Physics, Applied

Article Chemistry, Physical

Single-junction organic solar cells with over 19% efficiency enabled by a refined double-fibril network morphology

Lei Zhu, Ming Zhang, Jinqiu Xu, Chao Li, Jun Yan, Guanqing Zhou, Wenkai Zhong, Tianyu Hao, Jiali Song, Xiaonan Xue, Zichun Zhou, Rui Zeng, Haiming Zhu, Chun-Chao Chen, Roderick C. MacKenzie, Yecheng Zou, Jenny Nelson, Yongming Zhang, Yanming Sun, Feng Liu

Summary: Morphological control of donor and acceptor domains is crucial for efficient organic photovoltaics, and this study demonstrates a double-fibril network strategy to achieve a high power conversion efficiency of 19.3%.

NATURE MATERIALS (2022)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Emerging S-Scheme Photocatalyst

Liuyang Zhang, Jianjun Zhang, Huogen Yu, Jiaguo Yu

Summary: This article presents the superiority and design criteria of the emerging S-scheme heterojunction in photocatalysis. By overcoming the challenges faced by single photocatalysts through the construction of heterojunctions, the S-scheme heterojunction has demonstrated its potential in improving photocatalysis. The critical understanding of the curved Fermi level in the S-scheme heterojunction interface and the current challenges and prospects of S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts are also discussed.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Realizing 19.05% Efficiency Polymer Solar Cells by Progressively Improving Charge Extraction and Suppressing Charge Recombination

Kaien Chong, Xiaopeng Xu, Huifeng Meng, Jingwei Xue, Liyang Yu, Wei Ma, Qiang Peng

Summary: This work demonstrates highly efficient polymer solar cells by improving charge extraction and suppressing charge recombination through side-chain engineering, adopting ternary blends, and introducing volatilizable solid additives. The optimized molecular structure and blend morphology lead to improved fill factor and power conversion efficiency.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Review Chemistry, Physical

Design concept for electrocatalysts

Yao Wang, Xiaobo Zheng, Dingsheng Wang

Summary: Metal-based electrocatalysts with different sizes have shown different catalytic behaviors, and regulating the coordination environment of active sites is crucial for designing efficient electrocatalysts. This review summarizes the recent progress in heterogeneous supported single atoms, nanoclusters, and nanoparticles catalysts, proposing key factors for enhancing electrocatalytic performance and discussing current challenges and future opportunities in this field.

NANO RESEARCH (2022)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Single-Junction Organic Solar Cells with 19.17% Efficiency Enabled by Introducing One Asymmetric Guest Acceptor

Rui Sun, Yao Wu, Xinrong Yang, Yuan Gao, Zeng Chen, Kai Li, Jiawei Qiao, Tao Wang, Jing Guo, Chao Liu, Xiaotao Hao, Haiming Zhu, Jie Min

Summary: The ternary strategy is an effective approach to achieve high-efficiency OSCs, but the nonradiative voltage loss limits further efficiency improvements. By incorporating an asymmetric guest acceptor BTP-2F2Cl, the OSCs show improved photoluminescence quantum yield, exciton diffusion length, and absorption spectrum, leading to enhanced power conversion efficiency.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Dimensional Design and Core-Shell Engineering of Nanomaterials for Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

Zhengchen Wu, Han-Wen Cheng, Chen Jin, Bintong Yang, Chunyang Xu, Ke Pei, Huibin Zhang, Ziqi Yang, Renchao Che

Summary: Electromagnetic wave absorption materials with core-shell structures can enhance performance through interfacial polarization, conduction networks, magnetic coupling, and magnetic-dielectric synergy. This review outlines the recent advances in low-dimensional core-shell electromagnetic wave absorption materials and discusses notable examples. Key information regarding dimensional design, structural engineering, performance, and structure-function relationship is comprehensively summarized.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Article Chemistry, Physical

Understanding the structure-performance relationship of active sites at atomic scale

Runze Li, Dingsheng Wang

Summary: This article discusses the key factors affecting the catalytic performance of metal-based atomically dispersed catalysts and their relationship with the active sites. It first introduces the effectiveness of active site design through coordination effects, then discusses the role of chemical bonds in the active sites and the influence of the spacing of active atoms in intermetallic compounds on catalytic behavior. Additionally, the importance of synergistic effects in catalyst design is emphasized, and the key parameters affecting catalytic performance at the atomic scale are summarized.

