Efficient and stable tin halide perovskite solar cells (THPSCs) require improved interfacial engineering at the electron transport layer (ETL); however, poor interfacial contact and trap-induced recombination remain key limitations. Here, we present a morphologically uniform ETL formed by blending PC₆₁BM with 5 wt% of the conjugated polymer P3HT. This structure suppresses interfacial trap states and facilitates effective carrier extraction through improved contact and vertical phase continuity. The optimized devices achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.06%, with an independently certified efficiency of 15.3%. Structural and spectroscopic analyses reveal a trap-suppressed and chemically stabilized interface. The devices also exhibit long-term operational stability, retaining 94% of their initial PCE after 900 h of ambient storage under encapsulation. Furthermore, the successful fabrication of a 12 cm² mini-module achieving a PCE of 10.44% validates the scalability of this approach. These findings underscore the potential of conjugated polymer-modified ETLs to address intrinsic limitations of tin-based perovskites and advance the development of efficient, stable, scalable, and lead-free photovoltaic technologies.

Iron-based self-supported electrocatalysts offer cost-effective oxygen evolution activity but suffer from severe stability degradation under industrial operation. Here, we present that this long-standing challenge can be solved by synergistic interface engineering, where a Fe nitride/oxide (NOIF) heterostructure interlayer that bridges active species and conductive substrate in Ni@NOIF is constructed. This innovative design simultaneously optimizes electron transfer and prevents active phase detachment, achieving long-term industrial-grade stability. Ni@NOIF sustains 1000 mA cm⁻² for more than 370 h in 6 M KOH at 60°C (> 2000-fold than Ni@IF). Practical validation in an industrial electrolyzer demonstrates the continuous stable operation for 170 h at ampere-level current density. Mechanistic studies reveal that the Fe₄N/Fe₃O₄ interface electronically modulates NiFeOOH active sites, while suppressing Ni/Fe leaching. This study establishes interface-engineered Fe nitride/oxide interlayers as a stability promoter, providing a blueprint for durable electrocatalyst design in industrial hydrogen production.

Aqueous Zn–I₂ batteries (AZIBs) represent an efficient energy storage technology, with the emerging four-electron redox mechanism further enhancing their application value. However, the advancement toward commercial implementation requires addressing key challenges inherent to the electrode–electrolyte interface. Apart from electrode optimization, electrolyte design is a pivotal strategy to tackle the interface issues and an inevitable road to realize the four-electron redox reaction. In recent years, significant research efforts have been directed toward advancing AZIBs through electrolyte engineering. This review systematically summarizes recent progress in electrolyte-regulated AZIBs. First, fundamental principles of AZIBs were presented, including their working mechanisms and inherent challenges related to both the zinc anode and iodine cathode. Furthermore, strategies based on functional additives, highly concentrated electrolytes, cosolvents, Zn salts, and hydrogel electrolytes are analyzed to evaluate their effectiveness in optimizing both traditional two-electron and advanced four-electron redox systems. After thoroughly discussing the zinc utilization and gas evolution of zinc anode, practical AZIBs configurations, that is, soft-pack battery, flexible battery, and microbattery, are reviewed. Finally, prospective directions and development strategies are proposed to advance the practical implementation of AZIBs.

Betavoltaic cells, a key type of nuclear battery, promise sustainable and autonomous power generation for critical applications, including implantable medical devices, space exploration, and edge AI systems; yet, their practical deployment has remained limited due to low energy conversion efficiency (ECE). Here, we demonstrate a perovskite-based betavoltaic cell (PBC) incorporating formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI₃) and carbon-14 nanoparticles, achieving an unprecedented ECE of 10.79%. Our device features enhanced charge generation, with each incident β-particle initiating electron avalanche multiplication, yielding over 4.0 × 10⁵ carriers, resulting in a stable short-circuit current of 10.60 nA cm⁻² and an open-circuit voltage of 76.92 mV. By employing methylammonium chloride additives and isopropanol-assisted crystallization, we achieve defect-suppressed perovskite films exhibiting significantly improved stability, allowing continuous operation exceeding 15 h. This study bridges the performance gap between theoretical predictions and practical implementation, establishing a scalable platform for reliable nuclear-powered microelectronics and opening pathways to next-generation energy solutions.

