Gene therapy has great potential in treating neurodegenerative diseases with complex pathologies. The combination of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and caspase-3 will provide an effective treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To overcome the multiple physiological barriers and improve the therapeutic efficacy of siRNAs, lesion-recognizing nanoparticles (NPs) are constructed in this study for the synergistic treatment of AD. The lesion-recognizing NPs contain rabies virus glycoprotein peptide-modified mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes as the shell and a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive polymer loaded with siRNAs as the core. After intranasal administration, the lesion-recognizing NPs cross the nasal mucosa and migrate to the affected brain areas. Furthermore, the NPs recognize the target cells and fuse with the cell membranes of neurons. The cores of NPs directly enter into the cytoplasm and achieve the controlled release of siRNAs in a high-ROS environment to downregulate the level of BACE1 and caspase-3 to ameliorate neurologic injury. In addition, lesion-recognizing NPs can significantly reduce the number of reactive astrocytes. Lesion-recognizing NPs have a positive effect on regulating the phase of neurons and astrocytes, which results in better restoration of memory deficits in 3 × Tg-AD mice. Therefore, this work provides a promising platform for neurodegenerative disease treatment.

A single-atom catalyst (Fe SAs/–N-C) with excellent stability and conductivity was strategically fabricated via high-temperature calcination using the NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH)/ZIF-8 composite as precursors. With the help of Ni as a catalyst, a great number of carbon nanotubes were produced whereby the isolated carbon bulks were interconnected to form an “island-bridge”-like 3D network structure, which greatly enhanced the exposure of active sites and the electron transfer. Accordingly, caffeic acid (CA) with versatile biological and pharmacological activities was chosen as the model analyte. The Fe SAs/–N-C with Fe–N₄ as the catalytic active site was employed to establish the electrochemical sensing of CA with satisfactory sensitivity, selectivity, and long-term stability. This work expands the application range of single-atom catalysts and contributes a significant reference for the synthesis of hybrid double-atom catalysts.

The increased risk of breast cancer metastasis is closely linked to the effects of platelets. Our previously light-switchable diphtheria toxin A fragment (DTA) gene system, known as the LightOn system, has demonstrated significant therapeutic potential; it lacks antimetastatic capabilities. In this study, we devised an innovative system by combining cell membrane fusion liposomes (CML) loaded with the light-switchable transgene DTA (pDTA) and a ticagrelor (Tig) prodrug. This innovative system, named the sequential rocket-mode bioactivating drug delivery system (pDTA-Tig@CML), aims to achieve targeted pDTA delivery while concurrently inhibiting platelet activity through the sequential release of Tig triggered by reactive oxygen species with the tumor microenvironment. In vitro investigations have indicated that pDTA-Tig@CML, with its ability to sequentially release Tig and pDTA, effectively suppresses platelet activity, resulting in improved therapeutic outcomes and the mitigation of platelet driven metastasis in breast cancer. Furthermore, pDTA-Tig@CML exhibits enhanced tumor aggregation and successfully restrains tumor growth and metastasis. It also reduces the levels of ADP, ATP, TGF-β, and P-selectin both in vitro and in vivo, underscoring the advantages of combining the bioactivating Tig prodrug nanoplatform with the LightOn system. Consequently, pDTA-Tig@CML emerges as a promising light-switchable DTA transgene system, offering a novel bioactivating prodrug platform for breast cancer treatment.

Bone tumor patients often encounter challenges associated with cancer cell residues and bone defects postoperation. To address this, there is an urgent need to develop a material that can enable tumor treatment and promote bone repair. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted the interest of many researchers due to their special porous structure, which has great potential in regenerative medicine and drug delivery. However, few studies explore MOFs with dual antitumor and bone regeneration properties. In this study, we investigated amino-functionalized zirconium-based MOF nanoparticles (UiO-66-NH₂ NPs) as bifunctional nanomaterials for bone tumor treatment and osteogenesis promotion. UiO-66-NH₂ NPs loading with doxorubicin (DOX) (DOX@UiO-66-NH₂ NPs) showed good antitumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, DOX@UiO-66-NH₂ NPs significantly reduced lung injury compared to free DOX in vivo. Interestingly, the internalized UiO-66-NH₂ NPs notably promoted the osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblasts. RNA-sequencing data revealed that PI3K-Akt signaling pathways or MAPK signaling pathways might be involved in this enhanced osteogenesis. Overall, UiO-66-NH₂ NPs exhibit dual functionality in tumor treatment and bone repair, making them highly promising as a bifunctional material with broad application prospects.

Nonapoptotic ferroptosis is a promising cancer treatment which offers a solution to the multidrug resistance of conventional apoptosis-induced programmed cancer cell death therapies. Reducing intracellular glutathione (GSH) is essential for inducing excess ROS and has been considered a crucial process to trigger ferroptosis. However, treatments reducing GSH alone have not produced satisfactory effects due to their restricted target. In this regard, FeCDs (Fe³⁺-modified l-histidine -sourced carbon dots) with dual GSH-consumption capabilities were constructed to engineer ferroptosis by self-amplifying intratumoral oxidative stress. Carbon dots have the ability to consume GSH, and the introduction of Fe³⁺ can amplify the GSH-consuming ability of CDs, reacting with excess H₂O₂ in the tumor microenvironment to generate highly oxidized ^•OH. This is a novel strategy through synergistic self-amplification therapy combining Fe³⁺ and CDs with GSH-consuming activity. The acid-triggered degradation material (FeCDs@PAE–PEG) was prepared by encapsulating FeCDs in an oil-in-water manner. Compared with other ferroptosis-triggering nanoparticles, the established FeCDs@PAE–PEG is targeted and significantly enhances the consumption efficiency of GSH and accumulation of excess iron without the involvement of infrared light and ultrasound. This synergistic strategy exhibits excellent ferroptosis-inducing ability and antitumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo and offers great potential for clinical translation of ferroptosis.

Mouthguards are used to prevent craniomaxillofacial injuries when collisions happen during contact and high-speed sports. However, poor compliance with mouthguard wear in athletes is attributed to discomfort because of its thickness and hardness. These drawbacks significantly restrict their protective performance for oral tissues and applications during contact sports; as a result, the incidence of craniomaxillofacial injuries increases. In this study, non-Newton material is introduced into mouthguard material and then a mouthguard with shear-stiffening behavior is fabricated, which is named the shear-stiffening mouthguard (SSM). Compared with commercial mouthguard materials (Erkoflex and Erkoloc-pro), SSMs show remarkable enhancement of shock absorption ability with an approximately 60% reduction in peak force relative to commercial materials and approximately 3-fold extensive buffer time. Moreover, Young’s modulus of SSMs (average 0.48 MPa) is extremely lower compared to commercial materials (22.88 MPa for Erkoflex and 26.71 MPa for Erkoloc-pro). This manifests that SSMs have not only excellent shock absorption ability but also softness perception. Moreover, SSMs show biocompatibility in vitro. In conclusion, this work provides a platform to develop a new type of thin and soft mouthguard with a shear-stiffening effect and broadens the horizon in protecting oral tissues with shear-stiffening materials.

The recent focus on P(VDF-TrFE) material in biomedical engineering stems from its outstanding mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, its application in sono–piezo dynamic therapy (SPDT) has been relatively unexplored. In this study, we developed composite piezoelectric nanoparticles (rPGd NPs@RGD) based on recrystallized P(VDF-TrFE) particles, which offer dual capabilities of MRI imaging and targeted treatment for brain gliomas. SEM observations of P(VDF-TrFE) particles in the disordered convolution region (DCR) revealed recrystallization, representing the polymer chain structure and particle polarity. In comparison to nonrecrystallized nanoparticles, rPGd NPs@RGD exhibited remarkable stability and biocompatibility. Under ultrasound excitation, they generated significantly higher levels of reactive oxygen species, effectively inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. rPGd NPs@RGD demonstrated excellent MRI imaging capabilities and antitumor activity in U87 tumor-bearing mice. This study highlights the remarkable SPDT abilities of the developed nanoparticles, attributed to the microscopic morphological changes in the DCR that increase the nanoparticle’s polarity and thus boost its potential for SPDT. This research opens new possibilities for utilizing P(VDF-TrFE) materials in advanced biomedical applications.

Tactile sensors with high softness and multisensory functions are highly desirable for applications in humanoid robotics, smart prosthetics, and human–machine interfaces. Here, we report a soft biomimetic fiber-optic tactile (SBFT) sensor that offers skin-like tactile sensing abilities to perceive and discriminate temperature and pressure. The SBFT sensor is fabricated by encapsulating a macrobent fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in an elastomeric droplet-shaped structure that results in two optical resonances associated with the FBG and excited whispering gallery modes (WGMs) propagating along the bent region. Benefiting from the different thermo-optic and stress-optic effects of FBG and WGM resonances, the pressure and temperature can be fully decoupled with a high precision of 0.2 °C and 0.8 mN, respectively. To achieve a compact system for signal demodulation, a single-cavity dual-comb fiber laser is developed to interrogate the SBFT sensor based on dual-comb spectroscopy, which enables fast spectral sampling with a single photodiode. We show that the SBFT sensor is capable of perceiving pressure, temperature, and hardness in touching soft tissues and human skins, demonstrating great promise for soft tissue palpation and human-like robotic perception.

Accurate targeting of therapeutic agents to specific tumor tissues, especially via deep tumor penetration, has been an effective strategy in cancer treatments. Here, we described a flexible nanoplatform, pH-responsive zwitterionic acylsulfonamide betaine-functionalized fourth-generation PAMAM dendrimers (G4-AB), which presented multiple advantages for chemo–photothermal therapy, including template synthesis of ultrasmall copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles and further encapsulation of doxorubicin (DOX) (G4-AB-DOX/CuS), long-circulating performance by a relatively large size and zwitterionic surface in a physiological environment, combined size shrinkage, and charge conversions via pH-responsive behavior in an acidic tumor microenvironment (TME). Accordingly, high tumor penetration and positive cell uptake for CuS and DOX have been determined, which triggered an excellent combination treatment under near-infrared irradiation in comparison to the monochemotherapy system and irresponsive chemo–photothermal system. Our study represented great promise in constructing multifunctional carriers for the effective delivery of photothermal nanoparticles and drugs in chemo–photothermal therapy.

