Nano Energy最新文献

Electrochemical reduction reactions, including CO₂/CO reduction, hydrogen evolution and N₂/NO_x^- reduction, have contributed to lower globe carbon footprint, valorize inert molecules, and convert waste to harmless products. However, the most paired anodic reaction yet remain the oxygen evolution, which is haunted by its high thermodynamic barrier and less profitable product O₂. Alternative oxidation reactions with low thermodynamic barrier and economic advantages, have been coupled with various reduction reactions. In this review, recent progresses in alternative oxidation reactions have been summarized and compared, with specific emphasis on reaction selections and corresponding electrocatalysts, future challenges and research directions of renewable electricity powered chemical industry at anode.

The development of high-efficiency and stabilized tandem solar cells and solar cells for indoor light harvesting relies heavily on the fabrication of wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) that exhibit exceptional efficiency and stability. In this study, we introduce an effective method for enhancing the optoelectronic properties of a 1.74 eV WBG perovskite absorber by interfacial engineering. Specifically, we utilize 4F-Phenethylammonium Chloride (4F-PEACL) as a key component for the surface treatment of perovskite layer. The treatment of perovskite with 4F-PEACL alters the surface stoichiometry, promoting self-doping and surface passivation, reducing surface recombination, and improving the optoelectronic properties of perovskite. Consequently, PCSs with perovskite treated with 4F-PEACL exhibit a notable power conversion efficiency of 20.27 %. Furthermore, the devices subjected to 4F-PEACL treatment demonstrate enhanced stability compared to the control devices across a range of testing settings. The findings of our study indicate that the utilization of organic salt perovskite passivation holds great potential in the development of efficient and stable WBG PSCs.

With the growing demand for energy storage, layered oxide cathodes (Na_xTMO₂) for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have become the spotlight for researchers. However, irreversible multiphase transformation and structural degradation, as well as lattice oxygen loss, hindered their commercialization. Electronic structure modulation based on the orbital hybridization concept is an important way to solve key scientific problems. Herein, due to its unique electronic structure, Sn is chosen as the proof of the conceptual element, and its effect on layered oxide cathode is summarized in three aspects: reversible phase transformation, abnormal structural regulation, and stable anionic redox. Firstly, the large size of Sn⁴⁺ suppresses the sliding of the transition metal oxide (TMO₂) layer and Na⁺/vacancy ordering as well as enhances the delocalization of electrons. Secondly, Sn with a similar ionic radius to other TM ions in the structure promotes the stacking of the O3 phase. What’s more, the distinctive electronic structure of Sn⁴⁺ will enhance the operating voltage. Thirdly, a strong Sn-O bond stabilizes the lattice oxygen, promotes stable anion redox, and improves the energy density of the battery. Therefore, electronic structure modulation can provide technical direction for the development and industrialization of high-performance SIBs.

Sustainably sourced lignin, as natural polymer material rich in functional groups with electronegativity such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, is prone to gain or lose electrons to form triboelectric effects, thus providing enormous possibilities for the fabrication of triboelectric materials. Lignin has been extensively investigated in recent years for the preparation of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). However, there is still a lack of a well-defined classification references summarizing for these approaches. This review highlights the forefront research studies on TENG based on the lignin-derived materials with accented emphasis on lignin multifunctionality. A systematic description of the enhancement of TENG properties based on the lignin-derived materials by chemical modification, composite synergy and surface morphology modification methods is presented. Then, the current applications of TENG based on the lignin-derived materials, such as energy harvesting, medical monitoring and smart packaging, are summarized. Finally, challenges and strategies for the prospective development of TENG based on the lignin-derived materials are also reviewed. Therefore, this review will encourage the utilization of lignin-derived materials for the fabrication of eco-friendly TENG with promising applications in the field of energy conversion.

Solar–energy–induced photothermal–pyroelectric synergy sensing platform provides a win-win route to harvest waste heat and convert energy. However, the increase of carrier collision probability from high temperature inevitably leads to the loss of quantum efficiency. Herein, a flexible photothermal-pyroelectric electrode platform with Schottky junction was successfully constructed for maximum utilization of carrier. Under solar-simulated irradiation, the electron-rich and electron-depletion region formed by the Bi₁₃S₁₈Br₂-S/alloy rectifier interface in flexible polyvinylidene difluoride-hexafluoropropylene film can increase the accumulation of photogenerated electrons. Meanwhile, the surface bound charges released by dipole oscillation in photothermal-pyroelectric field are continuously supplemented by the emerged high concentration of photogenerated electrons from the Schottky junction, and this synergistic effect prolonged their lifetimes and significantly improves the photoelectric conversion efficiency. To reasonably realize the accurate quantification of the simulated target, the cleavage activity of the CRISPR–Cas system can be specifically restored with the assistance of a synergistic dual-activator, releasing silica as a padlock to produce a target concentration-dependent photoelectric signal. Besides, the temperature variation on the electrode interface was simulated, revealing the synergistic effect between Schottky junction and photothermal–pyroelectric field under photoexcitation. This work broadens a new perspective for upgrading photoelectron utilization and overall performance of flexible sensing platform.

