Conventional soft electronics remain tethered to rigid external power sources that limit deformability, pose environmental risks, and impede their advance toward next-generation applications. Fortunately, the soft magnetoelastic effect-an emerging branch in self-powered technology-not only resolves the limitations of traditional self-powered technologies but also exhibits advantages over conventional magnetoelastic systems. Emerging in 2019, it has evolved into a transformative technology and shown irreplaceable strengths in key fields encompassing sensing and hydrogen production. However, this field still lacks a comprehensive review for guiding further research and industrial translation. Here, we first systematically explore its fundamentals, including the evolution of the magnetoelastic effect, material properties, synthesis workflows, and energy conversion mechanisms. Subsequently, both its applications in self-powered sensing (wearable medical monitoring, Human-Computer Interaction, and underwater haptic perception) and hydrogen production (driven by wind-energy, hydro-energy and oceanwave-energy) are analyzed, highlighting its unique advantages in environmental adaptability, tissue-matched modulus, low impedance as well as high current. Finally, we outline current challenges and future development directions of the soft magnetoelastic effect, aiming to accelerate the development of next-generation soft electronics and support global carbon neutrality goals.

Hydrogen production by electrochemical water splitting is considered to be a key strategic energy technology, and proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) and anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) are ideal technologies for green hydrogen production in recent years. However, PEMWEs and AEMWEs lack low‐cost and high‐performance acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts respectively, limiting their large‐scale development. Recently, ruthenium (Ru)‐based electrocatalysts have received a lot of attention because their activity is better than that of commercial catalysts and their price is more affordable, showing great potential in acidic OER and alkaline HER. However, there are still obstacles for Ru‐based electrocatalysts in practical applications of industrial water electrolyzers, and regulatory strategies need to be developed to further optimize its performance. Herein, a comprehensive review is presented concerning it. First, its fundamental principles that focus the basic content of industrial water electrolyzers and the application potential of Ru‐based electrocatalysts are discussed. Then, regulatory strategies of Ru‐based electrocatalysts for PEMWEs and AEMWEs are summarized, providing a detailed analysis to elucidate their mechanisms, properties, and applications in industrial water electrolyzers. Finally, the outlooks for prospects and challenges in the future are proposed.

At present, many parts of the world are seriously short of water resources. Photothermal seawater desalination has been considered to be an efficient and clean way to solve water shortages. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has excellent photothermal properties and plays a key role in photothermal seawater desalination. In recent years, a lot of progress has been made regarding TMDs in photothermal seawater desalination, so it is necessary to review the progress of TMDs structure regulation in improving photothermal properties to further enhance the development of this filed. In this review, firstly, various structural regulation methods of TMDs to optimize its properties and improve the performance of photothermal seawater desalination are comprehensively summarized. Secondly, the relationship between unique structure and its photothermal properties of TMDs is further detailedly discussed. Last but not least, we have provided some suggestions in the solar desalination applying TMDs in future. This review would provide a very important reference for the research of structure regulation of TMDs for effective photothermal seawater desalination.

In the realm of electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a material that holds great promise as a substitute for platinum (Pt), which is both expensive and scarce. The restricted number of active sites and low conductivity of MoS2 have an impact on its catalytic efficiency, however, which hampers the application of MoS2-based catalysts in practical catalytic hydrogen production. The integrated Van der Waals (vdW) engineering and morphology engineering hold the potential to effectively boost hydrogen evolution on MoS2. Herein, hierarchical nanotubes (MoS2/N-doped-C) assembled from MoS2 nanosheets sandwiched by N-doped-C layers are synthesized utilizing an integration of hydrothermal and annealing. The 3D hierarchical structure with stepped edges, produced by directly integrating carbon layers into the MoS2 interlayers, enhances the catalytic activity and stability of the HER compared to MoS2 scattered on conductive carriers. The experimental results demonstrate that MoS2/N-doped-C shows excellent electrocatalytic HER activity under acidic conditions, exhibiting an extremely small Tafel slope of 42 mV dec-1, an extremely low overpotential of 41 mV at a geometric current density of 10 mA cm-2, and maintaining durability for more than 100 h.

