Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.197

Authors: Cong Chang,Shixia Lan,Dandan Gao,Jiyang Xie,Yongyun Mao,Wanbiao Hu

Harvesting energy from water droplets offers a promising route to power decentralized electronics, yet conventional triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are limited by intermittent output and reliance on repetitive mechanical contact. Here, we present a hemispherical TENG (H-TENG) featuring a breakthrough dual-electrode configuration that enables high-efficiency continuous energy extraction from a single moving droplet. The device operates via a two-phase mechanism: initial contact electrification followed by sustained electret-field-driven polarization. As the droplet oscillates, the friction layer accumulates charges and evolves into a permanent electret, producing a stable electric field that polarizes subsequent droplets without direct contact. This design eliminates the inherent intermittency of conventional TENGs and allows infinite energy conversion cycles under wave-like motion. The hemispherical structure is ideally suited for scalable blue energy harvesting from ocean waves. Through systematic experimental and theoretical analysis, we demonstrate the essential roles of droplet kinetics, ion-mediated interfacial effects, and optimized device geometry in enhancing performance. This work offers a robust, material - structure-integrated strategy toward sustainable droplet-based energy harvesting, with significant potential for applications in self-powered marine systems and large-scale renewable energy conversion.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.148

Authors: Jitang Zhang,Lei Tian,Shijie Shen,Huanhuan Zhang,Lianli Jia,Xinxing Shi,Wenwu Zhong,Lili Zhang,Chenglong Qiu,Jiacheng Wang

Hydrogen energy is vital for achieving carbon neutrality, with green hydrogen from water electrolysis being key. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) critically determines system viability, driving the search for high-performance, stable and affordable electrocatalysts. Rhodium (Rh)-based catalysts are promising platinum alternatives due to near-ideal hydrogen adsorption energy, tunable electronic structure, and stable activity across all pH ranges. This review highlights recent advances in Rh-based HER catalysts, including mechanisms, descriptors, materials, and optimization strategies. Density functional theory (DFT) indicates that Rh catalysts typically follow the Volmer-Heyrovsky-Tafel pathway, with performance governed by surface geometry and electronic states. Key activity descriptors are summarized, while combining DFT with machine learning enables high-throughput screening and rational catalyst design. Experimentally, activity and stability are improved through atomic-scale modulation, interface engineering, and carrier synergy. Rh-based catalysts are categorized into single atoms, nanoclusters, 2D metallenes, nanoparticles, and compounds (phosphides, sulfides, oxides, nitrides), with synthesis methods and performance characteristics reviewed. Remaining challenges include reducing synthesis cost, ensuring long-term durability, and achieving scalable production. Future research should deepen structure-activity understanding and integrate artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of practical Rh-based HER catalysts.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.175

Authors: Pengpeng Wu,Yuru Liu,Junyan Yang,Juanji Hong,Ningning Song,Jiuyang He,Zhanjun Guo,Minmin Liang

Developing efficient carbon capture, utilization and storage methods is essential to offset adverse global climate changes. Among those methods, photocatalytic CO₂ conversion is emerging as an effective and sustainable solution. Among the various photocatalysts, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are particularly promising for the CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) due to their unique features, such as quantum confinement effect, large absorption coefficient, and beneficial surface properties. This review provides a comprehensive and distinctive perspective by integrating three critical dimensions: advanced mechanistic understanding through cutting-edge characterization techniques, systematic stability analysis under realistic operating conditions, and direct CO₂ capture-utilization integration. We highlight recent strategies for improving the CO₂RR performance of QDs, including bandgap tuning, ion doping, defect and heterojunction engineering, ligand modification and cocatalyst loading. We also explore integrated approaches that couple CO₂ capture with photocatalytic conversion. Furthermore, we address the critical transition from laboratory demonstrations to real-world implementation by analyzing long-term stability, degradation mechanisms, and realistic cyclic operating conditions inadequately addressed in current research. Finally, we address prevailing challenges and future prospects, aiming to spark continuous innovation in applying QDs to CO₂ capture and conversion.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.194

Authors: Jing Wang,Kun Zhang,Xikang Xu,Xinyi Shi,Chunyu Wang,Chaojie Fan,Zhuang Sun,Hui Ying Yang,Yuping Wu

Round-the-clock photocatalytic hydrogen production is essential for overcoming the intermittency of solar energy and achieving continuous solar-to-hydrogen conversion. However, the development of efficient round-the-clock photocatalysts remains a considerable challenge due to limited light availability and inefficient charge utilization in the dark. In this work, a long-afterglow-based S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst, Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:(Eu,Dy)/CdS (referred to as SMSED/CdS), is constructed via a ball-milling strategy. The luminescence from Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:(Eu,Dy) (referred to as SMSED) is efficiently captured by CdS, thus serving as a built-in light source to drive dark catalytic reactions. Meanwhile, the unique electron transfer pathway in SMSED provides sufficiently long-lived electrons for the SMSED/CdS system. The S-scheme heterojunction formed between SMSED and CdS directs the photogenerated charge transfer, while maintaining the strong redox capability of SMSED/CdS. Consequently, the SMSED/CdS exhibits hydrogen production of 45.20 mmol g^-1 under ultraviolet-visible light within 1 h and a dark activity of 4.37 mmol g^-1 sustained over 3 h. The corresponding mechanism was comprehensively studied via analysis of physicochemical properties, band structure, ex-situ and in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. This study provides a significant breakthrough in developing round-the-clock photocatalysts.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.189

Authors: Xuehong Min,Luyao Wang,Hangning Liu,Xuyun Guo,Xinghang Liu,Yuhang Cheng,Valeria Nicolosi,Jie Wang

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a critical process in electrochemical water splitting, yet challenging in activation of lattice oxygen oxidation mechanism (LOM) for cost-effective transition metal oxides, in which strong metal-oxygen (M-O) bonds inherently inhibit lattice oxygen reactivity. Here, we design a molybdenum/fluorine (Mo/F) co-dopant in NiFe₂O₄ spinel to engineer the electronic structure via an LOM pathway. The incorporation of high-valence Mo and highly electronegative F collaboratively optimizes the electronic configuration of Ni/Fe sites, facilitating the formation of stable high-valent metal species and effectively weakening the M-O bonds. This synergy not only results in faster OER kinetics but also promotes oxygen vacancy formation, thereby enabling direct lattice oxygen involvement. Real-time ¹⁸O-labeled differential electrochemical mass spectrometry coordinates with in-situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy conclusively verify the activation of the LOM. The Mo/F-NiFe₂O₄ catalyst exhibits outstanding OER performance, requiring low overpotentials of 247 and 311 mV to achieve current densities of 50 and 100 mA cm^-2, respectively. Remarkably, it demonstrates exceptional durability in seawater electrolytes, operating steadily for over 300 h at a high current density of 100 mA cm^-2. This work provides a general and effective doping strategy to activate the LOM in robust oxide catalysts, paving the way for efficient hydrogen production from both pure water and seawater resources.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.176

