Themed collection 2018 Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers

This article is written to provide an up-to-date review of porphyrin-based materials used in organic solar cells (OSCs).

Morphology engineering has been recognized as an effective way to attain highly efficient and stable hybrid perovskite solar cells.

Review detailing the use of microwave technology for the synthesis and scale-up of metal–organic frameworks.

The fundamental aspects, photocatalytic applications and ways to enhance the performance of spinels are systematically reviewed in this paper.

This review describes recent strategies for synthesizing polymers that are mostly or fully biobased and exhibit a high glass transition temperature.

Recent advances in single atom catalysts and their applications in organic chemistry are fully summarized in this review.

A comprehensive overview was shown on recent advances in electrolytes or hole-transport materials for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs).

Having access to clean water is a mandatory requirement for the proper development of living beings.

Currently, the application of new energy conversion and storage technologies is urgent in order to meet the increasing requirements for energy.

Batteries and supercapacitors can be explained by the same impedance model involving diffusion, but neither is controlled by ‘semi-infinite’ diffusion.

This article critically reviews the progress and challenges in using metal-free photocatalysts made from carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus used for hydrogen production.

Due to the emergence of numerous flexible electronic devices, the design and fabrication of flexible rechargeable batteries with high energy density have attracted great attention.

Direct synthesis of FeS/N-doped graphitic carbon composite for high-performance sodium-ion batteries.

We report a bio-inspired ionic skin with high stretchability (>1700%), transparency (>80%) and sensitivity (2 kPa⁻¹).

Conductive Ti₃C₂T_x (T = F, OH) MXene nanosheets act as efficient 2D catalysts for ambient electrohydrogenation of N₂ to NH₃.

Amorphous cobalt–nickel boride nanosheets are synthesised by the chemical reduction of Prussian blue analogs, and demonstrate comparable and bifunctional electrocatalytic activity for cost-efficient overall water splitting.

We developed a series of ternary random copolymers for all-PSCs, which presented superior performances to their blended counterparts.

MoN nanosheets for the first time serve as a highly active co-catalyst to greatly enhance the photocatalytic H₂ production of TiO₂.

With alternating binding of reaction intermediates, O-terminated MXenes display low theoretical overpotential for CO₂ reduction reaction.

Proton-containing ceramics have been investigated for the first time as the supporting phase for the energy storage medium in intermediate-temperature (IT) solid-oxide metal–air redox batteries.

ZIF-67 nanocubes with sophisticated structures are synthesized.

Substituting indium-tin-oxide, one-pot deposition of WO₃/Ag/SnO₂ films with high transmittance and low sheet resistance enables the formulation of high-performance perovskite solar cells.

Two-dimensional (2D) composites composed of redox active conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) enable efficient faradaic energy storage.

Based on an n-type PDI–EDA anode, a p-type PTPAn cathode and a Mg(ClO₄)₂/AN electrolyte, a magnesium ion based secondary battery with organic electrodes exhibits excellent electrochemical performances.

A defect-free and continuous 2D azine-linked ACOF-1 membrane on a porous alumina support is developed for highly selective CO₂/CH₄ separation.

A new series of 4-nitramino-3-(5-dinitromethyl-1,2,4-oxadiazolyl)-furazan-based energetic compounds which are competitive with HMX was synthesized in four steps with an overall yield of ∼50% by using a straightforward method.

The effects of fused-ring regiochemistry on the physicochemical and photovoltaic properties of n-type organic semiconductor (n-OS) acceptors are investigated.

A general “eutectic salt-assisted semi-closed pyrolysis approach” is presented for the fabrication of a high-density active-site hierarchically porous Fe/N/C catalyst.

Two electron-transporting Bingel fullerenes have been developed for achieving thick-film perovskite solar cells with efficiencies beyond 19% with perovskite layers over 1 micrometer, unveiling the subtle molecular interaction between Bingel fullerenes and perovskites strongly influences the device hysteresis and performance.

A cake making strategy is developed to prepare reduced graphene oxide wrapped plant fiber sponges for high-efficiency solar steam generation.

This communication reports the discovery of an effective and long-lasting p-type dopant polymeric acid for transparent carbon electrodes.

Organic solar cells based on new medium-bandgap small-molecule electron acceptors reach PCEs of 10.05% and 11.86% in single-junction and tandem devices, respectively.

A Li–O₂ battery with an in situ formed IL–SSE hybrid interfacial layer achieved 99.5% coulombic efficiency and a significantly improved capacity retention. The organic–inorganic hybrid layer exhibited ionic activation behavior through a dispersing redistribution and bridging process, revealing the beneficial interaction of IL and SSE in the cycling in safe IL–SSE-based Li–O₂ batteries.

A solar rechargeable battery based on Na-ion storage presents feasible photon–electron conversion, and energy storage and release capability.

Lithium–oxygen batteries with non-carbon cathode realize largely-improved performance by designing mediators and Li⁺-Nafion separator to prevent self-discharge and shuttle problems.

A graphene-wrapped 3D-PtNi nanosponge was synthesized using carbon dots as a structure-directing agent.

Super-flexible bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-amide (TFSA)-doped graphene transparent conducting electrode (GR TCE)-based FAPbI_{3 − x}Br_x perovskite solar cells with 18.9% power conversion efficiency (PCE) for a rigid device and 18.3% for a flexible one are demonstrated because the TFSA-doped GR TCE reveals high conductivity and high transmittance.

A polyoxometalate supported by the metal–organic framework, NU-1000, undergoes migration from the mesopore to the micropore when heated.