Vanadium-based oxides are commonly used as cathode materials for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs), offering the advantages of open crystalline structure and high theoretical capacity. However, vanadium-based oxides are limited in further application development by poor structural stability and uncontrollable dissolution. Here, the hexamethylenediammonium (HMA²⁺) preintercalated V₂O₅ cathode (HVOH) is constructed to enhance the comprehensive performance of AZIBs. In terms of active material stability, the lamellar structure is stabilized with the existence of interlayer pillar HMA²⁺, and the cathodic hydrophobicity is enhanced by long alkyl chains to inhibit vanadium dissolution and water-related side reactions. Besides, the interlayer spacing (13 Å) is widened, and new active sites are introduced due to the preintercalated HMA²⁺, realizing higher capacity performance. Specifically, the insertion of ions into the low-voltage area is significantly increased. The electrostatic interaction between the V₂O₅ layer and Zn²⁺ is weakened thanks to the positive electrical properties of HMA²⁺. Thus, accelerated diffusion rates and electrochemical kinetics are obtained. As a result, the assembled Zn||Zn(CF₃SO₃)₂||HVOH cell obtains a high specific capacity of 431.7 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 A g⁻¹ and achieves an improved cycling performance at 10 A g⁻¹ (137.5 mAh g⁻¹ after 3000 cycles). This strategy provides a perspective for the optimization of layered vanadium oxides by organic cationic preintercalation.

Solar-driven interfacial vapor generation provides a sustainable solution to global water scarcity, but balancing high evaporation rates, durable solar-thermal conversion, and salt resistance remains a significant challenge. Here, we present a novel cement-based solar evaporator (CSE) featuring a multi-scale hierarchical pore structure, fabricated via cost-effective vacuum casting. The CSE's metasurface comprises about 7000 aligned micro-honeycomb pores (150 μm diameter) per square centimeter, expanding the evaporation area by 623% and enabling 96.9% broadband light absorption. Nano-scale gel pores from cement hydration weaken water hydrogen bonds, reducing vaporization enthalpy by 80%. This synergy achieves an evaporation rate of 5.47 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under one-sun illumination (93.3% efficiency) and 1.90 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under dark conditions. Moreover, the unique open-closed dual-pore architecture, wherein open pores enable rapid salt ion diffusion and closed pores suppress heat loss, ensures continuous seawater desalination for over 30 days without performance degradation or salt accumulation. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) reveals a 99% reduction in environmental impact. By transforming cement, the world's most abundant construction material, into a metasurface-engineered evaporator, this work offers a durable and scalable solution for solar desalination.

Ruthenium dioxide (RuO₂) is highly active for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) but suffers from instability due to lattice oxygen oxidation. Herein, we construct a RuO₂/WO₃ heterostructure that leverages strong Ru–O–W interfacial bridge bonding to fundamentally modulate electronic structure and reaction pathways. Density functional theory calculations reveal pronounced orbital hybridization at the interface, resulting in a simultaneous downshift of the Ru d-band and O p-band centers. This modulation weakens the Ru–O* interaction while strengthening the Ru–O bonds, effectively suppressing the lattice oxygen mechanism. Benefiting from this electronic structure regulation strategy, the RuO₂/WO₃ electrode delivers a substantially low overpotential of 203 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and maintains exceptional structural and electrochemical integrity over 200 h of continuous acidic OER operation. This work unveils a new paradigm of orbital-level interface engineering for stabilizing noble-metal catalysts under harsh acidic conditions.

