{"title":"Atomically Engineered Cobalt-doped Boron Nitride Nanosheets for Water Oxidation Reaction","authors":"Arunmuthukumar Pugalendhi, Suprobhat Singha Roy, Suganthi Periyadurai, Amuthan Dekshinamoorthy, Saranyan Vijayaraghavan, Gosipathala Sreedhar, Subrata Kundu","doi":"10.1039/d5ta05886d","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta05886d","url":null,"abstract":"Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a fascinating two-dimensional material with a wide range of potential applications. However, its application in electrocatalysis is limited due to the lack of proper active sites and poor electrical conductivity. Herein, we introduce cobalt as a dopant into h-BN nanosheets using a controlled molten salt technique at elevated temperature. The structural and morphological analysis confirms the successful formation of h-BN and cobalt-doped BN nanosheets. The presence of cobalt in the h-BN nanosheets disrupts the extended π conjugation of h-BN by electronically interacting with B and N. While bare h-BN exhibits poor catalytic activity towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), cobalt doping significantly enhances its performance. The Cobalt centers serve as the active sites for OER, with the material containing 2.5 weight% Cobalt (Co2.5-BN) demonstrating optimized catalytic performance, demanding only 322 mV overpotential at 10 mA/cm2 current density along with a robust stability of 20 hours. A turnover frequency (TOF) of 1.0 s-1 at 400 mV overpotential highlights the high intrinsic activity of Co2.5-BN. The in-situ EIS analysis reveals the fast kinetics and supports the proposed equivalent electrical circuit model at the electrode/electrolyte interface. This study utilizes the structural features of h-BN material via cobalt doping towards enhanced OER catalysis.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Revealing the Role of Grain Boundaries in Magnesium Hydrogen Storage: Insights into Adsorption and Dissociation","authors":"Weijie Yang, Xiaotian Tang, Jianghao Cai, Tongao Yao, Zhuoran Xu, Yuxuan Liu, Ziwei Miao, Man Shu, Kewen Guo, Zhengyang Gao, Xuqiang Shao","doi":"10.1039/d5ta04858c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta04858c","url":null,"abstract":"Mg is an attractive hydrogen storage material, yet its practical application is hindered by sluggish hydrogen uptake due to high H₂ dissociation barriers. Although experiments suggest that grain boundaries (GBs) serve as preferential sites for hydride nucleation, the atomic-scale mechanisms remain unclear. In this paper, we employed density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate hydrogen adsorption and dissociation at representative Mg twin boundaries with different misorientation angles. We found that hydrogen adsorption consistently favors Hollow sites at GBs owing to strong Mg–H orbital hybridization. Among the studied configurations, the {10\"1\" @#x0305;1} twin boundary exhibits the lowest dissociation barrier (0.74 eV), reduced by 34.5% compared with Mg (0001). Strikingly, the dissociation barriers follow a non-monotonic “reversed volcano” trend with GB rotation angle, where intermediate-angle GBs maximize charge transfer into the H₂ σ* orbital and thereby facilitate bond cleavage. This synergy between local free volume, coordination number, and electronic redistribution provides a unified descriptor (χgem) that rationalizes the angular dependence of reactivity. Our findings establish a clear mechanistic link between GB geometry and hydrogen activation, offering design principles for tailoring microstructures to accelerate hydrogen storage kinetics in Mg-based materials.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"157 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 Li-enriched amorphous Zr-based oxychloride solid electrolyte for high-rate and long-cycling all-solid-state ultrahigh-nickel cathodes","authors":"Shiliang Yang, Qilin Feng, Xiaoke Liu, Changmeng Xu, Xianyi Liu, Wenxin He, Jiangmin Jiang, Tao Ma, Jipeng Fu, Yichen Yin","doi":"10.1039/d5ta05340d","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta05340d","url":null,"abstract":"The Zr-based chloride solid electrolyte (SE) Li<small><sub>2</sub></small>ZrCl<small><sub>6</sub></small> is well compatible with 4 V-class cathodes and cost-effective, yet its low conductivity (<1 mS cm<small><sup>−1</sup></small>) would restrain the capacity delivery of the electrodes especially at high rates. Herein, we further elevated the room-temperature ionic conductivity of Zr-based lithium oxychloride to 2.11 mS cm<small><sup>−1</sup></small> in Li<small><sub>2.15</sub></small>Zr<small><sub>0.85</sub></small>In<small><sub>0.15</sub></small>Cl<small><sub>4</sub></small>O by tuning its Li content through partial substitution of Zr<small><sup>4+</sup></small> with In<small><sup>3+</sup></small> in the formula Li<small><sub>2+<em>x</em></sub></small>Zr<small><sub>1−<em>x</em></sub></small>In<small><sub><em>x</em></sub></small>Cl<small><sub>4</sub></small>O. Cold-pressed Li<small><sub>2.15</sub></small>Zr<small><sub>0.85</sub></small>In<small><sub>0.15</sub></small>Cl<small><sub>4</sub></small>O presents both a dense morphology arising from its amorphous phase and enhanced ionic conductivity, which is significantly higher than that of Li<small><sub>2</sub></small>ZrCl<small><sub>6</sub></small>, facilitating better solid–solid contact and improved reaction kinetics in the composite cathodes. As a result, the all-solid-state cathode coupling Li<small><sub>2.15</sub></small>Zr<small><sub>0.85</sub></small>In<small><sub>0.15</sub></small>Cl<small><sub>4</sub></small>O and LiNi<small><sub>0.92</sub></small>Co<small><sub>0.03</sub></small>Mn<small><sub>0.05</sub></small>O<small><sub>2</sub></small> shows a capacity of 175.3 mAh g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> at 4C and a retention of 91.44% for 450 cycles when charged to 4.3 V <em>vs.