Sequential deposition is widely used in perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells and perovskite PV modules for its flexibility in composition tuning and film quality control. However, owing to its CdI2-type layered structure, PbI2 easily forms dense films, which impede organic cation infiltration and reaction, resulting in poor perovskite film quality. Herein, the dual-modal molecule 4Cl-PA was introduced into the PbI2 precursor solution. It was found that the unique conformation of the two adjacent amide groups enables dual-mode synergistic coordination to PbI2, thereby effectively suppressing the tight stacking of PbI2. Moreover, the Cl atom enhances the molecular dipole moment, facilitating anchoring at polar sites on PbI2 nuclei, while π-π stacking of the benzene rings improves film moisture resistance. This dual-mode coordination induces a loose PbI2 template with macroporous structure, optimizes the subsequent reaction with organic cations, and then affords high-quality perovskite films. TRPL measurements showed that the carrier lifetime increased to 161 ns, which indicates improved charge transport and suppressed non-radiative recombination within the perovskite films. As a result, the perovskite solar cells regulated by 4Cl-PA achieved a champion PCE of 22.73% and a Jsc of 25.75 mA cm-2. This work provides a practical strategy for tailoring the pore structure of PbI2 films to facilitate complete organic cation infiltration in sequential deposition.

The loss of active lithium during the initial charge-discharge cycle leads to low Coulombic efficiency and reduced energy density of lithium-ion batteries. The pre-lithiation strategy effectively addresses this issue. A prominent pre-lithiation material, Li5FeO4 (LFO), offers a high theoretical delithiation capacity, which can compensate for the irreversible lithium loss and consequently mitigate capacity fading during cycling. However, the practical adoption of LFO has been significantly hindered by its inherent instability in ambient atmosphere. To enhance the air stability of LFO, a copolymer coating strategy is developed on the surface of LFO in this work. Remarkably, the coated LFO retained a high compensatory capacity of 580.9 mAh/g after 8 h of exposure to 40 % relative humidity, demonstrating superior environmental stability. Furthermore, a uniform pre-lithiation layer was fabricated using polyethylene oxide and the copolymer-coated LFO. When this pre-lithiation layer used in a full coin cell with LiNi0.96Co0.02Mn0.02O2 (NCM96) cathode and Si/C anode, the initial specific charge specific capacity increased from 250.5 mAh/g to 273.1 mAh/g. More strikingly, the pouch cell demonstrates a high capacity retention rate of 92.7 % after 500 cycles. Furthermore, the copolymer-coated LFO demonstrated a markedly superior lithium supplementation effect compared to its commercial counterpart. In addition, the polyethylene oxide coated on the cathode surface inhibits the generation of free Fe ions, thereby reducing the corrosion of the anode. This study provides valuable insights for developing air-stable LFO materials and paves the way for lithium-ion batteries with high energy density and long cycle life.

High-entropy alloy (HEA) nanomaterials are promising catalysts for proton exchange membrane water electrolysers (PEMWE), yet their crystalline structures have typically been restricted to thermodynamically stable phases. Here, using Au nanomaterials with distinct crystal phases as templates, we synthesize and stabilize Au@HEA core-shell nanostructures through a general and robust wet-chemical method in which the HEA is composed of up to ten metallic elements (Ir, Pt, Ni, Fe, Co, Rh, Pd, Ru, Cu and Mn). Phase-dependent water electrolysis is demonstrated as a proof-of-concept application. The hexagonal close-packed 4H-Au@4H-IrPtNiFeCo catalyst exhibits superior activity and stability for the acidic hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen evolution reaction and overall water electrolysis compared with the conventional face-centred cubic IrPtNiFeCo catalyst. In a PEMWE at 60 °C, the 4H-Au@4H-IrPtNiFeCo catalyst achieves 3,000 mA cm-2 at only 1.90 V and maintains stable operation for over 1,200 h at 1,000 and 2,000 mA cm-2, with degradation rates of ~6.3 and ~15.7 µV h-1, respectively. This work offers a strategy for designing highly efficient and stable HEA catalysts with tailored phases for future practical water electrolysis.

