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An AIE-active centrosymmetric small molecule for ultra-deep three-photon brain angiography in the NIR-III window

Graphical AbstractVerified

SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

An AIE-active centrosymmetric small molecule for ultra-deep three-photon brain angiography in the NIR-III window

Three-photon microscopy (3PM) in the near-infrared-III (NIR-III) window (1600–1840 nm) enables high-resolution visualization of cerebral vasculature in vivo, but its imaging depth and quality are limited by the performance of fluorescent probes. Here, we report a probe optimization strategy transitioning from mirror symmetry to centrosymmetry, yielding a highly symmetric aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecule, T4PQ. The centrosymmetric structure aligns donor-acceptor units, promoting uniform electron cloud delocalization and directional charge transfer, which enhances exciton formation and suppresses non-radiative decay, thereby increasing fluorescence quantum yield. This symmetry also boosts the three-photon absorption cross-section by enhancing electron delocalization and transition dipole moment, enabling stronger nonlinear optical responses under long-wavelength excitation. T4PQ nanoparticles (T4PQ NPs) exhibit an enhanced three-photon absorption cross-section, high fluorescence quantum yield, and excellent photostability. In murine models, T4PQ NPs achieved three-dimensional cerebrovascular imaging at a depth of 1785 μm and real-time hemodynamic observation in microvessels at 1006 μm depth, with good biocompatibility. These results validate the advantage of centrosymmetric molecular design for deep-brain imaging probes, offering a high-performance tool for neurovascular research.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4176-y

Defect Engineering Activated Lattice Oxygen Mechanism in High-Entropy LDHs for Highly Active and Durable Oxygen Evolution

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Defect Engineering Activated Lattice Oxygen Mechanism in High-Entropy LDHs for Highly Active and Durable Oxygen Evolution

Developing highly active and stable electrocatalysts based on the lattice oxygen mechanism (LOM) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) represents a significant challenge in water splitting. Herein, we successfully introduce oxygen vacancies (Ov) into high-entropy MnFeCoNiCu layered double hydroxides (HE-LDHs) via a solution chemical reduction method utilizing a defect engineering strategy. By precisely tuning the concentration of oxygen vacancies, we effectively activate the lattice oxygen within the HE-LDHs. The optimized Ov-rich high-entropy LDHs (Ov-HE-LDHs) exhibit excellent OER catalytic performance, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with a remarkably low overpotential of only 210 mV in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte, which is substantially superior to pristine HE-LDHs (315 mV) and commercial IrO2 (330 mV). Furthermore, the catalyst demonstrates outstanding long-term stability, capable of stable operation for 500 h at a high current density of approximately 200 mA cm−2. Advanced X-ray absorption fine structure analysis elucidates the lower metal valence states, indicating the existence of oxygen vacancies, while isotope labeling experiments and in-situ electrochemical Raman spectroscopy strongly confirm the successful activation of the LOM pathway. Density functional theory calculations further validate that the shift in the OER mechanism towards LOM and the resulting reduction in the reaction energy barrier are the fundamental reasons for the catalyst’s enhanced intrinsic activity. This work proposes a novel strategy for activating lattice oxygen in high-entropy LDHs through defect engineering, offering new insights and experimental guidance for the design and development of highly efficient and stable high-entropy OER electrocatalysts.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4180-9

Biomimetic design of Turing-type grain boundary defects in copper catalysts for boosting CO2 electroreduction to multi-carbon products

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Biomimetic design of Turing-type grain boundary defects in copper catalysts for boosting CO2 electroreduction to multi-carbon products

Constructing abundant grain boundary defects is a promising strategy for developing high-efficiency catalysts. However, achieving dense grain boundary defects in CuO and Cu at the nanoscale remains challenging. Inspired by Turing patterns in nature, a Turing-type CuO catalyst (TGB-CuO) with abundant grain boundaries at ~10 nm nanoscale was prepared by annealing a dodecyl sulfate-intercalated basic copper carbonate. The balanced diffusion-reaction dynamics during pyrolysis drove the spontaneous formation of Turing-type grain boundary architectures in TGB-CuO. The resulting TGB-CuO electrode exhibited outstanding performance in electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECO2RR), delivering a Faradaic efficiency of 80.15% toward multi-carbon (C2+) products and maintaining over 50% ethylene selectivity at 300 mA cm−2 for 30 h of continuous operation. Activity investigations indicated that the metallic Cu retaining Turing-type grain boundary features (TGB-Cu) formed during electroreduction was responsible for the enhanced ECO2RR performance. The Cu(100)/(100), Cu(100)/(111), and Cu(111)/(111) grain boundaries promoted CO2 activation and *CO adsorption, while lowering the free energy barriers for the rate-determining *CO2− → *COOH step and C–C coupling step. This bioinspired reaction-diffusion strategy offers a new paradigm for creating high-density grain boundary defects, offering a general route toward efficient catalyst design.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4113-3

