Understanding efficiency losses from radiative and nonradiative recombination in CuZnSn(S,Se) solar cells.

The photovoltaic performance of CuZnSn(S,Se) is limited by open-circuit voltage losses (ΔV) in the radiative (ΔV) and non-radiative (ΔV) limits, due to sub-bandgap absorption and deep defects, respectively. Recently, several devices with power conversion efficiencies approaching 15% have been reported, prompting renewed interest in the possibility that the key performance-limiting factors have been addressed. In this work, we analyze the sources of ΔV in these devices and offer directions for future research.

A π-Conjugated Molecular Bridge Strategy for Constructing Efficient Hole Transport Pathways in Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) hold promise for next-generation photovoltaics but are restricted by suboptimal efficiency and poor long-term stability. In inverted PSC architectures, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are widely employed as hole-selective layers (HSLs) due to their favorable energy-level alignment and negligible parasitic absorption. However, traditional SAMs often exhibit weak intermolecular interactions, leading to film aggregation, poor interfacial contact, and severe nonradiative recombination.

Epoxy-Ether Network Binder Empowers Ultra-High Sulfur Loading in Practical Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Achieving high energy density and long-term cycling stability in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries under practical conditions, namely high sulfur loading (≥ 5 mg cm) and lean electrolyte content (E/S ratio < 5 µL mg), remains a formidable challenge due to severe volume expansion, interfacial instability, and polysulfide shuttling. Herein, a rationally designed 3D cross-linked polyether binder (PTPO) is reported, synthesized via cationic copolymerization of glycerol triglycidyl ether (TEP) and 1,3-dioxolane (DOL). This multifunctional binder integrates high mechanical flexibility, superior interfacial adhesion, and strong chemical affinity toward lithium polysulfides through its abundant ether linkages and epoxy groups.

Dual-Functional GeSe-Se Coselenization Enabling Synergistic Defect-Interface Engineering for High-Efficiency Electrodeposited Flexible CZTSe Solar Cells.

Flexible CuZnSnSe (CZTSe) solar cells hold great potential for low-cost green fabrication and portable applications, yet electrodeposited devices suffer from low efficiency (∼6% vs 12.84% for solution-processed ones), primarily due to defect-induced nonradiative recombination and carrier loss at back interfaces. Herein, a dual-functional GeSe-Se coselenization strategy is proposed to simultaneously achieve defect regulation and back-interface engineering.

Cation-π/π-π Synergy Induced Self-Assembly of Semiconductor Spacers for High Efficiency and Stable 2D/3D Perovskite Solar Cells.

2D/3D perovskite heterojunctions exhibit simultaneous improvement of efficiency and stability to meet commercial applications. However, dielectric confinement and an intrinsically uncontrollable crystallization process in 2D perovskites typically lead to large exciton binding energies and poor film quality, hindering charge dissociation, carrier transport, and ultimately device performance. Here, a strong aromatic conjugated ammonium salt spacer (PyPAI) that can spontaneously form self-assembled columnar stacks via synergistic cation-π and π-π interactions is introduced, thereby simultaneously regulating crystal growth and enhancing charge transfer for high performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

Tribovoltaic Effect at Liquid-MoS Interfaces and Spectral Analysis of Interfacial Charge Transfer.

Liquid-solid triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer a viable approach for harvesting water energy to power Internet of Things systems. Semiconductor-based TENGs leveraging the tribovoltaic effect have recently emerged as a focus of research. In this paper, monolayer molybdenum disulfide (ML-MoS) is introduced as a contacting material for fabricating direct current (DC) liquid-solid nanogenerators.

Enhanced Lithium Recovery from Salt-Lake Brines via Advanced Nanofiltration Membranes: Polymeric Structure-Sieving Performance Relationships.

Lithium and its compounds have become crucial energy metals and industrial necessities. Driven by technological advancements and expanding applications in energy storage and portable electronics, ensuring sustainable lithium supply chains is highly important. Thus, the development of efficient extraction methods from salt-lake brines, particularly those with high Mg/Li ratios, has become a priority.

Metastable Phase Engineering of Core@Shell RuFe@Ru for Boosting Hydrogen Evolution.

Phase engineering and the construction of core-shell structures of noble nanomaterials are powerful strategies for regulating their functional properties. In this work, we operated phase engineering on a catalyst with a core@shell structure, where the core is a metastable face-centered-cubic (fcc) RuFe alloy and the shell is metastable Ru (fcc RuFe@fcc Ru). Corresponding characterizations and electrochemical analyses reveal that the catalytic performance is highly dependent on both the core@shell structure and the crystal phase.

High responsivity colloidal quantum dots phototransistors for low-dose near-infrared photodetection and image communication.

