Sustainable Energy & Fuels最新文献

To enhance the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in applications, nano NiO was created as an anode material in this work via a simple hydrothermal synthesis approach using a composite with bio-carbon (blackberry seeds derived activated carbon). NiO particles were evenly dispersed across the BBSDAC's surface, according to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies. The resulting composite (NiO@10%-C) with micropores and mesopores showed potential for quick electron/ion transfer, electrolyte penetration to the electrode surface, and prevention of NiO volume expansion during the electrochemical study. In comparison to pristine NiO and the other two composite anode materials (NiO@5%-C and NiO@20%-C), the NiO@10%-C composite material exhibited good rate performance, long cycle life, and high reversibility when employed as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The NiO@10%-C material had a coulombic efficiency of 99.5% and a capacity of 807 mA h g⁻¹ at a current density of 100 mA g⁻¹ for up to 100 cycles. However, the pristine NiO, NiO@5%-C, and NiO@20%-C materials exhibited a capacity of 112, 207, and 458 mA h g⁻¹, respectively. The exceptional performance of the NiO@10%-C electrode originated from the presence of BBSDAC on NiO, which accelerated the electron transfer and reduced the volume change of NiO during the lithiation and delithiation processes. Accordingly, it is thought that the BBSDAC can be used to enhance the electrochemical capabilities of different metal-oxide electrodes in rechargeable batteries.

Aviation's 2.5% contribution to global CO₂ emissions necessitates scalable, sustainable jet fuel alternatives. This review addresses the gap in comprehensive CO₂-to-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) analyses by examining Power-to-Liquid (PtL) technologies, focusing on CO₂ hydrogenation via Fischer–Tropsch synthesis, methanol-to-jet (MtJ), and direct hydrogenation pathways. We analyze recent advances in bifunctional catalysts and tandem mechanisms, achieving 21–57% energy efficiencies and jet fuel costs of 2–9 € kg⁻¹. A phased 2050 commercialization roadmap aligns technology readiness levels with policies like EU's ReFuelEU. Case studies (Haru Oni, Synhelion, OXCCU) highlight real-world progress, while life cycle assessments reveal carbon intensities of 10–83 gCO₂e MJ⁻¹. Challenges, including catalyst deactivation and green hydrogen scalability, are evaluated alongside opportunities in AI-driven catalyst design and modular reactors. By integrating catalysis, techno-economics, and policy, this work guides researchers, industry, and policymakers toward net-zero aviation.

Seawater batteries (SWBs) are an emerging energy storage solution that leverages the abundant and cost-effective sodium ions present in seawater. However, their performance is often constrained by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the seawater cathode. To overcome these limitations, a series of platinum group metal (PGM)-free bifunctional electrocatalysts was developed to enhance OER/ORR catalytic activity and overall power performance. Metal-doped nitrogen carbon nanoparticles (M–N–C), namely FeNiNC, FeNC, and NiNC, were synthesized via a simple precipitation method followed by heat treatment, yielding active metal sites dispersed in an amorphous carbon structure. The use of low-cost biomass derived from hazelnut shells as a carbon-based material, modified with Fe and/or Ni, resulted in a highly efficient catalyst. In particular, FeNiNC exhibited an ORR activity of 0.81 V vs. RHE at half-potential and an OER activity of 1.57 V vs. RHE at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻². Electrochemical characterization demonstrated that SWBs incorporating the FeNiNC catalyst achieved enhanced power output and cycling stability, maintaining performance for 350 hours.

The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 supports biofuel production expansion through the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit, replacing previous 40A and 40B credits. This follows on the Renewable Fuel Standard from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and its expansion in 2007. States like California, Oregon, and Washington also offer clean fuel credits. Meanwhile, federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, have advanced alternative fuel technologies through research and development funding. The surging interest in the biofuel industry has spurred the demand for biofuel supplies in the markets, although achieving profitability for advanced biofuels and low-carbon e-fuels remains challenging. This study aims to track U.S. alternative fuel production capacity expansion plans over the next 10 years and estimate impacts on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By tracking built capacity and industry announcements of planned expansion, this study complements other studies which use models to predict changes in energy technologies and the associated GHG implications. Modeled projections of future technologies are often criticized for over or underestimating the cost and potential role of new technologies. The study focuses on sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel, ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable natural gas. Using facility-level data, we conducted a bottom-up analysis linking biofuel production pathways with corresponding pathways and parameterizations in the Argonne R&D GREET model. Results indicate that biofuel capacity could reach 3.8 exajoules in 2035, potentially reducing U.S. GHG emissions by 179 million tonnes, including the full life cycle. This corresponds to a 20% reduction in transportation and 5% in industry sector emissions by 2035, or a 3.6% reduction in economy-wide emissions. Overall, this study shows that while biofuel production capacity in the U.S. is expanding, the capacities remain limited compared to fuel demand. Uncertainty regarding the durability and extension of incentives may be dampening the pace of growth. Meanwhile, demonstrating the commercial potential for alternative fuels and climbing the learning curve for new technologies could lead to an increased pace of expansion in later years. This study offers insights for bioenergy stakeholders, highlighting biofuel technologies' contribution to U.S. energy system and emissions reduction over time based on producers' plans.

