Advanced Sustainable Systems最新文献

Mycelium-bound composites (MBCs) are low-carbon materials, but their soft, foam-like structure limits load-bearing applications. Here, we engineer MBCs by growing mycelium on 3D-printed gyroid stiff wood-poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and wood-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) porous scaffolds, a model architected geometry widely used for lightweight materials. Microscale porosity facilitates hyphal adhesion, while centimetre-scale porosity ensures air diffusion and uniform mycelium colonization. The fungus forms a multifunctional layer that initially improves the yield strength and thermal insulation of the 3D-printed gyroid scaffold. To assess durability, we tracked biodegradation of living MBCs (LMBCs) for 180 days under three ambient sun-rain exposures. Degradation proceeded in two stages: during stage 1 (0–90 days), the mass decreases by 21.99–43.06% across conditions, highest in outdoors, and the strength falls by 77.61% in wood-PLA and 59.99% in wood-PCL LMBCs. During stage 2 (90–180 days), enzymatic attack intensifies, perforating the scaffold walls and accelerating decay, with a final mass loss up to 90.31% in wood-PLA LMBC and 57.77% in wood-PCL LMBC. After 180 days of degradation under cyclic dry-sun-rain, the half-life of wood-PLA LMBC is calculated as 53.47 days, and 143.94 days for wood-PCL LMBC. These results demonstrate that LMBCs provide biologically programmable lifetimes for architected porous building materials.

Electrocatalytic water splitting is crucial for sustainable clean hydrogen production through the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The development of efficient electrocatalysts with ultralow overpotentials is recognized as a key to the practical deployment of water electrolysis. This review outlines HER electrocatalysis fundamentals, including the reaction pathways and the performance evaluation metrics, and summarizes the recent progress of ultralow overpotential HER catalysts. For reducing the HER overpotential, a range of sophisticated strategies have been proposed for the noble or transition metal-based catalytic systems, such as alloying, doping, interface, phase, and defect engineering. Emerging carbon-supported single-atom catalysts have also been introduced for the HER electrocatalysis. Moreover, critical challenges are discussed on the HER electrocatalysts, including poor industrial durability, limited scalable synthesis, and cost-activity trade-offs. Last but not least, future prospects have been outlooked for the HER catalyst innovations, such as machine learning for catalyst discovery, multi-scale structural protocols of porous architectures, and so on. This review aims to provide a comprehensive reference for the community to promote the industrialization of water electrolysis technology and the green hydrogen economy.

The increasing demand for sustainable energy has driven research into technologies that address carbon dioxide mitigation and renewable energy storage. Solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) CO₂ conversion is a promising approach that directly uses sunlight to convert CO₂ into fuels and valuable chemicals. This review provides a comprehensive overview of PEC CO₂ reduction, covering fundamental principles such as photon absorption, charge separation, and catalytic reaction pathways. We highlight recent advancements in material design, focusing on light absorbers, catalysts, and electrode architectures that enhance efficiency, selectivity, and stability. Furthermore, we discuss cutting-edge strategies for enhancing solar fuel production, such as novel system designs, interface engineering, and co-catalyst integration. These approaches have the potential to address current challenges and move PEC technology towards practical application.

The Cross Economy offers a forward-looking framework that reimagines resource use through the processes of Transform, Create, and Multiply. Rather than focusing primarily on closed-loop recycling, as seen in most Circular Economy models, the Cross Economy enables systemic value creation by unlocking new material streams, technologies, and economic opportunities. Using spent coffee grounds (SCGs) as a case in point, we illustrate how precision fractionation yields high-purity cellulose, lignin, lipids, and polyphenols that can be recombined into advanced bio-composites with properties comparable to, and in some cases surpassing, petrochemical benchmarks. Beyond this example, economic modeling and life cycle assessment demonstrate the potential of the Cross Economy to deliver near-zero waste, market competitiveness, and alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). By shifting the narrative from recycling to regeneration and multiplication of value, the Cross Economy provides a replicable blueprint for inclusive green growth and resilient post-petroleum industrial ecosystems.