Probiotic therapy in infected wound healing is hindered by its low viability and colonization efficiency during treatments. Developing dressings that maintain metabolic activity and prevent the potential leakage of probiotics is imperative. Herein, a culture-delivery live probiotics hydrogel dressing is designed and synthesized, formed by gelatin modified with norbornene (GelNB) and sulfhydryl (GelSH), distributing Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri)-laden alginate microspheres (AlgMPs). GelNB-GelSH hydrogel (GelNBSH) incorporating AlgMPs embedding L. reuteri (GelNBSH-L) possesses bioprintability and efficient polymerization that can maintain the activity of L. reuteri in situ, promote its proliferation, and limit its leakage. Thereby, GelNBSH-L achieved a sustainable antimicrobial effect against both S. aureus and E. coli (>90%). Above all, the results show that GelNBSH-L could ensure propitious viability and efficient antibacterial properties of probiotics, effectively inhibit the further development of bacterial infectious wounds and shorten the repair cycle, aiding in ameliorating future clinical probiotic biotherapy.

Wound infection has become a healthy economic burden globally. Current wound management mainly relies on the use of antibiotics; however, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics can easily result in antibiotic resistance. This study proposes a biodegradable, biocompatible, and pH-responsive amphiphilic 11-aminoundecanoic acid-grafted polysuccinimide (AUA-PSI) as a nanocarrier for drug encapsulation via nanoprecipitation. The succinimide groups in the backbone of PSI allow facile postfunctionalization via an aminolysis reaction. The degree of substitution of AUA can be modulated to adjust the degradation rate, pH sensitivity, and drug-release profile. Antibiotic rifampicin was incorporated with AUA-PSI to form Rif-AUA-PSI nanoparticles and demonstrated pH-responsiveness and antimicrobial activity. Because of the elevation of the pH value from pH = ∼ 5.5 in healthy skin to pH > 7 in an infected wound, Rif-AUA-PSI nanoparticles begin to decompose and release Rif upon the hydrolysis of succinimide/amide and deprotonation of carboxyl groups. The effective suppression of bacterial growth by Rif-AUA-PSI nanoparticles was demonstrated using a plate count method. More importantly, Rif-AUA-PSI nanoparticles were physically deposited on cotton gauze bandages as an antibiotic wound dressing. The Rif-AUA-PSI-modified gauze was applied to infected wounds on rats for wound management. The results show fast wound healing and inhibition of bacterial growth, which demonstrate that the method promotes modulable amphiphilicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility, pH-responsiveness, and facile modification for nanomedicine and medical devices.

Luminescent imaging has garnered significant attention for in vivo tracking of biomedical implants during and after surgery due to its human friendliness, affordability, and high sensitivity. However, conventional fluorescent probes are susceptible to background autofluorescence interference from living tissues, often resulting in poor signal-to-noise ratios. Herein, we report a background interference-free persistent luminescent implant (PLI) with excellent persistent luminescence (PL) performance, which can be clearly and long-term detected by an optical imaging system after implantation. Rechargeable near-infrared persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) were prepared first via a simple hydrothermal approach and then modified by PEGylation to improve their hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, and compatibility with polymer substrates. The PEGylated PLNPs were facilely complexed into a polymer matrix to fabricate the PLI. The obtained PLIs can well inherit the PL properties of PLNPs, exhibiting good PL optical imaging performance without tissue autofluorescence interference. Furthermore, both PLNPs and PLIs possess good biocompatibility, and the addition of PLNPs has no negative impact on the biocompatibility of the polymer matrix. This work fully utilizes the luminescent properties of PLNPs and adapts this PL to the field of biomedical implant imaging, which provides new insight for designing biomedical imaging systems.

Despite immunotherapy having revolutionized cancer therapy, the efficacy of immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is seriously restricted due to the insufficient infiltration of mature dendritic cells (DCs) and the highly diffusion of immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment. Herein, an immunomodulatory nanoplatform (HA/Lipo@MTO@IMQ), in which the DCs could be maximally activated, was engineered to remarkably eradicate the tumor via the combination of suppressive tumor immune microenvironment reversal immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and photothermal therapy. It was noticed that the immunotherapy efficacy could be significantly facilitated by this triple-assistance therapy: First, a robust immunogenic cell death (ICD) effect was induced by mitoxantrone hydrochloride (MTO) to boost DCs maturation and cytotoxic T lymphocytes infiltration. Second, the powerful promaturation property of the toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8) agonist on DCs simultaneously strengthened the ICD effect and restricted antitumor immunity to the tumor bed and lymph nodes. On this basis, tumor-associated macrophages were also dramatically repolarized toward the antitumor M1 phenotype in response to TLR7/8 agonist to intensify the phagocytosis and reverse the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Furthermore, the recruitment of immunocompetent cells and tumor growth inhibition were further promoted by the photothermal characteristic. The nanoplatform with no conspicuous untoward effects exhibited a splendid ability to activate the systemic immune system so as to increase the immunogenicity of the tumor microenvironment, thus enhancing the tumor killing effect. Taken together, HA/Lipo@MTO@IMQ might highlight an efficient combination of therapeutic modality for TNBC.

The sodium anode-free combines low-cost and high energy density, demonstrating a promising alternative to the Li battery counterpart. Nevertheless, the uptake of a sodium anode-free battery is greatly impeded by the uncontrollable dendrite proliferation upon the chemically active metallic Na. An insightful mechanistic understanding of Na deposition nucleation and growth behavior in ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate (EC/PC, 1:1) is revealed via various inert and/or cryo-electron microscopy characterization techniques. The deposit morphology, size, and distribution were studied with different current densities and areal capacity. The Na deposit distribution changes from nonparametric distribution to normal distribution which can be attributed to the effect of interparticle diffusion coupling (IDP). The atomic information on the Na deposit was revealed via cryogenic transmission electron microscopy.

We demonstrate here a simple liquid electrolyte soluble Cu-compound, viz., cupric chloride (CuCl₂) as an alternative electrocatalyst for nonaqueous Li–CO₂ batteries. The key point behind the selection of CuCl₂ is that the theoretical potential of Li–CO₂ batteries (≈2.8 V; Li⁺|Li) lies within the Cu¹⁺|Cu⁰ redox couple (2.3–3.3 V; Li⁺|Li). The presence of CuCl₂ in the liquid electrolyte near to the carbon nanotubes (≡ coelectrocatalyst)-loaded porous-CO₂ cathode led to efficient electrocatalysis of CO₂ and superior Li–CO₂ battery performance. The cell overpotential in the presence of CuCl₂ is 0.65 V, which is less than half compared to the one without it (≈1.7 V). Extensive investigations precisely elucidate the electrocatalytic mediation of CuCl₂ with the redox characteristics of CO₂. Additionally, only in the presence of CuCl₂, the existence of Li–oxalate (Li₂C₂O₄) is detected, which is a seldomly reported intermediate preceding the formation of Li₂CO₃.

Engineering multidimensional two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) perovskite interfaces as light harvesters has recently emerged as a potential strategy to obtain a higher photovoltaic performance in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with enhanced environmental stability. In this study, we utilized the 1,5-diammonium naphthalene iodide (NDAI) bulky organic spacer for interface modification in 3D perovskites for passivating the anionic iodide/uncoordinated Pb²⁺ vacancies as well as facilitating charge carrier transfer by improving the energy band alignment at the perovskite/HTL interface. Consequently, the NDAI-treated 2D/3D PSCs showed an enhanced open-circuit voltage and fill factor with a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.48%. In addition, 2D/3D perovskite devices without encapsulation exhibit a 77% retention of their initial output after 1000 h of aging under 50 ± 5% relative humidity. Furthermore, even after 200 h of storage in 85 °C thermal stress, the devices maintain 60% of their initial PCE. The defect passivation and interface modification mechanism were studied in detail by UV vis absorption, photoluminescence spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), solid-state NMR, space-charge-limited current (SCLC) mobility measurement, and impedance spectroscopy. This study provides a promising path for perovskite surface modification in slowing their degradation against external stimuli, providing a future direction for increasing the perovskite device efficiency and durability.

Tin perovskite solar cells (TPSCs) have been facing challenges in power conversion efficiency (PCE) and long-term stability due to the easy oxidation of Sn²⁺ and the migration of iodine ions, which create populated trap states and cause detrimental recombination of photogenerated carriers. In this work, we design a novel “molecular lock” to suppress the oxidation and iodine migration of tin perovskites by introducing F-type pseudohalide tetrafluoroborate (BF₄^–) and natural multifunctional antioxidant myricetin (C₁₅H₁₀O₈). We find that the incorporation of BF₄^– releases lattice strain and enhances the structural stability of tin perovskites. Furthermore, it is confirmed that myricetin molecules are anchored on the surface and grain boundaries of perovskite layers via hydrogen bonding interactions, reducing Sn⁴⁺ to Sn²⁺ and stabilizing iodine in tin perovskite octahedrons. The resultant TPSC with a molecular lock based on (MA_0.25FA_0.75)_0.98EDA_0.01SnI_2.99(BF₄)_0.01 achieves a high PCE of 14.08%. Moreover, the target device shows negligible change in PCE under 1000 h storage in the dark and retains 89.9% of the initial PCE after continuous irradiation for 200 h.

Establishing an effective metal-free photocatalyst for sustainable applications remains a huge challenge. Herein, we developed ultrathin oxygen-doped g-C₃N₄ nanosheets with carbon defects (OCvN) photocatalyst via a facile gas bubble template-assisted thermal copolymerization method. A series of OCvN with different dopant amounts ranging from 0 to 10% were synthesized and used as photocatalysts under illumination of low-power (2 × 18 W, 0.18 mW/cm²) and commercially available energy-saving light bulbs. Upon testing for photocatalytic Escherichia coli inactivation, the best-performing sample, OCvN-3, demonstrated an astonishing disinfection activity of over 7-log reduction after 3 h of illumination, boasting an 18-fold improvement in its antibacterial activity compared to that of pristine g-C₃N₄. The enhanced performance was attributed to the synergistic effects of increased surface area, extended visible light harvesting, improved electronic conductivity, and ultralow resistance to charge transfer. This study successfully introduced a green photocatalyst that demonstrates the most effective disinfection performance ever recorded among metal-free g-C₃N₄ materials. Its disinfection capabilities are comparable to those of metal-based photocatalysts when they are exposed to low-power light.

Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation to ammonia and nitrates holds great promise as a sustainable route powered by solar energy and fed with renewable energy resources (N₂ and H₂O). This technology is currently under deep investigation to overcome the limited efficiency of the process. The rational design of efficient and robust photocatalysts is crucial to boost the photocatalytic performance. Widely used bulk materials generally suffer from charge recombination due to poor interfacial charge transfer and difficult surface diffusion. To overcome this limitation, this work explores the use of aqueous-dispersed colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) with precise morphological control, better carrier mobility, and stronger redox ability. Here, the TiO₂ framework has been modified via aliovalent molybdenum doping, and resulting Mo–TiO₂ NCs have been functionalized with charged terminating hydroxyl groups (OH^–) for the simultaneous production of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates via photocatalytic nitrogen reduction in water, which has not been previously found in the literature. Our results demonstrate the positive effect of Mo-doping and nanostructuration on the overall N₂ fixation performance. Ammonia production rates are found to be dependent on the Mo-doping loading. 5Mo–TiO₂ delivers the highest NH₄⁺ yield rate (ca. 105.3 μmol g^–1 L^–1 h^–1) with an outstanding 90% selectivity, which is almost four times higher than that obtained over bare TiO₂. The wide range of advance characterization techniques used in this work reveals that Mo-doping enhances charge-transfer processes and carriers lifetime as a consequence of the creation of new intra band gap states in Mo-doped TiO₂ NCs.

This study investigates the use of chitosan hydrogel microspheres as a template for growing an extended network of MOF-type HKUST-1. Different drying methods (supercritical CO₂, freeze-drying, and vacuum drying) were used to generate three-dimensional polysaccharide nanofibrils embedding MOF nanoclusters. The resulting HKUST-1@Chitosan beads exhibit uniform and stable loadings of HKUST-1 and were used for the adsorption of CO₂, CH₄, Xe, and Kr. The maximum adsorption capacity of CO₂ was found to be 1.98 mmol·g^–1 at 298 K and 1 bar, which is significantly higher than those of most MOF-based composite materials. Based on Henry’s constants, thus-prepared HKUST-1@CS beads also exhibit fair selectivity for CO₂ over CH₄ and Xe over Kr, making them promising candidates for capture and separation applications.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are expected to upgrade their energy density to meet the growing battery market demand; however, intractable lithium dendrites and prominent electrode–electrolyte interface problems have been the stumbling block to their practical applications. Electrolytes play a crucial role in LMBs and are directly involved in the establishment of the electrode–electrolyte interface. In particular, low-concentration electrolytes (LCEs) can significantly save electrolyte costs, but the interface issue is more noteworthy. Here, multifunctional acetamide (N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide, MTA) and lithium nitrate (LiNO₃) additives were introduced together to enhance the performance of LMBs in LCEs. The MTA additive effectively removes the trace water and corrosive HF from the electrolyte, thus suppressing lithium salt decomposition and enhancing the stability of LCEs. Moreover, the MTA additive can construct an inorganic-rich interphase layer on the cathode/anode surface to protect the electrode. Especially, MTA can cooperate with LiNO₃ additive to suppress lithium dendrites and reduce interfacial impedance, thus effectively enhancing lithium metal anode stability. Benefiting from the introduction of MTA and LiNO₃ additives in the LCEs, the Li||NMC811 metal battery still has a capacity of 110 mA h g^–1 after 500 cycles at room temperature, while the reference batteries have failed. The rate capacity and high temperature (50 °C) performance of the Li||NCM811 batteries have also been significantly improved. Significantly, this research explores a cost-effective method of using multifunctional additives to enhance LMBs’ stability in LCEs.

In this study, the activation energy and ionic conductivity of the Li₆PS₅Cl material for all-solid-state batteries were investigated using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that the activation energy values estimated from nuclear relaxation rates are significantly lower than those obtained from impedance measurements. The total ionic conductivities for long-range lithium diffusion in Li₆PS₅Cl calculated from EIS studies depend on the crystal size and unit cell parameter. The study also presents a new sample preparation method for measuring activation energy using temperature-dependent EIS and compares the results with the solid-state NMR data. The activation energy for a thin-film sample is equivalent to the long-range lithium dynamics estimated from NMR measurements, indicating the presence of additional limiting processes in thick pellets. Additionally, a theoretical model of Li-ion hopping based on results obtained using density-functional theory methods in comparison with experimental findings was discussed. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of sample preparation methods in determining accurate activation energy and ionic conductivity values for solid-state lithium batteries and the significance of solid-state electrolyte thickness in new solid-state battery design for faster Li-ion diffusion.

In alkaline and neutral zero-gap CO₂ electrolyzers, the carbon utilization efficiency of the electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction to CO is less than 50% because of inherently homogeneous reactions. Utilization of the bipolar membrane (BPM) electrolyzer can effectively suppress (bi)carbonate formation and parasitic CO₂ losses; however, an excessive concentration of H⁺ in the catalyst layer (CL) significantly hinders the activity and selectivity for CO₂ reduction. Here, we report a microenvironment regulation strategy that controls the CL thickness and ionomer content to regulate local CO₂ transport and the local pH within the CL. We report 80% faradaic efficiency of CO at a current density of 400 mA/cm² without the use of a buffering layer, exceeding that of state-of-the-art catalysts with a buffering layer. A carbon utilization efficiency of 63.6% at 400 mA/cm² is also obtained. This study demonstrates the significance of regulating the microenvironment of the CL in a BPM system.

The electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide into value-added compounds not only paves the way toward a sustainable society but also unlocks the potential for electrocatalytic synthesis of amides through the introduction of N atoms. However, it also poses one of the greatest challenges in catalysis: achieving simultaneous completion of C–C coupling and C–N coupling. Here, we have meticulously investigated the catalytic prowess of Cu-based single-atom alloys in facilitating the electrochemical synthesis of acetamide from CO₂ and N₂. Through a comprehensive screening process encompassing catalyst stability, adsorption capability, and selectivity against the HER, W/Cu(111) SAA has emerged as an auspicious contender. The reaction entails CO₂ reduction to CO, C–C coupling leading to the formation of a ketene intermediate *CCO, N₂ reduction, and C–N coupling between NH₃ and *CCO culminating in the production of acetamide. The W/Cu(111) surface not only exhibits exceptional activity in the formation of acetamide, with a barrier energy of 0.85 eV for the rate-determining CO hydrogenation step, but also effectively suppresses undesired side reactions leading to various C₁ and C₂ byproducts during CO₂ reduction. This work presents a highly effective approach for forming C–C and C–N bonds via coelectroreduction of CO₂ and N₂, illuminating the reaction mechanism underlying acetamide synthesis from these two gases on single-atom alloy catalysts. The catalyst design strategy employed in this study has the potential to be extended to a range of amide chemicals, thereby broadening the scope of products that can be obtained through CO₂/N₂ reduction.

Photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) are appealing devices for the production of renewable energy carriers. In this context, III–V semiconductors such as GaAs are very promising materials due to their tunable band gaps, which can be appropriately adjusted for sunlight harvesting. Because of the high cost of these semiconductors, the nanostructuring of the photoactive layer can help to improve the device efficiency as well as drastically reduce the amount of material needed. III–V nanowire-based photoelectrodes benefit from the intrinsically high aspect ratio of nanowires, their enhanced ability to trap light, and their improved charge separation and collection abilities and thus are particularly attractive for PECs. However, III–V semiconductors often suffer from corrosion in aqueous electrolytes, preventing their utilization over long periods under relevant working conditions. Here, photocathodes of GaAs nanowires protected with thin TiO₂ shells were prepared and studied under simulated sunlight irradiation to assess their photoelectrochemical performances in correlation with their structural degradation, highlighting the advantageous nanowire geometry compared to its thin-film counterpart. Morphological and electronic parameters, such as the aspect ratio of the nanowires and their doping pattern, were found to strongly influence the photocatalytic performances of the system. This work highlights the advantageous combination of nanowires featuring a buried radial p–n junction with Co nanoparticles used as a hydrogen evolution catalyst. The nanostructured photocathodes exhibit significant photocatalytic activities comparable with previous noble-metal-based systems. This study demonstrates the potential of a GaAs nanostructured semiconductor and its reliable use for photodriven hydrogen production.

Silicon (Si) has garnered significant interest as a potential anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. However, Si anodes suffer from substantial volume expansion during the charge and discharge processes, which severely undermines their cycling stability. To address this issue, developing novel binders has become an effective strategy to suppress the volume expansion of Si anodes. In this study, a multifunctional polymer binder (DCCS) was designed by the cross-linking of dialdehyde cellulose nanocrystal (DACNC) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), which forms a 3D network structure via Schiff-base bonds. The DCCS binder with abundant chemical and hydroxyl bonds shows strong adhesion between Si nanoparticles and current collectors, thus enhancing the mechanical properties of the electrode. Furthermore, the DACNC also served as the protecting buffer layer to release the inner stress and stabilize the solid electrolyte interface (SEI). At 4 A g^–1, the resulting Si@25%DCCS electrode demonstrated a capacity of 1637 mAh g^–1 after 500 cycles, with an average capacity fading rate of 0.07% per cycle. Therefore, this multifunctional binder is considered a promising binder for high-performance Si anodes.

Increasing emissions of greenhouse gases compounded with legacy emissions in the earth’s atmosphere poses an existential threat to human survival. One potential solution is creating carbon-negative and carbon-neutral materials, specifically for commodities used heavily throughout the globe, using a low-cost, scalable, and technologically and economically feasible process that can be deployed without the need for extensive infrastructure or skill requirements. Here, we demonstrate that nickel-functionalized graphene quantum dots (GQDs) can effectively couple to nonphotosynthetic bacteria at a cellular, molecular, and optoelectronic level, creating nanobiohybrid organisms (nanorgs) that enable the utilization of sunlight to convert carbon dioxide, air, and water into high-value-added chemicals such as ammonia (NH₃), ethylene (C₂H₄), isopropanol (IPA), 2,3-butanediol (BDO), C₁₁–C₁₅ methyl ketones (MKs), and degradable bioplastics poly hydroxybutyrate (PHB) with high efficiency and selectivity. We demonstrate a high turnover number (TON) of up to 10⁸ (mol of product per mol of cells), ease of application, facile scalability (demonstrated using a 30 L tank in a lab), and sustainable generation of carbon nanomaterials from recovered bacteria for creating nanorgs without the use of any toxic chemicals or materials. These findings can have important implications for the further development of sustainable processes for making carbon-negative materials using nanorgs.

Current ocean wave observation is achieved by separate battery-powered sensing and signal transmission modules. Owing to the limited electrical supply and information channel space, the long-time span observation is restricted and only wave height and period information rather than the whole wave profile are sent back to the receiver. In this work, a self-powered ocean wave observation system was achieved by a developed polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC)-based smart reflector powered by a tailored triboelectric nanogenerator embedded with one-way overrunning clutches. The off-shore smart reflector modulated the on-shore emitted laser light, where ocean wave motion information can be revealed from the remotely detected reflected laser light without cable connections. The ocean wave rise and fall are distinguished by the developed one-way overrunning clutch, which selects the TENG to power the PNLC. Through the developed paradigm, ocean wave sensing and signal transmission can be achieved simultaneously, which is fully self-powered and free-of-cable. The flume-based self-powered ocean observation was performed with demonstrated wave height and period sensing accuracies of 92.66 and 97.32%, respectively.

