The membrane-based reverse electrodialysis (RED) is considered as the most promising technique for salinity-gradient energy harvesting. However, the high cost and difficult processing of traditional membrane materials usually limit their development in the field. Herein, a salinity-gradient cell is constructed based on a group of anion- and cation-selective 2D clay nanofluidic membranes. The opposite surface charge and confined 2D nanofluidic channels contribute to the opposite ion selectivity of the two membranes. For constructing the salinity-gradient cell, a superposed electrochemical potential difference is created by complementing the diffusion of oppositely charged ions, and an output power density of up to 5.48 W m⁻² can be obtained at a salinity gradient of 0.5/0.01 M NaCl without the contribution of electrode material redox reaction, superior to other existing natural nanofluidic RED systems to our best knowledge. Furthermore, the output voltage of the cell can reach 1.8 V by connecting 15 tandem LM-RED stacks under artificial seawater and river water, which can power the electronic devices. According to detailed life cycle assessments, the fabrication of 2D clay nanofluidic pairs achieves a significant reduction in resource consumption by 90%, a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 90%, and a notable reduction in production costs by 67% compared with the classical 2D nanofluidics, promising good sustainability and paves the way for clay-based membranes in RED devices for the salinity-gradient energy harvesting.

Leather plays a significant role in daily life due to its exceptional permeability, mechanical strength, and durability. However, traditional tanning processes not only lead to chromium pollution but also promote bacterial growth and yellowing. This study aims to develop an all green processing technology of multifunctional chromium-free tanning agent (OKC-EGDE) based on kappa-carrageenan (KC), in which natural plant-derived KC was pretreated by a green H₂O₂/Cu²⁺ oxidation system, followed by cross-linking modification with ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE). The aldehyde (–CHO) and carboxyl (–COOH) groups introduced during the oxidation process significantly enhance the antimicrobial properties of OKC-EGDE. During tanning, these aldehyde and epoxy groups bind with amino and carboxyl groups on collagen fibers, leading to significant improvements in the mechanical properties of the tanned leather. Characterization results from FTIR, ¹H NMR, and XRD analyses indicate that the epoxy value of OKC-EGDE is 0.37 mol/100 g, the oxidation value is 71%. Compared to traditional commercial chromium-free tanning agents (TWS and F-90), leather tanned with OKC-EGDE exhibits superior mechanical properties (tensile strength: 17.5 MPa, elongation at break: 38.7%, tear strength: 55.6 N/mm), thermal stability, yellowing resistance, and biocompatibility. Meanwhile, the OKC-EGDE has high antimicrobial rate of 99% against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The degradation of tanning wastewater and life cycle analysis confirm that OKC-EGDE-tanned leather achieves full-process environmental sustainability. This study demonstrates the significant application potential of natural plant polysaccharides and provides a new approach for sustainable and clean leather production.

As an intermediate composition between CsPbI₂Br and CsPbIBr₂, the inorganic perovskite material CsPbI_1.5Br_1.5 is expected to exhibit both high efficiency and enhanced stability, attracting significant attention. However, as a Br-rich perovskite, CsPbI_1.5Br_1.5 suffers from poor film quality, primarily due to the substantial disparity in solvent evaporation rates and nucleation growth kinetics of the precursor films. This leads to severe non-radiative recombination, closely related to the larger open-circuit voltage loss (V_OC loss) and lower efficiencies compared to mainstream inorganic perovskites (e.g., CsPbI₃ and CsPbI₂Br). To address these issues, we employed a Sequential Extraction Vacuum Method (SEVM), which integrates antisolvent extraction with vacuum treatment, to minimize solvent residues in perovskite films. This approach promotes grain densification, mitigates pinhole formation, and enhances film coverage, thereby significantly inhibiting non-radiative recombination. Following SEVM treatment, the champion device achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.29% and a V_OC of 1.336 V, representing the highest PCE and smallest V_OC loss for ultra-wide bandgap (> 1.95 eV) inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Furthermore, the SEVM-based PSCs retained 90% of their initial PCE after 500 h of unencapsulated storage.