A novel rapid fabrication technique that combines scanning laser melting and spark plasma sintering is developed to synthesize bulk filled skutterudites with high thermoelectric performance.

Photo-generated charge carrier dynamics in Ruddlesden–Popper 2D perovskites with linear (n-BA) and branched (iso-BA) butylamine as spacing cations have been studied by using transient absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopies.

A facile and efficient template-free method has been successfully developed to fabricate uniform nitrogen-doped carbon-confined V₂O₃ hollow spheres, which displayed stable and fast lithium storage.

1D hollow nitrogen-doped carbon tubes (h-NCTs) were fabricated through a supramolecular template-derived approach and employed as the structure-guiding template, porogen and nitrogen source for in situ N-doping.

Mn^II-doped g-C₃N₄ obtained through redox reactions between a permanganate and urea upon calcination in an inert gas exhibits enhanced photogenerated charge carrier separation.

A solvent-switched in situ confinement approach has been developed to synthesize highly active nanocatalysts with ultrafine and clean metal nanoparticles encapsulated within carbon nanopores, over which record-high hydrogen evolution has been achieved under heterogeneous conditions.

Amorphous Sb/C with a nanoporous structure and subnanometric dispersity is synthesized by a simple, bottom up solid state reaction between Sb₂O₃ and CaC₂. It exhibits an unprecedented performance of sodium storage.

In this study, we demonstrated the effects of the molecular weight (MW) of a green processable polymer (asy-PBTBDT) on its photovoltaic performance and thermal stability for the first time.

A platinum oxide decorated amorphous cobalt oxide hydroxide nanosheet array has been prepared and used for alkaline hydrogen evolution.

Novel sticky-note supercapacitors with repeated adhesive performance are fabricated from sticky carbon nanotube array electrodes. The supercapacitors can be repeatedly attached onto various substrates, and they can also be brought into direct contact with each other to power external electronic devices as their contacting layers are electrically conductive. They are flexible with high specific capacitances after attaching and removing.

The Fe center in FePc can be electrochemically substituted by Co and Ni, achieving high activity and stability for CO₂ reduction.

A powerful strategy to design the structure, control the particle sizes and fabricate catalytic devices is developed for lanthanide MOFs.

A facile biotemplating method with the assistance of a supercritical CO₂ technique has been developed to construct a unique 3D porous SiOC/Se cathode for ultrahigh areal capacity and long cycle life Li–Se batteries.

We report a novel strategy for the spatial confinement of mesoporous single-crystalline MnO_x nanofibers within a graphene shell (PSCMnO_x@G). The PSCMnO_x@G exhibits ultra-high rate performance (1072 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹ and 419 mA h g⁻¹ at 10 A g⁻¹) and excellent cycling stability.

Random configuration approach simultaneously enhances charge mobility, solubility in a green solvent, and flexibility of a semiconducting polymer.

Ultrathin layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets are a promising candidate as the electrode material for energy storage due to the ultrafast mass diffusion and greater specific surface area.

A novel two-dimensional Ge-based hybrid perovskite is proposed for potential optoelectronic applications.

FeOOH/FePO_x porous nanotubes were prepared with polyoxometalates for high-performance electrocatalytic OER, affording a low overpotential of 230 mV.

Panchromatic ternary organic solar cells with photoresponses beyond 1000 nm and power conversion efficiencies as high as 12.1% were fabricated using low-bandgap polymer PTB7-Th as a donor and ultra low-bandgap F8IC and mid-bandgap IDT-2BR as nonfullerene acceptors.

Hollow carbon nanospheres with enlarged interlayer spacing as a high-performance anode material for potassium ion batteries.

One-step, room-temperature etching and sulfuration of CoAl-LDH to form porous and amorphous CoS_x(OH)_y for superior oxygen evolution reaction.

A novel strategy is proposed to construct simple-structured SMAs using a weakly electron-deficient thiazolothiazole (TTz) core. The highest PCE of 8.77% is recorded for TTz1-based OSCs, which is the highest efficiency to date among non-fullerene OSCs with simple-structured SMAs.

A paragenesis BN/CNT hybrid was prepared via a one-step co-pyrolysis method. Used as a sulfur host for Li–S batteries, the cathode exhibits high active-sulfur utilization, superior cycling stability and excellent rate capability.

Nanocatalyst with AgPd nanoparticles coupled to WO_2.72 nanorods combines multi-step reactions in one-pot to prepare complex heterocycles under mild conditions.

Lithium poly-acrylic acid facilitates Li⁺ ion transport through the electrode interface via reversible H⁺/Li⁺ exchange, constructs a stable electronic conductive network, and modifies the composition of the cathode-electrolyte interface film.

After progressive charge/discharge, LATP without an ALD coating was dramatically reduced while the ALD protected LATP showed significantly enhanced stability.

The molten-salt electrodeposition method is applied for the construction of porous NiCoP for the first time.

A novel ternary OSC with enhanced PCE and environmental stability has been obtained via utilizing excimer enhanced energy transfer.

A mechanically strong, sensitive and lightweight CNT/rGO–CNF carbon aerogel is fabricated by synergistic assembly of CNFs and CNTs to form ordered wave-shaped rGO layers and reinforcing the carbon layers.

MOF-derived and nitrogen-doped ZnSe@rGO composites have been fabricated as high-performance Li/Na-storage anode materials.

In this study, we investigate the gas sensing performance of molybdenum carbides for the first time and they show ultra-high signal-to-noise ratios and excellent ambient stability.

A cycle-stable sulfur cathode with a solid-phase conversion mechanism is developed by building a SEI layer on S/C particles.