Rare Metals最新文献

Harnessing solar energy for simultaneous hydrogen evolution and sewage purification with organic contaminants via photocatalysis represents an effective strategy for sustainable energy conversion and environmental protection. In this work, an innovative 2D/0D CoO/Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S heterointerface catalyst was fabricated using a straightforward hybridization technique. The catalyst was used for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution in solutions with inorganic sacrificial agents (S²/SO₃^2–), ultrapure water, and Rhodamine B (RhB) dye. Remarkably, the optimized 2D/0D 5% CoO/Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S catalyst demonstrated an exceptional hydrogen evolution rate of 2688 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ under visible-light irradiation, approximately 25-fold higher than that of pure Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S. Furthermore, it efficiently generates hydrogen while concurrently purifying RhB. The ultrathin CoO nanosheets uniformly disperse Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S nanoparticles, providing numerous catalytic active sites. In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis elucidates photogenerated electron transfer from layered CoO to Zn and Cd in Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S during photocatalysis. Photoluminescent spectra, femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) spectroscopy, photoelectrochemical measurements, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles calculations further confirm that the intrinsic electric field at the CoO/Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S heterointerface enhances photogenerated electron–hole separation and mobility. The outcomes of this research offer valuable insights into developing economical photocatalysts for efficient hydrogen production and concurrent sewage purification with organic pollutants.

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Artificial photosynthesis, converting CO₂ and H₂O into solar fuels, is considered as a strategic pathway to alleviate the greenhouse effect and the energy crisis. Nonetheless, in many heterojunction-based artificial photosynthetic systems, the CH₄ productivity is significantly limited by poor carrier transport, narrow spectral light absorption, and lacking suitable active sites for the eight-electron reaction. Herein, a MoO_2−x/Bi₂MoO₆ (MO/BWO) Schottky junction with a strong interfacial coupling effect was fabricated by a two-step hydrothermal strategy. The optimized MO/BMO Schottky junction delivered a CO₂-to-CH₄ photoreduction rate of 23.3 μmol g⁻¹ with 90.7% selectivity. In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical calculation demonstrated that BMO interacted with MO to produce a strong electron coupling effect and form a Schottky junction, which promoted the facilitated the directional migration of photogenerated electrons from BMO to MO with prolonging average photogenerated charge lifetime from 26.6 to 48.7 ps, but also effectively suppressed electron backflow through the Schottky barrier. Moreover, the coupling of MO with BMO significantly reduced the energy barrier of the rate-determining step. This work delves into the role of non-precious metal-based Schottky junction design in enhancing photocatalytic CO₂ reduction performance, providing new insights into co-catalyst as active sites for CH₄ generation in the CO₂ photoreduction process.

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A MoO_2−x/Bi₂MoO₆ (MO/BWO) Schottky junction with strong interfacial coupling effect was fabricated, which enhances the facilitated the separation of photogenerated carriers charge lifetime; thus, facilitates photocatalytic CO₂ reduction activity.

Liquid metal-enabled energy generators (LMEGs) have emerged as promising technology for self-powered bioelectronics, offering an efficient solution to the challenges of power consumption in soft electronics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the properties and process of liquid metals (LMs), focusing on their use in soft bioelectronics. We then discuss various types of LMEGs, including triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs), electromagnetic generators (EMGs), hydrovoltaic generators (HEGs), thermoelectric generators (TEGs), and photovoltaic electric generators (PEGs), highlighting their recent research advancements. The unique properties of LMEGs make them ideal for integrating energy harvesting or self-powered sensing components into bioelectronics. Next, we provide a comprehensive summary of recent applications of LMEGs in wearable power sources, self-powered smart sensing, and biomedical devices. Finally, we outline future research directions, emphasizing the active roles and low-temperature operation of LMEGs, the broader adoption of self-healing capabilities, the advancement of functionalized LM–polymer composites, and system-level integration for practical applications.

