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The ion extraction and electro/photo catalysis are promising methods to address environmental and energy issues. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of promising template to construct absorbents and catalysts because of their stable frameworks, high surface areas, controllable pore environments, and well‐defined catalytic sites. Among them, ionic COFs as unique class of crystalline porous materials, with charges in the frameworks or along the pore walls, have shown different properties and resulting performance in these applications with those from charge‐neutral COFs. In this review, current research progress based on the ionic COFs for ion extraction and energy conversion, including cationic/anionic materials and electro/photo catalysis is reviewed in terms of the synthesis strategy, modification methods, mechanisms of adsorption and catalysis, as well as applications. Finally, we demonstrated the current challenges and future development of ionic COFs in design strategies and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating solar energy into rechargeable battery systems represents a significant advancement towards sustainable energy storage solutions. Herein, we propose a win‐win solution to reduce the shuttle effect of polysulfide and improve the photocorrosion stability of CdS, thereby enhancing the energy conversion efficiency of rGO/CdS‐based photorechargeable integrated lithium‐sulfur batteries (PRLSBs). Experimental results show that CdS can effectively anchor polysulfide under sunlight irradiation for 20 minutes. Under a high current density (1 C), the discharge‐specific capacity of the PRLSBs increased to 971.30 mAh g−1, which is 113.3 % enhancement compared to that of under dark condition (857.49 mAh g−1). Remarkably, without an electrical power supply, the PRLSBs can maintain a 21 hours discharge process following merely 1.5 hours of light irradiation, achieving a breakthrough solar‐to‐electrical energy conversion efficiency of up to 5.04 %. Ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ Raman analysis corroborate the effectiveness of this complementary weakness approach in bolstering redox kinetics and curtailing polysulfide dissolution in PRLSBs. This work showcases a feasible strategy to develop PRLSBs with potential dual‐functional metal sulfide photoelectrodes, which will be of great interest in future‐oriented off‐grid photocell systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary Room‐temperature sodium‐sulfur (RT‐Na/S) batteries display attractive potential in large‐scale energy‐storage, but their practical application was still restricted by the serious dissolution of polysulfides. Herein, supported by the constructing of interface engineering, the metal sulfide‐carbon nanocomposite can be prepared with considerable electrochemical properties. Utilizing the double‐helix structure of carrageenan‐metal hydrogels as precursors, in‐situ metal sulfide (MxSy) nanostructure/3D carbon aerogels (3D CAs) can be successfully constructed. Importantly, with the assistance of the vulcanization process, 3D carbon architecture was maintained in the composites and acted as a skeleton to optimize their structural stability. As the cathode of RT‐Na/S batteries, ZnS/S@C and NiS2/S@C delivered an excellent cycling stability and rate performance (179.8 mAh·g−1 at 20 A·g−1 after 10000 cycling for ZnS/S@C, 220.3 mAh·g−1 at 10 A·g−1 after 3000 cycling for NiS2/S@C). The detailed investigation of mechanism revealed that the powerful adsorption for Na2S4 originated from 3D metal sulfide‐carbon structure. The well‐designed architecture of sulfide‐carbon composites servers as an electrocatalyst to alleviate the shuttle effect of polysulfides, resulting in the long‐term electrochemical stability. Given this, the work is expected to provide promising insights for designing advanced cathode materials for RT‐Na/S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ion extraction and electro/photo catalysis are promising methods to address environmental and energy issues. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of promising template to construct absorbents and catalysts because of their stable frameworks, high surface areas, controllable pore environments, and well‐defined catalytic sites. Among them, ionic COFs as unique class of crystalline porous materials, with charges in the frameworks or along the pore walls, have shown different properties and resulting performance in these applications with those from charge‐neutral COFs. In this review, current research progress based on the ionic COFs for ion extraction and energy conversion, including cationic/anionic materials and electro/photo catalysis is reviewed in terms of the synthesis strategy, modification methods, mechanisms of adsorption and catalysis, as well as applications. Finally, we demonstrated the current challenges and future development of ionic COFs in design strategies and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating solar energy into rechargeable battery systems represents a significant advancement towards sustainable energy storage solutions. Herein, we propose a win‐win solution to reduce the shuttle effect of polysulfide and improve the photocorrosion stability of CdS, thereby enhancing the energy conversion efficiency of rGO/CdS‐based photorechargeable integrated lithium‐sulfur batteries (PRLSBs). Experimental results show that CdS can effectively anchor polysulfide under sunlight irradiation for 20 minutes. Under a high current density (1 C), the discharge‐specific capacity of the PRLSBs increased to 971.30 mAh g−1, which is 113.3 % enhancement compared to that of under dark condition (857.49 mAh g−1). Remarkably, without an electrical power supply, the PRLSBs can maintain a 21 hours discharge process following merely 1.5 hours of light irradiation, achieving a breakthrough solar‐to‐electrical energy conversion efficiency of up to 5.04 %. Ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ Raman analysis corroborate the effectiveness of this complementary weakness approach in bolstering redox kinetics and curtailing polysulfide dissolution in PRLSBs. This work showcases a feasible strategy to develop PRLSBs with potential dual‐functional metal sulfide photoelectrodes, which will be of great interest in future‐oriented off‐grid photocell systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is one of the forefront technologies in energy harvesting, which can convert mechanical energy into electricity. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been widely used as a friction layer for TENGs due to its high electron affinity and flexibility. In this work, a novel and green approach to fabricating a high-performance PDMS TENG is proposed by using yeast cells. Porous-structured PDMS produced by the formation of CO2 products of a fermentation reaction of baker's yeast is found to significantly improve the TENG performance. The effects of yeast cell concentration in PDMS on morphologies, chemical composition, and TENG performance of the porous PDMS films are investigated. It is found that the average pore size formed in PDMS film depends on yeast cell concentration, which affects the electrical outputs of TENG. The modified PDMS TENG showed improved TENG performance with the highest power density at 5.14 w/m2. The application of the fabricated porous PDMS to harness mechanical energy from body movement is demonstrated. Our work has presented a novel and effective technique using a biological approach to modify PDMS into a porous structure using yeast cells, which has the potential for flexible and wearable TENG to harvest mechanical energy from body movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural organisms have developed various biological ion channels/transporters to maintain normal life activities to adapt to changing environments. Significantly, ion transporters with active ion transport property show much more controllability on these activities due to a variety of external stimuli, giving guidance to construct artificial counterparts for overcoming the issues in simple nanofluidic systems restricted by self‐diffusive ion transport. Herein, a 2D nanofluidic system based on a Janus membrane (i.e., JM) is constructed, which can achieve light‐driven active ion transport and do favor for ionic power harvesting in electrolyte systems with equal concentrations. The JM is obtained through sequentially assembled montmorillonite (MMT) decorated with photoelectric molecules (i.e., PMMT) and MXene nanosheets. Due to the formed intramembrane electric field and temperature gradient caused by the efficient charge separation and localized thermal excitation under light illumination, a photovoltaic‐driven force and thermo‐osmotic are generated for preferential ion transport. In addition, the unidirectional active transport is employed to harvest ionic power, showing an output power density of 2.0 mW m−2 and a high‐performance energy conversion efficiency of 8.3 × 10−4%. The effects of the light intensity, electrolyte concentration and species on energy conversion performance are