Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102173
Dongsheng Xie , Baoqi Wu , Qiong Wu , Baozhong Deng , Jianglong Li , Zhili Chen , Jiayuan Zhu , Ruoxi Xia , Langheng Pan , Kangda Liu , Qiuju Jiang , Haozhe Feng , Xiyue Yuan , Yue Zhang , Qianqing Jiang , Dianyi Liu , Tao Xu , Hongxiang Li , Fei Huang , Yong Cao , Chunhui Duan
Organic solar cells (OSCs) have achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 20%, yet the transition from lab to market remains challenging. This study proposes a systematic molecular engineering paradigm for developing cost-effective polymer donors, exemplified by PPT-3, specifically engineered for semitransparent solar windows. Using simple monocyclic aromatic units, we simplified the synthesis, enabling scalable production from milligrams to 20 g. Opaque OSCs based on PPT-3 achieved PCEs exceeding 18%, with excellent batch-to-batch reproducibility across multiple scales, including three Stille batches (0.2–5.0 g) and four direct-arylation batches (0.2–20.0 g). Moreover, ambient blade-coated semitransparent modules achieved a record PCE of 6.69%, an average visible transmittance of 40.30%, and a light-utilization efficiency of 2.70% over a 120 cm2 active area. This work demonstrates the first scalable synthesis of high-performance polymers (PCE >18%) via a tin-free polymerization route, offering a transformative pathway for advancing OSCs from lab-scale research to commercial viability.
{"title":"Scalable polymer for large-area semitransparent organic photovoltaics","authors":"Dongsheng Xie , Baoqi Wu , Qiong Wu , Baozhong Deng , Jianglong Li , Zhili Chen , Jiayuan Zhu , Ruoxi Xia , Langheng Pan , Kangda Liu , Qiuju Jiang , Haozhe Feng , Xiyue Yuan , Yue Zhang , Qianqing Jiang , Dianyi Liu , Tao Xu , Hongxiang Li , Fei Huang , Yong Cao , Chunhui Duan","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102173","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102173","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Organic solar cells (OSCs) have achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 20%, yet the transition from lab to market remains challenging. This study proposes a systematic molecular engineering paradigm for developing cost-effective polymer donors, exemplified by PPT-3, specifically engineered for semitransparent solar windows. Using simple monocyclic aromatic units, we simplified the synthesis, enabling scalable production from milligrams to 20 g. Opaque OSCs based on PPT-3 achieved PCEs exceeding 18%, with excellent batch-to-batch reproducibility across multiple scales, including three Stille batches (0.2–5.0 g) and four direct-arylation batches (0.2–20.0 g). Moreover, ambient blade-coated semitransparent modules achieved a record PCE of 6.69%, an average visible transmittance of 40.30%, and a light-utilization efficiency of 2.70% over a 120 cm<sup>2</sup> active area. This work demonstrates the first scalable synthesis of high-performance polymers (PCE >18%) via a tin-free polymerization route, offering a transformative pathway for advancing OSCs from lab-scale research to commercial viability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102173"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145382177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102196
Tiancheng Pu , Junzhong Xie , Ding Ma
Catalytic upgrading of CO2 waste with methane could be hailed as the “Holy Grail” reaction, as it simultaneously converts two greenhouse gases into building blocks. In a recent issue of Nature Chemistry, Lv et al. broke the thermodynamic constraints of super-dry reforming of methane with a tandem electro-thermocatalytic process.
{"title":"Synchronizing electro-thermocatalysis for fuel production with unprecedented carbon efficiency","authors":"Tiancheng Pu , Junzhong Xie , Ding Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Catalytic upgrading of CO<sub>2</sub> waste with methane could be hailed as the “Holy Grail” reaction, as it simultaneously converts two greenhouse gases into building blocks. In a recent issue of <em>Nature Chemistry</em>, Lv et al. broke the thermodynamic constraints of super-dry reforming of methane with a tandem electro-thermocatalytic process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102196"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145545749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102139
Benjamin L. Rogers , Sarbajit Banerjee
Vanadium flow batteries (VFBs) are a long-duration energy storage (LDES) technology at the forefront of grid stabilization and decarbonization. Alleviating materials criticality and addressing supply-chain risks of vanadium are key to sustaining the growth of VFB deployment. Here, we present living databases gathered from vanadium stakeholders across the world that capture a holistic, up-to-date snapshot of the vanadium economy along vectors of production, processing, and large-scale battery installations. To mitigate risks to vanadium supply chains and encourage long-term resource availability, numerous opportunities are evaluated, including expanded primary mining in untapped, resource-rich regions, increased secondary production to promote a circular resource economy, and the risks and benefits of state actors in incentivizing supply response and modifying market volatility. By aligning technological innovation with strategic resource management, vanadium can both advance the energy transition through energy storage and serve as an exemplar for building resilient supply chains for other critical materials.
