Carbon Energy最新文献

Back cover image: In article CEY270076, Xinping Ai, Hui Li, Guo Tang, Gengzhong Lin and co-workers report a versatile in-situ strategy for designing a highly stable and flexible interlayer between the cathode and solid electrolyte in sulfide-based all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs), featuring a solid–polymer–electrolyte interphase inductively formed via residual alkali on the high-nickel cathode. This study provides a new route for creating electrochemically and structurally stable solid–solid interfaces for ASSLBs.

Front cover image: Formate, a renewable one-carbon (C1) feedstock, presents significant potential for the biosynthesis of high-value compounds. However, its microbial conversion is often hindered by limited metabolic flux. In article CEY270064, Qian et al. present an extensive analysis of microbial hosts, assimilation pathways, and metabolic engineering strategies for formate bioconversion. They emphasize that fine-tuning crucial enzymes and metabolic networks, along with integrating chemo-bio conversion methods, can greatly improve formate-to-product transformation. Their work offers a strategic blueprint for sustainable and efficient biomanufacturing.

Front cover image: Formic acid dehydrogenation is a key process in hydrogen energy utilization, and the development of highactivity and low-cost formic acid dehydrogenation catalysts is a core challenge. In article numbered e70092, Feng et al. proposed a low-loading strategy and successfully constructed an efficient Co-Fe dual-atom catalyst. Systematically investigated the relationship between metal loading and catalytic activity, and revealed the catalytic mechanisms of single-atom, homonuclear dual-atom, and heteronuclear dual-atom sites, providing a new paradigm for catalyst design and promoting the development of hydrogen energy storage and conversion technologies.

Back cover image: Ionomer-bound carbon films in energy devices suffer from frost-driven self-fracture when operating under subzero conditions. In article number e70098, Pyo et al. identify that water freezing within the ionomer binder phase plays a more dominant role in this mechanical degradation than water confined in the nanopores. The authors propose an effective thermal reconfiguration strategy that modifies the ionomer nanostructure to control freezable water domains. This process successfully prevents frost-induced failure, enabling the reconfigured electrodes to maintain over 90% of their initial elongation and ensuring robust low-temperature durability.

Developing efficient and durable electrocatalysts for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is pivotal for advancing proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWEs), yet balancing activity and stability remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we propose a dual-engineering strategy to stabilize Ru-based catalysts by synergizing the oxygen vacancy site-synergized mechanism-lattice oxygen mechanism (OVSM-LOM) with Ru–N bond stabilization. The engineered RuO₂@NCC catalyst exhibits exceptional OER performance in 0.5 M H₂SO₄, achieving an ultralow overpotential of 215 mV at 10 mA cm^–2 and prolonged stability for over 327 h. The catalyst delivers 300 h of continuous operation at 1 A cm^–2, with a negligible degradation rate of only 0.067 mV h^–1, further demonstrating its potential for practical application. Oxygen vacancies unlock the OVSM-LOM pathway, bypassing the sluggish adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM) and accelerating reaction kinetics, while the Ru–N bonds suppress Ru dissolution by anchoring low-valent Ru centers. Quasi-in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and isotopic labeling experiments confirm the lattice oxygen participation with *O formation as the rate-determining step. The Ru–N bonds reinforce the structural integrity by stabilizing low-valent Ru centers and inhibiting overoxidation. Theoretical calculations further verify that the synergistic interaction between O_Vs and Ru–O(N) active sites optimizes the Ru d-band center and stabilizes intermediates, while Ru–N coordination enhances structural integrity. This study establishes a novel paradigm for designing robust acidic OER catalysts through defect and coordination engineering, bridging the gap between activity and stability for sustainable energy technologies.

