Operando studies of lithium–sulfur redox reactions: A review
May 2026
In situ/operando techniques have been foundational for achieving a deep understanding of the complex, multistep Li–S redox reactions to enable the practical application of Li–S batteries. This includes...
Regulating the electronic state of Pt via architecting symbiotic oxide support for optimal alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction
May 2026
Optimization of the electronic structure of Ptδ+ 5d orbitals by using a well–defined coordination environment to increase the efficiency of alkaline H2O dissociation kinetics remains challenging. Herein,...
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...
Machine learning-driven discovery of high-performance Co/Sr-free air electrodes for protonic ceramic electrolysis cells
May 2026
Protonic ceramic electrolysis cells (PCECs) have emerged as a promising solid-state ion device, attracting considerable attention for efficient hydrogen generation. However, PCECs face multiple constraints,...
Oxygen-induced lithium inter-cage conduction for enhanced performance in all-solid-state batteries
May 2026
Sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries suffer from interfacial degradation between the cathode and solid electrolyte, making it essential to maintain high ionic conductivity under such conditions....
A high-energy long-cycling solid-state lithium–oxygen battery enabled by plasmon-enhanced solar induced reversible oxygen conversion to Li2O
May 2026
Lithium–oxygen (Li–O2) battery with a reversible conversion between oxygen and lithium oxide (Li2O) offers the highest theoretical specific energy among all lithium-battery systems. However, enabling...
In situ fabrication of ether-in-gel electrolyte enables long-cycle Li–air batteries over a wide temperature range
May 2026
Practical application of lithium–air batteries (LABs) is hindered by volatile liquid electrolytes, which compromise cycling stability at both high and low temperatures. Herein, we propose an in situ...
Spatially surface ion-aggregated solid polymer electrolyte with robust mechanical properties for lithium metal batteries
May 2026
Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) show great promise for solid-state lithium batteries, but achieving mechanical robustness and fast interfacial kinetics simultaneously poses critical challenges. Herein,...
A microscopic view of diffusion and failure mechanisms of lithium anodes in solid-state batteries
Available online 7 May 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...
Beyond the anion-rich solvation paradigm: anion-mediated ion-pair aggregation enables robust SEI for highly reversible zinc batteries
Available online 6 May 2026
Rechargeable zinc batteries are promising candidates for large-scale electrochemical energy storage, owing to their low cost and the abundance of zinc resources. However, their practical application...
Data-driven chemical feature extraction and material design for halide solid-state electrolytes
Available online 5 May 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...
Data–driven screening of electrolyte additives with high donor numbers for lithium–sulfur batteries
Available online 4 May 2026
Electrolyte additives with high electron-donating capability are critical for regulating Li+ solvation and polysulfide conversion kinetics in lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. However, limited experimental...
Bromine-triggered anion redox and strain buffering boost layered oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries
Available online 27 April 2026
The pursuit of higher charge-cut-off potentials and greater capacities in cathode materials is essential for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) to achieve higher energy densities, thereby expanding their application...
Electrosynthesis of amino acids: Innovations, challenges, and future prospects
Available online 27 April 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...
Mechanically robust cellulose hydrogel electrolyte with ion transport/deposition dual regulation for stable aqueous zinc ion batteries
Available online 17 April 2026
Hydrogel electrolytes show promise for stabilizing aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), but achieving both uniform Zn2+ transfer and deposition as well as strong mechanical properties remains challenging....
Self-powered near-infrared mechanoluminescence for blood oxygen saturation monitoring
Available online 16 April 2026
Near-infrared mechanoluminescence (NIR ML) materials are gaining attention due to the unique “force-to-photon” conversion ability, offering significant potential for stress sensing, biological imaging,...
Low-noise and broad-bandwidth piezoelectric accelerometers for underwater acoustic vector sensor
Available online 13 April 2026
The detection and localization of underwater targets is of great significance in seabed resource exploration, seabed topography drawing, underwater archaeology, and undersea rescues. The indispensable...
A Janus conductive MOF-on-conductive-MOF heterostructure enables simultaneous production of H2O2 and active chlorine by seawater electrolysis
Available online 11 April 2026
Seawater electrolysis is an ideal strategy for the simultaneous production of H2O2 and active chlorine, but it has yet to be realized. In this study, a rationally designed conductive metal–organic framework...
Toward low-cost, high-performance Mn-based cathodes: Challenges, strategies, and perspectives
Available online 7 April 2026
Manganese-based cathodes have emerged as promising candidates for cost-effective and sustainable secondary batteries, owing to Mn’s natural abundance, low toxicity, and widespread availability. Yet...
Building π–π-conjugated molecule adsorption layer on Zn anode for ultra-stable aqueous zinc-ion batteries
Available online 3 April 2026
The absence of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) to protect the Zn anode in an aqueous environment poses significant challenges for guaranteeing the long-term operation of aqueous zinc-ion batteries...
Emerging organic cathodes and design strategies for aqueous zinc–organic batteries
Available online 1 April 2026
Organic cathodes have emerged as promising alternatives to inorganic materials for aqueous zinc–organic batteries (ZOBs) owing to their structural tunability, sustainability, and rich redox chemistry....
Noble metal-free single-atom electrocatalysts and reactor engineering for enhanced hydrogen peroxide generation via two-electron oxygen reduction reaction
March 2026
The generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a compound with diverse applications, via the two-electron (2e−) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has garnered extensive attention in both laboratory research...
Two-dimensional polymeric metal phthalocyanines with anion fluxing and Li-ion-conducting properties for lithium metal full batteries
March 2026
Herein, we report the molecular engineering of anion-fluxing polymeric metal phthalocyanines (MTPs) by controlling the types of metal centers and incorporating lithiophilic linkers to achieve ultrastable...
Bioinspired triboelectric-driven multisensory framework with autonomous cross-modal adaptation
March 2026
The human multisensory neural network supports advanced cognitive functions through cross-modal integration, recognition, and imagination by synergistically processing visual, tactile, auditory, olfactory,...
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...