The growing demand for efficient, scalable, and lightweight photovoltaic (PV) technologies has intensified interest in WS₂ and MoS₂-based devices. Despite notable advances, achieving simultaneously high performance and long-term operational stability remains a key barrier to broader adoption. Here, we address this challenge by fabricating p–n heterojunction solar cells through a single-step chemical vapor deposition process that directly deposits WS₂, MoS₂, and their alloy MoWS₂ onto p-type silicon substrates. The MoWS₂ alloy exhibits a reduced bandgap and enhanced optoelectronic properties, which translate into substantially improved PV output and device robustness. The MoWS₂-based solar cell achieves a power conversion efficiency of 5.8%, outperforming the WS₂ and MoS₂ counterparts, which reach 1.12% and 3.6%, respectively. In addition, MoWS₂ displays markedly enhanced light-harvesting capability, with an external quantum efficiency of 80%, compared to 30% for WS₂ and 50% for MoS₂. Stability assessments further demonstrate that MoWS₂ retains its performance over a 30-day test period, confirming its superior long-term durability. By establishing the viability of MoWS₂ as a high-potential photoactive material for lightweight PVs, this work sets the stage for future research and paves the way toward practical implementation of alloy-engineered 2D semiconductor solar technologies.

It is crucial to develop a gas sensor that is fast, efficient, and capable of real-time monitoring of acetone. In this study, a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable synthesis approach was employed to in situ fabricate ZnCo₂O₄ nanowire arrays on ceramic tubes. By adjusting the etching time in NaBH₄ solution, the content of Co²⁺ and oxygen species concentration in ZnCo₂O₄ were effectively modulated. The ZnCo₂O₄ nanowire arrays sensor etched with NaBH₄ solution for 30 min (ZCO-30) exhibited a high response of 42.1 toward 100 ppm acetone at 130°C, a recovery time of 13 s, and a detection limit as low as 100 ppb. The sensor also demonstrated excellent reproducibility, humidity resistance, and long-term stability. This excellent sensing performance is attributed to the unique array structure of ZnCo₂O₄, abundant Co²⁺, oxygen vacancies, and the content of surface-adsorbed oxygen species.

The photocatalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a promising green route, yet its efficiency is generally limited due to insufficient photoelectrons and weak O₂ adsorption at the active sites of photocatalysts. To address these issues, herein Cu_2−xS@Au Schottky junctions have been constructed by decorating Au nanoparticles on the surface of hollow cubic Cu_2−xS nanoboxes. It is demonstrated that the formation of Cu_2−xS@Au Schottky junctions results in the thermoelectron diffusion from Au to Cu_2−xS as the former has a higher Fermi level than the latter. The thermoelectron diffusion process induces electron deficiency in Au nanoparticles, thereby enhancing O₂ adsorption on the Au active sites. During the photocatalysis process, the photogenerated electrons in Cu_2−xS are driven by the created Cu_2−xS@Au interface electric field to reach the Au active sites for photoreduction reactions. Additionally, the localized surface plasmon resonance, photothermal effect, and unique hollow architecture of the Cu_2−xS@Au photocatalysts are also conducive to the photocatalysis. The H₂O₂ yield rate of the optimal photocatalyst CS@Au-7 reaches 935.8 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, exhibiting a 2-fold enhancement when compared to that of Cu_2−xS (467.1 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹). This work offers an intriguing strategy for designing efficient photocatalysts in photocatalytic H₂O₂ synthesis.

