Journal of Energy Chemistry最新文献

{"title":"High-temperature-tolerant flexible supercapacitors: Gel polymer electrolytes and electrode materials","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.051","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.051","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The development of flexible supercapacitors (FSCs) capable of operating at high temperatures is crucial for expanding the application areas and operating conditions of supercapacitors. Gel polymer electrolytes and electrode materials stand as two key components that significantly impact the efficacy of high-temperature-tolerant FSCs (HT-FSCs). They should not only exhibit high electrochemical performance and excellent flexibility, but also withstand intense thermal stress. Considerable efforts have been devoted to enhancing their thermal stability while maintaining high electrochemical and mechanical performance. In this review, the fundamentals of HT-FSCs are outlined. A comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art progress and achievements in HT-FSCs, with a focus on thermally stable gel polymer electrolytes and electrode materials is provided. Finally, challenges and future perspectives regarding HT-FSCs are discussed, alongside strategies for elevating operational temperatures and performance. This review offers both theoretical foundations and practical guidelines for designing and manufacturing HT-FSCs, further promoting their widespread adoption across diverse fields.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142272760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrochemical conversion of methane to bridge the gap in the artificial carbon cycle","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Methane, an abundant one-carbon (C₁) resource, is extensively used in the industrial production of vital fuels and value-added chemicals. However, current industrial methane conversion technologies are energy- and carbon-intensive, mainly due to the high activation energy required to break the inert C–H bond, low selectivity, and problematic side reactions, including CO₂ emissions and coke deposition. Electrochemical conversion of methane (ECM) using intermittent renewable energy offers an attractive solution, due to its modular reactor design and operational flexibility across a broad spectrum of temperatures and pressures. This review emphasizes conversion pathways of methane in various reaction systems, highlighting the significance and advantages of ECM in facilitating a sustainable artificial carbon cycle. This work provides a comprehensive overview of conventional methane activation mechanisms and delineates the complete pathways of methane conversion in electrolysis contexts. Based on surface/interface chemistry, this work systematically analyzes proposed reaction pathways and corresponding strategies to enhance ECM efficiency towards various target products, including syngas, hydrocarbons, oxygenates, and advanced carbon materials. The discussion also encompasses opportunities and challenges for the ECM process, including insights into ECM pathways, rational electrocatalyst design, establishment of benchmarking protocols, electrolyte engineering, enhancement of CH₄ conversion rates, and minimization of CO₂ emission.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142240690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nano high-entropy oxide cathode with enhanced stability for direct borohydride fuel cells","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>High-entropy materials have become high-activity electrocatalysis owing to their high-entropy effect and multiple active sites. Herein, we synthesize a series of carbon-supported nano high-entropy oxides (HEOs/C), specifically (PtFeCoNiCu)O/C, using a carbothermal shock (CTS) method for application as a cathode catalyst in direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFCs). The microstructure of the prepared catalysts was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption fine structure, and transmission electron microscopy. The prepared (PtFeCoNiCu)O/C, with particle sizes ranging from 2 to 4 nm, demonstrates 3.94 transferred electrons towards the oxygen reduction reaction in an alkaline environment, resulting in a minimal H₂O₂ yield of 2.6%. Additionally, it exhibits a Tafel slope of 61 mV dec⁻¹, surpassing that of commercial Pt/C (82 mV dec⁻¹). Furthermore, after 40,000 cycles of cyclic voltammetry (CV) testing, the half-wave potential of (PtFeCoNiCu)O/C shows a positive shift of 3 mV, with no notable decline in the limiting current density. When (PtFeCoNiCu)O/C is used as a cathode catalyst in DBFCs, the DBFC achieves a maximum power density of 441 mW cm⁻² at 60 °C and sustains a cell voltage of approximately 0.73 V after 52 h at 30 °C. These findings confirm that HEO/C is a promising cathode catalyst for DBFCs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142240691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnetron sputtered nickel oxide with suppressed interfacial defect states for efficient inverted perovskite solar cells","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.057","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.057","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Widely used spin-coated nickle oxide (NiO<em>_x</em>) based perovskite solar cells often suffer from severe interfacial reactions between the NiO<em>_x</em> and adjacent perovskite layers due to surface defect states, which inherently impair device performance in a long-term view, even with surface molecule passivation. In this study, we developed high-quality magnetron-sputtered NiO<em>_x</em> thin films through detailed process optimization, and compared systematically sputtered and spin-coated NiO<em>_x</em> thin film surfaces from materials to devices. These sputtered NiO<em>_x</em> films exhibit improved crystallinity, smoother surfaces, and significantly reduced Ni³⁺ or Ni vacancies compared to their spin-coated counterparts. Consequently, the interface between the perovskite and sputtered NiO<em>_x</em> film shows a substantially reduced density of defect states. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) fabricated with our optimally sputtered NiO<em>_x</em> films achieved a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 19.93% and demonstrated enhanced stability, maintaining 86.2% efficiency during 500 h of maximum power point tracking under one standard sun illumination. Moreover, with the surface modification using (4-(2,7-dibromo-9,9-dimethylacridin-10(9H)-yl)butyl)phosphonic acid (DMAcPA), the device PCE was further promoted to 23.07%, which is the highest value reported for sputtered NiO<em>_x</em> based PSCs so far.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142272811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Machine learning empowers efficient design of ternary organic solar cells with PM6 donor","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Organic solar cells (OSCs) hold great potential as a photovoltaic technology for practical applications. However, the traditional experimental trial-and-error method for designing and engineering OSCs can be complex, expensive, and time-consuming. Machine learning (ML) techniques enable the proficient extraction of information from datasets, allowing the development of realistic models that are capable of predicting the efficacy of materials with commendable accuracy. The PM6 donor has great potential for high-performance OSCs. However, it is crucial for the rational design of a ternary blend to accurately forecast the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ternary OSCs (TOSCs) based on a PM6 donor. Accordingly, we collected the device parameters of PM6-based TOSCs and evaluated the feature importance of their molecule descriptors to develop predictive models. In this study, we used five different ML algorithms for analysis and prediction. For the analysis, the classification and regression tree provided different rules, heuristics, and patterns from the heterogeneous dataset. The random forest algorithm outperforms other prediction ML algorithms in predicting the output performance of PM6-based TOSCs. Finally, we validated the ML outcomes by fabricating PM6-based TOSCs. Our study presents a rapid strategy for assessing a high PCE while elucidating the substantial influence of diverse descriptors.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142272810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Low-cost and fluoride-free synthesis of MFI zeolite nanosheets with enhanced stability for benzene alkylation with ethanol","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Zeolite nanosheets with a short <em>b</em>-axis thickness are highly desirable in lots of catalytic reactions due to their reduced diffusion resistance. Nevertheless, conventional synthesis methods usually require expensive structure-directing agents (SDAs), pricey raw materials, and eco-unfriendly fluorine-containing additives. Here, we contributed a cost-effective and fluoride-free synthesis method for synthesizing high-quality MFI zeolite nanosheets through a Silicalite-1 (Sil-1) seed suspension and urea cooperative strategy, only with inexpensive colloidal silica as the Si source. Our approach was effective for synthesizing both Sil-1 and aluminum-containing ZSM-5 nanosheets. By optimizing key synthesis parameters, including seed aging time, seed quantity, and urea concentration, we achieved precise control over the crystal face aspect ratio and <em>b</em>-axis thickness. We also revealed a non-classical oriented nanosheet growth mechanism, where Sil-1 seeds induced the formation of quasi-ordered precursor particles, and the (010) crystal planes of these particles facilitated urea adsorption, thereby promoting <em>c</em>-axis-oriented growth. The obtained ZSM-5 nanosheets exhibited exceptional catalytic performance in the benzene alkylation with ethanol, maintaining stability for over 500 h, which is 5 times longer than traditional ZSM-5 catalysts. Furthermore, large-scale production of ZSM-5 nanosheets was successfully carried out in a 3 L high-pressure autoclave, yielding samples consistent with those from laboratory-scale synthesis. This work marks a significant step forward in the sustainable and efficient production of MFI nanosheets using inexpensive and environmentally friendly raw materials, offering the broad applicability in catalysis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142272837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prominent cycling reversibility and kinetics enabled by CaTiO3 protective layer on Zn metal for aqueous Zn-ion batteries","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.044","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) have received considerable attention owing to their various advantages such as safety, low cost, simple battery assembly conditions, and high ionic conductivity. However, they still suffer from serious problems, including uncontrollable dendrite growth, corrosion, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from water decomposition, electrode passivation, and unexpected by-products. The creation of a uniform artificial nanocrystal layer on the Zn anode surface is a promising strategy for resolving these issues. Herein, we propose the use of a perovskite CaTiO₃ (CTO) protective layer on Zn (CTO@Zn) as a promising approach for improving the performance of AZIBs. The CTO artificial layer provides an efficient pathway for Zn ion diffusion towards the Zn metal because of the high dielectric constant (<em>ε</em>_r = 180) and ferroelectric characteristics that enable the alignment of dipole moments and redistribute the Zn²⁺ ions in the CTO layer. By avoiding the direct contact of the Zn anode with the electrolyte solution, the uneven dendrite growth, corrosion, parasitic side reactions, and HER are mitigated, while CTO retains its mechanical and chemical robustness during cycling. Consequently, CTO@Zn demonstrates an improved lifespan in a symmetric cell configuration compared with bare Zn. CTO@Zn shows steady overpotential (∼68 mV) for 1500 h at 1 mA cm⁻²/0.5 mA h cm⁻², excelling bare Zn. Moreover, when paired with the V₂O₅-C cathode, the CTO@Zn//V₂O₅-C full battery delivers 148.4 mA h g⁻¹ (based on the mass of the cathode) after 300 cycles. This study provides new insights into Zn metal anodes and the development of high-performance AZIBs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142173623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tuning the interfacial reaction environment via pH-dependent and induced ions to understand C–N bonds coupling performance in NO3− integrated CO2 reduction to carbon and nitrogen compounds over