Fuel cell vehicles, the only all-electric technology with a demonstrated >300 miles per fill travel range, use Pt as the electrode catalyst. The high price of Pt creates a major cost barrier for ...large-scale implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Nonprecious metal catalysts (NPMCs) represent attractive low-cost alternatives. However, a significantly lower turnover frequency at the individual catalytic site renders the traditional carbon-supported NPMCs inadequate in reaching the desired performance afforded by Pt. Unconventional catalyst design aiming at maximizing the active site density at much improved mass and charge transports is essential for the next-generation NPMC. We report here a method of preparing highly efficient, nanofibrous NPMC for cathodic oxygen reduction reaction by electrospinning a polymer solution containing ferrous organometallics and zeolitic imidazolate framework followed by thermal activation. The catalyst offers a carbon nanonetwork architecture made of microporous nanofibers decorated by uniformly distributed high-density active sites. In a single-cell test, the membrane electrode containing such a catalyst delivered unprecedented volumetric activities of 3.3 A·cm⁻³ at 0.9 V or 450 A·cm⁻³ extrapolated at 0.8 V, representing the highest reported value in the literature. Improved fuel cell durability was also observed.
Increasing demand for sustainable and clean energy is calling for the next‐generation energy conversion and storage technologies such as fuel cells, water electrolyzers, CO2/N2 reduction ...electrolyzers, metal–air batteries, etc. All these electrochemical processes involve oxygen electrocatalysis. Boosting the intrinsic activity and the active‐site density through rational design of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and metal–organic gels (MOGs) as precursors represents a new approach toward improving oxygen electrocatalysis efficiency. MOFs/MOGs afford a broad selection of combinations between metal nodes and organic linkers and are known to produce electrocatalysts with high surface areas, variable porosity, and excellent activity after pyrolysis. Some recent studies on MOFs/MOGs for oxygen electrocatalysis and their new perspectives in synthesis, characterization, and performance are discussed. New insights on the structural and compositional design in MOF/MOG‐derived oxygen electrocatalysts are summarized. Critical challenges and future research directions are also outlined.
Boosting the intrinsic activity and the active‐site density through rational design of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and metal–organic gels (MOGs) as precursors represents a new approach of improving oxygen electrocatalysis efficiency. Several key compositional and structural considerations for the MOF/MOG design and new perspectives between synthesis, characterization, and performance are comprehensively discussed.
Activated porous carbons (APCs) are traditionally produced by heat treatment and KOH activation, where the production time can be as long as 2 h, and the produced activated porous carbons suffer from ...relatively low specific surface area and porosity. In this study, the fast high‐temperature shock (HTS) carbonization and HTS‐KOH activation method to synthesize activated porous carbons with high specific surface area of ≈843 m2 g‐1, is proposed. During the HTS process, the instant Joule heating (at a heating speed of ≈1100 K s‐1) with high temperature and rapid quenching can effectively produce abundant pores with homogeneous size‐distribution due to the instant melt of KOH into small droplets, which facilitates the interaction between carbon and KOH to form controllable, dense, and small pores. The as‐prepared HTS‐APC‐based supercapacitors deliver a high energy density of 25 Wh kg‐1 at a power density of 582 W kg‐1 in the EMIMBF4 ionic liquid. It is believed that the proposed HTS technique has created a new pathway for manufacturing activated porous carbons with largely enhanced energy density of supercapacitors, which can inspire the development of energy storage materials.
The coconut shell, characterized by loose structure and high carbon content, is employed to synthesize activated porous carbon by high‐temperature shock (HTS) progress. The instant Joule heating (at a heating speed of ≈1100 K s–1) with high temperature and rapid quenching facilitates the interaction between carbon and KOH to form controllable, dense, and small pores.
With the ever‐increasing demand for wearable electronics and energy‐saving technologies, self‐powered thermoelectric personal thermal management (PTM) has attracted extensive research interest. In ...this review, the unique characteristics of thermoelectric PTM comparing with other technologies are first highlighted, and the key parameters and fundamental functions of thermoelectric PTM are systematically summarized. Then, the advances in thermoelectric PTM are overviewed from the material design to the wearable device design viewpoints. Finally, the key challenges and future research directions of thermoelectric PTM, where both high‐performance flexible materials and proper device designs are in urgent need, are pointed out. This review will deliver a systematic understanding and guideline for thermoelectric PTM.
The increasing demand for wearable electronics has boosted the development of energy‐saving and self‐powered personal thermal management systems. This review highlights the unique advantages of thermoelectric technology comparing with other technologies, summarizes corresponding key parameters, fundamental functions, material and device advancements of thermoelectric personal thermal management, and further points out corresponding future research directions.
Achieving high catalytic performance with the lowest possible amount of platinum is critical for fuel cell cost reduction. Here we describe a method of preparing highly active yet stable ...electrocatalysts containing ultralow-loading platinum content by using cobalt or bimetallic cobalt and zinc zeolitic imidazolate frameworks as precursors. Synergistic catalysis between strained platinum-cobalt core-shell nanoparticles over a platinum-group metal (PGM)-free catalytic substrate led to excellent fuel cell performance under 1 atmosphere of O
or air at both high-voltage and high-current domains. Two catalysts achieved oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) mass activities of 1.08 amperes per milligram of platinum (A mg
) and 1.77 A mg
and retained 64% and 15% of initial values after 30,000 voltage cycles in a fuel cell. Computational modeling reveals that the interaction between platinum-cobalt nanoparticles and PGM-free sites improves ORR activity and durability.