investigated, showing the university for ionic power harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first flow‐type solar and seawater co‐mediated sodium‐air rechargeable battery (SSRB) for efficient solar‐to‐electrochemical energy conversion/storage is established. Such SSRB is enabled by a robust self‐regulated CEP/ZnWO4/WO3 heterojunction photoelectrochemical electrodes (PE) by passivating predesigned crown ether‐rich photoresponsive covalent organic polymer (CEP) layers onto ZnWO4‐modified WO3 nanosheet arrays. The PE design utilizes the previously‐unexplored self‐mediated effect of CEP to endow PE with superior stability, facilitated electrode reaction kinetics, and high efficiency of spatial charge separation simultaneously. This leads to remarkable light‐enhanced oxygen evolution catalysis with impressive photocurrent density up to 6.1 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus RHE in seawater – surpassing metal‐oxide‐based PEs ever reported for seawater splitting. Thus, the SSRB breaks the limit of the equilibrium voltage (3.47 V) of conventional seawater sodium‐air cells to deliver a low charge voltage of 2.71 V along with stable photo‐charge over 100 h and good photo‐charge/normal discharge cycling stability over 240 h – superior to almost all existing light‐involved air batteries. Combined experimental and modeling studies for the first time unveil the multi‐regulation effects of CEP passivation which prevents detrimental Cl‐corrosion, and promote oxygen evolution kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osmotic energy harvesting was a promising way to alleviate energy crisis with reverse electrodialysis (RED) membrane-based technology. Charged hydrogel combined with other materials was an effective strategy to overcome problems, including restricted functional groups and complicated fabrication, but the effect of the respective charges of the two materials combined on the membrane properties has rarely been studied in depth. Herein, a new method was proposed that charged hydrogel was equipped with charged filter paper to form dual network fiber-hydrogel membrane for osmotic energy harvesting, which had excellent ion selectivity (beyond 0.9 under high concentration gradient), high ion transference number and energy conversion efficiency (beyond 32.5% under wide range concentration gradient), good property of osmotic energy conversion (~4.84 W/m2 under 50-fold KCl and ~6.75 W/m2 under simulated sea water and river water). Moreover, the power density was attributed to the surface-space charge synergistic effect from large amounts overlapping of electric double layer (EDL), so that the transmembrane ion transport was enhanced. It might be a valid mode to extensively develop the osmotic energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular ultralong room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP), exhibiting multiple stimuli‐responsive characteristics, has garnered considerable attention due to its potential applications in light‐emitting devices, sensors, and information safety. This work proposes the utilization of photochemical cascade processes (PCCPs) in molecular crystals to design a stepwise smart RTP switch. By harnessing the sequential dynamics of photo‐burst movement (induced by [2+2] photocycloaddition) and photochromism (induced by photogenerated radicals) in a bismuth (Bi)‐based metal‐organic halide (MOH), a continuous and photo‐responsive ultralong RTP can be achieved. Furthermore, utilizing the same Bi‐based MOH, diverse application demonstrations, such as multi‐mode anti‐counterfeiting and information encryption, can be easily implemented. This work thus not only serves as a proof‐of‐concept for the development of solid‐state PCCPs that integrate photosalient effect and photochromism with light‐chemical‐mechanical energy conversion, but also lays the groundwork for designing new Bi‐based MOHs with dynamically responsive ultralong RTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For energy-related applications such as solar cells, catalysts, thermo-electrics, lithium-ion batteries, graphene-based materials, supercapacitors, and hydrogen storage systems, nanostructured materials have been extensively studied because of their advantages of high surface to volume ratios, favorable transport properties, tunable physical properties, and confinement effects resulting from their nanoscale dimensions. Due to their high energy and power densities, supercapacitors are potential power storage technologies. In this case, carbon nanomaterials, in particular carbon nanotubes, graphene, mesoporous carbon, and their hybrids, have received extensive research interest as effective electrode materials for supercapacitors because of their distinctive hierarchical structure, excellent electrical and mechanical properties, and large specific surface area. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been receiving extensive attention because of their high specific energy density. In LIBs, graphite is the most commonly used anode material; however, lithium-ion intercalation in graphite is limited, hindering the battery charge rate and capacity. Recently, nanowire/graphene hybrids have been developed for the enhancement of the LIB performance; therefore, we present a new approach of hydrothermally growing uniform nanowires on a graphene aerogel to further improve the performance. This nanowire/graphene aerogel hybrid not only exhibited the large surface area of graphene aerogels but also increased the specific surface area for electrode–electrolyte interaction. Therefore, this new nanowire/graphene aerogel hybrid anode material can enhance the specific capacity and charge–discharge rate. There is enormous interest in the use of graphene-based materials for energy storage. Graphene-based materials have great potential for application in supercapacitors owing to their unique two-dimensional structure and inherent physical properties, such as excellent electrical conductivity and large specific surface area. In recent years, the development of different organic and inorganic nanostructured materials such as nanocarbons, metal oxides (W18O49 and Co3O4), metal sulphides (MoS2 and WS2), graphene nanosheets, and conducting polymers has enabled the fabrication of high-performance devices. MoS2, a typical layered transition-metal dichalcogenide material, has attracted significant attention for application in heterogeneous catalysis, lithium ion batteries and electrochemical energy storage systems considering its unique layered structure and electronic properties. Thus, transition metal dichalcogenide nanomaterials have shown important research progress in the field of energy conversion and storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐efficiency electrocatalysts play an important role in clean energy conversion technologies. Generally, electrocatalysts in different environments, including voltage, acid, and alkali electrolytes, are more susceptible to corrosion, which will induce structural and performance changes. Based on the latest achievements in the corrosion and protection of electrocatalysts in advanced energy technologies, this review mainly studies the application of various corrosion strategies to construct superior electrocatalysts, including chemical etching, metal corrosion transformation, and corrosion reconstruction, and their affecting factors are also appraised and summarized. To improve the stability of electrocatalysts, various corrosion inhibition strategies, such as carrier improvement and composition regulation accompanied by structure optimization, are reviewed. In addition, the application of catalyst corrosion in electrochemical energy technologies is examined from the perspective of the structure‐activity‐performance relationship. In the end, this article concludes the perspective and challenges of electrocatalyst corrosion in energy conversion and storage technologies. This article provides insights and directions for designing electrocatalysts with high efficiency and low corrosion, which is beneficial for developing corrosion chemistry for sustainable energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular ultralong room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP), exhibiting multiple stimuli‐responsive characteristics, has garnered considerable attention due to its potential applications in light‐emitting devices, sensors, and information safety. This work proposes the utilization of photochemical cascade processes (PCCPs) in molecular crystals to design a stepwise smart RTP switch. By harnessing the sequential dynamics of photo‐burst movement (induced by [2+2] photocycloaddition) and photochromism (induced by photogenerated radicals) in a bismuth (Bi)‐based metal‐organic halide (MOH), a continuous and photo‐responsive ultralong RTP can be achieved. Furthermore, utilizing the same Bi‐based MOH, diverse application demonstrations, such as multi‐mode anti‐counterfeiting and information encryption, can be easily implemented. This work thus not only serves as a proof‐of‐concept for the development of solid‐state PCCPs that integrate photosalient effect and photochromism