Anion modulation induced room-temperature ferromagnetism in two-dimensional CuCrSe2

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Anion modulation induced room-temperature ferromagnetism in two-dimensional CuCrSe2

Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials hold promise for next-generation spintronics, yet most exhibit Curie temperatures (Tc) far below room temperature, limiting practical applications. Here, we report the realization of room-temperature ferromagnetism in CuCrSe2 nanosheets via controlled anion removal achieved by post-synthetic vacuum annealing. Raw CuCrSe2 shows a low Tc of ~120 K, whereas annealed CuCrSe2 (A-CuCrSe2) nanosheets exhibit robust ferromagnetic ordering above 300 K. Structural and compositional analyses, including transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, confirm that A-CuCrSe2 retains the original layered crystal structure with an estimated Se vacancy concentration of approximately 10%. Magnetic measurements reveal room-temperature ferromagnetism in exfoliated nanosheets, corroborated by magnetic imaging and electric transport measurements. Anomalous Hall effect (AHE) measurements uncover the coexistence of two ferromagnetic phases within the same sample: one with low Tc (~120 K) and another with high Tc (>300 K), indicating spatially heterogeneous magnetic ordering driven by anion removal distribution. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate the microscopic mechanism, suggesting that Se vacancies modulate the magnetic exchange interactions, enhancing Tc. This work demonstrates that anion modulation is an effective intrinsic strategy to achieve room-temperature ferromagnetism in 2D materials, potentially advancing spintronic applications.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4277-1

Asymmetric Small Molecule Acceptors for Organic Photovoltaics: Insights from Multiple Perspectives

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Asymmetric Small Molecule Acceptors for Organic Photovoltaics: Insights from Multiple Perspectives

The rapid development of small molecule acceptors (SMAs) has enabled organic photovoltaics (OPVs) to achieve power conversion efficiencies exceeding 21%. Structural asymmetry has emerged as a particularly effective approach for boosting acceptor performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of asymmetric SMAs from the molecular scale to the nanoscale and macroscale. The main text is organized into four sections: molecular design strategies for structural asymmetry, crystal structure evolution from symmetry breaking, morphological characteristics revealed by advanced characterization techniques, and energy loss mechanisms involving asymmetric SMAs. At the molecular scale, asymmetry enables precise modulation of dipole moments and intermolecular interactions, directly affecting crystalline packing and charge-transport networks. At the nanoscale, it further regulates domain purity, phase continuity, and molecular orientation. Asymmetric designs can also help mitigate non-radiative voltage loss through modulation of charge-transfer state energetics. Overall, asymmetric molecular design introduces additional structural and electronic tunability, offering new opportunities for overcoming the trade-offs that limit OPV performance. Finally, we discuss ongoing challenges and outline future perspectives to guide continued development and innovation in asymmetric SMA design.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4316-0

Advances in Silicon Anodes for Solid-State Batteries: From the Particle 'Size Effect' Perspective

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Advances in Silicon Anodes for Solid-State Batteries: From the Particle 'Size Effect' Perspective

Silicon-based (Si-based) anodes are core candidates for next-generation high-energy solid-state batteries (SSBs) due to their high theoretical capacity (~4200 mAh g−1). However, their practical application is constrained by the 'size effect', which influences mechanical integrity and electrochemical performance. This review systematically examines the failure mechanisms of nano-silicon (nSi) and micro-silicon (mSi) anodes when paired with sulfide and organic-inorganic composite solid-state electrolytes (SSEs). Key functional parameters of these SSEs are discussed, along with strategies to mitigate interfacial impedance and accommodate volume changes. Recent progress in structural and interface modifications is highlighted, including the use of hard-carbon-stabilized Li–Si anodes (achieving stable cycling) and pressure-free operation. The review identifies core challenges, such as achieving intimate solid–solid contact and managing mechanical stress, and outlines future directions for 'size effect' regulation to accelerate commercialization of high-energy Si-based SSBs.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4237-x