The establishment of a future renewable energy supply and a cleaner earth is largely related to various crucial catalytic reactions in society. Fuel cells have attracted tremendous research interest and are considered as the next-generation promising energy conversion devices due to their advantages, such as zero emission, high energy-conversion efficiency, and so forth. However, the sluggish oxygen reduction activity and insufficient durability of Pt-based electrocatalysts have become major challenges in restricting the commercial application of fuel cells. In this review, key challenges to be addressed for the practical applications of Pt-based electrocatalysts are first summarized. Then, the concept of possible oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics, catalytic mechanisms, and the crucial role of confinement effect for Pt-based confined electrocatalysts (PCECs) are further discussed, and the emphasis is devoted to the rational design of efficient PCECs. Finally, a discussion of future development directions with great potential to become new hotspots is also presented for the design of high-efficiency PCECs. This review aims to provide a deeper insight into catalytic mechanisms and valuable design principles to the development of advanced catalysts for the future sustainable energy system.

The rising carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations in the atmosphere, primarily attributed to anthropogenic activities, have led to unprecedented environmental challenges like climate change and global warming. This comprehensive review examines the adsorption of CO₂ on various adsorbents, focusing on their potential application as fertilizers. The review begins by providing a general overview of the present state of CO₂ emissions and their environmental impact, emphasizing the urgency of finding practical solutions. The discussion then shifts to the adsorption mechanisms involved in CO₂ capture, exploring physical adsorption, chemical adsorption, and hybrid approaches. The subsequent sections cover CO₂ capture materials inorganic (metal oxides, silica, clays, and zeolites), carbon-based (adsorbents and biochar), porous frameworks (gels and ion-exchange resins), functionalized/polymeric (amine-based materials, amino acids [AAs], and polymers), and hybrid and process-integrated (sorbent-enhanced water–gas shift [SEWGS] and others). The effects of pressure, temperature, and environmental gases on adsorption behavior are also examined. Notably, the review explores the potential of CO₂-loaded adsorbents as fertilizers, investigating their ability to enhance plant growth and soil fertility. The impact of these materials on soil properties, nutrient availability, and microbial activity is discussed to assess their overall effectiveness in agricultural applications. The review also discusses the emerging innovations in CO₂ capture and utilization and real-world applications of CO₂-based fertilizers. Challenges are also addressed, including scalability, economic feasibility, and further research to optimize the performance of CO₂-loaded adsorbents as fertilizers. The review further emphasizes a comprehensive evaluation of the economic feasibility and environmental sustainability of CO₂ capture-to-fertilizer pathways, highlighting production costs, scalability challenges, and life-cycle impacts to guide practical implementation. The findings presented herein contribute to the evolving discourse on climate change mitigation and sustainable agriculture, offering insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners alike.

Developing solid electrolytes that simultaneously ensure high-safety and electrochemical performance remains a critical challenge for next-generation high-energy-density batteries. Herein, we design a phosphorus-containing ionic liquid (POIL) and fabricate a flame-retardant composite solid electrolyte (PIL-SPEs) via in situ thermal polymerization. The incorporated POIL endows PIL-SPEs with exceptional self-extinguishing properties (< 1 s), and synergizes with the polymer matrix to facilitate Li⁺ transport and salt dissociation. Consequently, PIL-SPEs achieve a high room-temperature ionic conductivity (3.50 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹) and Li⁺ transference number (0.60). At 60°C, its conductivity rises to 1.28 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹, coupled with a wide electrochemical stability window (4.7 V vs. Li⁺/Li). LiFePO₄ ||Li full cells employing PIL-SPEs demonstrate excellent cycling stability at 60°C, retaining 76% capacity (108.6 mAh g⁻¹) after 200 cycles. The rational molecular design of POIL and its synergistic effects within the composite matrix provide a viable material strategy for developing safe, high-performance solid-state lithium batteries.

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (RZABs) are promising next-generation energy storage systems due to their high theoretical energy density. However, their practical application is hindered by the slow reaction kinetics of oxygen reduction/evolution (ORR/OER) at air cathodes. Herein, an innovative N-rich copolymer-confined phosphorization strategy for synthesizing FeP nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon matrix (FeP–NPC) has been developed. The methodology employs an iron-phytic acid/aniline/pyrrole ternary copolymer precursor, achieving atomic-level interfacial coupling between FeP nanocrystals and carbon substrate through precisely controlled phosphating thermodynamics. Electrochemical characterization reveals exceptional bifunctional activity with ORR onset potential of 1.04 V versus RHE (0.85 V half-wave potential) and OER overpotential of 1.66 V at 10 mA cm⁻² in 0.1 M KOH electrolyte, comparable to commercial Pt/C-RuO₂ benchmarks. The assembled RZAB demonstrates a peak power density of 185.0 mW cm⁻² with remarkable durability maintaining 53.5% round-trip efficiency over 530 h cycling. Advanced spectroscopic analysis and DFT calculations elucidate that the N-rich carbon matrix induces the formation of FeP–N–C active sites which facilitates d-band center downshifting of FeP via interfacial charge redistribution, thereby optimizing oxygen intermediate adsorption/desorption energetics. Furthermore, the conductive carbon network acts as an electron reservoir to facilitate charge transfer kinetics during bifunctional catalysis. This interface engineering strategy provides a paradigm for developing cost-effective transition metal phosphide catalysts, advancing the practical implementation of metal-air battery technologies in energy storage systems.

