Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers

This perspective summarizes recent advances in electrochemical humidity sensors and mainly focuses on three aspects: working principles; humidity sensing and power generation performances; self-powered humidity detection system.

Green hydrogen, produced by water splitting with renewables, faces water scarcity issues. Atmospheric moisture, a stable source, offers an alternative. This article reviews technologies and challenges of using atmospheric water for H₂ production.

This manuscript comprehensively reviews the recent advancements in Cu-based atomic site catalysts in the NO₃RR, following a sequential order with six sections: Introduction, Mechanism, Cu-based SACs, Cu-based SAAs, Cu-based DACs, and Perspectives.

The present review gives an overview of the different state-of-the-art X-ray techniques employed for the characterisation of photoelectrocatalytic systems, focusing on the possibilities of the studied techniques, cell designs and relevant results.

This review provides a summary of recent advancements in 1D/2D carbon materials (carbon nanotubes, graphene, MXenes, and carbon fibers) for FZIBs. It mainly introduces the functions of 1D/2D carbon materials in enhancing the performance of FZIBs.

This review summarizes the progressive understanding of the mechanism of the Pd-catalyzed CO₂ reduction reaction, together with recent advances in the rational design of Pd-based electrocatalysts.

A critical review of the regulatory mechanisms, structural design, cooling performance, and applications of hybrid cooling to advance its commercial use in passive cooling.

This review summarizes the recent progress in the regulation of local reaction intermediates and protons near active sites and discusses how their microenvironment affects the C–C coupling efficiency in the electrocatalytic CO₂RR.

This review analyzes advancements in CO₂-resistant perovskite cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells, detailing CO₂-poisoning mechanisms, evaluation methods, enhancement strategies, and characterization techniques for future cathode development.

State-of-the-art HEAs with outstanding water splitting performance is rationally designed, which provides a blueprint for the design of a next-generation platform for hydrogen regeneration.

In this review, we summarized the application methods of SECM in electrochemical reactions and also discussed the challenges and prospects of SECM in characterizing the activity of electrocatalysts.

Carbon-support-free platinum and non-platinum catalysts are reviewed to clarify the source of recent controversial results and to propose experimental conditions for their use in future fuel cell vehicles.

We summarize the influence of polymer coatings on cathode particles for electrochemical energy storage applications. We report on the effect of different polymer types, their properties, and their influence on thermo-electro-chemical behavior.

Dual-metal site catalysts embedded in a carbon matrix (referred to as DMSCs) are gaining significant interest in sustainable energy research.

The current review discusses on vanadium- and manganese-based metal–organic frameworks and their derivatives for energy storage and conversion applications along with the potential future advancements in these fields.

A comprehensive review of direct captured CO₂ electro-conversion technology, a promising Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technology that can achieve both techno-economic and environmental viability.

Nano-sized high entropy alloy (HEA) catalysts have attracted much attention as extraordinary electrocatalysts in water-splitting applications, i.e., the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

This review addresses four key factors and underlying mechanisms of doping engineering from crystal-field, molecular orbital, and ligand-field theory.

Metal/covalent organic frameworks (MOFs/COFs), with orderly aligned pores and adjustable pore characteristics, offer advantages over traditional fillers in constructing thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes for task-specific separations.

The review illustrates that the magnetic field effect can promote the generation of different nanostructures in material synthesis, achieve the transition from 1D to 2D and 3D structures in material assembly and improve the energy density of supercapacitor by the direct and indirect roles.

The efficient removal of trace impurities is significant for the production of high-purity olefins. This review summarizes the latest advancements in the deep purification of ethylene and propylene using MOF materials.

The unique piezoelectric effect of Exp-MoS₂ significantly promotes NH₄⁺ transfer and leads to a faster diffusion rate, making Exp-MoS₂/CC act as an outstanding anode of an integrated ammonium-ion asymmetric supercapacitor.

