The development of efficient and durable bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting is crucial for sustainable hydrogen production. In this work, a nitrogen-rich porous Co-MOF precursor was employed to synthesize heterostructured CoP/Co2P catalysts supported on nitrogen-phosphorus co-doped hollow carbon nanorods (CoP/Co2P@NC-T-xP). The interfacial coupling between CoP and Co2P within the catalyst facilitates rapid electron transfer and optimizes the adsorption/desorption behavior of reaction intermediates, thereby enhancing the catalytic reaction kinetics for both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the interfacial effect in the CoP/Co2P heterojunction can modulate the catalyst’s electronic structure, thereby optimizing the Gibbs free energy for hydrogen adsorption (ΔGH*). Furthermore, the metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived hollow carbon support promotes electrolyte infiltration, exposes abundant active sites, and shortens the mass transport pathways for reactive species. Electrochemically, the CoP/Co2P@NC-400-10P catalyst exhibits outstanding performance in alkaline media, achieving overpotentials as low as 127.6 mV for HER and 279.4 mV for OER at a current density of 10 mA/cm2. Moreover, a CoP/Co2P@NC-400-10P∥CoP/Co2P@NC-400-10P electrolyzer requires only 1.73 V to deliver a current density of 100 mA/cm2 for overall water splitting and demonstrates excellent durability over 100 h without significant voltage degradation. This work highlights the effective synergy between the MOF-derived heterojunction structure and the hollow carbon architecture in designing highly efficient electrocatalysts, and provides a valuable reference for the development of other low-cost, high-activity bifunctional electrocatalysts.

Li metal batteries (LMBs), owing to their high theoretical specific energy, are considered a crucial development direction for future high-energy-density battery systems. However, the high reactivity of the Li metal anode leads to extreme electrochemical and chemical instability at the interface with the electrolyte. This instability triggers detrimental effects, including Li dendrite growth, repeated cracking and reformation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and continuous irreversible consumption of both active Li and electrolyte. Therefore, designing high-performance electrolytes to precisely regulate interfacial chemistry has become one of the core strategies for advancing the practical application of LMBs. Significant progress has recently been made in stabilizing the Li metal–electrolyte interface (Li-electrolyte interface) through strategies including additives, weakly solvating electrolytes (WSEs), high-concentration/localized high-concentration electrolytes (HCEs/LHCEs), and novel molecular design. Nevertheless, these advanced strategies and their corresponding stabilization mechanisms have not yet been systematically organized. To address this gap, this review focuses on four core electrolyte design strategies and systematically summarizes their mechanisms for stabilizing the Li-electrolyte interface. Building on this foundation, it discusses the inherent limitations of individual electrolyte design strategies. It then focuses on the potential of synergistic electrolyte design to achieve a more electrochemically stable Li-electrolyte interface. Finally, it proposes future research directions requiring key focus for existing electrolyte design strategies.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs), with their well-defined active sites, demonstrate remarkable selectivity in biomass platform chemical conversions. However, the feature of single active site fails to synergistically regulate the divergent oxidation pathways of multiple functional groups, thereby restricting multi-step reaction efficiency. Herein, a “stepwise N-stripping” strategy is developed via lignin-derived N-doped carbon matrices, which achieves controlled evolution from isolated Co-N₄ single site to multi-scale atomic/cluster Co synergistic sites by precisely modulating the pyrolysis pathways of lignin-Co precursors. Theoretical and experimental evidence elucidates a synergy-enhanced tandem dual-site catalytic mechanism that single Co atoms with Co-N₂ configuration selectively activate aldehyde groups to drive sequential carboxylation (5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA) and 5-formyl-2-furoic acid (FFCA) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA)), while Co clusters enhance oxygen activation for accelerated hydroxymethyl oxidation (HMFCA to FFCA). As expected, the optimized Co-N₂/Co₄ dual-site catalyst achieves 98.76% FDCA yield at 55 °C, surpassing most reported supported metal catalysts, alongside robust cycling stability (6 cycles with > 97% FDCA yield). This work establishes a biomass-tailored paradigm for constructing atomic/cluster hybrid catalysts and unravels the dynamic cooperation mechanism between distinct active sites in multi-step oxidation, advancing the rational design of efficient systems for biomass valorization.