Gas fermentation offers a carbon-neutral route for producing industrial feedstocks using autotrophic microbes to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) in waste gases, such as industrial emissions and biogas, into valuable chemicals or biofuels. However, slow microbial metabolism owing to low gaseous solubility causes significant challenges in gas fermentation. Although chemical or genetic manipulations have been explored to improve gas fermentation, they are either nonsustainable or complex. Herein, an artificial soil-like material (SLM) inspired by natural soil was fabricated to improve the growth and metabolism ofCupriavidus necatorfor enhanced poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) biosynthesis from CO₂ and hydrogen (H₂). Porous SLM comprises low-cost nanoclay, boehmite, and starch and serves as a biocarrier to facilitate the colonization of bacteria and delivery of CO₂ to bacteria. With 3.0 g/L SLM addition, the solubility of CO₂ in water increased by ∼4 times and biomass and PHB production boosted by 29 and 102%, respectively, in the 24 h culture. In addition, a positive modulation was observed in the metabolism of PHB biosynthesis. PHB biosynthesis-associated gene expression was found to be enhanced in response to the SLM addition. The concentrations of intermediates in the metabolic pathway of PHB biosynthesis, such as pyruvate and acetyl-CoA, as well as reducing energy (ATP and NADPH) significantly increased with SLM addition. SLM also demonstrated the merits of easy fabrication, high stability, recyclability, and plasticity, thereby indicating its considerable potential for large-scale application in gas fermentation.

The development of new methods of catalyst synthesis with the potential to generate active site structures orthogonal to those accessible by traditional protocols is of great importance for discovering new materials for addressing challenges in the evolving energy and chemical economy. In this work, the generality of oxidative grafting of organometallic and well-defined molecular metal precursors onto redox-active surfaces such as manganese dioxide (MnO₂) and lithium manganese oxide (LiMn₂O₄) is investigated. Nine molecular metal precursors are explored, spanning groups 4–11 and each of the three periods of the transition metal series. The byproducts of the oxidative grafting reaction, a mixture of protodemetalation and ligand homocoupling for several organometallic precursors, was found to provide insights into the mechanism of the grafting reaction, suggesting oxidation of both the metal d-orbitals, as well as the metal–carbon σ-bonds, resulting in ejection of the ligand radical fragment. Analysis of the supported structures and oxidation state by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggests that several of the chemisorbed metal ions are intercalated into interstitial vacancies of the surface structure while other complexes form intact molecular fragments on the surface. Proof of concept for the use of this metalation protocol to generate diverse, metal-dependent catalytic performance is demonstrated by the application of these materials in the conversion of cyclohexane to K/A oil (cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone) with tert-butyl hydroperoxide, as well as in the low-temperature (T ≤ 50 °C) oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.

The main goal of this work is to develop cheap photocatalysts for the efficient photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to methanol with water. A series of composites of Cu/g-C₃N₄ were prepared via a solvothermal method. Copper nanoparticle (Cu NP) size in Cu/g-C₃N₄ can be easily controlled by adjusting the synthesis temperature. The Cu/g-C₃N₄ material with the proper size of Cu NP (CuCN-100) had the best photocatalytic property (675 μmol·g^–1·h^–1) in reducing the amount of CO₂ to methanol at room temperature under normal pressure. The particle size of Cu NPs is the key factor to improve the catalytic activity and stability because of the improved transfer and separation of photogenerated charges with the small Cu NPs. Although the sample with large Cu NPs (CuCN-200) initially gave a better activity than that of CuCN-100 due to the formation of double heterojunction, its activity was thoroughly lost after two runs resulting from the continuous photocorrosion. This work provides a valuable insight for preparing efficient semiconductor–metal photocatalysts.

The film-forming electrolyte additive/co-solvent fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) can play a crucial role in enabling high-energy-density lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Its beneficial impact on homogeneous and compact lithium (Li) deposition morphology leads to improved Coulombic efficiency (CE) of the resulting cell chemistry during galvanostatic cycling and consequently an extended cell lifetime. Herein, the impact of this promising additive/co-solvent on selected properties of LMBs is systematically investigated by utilizing an in-house developed lithium pretreatment method. The results reveal that as long as FEC is present in the organic carbonate-based electrolyte, a dense mosaic-like lithium morphology of Li deposits with a reduced polarization of only 20 mV combined with a prolonged cycle life is achieved. When the pretreated Li electrodes with an FEC-derived preformed SEI (pSEI) are galvanostatically cycled with the FEC-free electrolyte, the described benefits induced by the additive are not observable. These results underline that the favorable properties of the FEC-derived SEI are beneficial only if there is unreacted FEC in the electrolyte formulation left to constantly reform the interphase layer, which is especially important for anodes with high-volume changes and dynamic surfaces like lithium metal and lithiated silicon.

Difluoroethylene carbonate (DFEC) featuring abundant fluorine atoms has been proposed as a multifunctional electrolyte additive to boost the stability of the electrolyte–electrode interphase of lithium metal batteries. Thus, introducing the DFEC additive enables a high capacity retention rate of the Li||NCM811 full cell (up to 75% after 200 cycles) at 4.5 V high voltage.

Side reactions and dendrite growth on the zinc metal anode surface seriously damage the shelf life and calendar life of Zn-based batteries. Here, an Al-complexed artificial interfacial layer is constructed on the Zn surface (denoted as Al-complex@Zn) by a low-cost, facile, and scalable chemical method. The Al-complex interfacial layer improves the wettability of the electrolyte. Meanwhile, the Al-complex layer not only inhibits the side reaction by a physical barrier on the Zn surface but also regulates the zinc-ion flux to realize the uniform deposition of Zn²⁺. The Zn//Zn symmetric cell with an Al-complex layer has realized an ultralong cycle life of 2400 h and an extremely low polarization voltage of 20 mV (1 mA cm^–2, 0.5 mAh cm^–2), surpassing those reported in most literature. Furthermore, when an Al-complex@Zn//NaV₃O₈·1.5H₂O (NVO) full cell is assembled, a high capacity retention of 92.5% is achieved over 1000 cycles at a current density of 4 A g^–1. This work provides a facile and low-cost strategy on the modification of zinc anode to realize long-cycled aqueous Zn-ion batteries.

Molybdenum carbide (Mo₂CT_x MXene) did not possess suitable properties for supercapacitors. Herein, a short oxidation method of Mo₂CT_x in air at moderately high temperatures is proposed for fabricating a Mo₂C/MoO₃ heterostructure. The stability of Mo₂CT_x in air up to 700 °C and the phase transition at higher temperatures are confirmed. Such a heterostructure is beneficial in reducing the diffusion energy barrier of H⁺. In the aqueous system, the Mo₂C/MoO₃ electrode delivers a capacitance of up to 811 F g^–1. A fully assembled symmetric solid-state supercapacitor delivers 224 F g^–1 with an excellent retention rate of 91.05% after 7500 cycles. Besides, the supercapacitor can work at the low temperature of −60°, showing good low-temperature properties. The approach presented in this work opens a promising way to turn a neglected MXene, assumed to be unsuitable for supercapacitors, into one of the top-performing supercapacitor electrodes.

Herein, a dual-function strategy, in which CsPbI₂Br is treated by CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals (NCs) via addition and surface modification to construct the “electron bridge” and gradient heterojunction, respectively, to notably improve the performance of the CsPbI₂Br solar cells, is proposed. The “electron bridge” formed by the CsPbBr₃ NCs provides an extra transport channel for the photogenerated electrons in the CsPbI₂Br layer, thus facilitating electron transport. Meanwhile, surface modification of CsPbI₂Br by the CsPbBr₃ NCs forms a gradient heterojunction between the CsPbI₂Br layer and the P3HT layer, enhancing hole extraction accordingly. In addition, the CsPbBr₃ NC treatment passivates the defects at the bulk and surface of the CsPbI₂Br layers, thus suppressing carrier recombination. Thanks to these positive effects of the CsPbBr₃ NCs, the demonstration device with a simple configuration of ITO/SnO₂/CsPbI₂Br/P3HT/Ag achieves a notable power conversion efficiency of 17.03%, which is among the highest efficiencies reported for CsPbI₂Br-based solar cells.

Tetracyanonickelate (TCN)-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) show great potential in electrochemical applications such as supercapacitors due to their layered morphology and tunable structure. This study reports on improved electrochemical performance of exfoliated manganese tetracyanonickelate (Mn-TCN) nanosheets produced by the heat-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) technique. The structural change was confirmed by the Raman frequency shift of the C≡N band from 2177 to 2182 cm^–1 and increased band gap from 3.15 to 4.33 eV in the exfoliated phase. Statistical distribution obtained from atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows that 50% of the nanosheets are single-to-four-layered and have an average lateral size of ∼240 nm² and thickness of ∼1.2–4.8 nm. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns suggest that the material maintains its crystallinity after exfoliation. It exhibits an almost 6-fold improvement in specific capacitance (from 13.0 to 72.5 F g^–1) measured at a scan rate of 5 mV s^–1 in 1 M KOH solution. Galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) measurement shows a capacity enhancement from ∼18 F g^–1 in the bulk phase to ∼45 F g^–1 in the exfoliated phase at a current density of 1 A g^–1. Bulk crystals exhibit an increasing trend of capacitance retention by ∼125% over 1000 charge–discharge cycles attributed to electrochemical exfoliation. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) demonstrates a 5-fold reduction in the total equivalent series resistance (ESR) from 4864 Ω (bulk) to 1089 Ω (exfoliated). The enhanced storage capacity in the exfoliated phase results from the combined effect of the electrochemical double-layer charge storage mechanism at the nanosheet–electrolyte interface and the Faradic process characteristic of the pseudocapacitive charge storage behavior.

The large-scale commercial application of Li metal batteries is hindered by uncontrolled Li dendrite growth. Most of the present interfacial engineering strategies in lithium metal batteries can only prolong the nucleation time of lithium dendrites but cannot prevent the growth of lithium dendrites in three-dimensional space. In this work, a nickel-based catecholate (Ni-CAT) conductive interlayer that can guide the orderly migration of lithium ions and inhibit the disordered deposition of lithium dendrites is successfully constructed between the solid electrolyte and lithium metal through a reasonable design. The experimental analysis proves that the Ni-CAT nanorod arrays with unique vertical structures are closely connected to the solid electrolyte, which can reduce the charge-transfer resistance at the interface and guide lithium ions to be preferentially deposited on the surface of the Ni-CAT intermediate layer through the conduction gradient. Hence, this structure effectively avoids the phenomenon of apical growth during lithium deposition. In addition, the rich pores and inherent nanochannels of Ni-CAT itself act as an “ion sieve”, successfully inducing the uniform deposition of lithium metal, which greatly reduces the occurrence of dead lithium due to the loss of electrical contact of lithium during cycling. This strategy holds promise for solving the lithium dendrite problem.