with light‐chemical‐mechanical energy conversion, but also lays the groundwork for designing new Bi‐based MOHs with dynamically responsive ultralong RTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern energy systems are large distributed systems and, as a rule, contain energy storage systems and, in particular, hydrogen batteries and hydrogen production systems. The use of hydrogen for energy transportation has recently been actively studied in a number of scientific projects. To ensure continuous operation of instrumentation and control equipment on long hydrogen pipelines (gas and cryogenic), it is important to ensure constant autonomous power supply to these systems. This can be solved using micromechanical energy microgeneration systems for the uninterrupted operation of various sensors, which are installed in large numbers on almost all elements of the structure and infrastructure. In addition, an important area of scientific research is the revision of the concepts and appearance of traditional devices of modern renewable energy: windmills, solar cells, turbines, etc. Fundamentally new energy devices are on the agenda, capable of recovering mechanical energy of any power and supplying it to the consumer in the form of a given specific energy flow. Collection of chaotically distributed natural energy of the environment (mechanical energy in the form of: vibrations, acoustic vibrations, wave energy, gusts of wind, tornadoes, precipitation, vibrations of the earth's crust, etc.), as well as collection of dissipated energy from artificial sources (iron and automobile highways, airstrips, spaceports, production facilities, etc.) with the help of mechanical microgenerators will allow the recovery and conversion of mechanical energy of various powers, including low power, into a universal energy carrier - hydrogen. Mechanical vibrations of artificial origin are of particular interest due to their widespread use for domestic and industrial purposes in a wide range of vibrations. The energy of mechanical vibrations can be collected and converted into electrical energy using piezoelectric, electromagnetic, triboelectric or electrostatic (capacitive) energy converters. Electrostatic microelectromechanical energy converters are considered the most promising among other energy converters, since their manufacturing processes are based on standard technology for the production of integrated circuits and microelectromechanical systems. Energy conversion by an electrostatic converter is carried out due to an external mechanical force that does work against the force of attraction of the charged electrodes of a variable capacitor. To transfer the received electrical energy to the load of the consuming device, the electrostatic converter is connected to the corresponding electrical circuits (conditioning circuits). Such a system as a whole is a kind of microgenerator or energy collector. Microenergy flow recovery systems integrated into large energy systems will ensure the collection and recovery of significant amounts of energy for remote energy consumers. At the same time, the concept of a distributed mechanical energy recovery system is quite simple: a mechanical energy receiver - a converter into electrical energy - a preliminary electrical storage device - an energy distributor - an electric energy accumulator - an electrolyser - a hydrogen accumulator - a fuel cell. To optimize the operation of the working circuit, including preliminary electrical systems for energy storage and conversion: capacitors and electric energy accumulators, electrolyzers; To ensure their durability and reliability, flexible automatic control of electrical power distribution is necessary. The real work was done to solve that problem. In addition, for extended and large power facilities it is important to ensure widespread sensory control of system parameters. At the same time, if all sensors receive power from an autonomous energy-generating device, then the costs of creating extended communications for instrumentation will be sharply reduced. In addition, the reliability of the control system will significantly increase. The results of studying operation features of a kinetic microgenerator with reduced output voltage are presented. The performance of a multi-stage modified Bennet doubler is compared to a system including a two-stage modified Bennet doubler and a diode-capacitor voltage divider. It is shown that with an increase of the number of stages in the modified Bennet doubler, the conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy becomes less and less efficient. At the same time, for achieving the maximum energy accumulation rate (power), a two-stage power amplifier based on the Bennet doubler is preferable. It is established that when analyzing the operation of a diode-capacitor voltage divider, it is necessary to take into account the intrinsic (reverse) capacitances of the discharging diodes affecting the divider operation significantly. The divider behavior features while changing the load resistance and the intrinsic capacitances of the discharge diodes are found and analyzed. Analytical expressions linking the main characteristics of the microgenerator as a whole with the parameters of the electronic components used are derived. It is shown that for expanding the range of the "correct" division of the divider, it is necessary to use discharge diodes with minimal intrinsic capacitances, and also that connecting a load to the Bennet doubler as a voltage divider changes the permissible capacitance modulation depth of the variable capacitor. This paper examines the concepts of creating large energy-generating flows based on arrays of micromechanical energy converters placed on optimal energy-efficient receiving surfaces and analyzes the issues of cryogenic production, storage, consumption and transportation of hydrogen. Stationary and mobile cryogenic storage systems for hydrogen are considered. Much attention is paid to the safety of large cryogenic and gas hydrogen systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is a clean energy in the world and by-product hydrogen is an important part of global hydrogen production. The yield of by-product hydrogen accounts for 18% of hydrogen production globally. To analyze the current stage and calculate CO 2 emissions reduction of by-product hydrogen, sources, purification technology, utilization models, comparison of by-product hydrogen and other hydrogen resources, reduction of CO 2 emissions, prospects of industrial by-product hydrogen were analyzed from the respective of industrial utilization. The resources of by-product hydrogen will get expanded further. It can facilitate the utilization of industrial by-product hydrogen to establish industrial zone with the factories producing by-product hydrogen and the downstream factories utilizing by-product hydrogen under the current technology conditions. By analyzing the relevant data, it is calculated that the utilization of industrial by-product hydrogen can reduce CO 2 emissions by 6.11x105 t per year in 2022. With the development of hydrogen purification technology, by-product hydrogen can provide an efficient and economical way to reduce CO 2 emissions for global warming migration before the completion of green hydrogen substitution for other hydrogen. [Display omitted] • CO 2 emissions reduction can reach 6.11x105 t/a through the utilization of by-product hydrogen in 2022. • Hydrogen purification technology plays a significant role in the utilization of industrial by-product hydrogen. • The resources of industrial by-product hydrogen will get expanded in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After an extensive review of previous research, it was evident that the heat exchanger design governs the harvesting of electricity from the I.C. engine exhaust gases, which is then included, and not the cooler, which is then excluded. This was determined by the range of temperature differences between the inlet and outlet of the heat exchangers, which were significant larger than those of the coolers. Therefore, the cold-side temperature of the thermoelectric generator was considered to be constant. However, this limitation reduces the CPU time and costs. In this study, the authors developed and solved differential equations that describe turbulent flow within heat exchangers. A modified k-ɛ turbulent model with a finite volume method was used along with an automatic adaptive mesh generation technique to achieve a precise numerical simulation and convergent criterion. Additionally, the authors proposed five interior designs for the heat exchangers, including empty, hybrid girders, zigzag girders, punched zigzag girders, and waffles, while preserving the same number of thermoelectric generators (60 units) in each design and keeping the external dimensions of the heat exchanger unchanged at 400 × 305 × 25 mm3. The boundary conditions were kept the same for all five designs for suitable comparison. An acceptable level of convergence was achieved when the results were confirmed in the existing literature. The comparison among the five distinct designs was based on the results obtained