{"title":"Mine the gap: Sourcing vanadium for the energy transition","authors":"Benjamin L. Rogers , Sarbajit Banerjee","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102139","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102139","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vanadium flow batteries (VFBs) are a long-duration energy storage (LDES) technology at the forefront of grid stabilization and decarbonization. Alleviating materials criticality and addressing supply-chain risks of vanadium are key to sustaining the growth of VFB deployment. Here, we present living databases gathered from vanadium stakeholders across the world that capture a holistic, up-to-date snapshot of the vanadium economy along vectors of production, processing, and large-scale battery installations. To mitigate risks to vanadium supply chains and encourage long-term resource availability, numerous opportunities are evaluated, including expanded primary mining in untapped, resource-rich regions, increased secondary production to promote a circular resource economy, and the risks and benefits of state actors in incentivizing supply response and modifying market volatility. By aligning technological innovation with strategic resource management, vanadium can both advance the energy transition through energy storage and serve as an exemplar for building resilient supply chains for other critical materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102139"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145194940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102167
Ashutosh Rana , Saptarshi Paul , Ashutosh Bhadouria , James H. Nguyen , John F. Koons , Chunge Li , Arya Das , Kingshuk Roy , Brian M. Tackett , Jeffrey E. Dick
Aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) are attractive alternatives to Li/Na systems due to their abundance, safety, low cost, and high capacity. Unfortunately, cycling efficiency is hindered by hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the anode. Paradoxically, higher current densities often yield improved Coulombic efficiency (CE), defying classical electrochemical expectations. Here, we resolve this paradox by revealing the role of interfacial pH gradients in zinc electrodeposition. Through advanced measurements, including electrochemical mass spectrometry and fluorescence microscopy, we show that steep pH gradients emerge at high currents and low capacities, fostering rapid formation of a uniform solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) that suppresses hydrogen evolution and enhances CE. This advantage diminishes at larger capacities or extreme currents due to convective instabilities. We present a unified framework, integrating pH gradients, SEI formation, HER suppression, zinc nucleation and growth, and convection, and we propose charge-discharge protocols that extend cycle life at practical and real capacities, advancing commercially relevant AZMBs.
{"title":"Interfacial pH gradients suppress HER at high currents in zinc metal batteries","authors":"Ashutosh Rana , Saptarshi Paul , Ashutosh Bhadouria , James H. Nguyen , John F. Koons , Chunge Li , Arya Das , Kingshuk Roy , Brian M. Tackett , Jeffrey E. Dick","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) are attractive alternatives to Li/Na systems due to their abundance, safety, low cost, and high capacity. Unfortunately, cycling efficiency is hindered by hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the anode. Paradoxically, higher current densities often yield improved Coulombic efficiency (CE), defying classical electrochemical expectations. Here, we resolve this paradox by revealing the role of interfacial pH gradients in zinc electrodeposition. Through advanced measurements, including electrochemical mass spectrometry and fluorescence microscopy, we show that steep pH gradients emerge at high currents and low capacities, fostering rapid formation of a uniform solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) that suppresses hydrogen evolution and enhances CE. This advantage diminishes at larger capacities or extreme currents due to convective instabilities. We present a unified framework, integrating pH gradients, SEI formation, HER suppression, zinc nucleation and growth, and convection, and we propose charge-discharge protocols that extend cycle life at practical and real capacities, advancing commercially relevant AZMBs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102167"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145283675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102164
Conor Hickey , Stuart Jenkins , Myles Allen
Net-zero targets are widely adopted by companies and countries worldwide. To achieve these goals, more companies are investing in diverse carbon removal portfolios. This study develops a new risk management framework that combines forestry, biochar, and geological storage offsets into portfolios that could stabilize global temperatures over multi-century time periods. We find that if a carbon storage portfolio reaches an equilibrium state of CO2 stored, it can be leveraged to stabilize global temperatures by increasing the size of the portfolio relative to the amount of removal claimed. For moderate-risk primarily forestry portfolios retaining 0.75–0.55 tCO2 of the 1 tCO2 stored, an additional 0.30–0.80 tCO2 removal is needed to offset re-releases over 1,000 years. High-risk portfolios retaining only 0.10 tCO2 require over 9 tCO2 additional removal. Portfolios that are predicted to re-release almost all CO2 cannot be leveraged and are ineffective at meeting temperature stabilization goals. These findings have implications for policy and corporate climate action.
