SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4467-x
Conventional eye-movement interaction systems depend on video capture, infrared tracking, and image recognition, which impose inherent constraints on accuracy, response latency, and stability. This study introduces an eyelash-guided signal interaction system based on a triboelectric nanogenerator (PF-TENG) using PDMS-FDTS thin films. The system employs eyelash movements as interactive inputs, eliminating the need for complex optical acquisition devices. A CNN-LSTM hybrid neural network classifies distinct eyelash movement patterns with a classification accuracy exceeding 98.5%. The PF-TENG device exhibits ultra-flexibility and transparency, enabling seamless integration onto eyeglasses without obstructing the user's field of view. Experimental validation demonstrates real-time monitoring of ocular states for driving fatigue detection, accurately identifying fatigue signs and enhancing application potential in intelligent driving. The system offers a natural, comfortable input modality and significant advantages for human-machine interaction, with broad prospects in eye-movement control and intelligent transportation.
Nano Research Energy•2026•DOI: 10.26599/NRE.2025.9120181
Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SLMBs) demand quasi-solid polymer electrolytes (QSSPEs) that simultaneously deliver high ionic conductivity, interfacial stability, and oxidative resistance. This study reports a QSSPE membrane (MP46) formulated with MG30:LiTFSI:succinonitrile at a 10:4:6 weight ratio, exhibiting a wide electrochemical window of 5.1 V. Complementary infrared spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and electron microscopy reveal a hierarchical ionic conductive network consisting of sphere-like nanostructures embedded within microphase-segregated architectures. This morphology enhances lithium-ion transport while preserving mechanical integrity. The strong interfacial adhesion between MP46 and lithium metal enables stable lithium plating and stripping for over 800 h at 0.2 mA·cm–2, effectively mitigating dendrite formation. When paired with LiFePO4 and LiCoO2 cathodes, MP46 sustains prolonged cycling, retaining 80.1% capacity after 1400 cycles at 2 C and 92.1% after 200 cycles at 4.5 V, respectively. Pouch-type cells further demonstrate mechanical flexibility and operational safety under deformation. These results establish MP46 as a viable candidate for stable high-energy-density SLMBs, offering fundamental insights into the design of next-generation polymer electrolytes.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4202-3
Carbon dots (CDs) with absorption in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 900-1700 nm) hold promise for tumor theranostics, yet existing synthesis methods often involve complex procedures, harsh conditions, or lack precise control. Here we report a 'self-photooxidation-restructuring' strategy that enables structural reorganization of the carbon core in CDs, achieving a significant redshift of absorption into the NIR-II region. Under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, the precursor (B-CDs, absorption in UV region) generates singlet oxygen, which self-oxidizes aldehyde groups and the carbon skeleton of B-CDs to stronger electron-withdrawing carboxyl groups and carbon radicals, respectively. These processes facilitate the formation of new C=C bonds between isolated aromatic domains, thereby transforming B-CDs into novel CDs (N-CDs) characterized by enhanced donor-acceptor interactions and a redshift in absorption toward the NIR-II window. Various experimental data, including high-resolution XPS, FTIR, NMR, EPR, have proved the proposed formation mechanism. The novel N-CDs afforded a high photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 71.33%, which enabled 1064 nm laser-activated photoacoustic imaging (PAI)-guided photothermal therapy (PTT) in tumors. This work opens a new avenue for the synthesis and modulation of CDs in the NIR-II region.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4235-6
Fluorite-structured oxides (HfO2, ZrO2) are promising for resistive random-access memory (RRAM) due to their scalability and tunable properties. However, achieving high resistive switching on/off ratios remains challenging. Here, we report a collaborative strategy combining Hf/Zr ratio optimization and Lu3+ doping to regulate band structure and oxygen vacancy concentration in Hf0.4Zr0.6O2 (LHZO) thin films. The resulting LHZO devices exhibit a resistive switching ratio of 8.4 × 10^4, two orders of magnitude higher than that of ZrO2 (1.2 × 10^3). Electrical characterization and synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy reveal that Lu doping widens the bandgap to 4.95 eV, downshifts the valence band, and introduces defect states, collectively suppressing p-type conductivity and reducing off-state leakage current. Simultaneously, Lu3+ doping enriches oxygen vacancies, stabilizing ohmic conductive filaments in the on-state. This co-optimization of band structure and oxygen vacancies effectively enhances insulating properties in the high-resistance state and ohmic conductivity in the low-resistance state, leading to superior resistive switching performance with robust retention (>10^4 s). Our findings establish a fundamental strategy for tailoring electronic properties of doped HfZrO2 thin films toward high-performance RRAM applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3553-7
Gesture interaction has emerged as a highly effective interface for intelligent human-computer interaction, attributed to its intuitive interaction modality and multi-dimensional control capabilities. However, traditional gesture interaction devices often depend on predefined encoding rules, which substantially limit interaction efficiency and degrade user experience. This study introduces an innovative intelligent finger ring interaction system based on a triboelectric nanogenerator utilizing PDMS/SrTiO3 composite thin film (PS-TENG). The system maps freehand writing gestures directly to textual information input, thereby eliminating the need for complex gesture encoding schemes and offering a user-friendly, low-learning-curve input method. By integrating a deep learning model, the system achieves recognition accuracies of 98.21% for English letters, 96.87% for Arabic numerals, and 96.44% for Chinese characters. Furthermore, it supports secure and encrypted data transmission and enables wireless interaction for gaming control. These findings indicate that the intelligent finger ring interaction system possesses significant potential for practical applications in information input and wireless control.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3432-8
This correction addresses an error in the labeling of author affiliations in the original publication (Sci China Mater, 2025, 68: 1561, DOI: 10.1007/s40843-024-3290-9). The corrected affiliations are as follows: Fuxia Huang, Feng Wang, Ya Liu, and Liejin Guo are affiliated with the International Research Center for Renewable Energy, State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China. Yifei Liu is affiliated with the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China. The correction was made upon the request of the authors and with approval from the respective institutions. The original article focused on crystal defects engineering of BiOI to enhance photocatalytic CO2 reduction to C2 products, a critical area for sustainable fuel synthesis. This correction ensures accurate attribution and institutional recognition, which is essential for research integrity and reproducibility. No changes were made to the scientific content or conclusions of the original study.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3683-y
