Energy & Environmental Materials最新文献

Sodium titanium phosphate (NaTi₂(PO₄)₃, NTP) has emerged as a promising electrode material due to its three-dimensional open framework. This study investigates the use of NTP in aqueous dilute Li⁺/Na⁺ electrolytes and extends its application to high-concentration K⁺ electrolytes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis, and density functional theory calculations revealed that highly electronegative fluorine partially substitutes for oxygen in the NTP lattice, resulting in the formation of Ti-F bonds. The substitution effectively modulates the electronic structure of Ti⁴⁺, alters the local coordination environment, and influences the redox dynamics. Enhanced long-term cycling stability and rate performance were demonstrated across aqueous sodium-ion, lithium-ion, and potassium-ion half-cells. Among the investigated systems, the aqueous sodium-ion system exhibited the best electrochemical performance, characterized by a single, well-defined charge–discharge plateau, stable cycling behavior with 88.7% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1 A g⁻¹, and an initial specific discharge capacity of 121.7 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 A g⁻¹. The results establish F-doped NTP as a promising candidate for advanced energy storage applications in aqueous alkali metal-ion batteries.

In the present review, we addressed the synthesis and applications of the magnetic layered double hydroxide nanocomposites in different scientific areas including catalysis, environmental remediation, and biological functions. First, we appraised the varied approaches for the synthesis of layered double hydroxides (LDHs), containing co-precipitation, hydrothermal, sol–gel, ion-exchange, urea hydrolysis, and reconstruction methods. Afterward, we concentrated on the utility of the magnetic LDH-based composites and evaluated their catalytic effectiveness in 4-nitrophenol reduction, coupling reactions, preparation of polycyclic aromatic compounds, and oxidation reactions. Next, the applicability of magnetic LDHs was assessed in the removal of water pollutants and dyes. Ultimately, we discussed the efficiency of magnetic LDH nanocomposites for biological applications like drug delivery. Investigating the obtained results of the reviewed reports demonstrated the auspicious performance of these compounds in all of the above-mentioned fields. Overall, the magnetic LDH-based composites manifested a satisfactory outlook in various scientific areas due to their stability, remarkable flexibility, relatively proper surface area, appropriate adsorption capacity, as well as propitious retrievability and reusability character.

Integrating phase change materials (PCM) into thermal insulation materials offers a novel approach to aerospace thermal protection. Herein, we used waste biomass as a template; by selecting the appropriate carbonization temperature, we obtained carbon aerogels (CCA) with extremely high porosity (95.8%) and high pore volume. After encapsulating PEG2000, we achieved high enthalpy (137.79 J g⁻¹, 91% of pure PEG2000) and low thermal conductivity (0.137 W (m·K)⁻¹, 45% of pure PEG2000). Thanks to the rich hierarchical nano-micro porous structure of CCA and the high latent heat of PEG2000, CCA/PEG exhibits excellent thermal insulation properties (under a heating temperature of 131 °C, the material takes 1400 s to reach its maximum temperature and can be maintained below 65 °C) and cycle performance. Additionally, irradiation destroyed the structure of CCA/PEG, leading to the degradation of PEG and the formation of other carbonyl-containing compounds, which decreased its latent heat (4.2%) and thermal conductivity (16.1%). However, the irradiation-resistant CCA, acting as a protective layer, minimizes the impact of irradiation on PEG2000. Instead, irradiation enhances the hierarchical porous structure of the material, ultimately improving its thermal insulation performance. CCA/PEG has potential application prospects in thermal protection and aerospace and is a strong competitor for high-efficiency thermal insulation materials.

