Energy advances最新文献

Fe–N–C catalysts have emerged as the most promising class of non-precious metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), offering favourable activity, structure tunability, and cost-effectiveness. However, challenges remain in achieving the performance and durability required for practical applications. This review systematically summarizes recent progress in Fe–N–C catalyst development, with a focus on synthetic strategies aimed at increasing the active site density, optimizing Fe–N_x coordination environments and potential engineering solutions to the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) based on Fe–N–C, particular attention is given to the pyrolysis atmosphere control, post-synthesis treatment, and optimizing the microstructure and catalytic performance. Furthermore, this review explores emerging approaches to integrate Fe–N–C catalysts into membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), including ionomer–catalyst interaction tuning and electrode architecture optimization, with the goal of bridging the gap from laboratory activity to real-world fuel cell operation.

We report ether-functionalised lithium salts as molten salt electrolytes for Li-ion batteries. Flexible ether chains in asymmetric anions suppress crystallinity and promote nano-segregation, lowering melting points below 100 °C. In the molten state, they deliver high ionic conductivity and near-unity Li⁺ transference numbers, establishing a molecular design principle for high-performance, solvent-free electrolytes for next-generation energy storage.

In this paper, we identify the degradation mechanisms occurring with these coatings, in this way, we can identify more suitable coatings whose chemistry avoids these degradation pathways. Two such coating technologies used in other applications are perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FAS-17). These polymeric hydrophobic coatings were deposited on soda–lime glass substrates and tested for 1000 hours in an accelerated UV exposure test and a damp heat test in a laboratory environment. After 1000 hours of UV exposure, the coatings experienced degradation with the PFPE coating degrading via β scission of the central ether bond whilst the FAS-17 underwent photo-oxidation at the C–Si bond. During damp heat testing the PFPE degraded by hydrolysis at the central ether bond whilst FAS-17 exhibited resistance to hydrolysis. The chemical mechanisms responsible for the degradation are identified. The objective is to discover alternative transparent hydrophobic materials that do not contain the same weaknesses in their chemical structure.

Low-strain intercalation-type anodes are crucial for developing efficient, long-lasting, safe, and reliable lithium-ion batteries. Li_0.33La_0.55TiO₃ (LLTO) is one such anode gaining popularity; nevertheless, its preparation often involves long-term, high-temperature procedures. In this work, LLTO nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning at different calcination temperatures (700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C) and compared with LLTO nanoparticles obtained by a sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic measurements revealed the presence of LLTO and electrochemically active La₂Ti₂O₇ and Li₂TiO₃ phases in the nanofibers. The interconnected LLTO nanoparticles form a porous structure within the fiber, which enhances the Li-ion (de)intercalation kinetics. Among the prepared samples, the LLTO nanofibers prepared at 800 °C exhibit better electrochemical properties than other variants, combining the conventional binder (PVDF) and carbon additives (carbon black). Furthermore, LLTO NFs calcined at 800 °C with the combination of Ketjenblack and sodium alginate (LLKS) provide a higher discharge capacity of 317 mAh g⁻¹ than the Ketjenblack and PVDF (LLKB) (180 mAh g⁻¹) and conventional carbon black and PVDF (LLCP) (263 mAh g⁻¹) combinations at 0.1 A g⁻¹ due to their low polarization and slightly increased pseudocapacitive contribution. Moreover, the carbon additive of Ketjenblack and the water-soluble sodium alginate binder improved the ionic conductivity, electrochemical activity, and reversibility. The diffusion kinetics of this electrode were examined using the GITT and EIS techniques, revealing a lower reaction resistance (0.85 Ohm g) and higher diffusion coefficient (∼10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹). Ex situ XRD indicated that the unit cell volumes of the cycled LLCP, LLKP, and LLKS electrodes are comparable to those of the as-prepared LLTO nanofibers, with less than 1% volume expansion even after 1000 cycles, substantiating the strain-free nature and stability of the LLTO nanofibers.

The ever-growing global energy crisis and alarming environmental degradation have intensified the search for sustainable energy alternatives, with solar technology standing at the forefront of this revolution. Among cutting-edge photovoltaic (PV) advancements, heterojunction lead-free perovskite solar cells offer remarkable efficiency and environmental compatibility. This study presents a novel TiO₂/SnS/BiFeO₃/spiro-OMeTAD configuration, analysed through COMSOL simulations in 1D to optimize performance. The results demonstrate a maximum efficiency of 23.59% at 1 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³ donor–acceptor (DA) density, confirming the potential of this structure for high-performance applications. Furthermore, the fill factor peaks at 82.94% near 150 nm electron transport thickness, highlighting enhanced charge collection. The open-circuit voltage reaches a maximum of 1.057 V at an SnS layer thickness of 10 nm and decreases with further thickness increase, attributed to the impact on energy band alignment. The short-circuit current is suppressed as the SnS layer's thickness increases, attributed to the impact on the layer's resistance. Conversely, the short-circuit current density attained a peak of 35.330 mA cm⁻² at a DA density of 1 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³, due to improved charge carrier concentration at lower densities. These findings establish the feasibility of this heterojunction solar cell structure, providing a strong foundation for future experimental validation and optimization. This research paves the way for the development of next-generation, high-efficiency, and lead-free PV devices, promoting sustainable energy solutions.

