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| Open AccessA molecular photosensitizer achieves a Voc of 1.24 V enabling highly efficient and stable dye-sensitized solar cells with copper(II/I)-based electrolyte
Designing photo-sensitisers with high open-circuit voltage (Voc) is desirable to enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of co-sensitized solar cells. Here, the authors employ a judiciously tailored organic sensitiser MS5 with copper electrolyte to achieve a Voc of 1.24 V, and recorded PCE of 34.5% under ambient light.
- Dan Zhang
- , Marko Stojanovic
- & Michael Grätzel
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Article
| Open AccessModulating electron density of vacancy site by single Au atom for effective CO2 photoreduction
The electron density of reactive sites significantly affects catalytic performances. Here, authors demonstrate the electron density of different reactive sites can be modulated by regulating the type of vacancy and the size of Au, leading to effective CO2 photoreduction.
- Yuehan Cao
- , Lan Guo
- & Ying Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessHow antisolvent miscibility affects perovskite film wrinkling and photovoltaic properties
Perovskite morphology dictates carriers’ behaviors and defect states, and thus the ultimate performance of the material. Here, the authors investigate micro-wrinkle formation in film by varying composition and deposition condition, and further implement the optimized structure for solar cells, achieving 23% efficiency.
- Seul-Gi Kim
- , Jeong-Hyeon Kim
- & Nam-Gyu Park
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Article
| Open AccessBoosting photocatalytic hydrogen production from water by photothermally induced biphase systems
The solar-driven H2 production from water by particulate photocatalysts is an effective approach to produce H2 fuel. Here, the authors propose an integrated photothermal–photocatalytic biphase system, which lowers the reaction barrier and the delivery resistance of the H2, boosting the catalytic H2 evolution rate.
- Shaohui Guo
- , Xuanhua Li
- & Bingqing Wei
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Article
| Open AccessSurface passivated halide perovskite single-crystal for efficient photoelectrochemical synthesis of dimethoxydihydrofuran
Perovskite single-crystal thin films inherit the advantages of low trap-states, well-defined thickness and remarkable stability. Now, researchers successfully employed MAPbBr3 single-crystal thin film as photoanode in the photoelectrochemical production of organic 2,5-dimethoxy-2,5-dihydrofuran.
- Xu-Dong Wang
- , Yu-Hua Huang
- & Dai-Bin Kuang
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient overall water splitting in acid with anisotropic metal nanosheets
Ru is one of the most active metals for oxygen evolution reaction, but it quickly dissolves in acidic electrolyte particularly in nanosized form. Here, the authors show that coral-like solid-solution Ru‒Ir consisting of 3 nm-thick sheets with only 6 at% Ir is a long-lived catalyst with high activity.
- Dongshuang Wu
- , Kohei Kusada
- & Hiroshi Kitagawa
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Article
| Open AccessAutomatic light-adjusting electrochromic device powered by perovskite solar cell
The requirement for external electric supplies has significantly limited the application of electrochromic devices in modulating light absorption as smart windows. Here, the authors report automatic switching perovskite solar cells-powered all-in-one gel electrochromic device in response to surrounding light intensity in real-time.
- Huan Ling
- , Jianchang Wu
- & Yan Jun Liu
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Article
| Open AccessDesigning a next generation solar crystallizer for real seawater brine treatment with zero liquid discharge
Proper disposal of industrial brine remains a critical environmental challenge. Here, the authors devise a solar crystallizer and propose a salt crystallization inhibition strategy, which together provide a low-cost and sustainable solution for industrial brine disposal with zero liquid discharge.
- Chenlin Zhang
- , Yusuf Shi
- & Peng Wang
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Article
| Open AccessUltra-fast charging in aluminum-ion batteries: electric double layers on active anode
Developing high-capacity batteries with high-rate performance has been a challenge. Here, the authors use a liquid metal alloy as anode in the aluminum-ion battery to push the boundaries, enabling the discovery of new roles of electric double layers in facilitating a high-rate charge transfer.
- Xuejing Shen
- , Tao Sun
- & Li Tan
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Article
| Open AccessCharacterisation of oxygen defects and nitrogen impurities in TiO2 photocatalysts using variable-temperature X-ray powder diffraction
Nitrogen-doped TiO2 exhibits improved photocatalytic water-splitting activity partially due to enhanced oxygen vacancy formation. Here, authors demonstrate the temperature-dependent lattice distortion of oxygen vacancies, and identify the presence of a titanium oxynitride phase in high activity catalysts.
