Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers

We review the progress on MOF-based separators for LSBs, with a particular focus on the relationship between the MOF structures and their functional roles in polysulfide capture, catalytic conversion, and uniform Li⁺ ion flux regulation.

We explored the cutting-edge dual-functional CaL-ICCC process, addressing current limitations and proposing future strategies to minimize energy penalties through integrated multiscale approaches spanning materials, reactors, and systems.

This review highlights that screen-printed gas sensors are cost-effective and scalable, ideal for environmental, industrial, and healthcare applications.

This review focuses on the transformative role of the carbon-based covalent bridging bonds in the field of sodium-ion batteries, providing valuable insights for advancing the next-generation high-performance sodium-ion batteries.

The construction of multilayer electrolytes can improve the electrode interface and enhance the performance of solid-state batteries.

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.

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.

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

Structured macro-droplets, stabilized by self-assembled and jammed hemispherical Janus particles at water–oil interfaces, enable scalable fabrication of multi-functional granular materials, e.g., magnetic/fluorescent capsules.

An encapsulated graphene oxide/silk protein aerogel fiber made by coaxial spinning is reported to exhibit ultra-high mechanical properties. The aerogel fiber showed efficient performance in thermal management applications.

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.

The intentional design of ionic and electronic pathways in battery electrode architectures is one strategy to optimize battery performance and maximize the utilization of expensive and/or scarce electrode active materials.

The selectivity of dual-side-chain functionalized poly(aryl ether sulfone)-based AIEM for Cl⁻/SO₄²⁻ can reach 52.21, outperforming the Neosepta ACS with a selectivity of 18.63.

A molecular ink-based approach enables the fabrication of BaZrS₃ thin films at moderate temperatures. This method incorporates boron sulfurization, which removes oxygen from the material while ensuring the formation of phase-pure BaZrS₃.

In situ anodic oxidation for selective Mo ion leaching and bulk transformation.

Formally charged double acceptors strontium vacancies prove to be the primary source of the hole excess over negative carriers supplied by donor species, contributing to the material's p-type conductivity.

Two oligomer acceptors with a specific A–DA′D–A structure and different π-bridge lengths were constructed for organic solar cells, and the PM6:CH-TRZ binary solar cell achieves an impressive efficiency of 17.07% along with excellent device stability.

FeOOH/FeNiCo-LDH/HCNC, by virtue of the reconstruction-generated highly active and stable FeNiCoOOH together with the conductive honeycomb-channel carbon, exhibits superior OER performance for highly-stable industrial-level seawater electrolysis.

The introduction of porous sheath TiO₂ with controllable morphology and thickness into a Pt/CNTs catalyst effectively improves the catalytic activity toward glycerol electrooxidation and the selectivity of tartronic acid.

High thermoelectric performance and excellent cooling performance of flexible Bi₂Te₃ based films have been achieved via flaky Bi₂Te₃ powders with weak surface oxidation, prepared by ultrasonically induced liquid-phase exfoliation.

Promotion of alkaline hydrogen electrode reaction kinetics based on the phase transition via introducing gallium.

Surface oxygen exchange coefficients, k_chem, of SrTi_1−x/100Fe_x/100O_3−δ (x = 35, 50, 80) before and after CaO-activation and Al₂O₃-deactivation at 575 °C.

A composite of N-doped tubular sisal fiber carbon and MoS₂ nanosheets (MoS₂/N-TSFC) for sodium-ion battery anode material has been obtained, which has excellent electrochemical performance with an ultra-high ICE (93%) and long cycle stability.

The heterojunction of Co₃O₄–CdS shows dual functions of photocatalytic dehydrogenation and dehydration to simultaneously produce syngas (H₂ and CO) from formate, with near zero CO₂ emission under alkaline conditions.

Activated carbon fibers (ACFs) have attracted considerable interest as versatile adsorbents for gas separation, water treatment, and similar applications due to their high specific surface area, chemical stability, and robust mechanical properties.

The *H coverage and furfural adsorption configuration are simultaneously regulated to probe into the interfacial structure–activity relationship and optimize the electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) selectivity of furfural.

A self-powered TENG-based machine learning-driven insole wearable sensing system for gait-assisted healthcare is designed to classify flat foot conditions, identify users, and monitor rehabilitation and athletic exercises accurately.

This work presents a TENG for harvesting wind energy at ultra-high wind speeds, achieving high-frequency output signals and enhancing performance. It also expands the application of TENGs in high wind speeds and urban settings.

Dual interfacial gold nanodot interlayers are introduced into a BT/P(VDF-HFP) trilayer composite to achieve a significantly improved discharge energy density of 14.78 J cm⁻³, which is approximately 176.4% that of the BT-3L composite (∼8.38 J cm⁻³).

A series of high-performance 2-(1,2,4-triazole-5-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-based energetic compounds was obtained by a resonance-assisted hydrogen bonding approach.

COFs with polysulfobetaine brushes (TpDh-P) could efficiently regenerate NAD⁺ from NADH under red light. The polysulfobetaines brushes capture and neutralize ROS, protecting native enzymes, and modulate NADH oxidation with electrolyte-sensitivity.

Our work provides a detailed mechanistic pathway for the oxygen reduction reaction during the discharging process and the potentiality of a C₂N monolayer as the cathode catalyst in non-aqueous Li–air batteries.

Based on a supramolecular self-assembly strategy, an advanced sulfur-doped hollow g-C₃N₄ nanovesicle (HV-SCN) is developed successfully for efficient photocatalytic H₂ evolution.

