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Manipulating the catalyst–electrolyte interface to push reactants into the inner Helmholtz plane (IHP) is highly desirable for efficient electrocatalysts, however, it has rarely been implemented due to the elusive electrochemical IHP and inherent inert catalyst surface. Here, we propose the introduction of local force fields by the surface hydroxyl group to engineer the electrochemical microenvironment and enhance alkaline hydrogen evolution activity. Taking a hydroxyl group immobilized Ni/Ni3C heterostructure as a prototype, we reveal that the local hydrogen bond induced by the surface hydroxyl group drags 4‐coordinated hydrogen‐bonded H2O molecules across the IHP to become free H2O and thus continuously supply reactants forcatalytic sites catalytic sites. In addition, the hydroxyl group coupled with the Ni/Ni3C heterostructure further lowers the water dissociation energy by polarization effects. As a direct outcome, hydroxyl‐rich catalysts surpass Pt/C activity at high current density (500 mA cm−2 @ ≈276 mV) in alkaline medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manipulating the catalyst–electrolyte interface to push reactants into the inner Helmholtz plane (IHP) is highly desirable for efficient electrocatalysts, however, it has rarely been implemented due to the elusive electrochemical IHP and inherent inert catalyst surface. Here, we propose the introduction of local force fields by the surface hydroxyl group to engineer the electrochemical microenvironment and enhance alkaline hydrogen evolution activity. Taking a hydroxyl group immobilized Ni/Ni3C heterostructure as a prototype, we reveal that the local hydrogen bond induced by the surface hydroxyl group drags 4‐coordinated hydrogen‐bonded H2O molecules across the IHP to become free H2O and thus continuously supply reactants forcatalytic sites catalytic sites. In addition, the hydroxyl group coupled with the Ni/Ni3C heterostructure further lowers the water dissociation energy by polarization effects. As a direct outcome, hydroxyl‐rich catalysts surpass Pt/C activity at high current density (500 mA cm−2 @ ≈276 mV) in alkaline medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tandem catalysts can divide the reaction into distinct steps by local multiple sites and thus are attractive to trigger CO2RR to C2+ products. However, the evolution of catalysts generally exists during CO2RR, thus a closer investigation of the reconstitution, interplay, and active origin of dual components in tandem catalysts is warranted. Here, taking AgI−CuO as a conceptual tandem catalyst, we uncovered the interaction of two phases during the electrochemical reconstruction. Multiple operando techniques unraveled that in situ iodine ions leaching from AgI restrained the entire reduction of CuO to acquire stable active Cu0/Cu+ species during the CO2RR. This way, the residual iodine species of the Ag matrix accelerated CO generation and iodine‐induced Cu0/Cu+ promotes C−C coupling. This self‐adaptive dual‐optimization endowed our catalysts with an excellent C2+ Faradaic efficiency of 68.9 %. Material operando changes in this work offer a new approach for manipulating active species towards enhancing C2+ products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tandem catalysts can divide the reaction into distinct steps by local multiple sites and thus are attractive to trigger CO2RR to C2+ products. However, the evolution of catalysts generally exists during CO2RR, thus a closer investigation of the reconstitution, interplay, and active origin of dual components in tandem catalysts is warranted. Here, taking AgI−CuO as a conceptual tandem catalyst, we uncovered the interaction of two phases during the electrochemical reconstruction. Multiple operando techniques unraveled that in situ iodine ions leaching from AgI restrained the entire reduction of CuO to acquire stable active Cu0/Cu+ species during the CO2RR. This way, the residual iodine species of the Ag matrix accelerated CO generation and iodine‐induced Cu0/Cu+ promotes C−C coupling. This self‐adaptive dual‐optimization endowed our catalysts with an excellent C2+ Faradaic efficiency of 68.9 %. Material operando changes in this work offer a new approach for manipulating active species towards enhancing C2+ products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen energy, derived from the electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, is considered a promising form of energy to address the energy crisis. However, the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) poses limitations due to sluggish kinetics. Apart from high catalytic activity, the long-term stability of electrocatalytic OER has garnered significant attention. To date, several research studies have been conducted to explore stable electrocatalysts for the OER. A comprehensive review is urgently warranted to provide a concise overview of the recent advancements in the electrocatalytic OER stability, encompassing both electrocatalyst and device developments. This review aims to succinctly summarize the primary factors influencing OER stability, including morphological/phase change and electrocatalyst dissolution, as well as mechanical detachment, alongside chemical, mechanical, and operational degradation observed in devices. Furthermore, an overview of contemporary approaches to enhance stability is provided, encompassing electrocatalyst design (structural regulation, protective layer coating, and stable substrate anchoring) and device optimization (bipolar plates, gas diffusion layers, and membranes). Hopefully, more attention will be paid to ensuring the stable operation of electrocatalytic OER and the future large-scale water electrolysis applications. This review presents design principles aimed at addressing challenges related to the stability of electrocatalytic OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorinated Ta2O5 nanostructures are synthesized by hydrothermal reaction of Ta powder, 0.133 M aq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimetallic sulfides are expected to realize efficient CO2 electroreduction into formate over a wide potential window, however, they will undergo in situ structural evolution under the reaction conditions. Therefore, clarifying the structural evolution process, the real active site and the catalytic mechanism is significant. Here, taking Cu2SnS3 as an example, we unveiled that Cu2SnS3 occurred self‐adapted phase separation toward forming the stable SnO2@CuS and SnO2@Cu2O heterojunction during the electrochemical process. Calculations illustrated that the strongly coupled interfaces as real active sites