Carbon Neutralization最新文献

The transition toward sustainable energy systems has accelerated the development of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), owing to their abundant sodium resources and cost advantages. However, the commercialization of SIBs for electric vehicles (EVs) remains hindered by challenges in achieving fast-charging performance, particularly at the anode. Hard carbons (HCs), widely regarded as the most practical anode materials, face intrinsic rate limitations due to their complex sodium storage mechanism, which involves a sloping region (> 0.10 V vs. Na/Na⁺) and a plateau region (0.01–0.10 V vs. Na/Na⁺), the latter posing a risk of sodium metal plating during rapid charging. This review examines the structural and kinetic factors that govern the fast-charging performance of HC anodes. The relationships among HC formation, microstructure, and sodium storage mechanisms are highlighted to clarify how structural features dictate electrochemical behavior. Key factors limiting rate capability, including electronic and ionic conductivity, as well as Na⁺ desolvation and diffusion, are critically assessed. Recent advances in material design, such as precursor optimization, heteroatom doping, closed-pore structure regulation, metal atom modulation, and surface coating, are evaluated to identify strategies for enhancing Na⁺ transport. Progress in electrode–electrolyte interphase engineering, particularly through electrolyte optimization and HC surface modification for stable SEI formation, is also summarized. By linking fundamental kinetics with practical design, this review provides insights for developing high-performance HC anodes and accelerating the deployment of fast-charging SIBs in next-generation EVs.

With the rapid development of renewable energy, efficient, safe, and long-lasting energy storage technologies have become crucial for driving energy transformation. Battery performance optimization is highly focused on, given that battery separators, as key components, directly impact battery safety, energy density, and cycle life. Traditional battery separators, represented by polyolefins, suffer from inadequate thermal-mechanical stability, random pore size distribution, poor hydrophilicity leading to poor electrolyte wettability, and the trade-off between high porosity and mechanical strength, which restrict the advancement of high-safety, high-energy-density battery technology. Zeolites, with their unique microporous structures, adjustable pore sizes, high specific surface area, easily modifiable structures and properties, excellent chemical stability, and thermal stability, exhibit significant potential as battery separator materials. For clarity, this review uses “Zeolite membrane” for standalone inorganic layers (e.g., free-standing ZSM-5 nanosheet assemblies), “Composite separator” for polymer-supported hybrids (e.g., zeolite-PVDF blends), “Zeolite separator” as a general term encompassing both types. This paper systematically reviews the functional roles of zeolites in battery separators, including mechanisms such as ion-selective transport, intermediate inhibition, metal dendrite regulation, and electrolyte stabilization. It analyses the main challenges faced in large-scale preparation and industrial application, such as complex and costly manufacturing processes, insufficient long-term material stability, poor compatibility with substrates, and the need to optimize multi-system adaptability. The paper also provides future research directions, aiming to offer theoretical guidance and technical references for developing advanced battery systems with high safety, high energy density, and long cycle life.

Fabricating thick electrodes (> 100 µm) under lean-electrolyte conditions (< 3 g Ah⁻¹) is a critical yet unresolved challenge for developing high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. Conventional slurry-casting processes are plagued by structural defects, high costs, and poor performance, creating a bottleneck for practical application. Here, we introduce a disruptive manufacturing paradigm based on the direct stencil printing of a binder-free, clay-like semi-solid suspension. This solvent-free approach completely bypasses the energy-intensive and defect-inducing steps of slurry coating, drying, and calendering, enabling the streamlined production of structurally robust thick electrodes. The resulting NCM811 cathodes achieve a state-of-the-art combination of high mass loading (25.1 mg cm⁻²) and an ultra-lean electrolyte-to-capacity (E/C) ratio of 2.03 g Ah⁻¹. These electrodes exhibit exceptional cycling stability, retaining 91.1% capacity after 170 cycles. The process's scalability and practicality are further validated in a 115 mAh pouch cell, which maintains 94.8% capacity after 250 cycles. This study establishes a powerful, low-cost, and scalable manufacturing strategy that resolves the long-standing trade-offs between energy density, safety, and production efficiency, paving the way for the next generation of high-performance batteries.