Fine-grained nuclear graphite is a key material in high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). During air ingress accidents, core graphite components undergo severe oxidation, threatening structural integrity. Therefore, understanding the oxidation behavior of nuclear graphite is essential for reactor safety. The influence of oxidation involves multiple factors, including temperature, sample size, oxidant, impurities, filler type and size, etc. The size of the filler particles plays a crucial role in this study. Five ultrafine- and superfine-grained nuclear graphite samples (5.9–34.4 μm) are manufactured using identical raw materials and manufacturing processes. Isothermal oxidation tests conducted at 650°C–750°C are used to study the oxidation behavior. Additionally, comprehensive characterization is performed to analyze the crystal structure, surface morphology, and nanoscale to microscale pore structure of the samples. Results indicate that oxidation behavior cannot be predicted solely based on filler grain size. Reactive site concentration, characterized by active surface area, dominates the chemical reaction kinetics, whereas pore tortuosity, quantified by the structural parameter Ψ, plays a key role in regulating oxidant diffusion. These findings clarify the dual role of microstructure in oxidation mechanisms and establish a theoretical and experimental basis for the design of high-performance nuclear graphite capable of long-term service in high-temperature gas-cooled reactors.

Front cover image: Silicon-based anodes are promising for lithium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity. However, severe volume expansion during cycling leads to rapid capacity decay, hindering commercialization. This review (CEY270057) emphasizes the critical yet overlooked “size effect”, distinguishing failure mechanisms between nano and micro silicon. It systematically categorizes size-specific modification strategies to enhance structural stability and cycling performance. Recent advances in pairing silicon anodes with solid-state electrolytes for high-energy batteries are also summarized. This work aims to provide scientific guidance for rational design and accelerate the industrialization of silicon-based anodes.

Back cover image: Organic solar cells (OSCs) are promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaic devices. However, conventional bulk heterojunction (BHJ) devices face inherent limitations in morphology control and phase separation. In article number CEY270068, Peng et al. systematically investigate the optimizing effects of nine halogenated functional additives for layerby-layer (LbL) devices, identify the core performance advantages of 2-bromo-5-iodothiophene (20.12% PCE), analyzed the bromineiodine synergistic effect and the donor-acceptor regulation mechanism of the thiophene core additive, balancing ease of processing with industrial application potential.

Improving device efficiency is fundamental for advancing energy harvesting technology, particularly in systems designed to convert light energy into electrical output. In our previous studies, we developed a basic structure light pressure electric generator (Basic-LPEG), which utilized a layered configuration of Ag/Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃(PZT)/Pt/GaAs to generate electricity based on light-induced pressure on the PZT. In this study, we sought to enhance the performance of this Basic-LPEG by introducing Ag nanoparticles/graphene oxide (AgNPs/GO) composite units (NP-LPEG), creating upgraded harvesting device. Specifically, by depositing the AgNPs/GO units twice onto the Basic-LPEG, we observed an increase in output voltage and current from 241 mV and 3.1 µA to 310 mV and 9.3 µA, respectively, under a solar simulator. The increase in electrical output directly correlated with the intensity of the light pressure impacting the PZT, as well as matched the Raman measurements, finite-difference time-domain simulations, and COMSOL Multiphysics Simulation. Experimental data revealed that the enhancement in electrical output was proportional to the number of hot spots generated between Ag nanoparticles, where the electric field experienced substantial amplification. These results underline the effectiveness of AgNPs/GO units in boosting the light-induced electric generation capacity, thereby providing a promising pathway for high-efficiency energy harvesting devices.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have been regarded as one of the most promising alternatives in the post-lithium battery era due to their high energy density, which meets the needs of light-weight electronic devices and long-range electric vehicles. However, technical barriers such as dendrite growth and poor Li plating/stripping reversibility severely hinder the practical application of LMBs. However, lithium nitrate (LiNO₃) is found to be able to stabilize the Li/electrolyte interface and has been used to address the above challenges. To date, considerable research efforts have been devoted toward understanding the roles of LiNO₃ in regulating the surface properties of Li anodes and toward the development of many effective strategies. These research efforts are partially mentioned in some articles on LMBs and yet have not been reviewed systematically. To fill this gap, we discuss the recent advances in fundamental and technological research on LiNO₃ and its derivatives for improving the performances of LMBs, particularly for Li–sulfur (S), Li–oxygen (O), and Li–Li-containing transition-metal oxide (LTMO) batteries, as well as LiNO₃-containing recipes for precursors in battery materials and interphase fabrication. This review pays attention to the effects of LiNO₃ in lithium-based batteries, aiming to provide scientific guidance for the optimization of electrode/electrolyte interfaces and enrich the design of advanced LMBs.