Neutral Medium Research Articles

Superior electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia conversion activity on CuCo bimetals in neutral media

Electrocatalytic recycling of waste nitrate (NO3-) to valuable ammonia (NH3) has been regarded as a sustainable and promising alternative to the unfriendly Haber-Bosch process. Nevertheless, it is still a challenge to achieve high production rate in a neutral media due to the multi-step electron and proton transfer process. Herein, a nonprecious CuCo tandem catalyst is facilely fabricated and the cooperative active sites enable efficient cascade NO3--to-NH3 conversion with outstanding Faradaic efficiency (FE) and high-rate NH3 generation (95 %, 710 μmol h−1 cm−2 at −0.65 VRHE) in neutral media. In-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is implemented to identify the reaction intermediates to figure out the tandem pathway. Further combined the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the structure-activity relationship is unveiled. The introduction of Cu regulates the electronic structure of Co to boost the adsorption capacity of nitrate and shifts the d-band to lower the energy barrier. Moreover, the presence of Cu plays a vital role in inhibiting the binding of H*, which ensures the superior FE. To further maximize the energy utilization efficiency, a two-electrode electrolyzer (Cu45Co55||CuNi) is assembled by replacing the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with thermodynamically favored 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) oxidation to produce value-added 2,5-furandicarboxylic (FDCA), an important intermediate in the synthesis of bioplastics. These findings might guide the rational design of efficient and inexpensive electrocatalysts to produce value-added chemicals and hold the promise for contributing to carbon peaking and neutrality goals.

Electrochemical visualization of latent fingerprints using polyphenazine dyes on brass cartridges

This work is focused on the visualization of latent fingerprints left on unfired brass cartridges. Polymer films were prepared from 2 mM neutral red or 5 mM toluidine blue using two different electrochemical methods (cyclic voltammetry or chronoamperometry) with relatively short polymerization times. The conditions for the deposition of conductive polymers, poly(neutral red) and poly(toluidine blue), from a neutral medium (phosphate buffer with 0.1 M KNO3 or 0.1 M KNO3, respectively) were optimized to produce high-quality visualization of the remaining fingerprints on the brass substrates. The surface morphology and quality of the polymer films after the electrochemical deposition of both polyphenazine dyes were characterized by stereomicroscope. Phenazine dyes, which were used for the visualization of fingerprints, have been shown to provide different degrees of homogeneity in the deposited film. Furthermore, the dependence of the stability of the monomer solutions on their age, use, and storage conditions are discussed. Finally, a methodology is proposed for how to apply this technique of visualizing latent fingerprints with observed details of papillary lines in forensic practice.Graphical abstract

Mn/Fe co-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays for photoelectrochemical water splitting in neutral medium

Manganese and iron co-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTs) are grown on Ti foil by in situ electro-anodization method and employed for overall photoelectrochemical water splitting. The band gap of TiO2 is reduced from 3.3 eV to 3.1 eV with co-doping of Mn and Fe in Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti sample. Annealing Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti at 500 °C leads to the formation of trap states associated with the Fe3+ and Mn2+ ions present in the TiO2 lattice. The anatase structure of TNTs in Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti-500 sample is confirmed by XRD and Raman spectroscopy. An anodic shift in the onset potential from 0.2 VRHE to 0.08 VRHE is observed in Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti-500 sample compared to Mn/FeTNT@Ti sample. The overall photocurrent density at −0.4 VRHE is higher for Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti-500 sample (331μA/cm2) than Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti sample (251μA/cm2). The oxygen evolution activity shows similar trend with Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti-500 displaying a photocurrent density of 13.6 μA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE. The anodic photocurrent density of Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti-500 sample is six times higher than that of the Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti at 0.8 VRHE. The incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) measurements show that the photon absorption and conversion efficiency of the Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti-500 sample are significantly higher than that of the Mn/Fe-TNT@Ti sample. The results of this study complement the DFT calculations carried out with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) technique. This work demonstrates possibility of designing composite materials for efficient photoreduction studies using n-type titanium nanotubes as precursors.

