A clean energy breakthrough has been reported by UK researchers, who say they have discovered new “in-between states” as molecular precursors break down when heated, uncovering previously unknown synthetic materials.
First reported in a recent paper in Nature Communications, the new work by University of Warwick and University of Birmingham researchers explored the intermediate phases as molecules are heated to produce traditional synthetic materials, revealing intriguing properties present only in these in-between states.
From solar-powered hydrogen production to efficient lithium storage, these newly discovered materials could present a major boon to clean energy research in the face of global climate change.
Clean Energy and The Previously Excluded Middle
“When materials are made by heating, scientists usually focus on the final product, the ‘B’ that results from ‘A’,” said co-author Dr. Sebastian Pike, Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick. “But this study shows that there are many fascinating stages in between ‘A’ and ‘B,’ and these hidden steps could be just as important.”
The UK team began with molecules containing all the elements needed to produce a material, known as single-source precursors, which are then heated to form the final material. Their innovation lay in following minor in-between states along the journey from precursor to finished product.
Observing these previously hidden states required the researchers to employ a variety of cutting-edge tools, including X-ray diffraction, solid-state NMR spectroscopy, and pair distribution analysis. The key to achieving a controlled in-between state, challenging with typical production methods, lies in selecting the proper precursor and in how it breaks down, which has already yielded exciting results early in the research.
“We didn’t know exactly what we would find going in, but we were confident there would be something interesting and unknown in the intermediate phases,” Dr. Pike added. “We were thrilled to discover that some of these could have practical uses, even from the very first experiments.”
Clean Energy Possibilities
The most notable discovery from this process was β-BiVO₄, a kinetically stabilized form of bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄).
BiVO₄ is already a very useful material for clean energy applications, as it absorbs sunlight very efficiently while retaining enough energy to split water into hydrogen fuel, due to its optimal band gap, the difference between its empty and electron-filled states. However, β-BiVO₄ has an even larger band gap, increasing its efficiency for potential applications in solar fuel generation, electronics, and catalysis.
Intriguingly, this wasn’t the only useful in-between state found to have an energy application; another possessed extremely high lithium storage capabilities, potentially useful for battery technology.
“There is a global scientific drive towards clean energy solutions,” Dr. Pike told The Debrief. “As inorganic chemists, we will contribute new materials and synthetic methodologies to contribute to this grand challenge.”
“BiVO4 has been studied extensively due to its exceptional properties for photochemical water oxidation, so it’s very exciting to discover a new atomic arrangement of this key material,” Pike said. “The properties of the beta phase are a little different to the traditionally studied BiVO4 polymorph, but this opens up different options for application.”
Making Clean Energy Solutions
The new work is a first step toward serious new clean energy applications. At present, the process is not scaled for commercial applications, and the researchers have produced only very small amounts of β-BiVO₄ in a laboratory setting. While they say controlling the material state should be a reasonable proposition from a manufacturing standpoint, there is still work to be done to increase the supply of raw materials required for the process.
“Transforming molecular precursors into materials such as beta-BiVO4 is relatively straightforward,” Dr. Pike said, “but the challenge lies in preparing the multi-metallic molecular precursors in a cost-effective way—this emphasises the important role of molecular inorganic chemistry for future materials.”
The UK team is optimistic that they have opened the door to even wider possibilities in materials science, as this initial work tested only a handful of precursors and already achieved promising results. Beyond clean energy applications, Dr. Pike noted that sunlight-absorbing materials also have uses in creating antibacterial surfaces, pollutant extractors, and self-cleaning surfaces.
The paper, “Amorphous Intermediates and Discovery of a Kinetic Polymorph of BiVO4 from Heating V+Bi+Zn Single-Source Precursors,” appeared in Nature Communications on April 30, 2026.
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.