{"title":"Outstanding Reviewers for Industrial Chemistry & Materials in 2025","authors":"None","doi":"10.1039/D6IM90007K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6IM90007K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of <em>Industrial Chemistry & Materials</em>’s reviewers for helping to preserve quality and integrity in chemical science literature. We would also like to highlight the Outstanding Reviewers for <em>Industrial Chemistry & Materials</em> in 2025.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 3","pages":" 285-286"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d6im90007k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148020949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liangpang Xu, Yi Xie, Bichao Wu, Qian Lu, Lu Wang and Ying Wang
{"title":"Non-thermal plasma catalysis for conversion of CO2 and CH4 to oxygenates: a mini review","authors":"Liangpang Xu, Yi Xie, Bichao Wu, Qian Lu, Lu Wang and Ying Wang","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00347D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5IM00347D","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is an emerging technology for the conversion of CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> and CH<small><sub>4</sub></small> under mild conditions. This mini review systematically summarizes recent advances in NTP catalysis for the direct conversion of CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> and CH<small><sub>4</sub></small> into value-added oxygenates, with a focus on two key aspects: catalyst design and reactor optimization. The metal active sites (<em>e.g.</em>, Cu, Ni, Co) and their properties (valence state, dispersion) are critical in directing reaction pathways towards specific oxygenates like alcohols or acids, while the support material modulates performance by influencing the local electric field and stabilizing intermediates. Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactors are predominant, and innovations in reactor structure, electrode design (<em>e.g.</em>, water electrodes, surface microdischarge), and configuration (<em>e.g.</em>, plasma bubble reactors) are crucial for enhancing efficiency and selectivity, even enabling long-chain hydrocarbon formation. Despite progress, challenges in selectivity and energy efficiency remain. Future efforts should focus on rational catalyst design and advanced reactor integration to advance the industrial application of NTP for greenhouse gas valorization.</p><p>Keywords: Non-thermal plasma; Plasma catalysis; CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> and CH<small><sub>4</sub></small> conversion; Oxygenates.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 3","pages":" 287-304"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d5im00347d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148020933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ao-Chuan Zheng, Hao-Sheng Xu, Lin Du, Yan Li and Xin-Ming Hu
{"title":"Key factors influencing direct CO2 capture from air","authors":"Ao-Chuan Zheng, Hao-Sheng Xu, Lin Du, Yan Li and Xin-Ming Hu","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00391A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5IM00391A","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Excessive CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> emission into the atmosphere has caused serious climate change that draws global concerns. Direct air capture (DAC) plays a crucial role in reducing atmospheric CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> concentration and mitigating climate change. In this review, we summarize the latest advances and emerging opportunities in DAC through three key aspects. First, we introduce two different types of air contactors (adsorption- and absorption-based) and their functions, unveiling their critical roles in DAC. Second, we discuss a number of effective capture agents for DAC, including solid adsorbent materials and liquid absorbent solutions, with emphasis on the capture mechanism and efficiency. Third, we present three typical methods for CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> release and capture agent regeneration that match DAC effectively, including temperature swing, precipitation-phase separation, and electrolysis, focusing on the CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> release process and energy consumption. In the end, we provide insights into the existing challenges, potential solutions, and future directions for advancing DAC technologies.</p><p>Keywords: CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> capture; Direct air capture; Air contactor; Capture agent; Regeneration method.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 3","pages":" 305-333"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d5im00391a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148020934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chao Xu, Jinbing Wen, Weikang Yuan and Xuezhi Duan
{"title":"Non-noble metal single-atom catalysts: controllable fabrication and electrocatalytic CO2 reduction activity","authors":"Chao Xu, Jinbing Wen, Weikang Yuan and Xuezhi Duan","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00351B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5IM00351B","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The electrochemical CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> reduction reaction (eCO<small><sub>2</sub></small>RR) was recognized as a pivotal carbon emission reduction technology, as it can couple with renewable energy to convert CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> into high-value-added products. With their ultrahigh atomic utilization efficiency, well-defined active sites, and tunable electronic structures, single-atom catalysts (SACs) have demonstrated remarkable catalytic merits and thus exhibited enormous development potential in this field. This minireview summarizes the latest advances in SACs for eCO<small><sub>2</sub></small>RR. First, the state-of-the-art characterization techniques for single-atom catalysts were discussed, followed by an elaboration on the influence of different synthetic strategies on their performance. Subsequently, the focus was placed on various non-noble metal SACs, with an analysis of the role of catalytic site structures in optimizing the adsorption/desorption energies of intermediates and suppressing the hydrogen evolution side reaction (HER). Finally, the current challenges and prospects of SACs in eCO<small><sub>2</sub></small>RR were addressed.