dual Cu-based N-doped carbon catalyst","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Dual atomic catalysts (DAC), particularly copper (Cu₂)-based nitrogen (N) doped graphene, show great potential to effectively convert CO₂ and nitrate (NO₃⁻) into important industrial chemicals such as ethylene, glycol, acetamide, and urea through an efficient catalytical process that involves C–C and C–N coupling. However, the origin of the coupling activity remained unclear, which substantially hinders the rational design of Cu-based catalysts for the N-integrated CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). To address this challenge, this work performed advanced density functional theory calculations incorporating explicit solvation based on a Cu₂-based N-doped carbon (Cu₂N₆C₁₀) catalyst for CO₂RR. These calculations are aimed to gain insight into the reaction mechanisms for the synthesis of ethylene, acetamide, and urea via coupling in the interfacial reaction micro-environment. Due to the sluggishness of CO₂, the formation of a solvation electric layer by anions (F⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻, and I⁻) and cations (Na⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺) leads to electron transfer towards the Cu surface. This process significantly accelerates the reduction of CO₂. These results reveal that *CO intermediates play a pivotal role in N-integrated CO₂RR. Remarkably, the Cu₂-based N-doped carbon catalyst examined in this study has demonstrated the most potential for C–N coupling to date. Our findings reveal that through the process of a condensation reaction between *CO and NH₂OH for urea synthesis, *NO₃⁻ is reduced to *NH₃, and *CO₂ to *CCO at dual Cu atom sites. This dual-site reduction facilitates the synthesis of acetamide through a nucleophilic reaction between NH₃ and the ketene intermediate. Furthermore, we found that the I⁻ and Mg²⁺ ions, influenced by pH, were highly effective for acetamide and ammonia synthesis, except when F⁻ and Ca²⁺ were present. Furthermore, the mechanisms of C–N bond formation were investigated via ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations, and we found that adjusting the micro-environment can change the dominant side reaction, shifting from hydrogen production in acidic conditions to water reduction in alkaline ones. This study introduces a novel approach using ion-H₂O cages to significantly enhance the efficiency of C–N coupling reactions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142228696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engineering atomic Rb-N configurations to tune radical pathways for highly selective photocatalytic H2O2 synthesis coupled with biomass valorization","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.045","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.045","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Photocatalytic oxygen reduction for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) synthesis presents a green and cost-effective production method. However, achieving highly selective H₂O₂ synthesis remains challenging, necessitating precise control over free radical reaction pathways and minimizing undesirable oxidative by-products. Herein, we report for the visible light-driven simultaneous co-photocatalytic reduction of O₂ to H₂O₂ and oxidation of biomass using the atomic rubidium-nitride modified carbon nitride (CNRb). The optimized CNRb catalyst demonstrates a record photoreduction rate of 8.01 mM h⁻¹ for H₂O₂ generation and photooxidation rate of 3.75 mM h⁻¹ for furfuryl alcohol to furoic acid, achieving a remarkable solar-to-chemical conversion (SCC) efficiency of up to 2.27%. Experimental characterizations and DFT calculation disclosed that the introducing atomic Rb–N configurations allows for the high-selective generation of superoxide radicals while suppressing hydroxyl free radical formation. This is because the Rb–N serves as the new alternative site to perceive a stronger connection position for O₂ adsorption and reinforce the capability to extract protons, thereby triggering a high selective redox product formation. This study holds great potential in precisely regulating reactive radical processes at the atomic level, thereby paving the way for efficient synthesis of H₂O₂ coupled with biomass valorization.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142173620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced solid-electrolyte interface efficiency for practically viable hydrogen-air fuel cell systems","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.046","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jechem.2024.08.046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) provide an appealing sustainable energy system, with the solid-electrolyte membrane playing a crucial role in its overall performance. Currently, sulfonated poly(1,4-phenylene ether-ether sulfone) (SPEES), an aromatic hydrocarbon polymer, has garnered considerable attention as an alternative to Nafion polymers. However, the long-term durability and stability of SPEES present a significant challenge. In this context, we introduce a potential solution in the form of an additive, specifically a core–shell-based amine-functionalized iron titanate (A–Fe₂TiO₅), which holds promise for improving the lifetime, proton conductivity, and power density of SPEES in PEMFCs. The modified SPEES/A–Fe₂TiO₅ composite membranes exhibited notable characteristics, including high water uptake, enhanced thermomechanical stability, and oxidative stability. Notably, the SPEES membrane loaded with 1.2 wt% of A–Fe₂TiO₅ demonstrates a maximum proton conductivity of 155 mS cm⁻¹, a twofold increase compared to the SPEES membrane, at 80 °C under 100% relative humidity (RH). Furthermore, the 1.2 wt% of A–Fe₂TiO₅/SPEES composite membranes exhibited a maximum power density of 397.37 mW cm⁻² and a current density of 1148 mA cm⁻² at 60 °C under 100% RH, with an open-circuit voltage decay of 0.05 mV/h during 103 h of continuous operation. This study offers significant insights into the development and understanding of innovative SPEES nanocomposite membranes for PEMFC applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15728,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Energy Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142272812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}