Authors: Yonghao Liu,Hui Deng,Qiqiang Zhu,Changbiao Peng,Yunfeng Lai,Jionghua Wu,Peijie Lin,Weihuang Wang,Shuying Cheng

Antimony sulfide (Sb₂S₃) solar cells exhibit significant potential in tandem and indoor photovoltaic applications. The quality of cadmium sulfide (CdS)/Sb₂S₃ heterojunction, affected by energy-level misalignments and lattice-mismatch defects, is crucial for achieving high-performance devices. Herein, we propose a MgCl₂-CdCl₂ mixed treatment strategy for the CdS/Sb₂S₃ interface to suppress interfacial recombination caused by defects and energy band offsets. The obtained preferentially [100]-oriented CdS film effectively mitigates lattice mismatch and induces the subsequent hydrothermal deposition of a well-crystallized, vertically oriented Sb₂S₃ absorber. The MgCl₂-CdCl₂ mixed treatment introduces Mg²⁺ doping in the CdS layer, achieving an enhanced surface potential and well-matched interfacial energy band alignments. The CdS/Sb₂S₃ heterojunction interface forms a spike-type energy band structure with a small conduction band offset. Compared with the conventional CdCl₂ treatment, the MgCl₂-CdCl₂ mixed-treated device exhibits a stronger built-in electric field (1.31 V) and low-temperature activation energy (1.63 eV), indicating the suppression of carrier recombination. Consequently, the champion Sb₂S₃ solar cells achieve an improved efficiency from 7.5% to 8.1%. This heterojunction treatment strategy is expected to provide an effective method for fabricating high-performance inorganic thin film solar cells.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.166

Authors: Huimeng Shen,Chen Wang,Huidan Gao,Zhen Chang,Huawei Zhou,Xianxi Zhang,Federico Rosei

A major unresolved challenge in inverted organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (I-PSCs) is interfacial non-radiative recombination. To tackle this issue, we introduced trace dimethylformamide (tDMF) in isopropanol (tDMF/IPA) as a passivation material, carefully modifying the interface between FA_0.95Cs_0.05PbI₃ and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester. The experimental results of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy at different voltages and angles, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate that oxygen lone pair of electrons in carbonyl group (-C=O) of polar solvent N,N-dimethylformamide form coordination bonds (Pb²⁺ → O=C) with Pb²⁺ suspension bond on the surface of perovskite. Tafel polarization curve and dark current results reveal decrease in the charge recombination rate at the interface and decrease in leakage current, respectively, after tDMF/IPA passivation. The photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of I-PSCs treated with tDMF/IPA is significantly increased from 21.44% to 23.24%, and the open-circuit voltage is also increased from 1.01 to 1.12 V. Encapsulated devices based on tDMF/IPA passivation retained over 77% of their initial PCE after being stored in ambient air for 2,736 h.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.167

Authors: Youling Wang,Juan Carlos Abrego-Martinez,Samuel Quéméré,Victor Vanpeene,Lionel Roué

This study presents a scalable and cost-effective spray-drying method for synthesizing graphite/silicon/carbon nanotube (G-Si-CNT) composites as high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries. By integrating graphite fines, nano-silicon (nSi), and a low loading (1 wt%) of single-walled CNTs, the resulting composites exhibit enhanced cycling stability and rate capability. The spray-drying process ensures uniform particle morphology and strong adhesion between components, effectively mitigating the mechanical degradation typically caused by silicon’s volume expansion during cycling. Electrochemical tests reveal that the G-15% nSi-1%CNT composite achieves a capacity retention of 95.3% after 100 cycles with a discharge capacity of 630 mAh·g^-1 (3.15 mAh·cm^-2), outperforming CNT-free counterparts. While CNTs increase solid electrolyte interphase-related losses due to higher surface area, their mechanical and conductive benefits outweigh this drawback. Impedance spectroscopy and post-mortem analyses confirm reduced charge-transfer resistance and improved structural integrity due to CNTs incorporation. The use of low-cost by-products from natural graphite spheroidization and low CNTs content offers significant economic advantages, positioning these composites as promising candidates for scalable, high-energy lithium-ion battery anodes.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.158

Authors: Xingyu Duan,Fuzhong Wu,Jie Tang,Wei Wang,Yongwang Zhao,Jialu Qu,Xinyi Dai,Zhihua Zhao,Li Wang,Sining Yun,Shengli An

Proton ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) are considered highly efficient energy conversion devices, yet their performance is strongly governed by the catalytic activity and stability of anode materials. Although PrBaMn₂O_5+δ (R-PBM) has demonstrated intrinsic tolerance to hydrocarbon fuels, its electrochemical activity at intermediate and low temperatures remains insufficient for practical reversible PCFCs (r-PCFCs) applications. Therefore, a Ni-doped R-PBM anode material, PrBaMn_1.95Ni_0.05O_5+δ (R-PBMN), was studied in this work. The in situ exsolution of Ni nanoparticles after partial Ni substitution for Mn sites significantly improved the anode activity. The exsolved Ni nanoparticles effectively lower the activation energy for C-H bond cleavage, thereby enhancing methane activation and decomposition. Meanwhile, the R-PBMN lattice provides intrinsic hydrophilicity and high proton mobility, which enable cooperative CH₄/H₂O activation and facilitate the formation of CH_xOH* intermediates that suppress carbon deposition. As a result, R-PBMN exhibits substantially enhanced electrochemical performance. At 650 °C, R-PBMN demonstrated substantially lower polarization resistance than R-PBM: 0.56 Ω cm² in H₂ and 3.38 Ω cm² in CH₄, representing a 90% and 55% reduction, respectively, while retaining a high impedance stability for 120 h in methane-steam atmosphere. At 700 °C, the peak power density of R-PBMN in H₂ and CH₄ reached 0.82 and 0.64 W cm^-2, respectively, a 15.5% and 18.5% increase compared to R-PBM. Furthermore, the R-PBMN anode retained the intrinsic coking resistance of the Pr_0.5Ba_0.5MnO_3-δ (PBM) framework, ensuring stable operation for 100 h in a 50% H₂O/CH₄ atmosphere. This work highlights a cooperative design strategy that transforms PBM from a hydrocarbon-tolerant but low-activity oxide into a high-performance PCFC anode with balanced activity and durability.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.168