</p><p>Keywords: CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> reduction reaction; Electrocatalysis; Synthetic strategies; Single atom.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 2","pages":" 151-171"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d5im00351b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147558280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xingqun Zheng, Yuhan Mei, Yi Zeng, Qingsong Hua and Shun Lu
{"title":"Theoretical insights of nickel-based dual-metal atoms supported on C2N sheets for urea electrooxidation","authors":"Xingqun Zheng, Yuhan Mei, Yi Zeng, Qingsong Hua and Shun Lu","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00252D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5IM00252D","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The electrocatalytic urea oxidation reaction (UOR) enables energy-saving hydrogen production and waste degradation but requires efficient catalysts due to its complex, sluggish 6-electron transfer mechanism. In this study, we designed a series of stable 3d transition metal heterometal atom pairs (TMNi, TM refers to Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn) supported on the C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N substrate as UOR catalysts, systematically investigating their potential to enhance the activity of Ni<small><sub>2</sub></small>/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N. Among these, CrNi/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N displayed a superior capability to lower the limiting potential of the UOR compared to CuNi/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N and Ni/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N. The enhanced catalytic CrNi/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N system primarily stems from the stronger TM–Ni interactions, notable differences in charge distribution, more localized electronic states, and a higher d-band center associated with CrNi/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N relative to CuNi/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N and Ni<small><sub>2</sub></small>/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N. These attributes not only ensure the stability of the well-dispersed CrNi pairs on C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N but also amplify the ability of the active center to adsorb and activate reaction intermediates. Moreover, CrNi/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N demonstrates good selectivity for the UOR by exhibiting reduced susceptibility to forming NO<small><sub>2</sub></small> by-products and undergoing the competing oxygen evolution reaction. This theoretically driven work identifies CrNi/C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N as the top-performing UOR dual-metal-atom catalysts, combining 0.99 V limiting potential with selective N<small><sub>2</sub></small> generation through electronic structure modulation, offering guidance for advanced catalyst design through the strategic use of transition metal heterometal atom pairs.</p><p>Keywords: Urea oxidation reaction; C<small><sub>2</sub></small>N; Dual-atom catalyst; Nickel-based compounds; DFT calculations.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 3","pages":" 392-404"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d5im00252d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148020948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liangmei Rao, Jinfeng Chen, Mei-Rong Huang, Hongguang Zhu, Fei Yu and Jie Ma
{"title":"Iron vacancy accelerates biogas slurry-derived Fe3O4/mesoporous carbon for water purification","authors":"Liangmei Rao, Jinfeng Chen, Mei-Rong Huang, Hongguang Zhu, Fei Yu and Jie Ma","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00117J","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5IM00117J","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fe<small><sub>3</sub></small>O<small><sub>4</sub></small> is a promising transition metal oxide for ion removal owing to its high theoretical capacity, hydrophilicity, and non-toxicity, but its structural instability during ion insertion–extraction limits practical application. Here, Fe<small><sub>3</sub></small>O<small><sub>4</sub></small> was integrated with mesoporous carbon derived from biogas slurry to enhance conductivity and sustainability, followed by alkaline etching to introduce abundant iron vacancies (VFO). The resulting VFO-C composite exhibits accelerated charge transfer, numerous intercalation-active sites, and superior electrochemical stability. At 1.6 V, the material achieved a desalination capacity of 126 mg g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> and retained 96.6% of its initial capacity after prolonged cycling. This performance surpasses conventional Fe<small><sub>3</sub></small>O<small><sub>4</sub></small> electrodes, highlighting the synergistic benefits of defect engineering and waste-derived carbon. The strategy not only advances high-efficiency and durable capacitive deionization but also broadens potential applications in energy storage systems such as supercapacitors and batteries.</p><p>Keywords: Iron vacancy; Biogas slurry; Fe<small><sub>3</sub></small>O<small><sub>4</sub></small>; Capacitive deionization.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 2","pages":" 172-183"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d5im00117j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147558281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lujia Han, Huakang Zhang, Xiao Yang, Yuanyuan Li, Yanhao Dong and Jiangtao Li