Metal Doped Unconventional Phase IrNi Nanobranches: Tunable Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction Performance and Pollutants Upcycling.

Electrochemical nitrate reduction (NO3RR) provides a new option to abate nitrate contamination with a low carbon footprint. Restricted by competitive hydrogen evolution, achieving satisfied nitrate reduction performance in neutral media is still a challenge, especially for the regulation of this multielectron multiproton reaction. Herein, facile element doping is adopted to tune the catalytic behavior of IrNi alloy nanobranches with an unconventional hexagonal close-packed (hcp) phase toward NO3RR. In particular, the obtained hcp IrNiCu nanobranches favor the ammonia production and suppress byproduct formation in a neutral electrolyte indicated by in situ differential electrochemical mass spectrometry, with a high Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 85.6% and a large yield rate of 1253 μg cm-2 h-1 at -0.4 and -0.6 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)), respectively. In contrast, the resultant hcp IrNiCo nanobranches promote the formation of nitrite, with a peak FE of 33.1% at -0.1 V (vs RHE). Furthermore, a hybrid electrolysis cell consisting of NO3RR and formaldehyde oxidation is constructed, which are both catalyzed by hcp IrNiCu nanobranches. This electrolyzer exhibits lower overpotential and holds the potential to treat polluted air and wastewater simultaneously, shedding light on green chemical production based on contaminate degradation.

Performance of anionic dimeric surfactant on AZ31 Magnesium alloy in neutral medium unveiled through experimental and theoretical investigation

The synthesis of a novel eco-friendly anionic Gemini surfactant, pursuing three parameters of green chemistry: economic, environmental factor, and mass reaction efficiency is developed as a corrosion inhibitor for AZ31 Mg alloy. Herein, the corrosion inhibition ability of novel EDTA-based dimeric surfactant on AZ31 Mg alloy in corrosive media with varying concentrations of NaCl and Na2SO4 at temperatures between 30–50 °C were studied. The surfactant’s molecular structure is affirmed by FT-IR, NMR, and LC–MS techniques. Electrochemical techniques and surface morphology were employed to evaluate the corrosion inhibition efficiency. The inhibitor studied exhibited appreciable corrosion inhibition at 30 °C. The surfactant shows physical adsorption as per the data obtained in the Gibbs free energy and enthalpy of adsorption studies. The adsorption of the inhibitor was found to be a film-like layer on the surface of AZ31 Mg alloy and, is confirmed by SEM–EDX and XPS techniques. In addition, theoretical simulations were performed to compare with experimental results. Conclusively, the work provides a deeper understanding of the intricacies involved in the development of a new anionic dimeric surfactant as an effective corrosion inhibitor.

Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Detection of Urine Creatinine Using Cobalt-Gold Bimetallic Nanoparticles

This work presents the development of a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor for creatinine in a neutral medium using a cobalt-gold bimetallic nanoparticles modified platinum electrode. The voltammetric detection of creatinine in a neutral phosphate buffer was based on the formation of a soluble cobalt-creatinine complex. The sensor exhibited good selectivity and a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 2.25 mM with two linear ranges from 6.4 to 83.2 mM. The sensitivity of the sensor was 0.621 and 1.135 μA mM−1 cm−2 at lower (6.4–51.2 mM) and higher (51.2–83.2 mM) detection ranges, respectively. The sensor performance was validated using urine samples and creatinine spiked urine samples.

Effective removal of acetamiprid and eosin Y by adsorption on pristine and modified MIL-101(Fe)

In this work, the efficacy of two metal–organic frameworks (MIL-101(Fe) and NH2-MIL-101(Fe)) in eliminating acetamiprid (ATP) insecticide and eosin Y (EY) dye from aqueous solution is tested. An analysis was conducted on the developed nanocomposite’s optical, morphological, and structural characteristics. The adsorption isotherm, kinetics, thermodynamics, reusability, and mechanisms for ATP and EY dye removal were assessed. NH2-MIL-101(Fe) adsorbed 76% and 90% of ATP pesticide and EY dye, respectively after 10 to 15 min in optimum conditions. For both adsorbents, with regard to explaining the isotherm data, the Langmuir model offered the most accurate description. Moreover, the adsorption of ATP and EY dye is described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum adsorption capacities of ATP and EY dye on MIL-101(Fe) were 57.6 and 48.9 mg/g compared to 70.5 and 97.8 mg/g using NH2-MIL-101(Fe). The greatest amount of ATP and EY dye clearance was obtained at a neutral medium for both adsorbents. The results of this investigation demonstrate the effectiveness of MIL-101(Fe) and NH2-MIL-101(Fe) as effective substances in the adsorption process for removing pesticides and dyes from aqueous solution.