{"title":"Carbon storage portfolios for the transition to net zero","authors":"Conor Hickey , Stuart Jenkins , Myles Allen","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102164","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102164","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Net-zero targets are widely adopted by companies and countries worldwide. To achieve these goals, more companies are investing in diverse carbon removal portfolios. This study develops a new risk management framework that combines forestry, biochar, and geological storage offsets into portfolios that could stabilize global temperatures over multi-century time periods. We find that if a carbon storage portfolio reaches an equilibrium state of CO<sub>2</sub> stored, it can be leveraged to stabilize global temperatures by increasing the size of the portfolio relative to the amount of removal claimed. For moderate-risk primarily forestry portfolios retaining 0.75–0.55 tCO<sub>2</sub> of the 1 tCO<sub>2</sub> stored, an additional 0.30–0.80 tCO<sub>2</sub> removal is needed to offset re-releases over 1,000 years. High-risk portfolios retaining only 0.10 tCO<sub>2</sub> require over 9 tCO<sub>2</sub> additional removal. Portfolios that are predicted to re-release almost all CO<sub>2</sub> cannot be leveraged and are ineffective at meeting temperature stabilization goals. These findings have implications for policy and corporate climate action.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102164"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145289203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102133
Zhizai Li , Kai Li , Yaxing Wang , Shuao Wang
Zhizai Li earned his PhD from Lanzhou University in 2024 and is now an associate professor in Professor Shuao Wang’s group. His research interests include the synthesis of novel metal halide photovoltaic materials, device structure design, and their applications in high-efficiency voltaic batteries.
Kai Li received his PhD in 2019 from the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. He is currently an associate professor in Professor Shuao Wang’s group. His research focuses on the synthesis of scintillators and phosphors, with an emphasis on their applications in high-efficiency and stable radioluminescent nuclear batteries.
Yaxing Wang is a professor at Soochow University. He completed his PhD at Sichuan University in 2019. His research focuses on radiochemistry and its interdisciplinary applications, including radionuclide separation, micronuclear battery, and environmental radionuclide detection.
Shuao Wang is the dean of the School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and a Professor at Soochow University. He earned his PhD from the University of Notre Dame and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Wang specializes in radiochemistry and radiation chemistry, with a focus on spent-fuel reprocessing, geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, nuclear accident emergency response, and related fields.
{"title":"Coalescent energy transducer for future micronuclear battery","authors":"Zhizai Li , Kai Li , Yaxing Wang , Shuao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zhizai Li earned his PhD from Lanzhou University in 2024 and is now an associate professor in Professor Shuao Wang’s group. His research interests include the synthesis of novel metal halide photovoltaic materials, device structure design, and their applications in high-efficiency voltaic batteries.</div><div>Kai Li received his PhD in 2019 from the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. He is currently an associate professor in Professor Shuao Wang’s group. His research focuses on the synthesis of scintillators and phosphors, with an emphasis on their applications in high-efficiency and stable radioluminescent nuclear batteries.</div><div>Yaxing Wang is a professor at Soochow University. He completed his PhD at Sichuan University in 2019. His research focuses on radiochemistry and its interdisciplinary applications, including radionuclide separation, micronuclear battery, and environmental radionuclide detection.</div><div>Shuao Wang is the dean of the School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and a Professor at Soochow University. He earned his PhD from the University of Notre Dame and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Wang specializes in radiochemistry and radiation chemistry, with a focus on spent-fuel reprocessing, geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, nuclear accident emergency response, and related fields.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102133"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145103725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102174