{"title":"Combustion co-synthesis of nano SiC and purified Si3N4 powders by coupling strong and weak exothermic reactions","authors":"Lujia Han, Huakang Zhang, Xiao Yang, Yuanyuan Li, Yanhao Dong and Jiangtao Li","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00191A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5IM00191A","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Silicon carbide (SiC) powders and silicon nitride (Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small>) powders are critical raw materials for advanced ceramic technology and industry. There are two challenges in their synthesis and production: (i) phase formation of nano SiC powders due to harsh reaction temperature and (ii) preparation of high-purity Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small> powders due to difficulties in removing trace oxygen impurities. Combustion synthesis is a cheap, scalable method for producing SiC and Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small> powders. However, there are two additional challenges: (iii) combustion synthesis of SiC requires intense external energy input due to the weak exothermic reaction between Si and C and (iv) combustion synthesis of Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small> requires a diluent to slow down the self-accelerated reaction and fully convert Si to Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small> due to the strong exothermic reaction between Si and N<small><sub>2</sub></small>. Here, we reported a new combustion co-synthesis of nano SiC and high-purity Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small> powders in one chamber, which addressed all four challenges mentioned above: (i) the production of nano SiC powders resolved by fast synthesis, (ii) purified pink-grade Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small> powders using carbon as an efficient high-temperature oxygen getter, (iii) ignited Si–C combustion by a strongly exothermic Si–N<small><sub>2</sub></small> reaction, and (iv) more controllable Si–N<small><sub>2</sub></small> combustion with less diluent usage and less residual Si. We demonstrated nano β-SiC powders with ∼30 nm primary particle size and high-purity pink-colored β-Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small> powders with oxygen impurity content down to 0.46 wt%. This study not only offers practical solutions to the production of high-quality SiC and Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small> powders but also refreshes the design of combustion synthesis with new possibilities and improved controllability.</p><p>Keywords: Combustion synthesis; SiC; Si<small><sub>3</sub></small>N<small><sub>4</sub></small>; Nanoparticles; Reaction kinetics.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 3","pages":" 366-377"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d5im00191a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148020947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhe Chen, Wenjia Wang, Tongtong Wang, Sean Tang, Sabin Gautam, Nilay Saha, Piumi Samarawickrama, So Tie Tjeng, Eric G. Eddings and Maohong Fan
{"title":"High-performance carbon fibers fabricated from coal and waste plastics","authors":"Zhe Chen, Wenjia Wang, Tongtong Wang, Sean Tang, Sabin Gautam, Nilay Saha, Piumi Samarawickrama, So Tie Tjeng, Eric G. Eddings and Maohong Fan","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00110B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5IM00110B","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Carbon fibers (CFs) are valuable in applications such as aircraft, automobiles, wind turbines, and energy storage devices. However, the production cost of CFs is high due to the use of conventional precursor polyacrylonitrile, and an affordable substitute is imperative. For the first time, this work combined cheap coal and waste plastic material to fabricate CFs. Currently, conventional disposal methods for waste plastics lack sustainability and profitability. Despite its unpopularity as an energy source, coal can serve as a feedstock for chemicals and materials. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), a commonly used plastic, was hydrogenolyzed into a plastic-derived liquid (PDL). PDL served as an effective solvent during mild solvolysis liquefaction of coal, and the acquired coal–plastic liquid was modified into mesophase coal–plastic liquids (MCPLs). MCPLs were melt-spun and heat-treated into CFs through different heat treatment conditions. The diameters of the CFs were 8.2–45.8 μm, and the Young's modulus and tensile strength were 75–759 GPa and 0.54–4.03 GPa, respectively. The CFs belong to the categories of general-purpose and high-performance CFs. The high-performance CFs (diameter: 8.2 μm, Young's modulus: 759 GPa, and tensile strength: 4.03 GPa) are comparable to commercial and laboratory CFs whose precursors are coal–tar pitch featuring low coal-to-pitch yield, or coal liquefied by conventional, costly solvents. Analysis shows the PDL enhances hydrogen transfer, stabilizes radicals, and promotes mesophase development during thermal treatment. The mechanisms valorizing coal and plastics simultaneously to high-performance CFs are proposed. This work demonstrates a novel and sustainable valorization pathway for waste plastics and coals. Future work will explore industrial-scale plant design, techno-economic analysis, and life-cycle assessment to quantify the economic and environmental impacts.</p><p>Keywords: Environmentally unfriendly polyacrylonitrile; Valorization of waste plastic and coal; Low CO<small><sub>2</sub></small>-emission; High-performance carbon fiber.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 2","pages":" 184-199"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d5im00110b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147558282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xu Wang, Dongming Shen, Hui Kang, Kangzhou Wang, Chundong Zhang, Xinhua Gao, Jianli Zhang, Eunjoo Jang and Jong Wook Bae