Electrochemical water oxidation for H₂O₂ synthesis is an environmentally friendly, sustainable production process that generates H₂O₂ directly from water. This approach shows promise in overcoming the energy consumption and transportation limitations of traditional anthraquinone-based methods. However, the process is thermodynamically less favorable than the oxygen evolution reaction. Current research primarily focuses on developing highly active and selective anode catalysts through strategies such as doping, defect engineering, and interfacial modifications. Often overlooked in this study is the role of electrolytes. Recent studies indicate that carbonates in 2e⁻ water oxidation reaction function not only as buffers or proton carriers, but also as key reaction participants that significantly influence H₂O₂ production pathways and efficiency. Nevertheless, a comprehensive summary of their regulatory mechanisms is lacking. Against this backdrop, this paper provides a systematic review of the progress of research on 2e⁻ WOR-mediated H₂O₂ synthesis in carbonate media. The paper summarizes the performance of different electrode materials in this system and focuses on the detailed mechanisms of H₂O₂ synthesis under various electrode materials, including metal oxide, carbon, and porphyrin electrodes. Several studies suggest that carbonates redirect the reaction pathway from 4e⁻ oxygen evolution to 2e⁻ H₂O₂ production by forming CO₃²⁻ and percarbonate intermediates (C₂O₆²⁻ and HCO₄⁻). This significantly enhances H₂O₂ selectivity. The paper also summarizes the effects of CO₃²⁻/HCO₃⁻ adsorption energies, cation effects, and flow reactor design on H₂O₂ synthesis. Finally, the paper identifies key challenges and future opportunities in this field, emphasizing the need to combine in situ characterization and theoretical calculations to deeply reveal reaction mechanisms and identify key intermediates. This approach will provide the theoretical foundation for designing high-performance catalysts and reactors, ultimately advancing the industrial application of electrolytic H₂O₂ synthesis technology.

Compared to polycrystalline cathode materials, single-crystal materials demonstrate superior mechanical strength and structural stability. However, as the Ni content increases in LiNi_xCo_yMn_zO₂ (NCM, x + y + z = 1) cathode materials, the corresponding defects within the crystal also rise, considerably threatening the performance of the cathode material. Relying solely on single-crystallization to curb structural degradation has proven insufficient. Furthermore, conventional single-crystal synthesis typically requires high-temperature sintering (> 800°C), which not only drastically increases energy consumption but also exacerbates cation mixing. Here, we propose a refined fabrication method for preparing single-crystal Ni-rich cathode materials by introducing trace amounts of Sr and Zr sources during the sintering process, we successfully synthesized single-crystal LiNi_0.93Co_0.05Mn_0.02O₂ cathode material (NCM-SrZr) at 740°C. Sr primarily functions as a fluxing agent, lowering the temperature required for single-crystal morphology formation. The introduction of Zr is mainly aimed at leveraging its oxygen fixation capability to stabilize the lattice framework. The prepared NCM-SrZr exhibits excellent electrochemical behavior. After 200 cycles at 1 C, it maintains a high-capacity retention rate of 93% and still delivers an outstanding specific capacity of 167 mAh·g⁻¹ even at a high rate of 10 C. Notably, it maintains a capacity retention rate at least 94% even under harsh testing conditions, such as after 100 cycles at 5 C or at 60°C. The Sr/Zr dual-element doping optimization strategy adopted in this study features a simple process, low energy consumption, and substantial performance enhancement, offering an economical and effective route for constructing ultrahigh-nickel single-crystal cathodes with reinforced structural stability.

A tailored asymmetric membrane, denoted AM-a-Ni(OH)₂ NS@GO, was fabricated by integrating amorphous Ni(OH)₂ nanosheets into graphene oxide (GO) layers. The architecture enables the simultaneous enhancement of Li⁺ selectivity and transmembrane flux via precise regulation of interlayer spacing and surface charge. The asymmetric design comprises a compact sieving layer for ion discrimination coupled with a hybrid adsorption layer to facilitate efficient mass transfer. The amorphous Ni(OH)₂ nanosheets introduce abundant oxygen vacancies, thereby selectively trapping divalent cations while ensuring stable interlayer spacing. During electrodialysis testing using simulated brine, AM-a-Ni(OH)₂ NS@GO demonstrates a Li⁺ flux of 90 mmol·m⁻² h⁻¹ and a Li⁺/Mg²⁺ selectivity ratio of 37, significantly surpassing the performance of commercial Nafion membranes and pristine GO counterparts. This study establishes a promising strategy for sustainable lithium extraction from complex aqueous resources.