Aqueous zinc-iodine batteries represent a compelling technology for large-scale, sustainable energy storage, yet their practical application is severely hampered by the simultaneous interfacial challenges of uncontrolled dendrite growth on the zinc anode and the parasitic polyiodide shuttle. Herein, we introduce a dual-site functional orchestration strategy by employing a single electrolyte additive, 2-imidazolidone (ELA), to concurrently stabilize both the anode and cathode interfaces. On the anode side, the carbonyl (C=O) functional group of ELA initiates an effective anodic modulation, regulating the Zn²⁺ solvation environment and facilitating a dynamic adsorption layer. This homogenizes the ion flux and guides preferential Zn deposition along the (002) plane, effectively suppressing dendrite formation. Concurrently, at the cathode, the imino (N-H) group immobilizes soluble polyiodide species via hydrogen bonding, realizing an effective cathodic mooring. This targeted confinement arrests the shuttle effect without impeding the intrinsic redox kinetics. This synergistic stabilization translates into exceptional electrochemical performance, with symmetric cells achieving an ultra-long lifespan of over 5500 h at a high current density of 8 mA cm^-2 and the full Zn||I₂ cells demonstrating robust cycling with 79.4% capacity retention after 2500 cycles. This work introduces a dual-site functional orchestration strategy, offering a pathway toward more durable aqueous batteries.

Perovskite-based photovoltaic devices have garnered significant interest owing to their remarkable performance in converting light into electricity. Recently, the focus in the field of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has shifted towards enhancing their durability over extended periods. One promising strategy is the incorporation of two-dimensional (2D) perovskites, known for their ability to enhance stability due to the large organic cations that act as a barrier against moisture. However, the broad optical bandgap and limited charge transport properties of 2D perovskites hinder their efficiency, making them less suitable as the sole light-absorbing material when compared to their three-dimensional (3D) counterparts. An innovative approach involves using 2D perovskite structures to modify the surface properties of 3D perovskite. This hybrid approach, known as 2D/3D perovskites, while enhancing their performance. Beyond solar energy applications, 2D perovskites offer a flexible platform for chemical engineering, allowing for significant adjustments to crystal and thin-film configurations, bandgaps, and charge transport properties through the different organic ligands and halide mixtures. Despite these advantages, challenges remain in integration of 2D perovskites into solar cells without compromising device stability. This review encapsulates the latest developments in 2D perovskite research, focusing on their structural, optoelectronic, and stability attributes, while delving into the challenges and future potential of these materials.

Hydrogen, with its carbon-free composition and the availability of abundant renewable energy sources for its production, holds significant promise as a fuel for internal combustion engines (ICEs). Its wide flammability limits and high flame speeds enable ultra-lean combustion, which is a promising strategy for reducing NOx emissions and improving thermal efficiency. However, lean hydrogen-air flames, characterized by low Lewis numbers, experience thermo-diffusive instabilities that can significantly influence flame propagation and emissions. To address this challenge, it is crucial to gain a deep understanding of the fundamental flame dynamics of hydrogen-fueled engines. This study uses high-speed planar SO2-LIF to investigate the evolutions of the early flame kernels in hydrogen and methane flames, and analyze the intricate interplay between flame characteristics, such as flame curvature, the gradients of SO2-LIF intensity, tortuosity of flame boundary, the equivalent flame speed, and the turbulent flow field. Differential diffusion effects are particularly pronounced in H2 flames, resulting in more significant flame wrinkling. In contrast, CH4 flames, while exhibiting smoother flame boundaries, are more sensitive to turbulence, resulting in increased wrinkling, especially under stronger turbulence conditions. The higher correlation between curvature and gradient of H2 flames indicates enhanced reactivity at the flame troughs, leading to faster flame propagation. However, increased turbulence can mitigate these effects. Hydrogen flames consistently exhibit higher equivalent flame speeds due to their higher thermo-diffusivity, and both hydrogen and methane flames accelerate under high turbulence conditions. These findings provide valuable insights into the distinct flame behaviors of hydrogen and methane, highlighting the importance of understanding the interactions between thermo-diffusive effects and turbulence in hydrogen-fueled engine combustion.

A new study published in Big Earth Data presents phenological metrics derived from Earth observation (EO) satellite time series—such as greening onset, senescence, and growing season length—which are essential for crop monitoring but challenged by the massive scale of EO data exceeding local processing capacities, and introduces a free, open-source Web Crop Phenology Metrics Service (WCPMS) built on the Brazil Data Cube platform for server-side extraction from large datasets. It further demonstrates the tool’s effectiveness by estimating soybean sowing dates in Brazil using phenological metrics and validating the results against field data.