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Developing cost-effective electroactive materials for advanced energy devices is vital for the sustainable development of electrochemical energy conversion/storage systems. To reduce the fabrication cost of electroactive materials (electrocatalysts and electrodes), growing attention has been paid to low-cost precursors. Recently, mining and metallurgical waste has been used to design electroactive materials, which shows great economic and environmental benefits. Herein, current achievements in the applications of mining and metallurgical waste-derived electroactive materials in sustainable energy conversion/storage fields (batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, and small-molecule electro-conversion) are comprehensively analyzed. The waste-to-materials conversion methods and materials' structure–performance relationships are emphasized. In addition, perspectives related to the further development and applications of waste-derived high-performance electroactive materials are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) porous semiconductors with rich pores on their surface have presented great potential in photocatalysis fields by fantastic structural merits. In comparison to the bulk photocatalysts, the 2D porous semiconductor photocatalysts display several obvious merits including a shortened charge shift route, facilitated mass transportation channels, abundant surface active centers, and improved light harvesting capability. Up to now, a variety of experimental strategies have been explored for the synthesis of 2D porous photocatalysts, with improved photocatalytic activity for various reactions being achieved. In this mini-review, the recent advances in advanced 2D porous semiconductors for efficient photocatalytic clean energy evolution were critically reviewed. Meanwhile, the synthesis methods and the fundamental mechanism of 2D porous photocatalysts in various photocatalytic reactions were emphasized. In particular, the effects of the structural, morphology, electronic structure, and charge carrier migration advantages on the facilitated photocatalytic process were highlighted. Finally, the prospects and challenges of 2D porous photocatalysts for large-scale industrial utilization were overlooked and discussed. We cordially look forward to this critical review can offer a snapshot of advanced 2D porous photocatalysts for improved solar light energy conversion and inspire several new concepts for designing high-performance photocatalysts. [Display omitted] • The advantages of 2D porous photocatalysts in clean energy production are elaborated. • The synthesis methods and basic mechanisms of 2D porous photocatalysts are introduced. • The several kinds of 2D porous photocatalysts and their structure and composition merits are presented. • The prospects and challenges of large-scale industrial applications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunlight stimulated photocatalytic clean energy generation has aroused more and more attention in recent years due to the convenient, sustainable, and environment-friendly procedure. However, a significant issue that the clean energy formation process must be conducted under continuous sunlight illumination prohibits the practical application. The capability for maintaining clean energy production under darkness is a ultimate target of the industrial utilization of photocatalysis technique. Up to now, a variety of works have been conducted to explore new materials or reaction systems to promote photocatalytic reactions upon both daytime and darkness, being also named "round-the-clock catalytic system". Long afterglow phosphors possess the unique "charge storage pool" effect, which enables the photocatalytic clean energy evolution under both day and night, so as to achieving efficient and round-the-clock clean energy preparation. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent representative progresses in round-the-clock clean energy evolution with highlighting the "charge storage pool" effect in photocatalytic system. More importantly, the relationship between the protocol for strengthening "charge storage pool" effect and engineering advanced round-the-clock clean energy evolution system is correlated in depth. Finally, the ongoing challenge and study direction in the mechanistic exploration, material fabrication and potential applications are also analyzed and outlooked. [Display omitted] • Long afterglow phosphor can enable the "photons storage pool" role for driving photocatalytic reactions • The recent progresses of long afterglow phosphor based photocatalysts for clean energy evolution are thoroughly outlined. • The challenges and perspectives of round-the-clock photocatalytic energy evolution are outlooked [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • NO influence on oxygen permeation of perovskite membrane is probed. • The presence of NO would decrease the oxygen permeability below 900 °C. • The presence of NO can change the membrane surface. • NO influence can be avoided by lifting the operation temperature above 900 °C. Abstract Mixed conducting perovskite membrane has been intensively investigated as a possible new technology for oxygen production to replace the conventional cryogenic distillation which is capital and energy intensive. The perovskite