regarding the conversion of energy to electrical power (i.e., energy harvesting) and the pressure drop caused by the interior design of the heat exchanger. The findings indicated that the heat exchanger with the highest surface temperature uniformity and a reasonable pressure drop could produce an acceptable output power. Therefore, the hybrid girder heat exchanger was the most efficient, generating approximately 731.2 W of energy, which was excellent when compared to a recent study [48] where the amount of energy produced was approximately doubled three and a half times. In addition, it achieved the best balance between the accepted harvested energy and a reasonable pressure drop of 170.7 mm H2O. This was followed by the zigzag girders at 537 W. Conversely, the empty design was found to be the least effective, generating only 210.5 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study expands the investigation of a mathematical method for predicting the airflow rate during the vacuum dewatering process of papermaking based on our previous research. By integrating poroelastic theory and initial saturation thickness, based on experimental data with a range of 20–60 kPa pressure difference and 20-200 g·m−2 basis weight, a mathematical method with a semi-theoretical model for compression characteristics of the wet fiber web, the poroelastic porosity model (PEPM), was developed to support and expand on our previously established empirical model for porosity variations in wet fiber web, the variable porosity model (VPM). The accuracy of the mathematical method with the PEPM in predicting the airflow mass flux passing through the wet fiber web was validated using experimental data with a range of 0–60 kPa pressure difference and 20-200 g·m−2 basis weight. The mean relative errors with the PEPM within the pressure difference range of 0-20 kPa and 0-60 kPa were 7.68% and 8.80%, respectively, compared to 17.44% and 11.67% for those with the VPM, demonstrating the improved applicability and generalization of the mathematical method, particularly in the zone of low pressure difference exceeding the range of the modeling experimental data. The PEPM effectively revealed the strain hardening behavior during the compression process and the diminishing returns of energy in the vacuum dewatering process with an increasing pressure difference. The developed mathematical method with the PEPM for the compression characteristics of the wet fiber web provides an effective and accurate way to predict the airflow rate during the vacuum dewatering process of papermaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their extended p-orbital delocalization, conjugated polymers absorb light in the range of visible–NIR frequencies. We attempt to exploit this property to create materials that compete with inorganic semiconductors in photovoltaic and light-emitting materials. Beyond competing for applications in photonic devices, organic conjugated compounds, polymers, and small molecules have also been extended to biomedical applications like phototherapy and biodetection. Recent research on conjugated polymers has focused on bioapplications based on the absorbed light energy conversions in electric impulses, chemical energy, heat, and light emission. In this review, we describe the working principles of those photonic devices that have been applied and researched in the field of biomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, micro-patterned silicon semiconductor photovoltaic cells have been proposed to improve the efficiency in various incident sunlight angles, using homeotropic liquid crystal polymers. The anisotropic liquid crystal precursor solution based on a reactive mesogen has good flowing characteristics. It can be evenly coated on the silicon solar cells' surface by a conventional spreading technique, such as spin coating. Once cured, the polymers exhibit asymmetric transmittance properties. The optical retardation characteristics of the coated polymer films can be eventually determined by the applicable coating and curing parameters during the processes. The birefringence of light then influences the optical path and the divergence of any encountered sunlight. This allows more photons to enter the active semiconductor layers for optical absorption, resulting in an increase in the photon-to-electron conversion, and thus improving the photovoltaic cell efficiency. This new design is straightforward and could allow various patterns to be created for scientific development. The experimental results have evidenced that the energy conversion efficiency could be improved by 2–3% for the silicon photovoltaic cells, under direct sunlight or at no inclination, when the liquid crystal polymer precursor solution is prepared at 5%. In addition, the efficiency could be much more significantly improved to 14–16% when the angle is inclined to 45°. The unique patterned liquid crystal polymer thin films provide enhanced energy conversion efficiency for silicon photovoltaic cells. The design could be further evaluated for other solar cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for materials with multifunctional qualities has skyrocketed with the quickening pace of design and engineering of smart and effective electronic devices like piezoelectric sensors. Herein, a high-temperature piezoelectric bismuth layer-structured ferroelectric material has been incorporated with MnO2 to form Bi3TiTaO9:xwt%MnO2 with x = 0–0.3, (BTTO:xMn) to investigate the influence of MnO2 on the ferroelectric properties, energy storage efficiency and piezoelectric properties. Despite the intercalation of Mn-ions at the lattice location, the structure of all ceramics remains preserved. At x = 0.2, the addition of MnO2 to BTTO lattices has enhanced the material's multifunctional properties. At room temperature, it has shown a high remnant polarization (Pr) of 11.04 μC cm−2, a recoverable energy density (Wrec) of ∼ 0.98 J cm−3, an energy conversion efficiency (η) of ∼63%, a high piezoelectric co-efficient (d33) of 20 pC/N and a dielectric constant (εr) of 133 with very low dielectric loss, which are much improved compared to those of pure BTTO ceramics. Furthermore, even after annealing at 600 °C, the BTTO:0.2 Mn ceramic has shown excellent piezoelectric thermal stability, retaining 80% (16 pC/N) of its initial value. The achieved results clearly indicate that the BTTO:0.2 Mn ceramic is a promising candidate for future wide-temperature pulse power applications and high-temperature piezoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The development of low-cost and efficient metal sulfide photocatalysts through morphological and structural design is vital to the advancement of the hydrogen economy. However, metal sulfide semiconductor photocatalysts still suffer from low carrier separation and poor solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiencies. Herein, two-dimensional ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets were grown on Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S hollow nanocages to construct Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S@ZnIn 2 S 4 hollow nanocages for the first time. Novel hollow core–shell Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S@ZnIn 2 S 4 /MoS 2 nanocages with Z-scheme heterojunction structures were obtained by incorporating MoS 2 nanosheet co-catalyst via the solvothermal method. The resulting Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S@ZnIn 2 S 4 /MoS 2 exhibited unique structural and compositional advantages, leading to remarkable photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rates of up to 8.5 mmol·h−1·g−1 without the use of any precious metal co-catalysts. This rate was 10.6-fold and 7.1-fold higher compared to pure ZnIn 2 S 4 and Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S, respectively. Moreover, the optimized Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S@ZnIn 2 S 4 /MoS 2 photocatalyst outperformed numerous reported ZnIn 2 S 4 -based photocatalysts and some ZnIn 2 S 4 -based photocatalysts based on precious metal co-catalysts. The exceptional photocatalytic performance of Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S@ZnIn 2 S 4 /MoS 2 can be attributed to the Z-scheme heterojunction of core–shell structure that enhanced charge carrier separation and transport, as well as the co-catalytic action of MoS 2. Overall, the proposed Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S@ZnIn 2 S 4 /MoS 2 with heterojunction structure is a promising candidate for the preparation of efficient photocatalysts for solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the photobiomodulation on isolated mitochondria of bovine liver is studied as a thermodynamic process of conversion of energy. This analysis is conducted by considering a particular set-up for the photobiomodulation experiments of interest. It allows, in particular, the computation of the electromagnetic field and the related energetic quantities in the stimulated organelles. The measurements of the excess of biochemical power density produced by the illuminated mitochondria are performed at regular time intervals