Sustainable Energy & Fuels最新文献

Hydrogen gas (H₂) has attracted significant attention as a clean energy source. To realise a sustainable society, the development of methods for green H₂ production from water and safe H₂ storage is essential. Organic hydrides, which can store H₂via covalent bonding under ambient conditions, are promising H₂ storage materials. Primary alcohols, which can be produced from biomass and release H₂ under mild conditions (80–220 °C) due to their small dehydrogenation enthalpies, have garnered attention as new candidates for application as organic hydrides. In this work, we demonstrated a reversible H₂ storage cycle with primary alcohols/aldehydes. Specifically, we focused on benzyl alcohol and relatively stable benzaldehyde. Benzyl alcohol was completely dehydrogenated by warming (180 or 220 °C) in the presence of a metal complex catalyst to obtain benzaldehyde, which was then completely hydrogenated to benzyl alcohol using the same catalyst under H₂ (1 atm), thereby accomplishing a reversible H₂ storage cycle. Additionally, we used alcoholic fermentation with baker's yeast as a hydrogenation method without requiring precious metal catalysts or H₂, and benzaldehyde was completely hydrogenated to store hydrogen directly from water and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). This work revealed the reversible H₂ storage capability of primary alcohols/aldehydes as organic hydrides, and conceptually demonstrated a green H₂ production and storage cycle by combining hydrogen storage using alcoholic fermentation and H₂ release.

A study on the dissimilar interactions of two photovoltaic additives, FK209 or a combination of LiTFSI and TBP dopants, with three structurally different molecular hole-transporting materials (HTMs) previously used in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is presented. The investigated HTMs are Spiro-OMeTAD and a toroidally delocalized oligotriarylamine-hexaarylbenzene derivative (HAB1), both globular and structurally rigid, as well as a globular but structurally fluxional oligotriarylamine-[60]fullerene hexakis-adduct (FU7). Photophysical characterisation with/without the additives in solution has been performed considering the changes in UV-vis absorption and fluorescence excitation/emission spectra of the HTMs, modulation of their emission quantum yields and lifetimes, analysis of the excited state quenching by the dopants, results of time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy assays accounting for changes in the size of the HTMs behaving as fluorophores, and evaluation of the singlet oxygen production by the HTMs. FK209 efficiently promotes charge transfer by association with the molecular HTMs, as evidenced by the observation of static quenching and variations of their rotational lifetimes due to increased fluorophore sizes; the charge transfer process with the LiTFSI and TBP system is only based on diffusion-controlled dynamic quenching of the excited HTMs, suggesting a weaker interaction, which is modulated by the accessibility of small hydrophobic molecules such as LiTFSI and TBP to the inner domains of the molecular HTMs. Remarkably, Spiro-OMeTAD shows competitive singlet oxygen photosensitisation by energy transfer, with a non-negligible quantum yield of 0.35. This study shows excellent agreement with previously reported results in PSCs, providing a better understanding of the underlying interactions between HTMs and dopants and, in turn, facilitating the optimisation of decisions regarding additives employed in photovoltaic devices.

Improving the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode and mitigating biofouling are key to advancing microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance. This study aims to develop a multifunctional cathode catalyst capable of simultaneously promoting ORR activity and suppressing biofilm formation. A dual-metal ZnO-F-N/C electrocatalyst was synthesized via a controlled pyrolysis strategy, enabling the integration of Fe-N_x active sites with antibacterial ZnO components. The optimized ZnO-Fe-N/C-1 exhibits a high half-wave potential of 0.70 V vs. RHE and sustained activity in neutral electrolyte. When deployed as an air cathode in an MFC, ZnO-Fe-N/C-1 achieves a maximum power density of 643.5 ± 23.0 mW m⁻² (J = 1355.7 ± 24.3 mA m⁻²), exceeding those of Fe-N/C and commercial 20 wt% Pt/C benchmarks. During wastewater treatment tests, the MFC demonstrates a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 94.70 ± 0.86% and a coulombic efficiency of 17.95 ± 0.15%. Furthermore, the intrinsic biofouling-resistant nature of ZnO-F-N/C-1 stabilizes long-term MFC operation. This study demonstrates a sustainable catalyst design that integrates high ORR efficiency with durability and biofilm control, offering a promising route toward robust, high-performance MFC systems.