Differentiated adsorption of intermediates on high-entropy intermetallic metallene promotes selective electrocatalytic upgrading of PET plastics to glycolic acid

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Differentiated adsorption of intermediates on high-entropy intermetallic metallene promotes selective electrocatalytic upgrading of PET plastics to glycolic acid

The electrocatalytic oxidation of ethylene glycol (EG) derived from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste to valuable glycolic acid (GA) represents an attractive route for waste resource upcycling. However, achieving high selectivity remains challenging due to the difficulty in steering the complex reaction pathway. In this study, PdPtCuInBi high-entropy intermetallic metallene (HEI-PdPtCuInBiene) is reported to precisely control EG oxidation reaction (EGOR) pathway for GA production by constructing multiple active sites at the atomic scale. In PET hydrolysate, it achieves a Faradaic efficiency of 99.87% and a production rate of 1.47 mmol h−1 cm−2, along with excellent stability. Mechanistic studies reveal that the high-entropy structure induces strong p-d orbital hybridization, which optimizes the electronic structure of active sites, thus weakening the adsorption of key carbonyl intermediates and suppressing C–C bond cleavage. The synergistic electronic effect among Pd, Pt, and Cu further enables differential adsorption of distinct intermediates on diverse active sites, enhancing the selective formation of GA. Techno-economic analysis exhibits high profitability (~$784.9 t−1 PET) of this route, demonstrating the great potential of high-entropy intermetallic metallene in regulating electrocatalytic upcycling of PET waste and beyond.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4159-y

Chemical confinement of short-chain sulfur into hierarchical porous hard carbon for ultra-stable high-capacity sodium-ion storage

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Chemical confinement of short-chain sulfur into hierarchical porous hard carbon for ultra-stable high-capacity sodium-ion storage

The pursuit of high-energy-density sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) necessitates the development of stable high-capacity anodes. While amorphous carbon is a promising anode candidate for SIBs, its practical application is hindered by limited capacity. Herein, we design a composite anode by chemically confining a high-content (~25 wt%) short-chain sulfur into hierarchical porous hard carbon microspheres (SHHC) derived from microbe yeast. The SHHC anode exhibits a high reversible capacity of ~807 mAh g−1 at 0.03 A g−1 (~3 times that of conventional amorphous carbon) along with superior rate capability, and extraordinary long-term cyclability (almost 100% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 1.0 A g−1). The high-content sulfur species contribute to superb redox reactivity for high-capacity sodium storage via a surface-dominated storage mechanism. The carbon matrix features an enlarged interlayer distance, which facilitates Na-ion intercalation and deintercalation for high-rate capability. Furthermore, the hierarchical porous structure with built-in cavities facilitates the Na-ion transfer and effectively accommodates the electrode’s volume expansion, achieving fast electrode kinetics and outstanding cyclability. Such a combination of favored properties leads to state-of-the-art comprehensive battery performance for Na-ion storage. Our finding envisions a new perspective on building stable high-capacity anode materials for SIBs.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4234-3

Synergistic Multi-Metal and Defect Engineering for High-Efficiency Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Synergistic Multi-Metal and Defect Engineering for High-Efficiency Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Electrochemical water splitting is pivotal for scalable green hydrogen production, yet its practical deployment hinges on cost-effective electrocatalysts with high activity and durability. This study introduces a low-cost, three-dimensional (3D) nanoporous ZrVFeCoNi material fabricated via chemical dealloying, at merely 0.16% of the cost of Pt. The structure-activity relationship between its microstructure and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance was systematically explored. Lattice defect effects from multiphase intermetallic compounds, combined with multi-metal synergy, optimize H+ adsorption energy and electron transfer kinetics. The 3D nanoporous architecture provides a high electrochemical surface area with abundant active sites, enhancing electrolyte penetration and reducing interfacial mass transfer resistance. Consequently, the ZrVFeCoNi electrode exhibits outstanding HER performance, requiring only a 38 mV overpotential to reach 10 mA cm−2 and maintaining stable operation for 1000 h at 500 mA cm−2. Integrated into a full water electrolyzer (ZrVFeCoNi || IrO2/Ni), the system achieves a cell voltage of 1.60 V at a current density of 400 mA cm−2. Advanced characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that interfacial interactions and charge transfer at heterointerfaces drive catalytic activity, showcasing the potential of 3D nano-structured multiphase intermetallic compounds as high-performance electrocatalysts for green hydrogen systems.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4192-y