after the experiments. The calculations and the measurements finally allow us to obtain the first results on the efficiency of the process of conversion of electromagnetic energy into excess of biochemical energy released by the isolated organelles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The four-electron oxidation process of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) highly influences the performance of many green energy storage and conversion devices due to its sluggish kinetics. The fabrication of cost-effective OER electrocatalysts via a facile and green method is, hence, highly desirable. This review summarizes and discusses the recent progress in creating carbon-based materials for alkaline OER. The contents mainly focus on the design, fabrication, and application of carbon-based materials for alkaline OER, including metal-free carbon materials, carbon-based supported composites, and carbon-based material core–shell hybrids. The work presents references and suggestions for the rational design of highly efficient carbon-based OER materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct catalytic methanol fuel cells (DCMFCs) have been studied for several years for energy conversion. Less extensive is the investigation of their analytical properties. In this paper, we demonstrate that the behavior of both the discharge and charger curves of DCMFCs depends on the chemical composition of the solution injected in the fuel cell. Their discharge and charge curves, analyzed using a chemometric data fusion method named ComDim, enable the identification of various types of aliphatic alcohols diluted in water. The results also show that the identification of alcohols can be obtained from the first portion of the discharge and charge curves. To this end, the curves have been described by a set of features related to the slope and intercept of the initial portion of the curves. The ComDim analysis of this set of features shows that the identification of alcohols can be obtained in a time that is about thirty times shorter than the time taken to achieve steady-state voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global dependence on fossil fuels for energy has prompted researchers to explore alternative power generation sources that offer higher efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and low environmental impact. Developed countries have been making continuous efforts to reduce their reliance on depleting fossil fuel sources to curb carbon emissions. As a result, hydrogen has gained significant attention among researchers as a potential future fuel that meets all the necessary criteria. Many countries aiming for a hydrogen economy have invested in research on fuel cells. Among various fuel cells, the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) has emerged as a commercially viable power source at a small scale. This paper provides an extensive review of the components, materials, design, operation, and integration strategies of SOFCs with existing thermal-based power plants. The performance and prospects of various SOFCs in standalone and hybrid modes are summarized, along with the limitations. Additionally, the research and commercialization efforts that can enhance the potential applications of SOFCs as a sustainable and reliable system in the long term are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been proven to be a promising option for photovoltaic conversion. With the aim to achieve efficient and stable PSCs, it is essential to explore dopant‐free hole‐transporting materials (HTMs) with high hole mobility. Herein, HTMs bearing electron donor (D)‐electron acceptor (A)‐electron donor (D) structures have been constructed with strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect, based on rational combination of dibenzo[a,c]phenazine and pyridine as electronic acceptors and anchoring groups to perovskite layer. Accordingly, high hole mobility (7.31 × 10–5 cm2·V–1·s–1) and photoelectric conversion efficiency (20.45%) have been achieved by dopant‐free DPyP‐based PSC. It afforded an efficient way to design HTMs with high hole mobility by adjustment of molecular configurations and electronic property of conjugated systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy-based compact energy-generation systems based on the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) can be employed to meet the ever-growing thirst for affordable and clean energy. The overall performance and effectiveness of ORC systems are constrained by the low efficiency of the gas expander, specifically the positive displacement expander, which is responsible for energy conversion from the working fluid. This low-efficiency scenario can be significantly improved by employing a control valve to regulate and restrict the flow of the working fluid into the expander. A control valve can effectively curve the loss of costly compressed and energized working fluids by allowing them to expand in the expander chamber before discharging through the outlet port. They can thus be used to regulate the amount of energy yield and output power. In this work, two direct drive rotary valves (DDRVs) operated by a stepper motor (SM-DDRV) and rotary solenoid (RS-DDRV) are suggested, and the behavior of the valves is examined. The effect of friction and temperature on the valve response is also studied. Additionally, the effect of inlet control valves on the overall system performance of the limaçon expander is assessed. Thermodynamic properties such as the isentropic efficiency and filling factor are also computed. The effect of leakage due to valve response delay is analyzed at different inlet pressures. The performance indices are compared to the expander performance without any inlet valve. The SM-DDRV setup results in a 14.86% increase in isentropic efficiency and a 220% increase in the filling factor, whereas the RS-DDRV performs moderately with a 2.58% increase in isentropic efficiency and an 80% increase in the filling factor compared to a ported expander. The SM-DDRV provides better performance indices compared to the RS-DDRV and without valve setups. However, the performance of the limaçon expander with the SM-DDRV is sensitive to the inlet pressure and degrades at higher pressure. Overall, the valves proposed in this work present key insights into improving the performance characteristics of gas expanders of ORC systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, novel tetradecylamine/MXene/cellulose nanocrystal composite phase change materials (TDA/MXene/CNC CPCMs) were prepared using a vacuum impregnation method. For the first time, lightweight MXene/CNC composite aerogel was employed as a support material in energy storage, with TDA serving as the phase change material. The latent heat of TDA/MXene/CNC CPCMs reached 221.5 J/g. Furthermore, the density of the MXene/CNC-2 composite aerogel was 0.0614 g/cm3, and its loading rate for TDA was as high as 90.6 wt%. Additionally, the thermal conductivity of TDA/MXene/CNC CPCM-5 was 0.491 W/(m·K), 1.87 times higher than that of pure TDA. The TDA/MXene/CNC CPCMs exhibited exceptional thermal stability up to 120 °C and maintained excellent shape stability at 60 °C. The composites exhibit a superior solar-thermal conversion ability with the conversion efficiency as high as 94.1%, The incorporation of MXene significantly enhances the photothermal conversion capability, providing an important avenue for the high-efficiency utilisation of solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance in various catalytic reactions. However, the low metal loading (<1.0 wt.%) and the difficulty in precisely modulating their coordination configurations hinder the practical yield of target products and the understanding of actual reaction mechanisms. To overcome these obstacles, a series of strategies are proposed to design SACs with a precise coordination configuration and/or a high density of active sites. For an insightful and comprehensive understanding of these strategies, it is worth analyzing and categorizing them according to their intrinsic mechanisms and applicational perspectives. In this review, the synthesis strategies of precise and/or high‐density SACs are first summarized. Moreover, taking typical electrochemical processes, including oxygen reduction reaction, nitrogen reduction reaction, and carbon dioxide reduction reaction, metal–sulfur batteries, etc., as examples, the applications of these SACs are discussed, focusing on their advantages in enhancing the yield of target products, improving the efficiency of energy storage, and revealing the unique effects. Finally, the challenges and perspective of precise modulation and densification of metal sites for SACs are proposed. It is expected that this review can provide a useful reference for the design and preparation of high‐density and/or controllably coordinated SACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids are an extraordinary group of compounds, fully ionic in structure like inorganic salts but with low melting points, that resemble organic molecular solvents. Their chemical, electrochemical, and thermal stability