Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry A Recent Review Articles

Let's quantum: topological quantum materials offer high electron mobility, stable surface states, and resistance to contamination, making them ideal candidates for next-generation heterogeneous catalysts.

Entropy-engineered oxides for thermoelectric energy.

Ultrafine intermetallics (<5 nm) offer unique catalytic properties but face sintering challenges. We highlight carbon-supported synthesis strategies for precise control, focusing on electrocatalytic applications and future directions.

PVA-based slime is an unexplored, cost-effective, and spill-proof alternative to conventional electrolytes. Its inherent ionic conductivity makes it a promising electrolyte for portable electrochemical surface-monitoring probes.

In addressing the urgent challenges facing the energy industry, this perspective emphasizes the importance of offering efficient, clean and low-carbon ordered energy conversion systems by integrating biology and engineering.

Plants and protists: promising sources for Si-based Li-ion battery anodes.

This work raises concerns about the unintentional mistakes made by researchers developing OER electrocatalysts by overlooking the fundamentals.

This perspective highlights how electrode substrate choice critically affects electrocatalyst performance in water splitting, guiding researchers to design better catalysts by leveraging each substrate’s unique properties.

Flexible supercapacitors have made significant progress, as they can be integral to the wearable technology field due to their unique ability to allow seamless movement for the wearer.

Evolution, research focus, industrialization and recovery techniques of LiFePO₄ cathodes are reviewed, highlighting their critical role in meeting energy demands, especially in EVs.

Zinc–air batteries (ZABs) stand at the forefront of energy storage technologies. However, challenges like slow kinetics and low rechargeability persist. MOF–MXene hybrids enhance performance, enabling sustainable ZAB technology.

Higher energy density can be obtained by increasing the charging cut-off voltage of Ni-rich materials to meet the range requirements of electric vehicles.

Fast-charging materials are necessary for a battery-centric future. Ionic and electronic transport crucially determine performance where their capacity-weighted figures-of-merit account for performance across all states-of-charge.

Scanning probe microscopy can be used to obtain topographical, mechanical, electrical, and electrochemical information on a wide range of materials in a variety of environments, including in situ and operando studies for rechargeable battery systems.

Atmospheric water harvesting is an emerging technique that can potentially increase water access to water-constrained communities.

Herein, we summarize the research on polymer-based solid-state lithium–sulfur batteries according to four areas—solid electrolytes, sulfur cathodes, lithium anodes, and interfacial interactions—as well as future development targets.

This review provides an in-depth overview of recent developments and applications of NASICON-type materials in the CDI field, with a focus on their fundamental concepts, synthesis strategies, desalination performance, and key challenges.

This review explores the properties of strontium iridate (SrIrO₃) and its potential as a high-performance catalyst for water splitting in both acidic and alkaline environments, providing key insights for the advancement of electrolysis technologies.

A multiscale strategy for porous material-assisted H₂ hydrate storage, bridging materials properties and engineering operations.

This review systematically summarizes the cutting-edge development of covalent organic framework-derived functional interphases for improving Zn chemistry in aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

This paper reviews the working principles and key parameters of TJPSCs and presents recent research progress, focuses on how component optimization, interface engineering, and charge transport layer improvements influence efficiency.

Summary of crystalline property engineering of SPEs.

We present a comprehensive review on the synthesis, nano-hybridization, bioinspiration functionalization, water treatment, and sustainability of biohybrid membranes.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have garnered significant research attention due to their distinct advantages, such as low cost, safety, and environmental compatibility.

Illustration of active and passive anti-fouling strategies in oil–water separation membranes.

This minireview systematically summarizes the research progress and mechanistic breakthroughs of highly crystalline carbon nitride in the field of near-infrared photocatalysis from n → π* electron transition to midgap state engineering.

This review summarizes progress on Zr-MOFs in light-driven CO₂ reduction, hydrogen evolution, and pollutant degradation. It highlights their stability, tunable porosity, and strategies to boost photocatalytic performance for sustainable and environmental applications.

A periodic summary is given for the current development stage of the adsorbents constructed using macrocycle-containing metal–organic frameworks.

Polymers and their composites are efficient sensing materials for humidity sensor applications because of their favorable properties such as water ad/absorption, flexibility, and hygroscopicity.

The escalating urgency of global climate change has propelled the advancement of efficient carbon capture technologies.

Incorporating the MXenes as electrodes, positive and negative tribolayers in triboelectric nanogenerators enhances the TENGs' performance.

Topological surface states enhances charge transport in solar cell, water splitting and photoelectrochemical cells. They can have a great impact on reducing charge recombination, dye degradation, corrosion and heat losses leading to enhanced PCE.

This review examines MBenes for their structural versatility and electrochemical performance in Li/Na-ion batteries, while addressing synthesis challenges and outlining future research directions for next-generation energy storage.