Authors: Myeong Jin Seol,Jaemin Jeong,Soo Young Kim

Thermal evaporation offers precise thickness control and compatibility with large-area processing, making it an attractive route for perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). However, evaporated devices have historically shown lower efficiency and stability than solution-processed counterparts. This review summarizes recent progress in enhancing the performance of thermally evaporated PeLEDs through process optimization and additive engineering. Process optimization strategies include tuning precursor ratios, deposition rates, substrate temperatures, post-annealing conditions, and the thickness of emissive and charge-transport layers. Such adjustments improve film crystallinity, exciton confinement, and charge balance while suppressing non-radiative losses. In parallel, organic and inorganic additives have been widely applied to passivate defects, stabilize emissive phases, and enhance operational stability, leading to significant gains in external quantum efficiency. Beyond these approaches, advanced design concepts are emerging. Host-dopant systems enable efficient energy transfer and controlled emission, multi-quantum well structures enhance carrier confinement, and single-source thermal evaporation using solid powder precursors simplifies fabrication and improves reproducibility. These strategies define a pathway toward bridging the performance gap with solution-processed devices. Finally, we highlight applications of evaporated PeLEDs in active-matrix displays, where integration with thin-film transistors demonstrates their promise for scalable, high-resolution display technologies. Broader opportunities in lighting, flexible optoelectronics, and integrated photonics further underscore the versatility of this approach. By consolidating progress in process control, additive engineering, and device design, this review outlines critical directions for advancing thermally evaporated PeLEDs toward commercial viability, combining fundamental insights with practical engineering strategies to achieve efficient, stable, and scalable optoelectronic devices.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.157

Authors: Chuanrui Chen,Jiaqi Lu,Dinku Hazarika,Kaihang Zhang,Jianhui Wu,Jiafeng Ni,Rui Wan,Liangquan Xu,Jie Li,Xinyu Cai,Xi Yang,Fengling Zhuo,Hao Jin,Zhi Ye,Shurong Dong,Jikui Luo

Electrospinning enables the fabrication of nanofiber films with large active surface area, high porosity, and controllable filler orientation, offering distinct advantages for fabricating high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Here, we develop MoS₂-doped electrospun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films for TENG fabrication and reveal the underlying mechanisms of their enhanced triboelectric performance. Compared with spin-coated films, electrospun films intrinsically deliver higher output due to their fibrous morphology, while incorporation of MoS₂ nanosheets further improves the performance. TENGs with the optimized 2 wt.% MoS₂-PVA electrospun film reached 994.0 V, 111.0 mA·m^-2, and 136.3 μC·m^-2, corresponding to 3.8, 3.8, and 3.0 fold enhancements over the spin-coated pristine PVA TENG. Mechanistic studies by experiments and theoretical analysis showed that this remarkable enhancement arises from the combined effects of morphology-driven enlargement of effective contact area, MoS₂-induced surface charge modulation, and nanosheet alignment-induced piezoelectric polarization. Detailed material characterizations, COMSOL simulations, and molecular dynamic calculations provide quantitative and atomistic insights into these contributions. These results establish a coherent structure-property-performance relationship and provide design rules for durable, biocompatible, and high-output TENGs, highlighting their promise for wearable energy harvesting and self-powered sensing applications.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.142

Authors: Daniel Herranz,Pablo del Mazo-Sevillano,Sara Rodríguez,Alfonso Gijón,Juan Ramón Avilés Moreno,Pilar Ocón

This study reports the synthesis and characterization of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) tailored for application in alkaline water electrolysis for green hydrogen production. Novel membranes were developed by crosslinking polybenzimidazole (PBI) and poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) (PVBC) in a 1:2 ratio, followed by quaternization with either 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) or 1-methylpyrrolidine (MPY). Their performance was benchmarked against commercial membranes, including Fumasep® FAA-3-50 and Dapozol M-40. The membranes were thoroughly characterized by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopies, ionic conductivity, ion exchange capacity, water uptake and swelling measurements. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to determine the diffusion coefficients of OH^- and H₂, providing further insight into ion transport and gas permeability at the molecular level. Electrochemical performance was evaluated in a flow-cell configuration under different pretreatment protocols. A key result of this work is the superior gas-barrier performance of the synthesized membranes. In stability electrolysis tests, both DABCO- and MPY-based membranes showed significantly reduced hydrogen crossover, 36% lower than FAA-3-50, decreasing from approximately 2.7% to just 1.7% H₂ detected at the anode. This reduction in crossover is critical for enhancing efficiency and safety in hydrogen production. While FAA-3-50 delivered the best overall performance in short test activation conditions, the synthesized membranes demonstrated highly competitive performance and notable improvements in selectivity and stability. Dapozol M-40 was excluded from further analysis due to its poor electrochemical performance. These findings confirm the potential of tailored PBI/PVBC-based membranes for advanced alkaline electrolysis applications.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.136

Authors: Jiang Bian,Bo Yu,Hengguang Cao,Qiongqiong Lu,Peixun Xiong

Metallic zinc anodes are promising candidates for aqueous batteries due to their high abundance, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, challenges such as dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution side reactions, and irreversible corrosion hinder their practical application. In this study, we propose a pyrrolic nitrogen-enriched solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer to overcome these limitations and achieve a stable, dendrite-free zinc anode. By leveraging molecular functionalization, pyrrolic nitrogen facilitates uniform zinc deposition, suppresses unfavorable side reactions, and enhances the overall anode stability. Systematic experimental validation reveals that the engineered SEI achieves remarkable electrochemical performance, maintaining over 95% Coulombic efficiency and delivering long-term cycling stability beyond 500 cycles in an aqueous environment. Further computational simulations elucidate the synergistic interactions between pyrrolic nitrogen and zinc ions, offering deep insights into the underlying mechanisms of interphase stabilization. This work not only addresses the primary bottlenecks of zinc anodes but also establishes a scalable design framework for next-generation aqueous zinc batteries, enabling both improved durability and higher efficiency for real-world applications.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.128

