Recent progress of gel-based materials in energy storage and conversion

Efficient electrocatalysts play a pivotal role in renewable energy technologies and numerous essential industrial processes. Currently, inorganic materials, especially noble metals or their oxides, are the most widely used catalysts. However, these catalysts often face several drawbacks, such as limited flexibility, high costs, and low efficiency. Recently, gel materials have gained attention in many fields including advanced energy conversion and storage owing to their unique physicochemical properties. This review offers a concise yet comprehensive and critical examination of recent advancements in the field of gel-based electrocatalysts. Additionally, it systematically summarizes the unique characteristics of the latest synthetic strategies for preparing gel materials as well as the relationship between the structure of gel materials and their performance in energy conversion and storage. An overview of various reactions involved in renewable energy conversion and storage, including water electrolysis, oxygen reduction, carbon dioxide reduction, and energy devices, is presented, along with the challenges and opportunities in this domain.