Stable Radical Anions from Perylenediimide-Functionalized Bispillar[5]arene for Boosting Near-Infrared Photothermal Conversion

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Stable Radical Anions from Perylenediimide-Functionalized Bispillar[5]arene for Boosting Near-Infrared Photothermal Conversion

Perylene diimide (PDI) radical anions exhibit poor environmental stability, restricting their generation efficiency and practical application. Here, a PDI-functionalized bispillar[5]arene (PDI-P5) was designed to construct stable and high-efficiency photothermal radicals. Intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) between PDI and bispillar[5]arene narrows the energy gap. Under 455 nm ultraviolet light irradiation and diethylamine (DEA) vapor exposure, photoinduced electron transfer (PET) efficiently generates PDI-P5·− radicals, which possess broad near-infrared (NIR) absorption, enhanced non-radiative transitions, and excellent stability. Notably, PDI-P5·− can rapidly reach 90 °C under 0.20 W cm−2 simulated sunlight irradiation. Moreover, it exhibits superior multi-step photothermal anti-counterfeiting performance. This work provides a novel strategy for the development of stable radical-based photothermal materials, which holds great potential for anti-counterfeiting and bioimaging applications.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4179-x

Metal Atomic Clusters for Oxygen-Bearing Materials: From Adversity Comes Opportunity

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Metal Atomic Clusters for Oxygen-Bearing Materials: From Adversity Comes Opportunity

Atomic-level manufacturing is a frontier technology enabling materials to achieve ultimate performance. This study explores the potential applications and critical scientific issues of metal atomic clusters, which are predominantly used in catalysis but suffer from intrinsic instability, leading to low yield, inconsistent size and structure, and susceptibility to agglomeration, oxidation, and sintering. We propose a novel concept: employing oxidized metal atomic clusters as dopants in oxygen-bearing materials, such as oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys, oxide-based cermets, and toughening ceramics. Using ODS alloy as a proof-of-concept, Ni-NiO coupled cluster-strengthened metallic Ni exhibits finer grains, a larger proportion of low-angle grain boundaries, higher geometrically necessary dislocation density, and achieves a 38% enhancement in Vickers hardness. To advance this concept, four critical scientific issues require resolution: oxidation control, disaggregation and dispersion, effectiveness comparison, and physicochemical behaviors and mechanisms. This work bridges the gap between atomic-level manufacturing and structural materials, offering a pathway to overcome the instability of metal clusters by leveraging their oxidation characteristics.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4287-1

Multiscale Ordered Defect Design for Tailoring Ferroelectric Phase Stability and Switching Kinetics in Hafnia Ferroelectrics

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Multiscale Ordered Defect Design for Tailoring Ferroelectric Phase Stability and Switching Kinetics in Hafnia Ferroelectrics

Hafnia-based ferroelectrics exhibit a distinctive reverse size effect and exceptional scalability, positioning them as critical candidates for CMOS-compatible non-volatile memory and ferroelectric transistors, with substantial promise for advancing hardware acceleration in artificial intelligence and large-data storage technologies. However, their practical deployment is constrained by a longstanding dilemma: the difficulty in simultaneously stabilizing metastable polar phases and ensuring long-term reliability under the high electric fields required for polarization switching. This review reinterprets this challenge through the lens of defect physics and advocates a paradigm shift from stochastic, disorder-mediated defect incorporation toward ordered, multiscale defect engineering. We systematically discuss the collective influence of point defects, line defects, planar defects, and defect-coupled structures on the phase stability, switching kinetics, and failure mechanisms in hafnia-based ferroelectrics. Controlling oxygen-vacancy states, engineering dopants via Fermi-level and chemical pressure, deploying periodic dislocation arrays, designing topological domain walls, functionalizing interfaces, and leveraging flexoelectric strain gradients constitute the core strategic toolkit. Through such ordered defect architectures, scalable performance metrics, including high remanent polarization, low coercive field, fast switching speed, and endurance exceeding 10^12 cycles, become attainable. These approaches establish a set of design principles for next-generation low-power, high-reliability ferroelectric electronics.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4257-y