Mg₃Sb₂-based thermoelectric materials can convert heat and electricity into each other, making them a promising class of environmentally friendly materials. Further improving the electrical performance while effectively reducing the thermal conductivity is a crucial issue. In this paper, under the guidance of the oneness principle calculation, we designed a thermoelectric Zintl phase based on Mg_3.2Sb_1.5Bi_0.5 doped with Tb and Er. Calculation results show that using Tb and Er as cationic site dopants effectively improves the electrical properties and reduces the lattice thermal conductivity. Experimental results confirmed the effectiveness of codoping and effectively enhanced thermoelectric performance. The most immense ZT value obtained by the Mg_3.185Tb_0.01Er_0.005Sb_1.5Bi_0.5 sample was 1.71. In addition, the average Young’s modulus of the Mg_3.185Tb_0.01Er_0.005Sb_1.5Bi_0.5 sample is 51.85 GPa, and the Vickers hardness is 0.99 GPa. Under the same test environment, the material was subjected to 12 cycles in the temperature range of 323–723 K, and the average power factor error range was 1.8% to 2.1%, which is of practical significance for its application in actual device scenarios.

Hybrid halide perovskites (HHPs), whose every branch generates intrusiveness, have been utilized in solar cells from a broader perspective. However, the inclusiveness of employing HHP as a photocatalyst is in its initial stage. This study mainly focuses on the unexpected utilization of, so far, undesirable material vacancy-ordered MA₂SnBr₆ quantum dots synthesized from MASnBr₃ nanosheets. Here, the quantum confinement grounded a large blue shift in ultraviolet (UV) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra with a Stokes shift of 420 meV, where the band gap increase is observed as size decreases in MA₂SnBr₆. Remarkably, MA₂SnBr₆ exhibits air and moisture stability, better charge transfer, and high oxidation potential compared to MASnBr₃. The first-principles-based atomistic computations reveal the strain relaxation in the Sn–Br framework that structurally stabilizes the MA₂SnBr₆ lattice. Furthermore, the direct band gap and strongly localized valence band edge give rise to a new potential photocatalyst MA₂SnBr₆ for efficient solar-driven C(sp³)─H activation of cyclohexane and toluene under ambient conditions.

Cathode degradation of Li-ion batteries (Li⁺) continues to be a crucial issue for higher energy density. A main cause of this degradation is strain due to stress induced by structural changes according to the state-of-charge (SOC). Moreover, in solid-state batteries, a mismatch between incompatible cathode/electrolyte interfaces also generates a strain effect. In this respect, understanding the effects of the mechanical/elastic phenomena associated with SOC on the cathode performance, such as voltage and Li⁺ diffusion, is essential. In this work, we focused on LiCoO₂ (LCO), a representative LIB cathode material, and investigated the effects of biaxial strain and hydrostatic pressure on its layered structure and Li⁺ transport properties through first-principles calculations. With the nudged elastic band technique and molecular dynamics, we demonstrated that in Li-deficient LCO, compressive biaxial strain increases the Li⁺ diffusivity, whereas tensile biaxial strain and hydrostatic pressure tend to suppress it. Structural parameter analysis revealed the key correlation of “Co layer distances” with Li⁺ diffusion instead of “Li layer distances”, as ordinarily expected. Structural analysis further revealed the interplay between the Li–Li Coulomb interaction, SOC, and Li⁺ diffusion in LCO. The activation volume of LCO under hydrostatic pressure was reported for the first time. Moreover, vacancy formation energy calculations showed that the Li intercalation potential could be decreased under compressive biaxial strain due to the weakening of the Li–O bond interaction. The present findings may serve to improve the control of the energy density performance of layered cathode materials.

Fierce phase transformation and limited sodium ion diffusion dynamics are critical obstacles that hinder the practical energy storage applications of P2-type layered sodium transition metal oxides (Na_xTMO₂). Herein, a synergistic strategy of electronic state tailoring and pillar effect was carefully implemented by substituting divalent Mg²⁺ into Na_0.67Ni_0.33Mn_0.67O₂ material with unique oriented hollow rodlike structures. Mg²⁺substitution can not only facilitate the anionic oxygen redox reactions and electronic conductivity through increasing the electronic states at Femi energy but also act as pillars within TMO₂ layers to alleviate the severe phase transformation to improve structure stability. Moreover, the oriented hollow structure incorporating sufficient buffer spaces and rationally exposed electrochemically active facets effectively alleviates the stresses induced by low volume changes of 8% and provides more open channels for Na⁺ ion diffusion without crossing multiple grain boundaries. Hence, the Na_0.67Mg_0.08Ni_0.25Mn_0.67O₂ cathode showed a superior rate capability with high energy density and cycling stability for sodium-ion storage. The underlying mechanisms of these achievements were deciphered through diversified dynamic analysis and the first principle calculations, providing new insights into P2-type Na_xTMO₂ cathodes for the infinite prospect as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

The widespread adoption of wearable, movable, and implantable smart devices has sparked the evolution of flexible, miniaturized power supplies. High-resolution inkjet printing of flexible microsupercapacitor (μSC) electrodes is a fast, inexpensive, and waste-free alternative manufacturing technology. In this work, a 2D birnessite-type manganese dioxide (δ-MnO₂) water-based ink is used to print 10–25 layers of δ-MnO₂ symmetrically on a preprinted interdigitated cell consisting of 10 layers of electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EEG). The cell with 10 printed layers of δ-MnO₂ achieved the highest specific capacitance, energy density, and power density of 0.44 mF cm^–2, 0.045 μW h cm^–2, and 0.0012 mW cm^–2, respectively. Since inkjet-printing technology supports μSC manufacturing with parallel/series connectivity, four cells were used to study and improve the potential window and capacitance that can be used to construct μSC arrays as power banks. This work provides the first approach for designing an inkjet-printed interdigitated hybrid cell based on δ-MnO₂@EEG that could be a versatile candidate for the large-scale production of flexible and printable electronic devices for energy storage.

The advantages of 2D materials in alleviating the issues of short-channel effect and power dissipation in field-effect transistors (FETs) are well recognized. However, the progress of complementary integrated circuits has been stymied by the absence of high-performance (HP) and low-power (LP) p-channel transistors. Therefore, we conducted an investigation into the electronic and ballistic transport characteristics of monolayer Be₂C, which features quasi-planar hexacoordinate carbons, by employing nonequilibrium Green’s function combined with density functional theory. Be₂C monolayer has planar anticonventional bonds and a direct bandgap of 1.53 eV. The I_on of p-type Be₂C HP FETs can achieve a remarkable 2767 μA μm^–1. All of the device properties of 2D Be₂C FETs can exceed the demands of the International Roadmap for Devices and Systems. The excellent properties of Be₂C as a 2D p-orbital material with a high hole mobility are discussed from different aspects. Our findings thus illustrate the tremendous potential of 2D Be₂C for the next generation of HP and LP electronics applications.

The special structure of perovskite-like compounds allows the existence of some open spaces in the crystals that play an important role in their crystal function enhancement and can accommodate active oxygen, which helps to solve some problems in the field of corrosion prevention. The magnetic lanthanum cuprate was obtained through the doping of Co²⁺ and Sr²⁺, and compared with La₂CuO₄ and epoxy resin, its corrosion resistance was improved by 215.2 and 566.7%, respectively. The micromagnetic field in the crystal interfered with the state of motion of the electrons and prolonged their transport path. High concentration doping and substitution of unequal states led to the formation of oxygen vacancy defects, which could trap active oxygen molecules and inhibit cathodic corrosion reactions. The unique alternating interlayer structure of perovskite-like compounds was conducive to the release of Cu²⁺, thus forming a more stable passivator on the surface of the coating. La_1.96Sr_0.04Cu_0.98Co_0.02O₄ had both magnetic properties and structural advantages, which enhanced the shielding property of epoxy resin and expanded the application of perovskite-like compounds in the field of corrosion prevention.

Contrary to partially substituted systems, WO₃ molecular sieves that exclusively comprise a d⁰ transition metal ion and do not possess template ions in the cavity are a new class of materials for photocatalysis owing to their framework structure. Because WO₃ thermodynamically lacks proton-reduction capability, exploring diverse synthetic approaches of other materials is desirable for facilitating utilization as H₂ evolution and water splitting systems. Herein, we report an efficient approach for the protonation of Ag₂Ta₄O₁₁ to afford H₂Ta₄O₁₁ for application as a H₂ molecular sieve. Hydrogen reduction of Ag₂Ta₄O₁₁ at 300 °C and post-treatment using HNO₃ afforded H₂Ta₄O₁₁. Characterizations of H₂Ta₄O₁₁, coupled with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, reveal that the intrinsic structure of Ag₂Ta₄O₁₁ is maintained. Moreover, H⁺ is generated from H₂ oxidation and forms OH, and the orientation of OH is parallel to that of the ab plane. Desorption and adsorption of H₂ within H₂Ta₄O₁₁ were achieved by heating H₂Ta₄O₁₁ to above 90 °C. This is attributed to positive thermal expansion, as confirmed by high-temperature X-ray diffraction. H₂Ta₄O₁₁ is an active heterogeneous photocatalyst for the half-reactions of water splitting. Moreover, deuteration experiments of H₂Ta₄O₁₁ in D₂O suggest its capability as a H₂–D₂ conversion catalyst. Furthermore, H₂Ta₄O₁₁ functions as an active synthetic precursor for new tantalate materials, the direct synthesis of which is challenging.

In this paper, we demonstrate low-thermal-budget ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs) based on the two-dimensional ferroelectric CuInP₂S₆ (CIPS) and oxide semiconductor InZnO (IZO). The CIPS/IZO FeFETs exhibit nonvolatile memory windows of ∼1 V, low off-state drain currents, and high carrier mobilities. The ferroelectric CIPS layer serves a dual purpose by providing electrostatic doping in IZO and acting as a passivation layer for the IZO channel. We also investigate the CIPS/IZO FeFETs as artificial synaptic devices for neural networks. The CIPS/IZO synapse demonstrates a sizable dynamic ratio (125) and maintains stable multilevel states. Neural networks based on CIPS/IZO FeFETs achieve an accuracy rate of over 80% in recognizing MNIST handwritten digits. These ferroelectric transistors can be vertically stacked on silicon complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) with a low thermal budget, offering broad applications in CMOS+X technologies and energy-efficient 3D neural networks.

