Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy最新文献

{"title":"Development of hybrid graphene–biochar–metal foam composites phase change materials for building applications","authors":"Sapana Dhabarde,&nbsp;Meena Laad","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00365-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00365-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Innovative research into thermal energy retention materials that improve interior thermal efficiency and lower overall energy consumption is prompted by the growing need for energy-efficient buildings. Phase change materials are known for their enormous latent heat storage capacity; however, issues with low thermal conductivity, leakage, and structural stability following repeated thermal cycling limit their practical application. This review work investigated the creation of hybrid biochar-metal foam PCM composites in order to overcome these problems. By adding graphene, rapid heat absorption and release rates are obtained, which considerably enhance thermal conductivity. Biochar, which is produced by pyrolyzing agricultural waste, offers a lightweight, extremely porous, economical, and environmentally acceptable matrix that reduces PCM leakage and promotes capillary-driven form stability. Benefits of metal foam include homogeneous heat distribution, good mechanical resistance, and structural strengthening. PCM is injected into hybrid scaffolds using the vacuum impregnation process to create form-stable composites that improve thermal transfer and minimize leakage. The findings demonstrate the use of composites in thermal-regulating wall panels, roofing systems, and passive energy-saving envelopes. For the future generation of high-performing, energy-efficient buildings, this PCM composite hybrid graphene-biochar-metal foam offers sustainable TES materials.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00365-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147607380","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}

{"title":"Enhancing dye-sensitized solar cell performance by introducing Fe/Co into the B-site of Sr0.7Sm0.3BO2.89 perovskite photoanodes","authors":"Samantha Ndlovu,&nbsp;Edigar Muchuweni,&nbsp;Vincent O. Nyamori","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00366-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00366-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The desire for clean, affordable, and efficient energy technologies that can harvest light to generate electricity has led to recent developments in new-generation solar cells. Among them, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have numerous merits, including low impact on the environment, facile fabrication procedures, and the associated low cost of raw materials. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSCs is limited by poor electron injection and high charge carrier recombination in conventional photoanode materials. This, in turn, has prompted significant research efforts to find alternative photoanode materials. In this study, we report a novel perovskite-based photoanode material (Sr_0.7Sm_0.3BO_2.89) optimised by varying the B-site using Fe or Co. To achieve this, Sr_0.7Sm_0.3FeO_2.89 (SSF) and Sr_0.7Sm_0.3CoO_2.89 (SSC) perovskites were synthesised using the ball milling method, calcined at 600 °C, and characterised using various techniques. Varying the B-site using Fe or Co significantly influenced the structure and morphology of Sr_0.7Sm_0.3BO_2.89. Both perovskites revealed the formation of irregularly shaped nanoparticles with cubic and tetragonal lattices for SSF and SSC, respectively. SSF, with relatively smaller particle sizes, larger pore volumes, and better crystallinity, exhibited a relatively larger surface area (52.6 m² g⁻¹), lower energy band gap (2.4 eV), and higher electrical conductivity (4.98 S cm⁻¹) than SSC. This led to the fabrication of SSF photoanode-based DSSCs with an enhanced PCE of 6.24%, outperforming SSC-based devices by ~ 109%. Therefore, this study demonstrates that varying the B-site cations can significantly improve the physicochemical properties of perovskites for use as photoanodes in future DSSCs.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00366-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147607393","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}