Due to the nature of their liquid‐like behavior and high dimensionless figure of merit, Cu2X (X = Te, Se, and S)‐based thermoelectric materials have attracted extensive attention. The superionicity ...and Cu disorder at the high temperature can dramatically affect the electronic structure of Cu2X and in turn result in temperature‐dependent carrier‐transport properties. Here, the effective strategies in enhancing the thermoelectric performance of Cu2X‐based thermoelectric materials are summarized, in which the proper optimization of carrier concentration and minimization of the lattice thermal conductivity are the main focus. Then, the stabilities, mechanical properties, and module assembly of Cu2X‐based thermoelectric materials are investigated. Finally, the future directions for further improving the energy conversion efficiency of Cu2X‐based thermoelectric materials are highlighted.
Deriving from their high performance and eco‐friendliness, superionic Cu2X‐based thermoelectric materials are attracting ever‐increasing attention. A comprehensive summary of the understanding of the superionicity, performance enhancement strategies, and material stability design can set up a solid foundation for future development. Pointing out the development challenges can better guide future studies.
A highly efficient bifunctional oxygen catalyst is required for practical applications of fuel cells and metal–air batteries, as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) ...are their core electrode reactions. Here, the MO‐Co@N‐doped carbon (NC, M = Zn or Co) is developed as a highly active ORR/OER bifunctional catalyst via pyrolysis of a bimetal metal–organic framework containing Zn and Co, i.e., precursor (CoZn). The vital roles of inactive Zn in developing highly active bifunctional oxygen catalysts are unraveled. When the precursors include Zn, the surface contents of pyridinic N for ORR and the surface contents of Co–Nx and Co3+/Co2+ ratios for OER are enhanced, while the high specific surface areas, high porosity, and high electrochemical active surface areas are also achieved. Furthermore, the synergistic effects between Zn‐based and Co‐based species can promote the well growth of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at high pyrolysis temperatures (≥700 °C), which is favorable for charge transfer. The optimized CoZn‐NC‐700 shows the highly bifunctional ORR/OER activity and the excellent durability during the ORR/OER processes, even better than 20 wt% Pt/C (for ORR) and IrO2 (for OER). CoZn‐NC‐700 also exhibits the prominent Zn–air battery performance and even outperforms the mixture of 20 wt% Pt/C and IrO2.
MO‐Co@N‐doped carbon (M = Zn or Co) are prepared by using a bimetal metal–organic framework (containing Zn and Co) as precursor, showing excellent activity (EORR − EOER ≈ 0.78 V) and durability toward both oxygen reduction and evolution reactions as well as prominent Zn–air battery performance. It is revealed that inactive Zn plays vital roles in developing these highly efficient bifunctional catalysts.
Temperature‐dependent dual fluorescence and switchable circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) are two highly pursued but challenging properties for small organic molecules (SOMs). We herein disclose ...a triarylborane π‐system based on a 2,2′‐diamino‐6,6′‐diboryl‐1,1′‐binaphthyl scaffold that can serve as a versatile building block for achieving these two properties by simply choosing different amino groups. BNMe2‐BNaph with less bulky dimethylamino groups displays temperature‐dependent dual fluorescence, and can thus be used as a highly sensitive ratiometric fluorescence thermometer. On the other hand, BNPh2‐BNaph with bulky diphenylamino groups exhibits intense fluorescence in both solution and in the solid state. A change of solvent from nonpolar cyclohexane to highly polar MeCN not only shifts the CPL position to much longer wavelength but also inverts the CPL sign. In addition, the complexation of BNPh2‐BNaph with fluoride greatly enhances the CPL intensity.
The combination of two donor–π‐acceptor subunits in the 2,2′‐diamino‐6,6′‐diboryl‐1,1′‐binaphthyl scaffold generates a versatile building block for organic fluorophores exhibiting temperature‐dependent dual fluorescence and switchable circularly polarized luminescence.
The synthesis of cathode materials plays an important role in determining the production efficiency, cost, and performance of lithium‐ion batteries. However, conventional synthesis methods always ...experience a slow heating rate and involve a complicated multistep reaction process and sluggish reaction dynamics, leading to high energy and long time consumption. Herein, a high‐temperature shock (HTS) strategy is reported for the ultrafast synthesis of cathode materials in seconds. The HTS process experiences an ultrahigh heating rate, leading to a non‐equilibrium reaction and fast reaction kinetics, and avoids high energy and long time consumption. Mainstream cathode materials (such as LiMn2O4, LiCoO2, LiFePO4, and Li‐rich layered oxide/NiO heterostructured material) are successfully synthesized with pure phases, oxygen vacancies, ultrasmall particle sizes, and good electrochemical performance. The HTS process not only provides an efficient synthesis approach for cathode materials, but also can be extended beyond lithium‐ion batteries.
An ultrafast high‐temperature shock strategy is proposed to synthesize cathode materials in seconds for lithium‐ion batteries, avoiding high energy and long time consumption. It provides an ultrahigh heating rate, leading to a non‐equilibrium reaction and fast reaction kinetics. Mainstream cathode materials are successfully synthesized with pure phases, oxygen vacancies, ultrasmall particle sizes, and good electrochemical performance, indicative of a universal and efficient synthesis approach.
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