The electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ (CO₂RR) to CO, formate, methane, and other high‐value compounds is a promising technique. However, current electrocatalysts suffer from drawbacks such as few active catalytic sites, poor selectivity and low stability, etc, which restrict the practical application. Although monatomic metal catalysts have been widely reported in recent years, high performance non‐noble metal aerogels were rarely investigated for electrocatalytic CO₂RR. Herein, Cu−Bi aerogels with boosted CO₂RR activity were well constructed by a simple one‐step self‐assembly method. The resultant Cu₁Bi₂ exhibits excellent CO₂RR activity with high faradaic efficiency (FE) of 96.57 % towards HCOOH at a potential of −0.9 V vs. RHE, and the FE_HCOOH remains over 80.18 % in a wide potential window (−0.8 V to −1.2 V vs. RHE). It demonstrated that the enhanced CO₂RR activity of Cu−Bi aerogels could be attributed to the 3D self‐supporting structure of the catalysis, synergistic effect, and low interfacial charge transfer resistance.

TiO₂ aerogels have been employed for the degradation of formaldehyde (HCHO) via the photocatalytic generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (O²⁻, ·OH), and its pore size plays a crucial role in affecting the decomposition efficiency. However, there remains a lack of a comprehensive understanding regarding the internal mechanisms underlying the influence of pore size on HCHO decomposition. In this study, we prepared TiO₂ aerogels by the sol–gel method, and added polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to introduce flexible molecular chains for pore size regulation, and obtained anatase crystals after a heat treatment at 800 °C. The photocatalytic decomposition mechanism of HCHO was researched using TiO₂ aerogels with varying pore sizes as catalysts. The results indicated that the pore size of TiO₂ aerogels was one of the important factors for HCHO decomposition. We validated that the efficiency of HCHO decomposition was related to the oxygen pressure in the pores of the TiO₂ aerogel, and the oxygen pressure was inversely proportional to the pore size, then the pore size of the TiO₂ aerogel and the decomposition efficiency of HCHO were linked through the oxygen pressure. Finally, the optimal pore size of the TiO₂ aerogel for the photocatalytic HCHO decomposition was 2 nm–10 nm. The present study aims to establish the relationship and influence of the pore size of TiO₂ aerogels on the performance of photocatalytic decomposition and promoting further advancements in porous nanomaterials for catalysis.

To enhance the mechanical performance and surface hydrophobicity of flat thin-sheet materials, we have developed a facile, environmentally benign, and low-cost synthesis strategy for fabricating a robust waterborne superhydrophobic coating with excellent mechanical reinforcement, via simple spray coating using a non-fluorinated material system (waterborne silicone–acrylic copolymer and silica sol). The functional coating exhibited excellent hydrophobicity (water contact angle: 150°) regardless of the compound of the substrates, which is primarily ascribed to the presence of abundant low-surface-energy methyl groups on the coating’s surface, along with the three-dimensional hierarchical network structure formed via the cross-linked silica network. Owing to the stable cross-linked structure and strong interfacial bonding between the acrylic polymer and silica network, the composite coating exhibited exceptional mechanical reinforcement, coupled with ultrahigh mechanical and chemical stability. Specifically, the maximum flexural fracture load of the modified materials increased from 119 N to 192 N, representing a 62.7% enhancement; similarly, the moisture-induced deflection of the samples had a significant increase from −14.5 mm to −3.01 mm, which confirmed that the mechanical properties of the modified sample and its deformation resistance under high humidity conditions have been significantly enhanced. Notably, the coating retained superior hydrophobicity and mechanical performance even after 50 abrasion cycles, as well as exposure to high-intensity UV radiation and corrosive acidic/alkaline environments. Furthermore, the composite functional coating demonstrated excellent self-cleaning and anti-fouling properties. This functional composite coating offers significant potential for large-scale industrial application.