Effective management of traumatic hemorrhage requires rapid blood loss control and facile removal of hemostatic materials to minimize secondary tissue damage. We fabricated a strongly adhesive aerogel (OPA) via Schiff-base crosslinking of oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) and ε-polylysine (ε-PL), enabling rapid hemostasis in lethal arterial trauma and on-demand removal via phase transition. OPAs exhibited tunable porosity and rapid blood absorption. Surface hydroxyl, amino, and carboxyl groups promoted strong hydrogen bonding with tissues, blood cells, and plasma proteins, enhancing tissue adhesion and platelet capture/activation. In a rabbit femoral-artery-injury model, OPA4 shortened hemostatic time by ~80% and reduced blood loss to 38% of the blank group. Notably, OPAs retained only 2% of initial adhesion after hydration, allowing gentle removal. OPAs also demonstrated excellent antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. The simple one-step freeze-drying process and tailorable shapes offer scalable production and versatile applications. This study provides a versatile strategy for emergency and surgical hemostasis, combining rapid control of life-threatening arterial bleeding with on-demand atraumatic removal, promising improved patient outcomes and streamlined postoperative care.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202506041
Urban and rural multi-source organic waste faces bottlenecks including high compositional heterogeneity, single resource recovery pathways, and uneven product quality. In the Taihu Lake region, active tourism and catering, high greening, and dense water networks generate large volumes of diverse waste with high moisture content, exacerbating these issues. This study evaluated a coupled bio-drying and aerobic composting process at a demonstration center in Linhu Town, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, employing a three-stage control strategy: gradient dewatering, high-temperature stabilization, and maturation enhancement. Continuous operation showed that kitchen waste moisture content decreased from 77.70% to 58.69% after 1 day of bio-drying, to 23.22% after 7 days of silo reactor composting, and to 17.70% after at least 20 days of maturation. The aerobic composting phase maintained temperatures above 55°C for over 5 days, reaching a maximum of 68.1°C, meeting the harmless treatment requirements of CJJ 52—2014. After 20 days of maturation, the organic fertilizer product had an electrical conductivity below 4.00 mS·cm−1, organic matter content of 51.22%, total nutrient content of 5.61%, and heavy metal concentrations below the limits of NY/T 525—2021. The results provide technical support for efficient treatment and resource utilization of urban and rural organic waste.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.3724/2097-213X.2025.JFCT.0021
Red mud, an industrial solid waste from alumina production, poses severe environmental challenges. This study presents a resource-efficient strategy to convert red mud into high-performance microwave absorbing materials. FexOy/TiO2/C composites were synthesized via a sol-gel method using starch as carbon source, followed by carbothermal reduction. The phase composition and microstructure were optimized by adjusting calcination temperature and raw material ratio. The optimal sample, RmCT-5.4-700, exhibited a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of -30.2 dB at 14.0 GHz with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 5.3 GHz at a coating thickness of 2.0 mm. The superior absorption performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of dielectric components (TiO2, graphitized carbon) and magnetic components (Fe3O4/Fe). Carbothermal reduction introduces defects that induce dipole polarization, while the conductive network formed by graphitized carbon and Fe3O4/Fe particles enhances conductive loss. Heterogeneous interfaces between Fe3O4, Fe, TiO2, and the red mud matrix promote interfacial polarization. The magnetic loss of Fe3O4/Fe improves impedance matching, facilitating electromagnetic wave penetration and absorption. This work not only provides a novel route for red mud valorization but also contributes to the high-value utilization of solid wastes.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025091203
The persistence of tetracycline (TC) in aquatic environments poses significant ecological risks. This study developed a homogeneous reaction system based on carboxylated Fe2+ enhanced peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, using citric acid (CA) as a ligand. Carboxylation improved Fe2+ stability and catalytic activity, while solid PMS served as the oxidant, circumventing issues of traditional Fenton processes such as H2O2 instability, complex heterogeneous catalyst preparation, high disposal costs, and toxic metal leaching. The acidic pretreatment enabled by CA inhibited Fe2+ oxidation and promoted sustained PMS activation without external energy input. Under optimized conditions (TC 5 mg·L−1, Fe2+ 0.02 mmol·L−1, CA 0.001 mmol·L−1, PMS 2 mmol·L−1), 88.80% TC degradation was achieved within 60 min. Mechanistic studies revealed that CA protected Fe2+ active sites via carboxyl coordination, facilitating continuous generation of reactive species, including singlet oxygen (1O2) and sulfate radicals (SO4•−). 1O2 was the dominant species (50.5% contribution), followed by SO4•− (35.7%), synergistically driving efficient TC degradation while significantly reducing iron sludge production. Phytotoxicity assays confirmed that treated water exhibited no significant toxicity to wheat seedlings (P > 0.05), indicating effective ecological risk elimination. This work provides a low-energy, operationally simple, and environmentally friendly technology for antibiotic-contaminated water treatment, with promising practical application potential.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61106-7
Hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries suffer from limited capacity, low initial Coulombic efficiency, and poor long-term cycling stability. To address these issues, we report a dual-stabilization strategy that combines micropore confinement and chemical bonding to control sulfur species in coal-derived hard carbon. Bituminous coal, with its naturally condensed aromatic framework, serves as the carbon precursor. A two-step thermal process first constructs a microporous carbon framework, followed by gas-phase sulfidation to introduce sulfur. The sulfur is confined within micropores and forms stable covalent C–S bonds with the carbon matrix, providing synergistic physical–chemical stabilization. This suppresses sulfur migration, prevents interfacial side reactions, and introduces additional redox-active sites. The optimized sample (HC-10) delivers a high reversible capacity of 450 mAh/g after 800 cycles at a current density of 1 A/g, with excellent rate capability and cycling stability. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the stabilized sulfur species reversibly participate in sodium-ion storage and improve interfacial kinetics. This work provides an effective strategy for stabilizing sulfur in coal-derived carbon materials and offers insights into the design of high-performance anodes for sodium-ion batteries.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507081
