Developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts for seawater splitting remains a huge challenge because of low catalytic selectivity and poor resistance to chlorine‐induced corrosion. Here, we developed a nickel‐iron layered double hydroxide nanosheets doped with chromium and sulfur dual atoms (Cr,S‐NiFe LDH). Cr,S‐NiFe LDH exhibited low overpotentials of 321 and 406 mV at industrial current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm −2 , respectively. An anion exchange membrane electrolyzer based on Cr,S‐NiFe LDH anode can maintain 2000 mA cm −2 @1.764 V for 100 h. Electronic structure analysis revealed that the sulfur doping facilitates electron transfer from nickel to sulfur sites, while chromium incorporation strengthens the electronic interactions between iron and chromium sites. This modification induced the formation of high‐valence nickel and chromium species, which favor seawater electrolysis. Mechanistic studies revealed that dual heteroatom doping modifies the local electronic environment of nickel/iron sites, repelling chlorine ions and optimizing the adsorption of oxygenated intermediates.

Carbon-based heteronuclear diatomic and multi-atomic catalysts (e.g., tri-atomic, quadri-atomic, and penta-atomic systems) have emerged as a promising class of materials capable of overcoming the scaling relationship limitations inherent to single-atom catalysts. These advanced catalysts exhibit unique advantages in catalyzing complex reactions involving multi-intermediate processes and proton-coupled electron transfer, offering enhanced activity, selectivity, and tunability. However, the fundamental interaction mechanisms between heteronuclear sites in dual-atom and multi-atom systems remain poorly understood, hindering their rational design. Moreover, conventional synthesis methods often lead to the aggregation of heteronuclear metal atoms, posing significant challenges for the precise structural control required for electrocatalytic applications in the future. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent breakthroughs in the field, focusing on the synergistic coupling interactions between diatomic and multi-atomic sites, emerging catalytic mechanism research methods, innovative synthesis strategies for heteronuclear catalysts, and the integration of high-throughput screening and machine learning with theoretical calculations to accelerate catalyst discovery. By elucidating the underlying principles governing these systems, we aim to establish robust design guidelines for heteronuclear diatomic and multi-atomic catalysts in energy conversion and environmental remediation. Furthermore, this review highlights future directions for unraveling catalytic mechanisms and developing scalable fabrication methods, paving the way for the next generation of advanced electrocatalysts.

Ammonia (NH₃), one of the world’s most vital chemicals and energy carriers, has attracted wide attention. Currently, NH₃ is mainly produced using the traditional, energy-intensive Haber–Bosch (H–B) technology, which has a large impact on the environment. Therefore, developing a low-cost, high-efficiency, and eco-friendly way to produce NH₃ is highly desirable. Photo-, electro-, photoelectro-, and alkali–metal-mediated catalytic reactions powered by renewable and clean energy under ambient conditions offer alternatives to the H–B process and have recently gained significant interest. However, efficient nitrogen reduction is a key requirement, limiting the selectivity and activity for the green synthesis of NH₃ because the N₂ activation process in a green catalytic system is difficult to complete due to its thermodynamic instability and chemical inertness. Compared to the reduction of N₂, the catalytic reduction of some soluble and harmful high-valent sources (e.g., NO, NO₂^-, and NO₃^-) is considered an effective method for increasing NH₃ synthesis efficiency. This review article focuses on the important features of the green catalytic conversion of multiple nitrogen resources into NH₃ by summarizing the fundamental mechanistic understanding, catalytic descriptors, and current advances, along with the various catalysts used for these conversion strategies and their structure–activity relationships. Meanwhile, opportunities and prospects for reactor design and construction for potential NH₃ production at high current densities are also discussed, focusing on achieving a high yield rate, Faraday efficiency, and energy efficiency. This will provide valuable guidance for constructing catalysts and optimizing reaction systems that can meet the needs of practical applications.