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Metal selenides (MSs) are attracted considerable interest as potential anode electrode materials for Li-ion/Na-ion batteries (LIBs/SIBs) owing to their elevated theoretical capacity and superior conductivity. Nevertheless, their potential is constrained by inadequate capacity retention and inferior longevity, principally due to volumetric expansion and undesirable structural failure caused by the insertion and extraction of comparatively large Li⁺/Na⁺ ions during charging and discharging. Therefore, three different composites containing SnSe and one more metal selenide are synthesized using metal–organic framework (MOF) to enhance the accommodation of Li/Na ions and provide adequate ion routes. The Co₃Se₄/SnSe@NPC material demonstrates exceptional cyclic stability and rate capability as anode material for LIBs and SIBs (603 mAh g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles at 2 A g⁻¹ (for LIBs) and 296 mAh g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles at 2 A g⁻¹ (for SIBs)). This electrochemical performance enhancement may be attributed to the improved conductivity of the composite structure and introduction of SnSe, which facilitates the transfer of electrons within the structure. In addition, selenium- and nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon architectures facilitate electrolyte penetration in active materials, enhance contact area, promote effective diffusion of Li⁺ or Na⁺ within the composite, and mitigate volume expansion during the charge–discharge cycle. Consequently, the Co₃Se₄/SnSe@NPC composite offers a novel perspective on the advancement of anode materials for LIBs and SIBs.

In Monitoring the health state of energy storage devices, including batteries and supercapacitors, is of significance to ensure safety and potential endurance for electric vehicles or other usage. However, electrochemical parameters measured from a battery or supercapacitor usually bring very less information about potential fault or failure of electrodes at the material level. Herein, W₁₈O₄₉ is synthesized to build a smart electrode with high specific capacity, which is also used as an indicator with self-diagnosis character. The flexible carbon quantum dot modified W₁₈O₄₉ electrode is loaded on carbon cloth, revealing failure by irreversibility of discoloration. An irreversible electrochromism from indigo to cyan or dark, along with cycling, is observed when the electrode is used in a supercapacitor or in a lithium battery. The mechanism is revealed as cations preferentially diffuse in tunneling of W₁₈O₄₉ rather than the (010) face. This irreversibly changes the crystal structure and valence state of W, inducing the electrochromic effect with decayed performance of the electrode. The smart electrode is further demonstrated in a transparent pouch-type full cell, delivering excellent flexibility, good performance, and visual chromogenic effect. Our work provides a novel perspective on the design of smart energy storage devices with a function of self-diagnosis for future applications.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have transformed the field of materials science by enabling efficient data-driven approaches for property prediction and material discovery. Here, we provide an in-depth analysis of AI applications in materials science, focusing on data collection, property prediction, material discovery, and autonomous experimentation. We summarize the primary data sources and increased utility of large language models, which have significantly expedited the material discovery process. Additionally, we examine the application of AI to predict the key properties, emphasizing the transformative role of AI for lithium batteries. Although numerous challenges persist, advancements in AI-driven tools and methodologies provide avenues for accelerating innovation in materials science.

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Low-dimensional materials have attracted significant interest for their unique properties, including high surface area, confined but tunable electronics and superior catalysis, making them ideal for environmental applications. Their potential to address key challenges in solar energy conversion and in-situ remediation highlights their importance in advancing environmental sustainability. However, traditional methods of low-dimensional material design face significant obstacles, such as scalability limitations, high computational costs, and the inherent difficulty in accurate prediction of material properties, underscoring the need for innovative approaches. Here, we demonstrate an AI-driven evolution of low-dimensional material design for sustainable environmental solutions, from the traditional techniques in the past, through the present transition to computational approaches, to the prospect where AI-enabled strategies exhibit the supremacy. This review covers properties of low-dimensional materials and the fundamental design principles, emphasizing the pivotal role of deep learning in optimizing and accelerating design of advanced functional materials. Further explorations focus on their applications for sustainable environmental solutions, including pollution remediation, water purification, nitrogen fixation, CO₂ reduction as well as hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide production. Ultimately, the key challenges and future trends are identified in the aspects of algorithm, intelligence and scalability for environmental applications. This work offers a comprehensive overview on the evolution pathway of design strategies for low-dimensional materials driven by AI methodology, demonstrating transformative insights that not only accelerate the discovery of low-dimensional materials, but also motivate the environmental applications in various domains.