Photocatalytic technology harnesses solar energy to facilitate chemical transformations, presenting significant potential in energy generation and environmental remediation. However, the conventional O2 evolution process is hindered by high reaction barriers and inefficiencies, which limit its widespread application. Therefore, exploring novel photocatalytic coupling strategies to replace water oxidation has become a key route to enhance the efficiency of H2 production. In this review, organic pollutants removal and the valorization of organics as substitutes for water oxidation coupling strategies for photocatalytic H2 production are comprehensively summarized. These strategies not only circumvent the high reaction barriers associated with O2 evolution to enhance the H2 production but also aid in the removing of organic pollutants or synthesis of value-added chemicals. We also present future research directions and underscore the significance of advanced catalyst design, in-depth analysis of reaction mechanisms, and systematic optimization strategies in realizing an efficient and sustainable photocatalytic process. This guidance is anticipated to provide theoretical and practical new insights for the future development of photocatalytic coupling reactions, fostering further explorations in the realm of renewable energy and environmental governance.

The controllable loading of a cocatalyst on a semiconductor is the key to further improving the efficiency and stability of visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production. It is of great practical significance to load a cocatalyst onto a semiconductor spatially separated to realize space charge separation for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The inherent anisotropic morphology of one-dimensional nanorods can provide two spatially separated locations at the tip and side surfaces of the nanorods. In this review, we systematically summarize non-centrosymmetric and centrosymmetric cocatalyst-tipped one-dimensional (1D) photocatalysts, including their preparation method, catalytic hydrogen production performance, and catalytic mechanism. This review will bring new vitality to the design, preparation, and application of cocatalyst-tipped one-dimensional nanorods.

In recent decades, the rapid development and widespread adoption of lithium-ion batteries have significantly increased the demand for lithium resources. To ensure a sustainable supply of lithium, there is an urgent need to innovate methods that are economically efficient for extracting lithium from various sources, including lithium-rich brine, seawater, and industrial wastewater. Currently, technologies employed for extracting lithium from liquid resources encompass direct precipitation, extraction techniques, membrane separation, adsorption processes, and electrochemical methods. Among these approaches, electrochemical technologies offer a faster and more controllable rate of lithium extraction compared to other methods, presenting promising application prospects. Recent advancements in the field of electrochemical lithium recovery are noteworthy. In this review, the mechanism and working systems of electrochemical lithium extraction are summarized from two aspects: electrosorption and electrodialysis. Effective strategies are systematically described for improving the lithium extraction capacity. Then an in-depth exploration of prospective developments is provided, while also highlighting challenges in large-scale electrochemical-based lithium extraction. Overall, this review not only offers in-depth insight into lithium extraction from brines with low Li + concentration, but also inspires the development and design of next-generation electrochemical lithium extraction device with unprecedented properties.

Over the past few decades, the demand for lithium resources has increased significantly with the rapid development and extensive application of lithium-ion batteries. Extracting lithium from salt-lake brine is of significance because of its abundance in brines. Common methods for directly extracting lithium from salt lakes include precipitation, electrodialysis, and photothermal evaporation. Among these methods, lithium extraction using photothermal evaporation is considered an efficient and clean approach to addressing lithium shortages. In recent years, a lot of progress is made regarding lithium extraction with photothermal evaporation, so it is urgent to review the mechanistic basis and application of lithium extraction with photothermal evaporation. In this review, first, the mechanism of lithium extraction with photothermal evaporation is fully summarized, involving membrane separation, lithium-ion sieves, and separated crystallization. Second, a series of strategies for designing various evaporators with highly efficient lithium adsorption characteristics based on photothermal materials are further discussed in detail. Finally, recommendations and perspectives on the larger-scale development of lithium adsorbents by photothermal evaporation are proposed. Overall, this review not only offers in-depth insight into lithium extraction from brines with low Li + concentration, but also inspires the development and design of next-generation lithium extraction evaporators with unprecedented properties.

Hydrogen is now recognized as the primary alternative to fossil fuels due to its renewable, safe, high-energy density and environmentally friendly properties. Efficient hydrogen production through water splitting has laid the foundation for sustainable energy technologies. However, when hydrogen production is scaled up to industrial levels, operating at high current densities introduces unique challenges. It is necessary to design advanced electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) under high current densities. This review will briefly introduce the challenges posed by high current densities on electrocatalysts, including catalytic activity, mass diffusion, and catalyst stability. In an attempt to address these issues, various electrocatalyst design strategies are summarized in detail. In the end, our insights into future challenges for efficient large-scale industrial hydrogen production from water splitting are presented. This review is expected to guide the rational design of efficient high-current density water electrolysis electrocatalysts and promote the research progress of sustainable energy.