NANO RESEARCH (2022)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Heterointerface Engineering in Electromagnetic Absorbers: New Insights and Opportunities

Leilei Liang, Weihua Gu, Yue Wu, Baoshan Zhang, Gehuan Wang, Yi Yang, Guangbin Ji

Summary: Electromagnetic absorbers are playing increasingly essential role in the electronic information age and even towards the coming intelligent era. The advantages of heterointerface engineering and its EM characteristics inject vitality for designing high-efficiency EM absorbers, but there are still huge challenges in understanding and reinforcing these interface effects.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Binary Organic Solar Cells Breaking 19% via Manipulating the Vertical Component Distribution

Yanan Wei, Zhihao Chen, Guanyu Lu, Na Yu, Congqi Li, Jinhua Gao, Xiaobin Gu, Xiaotao Hao, Guanghao Lu, Zheng Tang, Jianqi Zhang, Zhixiang Wei, Xin Zhang, Hui Huang

Summary: The variation of the vertical component distribution has a significant impact on the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells. This study demonstrates that sequential deposition of materials can improve the efficiency of solar cells.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Article Energy & Fuels

Solar cell efficiency tables (Version 60)

Martin A. Green, Ewan D. Dunlop, Jochen Hohl-Ebinger, Masahiro Yoshita, Nikos Kopidakis, Karsten Bothe, David Hinken, Michael Rauer, Xiaojing Hao

Summary: This article presents consolidated tables showing the highest independently confirmed efficiencies for solar cells and modules. The guidelines for including results in these tables are outlined, and new entries since January 2022 are reviewed. An appendix describing temporary electrical contacting methods and terminology for large-area solar cells is also included.

PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS (2022)

Article Chemistry, Physical

Janus (BNNS/ANF)-(AgNWs/ANF) thermal conductivity composite films with superior electromagnetic interference shielding and Joule heating performances

Yixin Han, Kunpeng Ruan, Junwei Gu

Summary: In this study, Janus (BNNS/ANF)-(AgNWs/ANF) composite films were successfully prepared, which exhibited one side insulating, one side conducting performance. The composite films showed high thermal conductivity, superior electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness, good mechanical properties, stable temperature-voltage response characteristics, and reliable electrical stability.

NANO RESEARCH (2022)

Article Physics, Applied

A step-by-step guide to perform x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Grzegorz Greczynski, Lars Hultman

Summary: There is a growing concern within the surface science community regarding the decline in work quality and meaningless chemical bond assignment in XPS articles. This trend could have disastrous consequences for scientific research. To address this, a comprehensive tutorial is offered, providing a step-by-step guide for experimental planning, data acquisition, spectra analysis, and results presentation, with a focus on improving the quality and reliability of XPS data analysis. The tutorial aims to broaden the application of XPS and enhance practitioners' ability to draw meaningful insights from XPS analysis.

JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS (2022)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Advanced Flame-Retardant Methods for Polymeric Materials

Bo-Wen Liu, Hai-Bo Zhao, Yu-Zhong Wang

Summary: Most organic polymeric materials are highly flammable, causing significant damages to human life and property through the large amounts of smoke, toxic gases, heat, and melt drips produced during burning. Conventional flame-retardant methods are facing difficulties in meeting the increasing flame-retardant requirements. Advanced flame-retardant methods, such as all-in-one intumescence and nanotechnology, have been developed to provide potential solutions to these challenges.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Multifunctional Superelastic, Superhydrophilic, and Ultralight Nanocellulose-Based Composite Carbon Aerogels for Compressive Supercapacitor and Strain Sensor

Huayu Liu, Ting Xu, Chenyang Cai, Kun Liu, Wei Liu, Meng Zhang, Haishun Du, Chuanling Si, Kai Zhang

Summary: In this study, conductive carbon aerogels with ultralow density and superhydrophilicity were developed based on synergistic hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction, and pi-pi interaction within regularly arranged layered porous structures. These aerogels exhibit high compressibility, fatigue resistance, excellent capacitive performance, and can be used as strain sensors.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS (2022)

Review Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Conductive Biomaterials as Bioactive Wound Dressing for Wound Healing and Skin Tissue Engineering

Rui Yu, Hualei Zhang, Baolin Guo

Summary: This review summarizes the design and application of conductive biomaterials for wound healing and skin tissue engineering. Conductive biomaterials with various structural forms, such as films, nanofibers, membranes, hydrogels, sponges, foams, and acellular dermal matrix, play important roles in electrotherapy, wound dressing, and wound assessment, and possess promising applications in the field.