Machine Learning for Ionic Liquids in CO2 Conversion: Advances, Challenges, and Perspectives

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Machine Learning for Ionic Liquids in CO2 Conversion: Advances, Challenges, and Perspectives

The rapid increase in atmospheric CO2 due to fossil-fuel consumption has heightened the demand for efficient carbon capture and utilization technologies. Ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as versatile media and catalysts for CO2 conversion, offering advantages such as negligible volatility, wide electrochemical windows, and strong CO2 affinity. However, the vast design space of ILs and limited experimental data make traditional trial-and-error screening inefficient. This review summarizes recent advancements in applying machine learning (ML) to the design and screening of ILs for CO2 conversion. The roles of ILs in catalytic processes and the limitations of traditional screening methods are discussed. ML-based workflows are explored, with emphasis on addressing challenges posed by small and noisy datasets. Finally, future opportunities in mechanism-informed descriptors, multi-objective optimization, and the integration of domain expertise with data-driven approaches are highlighted to accelerate the discovery of next-generation ILs for sustainable CO2 conversion.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4151-2

Adjusting Light Absorption of Defective UiO-66 for Coupling Photothermal Evaporation with Photocatalysis

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Adjusting Light Absorption of Defective UiO-66 for Coupling Photothermal Evaporation with Photocatalysis

Solar interfacial evaporation and photocatalysis exhibit intrinsic complementarity in energy utilization pathways and reaction mechanisms. Integrating photocatalysis into interfacial evaporation systems enables a synergistic platform for efficient evaporation and pollutant removal. In this study, a defect-engineering strategy is developed for UiO-66 by covalently anchoring five carboxyl-containing organic dyes into its framework, where steric hindrance and ligand substitution synergistically induce abundant structural defects. This approach yields a series of defect-rich UiO-66 materials with tunable dye loading. Among them, the dye-sensitized UiO-66@dye-2 system demonstrates optimal light absorption capacity and vacancy defects. The dyes act as sensitizers, broadening the light absorption range and accelerating water evaporation, while the defect-inducing dyes introduce abundant trap sites, enabling rapid charge transfer and efficient spatial charge separation. Under 1-sun irradiation, the system achieves an outstanding water evaporation rate with a high solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 97.8%, along with excellent photocatalytic performance, achieving 95.4% degradation of phenol pollutants. Notably, it maintains stable degradation performance across highly acidic and alkaline environments, ensuring reliability for long-term operations in complex conditions. This work provides a molecular-level strategy for constructing defect-rich UiO-66 derivatives and offers insights for designing next-generation materials for integrated photothermal-photocatalytic environmental remediation.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4209-3

Correction to: Facile preparation of cabazitaxel-loaded nanoparticles directly lyophilized from dioxane

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Correction to: Facile preparation of cabazitaxel-loaded nanoparticles directly lyophilized from dioxane

This correction addresses an image assembly error identified in Fig. 7a of the original article published in Science China Materials, volume 66, issue 6, 2023, pages 2513–2522. The error was confined to the assembly of images in Fig. 7a, which presents H&E staining analysis of major organs from a toxicity study. The corrected version of Fig. 7 is provided in this corrigendum. The original study evaluated the toxicity of lyophilized cabazitaxel (CTX) and Tween 80-based CTX formulations in CD-1 mice following a single intravenous administration of 30 mg kg−1 CTX via the tail vein on day 0, with sacrifice on day 14 for analysis (n=5). The figure includes H&E staining of major organs, complete blood count (CBC) analysis with statistical significance indicated by *p < 0.05, and mouse weight measurements. The correction does not affect the overall results, data interpretation, or scientific conclusions of the original article. All authors have reviewed and approved the content of this corrigendum. The authors sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to the editorial office, reviewers, and readers. The article was received on 6 May 2026, accepted on 4 June 2026, and published online on 31 July 2026.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4317-4

Highly Efficient Removal of Sr2+ by a Layered Potassium Phosphatoantimonate under Neutral and Acidic Conditions

