Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-05-14DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01767-z
Zhuojun Huang, Hao Lyu, Louisa C. Greenburg, Yi Cui, Zhenan Bao
{"title":"Stabilizing lithium-metal electrodes with polymer coatings","authors":"Zhuojun Huang, Hao Lyu, Louisa C. Greenburg, Yi Cui, Zhenan Bao","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01767-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01767-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Increasing the energy density of batteries can accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles, expand the utilization of renewable energy and, in turn, reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Different from commercially available lithium-ion batteries, high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries use metallic lithium instead of graphite as the negative electrode. The commercialization of lithium-metal batteries is hindered by the electrochemical instability of lithium metal. Polymer coatings have shown promise in addressing issues related to each step of heterogeneous lithium deposition. Here we summarize the current understanding of key design principles and highlight relevant coating compositions. Moreover, we discuss high-performing coating–electrolyte pairs and provide an outlook on interface design for novel electrolytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143946071","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-05-12DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01776-y
Palani Balaya
{"title":"Small-battery calorimetry for enhanced safety","authors":"Palani Balaya","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01776-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01776-y","url":null,"abstract":"The increasing energy density and size requirements for batteries demand better safety technologies, but size limits and high costs hinder effective testing. Now, accelerated rate calorimetry tests on small batteries with an optimal thermal runaway factor enable rapid screening and provide early-stage feedback for improving safety features.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143933242","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-05-09DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01774-0
Silvana Lakeman
{"title":"Gender equality in Africa’s energy transition","authors":"Silvana Lakeman","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01774-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01774-0","url":null,"abstract":"Nature Energy talks to Sheila Oparaocha (pictured), Director of the ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy, and Magi Matinga, Technical Advisor at ENERGIA, about challenges and opportunities for ensuring gender equality in Africa’s energy transition, and how well aligned the fields of advocacy, policy and research are on this issue.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"107 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143926894","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-05-09DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01769-x
Silvana Lakeman
{"title":"Analysis and research at the supranational level","authors":"Silvana Lakeman","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01769-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01769-x","url":null,"abstract":"Salvatore Finamore speaks with Nature Energy about what the Analysis and Research Team at the Council of the European Union does and how they measure impact, while offering insight for researchers looking to reach a policy audience.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"53 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143926895","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-04-30DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01765-1
Sumit Bawari, Stephan N. Steinmann
{"title":"Aromatic amines boost electrolysis","authors":"Sumit Bawari, Stephan N. Steinmann","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01765-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01765-1","url":null,"abstract":"The slow kinetics of hydrogen evolution in alkaline solutions limit the current density of alkaline electrolysers. Research now demonstrates that the addition of aromatic amines to the electrolyte enhances alkaline hydrogen evolution, a strategy that is readily applicable to existing electrolysers.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143890290","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-04-28DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01745-5
Henri M. Pelzer, Nikita Kolobov, David A. Vermaas, Thomas Burdyny
{"title":"Scaling and heating will drive low-temperature CO2 electrolysers to operate at higher temperatures","authors":"Henri M. Pelzer, Nikita Kolobov, David A. Vermaas, Thomas Burdyny","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01745-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01745-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Low-temperature carbon dioxide electrolysis (CO<sub>2</sub>E) provides a one-step means of converting CO<sub>2</sub> into carbon-based fuels using electrical inputs at temperatures below 100 °C. Over the past decade, an abundance of work has been carried out at ambient temperature, and high CO<sub>2</sub>E rates and product selectivities have been achieved. With scaling of CO<sub>2</sub>E technologies underway, greater discourse surrounding heat management and the viable operating temperatures of larger systems is important. In this Perspective we argue that, owing to the energy inefficiency of electrolysers, heat generation in CO<sub>2</sub>E stacks will favour operating temperatures of between 40 and 70 °C, far from the ambient temperatures used so far. Such elevated temperatures put further pressure on catalyst and membrane stability and on the stack design. On the other hand, elevated temperatures could alleviate challenges in salt precipitation, water management and high cell voltages, aiding the technology. We reflect on these aspects and discuss the opportunities for waste heat valorization to increase the economic feasibility of the process.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143880489","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-04-25DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01757-1