Abstract Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are considered a promising third-generation photovoltaic technology due to their tunable bandgap, high light absorption coefficient, and low-cost solution processing. This review provides a detailed overview of perovskite material properties, device structures, stability enhancement strategies, flexible applications, and tandem technologies, while exploring their commercialization prospects. Additionally, it thoroughly addresses PSCs stability challenges, highlighting the impact of humidity, ultraviolet radiation, thermal stress, and ion migration on device performance. Corresponding stability enhancement strategies are proposed, including bulk and interfacial passivation, charge transport layer modification, and encapsulation optimization. Regarding flexible PSCs (F-PSMs), the review summarizes electrode material selection, substrate material screening, mechanical reinforcement strategies for functional layers, and fabrication techniques for key components, highlighting their potential applications in portable and wearable electronics. Finally, this review analyzes the application of PSCs in tandem solar cells, covering recent advancements in Si/perovskite and all-perovskite tandem structures, emphasizing their potential for enhancing solar conversion efficiency. Challenges persist in material design, device architecture, manufacturing processes, application scenarios, and standardization systems for PSCs. It is hoped that this review will provide insights for future research to advance this technology from the laboratory to commercial applications.

Flexible electric heaters require materials with precise temperature control and rapid thermal response capabilities. In this work, we systematically investigate the influence of material dimensionality and nanoparticle deposition density on electrothermal conversion in silver nanomaterials. We found that variations in the contact modes among zero-dimensional (0D) silver nanoparticles significantly affect their electrothermal performance. Specifically, a lower deposition density results in relatively slender sintering necks, which enhance electron-phonon interactions and localized Joule heating effects, thus improving the electrothermal conversion efficiency. In contrast, a higher deposition density leads to more robust and thicker sintering necks, which reduces efficiency. Extending the study to one-dimensional (1D) silver nanowires, quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) silver flakes, and three-dimensional (3D) silver films, comparative analyses reveal a clear dimension-dependent hierarchy, with the order of electrothermal conversion efficiency being 0D > 1D > quasi-2D > 3D. As a demonstration, the fabricated Ag NPs/PI heater (Rs ∼3 Ω/sq, 2 cm × 2 cm) exhibits superior performance, with a rapid thermal response (∼250°C within 10 s), stable low-voltage operation (< 5 V), and high-temperature stability (∼250°C). This dimensional comparison reveals fundamental correlations between nanomaterial structure and electrothermal performance, establishing design principles for next-generation flexible heating systems.

Oxygen (O)/nitrogen (N) codoped porous carbons are promising electrode materials for supercapacitors. The simultaneous construction of the O/N functionalized sites and efficient porous structure remains challenging. Herein, a novel in situ gas exfoliation chemistry engineering, including self-assembly synthesis and NaNO3/CaC2O4 activation, is designed to construct an O/N functionalized lignosulfonate sodium (LS)-derived porous carbon nanosheet framework. Ca2+ ions first coordinate with -SO3/-OH groups to disperse LS, and then partially combine with C2O42- ions to form elliptical CaC2O4@LS. NaNO3 is precipitated within CaC2O4@LS to form uniformly mixed precursor. The uniform mixing enhances NaNO3 and CaC2O4 activation to construct a porous carbon nanosheet framework (LPCA-Ca-Na) with 0.7-0.9 and 1-2 nm micropores, 8-200 nm meso-macropores, and high C═O (6.0 at. %) and edge N (6.3 at. %) contents. LPCA-Ca-Na delivers a high capacitance of 369 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1, good rate capability, and outstanding cycling stability, due to the high micropore volume and high C═O and edge N contents providing sufficient adsorption sites and meso-macropores accelerating kinetics. The symmetric supercapacitor achieves a high energy density of 17 Wh kg-1 at 238 W kg-1 and excellent temperature adaptability. This work demonstrates a sustainable strategy for the efficient preparation of O/N-doped lignin-derived porous carbons for supercapacitors.