Supercapacitors, as a complementary type of energy storage device between secondary batteries and conventional capacitors, show the advantages of high-power density and stable cyclability. However, there are still challenges that remain to be solved, such as their relatively low energy density compared with secondary batteries. Herein, we report a new class of materials for supercapacitors, specifically two organic/inorganic hybrid iodobismuthate materials, 2-aminothiazolium bismuth iodide ([AT][BiI₄]) and tetrabutylammonium bismuth iodide ([TBA]₃[Bi₃I₁₂]). Both materials were synthesised by mechanochemistry, which is a green route with lower energy and resource consumption compared with solution-based methods. [TBA]₃[Bi₃I₁₂] was also synthesised by precipitation for comparison. We tested the electrochemical performance of these materials using a three-electrode system and bismuth was shown to provide the redox active centre. The results illustrate that the mechanochemically-synthesised materials have higher performance, which suggests that further study of mechanochemical synthesis for hybrid iodobismuthates would be fruitful.

Direct liquid fuel cells represent a promising energy conversion technology with high energy conversion efficiency and energy density, but the application is limited by the inherent instability and high economic costs of physical membranes. As one of the emerging multifunctional polymer materials, hydrogels offer exceptional and tunable properties in mass transport, mechanical performance, and biocompatibility. Understanding the influence of functional groups on the physicochemical properties of hydrogels and developing high-performance hydrogel materials are crucial to develop high-performance direct liquid fuel cells. Herein, we design and optimize a polyzwitterionic P(AM-SA-MAPTAC) hydrogel with superior mechanical properties, swelling capacity, and mass transport performance. When the hydrogel is utilized as the multifunctional electrolyte, it enables a peak power density of 9.18 mW cm⁻² and limiting current density of 46.95 mA cm⁻². More importantly, the current density shows only a 2.86% performance decay after 100 minutes. This study offers new insights into the design of functional hydrogels and their applications in direct liquid fuel cells.

Conducting hydrogel-based triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have garnered significant interest for their inherent flexibility and biocompatibility. However, their practical deployment is severely constrained by poor mechanical integrity and limited operational lifespans. Addressing these limitations, we report a mechanically robust and stable conductive sponge-based TENG (CS-TENG), engineered via a simple, scalable, and cost-effective approach. The device architecture is based on a sugar-templated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponge infiltrated with an ionic conductive gel comprising polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium nitrate (NaNO₃), followed by a controlled thermal curing process. This strategy dramatically enhances the electrical conductivity of the sponge to 649.28 mS m⁻¹, which is more than three orders of magnitude higher than that of the untreated structure (0.185 mS m⁻¹). The resulting CS-TENG demonstrates exceptional energy harvesting performance, generating a stable output of 61 V and 1.6 µA, with no degradation observed over six months of continuous operation. Moreover, the device is capable of directly powering 30 LEDs and seamlessly integrating with wireless platforms to operate 7-segment displays, LCDs, and smartphones. This work introduces a robust design for the development of high-performance TENGs, offering a promising pathway toward next-generation self-powered and wearable multifunctional electronic systems.

Efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass is crucial for the development of non-food biofuels, but the efficiency is often hindered by the inhibitory interactions between cellulase and lignin. In this study, pseudo-lignin (PL) and lignin-like substances (LL) were extracted from hydrothermal pretreated residues and liquid, respectively, and the interactions between these lignin derivatives and cellulase were thoroughly studied. The results showed that PL had extremely strong hydrophilicity, which significantly increased the α-helix content of cellulase, thereby facilitating the improvement of enzymatic hydrolysis. In contrast, LL exhibited inhibitory effects on cellulase activity under hydrophobic interactions. From this, it can be seen that PL is beneficial for enzymatic hydrolysis and is not affected by the pretreatment severity and raw materials. This new perspective will provide a new insight for the combination of hydrothermal pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis technology.

