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The reversibility of lithium metal batteries is strongly influenced by the chemistry of the solid electrode interphase. Here the authors report a salt-philic and solvent-phobic interfacial design that leads to the formation of a robust interphase, considerably improving the cycle life of batteries.
The performance of perovskite bifacial modules is still relatively poor. Now Gu et al. optimize the design of minimodules and achieve a power density of 23 mW cm−2 at an albedo of 0.2 and operational stability of 6,000 h.
Interface engineering in perovskite solar cells is key to high performance. Now, You et al. design an interlayer that both passivates defects and improves the energy level alignment between the perovskite and hole transport material.
Energy-level mismatches and defects at the inorganic perovskite/fullerene interface limit the performance of solar cells. Now Li et al. address these issues with a dipolar molecule, enabling the use of wide-bandgap inorganic perovskites in all-perovskite tandem cells.
Secondary phases or multi-step phase formation lead to poorly crystallized and defective kesterite films. Now Zhou et al. convert precursors into kesterite in a single step, using low partial pressure of selenium, and achieve solar cells with 13.8% certified efficiency.
Multiple exciton generation can potentially improve the efficiency of solar-driven devices, but its demonstration for solar fuel production is rare. Here the authors show that quantum efficiencies above 100% are achievable in a water splitting photocatalyst, implying the presence of multiple exciton generation effects.
How a nuclear power phase-out may affect air pollution, climate and health in the future is up for debate. Here the authors assess impacts of a nuclear phase-out in the United States on ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Understanding the impact of future climate variations and urban densification is key to planning renewable energy integration. By developing a multi-scale spatio-temporal modelling framework, Perera et al. reveal changes in wind speed and temperature across European cities.
Solar hydrogen production devices have demonstrated promising performance at the lab scale, but there are few large-scale on-sun demonstrations. Here the authors present a thermally integrated kilowatt-scale pilot plant, tested under real-world conditions, for the co-generation of hydrogen and heat.
It can be challenging for conventional electrochemical measurements to distinguish different types of charge storage mechanisms in electrochemical systems. Here the authors develop an in situ ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy approach as a powerful and affordable tool for this purpose.
Single-crystalline layered oxides are much sought after as they offer high-performance promises in batteries. Here the authors report a facile and scalable planetary centrifugal mixing technique—aided by eutectic lithium salts—that enables the growth of high-quality single-crystalline cathode materials.
Windows are one of the least energy efficient parts of the building envelope because of poor thermal insulation. Abraham et al. develop a cellulose-based aerogel as a thermal barrier for windows that retains their optical properties.
The critical current density is generally used to evaluate dendrite-suppression capability in batteries. Here the authors propose a critical interphase overpotential descriptor for dendrite suppression and demonstrate high-performance solid-state battery design with the new descriptor.
Improving the manufacturability of perovskite solar cells is key to their deployment. Zheng et al. report a one-step deposition of the hole-selective and absorber layers that addresses wettability issues and simplifies the fabrication process.
Inorganic perovskite solar cells suffer from charge carrier losses. Chu et al. treat the perovskite surface with caesium fluoride, forming a wider-bandgap perovskite that increases the carrier lifetime and hole extraction efficiency.
Photocatalytic synthesis of H2O2 is an attractive route to this important chemical and potential energy carrier, but improvements in performance and operation without sacrificial agents are needed. Here the authors report a porphyrin-based photocatalyst with promising performance for H2O2 production from only H2O and O2.
Russia has faced sanctions on its fossil energy exports since invading Ukraine, yet its nuclear industry has largely been overlooked. To explore Russia’s potential for influence through this sector, Szulecki and Overland analyse Russian nuclear power supplier Rosatom’s global project portfolio and the dependencies of countries on it.
The design of low-dimensional interface materials for perovskite solar cells is limited in the choice of the metal cation. By processing metal and ammonium halides together, Ye et al. expand the metal cation library for these interface materials.
Between 2013 and 2017, China enacted a series of policies to improve air quality by promoting a switch to cleaner fuels for households. This study examines the changes in energy cost and associated energy burden across regions and income groups during this period, finding an increased burden on rural households.
The mechanism of oxygen redox in high-energy transition metal oxide cathodes is elusive. Here the authors illustrate the nature of the electron-hole states on oxide ions, offering insights for realizing reversible, high-voltage cathodes.