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Highly Efficient Removal of Sr2+ by a Layered Potassium Phosphatoantimonate under Neutral and Acidic Conditions

Radiostrontium remediation is crucial for ecological protection and sustainable development of nuclear energy. However, efficient removal of 90Sr from complex radioactive liquid waste, especially under acidic conditions, remains challenging due to material instability and intense proton competition. Herein, the rapid and highly selective capture of Sr2+ in neutral and even acidic solutions has been achieved by a layered potassium phosphatoantimonate KSbP2O8 with excellent radiation and thermal stability. Under neutral conditions, it possesses high maximum adsorption capacity (qmSr = 110.25 mg g−1), rapid adsorption kinetics (the removal rate (RSr) of 91.54% within 30 min), and excellent selectivity for Sr2+, and facile regeneration. Particularly, even under acidic conditions (pH 2.0), KSbP2O8 still maintains excellent Sr2+ removal capacity (qmSr = 79.38 mg g−1), fast kinetics, and high selectivity. A mechanism study by multiple characterizations reveals that the efficient Sr2+ removal of KSbP2O8 mainly stems from ion exchange between Sr2+ and interlayer K+ in KSbP2O8, which is attributed to the synergy between the Sb5+-induced Brønsted acidity and the high charge density of the anionic framework. This study demonstrates the exceptional capability of phosphatoantimonates to selectively capture Sr2+ under acidic conditions, highlighting the potential of phosphatoantimonates as effective scavengers for radiostrontium remediation.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4112-6

Bidirectional Bonding Interfacial Engineering Enables High-Performance Sb2S3/HgS Heterojunction Photodetector for Intelligent Healthcare Applications

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Bidirectional Bonding Interfacial Engineering Enables High-Performance Sb2S3/HgS Heterojunction Photodetector for Intelligent Healthcare Applications

Self-powered broadband photodetectors are pivotal for next-generation intelligent healthcare. Solution-processed mercury sulfide (HgS) is an attractive near-infrared absorber but is limited by interfacial instability, high defects, and sluggish response. Inspired by sulfur-mediated adhesion in Alhagi sparsifolia, a bioinspired interfacial engineering strategy employs an antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) interlayer to construct a bidirectional chemical bonding network. The Sb2S3 interlayer simultaneously forms Sb–O bonds with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates and Sb–S/Hg–S bonds with the HgS layer, thereby reinforcing interfacial adhesion, passivating coordination-unsaturated defect states, and establishing a type-II heterojunction with a strong built-in electric field. The resulting Sb2S3/HgS photodetector exhibits self-powered operation, broadband sensitivity spanning the visible to near-infrared region (642–1550 nm), an ultrafast response time of 2.47 ms, a detectivity up to 1.7 × 10^11 Jones, and retaining nearly constant photocurrent over 5000 continuous on-off switching cycles as well as prolonged air exposure. Beyond device-level performance, we demonstrate its utility in intelligent healthcare scenarios, including machine-learning-assisted liquid drug identification, binary-coded optical wireless communication, and high-fidelity photoplethysmography monitoring. This work establishes biomimetic bidirectional bonding as a generalizable paradigm for stabilizing solution-processed chalcogenide optoelectronics and accelerates the integration of self-powered broadband photodetectors into intelligent healthcare systems.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4200-0

Ultrafast Scintillation Enabled by Exciton Localization in High-Entropy Fluoride Crystals

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Ultrafast Scintillation Enabled by Exciton Localization in High-Entropy Fluoride Crystals

Ultrafast scintillators with low-nanosecond emission are essential for next-generation high-rate X-ray and particle imaging. Although Ce3+-activated scintillators inherently exhibit fast response characteristics, conventional Ce3+-doped hosts rarely achieve low-nanosecond ultrafast decay. Here, we report a high-entropy fluoride scintillator (HEFS), Ce:LaGdCaSrBaF12 (Ce:LGCSB), in the form of bulk single crystals. The severe lattice distortion arising from multi-cation disorder induces exciton localization and effectively suppresses exciton diffusion. Through the rapid relaxation of localized excitons, the high-entropy Ce:LGCSB single crystals deliver a decay time of 1.23 ns with a 94.6% fast-component contribution and without any noticeable slow component. Through first-principles calculations, spectroscopic characterization, and transient dynamics analysis, we reveal that the ultrafast response originates from accelerated Frenkel exciton (FE) recombination enabled by the high-entropy environment. This work establishes entropy-engineered fluorides as promising ultrafast scintillator platforms and proposes a general strategy for extending sluggish diffusion effects to the excitonic scale, offering new opportunities for improving scintillation timing performance.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4322-4