During the initial charging process, lithium-ion batteries suffer from active lithium loss, which leads to a reduction in both the initial Coulombic efficiency and reversible capacity. Prelithiation emerges as an effective strategy to address this issue and enhance the energy density of these batteries. Nevertheless, conventional prelithiation agents, particularly lithium metal foil and highly reactive lithium compounds, are often limited by poor environmental stability and potential safety concerns, which significantly impede their practical application. This work reports the development and investigation of novel cathode prelithiation materials, Li6Z-n0.8M0.2O4 (M = Fe, Ni, Co and Mn). The delithiation capacity of Li6ZnO4 was successfully activated by the introduction of Co and Mn ions. Notably, Li6Zn0.8Co0.2O4 delivers an initial charging capacity of 722.7 mAh g-1 and a lithium-supplement capacity of 714.2 mAh g-1, while Li6Zn0.8Mn0.2O4 achieves 725.2 and 717.9 mAh g-1, respectively, demonstrating excellent electrochemical performance and application potential. Further systematic evaluation within coin full-cell configurations, utilizing both Si/C and graphite anodes, confirms that the incorporation of Li6Zn0.8Co0.2O4 and Li6Zn0.8Mn0.2O4 leads to a marked improvement in both initial discharge capacity and capacity retention. This study not only provides a new direction for designing and optimizing prelithiation agents but also offers valuable insights for developing high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

With the increasing demand for innovative therapeutic agents to address cancer and other health-related challenges, metal-based nanozymes have attracted considerable interest owing to their catalytic activity and functional tunability. This review outlines the recent developments in metal-based nanozymes. Various synthetic techniques have been introduced, along with discussions of their enzyme-like behavior and the parameters that modulate these properties. We further explore a broad spectrum of biomedical applications, including anticancer and antibacterial therapies, along with biosensing. This review provides a systematic overview intended to support future efforts in advancing metal-based nanozymes toward practical applications.

True random number generator (TRNG) is widely used in the field of hardware security as a key component that can enhance system security. In this letter, a TRNG with multiple entropy sources is proposed based on random telegraph noise (RTN) and ring oscillator (RO) jitter. The proposed TRNG utilizes a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) to realize the phase control and frequency control for generating random sequences, which is implemented on field programmable gate array (FPGA). By using the NIST randomness test suite, the resilience and randomness characteristics are verified with the compact cell design of four RO and one RTN source. Moreover, the proposed TRNG achieves random sequence output with a maximum frequency of 200 MHz and low energy consumption of 5 pJ/bit. Our findings may provide great potential for developing high-performance and security hardware devices and systems.

The development of wide bandgap perovskite solar cells (WBG PSCs) holds significant promise for advancing tandem solar cells. However, the intrinsic rapid crystallization kinetics severely impedes the vertical-oriented growth and homogeneous film formation of perovskite crystals, leading to high defect density and compromised device performance. This work proposes an innovative molecular interfacial dual-site anchoring strategy by introducing Sodium 4-Chlorobenzenesulfonate (SCBS) to effectively regulate the perovskite crystallization process. SCBS can coordinate with multiple ions in the perovskite precursors, thereby significantly retarding crystallization kinetics and promoting vertical-oriented and homogeneous grain growth. Moreover, SCBS simultaneously passivates bulk defects and effectively suppresses light-induced halide phase separation. Consequently, the 1.68eV of WBG PSCs achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.98% and an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.26V. Furthermore, the unencapsulated optimized devices retained 90% of initial efficiency after 3000h under a nitrogen atmosphere, showcasing excellent long-term stability. Notably, the monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells (PSTSCs) achieved a PCE of 32.08%, a VOC of 1.951V, and a hysteresis index of 0.31%. Therefore, the dual-site anchoring retards crystallization to induce uniform vertical grain growth strategy offers a promising pathway for high-performance and stable PSTSCs.