Coal chemical waste salt, a solid residue from evaporative crystallization of high-salinity wastewater, poses significant environmental risks and challenges for resource utilization due to its complex composition. This study systematically analyzes its composition and environmental hazards, highlighting its typical "mixed salt" nature and the potential threats of organic pollutants and heavy metals to soil, water, and ecosystems. It reviews mainstream treatment pathways, including organic degradation, inorganic impurity removal, and salt separation, with a focus on the resource utilization of sodium chloride and sodium sulfate and their industrial prospects. The current pollution control technical specifications and product quality standards are examined, comparing the scope and technical points of relevant standards such as the "Technical Specification for Pollution Control of Chemical Waste Salt." Finally, countermeasures are proposed to address challenges including difficult treatment of mixed salts, insufficient resource utilization incentives, and incomplete standard systems, emphasizing technological innovation, policy guidance, and standard improvement.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202508036
To address the issues of insufficient carbon sources and low denitrification efficiency in rural domestic wastewater, this study developed and optimized a composite slow-release carbon source using corncob, rice husk, reed straw, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and sodium alginate (SA). The preparation conditions and raw material ratios were systematically optimized using Plackett-Burman (PB) design, response surface methodology (Box-Behnken design, BBD), and mixture-optimal design (MOD). The denitrification performance was evaluated through carbon release characteristics and denitrification experiments. The optimal preparation conditions were determined as PVA 8.64 g, SA 2.41 g, rice husk 3.82 g, corncob 4.47 g, reed straw 6.06 g, freezing time 19.11 h, and crosslinking time 12 h. The 7-day cumulative carbon release was (43.38 ± 1.3) mg·(g·h)−1. The release process followed first-order kinetics, Higuchi, Ritger-Peppas, and Weibull models, indicating that carbon release is controlled by multiple mechanisms including diffusion and skeleton erosion, ensuring stable slow-release characteristics. In denitrification experiments with influent NO3−-N concentration of 50 mg·L−1, the composite carbon source (RCR-PVA-SA) achieved a maximum NO3−-N removal rate of 90.8% after 10 days of operation, with a removal rate of 0.079 mg·(g·h)−1. Under dynamic conditions with hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 h, the average removal rate remained at 87.9%, demonstrating efficient and stable denitrification performance under both static and dynamic conditions. This research provides a reference for the preparation of natural slow-release carbon sources and the resource utilization of agricultural waste.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202508021
Coal chemical industry waste salt, generated from high-salinity wastewater treatment, poses a bottleneck for green transformation under the 'dual carbon' strategy due to its low value and high complexity. This study investigated a typical coal chemical industrial park in Northwest China, using principal component analysis (PCA) on actual waste salt samples to identify pollutant characteristics and assess resource utilization potential. Results showed total organic carbon (TOC) ranged from 707.9 to 7,737.9 mg·kg⁻¹, with benzo(a)pyrene concentrations frequently exceeding the limits of the 'Identification Standards for Hazardous Wastes' (GB 5085.3). Hardness ions and metal ions also surpassed relevant product standards. PCA classified the waste salts into three types: sodium sulfate type, sodium chloride type, and high-complexity mixed salt, each corresponding to distinct resource utilization pathways. The study proposes differentiated technical routes based on PCA classification, providing a feasible reference for classified management and technology selection. This research supports the national policy of 'harmless pretreatment + resource utilization' for waste salt, contributing to green and high-quality development of the coal chemical industry.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(25)60630-X
Chemical looping methane steam reforming (CL-MSR) enables sequential production of high-selectivity syngas and high-purity hydrogen via redox cycling, yet single iron-based oxygen carriers suffer from poor cycling stability, low reactivity, and sintering. This study modified Fe2O3/Al2O3 oxygen carriers with Cu, La, and Ce additives via dip-coating, and systematically characterized their physicochemical properties, reactivity, and hydrogen production performance. Results showed that spinel-phase CuFe2O4 exhibited higher reactivity than perovskite LaFeO3 and CeO2, promoting deeper reduction of Fe2O3. Fe58Cu2Al achieved an oxygen storage capacity of 6.5 mmol/g. During CH4 reaction, Fe58Cu2Al exhibited the highest oxygen loss of 12.1 g/100 g oxygen carrier, with syngas yield of 5.15 mmol/g—1.33 and 1.59 times that of Fe60Al. In hydrogen production, the 2% Cu-modified carrier yielded 5.13 mmol/g H2, 1.51 times that of pristine Fe60Al, with purity exceeding 98%. After ten cycles, H2 yield remained at 3.61 mmol/g, surpassing the single-cycle output of pristine Fe60Al (3.39 mmol/g), demonstrating superior dispersion and coking resistance. The study establishes Cu modification as an effective strategy to enhance reactivity and cyclic stability of iron-based oxygen carriers for CL-MSR hydrogen production.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025101901
Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) regulated under the Stockholm Convention. Chlorinated chemical production processes are major sources of unintentional HCBD emissions, posing potential threats to ecosystems and human health. This study systematically reviews the formation, emission, and environmental impact of HCBD from such processes. HCBD is widely generated as a by-product during chlorination stages of producing carbon tetrachloride, dichloroacetylene, tri-/tetrachloroethylene, and chlorobenzene, via free-radical mechanisms. It is released through waste gas, wastewater, and solid waste. In the environment, HCBD exhibits multimedia distribution, undergoing long-range atmospheric transport and adsorbing onto soil and sediments, thereby becoming secondary pollution sources. HCBD shows significant bioaccumulation and food-chain magnification; it is toxic to aquatic organisms and causes hepatic and renal damage with potential carcinogenicity in mammals. Effective pollution control requires combined process improvements and end-of-pipe treatments, supplemented by stringent emission standards and life-cycle management. Future research should focus on developing precise emission inventories, elucidating multi-media transport and transformation mechanisms, and assessing composite ecotoxicological effects, thereby providing scientific support for implementing international conventions and formulating effective prevention strategies.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(25)60622-0
Photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from sustainable biomass-derived carbon catalysts offers a renewable route to valuable chemicals, yet the regulatory role of surface functional groups on reaction kinetics remains underexplored. Here, hydrothermal carbon spheres (CS) rich in oxygen-containing functional groups demonstrated a remarkably high H2O2 production rate of 653 μmol/(g·h) in both pure water and actual seawater, without any sacrificial agent. The catalyst also exhibited outstanding activity in visible-light-driven photocatalytic oxidation of benzylamine to imines, achieving 92% conversion and >99% selectivity. Comprehensive analysis revealed that CS was rich in surface oxygen-containing functional groups, a feature strongly associated with its high photocatalytic efficiency. The observed positive Zeta potential of CS in seawater likely diminished electrostatic repulsion against positively charged intermediates, facilitating their accumulation at the liquid-solid interface. This work proposes a strategic framework for developing metal-free photocatalysts from biomass, offering a sustainable pathway for photocatalytic applications.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025083003