To address the global energy crisis and environmental pollution, developing efficient and sustainable hydrogen production technologies is of paramount importance. Electrochemical water splitting, particularly anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE), offers a sustainable and efficient alternative for large-scale hydrogen generation. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media exhibits sluggish kinetics owing to the additional Volmer step, which involves the adsorption of water molecules followed by their dissociation to generate active hydrogen (*H). Since single-component catalysts rarely simultaneously optimize H₂O adsorption, H₂O dissociation, and the binding energies of active hydrogen (HBE) and active hydroxyl (OHBE), the development of multi-component catalysts with tailored properties offers a promising strategy to enhance alkaline HER performance. This review provides a comprehensive summary and professional guidance on component regulation strategies for transition metal phosphide (TMP)-based catalysts in alkaline HER. It begins by articulating the core design principles essential for developing highly efficient TMP catalysts, emphasizing the correlation between structural features and catalytic performance. Building on this foundation, the review systematically discusses key component regulation strategies, including doping, alloying, and heterostructures. Furthermore, it offers a forward-looking perspective on the future design and functional regulation of TMPs for alkaline HER. Finally, the review addresses the current challenges facing TMPs in this context and explores promising directions for future research and development.

The increasing energy crisis and worsening global climate caused by the excessive use of fossil fuels have driven extensive research into carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture, storage, and utilization. Among these, artificial photosynthesis, which harnesses solar energy to convert CO₂ into valuable and renewable fuels like methane or methanol, has gained significant attention. It begins by discussing the fundamental concepts, including the role of solar energy in driving the conversion process and the types of photocatalysts used. The review highlights recent advancements in developing more efficient photocatalysts, emphasizing the importance of light harvesting and the enhancement of photogenerated charge carriers. These improvements are crucial for increasing the efficiency and selectivity of the CO₂ conversion process. Furthermore, the review delves into the underlying mechanisms of CO₂ photoreduction. It examines key aspects such as the adsorption of reactants onto the catalyst surface, the activation of CO₂ molecules, and the possible reaction pathways that lead to the formation of desired products. Selected examples are provided to illustrate these mechanisms, offering insights into how different catalysts and conditions influence the photoreduction process. In addition to reviewing current progress, the article also outlines future research directions and identifies open issues in the field of CO₂ photoreduction.

The electrochemical performance of ZnFe₂O₄ is enriched at 50% Ni substitution in Zn sites with a specific capacitance of 209 F/g. Lindstrom's power law and Dunn's model studies in cyclic voltammograms of Zn_1−xNi_xFe₂O₄ electrodes reveal that charge storage in the electrodes occurs through redox reactions involving the intercalation of electrolyte ions deep into the electrodes (intercalation pseudocapacitance) and the adsorption of electrolyte ions on the surface or near the surface of the electrodes (redox pseudocapacitance), simultaneously. This enhancement in specific capacitance and contribution of intercalation and redox pseudocapacitance is the cumulative involvement of various facets such as: (i) crystallite/grain size, (ii) electronic transitions, (iii) availability of active sites, and (iv) the ion diffusion pathways in the electrodes. The variation in crystallite size with respect to Ni substitution has been evaluated through quantitative analysis of XRD patterns. Quantification of XPS spectra reveals the existence of multivalent states of metal ions and the oxygen vacancies, which influence the active sites and ion diffusion pathways in the electrode. Qualitative analysis of the optical properties in the UV–Vis–NIR region divulges that Zn_1−xNi_xFe₂O₄ electrodes exhibit several electronic transitions, such as ligand to metal transitions (LMCT) between oxygen and metal ions, intervalence charge transitions (IVCT) between (Fe²⁺/Ni²⁺) and Fe³⁺ ions, and crystal field (CF) transitions occurring in Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺, and Ni²⁺ ions. The Ni²⁺ incorporation affects the gap between the electronic states involved in each transition by creating defect states between them. This, in turn, impacts the faradaic charge transfer between the electrolyte ions and electrodes during intercalation and adsorption of electrolyte ions. To evaluate practical performance, a symmetric 2-electrode cell was assembled using Zn_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ electrodes, which had shown superior specific capacitance in the three-electrode assembly. The symmetric cell exhibits 116% cyclic stability after 10 000 cycles, and delivers an energy density of 5 Wh/kg and a power density of 2050 W/Kg. This highly capacitive retention nature of Ni-substituted ZnFe₂O₄ electrodes makes them potential candidates for energy storage devices, and the exhibition of multiple pseudocapacitive charge storage mechanisms delivers high energy and power density.