Stable Pentagonal Layered Palladium Diselenide Enables Rapid Electrosynthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide.

Electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e- ORR) is promising for various practical applications, such as wastewater treatment. However, few electrocatalysts are active and selective for 2e- ORR yet are also resistant to catalyst leaching under realistic operating conditions. Here, a joint experimental and computational study reveals active and stable 2e- ORR catalysis in neutral media over layered PdSe2 with a unique pentagonal puckered ring structure type. Computations predict active and selective 2e- ORR on the basal plane and edge of PdSe2, but with distinct kinetic behaviors. Electrochemical measurements of hydrothermally synthesized PdSe2 nanoplates show a higher 2e- ORR activity than other Pd-Se compounds (Pd4Se and Pd17Se15). PdSe2 on a gas diffusion electrode can rapidly accumulate H2O2 in buffered neutral solution under a high current density. The electrochemical stability of PdSe2 is further confirmed by long device operational stability, elemental analysis of the catalyst and electrolyte, and synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy. This work establishes a new efficient and stable 2e- ORR catalyst at practical current densities and opens catalyst designs utilizing the unique layered pentagonal structure motif.

A complete and sustained organic/inorganic reaction mechanism of Baeyer’s test

The Baeyer’s test for unsaturation has been used in Qualitative Organic Analysis for a long time. However, if an alkaline reagent is used, compounds having an active hydrogen (carbon acids) also give a positive test with potassium permanganate, detracting the test for unsaturation. The first steps of the reaction sequence have been described but the next stages are missing. These are very important because they involve the formation mode of the observed end product, brown manganese dioxide. In this communication, a complete and sustained reaction mechanism is provided for both reaction mediums, neutral and alkaline. It is in accordance with observed experimental facts. The missing steps are a redox reaction between hypomanganate and permanganate ions, and a second cyclic intermediate now formed with manganate ion. The instability of this intermediate leads directly to manganese dioxide and alkalinization of the neutral medium, as observed experimentally.

Selective Synthesis of Formyl‐2‐Furancarboxylic Acid via Enhanced Adsorption of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural on Composite Catalysts

5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a widely used biomass platform chemical that plays a crucial role in bridging biomass and fossil resources. Electrocatalytic oxidation of HMF provides an efficient way to obtain high‐value‐added biomass‐derived chemicals, among which the intermediate product 5‐formyl‐2‐furan carboxylic acid (FFCA) has attracted considerable attention. However, the weak adsorption ability of monometallic nickel oxide (NiOx) to HMF in neutral electrolyte restricts its further development, resulting in low HMF conversion and FFCA yield. In this study, we successfully constructed a novel nickel oxide‐platinum oxide hybrid catalyst supported on carbon felt (NiOx‐PtOx/CF), which exhibits an optimized adsorption ability of HMF, leading to the outstanding FFCA yield up to 77% in the neutral media. The high activity of the NiOx‐PtOx/CF catalyst can be attributed to the redistribution of the electrons and the optimization of the electronic structure on the Ni active site due to the introduction of PtOx on NiOx nanosheets. This study offers valuable insights for the design of efficient multicomponent electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic biomass refinery systems.

Selective Oxidation of sp-Bonded Carbon in Graphdiyne/Carbon Nanotubes Heterostructures to Form Dominant Epoxy Groups for Two-Electron Oxygen Reduction.