Methane activation (MA) to platform chemicals under ambient conditions still remains an open challenge to be fully realised. The present work shows the fabrication of CeVO₄ quantum dots (CV-QDs) by a bottom-up approach; they are assembled from Ce³⁺ and metavanadate ions, and structurally and electronically integrated into the micro-/meso-pores of TiO₂ (CV-QD-TiO₂ (CVT)), demonstrating the conversion of MA to ethanol/ethylene by visible light-driven photocatalysis. CV-QDs in confined pores modify the quantum confinement effects and are characterized by physicochemical methods. The current synthetic strategy is potentially scalable and results in sub-quadrillion heterojunctions in a 1 mg CVT photoanode spread over 1 cm². MA with CVT under one-sun conditions demonstrates ∼100% selectivity to ethanol, yielding 4.36 μmol h⁻¹ cm⁻², with a solar-to-fuel efficiency (STFE) of 0.56. Further, by employing a co-catalyst, significant STFE (5.08) and yield (39.5 μmol h⁻¹ cm⁻²) are achieved selectively towards ethylene. A deliberate addition of methanol increases the rate of ethanol production by 17.2 times, indicating that the methyl-methoxy interaction is the origin of C–C coupling. Weight is normalized to a gram of CV-QDs in a large area CVT photoanode to yield 109 mmol h⁻¹ g_CV-QD⁻¹ of ethanol and 988 mmol h⁻¹ g_CV-QD⁻¹ of ethylene. Enhanced activity and selectivity towards the C₂-product is attributed to band-edge modulation and trillions of heterojunctions, which in turn facilitate charge separation and charge transfer for effective charge utilisation at redox sites.

Hydrogen fuel cells (HFCs) present a viable clean energy solution but face significant economic and technical challenges. High costs, particularly from platinum-based catalysts and energy-intensive hydrogen production, hinder large-scale adoption. Green hydrogen, produced via renewable-powered electrolysis, remains expensive (∼$5.84 per kg), while infrastructure gaps and competition from battery electric vehicles further impede deployment. Technological barriers include catalyst degradation, membrane durability (e.g., Nafion in PEMFCs), and electrode design limitations. Emerging alternatives—such as palladium alloys, non-precious metal catalysts (M–N–C), and reinforced membranes—show promise but struggle with scalability and performance. System integration complexities, including thermal management and hydrogen storage, add to these challenges. Lifecycle assessments reveal that platinum accounts for ∼91% of MEA costs, while hydrogen production emissions vary widely (30–50 kg CO₂ per kg in Australia vs. 5–10 kg CO₂ per kg in Italy by 2030). Despite this, HFCs offer substantial decarbonization potential, particularly in heavy transport, with projected emission reductions of up to 67% by 2050. Future advancements hinge on AI-driven optimization, novel materials (e.g., MOFs for storage), and hybrid system designs. Policy support and infrastructure investment are critical to overcome the dilemma of supply and demand. This review specifically focuses on the significant gaps present in the existing literature by offering a thorough, multidisciplinary assessment that incorporates the latest developments in catalyst and membrane technology, comprehensive cost and lifecycle evaluations, and innovative AI-driven system optimization methods. In contrast to previous studies that predominantly emphasize isolated technical or economic factors, this paper distinctly merges technical, economic, environmental, and policy aspects to provide a comprehensive understanding of the scalability and sustainable integration of hydrogen fuel cells. By underscoring specific performance ranges, economic comparisons, and statistics on emission reduction, this review presents strategic insights that are crucial for researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders who are striving to expedite the transition to a hydrogen economy.

Interfacial instability between Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes and sulfide electrolytes remains a major bottleneck hindering the development of high-performance all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). Conventional coating materials often suffer from low ionic conductivity and poor mechanical deformability, necessitating complex processing or additional interlayers. Halide electrolytes offer good stability, ionic conductivity, and softness, but their poor reductive stability with lithium metal limits their use as standalone solid electrolytes in full cells. In this work, we propose a dual-electrolyte composite cathode strategy by introducing a halide electrolyte, Li₃InCl₆ (LIC), as a functional surface coating for LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ (NCM). The nanosized Li₃InCl₆ particles synthesized by freeze-drying exhibit high ionic conductivity and uniform particle size distribution, making them effective as interfacial buffer layers. The optimized 15% LIC@NCM composite cathode delivers a high initial capacity of 189 mA h g⁻¹ with a coulombic efficiency of 84.4% at 0.1 C, along with remarkable cycling stability, retaining 114 mA h g⁻¹ after 250 cycles at 0.5 C. Comprehensive electrochemical and spectroscopic analyses confirm that the Li₃InCl₆ coating effectively mitigates interfacial degradation, suppresses side reactions, and facilitates ion transport across the composite interface. This study offers a facile and scalable interface engineering strategy using halide electrolytes to simultaneously enhance lithium-ion transport and interfacial stability in sulfide-based ASSLBs.