Conductive diamond, especially boron-doped diamond, has gained tremendous attention due to its high stability, broad potential window, low background current, good biocompatibility, and tunable surface properties. Over the past 5 to 10 years, significant progress has been made in the synthesis and modification of conductive diamond, positioning it as a promising functional material in various electrochemical applications. This review covers synthesis methods, such as high-pressure high-temperature and chemical vapor deposition, highlighting their role in controlling diamond growth, microstructure, and doping. Modification strategies, including boron, nitrogen, and phosphorus doping, as well as surface terminations, crystal orientation, stress engineering, and hybridization, are discussed in terms of enhancing their electrochemical properties and expanding applications. Conductive diamond shows promise in energy storage, electrocatalysis, electrosynthesis, environmental remediation, and biosensing, particularly in supercapacitors, water treatment, and electrical detectors, owing to its robustness and stability. The review also discusses future directions, focusing on AI-driven process optimization, advanced modifications, and the development of multifunctional diamond composites. This review aims to highlight the potential of conductive diamond in next-generation electrochemical and energy technologies.

High-nickel layered oxides are considered key cathode materials for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries due to their high specific capacity. However, the spin state localization of Ni³⁺ (t_2g⁶e_g¹) leads to severe Jahn–Teller distortion and structural degradation, limiting their cycling stability. This study proposes a high-entropy transition metal (TM) regulation strategy, which introduces multicomponent vacant orbital TM ions (Mn, Ti, Nb, Ta, W, and Mo) to construct a Ni-OO-TM electronic resonance network, promoting the delocalization of Ni³⁺ e_g electrons, thereby suppressing spin disorder and enhancing structural stability. On the basis of this, a high-entropy high-nickel cathode material (HE-LNF, LiNi_0.8Fe_0.14Mn_0.01Ti_0.01Nb_0.01Ta_0.01W_0.01Mo_0.01O₂) was designed. Combining first-principles calculations with experimental characterization, the weakening effect of electronic resonance on magnetic frustration was revealed: This effect increases the phase transition temperature to 294.23°C by reducing the amplitude of lattice vibrations, while electronic delocalization reduces local nuclear repulsion, maintaining excellent structural stability with minimal lattice strain evolution after cycling. Electrochemical testing shows that HE-LNF maintains a capacity retention rate of 91% after 100 cycles at a 0.33-C rate, significantly outperforming traditional high-nickel materials. This study provides new insights into the design of high-stability high-nickel cathodes based on electronic structure regulation.

ZnCdS-based photocatalysts exhibit great potential for solar-driven hydrogen (H₂) evolution due to their tunable bandgaps and visible-light absorption. Nevertheless, rapid charge recombination and structural instability hinder their practical implementation. To overcome these challenges, this work proposes a dual S-scheme heterojunction design strategy utilizing polyoxometalates (POMs) as precursors to precisely control the heterojunction interfacial coupling. A dual S-scheme WS₂/Co₉S₈/ZnCdS system was synthesized via a precursor-guided sulfidation process, using K₇[Co₂W₁₁O₄₀H₂]·15H₂O (Co₂W₁₁) POM clusters as dual-source templates. This approach enables the simultaneous achievement of tight interfacial coupling and a simplified single-interface architecture. The charge transfer mechanism within the heterojunction was systematically investigated through analyses of the Fermi level, band structure, ultrafast timescale femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TAS), time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL), in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and synchrotron radiation. The dual S-scheme heterojunction not only expands the light absorption range of ZnCdS but also promotes efficient charge migration and separation. Under visible-light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm), this dual S-scheme heterojunction exhibits remarkable stability and achieves a hydrogen evolution rate of up to 15.66 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, surpassing most reported noble metal-free ZnCdS-based photocatalysts. This research provides a robust methodology for developing dual S-scheme heterojunctions that enhance photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency.