To obtain freshwater from saline water and seawater, a double-layer evaporator consisting of carbon spheres and corn stalks was fabricated (abbreviated as CC). Corn stalks served as the evaporator substrate, and a mixed hydrogel of carbon spheres and polyvinyl alcohol functioned as the photothermal conversion layer. The solar-driven interfacial evaporation and desalination performance of the CC evaporator was investigated. The glucose-derived carbon spheres exhibited a uniform morphology and achieved 95% light absorption across 200–2500 nm. Under 1 sun (1 kW·m−2) irradiation, the CC with 3 cm height (CC-3) reached an exceptional evaporation rate of 3.55 kg·m−2·h−1 with a remarkable energy efficiency of 97.53%. When different wind speeds (1.5, 2, and 2.5 m·s−1) were applied, the evaporation rates further increased to 7.17, 8.92, and 10.41 kg·m−2·h−1, respectively. The evaporation rate of CC-3 for 3.5% saline was 3.46 kg·m−2·h−1. A 5-day long-time experiment exhibited stable desalination and excellent salt tolerance. Under a wind speed of 2.5 m·s−1, the evaporation rate reached 9.56 kg·m−2·h−1. In an outdoor natural light within a closed system and 2.5 m·s−1 of wind speed, the maximum evaporation rate and cumulative evaporation amount for seawater were 9.59 kg·m−2·h−1 and 66.0 kg·m−2, with no salt crystallization observed on the CC surface. These results demonstrate the potential practical application of the CC evaporator in seawater desalination.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3835-0
The development of high-performance CO2 separation membranes is critical for advancing carbon capture technologies. Two-dimensional (2D) material membranes, with tunable interlayer nanochannels functionalized by nanomaterials (e.g., metal ions), are promising for CO2 capture. However, achieving uniform nanomaterial distribution without compromising separation performance remains a challenge. Here, we propose a multifunctional molecular immobilization strategy to fabricate a metal ion intercalated graphene oxide (GO) membrane with enhanced CO2 capture performance. The multifunctional molecule sodium p-aminobenzenesulfonate (SPABS) enables in situ and uniform distribution of Na+ in the interlayer channels of the GO membrane. The amino groups of SPABS undergo nucleophilic addition reactions with epoxy groups on GO sheets, resulting in stable interlayer channels. Meanwhile, the hydrophilic sulfonic acid groups enhance water adsorption capacity in the GO interlayer channels, synergizing with Na+ to form active sites that facilitate fast and selective transport of CO2 over N2. The resulting membrane exhibits enhanced CO2 capture performance. A large-sized membrane (15 cm × 20 cm) fabricated by scalable blade-casting shows reproducible performance. This work provides insights and a tool for tailoring nanochannels of 2D material membranes for molecular separation.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509067
Marine litter poses a significant threat to coastal ecosystems globally, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its multi-compartment distribution and driving mechanisms for effective management. This study investigated the occurrence, composition, and sources of beach, sea surface, and seafloor litter in the northeastern Daya Bay, a semi-enclosed bay, during August–October 2024. Sampling included 11 beach transects, 6 surface transects, and 25 seafloor transects. Results showed that the mean density of large and very large beach litter was 4.41×10^5 items·km−2, while medium beach litter reached 5.39×10^6 items·km−2. Surface litter densities were 5.82×10^2 and 9.90×10^3 items·km−2 for large/very large and medium fractions, respectively. Seafloor litter averaged 5.20×10^3 items·km−2. Plastics dominated all compartments, accounting for 74.0% (beach), 96.0% (surface), and 78.8% (seafloor) of total litter. Source apportionment using NOWPAP methodology indicated that beach and surface litter primarily originated from coastal recreational activities, whereas seafloor litter was mainly derived from shipping and fishing. Beach quality assessment revealed that 63.6% of beaches were moderately clean or better (grade II–IV), and 90.9% were moderately safe or better (grade I–III). Hotspots included tourism beaches, tidal gyre areas, coral reef zones, and fishing grounds. The study underscores the need for targeted management, including improved waste collection on tourist beaches, dynamic cleaning protocols, and port reception facilities for fishing waste.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.3724/2097-213X.2025.JFCT.0031
The high-temperature behavior of biomass ash critically influences gasifier operational efficiency. This study investigates the differential high-temperature behaviors of corn straw ash (CSA) and wheat straw ash (WSA) using an intelligent ash fusion analyzer, high-temperature rotating viscometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM-EDS, and FactSage thermodynamic simulations. Both ashes contain high K2O (>30%) and exhibit flow temperatures below 1300 °C. Despite higher K2O and lower SiO2, CSA exhibits a higher flow temperature (1241 °C) than WSA, attributed to elevated CaO (10.39%) and MgO (7.33%) that promote formation of high-melting silicates (K2MgSiO4, K2Ca2Si2O7, CaSiO3). In contrast, WSA with lower CaO (4.92%) and MgO (2.82%) tends to form low-melting potassium silicates. At high temperatures, both slags are typical crystalline slags, with viscosity rising sharply below a critical temperature. For CSA, rapid nucleation and coarsening of silicate crystals (e.g., KAlSiO4 grain size increases from 20.5 nm at 1350 °C to 192.9 nm at 1050 °C) cause abrupt viscosity increase. For WSA, a high P2O5 content (10.05%) induces a 'chemical dilution effect', leading to persistent KAlSiO4 during cooling and elevated viscosity, especially at the final cooling stage. This study elucidates how ash chemical composition governs high-temperature phase equilibrium and non-equilibrium kinetics, thereby macroscopically affecting ash fusion and rheological behavior, providing a theoretical basis for deeper understanding of biomass ash high-temperature characteristics.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025030303
Emerging organic pollutants (EOPs) represent a class of toxic and hazardous chemicals characterized by ecotoxicity, environmental persistence, and bio-accumulation. Conventional water treatment processes have proven inadequate in eliminating these EOPs, leading to their accumulation in aquatic ecosystems and posing severe threats to the health and safety of aquatic organisms. Consequently, the development of efficient technologies for the complete elimination of EOPs from water matrix is of great importance. Recently, carbon nitride (CN)-based photocatalytic degradation technologies have been extensively utilized for the efficient treatment of organic pollutants in water environments due to their advantages of being green, efficient, and cost-effective. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of CN-based photocatalytic systems can be significantly improved and energy recovery can be achieved via coupling these systems with other advanced oxidation technologies. This review provides a critical review of the modification strategies for CN photocatalytic materials and their application in photocatalytic coupling systems toward EOPs elimination. Moreover, the opportunities and challenges on the photocatalytic coupling systems have been discussed.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606013