The surging demand and adoption of infrared photodetectors (IRPDs) in sectors of imaging, mobile, healthcare, automobiles, and optical communication are hindered by the prohibitive costs of traditional IRPD materials such as InGaAs and HgCdTe. Quantum dots (QDs), especially lead chalcogenide (PbS) QDs, represent the next-generation low-bandgap semiconductors for near-infrared (NIR) detection due to their high optical absorption coefficient, tunable bandgap, low fabrication costs, and device compatibility. Innovative techniques such as ligand exchange processes have been proposed to boost the performance of PbS QDs photodetectors, mostly using short ligands like 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) and tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI).

Biomass-derived functional additive for highly efficient and stable lead halide perovskite solar cells with built-in lead immobilisation.

Despite notable progress in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs), their commercial viability remains limited by stability issues and the risk of lead contamination. Uncoordinated lead ions can introduce defects during perovskite crystallization, resulting in reduced stability and potential environmental contamination. Here, we synthesized a biomass-derived tetrabutylammonium alginate (TBA-Alg) polymer that forms a connected network at the perovskite surface and grain boundaries to effectively manage lead ions and passivate defects.

Heat-Triggered Dynamic Self-Healing Framework for Variable-Temperature Stable Perovskite Solar Cells.

Metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are promising as the next-generation photovoltaic technology. However, the inferior stability under various temperatures remains a significant obstacle to commercialization. Here, a heat-triggered dynamic self-healing framework (HDSF) is implemented to repair defects at grain boundaries caused by thermal variability, enhancing PSCs' temperature stability.

Dynamic Electrodes Enhanced Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Performance of Two-Dimensional Materials.

Hydrogen energy, known for its elevated combustion enthalpy and the generation of clean water upon combustion, represents a clean energy source with valuable potential applications. Water electrolysis for hydrogen production has emerged as an effective and environmentally friendly green hydrogen synthesis methodology. However, the conventional process of water electrolysis is typically performed under constant current or constant potential conditions, resulting in less-than-ideal hydrogen production rates due to limitations in mass transport.

Fundamentals, Advances and Perspectives in Designing Eutectic Electrolytes for Zinc-Ion Secondary Batteries.

Zinc-ion secondary batteries have been competitive candidates since the "post-lithium-ion" era for grid-scale energy storage, owing to their plausible security, high theoretical capacity, plentiful resources, and environment friendliness. However, many encumbrances like notorious parasitic reactions and Zn dendrite growth hinder the development of zinc-ion secondary batteries remarkably. Faced with these challenges, eutectic electrolytes have aroused notable attention by virtue of feasible synthesis and high tunability.

Realizing the Ultrafast Recovery of the Monolayer MoS-Based NH Sensor by Gas-Ion-Gate.

Over the past decade, the two-dimensional material MoS has attracted great attention due to its room temperature stability, high surface area-to-volume ratios, abundance of active sites at the edges, and exceptional surface sensitivity to the environment, which are key characteristics for applications in chemical sensing. However, the slow recovery of ammonia (NH) sensors based on MoS materials at room temperature has restricted their further development. This paper presents a novel approach to address this limitation by demonstrating a monolayer MoS-based NH sensor with rapid recovery capabilities, leveraging O generated through gas-ion-gate (GIG) technology.

Morphology-Controlled Long-Range Photogenerated Charge Carrier Transfer Pathway for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

Achieving precise control over the construction of efficient charge transport channels through self-assembly engineering represents a highly effective strategy for the synthesis of organic supramolecular photocatalysts. Herein, tetragonal zinc meso-5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl) porphyrin (ZnTPyP) nanorods (T-ZnTPyPs) and hexagonal ZnTPyP nanowires (H-ZnTPyPs) were synthesized by varying the assembly temperature. H-ZnTPyPs demonstrated a photocatalytic hydrogen production rate (183 mmol/g/h) that was 14.

Mechanistic Insights Into HO Dissociation in Overall Photo-/Electro-Catalytic CO Reduction.

Photo-/electro-catalytic CO reduction with HO to produce fuels and chemicals offers a dual solution to address both environmental and energy challenges. For a long time, catalyst design in this reaction system has primarily focused on optimizing reduction sites to improve the efficiency or guide the reaction pathway of the CO reduction half-reaction. However, less attention has been paid to designing activation sites for HO to modulate the HO dissociation half-reaction.

Energy Threshold of Nonlinear Sulfur Solubility for Li-S Batteries.

Unclear regulation mechanisms of solid solubility make it difficult to accurately control its concentration, posing challenges for accelerating chemical reactions. Herein, we use a model system to determine the effects of solvent type and ratio, concentration, and type of lithium salt on sulfur solubility. Our findings reveal a nonlinear relationship between sulfur solubility and both lithium salt concentration and the ratio of different solvents in composite solutions.

Regulating Interfacial Wettability for Fast Mass Transfer in Rechargeable Metal-Based Batteries.

