Zhefei Pan

Electrifying cement production offers a viable pathway to decarbonize one of the world’s most CO2-intensive industries. Electrochemical synthesis of cement clinker precursors enables low-temperature manufacturing but is constrained by solid deposition, reactor blockage, and voltage instability that limit durability. Here, we identify the dominant deposition-induced degradation pathway in a three-chamber electrochemical reactor and develop mechanism-guided mitigation strategies. The voltage rise is governed by ohmic loss from Ca(OH)2 accumulation in the middle chamber, while coupled experiments and simulations reveal that hydrodynamic heterogeneity creates low-velocity zones that promote particle retention. Guided by these insights, a synergistic triple-defense strategy integrating flow-field redesign, electrolyte regulation, and surface wettability control suppresses deposition at multiple origins. As a consequence, these coordinated interventions extend continuous reactor operation from ∼1 to ∼9 h without sacrificing Faradaic efficiency. Furthermore, the strategy was validated in a scaled-up reactor with an effective electrode area of 100 cm2, achieving stable operation for 100 h at 5 A (50 mA cm–2). This work elucidates deposition-driven degradation mechanisms and establishes general design principles for durable electrochemical reactors for industrial decarbonization.

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction is promising for sustainable ammonia production, but is hindered by a high protonation energy barrier and severe competition from the hydrogen evolution reaction. Although PdBi single‐atom alloy has been demonstrated to be an efficient electrocatalyst for electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia, the underlying mechanism of the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction over this type of catalyst remains unclear. Herein, a PdBi single‐atom alloy is prepared by anchoring Bi single atoms onto thin Pd nanosheets and applied for the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction. The induced electronic coupling between Bi and Pd atoms optimizes charge distribution, thereby enhancing N ₂ adsorption‐activation and decreasing the free‐energy barrier of the rate‐determining step of *N ₂ → *NNH from 0.71 to 0.61 eV. The optimized PdBi ₁₀ single‐atom alloy exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity toward the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction, delivering an ammonia yield of 46.9 µg h ⁻¹ mg ⁻¹ with a Faradaic efficiency of 13.3% at −0.2 V (vs. RHE), along with excellent long‐term stability. This work provides mechanistic insights and design principles of engineering single‐atom alloy electrocatalysts for efficient and durable electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction to ammonia.

This integrated electrochemical process achieves zero-carbon cement production by co-generating clinker precursor and formate, using co-produced hydrogen as zero-carbon calcination fuel to curb process and fuel carbon emissions at the source.

Direct seawater electrolysis (DSE) is a promising technology for sustainable hydrogen production, utilizing abundant marine resources. However, industrialization of DSE faces significant long-term stability challenges due to the complex composition of seawater, which contains various ions and microorganisms that can lead to both chemical and physical degradation of the electrolysis system. For instance, the presence of chloride ions (Cl⁻) hinders the desired oxygen evolution reaction (OER) because competing chlorine evolution reactions (CER) occur and adversely impact electrode materials, resulting in low system efficiency and poor longevity. To enhance long-term stability of DSE, researchers are investigating robust electrocatalysts and advanced surface modifications that improve protection against corrosive environments and enhance selectivity. Innovative electrode designs are also being developed to manage bubble transport and decrease precipitation. Additionally, the design of electrolysis cells, such as bipolar membrane cells, offers a viable solution by minimizing Cl⁻ transport and corrosive environment. With an increasing number of offshore renewable energy projects, the integration of effective DSE technologies in the offshore environment is critical. This review provides the state-of-the-art of electrodes, cells and systems, contributing to the development of DSE for long-term stable operation.

Stainless steel felt has been employed in AEMWE as a combination of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts and porous transport layers, which are not only easy to prepare but also have excellent OER activity under alkaline conditions. However, by realizing detailed electrochemical analysis and multi‐scale visualization of the bubble behaviors, it is found that the combined effect of chemical and electrochemical corrosion led to the constant accumulation of metal oxides on the stainless steel fiber surface post‐durability compared to the slow‐growing hydroxides after initial activation. Moreover, the rougher fiber surface morphology and weaken hydrophilicity cause the adjacent bubbles are slower to detach from the electrode and are more likely to fusion. The measured diameter of bubbles leaving the electrode almost doubles, while the total number of bubbles decreases by about two‐thirds, causing the increase of plug flow in the flow field and deteriorating the performance and long‐term stability of AEMWE.

The direct liquid fuel cell (DLFC) constitutes a promising energy conversion system that directly conveys the chemical energy of liquid fuels into electrical energy. In certain DLFCs, gas is produced as a product of electrochemical reactions during operation. However, the accumulation of gas inside the porous electrode can significantly hinder the transport of reactants, leading to the failure of active sites and severe concentration loss. To address this issue, a gradient‐ordered membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is designed and fabricated, consisting of a dual‐gradient diffusion layer that comprises a pore‐size gradient and a wettability gradient as well as a catalyst layer constructed by nanoneedle catalyst. This MEA promptly removes the produced gas and delivers the fresh solution, thereby enhancing the cell power output and stability. The fuel cell with the gradient‐ordered MEA achieves a remarkable peak power density of 177 mW cm⁻² and a discharging time of 19 h, which are more than four times and 30 times, respectively, higher than those of the conventional MEA.