Recently, a highly ordered Moiré dislocation lattice was identified at the interface between a SrTiO₃ (STO) thin film and the (LaAlO₃)_0.3(Sr₂TaAlO₆)_0.7 (LSAT) substrate. A fundamental understanding of the local ionic and electronic structures around the dislocation cores is crucial to further engineer the properties of these complex multifunctional heterostructures. Here, we combine experimental characterization via analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy with results of molecular dynamics and density functional theory calculations to gain insights into the structure and defect chemistry of these dislocation arrays. Our results show that these dislocations lead to undercoordinated Ta/Al cations at the dislocation core, where oxygen vacancies can easily be formed, further facilitated by the presence of cation vacancies. The reduced Ti³⁺ observed experimentally at the dislocations by electron energy-loss spectroscopy is a consequence of both the structure of the dislocation itself and of the electron doping due to oxygen vacancy formation. Finally, the experimentally observed Ti diffusion into the LSAT around the dislocation core occurs only together with cation vacancy formation in the LSAT or Ta diffusion into STO.

The tunable optical display is vital for many application fields in telecommunications, sensors, and military devices. However, most optical materials have a strong wavelength dependence, which limits their spectral operation range. In this work, we develop an electrically reconfigurable optical medium based on graphene, demonstrating a cycle-controlled display covering the electromagnetic spectrum from the visible to the infrared wavelength. Through an electro-intercalation method, the graphene-based surface enables rich colors from gray to dark blue to dark red to yellow, and the response time is about 1 min from the start gray color to the final yellow color. Simultaneously, it exhibits a remarkable change in infrared emissivity (from 0.63 to 0.80 reduction to 0.20) with a response time of 1 s. This modification of optical properties of lithiated multilayer graphene (MLG) is the increase of Fermi energy (E_f) due to the charge transfer from lithium (Li) to graphene layers, which causes changes in interband and intraband electronic transitions. Our findings imply potential value in fabricating multispectral optical materials with high tunability.

Recently, Heusler alloy-based spin gapless semiconductors (SGSs) with high Curie temperature (T_C) and sizable spin polarization have emerged as potential candidates for tunable spintronic applications. We report comprehensive investigation of the temperature-dependent ANE and intrinsic longitudinal spin Seebeck effect (LSSE) in CoFeCrGa thin films grown on MgO substrates. Our findings show that the anomalous Nernst coefficient for the MgO/CoFeCrGa (95 nm) film is ≈1.86 μV K^–1 at room temperature, which is nearly 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of the bulk polycrystalline sample of CoFeCrGa (≈0.018 μV K^–1) and almost 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the half-metallic ferromagnet La_1–xNa_xMnO₃ (≈0.005 μV K^–1) but comparable to that of the magnetic Weyl semimetal Co₂MnGa thin film (≈2–3 μV K^–1). Furthermore, the LSSE coefficient for our MgO/CoFeCrGa (95 nm)/Pt (5 nm) heterostructure is ≈20.5 nV K^–1 Ω^–1 at room temperature, which is twice larger than that of the half-metallic ferromagnetic La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ thin films (≈9 nV K^–1 Ω^–1). We show that both ANE and LSSE coefficients follow identical temperature dependences and exhibit a maximum at ≈225 K, which is understood as the combined effects of inelastic magnon scatterings and reduced magnon population at low temperatures. Our analyses not only indicate that the extrinsic skew scattering is the dominating mechanism for ANE in these films but also provide critical insights into the functional form of the observed temperature-dependent LSSE at low temperatures. Furthermore, by employing radio frequency transverse susceptibility and broad-band ferromagnetic resonance in combination with the LSSE measurements, we establish a correlation among the observed LSSE signal, magnetic anisotropy, and Gilbert damping of the CoFeCrGa thin films, which will be beneficial for fabricating tunable and highly efficient Heusler alloy-based spin caloritronic nanodevices.

ZSM-5 zeolite is usually used in gas sensors as an auxiliary material to improve the gas-sensitive properties of other semiconductor materials, such as its molecular sieve properties and surface adsorption properties. Here, the gas-sensitive mechanism analysis of SnO₂/zeolite gas sensors is studied for the first time based on the perspective of zeolite as a band gap-tunable semiconductor that was reported recently. The gas-sensing mechanism of the zeolite/semiconductor has been modeled based on the surface charge theory, and the work function of the ZSM-5 zeolite has been revealed for the first time. A heterostructure of Ag and ZSM-5 was designed and compounded to tune the band gap of the ZSM-5 zeolite by the ammonia pool effect method. The band gap width of the zeolite decreases from 4.51 to 3.61 eV. A series of characterization techniques were used to analyze the distribution and morphology of silver nanoparticles in zeolites and the variation of the ZSM-5 band gap. Then, SnO₂/Ag@ZSM-5 sensors were fabricated, and the gas-sensing performances were measured. The gas-sensing results show that the SnO₂/Ag@ZSM-5 sensor has an improved response to formaldehyde in particular compared to the SnO₂ sensor. The response value of the SnO₂/Ag@ZSM-5 sensor to 70 ppm formaldehyde reached 29.4, which is a 528% improvement compared to the SnO₂ sensor. Additionally, the selectivity was greatly enhanced. This study provides a strategy for designing and developing higher-performance gas sensors.

Rare earth oxides (REOs) can be used as high-κ gate dielectrics that are at the core of electronic devices. However, a bottleneck remains with regard to obtaining high-performance REO dielectrics due to the serious hygroscopic issue and high defect states. Here, a general boronization strategy is reported to enhance the high-κ REO gate dielectric performance. Complementary characterization reveals that boronization is capable of reducing oxygen vacancies/hydroxyl defects in REOs and suppressing moisture absorption, leading to the improvement of leakage current, breakdown strength (up to 9 MV/cm), and capacitance–frequency stability. Furthermore, oxide transistors based on boronized REO dielectrics demonstrate state-of-the-art device characteristics with a high mobility of 40 cm²/V s, a current on/off ratio of 10⁸, a subthreshold swing of 82 mV/dec, a hysteresis of 0.05 V, and superior bias stress stability.

High-resolution liquid crystal display (LCD) backlight requires a color conversion layer featuring micrometer light-emitting particles and a uniform morphology. The widely used commercial red-emitting K₂SiF₆:Mn⁴⁺ phosphor, showing promise as a light-conversion candidate, faces limitations due to its toxic synthesis process, large particle size, and poor moisture resistance. We successfully demonstrated an efficient substitution of the highly toxic HF/TEOS/KHF₂ solvent system with a commonly used HCl/SiO₂/KF solvent system to synthesize the small-sized K₂SiF₆:Mn⁴⁺ phosphor. Additionally, surface passivation was performed to enhance the luminescence intensity and resistance to moisture, denoted as K₂SiF₆:Mn⁴⁺@CaF₂. Accordingly, the K₂SiF₆:Mn⁴⁺@CaF₂ phosphor presents a high luminescence efficiency (99.87%/32.84% IQE/EQE) with an average particle size of ∼2.67 μm. Notably, after exposure to 85% humidity and 85 °C temperature for 3 h, the luminescence intensity remains at 47.4% for K₂SiF₆:Mn⁴⁺@CaF₂, while 21.2% for pristine K₂SiF₆:Mn⁴⁺, and only 3.5% for K₂SiF₆:Mn⁴⁺ synthesized by TEOS. These advancements hold great potential for improving high-resolution LCD backlighting, particularly for displays with micron-level pixels, opening up new possibilities for enhanced display technology.

Excellent energy-absorbing structures have been highly sought after in engineering applications to improve devices and personal safety. The ideal energy absorption mechanism should exhibit characteristics such as lightweight, high energy absorption capacity, and efficient reusability. To address this demand, a novel three-dimensional (3D) chiral lattice structure with compression-twist coupling deformation is fabricated by combining the left and right chiral units. The proposed structure was fabricated in NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) by using laser powder bed fusion technology. The compression experiment result indicates that the shape recovery ratio is as high as 94% even when the compression strain is over 80%. Additionally, the platform strain reaches as high as 66%, offering high-level specific energy absorption, i.e., 213.02 J/g. The obtained results are of great significance for basic research and engineering applications of energy-absorbing structures with high deformation recovery ratios.

The optimization of field-effect mobility in polymer field-effect transistors (FETs) is a critical parameter for advancing organic electronics. Today, many challenges still persist in understanding the roles of the design and processing of semiconducting polymers toward electronic performance. To address this, a facile approach to solution processing using blends of PDPP-TVT and PTPA-3CN is developed, resulting in a 3.5-fold increase in hole mobility and retained stability in electrical performance over 3 cm² V^–1 s^–1 after 20 weeks. The amorphous D–A conjugated structure and strong intramolecular polarity of PTPA-3CN are identified as major contributors to the observed improvements in mobility. Additionally, the composite analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the flash differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique showed a uniform distribution and was well mixed in binary polymer systems. This mobility enhancement technique has also been successfully applied to other polymer semiconductor systems, offering a new design strategy for blending-type organic transistor systems. This blending methodology holds great promise for the practical applications of OFETs.

Organic charge-modulated field-effect transistors (OCMFETs) have garnered significant interest as sensing platforms for diverse applications that include biomaterials and chemical sensors owing to their distinct operational principles. This study aims to improve the understanding of driving mechanisms in OCMFETs and optimize their device performance by investigating the correlation between organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and OCMFETs. By introducing self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with different functional groups on the AlO_x gate dielectric surface, we explored the impact of the surface characteristics on the electrical behavior of both devices. Our results indicate that the dipole moment of the dielectric surface is a critical control variable in the performance correlation between OFET and OCMFET devices, as it directly impacts the generation of the induced floating gate voltage through the control gate voltage. The insights obtained from this study contribute to the understanding of the factors affecting OCMFET performance and emphasize their potential as platforms for diverse sensing systems.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials such as MXenes have shown great potential for energy storage applications due to their high surface area and high conductivity. However, their practical implementation is limited by their tendency to restack, similar to other 2D materials, leading to a decreased long-term performance. Here, we present a novel approach to addressing this issue by combining MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x) nanosheets with branched ionic nanoparticles from polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) using an amphiphilicity-driven assembly for the formation of composite monolayers of nanoparticle-decorated MXene nanosheets at the air–water interface. The amphiphilic hybrid MXene/POSS monolayers allow for the fabrication of organized multilayered films with ionic nanoparticles supporting the nanoscale gap between MXene nanosheets. For these composite multilayers, we observed a 400% enhancement in specific capacitance compared to pure drop-cast MXene films. Furthermore, dramatically enhanced electrochemical cycling stability for ultrathin-film electrodes (<400 nm in thickness) with a 91% capacitance retention over 10,000 cycles has been achieved. Our results suggest that this insertion of 0D ionic nanoparticles with complementary interactions in between 2D MXene nanosheets could be extended to other hybrid 0D–2D nanomaterials, providing a promising pathway for the development of hybrid electrode architectures with enhanced ionic transport for long-term energy cycling and storage, capacitive deionization, and ionic filtration.

