Volume 8 Issue 2, February 2023

Silicon-based anodes suffer from immense volume change and cracks during battery operations, limiting cycling stability. Now, a hierarchically-ordered conductive binder network — formed in situ upon thermal treatment of anodes containing conducting polymer precursors — can improve charge-transport and mechanical properties, and thus cyclability.

Electrochemical reduction of N₂, mediated by Li, offers promise to decarbonize NH₃ production, yet interfacial dynamics in such systems are poorly understood. Now, the morphology of the solid-electrolyte interphase layer formed during N₂ reduction is revealed, opening opportunities to elucidate by-product formation mechanisms and improve NH₃ selectivity.

Perovskite solar cells hold potential for space applications yet they need to withstand harsh space stressors. Now, researchers develop a low-cost and lightweight barrier layer of silicon oxide thermally evaporated atop the finished solar cell that affords protection against proton radiation, atomic oxygen and alpha particles.

Zero–gap CO/CO₂ electrolyzers typically exhibit low energy conversion efficiency at high reactant conversion due to current losses associated with the parasitic production of H₂. Now, an electrolyzer using an electrocatalyst in bulk heterojunction with a hydrophobic covalent organic framework has maintained high energy efficiency at near unity reactant conversion.

A perovskite nanolayer formed at the surface of layered cathode particles enables ultra-stable high-voltage cycling. The lanthanum and calcium-based perovskite layer serves as an oxygen buffer, and effectively suppresses the oxygen evolution reaction that is a common cause of failure in hybrid anion- and cation-redox cathodes.

The growth of small-scale off-grid solar products across the Global South has expanded access to energy but also created a rising issue of e-waste. Munro et al. explore the structure of the off-grid solar sector, how it creates barriers to addressing e-waste, and what research is needed to overcome them.

Organic functionalities are often introduced into conductive polymers for battery applications, but their addition also leads to conflicting properties and battery performance deterioration. Here the authors develop hierarchically ordered structures in conductive polymers that display exceptional electrochemical properties as a silicon binder.

Lithium-mediated nitrogen fixation is a promising pathway to electrochemical ammonia synthesis, but the role of metallic lithium and its passivation layer are unclear. Here the authors employ cryogenic transmission electron microscopy to explore these components, finding that the proton donor is the key determinant of lithium reactivity.

Public support or opposition plays an important role in the deployment of new energy technologies. This study explores how attitudes towards fracking in the United Kingdom can influence perceptions of geothermal systems and hydrogen, testing spontaneous, prompted and primed forms of the spillover effect.

Surface coating is a common method to combat the performance degradation of layered oxide cathodes in rechargeable batteries. Here the authors analyse coating design principles and demonstrate that a lanthurizing coating approach—which alters the atomic structure just beneath the cathode surface—leads to exceptionally high-voltage cycling stability.

The COVID-19 pandemic had substantial social and economic impacts globally but particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study reports survey findings on changes to household energy use and engagement with a government liquefied petroleum gas scheme in rural North India in 2020 and 2021.

The carbon and energy efficiencies of current CO₂/CO electrolysis systems are limited. Here the authors show that these metrics can be improved by controlling ion flows in the vicinity of a copper catalyst by the application of a covalent organic framework.

Perovskite photovoltaics are promising for space applications, but their reliability needs to be addressed. Now, Kirmani et al. present a 1-μm-thick silicon oxide that affords protection against protons, alpha particles and atomic oxygen.

Efficient mechanical energy harvesting approaches are needed. Here, Zhang et al. develop a plied carbon nanotube yarn that harvests mechanical energy upon stretching and lateral deformations, achieving 17.4 and 22.4% efficiencies for tensile and torsional harvesting, respectively.