Two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e- ORR) is of great significance to H2O2 production and reversible nonalkaline Zn-air batteries (ZABs). Multiple oxygen-containing sp2-bonded nanocarbons have been developed as electrocatalysts for 2e- ORR, but they still suffer from poor activity and stability due to the limited and mixed active sites at the edges as well as hydrophilic character. Herein, graphdiyne (GDY) with rich sp-C bonds is studied for enhanced 2e- ORR. First, computational studies show that GDY has a favorable formation energy for producing five-membered epoxy ring-dominated groups, which is selective toward the 2e- ORR pathway. Then based on the difference in chemical activity of sp-C bonds in GDY and sp2-C bonds in CNTs, we experimentally achieved conductive and hydrophobic carbon nanotubes (CNTs) covering O-modified GDY (CNTs/GDY-O) through a mild oxidation treatment combined with an in situ CNTs growth approach. Consequently, the CNTs/GDY-O exhibits an average Faraday efficiency of 91.8% toward H2O2 production and record stability over 330 h in neutral media. As a cathode electrocatalyst, it greatly extends the lifetime of 2e- nonalkaline ZABs at both room and subzero temperatures.

Strong damped Lyman-α absorption in young star-forming galaxies at redshifts 9 to 11.

Primordial neutral atomic gas, mostly composed of hydrogen, is the raw material for star formation in galaxies. However, there are few direct constraints on the amount of neutral atomic hydrogen (Hi) in galaxies at early cosmic times. We analyzed James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) near-infrared spectroscopy of distant galaxies, at redshifts ≳8. From a sample of 12 galaxies, we identified three that show strong damped Lyman-α absorption due to Hi in their local surroundings. The galaxies are located at spectroscopic redshifts of 8.8, 10.2, and 11.4, corresponding to 400 to 600 million years after the Big Bang. They have Hi column densities ≳1022 cm-2, which is an order of magnitude higher than expected for a fully neutral intergalactic medium, and constitute a gas-rich population of young star-forming galaxies.

Recent progress and perspective on electrocatalysis in neutral media: Mechanisms, materials, and advanced characterizations

AbstractElectrocatalysis, which involves oxidation and reduction reactions with direct electron transfer, is essential for a variety of clean energy conversion devices. Currently, the vast majority of studies regarding electrocatalysis reactions focus on strong acidic or alkaline media because of the higher catalytic activity. Nevertheless, some inherent drawbacks, including the corrosive environment, expensive proton exchange membranes, and side effects, are still hard to break through. A sustainably promising way to overcome these shortcomings is to deploy neutral/near‐neutral electrolytes for electrocatalysis reactions. Unfortunately, insufficient research in this area due to the lack of attention to related issues has slowed down the development process. In this review, we systematically review the catalytic reaction mechanisms, neutral electrolytes, electrocatalysts, and modification strategies carried out in neutral media on the three most common electrocatalytic reactions, that is, hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, and oxygen evolution reaction. Furthermore, the advanced characterization tools for guiding catalyst synthesis and mechanistic studies are also summarized. Eventually, we propose some challenges and perspectives on electrocatalysis reactions in neutral media and hope it will attract more research interest and provide guidance in neutral electrocatalysis.

Temperature-Induced Conversion of 2D Vanadium-Doped MoSe2 Nanosheets to 1D V2MoO8 Rods: Enhanced Performance in Electrochemical Antibiotic Detection in Biological and Environmental Samples.

In this work, new strategies were developed to prepare 1D-V2MoO8 (VMO) rods from 2D V-doped MoSe2 nanosheets (VMoSe2) with good control over morphology and crystallinity by a facile hydrothermal and calcination process. The morphological changes from 2D to 1D rods were controlled by changing the calcination temperature from 300 to 600 °C. The elimination of Se and the incorporation of O into the V-Mo structure were evaluated by TGA, p-XRD, Raman, FE-SEM, EDAX, FE-TEM, and XPS analyses. These results prove that the optimization of the physical parameters leads to changes in the crystal phase and textural properties of the prepared material. The VMoSe2 and its calcined products were investigated as electrochemical sensors for the detection of the antibacterial drug nitrofurantoin (NFT). At a calcination temperature of 500 °C, the modified screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) proved to be an excellent electrochemical sensor for the detection of NFT in neutral media. Under the optimized conditions, VMO-500 °C/SPCE exhibits low detection limit (LOD) (0.015 μM), wide linear ranges (0.1-31, 47-1802 μM), good sensitivity, and selectivity. The proposed sensor was successfully used for the analysis of NFT in real samples with good recovery results. Moreover, the reduction potential of NFT agreed well with the theoretical analysis using quantum chemical calculations, with the B3LYP with 6-31G(d,p) basis set predicting an E0 value of -0.45 V. The interaction between the electrode surface and NFT via the LUMO diagram and the electrostatic potential surface is also discussed.