{"title":"Silicalite-1 zeolite encapsulated Cu–ZnO nanoparticles for selective CO2 hydrogenation to oxygenates","authors":"Xu Wang, Dongming Shen, Hui Kang, Kangzhou Wang, Chundong Zhang, Xinhua Gao, Jianli Zhang, Eunjoo Jang and Jong Wook Bae","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00166H","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5IM00166H","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Selective conversion of CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> into value-added oxygenates, particularly methanol and dimethyl ether (DME), presents a promising route for CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> utilization. However, achieving both high selectivity and catalyst stability remained significant challenges. To address this, we report the fabrication of a core–shell-structured catalyst prepared by a steam-assisted crystallization (SAC) approach, in which highly dispersed Cu–ZnO nanoparticles (2.0–3.5 nm) are encapsulated within nanocrystalline silicalite-1 zeolite. The spatial confinement effects from silicalite-1 frameworks induce strong metal–zeolite interactions, effectively suppressing Cu–ZnO nanoparticle aggregation and sintering phenomena. This structural feature helps to preserve dominant populations of active Cu<small><sup>+</sup></small> species on thermally stabilized Cu–ZnO nanoparticles. As a result, the optimized catalyst enables efficient tandem conversion of CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> to oxygenates, achieving a CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> conversion of 21.5% with an oxygenate selectivity of 83.0% toward dimethyl ether (DME, 72.5%) and methanol (10.5%), where an optimized catalyst exhibits exceptional catalytic performance for the tandem CO<small><sub>2</sub></small>-to-DME reaction. Comprehensive characterization reveals that the spatial confinement within the protective silicalite-1 matrix not only stabilizes highly dispersed Cu–ZnO nanoparticles and Cu<small><sup>+</sup></small> sites but also facilitates the formation and stabilization of key reaction intermediates. These synergistic effects are directly responsible for an enhanced catalytic activity, high DME selectivity, and prolonged operational durability observed during 300 h of continuous CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> hydrogenation.</p><p>Keywords: CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> hydrogenation; Encapsulation; Silicalite-1 zeolite; Cu–ZnO nanoparticles; Oxygenates.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 3","pages":" 342-354"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/im/d5im00166h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148020945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Minghua Jing, Yanqiu Chen, Yuxuan Yang, Mengnan Zhang, Bo Wang, Zeyu Xu and Dawei Fang
{"title":"Synergistically engineered B- and P-doped graphite felts as tailored asymmetric electrodes for aqueous quinone-based redox flow batteries","authors":"Minghua Jing, Yanqiu Chen, Yuxuan Yang, Mengnan Zhang, Bo Wang, Zeyu Xu and Dawei Fang","doi":"10.1039/D5IM00204D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5IM00204D","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs) have emerged as a novel type of large-scale, long-duration energy storage technology, garnering significant attention due to their resource and cost benefits. However, the electrode reaction kinetics of various electroactive substances differ fundamentally. Consequently, it is essential to design electrode materials that are tailored to specific organic electroactive substances to enhance the performance of AORFBs even further. This study investigates the composition and structural characteristics of various heteroatom-doped graphite felt (GF) electrode materials and their electrochemical reactivity towards the positive benzoquinone disulfonic acid (BQDSH<small><sub>2</sub></small>) and negative anthraquinone sulfonic acid (AQSH) electrolytes. Several patterns and insights are deduced. Among pristine graphene (GF) and five heteroatom-doped graphenes (N, O, P, B, S), B-doped GF and P-doped GF exhibit the best electrochemical activity for BQDSH<small><sub>2</sub></small> and AQSH, respectively. Density functional theory has confirmed that electrodes with different properties exhibit distinct characteristic reactivities towards various electroactive substances. The effectiveness of designing the positive and negative electrodes separately to enhance the performance of AORFBs is further verified through kinetic tests and the assembly of asymmetric batteries. By conducting targeted design for the positive and negative electrodes, the energy efficiency and utilization rate of the all-quinone AORFBs has increased by 18% and 10%, and the power density has risen by nearly 43%. All these results have verified the effectiveness and necessity of the targeted design of electrode materials in improving the performance of AORFBs.</p><p>Keywords: AORFBs; Quinone; Graphite felt; Heterogeneous electrode; Heteroatom-doped.</p>","PeriodicalId":29808,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Chemistry & Materials","volume":" 3","pages":" 378-391"},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/im/d5im00204d","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147910709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}