is what draws the attention and enables their use in many applications, including electrochemical power sources. Even though they are no longer considered eco‐friendly because of nonnegligible toxicity and long bioaccumulation, they can still be efficiently recovered, purified, and reused. These attributes can be harvested to enhance the properties of gel polymer electrolytes for the emerging sodium‐ion batteries. The variety of anions and cations for ILs and their influence on the final properties of the compound opens the road to tuning the properties of gel polymer electrolytes. Ionic liquids as plasticizers constitute a major part of gel polymer electrolytes (average of 70 wt%) and hence, they affect the fundamental properties of gel electrolytes like ionic conductivity and electrochemical window. They also improve the safety features of sodium‐ion batteries, which is relevant for their anticipated applications in stationary energy storage and electric vehicles. The presented review paper aims to explain the relationship between the cation and anion in ionic liquid and the properties of gel electrolytes for sodium‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary Side‐chain engineering has emerged as a highly effective strategy for tailoring the aggregation behavior and charge transport properties of non‐fullerene small molecule acceptors (SMAs). In this study, we designed and synthesized two SMAs, namely BTPSi‐Bu and BTPSi‐Pr, respectively incorporating tributylsilyloxy and triisopropylsilyloxy groups in their outer positions. Notably, BTPSi‐Bu exhibited better planarity, crystallization, and favorable phase separation when paired with PM6 donor polymer compared to its counterpart, BTPSi‐Pr. The resulting organic solar cells, utilizing the PM6:BTPSi‐Bu blend, demonstrated a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 17.41% and a high open‐circuit voltage of 0.859 V. These findings underscore the significance of integrating trialkylsilyloxy side chains into SMAs as a rational design approach for enhancing the performance of photovoltaic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing heterostructures is an efficient strategy to develop high‐performance and robust electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, an ion‐impregnation method and an environmentally friendly in situ carbonization strategy are successively employed to fabricate a novel Co3Mo/Mo2C heterostructure anchored on nitrogen‐doped carbon (Co3Mo/Mo2C@NC). Thanks to the formation of heterostructure, the obtained Co3Mo/Mo2C@NC exhibits an enhanced catalytic performance toward OER with a low overpotential (282 mV @ 10 mA cm−2, 322 mV @ 50 mA cm−2, and 355 mV @100 mA cm−2) and robust stability (100 mA cm−2 for 200 h) in alkaline media. Detailed experimental results combined with theoretical calculations reveal the formation of a Co3Mo/Mo2C heterojunction interface can decrease the energy barrier of the rate‐determining step for intermediates during the OER process, thereby inherently enhancing the OER performance. This work presents a rational synthetic route for designing high‐performance heterostructures for energy conversion technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A conventional solid‐state reaction route was utilized for the fabrication of Ba0.55Sr0.45Ti1−xMnxO3 (x = .004, .006, .008, .01, and .015) ceramics. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) diffractograms revealed pseudo‐cubic structural symmetry with a single phase. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed fine grain morphology for x = .006, while an obvious increase in grain size was detected at x > .006. A high‐energy storage density (Ws) of 2.47 J cm−3 and a recoverable energy density (Wrec) of 1.36 J cm−3 at an applied electric field of 220 kV cm−1 were achieved for x = .006. An impedance spectroscopic study showed the electrical response relationship with microstructure. The observed two semicircles in Nyquist plots are an indication of the contribution of grains (bulk) and grain boundaries as a resistive medium for conduction of charge carriers, which led to enhanced the capability in capacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are essential components in energy conversion and storage technologies. Yet, their poor reversibility hinders their applicability. A highly active ORR/OER catalyst, consisting of multiwalled carbon nanotubes‐supported MnFeNiOx nanoparticles, was subjected to sequences of chronoamperometric steps alternating between the ORR, the OER and highly cathodic potentials (Ec). Rotating ring disk electrode methods revealed that applying Ec leads to a small increase in the current and peroxide species yield during the ORR while enhancing substantially the OER. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy showed irreversible changes in the chemical state of MnFeNiOx correlating with its catalytic properties. The complexity of changes that a composite catalyst may undergo under varying potentials, the importance of monitoring product formation, and the convenience of using dynamic electrochemical sequences for the assessment of catalyst reversibility, as well as for the activation and/or restoration of their catalytic properties, are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work function is the key surface property that determines the energy required to extract an electron from the surface of a material. This property is crucial for thermionic energy conversion, band alignment in heterostructures, and electron emission devices. This work presents a high‐throughput workflow using density functional theory (DFT) to calculate the work function and cleavage energy of 33,631 slabs (58,332 work functions) that are created from 3,716 bulk materials. The number of calculated surface properties surpasses the previously largest database by a factor of ≈27. Several surfaces with an ultra‐low (<2 eV) and ultra‐high (>7 eV) work function are identified. Specifically, the (100)‐Ba‐O surface of BaMoO3 and the (001)‐F surface of Ag2F have record‐low (1.25 eV) and record‐high (9.06 eV) steady‐state work functions. Based on this database a physics‐based approach to featurize surfaces is utilized to predict the work function. The random forest model achieves a test mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.09 eV, comparable to the accuracy of DFT. This surrogate model enables rapid predictions of the work function (≈ 105 faster than DFT) across a vast chemical space and facilitates the discovery of material surfaces with extreme work functions for energy conversion and electronic device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proactive exploration of electrocatalytic conversion for renewable energy valorization is of tremendous significance in addressing the issues of fossil energy exhaustion, among which the critical challenge of electrocatalysis lies in the rational design of efficient electrocatalysts that are rich in the earth. Among electrocatalysts, the design of heterostructured materials exhibits immense potential for the optimization of noble metals and elaboration of non‐precious metal electrocatalysts with durability. In this review, a systematic overview of modern advances in heterostructured electrocatalysts for a range of energy conversion reactions is described, and special interfacial design brings additional functional effects. Subsequently, various synthesis methods and characterization techniques for heterostructured electrocatalysts are also summarized. The innovative classification of heterostructures in methods of interfacial junction, crystal structure, structural morphology, and properties of the components is presented in this review. Finally, the possible challenges and outlooks of heterostructured electrocatalysts in the future are further discussed, including how to develop more sophisticated synthesis, characterization, and theoretical calculation methods, which will serve as the guiding direction for a more rational interface design. This review aims to set the trajectory for providing meaningful inspiration and references in energy conversion by heterostructured electrocatalysts, advancing the process of carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing high performance noble-metal-free electrocatalysts as an alternative to Pt-based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in energy conversion devices is highly desirable. We report herein the preparation of a coordination-polymer (CP)-derived Fe/CP/C composite as an electrocatalyst for the ORR with excellent activity and stability both in solution and in Zn-air batteries. The Fe/CP/C catalyst was obtained from the pyrolysis of an iron porphyrin Fe(TPP)Cl (5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H, 23H-porphyrin iron(III) chloride) grafted Zn-coordination polymer with dangling functional groups 4,4'-oxybisbenzoic acid and 4,4'-bipyridine ligands. The Fe/CP/C catalyst showed much higher ORR activity with a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.90 V (vs. RHE) than the Fe/C catalyst (E1/2 = 0.85 V) derived from the carbon-blacksupported Fe porphyrins in 0.1 M KOH solution. When Fe/CP/C