Core–Shell plasmonic nanostructures are drawing significant interest for its multifunctionality in light-harvesting; however, the mechanisms of the structure–performance relationship of non-noble metal materials are not yet fully elucidated. Here, finite element method (FEM) is employed to simulate the thermoplasmonic performance of X@Fe₂O₃(X = Bi, Ni, Co, Al) core–shell nanoparticles and analyze the influence of interparticle spacing and shell thickness on thermoplasmonic behavior with different structures. With Fe₂O₃ shell, monomers exhibit strong plasmonic features within visible regions and resonances peak redshift as shell thickness increases, and certain shell thickness can enhance the intensity of the resonances peak. Longitudinally polarized dimers exhibit strong interparticle coupling, resulting in pronounced field-heat hotspot alignment that promotes efficient light-to-heat conversion. Conversely, transverse polarization causes spatial decoupling between electromagnetic and thermal responses. The simulation results indicate that for 100 nm nanoparticles, maximum absorption efficiency does not always correspond to peak temperature response, underscoring the need to consider both spectral and spatial factors in thermoplasmonic design. This study provides important insight into the potential of non-noble metal-based core–shell nanostructures for solar energy harvesting.

Zinc–bromine and zinc–iodine batteries have been widely regarded as promising systems for large-scale energy storage, yet their practical application is currently hampered by slow redox reactions, low efficiency due to the shuttle effect, and zinc dendrite growth. In this review, we overview the contribution of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and MOF-derived materials to overcoming these drawbacks. Two typical strategies are presented: assembling pristine MOFs as selective porous barriers to confine polyhalides and MOF-templated carbon materials, including single-atom catalysts for enhanced conductivities and fast charge transfer. We show that pristine MOFs exhibit interesting selectivity properties but rarely meet the required chemical stability in acidic electrolytes. However, MOF-based carbons are more stable and conductive, but their performance requires careful regulation of synthesis conditions to maintain active sites. Overall, it seems most promising to develop bifunctional hosts that are conductive carbon frameworks embedded with single-atom metal sites, which both trap adsorbed halogen species and catalyze their decomposition. This review highlights the critical developments required to progress from promising electrochemical data in the laboratory to practical high-capacity battery electrodes.

All-perovskite four-terminal tandem solar cells offer a promising platform for high-efficiency photovoltaics due to their electrical independence and flexible subcell optimization. However, optical losses such as interfacial reflection and parasitic absorption limit device performance. In this study, a systematic light-management optimization framework was established, and multiphysics simulations were employed to reveal how perovskite layer thickness, intermediate light-coupling layer (ILCL) materials and thickness, and top cell structural inversion collaboratively regulate light distribution, electromagnetic field phase, and transmission and reflection characteristics. Optimizing the perovskite layer thickness balances light absorption between subcells, increasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 25.0% to 26.1%. Further introduction of the ILCL with phase-control design enhances optical coupling, raising the PCE to 28.10%. Numerical simulations indicate that top cell structural inversion effectively suppresses long-wavelength reflection and enhances bottom cell absorption, resulting in a simulated PCE of 33.73%, approaching the theoretical limit predicted by a semiempirical model guided by experimental data. Quantitative analysis based on admittance and phase matching elucidates the optical mechanisms, providing generalizable guidance for the design of multijunction photovoltaic devices. These results demonstrate that a unified light-management strategy not only systematically enhances device performance but also provides deep insights into the optical physics of all-perovskite tandem solar cells.

In pursuit of global carbon neutrality, maritime shipping with high CO₂ emissions confronts an urgent imperative deep decarbonization. Green hydrogen is a zero-carbon fuel produced through water electrolysis by renewable energy sources, which is emerging as a promising solution for maritime decarbonization owing to its high energy density and versatile application potential. Here, it provides a systematic overview of the technological feasibility of green hydrogen for maritime shipping, encompassing its current application status and key challenges. It analyzes recent advances in green hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and infrastructure development, while exploring the enabling roles of policy support, technological innovation, and international collaboration. Despite facing substantial barriers in cost, technology, and infrastructure, green hydrogen boasts enormous decarbonization potential and occupies an indispensable strategic position in the global carbon neutrality agenda.

