The stabilization of black-phase formamidinium lead iodide (α-FAPbI3) perovskite under various environmental conditions is considered necessary for solar cells. However, challenges remain regarding the temperature sensitivity of α-FAPbI3 and the requirements for strict humidity control in its processing. Here we report the synthesis of stable α-FAPbI3, regardless of humidity and temperature, based on a vertically aligned lead iodide thin film grown from an ionic liquid, methylamine formate. The vertically grown structure has numerous nanometer-scale ion channels that facilitate the permeation of formamidinium iodide into the lead iodide thin films for fast and robust transformation to α-FAPbI3. A solar cell with a power-conversion efficiency of 24.1% was achieved. The unencapsulated cells retain 80 and 90% of their initial efficiencies for 500 hours at 85°C and continuous light stress, respectively.

Zeolitic imidazole frameworks (ZIFs) offer rich platforms for rational design and construction of high-performance nonprecious-metal oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts owing to their flexibility, hierarchical porous structures, and high surface area. Herein, an Fe, Cu-coordinated ZIF-derived carbon framework (Cu@Fe-N-C) with a well-defined morphology of truncated rhombic dodecahedron is facilely prepared by introducing Fe 2+ and Cu 2+ during the growth of ZIF-8, followed by pyrolysis. The obtained Cu@Fe-N-C, with bimetallic active sites, large surface area, high nitrogen doping level, and conductive carbon frameworks, exhibits excellent ORR performance. It displays 50 mV higher half-wave potential (0.892 V) than that of Pt catalysts in an alkaline medium and comparable performance to Pt catalysts in an acidic medium. In addition, it also has excellent durability and methanol resistance ability in both acidic and alkaline solutions, which makes it one of the best Pt-free catalysts reported to date for ORR. Impressively, when being employed as a cathode catalyst in zinc-air batteries, Cu@Fe-N-C presents a higher peak power density of 92 mW cm −2 than that of Pt/C (74 mW cm −2 ) as well as excellent durability.

A series of noble metal diphosphides (IrP2@NC, RhP2@NC and Pd5P2@NC) have been designed and fabricated, and among which IrP2@NC exhibits ultrahigh hydrogen evolution reaction performance.

Cost-efficient utilization of Pt in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great importance for the potential industrial scale demand of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Designing a hollow structure of a Pt catalyst offers a great opportunity to enhance the electrocatalytic performance and maximize the use of precious Pt. Herein we report a routine to synthesize ultrathin icosahedral Pt-enriched nanocages. In detail, the Pt atoms were conformally deposited on the surface of Pd icosahedral seeds, followed by selective removal of the Pd core by a concentrated HNO3 solution. The icosahedral Pt-enriched nanocage that is a few atomic layers thick includes the merits of abundant twin defects, an ultrahigh surface/volume ratio, and an ORR-favored Pt{111} facet, all of which have been demonstrated to be promoting factors for ORR. With a 10 times higher specific activity and 7 times higher mass activity, this catalyst shows more extraordinary ORR activity than the commercial Pt/C. The ORR activity of icosahedral Pt-enriched nanocages outperforms the cubic and octahedral nanocages reported in the literature, demonstrating the superiority of the icosahedral nanocage structure.

Here first a 2D dual-metal (Co/Zn) and leaf-like zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-L)-pyrolysis approach is reported for the low-cost and facile preparation of Co nanoparticles encapsulated into nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (Co-N-CNTs). Importantly, the reasonable Co/Zn molar ratio in the ZIF-L is the key to the emergence of the encapsulated microstructure. Specifically, high-dispersed cobalt nanoparticles are fully encapsulated in the tips of N-CNTs, leading to the full formation of highly active Co-N-C moieties for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR and OER). As a result, the obtained Co-N-CNTs present superior electrocatalytic activity and stability toward ORR and OER over the commercial Pt/C and IrO 2 as well as most reported metal-organic-framework-derived catalysts, respectively. Remarkably, as bifunctional air electrodes of the Zn-air battery, it also shows extraordinary charge-discharge performance. The present concept will provide a guideline for screening novel 2D metal-organic frameworks as precursors to synthesize advanced multifunctional nanomaterials for cross-cutting applications.