Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers

Pourbaix diagram is a critical tool in electrocatalytic research, driving innovation and improving the reliability of catalyst development.

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 review highlights recent advances in Ir-based electrocatalysts based on different design strategies. This review will guide future research in the development of high-performance Ir-based HOR electrocatalysts for AEMFCs.

This review focuses on pore engineering (intrinsic pore size, extrinsic porosity, and pore environment) in porous organic cages and summarizes the roles of pore engineering in various fields.

The utilization of ferroelectrics offers an additional lever to surpass the performance limits of traditional photoelectrodes. In this review, design strategies for ferroelectric photoelectrodes from materials to PEC system design are assessed.

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advances in green ammonia synthesis and its energy applications, with emphasis on innovations in production technology, storage and transport solutions, and their environmental impacts.

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in MXene-based AIBs, with a particular emphasis on zinc-ion batteries.

This review provides an in-depth analysis of the key aspects related to in situ grown TMS electrodes, including the selection of TMS active materials, various substrates, and materials engineering.

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.

MOF-derived Co-doped Cu₃P/NC octahedra are coupled with MXene to form a 3D@2D structure, which is conducive to promoting electron transport and proton transfer, thereby improving HER and IRR performance.

A novel in situ hydro-charging strategy to fabricate PVDF electret nanofibers with cascade co-polarized structures is reported for long-term air filtration.

Asymmetric sulfur vacancies were incorporated into defective SnS₂ through a Cu dopant, aimed at preserving the energy of photoexcited electrons and strengthening the metal–sulfur covalency.

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.

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.

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.

Schematic illustration of the fabrication process of ultrathin Li–Ag alloy foil.

In this work, a multifunctional, high-conductivity, flexible, anti-freezing and self-adhesive double-network hydrogel with a 3D interpenetrating framework was designed for energy harvesting and storage for self-powered round-the-clock sensing.

This study proposes a Na-deficient strategy for the structural modulation of NFPP, successfully synthesizing pure-phase Na_4−xFe₃(PO₄)₂(P₂O₇) with a near-theoretical specific capacity of 127.2 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.1C.

This study enhances the cycle and rate performance of graphite anodes in LIBs by adding g-C₃N₄ to the electrolyte. The g-C₃N₄ additive optimizes the solvation structure and SEI, enhancing the structural stability and reaction kinetics of graphite.

A Pt/C@g-C₃N₄-encapsulated catalyst was constructed, where g-C₃N₄ selectively facilitates H₂ permeation through a gating effect, enhancing the catalyst's activity in hydrogenation reactions. g-C₃N₄-encapsulated Pt prevents metal loss.

A 19.12% efficiency in MPSCs was achieved by manipulating crystallization and managing defects via introducing dicyandiamide.

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) with π-conjugated frameworks, inherent porosity and tunable structures have been considered promising platforms as electrocatalysts for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR).

This study presents a high-entropy NASICON-type cathode, Na₃V_1.5(CrMnFeMgAl)_0.5(PO₄)₃@C, which enhances electronic and ionic conductivity as well as structural stability for sodium-ion batteries.

A hydrophobic electroconductive LIG membrane with ∼143.7° water contact angle is prepared showing average surface temperature of ∼140 °C with 91 MHz radiofrequency heating. Vacuum membrane distillation shows ∼13.5 L m⁻² h⁻¹ flux.

The metal substitution method and in situ sulfur vacancy method synergistically increase carrier density, create electron-rich sites, weaken the S–H_ads bond, and enhance hydrogen evolution in MoWS_2+x/CdS_v photocatalysts across the UV-vis-NIR region.

Schematic diagram of the improvement mechanism of the electrostatic shielding effect and ion dipole effect on the SEI and CEI layer in the 1 M-BG2-LB electrolyte.

Oxygen doping reduces free volume yet paradoxically enhances amorphous framework flexibility, facilitating Na⁺ ion diffusion. This balance leads to an initial increase, then a decline, observed in conductivity of NaPSO electrolytes.

This study improves electron transfer in biofuel cell anodes through a spin coating-assisted layer-by-layer assembly of redox-active ferritin and enzyme, resulting in enhanced current density, stability, and biocompatibility for energy applications.

A plasma-modified ALD (PMALD) approach has been developed for depositing SnO_x thin-films with a tunable composition as electron extraction layers in perovskite solar modules using poly(triarylamine) (PTAA) as the hole transport layer.

Unveiling superionic phase β-phase and off-centering dynamics of α-phase at higher temperature in Mg₃(Sb, Bi)₂ based Zintl compounds.

An ultrathin Al₂O₃-doped ZnO (AZO) layer on LRM regulates oxygen redox by suppressing anion migration and inhibiting surface oxygen oxidation, enhancing cycling performance.

Marriage of starburst triphenylamine dye cocktails with dual-species copper(II/I) electrolyte enable dye-sensitized solar cells with 40% efficiency under indoor lighting.

As the first attempt to reveal the intrinsic relationship between electron spins and catalytic selectivity, this work offers new insights into the rational design of efficient transition metal atom-dispersed catalysts through spin regulation.

An organic–inorganic composite membrane, in which the inorganic LiNbO₃ imparts a high dielectric constant and superior Li⁺ conductivity, while the organic PVDF lowers the overall dielectric loss, is synthesized and ensures a homogeneous Li⁺ deposition.

By coordinating the positions of the AFE and FE states in the energy path, a high P_max was achieved while stabilizing the AFE nature, resulting in a remarkable W_rec of 16.05 J cm⁻³.

Zr-TtDa catalyst with a triazine ring in ethylene polymerization forms hydrogen bonds with ethylene, enriching it around metal sites. This method produced high molecular weight linear polyethylene (M_w = 1.71 × 10⁶ g mol⁻¹) at a low pressure (5 bar).

Functionalized porous liquids were designed to enhance the fire safety, mechanical properties, and chemical resistance of a polyurea elastomer. This work provides insights into porous liquids to improve the comprehensive performance of composites.

Nanofibers composed of nickel and thin oxide nanocrystals for high-temperature electrochemical CO₂ reduction to formate.

A thermally regenerative electrochemical cycle (TREC) harnesses the temperature effect of electrode potential to achieve efficient heat to electricity conversion but suffers from low power density.

The CoMoN materials using the conventional hydrothermal method and nitridation treatment. N promotes the formation of α-Co(OH)₂ and the HER activity of CoMoN increases initially and then basically remains unchanged with increasing N content.

H₂O₂-assisted generation of colorless stable complex ions (FeF₆³⁻) for tunable doped iron fluoride material preparation.

In this paper we present the in situ analysis of gas dependent alloying in bimetallic Au-Pd nanoparticles through a combination of CO-DRIFTS and in situ TEM providing direct insight in the surface- and nanoparticle bulk redistribution kinetics.

Advantages and disadvantages of amino- and carboxyl-modified nanodiamond (ND) for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction.

Our approach revalorizes H₂S captured by the SU-101 MOF as a cathode material in lithium–sulfur batteries.