- Christopher Foo
- , Yiyang Li
- & Shik Chi Edman Tsang
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Article
| Open AccessPseudo-bilayer architecture enables high-performance organic solar cells with enhanced exciton diffusion length
The so-called pseudo-bilayer (PB) organic solar cell (OSC) device architecture can promote enhanced exciton dissociation and charge transport, leading to improved device performance. Here, the authors report high-efficiency OSCs that features a PB architecture and optimized ternary system.
- Kui Jiang
- , Jie Zhang
- & Alex K.-Y. Jen
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Article
| Open AccessFlexible and efficient perovskite quantum dot solar cells via hybrid interfacial architecture
Perovskite quantum dots film has better mechanical stability and structural integrity compared to bulk thin film. Here, the authors demonstrate higher endurance of quantum dot films and develop hybrid CsPbI3 QD/PCBM device with PCE of 15.1% and 12.3% on rigid and flexible substrates, respectively.
- Long Hu
- , Qian Zhao
- & Tom Wu
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Article
| Open AccessHigh performance tandem organic solar cells via a strongly infrared-absorbing narrow bandgap acceptor
Development of tandem organic solar cells has been limited by the choice of near-infrared absorbing materials for the rear cell. Here, the authors report a simple strategy to extend the conjugation length of acceptor Y6 and broaden its absorption range to near-infrared region. A tandem organic solar cell with efficiency of 16.4% was achieved.
- Zhenrong Jia
- , Shucheng Qin
- & Yongfang Li
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Article
| Open AccessEnhancing carbon dioxide gas-diffusion electrolysis by creating a hydrophobic catalyst microenvironment
The local environment for carbon dioxide electrochemical reduction is a key element to improve the efficiency of catalytic sites. Here, the authors demonstrate substantial gain of the catalyst electrochemical activity through the adoption of a hydrophobic catalyst microenvironment.
- Zhuo Xing
- , Lin Hu
- & Xiaofeng Feng
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Article
| Open AccessAn efficient and stable solar flow battery enabled by a single-junction GaAs photoelectrode
Solar flow batteries (SFBs) can convert, store and release intermittent solar energy but have been built with complex multi-junction solar cells. Here an efficient and stable SFB is shown with single-junction GaAs solar cells via rational potential match modeling and operating condition optimization.
- Hui-Chun Fu
- , Wenjie Li
- & Song Jin
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Article
| Open AccessEarly decarbonisation of the European energy system pays off
For a given carbon budget between 2020 and 2050, different transformation rates for the European energy system yield starkly different results. Here the authors show that strongly reducing emissions in the first decade is cost-effective and entails additional benefits.
- Marta Victoria
- , Kun Zhu
- & Martin Greiner
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Article
| Open AccessBismuth atom tailoring of indium oxide surface frustrated Lewis pairs boosts heterogeneous CO2 photocatalytic hydrogenation
Surface frustrated Lewis pairs (SFLPs) provide a unique class of active sites that enable efficient gas-phase CO2 photocatalysis. How to tailor the reactivity of the SFLPs represents a major challenge, which the authors address here by single-site Bi3+ ion substitution of the SFLPs.
- Tingjiang Yan
- , Na Li
- & Geoffrey A. Ozin
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Article
| Open AccessPhotosynthetic hydrogen production by droplet-based microbial micro-reactors under aerobic conditions
The development of techniques capable of orchestrating the assembly of living cells into multicellular ensembles with synergistic and function is challenge. Here, the authors construct algal or algal/bacterial cells-based core shell-like structure based on aqueous two-phase system for synergic photosynthetic H2 production.
- Zhijun Xu
- , Shengliang Wang
- & Stephen Mann
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| Open AccessMethylamine-assisted growth of uniaxial-oriented perovskite thin films with millimeter-sized grains
Suppressing grain boundaries and defects in perovskite solar cells remains a quest to address the efficiency and stability issues. Here, the authors use methylamine gas for assisting the growth of uniaxial-oriented perovskite thin films with millimeter-sized grains.
- Haochen Fan
- , Fengzhu Li
- & YanLin Song
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| Open AccessUniversal and versatile morphology engineering via hot fluorous solvent soaking for organic bulk heterojunction
Morphology control of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells has been a challenge for realising optimal photovoltaic performance. Here, the authors utilise amphiphobic nature and temperature-dependent miscibility of fluorous solvent to promote molecular reorganisation and morphological optimisation.