The d-band center of Pt nanoparticles has been demonstrated as an effective parameter for modulating their catalytic activity for toluene hydrogenation, thereby promoting the H₂ strong in liquid organic molecules.

The Mg@DL-Ti₂CCl_x composite, synthesized using MXene with partially removed terminal groups, shows enhanced hydrogen storage properties by forming a direct Ti–Mg interface which promotes charge transfer and weakens the Mg–H bond.

We first investigate the electrochemical dealloying effect and mechanism of a high-chromium alloy in alkaline NaNO₃ solution at oxygen evolution potential.

We report a strategy of catalyst design to modulate oxygen vacancies through the control of Au/ceria interface structures, promoting Au activity for carbon monoxide production in carbon dioxide electroreduction.

Prelithiation of LiMn₂O₄ balances the low first cycle efficiency of silicon anodes for improvements in energy density and prospective cell chemistry enabled by naturally abundant elements.

Tailoring the bismuth defects in ultrathin Bi₂WO₆ nanosheets can efficiently activate the C–H bond in toluene to produce benzaldehyde under light irradiation.

A novel heat storage ionomer binder with highly efficient heat-storage ability is proposed to function as an internal temperature conditioner, which allows the battery to function steadily over a wider temperature range.

An efficient adsorptive molecular sieving strategy to separate aromatic and cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons via an intrinsic/extrinsic approach.

Three-dimensional porous NiCoP foam supported on Ni foam is a superb bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall seawater splitting, attaining a large current density of 1000 mA cm⁻² at a low cell voltage of 1.97 V with robust stability over 300 hours.

We developed a hydroxyl-rich fibrous membrane that can undergo controllable in situ gelation to create a porous integrated interface between hydrogel electrolytes and electrode, resulting in ultra-thin all-in-one electrochemical capacitors.

The rapid development of technology has resulted in increased electromagnetic radiation, causing significant impact on human health. This work provides inspiration for the development and design of microwave absorbing materials.

A solid hot-injection solvent-recycle method is developed for cost-effective synthesis of Cu-based metal oxide nanocrystals towards CO₂ hydrogenation with the recovery of organic ligands and solvents.

A universal descriptor was constructed by combining DFT calculations and machine learning to predict highly active NRR electrocatalysts based on transition metal atom anchored 2D carbon nitrides with varied C/N ratios (TM@CN_x).

A high-entropy design enhances ORR activity via structure and surface properties. An SOFC with a high-entropy cathode has a peak power density of 787.15 mW cm⁻² at 800 °C and is stable for 100 hours.

A PCMs-enhanced thermostat capable of dynamically adjusting its thermal regulation performance along with the ambient temperature is developed, showing great potential for all-day temperature-adaptive thermal management in energy-saving buildings.

A dual-mode composite textile prepared with white hyperbranched flame retardants and black phosphorus nanosheets features adjustable personal thermal management and multiple synergistic flame retardant properties.

A dual-pronged strategy involving electrolyte manipulation and separator functionalization is proposed to improve the electrochemical magnesium storage performance of organic small molecules.

O_d-ZnO/NHCFs as an oxygen-vacancy catalyst exhibit enhanced desulfurization capability with the in situ construction of an S@O_d-ZnO/ZnS/NHCF heterostructure, which is used as a cathode for LSBs.

Alkali metal-doped cerium manganese-based three-dimensional ordered macroporous catalyst exhibit the formation of more oxygen vacancies and unsaturated structures.

The surface of a zinc metal anode was mapped using SECM. Slow Zn²⁺ transport can be caused by an insulating SEI (ZHS or ZnO) or horizontally plated zinc. Fast Zn²⁺ transport can be caused by a protruding morphology or a more conducting SEI.

A new method of utilizing carbon nanotubes as the electrolyte additive for lithium–oxygen batteries has been designed to overcome the shortcomings due to insulating discharge products.