Water splitting is widely acknowledged as an efficient method for hydrogen production. In recent years, significant research efforts have been directed towards developing cost-effective electrocatalysts. However, the management of bubbles formed on the electrode surface during electrolysis has been largely overlooked. These bubbles can impede the active sites, resulting in decreased catalytic performance and stability, especially at high current densities. Consequently, this impediment affects the energy conversion efficiency of water splitting. To address these challenges, this review offers a comprehensive overview of advanced strategies aimed at improving catalytic performance and mitigating the obstructive effects of bubbles in water splitting. These strategies primarily involve the utilization of experimental apparatus to observe bubble-growth behavior, encompassing nucleation, growth, and detachment stages. Moreover, the review examines factors influencing bubble formation, considering both mechanical behaviors and internal factors. Additionally, the design of efficient water-splitting catalysts is discussed, focusing on modifying electrode-surface characteristics. Finally, the review concludes by summarizing the potential of bubble management in large-scale industrial hydrogen production and identifying future directions for achieving efficient hydrogen production.

Desalination is a promising solution for currently worldwide water crisis, and the membrane desalination technology is the optimal measure. Recent decades, two-dimensional (2D) building block, such as graphene oxide (GO), MXenes and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), has been widely studied. As a member of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), MoS2 demonstrates promising potential for constructing desalination membranes, whereas necessitating the exploration of structural regulation strategies to ensure their optimal desalination performance. Herein, we review some common fabrication methods of MoS2 membranes firstly. Secondly, we summarize three regulatory engineering, surface engineering, interlayer engineering and pore engineering, respectively. Finally, we highlight the pressing issues currently faced in the development of MoS2 membranes and propose potential solutions to these challenges, while also providing an outlook for future advancements in MoS2 membranes design. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the structural regulation strategies for MoS2, thereby offering novel ideas for the design of MoS2 membranes with superior desalination performance and fascinating the process of their commercialization.

So-called Z-scheme systems permit overall water splitting using narrow-bandgap photocatalysts. To boost the performance of such systems, it is necessary to enhance the intrinsic activities of the hydrogen evolution photocatalyst and oxygen evolution photocatalyst, promote electron transfer from the oxygen evolution photocatalyst to the hydrogen evolution photocatalyst, and suppress back reactions. The present work develop a high-performance oxysulfide photocatalyst, Sm 2 Ti 2 O 5 S 2 , as an hydrogen evolution photocatalyst for use in a Z-scheme overall water splitting system in combination with BiVO 4 as the oxygen evolution photocatalyst and reduced graphene oxide as the solid-state electron mediator. After surface modifications of the photocatalysts to promote charge separation and redox reactions, this system is able to split water into hydrogen and oxygen for more than 100 hours with a solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency of 0.22%. In contrast to many existing photocatalytic systems, the water splitting activity of the present system is only minimally reduced by increasing the background pressure to 90 kPa. These results suggest characteristics suitable for applications under practical operating conditions.

So-called Z-scheme systems, which typically comprise an H2 evolution photocatalyst (HEP), an O2 evolution photocatalyst (OEP), and an electron mediator, represent a promising approach to solar hydrogen production via photocatalytic overall water splitting (OWS). The electron mediator transferring photogenerated charges between the HEP and OEP governs the performance of such systems. However, existing electron mediators suffer from low stability, corrosiveness to the photocatalysts, and parasitic light absorption. In the present work, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were shown to function as an effective solid-state electron mediator in a Z-scheme OWS system. Based on the high stability and good charge transfer characteristics of CNTs, this system exhibited superior OWS performance compared with other systems using more common electron mediators. The as-constructed system evolved stoichiometric amounts of H2 and O2 at near-ambient pressure with a solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency of 0.15%. The OWS reaction was also promoted in the case that this CNT-based Z-scheme system was immobilized on a substrate. Hence, CNTs are a viable electron mediator material for large-scale Z-scheme OWS systems.

Solar-driven water splitting for hydrogen production has emerged as one of the most promising methods for addressing environmental and energy crises. The utilization of immobilized photocatalyst for hydrogen production has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its excellent stability, high photocatalytic efficiency, and ease of recovery and reuse. Hence, a comprehensive review of the development of immobilized photocatalyst appears exceedingly significant. Herein, we initially analyze the advantages of the immobilized photocatalytic system in aspects such as light absorption, photon utilization, and charge separation. Subsequently, we introduce various assembly techniques for immobilized photocatalyst and elaborate on some representative characteristics of this immobilized system. Furthermore, we cite the examples of the application of immobilized photocatalyst in large-scale hydrogen production to envision its future prospects. Finally, we discuss the remaining issues in this field and outline future directions of development and challenges therein. This review holds great promise for prompting the advancement of immobilized photocatalyst in the field of photocatalysis.