driven the electron self‐flow from Sn4+ to Cu+, thereby promoting the delocalized Sn sites to combine HCOO* with H*. Cu2SnS3 nanosheets achieve over 83.4 % formate selectivity in a wide potential range from −0.6 V to −1.1 V. Our findings provide insight into the structural evolution process and performance‐enhanced origin of ternary sulfides under the CO2 electroreduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimetallic sulfides are expected to realize efficient CO2 electroreduction into formate over a wide potential window, however, they will undergo in situ structural evolution under the reaction conditions. Therefore, clarifying the structural evolution process, the real active site and the catalytic mechanism is significant. Here, taking Cu2SnS3 as an example, we unveiled that Cu2SnS3 occurred self‐adapted phase separation toward forming the stable SnO2@CuS and SnO2@Cu2O heterojunction during the electrochemical process. Calculations illustrated that the strongly coupled interfaces as real active sites driven the electron self‐flow from Sn4+ to Cu+, thereby promoting the delocalized Sn sites to combine HCOO* with H*. Cu2SnS3 nanosheets achieve over 83.4 % formate selectivity in a wide potential range from −0.6 V to −1.1 V. Our findings provide insight into the structural evolution process and performance‐enhanced origin of ternary sulfides under the CO2 electroreduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubidium and cesium play increasingly important roles in high-tech fields such as aerospace engineering, arms development, and perovskite solar cell fabrication owing to their unique physical and chemical properties. Noting that abundant reserves of rubidium and cesium are often found in the brine of salt lakes, efficiently separating and extracting these resources is crucial for their industrial application. This paper systematically reviews the primary methods for and latest research on rubidium and cesium separation and extraction from salt lake brine and comprehensively evaluates these methods. It elucidates and provides a brief summary in the future development direction. This report is intended to inform future directions for rubidium and cesium recovery from salt lakes and industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction (CO 2 RR) is a promising strategy to achieve carbon neutrality. Nevertheless, its practical viability is hindered by the energy-consuming anodic oxygen evolution (OER) process. In recent years, researchers have attempted to break this limitation by some novel anodic OER substitution reactions to improve the overall economic profitability. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review covering the recent development of integrated CO 2 RR systems with alternative OER oxidation reactions. Starting from the presentation of fundamental considerations of electrolytic configurations, energy efficiency, value-added products and tech-economic analysis for high-performance integrations, the recent innovative anodic reactions are then summarized and thoroughly analyzed including the reactions involving alcohols, biomass, chlorine, water contaminants oxidations and chemicals electrosynthesis, with the focus on electrocatalysts design, electrolyte selection and system configurations. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives are discussed to achieve the dual goals of sustainability and profitability in an economical and energy-efficient way. [Display omitted] • The integrated CO 2 RR systems with recent innovative anodic reactions were reviewed. • The fundamental considerations for high-performance integrations are introduced. • The catalyst design, electrolyte selection and system configuration are emphasized. • The design principle and reaction mechanism towards specific product are discussed. • The current challenges and future opportunities are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building novel functional nanomaterials with a polymer is one of the most dynamic research fields at present. Here, three amphiphilic block copolymers of 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative motifs (MQ) with excellent coordination function were synthesized by Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization (RAFT) polymerization. The coordination micelles were prepared through the self-assembly process, which the MQ motifs were dispersed in the hydrophobic polystyrene (PSt) blocks and hydrophilic Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM)) blocks, respectively. The dual-emission micelles including the intrinsic red light emission of quantum dots (QDs) and the coordination green light emission of Zn2+-MQ complexes were built by introducing the CdSe/ZnS and CdTe/ZnS QDs in the core and shell precisely in the coordination micelles through the coordination-driven self-assembly process. Furthermore, based on the principle of three primary colors that produce white light emission, vinyl carbazole units (Polyvinyl Carbazole, PVK) with blue light emission were introduced into the hydrophilic PNIPAM blocks to construct the white light micelles that possess special multi-emission properties in which the intrinsic red light emission of QDs, the coordination green light of Zn2+-MQ complexes, and the blue light emission of PVK were synergized. The dual and multi-emission hybrid micelles have great application prospects in ratiometric fluorescent probes and biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The homemade explosive, triacetone triperoxide (TATP), is easy to synthesize, sensitive to detonation but hard to detect directly. Vapor sensor arrays composed of a few sensor materials have the potential to discriminate TATP, but the stability of the sensor array is always a tricky problem since each sensor may encounter a device fault. Thus, a sensor array based on a single optoelectronic TiO2/PW11 sensor was first constructed by regulating the excitation wavelength to discriminate TATP from other explosives. By in situ doping of Na3PW12O40, a Keggin structure of PW11 formed on the TiO2 to promote the photoinduced electron-hole separation, thus obviously improving the detection sensitivity of the sensor film and shortening the response time. The response of the TiO2/PW11 sensor film to TATP under 365, 450 and 550 nm illumination is 81%, 42%, and 37%, respectively. The TiO2/PW11 sensor features selectivity to TATP and is able to detect less than 50 ppb. The flexibility and stability of the flexible sensor film is also demonstrated with the extent of bending. Furthermore, the sensing response cannot be affected by ambient air below 60% relative humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]