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Rapid progress on developing smart materials and design of hybrids is motivated by pressing challenges associated with energy crisis and environmental remediation. While emergence of versatile classes of nanomaterials has been fascinating, the real excitement lies in the design of hybrid materials with tunable properties. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are the key materials for gas sorption and electrochemical applications, but their sustainability is challenged by limited chemical stability, poor electrical conductivity, and intricate, inaccessible pores. Despite tremendous efforts towards improving the stability of MOF materials, little progress has made researchers inclined toward developing hybrid materials. MXenes, a family of two-dimensional transition-metal carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides, are known for their compositional versatility and formation of a range of structures with rich surface chemistry. Hybridization of MOFs with functional layered MXene materials may be beneficial if the host structure provides appropriate interactions for stabilizing and improving the desired properties. Recent efforts have focused on integrating Ti3C2Tx and V2CTx MXenes with MOFs to result in hybrid materials with augmented electrochemical and physicochemical properties, widening the scope for emerging applications. This review discusses the potential design strategies of MXene@MOF hybrids, attributes of tunable properties in the resulting hybrids, and their applications in water treatment, sensing, electrochemical energy storage, smart textiles, and electrocatalysis. Comprehensive discussions on the recent efforts on rapidly evolving MXene@MOF materials for various applications and potential future directions are highlighted.

Rapid progress on developing smart materials and design of hybrids is motivated by pressing challenges associated with energy crisis and environmental remediation. While emergence of versatile classes of nanomaterials has been fascinating, the real excitement lies in the design of hybrid materials with tunable properties. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are the key materials for gas sorption and electrochemical applications, but their sustainability is challenged by limited chemical stability, poor electrical conductivity, and intricate, inaccessible pores. Despite tremendous efforts towards improving the stability of MOF materials, little progress has made researchers inclined toward developing hybrid materials. MXenes, a family of two-dimensional transition-metal carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides, are known for their compositional versatility and formation of a range of structures with rich surface chemistry. Hybridization of MOFs with functional layered MXene materials may be beneficial if the host structure provides appropriate interactions for stabilizing and improving the desired properties. Recent efforts have focused on integrating Ti3C2Tx and V2CTx MXenes with MOFs to result in hybrid materials with augmented electrochemical and physicochemical properties, widening the scope for emerging applications. This review discusses the potential design strategies of MXene@MOF hybrids, attributes of tunable properties in the resulting hybrids, and their applications in water treatment, sensing, electrochemical energy storage, smart textiles, and electrocatalysis. Comprehensive discussions on the recent efforts on rapidly evolving MXene@MOF materials for various applications and potential future directions are highlighted.

Static energy analysis of power generation systems has been very much useful for assessing utility of systems in terms of energy input and output over their lifetime. A method of extending such analysis to cover dynamic implications of energy input and output has been established and demonstrated through this work. The methodology establishes a dynamic balance between energy input as cumulative energy demand for building new systems and output from available power plants that puts a limit on rate of building new plants. Separate analysis of different technologies in Indian context reveals that this maximum growth rate can be as low as 7.24% for mono-crystalline photovoltaic systems and as high as 216.7% for small wind energy systems.

Static energy analysis of power generation systems has been very much useful for assessing utility of systems in terms of energy input and output over their lifetime. A method of extending such analysis to cover dynamic implications of energy input and output has been established and demonstrated through this work. The methodology establishes a dynamic balance between energy input as cumulative energy demand for building new systems and output from available power plants that puts a limit on rate of building new plants. Separate analysis of different technologies in Indian context reveals that this maximum growth rate can be as low as 7.24% for mono-crystalline photovoltaic systems and as high as 216.7% for small wind energy systems.

Potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs) have attracted enormous attention as a next‐generation energy storage system due to their low cost, fast ionic conductivity within electrolytes, and high operating voltage. However, developing suitable electrode materials to guarantee high‐energy output and structural stability to ensure long cycling performance remains a critical challenge. Herein, anatase TiO2 nanoparticles are encapsulated in nitrogen‐rich graphitic carbon (TiO2@NGC) with hierarchical pores and high surface area (250 m2 g−1) using the Ti‐based metal–organic framework NH2‐MIL‐125 (Ti8O8(OH)4(NH2‐bdc)6 with NH2‐bdc2− = 2‐amino‐1,4‐benzenedicarboxylate) as a sacrificial template. Serving as the anode material in a K‐ion half‐cell, TiO2@NGC delivers a high capacity of 228 mA h g−1 with remarkable cycling performance (negligible loss over 2000 cycles with more than 98% Coulombic efficiency). The charge‐storing mechanism is underpinned using ex situ characterization techniques such as ex situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. It is revealed that the original TiO2 phase gets transformed to the anorthic Ti7O13 and monoclinic K2Ti4O9 phase after the first charge/discharge cycle, which further initiates the charge storage process via the conversion reactions.

Potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs) have attracted enormous attention as a next‐generation energy storage system due to their low cost, fast ionic conductivity within electrolytes, and high operating voltage. However, developing suitable electrode materials to guarantee high‐energy output and structural stability to ensure long cycling performance remains a critical challenge. Herein, anatase TiO2 nanoparticles are encapsulated in nitrogen‐rich graphitic carbon (TiO2@NGC) with hierarchical pores and high surface area (250 m2 g−1) using the Ti‐based metal–organic framework NH2‐MIL‐125 (Ti8O8(OH)4(NH2‐bdc)6 with NH2‐bdc2− = 2‐amino‐1,4‐benzenedicarboxylate) as a sacrificial template. Serving as the anode material in a K‐ion half‐cell, TiO2@NGC delivers a high capacity of 228 mA h g−1 with remarkable cycling performance (negligible loss over 2000 cycles with more than 98% Coulombic efficiency). The charge‐storing mechanism is underpinned using ex situ characterization techniques such as ex situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. It is revealed that the original TiO2 phase gets transformed to the anorthic Ti7O13 and monoclinic K2Ti4O9 phase after the first charge/discharge cycle, which further initiates the charge storage process via the conversion reactions.

This paper presents a device proposal based on a junction between an absorbing semiconductor nanorod structure and another window semiconductor layer for solar cell application. The possibility of band gap tuning by varying the diameter of the nanorods along the length, higher absorption coefficient at nanodimensions, the presence of a strong electrical field at the nanorod-window semiconductor nanojunctions and the carrier confinement in lateral direction are expected to result in enhanced absorption and collection efficiency in the proposed device. Process steps, feasibility, technological tasks needed for the realization of the proposed structure and the novelty of the present structure in comparison to the already reported nanostructured solar cells are also discussed.

This paper presents a device proposal based on a junction between an absorbing semiconductor nanorod structure and another window semiconductor layer for solar cell application. The possibility of band gap tuning by varying the diameter of the nanorods along the length, higher absorption coefficient at nanodimensions, the presence of a strong electrical field at the nanorod-window semiconductor nanojunctions and the carrier confinement in lateral direction are expected to result in enhanced absorption and collection efficiency in the proposed device. Process steps, feasibility, technological tasks needed for the realization of the proposed structure and the novelty of the present structure in comparison to the already reported nanostructured solar cells are also discussed.