Authors: Hongbo Cui,Chengjie Chen,Xutong Lu,Qian Wang,Guijian Guan,Ming-Yong Han

To address global energy and environmental challenges, photocatalytic hydrogen production has emerged as a clean and promising technology that utilizes solar energy to generate green hydrogen, producing only water as a byproduct. This review highlights recent advances in strategies for significantly enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution to promote its industrialization. Key approaches include morphology optimization for improved light absorption and charge transport, metal hybridization or incorporation to enhance catalytic activity and selectivity, and interface engineering to facilitate charge separation and reaction kinetics. Additionally, the emerging photocatalysts, such as two-dimensional transition metal carbides, metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, and high-entropy materials provide superior alternatives. Furthermore, this review discusses multifunctional enhancements for practical applications and showcases cutting-edge large-scale demonstrations, including 100 m² panel arrays and compound parabolic concentrator reactors, which achieve a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 9% and 300 h stability in seawater splitting. These advances underscore the techno-economic potential of photocatalytic hydrogen production and bridge fundamental research with industrial implementation. Finally, the current challenges and future research trends are pointed out for designing high-performance photocatalysts and offering insight into the feasible strategies to develop the industrial application of photocatalytic hydrogen production.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.133

Authors: Hanzhong Cui,Junpeng Fan,Jin Zhang

This study presents a novel slit evaporation self-assembly method for fabricating freestanding sulfuric acid-treated reduced graphene oxide/commercial graphene films (S-ATrGO/CG). The unique capillary slit-induced self-assembly process facilitates the alignment and stacking of graphene flakes, resulting in a well-ordered, laminated film. The treatment of graphene oxide (GO) with sulfuric acid facilitates the ring-opening of inert functional groups, converting them into active functional groups. Sulfuric acid-treated graphene oxide (ATGO) can serve as an effective binder for adhering commercial graphene flakes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to quantitatively analyze the oxygen-containing functional groups in GO, ATGO, and S-ATrGO/CG. A series of electrochemical tests were conducted to investigate the behavior of the S-ATrGO/CG films, which exhibited well-defined redox peaks, indicating the contribution of unreduced oxygen-containing groups to redox reactions and pseudocapacitance. The S-ATrGO/CG films exhibit superior electrochemical performance, with an ultra-high area-specific capacitance of 1,589.78 mF cm^-2 at a scan of 5 mV s^-1 and an impressive initial capacitance retention of 99.80% after 20,000 cycles at a current density of 50 mA cm^-2. This study highlights the potential of S-ATrGO/CG films as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy storage systems.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.126

Authors: Yishuang He,Zhanfeng Zhang,Kai Jin,Xinhai Yuan,Zhenwen Sun,Weijia Fan,Wangsheng Yuan,Peng Han,Lijun Fu,Yuping Wu

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) have emerged as promising energy storage systems due to their high safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, the practical application of zinc metal anodes is hindered by challenges such as Zn dendrite growth and side reactions, which degrade the cycle performance and energy efficiency of AZIBs. To address these issues, a facile and functional coating composed of zinc alginate gel (Alg-Zn) and 2H-molybdenum disulfide (2H-MoS₂) was used to modify the Zn anode (MAZ@Zn). Combined experimental and theoretical investigations reveal that, in addition to the Zn²⁺ guiding effect of ion conductive Alg-Zn, the 2H-MoS₂ functions as an ion sieve. This facilitates the fast Zn²⁺ migration and even distribution because of the lower ion migration energy along the MoS₂ surface, ensuring fast Zn²⁺ diffusion in the MAZ@Zn coating and uniform Zn deposition. Moreover, the barrier effect of MoS₂ against H₂O helps suppress side reactions such as hydrogen evolution, thereby further enhancing the interfacial stability of the Zn anode. As a result, the MAZ@Zn symmetric cells exhibit excellent cyclic stability, achieving a lifespan of 880 h at 1 mA cm^-2 and 1 mAh cm^-2, with low voltage polarization and low charge transfer energy. In contrast, the bare Zn anode only sustains 150 h of cycling under identical conditions. In Zn//sodium vanadate full batteries, the MAZ@Zn anode demonstrates outstanding performance, retaining 88.4% of its capacity after 1,000 cycles at 4 A g^-1. This work offers a simple and effective strategy for developing high-performance Zn anodes for long-life AZIBs.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.170

Authors: Sohyun Lee,Dong Hyun Lee,Young Hyun Hong

The development of technologies that convert solar or electrical energy into sustainable chemical fuels remains a central challenge in the field of energy research. Among various strategies, photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) that enable the direct conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into value-added fuels such as carbon monoxide (CO), formic acid (HCOOH), formaldehyde (HCHO), and methanol (CH₃OH) using sunlight have gained considerable attention. While most PEC systems rely on heterogeneous catalysts, the emerging approach of heterogenizing homogeneous molecular catalysts onto electrode surfaces offers a promising pathway that combines the molecular-level tunability of homogeneous systems with the robustness and recyclability of heterogeneous platforms. Anchoring molecular catalysts onto conductive or semiconductive surfaces not only enhances charge transport efficiency from the substrate to the active site, enabling high current densities, but also facilitates integration into device-scale architectures. Among various immobilization strategies, covalent anchoring via functionalized ligands has proven particularly effective in ensuring strong surface binding. However, the impact of such covalent anchoring on the catalytic activity and long-term stability of molecular catalysts remains poorly understood. This review highlights recent advances in hybrid molecular PEC systems for selective CO₂ reduction to CO and formate, focusing on the design of modular ligands with surface anchoring functionalities. We summarize current covalent immobilization techniques and discuss the mechanistic implications of catalyst-surface interactions. Finally, we outline key challenges and future directions toward the rational design of robust, selective, and scalable molecular-material hybrid catalysts for solar fuel production.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.162