Enhancing simultaneous determination of some angiotensin II receptor antagonists and amlodipine in plasma using HPTLC with fluorescence densitometry: Independent fluorescence detection of the co-administrative drugs in the mixture across various pH conditions

A novel and highly sensitive high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method was developed and validated to quantify a combination of five pharmaceutical mixtures spiked to human plasma. The compounds comprised Amlodipine (AML) along with five angiotensin II receptor antagonist drugs (AIIRAs), namely Olmesartan (OLM), Telmisartan (TLM), Candesartan (CAN), Losartan (LOS), and Irbesartan (IRB). HPTLC was performed on silica gel 60 F254 plates using a mobile phase of Toluene: ethyl acetate: methanol: acetone: acetic acid (6:1.5:1:0.5:1, v/v/v/v/v). In a pioneering move, a reflectance/fluorescence detection mode was employed to identify two concurrently administered drugs at different pH levels for the first time. This method utilized the same chromatographic system, incorporating a specific measurement for AML at a neutral medium to achieve its maximum fluorescence at a 360 nm excitation wavelength, and measuring emission using a 540 nm optical filter. The process involved obtaining a very low fluorescence response from AIIRA. Subsequently, to enhance AIIRA’s fluorescence, the plate was sprayed with perchloric acid to transition to a strong acidic medium, ultimately attaining the maximum fluorescence of AIIRA using various excitation wavelengths and a 400 nm emission filter. Through this strategic process, we could optimize the fluorescence signals of both drugs, thereby elevating the sensitivity of detection for this drug combination. AML demonstrated a linear range of 18–300 ng/band, while AIIRAs drugs exhibited a linear range of 6–150 ng/band. The method satisfied the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) criteria for recovery, precision, repeatability, and robustness, showcasing exceptional sensitivity. The approach was successfully applied to quantify AML and AIIRAs drugs in both bulk drug and plasma samples, achieving high recovery percentages and minimal standard deviations.

Detecting Wandering Intermediate-Mass Black Holes with AXIS in the Milky Way and Local Massive Galaxies

This white paper explores the detectability of intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) wandering in the Milky Way (MW) and massive local galaxies, with a particular emphasis on the role of AXIS. IMBHs, ranging within 103−6M⊙, are commonly found at the centers of dwarf galaxies and may exist, yet undiscovered, in the MW. By using model spectra for advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs), we calculated the expected fluxes emitted by a population of wandering IMBHs with masses of 105M⊙ in various MW environments and extrapolated our results to massive local galaxies. Around 40% of the potential population of wandering IMBHs in the MW can be detected in an AXIS deep field. We proposed criteria to aid with selecting IMBH candidates using already available optical surveys. We also showed that IMBHs wandering in >200 galaxies within 10 Mpc can be easily detected with AXIS when passing within dense galactic environments (e.g., molecular clouds and cold neutral medium). In summary, we highlighted the potential X-ray detectability of wandering IMBHs in local galaxies and provided insights for guiding future surveys. Detecting wandering IMBHs is crucial for understanding their demographics and evolution and the merging history of galaxies. This white paper is part of a series commissioned for the AXIS Probe Concept Mission; additional AXIS white papers can be found at the AXIS website.

Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction on Metallic CoNi-Terminated Catalyst with Industrial-Level Current Density in Neutral Medium.

