SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4249-2
Underwater bubble manipulation is critical for water electrolysis, heat transfer, and mineral flotation, yet existing strategies relying on buoyancy or Laplace gradient forces from asymmetric surface geometries suffer from limited flexibility and narrow applicability. This work introduces a temperature-responsive anisotropic cilia surface (TRAS) that achieves bidirectional long-range bubble transport by modulating elastic modulus and stiffness. The TRAS enables precise control over the asymmetric three-phase contact line and viscous resistance, facilitating reversible bubble motion. Experimental validation using aqueous ethanol droplets with varying surface tensions (73.16 mN/m for 0 vol% to 22.27 mN/m for 100 vol%) on cilia with center-to-center spacings of 0.2–1.0 mm reveals that transport direction depends on both cilia spacing and liquid surface tension. Droplets of 0 vol% and 20 vol% ethanol exhibit sustained reverse transport on hard cilia, while 60 vol%, 80 vol%, and 100 vol% solutions show sustained forward transport. Notably, 40 vol% ethanol droplets display bidirectional transport at 0.6 mm spacing, reverse transport at 0.8 and 1.0 mm, and forward transport at 0.2 and 0.4 mm. These results demonstrate that tuning surface tension and cilia spacing provides a versatile platform for directional bubble manipulation, with promising applications in heat transfer, electrochemistry, and gas handling systems.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4180-9
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.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3596-2
High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have shown great promise in the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) due to their tunable composition and unique physical and chemical properties. However, the role of HEAs in CO2RR and the underlying reaction mechanism remain underexplored, particularly through in situ techniques. In this work, we investigate the mechanism of CO2 reduction on AuAgCuPdPt HEAs using in situ Raman spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to reveal key intermediates and reaction pathways. Our results demonstrate that within the potential window of −0.2 to −0.7 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), the AuAgCuPdPt HEAs efficiently reduce CO2 to CO, achieving a Faradaic efficiency (FE) for CO greater than 90%, with a peak FE of 96.5% at −0.3 V vs. RHE. The CO2− intermediate was observed at low potentials, revealing the reaction pathway in the CO2 reduction process. Additionally, in situ ATR-FTIR results suggest that the introduction of an appropriate amount of Pt metal not only promotes water dissociation to generate protonic hydrogen, but also facilitates the desorption of *CO intermediates. The kinetic isotope effect of hydrogen-deuterium (H-D) confirms that water dissociation acts as a key proton donor in CO2RR. Furthermore, the catalyst of AuAgCuPdPt HEAs was applied as cathodes in a Zn-CO2 battery, achieving 90.23% FE for CO and a power density of 3.474 mW cm−2. This study provides new insights into the mechanistic understanding of CO2 reduction and underscores the importance of in situ spectroscopic techniques for advancing the design of efficient electrocatalysts for CO2 conversion.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202512072
Drainage pipeline defect detection predominantly relies on closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspection, which is labor-intensive, inefficient, and prone to missed detections. Although deep learning-based object detection has been applied, it suffers from low precision, recall, and speed in practical scenarios. This study proposes an engineering-oriented detection scheme achieving high recall and low miss rates. The annotation phase employs a cross-frame strategy combining manual labeling of first and last frames with interpolation and tracking-based refinement. Data preprocessing introduces perceptual hashing to identify similar images, enhancing training efficiency. For detection, a Faster R-CNN model is enhanced with Focal Loss to focus on hard examples, defect classification and grading, and a dynamic threshold strategy to improve recall. Validated on 5,068.72 m of real pipeline data, the method achieves a recall rate exceeding 98% across 16 defect categories, a miss rate of only 2% for grade 4 defects, and a 425% improvement in per-segment detection efficiency compared to manual screening. These results demonstrate the method's effectiveness in balancing recall, miss rate, and speed for engineering deployment.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202506084
Groundwater is a vital drinking and irrigation source in the loess regions of northwestern China. In Guyuan, a densely populated area in southern Ningxia, systematic assessments of groundwater pollution risks are lacking. This study collected 60 groundwater samples and employed the Nemerow index, heavy metal pollution index (HPI), and health risk assessment models to evaluate pollution levels and health risks of eight elements including Cr, As, and Hg. Results show that the groundwater is generally Class IV quality, with a mean TDS of 1350.9 mg·L−1. Average concentrations of As, Cr, and Mn are 4.39, 29.87, and 45.77 μg·L−1, respectively. The Nemerow index indicates moderate pollution. The mean HPI is 10.56, but a local sample (PS1-51-下) reaches 36.15, indicating severe pollution. Health risk assessment reveals that carcinogenic risks from Cr and As for adults and children are 8.037×10−6 a−1 and 3.863×10−6 a−1, respectively, below US EPA limits but above recommended levels by Swedish and Dutch agencies, with children at higher risk. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes and principal component analysis suggest that groundwater is primarily recharged by atmospheric precipitation. Cr, Zn, and Mn mainly originate from regional copper ore belts, coal mining, and agricultural activities. This study fills a gap in multidimensional groundwater assessment in populated loess areas, identifies pollution characteristics distinct from typical loess regions, and provides a scientific basis for regional water resource risk management and sustainable development.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025012002