</em> Li<small><sup>+</sup></small>/Li. More attractively, as the charge upper limit increases to 4.8 V, Li<small><sub>2.15</sub></small>Zr<small><sub>0.85</sub></small>In<small><sub>0.15</sub></small>Cl<small><sub>4</sub></small>O also enables ultrahigh-nickel cathodes to cycle for over 250 cycles with a capacity retention of 81.86%.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiahao Liu, Jie Yang, Xueming Tang, Ruobing Tian, Guohua Zhang, Jiahang Yang, Yan Jiang, Yuanna Sun
{"title":"Hydrogen-Bond Armored MXene Hydrogel for Oxidation-Resistant, Dual-Mode Wearable Sensors","authors":"Jiahao Liu, Jie Yang, Xueming Tang, Ruobing Tian, Guohua Zhang, Jiahang Yang, Yan Jiang, Yuanna Sun","doi":"10.1039/d5ta06075c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta06075c","url":null,"abstract":"Wearable MXene-based hydrogels hold significant promise for flexible electronics due to their tissue-compliant mechanics and exceptional electrical properties, yet their practical deployment is fundamentally challenged by MXene’s rapid oxidation in aqueous environments. To address this limitation, we develop an oxidation-resistant nanocomposite hydrogel through multi-hydrogen-bond reinforcement using poly (N-acryloyl glycinamide) (PNAGA), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), and MXene. In this design, hydroxyl groups on CNC form robust hydrogen bonds simultaneously with the PNAGA network and MXene surface functional groups, establishing a ternary protective barrier that sterically isolates MXene from water/oxygen exposure while enhancing nanosheet dispersion and mechanical reinforcement. The resulting PNAGA-CNC-MXene (NCM) hydrogel achieves a high electrical conductivity of 0.59 S/m alongside superior mechanical properties. As an integrated sensor, it exhibits dual functionality: strain sensing with a gauge factor of 2.91 and 260 ms response speed, coupled with temperature detection at high sensitivity (-2.16 %/ºC) and 0.1 ºC resolution. Critically, Bluetooth-enabled wireless transmission facilitates real-time monitoring of physiological signals on mobile devices. This hydrogen-bond network strategy not only resolves MXene’s oxidation-stability conflict but also advances NCM hydrogels as versatile platforms for next-generation wearable electronics, personalized health monitoring, and human-machine interfaces.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rupesh Kumar Tiwari, Asmita Sen, Sourav Mondal, Gopalan Rajaraman
{"title":"Surface-Enhanced and Electric Field-Modulated Reactivity of Fe(IV)=O Complexes: Unveiling the Synergy of Lewis Acid Additives, Au(111), and Graphene Surfaces in Biomimetic C–H Activation","authors":"Rupesh Kumar Tiwari, Asmita Sen, Sourav Mondal, Gopalan Rajaraman","doi":"10.1039/d5ta03554f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta03554f","url":null,"abstract":"Achieving high reactivity and maintaining selectivity simultaneously is one of the holy grails of catalytic transformations; while metalloenzymes perform this task effortlessly, synthetic models to mimic their reactivity often struggle to achieve either of the goals set. High-valent FeIV=O species are highly reactive oxidants, but their elevated activity often limits catalytic turnover due to rapid catalyst degradation and over-oxidation of substrates. To overcome these shortcomings, here we have explored electrostatic and surface effects in tuning the reactivity of [(F8)FeIV(O)] (1) and [(F8)FeIV(O)](LutH)+ (2) using density functional theory (DFT) and periodic DFT calculations. To begin with, the effect of Lewis acid (LutH+ 2,6–lutidinium triflate), which is found to induce a local electric field and diminishes the kinetic barrier by ~15 kJ mol⁻¹ . As the addition of adduct and their direct role in the oxidation process are difficult to control, we explored the possibility of employing oriented external electric fields (OEEFs) to gain control over the reactivity and the oxidation process. Our results demonstrate that applying an OEEF along the Fe-O direction reduces the kinetic barrier further by ~29 kJ mol⁻¹, while along the the O-Fe direction, proton transfer was preferred, offering an intriguing way to channelise selectivity. Surface interactions provide additional control: Au(111) lowers the barrier by ~58 kJ mol⁻¹ under OEEFs, whereas graphene inhibits reactivity, requiring an OEEF along +Z-direction to reduce the barrier by ~49 kJ mol⁻¹. By integrating chemical modifications and external control, this study offers a general framework for designing next-generation oxidation catalysts across diverse catalytic systems.