Themed collection Energy & Environmental Science Recent HOT Articles

Active sites play a pivotal role in photo/electrocatalysis, particularly in the transition from fossil fuels to clean, efficient and renewable energy sources.

Heteroatom doping engineering is widely used to modify the physical/chemical properties of carbon anodes, which can regulate the electronic structure and interface state to regulate the potassium bond to improve potassium storage performance.

This review highlights deep-eutectic solvents for green recycling of spent Li-ion battery cathodes towards future commercialization.

Enhancing the output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators through surface modification, mechanical design and power management.

This review provides an in-depth discussion of the carbon-based electrocatalysts for rechargeable Zn–air batteries from design strategies, research progress, and future perspectives.

Absorber materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting have supply risks emerging from supply, demand, concentration, and political risks.

The high-entropy TiVNbMoC₃ MXene, with its atom-dominated relay catalysis effect and resilient lattice configuration, promotes a cascade of sulfur conversions and guides uniform Li⁺ deposition, enabling shuttle-free and dendrite-free Li–S batteries.

Electrochemical CO₂ reduction using CuZn nanocubes boosted ethanol selectivity when pulsed in the oxidation regime of zinc, while time-resolved operando techniques uncovered the key roles of dynamic zinc oxide formation and hydroxide coverage.

Ionic-liquid mediated scalable ambient-printing for efficient perovskite solar modules to achieve wearable electronic integration.

An air cathode with high catalytic activity and reversibility toward the OER and ORR is designed by the typical coordinations of iron phthalocyanine molecule crystals on delaminated MoAl_1−xB MBene sheets.

A tailored Wadsley–Roth crystallographic shear structure containing inspiring domains with tetrahedron, tetrahedron-free and large-size blocks in the lattice of novel titanium niobium tungsten oxide for high-power lithium-ion batteries.

We have created a Re-SAC catalyst featuring a Re–N₄ configuration with inherent anti-Fenton properties during ORR catalytic activity.

The combination of novel operando neutron diffraction and 4D-STEM clearly reveals the defect-driven heterogeneous phase evolution in LIB full cells.

This study introduces a novel application of Bi as a solid-state surfactant in Zn electrodes, where the arriving Zn adatoms tend to migrate below Bi and nucleate locally instead of diffusing laterally and forming protruding structures.

Correlative neutron and X-ray imaging unravels the causes of localized defects in Li-ion batteries containing a silicon-graphite based anode.

A direct air capture (DAC) economic model that accounts for sorbent degradation is developed. Experimentally-measured parameters are then integrated to identify sorbent and process features that minimize both the DAC carbon footprint and cost.

We have demonstrated a molecular interface engineering strategy to address the design dilemma of low-temperature electrolytes for lithium metal batteries.

A cationic polymer was developed as protective layer for Li anodes. The multiple cationic sites in molecule provided enhanced electrostatic shielding, whereas NO₃⁻ anions generated robust and high Li⁺ flux inorganic SEI.

The world-longest SLGHP (4149 m long) and the world's first SLGHP output vapor-driven power generator are developed for the exploitation of geothermal energy.

A systematic methodology for the quantification of lithium inventory is developed and the degradation mechanisms of high-voltage lithium batteries are revealed.

This approach utilizes electrostatic attraction of very low fractions (~0.1 wt%) of readily reducible fluorinated cations in electrolyte to form a robust fluorine-rich SEI and enable stable Li-metal batteries.

A lattice-oxygen-stabilized interface is formed in situ by the interaction of indium and oxidized lattice oxygen in the interface of Li₂RuO₃ (LRO) and Li₃InCl₆ (LIC), mitigating the irreversible lattice oxygen loss and stabilizing the surface structure.

Multi-site catalysis of high-entropy hydroxides for co-production of glucaric acid and ammonia.

A schematic diagram of the mechanism of our fluorinated “cocktail electrolyte” stabilizing electrode/electrolyte interfaces in 4.6 V LCO batteries.

A hybrid magnetic energy harvester is demonstrated for self-powered sensors in transmission lines, showcasing unprecedented power density, compact size, lightweight, waterproofing, resilience to current fluctuations, and environmental robustness.

Grid emission factors from official sources vary. Nine relevant aspects were identified and their influence quantified. The recommended set of aspects best represents emissions from grid electricity consumption.

By unveiling the adsorption tendency of EC and FEC additives on defective graphene surfaces and its impact on SEI formation, hard carbon anodes with efficient Li plating regulation can be achieved for fast-charging lithium-ion batteries.

Regulating the solvation sheath reorganization kinetics through electrolyte engineering can facilitate an unprecedented battery chemistry.