The renewable-electricity-powered carbon dioxide reduction (eCO(2)R) to value-added fuels and feedstocks like methane (CH4) holds the sustainable and economically viable carbon cycle at meaningful scales. However, this kinetically challenging eight-electron multistep deep-reduction encounters insufficient catalyst design principles to steer complex CO2 reduction pathways. Utilizing atomic copper (Cu) structures with unitary active sites can boost eCO(2)R-to-CH4 selectivity due to the efficient suppression of unwanted C & horbar;C coupling. Herein, we report a sequential ion exchange strategy to fabricate periodic Cu single-atom catalysts within a polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) matrix, where the uniformly dispersed, diagonally coordinated N & horbar;Cu & horbar;N configuration hosts low-valent Cu delta+ centers. Leveraging the periodic N-anchoring sites with delocalized pi-electron conjugation in the PCN matrix, the isolated Cu sites are obtained with an interatomic distance of similar to 4.2 & Aring; under high metal-loading conditions. This engineered spatial configuration effectively inhibits C & horbar;C coupling to avoid subsequent multicarbon product formation. The optimized Cu-1/PCN demonstrates exceptional eCO(2)R-to-CH4 performance, achieving 71.1% CH4 Faradaic efficiency with a high partial current density of 426.6 mA cm(-2) at -1.50 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, outpacing the state-of-the-art catalysts. This work delves into effective concepts for steering desirable reaction pathways via precisely modulating active site structures at the atomic level to create favorable microenvironments.

The electrocatalytic nitrogen oxidation reaction (NOR) represents an environmentally friendly alternative to the energy-intensive industrial synthesis of nitrate, traditionally derived from ammonia produced via the Haber-Bosch process. The primary challenges in electrocatalytic NOR revolve around the effective activation of inert nitrogen and achieving a suitable oxygen evolution reaction (OER). To address these challenges, the development of advanced electrocatalysts capable of efficiently adsorbing and activating nitrogen while simultaneously modulating the OER activity is paramount for advancing electrochemical NOR technologies. This work innovatively integrated Ru clusters with Mn-doped RuO2, balancing NOR and OER through interfacial electron transfer at Ru/Mn x -RuO2 grain boundaries. The incorporation of Mn into RuO2 elevated the OER reaction energy to 0.630 eV, compared to 0.568 eV for pristine RuO2, while simultaneously enhancing nitrogen adsorption and activation on the Ru clusters. This synergistic effect resulted in an optimized NOR performance. The engineered Ru/Mn1.04-RuO2 exhibited positive catalytic efficiency for NOR, achieving a record-high nitrate yield of 52.6 mu g mg-1 h-1 and a Faraday efficiency of 44.29% under alkaline conditions, demonstrating significant progress toward viable electrochemical nitrate production.

Mycelium derived from Ganoderma lucidum was employed as a template for synthesising silicon oxide (SiOx) nanofibers. The intricate structures of mycelial hyphae fibrils were replicated with high precision using an inexpensive commercial silane (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES). Following the removal of the organic mycelium template phase at 600 degrees C, APTES was successfully converted to SiOx. The resulting SiOx fibres retained the morphology of the mycelium template, with a nearly identical fibre density to the original fibrous network. A fibril diameter reduction of approximately 43% was observed from 603 to 344 nm. All synthesised materials exhibited coherent structural integrity, sufficient for handling without breakage, although they were notably less mechanically flexible than the original mycelium template. The novel hybrid mycelium-3-aminopropyl-silsesquioxane fibre network and the thermally converted SiOx network displayed notable liquid absorption properties. These materials allowed for the preferential absorption of oil or water, depending on the presence of the amino group functionality. Remarkably, the SiOx network rapidly absorbed methylene blue-dyed water within 400 ms, demonstrating behaviour opposite to the virgin mycelium network. Additionally, the materials exhibited high thermal stability, withstanding flame exposure at approximately 1400 degrees C while maintaining their nano/micromorphology. This innovative approach of using "living" templates expands the range of morphologies that can be replicated in inorganic materials, enabling the creation of genetically and environmentally tuneable structures. The SiOx nanofibers produced through this method have potential applications in various fields, including water purification, biosensors, catalytic support, and insulation.