{"title":"Synthesis of Ni-P alloy coatings by pulsed electrodeposition: the effect of additive content on morphology, local structure and electrochemical properties for HER","authors":"A. P. Gaikwad,&nbsp;V. M. Tripathi,&nbsp;C. Nayak,&nbsp;K. K. Bairwa,&nbsp;V. S. Tripathi,&nbsp;M. R. Pai,&nbsp;Atindra Mohan Banerjee","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00355-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00355-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Alloy coatings based on nickel and phosphorus (NiP) have shown encouraging electrocatalytic activity and stability for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline conditions. The NiP electrocatalyst offers several advantages over other HER catalysts, including its high activity, stability, abundance, and affordability. The purpose of this study is to determine whether concentration differences of the NH₄Cl additive during electrodeposition affect the physical, chemical, and electrochemical properties of the Ni-P alloy deposits. For this purpose, three distinct Ni-P coatings (NP02, NP1, and NP3) are synthesized by electrodeposition using three different concentrations of ammonium chloride (0.2 M, 1 M, and 3 M) in an electrochemical bath also comprising nickel sulfate and sodium hypophosphite. Utilizing powder XRD, AFM, XANES, EXAFS, and SEM-EDX techniques, the synthesized Ni-P coating’s crystal structure, texture, local structure, composition and morphology are analysed. As we moved from NP02 to NP3, the surface texture smoothened, particle size distribution improved, an orderly rise in P-content was observed, the co-ordination number of Ni for the Ni-P bond progressively escalated, and all these led to a gradual increase in their electrocatalytic activity for HER in alkaline media, with NP3 exhibiting the minimum charge transfer resistance and Tafel slope of 53.9 mV dec^− 1. Electrodeposition studies using in-situ UV-visible spectroscopic methods show significant variations in the deposition mechanism when the NH₄Cl content is altered. Therefore, by adjusting only the additive content in the electrodeposition bath during the synthesis of Ni-P alloy coatings, their P-content, topography, morphology, and local structure can be suitably regulated, consequently favorably tailoring their electrocatalytic activities for HER.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00355-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606586","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}

{"title":"Plasmon-enhanced nitrogen-doped Nb2O3 nanoplates for efficient solar hydrogen generation","authors":"Aniruddha K. Kulkarni","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00363-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00363-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion remains challenging due to the limited visible-light activity and rapid charge recombination in conventional photocatalysts. Here, we report a plasmon-enhanced nitrogen-doped niobium pentoxide (N–Nb₂O₅) photocatalyst decorated with gold nanoparticles (Au@N–Nb₂O₅) for high-performance solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen generation. N–Nb₂O₅ was synthesized via a simple wet-chemical route and calcined at 500 °C, forming crystalline orthorhombic nanoplates with XRD-derived crystallite sizes of 50–55 nm and lateral dimensions of ~ 150 nm (FE-SEM). Gold nanoparticles were subsequently deposited via photodeposition, extending visible-light absorption and narrowing the band gap to 2.3–2.5 eV (UV–DRS). XPS analysis confirmed successful nitrogen incorporation and surface metallization. Photoluminescence studies revealed efficient charge separation and concentration-dependent suppression of radiative recombination. The optimised Au@N–Nb₂O₅ (2 wt% Au) achieved a hydrogen evolution rate of 2168 µmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ under natural sunlight, nearly fourfold higher than pristine Nb₂O₅ and N–Nb₂O₅. The ordered nanoplate morphology facilitates charge transport, complementing the interfacial effects of Au, providing a scalable strategy for designing high-performance Nb₂O₅-based photocatalysts for sustainable solar water splitting.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00363-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561008","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}

{"title":"Nano-engineered organic solid–solid phase change materials for high-efficiency thermal energy storage in renewable systems: a review","authors":"Ikenna Okechukwu,&nbsp;Nkiruka Nancy Duru,&nbsp;Victor Oluwatosin Anyanwu,&nbsp;Tolulope Christiana Erinosho,&nbsp;Marvellous Omamuromu Eyube,&nbsp;Ugochukwu Chibuzo Akomah,&nbsp;Humphrey Sam Samuel,&nbsp;Gideon Okibe","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00361-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00361-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Thermal energy storage (TES) plays a critical role in enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of renewable energy systems. Among TES technologies, phase change materials (PCMs) are widely used due to their high latent heat storage capacity. However, conventional solid–liquid PCMs suffer from leakage, structural instability, and volume expansion, which limit their practical applications. Organic solid–solid PCMs offer a promising alternative by maintaining structural integrity during phase transitions. Recent advances in nanotechnology have further enhanced the thermal properties of organic solid–solid PCMs, improving thermal conductivity, phase transition temperature control, and overall energy storage efficiency. This study explores the nano-engineering of organic solid–solid PCMs through the incorporation of nanomaterials such as metal oxides (TiO₂, CuO, Al₂O₃, ZnO), carbon-based nanomaterials (graphene and carbon nanotubes), and metallic nanoparticles (Cu and Ag). These nano-engineered organic solid–solid PCMs (NEOSS-PCMs) exhibit superior thermal performance, making them suitable for applications in solar energy storage, passive building temperature regulation, and electronic thermal management. Composite formation and nano-encapsulation techniques are investigated to improve stability and prevent material degradation. This work highlights recent advancements, key challenges, and future research directions in the development of high-efficiency nano-engineered organic solid–solid PCMs for TES applications in renewable energy systems.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00361-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147559707","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}

