Nature Energy最新文献

{"title":"An actor–critic algorithm to maximize the power delivered from direct methanol fuel cells","authors":"Hongbin Xu, Yang Jeong Park, Zhichu Ren, Daniel J. Zheng, Davide Menga, Haojun Jia, Chenru Duan, Guanzhou Zhu, Yuriy Román-Leshkov, Yang Shao-Horn, Ju Li","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01804-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01804-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Optimizing nonlinear time-dependent control in complex energy systems such as direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) is a crucial engineering challenge. The long-term power delivery of DMFCs deteriorates as the electrocatalytic surfaces become fouled. Dynamic voltage adjustment can clean the surface and recover the activity of catalysts; however, manually identifying optimal control strategies considering multiple mechanisms is challenging. Here we demonstrated a nonlinear policy model (Alpha-Fuel-Cell) inspired by actor–critic reinforcement learning, which learns directly from real-world current–time trajectories to infer the state of catalysts during operation and generates a suitable action for the next timestep automatically. Moreover, the model can provide protocols to achieve the required power while significantly slowing the degradation of catalysts. Benefiting from this model, the time-averaged power delivered is 153% compared to constant potential operation for DMFCs over 12 hours. Our framework may be generalized to other energy device applications requiring long-time-horizon decision-making in the real world.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144622300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leveraging AI to enhance performance in direct methanol fuel cells","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01805-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01805-w","url":null,"abstract":"A method inspired by actor–critic reinforcement learning — Alpha-Fuel-Cell — has been developed to control and maximize the mean output electrical power of direct methanol fuel cells. This model monitors fuel cell states in real time and autonomously selects optimal actions to increase the efficiency and catalyst longevity.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144622343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries require a systems engineering approach","authors":"Jingwen Weng, Andreas Jossen, Anna Stefanopoulou, Ju Li, Xuning Feng, Gregory Offer","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01813-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01813-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fast charging has emerged as a key enabler for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and portable electronics¹. However, achieving fast charging without compromising battery lifespan, safety, or energy density remains a complex challenge². At the core of this difficulty is the inherently multi-scale, multi-physics nature of battery behaviour, which spans materials³, electrochemical kinetics⁴, thermal management⁵, and mechanical stability. A battery is inherently an active, non-equilibrium device, meaning that heterogeneity is an inevitable and even necessary consequence of its normal operation. Yet, these same heterogeneities can cause significant problems if they become too severe, either causing reductions in performance, shortened cycle life, or resulting in dangerous failure modes. In dealing with these, adopting a holistic systems engineering approach becomes necessary for advancing battery design.</p><p>Battery research is often conducted through a reductionist lens, with individual disciplines focusing on isolated components — most notably through a materials-centric approach aimed at maximizing local performance. However, a narrowly scoped optimization frequently overlooks critical system-level interactions and constraints. As a result, solutions that perform exceptionally well in controlled environments may offer limited value at the cell, module, or pack level — especially under demanding conditions such as fast charging. While industry tends to adopt a more product-oriented approach, aiming to deliver integrated solutions that balance performance, cost, and safety, this integration also has limitations. Departmental silos exist even in industry, and the few integrated industrial tools and models remain proprietary and inaccessible to the broader research community because they are considered extremely valuable. We believe that both academia and industry can accelerate battery development by breaking down disciplinary boundaries, sharing more openly, and embracing a systems engineering approach that aims to balance the different heterogeneities that emerge during operation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144594071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A catalytic cycle that enables crude hydrogen separation, storage and transportation","authors":"Yue Chen, Xiao Kong, Chengsheng Yang, Yuhe Liao, Ge Gao, Rui Ma, Mi Peng, Weipeng Shao, Heng Zheng, Hui Zhang, Xin Pan, Fan Yang, Yulei Zhu, Zhi Liu, Yong Cao, Ding Ma, Xinhe Bao, Yifeng Zhu","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01806-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01806-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Industrially, hydrogen production often relies on carbon-based resources, necessitating the separation of hydrogen from impurities such as CO, CO₂, hydrocarbons and N₂. Traditional purification methods involve complicated and energy-intensive sequential conversion and removal of these impurities. Here we introduce a reversible catalytic cycle based on the interconversion between γ-butyrolactone and 1,4-butanediol over an inverse Al₂O₃/Cu catalyst, enabling efficient hydrogen separation and storage from crude hydrogen feeds. This process could transform crude hydrogen feeds containing over 50% impurities into pure hydrogen at low temperature. The low impurity affinity and high dispersion of inverse Al₂O₃/Cu facilitate catalytic crude and waste hydrogen separations previously considered unachievable. This approach avoids the need for expensive pressure swing adsorption or membrane systems in liquid organic hydrogen carriers, showing great potential for large-scale applications in crude hydrogen or industrial tail gas utilization processes. By providing a low-risk, energy-efficient alternative, this strategy supports the global transition from grey/blue hydrogen to green hydrogen.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144594072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The reality of battery commercialization","authors":"Kieran O’Regan","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01807-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01807-8","url":null,"abstract":"Bringing advanced battery research into real-world applications remains one of the most difficult challenges, requiring a three-stage, overlapping development process, argues Kieran O’Regan.