The A2/O-MBR process, owing to its superior effluent quality and smaller footprint, is increasingly adopted in newly built and upgraded wastewater treatment plants. However, systematic studies on its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain scarce, and direct comparisons with the conventional A2/O process are lacking. In this study, two full-scale wastewater treatment plants employing the A2/O and A2/O-MBR processes under identical influent conditions, climate, and discharge standards were investigated. A high-frequency monitoring system covering the entire treatment train was established, and combined with measurements of dissolved CH4 and N2O, water quality parameters, and operational parameters, to elucidate the differences in GHG emission characteristics. Results showed that the daily average CH4 emission intensities were not significantly different between the two plants [(0.67 ± 0.22) and (0.65 ± 0.18) g/m3, respectively]. CH4 emissions mainly originated from sewer-derived anaerobic production and subsequent release in the pretreatment units (accounting for over 70% of the total emissions), with partial in-plant oxidation by methanotrophs. Temperature and aeration-induced stripping were identified as key driving factors, as CH4 emissions were positively correlated with ambient temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO). In contrast, more than 90% of N2O emissions occurred in the biological treatment units. The A2/O-MBR plant exhibited significantly higher daily N2O emission intensity [(0.132 ± 0.055) g/m3] than the A2/O plant [(0.060 ± 0.046) g/m3], largely due to intensive aeration and oxygen-enriched internal/external recirculation in the membrane tank, which enhanced N2O production and stripping. Correlation analysis further revealed that N2O emissions in the A2/O plant were positively related to influent COD and BOD5, indicating dominance of heterotrophic denitrification, whereas in the A2/O-MBR process they were mainly driven by NH3-N loading and DO, reflecting a nitrification-based pathway. Importantly, both processes exhibited CH4 and N2O emission factors that were significantly lower than the reference values recommended by the IPCC and industry guidelines, underscoring the necessity of localizing emission factors for accurate carbon accounting.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202505106
Open-pit coal mining causes severe soil nutrient depletion, limiting vegetation restoration. This study, conducted in the Baiyinhua No.2 mining area (Inner Mongolia), evaluated the effects of different fertilization strategies on soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability and microbial community responses. A field experiment was established in May 2023 with five treatments: low (L), medium (M), and high (H) phosphorus inorganic fertilizers, green manure (GM), and a microbial fertilizer (MF) containing nitrogen-fixing and rhizobia bacteria, compared to a control (CK). Results showed that MF significantly increased total carbon (TC) from 8.47 to 10.17 g·kg⁻¹ and total nitrogen (TN) from 0.37 to 0.56 g·kg⁻¹, while H significantly increased available phosphorus (AP) from 9.78 to 26.28 mg·kg⁻¹. Both treatments significantly altered fungal community structure, with increased relative abundances of Gibberella and Alternaria. The study concludes that MF and H improve soil nutrient availability by modulating fungal communities, with MF offering a sustainable biological approach for mine reclamation. These findings provide targeted fertilization strategies for restoring degraded mining soils and advancing green mining practices.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202510034
Phosphonate wastewater, characterized by stable C–P bonds, poses significant environmental risks due to its resistance to degradation and potential to contribute to eutrophication. This study developed a chloride-enhanced Fe(II)/PMS/H2O2 system for the oxidative degradation of 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC) and simultaneous recovery of phosphorus as iron phosphate (FePO4). Under optimal conditions (0.1 mmol/L PBTC, 1.0 mmol/L Fe(II), 0.5 mmol/L PMS, 0.5 mmol/L H2O2, 10 mmol/L NaCl, initial pH 3.0, 60 min), total phosphorus (TP) removal reached 100%, with phosphorus nearly completely recovered as FePO4 precipitate. Increasing NaCl concentration and temperature enhanced TP removal, while pH significantly influenced removal efficiency and product speciation; acidic conditions (pH < 4.3) favored FePO4 precipitation. Coexisting Ca2+ and Mg2+ had negligible effects, whereas HCO3− and humic acid (HA) inhibited TP removal in a concentration-dependent manner. Radical quenching and electron spin resonance (ESR) analyses identified hydroxyl radicals (•OH), ferryl ion (Fe(IV)=O), sulfate radicals (SO4•−), and chlorine radicals (Cl•) as primary reactive species, with •OH playing a dominant role. Chloride introduction promoted the generation of multiple reactive species, and Cl• and its derivative Cl2•− directly attacked the C–P bond and phosphonate group, facilitating phosphorus release as PO43− and subsequent FePO4 formation. The system's feasibility was validated using actual industrial circulating cooling water. This study provides a novel approach for phosphonate wastewater treatment and phosphorus recovery.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202503016
Open-pit coal mining severely damages soil and plant community structure and function, causing soil nutrient loss and ecological degradation. Vegetation reconstruction is a key measure for restoring degraded mining ecosystems, with the core challenge being the selection of suitable plant species and optimization of plant configurations. This study focused on the degraded ecosystem of the Baiyinhua open-pit mine in Inner Mongolia, screening native plant species for vegetation reconstruction experiments to investigate early-stage changes in soil nutrient availability and the underlying microbial mechanisms. Results showed that soil physicochemical properties and fungal community diversity exhibited strong adaptability during early reconstruction. However, soil fungal community composition and the relative abundance of saprotrophic fungi differed significantly among plant configurations. Leymus chinensis significantly increased the proportion of soil saprotrophic fungi from 67.28% in the control to 81.63%, while reducing the relative proportion of pathogenic fungi from 15.63% to 4.33%, demonstrating its potential to enhance soil health. Medicago rivularis improved soil microbial community composition and increased soil available phosphorus content, highlighting its capacity as an excellent pioneer species for optimizing soil nutrient availability. Furthermore, mixed sowing of grasses and legumes showed potential to enhance the nitrogen-fixing effect of legumes. Given the significant positive correlation between soil fungal community composition and total nitrogen and available nitrogen, the effects of different plant configurations on soil nutrient availability and biological health likely stem largely from the regulation of soil fungal community composition. In conclusion, achieving the goal of selecting optimal plant configurations still requires long-term continuous observation and analysis, particularly for optimizing configurations between high-quality grasses like Leymus chinensis and legumes.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509055