As key reaction intermediates involved in the electroreduction of carbon dioxide, *CO and *H (* represents active center) prove to be critical in regulating the selectivity toward different carbonaceous products. However, how the coverage of *H and *CO affects the selectivity of ethylene and ethanol remains unclear. In this work, we judiciously control the coverage of *CO or *H intermediates by introducing foreign metal into Cu nanoparticles, with the synthesis of four copper-based bimetallic catalysts, including CuAg, CuZn, CuCo, and CuPd. Four catalysts, together with Cu nanoparticles, are subjected to the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in an H-cell. The CuZn catalyst is identified as the most effective catalyst for C─C coupling, exhibiting a Faradaic efficiency of 34.5% for C₂₊ products at −1.09 V versus RHE and a current density of −30.4 mA cm⁻². In contrast, CuPd catalyst inclines to catalyze C─C coupling toward ethanol, with an FE_ethanol/FE_ethylene ratio reaching up to 1.15. The coverage of key intermediates is investigated through in situ Raman spectroscopy. The doping of Ag and Zn metals can enhance the adsorption of *CO on the catalyst, while the doping of Co and Pd metals can enhance the adsorption of *H on the catalyst. Hence, the increased *CO coverage on Ag- and Zn-doped CuNP promotes C₂₊ generation, and the increased *H coverage of Co- and Pd-doped CuNPs enhances the C₂H₅OH/C₂H₄ ratio.

Transition metal sulfides demonstrate remarkable theoretical specific capacities, making them highly desirable anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Nevertheless, low electrical conductivity and restacking seriously limit their electrochemical activity, resulting in suboptimal specific capacity and cycling stability. Herein, it is demonstrated that self-doped PVP-VS₄/Ti₃C₂T_x presents multidirectional open conductive channels and sufficient vacancies for reversible and fast Na⁺ insertion/extraction. The PVP-VS₄/Ti₃C₂T_x exhibits excellent rate performance (80.5% capacity retention from 0.1 to 10.0 A g⁻¹) and superior cycling stability (711 mAh g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles at 5 A g⁻¹ and 518 mAh g⁻¹ after 600 cycles at 10 A g⁻¹). The sodium storage mechanism of the PVP-VS₄/Ti₃C₂T_x anode was elucidated through in situ XRD, ex situ HRTEM, and ex situ XPS analyses. The DFT calculation demonstrates that the interfacial structure of PVP-VS₄/Ti₃C₂T_x significantly enhances the electronic conductivity as an anode. Impressively, the assembled NaFePO₄//PVP-VS₄/Ti₃C₂T_x full cell retained 87.2% of capacity after 500 cycles at 0.5 C, and still allowed the LEDs to remain lighted after cycling. This study offers a fresh perspective on improving the electrochemical performance of vanadium tetrasulfide through Ti₃C₂T_x as a conductive base to support PVP-induced VS₄.

The development of efficient photocatalytic systems for antibiotic degradation remains hindered by the inherent limitations of conventional heterojunctions, particularly the rapid charge recombination associated with Type-I band alignments. Herein, we report an inverted F-type heterojunction composed of ZnWO₄/In₂S₃ (ZWO/IS) that delivers exceptional photocatalytic performance while preserving strong oxidation potentials. By using work function engineering, we establish a built-in electric field that facilitates asymmetric charge separation, with photogenerated electrons from directed ZWO to IS and holes retained in ZWO to drive oxidative reactions. This unique charge transfer mechanism is directly captured via in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), revealing a marked reduction in carrier recombination lifetime compared to pristine IS. The ZWO/IS heterojunction achieves outstanding degradation efficiency for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), with three distinct detoxification pathways elucidated through high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Comprehensive toxicity assessments, including microbial viability tests, phytotoxicity assays, and mammalian cell studies, confirm complete detoxification, with degradation by-products exhibiting negligible developmental toxicity and mutagenicity. This work positions inverted F-type heterojunctions as transformative platforms for photocatalytic water treatment, effectively integrating interfacial band engineering, scalable reactor design, and process optimization to bridge the gap between mechanistic insight and real-world applications.

