Sustainable Energy & Fuels最新文献

This study describes the synthesis of high-performance cauliflower-like NiMoP nanosphere electrocatalysts on a titanium mesh via a scalable pulse electrodeposition technique. The optimized cauliflower-like NiMoP demonstrates remarkable activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline seawater, requiring only 50.3 mV overpotential to drive 10 mA cm⁻² and exhibiting exceptional durability, with only 0.5% current degradation over 24 hours. This superior performance is attributed to a unique combination of an amorphous structure, a high-surface-area morphology, and synergistic electronic effects among the Ni, Mo, and P components. This work not only presents a top-tier catalyst but also validates pulse electrodeposition as a powerful strategy for engineering catalyst architecture and electronic properties, opening a promising pathway for scalable and efficient hydrogen generation directly from saline environments.

In this paper, we propose a magnet-assisted chaotic pendulum low-frequency piezoelectric energy harvester (MCP-PEH) for wave energy, designed to supply power to ocean wireless sensing equipment. The chaotic pendulum consists of a double pendulum. The main pendulum converts external excitation into internal mechanical swing, while the internal pendulum uses a rotating multistage mass to achieve frequency conversion. This design enables a better output response in the low-frequency ocean environment. The magnet-assisted mechanism allows the harvester to achieve an effective output at 0.4 Hz, reducing the starting frequency and achieving low-frequency broadband performance. Additionally, the electrical signal generated by the bottom piezoelectric sheet can be used to monitor the wave frequency. Theoretical analysis and prototype experiments are conducted to identify the main variables affecting the device, thereby proving its feasibility. Under the optimal load, the magnet-assisted mechanism increases the overall output power by 46.7%, enabling the device to generate 6.57 mW of power. Water tank experiments and energy supply analysis of the sensor further demonstrate the device's practicality and feasibility for powering ocean wireless sensing equipment.

Anaerobic fungi, primarily found in the digestive tracts of herbivores, possess remarkable capabilities to degrade lignocellulosic biomass, positioning them as pivotal contributors to sustainable biofuel production. This review explores the enzymatic arsenal of these fungi, which includes cellulases, hemicellulases, and cellulosomes comprising glycoside hydrolases (GHs), carbohydrate esterases (CEs), polysaccharide lyases (PLs), and carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), emphasizing their superior efficiency in breaking down recalcitrant plant materials compared to other microorganisms. We highlight their potential in bioenergy applications, such as enhancing biomethane production through synergistic interactions with methanogens. Furthermore, the review underscores the unique characteristics of anaerobic fungi, including hydrogenosome-driven metabolism, their adaptation to diverse anaerobic environments, and their role in reducing the environmental impact of biofuel production. While challenges in cultivation, genetic engineering, and large-scale application persist, advancing research into these microorganisms could unlock innovative solutions for lignocellulosic biomass utilization, paving the way for a greener energy future. This review sheds light on their untapped biotechnological potential and offers a roadmap for addressing existing barriers to their application.

The ocean contains a vast source of energy, and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are emerging as a promising technology for its harvesting. Here, we report a facile-fabricated, robust hybrid TENG (H-TENG) designed to simultaneously harvest wind and water flow energy. The device, fabricated using 3D and electronic design automation (EDA) technologies, comprises an upper wind-driven unit (WH-TENG) and a lower water flow-driven unit (WFH-TENG). WH-TENG utilizes rabbit fur to achieve a high short-circuit current (I_sc) of 14.8 µA and a peak power of 3.54 mW, demonstrating exceptional durability by retaining 92% of its initial charge transfer (130.9 nC) after seven weeks. WFH-TENG, designed for simple preparation and integration, delivers a peak power of 1.13 mW. As a practical application, the integrated H-TENG successfully powers a water level alarm within 150 s. This work demonstrates a viable strategy for multi-energy harvesting in marine environments, paving the way for the long-term and comprehensive utilization of ocean energy.