The construction of efficient light-harvesting/conversion materials is the key to photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. It should not be overlooked that the precise construction of materials and electrode structures plays a crucial role in the performance of its photoelectricity. Traditional structures (including dense film, pyramid and vertical nanowire (NW)) usually result in nonnegligible light loss, hierarchical antireflection structures of NW arrays on nonplanar substrates are efficient approaches to maximize the light absorption for PEC water splitting. Here, we constructed InGaN NW arrays with adjustable tilt angle on nonplanar substrates by plasma assisted-molecular beam epitaxy, and find the photoelectrical properties are closely related to their tilt angle and NW spacing. As a function of tilt, the photocurrent is dependent on the inclination, showing a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. NW arrays with more separated NWs exhibit larger photocurrent enhancement at larger tilt angle up to 116% at 81.9°. This study compiles the effects of various NW array morphologies on the PEC performance under varied light incidence angle, provides reference for the design of vertical NW arrays on nonplanar substrates acting as hierarchical antireflection structures for efficient light absorption on PEC and photoelectric applications.

To overcome the inherent drawback of low thermal conductivity (0.3 W/m·K) in conventional thermoplastic polymers, this work reports a scalable synthesis of cost-effective, thermally stable geopolymers using waste fly ash (FA) as a precursor material. By synergistically tailoring the Si/Al ratio and incorporating graphene oxide, a three-dimensional percolative thermal conductive network is engineered to dramatically enhance the thermal conductivity of geopolymer–graphene aerogel composites. Experimental results show that optimizing the Si/Al ratio effectively improves the matrix performance. With the optimal Si/Al ratios of 1.35 and 1.50, the thermal conductivities of the geopolymer reach up to 1.03 and 1.14 W/m·K, respectively, representing a nearly 245% increase over conventional polymers. Notably, the further introduction of ultra-low content of thermal conductive graphene aerogel filler (0.34 wt%) with a regulated Si/Al ratio of 1.64 results in a 34.2% increase in the thermal conductivity of the composite, achieving an exceptional specific improvement (thermal conductivity improvement/filler content) of 100.7%. Moreover, these composites maintain 75.5% of their initial conductivity at high temperature (100°C), demonstrating robust thermal stability. This breakthrough enables efficient thermal management for miniaturized electronic systems using ultra-low loading of high-performance fillers.

Photothermal conversion technology based on organic phase change materials (PCMs) has been widely applied. However, challenges such as flammability, leakage, and low thermal conductivity of organic PCMs have hindered their large-scale deployments in photothermal applications. In this study, a flame-retardant benzoxazine (XBZ) was synthesized, and composite aerogels were fabricated via directional freezing and freeze-drying using XBZ, chitosan (CS), aramid nanofibers (ANFs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The best composite aerogel exhibited a well-defined layered microstructure and a high compressive modulus of 5.29 MPa at 80% strain. Then, polyethylene glycol (PEG, molecular weight of 4000) was encapsulated in the composite aerogel by vacuum melting impregnation, resulting in composite PCMs with high energy storage efficiency, photothermal performance, and flame retardancy. The composite PCM demonstrated a melting enthalpy and crystallization enthalpy of 178.2 and 159.8 J g⁻¹, respectively. CNTs effectively constructed efficient thermal conduction pathways, achieving a thermal conductivity as high as 1.31 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ and a thermal energy storage efficiency of up to 96.9%. Meanwhile, the composite PCM maintained excellent thermal stability and leakage resistance with a leakage rate below 1%. Under photothermal testing, the material reached a maximum temperature of 95°C and achieved a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 92.1%. Moreover, the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) of the composite PCM decreased by 76.4% and 41.1% compared to PEG, significantly reducing the flammability of organic PCMs. This multifunctional solar photothermal material shows great promise for application in next-generation energy-saving technologies.