Immiscible alloys with interlocking structures were synthesized at moderate temperatures for use as anodes in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), showing high capacity and remarkable long-term cycling stability.

Simulations of large models of lithium solid state electrolytes reveal possible nanoscopic mechanisms for dendrite formation.

Three-dimensional ordered meso-structured PtCo alloy nanoparticles are fabricated to enhance O₂ diffusion and accelerate the kinetics of oxygen reduction in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells.

In situ golden ratio tomography revealed that the laser drilling process is crucial for decoupling dimensional changes of wood from moisture uptake.

In this work, leveraging the energy-saving characteristic of furfural with its low oxidation potential and high-performance Si–TiO₂ photocathode, we constructed a Si-based tandem bias-free ammonia production device.

Novel 2.5 L Fenton-microbial fuel cell with rGO–Co₃O₄ cathode achieved 258.33 mA m⁻², 218 mg L⁻¹ H₂O₂, and high degradation of Congo red (89.41%), tetracycline (74%), and SDS (72%). Effluent had low COD, no pathogens, and LCA showed scalability.

The synthesis of enantiopure homochiral metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) based on achiral materials is highly appealing. Due to their chiral properties and separation capabilities, homochiral MOF membranes have garnered significant attention.

UiO-66-NH₂ (Hf/Zr) MOFs were structurally tuned with acetic acid (AA). Increasing AA creates missing-linker defects and incorporates more modulators, breaking symmetry and boosting the piezoresponse-a simple route to engineering piezoelectric MOFs.

Yang and co-workers report a high-performance PEDOT:F-based hole-selective contact for silicon solar cells, achieving a record efficiency of 21.6% in organic–silicon heterojunction solar cells while demonstrating good environmental stability.

Inspired by the wet adhesion behavior of mussels, a polydopamine layer with high conductivity and robust mechanical stability was decorated onto an MnO₂ cathode to enhance the electrochemical performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

For a tandem electrode of (Cu₇/Ag₃)₇-Ru₃/C, the (Cu₇/Ag₃)₇ heterostructure maximized the formation of NO₂⁻, and Ru nanoparticles exhibited excellent NO₂⁻ adsorption and water dissociation, facilitating the hydrogenation of NO₂⁻ and avoiding the HER.

H₂S/CH₄ and CO₂/CH₄ separations show opposing trends, making simultaneous improvement challenging. This is addressed by increasing free volume to enhance competitive sorption effects and boosting diffusion selectivity through in situ crosslinking.

Iron oxalate, a coordination polymer known for its sustainability, is a potential candidate for high-capacity and high-rate anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

The exceptional performance of electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials often stems from their high conductivity.

We identify 62 Z-scheme heterostructures with excellent photocatalytic performance from 11 935 hetero-bilayer structures using high-throughput calculations and machine learning.

Oversaturated Fe–N₅ moieties incorporated into N-doped carbon nanocages are fabricated to facilitate polysulfide adsorption and sulfur redox reactions for Li–S batteries, which achieve excellent specific capacity and long-term cycle stability.

A frost-resistant hydrogel electrolyte with high ionic conductivity at −40 °C has been developed for wearable Zn//WO_3−x electrochromic devices.

A self-healing, deformation-resistant MXene double-network hydrogel for stable solar-driven interfacial evaporation.

10Ni/MgO_ET catalyst with a unique light-promoted synergy enabled a sustainable strategy for efficiently converting abundant biomass into syngas with excellent durability.

An integrated passivation strategy was employed to simultaneously suppress Sn oxidation and interfacial defect states of tin–lead mixed perovskite films effectively using p-guanidinobenzonitrile hydrochloride.

The developed Pd-rHGO nanocomposite material exhibited great potential for hydrogen storage, achieving a hydrogen storage capacity of 6.62 wt% at nearly ambient conditions and a pressure of 50 bar.

Introducing bismuth (Bi) into antimony (Sb) to form Sb–Bi alloys offers a promising way to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of Sb for CO₂ reduction to formate.

Gradually releasing reactants within a heterogeneous catalysis system is crucial to promote catalytic performance.

Identifying the nanostructure of residual Li in high-Ni cathodes is important for their long-term survival. This paper highlights the in-depth understanding of residual Li in nanoscale and suggests appropriate approaches to control the residual Li.

This study develops a self-assembled, hydrophobic, and compact C₃₂H₆₇O₄P layer on O3-NaNi_0.33Fe_0.33Mn_0.33O₂ cathode, effectively shielding the electrode from air degradation and metal dissolution, thereby enhancing sodium-ion battery performance.

TiSe₂ micro–nanoparticles with high rate and long life have been prepared by a simple one-step selenization method. The sodium storage mechanism was investigated by in situ and ex situ technologies.

In a visible-light-driven GaN:ZnO@α-Ga₂O₃ heterostructure, the GaN:ZnO core absorbed O₂ and stored photo-electrons at V_O sites to form ·O₂⁻, while the α-Ga₂O₃ shell absorbed H₂O/O₂ at V_O and trapped photo-holes at V_Ga to generate ·OH/¹O₂.

The Y₂Ti₂O₅S₂ have been prepared by using carbon disulfide (CS₂) as a sulfurizing reagent in the presence of a flux, which represents a new approach to the synthesis of oxysulfide photocatalysts in a manner that may be suitable for mass production.

Promising thermoelectric performance at low temperatures (300–600 K) realized in n-type polycrystalline SnSe by regulating the lattice structure.