The development of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) has been hindered by the mismatch between their rate capability and areal capacity at ultrahigh mass loadings. Herein, we address this issue by designing NiCo-LDH/NiCoOOH composite films with an open-pore nanosheet structure. These films are fabricated using a ChCl-urea based deep eutectic solvent (DES) additive-assisted electrodeposition method followed by electrochemical activation, and confined on each graphene nanolayer of a 2D hierarchical expanded graphene paper (EGP) substrate. This design facilitates rapid charge transport and ion diffusion, enhancing active material utilization. The DES additive induces lower crystallinity and more disordered lattices with vacancies in the composite films, strengthening the synergistic effect with the EGP interface. Consequently, the films achieve high areal capacities of 3.4 mAh cm⁻² at 23 mg cm⁻² mass loading (84.1% rate capability) and a record 16.6 mAh cm⁻² at ultrahigh 100 mg cm⁻² mass loading (58.4% rate capability, GP thickness 0.15 mm). We also elucidate the relationship between GP substrate thickness and electrochemical performance. The resulting asymmetric supercapacitor delivers an ultrahigh energy density of 6.4 mWh cm⁻² and power density of 64 mW cm⁻². This study provides new insights into constructing high-mass-loading energy storage materials through microstructure regulation and interface engineering for practical applications.

The rising carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations in the atmosphere, primarily attributed to anthropogenic activities, have led to unprecedented environmental challenges like climate change and global warming. This comprehensive review examines the adsorption of CO₂ on various adsorbents, focusing on their potential application as fertilizers. The review begins by providing a general overview of the present state of CO₂ emissions and their environmental impact, emphasizing the urgency of finding practical solutions. The discussion then shifts to the adsorption mechanisms involved in CO₂ capture, exploring physical adsorption, chemical adsorption, and hybrid approaches. The subsequent sections cover CO₂ capture materials inorganic (metal oxides, silica, clays, and zeolites), carbon-based (adsorbents and biochar), porous frameworks (gels and ion-exchange resins), functionalized/polymeric (amine-based materials, amino acids [AAs], and polymers), and hybrid and process-integrated (sorbent-enhanced water–gas shift [SEWGS] and others). The effects of pressure, temperature, and environmental gases on adsorption behavior are also examined. Notably, the review explores the potential of CO₂-loaded adsorbents as fertilizers, investigating their ability to enhance plant growth and soil fertility. The impact of these materials on soil properties, nutrient availability, and microbial activity is discussed to assess their overall effectiveness in agricultural applications. The review also discusses the emerging innovations in CO₂ capture and utilization and real-world applications of CO₂-based fertilizers. Challenges are also addressed, including scalability, economic feasibility, and further research to optimize the performance of CO₂-loaded adsorbents as fertilizers. The review further emphasizes a comprehensive evaluation of the economic feasibility and environmental sustainability of CO₂ capture-to-fertilizer pathways, highlighting production costs, scalability challenges, and life-cycle impacts to guide practical implementation. The findings presented herein contribute to the evolving discourse on climate change mitigation and sustainable agriculture, offering insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners alike.

The establishment of a future renewable energy supply and a cleaner earth is largely related to various crucial catalytic reactions in society. Fuel cells have attracted tremendous research interest and are considered as the next-generation promising energy conversion devices due to their advantages, such as zero emission, high energy-conversion efficiency, and so forth. However, the sluggish oxygen reduction activity and insufficient durability of Pt-based electrocatalysts have become major challenges in restricting the commercial application of fuel cells. In this review, key challenges to be addressed for the practical applications of Pt-based electrocatalysts are first summarized. Then, the concept of possible oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics, catalytic mechanisms, and the crucial role of confinement effect for Pt-based confined electrocatalysts (PCECs) are further discussed, and the emphasis is devoted to the rational design of efficient PCECs. Finally, a discussion of future development directions with great potential to become new hotspots is also presented for the design of high-efficiency PCECs. This review aims to provide a deeper insight into catalytic mechanisms and valuable design principles to the development of advanced catalysts for the future sustainable energy system.

Front cover image: This cover illustrates the use of milk-derived whey protein peptides (WPP) to construct a bio-interphase coating, enhancing the stability and cycling performance of aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMB) anodes. The WPP coating, formed through self-assembly and Zn²⁺ coordination, effectively suppresses dendrite growth and corrosion on the zinc anode, promoting uniform zinc deposition. With the protection of the WPP coating, the zinc metal anode maintains a smooth and stable interface, ensuring high Coulombic efficiency over long cycling periods. This green and sustainable strategy provides a novel solution for the development of high-performance, environmentally friendly energy storage systems.