was used as the cathode electrocatalyst in Zn-air batteries (ZABs), the ZABs achieved a significantly higher open circuit voltage (OCV = 1.43 V) and maximum power density (Pmax = 142.8 mW cm-2) compared with Fe/C (OCV = 1.38 V, Pmax = 104.5 mW cm-2) and commercial 20 wt% Pt/C (OCV = 1.41 V, Pmax = 117.6 mW cm-2). Using dangling functional groups in CP to increase the loading efficiency of iron porphyrins offered a facile method to prepare high-performance noble-metal-free electrocatalysts for the ORR, which may provide promising applications to energy conversion devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) P(VDF-HFP) doped with 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4-N-methyl-stilbazolium tosylate (DAST) composites with various concentrations of DAST dye is prepared using the casting method. The crystal structure and optical properties of the pure and P(VDF-HFP)/DAST composites with various contents of DAST dye are investigated using various techniques such as UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). The analysis of XRD data and FTIR spectra revealed that the β-fraction has been improved in the composite samples with increasing the content of DAST dye. Analysis of UV spectra displayed that the optical band gap of P(VDF-HFP) pure copolymer is 5.41 eV and has been reduced to be 3.75 eV for P(VDF-HFP)/10 wt% DAST that will be suitable for efficient systems of energy conversion and multijunction-based layer solar cells. Also, it is found that the nonlinear and linear optical parameters of the composite samples are DAST dye-dependent. Thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) technique has been applied to investigate the dipolar and space charge relaxations of the composites. Moreover, it is observed that the pyroelectricity and piezoelectricity are enhanced with increasing the content of DAST dye. The highest content of the DAST dye showed maximum values of the pyroelectric and the piezoelectric coefficients of ~ 4 × 10–5 C/m2 K and ~ 34 pC/N at stress of 6.27 × 105 Pa, respectively. Our results of the polymer/dye composites give an opportunity of a promising material for flexible piezoelectricity devices used in many potential applications and energy harvesting systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of polymer donors with isomeric alkyl chains on the interfacial charge-transfer (CT) processes, the rates of exciton dissociation (kED) and charge recombination (kCR) have been calculated for complexes PM6/Y6 and PM6i/Y6, where isomer PM6i was designed by shifting the side chains in the electron-withdrawing units to the thiophene-bridges based on PM6. For complex PM6/Y6, kED of PM6 and Y6 exciton are calculated to be 1010–1012 s−1 and 1012–1013 s−1, and kCR is 1011–1012 s−1 for recombination of the lowest CT (CT0) excitons into the lowest triplet states of Y6, which are consistent with the experimental results. When going to complex PM6i/Y6, kED of PM6i exciton is higher than that of PM6 exciton, and of Y6 exciton is decreased to 1011–1012 s−1, but kCR is decreased to 1010–1011 s−1. The calculated results reveal that isomeric alkyl chains of polymer donors can enhance the polymer exciton dissociation and suppress the charge-recombination processes, underlining the important role of isomeric alkyl chains in design of polymer donors for high performance non-fullerene organic photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the interdecadal enhancement of the South China Sea–Western North Pacific monsoon trough (MT) and its relationship with tropical cyclone (TC) genesis in the mid-2000s. Analyses reveal pronounced intensification of the MT, increased synoptic-scale wave activity, and more TC genesis over the South China Sea –Philippine Sea after the mid-2000s. Due to the delayed South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM) withdrawal, in the three-dimensional circulation structure, the low-level (850-hPa) MT endures for an extended period, accompanied by a typical cyclonic circulation and more potent convergence and upward motion over the southern South China Sea–Philippine Sea. This creates a beneficial background for TC genesis. Meanwhile, alterations in the intensity and position of the mid-level (500-hPa) Western North Pacific subtropical high and the upper-level (200-hPa) South Asian high impact the vertical circulation structures, thus influencing the overall environmental conditions. Increased moisture, cyclonic anomalies, and enhanced low-level (upper-level) convergence (divergence) act constructively for TC genesis. Intensified barotropic and baroclinic eddy kinetic energy conversions strengthen synoptic-scale systems like synoptic-scale waves, also facilitating TC formation. Anomalous sea surface temperature (SST) warming over the Philippine Sea excites a cyclonic anomaly through an equatorial Rossby wave response due to convective heating, maintaining the MT structure. Model simulations also demonstrate that the warming of SST in September has a positive effect on maintaining the MT structure. In summary, warmer Philippine Sea SST leads to delayed SCSSM withdrawal associated with the persistent MT accompanied by advantageous environmental conditions and more active synoptic-scale waves, leading to the interdecadal increase in TC genesis over the South China Sea–Philippine Sea during the SCSSM withdrawal phase since the mid-2000s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous wireless information and power transmission (SWIPT) allows the use of RF signals for both information detection and energy harvesting. Integration of cooperation, NOMA and SWIPT can provide energy-efficient, reliable, and spectral-efficient networks. Therefore, this study aims to design energy harvesting-enabled cooperative NOMA (C-NOMA) networks. This work investigates relay selection for multiple relay downlink C-NOMA networks with SWIPT in the presence of interference. The analytical closed-form outage probability expressions for the proposed relay selection are derived. Subsequently, the impact of various parameters, including the number of available relay nodes, energy harvesting parameters, and energy conversion efficiency, is analyzed on the performance of proposed networks. The finding showed that system performance improves with the number of intermediate relaying nodes, transmit power, and energy conversion efficiency. Comparative analysis of NOMA and time division multiple access TDMA proved the superiority of NOMA over traditional OMA schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the survival performance of wave energy converters (WECs) in extreme wave conditions is crucial, and reducing wave loads is a key aspect of this. Placing the device underwater has been recognized as a beneficial strategy, yet the determination of the optimal submerged depth and the effects of varying wave conditions remain ambiguous. To address this, the study numerically analyzes the total forces in both horizontal and vertical directions, along with their harmonic components, across different wave configurations. A computational fluid dynamics method is employed to investigate a triangular-baffle bottom-shaped oscillating floater, which is known for its high energy conversion efficiency. The findings indicate that submerging the device to a depth equivalent to half the actual focused amplitude (1/2Ab) is the most effective strategy in the given sea state, offering superior wave force reduction vertically and robust performance horizontally. The analysis of harmonics reveals the significant contribution of high-order components to the total wave forces. Additionally, the study examines the impact of focused wave amplitudes and peak frequencies, showing that although force reductions are lessened in more extreme conditions, the optimal submerged depth of 1/2Ab still yields near 30% reduction in total vertical force and 22% in total horizontal force. This research provides theoretical insight that can guide the enhancement of WECs' survival capabilities in practical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Letter unveils a novel observation of condensation shock in a thermoacoustic prime mover with a wet stack, powered by a consistent 70 W heat input and maintained at atmospheric pressure. Intermittent pressure bursts, triggered by distinct acoustic cycles, reveal new characteristics of non-combustion-driven thermoacoustic instabilities, expanding the horizon beyond the energy conversion applications of traditional heat engines. Our findings, highlighted by pressure bursts reaching up to 35.8 kPa and detailed through time–frequency analysis, not only emphasize the critical role of phase-change dynamics but also pave the way for potential applications in heat transfer and material separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing cathode materials with high performance in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is desirable for proton ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) for energy conversion technology. BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3–δ (BCFZY) is widely investigated as a cathode. Herein, BCFZY cathode is used as a