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Heterogeneous Fenton-like technology, a prominent advanced oxidation process, has gained widespread use in wastewater treatment for the removal of contaminants. The performance of this technology is highly dependent on the catalyst materials employed. Iron-based catalysts have attracted considerable attention due to their tunable properties, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, challenges such as inadequate catalytic activity and the dissolution of iron species have limited their practical effectiveness. To address these challenges, various novel iron-based materials have been developed, ranging from diverse iron compounds to iron-based composites on different substrates, and from iron nanoparticles to iron clusters and single-atom catalysts (SACs). This review systematically examines the latest advancements in heterogeneous iron-based catalysts, focusing on two main categories: iron-based nanoparticle catalysts and iron-based clusters/SACs. We delve into the relationship between catalyst structures and catalytic performance in Fenton-like reactions, such as the nature of the substrate, catalyst size, and the interfacial interaction between the catalyst and the substrate. By emphasizing recent progress and existing limitations, this review aims to provide valuable insights for the future development and application of high-performance heterogeneous catalysts for Fenton-like reactions.

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Morphologically controlled synthesis of metal oxide-based materials has attracted significant attention to enable the capacity and redox performance of faradaic-type hybrid supercapacitors (H-SCs). In this work, we designed hollow-structured copper molybdate (Cu₃Mo₂O₉) with hollow flowers (CM HFs) and hollow spheres (HSs) were facilely prepared by solvent-mediated hydrothermal method. The aqueous environment in the hydrothermal system facilitates anisotropic crystal growth and self-assembly of nanoplates into three-dimensional CM HFs architecture, which showed high surface area and enhanced electrolyte accessibility. The electrochemical performance revealed that the CM HFs showed better redox behavior with longer charge–discharge times, and lower resistance compared to CM HSs. As a result, the CM HFs showed a higher specific capacitance of 530 F g⁻¹ at 2 A g⁻¹ and faster ion diffusion with a capacitance retention of 94.1% after 10,000 cycles. Moreover, a two-electrode H-SC was fabricated using CM HFs as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode, which achieved a high energy density of 33.24 Wh kg⁻¹ and a power density of 5250 W kg⁻¹ along with excellent cycling stability. Aiding from the high energy storage performance of H-SC, the devices in series successfully powered LEDs, demonstrating their potential for flexible and durable energy storage applications.

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The unique fully conjugated architecture and tunable electronic properties of 2D sp² carbon-conjugated covalent organic frameworks (sp²c-COFs) have established them as promising photocatalysts. This review systematically summarizes the synthetic strategies, photocatalytic applications and performance modulation mechanisms of sp²c-COFs, and provides an outlook on future research directions. First, we introduce the main synthetic methods for sp²c-COFs, including Knoevenagel condensation, Aldol condensation and Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions. Subsequently, we discuss in detail their photocatalytic applications in H₂ evolution, CO₂ reduction, H₂O₂ production, pollutant degradation, and selective organic transformations. Additionally, this review comprehensively discusses key photocatalytic regulation mechanisms, revealing how molecular design strategies can precisely control electronic structures, active site accessibility, and interfacial charge dynamics to enhance photocatalytic performance. Finally, we analyze the current challenges in the field and propose future research directions, including the development of novel synthetic strategies, deeper understanding of photocatalytic mechanisms, and the expansion of their applications in energy and environmental technologies. This work provides fundamental insights into structure–property relationships and paves the way for future photocatalytic systems.

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