- Tong Shan
- , Yi Zhang
- & Hongliang Zhong
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Article
| Open AccessCharge-generating mid-gap trap states define the thermodynamic limit of organic photovoltaic devices
The inability to accurately measure the charge-generating energy states in organic solar cells makes elucidating the photovoltaic effect in these devices difficult. Here, the authors report charge-generating mid-gap trap states in organic solar cells via ultra-sensitive photovoltaic measurements.
- Nasim Zarrabi
- , Oskar J. Sandberg
- & Ardalan Armin
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| Open AccessHigh-performance and stable photoelectrochemical water splitting cell with organic-photoactive-layer-based photoanode
While organic semiconductors may be useful in photoelectrochemical water-splitting materials, they show low stability in water. Here, the authors report high-performance and stable organic-semiconductor-based photoanodes passivated using nickel foils, GaIn eutectic, and layered double hydroxides.
- Je Min Yu
- , Jungho Lee
- & Ji-Wook Jang
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient energy transfer mitigates parasitic light absorption in molecular charge-extraction layers for perovskite solar cells
The performance of perovskite solar cells can be limited by light absorption loss in organic charge extraction layers, through which sun light must propagate before reaching the perovskite. Here, the authors demonstrate that efficient energy transfer to the perovskite layer from a thin organic layer is able to eliminate this parasitic loss.
- Hannah J. Eggimann
- , Jay B. Patel
- & Laura M. Herz
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Article
| Open AccessReprogramming bacterial protein organelles as a nanoreactor for hydrogen production
The extreme oxygen sensitive character of hydrogenases is a longstanding issue for hydrogen production in bacteria. Here, the authors build carboxysome shells in E. coli and incorporate catalytically active hydrogenases and functional partners within the empty shell for the production of hydrogen.
- Tianpei Li
- , Qiuyao Jiang
- & Lu-Ning Liu
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Article
| Open AccessMetal chalcogenide hollow polar bipyramid prisms as efficient sulfur hosts for Na-S batteries
Sodium sulfur batteries require efficient sulfur hosts that can capture soluble polysulfides and enable fast reduction kinetics. Here, authors report hollow catalytic bipyramid prism CoS2/C as efficient sulfur carriers, and investigate the reaction mechanism in the sodium sulfur battery.
- Muhammad Kashif Aslam
- , Ieuan D. Seymour
- & Maowen Xu
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Article
| Open Access16.8% Monolithic all-perovskite triple-junction solar cells via a universal two-step solution process
Integrating several different perovskite absorber layers in a multi-junction solar cell imposes a great processing challenge. Here, the authors demonstrate a versatile two-step solution process for fabricating monolithic all-perovskite triple-junction solar cells.
- Junke Wang
- , Valerio Zardetto
- & René A. J. Janssen
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Article
| Open AccessLong-range exciton diffusion in molecular non-fullerene acceptors
The short-range diffusion length of organic semiconductors severely limits exciton harvesting and charge generation in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells. Here, the authors report exciton diffusion length in the range of 20 to 47 nm for a wide range of non-fullerene acceptors molecules.
- Yuliar Firdaus
- , Vincent M. Le Corre
- & Thomas D. Anthopoulos
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| Open AccessRoll-to-roll gravure-printed flexible perovskite solar cells using eco-friendly antisolvent bathing with wide processing window
Driven by recent improvement in efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells, the next step toward commercialisation is upscaling. Here, the authors demonstrate pilot-scale fully roll-to-roll manufacturing of flexible perovskite solar cells through gravure-printing and antisolvent bathing.
- Young Yun Kim
- , Tae-Youl Yang
- & Jangwon Seo
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Article
| Open AccessRegional impacts of electricity system transition in Central Europe until 2035
Implementation of Central European electricity targets will redistribute regional benefits and burdens. Here the authors show that the aims of cost-efficiency, regional equality, and renewable electricity generation have vastly different implementation pathways, impacts, and trade-offs.
- Jan-Philipp Sasse
- & Evelina Trutnevyte
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Article
| Open AccessOrthogonal colloidal quantum dot inks enable efficient multilayer optoelectronic devices
The realisation of film made up of different compositions using colloidal QD inks remains a challenge because of redispersing of underlying films by polar solvents. Here, the authors introduce aromatic ligands to achieve QD inks in weakly-polar solvents that enable fabrication of multi-compositional films.