High-performance lithium-sulfur batteries capable of operating under harsh environmental conditions have garnered significant attention, yet they still confront two critical challenges: sluggish polysulfide redox reaction kinetics at low temperatures and the persistent shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides at elevated temperatures. Herein, a single-atom catalyst featuring an asymmetric Ti₁-O₅ configuration (Ti-rGO) supported by reduced graphene oxide is designed to act as an efficient host catalyst for lithium-sulfur batteries. Experimental and theoretical calculations reveal that the Ti₁-O₅ configuration in Ti-rGO is capable of tuning the electronic properties of rGO. Such a tailored electronic structure with an optimized Fermi level accelerates charge transfer and further enhances adsorption energy and conversion kinetics for lithium polysulfides. The 2D porous nanostructure of Ti-rGO provides a physical barrier for the shuttle effect and an open framework to efficiently boost the utilization of sulfur species. Lithium-sulfur batteries employing Ti-rGO/S cathodes demonstrate exceptional rate capability (761 mAh g⁻¹ at 5 C) and cycling stability (low capacity decay of 0.018% per cycle over 1000 cycles at 2 C) under ambient conditions. With a high sulfur loading of 9.2 mg cm⁻² and lean electrolyte usage of 5.8 μL mg⁻¹, the Ti-rGO/S cathodes still achieve a remarkable areal capacity of 10.65 mAh cm⁻². Notably, even over a wide temperature range (−25°C–70°C), the lithium-sulfur batteries based on Ti-rGO/S cathodes still maintain stable cyclic performance at 2 C. This research demonstrates that Ti-rGO-based electrocatalyst systems can facilitate the realization of temperature-resilient lithium-sulfur batteries capable of withstanding both cryogenic and elevated temperature conditions.

Efficient energy conversion and environmental protection are still constrained by rapid carrier recombination, unstable interfaces, limited active site, and so on. Owing to the unique electronic structure and tunable physicochemical properties, fullerenes offer a powerful platform to address these bottlenecks in photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and energy storage. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the classification and design strategies of fullerene–based functional materials, as well as their innovative applications in photo-/electro-/thermo-catalysis and energy storage. From the perspective of material system design, we emphasize the construction strategies of inorganic hybrids such as fullerene–metal nanoparticle and fullerene–semiconductor composites, as well as fullerene–organic hybrid materials. In catalytic applications, the review analyzes activity enhancement mechanisms of fullerene-based materials in photocatalytic pollutant degradation, photo-/electro-catalytic water splitting, CO₂ conversion, and highlights their innovative roles in traditional thermal catalytic processes such as ammonia synthesis. In the field of energy storage devices, we focus on the essential function of fullerene derivatives in crucial segments like the electron transport layer, interfacial modification/passivation layers of solar cells. Finally, the challenges and opportunities faced by fullerene–based functional materials are discussed. Overall, this review not only highlights advances in fullerene–based functional materials but also outlines a roadmap for harnessing their structural and electronic advantages to guide the rational design of next-generation strategies for energy conversion and environmental remediation.

Conversion of CO₂ into carbon-neutral fuels and chemicals remains a central challenge in sustainable chemistry and energy sectors, as conventional catalytic processes are critically limited by the thermodynamic equilibrium and low overall energy efficiency. Here, a micro-plasma chip for CO₂-to-CO conversion is introduced that achieves ultra-high energy efficiency and breaks the thermodynamic equilibrium limitation under ambient conditions. These micro-plasma devices (MPDs) with sub-10-µm discharge gaps self-generate nanosecond pulses directly from a DC bias without external pulsed-power sources and drive discharges through field emission at substantially lower voltages than conventional plasma systems, together yielding an ultra-high energy efficiency. An experimentally validated theoretical framework elucidates the device's working principle and is used for performance improvement. The resulting optimized, scaled-up MPD array constructed for benchmark comparison demonstrates 30% single-pass CO₂ conversion and 50% overall energy efficiency without any catalyst, which is unprecedented among all previously reported micro-plasma systems. Remarkably, its performance exceeds that of many conventional large-scale plasma systems, while consuming orders of magnitude less power. Integration of localized on-chip reactive species generation by MPDs with catalytic, synthetic, or electrochemical processes could spur the development of new CO₂ reduction pathways.