Harnessing solar energy to produce usable power is not new, but the technology is constantly evolving and improving. A major development in recent times is the use of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which are low-weight, highly efficient, flexible solar cells using perovskite (typically a metal-halide material with a specialized structure) crystal structures to absorb light. Though a promising concept, improvements are necessary for PSCs to be able to reach their full potential. Researchers approach these improvements by introducing an additive, 1H-indole-3-carbohydrazide (1H-CBH) to effectively alleviate the main obstacle of PSCs, which are defects leading to loss of energy and efficiency in the cell.

This study develops a novel bismuth layer-structured 0.3Na_0.5Bi_2.5Nb₂O₉-0.7Bi₃Ti_1-x(W_1/3Cr_2/3)_xNbO₉ solid solution via a solid-state reaction method. By B-site (W, Cr) co-doping, the optimized x=0.04 ceramics achieve a remarkable piezoelectric constant (d₃₃=20.3 pC/N) alongside a high Curie temperature (T_C=845.9 ^oC). The synergistic effect of [Nb/Ti]O₆ octahedral distortion and (CrTi'-VO∙∙) defect dipole formation significantly enhances domain stability while effectively suppressing the oxygen vacancy concentration. Consequently, the material exhibits superior high-temperature resistivity (7.3×10⁷ Ω·cm at 500 °C) and excellent thermal stability, retaining 93.1% of its initial d₃₃ after annealing at 600 °C. These findings highlight its exceptional potential for advanced high-temperature piezoelectric sensors.

Harvesting distributed wind energy in complex environments remains a major challenge. Researchers from China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Tsinghua University, and the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems proposed a vortex-induced vibration-based triboelectric nanogenerator (VIV-TENG). The device can collect wind energy from all directions and operate efficiently under low wind speeds and high humidity. At 3.5 m/s, it delivers an average output power of 49.5 μW, demonstrating its potential for powering small electronic devices and enabling self-powered systems in urban environments.

Iron-nickel catalysts are widely used for alkaline water electrolysis, but their long-term stability is limited by iron dissolution under oxidative conditions. Researchers have now developed a ligand-engineered FeNi metal-organic framework that transforms into a 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid (BPDC)-functionalized oxyhydroxide (FeNiOOH-BPDC) catalyst during operation. The organic ligand strengthens Fe-O bonding, suppresses metal leaching, and enables continuous oxygen evolution at industrial current densities for more than 3000 hours. The work provides a new strategy for designing durable, low-cost catalysts for large-scale green hydrogen production.

The rapid development of aero-engines has raised higher requirements for the performance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). The solid-solution mechanism of Yb and Sc doping in Gd₂Zr₂O₇ (GZO) was investigated using first-principles calculations, and 11.76 at.% Yb and 5.88 at.% Sc co-doped GZO (GYbSc) was optimized. Experiments have shown that GYbSc remains phase-stable after 300 h heat treatment at 1400 °C, with a thermal conductivity as low as 0.935 W·m^-1·K^-1, a coefficient of thermal expansion reaching 11.059 × 10^-6 K^-1, and superior CMAS corrosion resistance. The findings of this study provide an efficient strategy for novel TBC materials.