Themed collection 2021 Journal of Materials Chemistry A most popular articles

The surface ligation of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (NC) influences the size/dimensionality, optoelectronic properties, chemical stability, and use of the NCs.

This review provides an in-depth analysis of essential role of electrode wettability in improving CO₂ electrochemical reduction.

Textile-based TENGs integrate wearable biomonitoring into commonly worn textiles, offering an inexpensive and convenient alternative with high breathability, wearing comfort, and scalability for personalized healthcare.

Faradaic and non-faradaic energy storage mechanisms, impact of the nano-structuring of electrode materials and state-of-art applications in robotics, etc. of hybrid supercapacitors, and their coupling with batteries and solar cells are elucidated.

The field of MOFs has been incorrectly believed to be purely crystalline. Herein, non-crystalline MOFs (amorphous MOFs, MOF liquids, and MOF glasses) are reviewed. Future research directions are also discussed.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are an efficient photovoltaic technology for powering electronic applications such as wireless sensors with indoor light.

This review summarizes recent advances relating to transition metal sulfide (TMS)-based bifunctional electrocatalysts, providing guidelines for the design and fabrication of TMS-based catalysts for practical application in water electrolysis.

The nature of LDH-based nanostructures and their role in the OER are explored, along with synthetic methods to formulate different structures via pioneering modification approaches are discussed for the first time.

This review covers the recent developments in catalysis, water splitting, fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors, and hydrogen storage enabled by high entropy materials.

As an alluring metal-free polymeric semiconductor material, graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄; abbreviated as GCN) has triggered a new impetus in the field of photocatalysis, mainly favoured from its fascinating physicochemical and photoelectronic structural features.

A trimetallic PtNiCo branched nanocage was fabricated via an etching process. The optimized electronic structure with Co and Ni accelerate the sluggish kinetic process in ORR and MOR with significantly catalytic enhancement and high durability.

Building a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer of octadecanethiol on a CoP nanoarray on a titanium mesh (C18@CoP/TM) greatly enhances the N₂ reduction activity with an NH₃ yield of 1.44 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻² and a FE of 14.03% in 0.1 M Na₂SO₄.

The PCEs of OSCs and AVTs of corresponding blend films can be continuously optimized by adjusting D18-Cl:Y6-1O ratios and introducing Y6 as the third component. 13.02% PCE and 20.2% AVT are achieved in the semitransparent ternary OSCs.

NiS₂ acts as an active and selective electrocatalyst for the two-electron O₂ reduction reaction in acids, achieving a selectivity of up to 99% and a H₂O₂ yield rate of 109 ppm h⁻¹. The catalytic mechanism is further investigated by theoretical calculations.

Mo₃Si is a superior catalyst for electrochemical N₂ reduction in 0.1 M Na₂SO₄, offering a large NH₃ yield of 2 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻² and a high Faraday efficiency of 6.69% at −0.4 V and −0.3 V vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode, respectively.

Quaternary multimetallic LDHs have been developed through a facile metal–organic-framework derived electrochemical activation process. Ni–Fe–Al–Co quaternary LDHs show one of the best OER performances in alkaline and seawater electrolytes.

An ambient stable surface recrystallized 2D–3D graded perovskite solar cell reveals excellent efficiencies of 21.18% (0.12 cm²) and 18.81% (2 cm²).

The phase-junction engineering of CoSe₂ on SiC NWs boosts its performance for efficient sodium/potassium storage.

The integration of fiber solar cells (FSCs) and wearable luminescent solar concentrators leads to an enhancement of power conversion efficiency of FSCs.

The spin state change of Fe³⁺ ions induced the paramagnetic Fe_0.5Ni_0.5OOH shell on the ferromagnetic Cu_0.5NFe₃Ni_0.5 core via superexchange interaction, facilitating charge transfer and oxygen species ad(de)sorption for boosted OER performance.

Microporous metal–organic networks (mMONs) were synthesized via alcoholysis reaction between organic units with catechol groups and metal linkers. Furthermore, an interfacial process was developed to fabricate ultrathin mMON membranes for molecular separation.

CPP with capillary microporous channels for rapid diffusion of uranyl ions and adequate water transport, and good photothermal effect can realize synergistic freshwater collection and uranium extraction.

Defect engineering of a β-ketoenamine-linked COF enhances its photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance by enhancing charge separation efficiency and improving transport of electrons.

The OER activity of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles depends on the degree of Co redox activity and its change in coordination.