{"title":"Investigation of structural, optical and electrical properties of Zn doped CuO thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition","authors":"Muhammad Imran,&nbsp;Ghulam Hasnain Tariq,&nbsp;Muhammad Ashfaq Ahamd,&nbsp;Sana Ullah,&nbsp;Patrizia Canton","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00358-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00358-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have rapidly emerged as promising next-generation photovoltaic technologies due to their remarkable power conversion efficiencies and low fabrication costs. The performance of PSCs strongly depends on the properties of their functional constituent layers, particularly the hole transport layer (HTL) plays a vital role in controlling and ensuring efficient charge extraction and overall device efficiency and stability. In the present study, Zn-doped copper oxide (CuO) thin films with a monoclinic structure were synthesized via a simple and low-cost chemical bath deposition (CBD) techniques on glass substrates to explore their suitability as HTL materials. The influence of zinc doping concentration on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of the films was systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and the hot probe technique. Obtained results revealed that increasing Zn concentration affected the crystallinity and maintained p-type conductivity, with optical bandgaps ranging between 1.40 and 1.50 eV. These optimized and tunable physical properties highlight the potential of Zn-doped CuO thin films as efficient, stable, and low-cost materials for HTLs in perovskite solar cells, offering a cost-effective pathway toward high-performance and durable photovoltaic devices.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00358-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147559755","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}

{"title":"Enhancing ionic conductivity in polyethylmethacrylate doped with ionic liquid trimethyl sulfonium iodide polymer electrolyte for dye sensitized solar cells","authors":"Ibrahim Zakariya’u,&nbsp;Pramod K. Singh,&nbsp;Monika Michalska,&nbsp;Markus Diantoro,&nbsp;Serguei V. Savilov,&nbsp;Suneyana Rawat,&nbsp;Islom Kadirov","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00362-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00362-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Solar radiation offers benefits such as sustainability, renewability, and environmental friendliness. Furthermore, solar energy can generate multiple forms of energy. Over the past 30 years, the use of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has been extensively investigated due to their simple manufacturing process, low cost, and excellent energy conversion and storage capabilities. In this work, a DSSC was fabricated with a poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) polymer electrolyte impregnated with an iodide-based ionic liquid. The influence of the ionic liquid on the interfacial characteristics and overall efficiency of the DSSCs with this polymer electrolyte was examined. The ionic liquid-doped polymer electrolyte exhibits an ionic conductivity of 1.27 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm at 40 wt% at room temperature. The DSSC has a conversion efficiency of 1.47% under one-sun conditions. The incorporation of the ionic liquid demonstrated improved stability and efficiency in photovoltaic power generation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00362-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147441351","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}

{"title":"An ab initio study on XRhP (X = Ti, Zr, Hf) half Heusler alloys for waste energy harvesting-based thermoelectric applications","authors":"S. S. Beenaben,&nbsp;Radha Sankararajan,&nbsp;Srinivasan Manickam,&nbsp;K. Klinton Brito","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00360-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00360-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions has led to extensive research on thermoelectric materials that convert waste heat into electricity. Half-Heusler alloys are promising candidates due to their stability, electronic properties, and moderate thermal conductivity. To assess their thermoelectric potential, this study investigates the structural, electronic, mechanical, and thermoelectric properties of XRhP (X = Ti, Zr, Hf) alloys. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations using the WIEN2k software were employed to study structural, electronic, and mechanical properties. The BoltzTraP code was used to compute transport properties such as the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (σ), and thermal conductivity (κ). The Slack model estimated lattice thermal conductivity (κ_L), and the thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) was calculated. The optimized lattice parameters for TiRhP, ZrRhP, and HfRhP were 5.75 Å, 5.98 Å, and 5.95 Å, respectively. These alloys exhibit semiconducting behavior with band gaps of 0.85 eV, 1.44 eV, and 0.73 eV. At 1400 K, the highest zT values were 1.31, 0.70, and 1.46, with reduced lattice thermal conductivities of 0.52 W/m·K, 0.43 W/m·K, and 0.40 W/m·K, respectively, in the p-type material of XRhP alloy, highlighting their potential for thermoelectric applications<b>.</b></p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00360-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147441114","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}