Microbial communities are the core functional units in environmental biotechnology. Magnetic field technology, as a non-invasive physical enhancement method, has shown application potential in wastewater treatment and waste resource recovery. Traditional ecological theory posits a positive correlation between species diversity and system function/stability. However, magnetic field enhancement often coincides with improved system performance and decreased microbial diversity, indicating a decoupling. This review systematically explains this phenomenon as the result of magnetic field-driven functional specialization of microbial communities. Magnetic fields act on paramagnetic targets in energy metabolism, including iron-sulfur clusters and cytochromes, alter cell surface physicochemical properties, impose oxidative stress, and select strains with high metabolic flexibility, thereby achieving targeted enrichment of key functional groups such as ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and electroactive bacteria within Proteobacteria. Although such functionally specialized communities have reduced species richness, they exhibit higher energy metabolism efficiency, enhanced electron transfer capacity, optimized interspecies cooperation networks, and strengthened system robustness. These advantages collectively support efficient and stable macroscopic bioprocess performance. This study also discusses potential limitations regarding ecosystem resilience and scenario dependence, and envisions future directions such as quantitative modeling and synergy with magnetic materials to advance magnetic field technology from empirical application to rational design.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607006
This study evaluates the global warming potential (GWP) of three typical air pollution control device (APCD) configurations in municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration under ultra-low emission standards. The configurations are APCD1 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF), APCD2 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF+SCR+WS), and APCD3 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF+WS+SCR). Life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to quantify GWP. Results indicate that APCD3 exhibits the highest GWP due to increased electricity consumption, yet it achieves the lowest pollutant emissions among the three. APCD1 shows the highest NOx emissions, contributing significantly to GWP, and requires technological upgrades. APCD2 consumes more resources but does not proportionally reduce emissions, suggesting inefficiencies. Electricity consumption is the dominant factor influencing GWP across all processes; reducing electricity use and improving energy efficiency are critical for mitigating environmental impact. The study recommends further research on CO2 reduction strategies and adoption of more efficient DeNOx technologies to align MSW incineration with ultra-low emission and low-carbon goals.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3981-7
Solution-processable quasi-2D perovskites are promising laser gain media due to their high exciton binding energy and improved stability relative to 3D counterparts. However, conventional synthesis yields mixed n-value phases, introducing interfacial defects and energetic disorder that impede charge injection into desired emission centers. Here, we report the first demonstration of stimulated emission from a phase-pure quasi-2D perovskite (n=8) achieved via a solvent-sieving method for selective phase removal. This dynamic purification yields near-unity phase purity (99.85%) with no detectable low-n phases, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The phase-pure film exhibits a narrower and more intense (001) diffraction peak (FWHM 0.16 nm, intensity 16,129) compared to pristine films (FWHM 0.22 nm, intensity 3,304), indicating enhanced crystallinity and increased grain size. Time-resolved photoluminescence reveals a prolonged carrier lifetime of 6.98 ns, suggesting reduced trap density. Atomic force microscopy shows a nearly pinhole-free surface with root mean square roughness of 1.18 nm. Consequently, the amplified spontaneous emission threshold is reduced to 13.82 μJ cm−2, a 12.5% improvement over conventional mixed-phase films (15.8 μJ cm−2). This work provides an efficient route to pure-phase quasi-2D perovskites for low-threshold lasers.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3962-y
Photochromic Förster resonance energy transfer (pc-FRET)-based subnanometric polymersomes with accurate color control offer a transformative yet challenging tactic for advanced and custom-tailored information encryption. Herein, various amphiphilic alternating pyrene/azobenzene-containing copolymers were polymerized using one-pot Ugi four-component polycondensation. Subsequent self-assembly was performed to produce highly-integrated monolayer subnanometric polymersomes (MSNPSs) and their composites, with diameters of around ~250 nm and vesicular thicknesses of approximately ~12.0 Å. J-aggregated monolayer chain-folding mechanism was accountable for the donor-acceptor-donor stacking manner within the vesicular membrane, beneficial to achieve highly efficient energy transfer. The trans-to-cis photoisomerization of azobenzenes rendered MSNPSs and their composites with photo-triggered structural transitions in diameter and vesicular thickness. Benefitting from considerable spectral overlap between cis-azobenzene and pyrene, MSNPSs and their composites were capable of photo-controllable non-invasive pc-FRET performance with a wide Stokes shift (~320 nm). The accurate color variation from blue to red highly depended upon precise modulation of both irradiation duration and precursor-fixed donor/acceptor ratios. The proof-of-concept individually multichromatic 2D QR code was attained using photochromic MSNPSs and their composites in patterning lithography, displaying a multimodal decryption and favorable repeatability for high-level and personalized information protection. Our work paves a prospective avenue to meticulously craft stimuli-chromatic polymersomes for the potential of advanced information encryption.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4000-1
Formamidine lead-based perovskites (FAPbI3) exhibit significant potential in optoelectronic applications. Nevertheless, they encounter challenges related to δ-phase instability and reliance on toxic solvents. In this study, we present a green solvent-additive synergy strategy that employs γ-valerolactone (GVL) in conjunction with reductive acids like oxalic acid (OA), to stabilize α-FAPbI3 single crystals (SCs). GVL enhances the stability of the precursors through the formation of FA+-GVL hydrogen bonds and high-valence [PbIx]2−x clusters, resulting in ambient-stable α-phase SCs, yielding a marked improvement in stability compared to SCs prepared with the toxic solvent γ-butyrolactone (GBL). Additive modulation demonstrates that H+ and reductive groups play a critical role in regulating crystallization, suppressing the δ-phase by promoting FA+ dissociation and inhibiting MA+ deprotonation. A solvent-involved intermediate, δ-FAPbI3-GVL, has been identified; this intermediate evolves into α-FAPbI3 at a low temperature of 60 °C, thereby reducing the energy barriers associated with the α to δ phase transition. In contrast, non-reductive acids and reductive ionic liquids do not inhibit δ-phase formation, with the latter even promoting the crystallization of pure δ-FAPbI3. By utilizing low-volatility OA as an additive, optimized FA0.9MA0.1PbI3 single crystal thin films exhibit a low defect density of 8.3 × 10^11 cm−3. Subsequently, a photodetector was fabricated. Under zero bias voltage and 780 nm illumination, the device exhibited a responsivity of 14.5 mA/W, a detectivity of 3.75 × 10^10 Jones, and a response speed of 149/65 μs. Moreover, without any encapsulation, the device’s performance diminished by only 17% after 30 days of storage in ambient conditions, indicating remarkable stability.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202512014