Authors: Seyeong Song,Hye Won Cho,Harin Kim,Mihyun Kim,Gi-Hwan Kim

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a promising next-generation photovoltaic (PV) technology for space applications. Their high power-to-weight ratio, mechanical flexibility, and tunable optoelectronic properties make them particularly attractive for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) applications. PSCs demonstrate favorable behavior under low light and partial shading, as well as a unique self-healing response under certain space conditions. They also achieve specific power densities of 23-30 W g^-1, representing a 10-15× improvement over conventional silicon arrays (0.5-2 W g^-1) and 4-6× improvement over III-V multijunction cells (5.5 W g^-1), while maintaining > 92% efficiency retention under 1 × 10¹⁶ e cm^-2 electron irradiation. The key challenges and opportunities for PSCs in the LEO environment arise from intense ultraviolet radiation, vacuum exposure, thermal cycling, and proton irradiation. In this review, a comprehensive understanding of PSCs in the space environment is presented, including recent strategies to improve efficiency, as well as thermal and mechanical durability, while also addressing performance optimization and space PV analysis. This overview highlights the potential of perovskite photovoltaics for satellite power systems by enabling high-efficiency energy harvesting with minimal mass and processing constraints, positioning PSCs as a promising new PV paradigm for the coming decade.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2026.12

Authors: Zhendong Hao,Wenqing Yao,Wenjie Li,Sen Qi,Yingfei Tang,Guanyu Liu,Yuming Dai

The pursuit of safety and efficiency in electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems has long been a central theme. Among these systems, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered promising candidates for next-generation energy storage devices due to their high safety, low cost, and high capacity. However, several critical issues associated with Zn²⁺ ion transport, including dendrite formation and side reactions at zinc (Zn) metal anodes, severely restricted their practical applications. As the “blood” of AZIBs, electrolytes play a crucial role in stabilizing Zn metal anodes by introducing various components or optimizing the liquid environment. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of electrolyte engineering for AZIBs is of great significance. In this review, the development of electrolytes is first discussed. Then, the roles of electrolytes in AZIBs are summarized based on recent advances, including regulation of the solvation process, optimization of the solid electrolyte interphase layer, and modulation of ionic transport. Finally, perspectives on the further development of electrolytes for AZIBs are provided. This review may offer valuable insights for the design of functional electrolytes for advanced electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.174

Authors: Christoph Roitzheim,Franziska Hueppe,Yoo Jung Sohn,Yannic Collette,Walter Sebastian Scheld,Doris Sebold,Thomas Demuth,Kerstin Volz,Olivier Guillon,Dina Fattakhova-Rohlfing,Martin Finsterbusch

In order to make garnet-based all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) attractive for industrial applications, their rate capability has to be significantly improved. Recently, cubic Li_6.4Ga_0.2La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO:Ga) was found to have the highest total ionic conductivity of any oxide solid-state electrolyte by far, reaching up to 2 × 10^-3 S/cm at room temperature. Since the rate performance of composite cathodes is directly linked to their ionic conductivity, LLZO:Ga is an ideal solid-state electrolyte for high-performance ASSBs. However, careful material selection is required for the fabrication of such ceramic composite cathodes at elevated temperatures in order to avoid incompatibility issues that could lead to low electrochemical performance. We therefore systematically studied the co-sintering behavior of cubic LLZO:Ga in combination with common cathode active materials, including LiCoO₂ (LCO), LiNi_1/3Mn_1/3Co_1/3O₂ (NCM111), and LiNi_0.8Mn_0.1Co_0.1O₂ (NCM811). The analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental conditions were chosen to enable a direct comparison with our previous study on Li_6.45La₃Zr_1.6Ta_0.4Al_0.05O₁₂ (LLZO:Ta). For the first time, we were thus able to elucidate the impact of different LLZO compositions on material compatibility. While most of the observed secondary phases were similar to those found for LLZO:Ta-based composites, a more severe degradation of the cubic LLZO:Ga structure itself was observed, reducing its conductivity and thus limiting the performance of the final cell. Consequently, the processing window for producing LLZO:Ga-based composite cathodes is even narrower than for LLZO with other dopants, thus requiring careful tailoring and tight control over the processing conditions when manufacturing garnet-based ASSBs.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2026.04

Authors: Jing-Wen Zou,Yu-Shuang Zhang,Yi-Hua Hu,Wei-bing Sun,Yu-Hao Xia,Hao Huang,Hao-Qi Luo,Qing Ye,Ying Chen

The advancement of infrared detection technologies necessitates the development of novel stealth materials that can actively manipulate thermal signatures. Here, we report a Ti₃C₂T_x/Bi₂Se₃ hybrid designed with high-efficiency photothermal conversion for an active infrared thermal stealth strategy. Bi₂Se₃ was prepared using bismuth on Se nanodisks grown via Cu²⁺-induced strategy, and Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and Bi₂Se₃ were successfully composited through a facile low-temperature ultrasonic process. Owing to the efficient light absorption and charge transfer enabled by the strong interaction between Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and Bi₂Se₃, the Ti₃C₂T_x/Bi₂Se₃ hybrid material exhibited enhanced photothermal conversion, achieving a remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency of approximately 52.03%, with a standard deviation of 1.67%. In the simulated infrared detection, the Ti₃C₂T_x/Bi₂Se₃-based dummy target gradually concealed the real target in the environmental background within 10 min through photothermal conversion. This work demonstrates a promising active stealth strategy and underscores the potential of MXene-based photothermal hybrids in next-generation infrared camouflage technologies.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.223

Authors: Lei Wang,Weiming Chen,Han Qi,Cuizhu Ye,Binglei Liu,Deliang Zeng,Zhuoyu Ji,Jia Hong Pan,Xiaolei Huang

Vanadium-cerium redox flow batteries (V-Ce RFBs) have emerged as a promising alternative to all-vanadium systems due to the lower cost and high standard redox potential of Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺. However, their practical application is hindered by the sluggish kinetics of the Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ redox reaction and the severe corrosion of conventional graphite felt electrodes. To address these challenges, we constructed a single atomic nickel catalyst (Ni₁/NC) with a four-nitrogen coordination structure (Ni₁–N₄ moiety) on nitrogen-doped carbon support. The Ni₁/NC catalyst with high Ni loading possesses abundant accessible active sites and unique structure properties for catalysis. When applied as a positive electrode, the Ni₁/NC catalyst exhibited significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability for Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ redox. The assembled V-Ce RFBs achieves a high energy efficiency of 69.1% at 200 mA cm^-2 and a superior peak power density, markedly outperforming cells with baseline electrodes. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the Ni₁–N₄ sites facilitate charge transfer and enhance activation of reactant species (Ce⁴⁺), providing atomic-level insight into the catalytic mechanism. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of single-atom catalysts in enhancing the performance of V-Ce RFBs and sheds light on designing advanced electrocatalysts.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.226

