Yanqin Liang

The alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a promising pathway for the large-scale production of green hydrogen. Due to the high water dissociation energy barrier in alkaline media, high energy consumption is required. In this work, a Co-doped MoNi4 self-supported electrode (Co-MoNi4/NM) prepared by laser direct writing (LDW) is reported as an efficient electrocatalyst for HER. The introduction of Co hinders the long-range ordered growth of the MoNi4 single phase, creating a MoNi4/Mo/Ni multiphase heterostructure with rich geometric defects. The electron-rich catalyst weakens the O–H bonds of water molecules, increasing the proportion of free water to provide reactants for subsequent water dissociation. As a result, Co-MoNi4/NM exhibits high HER catalytic performance with an overpotential of 131.2 mV at a current density of 100 mA cm–2. Under simulated industrial conditions (6 M KOH, 60 °C), the electrode demonstrates exceptional HER kinetics with a low overpotential of 227.8 mV at 1 A cm–2 and robust chronopotentiometric durability for 100 h. Furthermore, the assembled two-electrode electrolyzer (Co-MoNi4/NM || Co-MoNi4/NM) delivers a high current density of 1 A cm–2 at a low cell voltage of 1.74 V with long-term operational stability. This study elucidates the mechanism of interfacial water reconstruction driven by electronic modulation, offering a technological paradigm for developing highly efficient industrial-grade electrodes for hydrogen production.

Combining high mechanical integrity with optimized catalytic kinetics remains a critical bottleneck for exploiting Cu-based nanoporous materials in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this work, a self-supporting nanoporous Cu-based metallic glass modified with trace Pd (np-Pd-CuZrAl) was fabricated via sequential phase-selective chemical dealloying and galvanic replacement. In 1.0 M KOH, the np-Pd-CuZrAl catalyst exhibits superior performance, requiring an overpotential of only 89.0 mV at 10 mA cm−2 with a low Tafel slope of 34.38 mV dec−1, maintaining exceptional activity after 100 h of continuous operation. Notably, nanoindentation and tensile testing demonstrate the exceptional deformation tolerance of the np-Pd-CuZrAl electrode, which successfully retains its structural and electrochemical functionality under severe tensile and bending deformations. In situ Raman spectroscopy and DFT calculations demonstrate that Pd incorporation effectively tunes the d-band center, enhances interfacial water adsorption, and inhibits surface oxidation. Furthermore, a water-splitting cell using this cathode achieves 10 mA cm−2 at 1.54 V. This work establishes a compelling strategy to modulate atomic configuration and mechanical stability in freestanding metallic glass electrodes, providing deep metallurgical insights.

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) employing Si–Li composite anodes are promising candidates for achieving high energy density and scalable practical applications. Incorporating metallic Li into Si anodes as a compensation source offers a promising approach to compensate for irreversible Li consumption. Nevertheless, the introduced metallic Li must be carefully regulated to provide sufficient Li compensation for the Si anode while preventing excessive reactions with Li5.5PS4.5Cl1.5 (LPSC). Achieving this delicate balance is therefore essential for constructing stable LPSC/Li@Si interfaces. Herein, we systematically investigate the interfacial stability of Li-metal-prelithiated Si anodes in sulfide-based ASSBs under both direct die-pressing and isostatic pressing conditions. Using NCM811|LPSC|Li@Si cells as a model system, we identify the appropriate Li thicknesses for different cell configurations and demonstrate that stable cycling critically depends on directing the redistributed metallic Li into the porous Si electrode rather than into the sulfide solid electrolyte layer. Such interfacial regulation effectively suppresses the continuous decomposition of LPSC and mitigates the growth of interfacial resistance. Benefiting from the optimized prelithiation and pressing protocol, the application of Li-metal-prelithiated Si anodes was successfully extended from direct die-pressed mold-type full cells (mold cells) to isostatically pressed pouch-type full cells, highlighting their potential for practical high-energy ASSBs.

A series of centimeter-sized doped organic crystals was designed and synthesized via the Bridgman method. The host–guest crystals exhibited ultrafast fluorescence decay times of less than 1 ns and good machinability for direct X-ray imaging.

This work presents a doping strategy for organic host–guest crystals. Using tailored phenyl chromophores, it achieves widely tunable emission, ultrafast decay, and significantly enhanced scintillation performance.

The underlying mechanisms by which heterogeneous interfaces enhance piezoelectric catalytic effects under ultrasonic irradiation, along with their potential biomedical applications, remain poorly understood. In this study, a versatile Z-Scheme nanoplatform by encapsulating the BiO_2-x/Ag₃PO₄ heterojunction within poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres (BA@PLGA) was developed for ultrasound-activated deep-lung antibacterial therapy. The Z-scheme heterojunction synergistically integrates piezoelectric and built-in electric fields, achieving 2.2 and 4.7-fold enhancements in piezoelectric (d₃₃) and electromechanical coupling (k) coefficients, respectively. Ultrasonic-induced dynamic modulation of the piezoelectric potential in BiO_2-x/Ag₃PO₄ generated a "carrier-pumping" effect, which enhanced polarized charge migration efficiency and thereby markedly amplified reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Consequently, with the assistance of trace Ag⁺, 99.87 ± 0.05% of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were effectively eradicated within 15 min in vitro. Prokaryotic transcriptome analysis further revealed that the synergistic effect of ROS and trace Ag⁺ disrupted the cell envelope and interfered with the core metabolic pathways of MRSA. This ultrasound-activated platform, integrating piezocatalysis and trace Ag⁺, achieved over 99.9% bacterial clearance rapidly (1.6log superiority over gentamicin) and alleviated inflammation in a MRSA-induced pneumonia, demonstrating considerable potential for combating bacterial infections in deep-seated tissues.

Rapid laser alloying on commercial nickel mesh scalably forms metallurgically bonded FCC Ni–W electrodes with tunable porosity, enhancing electrolyte transport, water activation, and gas diffusion for fast, durable alkaline HER.

A boron-doped DLC electrode was fabricated via the “laser-direct-writing” strategy for nitrate reduction. The B _0.57 DG electrode achieved a high NH ₃ faradaic efficiency of 80% and an ammonia yield rate of 550 µg cm ⁻² h ⁻¹ at −0.59 V vs. RHE.

Electrocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production is a crucial technology in achieving carbon neutrality. The development of efficient and stable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts is a core challenge in this field. This review systematically summarizes the latest research advancements in nanoporous transition metal-based catalysts, covering metal alloys and compounds. Through strategies such as compositional optimization, crystal structure modulation, interface engineering, and nanoporous structure design, these non-precious metal catalysts exhibit outstanding performance comparable to commercial platinum-carbon catalysts across a wide pH range. This paper thoroughly discusses the catalytic mechanisms of different material systems, including electronic structure regulation, active site exposure, and mass transport optimization. Finally, the challenges faced in current research are summarized, and future directions are projected, including scalable fabrication processes and performance validation in real electrolysis cell environments. This review provides significant insights into designing next-generation efficient and stable non-precious metal electrocatalysts.