Mining activities cause severe soil degradation and microbial diversity loss, impeding ecological restoration. This study evaluated the effects of a novel soil amendment, microporous bio-gravel (MBG), on bacterial and fungal community structure and function in degraded soil from the Baiyinhua open-pit mine, Inner Mongolia. A pot experiment with four MBG-to-soil volume ratios (CK, L=1:3, M=1:2, H=1:1) was conducted, with a simplified plant community and uniform fertilization. After 180 days, soil samples were analyzed via high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics. Results showed that the medium ratio (M) significantly increased fungal Shannon index and evenness, while the high ratio (H) negatively affected bacterial communities. At phylum and genus levels, MBG promoted enrichment of Cyanobacteria and specific functional groups (e.g., nitrogen-fixing bacteria, Bacillus). Co-occurrence network analysis revealed peak complexity, modularity, and average degree in bacterial and fungal networks under the M treatment. Functional prediction indicated significant enrichment of pathways related to lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, nitrotoluene degradation, and plant-pathogen interactions, alongside increased abundance of saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi. Mantel and VPA analyses showed that MBG indirectly regulated microbial community structure by improving soil physicochemical properties and plant traits, with stronger effects on fungi than bacteria. In conclusion, MBG optimizes the soil microhabitat and plant-soil-microbe interactions, modulating microbial diversity, network complexity, and functional potential. The medium ratio (1:2) was most effective, demonstrating potential for ecological restoration of degraded mine soils.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511050
Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Inner Mongolia has long relied on landfilling, facing land scarcity and leachate management challenges. This study addresses the region's dry, cold climate, high proportion of agricultural and livestock waste, fluctuating moisture content, and weak leachate treatment capacity. An engineering optimization was implemented on an 80 t·d−1 vertical rotary gasification-incineration system featuring a dual-combustion-chamber design (primary chamber for medium-temperature pyrolysis-gasification at 550–650 °C and secondary chamber for high-temperature oxidation above 900 °C), coupled with in-situ leachate recirculation. Field measurements showed improved processing capacity and continuous operation stability. Under the project's leachate yield, in-situ recirculation achieved on-site disposal without significant adverse effects on gasification-incineration conditions, providing buffering against moisture fluctuations. During the monitoring period, major gaseous pollutant emissions remained below current national standards. The results provide engineering references for the co-processing and stable operation of small-scale county-level MSW treatment facilities.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60762-1
The CO2 dry reforming of methane (DRM) is pivotal for CO2 utilization within the dual-carbon framework, offering advantages in carbon reduction and value-added chemical production. However, shaped catalysts suitable for industrial-scale DRM remain limited. This work constructs a monolithic catalyst using honeycomb cordierite as the structural support, systematically investigating the effects of organic and inorganic binders on coating structure and catalytic performance. Comparative studies reveal that the active coating fabricated with inorganic aluminum sol exhibits a continuous uniform morphology and excellent adhesion strength. During high-temperature calcination, elemental diffusion within Al2O3 networks bridges the cordierite surface with active catalyst particles, forming a (Ni-Mg)AlxO4 composite structure. This creates robust metal-support interactions between active sites and the residual alumina matrix. The interconnected mesoporous framework provides superior pore confinement, contributing to strong coating adhesion, enhanced activity, and improved resistance to carbon deposition in the monolithic m-NCM-Al-sol catalyst. In contrast, coatings derived from inorganic silica sol suffer from detachment and activity loss due to heterogeneous surface structures and poor adhesion. Organic binders demonstrate inferior performance in macroscopic coating uniformity, adhesion strength, mesoporous confinement, and localized electronic effects, resulting in the poorest catalytic performance. By optimizing aluminum sol coating parameters—binder content, active component dosage, and coating cycles—a synergistic balance between coating thickness and mass transfer is achieved. The optimized catalyst demonstrates excellent DRM performance, providing insights for constructing high-performance shaped catalysts with cordierite coatings.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2026022702
This study systematically investigated the occurrence and vertical distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in solid waste, leachate, and surrounding groundwater at a municipal solid waste landfill in Fuyang City, Anhui Province, China. A total of 23 PFAS were detected in solid waste, with total concentrations (∑PFAS) ranging from 7.95 to 172.28 ng·g⁻¹. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), an ultrashort-chain PFAS, was ubiquitous, contributing on average 59% to the total PFAS mass. PFAS composition varied with depth: long-chain PFAS dominated in middle and upper layers, while short-chain and ultrashort-chain PFAS were more abundant in deeper layers, indicating enhanced downward migration of shorter-chain compounds. Sulfonic acid PFAS exhibited increasing relative abundance with depth. Leachate ∑PFAS concentration was 14.35 μg·L⁻¹, dominated by short-chain compounds such as PFPrS and PFBS, consistent with the composition in bottom-layer waste. Groundwater surrounding the landfill contained multiple PFAS, with concentrations decreasing with distance from the landfill, confirming the landfill as a source of PFAS to the surrounding environment. Multivariate analyses (PCoA and Bray–Curtis dissimilarity) revealed that some groundwater samples closely resembled leachate in PFAS composition, suggesting direct impact via leachate migration. These findings underscore the role of landfills as significant reservoirs and sources of PFAS, particularly ultrashort-chain compounds, and highlight the need for improved leachate management to mitigate groundwater contamination.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025050803
This study systematically investigates the synergistic drag reduction mechanism of surfactants and porous media in coal seam water injection. Four surfactant types—cationic CTAB, anionic SDBS, amphoteric BS-12, and nonionic OP-10—were tested with five porous media pore sizes (3–12 mm) using a custom-built all-in-one drag reduction test system. The effects of surfactant type, mass concentration, driving frequency, and pore diameter on drag reduction efficiency were evaluated. Results show that in an empty tube, drag reduction efficiency increases with mass concentration. As driving frequency increases, drag reduction first rises then falls, peaking at 35 Hz. With porous media, drag reduction exhibits pore size dependence, reaching a maximum at 8 mm and decreasing thereafter. The composite surfactant-porous media system achieves synergistic enhancement over single systems. At 0.05% mass concentration, all surfactants attain maximum drag reduction, with CTAB showing the highest efficiency. Optimal conditions (0.05% CTAB, 35 Hz, 8 mm pore size) yield a drag reduction rate of 66.14%, a 1.4-fold improvement over 20 Hz. These findings demonstrate that tailoring surfactant and porous media parameters can significantly optimize coal seam water injection efficiency, offering a practical approach for dust control in mining.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4097-3