The development of semitransparent perovskite solar cells is crucial for applications in building-integrated photovoltaics, agrivoltaics, and tandem solar cells. However, optimizing their efficiency while maintaining high transparency and employing eco-friendly solvents remains challenging. In this work, we investigate the impact of solvent engineering and processing conditions on the structural, optical, and photovoltaic properties of perovskite thin films. First, we demonstrate that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an eco-friendly solvent, can be used as a standalone alternative to the widely used and hazardous N,N-dimethylformamide:DMSO co-solvent system for ambient-processed FA_0.77MA_0.23PbI_2.74Cl_0.26 perovskite. We also assess the effects of antisolvent treatments (IPA and EtOH) on crystallinity, charge carrier dynamics, and device performance. Additionally, we show that reducing the gold electrode thickness from 80 nm to 30 nm significantly enhances device-level transparency, as confirmed through full-stack optical measurements. We achieve a power conversion efficiency of up to 10.9% and demonstrate semitransparency, with a light utilization efficiency (LUE) exceeding 4.26% in 30 nm gold top electrode DMSO-only devices, using solely thin-film transmittance. Using the full device stack, the semitransparent devices yield a LUE of 0.59%, highlighting the inadequacy of relying solely on thin-film transmittance. Notably, DMSO-based devices exhibit superior semitransparency and sustainability despite lower efficiencies. Our findings highlight a viable pathway to scalable, eco-friendly, ambient-processed semitransparent perovskite solar cells that balance efficiency, transparency, and environmental considerations for future energy applications.

Due to the radius mismatch between iodine and chlorine, ion migration is unavoidable in chloride–iodide perovskites. The presence of atomic vacancies in the solution-processed perovskite thin film works as a route of ion migration. Here, we investigate the consequence of the ion migration in chloride–iodide perovskite solar cells. We use FA_0.6MA_0.4PbI_2.7Cl_0.3 as the active perovskite layer. We passivate the top surface of the chloride–iodide perovskite thin film with mixed 4-fluorobenzylammonium chloride and 4-fluorobenzylammonium bromide. We observe that fluorinated benzylammonium halides show better passivation and hydrophobicity. Compared to the non-passivated solar cells, we get a significant fill factor and stability improvement. We get 76.44% fill factor from our passivated solar cell. Besides, our passivated solar cell offers a photo conversion efficiency of 21.10%. Moreover, we also get about 80% stability without encapsulation after 56 days.

Atomically precise control of active sites is essential for advancing metal-free electrocatalysts for the CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). We report boron- and nitrogen-co-doped graphite (boron–N–C@graphite) derived from chloro-boron subphthalocyanine (Cl-B-SubPc), an aromatic macrocyclic precursor that directs simultaneous incorporation of B and N into conductive carbon frameworks. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the formation of B–C and B–N motifs alongside pyridinic and graphitic N, generating electron-deficient centers that modulate intermediate binding energies. The resulting catalysts display pronounced structure–activity correlations: pyrolysis at 800 °C favors formate and acetate formation, whereas 1000 °C yields a more graphitic catalyst with enhanced CO selectivity (faradaic efficiency up to 26.9%). Mechanistic analysis indicates that the B–N synergy stabilizes *CO₂-intermediates, suppresses hydrogen evolution, and enables C–C coupling. Both catalysts exhibit long-term stability (>180 h), and in zero-gap electrolyzers deliver industrially relevant current densities (150 mA cm⁻²) with CO faradaic efficiencies of 79.0% and 87.4%, respectively. These findings establish B,N-co-doped carbons from molecular precursors as a versatile platform for elucidating active-site chemistry and for guiding the rational design of sustainable, high-performance CO₂RR catalysts.

The continuous search for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts as greener substitutes for noble metal-based ones has spotlighted NiO-based systems as attractive and economically viable candidates, thanks to their affordability and electrochemical virtues. Nevertheless, progresses in this field require additional research efforts aimed at improving material performances, towards their possible real-world applications. In this context, the present work proposes an original processing route to boost OER performances of NiO-based systems, involving plasma-assisted growth followed by ultrafast laser processing under controlled conditions. The activated catalysts featured a significant enhancement in water oxidation performances, corresponding in the best case to a low Tafel slope of ≈40 mV × dec⁻¹ and an overpotential of ≈380 mV at 10 mA × cm⁻². Overall, these results may provide valuable insights for the development of high-performance electrocatalysts with modular properties.

Hybrid metal halide perovskites have emerged as some of the leading semiconductors in photovoltaics. Despite their remarkable power conversion efficiencies, these materials remain unstable under device operating conditions. One of the main instabilities relates to the interface with the contact layers in photovoltaic devices, such as metal oxides. We rely on halogen bonding (XB) using 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (TFDIB) to modulate the interface of the TiO₂ electron-transport layer, demonstrating the improvement of perovskite solar cell operational stability. Furthermore, we complement this strategy with the use of iodo-functionalized Zn–phthalocyanine modulator of the hole-transporting material, which passivate the interface while enhancing the power conversion efficiency, showcasing the potential of XB in hybrid photovoltaics.