The burgeoning field of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has achieved significant advancements, rivaling traditional photovoltaic technologies. However, efficient, and stable charge collection remains a critical hurdle for commercial deployment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of various charge collection materials and their implications in perovskite photovoltaics. We assess state-of-the-art materials like indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive polymer, metal-based thin film, carbon-based alternatives, and more, exploring their optical properties, mechanical flexibility, electrical conductivity, and associated fabrication costs. While ITO remains the most commonly used due to its high transparency and conductivity, its scarcity and high-cost limit its scalability. Metal-based electrodes offer excellent conductivity and are emerging as leaders in applications requiring mechanical flexibility, but their permeation and interaction within perovskites need to be overcome. Carbon- and polymer-based materials offer stability and low cost but often suffer from lower conductivity. Each material class presents its own set of challenges, which must be addressed for real-world applications. This review also delves into innovative solutions, aiming to overcome these challenges, concluding by discussing the future potential and the key areas of research to realize durable, efficient, and cost-effective perovskite photovoltaics.

Energy and environmental challenges stand as pivotal issues in contemporary society. This study presents a novel solid-liquid-solid contact-electro-catalytic (CEC) approach based on n-type and p-type silicon wafers for the degradation of organic dyes such as methylene blue, rhodamine B, eriochrome black T and crystal violet. Notably, under indoor light conditions, the degradation efficiency of 5 ppm methylene blue can achieve an exceptional 96.25 % within a brief 18-min-friction treatment. Our investigation elucidates that the catalytic mechanism arises from the synergistic interplay between electron transitions induced by the tribovoltaic effect and electron transfer facilitated by CEC. Furthermore, the solid-liquid-solid CEC exhibits remarkable attributes such as complete recyclability and reusability, thereby opening new avenues for advancements in solid-liquid-solid CEC research.

The development of low-cost and high-safety cathode materials is critically important to sodium-ion battery (Na-ion) research. Here we report a carbon nanotube (CNT)-percolating Na₂Fe(SO₄)₂ cathode (NFS-CNT) prepared via a rationally designed mechano-chemical method. The material synthesis mechanism is elucidated for the first time by in situ X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. It is discovered that Na₂Fe(SO₄)·4H₂O is formed as an intermediate phase during the mechano-chemical process, which is dehydrated to produce the Na₂Fe(SO₄)₂ cathode material upon a mild thermal treatment. The NFS-CNT composite cathode achieves an ultra-long cycle-life of over 13,000 cycles at 10 C at room temperature and over 6000 cycles at 55 °C, demonstrating its exceptional durability. The superior cycling performance is attributed to the small lattice change during Na-ion extraction/insertion and the percolating CNT network. Furthermore, the NFS/CNT cathode exhibits stable cycle performance in Na-ion full cells (93.4 % retention after 700 cycles) and a significantly lower heat release (∼ 229.2 J g⁻¹) at the fully charged state compared to a wide range of Na-ion and Li-ion cathodes. materials. demonstrating its high thermal stability and safety. This work provides a promising path towards developing low-cost, high-performance Na-ion batteries.

Thermoelectric generator (TEG) is one of the promising methods to convert low-grade energy into power supply. Considering the benefits of radiative cooling, evaporative cooling, and phase change cooling, it is highly desirable to integrate the three cooling methods for the thermal management of TEGs. In this work, a tandem radiation/evaporation/phase change cooler is developed with solar energy as heat source to improve the temperature difference between cold and hot ends, thus enhancing the output power of TEGs. Compared to air coolers and radiative coolers, the designed tandem coolers presented the superior cooling performance for the outdoor thermal management of TECs with a maximum temperature difference of ∼140 °C. With the cooling benefits, the daytime power generation can reach ∼1.75 kJ/m² with an improvement of ∼12.2 % compared to air coolers, indicating the huge potential in supplying power for small portable equipment.

Colloidal nanocrystals stand at the forefront of various applications given their unique optoelectronic properties and abundant active sites. However, the surface dynamics of nanocrystals make it difficult to avoid performance sacrifices that result from certain processing methods. Here we introduce a general nanoscale electric vehicle (NEV) platform for efficient and lossless manipulation and processing of functional nanomaterials by selective electrophoretic deposition. Dual-ligand modified system comprising charging ligands and anchoring ligands enables NEV to be universally compatible with fine patterning of various nanomaterials such as quantum dots, perovskites, rare-earth compositions or Janus materials. Without performance impairment from additional modifications, the luminescence performance of the nanocrystals improved significantly with the help of NEV to a level comparable to the commercial standard. Furthermore, we demonstrate the capabilities of our approach for display and anti-counterfeiting encryption applications. Our strategy offers a versatile way of creating high-performance nanomaterial devices in a cost-effective and non-destructive manner.