As a metal-free and visible-light-responsive photocatalyst, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has emerged as a new research hotspot and has attracted broad attention in the field of solar energy conversion and thin-film transistors. Liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) is the best-known method for the synthesis of 2D g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. In LPE, bulk g-C₃N₄ is exfoliated in a solvent via high-shear mixing or sonication in order to produce a stable suspension of individual nanosheets. Two parameters of importance in gauging the performance of a solvent in LPE are the free energy required to exfoliate a unit area of layered materials into individual sheets in the solvent (ΔG_exf) and the solvation free energy per unit area of a nanosheet (ΔG_sol). While approximations for the free energies exist, they are shown in our previous work to be inaccurate and incapable of capturing the experimentally observed efficacy of LPE. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can provide accurate free-energy calculations, but doing so for every single solvent is time- and resource-consuming. Herein, machine learning (ML) algorithms are used to predict ΔG_exf and ΔG_sol for g-C₃N₄. First, a database for ΔG_exf and ΔG_sol is created based on a series of MD simulations involving 49 different solvents with distinct chemical structures and properties. The data set also includes values of critical descriptors for the solvents, including density, surface tension, dielectric constant, etc. Different ML methods are compared, accompanied by descriptor selection, to develop the most accurate model for predicting ΔG_exf and ΔG_sol. The extra tree regressor is shown to be the best performer among the six ML methods studied. Experimental validation of the model is conducted by performing dispersibility tests in several solvents for which the free energies are predicted. Finally, the influence of the selected descriptors on the free energies is analyzed, and strategies for solvent selection in LPE are proposed.

As a typical representative of conductive polymers (CPs), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is intensively employed for chemiresistive ammonia (NH₃) sensing on account of its favorable aqueous solubility, benign environmental stability, and outstanding room-temperature conductivity; however, it is severely plagued by low sensitivity and sluggish reaction kinetics. To circumvent these limitations, the guest-alkalized cellulose nanofibers (AC) were introduced into the host PEDOT:PSS matrix by the layer-by-layer spraying assembly method (LBLSA) in this work. The componential proportion-optimized PEDOT:PSS/AC/PEDOT:PSS (P/AC/P) sensor delivered a large sensitivity of 20.2%/ppm within 0.1–3 ppm of NH₃ at 21 °C@26% RH, an experimental limit of detection (LoD) as low as 30 ppb, a high response of 18.1%, and a short response/recovery times (4.8/4.0 s) toward 1 ppm of NH₃, which ranked among the best cases thus far. Also, excellent repeatability and long-term stability and selectivity were demonstrated. Meanwhile, the flexible P/AC/P sensors worked well under various bending angles and bending times. This work combines a green material system and a facile film deposition method to overcome the liquid dispersion incompatibility when preparing a multicomponent mixture for swift trace NH₃ detection. The universality and extensibility of this methodology endow a broad prospect in the field of future wearable optoelectronic systems.

Defect engineering has proven to be one of the most effective approaches for the design of high-performance electrocatalysts. Current methods to create defects typically follow a top-down strategy, cutting down the pristine materials into fragmented pieces with surface defects yet also heavily destroying the framework of materials that imposes restrictions on the further improvements in catalytic activity. Herein, we describe a bottom-up strategy to prepare free-standing NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoplatelets with abundant internal defects by controlling their growth behavior in acidic conditions. Our best-performing nanoplatelets exhibited the lowest overpotential of 241 mV and the lowest Tafel slope of 43 mV/dec for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process, superior to the pristine LDHs and other reference cation-defective LDHs obtained by traditional etching methods. Using both material characterization and density functional theory (DFT) simulation has enabled us to develop relationships between the structure and electrochemical properties of these catalysts, suggesting that the enhanced electrocatalytic activity of nanoplatelets mainly results from their defect-abundant structure and stable layered framework with enhanced exposure of the (001) surface.

Antibacterial nanoagents with well-controlled structures are greatly desired to address the challenges of bacterial infections. In this study, a featherlike tellurium–selenium heterostructural nanoadjuvant (TeSe HNDs) was created. TeSe HNDs produced ¹O₂ and had high photothermal conversion efficiency when stimulated with 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) light. To create a synergistic treatment system (TeSe-ICG) with better photothermal and photodynamic capabilities, the photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG) was then added. With a bactericidal rate of more than 99%, the NIR-mediated TeSe-ICG demonstrated an efficient bactericidal action against both Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus). In addition, TeSe-ICG was also effective in treating wound infections and could effectively promote wound healing without obvious toxic side effects. In conclusion, TeSe-ICG is expected to be a good candidate for the treatment of bacterial infections.

Interparticle electronic coupling is essential for self-assembled colloidal nanocrystal (NC) solid semiconductors to fulfill their wide-tunable electrical and optoelectrical properties, but it has been limited by disorders. Here, a disorder-tolerant coupling approach is presented by synthesizing self-organized NC solids based on amorphous/nanocrystalline phase-composites. The ZnO amorphous matrix, which infills the space between the less regularly ordered ZnO NCs, enables robust electronic coupling between neighboring NCs via the resonant wave function overlap, leading to a disorder-tolerant resonant conducting state. Field-effect transistors based on phase-composite semiconductors show delocalized band-like transport with superior field-effect mobility values (∼75 cm² V^–1 s^–1), compared to amorphous or polycrystalline ZnO semiconductors. Furthermore, the broad amorphous matrix can mitigate interfacial defects between crystalline regions through atomic relaxation, in contrast to narrow grain boundaries in polycrystalline films, resulting in a significantly low interface trap density for phase-composite NC solids. Density function theory calculations and quantum transport simulations using the nonequilibrium Green’s function formalism elucidate the origins of superior and highly disorder-tolerant electron transport in phase-composite NC solids. Our report introduces a new class of NC solids complementary to the colloidal counterpart and will be applicable to CMOS-compatible emerging device technologies.

The fabrication of absorption-dominant electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials is a pressing priority to prevent secondary electromagnetic pollution in miniaturized electronic devices and communication systems. Meeting this goal has remained a tough challenge to keep pace with the rapid evolution of electronics due to the complex compositional and structural design and narrow operating bands. This work articulates a sound and simple strategy to precisely modulate the electrical conductivity of reduced graphene oxide (rGO), as the building block in lightweight double-layered rGO-film/rGO-aerogel/polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) composites, for efficient microwave absorption over the entire Ku-band frequency range. These constructs reasonably comprised a porous absorption structure built from parallel rGO sheets aligned and prepared via freeze casting followed by freeze drying. The electrical conductivity and impedance of this layer were tuned by varying the annealing temperature from 400 to 800 °C, thereby adjusting the degree of reduction and the absorption characteristic. This layer was backed by a highly conductive rGO film reduced at a high temperature of 1000 °C, with a reflectivity of 97.5%. The incorporation of this film ensured high EMI shielding effectiveness of the double-layered structure through the absorption–reflection–reabsorption mechanism, consistent with the predicted values based on calculated loss factors and the input impedance of the structure. Accordingly, at an average EMI shielding effectiveness of 57.59 dB, the reflection shielding effectiveness (SE_R) and reflectivity (R) of the assembled composites were optimized to be as low as 0.22 dB and 0.049, respectively. This equates to approximately 99.999% shielding (SE_T) and ∼95% absorptivity (A) of the incident wave. This study opens new avenues for the development of lightweight (with a density as low as 15 mg/cm³) absorption-dominant EMI shielding composite materials with promising EMI shielding efficiency and potential applications in modern electronics.

Cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown great potential in the field of cancer metastasis research. However, inefficient EV biofabrication has become a barrier to large-scale research on cancer-derived EVs. Here, we presented a novel method to enhance the biofabrication of cancer-derived EVs via audible acoustic wave (AAW), which yielded mechanical stimuli, including surface acoustic pressure and surface stress. Compared to EV yield in conventional static culture, AAW increased the number of cancer-derived EVs by up to 2.5-folds within 3 days. Furthermore, cancer-derived EVs under AAW stimulation exhibited morphology, size, and zeta potential comparable to EVs generated in conventional static culture, and more importantly, they showed the capability to promote cancer cell migration and invasion under both 2D and 3D culture conditions. Additionally, the elevation in EV biofabrication correlated with the activation of the ESCRT pathway and upregulation of membrane fusion-associated proteins (RAB family, SNARE family, RHO family) in response to AAW stimulation. We believe that AAW represents an attractive approach to achieving high-quantity and high-quality production of EVs and that it has the potential to enhance EV biofabrication from other cell types, thereby facilitating EV-based scientific and translational research.

In situ integration of enzymes with covalent organic frameworks (COFs) to form hybrid biocatalysts is both significant and challenging. In this study, we present an innovative strategy employing deep eutectic solvents (DESs) to synergistically synthesize COFs and shield cytochrome c (Cyt c). By utilizing DESs as reaction solvents in combination with water, we successfully achieved rapid and in situ encapsulation of Cyt c within COFs (specifically COF-TAPT-TFB) under ambient conditions. The resulting Cyt c@COF-TAPT-TFB composite demonstrates a remarkable preservation of enzymatic activity. This encapsulation strategy also imparts exceptional resistance to organic solvents and exhibits impressive recycling stability. Additionally, the enhanced catalytic efficiency of Cyt c@COF-TAPT-TFB in a photoenzymatic cascade reaction is also showcased.

Polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) that promote fast and selective ionic transport at low relative humidity (RH) are of high demand for energy conversion devices, particularly in hydrogen fuel cells. Herein, we report a facile and solvent free synthesis of tungsten semi-carbide (W₂C@NC) and its incorporation onto short side chain (SSC)-based membrane matrix to facilitate water holding and water-assisted humidification generated by the reaction of crossover gas molecules. In the present study, the influence of W₂C@NC on the membrane matrix is widely investigated through its microstructure, physicochemical properties, proton conductivity, and fuel cell performance. It is demonstrated that addition of W₂C@NC facilitates membrane hydration via in situ water generation, thus preventing fuel crossover across the membrane. In addition, W₂C@NC contributes toward low-humidity polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) operation. The study revealed minimal differences in cell performance between fully humidified and low RH conditions for composite membranes, with a noteworthy improvement in performance observed even under completely dry conditions compared to pristine membranes. Apart from good thermal and mechanical stabilities, 81% of initial OCV and 72.86% of current density was retained even after 100 h of accelerated stress test (AST), which opens further perspectives for development of perfluoro sulfonic acid (PFSA) based low RH proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).