A comprehensive review on double-redox reaction towards high-performance polyanionic sodium-ion batteries

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

A comprehensive review on double-redox reaction towards high-performance polyanionic sodium-ion batteries

Polyanionic cathode materials are widely considered as potential cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries due to their strong three-dimensional framework and intrinsic thermal safety. Nevertheless, the limitation of the specific capacity and energy density hindered their application, which can be ascribed to the common reliance of single-electron redox reaction of the transition metal. By realizing the reversible double redox reaction of vanadium-based and manganese-based polyanion cathodes, researchers have successfully opened up a new way to break through the long-term performance limitations. Recent studies disclose that vanadium and manganese-based polyanionic cathodes exhibit the possibility of realizing a reversible double-redox reaction, which opened up new avenues to overcome the capacity dilemma. However, many fundamental issues remain unclear, including insufficient structural stability at high operating voltages, irreversible structural evolution induced by sodium extraction, sluggish electronic and ionic transport kinetics, and Jahn–Teller distortion. Therefore, it is imperative to summarize recent work in order to clarify the pathway for future investigation. In this review, the key challenges associated with the activation of the double-redox reaction are outlined, followed by the realization and regulation of the double-redox reaction in polyanionic cathode materials. A systematic summary of recent studies is performed for both vanadium and manganese-based compounds, which could contribute to the fundamental understanding of the double-redox reaction mechanism. Combined with the modification strategy and future perspective, this review provides insights into the rational design of polyanionic cathodes with a reversible double-redox reaction. It also offers insights into the development of high-energy-density cathode materials for next-generation sodium-ion batteries.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4232-1

Surface Dye-Coordination for Efficient Upconversion Nanosystems

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Surface Dye-Coordination for Efficient Upconversion Nanosystems

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) exhibit distinctive optical characteristics, including excellent photostability, large anti-Stokes shifts, narrow emission bands, and tunable luminescence lifetimes. Despite their advantages, UCNPs suffer from inherently weak light absorption because of the 4f-4f transitions of lanthanide ions. Near-infrared dye-sensitization has emerged as an effective strategy to enhance their absorption, yet the photoconversion performance remains constrained by photobleaching and interfacial energy losses. In this review, we systematically analyze the surface coordination environments and energy transfer pathways that govern dye-sensitized UCNPs. We evaluate critical molecular parameters, such as dye frameworks, surface binding affinity, and triplet-state energy alignment, in conjunction with nanoparticle structural features, including dopant concentration, core-shell architectures, and surface electronic configurations. By providing a fundamental assessment of these photophysical and photochemical processes, we propose targeted optimization strategies to enhance the performance and stability of these hybrid materials for advanced applications.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4194-2

Synergistic Conformation Locking and Terminal Conjugation Engineering of Carbazole-Based Self-Assembled Monolayers for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Synergistic Conformation Locking and Terminal Conjugation Engineering of Carbazole-Based Self-Assembled Monolayers for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are critical for optimizing electrode interfaces in organic solar cells (OSCs), as their molecular conformation and ordering govern interfacial quality. Conventional carbazole-based SAMs (e.g., 2PACz) rely on flexible alkyl linkers whose conformational freedom often results in disordered packing, incomplete coverage, and limited environmental robustness, especially under air processing. Here, we design and systematically study a series of well-defined carbazole SAM homologues (Cz-PPA, Cz-HPA, PCz-HPA, and PCz-PPA) to elucidate the role of synergistic conformational locking achieved through linker rigidification and terminal conjugation extension. PCz-HPA, which integrates a rigid cyclohexane linker with a strongly conjugated 3,6-diphenylcarbazole end group, enables effective conformational locking. It forms a highly ordered, densely packed monolayer on ITO, delivering high surface coverage, a strengthened interfacial dipole, and improved energy-level alignment. The rigid framework and ordered interface enhance air-process stability and interfacial contact, thereby suppressing recombination and facilitating exciton dissociation and charge collection. Using PCz-HPA as SAM for the devices based on PM6:L8-BO reaches 19.75% efficiency and it demonstrates consistent gains across multiple systems. These results identify conformational locking via linker rigidification as a general design rule for durable, high-performance SAM interlayers in organic optoelectronics.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4207-0

