Themed collection 2024 Journal of Materials Chemistry A Most Popular Articles

This perspective discusses the current status and future needs for the use of X-ray and neutron imaging as complementary methods for helping solve key challenges facing electrolyser materials.

We present a comprehensive perspective on the fundamental components of a solid-state battery, starting from all-solid-state electrolytes and extending to quantum power harvesting and storage.

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.

In the context of energy storage, multichromophoric systems may offer additional functionality over monosubstituted analogues due to their potential to access multiple states as well as having more attractive physical properties.

This review summarizes advances in bifunctional electrocatalysts and electrolyzers for seawater splitting, including various catalysts (e.g., phosphides, chalcogenides, borides, nitrides, and (oxy)hydroxides) and membrane-based/membrane-less systems.

We optimize the composition of transition metal layered oxides for high energy Na-ion batteries using machine learning trained by our experimental data.

Bioderived hierarchical electrodes from lignin significantly enhance mass transport and electrochemical performance in PEMFCs, offering a sustainable and efficient solution for next-generation fuel cell technologies.

Carboxylic acid functionalized cellulose nanocrystals have been obtained from biomass and evaluated as aqueous, environmentally sustainable alternatives to conventional polyvinylidene difluoride binders for cathodes of lithium-ion batteries.

In this paper we present the in situ analysis of gas dependent alloying in bimetallic Au-Pd nanoparticles through a combination of CO-DRIFTS and in situ TEM providing direct insight in the surface- and nanoparticle bulk redistribution kinetics.

Our approach revalorizes H₂S captured by the SU-101 MOF as a cathode material in lithium–sulfur batteries.

The atomic-scale mechanism of enhanced ionic conductivity in (Ba,Ca)F₂ with isovalent cation mixing is revealed via a first-principles investigation of defect formation and migration.

An e-modulated Ni MOF prepared through Zn doping enhances the number of active sites for the formation of a catalytic Ni–OOH phase, thereby accelerating methanol oxidation at the anode and boosting H₂ generation at the cathode.

Dual-doped ruthenium-based nanocrystals were developed as efficient and stable electrocatalysts for acidic overall seawater splitting with superior activity and durability.

Linking fundamental insights with high performance for electrochemical hydrogen peroxide production using boron/nitrogen co-doped carbon catalysts in neutral pH.

Mg-rich disordered rocksalt oxides, Mg₂TMO₃, are examined as cathodes for Mg-ion batteries. Although Mg²⁺ cannot easily be extracted from these compounds, we show that Mg²⁺ can be mobile in other cubic close-packed disordered rocksalts, Li_2−xMnO₂F.

Li–S batteries (LSBs) comprising two Kagome imine COFs as modifiers for Celgard separators are fabricated. The work highlights the cooperative effect of polysulfide trapping, Li⁺ sieving and electrocatalytic properties for high-performance LSBs.

Tunnel-type Na_0.44MnO₂ (tt-NMO) is a promising cathode for sodium ion battery having excellent structural stability, diffusion kinetics, and low cost.

Metavalent descriptors of LaP exhibit a stronger pressure dependence than those of LaBi. Strong anharmonicity in LaP bonds come from its antibonding π* valence bands. These features in LaP make its thermal conductivity lower than LaBi.

In this work, a Cu₂O@PCz electrode is proposed for the electrocatalytic production of ammonia reducing nitrogen and nitrogen oxoanions. This electrode takes advantage of the catalytic properties of Cu₂O together with the stabilization provided by polycarbazole (PCz).

Ti₃C₂ and Ti₃CN MXenes were exfoliated from their corresponding MAX phases by electrochemical etching using HBF₄ as the electrolyte. The performance of electrochemically etched MXene as electrodes for Li-ion supercapacitors was studied.

A sandwich-structured thermal interface material featuring vertically aligned carbon fibers and liquid metal-modified layers for enhanced thermal conductivity and reduced contact resistance in electronic devices.

The combustion synthesized Na₄Fe₃(PO₄)₂(P₂O₇) cathode exhibited outstanding electrochemical performance due to its higher purity, thin and dense carbon layer, and optimized pore structure compared to the one synthesized by the sol–gel method.

Controlling the nanofiltration performance of chemically stable 2D conjugated porous organic polymer membranes with tunable pore architectures via functionalization, pore size and pore topology (homopore and heteropore) modifications.

A novel multifunctionalized NU-1000 MOF-Cu material is designed for CO₂ adsorption and catalytic conversion. This Cu-based catalyst is active in electrocatalysis and has excellent selectivity to methanol formation in thermocatalytic hydrogenation.

A facile, scalable, wastewater-free synthesis of high energy density LiMn_0.5Fe_0.5PO₄ (LMFP) cathodes with high electrode press density is achieved by employing the spinel LiMnFeO₄ (LMFO) as a precursor.

