Hybrid Plasmonic–Aerogel Materials as Optical Superheaters with Engineered Resonances

Solar radiation is a versatile source of energy, convertible to different forms of power. A direct path to exploit it is the generation of heat, for applications including passive building heating, but it can also drive secondary energy‐conversion steps. We present a novel concept for a hybrid material which is both strongly photo‐absorbing and with superior characteristics for the insulation of heat. The combination of that two properties is rather unique, and make this material an optical superheater. To realize such a material, we are combining plasmonic nanoheaters with alumina aerogel. The aerogel has the double function of providing structural support for plasmonic nanocrystals, which serve as nanoheaters, and reducing the diffusion rate of the heat generated by them, resulting in large local temperature increases under a relatively low radiation intensity. This work includes theoretical discussion on the physical mechanisms impacting the system's balanced thermal equilibrium.     

Tailoring A Poly(ether sulfone) Bipolar Membrane: Osmotic‐Energy Generator with High Power Density

Osmotic energy, obtained through different concentrations of salt solutions, is recognized as a form of a sustainable energy source. In the past years, membranes derived from asymmetric aromatic compounds have attracted attention because of their low cost and high performance in osmotic energy conversion. The membrane formation process, charging state, functional groups, membrane thickness, and the ion‐exchange capacity of the membrane could affect the power generation performance. Among asymmetric membranes, a bipolar membrane could largely promote the ion transport. Here, two polymers with the same poly(ether sulfone) main chain but opposite charges were synthesized to prepare bipolar membranes by a nonsolvent‐induced phase separation (NIPS) and spin‐coating (SC) method. The maximum power density of the bipolar membrane reaches about 6.2 W m^?2 under a 50‐fold salinity gradient, and this result can serve as a reference for the design of bipolar membranes for osmotic energy conversion systems.     

A Precious‐Metal‐Free Hybrid Electrolyzer for Alcohol Oxidation Coupled to CO2‐to‐Syngas Conversion

Electrolyzers combining CO₂ reduction (CO₂R) with organic substrate oxidation can produce fuel and chemical feedstocks with a relatively low energy requirement when compared to systems that source electrons from water oxidation. Here, we report an anodic hybrid assembly based on a (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yl)oxyl (TEMPO) electrocatalyst modified with a silatrane‐anchor ( STEMPO ), which is covalently immobilized on a mesoporous indium tin oxide (mesoITO) scaffold for efficient alcohol oxidation (AlcOx). This molecular anode was subsequently combined with a cathode consisting of a polymeric cobalt phthalocyanine on carbon nanotubes to construct a hybrid, precious‐metal‐free coupled AlcOx–CO₂R electrolyzer. After three‐hour electrolysis, glycerol is selectively oxidized to glyceraldehyde with a turnover number (TON) of ≈1000 and Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 83 %. The cathode generated a stoichiometric amount of syngas with a CO:H₂ ratio of 1.25±0.25 and an overall cobalt‐based TON of 894 with a FE of 82 %. This prototype device inspires the design and implementation of nonconventional strategies for coupling CO₂R to less energy demanding, and value‐added, oxidative chemistry.     

Metal–Covalent Organic Frameworks (MCOFs): A Bridge Between Metal–Organic Frameworks and Covalent Organic Frameworks

Many sophisticated chemical and physical properties of porous materials strongly rely on the presence of the metal ions within the structures. Whereas homogeneous distribution of metals is conveniently realized in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), the limited stability potentially restricts their practical implementation. From that perspective, the development of metal–covalent organic frameworks (MCOFs) may address these shortcomings by incorporating active metal species atop highly stable COF backbones. This Minireview highlights examples of MCOFs that tackle important issues from their design, synthesis, characterization to cutting‐edge applications.     

Efficient Conversion of Light to Chemical Energy: Directional,Chiral Photoswitches with Very High Quantum Yields

Photochromic systems have been used to achieve a number of engineering functions such as light energy conversion, molecular motors, pumps, actuators, and sensors. Key to practical applications is a high efficiency in the conversion of light to chemical energy, a rigid structure for the transmission of force to the environment, and directed motion during isomerization. We present a novel type of photochromic system (diindane diazocines) that converts visible light with an efficiency of 18 % to chemical energy. Quantum yields are exceptionally high with >70 % for the cis–trans isomerization and 90 % for the back‐reaction and thus higher than the biochemical system rhodopsin (64 %). Two diastereomers (meso and racemate) were obtained in only two steps in high yields. Both isomers are directional switches with high conversion rates (76–99 %). No fatigue was observed after several thousands of switching cycles in both systems.     

Manufacture of activated carbons using Egyptian wood resources and its application in oligothiophene dye adsorption

The following paper presents research on the conversion of wood wastes accessible in Egypt into activated carbon. In this study, wood samples of four Egyptian tree species were used: Delonix regia, Leucaena leucocephala, Salix mucronata, and Tipuana tipu. The wood scraps were soaked in a KOH solution and then carbonized at 600 °C under the flow of nitrogen; the resulting materials were analyzed by means of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, low-temperature adsorption of nitrogen, and an investigation of the surface area using nitrogen sorption. The addition of a chemical activator facilitated an increase of the surface area up to 603 m² g⁻¹. In its second part, the work aims to experimentally confirm that synthesizing hybrid materials consisting of oligothiophene dye (OT) and the obtained activated carbon may contribute to improving the applicability of these carbons as dye adsorbents. Confocal microscopy, Raman spectra, and SEM-EDX microscopy were used to confirm the immobilization of oligomers on the surface of carbon hybrid materials. Confocal microscopy in particular is considered to be an appropriate technique of detecting the presence of adsorbed 6 T molecules on the carbon surface. The presented research is a major step towards the application of modified carbons as an attractive and inexpensive base for dye molecule adsorption.     

Regulation of 2D Graphene Materials for Electrocatalysis

Benefiting from unique excellent physical and chemical characteristics, graphene has attracted widespread attention in the application of electrocatalysis. As a promising candidate, graphene is usually regulated with surface defects, heteroatoms, metal atoms and other active materials through covalent or non‐covalent bonds to substitute for noble metal catalysts, which has not been targeted in a report yet. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of approaches for engineering graphene‐based electrocatalysts and emphasize the corresponding electrocatalytic active sites in various electrocatalysis circumstances, such as electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), etc. The opportunities and challenges in the future development of graphene‐based catalysts are also discussed.     

An outlook on printed microsupercapacitors: Technology status,remaining challenges,and opportunities

The concept of the Internet of Things is dramatically changing the way society interacts with physical spaces and portable technologies. For the last couple of years, intensive research has been devoted on the design of several flexible and even wearable devices, such as displays and health-care sensors. Further developments on these new technologies are heavily conditioned by the lack of compatible energy storage/conversion units. Contrary to lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors can be easily miniaturized and integrated on flexible/wearable technologies without losing their electrochemical performance. In this review, some of the most recent developments on the design and printing of light, flexible, and thin microsupercapcitors along with promising and further practical applications are presented.     

Hydrogen energy currency: Beyond state-of-the-art transition metal oxides for oxygen electrocatalysis

In this opinion piece, we highlight and discuss beyond state-of-the-art transition metal oxide materials for the oxygen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction, which are essential for the renewable energy conversion and storage of H₂ to electricity. We pinpoint some of the synthetic routes taken and discuss essential measurements required in the highlighted works, which others should undertake to achieve highly active and stable oxygen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction catalysts in both acidic and alkaline media.