Reaction environment self-modification on low-coordination Ni^(2+)octahedra atomic interface for superior electrocatalytic overall water splitting

Large scale synthesis of high-efficiency bifunctional electrocatalyst based on cost-effective and earth-abundant transition metal for overall water splitting in the alkaline environment is indispensable for renewable energy conversion.In this regard,meticulous design of active sites and probing their catalytic mechanism on both cathode and anode with different reaction environment at molecular-scale are vitally necessary.Herein,a coordination environment inheriting strategy is presented for designing low-coordination Ni^(2+)octahedra(L-Ni-8)atomic interface at a high concentration(4.6 at.%).Advanced spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations reveal that the self-matching electron delocalization and localization state at L-Ni-8 atomic interface enable an ideal reaction environment at both cathode and anode.To improve the efficiency of using the self-modification reaction environment at L-Ni-8,all of the structural features,including high atom economy,mass transfer,and electron transfer,are integrated together from atomic-scale to macro-scale.At high current density of 500 mA/cm2,the samples synthesized at gram-scale can deliver low hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER)overpotentials of 262 and 348 mV,respectively.

Smart Fibers for Self‑Powered Electronic Skins

Smart fibers are considered as promising materials for the fabrication of wearable electronic skins owing to their features such as superior flexibility,light weight,high specific area,and ease of modification.Besides,piezoelectric or triboelectric electronic skins can respond to mechanical stimulation and directly convert the mechanical energy into electrical power for self-use,thereby providing an attractive method for tactile sensing and motion perception.The incorporation of sensing capabilities into smart fibers could be a powerful approach to the development of self-powered electronic skins.Herein,we review several aspects of the recent advancements in the development of self-powered electronic skins constructed with smart fibers.The summarized aspects include functional material selection,structural design,pressure sensing mechanism,and proof-to-concept demonstration to practical application.In particular,various fabrication strategies and a wide range of practical applications have been systematically introduced.Finally,a critical assessment of the challenges and promising perspectives for the development of fiber-based electronic skins has been presented.

Carbon footprint assessment for the waste management sector： A comparative analysis of China and Japan

Waste management is becoming a crucial issue in modem society owing to rapid urbanization and the increasing generation of municipal solid waste （MSW）. This paper evaluates the carbon footprint of the waste management sector to identify direct and indirect carbon emissions, waste recycling carbon emission using a hybrid life cycle assessment and input-output analysis. China and Japan was selected as case study areas to highlight the effects of different industries on waste management. The results show that the life cycle carbon footprints for waste treatment are 59.01 million tons in China and 7.01 million tons in Japan. The gap between these footprints is caused by the different waste management systems and treatment processes used in the two countries. For indirect carbon footprints, China＇s material carbon footprint and deprecia- tion carbon footprint are much higher than those of Japan, whereas the purchased electricity and heat carbon footprint in China is half that of Japan. China and Japan have similar direct energy consumption carbon footprints. However, CO2 emissions from MSW treatment processes in China （46.46 million tons） is significantly higher than that in Japan （2.72 million tons）. The corresponding effects of waste recycling on CO2 emission reductions are consider- able, up to 181.37 million tons for China and 96.76 million tons for Japan. Besides, measures were further proposed for optimizing waste management systems in the two countries. In addition, it is argued that the advanced experience that developed countries have in waste management issues can provide scientific support for waste treatment in developing countries such as China.