EcoMat最新文献

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) persist in wastewater as chemically stable contaminants that evade conventional treatment, driving a global health crisis. Photocatalysis offers a promising route to simultaneously inactivate ARB and degrade ARGs. However, its practical implementation stays hindered by fundamental gaps in understanding how material interfaces control their fate. This review critically analyzes the interfacial battlefield, where surface chemistry, charge dynamics, and nanoconfinement determine the efficiency and mechanism of resistance destruction. We establish a quantitative reaction–diffusion framework that reveals why photocatalytic degradation is governed not by bulk-phase kinetics but by coupled transport–adsorption–reaction processes at the nanoscale interface. Through Damköhler analysis, we demonstrate that short-lived reactive oxygen species (ROS, ^●OH diffusion < 10 nm) impose transport-limited regimes where adsorption and nanoconfinement become as critical as charge separation. We evaluate the dual target challenge: ARB as complex, multi-layered cellular structures requiring membrane disruption, and ARGs as persistent polyelectrolytes demanding complete mineralization. By examining how ROS with distinct lifetimes and diffusion distances operate at material interfaces, we establish that adsorption and nanoconfinement are as critical as charge separation. The review synthesizes recent advances in doping, heterojunction engineering (Z-scheme, S-scheme), defect creation, and carbon-based mediators through the cohesive perspective of interfacial design. Key gaps include unverified eARG mineralization, matrix scavenging, catalyst fouling and regeneration, biofilm and dormant cell formation after sublethal treatment, and insufficient life assessment. A roadmap is proposed toward selective, regenerable, matrix-tolerant and sustainability guided photocatalytic systems for antibiotic-resistance control.

Electrically conducting metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been studied over the last two decades and more recently research has gained interest on thermoelectric applications due to their ultra-low thermal conductivity, which is attributed to their porous structure. Only a handful of intrinsically conducting MOFs and composite MOFs with conducting materials have been reported as thermoelectric materials. Here, thermoelectric MOFs have been comprehensively reviewed to prepare a dataset of 399 materials based on experimental observations. Each data point comprises 12 variables, which can be divided into two broad categories: the MOF's chemical and physical properties (composition, metal node, organic ligand, and crystal structure) and their thermoelectric properties (electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, power factor, and figure of merit), which four are target variables of machine learning (ML) models. The dataset has been pre-processed to streamline it. Six ML models, including Decision Tree, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting, were trained on the dataset, and the Decision Tree-based models can predict the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient with high accuracy using the provided information in the dataset on thermoelectric MOF materials. The trained models using the thermoelectric MOFs dataset have been used to explore the thermoelectric parameters of 248 conductive MOFs, which have not yet been explored as thermoelectric materials.

Passive radiative cooling (PRC) offers a sustainable pathway for heat dissipation to outer space without energy input. Polymers have emerged as attractive platforms owing to their lightweight, flexibility, low cost, and structural tunability. This review highlights structure-oriented strategies for polymer-based PRC, categorized into fibrous, porous, photonic/meta, and hybrid composite designs. Fibrous networks enhance solar scattering while maintaining breathability; porous systems utilize multi-scale pores for strong reflectance and broadband infrared emission; photonic/meta-structures enable spectral selectivity and color control; and hybrids integrate inorganic fillers to achieve robustness and multifunctionality. Representative studies report solar reflectance above 98%, emissivity above 97%, and net cooling powers exceeding 100 W·m⁻² under daytime conditions. Beyond performance, advances in eco-friendly polymers, humidity-tolerant structures, and scalable fabrication are emphasized. General design principles are summarized within a structure–property–performance framework, stressing broadband solar scattering, efficient IR emission, scalable processing, and interfacial engineering. Remaining challenges include balancing color with cooling efficiency, establishing standardized evaluation protocols, and ensuring durability for practical applications. This review outlines pathways for transitioning polymer-based PRC from laboratory research to large-scale deployment in buildings, textiles, and emerging technologies.

Roll-to-roll (R2R) coating is an essential manufacturing strategy for the scalable production of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), offering high throughput and compatibility with flexible substrates. However, the widespread use of toxic solvents such as dimethylformamide (DMF) in the perovskite precursor solution poses significant environmental and health concerns, particularly in large-scale continuous processing. In this study, we propose solutions using a DMF-free, environmentally friendly solvent system using a cosolvent mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and acetonitrile (ACN) for the fabrication of R2R-processed PSCs via a two-step slot-die coating method. DMSO provides high solubility for lead iodide (PbI₂) due to its strong coordination ability and ACN promotes rapid drying thanks to its high volatility, enabling the formation of uniform PbI₂ layers. Also, the large volatility difference between ACN and DMSO induced porous PbI₂ structures during drying, which facilitated the infiltration of the formamidinium (FAI) solution and enhanced the conversion to high-quality perovskite layers. This led to improved crystallinity and grain growth, ultimately resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 15.84% for flexible small-area devices (0.125 cm²). Our results demonstrate a realistic pathway toward toxic-solvent-free, scalable PSC manufacturing and highlight the potential of this green R2R process for future commercialization of perovskite photovoltaics.

