Insect-scale robots with embodied intelligence: Challenges and future perspectives
July 2026
Inspired by the agility, adaptability, and efficiency of insects, insect-scale robots are emerging as promising platforms for applications in environmental monitoring, search and rescue, precision agriculture,...
A microscopic view of diffusion and failure mechanisms of lithium anodes in solid-state batteries
September 2026
Although all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLBs) have long been regarded as successors of the commercially available lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), SSLBs do not yet deliver sufficient and competitive...
Bubble evolution dynamics in alkaline water electrolysis
July 2025
It is anticipated that alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) technology will assume a significant role in the future energy sector, facilitating the integration of renewable energy and hydrogen production....
Insights for understanding multiscale degradation of LiFePO4 cathodes
March 2022
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) based on olivine LiFePO4 (LFP) offer long cycle/calendar life and good safety, making them one of the dominant batteries in energy storage stations and electric vehicles,...
Room-temperature free-radical polymerized electrolyte design towards 650 Wh kg−1 solid-state lithium batteries
November 2026
The quasi-solid-state gel electrolytes (QSEs) fabricated through free-radical in situ polymerization show great promise for energy-dense solid-state lithium batteries, paving the way for next-generation...
A review of advanced SOFCs and SOECs: Materials, innovative synthesis, functional mechanisms, and system integration
March 2026
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) are next-generation energy conversion technologies that have attracted widespread attention due to their high efficiency, fuel...
Significance of particle morphology: Semi-single-crystalline O3-Type Na[Ni1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3]O2 cathode for practical Na-ion batteries
Available online 25 July 2026
O3-type Na[Ni1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3]O2 (O3-NFM) has been widely regarded as a promising cathode material for practical Na-ion batteries (NIBs) owing to its low cost and high reversible capacity. To advance the...
Composition-driven anion vacancy control in I–III–VI CuIn(S1−xSex)2 quantum dots for efficient photoelectrochemical hydrogen production
September 2026
Heavy-metal-free I–III–VI quantum dots (QDs) are promising candidates for solar energy conversion owing to their strong light absorption, broadly tunable bandgap spanning the full solar spectrum, and...
Synergistic solar-thermal icephobic armor: Ultrasmall-bandgap MOFs drive efficient anti-/de-icing via superhydrophobic photothermal cooperation
September 2026
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been positioned as promising candidates for fabricating photothermal superhydrophobic surfaces, due to their gas-trapping porosity, tunable nanoarchitectures, and...
Solid polymer electrolyte chemistries tailored by solvation structures
July 2026
Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) endow lithium (Li) metal batteries with superior safety and energy density. However, sluggish Li ion (Li+) transport within the SPE inhibits its practical application....
In situ EPR imaging for lithium/sodium batteries
September 2026
In situ electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI), particularly in situ top-view EPRI, is an indispensable analytical technique for revealing the electrochemical reaction mechanisms in battery...
Solvent-coordination-regulated gel polymer electrolyte for stable high-voltage lithium metal batteries
November 2026
Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) represent critical components for next-generation lithium metal batteries (LMBs), combining superior ionic conductivity with enhanced safety. Nevertheless, their practical...
High-entropy alloys for hydrogen storage, separation, and detection: Recent progress and prospects
March 2026
As a pivotal clean energy carrier with promising efficiency, environmental friendliness, and sustainability, hydrogen stands at the forefront of the global energy technology revolution. However, achieving...
Strain-alleviated Ni-rich cathodes with inorganic interphases for sustainable fast-charging Li-ion batteries
Available online 17 August 2026
Fast-charging Li-ion batteries are essential for realizing a charge-anxiety-free era in portable electronics and electric transportation. Although extensive efforts have focused on fast-charging industry-favored...
Beyond-potential-driven ultrafast SEI pre-formation enables durable aqueous zinc metal batteries
Available online 2 July 2026
Building a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is a widely accepted strategy in high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries for scalable energy storage. However, conventional SEIs are typically formed...
30 years of AI for electrocatalysis: Where we are and what’s next?
March 2026
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved over the past three decades from the initial pioneering stage to become a transformative force in electrocatalytic research yet is far from realizing its full...
Self-healing supramolecular cathode binder additive with dynamic bonds for durable high-voltage solid-state lithium batteries
September 2026
Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes are indispensable for high-energy polymer-based solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs), yet their application is plagued by severe volumetric strain and unstable...
Novel approaches to aqueous zinc-ion batteries: Challenges, strategies, and prospects
November 2025
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) represent a forefront technology for grid-scale energy storage, distinguished by inherent safety, economic viability, and ecological compatibility. Nevertheless, prevailing...
Data-driven chemical feature extraction and material design for halide solid-state electrolytes
November 2026
All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are promising candidates for next-generation energy storage, offering high safety and energy density. Halide solid-state electrolytes (HSSEs) have garnered significant...
Regulating PTFE fibrillation via LLZO solid electrolyte incorporation for mechanically robust dry-processed sulfide solid electrolyte membranes
November 2026
The fabrication of thin and mechanically robust sulfide-based solid electrolyte (SE) membranes remains a key challenge for the practical commercialization of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). In particular,...
Machine-learning guided design of non-precious-metal high-entropy electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen evolution
May 2026
High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have emerged as a promising class of electrocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production driven by renewable electricity, owing to their compositional diversity and flexible...
Hydrogel polymer electrolytes toward better zinc-ion batteries: A comprehensive review
March 2025
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) represent a promising solution for “beyond-lithium-ion” chemistries, but certain problems hinder their further development, especially when conventional aqueous electrolytes...
Scalable production of high-performance electrocatalysts for electrochemical water splitting at large current densities
July 2025
Electrochemical water splitting is a pivotal technology in the large-scale production of green hydrogen for sustainable future energy provisions. Highly active, stable electrocatalysts have been extensively...
Electrosynthesis of amino acids: Innovations, challenges, and future prospects
November 2026
Amino acids are fundamental building blocks of living systems and indispensable chemicals for pharmaceuticals, food, feed, and fine-chemical industries. Conventional amino acid synthesis relies mainly...
Biomimetic halide perovskite synapses for neuromorphic computing
September 2026
Driven by the exponential surge in computational demands, there is a pressing imperative to pioneer novel information processing paradigms that overcome the inherent von Neumann bottleneck in conventional...