Michael P. Weinold, Sergey Kolesnikov, Laura Díaz Anadón
{"title":"Rapid technological progress in white light-emitting diodes and its source in innovation and technology spillovers","authors":"Michael P. Weinold, Sergey Kolesnikov, Laura Díaz Anadón","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01757-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01757-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Since their introduction to the market in 1996, white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have greatly improved in performance, efficiency and manufacturing cost. Understanding the extent and mechanisms of rapid progress in white LED technology can provide valuable insights for accelerating innovation in other demand-side clean energy technologies critical for reducing global carbon emissions. Here we show, through cost and performance modelling based on data from literature review, patent analysis and expert interviews, that the efficiency of top-performing warm white GaN-based LED packages increased from 5.8% in 2003 to 38.8% in 2020. Over the same period, the manufacturing cost of low-to-mid-power LED packages decreased by 95.5% from US$1.1 to US$0.05 (in 2020 US dollars). We find that technology spillovers from other sectors accounted for at least 8.5% of efficiency improvements and nearly all consumer experience enhancements, playing an important role in widespread LED adoption in lighting.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"73 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143872542","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-04-25DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01764-2
Micah S. Ziegler
{"title":"Elucidating mechanisms of change","authors":"Micah S. Ziegler","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01764-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01764-2","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding the mechanisms of improvements in energy technologies can inform efforts to drive further innovation. Now, researchers evaluate the role of research and development, along with technology spillovers, in the improvement of light-emitting diodes.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"136 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143872541","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-04-25DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01780-2
Fabian Hofmann, Christoph Tries, Fabian Neumann, Elisabeth Zeyen, Tom Brown
{"title":"Author Correction: H2 and CO2 network strategies for the European energy system","authors":"Fabian Hofmann, Christoph Tries, Fabian Neumann, Elisabeth Zeyen, Tom Brown","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01780-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01780-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Correction to: <i>Nature Energy</i> https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01752-6, published online 11 April 2025.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143876315","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}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-04-24DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01772-2
Xinru Li
{"title":"Rethinking molecular O2","authors":"Xinru Li","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01772-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01772-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Compared to conventional metal oxide cathodes found in Li-ion batteries, Li-rich layered oxides introduce an additional charge storage mechanism that involves not just transition metals, but also lattice oxygen, known as anionic redox. These dual (cationic and anionic) redox processes enhance Li-ion utilization and increase capacity, making these materials promising candidates for next-generation batteries. However, commercialization is limited by rapid performance degradation mainly related to complex oxygen evolution processes, affecting both capacity and discharge voltage. In particular, voltage decay, which is characterized by a gradual decline in discharge voltage, reduces the battery’s practical energy density and efficiency. Despite extensive debate, the role of anions in the redox processes is still uncertain. The most recent focus is on the involvement of trapped molecular O<sub>2</sub>, based on high-resolution resonant X-ray inelastic scattering (RIXS) research. Now, Jean-Marie Tarascon and colleagues in France, China, and Russia challenge the prevailing view, arguing that molecular O<sub>2</sub> is not a direct product of the redox activity of the Li-stoichiometric or Li-rich layered oxides, raising questions about identifying speciation using RIXS.</p><p>The researchers survey RIXS data from various oxide-based cathodes under different conditions, suggesting that molecular O<sub>2</sub> is not formed through electrochemical redox reactions but rather is due to excitation by the RIXS measurement. The results reveal that molecular O<sub>2</sub> signals appear not only in Li-rich oxides capable of anionic oxygen redox, but also in O-redox-inactive materials like Li-stoichiometric layered and spinel oxides, indicating no correlation with voltage decay. By clarifying the origin of molecular O<sub>2</sub>, this study provides valuable insights into oxygen redox reactions in Li-rich layered oxide cathodes and offers guidelines for developing more stable and efficient cathode materials for Li-ion batteries.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143872545","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}