The development of robust and flexible pH sensors is critical for accurate in-situ monitoring of marine environments, particularly for applications such as ocean acidification research and underwater vehicle-based sensing. In this study, we present a highly stable and flexible pH sensor based on iridium oxide (IrOx) electrodes with potential for reliable operation in complex marine settings, based on its performance in laboratory-simulated conditions and long-term stability in real seawater. The sensor exhibits a near-Nernstian response with an average sensitivity of −65.07 mV/pH in aqueous solutions (pH 3–10), demonstrating excellent stability after 4000 bending cycles with minimal hysteresis. A rapid response time of 9.29 s and negligible potential drift (±5 mV over 5 min) highlight its precision and repeatability. While cation interference, particularly from Mg²⁺, induces slight potential shifts (4–5 mV), the sensor maintains its Nernstian behavior across all tested interferents including Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺. High-resolution measurements within the marine-relevant pH range (7.9–8.4) confirm excellent sensor performance with sensitivities exceeding −64.5 mV/pH. This targeted validation, combined with the sensor's exceptional mechanical flexibility, underscores its suitability for real-time pH monitoring in dynamic marine systems. These findings demonstrate the sensor’s potential for advancing marine chemistry research and environmental monitoring applications.

Developing stable and efficient water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) is crucial yet challenging for achieving artificial photosynthesis. Here, we present a pyrene-bridged it-it assembly strategy to construct a durable Ru(N5)-based (N5=4-tert-butyl-2,6-di([1 ',8 ']-naphthyrid-2 '-yl)pyridine) catalyst anchored on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). This non-covalent integration not only prevents catalyst leaching under oxidative conditions but also establishes fast electron-transfer pathways. The resulting hybrid system exhibits a high current density with 96% Faradaic efficiency at 1.45 V (vs. NHE, pH 7). Exceptional catalytic kinetics are demonstrated by a turnover frequency (TOF) of 264.6 s-1 and a cumulative turnover number (TON) exceeding 100,000, alongside a TOFmax intrinsic activity parameter of 12,479.6 s-1. Remarkably, the it-stacked architecture retains over 90% of its initial activity after 1 h of electrolysis, establishing a universal design framework for durable molecular-electrode interfaces in energy conversion technologies.

2D/3D perovskite heterojunctions featuring superior defect passivation capability and enhanced environmental stability are widely utilized in inverted perovskite solar cells (IPSCs). However, the 2D capping layer inherently induces an electron-blocking effect at the heterointerface, which aggravates interfacial non-radiative recombination and impedes efficient electron extraction. Here, a 2D/3D perovskite heterostructure is fabricated via phenethylammonium iodide (PEAI) post-treatment, followed by surface modification with 1,3-diaminopropane dihydroiodide (PDADI) for two-step-processed IPSCs. Bearing dual protonated ammonium end groups, PDADI does not generate secondary perovskite phases upon thermal annealing. Instead, it compensates for residual iodine vacancies through strong electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions, and modulates surface energy level alignment to reduce the electron extraction barrier at the perovskite/electron transport layer interface. Therefore, the optimized IPSCs deliver a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.18% with an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.16 V and a fill factor (FF) of 79.25%, along with a notably reduced hysteresis index from 4.0% to 1.8% and improved ambient stability. This work provides a facile interfacial regulation approach for developing high-performance 2D/3D perovskite-based IPSCs.

Green and sustainable interfacial evaporation driven by solar energy plays a crucial role in transforming wastewater into blue water under current low-carbon concept. However, the development of practical solar evaporation are hindered by low evaporation rate and easy salt accumulation. Herein, inspired by Chinese stone arch bridge enabling natural convection enhancement, a simple and efficient pseudo 2D arch evaporator was fabricated using gradient hydrophobic 2D photothermal layer, commercial cellulose paper as 2D waterway and copper mesh as supporting substrate. Hydrophilic geopolymer (GM), slightly hydrophilic graphitic carbon nitride (CN) layer and hydrophobic holed CNTs film (HCF) were assembled in sequence to prepare gradient hydrophobic 2D photothermal layer (HCF/CN/GM). Benefiting from the vertical two holes in HCF enhancing natural convection at the top regions, the HCF/CN/GM arch evaporator exhibits an excellent evaporation rate of 2.05 kg center dot m- 2 center dot h- 1 under 1 sun. The hydrophobic gradient of photothermal layer with hydrophilic bottom and hydrophobic top and the temperature gradient of arch bridge with low temperature at the bottom and high temperature at the top achieve multiple reflux effects, which effectively suppresses salt accumulation under high evaporation rate. This work presents a novel convection enhancement strategy to fabricate efficient interfacial evaporators for solar-driven evaporation.