In this study, a novel chemical looping ammonia cracking (CLCr) process was designed for efficient hydrogen production. A closed-loop, three-reactor chemical looping system using iron oxide as the oxygen carrier was modelled in Aspen Plus. A parametric study was carried out to evaluate the effect of key parameters, including the air reactor outlet temperature, fuel reactor outlet temperature, ammonia to oxygen carrier ratio, and the steam reactor pressure. The optimal operating conditions were then identified, under which a hydrogen yield of 69.4% with 99.99% purity can be achieved with an overall energy efficiency of 79.6%. An energy balance analysis was also carried out to confirm that the process is autothermal, and the overall exergy efficiency of the process was 70.4%. These findings highlight the novel CLCr process as an energy-efficient alternative to conventional ammonia catalytic cracking for hydrogen production.

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Recently, it has been shown that the sulfur load and subsequently the sulfur strand length of organo-sulfur networks prepared via inverse vulcanization for lithium organo-sulfur batteries impact the battery performance in terms of specific capacity and stability. In this work, we quantify the distribution of sulfur strand lengths evolving over the course of several charge–discharge cycles using operando X-ray absorption spectrometry. The results correlate the stability of sulfur strand length and (ir)reversibility of S-strand reduction and accompanied cleavage with battery cycling.

Correction for ‘Advances and strategies in scalable coating techniques for flexible perovskite solar cells’ by Hou-Chin Cha et al., Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SE00873E.

Monodisperse PtCo bimetallic alloy nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized via a facile impregnation–reduction method utilizing oxidized carbon nanohorns (oxCNHs) as a high-surface-area support. The optimized Pt_1.5Co-oxCNH catalyst demonstrated exceptional performance for hydrogen evolution via ammonia borane (AB) hydrolysis under mild conditions (298 K), achieving a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 445 mol_H2 mol_Pt⁻¹ min⁻¹. This represents a 2.7-fold enhancement compared to the monometallic Pt-oxCNH benchmark and is accompanied by a significant reduction in the apparent activation energy. Synergistic electronic effects within the Pt_1.5Co alloy were identified as critical to this performance boost. Furthermore, the unique nanoconfined pore structure of the oxCNH support effectively stabilized the PtCo NPs, minimizing aggregation and maintaining a small particle size, thereby maximizing accessible active sites and enhancing catalyst stability. The exceptional catalytic activity stems from the optimized electronic structure of Pt, modulated by localized electron density transfer via the Co alloying effect, coupled with strong metal–support interactions between the NPs and the functionalized oxCNH surface. This work provides a strategic design principle for developing highly active and durable heterogeneous catalysts for efficient hydrogen production.

Designing multimodal catalysts with high efficiency and durability remains a central challenge in clean energy research. High-entropy materials, composed of multiple principal elements, have recently emerged as promising candidate in catalysis owing to their tunable active sites, synergistic effects, and enhanced stability. In this study, a novel non-noble metals based high entropy metal–organic framework (HE-MOF) was synthesized and subsequently converted into a high-entropy alloy in carbon matrix (HEA@Carbon) through controlled thermal treatment under static hydrogen atmosphere. Detailed structural and compositional analyses were carried out using XRD, FTIR, Raman, SEM-EDX, and TEM to confirm the successful formation of the HEA phase with the preservation of the carbon morphology. The HEA@Carbon catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic performance for the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB), achieving a TOF value of 316 min⁻¹ with an apparent activation energy (E_a) of 9.6 kJ mol⁻¹, representing a nearly tenfold decrease in activation energy for AB hydrolysis compared to the non-catalytic reaction. The catalyst retained nearly identical catalytic activity over five consecutive cycles, demonstrating excellent durability. Importantly, the HEA@Carbon catalyst's inherent magnetic recoverability enables facile separation and reuse, with 96% catalyst recovery after the reusability test, underscoring its practical suitability for scalable hydrogen production. Beyond catalytic hydrogen production from chemical hydrides, HEA@Carbon exhibited notable electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity with an overpotential of 400 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and a Tafel slope of 92 mV dec⁻¹, together with the long-term operational stability. These results underscore the great potential of HEA embedded within a carbon matrix as a bifunctional catalyst for both chemical and electrochemical hydrogen generation, for next-generation hydrogen energy systems.