different counteranions (e.g. NO₃⁻, ClO₄⁻, picrate, and styphnate). They show great potential for mechanical or optical initiation systems.

Simultaneous polymerization enabled the facile fabrication of S-doped mesoporous carbon materials as advanced electrodes for high-capacitance supercapacitors.

A Z-scheme full-spectrum-activated upconversion heterostructural photocatalyst was designed and synthesized, which exhibited superior photocatalytic activity than commercial P25 by 15 fold.

Transplantable superhydrophobic films with comprehensive performance in translucence, thermal tolerance, stretchability, impact resistance, wear resistance, anti-corrosion, and self-cleaning.

A macro-chamber for sulfur-conversion reactions for lithium–sulfur batteries was created using the in situ growth of a TiN/reduced graphene oxide multifunctional cover layer. The chamber significantly increased the utilization of sulfur and the cycling stability of lithium–sulfur batteries.