Perovskite-based photoelectrodes have a high light absorption coefficient, long carrier diffusion length, and adjustable band gap, making them a hotspot in the field of green hydrogen production. By optimizing the behavior of photogenerated carriers and the kinetics of interfacial reactions, we form a complementary mechanism, which can significantly enhance the overall performance. Using rubidium fluoride (RbF) to enhance electron mobility and carrier lifetime and octylammonium iodide (OAI) to suppress carrier recombination at the hole transport layer (HTL)/perovskite (PVK) interface and on the hydrophobic perovskite surface can improve the intrinsic recombination losses. The average photogenerated carrier lifetime has been increased from 126 to 238 ns. Moreover, the effective passivation of defects in target perovskite solar cells (PSCs) leads to a reduction in defect density. Depositing a NiFe catalyst to promote the transfer of charges to the electrolyte can improve the interface's reaction losses. During the oxygen evolution reaction, the overpotential is 220 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2. Subsequent encapsulation and integration of the catalyst with the PSCs enable dual strategies for carrier management and interfacial catalysis, synergistically enhancing the water-splitting performance. Finally, a system with parallel illumination of perovskite photoanodes and photocathodes achieves an unassisted solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency of 13.7%. This work provides an important strategy for controlling the photogenerated carrier loss in photoelectrodes that can effectively enhance the STH efficiency of the photoelectrodes.

Electrocatalytic water splitting offers a sustainable route for converting renewable electricity into green hydrogen. Transition-metal-based layered double hydroxide (LDH) catalysts are considered attractive candidates for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis. Nevertheless, their catalytic performance remains constrained by poor conductivity, limited affinity for oxygen intermediates, and unsatisfactory durability. Here, we report a self-supported Ce-doped Co alloy/NiFe layered double hydroxide heterostructure on carbon fiber paper (CoCe/NiFe-LDH/CP) fabricated by two-step electrodeposition, which owns a hierarchical fiber-nanoflower-nanoparticle architecture, and provides a hydrophilic/aerophobic surface. The optimized electrode delivers overpotentials of 190 and 249mV at 10 and 100mAcm-2 with stable operation for 120h and a Tafel slope of 27.4mV dec-1. The characterization results show that the establishment of the alloy/NiFe-LDH heterostructure enhances electrical conductivity while Ce doping strengthens the electronic coupling at the heterointerface and induces lattice distortion in the Co phase, thereby optimizing the adsorption behavior of oxygenated intermediates during OER, achieving synergistic regulation of electrical conductivity and oxygen-intermediate adsorption. Density functional theory further shows a reduced barrier for the Gibbs free energy together with a more appropriate interfacial d-band center, suggesting optimized intermediate binding at the alloy/LDH interface. This rare-earth-enabled alloy/LDH interface strategy provides a reference for designing high-performance OER anodes through coupled alloying and heterointerface engineering, offering a more integrated route than conventional single-factor optimization in OER catalysts.