Chevrel phase compounds, distinguished by their archetypal Mo₆X₈ (X = S, Se, Te) cluster-centric crystal frameworks, have emerged as compelling candidates for a spectrum of advanced electrochemical and catalytic applications. Their intrinsic structural pliability, superior electronic transport properties, and exceptional capacity for the reversible intercalation of a wide array of cations, including multivalent species such as Mg²⁺ underscore their potential as high-performance electrode materials in next-generation lithium, sodium, and magnesium-ion battery technologies. Beyond conventional energy storage paradigms, these materials exhibit pronounced multifunctionality, enabling their deployment in supercapacitive systems, photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, electrocatalytic water splitting, and light-activated antimicrobial platforms. This review articulates a critical synthesis of contemporary advancements in synthetic methodologies, electrochemical performance metrics, and the prevailing material and system-level limitations confronting Chevrel phase deployment. Strategic avenues for performance enhancement are examined, encompassing morphological tailoring, hybrid composite engineering, electrolyte modulation, and interface-specific modifications, underpinned by insights from state-of-the-art characterization protocols and multiscale computational simulations. Prospective directions are delineated with an emphasis on environmentally benign synthesis routes, integration into flexible and wearable electronic architectures, and the rational design of novel Chevrel-derived frameworks. By consolidating recent progress and identifying unresolved challenges, this article endeavors to provide a cogent foundation for steering future research trajectories toward the scalable and sustainable implementation of Chevrel phase materials in advanced energy conversion and storage technologies.

The study reports a facile method for fabricating ternary nanocomposites comprising TiO₂ and ZnO. Herein, a simple precipitation method was used to prepare cobalt ferrite (CFO) nanoparticles (NPs), followed by thermal decomposition of melamine in a physical mixture with CFO to produce a CoFe₂O₄–g-C₃N₄ (CFO–CN) core–shell nanostructure. Furthermore, the sonication and reflux-assisted precipitation method was employed for preparing ternary nanocomposites. The structural integrity of fabricated nanostructures was studied by XRD analysis. XPS analysis was used to determine the surface elemental composition and the chemical states of the present elements. The varied functional groups related to the different phases in the nanocomposites were probed using FTIR analysis. The inheritance of the magnetic properties of nanocomposites was confirmed from the VSM results, indicating the ferromagnetic nature of all the samples. The optical band gap was evaluated from the Tauc's relation for absorption spectroscopy data. The photocatalytic measurements were performed using MB, MO, and RhB dyes on all the prepared samples under a UV source. Enhancement in catalytic efficiency was observed with H₂O₂ inclusion, while the reduction in the efficiency was observed in the scavenger tests, indicating the influence of different radicals on the photocatalysis reaction. Kinetic models were employed to study the catalytic reaction mechanism. A reusability test was conducted to check the stability of the prepared materials.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, consisting of linear and branched alkanes along with cyclic and aromatic compounds. In this study, an optimised catalytic system formed by Pd/C and the base K₃PO₄ was examined for the alkylation of different combinations of ketones (acetone and butanone) and alcohols (ethanol, 1-butanol, and isopropanol), all obtainable through fermentation of renewable carbon sources. Conversion of the reactants towards desired longer-chained ketone products serving as intermediates for SAF was consistently above 90% for all combinations involving primary alcohols at higher temperatures, with selectivities towards the desired products as high as 80%. Acetone primarily provided intermediates for linear alkanes, whereas butanone was found to be a promising ketone for alkylation, providing intermediates for long branched alkanes after dialkylation on both the methyl and the less reactive ethyl side chain. In perspective, the catalytic system seems promising for making blends of SAF substrates with high selectivity from fermentation-derived oxygenate mixtures.