Strategies for Enhancing Multi-Properties of Medium- and High-Entropy Soft Magnetic Alloys

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Strategies for Enhancing Multi-Properties of Medium- and High-Entropy Soft Magnetic Alloys

Traditional soft magnetic alloys (SMAs) suffer from a performance trade-off where enhancing magnetic properties often compromises mechanical and other properties, limiting their use in high-efficiency power systems and advanced electronics. The design concept of medium- and high-entropy alloys (M/HEAs) offers a pathway to overcome this limitation. By leveraging multi-principal-element compositions and tailorable microstructures, medium- and high-entropy soft magnetic alloys (M/HE-SMAs) can integrate superior soft magnetic properties with exceptional mechanical strength-ductility synergy, high electrical resistivity, good thermal stability, and excellent corrosion resistance. This article reviews design strategies for synergistic enhancement of multiple properties in M/HE-SMAs, including blending multiple ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic elements into solid solution, inducing local chemical order, tailoring nanoprecipitates, controlling grain size, and engineering dual/multi-phase structures. The cooperative interactions among these strategies are discussed. Potential research directions for further development and practical applications are proposed.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4293-9

Novel Cross-Linkable Blue Light Emitting Material and Its High Stability OLEDs by Solution Process

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

Novel Cross-Linkable Blue Light Emitting Material and Its High Stability OLEDs by Solution Process

The solution process holds great promise for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) fabrication owing to its minimal material loss, simple processing and low equipment investment. However, solution-processed blue OLEDs still face the challenges of low electroluminescence efficiency and poor working stability. In this study, two new cross-linkable blue light-emitting molecules, v-4CzBn and v-5CzBn, were synthesized. They featured a multicarbazole-substituted benzonitrile donor–acceptor structure as the emitting core, with two vinyl phenyl units on the carbazole rings serving as cross-linking groups. A singlet–triplet energy gap of ΔEST ≤ 0.10 eV and a high reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC > 10^6 s−1) were achieved because the three-dimensionally confined covalent network structure formed through a thermal cross-linking reaction limited intramolecular motions and vibrational relaxations of luminescent units. Moreover, this structure suppressed irreversible morphological changes and structural deterioration of light-emitting units due to aggregation or crystallization, improving the light-emitting performance of the device. Nondoped solution-processed OLEDs with the structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/TFB/S-4CzBn/TPBi/LiF/Al exhibited blue emission with a peak at 488 nm, achieving a maximum external quantum efficiency of 12.01%, a maximum luminance of 11,141.15 cd m−2, and a T50 lifetime of 1375.66 h@100 cd m−2. This result represents the longest operational lifetime reported to date for solution-process devices with cross-linked emitting layers.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4203-7

In Situ Dynamic Regulation of Strain at the Buried Interface of Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

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SCIENCE CHINA Materials2026

In Situ Dynamic Regulation of Strain at the Buried Interface of Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved remarkable power conversion efficiencies, yet their operational stability remains a critical bottleneck for commercialization. Strain at the buried interface, induced by thermal expansion mismatches and lattice distortions during annealing, is a major contributor to performance degradation. This work introduces a meltable additive-enabled liquid medium annealing (LMA) strategy to dynamically regulate strain in situ. By employing a liquid medium that melts at elevated temperatures, the annealing process provides a compliant environment that alleviates residual strain at the buried interface. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark-field imaging reveal improved interfacial contact and reduced lattice distortion. Modulus mapping indicates enhanced mechanical uniformity, while molecular dynamics simulations corroborate the strain-relief mechanism. The d-spacing variation of the (001) facet upon heating at 85 °C is significantly suppressed, indicating superior thermal stability. Under diurnal cycling (12 h maximum power point tracking at 85 °C and 12 h dark at room temperature), the target devices exhibit enhanced stability, retaining a higher fraction of their initial performance compared to controls. This work underscores the importance of phase engineering during annealing and opens a new avenue for strain management in perovskite photovoltaics and beyond.

Read Full Abstract10.1007/s40843-026-4366-1