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"195 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144568370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamically expanding the electrochemical stability window during charging","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01802-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01802-z","url":null,"abstract":"Self-adaptive electrolytes have been developed that harness salt concentration-induced phase separation during charging to spatially enrich reduction- and oxidation-resistant solvents at opposite electrodes. This dynamic segregation expands the electrochemical stability window, enabling stable operation of zinc-metal and lithium-metal batteries beyond the limits of conventional aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144566558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-adaptive electrolytes for fast-charging batteries","authors":"Chang-Xin Zhao, Zheng Li, Bin Chen, Fu Chen, Chunsheng Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01801-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01801-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fast charging of high-energy batteries is critical for transportation electrification but remains challenging because the rapid rise in cell overpotential easily exceeds electrolytes’ fixed electrochemical stability window. Here we design a self-adaptive electrolyte with a dynamically expanding electrochemical stability window that increases in real time during charging, outpacing the rise in overpotential as the charging current intensifies. The self-adaptive electrolyte is a single-phase solution of salt and complementary oxidation- and reduction-resistant solvents at the cloud point composition but can undergo solvent separation to dynamically redistribute solvent components during charging. The oxidation-resistant solvents concentrate at the positive electrode and reduction-resistant solvents accumulate at the negative electrode, broadening the electrolyte stability window in real time during charging. Proof-of-concept experiments validate the versatility of this design in both aqueous zinc-metal and non-aqueous lithium-metal batteries, achieving high Coulombic efficiencies of negative electrodes and enhanced oxidative stability for positive electrodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144566472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Full steam ahead","authors":"Ryan O’Hayre","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01795-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01795-9","url":null,"abstract":"Protonic-ceramic-based fuel cells and electrolysers are promising technologies for reversible energy storage and green hydrogen production from steam. However, they have poor longevity because they are chemically unstable in high-steam environments. Using a solution-deposited conformal coating to protect the electrode, researchers now reduce cell degradation rates by 100–1,000 fold.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144520525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conformally coated scaffold design using water-tolerant Pr1.8Ba0.2NiO4.1 for protonic ceramic electrochemical cells with 5,000-h electrolysis stability","authors":"Hanchen Tian, Wei Li, Yueh-Lin Lee, Hongkui Zheng, Qingyuan Li, Liang Ma, Debangsu Bhattacharyya, Xiujuan Chen, Dawei Zhang, Guosheng Li, Yi Wang, Li Li, Qingsong Wang, Fang Xia, Muhammet Kartal, Zhuozhao Shao, Matthew R. Rowles, Wenyuan Li, Wissam A. Saidi, Cijie Liu, Xuemei Li, Jian Luo, Xiaolin Li, Kai He, Xingbo Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01800-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01800-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Protonic ceramic electrochemical cells (PCECs) have potential as long-duration energy storage systems. However, their operational stability is limited under industrially relevant conditions due to the intrinsic chemical instability of doped barium cerate-based electrolytes and oxygen electrodes against H₂O, as well as the poor electrode–electrolyte interfacial contact. Here we present a conformally coated scaffold (CCS) design to comprehensively address these issues. A porous proton-conducting scaffold is constructed and conformally coated with Pr_1.8Ba_0.2NiO_4.1 electrocatalyst, which has high chemical stability against H₂O, triple conductivity and hydration capability, and protects vulnerable electrolytes from H₂O. The CCS structure consolidates the electrode–electrolyte interfacial bonding to enable fast proton transfer in the percolated network. This design enables PCECs to reach electrolysis stability for 5,000 h at −1.5 A cm⁻² and 600 °C in 40% H₂O. This work provides a general strategy to stabilize PCECs and offers guidance for designing resilient and stable solid-state energy storage systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"74 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144520526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inhibiting defect passivation failure in perovskite for perovskite/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 monolithic tandem solar cells with certified efficiency 27.35%","authors":"Fengtao Pei, Shuping Lin, Zhongyang Zhang, Shiju Lin, Xingye Huang, Ming Zhao, Jian Xu, Xinmeng Zhuang, Ying Zhang, Jiahong Tang, Yanrun Chen, Kailin Li, Lan Wang, Guilin Liu, Dongmin Qian, Huifeng Liu, Wentao Zhou, Yihua Chen, Jianpu Wang, Huanping Zhou, Boyan Li, Dalong Zhong, Yan Jiang, Qi Chen","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01761-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01761-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Thin-film tandem solar cells with wide-bandgap perovskites and Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ hold promise for cost-effective lightweight photovoltaics. However, the power conversion efficiency and stability of perovskite/Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ tandem solar cells are not yet comparable to single-junction counterparts due to recombination losses and photothermal-induced degradation in wide-bandgap perovskites. In this study, we show that common strategies for perovskite passivation often fail under combined thermal and illumination stresses due to the passivator desorption. We demonstrate a robust passivator with deliberately designed functional groups that inhibits passivator desorption regardless of perovskite surface termination, enhances resistance to photothermal stresses and substantially suppresses phase segregation. The wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells achieved a champion power conversion efficiency of 23.5% with negligible degradation after 1,000 hours of continuous operation under 1-sun illumination at approximately 50 °C. When integrated into perovskite/Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ tandem cells, they achieved the steady state power conversion efficiency of 27.93% (certified 27.35%), with stable operation for over 420 hours at ~38 °C in ambient air.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}