Authors: Fangcheng Qiu,Xuqi Wang,Haokun Shi,Yufeng Song,Xin Zheng,Ronghai Liu,Yunhua He,Xiao Lu,Ze Yang,Cuiping Wang

Owing to sluggish ion migration, structural instability, and elevated interfacial impedance, ternary lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NCM) systems often fail to meet the requirements of rapid charge-discharge, resulting in low power densities in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This study investigates the electrochemical performance of cathodes fabricated via the integration of three types of ternary NCM material (namely NCM523, NCM811, and NCM9055) composited with activated carbon (AC) for hybrid battery supercapacitors (HBS). Attributed to the highly uniform morphology, enhanced structural stability, and high Ni percentage, NCM9055/AC composite cathodes not only a superior specific capacity (231 mAh/g at 0.1 C) but also exceptional rate charge and discharge performance and long cycling stability. At a current density of 0.5 C, the NCM9055/AC composite cathode maintained a high capacity of 222 mAh/g. Even at a high current density of 5 C, NCM9055/AC composite cathodes delivered a reversible capacity of 153 mAh/g with a retention of 79.4% after 360 cycles. Outperforming the NCM811/AC and NCM523/AC composite cathodes, demonstrating that synergistic optimization can indeed achieve the objectives of high capacity, enhanced rate capability, and improved cycling stability. Furthermore, the assembled pouch HBS, constructed with one NCM9055/AC composite cathode and two graphite anodes, achieved an energy density of 55 Wh/kg, a power density of 1,828 W/kg, and a capacity retention up to 99% after 340 cycles at 0.5 C. This indicates exceptional potential for fast charging and long cycle life, providing an innovative technical solution for application scenarios requiring high energy and rapid response.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.191

Authors: Xuxu Wang,Cairan Yue,Wenbo Wang,Fen Yao,Jinhui Li,Weijie Zhu,Ping Nie,Limin Chang

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have garnered significant attention as anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their high theoretical capacity and moderate Li-intercalation potential. However, TMP still suffer from challenges, including severe volume effects and poor electrical conductivity. Herein, the heterostructure nanofibers anode is synthesized by uniformly distributing CoP/Co₂P nanoparticles onto N, P co-doped carbon substrate (CoP/Co₂P/C). The built-in electric field generated by the heterostructure enhances electron/ion conductivity, provides additional Li storage sites, thereby optimizing electrochemical performance. The CoP/Co₂P/C nanofibers exhibit great cycling stability in applications as LIBs anodes, maintaining the specific capacity above 356 mA h g^-1 after 2000 cycles under 1,000 mA g^-1. By regulating the ratio of CoP to Co₂P, the numbers of heterostructure within the nanofibers were effectively controlled. Based on this, the correlation between heterostructure and electrochemical performance was analyzed. The strategy of constructing heterostructure using the same metal significantly simplified the preparation process for high-performance TMPs anode, providing a viable approach for developing novel anode for LIBs.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.183

Authors: Hui Duan,Jiahui Jin,Xiaoye Liu,Xinxuan Yang,Hongbo Liu,Lin Fan,Fengyou Wang,Jinghai Yang,Lili Yang

The buried interface between the electron transport layer (ETL) and perovskite is critical for the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Modifying the microstructure of this buried interface using dipolar molecules is among the most effective strategies to enhance device performance. However, the influence of the electron-donating/electron- withdrawing group ratio (EDG/EWG ratio) of dipolar molecules on buried interface engineering has not been systematically investigated. In this work, dipolar molecules are classified into EWG-rich, balanced, and EDG-rich configurations according to their EDG/EWG ratio, using L-aspartic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, and L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DBA) as model systems. We confirm that the primary factor limiting device performance is located on the perovskite side rather than the ETL side. Both experimental and theoretical results reveal that the EDG-rich dipolar configuration provides the most efficient defect passivation for perovskite, promotes the growth of high-quality perovskite films, strengthens the interfacial electric field, and accelerates interfacial electron extraction and transport. As a result, the DBA-modified device achieves a champion PCE of 24.18% and maintains 85% of its initial efficiency after 30 days of ambient storage (20-25 °C, 25%-30% relative humidity) without encapsulation, showing excellent long-term stability. This work establishes asymmetric molecular engineering as a key design principle for optimizing the buried interface in high-performance PSCs.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.184

Authors: Jing Yang,Yaze Wu,Zhigen Yu,Antonio Politano,Danil Bukhvalov,Anna Cupolillo,Haisong Feng,Xin Zhang,Yong-Wei Zhang

Hydrogen energy technologies offer a transformative shift toward reducing reliance on fossil fuels and creating a sustainable, low-carbon future. In this shift, topological materials, known for their strong electron interactions and unique physical properties, present promising opportunities in electrocatalysis. In this study, we performed a systematic density functional theory analysis of over 100 topological materials and examined more than 1,000 adsorption sites. Our findings reveal that topological materials possess abundant and diverse active sites, resulting in a wide range of hydrogen adsorption energies ranging from -1.5 eV to 0 eV. To identify the most promising catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media, we focused on the topological materials with hydrogen adsorption energies within -0.27 ± 0.1 eV. The Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption (ΔG_H*) was evaluated for the HER. All selected materials showed ΔG_H* values between -0.31 and -0.16 eV. Based on these results, 11 promising candidates were identified with high potential for efficient HER activity. Our study establishes fundamental structure-property-activity relationships that can serve as a reliable dataset for further machine-learning studies, while also providing valuable insights and design guidelines for the continued exploration of topological materials as high-performance HER catalysts.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.208