Self-powered sensing technologies are increasingly sought for intelligent and autonomous marine environmental monitoring. A Faraday cage-enabled triboelectric nanogenerator (FC-TENG) is developed by incorporating a FeCoCrNiAl alloy powder layer, enabling efficient harvesting of low-frequency mechanical energy. The quasi-enclosed conductive architecture mimics a Faraday cage, effectively confining electrostatic charges and suppressing edge-induced dissipation, thereby enhancing charge retention. Compared to single-metal triboelectric layers, the FC-TENG exhibits 4.86-, 3.57-, and 2.76-fold increases in open-circuit voltage (V_OC, 1276.27 V), short-circuit current (I_SC, 63.69 μA), and transferred charge (Q_SC, 29.55 nC), respectively. Its hydrophobic surface further ensures environmental robustness and stable output under humid conditions. With an optimized load resistance of 60 MΩ, the FC-TENG device achieves a peak power of ~4.08 mW and reliably powers LED arrays and environmental sensors, while enabling efficient energy storage across a wide frequency range. Furthermore, a wave-driven FC-TENG system integrated with wireless communication and visual feedback modules enables real-time marine motion monitoring without external power. This work introduces the Faraday cage–inspired triboelectric device based on microspherical alloy powder, offering enhanced charge retention, humidity tolerance, and dual-mode functionality in power generation and marine wave sensing. The proposed strategy provides a robust and scalable architecture for future self-powered systems operating in harsh environments.

Water-induced electric generators (WEGs) exhibit tremendous promise as sustainable energy sources harvesting electricity through the interaction between materials and water utilizing the hydrovoltaic effect, an innovative green energy harvesting method. However, existing water-induced electric generator devices predominantly rely on inorganic materials with limited research on naturally available, bio-based materials for hydrovoltaic energy harvesting. This study introduces a novel nutshell-based hydrovoltaic water-induced electric generator for the first time. This low-cost, organic, and efficient renewable energy source can generate a voltage above 600 mV with a power density exceeding 5.96 μW cm⁻² utilizing streaming and evaporation potential methodologies, which can be sustained for more than a week. Notably, after further chemical treatments and combining the physical and chemical phenomena, output voltage and maximum current density reach a record high of 1.21 V and 347.2 μA cm⁻² respectively, which outperforms most inorganic and organic materials-based water-induced electric generators. By connecting two units in series and parallel, this eco-friendly water-induced electric generator can power an LCD calculator without the assistance of any rectifier. We believe that this novel nutshell-based water-induced electric generator provides a significant advancement in water-induced electric generator technology by offering a sustainable solution for powering electronic devices utilizing agricultural waste.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor is emerging as an essential medical device for diagnosing various cardiovascular diseases in modern people. Conventional ECG sensors have investigated by several researchers, but they still have significant issues of discomfort in wearing, easy swelling, poor electrical conductivity, and signal inaccuracy. Here, we demonstrate a hydrogel nanocomposite-based ECG sensor patches, monolithically integrated with a hydrogel-based biocompatible electrode and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding layer in a single unit. The developed device with low impedance (20 kΩ) exhibited excellent mechanical properties including adhesion force (35.8 N m⁻¹), multiple detachability (5 times), stretching/twisting stability and self-healing characteristic. The ECG sensor displayed superior long-term humidity stability for 30 days, showing superior biocompatibility. Finally, the ECG patch with high EMI shielding property monitored human vital signal and pulse rate changes in real-time.

Lithium-Selenium (Li-Se) batteries have emerged as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems owing to superior electronic conductivity, impressive volumetric capacity, and enhanced compatibility with carbonate electrolyte of selenium, comparable to sulfur. Despite these advantages, the development of Li-Se batteries is impeded by several intrinsic challenges, including volume expansion during the discharge process and the consequent sluggish reaction kinetics that undermine their electrochemical performance. In this study, MIL-91(Al) is used as an electrode additive to accelerate the one-step mutual solid–solid conversion reaction between Se and Li₂Se in the carbonate-based electrolyte. By doing so, uncontrollable deposition of Li₂Se is effectively mitigated, enhancing the electrochemical performance of the system. Thus, the use of MIL-91(Al) results in reduced internal resistance and faster Li-ion transfer rate, as analyzed by SPEIS and GITT. Ab initio calculations and molecular dynamics simulations further reveal that Li₂Se anchors to closely situated dangling oxygens of the phosphonate group of the organic linker of MIL-91(Al), inducing relaxation of the Li-Se-Li angle and stabilizing the overall structure. Accordingly, the MIL-91(Al)-containing Li-Se cells demonstrate a high specific capacity of approximately 530 mAh g⁻¹ at 1C (675 mA g⁻¹) after 100 cycles and retaining a specific capacity of 320 mAh/g even under high current rate (20C) after 200 cycles. This research underlines the importance of the use of electrocatalyst/electroadsorbent materials to enhance the redox kinetics of the conversion reactions between Se and Li₂Se, thus paving the way for the development of high-performance Li-Se batteries.

