Articles

Electrochemical CO_x reduction to multi-carbon products is hindered by low energy efficiency, in part due to sluggish ion transport across charge-selective membranes used in electrolysers. Here the authors use a porous, non-charge-selective separator that enhances ion transport and improves performance for CO electrolysis.

Realizing >5 V batteries is hindered by the instability of electrolytes. Here, a fluoride shielding layer, LiCl-4Li₂TiF₆, enables high-voltage, high-capacity all-solid-state batteries because of its combined oxidative stability and Li⁺ conductivity.

US households with heat pumps begin cooling earlier, and this adoption narrows the income-based disparities in cooling. Heat pumps help alleviate energy insecurity, make energy more affordable and make homes more comfortable.

Optimizing the crystallization of the active materials in organic solar cells is challenging. Fu et al. use an acenaphthene additive to induce a two-step crystallization of the non-fullerene acceptor, achieving a certified 20.5% power conversion efficiency.

The upscaling of kesterite photovoltaics is challenging and results in low performance. Xiang et al. tune the thiourea/metal precursor ratio to improve the morphology of the kesterite film, achieving 10.1% certified power conversion efficiency in 10.48-cm² modules.

Integrating CO₂ capture and electrochemical conversion avoids the thermal release of CO₂ and thus could potentially lower the energy needed to make useful products from CO₂, but choosing optimal system components is still challenging. Here the authors use piperazine alongside a nickel catalyst for capture and achieve high energy efficiency and stable CO production.

Additives used in the charge transport layers of perovskite solar cells contribute to device degradation during operation. Now Kim et al. report a non-volatile, solid-state additive—4-(N-carbazolyl)pyridine—that enhances the thermal and operational stability of the devices.

Polymer dielectrics are key for capacitors in energy applications but are hard to improve for high temperatures. This work uses artificial intelligence to design fillers with a large bandgap and high affinity, enabling durable, high-energy polyimide composites for harsh environments.

High-voltage sodium solid-state batteries often suffer from capacity loss due to harmful internal reactions. By adding a uniform protective layer to the cathode, this study greatly improves their stability—retaining 77.9% capacity after 1,500 cycles—and shows promise for developing longer-lasting, high-energy batteries.

Managing power exhaust in fusion reactors is a key challenge, especially in compact designs for cost-effective commercial energy. This study shows how alternative divertor configurations improve exhaust control, enhance stability, absorb transients and enable independent plasma regulation.

High plating currents are achieved in solid-state batteries without dendrites by densifying Li₆PS₅Cl, with modelling showing how specific microstructural changes increase the critical current density.

Lithium metal batteries offer high energy density for electric vehicles but face challenges with fast charging. This study investigates pyran-based electrolytes containing various substituted anions, revealing that weakly Li⁺-associating anions enhance fast-charging performance.

Lithium doping in spiro-OMeTAD negatively affects the long-term performance of perovskite solar cells. Qin and team map the degradation mechanism under repeated voltage cycling and how lithium-free dopants improve stability.

Nickel-heavy battery chemistries raise concerns over cost, supply risk and environmental impact. A new design cuts nickel use by over one-third, replacing it with more abundant manganese—without sacrificing performance.

Electrochemical CO₂ capture is hindered by the oxidation of redox-active organic molecules by O₂, affecting energy efficiency and capacity. Here the authors develop a flow cell in which the O₂-sensitive components are isolated from O₂, achieving 99% coulombic efficiency with low energy requirements.

Methane can be converted into other useful chemicals and fuels via photocatalytic oxidative coupling, yet producing molecules with more than two carbon atoms remains difficult. Here the authors show that highly strained Au confined within the nanopores of TiO₂ can convert methane to propane with high selectivity.

Electrolyte design is key for high-energy lithium metal batteries, but structure–performance links are hard to predict. A framework using the normalized cation/anion–solvent affinity enables quantitative prediction of microstructure, transport and interphase, driving exceptional performance.

Single-crystal Ni-rich cathodes improve mechanical stability but suffer from long diffusion paths and structural strain. This study presents an intralattice-bonded design that achieves near-zero degradation and exceptional cycling performance.

Printable mesoscopic perovskite solar cells are a promising device design, yet their efficiency is limited by charge collection. Ma et al. use hexamethylene diisocyanate to eliminate unreacted organic cations at grain boundaries, enhancing hole collection.

Ni-rich layered cathodes promise higher energy density at high voltages, but suffer from poor cycling stability. This study improves stability by introducing a supersaturated high-valence cation surface layer that stabilizes the structure and suppresses side reactions for durable cycling at 4.8 V.