• Energy Research

Enriching the interface: metal–organic framework-derived copper oxide nanowires with abundant crystalline interfaces contribute to the efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction towards fast hydrocarbon generation.

The role of single atomic Ru site for enhanced UOR performance.

AbstractDeveloping a CO2-utilization and energy-storage integrated system possesses great advantages for carbon- and energy-intensive industries. Efforts have been made to developing the Zn-CO2 batteries, but access to long cycling life and low charging voltage remains a grand challenge. Here we unambiguously show such inefficiencies originate from the high-barrier oxygen evolution reaction on charge, and by recharging the battery via oxidation of reducing molecules, Faradaic efficiency-enhanced CO2 reduction and low-overpotential battery regeneration can be simultaneously achieved. Showcased by using hydrazine oxidation, our battery demonstrates a long life over 1000 hours with a charging voltage as low as 1.2 V. The low charging voltage and formation of gaseous product upon hydrazine oxidation are the key to stabilize the catalyst over cycling. Our findings suggest that by fundamentally taming the asymmetric reactions, aqueous batteries are viable tools to achieve integrated energy storage and CO2 conversion that is economical, highly energy efficient, and scalable.

The electronic synergy of Fe nanoclusters and Ni/Fe–N4 single-atomic sites optimizes the adsorption/desorption of oxygenated intermediates and reduces the energy barrier of the oxygen electrocatalysis, boosting the Zn–air batteries performance.

In this review, we systematically summarizes the activity descriptors of CO2 methanation, the recent advances of SSCs for electrocatalytic CO2 methanation, and in situ characterizations used for tracking the structure change of SSCs during CO2RR.

A hydrated deep eutectic electrolyte with a water-deficient solvation structure and reduced free water in bulk solution is proposed, resulting in highly reversible and stable Zn anodes.

Nonmagnetic hexavalent molybdenum atomically dispersed within oxide lattice steers the intrinsic oxygen reduction activity of catalytically active sites, and excludes the occurrence of lattice symmetry breaking and magnetic perturbation.

1,2-Propylene glycol modulates the hydrogen bond network and solvation sheath structure of polyacrylamide hydrogel electrolytes, reducing solvent–solvent interactions, promoting uniform Zn2+ deposition, and enhancing AZIB cycling stability.