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 examines the integration of artificial intelligence with nanogenerators to develop self-powered, adaptive systems for applications in robotics, wearables, and environmental monitoring.

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.

DFT reveals oxygen vacancies on SnO₂ stabilize polarons, driving efficient O₂ activation and CO oxidation. These findings enable advanced SnO₂-based sensor design, leveraging defect engineering to boost catalytic and sensing performance.

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.

EPs provide strong bonding to LTO through covalent bonds. A series of HDEs with gradient mass loadings were prepared, achieving a maximum mass loading of 31 mg cm⁻², corresponding to an areal capacity of 3.6 mA h cm⁻².

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.

A linear conjugated organic polymer based on PDI was designed for directional charge transfer, it exhibits efficient charge separation that move along the chain direction. The above properties enable water oxidation for O₂ production by PT-CB.

The achieved one-step iron foam-based NiFe₂O₄ delivers a large current density in electrocatalytic hydrolysis and exhibits ultra-long-life charging–discharging cycling stability when assembled as a zinc–air battery.

In situ magnetometry is utilized to reveal the mechanistic insights into capacity discrepancies of conversion-type transition-metal compounds in wide-temperature-range lithium-ion batteries.

A anion-pillared metalloporphyrin MOF was designed and synthesized for simultaneous separation of C₂H₂/C₂H₄ and C₂H₂/CO₂, using metalloporphyrin to create unique sandwich-like binding sites with dual open metal sites that enhance C₂H₂ interactions.

In this study, we aim to (i) provide an in-depth analysis of the formation and composition of the SEI, (ii) understand and differentiate the sodium storage processes, and (iii) distinguish between Na metal plating and dendrite growth.

Highly efficient electrocatalytic glucose oxidation reaction (GOR) using Ni–P@NF is realized and the mechanism is in situ explored. This catalyst also achieved superb hydrogen evolution and formic acid generation via GOR-assisted water electrolysis.

Doping sodium ions in NH₄V₄O₁₀ interlayer reduces the deammoniation. The NaNVO@CC has ultra-high specific capacity and excellent cycling stability. Systematic ex situ characterization experiments confirm reversible NH₄⁺ ions (de)intercalation.

Li vacancies and transition metals doping cause the loss of electrons in B–H covalent bonds and the rising of electrons in the antibonding orbitals of the B–H bonds, respectively, leading to the weakening of the B–H bond strength.

A hollow-fiber hybrid membrane of a nitrogen-rich MOF and PDMS demonstrates CO₂ flux values ranging from 50 to 240 GPU under gauge pressures of 10–100 kPa, and revealed remarkable CO₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄ selectivity at a minimal pressure of 10 kPa.

A room temperature spin-coating method for high performance polyoxometalate (POM)-based electrochromic (EC) capacitive films has been developed with the assistance of MOFs, enabling the fabrication of flexible POM-based EC films for the first time.

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.