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Defect-Engineering MoS₂/borophene/WS 2 Sandwich Heterostructures Enhanced the HER Catalytic Activity and Improve Water Splitting Efficiency","authors":"Feihong Yang, Yong Pan, I. P. Jain","doi":"10.1039/d5ta06215b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta06215b","url":null,"abstract":"To enhance the stability of borophene and improve its catalytic activity for HER, we proposed a MoS 2 /borophene/WS 2 sandwich-structure and systematically examined the impact of defect morphology on its catalytic performance. We carried out an in-depth investigation into the impact of five intrinsic-defects on HER catalytic activity in the contact surface of MoS 2 /borophene/WS 2 heterojunction. To assess the HER catalytic performance of heterojunction, we calculated dissociation-energy-barriers of water molecules on MoS₂/borophene/WS₂ heterojunction with sulfur vacancies and systematically analyzed the energy barriers with three potential dissociation pathways. Results demonstrate that MoS₂/borophene/WS₂ sandwich-structure substantially improves the stability of 2D-borophene structure. Notably, MoS₂/borophene/WS₂ heterojunction with S-vacancies exhibits superior catalytic performance, as evidenced by its calculated ΔG H* is only -0.01eV. This value is considerably lower than those of Pt and borophene/WS₂ heterojunction, highlighting its enhanced catalytic efficiency. In particular, owing to the synergistic effect between borophene and defective WS₂, the dissociation energy of water molecules is significantly reduced to 0.71eV.Consequently, we propose that this MoS₂/boronene/WS₂ heterojunction not only demonstrates superior HER catalytic activity but also effectively lowers the energy barrier for water dissociation in alkaline or neutral conditions. This advancement provides critical support for facilitating the practical application of borophene as an efficient HER catalyst.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"100 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nara Han, Min-Jae Kim, Geon Yeong Park, Minji Kang, Kiho Kim, Dong Seok Ham
{"title":"Efficient roll-to-roll intense pulsed light treatment of ZnO layer for scalable flexible organic photovoltaics","authors":"Nara Han, Min-Jae Kim, Geon Yeong Park, Minji Kang, Kiho Kim, Dong Seok Ham","doi":"10.1039/d5ta04521e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta04521e","url":null,"abstract":"In a roll-to-roll (R2R) printing process, a high-quality coating of nanoparticle-based materials is essential to preserving the efficiency and stability of solar cells throughout the coating length. This study proposes an efficient R2R-compatible post-treatment method employing intense pulsed light (IPL) to anneal a zinc oxide (ZnO) layer in organic solar cells (OSCs) and organic photovoltaic modules (OPMs). This approach stabilizes the chemical structure and optimizes the ZnO film morphology <em>via</em> rapid IPL annealing to remove residual solvent and promote complete oxidation. The optimal IPL treatment condition—an energy density of 0.15 J cm<small><sup>−2</sup></small>—results in a smooth and fully oxidized ZnO film. Flexible OSCs with different coating widths of 2 and 4 cm achieve power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 14.24% and 13.33%, respectively, following IPL treatment. Similarly, IPL-treated flexible OPMs demonstrate a PCE of 9.27%. Compared with devices incorporating pristine ZnO layers, the IPL-treated devices exhibit enhanced efficiency and long-term stability across all sizes. These results underscore the practical viability of IPL treatment for scalable fabrication of flexible OSCs and OPMs immediately following ZnO coating. Furthermore, as coating and annealing processes are expected to be integrated within an R2R system, IPL has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional thermal annealing, effectively mitigating substrate heat damage.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"100 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Planarity-Engineered 1,2,3-Triazole-Based 1D Covalent Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic C-3 Thiocyanation of Indoles","authors":"Shuzhi Yao, Xinrui Mao, Guanyu Shi, Lipan Zhou, Zhiguang Song, Guodong Feng","doi":"10.1039/d5ta06642e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta06642e","url":null,"abstract":"Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as efficient metal-free photocatalysts for green chemical synthesis and environmental remediation. However, their performance is often limited by interlayer π-π stacking, which hampers charge transport and active site accessibility. To address this challenge, we report two one-dimensional (1D) donor-acceptor COFs (PYTZ-COF and ETTZ-COF) featuring 1,2,3-triazole linkages and tunable optoelectronic properties through precursor rigidity engineering. Compared to ETTZ-COF, PYTZ-COF exhibits a reduced torsional angle, broader visible-light absorption, smaller exciton binding energy, and a narrower band gap, along with a significantly larger BET surface area (414 m²/g). These features facilitate efficient charge separation and accelerated interfacial electron transfer, as confirmed by photoelectrochemical analysis and DFT calculations. Under blue light irradiation, PYTZ-COF efficiently generates superoxide radicals (•O₂⁻), enabling selective C-H thiocyanation of indole derivatives. This study not only expands the structural diversity of 1D COFs but also introduces a general strategy for improving photocatalytic activity via molecular-level planarity modulation, offering new insights into the design of redox-active COFs for visible-light-driven environmental catalysis.