Green ammonia synthesis through electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (eNO3RR) can serve as an effective alternative to the traditional energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. However, achieving high Faradaic efficiency (FE) at industrially relevant current density in neutral medium poses significant challenges in eNO3RR. Herein, with the guidance of theoretical calculation, a metallic CoNi-terminated catalyst is successfully designed and constructed on copper foam, which achieves an ammonia FE of up to 100% under industrial-level current density and very low overpotential (-0.15V versus reversible hydrogen electrode) in a neutral medium. Multiple characterization results have confirmed that the maintained metal atom-terminated surface through interaction with copper atoms plays a crucial role in reducing overpotential and achieving high current density. By constructing a homemade gas stripping and absorption device, the complete conversion process for high-purity ammonium nitrate products is demonstrated, displaying the potential for practical application. This work suggests a sustainable and promising process toward directly converting nitrate-containing pollutant solutions into practical nitrogen fertilizers.

Atomically dispersed asymmetric cobalt electrocatalyst for efficient hydrogen peroxide production in neutral media

Electrochemical hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production (EHPP) via a two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e- ORR) provides a promising alternative to replace the energy-intensive anthraquinone process. M-N-C electrocatalysts, which consist of atomically dispersed transition metals and nitrogen-doped carbon, have demonstrated considerable EHPP efficiency. However, their full potential, particularly regarding the correlation between structural configurations and performances in neutral media, remains underexplored. Herein, a series of ultralow metal-loading M-N-C electrocatalysts are synthesized and investigated for the EHPP process in the neutral electrolyte. CoNCB material with the asymmetric Co-C/N/O configuration exhibits the highest EHPP activity and selectivity among various as-prepared M-N-C electrocatalyst, with an outstanding mass activity (6.1 × 105 A gCo−1 at 0.5 V vs. RHE), and a high practical H2O2 production rate (4.72 mol gcatalyst−1 h−1 cm−2). Compared with the popularly recognized square-planar symmetric Co-N4 configuration, the superiority of asymmetric Co-C/N/O configurations is elucidated by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy analysis and computational studies.

Electrochemical characterization of localized corrosion mechanism of ALD Al2O3-coated copper for microelectronic application

To achieve performance and reliability in microelectronics devices, copper interconnections must be protected from aggressive environment during the manufacturing process and throughout the life of the devices. Atomic Layer Deposition Al2O3 thin films has been used as a compatible layer with key integration process steps, as well as being corrosion-resistant in neutral media. However, electrochemical tests in aggressive environment have revealed that the alumina prematurely failed to protect copper from localized corrosion. In this study, local and global electrochemical techniques have been employed to evaluate the reactivity of copper at multiple scales and to elucidate the underlying corrosion mechanisms.

Advancements in bifunctional catalysts for unitized regenerative fuel cells: exploring polaronic conduction and heterostructure designs

This study investigates the development and performance evaluation of a bifunctional catalyst tailored for unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs), capable of facilitating both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in fuel cell and electrolyzer modes. The primary challenge addressed is the creation of electrocatalysts exhibiting high activity and corrosion resistance for oxygen reduction and water oxidation at the oxygen electrode. A novel catalyst structure based on La0.5Sr0.5Fe0.5Ti0.5O3(LSFT), i.e. LSFT/ZnO/LSFT with a thickness of ∼2 μ m, is explored within an environmentally friendly medium. This catalyst demonstrates superior performance characteristics, including reduced overpotential in HER and enhanced stability during oxygen/hydrogen evolution processes in neutral medium. This study identifies the formation of interfacial polarons and polaronic charge modulation resulting from the incorporation of ZnO in LSFT, leading to multifunctional OER/HER behavior. Notably, the proposed interfacial small polaron mechanism offers valuable insights into complex interfacial phenomena and holds promise for applications in diverse heterostructures involving layered 2D materials and transition metal oxides. Moreover, the robust LSFT/ZnO/LSFT catalyst exhibits exceptional stability, maintaining for 168 h of oxygen evolution at a constant potential of approximately 1.66 V for a current density of 1 A cm−2 in a neutral medium. These findings mark a significant advancement in URFC technology and present promising avenues for clean energy storage solutions.