- Seungjin Lee
- , Min-Jae Choi
- & Edward H. Sargent
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Article
| Open AccessDirect growth of uniform carbon nitride layers with extended optical absorption towards efficient water-splitting photoanodes
Photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) can convert sunlight and water directly to a hydrogen fuel. Here a robust metal-free carbon nitride-based layer is used as an efficient photoanode for water-splitting PEC.
- Jiani Qin
- , Jesús Barrio
- & Menny Shalom
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Article
| Open AccessGradient tantalum-doped hematite homojunction photoanode improves both photocurrents and turn-on voltage for solar water splitting
Solar-to-fuel conversion represents a renewable means to harvest sunlight, but the most efficient materials are often expensive or rare. Here, authors demonstrate gradient tantalum-doped hematite homojunctions as a method to improve photoelectrochemical water splitting performances.
- Hemin Zhang
- , Dongfeng Li
- & Jae Sung Lee
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Article
| Open AccessRandom terpolymer based on thiophene-thiazolothiazole unit enabling efficient non-fullerene organic solar cells
The batch reproducibility of polymer donor materials limits the performance of polymer solar cells. Here Wu et al. develop a polymer donor PM1 by random terpolymerization strategy with a high efficiency of 17.6% in the device and excellent batch-to-batch reproducibility.
- Jingnan Wu
- , Guangwei Li
- & Yongfang Li
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| Open AccessAssessment of lithium criticality in the global energy transition and addressing policy gaps in transportation
The long-term availability of lithium in the event of significant demand growth of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries is important to assess. Here the authors assess lithium demand and supply challenges of a long-term energy transition using 18 scenarios, developed by combining 8 demand and 4 supply variations.
- Peter Greim
- , A. A. Solomon
- & Christian Breyer
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| Open AccessRobust metal ion-chelated polymer interfacial layer for ultraflexible non-fullerene organic solar cells
Simultaneously achieving high efficiency and mechanical robustness is challenging for ultraflexible organic solar cells. Here, Qin et al. present a robust interlayer of Zinc-chelated polyethylenimine (PEI-Zn) to facilitate the demonstration of efficient and mechanically robust ultraflexible solar cells.
- Fei Qin
- , Wen Wang
- & Yinhua Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessSurface chelation of cesium halide perovskite by dithiocarbamate for efficient and stable solar cells
Surface engineering is a known strategy to optimize the perovskite solar cells but it is usually based on weak bondings, such as Van der Waals, or coorordiating interacterions. Here He et al. report a chelation strategy using strongly adsorbed dithiocarbamate molecules and achieve high efficiency of 17.03% with excellent stability for CsPbI2Br based solar cells.
- Jingjing He
- , Junxian Liu
- & Hua Gui Yang
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Article
| Open AccessPumping up the charge density of a triboelectric nanogenerator by charge-shuttling
Conventionally, triboelectric nanogenerators are based on static charges fixed on dielectric surfaces. Here, the authors report a new mechanism using shuttling of mirror charge carriers corralled in quasi-symmetrical conduction domains, which boosts performance for blue energy harvesting.
- Huamei Wang
- , Liang Xu
- & Zhong Lin Wang
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Article
| Open AccessMicroscopic origins of performance losses in highly efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film solar cells
Achieving higher efficiencies for thin-film solar cells always requires identification of the limiting factors. Here Krause et al. show that inhomogeneously distributed net doping or lifetime have little impact while recombination at grain boundaries is one of the main loss mechanisms for high performance Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells.
- Maximilian Krause
- , Aleksandra Nikolaeva
- & Daniel Abou-Ras
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Article
| Open AccessIron phthalocyanine with coordination induced electronic localization to boost oxygen reduction reaction
Iron phthalocyanine with a 2D structure and symmetric electron distribution around Fe-N4 active sites is not optimal for O2 adsorption and activation. Here, the authors report an axial Fe–O coordination induced electronic localization strategy to enhance oxygen reduction reaction performance.
- Kejun Chen
- , Kang Liu
- & Min Liu
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Article
| Open AccessSpontaneous solar water splitting with decoupling of light absorption and electrocatalysis using silicon back-buried junction
The simultaneous management of optical, electrical, and catalytic properties is challenging for photoelectrochemical devices. Here, authors design Si back-buried junction photoelectrodes that can be series connected for unassisted water-splitting with a high solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 15.62%.