Buried interface engineering between the hole transport layer and perovskite remains a critical challenge for inverted perovskite solar cells (IPSCs). Al2O3-based interface modification provides excellent interfacial stability and ion-blocking capability; however, its insulating nature and chemical inertness limit effective carrier transport modulation and defect regulation at the buried interface. Here, a synergistic interface engineering strategy is developed by incorporating phenethylammonium bromide (PEABr) into an ultrathin Al2O3 matrix to construct a multifunctional composite interlayer at the NiOX/perovskite buried interface. The introduced PEABr chemically reconstructs the buried interface through the formation of an interfacial quasi-2D/3D perovskite heterostructure. Bromide species derived from PEABr interact with undercoordinated Pb2+ sites and compensate iodine-vacancy-related defects, while phenethylammonium (PEA+) cations participate in constructing the quasi-2D interfacial phase, which optimizes energy-level alignment and promotes efficient hole extraction across the NiOX/perovskite heterojunction. Moreover, the PEABr-induced quasi-2D/3D interfacial structure improves carrier selectivity and suppresses interfacial recombination, thereby enhancing carrier collection. Electronic characterizations demonstrate that the composite interlayer reduces the charge-transfer resistance from 462.81 to 279.65 kΩ, increases the built-in potential from 0.617 to 0.703 V, and decreases the ideality factor from 2.44 to 1.63, enabling a champion power conversion efficiency of 21.34% for IPSCs. This work provides a feasible strategy for constructing multifunctional oxide-based buried interfaces through simultaneous defect regulation, energy-level optimization, and efficient carrier extraction.

With the in-depth implementation of sustainable development strategies,hydrogen energy as a clean energy source is receiv-ing increasing attention[1,2].Among the various methods of hy-drogen production,the electrocatalytic decomposition of abundant seawater into hydrogen utilizing renewable energy has emerged as a green and promising approach.However,natural seawater con-tains complex components,such as halide ions,which lead to the corrosion of catalysts or the occurrence of competitive side reac-tions during the electrolysis process[3].Moreover,renewable en-ergy is characterized by intermittency,fluctuations,and instability[4].Continuous frequent start-shutdown reduces the activity and service life of catalysts,thereby limiting the large-scale application of this technology.This has become a pressing challenge that must be addressed.

The instability of perovskite interfaces caused by interfacial defects and heterojunction evolution hinders the realization of long-term stable inverse perovskite solar cells (IPSCs). This work reports a strategy for the study of heterojunction evolution, the effects of buried interface and carrier dynamics on the stability of perovskite films and devices in 2D/3D heterojunctions. The emphasis is on selecting PEA ammonium salts of different halogens as the buried interface of perovskites and constructing heterojunction structures at the three-dimensional perovskite lower interface. By placing constructed heterojunction perovskite films on a constant temperature hotplate at 60 °C for long-term aging treatment, the changes in carrier behavior of heterojunction films were investigated. By exploring the evolution law of 2D perovskite and observing the buried interface, there are many PbI2 crystals in the perovskite grain boundary of initial perovskite thin film buried interface, and the number of lead iodide (PbI2) crystals decreases significantly after 15 days of aging. This study perfects the scientific theoretical system of the buried interface of mixed-dimensional semiconductor perovskite devices and lays a key technical foundation for the development of high-efficiency and long-life perovskite optoelectronic devices.

Inverted perovskite solar cells (IPSCs) have emerged as promising photovoltaic technologies due to excellent photoelectric properties and solution processing advantages. However, the traditional preparation process based on inert atmosphere annealing of perovskite films faces key challenges, including high energy consumption, strict crystallization control, and the presence of stresses. The study introduces the in situ self-driven crystallization (ISDC) strategy, which is an innovative method to realize the spontaneous crystallization of perovskite in the original environment and substrate under ambient air at 25 degrees C without annealing. This approach successfully achieved high-quality perovskite films with preferential (001) and (002) orientations without annealing treatment. Choline chloride (a kind of vitamin B4, VB4) can simultaneously realize iodine deficiency passivation and hydrogen bond association of formamidine/methylamine (FA/MA) in the ISDC process, thus preventing the reaction of water molecules with the formed perovskite. Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) will take away part of the water molecules in the process of volatilization due to the hydrogen bond with water, so as to ensure the priority of the perovskite reaction. Finally, ISDC-IPSCs achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.86%, which exceeded the PCE of 21.19% of IPSCs prepared by the annealing scheme, and maintained 94.7% of the initial PCE after 2250 h of storage in a N2 environment. The ambient-air ISDC strategy sets a precedent for the annealing-free crystallization of perovskite. (c) 2025 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.