Lina Wang , Ning Wang , Nikhil Kalasariya , Xianglang Sun , Xin Wu , Zexin Yu , Bo Li , Ying Qiao , Kin Long Wong , Andres Felipe Castro Mendez , Orestis Karalis , Chunlei Zhang , Danpeng Gao , Hannes Hempel , Jungan Wang , Jie Yang , Hao Jin , Yang Bai , Xinyu Zhang , Menglei Xu , Zonglong Zhu
Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells (TSCs) are advancing swiftly, with tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) silicon-based cells gaining prominence owing to their cost-effectiveness and market presence. However, perovskite/TOPCon silicon TSCs currently lag behind their heterojunction (HJT) silicon-based counterparts, due to challenges in depositing uniform films on micro-rough textured substrates. In this work, we introduce a novel interconnection layer (ICL) with an asymmetric molecule, (4-(3-methyl-9H-carbazol-9-yl)butyl)phosphonic acid (3-Me-4PACz). The substantial dipole moment of the molecule effectively reduces the interfacial energy offset, significantly increasing the open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.68-eV perovskite subcells over 1.30 V. Furthermore, this tailored ICL exhibits markedly improved wettability, homogeneity, and surface adhesion, successfully eliminating “wet patches.” Consequently, the resulting 1-cm2 perovskite/TOPCon silicon TSCs achieved a record certificated power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 32.32% (in-house measurement of 33.12%), alongside an unprecedented VOC of 2.023 V (certified at 2.015 V), demonstrating a broadly applicable strategy for advancing industrially viable tandem photovoltaics.
{"title":"Ultra-uniform perovskite film with minimized interconnection energy loss for efficient perovskite/TOPCon tandem solar cells","authors":"Lina Wang , Ning Wang , Nikhil Kalasariya , Xianglang Sun , Xin Wu , Zexin Yu , Bo Li , Ying Qiao , Kin Long Wong , Andres Felipe Castro Mendez , Orestis Karalis , Chunlei Zhang , Danpeng Gao , Hannes Hempel , Jungan Wang , Jie Yang , Hao Jin , Yang Bai , Xinyu Zhang , Menglei Xu , Zonglong Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102174","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102174","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells (TSCs) are advancing swiftly, with tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) silicon-based cells gaining prominence owing to their cost-effectiveness and market presence. However, perovskite/TOPCon silicon TSCs currently lag behind their heterojunction (HJT) silicon-based counterparts, due to challenges in depositing uniform films on micro-rough textured substrates. In this work, we introduce a novel interconnection layer (ICL) with an asymmetric molecule, (4-(3-methyl-9H-carbazol-9-yl)butyl)phosphonic acid (3-Me-4PACz). The substantial dipole moment of the molecule effectively reduces the interfacial energy offset, significantly increasing the open-circuit voltage (<em>V</em><sub><em>OC</em></sub>) of 1.68-eV perovskite subcells over 1.30 V. Furthermore, this tailored ICL exhibits markedly improved wettability, homogeneity, and surface adhesion, successfully eliminating “wet patches.” Consequently, the resulting 1-cm<sup>2</sup> perovskite/TOPCon silicon TSCs achieved a record certificated power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 32.32% (in-house measurement of 33.12%), alongside an unprecedented <em>V</em><sub><em>OC</em></sub> of 2.023 V (certified at 2.015 V), demonstrating a broadly applicable strategy for advancing industrially viable tandem photovoltaics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102174"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145382178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102194
Mario Alejandro Mejía Escobar , Carlos Algora
Flexible and lightweight solar arrays are crucial for advancing space missions by offering high specific power, compact stowage, and reliable deployment in various space environments. This review explores the development of flexible photovoltaic technologies, examining the evolution of solar cells, modules, and arrays, with a focus on their application in planetary science missions and orbital services. It details the fabrication of high-specific-power arrays, including commercial products and emerging technologies, and discusses the challenges in designing lightweight architectures and interconnections. The review also assesses the photovoltaic performance of these arrays in orbital and interplanetary missions, highlighting the trade-offs in power delivery and radiation hardness. The findings emphasize the role of flexible solar arrays in enabling scalable, power-efficient systems for upcoming missions, including lunar habitats and the exploration of Mars and Venus. This work underscores the importance of flexible and deployable photovoltaic technologies in shaping the future of space exploration and services, supporting next-generation space systems.