The development of layered oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries is hindered by irreversible phase transitions and substantial volume changes at high voltages. While P2/O3 biphasic structures can mitigate these issues, achieving precise control over phase composition and understanding the underlying stabilization mechanisms remain challenging. Herein, we propose a synergistic regulation strategy integrating cationic potential design and thermal processing optimization. Using a high-entropy layered oxide Na_0.75Ni_0.29Zn_0.05Cu_0.06Mn_0.6-xTi_xO₂ as a model, we establish a quantitative correlation between Ti⁴⁺ content and the P2/O3 phase ratio, achieving continuous tuning from 0% to 100% O3 phase. Further refinement via calcination temperature yields an optimal P2:O3 ratio of 72.7:27.3. This optimally designed cathode delivers a high-rate capability (76.2 mAh g^-1 at 5 A g^-1) and superior cycling stability (77.5% capacity retention after 200 cycles). Operando XRD and DFT calculations reveal an “interlayer anchoring mechanism” at the phase boundary, where strong ionic bonding (e.g., Ti-O) suppresses transition metal layer sliding, guiding a highly reversible phase evolution and reducing the volume change to 7.6%, significantly lower than that of the single-phase counterpart (12.7%). This work provides a quantitative “composition–process–phase–performance” design principle for advanced biphasic cathode materials.

In recent years, a class of 2D transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides (MXenes) has demonstrated outstanding advantages in the field of diabetes treatment, particularly in constructing the functional platforms for optimal diabetes treatment, owing to their excellent electrical conductivity, abundant functional groups, large specific surface area, unique photothermal effect, and biocompatibility. This review summarizes the unique advantages and latest progress of MXene-based approaches for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. The significant assistance of MXenes in various therapeutic stages of diabetes, including their application in noninvasive blood glucose monitoring, as well as the implementation strategies of MXenes in wound healing and complication management for diabetic patients, is discussed in detail. Furthermore, the key clinical translational barriers and regulatory issues for advancing MXene-based diabetes treatment platforms are discussed. Finally, the existing challenges and future development directions of MXene materials in diabetes treatment are summarized and prospectively discussed.

Potassium metal batteries hold great promise for grid-scale energy storage. As a typical and widely used anode, Potassium (K) metal faces challenges of an unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), notorious dendritic growth, and large volume change during K plating/stripping. Herein, atomic tellurium supported on nitrogen/phosphorus-codoped porous carbon nanofibers (TeNPC) was designed as the host for accommodating metallic K. The uniformly dispersed Te atoms serve as potassiophilic sites, which can effectively reduce the nucleation energy barrier and guide K nuclei formation and growth. The atomic Te not only allows the homogeneous distribution of the electric field but also enhances the binding energy of the host to decrease K⁺ concentration polarization, inducing smooth K deposition. Additionally, the hierarchical pore structure of TeNPC and the formation of SEI with a KF-rich inner layer contribute to a dendrite-free morphology of K@TeNPC. Consequently, TeNPC enables a low nucleation overpotential (~21 mV at 0.5 mA cm^–2 and 1.0 mAh cm^–2) and high Coulombic efficiency (~99.8% after 480 cycles) for K deposition/stripping. Furthermore, K@TeNPC shows favorable rate capability and cycle life in symmetric cells and potassium–sulfur batteries. This work presents a new insight into the development of highly efficient host materials for K metal anodes.

