Rational design and controllable synthesis of well-defined nanostructures with high stability and Pt-like activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are critical for renewable energy conversion. Herein, a unique pyrolysis strategy is demonstrated for the synthesis of RhP x nanoparticles (NPs) in N, P co-doped thin carbon nanoshells (RhP x @NPC nanoshells) that display high electrocatalytic activity and stability over a wide pH range. This strategy involves simultaneous phosphorization and pyrolysis processes that can produce highly-dispersed RhP x NPs within N, P co-doped carbon nanoshells and at the same time induce thinning of carbon nanoshells from inside out. The resulting RhP x @NPC nanoshells not only possess Pt-like activity for HER with low overpotentials to achieve 10 mA cm −2 (22 mV in 0.5 m H 2 SO 4 , 69 mV in 1.0 m KOH, and 38 mV in 1.0 m phosphate buffered saline (PBS)) but also provide long-term durability in a wide pH range. The remarkable HER performance of RhP x @NPC nanoshells is ascribed to the high surface area, abundant mesoporosity, strong catalyst-support interaction, ultrathin carbon encapsulation, and N, P co-doping. This work provides an effective strategy for designing heterostructured electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity and stability desired for reactions that may occur under harsh conditions.

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The large‐scale fabrication of two‐dimensional periodic nanostructures in high quality holds great promises for building novel nanoscale devices. They have been conventionally produced using interface‐mediated self‐assembly strategies such as the Langmuir‐Blodgett and oil‐water interfacial assembly methods, which however are limited by the stringent requirements for the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of the particle surface. In this article, we review the recent progress on the air‐liquid interfacial self‐assembly to demonstrate that such strategies are simple, inexpensive, effective, scalable, and versatile in the fabrication of two‐dimensional periodic nanostructured arrays. They can be successfully employed to assemble nanoparticles of various compositions and surface properties into periodic nanostructured monolayer films, which find many important applications, for example, in the construction of colorimetric sensors for gas, chemical, and biomedical detection.

In article number 1901790, Bin Dong, Yadong Yin, and co‐workers describe a unique pyrolysis strategy for the synthesis of uniform RhPx nanoparticles dispersed in carbon nanoshells, which can serve as efficient and stable electrocatalysts for splitting water and producing hydrogen.

Methods were developed for the determination of As, Sb, Sn, Bi, Se and Te in leads and refined coppers using both direct sample solutions and the hydride generation technique. For hydride generation in coppers, prior separation of the matrix was necessary owing to the inhibiting effect of copper on hydride formation. For leads, it is possible to generate hydrides for As, Sb, Bi and Se directly from test solutions. Tin and Te require prior separation of the matrix in order to avoid lead precipitation in the hydrochloric medium suitable for the generation of the tin hydride in the former instance and the inhibition produced by lead in the latter. The dissolution of samples, separation processes, sample treatment, choice of analytical lines and measurable concentration levels were investigated.