Accurate evaluation of electrophysiological and morphological characteristics of the skeletal muscles is critical to establish a comprehensive assessment of the human neuromusculoskeletal function in vivo. However, current technological challenges lie in unsynchronized and unparallel operation of separate acquisition systems such as surface electromyography (sEMG) and ultrasonography. Key problem is the lack of ultrasound transparency of current electrophysiological electrodes. In this work, ultrasound (US) transparent electrode based on cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) substrate are proposed to solve the issue. US transparency of the electrodes are evaluated using a standard US phantom. The effects of nanocellulose type and ion-bond introduction on electrode performance is investigated. Simultaneous US image and sEMG signal acquisition of biceps brachii during isometric muscle contraction are studied. Reliable correlation analysis of the US and sEMG signals is realized which is rarely reported in the previous literatures. Recyclability and biodegradability of the current electrode are evaluated. The reported technology opens up new pathways to provide coupled anatomical and electrical information of the skeletal muscles, enables reliable anatomical and electrical information correlation analysis and largely simplify the sensor integration for assessment of the human neuromusculoskeletal function.

Emulsion wastewater contain substantial amounts of oil and various additives, which pose threats to the environment and human health. Demulsification is a crucial pretreatment stage for wastewater. This study aims to identify a novel electro-demulsification method with high oil removal efficiency and low energy consumption. Modified carbonized birch wood with a unique isotropic multiscale pore structure is used as a self-standing electrode to treat a toluene oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. The electrode must have a highly porous structure to facilitate efficient water diffusion and oil adsorption. It must also have high electronic conductivity to expedite polarized molecular electrophoresis to realize penetration into the pores and, subsequently, demulsification. Guided by an applied electric field force, polarized O/W droplets are drawn toward the electrode, revealing electrical characteristics distinct from those of polarized organic molecules. This electric field force augments the capture and adhesion of droplets by the electric double layer at the electrode interface. Consequently, adsorbed droplets in close proximity to the electrode rupture due to the combined influence of the electric field force and the electrostatic effects stemming from the electrode's multiscale porous structure. This synergistic action enables demulsification to occur efficiently at low energy consumption levels. This study has revealed that electro-demulsification can effectively treat toluene emulsions stabilized by various surfactants and microemulsion containing toluene. Therefore, this electro-demulsification technology can be further developed for various types of water pollution.

Flexible fibers and textiles featuring photothermal conversion and storage capacities are ideal platforms for solar-energy utilization and wearable thermal management. Other than using fossil-fuel-based synthetic fibers, re-designing natural fibers with nanotechnology is a sustainable but challenging option. Herein, advanced core–shell structure fibers based on plant-based nanocelluloses are obtained using a facile co-axial wet-spinning process, which has superior photothermal and thermal-regulating performances. Besides serving as the continuous matrix, nanocelluloses also have two other important roles: dispersing agent when exfoliating molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), and stabilizer for phase change materials (PCM) in the form of Pickering emulsion. Consequently, the shell layer contains well-oriented nanocelluloses and MoS₂, and the core layer contains a high content of PCM in a leak-proof encapsulated manner. Such a hierarchical cellulosic supportive structure leads to high mechanical strength (139 MPa), favorable flexibility, and large latent heat (92.0 J g⁻¹), surpassing most previous studies. Furthermore, the corresponding woven cloth demonstrates satisfactory thermal-regulating performance, high solar-thermal conversion and storage efficiency (78.4–84.3%), and excellent long-term performance. In all, this work paves a new way to build advanced structures by assembling nanoparticles and polymers for functional composite fibers in advanced solar-energy-related applications.

Cellulose, being a renewable and abundant biopolymer, has garnered significant attention for its unique properties and potential applications in hybrid materials. Understanding the hierarchical arrangement of cellulose nanofibers is crucial for developing cellulose-based materials with enhanced mechanical properties. In this study, the use of Scanning Electron Diffraction (SED) is presented to map the nanoscale orientation of cellulose fibers in a bio-composite material with a preserved wood cell structure. The SED data provides detailed insights into the ordering of cellulose with an extraordinary resolution of ≈15 nm. It enables a quantitative analysis of the fiber orientation over regions as large as entire cells. A highly organized arrangement of cellulose fibers within the secondary cell wall is observed, with a gradient of orientations toward the outer part of the wall. The in-plane fiber rotation is quantified, revealing a uniform orientation close to the middle lamella. Transversely sectioned material exhibits similar trends, suggesting a layered cell wall structure. Based on the SED data, a 3D model depicting the complex helical alignment of fibers throughout the cell wall is constructed. This study demonstrates the unique opportunities SED provides for characterizing the nanoscale hierarchical arrangement of cellulose nanofibers, empowering further research on a range of hybrid materials.