This work theoretically studies the photovoltaic performance and carrier dynamics of S-scheme CsSnBr₃/SnS_x (x = 1, 2) heterostructures. The V_Br(6.3%)–CsSnBr₃/SnS-based solar cell device exhibits the highest power conversion efficiency (26.58%).

We demonstrated that the spin moment of magnetic metals in 2D MOFs is correlated with the stability and catalytic activity of 2D MOFs, which can guide the rational optimization of catalytic activity by tuning the spin states of the metal center.

A reduced Cu_0.75Zn_0.15Mg_7.1Al₁Sc₁O₁₁-HEO catalyst was highly active and stable for the dehydrogenation of cyclohexanol, and the conversion of cyclohexanol could be evidently enhanced when acetone was used as the solvent and/or hydrogen acceptor.

A novel four-way diffusion structure for Reverse Electrodialysis (RED), named compact RED (cRED), addresses the stability and power density challenges of the conventional series design, leading to substantial improvements in both metrics.

The efficient visible-light-driven cleavage of C_α–C_β bonds was realized through green and sustainable methods using a lead-free S-scheme perovskite heterojunction.

The one-pot synthesis of plasmonic black gold will facilitate rapid exploration of black gold's applications in a range of fields and also pave the way for scalable industrial deployment.

A nonflammable fluorine-rich deep eutectic electrolyte (DEE) promotes LiF-rich and Li₃N-rich robust interphases on both lithium metal anode and high-voltage cathode sides, endowing 4.5 V Li-metal batteries with exceptional cycling stability.

A growth-limited and self-polymerizing carbon layer-coated fluoride electrode creates refined nanodomains during cycling that cooperate with amorphous phases to promote Li⁺ conduction, providing excellent cycling life and specific capacity.

A graphene oxide interlayer between the cathode and the separator could address the shuttle issue of metal chloride cathodes. The electrochemical performance of metal chloride cathodes was significantly enhanced.

A heterostructured electrode coated with a Cr-tolerant Sr-free material, that exhibits a low oxygen vacancy concentration and contains reducible sites, showed excellent performance and stability in a Cr atmosphere.

H4 (T_d = 365 °C, D = 8844 m s⁻¹) synthesized in this work possesses both super heat resistance and high explosive properties, strongly supporting it as a candidate for advanced ultra heat-resistant explosives.

TDA-COF, a triazine-based COF with an irreversible thiadiazole linkage, swiftly carries out the blue light-powered selective conversion of thioanisoles with O₂.

We report a series of 2D tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-based COFs incorporating different organic linkers between the electroactive moieties that were investigated as p-type organic cathode materials for lithium-organic batteries.

A series of larger POSS-functionalized boron nitride nanosheets were prepared and utilized to address the trade-off between low dielectric constants and high thermal conductivity in polymer composites.

Bi atoms dispersed on Pd nanosheets promote electrochemical glycerol oxidation to C₃ products by modulating the Pd electronic structure and lowering the adsorption energy of reaction intermediates.

A novel alloying method was developed to etch Ga rapidly from Mo₂Ga₂C, which reduces the reaction energy barrier and improves the kinetics of Ga etching. Simultaneously, Li₃N in the molten salt generated new nitrogen-containing functional groups.

Triazole obstructs water induced corrosion and modulates Zn ion flux through its hydrophobic and zincophilic properties.

Metal-cation vacancies in CoAl-LDH nanosheets prepared by simple etching facilitate abundant surface oxygen vacancies. They promote the formation of frustrated Lewis pairs, which enhance the electrocatalytic NO reduction to NH₃.

A Zn anode artificial interface capable of accelerating Zn²⁺ transfer/transport while achieving uniform and promoted Zn nucleation, ultimately resulting in stable and corrosion-free Zn anodes.

This work reports the thermal and electron beam stabilities of a series of isostructural metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) of type MFM-300(M) (M = Al, Ga, In, Cr).