The development of extreme performance and multifunctional electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption materials is essential to eliminating undesirable frequency EM pollution. As a promising rare-earth compound, gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd₂O₂S) has become a significant field of study among nanomaterials with multidisciplinary applications. Herein, the ultrathin Gd₂O₂S nanosheets with 1 nm thickness were fabricated via a facile hot injection method and then mixed with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through coassemble and carbonization methods to form Gd₂O₂S/rGO composites. As a new kind of multifunction EM-wave absorption materials, Gd₂O₂S/rGO composites exhibited excellent EM-wave absorption performance with an absorption capacity of −65 dB (2.1 mm) and an adequate absorption bandwidth of 5.6 GHz at 1.9 mm. Additionally, their EM-wave absorption mechanisms have been unveiled for the first time. The outstanding EM-wave absorption performance of Gd₂O₂S/rGO composites could be attributed to the ultrathin Gd₂O₂S nanosheets with oxygen vacancy and rGO layers with high conductivity and large specific surface area, which will also facilitate the polarization loss, conductivity loss, and multiple reflection and scattering of EM waves between the rGO layer and Gd₂O₂S nanosheets. Overall, compared to previously reported rGO-based EM-wave absorption materials, this work provides a promising approach for the exploitation and synthesis of Gd₂O₂S/rGO composites with lightweight and high-performance microwave attenuation.

The poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) paper has attracted extensive interests due to its ultrahigh mechanical properties as an ideal protective material for anti-impact damage applications. In the pursuit of additional properties, composites based on the PMIA matrix and various fillers are widely explored. However, additional improvements are frequently obtained at the expense of mechanical properties because of the serious interfacial compatibility brought by different components. In this study, a self-reinforced doping strategy is proposed by combining microscale PMIA fibers as the fillers and nanoscale PMIA fibers as the matrix to form a micronano paper. Without the limitation of the interfacial compatibility issues, the nanofibers are tightly aligned and adhered to the microfibers, enabling the in situ generation of hydrogen bonds at the interfaces. A compact interfacial structure is thus constructed with reduced porosity on the surface. It indicates that the microfibers have a positive impact on the improvement of mechanical properties. In our optimized sample with 5 wt % microfibers, the elastic modulus, tensile strength, and elongation are 1530 MPa, 24.8 MPa, and 5.3%, respectively, which are 142, 49.4, and 65% higher than those of the pristine nano-PMIA paper. In addition, the insulating performance is also improved, facilitating its further application extended to broad fields.

Solution shearing, a meniscus-guided coating process, can create large-area metal–organic framework (MOF) thin films rapidly, which can lead to the formation of uniform membranes for separations or thin films for sensing and catalysis applications. Although previous work has shown that solution shearing can render MOF thin films, examples have been limited to a few prototypical systems, such as HKUST-1, Cu-HHTP, and UiO-66. Here, we expand on the applicability of solution shearing by making thin films of NU-901, a zirconium-based MOF. We study how the NU-901 thin film properties (i.e., crystallinity, surface coverage, and thickness) can be controlled as a function of substrate temperature and linker concentration. High fractional surface coverage of small-area (∼1 cm²) NU-901 thin films (0.88 ± 0.06) is achieved on a glass substrate for all conditions after one blade pass, while a low to moderate fractional surface coverage (0.73 ± 0.18) is obtained for large-area (∼5 cm²) NU-901 thin films. The crystallinity of NU-901 crystals increases with temperature and decreases with linker concentration. On the other hand, the adjusted thickness of NU-901 thin films increases with both increasing temperature and linker concentration. We also extend the solution shearing technique to synthesize MOF-525 thin films on a transparent conductive oxide that are useful for electrocatalysis. We show that Fe-metalated MOF-525 films can reduce CO₂ to CO, which has implications for CO₂ capture and utilization. The demonstration of thin film formation of NU-901 and MOF-525 using solution shearing on a wide range of substrates will be highly useful for implementing these MOFs in sensing and catalytic applications.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with tunable pore sizes and ordered structures are ideal materials for engineering nanofiltration (NF) membranes. However, most of the COFs prepared by solvothermal synthesis are unprocessable powders and fail to form well-structured membranes, which seriously hinders the development of COF NF membranes. Herein, colloidal 2D-COFs with processable membrane formation ability were synthesized by oil-in-water emulsion interfacial polymerization technology. COF NF membranes with tailored thickness and surface charge were fabricated via a layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly strategy. The prepared COF NF membrane achieved precise sieving of dye molecules with high permeance (85 L·m^–2·h^–1·bar^–1). In this work, the strategy of prepared COF NF membranes based on colloid 2D-COF LBL assembly is proposed for the first time, which provides a new idea for the on-demand design and preparation of COF membranes for precise molecular sieving.

Hybrid organic–inorganic metal halide perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology is experiencing rapid growth due to its simple solution chemistry, high power conversion efficiency (PCE), and potential for low-cost mass production. Nevertheless, the primary obstacle preventing the upscaling and widespread outdoor deployment of PSC technology is the poor long-term device stability, which stems from the inherent instability of perovskite materials in the presence of oxygen and moisture. To address this issue, in this work, we have synthesized a series of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) through a rational design by utilizing polyols having different molecular weights and diverse isocyanates (aromatic and aliphatic). Thorough characterization of these TPUs (ASTM and ISO standards) along with structure–property relationship studies were carried out for the first time and were then used as the encapsulation material for PSCs. The prepared TPUs were robust and adhered well with the glass substrate, and the use of low temperature during the encapsulation process avoided the degradation of the perovskite absorber and other organic layers in the device stack. The encapsulated devices retained more than 93% of their initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) for over 1000 h after exposure to harsh environmental conditions such as high relative humidity (80 ± 5% RH). Furthermore, the encapsulated perovskite absorbers showed remarkable stability when they were soaked in water. This article demonstrates the potential of TPU as a suitable and easily scalable encapsulant for PSCs and pave the way for extending the lifetime and commercialization of PSCs.

The interfacial void and delamination between the hydrogel electrolyte and flexible electrode caused by the inconformal contact and weak adhesion lead to serious performance degradation of solid-state-sandwiched supercapacitors (SCs) upon repetitive deformation. Herein, we propose a hydrogel polymer electrolyte (HPE) engineering strategy for enhancing the interfacial adhesion (Γ) to achieve extremely durable SCs via the soft, tough, and self-adhesive HPE. Using a self-cross-linked poly(N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide)/H₃PO₄ (PHEAA/H₃PO₄) HPE as the model, the interfacial adhesion between HPE and polyaniline (PANI)-modified carbon cloth (CC) electrode (CC/PANI) reaches up to 556 J/m², leading to excellent durability of electrochemical performance under long-term repetitive deformations. The as-assembled sandwiched SC retains 94.14 and 93.62% of initial capacitance after 180° bending and twisting for 100,000 cycles, respectively. Furthermore, benefiting from the addition of H₃PO₄, the flexible sandwiched SC displays excellent tolerance to low temperatures and delivers a capacitance retention of 98.03% after 180° bending for 10,000 cycles at −20 °C. This work highlights the importance of interfacial adhesion engineering for the design of extremely deformation-tolerable SCs.

Recently, the TiAlSiN/TiAlN coatings with excellent mechanical and thermal properties have great potential for protective applications that face deteriorated service environments. Here, we systematically investigate the interface structure, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of TiAlSiN/TiAlN multilayers with varied Al and Si contents of TiAlSiN sublayer. Both Ti_0.53Al_0.38Si_0.09N/Ti_0.52Al_0.48N (ML_1) and Ti_0.48Al_0.38Si_0.14N/Ti_0.52Al_0.48N (ML_2) exhibit the face-centered cubic structure through epitaxial growth, whereas the Ti_0.43Al_0.48Si_0.09N/Ti_0.52Al_0.48N (ML_3) shows a mixed cubic/wurtzite (c/w) structure. This mechanism is explored by first-principles calculations that the increased content of Al and Si within the TiAlSiN sublayer is detrimental to the formation of a coherent interface. Meanwhile, the change of interfacial structure leads to a variation in hardness from ∼35.6 GPa of ML_1 to ∼35.4 GPa of ML_2 and then to ∼30.9 GPa of ML_3. In addition, ML_1 presents a delayed thermal decomposition by ∼100 °C, compared to those of ML_2 and ML_3 multilayers.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) represent intriguing technology to harvest human mechanical movements for powering wearable and portable electronics. Differently, compared to conventional fabrication approaches, additive manufacturing can allow the fabrication of TENGs with good dimensional resolution, high reproducibility, and quick production processes and, in particular, the obtainment of complex and customized structures. Among 3D printing technologies, digital light processing (DLP) is well-known for being the most flexible to produce functional devices by controlling both the geometry and the different ingredients of printable resins. On the other hand, DLP was not exploited for TENG fabrication, and consequently, the knowledge of the performance of 3D printable materials as charge accumulators upon friction is limited. Here, the application of the DLP technique to the 3D printing of triboelectric nanogenerators is studied. First, several printable materials have been tested as triboelectric layers to define a triboelectric series of DLP 3D printable materials. Then, TENG devices with increased geometrical complexity were printed, showcasing the ability to harvest energy from human movement. The method presented in this work illustrates how the DLP may represent a valuable and flexible solution to fabricate triboelectric nanogenerators, also providing a triboelectric classification of the most common photocurable resins.

This work presents a new strategy to achieve a truly black electrochromic film and develop available intelligent eye-protection filters with “day mode” and “night mode”, promising to minimize the harmful effects of light on eyes. The soluble red-to-transparent electrochromic polymer P1 was constructed using quinacridone as the basic unit and introduced dual-donor proDOT and DTC units with similar electron-donating capabilities. The beneficial broader absorption associated with the dual-donor in P1 results in ideal spectrum complementarity with P2 (cyan-to-transparent) in the visible region (380–780 nm). In addition to complementary colors, both polymers exhibit good compatibility with respect to electrochemical and electrochromic properties. Therefore, a P1/P2 film with a mass ratio of 1:1.5 for blending is preferred to obtain truly black color with fast switching time and good cyclic stability. Furthermore, an electrochromic device for intelligent eye-protection filters was designed and assembled with the P1/P2 film as the electrochromic layer and P3 featuring a yellow (antiblue ray)-to-dark gray color change as the ion storage layer. The assembled prototype electrochromic device demonstrated promising applications in intelligent day–night optical adjustment for eye-protection filters.