Urea electrooxidation offers a low-voltage pathway for hydrogen production while simultaneously addressing nitrogen-cycle remediation, yet its multi-step mechanism is kinetically hindered by sluggish C–N bond cleavage and the accumulation of strongly adsorbed intermediates. Conventional nickel-based oxides suffer from limited exposure of Ni–O active sites and slow charge redistribution, restricting overall catalytic turnover. In this study, a microwave shock strategy was developed to construct two-dimensional porous La₂NiO₄ nanosheets with a well-defined Ruddlesden–Popper (n = 2) layered structure. The ultrafast non-equilibrium synthesis generates transient supersaturation and controlled gas evolution, promoting the formation of open interlayer channels and abundant oxygen vacancies. This architecture enhances mixed ionic–electronic transport and facilitates rapid proton-coupled electron transfer during urea oxidation, yielding a low onset potential, high mass activity, and excellent durability. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the coexistence of Ni²⁺/Ni³⁺ redox couples and oxygen defects strengthens Ni 3d–O 2p hybridization, narrows the band gap, and accelerates charge redistribution. The results establish a structure–defect–activity correlation for layered nickelates and show that microwave-induced non-equilibrium synthesis provides a versatile route for designing metastable oxides. This work advances the understanding of structure-driven electrocatalysis and offers a strategic framework for future energy–environment catalytic technologies.

The electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) is a highly promising carbon neutralization pathway to enable efficient CO₂ conversion into high-value–added multi-carbon (C₂₊) fuels and chemicals. However, the formation of C₂₊ products involves complex C-C coupling kinetics and multi-step proton-coupled electron transfer processes, placing stringent demands on the activity and selectivity of catalysts. Copper (Cu) is one of the few metals capable of efficiently producing C₂₊ products through CO₂RR; yet, its selectivity, overpotential, and stability remain to be improved. Recently, Cu-based coordination materials, with unique coordination environments and electronic structures, have been discovered to show pronounced advantages in tuning CO₂RR performance. By leveraging the coordination interaction between Cu sites and ligands, the geometric configuration and the electronic structure of Cu active sites can be finely manipulated. Hence, these materials contribute toward optimizing the catalytic kinetics of critical C₁/C₂ intermediates, thereby promoting CO₂RR performance. This review summarizes the recent advances of Cu-based coordination catalysts in CO₂ electroreduction into C₂₊ products. First, this review elucidates the reaction kinetics of electrocatalytic CO₂RR into various C₂₊ products. Moreover, the design strategies and the catalytic mechanism of various Cu coordination materials for CO₂RR are introduced in detail. Special emphasis is placed on how catalysts regulate the reaction kinetics and promote the catalytic activity and selectivity of C₂₊ product formation. Finally, the current challenges and future prospects of Cu-based coordination catalysts for CO₂RR are discussed, providing theoretical guidance for their future development.

In the context of carbon neutrality, collaborative “power generation-energy storage” system is an inevitable requirement for promoting the green transformation of energy structure. However, the design of related key materials still faces severe challenges. Here, a strategy for the combined use of energy materials is proposed, in which carbon materials derived from discarded bamboo are simultaneously applied to direct carbon solid oxide fuel cell (DC-SOFC) and sodium-ion battery (SIB), forming a resource complementary energy loop. By comparing rapid Joule heating with traditional tube furnace heating processes, the system elucidates the regulating mechanisms of the carbon material microstructure and their strengthening effect on the electrochemical performance. When the optimized carbon material is used as DC-SOFC fuel, a maximum power density of 515.3 mW cm^-2 and 1570 mAh of electricity can be achieved; As an SIB anode, it exhibits a reversible capacity of 327.6 mAh g^-1 with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 90.4%. This work not only realizes the high-value utilization of waste biomass, but also provides feasible material basis and technical ideas for building future integrated and clean energy systems.