A sodium salt monomer-based single-ion polymer electrolyte was designed, and as proof of concept, a quasi-solid-state sodium–metal cell, using Prussian White cathode, was manufactured, which delivers a capacity of 147 mA h g⁻¹.

GR and Ni₂P dual cocatalysts modified ZnIn₂S₄ nanoflower has been prepared and they can simultaneously utilize photogenerated electrons and holes to actuate the oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BA) to benzaldehyde (BAD) integrated with H₂ evolution.

B/N/P co-doped biomass carbons with optimized pore structure and electrical conductivity exhibited supervisor electrochemical performance in supercapacitors and sodium-ion batteries.

Specific functionalities at the nanoscale can emerge from the broken inversion symmetry in two-dimensional (2D) Janus monolayers.

Phase engineering to construct In₂S₃ heterophase junctions and abundant active boundaries and surfaces for efficient Pyro-PEC performance in CdS/In₂S₃.

Utilizing CeMnO_x bimetallic oxide as fillers in SPEEK/SPPO blend polymer backbone demonstrated outstanding oxidative stability and improved performance in PEMFCs.

An organic indanthrone molecule realizes alternate Zn²⁺/CF₃SO₃⁻ ion storage involving multi-electron transfer at bipolar-type redox-active centers, providing high capacity, high-voltage durability and high energy density for dual-ion Zn batteries.

Novel in situ polymerized amines and their promising potential for dry and humid ambient and sub-ambient temperature DAC are explored.

A highly reversible bifunctional electrocatalyst for flexible Zn air batteries was fabricated featuring pyridinic-N exclusively enriched CNT encased NiFe interfacial alloy nanoparticles derived from an LDH template on knitted carbon fiber cloth.

An efficient 3D bridge-arch structured dual-side evaporator was proposed for all-weather water harvesting via solar thermal and Joule heating, showing a solar evaporation rate of 4.10 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ and Joule heating evaporation rate of 6.50 kg m⁻² h⁻¹.

Herein, we present Ir-doped NiFe-LDH nanosheets synthesized via a pulsed laser irradiation strategy, showing superior electrocatalytic OER kinetics. We investigate the origin of activity in NiFeIr-LDH through in situ/operando Raman and DFT studies.

A multivalent Co-confined N-doped C–Si hybrid hollow nanoreactor was anchored onto a tailored sponge acting as a monolith bifunctional evaporator, which enables the synchronous pollutant mineralization and solar-driven interfacial water regeneration.

Coordination environment dominated catalytic selectivity of the HER and OER with switchable active centers.

Single-site Co-embedded CTF-TPE exhibits high photocatalytic CO₂ conversion to CO with a production rate of 945 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹.

Highly durable porous battery-type supercapacitor charge storage material derived through electrochemical surface reconstruction of nickel cobalt pyrophosphate.

The A-site high-entropy perovskite oxide (La_1/6Pr_1/6Nd_1/6Gd_1/6Sr_1/6Ba_1/6)MnO₃ with enhanced hydrogen production, phase stability, and surface oxygen exchange kinetics, offering the potential for tailoring properties in the STCH application.

Enhancing LDH film performance through pH-responsive chelation. A pH-sensitive chelation approach was employed to tailor MgAl-LDH, achieving improved electrochemical stability and enhanced photocatalytic efficiency.

Nitrate, a water-pollutant, is converted to valuable product ammonia electrochemically using Fe(TCNQ)₂/CF nanorod arrays with yield rate 11351.6 μg h^–1 cm^–2 and faradaic efficiency 85.2% under ambient conditions.

Electrolytes using fluorinated solvents have proven effective in improving the cycling life of Li-metal batteries, by forming a robust solid–electrolyte interphase through decomposition of anion and fluorinated solvent molecules.

This study employs various machine learning algorithms to model the electrical conductivity and gas sensing responses of polyaniline/graphene (PANI/Gr) nanocomposites based on a comprehensive dataset gathered from over 100 references.

The impact of in situ electrooxidation in a Ni₃N electrocatalyst on its hydrogen evolution activity and electrochemical stability was investigated in alkaline media.

Asymmetrical and electromagnetic gradient multilayered CNF/MXene/FeCo@rGO composite film with efficient and enhanced absorbing EMI shielding property was constructed by alternating filtration of different dispersions.

The pyrolysis of ZIF-67 is followed in situ, and the conditions are correlated with the structural evolution and electrocatalytic performance.

SiO₂ assisted abundant Cu⁰–Cu⁺–NH₂ composite interfaces enhance the adsorption and activation of CO₂ and H₂O, strengthen the adsorption of CO intermediates, and promote C–C coupling to produce C₂₊ products.

The novel Mott–Schottky Co₂P/Co encapsulated by N,P co-doped graphene and carbon nanotubes is prepared and employed it as superior catalyst for zinc–air batteries and water splitting application, making it a noteworthy advancement in the field.