The interfacial wettability between electrodes and electrolytes could ensure sufficient physical contact and fast mass transfer at the gas-solid-liquid, solid-liquid, and solid-solid interfaces, which could improve the reaction kinetics and cycle stability of rechargeable metal-based batteries (RMBs). Herein, interfacial wettability engineering at multiphase interfaces is summarized from the electrolyte and electrode aspects to promote the interface reaction rate and durability of RMBs, which illustrates the revolution that is taking place in this field and thus provides inspiration for future developments in RMBs. Specifically, this review presents the principle of interfacial wettability at macro- and microscale and summarizes emerging applications concerning the interfacial wettability effect on mass transfer in RMBs.

Tailored Lattice-Matched Carbazole Self-Assembled Molecule for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells.

Self-assembled monolayer molecules have been widely employed as interfacial transport materials in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs), demonstrating high efficiency and improved device stability. However, self-assembling monolayer (SAM) molecules often suffer from aggregation and weak interactions with the perovskite layer, resulting in inefficient charge transfer and significant energy losses, ultimately limiting the power conversion efficiency and long-term stability of perovskite solar cells. In this work, we developed a series of novel skeleton-matching carbazole isomer SAMs based on the following key design principles: (1) introducing a benzene ring structure to distort the molecular skeleton of the SAM, thereby preventing aggregation and achieving a uniform distribution on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates; (2) strategically incorporating methoxy groups onto the benzene ring at different positions (ortho, meta, and para).

Accelerating the Zn Transport Kinetics in the Pre-Solvated Artificial Protective Layer via Preferential Electrostatic Interactions for Stable Zinc Anode.

The intrinsic safety and cost-effectiveness of the aqueous zinc ion batteries hold the potential for grid-scale energy storage. However, the uncontrolled dendrite growth, parasitic reactions, and electrochemical corrosion of the anode due to the random Zn transport near the anode hinder its practical applications. Herein, a pre-solvated artificial protective layer (ps-APL) with a nitrogen-containing functional group is constructed by an in situ polymerization strategy to stabilize the Zn anode via boosted Zn mass transport kinetics and oriented exposure of the Zn(002) facets.

In-Situ Cross-Linked Polymers for Enhanced Thermal Cycling Stability in Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells.

Flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) are a promising emerging photovoltaic technology, with certified power conversion efficiencies reaching 24.9 %. However, the frequent occurrence of grain fractures and interface delamination raises concerns about their ability to endure the mechanical stresses caused by temperature fluctuations.

Blue Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes toward Full-Color Displays: Materials, Devices, and Large-Scale Fabrication.

Quantum dots (QDs) light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are gaining significant interest for the next generation of display and lighting applications because of their wide color gamut, cost-effective solution processability, and good stability. The last decades have witnessed rapid advances in improving their efficiency and lifetime. So far, among the three primary colors of QLEDs devices, the performance of blue QLEDs is considerably inferior to that of green and red ones including Cd-based and Cd-free devices, which is a key bottleneck hindering QLEDs' application.

Cooperation of Multifunctional Redox Mediator and Separator Modification to Enhance Li-S Batteries Performance under Low Electrolyte/Sulfur Ratios.

Sluggish reaction kinetics of sulfur species fundamentally trigger the incomplete conversion of S↔LiS and restricted lifespan of lithium-sulfur batteries, especially under high sulfur loading and/or low electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratios. Developing redox mediators (RMs) is an effective strategy to boost the battery reaction kinetics, yet their multifunctionality and shuttle inhibition are still not available. Here, a unique ethyl viologen (EtV) RM with two highly reversible redox couples (EtV/EtV, EtV/EtV) is demonstrated to well match the redox chemistry of sulfur species, in terms of accelerating the electron transfer in S reduction, LiS nucleation and the LiS oxidation.

Buried hole-selective interface engineering for high-efficiency tin-lead perovskite solar cells with enhanced interfacial chemical stability.

Mixed Sn-Pb perovskites are attracting significant attention due to their narrow bandgap and consequent potential for all-perovskite tandem solar cells. However, the conventional hole transport materials can lead to band misalignment or induce degradation at the buried interface of perovskite. Here we designed a self-assembled material 4-(9H-carbozol-9-yl)phenylboronic acid (4PBA) for the surface modification of the substrate as the hole-selective contact.

Controllable Self-Assembly of V═O Metalloradical Complex with Intramolecular Charge Transfer for Enhanced NIR-II Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Photothermal Therapy.

Near-infrared second region (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging provides enhanced tissue penetration, achieving efficient NIR-II fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging (PA)-guided photothermal therapy (PTT) all in one material remains a challenging yet promising approach in cancer treatment. Herein, open-shell V═O metalloradical complex (VONc) is self-assembled into VONc nanospheres (VONc NPs). VONc NPs exhibit light absorption from 300 to 1400 nm, fluorescence spectra ranging from 900 to 1400 nm, and a distinct fluorescence signal even at 1550 nm.