- Hui-Chun Fu
- , Purushothaman Varadhan
- & Jr-Hau He
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Article
| Open AccessAlkaline thermal treatment of seaweed for high-purity hydrogen production with carbon capture and storage potential
While biomass may serve as a renewable source of carbon-neutral hydrogen, it is challenging both to utilize as-found bio-resources and to suppress CO2 formation. Here, authors convert wet, salty seaweed using alkaline thermal treatment to produce high-purity hydrogen and suppress carbon emission.
- Kang Zhang
- , Woo-Jae Kim
- & Ah-Hyung Alissa Park
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Article
| Open AccessImaging electrochemically synthesized Cu2O cubes and their morphological evolution under conditions relevant to CO2 electroreduction
Catalytic selectivity during carbon dioxide electroreduction can be tuned by using geometric copper-based catalysts. Here, the authors use liquid cell transmission electron microscopy to study the in situ synthesis and morphological evolution Cu2O cubes under carbon dioxide electroreduction conditions.
- Rosa M. Arán-Ais
- , Rubén Rizo
- & Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
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Article
| Open AccessPhotocatalytic hydrogen peroxide splitting on metal-free powders assisted by phosphoric acid as a stabilizer
While H2 can serve as a renewable fuel, its large scale production, storage, and transport are challenging. Here, authors show H2O2 to serve as a potential energy carrier via the photocatalytic production of H2 from stabilized H2O2 solutions and metal-free catalysts.
- Yasuhiro Shiraishi
- , Yuki Ueda
- & Takayuki Hirai
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Article
| Open AccessBoosting hydrogen evolution on MoS2 via co-confining selenium in surface and cobalt in inner layer
The lack of efficient, inexpensive catalysts hinders large-scale application of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, the authors report a MoS2 nanofoam catalyst with co-confined Se in the surface and Co in the inner layer, exhibiting high large-current-density HER activity and durability.
- Zhilong Zheng
- , Liang Yu
- & Dehui Deng
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Article
| Open AccessHighly active deficient ternary sulfide photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting
While water splitting could provide a means to utilize solar energy, identifying sufficiently stable and active semiconductors is challenging. Here, authors report a deficient CdIn2S4 photoanode with improved water splitting performances due to efficient charge separation/transfer kinetics.
- Haimei Wang
- , Yuguo Xia
- & Dairong Chen
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Article
| Open AccessDirect and indirect Z-scheme heterostructure-coupled photosystem enabling cooperation of CO2 reduction and H2O oxidation
The stoichiometric photoreaction of CO2 with H2O is one of the big challenges in photocatalysis. An artificial photosynthetic system based on a direct and indirect Z-scheme heterostructure is synthesised, enabling simultaneous CO2 reduction to HCOOH and H2O oxidation to O2.
- Ying Wang
- , Xiaotong Shang
- & Can Li
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Article
| Open AccessSpontaneously separated intermetallic Co3Mo from nanoporous copper as versatile electrocatalysts for highly efficient water splitting
Electrochemical water splitting is an attractive energy conversion technology, but it usually suffers from low efficiency. Here, the authors report intermetallic Co3Mo integrated on porous Cu as highly efficient electrocatalysts for alkaline HER/OER due to in-situ hydroxylation and electro-oxidation.
- Hang Shi
- , Yi-Tong Zhou
- & Qing Jiang
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Article
| Open AccessImplanting Ni-O-VOx sites into Cu-doped Ni for low-overpotential alkaline hydrogen evolution
Producing H2 from water using electricity and earth-abundant elements is necessary for worldwide renewable fuel production, yet most electrocatalysts have sluggish activities or poor stabilities. Here, authors show vanadium oxide modified copper-doped nickel to enable active and durable H2 evolution.
- Yibing Li
- , Xin Tan
- & Chuan Zhao
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Article
| Open AccessCausal mechanism of injection-induced earthquakes through the Mw 5.5 Pohang earthquake case study
The authors here suggest a causal mechanism for injection-induced earthquakes. They further suggest pore pressure modeling as a practical alternative to direct in-situ pore pressure observation which can then be used for stress build-up monitoring.
- I. W. Yeo
- , M. R. M. Brown
- & K. K. Lee