A PVdF-based scaffold reinforces a solid polymer electrolyte and regulates Li⁺ transport for uniform Li plating, enabling all-solid-state lithium batteries to exhibit high capacities with stable cycling for 1100 cycles at room temperature.

The modulation effect of surface terminating groups of nitride MXenes on the thermodynamic and kinetic suppression of polysulfide shuttling is studied by theoretical calculations.

By using sustainable Eucommia ulmoides gum as a raw material, a robust, shape memory, self-healing and recyclable elastomer was fabricated based on a new strategy – a semi-interpenetrating dynamic network.

Porous nanoparticles with interfacial adhesiveness boost the selectivity of separation membranes to achieve size-selective nanofiltration.

A facile and scalable synthesis of N₄Fe–CuN₃ diatomic sites on N-doped carbon frameworks. The CO Faraday efficiency is >95% at −0.4 to −1.1 V with an overpotential of 50 mV.

Operando video microscopy on calendared graphite electrodes presents the dynamic evolution of Li plating and re-intercalation during fast charging.

In this paper, we first report very mechanically strong and stretchable liquid-free double-network ionic conductors (LFDNICs), which solve the trade-off between high mechanical strength and stretchability in a liquid-free ionic conductor.

Adding Cu₂Te, In, and Bi into GeTe results in an ultra-high power factor and average zT. A power conversion efficiency of 11.8% can be achieved in lead-free, single-leg GeTe between 323 and 745 K.

The application and the molar mass dependence of P3HT via direct arylation polycondensation are explored in fullerene-free solar cells. The medium molar mass batch delivered a top efficiency of ∼10%.

Development of a porous dual-atoms doped g-C₃N₄ with wideband electromagnetic absorption performance and high thermal stability.

This work presents high-performance and stable all-inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells with a champion efficiency of 18.06% and excellent stability under light and thermal conditions.

Herein, the preparation of a highly tough, freezing-tolerant, healable and thermoplastic starch/poly(vinyl alcohol) organohydrogel for flexible electronic devices is presented.

The leaf-templated and oxygen vacancy engineered CaTiO₃ showed excellent structural stability but with loss in morphology for the studied binary phase photocatalytic reactions.

A group of bifunctional oxygen evolution/reduction reaction single-atom catalysts supported on C₂N, is proposed. The origin of their high catalytic activity is elucidated by density functional theory calculations and machine learning modelling.

High-entropy oxynitride photocatalysts have the advantages of high-etropy alloys (high stability) and of oxynitrides (narrow bandgap).

A Bi₂S₃/KTa_0.75Nb_0.25O₃ (KTN) nanocomposite was synthesized via a two-step hydrothermal method and first applied in piezo-/photocatalytic N₂ fixation.

NiCo₂O₄ is in situ assembled on g-C₃N₄ and works as a novel oxygen-evolution-reaction cocatalyst to promote photocatalytic O₂-evolution reaction, then Pt–NiCo₂O₄ dual cocatalyst loaded g-C₃N₄ achieves photocatalytic overall water splitting.

The enhanced microwave absorption performance of composites benefits from simultaneous rational microstructure design and chemical composition modulation.

An inverse desert beetle-like ZIF-8/PAN membrane with the ability of “oil capture in water” can achieve oil-in-water emulsion separation.

Electromagnetic wave absorbents with hierarchically porous and core–shell structures have significantly positive influence on the electromagnetic wave absorption because of the enhanced interfacial polarization.

Two-dimensional magnetized MXene-based hybrids, obtained by electrostatic self-assembly of Ti₃C₂T_x with hollow Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, achieved high electromagnetic absorption performance.

A novel rare earth hybrid electrocatalyst, consisting of a gadolinium-doped hierarchal NiFe-layered double hydroxide, is developed for improving the OER activity.

Doped boron atoms are bridged to glue more electroactive nitrogen sites on the carbon surface, and the high binding energy of the consequent B–C bonds further consolidates the porous carbon scaffold for durable ion/electron transfer.

The strong coordination between artemisinin molecules and exposed Pb²⁺ ions reduces the perovskite crystal's defects and alleviates Pb clusters, resulting in high-performance flexible perovskite solar cells.

The 3 × 3 gas sensor array with different metal oxides and morphologies is fabricated to compare the sensitization effects of Au nanoparticles on various metal oxides and gases.The 3 × 3 gas sensor array with different metal oxides and morphologies is fabricated to compare the sensitization effects of Au nanoparticles on various metal oxides and gases.

Ni@Mo₂B₂ can be used as a HER/OER bifunctional electrocatalyst while Cu@Mo₂B₂ can be used as an OER/ORR bifunctional electrocatalyst.