Authors: Jie Zhang,Xiao-Lei Shi,Li Zhang,Meng Li,Wenyi Chen,Jianfeng Zhu,Yanling Yang,Zhi-Gang Chen

p-Type Mg₃Sb₂ possesses strong thermoelectric potential, yet effective strategies to further enhance its performance remain underexplored. In this study, we investigated the p-type Zintl-phase compound Mg₃Sb₂ and proposed a Zn/Cu co-doping strategy to synergistically optimize carrier transport and lattice thermal conductivity. Mg_3.1-xZn_xSb₂ (x = 0, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) and Mg_2.3-yZn_0.8Cu_ySb₂ (y = 0, 0.075, 0.100, and 0.125) series samples were prepared via high-energy ball milling followed by hot pressing. First-principles calculations reveal that substituting Mg sites with Zn and Cu induces pronounced band-structure modulation, shifting the Fermi level into the valence band and narrowing the bandgap. These effects collectively increase hole concentration and enhance electrical conductivity. Meanwhile, the mass fluctuation and local lattice distortion introduced by co-doping intensify phonon scattering, resulting in a substantial reduction in lattice thermal conductivity. Experimentally, Zn/Cu co-doping delivers a well-balanced optimization of thermoelectric transport properties. The Mg_2.2Zn_0.8Cu_0.1Sb₂ sample achieves a power factor of 351.99 μW cm^-1 K^-2 and a peak figure of merit (ZT) of 0.42 at 735 K, corresponding to a 147% improvement compared with the undoped sample. This work elucidates the synergistic effects of Zn/Cu co-doping in electronic band engineering and phonon modulation, offering a promising strategy for the rational design of high-performance p-type Mg₃Sb₂ and other Zintl-phase thermoelectric materials.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.196

Authors: Chuanbao Wu,Ziyang Pan,Guangqiang Ma,Haibo Wang,Xiaofang Wang,Yunwei Wang,Meng Yao,Yun Zhang

The preparation of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) by the sol-gel method often requires a uniform distribution of metal ions in the precursor so as to obtain a uniform and fine particle feature. It can be realized via chelation and condensation reactions in the sol and gel stages. However, the molecular structure of the metal ion chelate or condensation polymer in the precursors does not easily decompose during thermal decomposition, and the LTO grains formed after calcination are relatively large and nonuniform. Herein, we propose a novel photothermal decomposition process with ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, which could cause the cracking of the stable chelating or polymerizing structure during thermal decomposition and facilitate the formation of small and uniform LTO grains after calcination. After the UV irradiation, the Zr-doped Li₄Ti_5-xZr_xO₁₂ (LTZO) exhibits a smaller grain size and larger lattice parameters. As a consequence, the Li⁺ ion diffusion coefficient of the photothermally treated LTO with the optimum Zr dopant amount of x = 0.15 (UV-0.15LTZO) is twice that of the 0.15-LTZO sample prepared by the traditional process. The UV-0.15LTZO anode presents a specific capacity of 129 mAh·g^-1 at a discharge rate of 10 C and still exhibits a capacity retention rate of 99.4% after 100 cycles, which are higher than that of the 0.15LTZO sample (95 mAh·g^-1, 94.8%). The photothermal decomposition strategy proposed in this paper refines grain and expands the lattice of LTO electrodes and offers a valuable reference for controlling the properties of other electrode materials and nanomaterials.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.216

Authors: Xu Dong,Wenyun Deng,Yimin Zhi,Bangzhi Shen,Sheng Li,Cheng Tang,Meilin Lu,Sai Jiang,Jianhua Qiu,LvZhou Li,Huafei Guo,Ningyi Yuan,Jianning Ding

Antimony selenide (Sb₂Se₃) has attracted growing interest as a promising thin-film photovoltaic absorber owing to its favorable optoelectronic properties and intrinsic chemical stability. However, device efficiency remains limited by several intrinsic challenges, including quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) structural constraints that cause ineffective lattice doping, suboptimal crystallinity, high defect density, and unfavorable band alignment at the cadmium sulfide (CdS)/Sb₂Se₃ heterojunction. Here, we propose a lanthanide doping strategy based on ionic antisite diffusion- using neodymium (Nd³⁺) to simultaneously engineer bulk crystal growth and interface energetics. By introducing neodymium chloride (NdCl₃) onto the CdS surface and exploiting reverse gradient diffusion, Nd³⁺ ions are effectively incorporated into Sb₂Se₃ without inducing significant lattice distortion. Meanwhile, the CdS surface is passivated and its roughness reduced, facilitating the deposition of high-quality films. This strategy promotes preferential [hk1] orientation, enhances crystallinity, enlarges grain size, and suppresses deep-level defects. Density functional theory calculations further corroborate the role of Nd in lowering defect formation energies and modulating the electronic structure. Moreover, Nd incorporation optimizes conduction band alignment, suppresses Shockley-Read-Hall recombination, and improves carrier extraction. As a result, the champion device achieves a power conversion efficiency of 9.17%, with a fill factor (FF) of 64.58%, an open-circuit voltage (V_OC) of 0.46 V, and a short-circuit current density (J_SC) of 30.54 mA/cm². This work provides fundamental insights into doping in Q1D semiconductors and offers a practical route toward high-efficiency Sb₂Se₃ photovoltaics.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.202

Authors: Zhengxi Zhao,Liwei Sui,Ziqi Wang,Shiwei Song,Jian Wang,Yucai Li,Depeng Zhao,Guanglong Li,Lihua Miao

Alkaline water electrolysis offers a promising route for large-scale hydrogen production, but its efficiency is limited by the sluggish kinetics of both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we designed a hierarchical composite electrocatalyst comprising iridium-doped nickel-cobalt phosphide nanoparticles (Ir-NiCoP/Ni₅P₄) encapsulated within nickel-iron layered double hydroxide nanosheets (NiFe-LDH). Oxygen vacancies (O_V) were engineered on the surface via sodium borohydride reduction, yielding an optimized catalyst denoted as Ir-NiCoP/Ni₅P₄@NiFe-LDH-1-O_V. The optimized catalyst delivers low overpotentials of 52.7 mV for HER and 197.3 mV for OER at 10 mA cm^-2 and maintains remarkable stability over 100 h for overall water splitting. Moreover, the Ir-NiCoP/Ni₅P₄@NiFe-LDH catalyst exhibits overpotentials of 76.7 and 101.3 mV for HER and the ammonia oxidation reaction A in 1 M KOH + NH₃·H₂O, respectively.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.195

Authors: Zihui Kang,Hongyi Zhou,Shuai Zheng,Anmin Wang,Dan Yang,Xijun Wei,Peng Tan