paradigmatic example to study the impact of calcination temperature on microstructure, electronic structure, and ORR performance. Ion beam‐scanning electron microscopy indicates BCFZY prepared at 800 °C (BCFZY800) exhibits the largest specific surface area and cathode/electrolyte contact area. BCFZY800 exhibits a peak power density of 1.32 W cm−2 at 650 °C, which is 37% and 193% higher than that of BCFZY prepared at 700 °C (BCFZY700) and 1100 °C (BCFZY1100), respectively. Furthermore, BCFZY800 demonstrates high long‐term stability over 500 h. Soft X‐Ray absorption spectra indicate that the oxidation state of BCFZY800 is reduced, suggesting more catalytically active sites than those of BCFZY700 and BCFZY1100 after the ORR. This work provides a new understanding for enhanced PCFCs performance by proper porosity structure via fine‐tuning the calcination temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focus on the current advances of freezing-derived functional materials, involving the design rationale (freezing stratagems and curing methods) of material fabrication and various applications, including mechanical, thermal, energy, environmental, and biomedical applications. The emphasis is put on the correlations among multiscale structures, extraordinary properties and multifarious applications. Promising research directions and challenges about the freezing processing tools are also presented. [Display omitted] Ice-templating, also known as freeze-casting, has emerged as a novel and versatile processing technology in various applications such as strong and tough structured materials, thermal management, energy storage and conversion, biomedical engineering, and so on. By replicating the fractal ice crystal structure, both multiscale hierarchical architectures (from macroscale to micrometer-, and nanometer-scales) and corresponding unique structure-derived functions can be achieved. This review focus on the current advances of freezing-derived functional materials, involving the design rationale (freezing strategies and curing methods) of material fabrication and various applications, including mechanical, thermal, energy, environmental, and biomedical applications. Opportunities (promising research directions and new application scenarios) and challenges about the ice-templating tools are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The pursuit of sustainable solutions to address the global energy crisis has led to a keen interest in the advancement of cost-effective and multifunctional electrochemical systems. These systems aim to achieve both zero-carbon emissions and the dual capability to convert and store energy efficiently. The electrochemical splitting of water is one way to create carbon–neutral, clean hydrogen gas. Electrocatalysis and hydrogen evolution in general depends not only on the catalyst but also on its nano- and microstructure, which influences local chemical conditions and hydrogen gas bubble detachment. Therefore, rapid screening of not only potential catalysts but also various structured surfaces is needed for effective electrode fabrication. The fused deposition modeling (FDM) method of 3D printing is frequently used for electrode fabrication using conducting filaments; however, its micro-structuration resolution is limited. Stereolithography can produce complex and fine structures; however, the resins are not conductive and therefore the structures are not suitable for electrode fabrication. In this work, we have fabricated a substrate with high-resolution needle array architecture using stereolithographic (SLA) 3D printing and coated it with Co 3 Te 4 -CoTe 2 (COT) nanofiber for water splitting and energy storage. The SLA 3D-printed cobalt telluride electrodes showed appreciable performance as a photoelectrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), acting as a bifunctional catalyst. We also demonstrated fabrication of a cobalt telluride based SLA 3D-printed supercapacitor device with multiscale hierarchy. The SLA 3D-printed supercapacitor device exhibited good electrochemical behavior along with high cycling stability. In general, we show here a universal method for SLA conductive electrode fabrication with hierarchical structuring of functional elements and suitable for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique properties of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are responsible for their diverse applications in photonic materials, medicine, analytics, and energy conversion. In this study, water-soluble rare-earth upconversion nanomaterials emitting green, yellow, and red light under 1550 nm excitation were synthesized. These nanomaterials were then integrated into water-soluble Kevlar nanofibers (KNFs) to fabricate ultra-thin composite films exhibiting favorable mechanical characteristics. The characterization of the products, along with their luminescent, mechanical, and temperature-sensing properties, was examined. The results indicate that the composite material exhibited varying colors based on the doped nanoparticles when subjected to 1550 nm excitation. The composite showed highly sensitive temperature-sensing properties, excellent luminescent characteristics, and superior mechanical strength. This study suggests that KNFs are effective carriers of UCNPs. This study offers a reference for the utilization of rare-earth upconversion in anti-counterfeiting displays, wearable health monitoring, and remote temperature sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the conversion of optical energy into mechanical energy during nanosecond laser ablation in an underwater regime. Our study analyzed the energy distribution between the shockwave, cavitation bubble, and work done by plasma impulse on the solid target, while also examining how laser intensity and absorptive coating affect this distribution. We monitored the evolution of the shockwave and cavitation bubble using the photoelasticity imaging technique and a high-speed laser stroboscopic videography system in the photoelasticity mode. Based on the experimental data, we determined the energy allocated to each process. Our result showed that shockwave energy contributed the most to the energy balance, followed by the cavitation bubble energy. The ratio of shockwave energy to cavitation bubble energy was independent of the laser pulse energy. Coating material helps to convert more optical energy to the thermal energy of the plasma plume, thus increasing the overall optical-to-mechanical energy conversion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 (CO 2 RR) to fuels and chemicals is a promising route to close the anthropogenic carbon cycle for sustainable society. The Cu-based catalysts in producing high-value hydrocarbons feature unique superiorities, yet challenges remain in achieving high selectivity. In this work, Cu@ZIF-8 NWs with highly-exposed Cu nanowires (Cu NWs) and ZIF-8 interface are synthesized via a surfactant-assisted method. Impressively, Cu@ZIF-8 NWs exhibit excellent stability and a high Faradaic efficiency of 57.5% toward hydrocarbons (CH 4 and C 2 H 4) at a potential of −0.7 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. Computational calculations combining with experiments reveal the formation of Cu and ZIF-8 interface optimizes the adsorption of reaction intermediates, particularly stabilizing the formation of *CHO, thereby enabling efficient preference for hydrocarbons. This work highlights the potential of constructing metals and MOFs heterogeneous interfaces to enhance catalytic properties and offers valuable insights for the design of highly efficient CO 2 RR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted considerable attention in the field of energy storage and conversion due to their large specific surface area, regulatable pore structure and composition. However, the poor electrical conductivity and few active sites of MOFs impede their application. Herein, highly conductive MXene nanosheets are introduced to modulate the electronic conductivity and structure of rod-like Co-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (Co-PDC), and thus enhancing the electrochemical performance of MOFs. The heterostructural Co-PDC/MXene (CPM) was facily synthesized at room temperature. The as-prepared CPM-30 with 30 % MXene only requires the overpotential of 75.1 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and the assembled electrolytic cell with CPM-30 and RuO 2 as cathode and anode electrodes can achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a voltage of 1.65 V. In addition, CPM-10 exhibits a high specific capacitance of 583.1 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and an excellent rate performance of 41.6 % at 50 A g−1. Furthermore, the assembled asymmetric supercapacitor CPM-10//AC exhibited an energy density of 15.55 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 750 W kg−1 and excellent stability with a capacitance retention rate of 95 % after 10,000 cycles. The excellent electrochemical properties of Co-PDC / MXene are attributed to the unique structure and synergistic effect of Co-PDC and MXene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]