Suppressing the shuttle effect of bromine is essential for achieving high-energy-density long-cycle brominated sodium-ion batteries. Here, we propose a synergistic constraint strategy that combines physical confinement and chemical adsorption and design a NaBr@carbonized ZIF-8 cathode architecture via a simple NaBr dissolution-adsorption-recrystallization process. The obtained structure features abundant NaBr nano-crystallines uniformly embedded within carbonized ZIF-8 frameworks, forming a multi-core encapsulated composite. Systematic studies disclose synergistic physical and chemical interactions between NaBr and carbonized ZIF-8. Compact physical confinement alleviates volume change and electrolyte erosion, and robust chemical adsorption facilitates fast electron and ion transport and also stabilizes bromine active species. Owing to the improvement in the electrical, chemical, and volumetric properties, the composite design enables promising electrochemical performance, including a high reversible capacity of 254 mAh g^-1 at 1 C, an excellent rate capability of 148 mAh g^-1 at 10 C, and an outstanding capacity retention of 86% after 1000 cycles at 10 C. A synergistic physicochemical constraint strategy offers a promising pathway toward durable, high-performance Na–Br batteries, underscoring their potential for large-scale energy storage applications.

The synergistic regulation mechanism involving heteroatom doping and strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) is of great significance for boosting the performance of supported electrocatalysts. Herein, Pt nanoparticles were anchored onto nitrogen and sulfur co-doped hollow carbon nanospheres (Pt@N,S-HCN) through the template-assisted method combined with wet chemical reduction, thereby constructing a highly active interface for effective methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). This approach effectively addressed the challenges associated with platinum-based catalysts, including high cost, low activity, and facile aggregation. N/S co-doping not only synergistically modulates the electronic arrangement of the carbon framework, but also enhances the overall electron affinity of the carbon support, thereby facilitating more efficient charge transfer between metal atoms and the carbon support. This co-doping of N and S significantly strengthens the metal-support interaction, thereby promoting the rearrangement of platinum electron structures (Pt°→Pt^x+) and increasing the density of Pt active sites. There-doping of S atoms further fine-tunes the electronic configuration of Pt, to enhance the adsorption affinity of Pt active centers for OH intermediates. Consequently, this reduces the binding strength of CO and accelerates its further oxidation, ultimately achieving superior methanol oxidation activity and CO tolerance. Electrochemical results demonstrated that under both acidic and basic conditions, Pt@N,S-HCN exhibited boosted mass activity and specific activity compared to commercial Pt/C. Additionally, chronocurrent tests reveal significantly enhanced stability relative to single-doped systems, which is facilitated to the confinement effect of hollow carbon nanospheres and the optimization of CO oxidation kinetics by sulfur doping. This strategy of adjusting metal-support interface interactions through heteroatom doping offers new opportunities for designing highly efficient supported catalysts.

Silicon-based anode materials are considered promising candidates for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, but their practical application has been hindered by significant volumetric expansion during cycling. This study introduces an innovative strategy that utilizes the naturally fine particle size and surface-oxidizable properties of silicon cutting waste (SiCW) to synthesize silicon nanowires (SiNWs) via a precisely controlled two-step constant-voltage molten salt electrolysis process. Experimental results indicate that the electrical double-layer effect enhances the ordered deposition of silicon atoms during electrolysis, while the solid–liquid–solid (SLS) mechanism regulates the directional growth of SiNWs by facilitating nucleation and crystal growth. The resulting SiNWs anode demonstrates an exceptionally high initial discharge capacity of 3519.6 mAh·g^-¹ at 0.5 A·g^-¹, with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 86.7%, while maintaining a reversible capacity of 1071.5 mAh·g⁻¹ after 300 cycles. In addition to offering a sustainable upcycling approach for photovoltaic SiCW, this work clarifies the structure–performance relationship involving voltage modulation, morphological evolution, and electrochemical behavior, providing crucial insights for the rational design and targeted synthesis of SiNWs.

Design and fabrication of efficient Z-scheme heterojunctions are critical for advancing solar fuel production, yet constructing directed interfacial charge transfer pathways remains challenging. Herein, we report ZnIn₂S₄/g-C₃N₄ Z-scheme heterojunctions where interfacial defects serve as electron highways for rapid charge separation. These heterostructures exhibit a significant enhancement in CO₂ photoreduction efficiency compared to pristine components, while maintaining > 90% activity after three cycles. Experimental and theoretical analyses confirm that interfacial defects act as charge-transfer mediators, synergistically accelerating surface redox kinetics to enable efficient solar fuel production (232.92 μmol g^-1 of CO and 10.7 mmol g^-1 of H₂ after 5 h of illumination). This work establishes interfacial defect utilization as an efficient strategy for high-performance Z-scheme systems in value-added chemical synthesis.