Lithium-ion batteries are widely applied in the field of energy storage due to their high energy density and long cycle life. However, traditional liquid electrolytes have safety hazards such as leakage and thermal runaway. The quasi-solid-state battery (QSSB) and all-solid-state battery (ASSB) have emerged as promising alternatives with higher safety and stability. In addition, Si-based electrodes are attractive due to their high theoretical capacity. Currently, researchers apply Si-based electrodes in QSSB and ASSB, but the failure mechanisms within them are not fully summarized and organized. Herein, this work systematically studies the failure mechanisms of QSSB and ASSB with Si-based electrodes, including particle fracture, solid electrolyte interphase breakdown, pore evolution, and electrical contact loss. The influence of rigid solid electrolytes on ASSB is discussed, as well as the limitations of quasi-solid electrolytes, such as low ionic conductivity and side reactions. The strategies for alleviating these problems are also reviewed, including the structural design of Si electrodes, electrolyte optimization, and interface engineering. This article aims to summarize the key failure mechanisms and provide guidance and technological development directions for the subsequent development of high-energy density and long-life batteries.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.225

Authors: Ying-Sen Xia,Jun-Cai Zhang,Jie Huang,Jin-Rui Cai,Ling-Jie Liu,Gan Huang,Li-Mei Lin,Zhi-Ping Huang,Hu Li,Shuiyuan Chen,Gui-Lin Chen

Sb₂S₃ has emerged as a highly promising material for thin-film solar cells due to its low toxicity, excellent stability, and strong light absorption in the visible region. However, challenges such as the formation of the Sb₂O₃ secondary phase and S re-evaporation still exist during the high-temperature annealing of Sb₂S₃. To address these issues, this study introduces a strategy involving the pre-deposition of an ultrathin ZnO protective layer onto the Sb₂S₃ surface. The ZnO layer facilitates controlled oxygen passivation through a lattice-vacancy-mediated mass transfer mechanism, effectively suppressing the formation of Sb₂O₃ and minimizing Sb₂S₃ volatilization, while simultaneously forming a Zn-doping layer. The results show that Zn doping significantly enhances the energy level alignment at the back interface: the conduction band minimum (CBM) and valence band maximum (VBM) of the Sb₂O₃/Sb₂S₃ mixed layer are upshifted, and the Fermi level is downshifted, thereby promoting hole transport. Additionally, the carrier concentration increases, reducing the contact barrier with the carbon electrode. This modification enables the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of all-inorganic Sb₂S₃ solar cells with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/CdS/Sb₂S₃/PbS/Carbon/Ag structures to reach an impressive 7.00%, representing the most advanced performance level currently available and providing new guidance for the development of high-performance and low-cost all-inorganic Sb₂S₃ solar cells.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.204

Authors: Congying Zhao,Ying-Ying Zhang,Linlin Cui,Dandan Wang,Zhichao Shao,Qi Qin,Hongwei Hou,Chao Huang

Development of multifunctional triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) capable of efficiently harvesting diverse low-frequency mechanical energies for self-powered systems remains a significant challenge. To address this issue, we designed and fabricated a zigzag-origami-structured TENG based on composite films by integrating a zinc coordination polymer (Zn-CP) with ethylcellulose (EC), aiming to convert human-motion and water-wave energies into electricity to drive a self-powered photo-induced oxidation system. A series of flexible Zn-CP@EC composite films with varying Zn-CP contents were prepared, among which the 10% Zn-CP@EC composite film exhibited the best triboelectric performance. By scaling the film dimensions and integrating multiple origami-structured 10% Zn-CP@EC-TENGs (Z-TENGs), the output performance was further enhanced, with the six-unit device (Z-6) showing the best performance under palm pressure. The Z-6 device, encapsulated in a plastic enclosure, was deployed in an oscillating water tank to harvest wave energy, which successfully powered LEDs as light sources for the photo-induced oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids with high selectivity and efficiency. This work demonstrates that CP-based composite films can serve as effective triboelectric materials for scalable TENGs, enabling the realization of self-powered photochemical systems driven by diverse environmental mechanical energies.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.220

Authors: Siying Li,Yifei Zhao,Qiyuan Dang,Jiahui Qin,Qicheng Hu

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have gained attention for their low cost and abundant sodium resources. However, at low temperature (LT), their electrolytes suffer from reduced conductivity, higher viscosity, poor interfacial stability, and sluggish ion transport, leading to capacity loss and shortened cycle life. These problems significantly restrict the practical application of SIBs in harsh or LT environments, where performance degradation, capacity fading, or even complete failure can occur. Therefore, enhancing the LT performance of SIB electrolytes has become a key research focus. Improvements in electrolyte formulation-including solvent selection, sodium salt optimization, and functional additive engineering-play a vital role in addressing issues such as ion transport limitations and unstable electrode-electrolyte interfaces at LT. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the strategies developed to optimize various types of SIB electrolytes under LT conditions, including organic solvent systems, ionic liquids, solid-state electrolytes, and co-solvents. In addition, it discusses the latest research progress, highlights representative studies, and outlines potential directions for future development, with the aim of guiding the design of high-performance SIBs for LT.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/energymater.2025.151

Authors: Bingzheng Zhu,Jianguo Zhou,Yakun Jia,Jianglin Fu,Chenglin Liang,Tangming Mo

Water-in-salt electrolytes have attracted significant interest as high-performance electrolytes for electrochemical energy storage owing to their expanded electrochemical stability windows and enhanced safety. However, the mechanisms of ion transport and charging dynamics of water-in-salt electrolytes under nanoconfinement remain poorly understood. Here, we employed constant-potential-based molecular dynamics simulations to investigate ion transport and charging dynamics of water-in-salt electrolytes within subnanopore. In contrast to dilute solutions, an anomalous solvation-enhancement phenomenon was observed for highly concentrated electrolytes in subnanopore. Further analysis reveals that, contrary to bulk behavior, ion transport with enhanced solvation is strongly suppressed, ascribable to a transition in the transport mechanism from free diffusion to oscillatory interlayer migration. Additionally, in highly concentrated electrolytes within subnanopore, the distinctive layered structure restricts ion adsorption and desorption to the pore entrance during charging, ultimately yielding pronounced ion blockage. As a result, the charging rate of high-concentration electrolytes is reduced by nearly an order of magnitude relative to dilute solutions. These findings provide valuable insight into ion transport in water-in-salt electrolytes under nanoconfinement and offer theoretical guidance for the design of next-generation electrochemical energy storage systems.