Plastic waste management is a critical sustainability challenge, but it also offers an opportunity to produce clean fuels from carbon-rich materials. In this study, we report a ruthenium catalyst supported on thermally stable mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon (Ru/NAC) for the solvent-free hydrogenolysis of polyethylene into diesel-range hydrocarbons. The catalyst features ultrasmall Ru nanoparticles (∼1.48 nm), uniformly dispersed and stabilized by Ru–N coordination within an ordered mesoporous carbon framework. This architecture enhances polymer–catalyst interactions and enables controlled C–C bond cleavage. Under mild conditions (300 °C, 3 MPa H₂), Ru/NAC achieves a high liquid yield (86.5%) with 90.4% selectivity toward C₈–C₂₂ alkanes and a productivity of 391.1 g_p g_Ru⁻¹ h⁻¹. Mechanistic studies, including ¹³C solid-state NMR and in situ Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform spectroscopy, reveal that mesopore confinement and homogeneous metal dispersion synergistically promote selective depolymerization pathways. This strategy offers a practical and scalable route for transforming polyolefin waste into sustainable fuel-range hydrocarbons, advancing circular energy systems.

The development of effective electrocatalysts is vital for advancing lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, particularly in addressing sluggish redox kinetics and the polysulfide shuttle effect. In this study, we systematically investigate the catalytic behavior of three tantalum-based two-dimensional (2D) monolayers, TaS₂, Ta₂C, and hybrid Ta₂S₂C, using first-principles calculations. All three systems exhibit excellent thermal and structural stability, confirmed by geometry optimizations and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. Electronic structure analyses indicate metallic character in each case. Adsorption energy analysis reveals that TaS₂ binds strongly with Li₂S₄ (−2.60 eV), Li₂S₂ (−2.94 eV), and Li₂S (−3.93 eV), in sharp contrast to Ta₂C, which shows weak binding (e.g., +1.63 eV for Li₂S₄). Ta₂S₂C exhibits intermediate strength (−2.02 eV for Li₂S₂). Bader charge analysis further confirms significant electron redistribution during polysulfide anchoring, with up to 1.28|e| transferred on TaS₂. Importantly, free energy profiles along the sulfur reduction reaction (SRR) pathway demonstrate that the critical Li₂S₂ → Li₂S conversion step proceeds with a remarkably low barrier of 0.08 eV on TaS₂, compared to 0.70 eV on Ta₂C and 0.59 eV on Ta₂S₂C. These findings demonstrate that surface composition and coordination environments have a significant impact on catalytic performance. Overall, TaS₂ emerges as the most promising sulfur host, combining superior conductivity, strong polysulfide adsorption, and ultrafast catalytic kinetics, while Ta₂S₂C offers balanced anchoring and activity. This work provides atomic-scale insights for the rational design of advanced 2D electrocatalysts for high-performance Li–S batteries.

The transformation of solar radiation into chemical energy or valuable chemical compounds has garnered significant research interest, particularly in light of the global energy crisis. Hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide serve as sustainable energy sources in fuel cells, producing electricity with zero carbon emissions. Recently, the eco-friendly synthesis of H₂ and H₂O₂ from water and oxygen using porous organic polymers (POPs) as photocatalysts has drawn considerable attention. However, their applications have been limited due to low absorption of visible light and the rapid recombination of photoinduced charge carriers, while noble metal co-catalysts remain essential in all POP-based photocatalysts to achieve high rates of hydrogen evolution and hydrogen peroxide production, as well as to enhance charge separation in semiconductor photocatalysts. In this study, we demonstrate a more effective heterojunction photocatalyst—2D–2D SnS₂@TAPA-BPDA—which has a significant effect on photocatalytic H₂ evolution and H₂O₂ production. When exposed to visible light, the SnS₂@TAPA-BPDA composite achieves a hydrogen evolution rate of 1818.8 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹, which is approximately 30 times higher than that of the bare TAPA-BPDA POP. Similarly, for hydrogen peroxide production, the same catalyst reaches 3013.3 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹, nearly 14 times greater than the bare catalyst. These results highlight the significant enhancement in photocatalytic H₂ evolution and H₂O₂ generation, leading to highly effective solar-to-chemical energy conversion.