The rapid increase in the discharge of chemically complex wastewater, driven by urbanization, industrial intensification, and technological expansion, continues to exceed the capacity of conventional wastewater treatment infrastructure. This undermines progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6, particularly Target 6.3, which aims to reduce untreated wastewater discharge by 50% by 2030. Addressing this challenge necessitates the development of material platforms capable of selective, high-efficiency, and multi-contaminant removal under realistic operating conditions. Metal–organic framework (MOF)–MXene hybrid nanocomposites have recently emerged as promising functional materials for advanced wastewater remediation applications. These materials integrate the high surface area and tunable porosity of MOFs with the electrical conductivity, hydrophilicity, and surface functionality of MXenes. The resulting synergistic architectures facilitate enhanced adsorption, catalytic degradation, and redox-mediated removal of a broad spectrum of pollutants. Although original research articles account for the majority of publications in this field (85%), comprehensive review articles remain limited (8%), indicating a clear knowledge gap in the literature. Therefore, this review critically discusses recent advances in MXene–MOF hybrid nanocomposites for wastewater treatment, with an emphasis on their design and synthesis strategies, pollutant removal mechanisms, and the key challenges that must be addressed for practical implementation of these materials.

One of the major challenges for the commercial application of high performance organic solar cells (OSCs) is scaling them from small-area devices to large-area submodules (LA-SMs). Here, we report the design and synthesis of two new π-conjugated spacer-functionalized donor polymers (SF-DPs), D-A-D-π-siloxane (SCl-SiO) and D-A-alkyl-A (SCl-6C), which incorporate thiophene-π-siloxane and hexyl alkyl spacer units into a benzodithiophene (BDT) and benzodithiophenedione (BDD) backbone. A promising technique for enhancing the charge transport, morphology, and stability of OSC devices is the use of spacers, which are designed polymer donors with specific side-chain functionalities. By applying this strategy to LA-SMs (55 cm²) processed via non-halogenated solvent (o-xylene) and bar coating, a record PCE of about 15.5% was attained with remarkable operational stability (> 88%) of original PCE during prolonged light soaking and environmental stress tests. Additionally, small-area devices exhibited outstanding power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 18% (PM6: SCl-SiO (HMw): Y6-BO) with reduced bimolecular recombination, enhanced charge mobilities, and well defined nanostructures confirmed by AFM, TEM, and GIWAX analyzes. These results indicate that side chain engineering with thiophene-π siloxane and hexyl alkyl incorporated spacer units, in conjunction with controlled molecular weight, provides a scalable pathway toward production of stable and highly efficient OSC modules.

Substituting the kinetically sluggish oxygen evolution reaction with the thermodynamically favorable urea oxidation reaction (UOR) offers a compelling strategy for simultaneously achieving energy-efficient hydrogen production and wastewater remediation. Nevertheless, the design of UOR catalysts that combine high activity with long-term durability remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report the scalable fabrication of binder-free Ni–W nanostructures directly grown on carbon paper through a controlled potentiostatic electrodeposition approach. Electrochemical kinetic analysis confirms that the electrocrystallization follows a diffusion-controlled pathway characterized by instantaneous nucleation and subsequent three-dimensional growth. The optimized Ni–W electrode delivers outstanding UOR activity, reaching a current density of 100 mA cm⁻² at a potential of just 1.77 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. In a two-electrode urea electrolyzer configuration, the system achieves 10 mA cm⁻² at only 1.54 V, markedly lower than the voltage required for conventional water splitting. Beyond the energy-efficient hydrogen generation, the system demonstrates meaningful environmental remediation capability, degrading 47% of urea over 30 h of continuous electrolysis. By integrating pollutant removal with electrolytic H₂ production within a single platform, this work establishes a scalable, binder-free catalyst architecture aligned with circular economy principles and advances the frontier of sustainable energy conversion.

Substituting the kinetically sluggish oxygen evolution reaction with the thermodynamically favorable urea oxidation reaction (UOR) offers a compelling strategy for simultaneously achieving energy-efficient hydrogen production and wastewater remediation. Nevertheless, the design of UOR catalysts that combine high activity with long-term durability remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report the scalable fabrication of binder-free Ni–W nanostructures directly grown on carbon paper through a controlled potentiostatic electrodeposition approach. Electrochemical kinetic analysis confirms that the electrocrystallization follows a diffusion-controlled pathway characterized by instantaneous nucleation and subsequent three-dimensional growth. The optimized Ni–W electrode delivers outstanding UOR activity, reaching a current density of 100 mA cm⁻² at a potential of just 1.77 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. In a two-electrode urea electrolyzer configuration, the system achieves 10 mA cm⁻² at only 1.54 V, markedly lower than the voltage required for conventional water splitting. Beyond the energy-efficient hydrogen generation, the system demonstrates meaningful environmental remediation capability, degrading 47% of urea over 30 h of continuous electrolysis. By integrating pollutant removal with electrolytic H₂ production within a single platform, this work establishes a scalable, binder-free catalyst architecture aligned with circular economy principles and advances the frontier of sustainable energy conversion.