Lithium manganese iron phosphate (LiMn_0.4Fe_0.6PO₄, LMFP) offers a significant improvement in operating voltage and energy density compared to Li (lithium) iron phosphate (LiFePO₄, LFP), garnering considerable research attention in recent years. However, LMFP suffers from low electronic conductivity and sluggish ion diffusion kinetics, resulting in poor performance under high current densities. Furthermore, the Jahn–Teller effect associated with Mn³⁺ in LMFP leads to Mn (manganese) dissolution during electrochemical reactions, which compromises structural stability and leads to suboptimal long-term cycling stability. In this study, a simple ball milling-sintering method was employed to successfully incorporate Hf⁴⁺(Hafnium) into the transition metal sites of LMFP. The higher bond energy of Hf–O compared to Mn–O enables the construction of a stable Mn–O framework through Hf doping, thereby stabilizing the lattice structure, reducing Mn dissolution, and significantly enhancing the long-term cycling performance of the material. Furthermore, Hf⁴⁺ doping improves the redox reaction kinetics of the material, increasing both the lithium-ion diffusion rate and electronic conductivity. Among the tested materials, LMFP-3%Hf exhibited the most outstanding cycling stability (with a capacity retention rate of 89.7% after 400 cycles at 1C) and rate capability (delivering a discharge specific capacity of 70 mAh g^-1 at 10C).

The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed from the decomposition of Li₆PS₅Cl (LPSC) is a critical determinant of performance and safety in all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. Herein, first-principles calculations are employed to systematically investigate the interfacial stability and Li⁺ transport properties of the main SEI components, including LiF, LiCl, LiBr, LiI, Li₂S, and Li₃P in contact with metallic lithium. The results show that F-doping yields LiF interfaces with superior stability and passivation. LiF delivers the highest interfacial energy, the highest dendrite suppression ability, and the strongest electronic blocking (highest tunneling barrier) among lithium halides. F-doping thus significantly enhances the SEI's mechanical integrity and electronic passivation, minimizing dendrite risk and parasitic reactions. Conversely, Br and I-doped LPSC components (LiBr, LiI) improve Li⁺ surface transport kinetics (lowest migration barriers) and interfacial adhesion, but at the expense of a reduced mechanical barrier and weaker electronic insulation. This study clarifies the fundamental trade-off between interfacial stability and ion transport kinetics dictated by halogen identity. These theoretical insights provide crucial guidance for the rational design of composite SEI layers and the precise optimization of halogen doping concentrations in LPSC electrolytes.

Converting CO₂ into usable energy through electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction is a meaningful strategy due to its tunable and high selectivity and mild reaction conditions. This paper reviews recent progress in electrocatalytic CO₂-to-syngas conversion via non-precious metal catalysts. Non-precious metal-based materials have the advantages of lower cost, richer raw materials, and broader industrial prospects compared to precious metal materials. Although in most cases the electrocatalytic performance of non-precious metal materials is lower than that of precious metal materials, four typical catalyst design strategies—carbon substrate loading, morphological structure control, elemental doping, and alloy/composite design strategies—were summarized to boost their performance in converting CO₂ into syngas. The review also summarizes the current challenges and future directions of catalyst design, aiming to provide new insights into designing advanced non-precious metal materials for effective CO₂ to syngas conversion in the future. In addition, the impacts of equipment such as reactors and electrolytes on the overall catalytic performance have been summarized in this review, aiming to promote CO₂ conversion efficiency by combining catalyst design and catalytic equipment design and guide practice. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in electrocatalytic CO₂ to syngas conversion, focusing on non-precious metal catalysts. It systematically dissects key design strategies—carbon support loading, morphology and structure control, elemental doping, and alloy and metal composite—and evaluates their impacts on activity, selectivity, and stability.