membrane has the potential to be applied in the clean energy projects like oxy-fuel coal combustion if the membrane can withstand the real application conditions. Nitric oxide (NO) is an inevitable ingredient of flue gas from power plants, and it is important to understand the possible influence from NO on the perovskite membranes for producing pure oxygen for oxy-fuel project where the flue gas would be used as the sweep gas for the membrane operation. The influence of NO on the oxygen permeation properties of La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3−δ (LSCF) perovskite membrane is investigated by a variety of characterization techniques. The results indicate that the oxygen permeability of the LSCF membrane decreases significantly at the temperature below 900 °C. XRD, SEM and SEM-EDX characterizations indicate the generation of another porous phase damaging the membrane and accounting for the oxygen flux decrease. However, the negative effect from NO on the oxygen permeation would disappear when the temperature is elevated above 900 °C, on which NO would be decomposed to nitrogen and oxygen and no longer negatively influences the membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the vigorous development of industrial economy, energy and environmental problems have become the most serious issues affecting people's production and life. Therefore, the demand for clean energy production, effective separation and storage is growing. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a kind of porous crystalline materials with large surface area and porosity, which is self-assembled by metal ions or clusters and organic ligands through coordination bonds. Thanks to a number of unique characteristics such as adjustable pore environment, homogeneous void structure, abundant active sites, unprecedented chemical composition tunability and functional versatility, it has been widely studied, especially for the clean energy conversion in catalysis. In this review, we focus on the research progress of clean energy in catalysis based on MOFs. Emphasis is placed on MOFs with different structures of compositions and their applications in catalytic for clean energy conversion, such as CO oxidation, CO 2 reduction and H 2 evolution. In addition, the situation of MOFs assisting environmental remediation is also briefly described. Finally, the prospects and challenges of MOFs in clean energy and the remaining issues in this field are presented. [Display omitted] • MOFs based materials for CO2 Conversion and CO oxidation are summarised. • MOFs based materials for energy related hydrogen evolution are summarised. • MOFs based materials for environment catalytic degradation are discussed. • MOFs based membranes for various separation applications are summarised. • The advantage and disadvantage of MOF membranes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the abundance of carbon in nature, a significant portion of the existing biomass carbon materials in livestock, agriculture, and marine fishery industry are currently being wasted. Utilizing sustainable carbon materials as an alternative to noble Pt-based catalysts is crucial step to convert widely available and low-cost biomass resources into clean energy systems. Therefore, the rational synthesis of carbon-based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has become a hot research focus in the field of electrochemistry. In this study, the recent progress in the synthesis of ORR electrocatalysts using sustainable biomass resources was reviewed; the activation and synthesis strategies of various biomass resources, as well as the microstructure and oxygen reduction performance of the prepared carbon-based catalysts were investigated. It is hoped that this review article will promote the understanding of various parameters from biomass as precursors for catalyst preparation and make contribute to the transition of biomass resources from the wasted carbon materials to the main catalysts in future energy devices. [Display omitted] • The synthesis and activation strategy of biomass-derived carbon. • Effect of pore structure on activity of ORR catalysts. • Recent progress biomass-derived carbon material as ORR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tonnage oxygen production is still mostly based on the traditional technology of cryogenic distillation, a century-old, capital- and energy-intensive method. It is critical to create a novel low-cost, energy-efficient approach that can meet the growing demand for oxygen in industry from the clean environmental or energy standpoint. Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) perovskite like oxides -based ionic transport membranes for the oxygen transport have recently been developed as a possible replacement for the traditional cryogenic approach. In this work, we detailly reviewed the progress of RP perovskite oxides based membranes for oxygen transport from separation mechanism, material types, synthesis methods to the final separation performance. This work advances the development of RP perovskite membranes for oxygen transport. [Display omitted] • MIEC oxides are the prominent materials for oxygen transport. • Oxygen conduction mechanism of MIEC oxides was discussed. • Preparation methods of MIEC oxide permeable materials were summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]