Themed collection 2018 Sustainable Energy and Fuels HOT Articles

Recent results concerning molecular molybdenum sulfido clusters as model systems for heterogeneous hydrogen evolution catalysis by molybdenum sulfides are summarized and also compared to the related chemistry of the active site of the enzyme Mo-nitrogenase.

This perspective summarizes how to accurately determine voltage losses and optical gaps, aiming to facilitate comparisons between organic photovoltaic materials.

Highly efficient nanocatalysts which can selectively decompose hydrous hydrazine for hydrogen production are introduced.

The fascinating topic of converting chemical energy into electric power using biological catalysts, called enzymes, and sustainable fuels motivates a large community of scientists to develop enzymatic fuel cells.

This article highlights the most interesting discoveries concerning fullerenes in photovoltaics, which have contributed to advances in this field.

Manganese oxides, notably γ-MnO₂ and modified derivatives, have played a major role in electrochemical energy storage for well over a century.

Glass and edge seal encapsulation of a perovskite solar cell to enable stability through damp heat and thermal cycling tests.

Glucose isomerization and selective production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in aqueous media, using combined catalysis of bone char and acidic ionic liquid.

The synthesis, device fabrication, and electric poling of novel amino-functionalized fulleropyrrolidines in polymer solar cells is reported. Significantly improved device performances and retention stability were achieved with systematic variation in tether length, reaching PCE values in excess of 10%.

Flash photolysis studies indicate general base catalysis by borate in photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer from Co₃O₄ nanoparticles to Ru(III)(bpy)₃³⁺.

A “mediator-ion” solid-electrolyte membrane strategy enables the operation of methyl viologen–air batteries with a neutral anolyte and an acidic catholyte.

A PIL blocks metals at the electrode, while it is permeable to water, hydroxy ions and the as-generated oxygen.

Metallic ultrafine NbN with lattice matching to nanocrystalline CdS could replace the expensive platinum for efficiently trapping photogenerated electrons, enhancing charge separation and then activating the preferentially adsorbed H₂O to produce H₂.

Potassium phosphotungstate spheres, prepared by a simple coprecipitation method, are introduced for the first time as anode materials for a solar rechargeable battery.

FeS₂/N-doped rGO microspheres synthesized by a facile and green process show remarkable electrochemical performance for secondary LIBs.

Finding renewable energy sources as alternatives to petroleum-based fuels is a current global challenge.

A new photocatalytic protocol utilizing surface complexation of phenol with TiO₂ for the selective oxidation of amines into imines in air was presented.

Autoignition propensities of ternary mixtures of bio-derived ethyl levulinate/diethyl ether/ethanol are characterised to identify diesel and gasoline suitable mixtures.

It was possible to increase the biomethane content of raw biogas by removing CO₂, H₂S and water (H₂O) by a physico-chemical method.

A free-standing protective film is developed, acting like a sandglass, which can inhibit the shuttle effect of electrode materials.

Schematic of the lithium-ion battery and description of the P2D electrochemical model.

A membrane-less design with 100% catalytic selectivity enables H₂O₂ accumulation at a maximum solar-to-H₂O₂ conversion efficiency of 20.0–27.5%.

The multi-faceted significance of the anion upon the thermoelectrochemistry of the iron(II/III) redox couple has been extensively explored.

The development of safe and efficient H₂ generation/storage materials toward a fuel-cell-based H₂ economy as a long-term solution has recently received much attention.

New perylenediimide-porphyrin acceptors, 4PDI-ZnP and 2PDI-ZnP, have been facilely synthesized by acid-catalyzed condensation of perylenediimide-substituted benzaldehyde with pyrrole and dipyrromethane, respectively, and subsequent Zn(II)-complexation.

Visible light active photocatalytic performance of g-C₃N₄/NSON-X heterojunctions.

Just like in the Chinese fairy tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, where they meet each other with the aid of a magpie-bridge, photogenerated electrons can efficiently transfer from a dye to a Ni₂P co-catalyst with the aid of MOFs, thereby leads to increased H₂ generation.

By using HSQC NMR, delignification of the CAOSA process was described, which paves the way for developing new eco-friendly pulping technology.

Results reveal counter-intuitive behaviors of the electrolyte flow whereby capillary driven flow is secondary to the primary wetting mechanisms.

Electrolysis with a bipolar membrane induced pH gradient: the conditions for high energy efficiency (low membrane voltage) are explored.

Dual-working-electrode photoelectrochemistry experiments reveal how the most-prominent photocurrent transients are associated with catalyst oxidation/reduction.

NiFe oxyhydroxides are prime candidates for efficient alkaline water oxidation; their redox chemistry is tracked by X-ray spectroscopy.

A novel portable 3D gel paste electrolyte with an optimum P/Si ratio of 5 with trapped H₃PO₄ has been shown to have an enhanced conductivity and performance.

Herein, an optimal multistage charge strategy for commercial lithium ion batteries is proposed to enhance the performance of electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles.

Our study integrates power sector modelling with hydrogen infrastructure analysis and life cycle assessment complementing research on power-to-gas pathway alternatives.

The polarization study revealed the information on the electrocatalytic activity of Pt–Co/C cathodes in PEMFCs.

A novel strategy for selecting additives is adopted and a bifunctional additive is investigated for H₂O/HF-scavenging and enhanced cell performance.

An efficient pathway to obtain aviation biofuels from triglycerides via thermal chemical conversion.

The influence of structural parameters of highly-ordered silicon nanowire arrays on their solar-driven HER performance is systematically investigated.

Silicon photoanodes patterned with thin-film Ni catalyst islands exhibited stable sunlight-driven O₂ evolution for over 240 h of continuous operation in 1.0 M KOH.

Harvesting–storage device composed of a dye-sensitized solar cell-based module and a high voltage supercapacitor with impressive discharge capacity (0.1 mA h cm⁻²).

The procedure for binarization of X-ray tomographic data affects the quantitative analysis of microstructural parameters in lithium ion battery electrodes.

Electrodeposition is a simple and effective method for the synthesis of disordered hydrated vanadium pentoxide for energy storage applications.

Compared to organic electrolytes, C₃mpyrTFSI based hybrid electrolytes enhance the electrochemical performance of the NVP@C cathode material by forming a stable SEI layer in sodium batteries.

Cobalt hexacyanoferrate on Sb-doped SnO₂ as a non-noble catalyst for O₂ evolution in acidic medium.