{"title":"Tunable oxygen vacancies in CeO2 nanorods via one-step NaBH4-assisted synthesis for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic water splitting","authors":"Srinath Ranjan Tripathy,&nbsp;Saroj Sundar Baral","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00359-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00359-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>CeO₂ nanorod photocatalysts with systematically tuned oxygen vacancy concentrations were synthesized via a one-step NaBH₄-assisted hydrothermal method to elucidate the role of defect engineering in photocatalytic water splitting. A series of reduced samples (Ce1–Ce5) and pristine CeO₂ were thoroughly characterized. Increasing NaBH₄ dosage induced XRD peak broadening with crystallite size reduction (5.37–4.44 nm) and a UV–Vis DRS red shift with bandgap narrowing (2.89–2.72 eV). Urbach energy increased (0.36–0.41 eV), reflecting mid-gap state formation. Raman, FTIR, and EPR (g ≈ 2.002) confirmed rising oxygen vacancy and Ce³⁺ content, consistent with XPS, which revealed enhanced oxygen vacancy-related O 1s contribution (16.7–43%) and Ce³⁺ fraction. Valence-band XPS and secondary electron cut-off showed band-edge shifts and reduced work function, promoting charge transfer. PL and TCSPC indicated prolonged carrier lifetimes in Ce3 (τ_i − τ_a = 1.1087 ns), while Ce4–Ce5 exhibited deep traps. CDB and S-parameter analyses identified Ce3 as optimal, balancing shallow and deep traps for efficient carrier dynamics. BET and BJH confirmed Ce3’s highest surface area (~ 1465 m²/g) and mesoporosity. Morphological analysis showed smooth rods (Ce, Ce1) evolving to porous, defect-rich rods (Ce2–Ce3) and partial amorphization (Ce4–Ce5). Ce3 delivered the highest H₂ evolution under visible light without sacrificial agents, highlighting the critical role of controlled oxygen vacancy engineering in advancing CeO₂-based solar hydrogen production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00359-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147441105","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}

{"title":"Enhanced anion exchange membrane water electrolysis based on advanced PGM-free electrode formulations","authors":"Veronica Cicciò,&nbsp;Mariarosaria Pascale,&nbsp;Fausta Giacobello,&nbsp;Sabrina Campagna Zignani,&nbsp;Stefania Siracusano,&nbsp;Antonino Salvatore Aricò","doi":"10.1007/s40243-026-00357-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40243-026-00357-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Optimal electrode formulations were developed for anionic exchange membrane electrolysis cells. These included improved platinum-group metals (PGMs) free cathodic NiMo and anodic NiFe-oxide-hydroxide (Layered Double Hydroxide, LDH)-based electrocatalysts. The synthesis of the electrocatalysts was performed using simple and cost-effective co-precipitation methods. The characterization of the electrocatalysts included an analysis of their physico-chemical properties with regard to the crystallite size and active phase dispersion. The optimal ionomer dispersion casted for the catalytic ink was investigated. The assessment of the improved electrodes was carried out in single cell in the presence of an AEM hydrocarbon FumaTech® membrane. Despite the reduced crystallite size in supported NiMo alloy electrocatalysts, their performance was affected by lower catalytic activity and higher activation control with respect to unsupported NiMo electrocatalysts. Three different ionomers’ contents were investigated (33 wt. %, 20 wt. % and 10 wt. %) to individuate the most promising electrode formulations for the AEM electrolysis. A 10 wt. % of ionomer content in the electrode showed the best performance for unsupported anode and cathode electrocatalysts. This optimal ionomer concentration appeared related to the enhanced gas permeability of the catalytic layers while assuring appropriate binding characteristics. The achieved performance was comparable or better than the best results observed in the literature under similar operating conditions showing more than 2 A cm⁻² at 2 V/cell after 100 h operation for a PGM-free AEM water electrolysis cell. The optimized configuration showed promising characteristics for further development and upscaling for large scale AEM water electrolysis applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":692,"journal":{"name":"Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40243-026-00357-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147441763","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}