NANO-MICRO LETTERS (2022)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Recent Advances in Design of Electrocatalysts for High-Current-Density Water Splitting

Yuting Luo, Zhiyuan Zhang, Manish Chhowalla, Bilu Liu

Summary: The electrochemical water splitting technology is crucial for achieving global carbon neutrality. High-performance electrocatalysts that can operate at high current densities are essential for the industrial implementation of this technology. Recent advancements in this field have led to the development of various catalysts designed specifically for high current densities (> 200 mA cm(-2)). This article discusses these recent advances and summarizes the key factors that influence the catalytic performance in high current density electrocatalysis, including catalyst dimensionality, surface chemistry, electron transport path, morphology, and catalyst-electrolyte interaction. It highlights the importance of a multiscale design strategy that considers these factors comprehensively for developing high current density electrocatalysts. The article also provides insights into the future directions of this emerging field.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

MIL-96-Al for Li-S Batteries: Shape or Size?

Pengbiao Geng, Lei Wang, Meng Du, Yang Bai, Wenting Li, Yanfang Liu, Shuangqiang Chen, Pierre Braunstein, Qiang Xu, Huan Pang

Summary: Metal-organic frameworks with controllable shapes and sizes, specifically MIL-96-Al crystals in hexagonal platelet, hexagonal bipyramidal, and hexagonal prismatic bipyramidal shapes, were prepared successfully using cosolvent methods. The shape and particle size of the MOF crystals were found to influence the adsorption of lithium polysulfides, impacting the initial capacity in Li-S batteries. These findings suggest a new strategy for designing sulfur hosts in Li-S batteries.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Simultaneous Interfacial Modification and Crystallization Control by Biguanide Hydrochloride for Stable Perovskite Solar Cells with PCE of 24.4%

Zhuang Xiong, Xiao Chen, Bo Zhang, George Omololu Odunmbaku, Zeping Ou, Bing Guo, Ke Yang, Zhipen Kan, Shirong Lu, Shanshan Chen, Nabonswende Aida Nadege Ouedraogo, Yongjoon Cho, Changduk Yang, Jiangzhao Chen, Kuan Sun

Summary: In this study, a multifunctional interfacial material, BGCl, was introduced to modify the interface of perovskite solar cells. The BGCl improved electron extraction and crystal growth of perovskite by chemically linking to SnO2 and anchoring PbI2. This modification led to better energetic alignment, reduced interfacial defects, and homogeneous perovskite crystallites, resulting in highly efficient and stable performance.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)

Article Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Vertically Aligned Silicon Carbide Nanowires/ Boron Nitride Cellulose Aerogel Networks Enhanced Thermal Conductivity and Electromagnetic Absorbing of Epoxy Composites

Duo Pan, Gui Yang, Hala M. Abo-Dief, Jingwen Dong, Fengmei Su, Chuntai Liu, Yifan Li, Ben Bin Xu, Vignesh Murugadoss, Nithesh Naik, Salah M. El-Bahy, Zeinhom M. El-Bahy, Minan Huang, Zhanhu Guo

Summary: A cellulose aerogel with highly enhanced thermal conductivity was successfully obtained by constructing a vertically aligned silicon carbide nanowires/boron nitride network. The composite exhibited significantly increased thermal conductivity compared to pure epoxy, both in vertical and horizontal directions. Additionally, it showed good electrical insulation and excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance.

NANO-MICRO LETTERS (2022)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

A High-Performance, Sensitive, Wearable Multifunctional Sensor Based on Rubber/CNT for Human Motion and Skin Temperature Detection

Mengzhuan Lin, Zhongjie Zheng, Li Yang, Mingshan Luo, Lihua Fu, Baofeng Lin, Chuanhui Xu

Summary: A hydrogen bond cross-linked network based on XSBR and SS non-covalently modified CNTs has been designed and fabricated into multi-functional sensors, with high stretchability, strength, and sensitivity, as well as the ability to measure body temperature.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022)