Themed collection 2024 Materials Chemistry Frontiers Review-type Articles

This paper reviews the potential of self-assembled phthalocyanine-based nano-photosensitizers for overcoming the limitations of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in treating hypoxic tumors.

This review summarizes the properties of stretchable hydrogels and their optimization for TENGs in on-skin electronics, highlighting applications and addressing challenges related to durability and user comfort.

This review briefly summarizes the chemical flexibility and physical properties of heteroanionic compounds and their potential applications as multiferroics.

The review covers cathode materials for AZIBs, focusing on design strategies, electrochemical performance, and modifications. It highlights challenges and suggests future research directions for improvement.

This review mainly summarises the progress in the preparation methods of organic compound/g-C₃N₄. Various materials such as different types of organic compound/g-C₃N₄ composites and their related energy and environmental applications are discussed.

A review of recent advancements in interface passivation strategies, with a particular focus on the implementation of 2D/3D perovskite passivation across buried interfaces, grain boundaries, and top interfaces.

High-quality and brilliant structural colors have been successfully produced using solution-based process over the past decade.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have become a research hotspot for effective adsorption and degradation of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs).

The methods for synergistically improving mechanical performance and self-healing ability of polymers based on hydrogen bonds were introduced and discussed.

This review presents the importance and applications of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as a catalyst in dye-sensitized solar cell. Emphasis is on composite materials with better performances for rigid, flexible, and indoor uses.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) represented by poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) stand out in the realms of environmental sustainability and processability.

Construction of biomineralized biohybrid materials and their biomedical applications.

The application and optimization of circRNA-LNP.

MOF-based materials for seawater electrolysis have been reviewed with a focus on structure–property–performance.

The applications of high-performance LRMs in ASSBs can effectively overcome the low energy density and poor safety in the liquid batteries. Significant progresses are used to address challenges and promote the practical application of LRMs in ASSBs.

Conductive hydrogels, with their electrical stimulation effects and properties, are potential candidates for treating diabetic wounds.

The factors affecting the stability of the electrode and polymer electrolyte interfaces are briefly described, and several effective solution strategies for the corresponding problems are proposed.

Pathways for the hydrogen evolution reaction under acidic and alkaline (or neutral) conditions.

This review highlights advancements in the synthesis, characterization, and applications of ladder-like polysilsesquioxane (LPSQ). Emphasizing its double-stranded structure, and superior properties, it shows LPSQ's role in hybrid materials.

Recent advances in designing and preparing single atom-decorated transition metal oxide-based OER electrocatalysts are summarized in terms of synthetic methods and intrinsic nature to enhance the OER.

A cathode with an areal capacity of more than 5 mA h cm⁻² is crucial for practical Li–S batteries. Besides, reducing the electrolyte weight ratio, in both liquid and solid-state Li–S batteries, is also important.

Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) shows great promising in thermoelectric field owing to its simple preparation, good stability and adjustable conductivity. Here the research progress of P3HT in thermoelectric field in recent years is reviewed.

This review highlights the latest advances in components of proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers.

The synthetic and modification parameters of cobalt-containing ZIF-derived catalysts for Zn–air batteries with different amounts of metal.

This work summarizes the synthesis of Cu₃BiS₃ and provides a comprehensive overview of the research progress concerning Cu₃BiS₃ photocathodes. We analyze the existing problems and prospects to provide some positive suggestions for the development of Cu₃BiS₃ photocathodes.

This review examines recent manufacturing technologies of solar water-splitting cells. It covered vacuum-based manufacturing, highlighting recent advances in laser-based processes and discussing their innovative potential and future perspectives.

This review summarizes recent advances in heterojunction-type catalysts for CO₂-HCOOX interconversion under different driving forces, focusing on rectifying effects at the interface and the potential for developing heterojunction-based catalysts for practical applications.

2D organic semiconductor crystals have the advantage of ultrathin thickness, long-range ordered molecular structures, the absence of grain boundaries, and low defect and impurity densities. They are of great significance for preparing high-performance OFET devices.

This review systematically explores various strategies aimed at enhancing charge transfer at different levels—bulk, surface, and interfaces of hematite. The examination encompasses diverse approaches, and assesses their impact on mitigating the identified issues.

This review focus on the key interfaces of LLZO-based solid-state lithium metal batteries. The main challenges and corresponding strategies for interface optimization are thoroughly covered.

Emerging TEM techniques are reviewed to address challenges in three stages of electrocatalysts from synthesis, function to deactivation, offering solutions for structural characterization for different needs.

MXene-based stimuli-responsive hydrogels have emerged as a new class of smart soft materials and have shown great potential in various applications such as sensing, biomedicine, actuators and energy-related applications.

Atomically dispersed Fe/Co–N–C and their composites for fuel cells.

Challenges in the commercialization of all solid-state and next-generation batteries including strategies, key points, and application of solid-state batteries.

We provide a comprehensive review of the latest research progress and challenges associated with various tandem solar cells based on lead chalcogenide (PbX, X = S, Se) quantum dot (QD) materials (including QD/QD, organic/QD, and perovskite/QD).

Recent advances in the design strategy, healing mechanism, and potential applications of mechanically robust self-healing PU elastomers.

This work describes recent developments in near-infrared (NIR) organic light-emitting diode (OLED) emitters. We discuss applications of NIR OLEDs as well as various groups of highly luminescent materials used in the OLED emissive layer.

Nanozymes could mimic the catalytic activity of natural enzymes, then stimulate the Fenton reaction for reactive oxygen species overproduction and lipid peroxidation, ultimately induce ferroptosis to exert anticancer effects.

Amorphous inorganics have attracted much attention because of their long-range disordered structure with advantageous functional properties.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with permanent porosity, long-range order and rigid backbones offer a promising material platform for photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production.

The wood-based pretreatment strategy and active site loading strategy of wood-based catalytic electrodes make them valuable electrodes for water electrolysis, and they hold significant potential for industrial-scale water electrolysis.

In this review, the problems of the interface between lithium metal anodes and all-solid-state electrolytes are explored and the modification strategies to solve these problems are summarized.

We review the development of TT-bridged D–π–A copolymers and emphasize the role played by TT-bridge on tuning polymer properties and improving device performance.

The recent advances of trifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and their applications in Zn–air battery and water splitting, are comprehensively reviewed.

Electrocatalyst-based technologies: alkali metal–air batteries, fuel cells, and water splitting devices are the new holy grail in the next-generation energy storage landscape as they deliver higher energy densities than Li⁺/Na⁺ batteries (LIBs/SIBs).

Solid-state composite electrolytes bridge the gap between solid-state polymer electrolytes and solid-state inorganic electrolytes, which play an important role in developing the expected solid-state Li-ion batteries.

Inhibiting lithium dendrite is a big challenge for developing lithium metal batteries. The work reviews possible mechanisms of lithium dendrite growth, discuses effective strategies for inhibiting lithium dendrites and proposes future direction.

A review on the photochemical synthesis of atomically dispersed catalysts, focusing on its fundamental principles, representative examples, key parameters and major challenges.

This review discusses the recent advances in electrocatalyst design and device construction for solar-driven chemical conversion of small molecules into value-added chemicals in terms of activity, selectivity, and stability.

Magnetic transition metal halides possess rich chemical and structural diversity and thus offer a great opportunity for the search of new multifunctional magnetic materials and novel magnetic phenomena.