In marine environments, reinforced concrete structures are vulnerable to long-term corrosion of steel reinforcement caused by chloride ingress. Conventional cathodic protection systems that depend on external power sources suffer from well-known limitations, including high maintenance costs, considerable energy consumption, and limited sustainability. To address these issues, this study presents a self-powered cathodic protection system driven by a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for environmentally friendly corrosion prevention. The system employs a polytetrafluoroethylene particle-copper electrode TENG integrated with a buoy structure to efficiently harvest wave energy. Coupled with integrated rectification and energy management circuits, the system converts irregular, low-frequency wave motion into a stable direct current output, thereby enabling sustained cathodic protection. Under simulated marine conditions, the TENG exhibited an open-circuit voltage (V_oc) exceeding 2000 V, a short-circuit current (I_sc) of approximately 50 μA, and a maximum power density of 1428 mW·m⁻² at an excitation frequency of 2.0 Hz. Electrochemical analyses confirmed that this self-powered system significantly suppressed steel corrosion, showing a notable negative shift in corrosion potential and a sharp drop in corrosion current density. No visible rust was observed even after long-term immersion.

Poor inherent conductivity, sluggish reaction kinetics, and structural instability have widely limited the use of layered δ-MnO₂ in aqueous magnesium-ion storage. Inspired by the d-band center (ε_d) theory, this study synthesizes oxygen defective W-doped δ-MnO₂ (O_d-WMO) with a tailored d-band center through a two-step hydrothermal-calcination method to address the above bottlenecks. The results of theoretical calculation demonstrate that synergistic modulation mechanism of tungsten doping and oxygen defects not only promotes the upward shift of the ε_d of Mn, significantly enhancing the adsorption capacity for Mg²⁺, but also simultaneously strengthens Mn-O bonds, thereby markedly improving structural stability. Moreover, the synergistic modulation effect of the two also dramatically narrows the band gap, lowers the migration energy barrier, as well as speeds up the dynamics of charge transport/ion diffusion. As expected, O_d-WMO demonstrates outstanding structural durability and remarkable storage capacity (185.2 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 A g^-1). Moreover, 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI) as anode to assembled O_d-WMO//PTCDI full cell also exhibit a stable working state. This study uncovers the synergistic modulation mechanism of doping and defect engineering on MnO₂'s ε_d, makes up for the limitation in current research that focuses solely on individual regulatory effects of doping or defects. It provides valuable insights for the rational design of high-performance electrode materials for AMIBs and other electrochemical energy storage systems via d-band center engineering.

To enable large-area applications of flexible organic solar cells (OSCs), a novel electron transport layer (ETL) material with excellent high conductivity, outstanding bending performance, and good stability has been developed in this study. These characteristics make the material highly significant in enhancing the performance of flexible OSCs. Through synergistic hydrogen bonding and covalent interactions between the ─COOH/─OH groups on carbon dots (CDs) and the –NH₂ in polyethyleneimine (PEI), a dense three-dimensional (3D) cross-linked network is established. This network creates continuous conductive pathways, imparting the material with superior electrical conductivity and excellent thickness tolerance. Furthermore, nano-sized CDs act as physical crosslinking points, effectively dissipating stress and significantly enhancing mechanical toughness and bend tolerance. As a result, flexible OSCs with this ETL achieve a PCE of 16.24% and retain 91.5% of their initial efficiency after 10,000 bending cycles at a radius of 5 mm, significantly outperforming PEI-based (51.6%) counterparts, while also demonstrating excellent stability under ambient air and UV irradiation. Moreover, the CDs:PEI-based flexible OSCs maintain good bending stability and structural integrity even under different bending radius. This solution-processable material synergistically optimizes optoelectronic and mechanical properties, offering a robust interfacial solution for Roll-to-Roll manufacturing of flexible OSCs.