Energizing the future: Empowering sustainability with Electron

Abstract

The advent of industrial civilization has brought about enormous materials advancements; yet it has also caused a rapid depletion of natural resources, leading to global energy crisis and environmental pollution. Facing human civilization, one fundamental issue stands at its core: how can we achieve a harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature? This question has become the key challenge of our time, demanding our utmost attention and concerted efforts.

The concept of sustainable development was raised by the Bruntland Commission of the United Nations in 1987, aiming to bridge the gap between economic growth and environmental preservation for future generations. Materials scientists have been at the forefront of advancing sustainable development over past decades. From the development of novel environmental-friendly materials to innovations in cleaner technologies, waste recycling, energy conversion and storage, and even disease treating, the processes and products that materials scientists have developed are moving the world forward to a greener future.

The development of advanced materials with features of low-carbon, green, renewable, and recycling has fueled the advancement of related industries and technologies. The understanding on the interaction of electrons is one of the keys to strengthening, combining, and inventing materials as it assumes a central role in explaining the optical, magnetic, thermal, and electrical properties of materials. Electron is a basic yet fundamental particle that drives our understanding of the universe and empowers various technological fields, such as computers, microelectronics, communications, sensing, guiding, optical fiber, laser, and artificial intelligence. In 1897, a series of groundbreaking experiments unfolded, confirming the existence of electrons and unraveling their charge-to-mass ratio. The scientific community trembled with anticipation as this revelation positioned electrons as the fundamental building blocks of matter. In 1909, the pioneering endeavors of Robert Millikan at the University of Chicago triumphed, accurately quantifying the electron's charge at approximately e = 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C. Merging this profound knowledge with J. J. Thomson's charge-to-mass ratio exploration, scientists unveiled the electron's mass as 9.1 × 10⁻³¹ kg. Thus, the stage was set for the radiant ascent of the “electron” era, inspiring the core discoveries of many great scientists, including Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Erwin Schrödinger, Werner Heisenberg, and Hendrik Lorentz.

Electrons serve as a crucial link connecting the microscopic and macroscopic worlds. Various application properties displayed by materials are a direct or indirect manifestation of electron behaviors at different electron energy levels. The systematic study of the actions of extranuclear electrons and their associated wave phenomena enables us to fully comprehend matter compositions, phase transitions, electrical conductivity, catalytic processes, as well as the underlying principles of acidity and alkalinity. This knowledge forms a logical framework that unites dynamics, thermodynamics, chemistry, biology, and other disciplines. Many natural mysteries can be revealed through a deeper understanding of electrons.

Inspired by these fascinating particles, a new interdisciplinary journal Electron is launched by Wiley and Harbin Institute of Technology to address the urgent global challenge: sustainable living of humans. In alignment with the imperative goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, the primary objective of Electron lies in exploring the latest scientific and technological achievements through interdisciplinary research and fostering effective communication. By publishing cutting-edge advancements in basic material theories and their practical applications within the fields of energy, environment, biomedicine, artificial intelligence, and electronic information, the journal will actively promote interdisciplinary integration at the forefront of international academic frontiers. Electron seeks to provide a platform for researchers to exchange knowledge and collaborate across boundaries. Ultimately, Electron's overarching mission is to contribute significantly to the sustainable development of the global economy and society as a whole.

Electron is dedicated to publishing a range of article types, such as Research Articles, Reviews, Perspectives, Comments, and Editorials. We encourage authors to read our authors' guidelines thoroughly (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/27512614/homepage/author-guidelines) to fully grasp the requirements for each article type. The journal operates under an open-access publishing model, guaranteeing unrestricted access to all published articles through the Wiley Online Library (https://electron-journal.com).

A group of world-class scientists, wielding their vast expertise, has united to form the vanguard of Electron's editorial team. The Editor-in-Chief is Prof. Jiecai Han (President of Harbin Institute of Technology) who is responsible for the whole publication process of Electron. Seven Associate Editors are on board to support the Editor-in-Chief in expediting the peer-review process. These Associate Editors include Prof. Wei Huang from Northwestern Polytechnic University (China), Prof. Shu-Hong Yu from University of Science and Technology of China (China), Prof. Ning Gu from Nanjing University (China), Prof. Sean Li from the University of New South Wales (Australia), Prof. Hyunjoon Song from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Republic of Korea), Prof. Robert Palgrave from University College London (UK), and Prof. Chenglin Yan from Soochow University (China). Moreover, veteran editors of Wiley, Dr. José Oliveira, Dr. Guangchen Xu, and Dr. Jing Zhu, are working in consulting positions to guide the editorial team of Electron in adhering to the high publishing standards of Wiley. We are confident that the diversity of insights and expertise that this top editorial team offers will provide our authors and reviewers with the most professional and efficient support.

We extend invitations to exceptional scholars worldwide to join Electron, and we seek to foster strong collaborations with other journals, institutions, organizations, and more, aiming to establish an active and influential academic community that promotes high-quality advancements in interdisciplinary fields related to materials. Electron will stand as a trusted beacon to advance scientific progress in the realm of materials science. Together, let us energize the future with Electron!

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.