The on-demand patterning of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with tailored edges is critical for electronic and optoelectronic applications but remains technically challenging. Here, we report a stress-guided anisotropic etching strategy for producing large-area, well-ordered MoS2 nanostructures, including nano-ribbons and nano-squares, without templates. By applying uniaxial cumulative stress followed by selective thermal etching, MoS2 monolayers are statistically etched into ribbon-like structures whose width inversely correlates with applied stress magnitude. The newly etched edges are macroscopically straight or serrated, predominantly Mo-zigzag terminated, and enhance photoluminescence by a factor of ~8.0. The edge type depends on the angle between stress direction and crystallographic orientation, corroborated by theoretical calculations. Biaxial stressing generates well-defined nano-squares, offering a scalable, versatile patterning route for engineering 2D materials with tailored functional edges, promising for electrocatalytic and optoelectronic applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3991-3
Ionic covalent organic frameworks (ICOFs), as an emerging subclass of covalent organic frameworks (COFs), have garnered significant attention owing to their unique integration of structural precision and ionic functionality. Although conventional neutral COFs possess excellent crystallinity, tunable porosity, and high stability, their limited electronic tunability and poor charge-transport properties have constrained their performance in various applications. The incorporation of ionic sites into COF skeletons or pore environments effectively overcomes these intrinsic limitations. The presence of charged centres enhances framework polarity, modulates local electrostatic fields, and facilitates efficient ion migration and charge separation, thereby endowing ICOFs with superior functionality. As a result, ICOFs have demonstrated remarkable potential in diverse fields, including adsorption, sensing, ion conduction, energy devices, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. This review provides an integrative perspective by systematically linking framework design, ionic site engineering, structure-property relationships, and functional performance in various applications, highlighting ICOFs distinct advantages over neutral COFs and providing fundamental insights for the rational design of next-generation ionic frameworks toward energy and environmental applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4034-3
The local concentration and configuration of active sites critically influence the selectivity of CO2 electroreduction, yet constructing well-defined structures to probe this relationship remains challenging. Here, we report a molten salt-assisted strategy to synthesize Ce-Ov-Cu cascade catalysts with tunable configurations and relative concentrations of Cu and Ce-Ov sites. Two distinct geometries were engineered: one with dense Cu sites surrounding Ce-Ov (Cu10CeOx) and another with isolated Cu centers encapsulated by Ce-Ov (CuCe10Ox). These configurations direct key intermediates (*CHO or *COH) toward either C-C coupling or deep hydrogenation, thereby switching product selectivity. CuCe10Ox achieves a CH4 Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 61.7% at -1.6 V vs. RHE, whereas Cu10CeOx favors C2 production with a maximum FE of 61.5% at -1.4 V vs. RHE. Mechanistic studies reveal that locally concentrated Cu sites exhibit strong *CO2 binding affinity, enhancing *CO surface coverage and facilitating *CO-*COH coupling. In contrast, Ce-Ov-rich regions with isolated copper centers supply abundant *H, promoting deep protonation of *CHO toward CH4. This work provides insights into catalyst design, demonstrating that manipulating structural chemistry can guide CO2RR toward targeted products.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4081-y
The evolution of precision medicine has propelled multimodal imaging-guided phototheranostics to the forefront for precise tumor diagnosis and therapy. Low-temperature photothermal therapy (PTT) offers a promising approach for the treatment of melanoma due to its non-invasiveness and minimal damage to normal tissues. However, its efficacy is limited by cancer cell thermal tolerance. To address this, a new type of multifunctional energy disruptor (CAMeO-Q NPs) is developed featuring homologous targeting and mitochondria targeting, and synergistically enhancing low-temperature PTT in melanoma by reversing heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90)-mediated thermal tolerance and blocking mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) biosynthesis. The multifunctional energy disruptor enables precise trimodal imaging (fluorescence imaging/FLI, photoacoustic imaging/PAI, and photothermal imaging/PTI) guidance for low-temperature PTT. Comprising a mitochondria-targeting photothermal agent and an Hsp90 inhibitor, CAMeO-Q NPs induce selective mitochondrial damage under 660 nm laser irradiation and downregulate cellular HSP expression by ATP inhibition and Hsp90 inhibitor. This multifunctional energy disruptor provides a novel strategy for enhancing multimodal imaging-guided low-temperature photothermal therapy through combined homologous targeting, mitochondria-targeting, and Hsp90 inhibition.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4181-6
Green hydrogen production via electrocatalytic water splitting is pivotal for sustainable energy, yet the high cost and scarcity of platinum (Pt) catalysts impede large-scale adoption. Ruthenium (Ru)-based materials emerge as promising alternatives, but their performance requires enhancement. Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), particularly ReS2, offer intrinsic 1T' phase with good conductivity and stability, yet suffer from inert surfaces limiting water adsorption. Here, we report a heterostructure comprising Ru nanoclusters anchored on ReS2 nanosheets (Ru/ReS2) to modulate electronic structure via d-p coupling. This design enhances water dissociation kinetics and optimizes hydrogen adsorption free energy (ΔG_H*). The Ru/ReS2 catalyst exhibits superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity in acidic media, achieving an overpotential of 47 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 38 mV dec−1, outperforming commercial Pt/C (overpotential 54 mV, Tafel slope 45 mV dec−1). Notably, it demonstrates exceptional stability, with negligible degradation after 10,000 cyclic voltammetry cycles, contrasting with Pt/C's 54 mV overpotential increase. Density functional theory calculations reveal that d-p coupling between Ru and ReS2 optimizes the electronic structure, facilitating water adsorption and dissociation. This work provides a rational strategy for designing efficient, durable, and cost-effective HER electrocatalysts for green hydrogen production.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4185-6
Electrochemical uranium extraction from fluorine-containing nuclear wastewater is critical for nuclear fuel recovery, yet current electrode materials suffer from limited scalability and insufficient long-term stability. Here, we report a bulk monoclinic Nb2O5−x (H-Nb2O5−x) derived from commercial bulk niobium oxide via rapid reconstruction, exhibiting exceptional activity and robustness for electrochemical uranium extraction in fluorine-rich environments. The intrinsic active pairs of low-valent Nb4+ and compact oxygen structure strongly bind with dominant uranyl fluoride species (UO2F+, UO2F2, UO2F3−, UO2F4^2−), facilitating efficient separation. In a 30 g L−1 fluoride solution, H-Nb2O5−x achieved a uranium extraction efficiency of 99.1%. Notably, in a 10-L real nuclear wastewater test, the bulk material maintained stable performance over 40 days, reducing uranium concentration from 1372.3 mg L−1 to 0.93 mg L−1. This work demonstrates a scalable, durable electrode material for industrial electrochemical uranium extraction, addressing the bottlenecks of complexation and stability in fluoride-containing waste streams.