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"68 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tanuja Singh, Deepak Deepak, Abhishek Panghal, Barnali M Mahato, Shailendra K Saxena, Abhishek Singh Shekhawat S. Shekhawat, Susanta Sinha Roy
{"title":"Nanoarchitectonics of Carbon Nitride/NiO/Zn₃N₂ Heterointerfaces for bifunctional applications in Electrocatalytic water splitting and Coin cell Supercapacitors","authors":"Tanuja Singh, Deepak Deepak, Abhishek Panghal, Barnali M Mahato, Shailendra K Saxena, Abhishek Singh Shekhawat S. Shekhawat, Susanta Sinha Roy","doi":"10.1039/d5ta05959c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta05959c","url":null,"abstract":"The advancement of effective and unswerving electrocatalysts for water splitting and high-performance supercapacitors is essential for sustainable energy conversion and storage. Integrating transition metal heteroatoms can be a pivotal technique to fabricate nanostructures for such bifunctional applications. In this regard, we report graphitic carbon nitride/NiO/Zn3N2 heterointerfaces through a single-step pyrolysis method for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and Coin cell supercapacitor devices. The synergetic interaction between NiO and Zn₃N₂ advances charge transfer kinetics and augments the electronic structure, while g-C₃N₄ provides a conductive network and additional active sites. Optimized sample NZN400 showed exceptional OER performance with a low overpotential value of 350 mV at 50 mA/cm2, besides a low Tafel slope and high turnover frequency value. In addition, NZN400 electrodes showed a high specific capacitance value of 124 mF/cm2 at 2 mA/cm2 for the half-cell and 19.92 mF/cm2 at 0.2 mA/cm2 for the coin cell device. Fabricated device exhibited excellent cycling stability over 10,000 GCD cycles with a capacitance retention of 95.7 % and columbic efficiency of 99.4 % at 0.4 mA/cm2 and was able to power up several commercial LEDs, a digital hygrometer, and a digital stopwatch for prolonged durations. The results highlight an effective approach for integrating transition metal oxides/nitrides-based compounds with carbon-based materials, aimed at developing economical and high-performance nanostructured materials for electrochemical energy applications.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Awakening the Substrate: Design of Foam Metal Electrodes for Water Electrolysis","authors":"Zhiwei Wei, Jiaqiao Yang, Jiqiang Ding, Mujia Sun, Bingyi Li, Yuan Zhang, Junxiong Zhang, Hainan Sun","doi":"10.1039/d5ta07016c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ta07016c","url":null,"abstract":"Electrochemical water splitting is a promising environmentally friendly method for green hydrogen production. Efficient, low-cost, non-noble-metal electrocatalysts with high activity and long-term stability are essential for accelerating both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Therefore, metal foams, with their three-dimensional porous architectures, high specific surface areas, interconnected open channels, and excellent electrical and thermal conductivities, have attracted significant attention as ideal catalyst supports. Recent efforts have focused on growing composite catalysts on metal foams, typically by incorporating exogenous active species and constructing nanostructures. However, these methods often face challenges, such as complex synthesis, limited structural control, and poor long-term durability. Alternatively, direct modulation of the intrinsic structure and surface electronic configuration of the metal foam, without the need for adding foreign materials, is a simple and effective strategy that enhances the catalytic performance while also enabling a deeper mechanistic understanding. This review systematically summarizes recent progress in the design of self-supporting metal foam electrodes, emphasizing surface engineering and in situ structural modulation strategies. It also offers perspectives on future research directions and technological applications, providing theoretical insights and practical guidance for the development of advanced electrocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production.","PeriodicalId":82,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Materials Chemistry A","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145189212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}