It is particularly important to investigate the structure–activity relationships between the catalytic active sites and the catalytic activity. Molybdenum sulfide has been widely studied as a representative transition metal dichalcogenides-based catalyst in the field of catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The atomic structures of active sites of crystalline molybdenum disulfide are very unambiguous, while the catalytic HER mechanism of amorphous molybdenum sulfide (a-MoSx) has been controversial due to the diverse atomic structures of active sites in a-MoSx. It is urgent to find out the nature of true active sites of a-MoSx to further design efficient HER active sites with precise atomic structures. So far, the researchers have explored various HER mechanisms of a-MoSx combining in-situ characterization with density functional theory calculations. These mechanisms are not uniform or even diametrically opposed. Here, various HER mechanisms of a-MoSx were summarized systematically. In view of the current research status, the nature of active sites of molybdenum sulfide-based catalysts for HER is still difficult to determine. This review would be significant for further revealing the nature of active sites of molybdenum sulfide-based catalysts for HER.

In the process of electrocatalytic water splitting, the management of gaseous products is an important task. Timely detachment of gaseous products from the electrode surface and the electrolyte is beneficial to the reduction of energy consumption of the electrolytic cell. In the existing industrial electrolytic cells, the circulating pump drives the electrolyte flowing to discharge the gaseous products. Up to now, several much more advanced strategies have been explored to deal with the negative effects of bubbles. In this review, we summarized various strategies for bubble detachment, including electrode design, external field imposing and system upgrading. We also elaborated the principle, functional features, practicability, advantages and limitations of each method. Finally, challenges and perspectives are also provided for the further development of advanced bubbles detachment strategies for efficient hydrogen evolution.

Curved surface with defined local electronic structures and regulated surface microenvironments is significant for advanced catalytic engineering. Since single-atom catalysts are highly efficient and active, they have attracted much attention in recent years. The curvature carrier has a significant effect on the electronic structure regulation of single-atom sites, which effectively promote the catalytic efficiency. Here, the effect of the curvature structure with exposed metal atoms for catalysis is comprehensively summarized. First, the substrates with curvature features are reviewed. Second, the applications of single-atom catalysts containing curvature in a variety of different electrocatalytic reactions are discussed in depth. The impact of curvature effects in catalytic reactions is further analyzed. Finally, prospects and suggestions for their application and future development are presented. This review paves the way for the construction of high curvature-containing surface carriers, which is of great significance for single-atom catalysts development.

Photothermal effect has been widely employed in the H2 evolution process at the advantage of using clean energy sources to produce another one of higher benefits. The solar-to-heat conversion have various forms and heat can facilitate reactions in a variety of dimensions. Hence, summarizing the sources and destinations of heat is important for constructing hydrogen production systems of higher efficiency. This view mainly focuses on the recent state-of-art progress of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) based on photothermal effect. First, we introduce the main pathways of photothermal conversions applied in H2 evolution. Then, the functions of the photothermal effect are clearly summarized. Furthermore, we go beyond the catalytic reaction and introduce a method to improve the catalytic system by changing the catalytic bulk phase through thermal means. In the end, we sort out the challenges and outlook to offer some noble insights for this promising area.

As a new type of photocatalyst, the floatable photocatalyst has the advantages of easy recovery, excellent stability, and enhanced photocatalytic efficiency, which has been paid extensive attention in recent years. This paper mainly reviews the latest advanced progress of floatable photocatalysts from the preparation to application. Firstly, we briefly introduced the preparation methods of floatable photocatalysts. Then, we analyzed the advantages of the floatable photocatalytic system in some aspects such as rapid gas phase reactant transport, enhanced light utilization, convenient recovery, excellent stability and reusability et.al. Subsequently, the application progress of floatable photocatalysts in the fields of hydrogen production, H2O2 production, ammonia degradation, and pollutant treatment was summarized in detail. Finally, we sorted out the conclusions and outlook, aiming to provide new insights for its development.

Doping foreign metal atoms into the substrate of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) enables the formation of diverse atomic structure configurations, including isolated atoms, chains, and clusters. Therefore, it is very important to reasonably control the atomic structure and determine the structure–activity relationship between the atomic configurations and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance. Although numerous studies have indicated that doping can yield diverse atomic structure configurations, there remains an incomplete understanding of the relationship between atomic configurations within the lattice of TMDs and their performance. Here, diverse atomic structure configurations of adsorptive doping, substitutional doping, and TMDs alloys are summarized. The structure–activity relationship between different atomic configurations and HER performance can be determined by micro-nanostructure devices and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. These diverse atomic structure configurations are of great significance for activating the inert basal plane of TMDs and improving the catalytic activity of HER. Finally, we have summarized the current challenges and future opportunities, offering new perspectives for the design of highly active and stable metal-doped TMDs catalysts.