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) present the best compromise between mechanical and electrochemical properties, as well as an improvement of the cell safety in the framework of Li metal batteries production. However, the polymerization mechanism typically employed relies on the presence of an initiator, and is hindered by oxygen, thus impeding the industrial scale-up of the GPEs production. In this work, an UV-mediated thiol-ene polymerization, employing polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) as oligomer, was carried out in a liquid electrolyte solution (1 M LiTFSI in EC/DEC) to obtain a self-standing GPE. A comparative study between two different thiol-containing crosslinkers (trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate) - T3 and pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) - T4) was carried out, studying the effects of the crosslinking environment and the GPE production methods on the cell performances. All the produced GPEs present an excellent room temperature ionic conductivity above 1 mS cm⁻¹, as well as a wide electrochemical stability window up to 4.59 V. When cycled at a current density of C/10 for more than 250 cycles, all of the tested cells showed a stable cycling profile and a specific capacity >100 mAh g⁻¹, indicating the suitability of such processes for up-scaling.

Elastic strain constitutes a decisive factor in determining the recoverable deformability of thermoelectric materials. Plastic deformation for microstructure engineering has been demonstrated as a viable approach to enhance the elastic strain. However, this approach is highly dependent on the material's plasticity, which is rather limited by the rigidity for the majority of inorganic semiconducting thermoelectric materials. Thermocouple materials, as metallic thermoelectric materials, possess a favorable plasticity, motivating this work to focus on the elastic bendability of a metallic thermoelectric generator that is composed of K-type thermocouple components, namely p-type Ni₉₀Cr₁₀ and n-type Ni₉₅Al₂Mn₂Si. The cold-rolling process enables a large elastic modulus and a high yield strength, thanks to the texturized direction along <111>, and dense dislocations and refined grains, respectively, eventually resulting in a 400% increase in the elastic strain. Such superior elasticity ensures the preservation of the initial transport properties for the rolled films even after being bent 100 000 times within a radius of ~8 mm. A power output of ~414 μW is achieved in a ten-leg flexible thermoelectric device, suggesting its substantial potential for powering wearable electronics.

Bipolar plates (BPs) are essential multifunctional components in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) that require excellent electrical conductivity, low permeability, and strong solid support for the stack. However, conventional BPs are based on graphite sheets, which provide mechanical properties and corrosion resistance but have limitations in terms of electrical conductivity. Although carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have excellent properties, CNT composites with low CNT volume fractions (10–20%) have increased electrolyte permeability and limited electrical conductivity improvement, resulting in low durability and efficiency for VRFBs. This study proposes a novel concept of horizontally aligned CNT nanocomposite bipolar plate (HACN-BP) to address these issues. The HACN-BPs feature an optimized conduction path with a CNT volume fraction of 59%, resulting in reduced manufacturing time while demonstrating superior conductivity and permeability compared to conventional BPs. Furthermore, integrated HACN-BP mitigates ohmic loss that occurs in the BPs, thereby mitigating the potential drop by 40%. Therefore, the utilization of HACN-BP shows superior performance compared to recent studies, a substantial improvement of more than 6% in energy efficiency and 14% in capacity over conventional BP.