UV-light illumination converts the aromatic conformation of polymer donors into a rigid quinone structure, resulting in compact fibrillar aggregation of the active layer to achieve a maximum efficiency of 19.9% of single-junction organic solar cells.

Integrated solar fuels devices for CO₂ reduction (CO₂R) are a promising technology class towards reducing CO₂ emissions.

By employing 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl) pyrazole (TFMP) as an electrolyte additive in both aqueous and non-aqueous mediums, a versatile interphase strategy is achieved. This facilitates stable Zn anodes with improved efficiency and longer cycling life.

We quantified the life-cycle environmental impacts of H₂ production at the regional and global levels for the first time.

The sodiation/de-sodiation mechanism of metallic NbSe₂ anodes is corrected to involve an initial irreversible conversion from NbSe₂ to Na₂Se/Nb composites and the subsequent reversible selenide conversion reaction.

A feasible surface matrix renovation strategy is reported, which could not only substantially eliminate surface vacancies but also predominantly ameliorate the stacking orientation of perovskite quantum dots.

Thermodiffusion and thermogalvanic effects of single redox electrolytes are synergistically utilized and enhanced by double selective gel design of ionic thermoelectric cells, generating remarkable thermopower and energy output in a long-cycle mode.

Efforts to avoid dendrites by increasing the interfacial surface area to lower local current densities are limited by significant local pressure accumulation associated with the topography of any surface contouring.

We present a T-shaped MME-EH that enables collaborative twisting or bending operation modes for tridimensional responses. The device produces a peak–peak output power of 98.5 mW at 60 Hz, which is 262% higher than the state-of-the-art results.

We obtained exceptional power factors and zT values in p-type Mg₃Sb₂-based materials by alloying Zn at the Mg₂ sites for double band degeneracy and alloying Yb at the Mg₁ sites of Mg₃Sb₂ for decreased band effective mass.

The cryo-ultramicrotomy technique has been implemented in lithium battery studies, offering an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the atomic to millimeter scale structural features and compositions of the electrode/electrolyte interfaces.

In a stable external environment, a slow crystallization rate fosters a stable lattice of pure “black”-phase perovskite, while post treatment at the grain boundaries enhance overall grain stability, contributing to long-term stability.

Membrane modification may obstruct metal-ion mass flux, increasing battery overpotential and reducing performance. Balancing shuttle effect of separator-crossing species and minimizing overpotential-induced energy loss is crucial.

An all-electrochem-active Si/Li₂₁Si₅ anode was designed, in which the Li₂₁Si₅ served as efficient ionic/electronic channel and expansion buffer. It achieved an ultra-high ICE of 97.8% and a low expansion rate of 18.8% at a capacity of 17.9 mA h cm⁻².

A “triboelectric junction” is a space charge region induced by the triboelectric effect, dominating the electron–hole separation process in dynamic semiconductor-based contacts.

Molecular ordering effect of semi-paracrystalline polymers on the solution aggregation structure, morphology, and performance of polymer/nonfullerene blends has been thoroughly investigated by advanced neutron scattering and complementary techniques.

Through experiment and theory, this work explains how a set of OMIEC polymer electrodes selectively reduce oxygen to hydrogen peroxide.

The “charge bridge” strategy is applied to organic photovoltaic devices, which dredges photocarrier trapping pathways by facilitating exciton–phonon decoupling. This benefit leads to simultaneous improvement of efficiency and photothermal stability.

Green methanol and green ammonia produced by renewable electricity and electricity-based hydrogen become the backbone for a defossilised global chemical industry.

We propose a dual-storage ion solution of Zn²⁺ and I⁻ with a cathode containing a mixture of NH₄V₄O₁₀ and porous activated carbon, exhibiting a dual mechanism of Zn²⁺ (de)intercalation and iodine redox with adsorption–desorption.

A molecular hole transport material retards the iodine migration and delivers high stability in a harsh 85 °C MPP test.

We report a Li₂S/LiVS₂ core–shell nano-architecture design for all-solid-state Li₂S batteries where the LiVS₂ shell serves as both a Li⁺/e⁻ transport vehicle and redox mediator for Li₂S on charge to help overcome sluggish cathode kinetics.

Here we propose a new anionic surfactant as an electrolyte additive to guide the preferential deposition of Zn²⁺ in the (002) orientation, suppress the side reactions, and realize a dendrite-free Zn anode for highly stable aqueous Zn-ion pouch cells.

We report that the presence of superstructure ordering serves as an important building block in securing the long-term stability of the oxygen redox activity in O2-type lithium-rich layered oxides.