{"title":"Surveying the potential of flexible and high-specific-power photovoltaic assemblies and arrays for space applications","authors":"Mario Alejandro Mejía Escobar , Carlos Algora","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102194","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102194","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flexible and lightweight solar arrays are crucial for advancing space missions by offering high specific power, compact stowage, and reliable deployment in various space environments. This review explores the development of flexible photovoltaic technologies, examining the evolution of solar cells, modules, and arrays, with a focus on their application in planetary science missions and orbital services. It details the fabrication of high-specific-power arrays, including commercial products and emerging technologies, and discusses the challenges in designing lightweight architectures and interconnections. The review also assesses the photovoltaic performance of these arrays in orbital and interplanetary missions, highlighting the trade-offs in power delivery and radiation hardness. The findings emphasize the role of flexible solar arrays in enabling scalable, power-efficient systems for upcoming missions, including lunar habitats and the exploration of Mars and Venus. This work underscores the importance of flexible and deployable photovoltaic technologies in shaping the future of space exploration and services, supporting next-generation space systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102194"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145545751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102172
Sanghyun Bae , Thomas Moehl , David Yong , Peng Zeng , S. David Tilley
The development of efficient, stable, and earth-abundant photoanodes for solar water oxidation is critical to advancing photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic systems for large-scale renewable fuel production. Here, we demonstrate that p-type Cu2O, typically studied as a photocathode material, can be used as a high-performance photoanode through judicious engineering of charge carrier-selective contacts on thermally oxidized Cu2O sheets. The introduction of Ga2O3, TiO2, and indium tin oxide (ITO) layers as an electron-selective back contact, combined with Al2O3, Au, and Ni front layers, significantly enhanced charge separation and electron transfer. The champion Cu2O photoanode exhibited a photocurrent density of 8.65 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode in alkaline media, which is the highest reported for metal oxide photoanodes. These findings highlight the pivotal role of charge carrier-selective interface engineering in broadening the scope of available semiconductor materials for photo(electro)catalytic oxidation reactions, irrespective of the doping type of the light-absorbing material.
开发高效、稳定、资源丰富的太阳能水氧化光阳极对于推进大规模可再生燃料生产的光电化学和光催化系统至关重要。在这里，我们证明了通常作为光电阴极材料研究的p型Cu2O，可以通过在热氧化Cu2O片上明智地设计电荷载流子选择接触来用作高性能的光阳极。引入Ga2O3、TiO2和铟锡氧化物（ITO）层作为电子选择的后接触层，结合Al2O3、Au和Ni前缘层，显著增强了电荷分离和电子转移。与碱性介质中可逆氢电极相比，冠军Cu2O光阳极在1.23 V下的光电流密度为8.65 mA cm−2，是目前报道的金属氧化物光阳极中最高的。这些发现强调了电荷载流子选择界面工程在扩大光（电）催化氧化反应可用半导体材料的范围方面的关键作用，而不考虑光吸收材料的掺杂类型。
{"title":"A p-type Cu2O photoanode for solar water oxidation","authors":"Sanghyun Bae , Thomas Moehl , David Yong , Peng Zeng , S. David Tilley","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of efficient, stable, and earth-abundant photoanodes for solar water oxidation is critical to advancing photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic systems for large-scale renewable fuel production. Here, we demonstrate that p-type Cu<sub>2</sub>O, typically studied as a photocathode material, can be used as a high-performance photoanode through judicious engineering of charge carrier-selective contacts on thermally oxidized Cu<sub>2</sub>O sheets. The introduction of Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, TiO<sub>2</sub>, and indium tin oxide (ITO) layers as an electron-selective back contact, combined with Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, Au, and Ni front layers, significantly enhanced charge separation and electron transfer. The champion Cu<sub>2</sub>O photoanode exhibited a photocurrent density of 8.65 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode in alkaline media, which is the highest reported for metal oxide photoanodes. These findings highlight the pivotal role of charge carrier-selective interface engineering in broadening the scope of available semiconductor materials for photo(electro)catalytic oxidation reactions, irrespective of the doping type of the light-absorbing material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 11","pages":"Article 102172"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145382566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102222
Shanshan Gao , Ah Hyun Shin , Seong Sik Shin
While perovskite solar cells (PSCs) continue to break records in efficiency, their commercialization has been hampered by limitations in long-term stability. In a recent issue of Nature Energy, Zhao et al. revealed a new degradation mechanism under realistic dynamic cycling and proposed an innovative solution to improve stability.
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