The degradation of SOECs is influenced by coupling across multiple scales. It is necessary to consider establishing a full-chain research framework that integrates multiscale numerical simulations with artificial intelligence methods.

This review summarizes recent advancements of polymers in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), revealing their mechanisms and guiding future developments.

Review of CO oxidation over CuO_x, MnO_x, CeO_x, CoO_x: surface, lattice, vacancies, valence; L–H, MvK, E–R mechanisms; low-T, poisoning, stability issues; defect, facet, synergy, interface tuning; flue gas & air purify.

Sources of MNPs and various treatment approaches.

Establishing uniform ion flux profiles collectively mitigates cathode dissolution, suppresses zinc dendrite proliferation and stabilizes interfacial charge transfer, which are critical milestones toward practical development of zinc ion batteries.

This work reviews the progress in porous metal chalcogenides for electrocatalytic water splitting, highlighting their innovative design, the importance of the surface area, electrochemical performance, challenges, and future opportunities.

This review discusses the role of pressure intervention in regulating eCO₂RR to produce C₁ and C₂₊ products, the mutual influence and synergistic effects of pressure with other reaction microenvironments, CO and non-aqueous CO₂ electroreduction.

The work focuses on the mechanisms of electromagnetic microwave (EMW) structures and the applications of various 3D printing technologies in the fabrication of EMW structures.

This review explores the roles of Co_xN in LIBs, SCs, RZABs, and electrocatalysis, focusing on fabrication strategies and structure–property–performance relationships to guide the design of efficient and durable electrochemical energy systems.

This review summarizes recent advances in using MOFs and their derivatives for energy storage, focusing on MOF-derived carbon heterostructures and metal compound modifications to enhance performance through material and structural optimization.

This review highlights the structural diversity and entropy-driven design of high-entropy materials for oxygen reduction, revealing key structure–activity relationships and guiding future electrocatalyst development.

This review introduces the phenomena and mechanisms of stimulus perception in nature, summarizes the research progress on bioinspired self-sensing materials in engineering, and explores their potential applications in water-lubricated bearings.

We conducted a systematic analysis of CuBi₂O₄'s surface and interface interactions, investigated a series of novel solutions for CuBi₂O₄-related challenges, and summarized some of its key applications.

A review about 2D covalent organic frameworks as organic electrode materials for aqueous batteries.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current development of smart batteries, which can be divided into three parts: smart materials, smart manufacturing and smart sensing.

By adjusting the composition of the inner Helmholtz plane and the outer Helmholtz plane, it is expected to improve the desolvation structure of zinc ions, inhibit the side reaction of zinc anode and enhance the long-cycle performance of the battery.

Phase change hydrogels (PCHs), used in multiple engineering scenarios, have been developed to overcome leakage, structural instability, and low thermal conductivity of solid–liquid phase-change materials.

This review clearly elucidates the lineage of the development of NO₃⁻RR from the theoretical mechanism to practical reactions and deepens the understanding of NO₃⁻RR, pointing out the direction for the advanced design of NO₃⁻RR electrocatalysts.

Spinel photovoltaic electrodes for PEC energy conversion and environmental treatment and their photothermal and magnetic effects synergistically promoting PEC systems.

This review explores strategies to enhance the performance of aqueous anode-free zinc batteries through electrolyte optimization, additives, and current collector design, aiming to unlock their full potential.

One of the biggest problems our world is currently facing is climate change caused by rising atmospheric CO₂ levels.

The utilization of renewable electricity to turn CO₂ into treasure through electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction (eCO₂RR), as well as the conversion of excess electricity into chemical energy storage, has become one of the research hotspots.

CdIn₂S₄-based photocatalysts are promising in many energy and environmental applications such as hydrogen production, selective oxidation of organics, and some dual-functional systems.

Integration diagram of FSPCMs, including preparation methods, thermal conductivity enhancement, and application in cold chain logistics.

Aqueous rechargeable batteries have emerged as promising candidates for large-scale energy storage due to their inherent safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness.

The transient shift from ICEVs to EVs reveals a paradigm shift in lubrication perspective. Net zero greenhouse emission, energy efficiency and eco-sustainability are the key drivers behind this shifting.

Addressing the Sr segregation in LSCF oxygen electrode to enhance the long-term stability is essential for solid oxide cells (SOCs) operating in both fuel cell and electrolysis cell modes to realize large-scale energy storage.

This review summarizes the characteristics, deactivation pathways, and design strategies of Mn-based catalysts for the catalytic oxidation of CVOCs. The objective is to provide insights for the development of highly efficient Mn-based catalysts.

Mechanisms of flexible zinc-ion battery components and device design principles were explored, guiding innovative structural designs based on mechanistic analysis.

A comprehensive review highlighting recent advancements in high-performance materials and scalable fabrication techniques for next-generation hybrid supercapacitors.