Themed collection 10th Anniversary: Most popular articles

In this highlight article, we briefly review the recent progress in preparation of the novel nanoporous carbons derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Some of their promising applications, particularly in energy and environment-related areas, and future directions are also discussed.

Perovskite nanocrystals embedded in metal–organic frameworks (PeMOF) are a new nanoscale heterostructure for stable photonic sources. This perspective discusses the properties of PeMOF structures and their current progress in photonic devices.

Recent progress in the synthesis and applications of zeolitic imidazolate framework materials is presented in this review.

Doped carbon materials can be prepared in different morphologies and display promising electrocatalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction.

Mixed-Matrix Membranes (MMMs) combining the benefits of both polymeric and inorganic materials have become a focus for the next-generation gas separation membranes.

As an alluring metal-free polymeric semiconductor material, graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄; abbreviated as GCN) has triggered a new impetus in the field of photocatalysis, mainly favoured from its fascinating physicochemical and photoelectronic structural features.

Transition metal-based electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction.

Key insights into the evolution of lithium-ion batteries: present, future, and hybridized technologies.

Electrochemical capacitors, so-called supercapacitors, play an important role in energy storage and conversion systems.

This review summarizes recent research progress and perspectives on noble-metal-free bifunctional heterogeneous electrocatalysts towards hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions in overall water splitting.

The present review article evaluates the effectiveness and special features of LDH/modified LDH on photocatalytic activities.

This review discusses the available routes for the large-scale production of graphene in terms of the exfoliation of graphite.

The potential application in the automotive field of several future cathode materials is evaluated based on their energy density, power capability and lifetime expectation.

Favorably engineering sensing reaction zones from triple phase boundaries to quadrupole phase boundaries towards enriching the functionality of the Li-garnet Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ fast-conducting electrolyte for sensing applications beyond batteries.

Building a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer of octadecanethiol on a CoP nanoarray on a titanium mesh (C18@CoP/TM) greatly enhances the N₂ reduction activity with an NH₃ yield of 1.44 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻² and a FE of 14.03% in 0.1 M Na₂SO₄.

The vast majority of perovskite solar cell research has focused on organic–inorganic lead trihalide perovskites; herein, we present working inorganic CsPbI₃ perovskite solar cells for the first time.

A spongy polypyrrole based conductive hydrogel with chemically tunable structures and electrochemical characteristics was developed for highly flexible solid-state supercapacitors.

A novel water-stable 2D Copper-Imidazolate Framework (2DCIF) exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction without the need for calcination. These 2DCIFs have been successfully used as air electrodes in Zn–air batteries.

In this work, vanadium doped molybdenum disulfide (V–MoS₂) electrocatalysts are successfully prepared by using vanadium defect-engineering for electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NITRR), which has significantly improved NITRR activity.

PEDOT:PSS was combined with OIPCs (C₂mpyrFSI and C₂mpyrTFSI) which gave high ionic and electronic conductivities and when employed for the first time in a solid-state Li|LiFePO₄ cell as an OMIEC binder it showed an outstanding performance.

The solvent-guided shaping of conjugated polymides activates O/N Zn-storage sites on the robust carbon architecture, which facilitates reversible Zn electrosorption and durable charge tansfer toward high energy-power Zn-ion capacitors.

A novel lead-free polar dielectric ceramic with linear-like polarization responses was found in (1 − x)(Bi_0.5Na_0.5)TiO₃–xNaNbO₃ ((1 − x)BNT–xNN) solid solutions, exhibiting giant energy storage density/efficiency and super stability against temperature and frequency.

3d transition metals or their derivatives encapsulated in nitrogen-doped nanocarbon show promising potential in non-precious metal oxygen electrocatalysts.

A mechanistic analysis of voltage shape changes in lithium metal anodes explains how dead lithium causes capacity fade and failure.

This work demonstrates the development of hierarchical ultra-thin g-C₃N₄ nanosheets with enhanced photocatalytic CO₂ reduction activity.

We demonstrate strong potential of computational screening and germanium iodide perovskite compounds for photovoltaic applications.

The stability of encapsulated planar-structured CH₃NH₃PbI₃ (MAPbI₃) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) was investigated under various simulated environmental conditions.

Post-modification by Al₂O₃ could improve the degradation of CH₃NH₃PbI₃ and retard electron recombination in all-solid-state solar cells.

Modified TiO₂ nanoparticles for visible light-induced photocatalytic activities.

This article provides a detailed description of the structural and physical characteristics of the perovskite (CH₃NH₃)PbI₃, which has potential application in solid-state sensitised solar cells.

Dramatic activity and photostability is generated due to the in situ deposition of monodispersed Ag₃PO₄ nanoparticles on the surface of a g-C₃N₄ sheet. This is because of the synergic effect between Ag₃PO₄ and g-C₃N₄.