Acid orange 7 (AO7), a recalcitrant azo dye, poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. This study investigates the activation of urea-hydrogen peroxide (UHP) by iron-modified corn straw biochars (Fe-CSBs) for AO7 degradation. Fe-CSBs were synthesized via impregnation-pyrolysis at 300, 500, and 700 °C using ferrous sulfate as modifier. The oxidative removal efficiencies of AO7 by Fe-CSB-activated UHP were compared, and the effects of Fe-CSB dosage, UHP dosage, initial AO7 concentration, initial pH, and coexisting anions (CO3^2−, HCO3^−, Cl^−) were systematically examined. Quenching experiments identified reactive oxygen species, and LC-MS analysis determined degradation intermediates. Results showed that all Fe-CSBs effectively activated UHP, achieving degradation rates of 98.54%, 97.38%, and 98.54% for Fe-CSB300, Fe-CSB500, and Fe-CSB700, respectively, under optimal conditions (0.2 g·L−1 UHP, 0.2 g·L−1 Fe-CSB, 20 mg·L−1 AO7, pH 3, 60 min). CO3^2− and HCO3^− inhibited degradation, while Cl^− had negligible effect. The primary reactive species were hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and singlet oxygen (^1O2). Degradation proceeded via cleavage of the azo bond, forming benzene-containing intermediates, which underwent deamination, desulfurization, and oxidation to smaller organics, ultimately mineralizing to CO2 and H2O. This work provides insights into UHP-based advanced oxidation processes for dye wastewater treatment.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3840-3
Tactile sensing for dexterous robotic hands is essential for achieving human-like precision in manipulation. However, current tactile sensors face challenges such as insufficient durability, limited coverage, and poor conformability to curved, jointed surfaces. This study presents a stretchable distributed tactile sensor array designed for dexterous robotic hands. The array comprises 18 sensing units distributed across the hand, incorporating quasi-homogeneous functional layers interconnected by crosslinked interpenetrating networks, and composite electrodes combining high conductivity with stretchability. This design yields a thin, soft, transparent, and stretchable sensor array that integrates seamlessly with a commercial dexterous hand. The sensor array exhibits high interlayer tensile strength, high sensitivity, low hysteresis, and excellent long-term reliability over 10,000 loading cycles. Experimental results demonstrate accurate detection of tactile force across the entire robotic hand during object grasping. Using convolutional neural network algorithms, the sensor array identifies different object types with 90.1% accuracy, with results displayed in real time on a digital twin interface. The proposed sensor array holds significant potential for embodied intelligence and robotics in adaptive grasping, safe manipulation, and remote teleoperation.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202510060
Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent is a significant pathway for emerging contaminants (ECs) to enter natural water bodies. This study investigated the removal of ECs by two field-scale gravel-based constructed wetlands: a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (QL-CW) and a surface flow constructed wetland (BL-CW), both treating actual WWTP effluent. The influence of operation mode and wetland plant type on EC removal was examined. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, principal component analysis, and ecological risk assessment, the removal efficiencies and mechanisms for various ECs were explored. In QL-CW, biodegradation was more pronounced, particularly via ammonia-oxidizing bacteria co-metabolism, favoring ECs with benzyl, secondary amine, secondary amide, tertiary amide, halogenated, and carboxyl functional groups. In BL-CW, electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic interactions were more significant, with plant and root-microorganism uptake and adsorption playing key roles. Surface flow mode achieved significantly higher removal of antibiotics (45.3% vs. 34.1%) compared to horizontal subsurface flow, while no significant differences were observed for non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals (66.6% vs. 64.4%) and pesticides (49.8% vs. 34.2%). Planting Cyperus alternifolius (windmill grass) was more beneficial for antibiotic removal (43.6% vs. 30.1%) than planting Ipomoea aquatica (water spinach). The wetlands effectively reduced the ecological risks of most ECs to marginal levels. This study provides insights into the deep treatment of ECs in WWTP effluent by constructed wetlands.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3965-5
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) have emerged as a promising material platform for soft robotics, effectively integrating programmable molecular orientation with the inherent flexibility of elastomers. This unique combination enables significant, reversible deformations responding to external stimuli, including heat, light, electric, and magnetic fields. Due to these characteristics, LCEs serve as an ideal material system for bridging biological principles with engineered soft robotic applications, enabling the development of adaptive and multifunctional systems with enhanced biomimetic capabilities. However, the mechanisms of bioinspired motion and the effective integration of biomimetic functions in LCE-based robots remain insufficiently explored. This review systematically examines recent advances in LCE-based biomimetic soft robots, focusing on multimodal actuation strategies, including contraction, crawling, rolling, jumping, swimming, and plant-inspired motions. It highlights integrated functional enhancements achieved via innovative material compositions, structural designs, and advanced manufacturing techniques. These developments have enabled novel robotic functionalities, including programmable actuation, self-healing and recycling, color morphing and camouflage, and tunable bioinspired surface characteristics.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3966-0
The development of low platinum-loading catalysts for the economically viable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) remains challenging. Herein, a precursor dilution strategy is used to fabricate Pt nanoclusters anchored on Ni-embedded porous carbon microspheres. The approach begins with the facile synthesis of Zn/Ni-based coordination polymers (Ni-BTC-Zn) due to the isomorphic substitution of Zn2+ and Ni2+. During pyrolysis, the evaporation of zinc species results in a highly porous carbon structure with well-dispersed nickel nanoparticles. Subsequent solvothermal treatment allows for the uniform deposition of Pt nanoclusters to form the final bimetallic PtNi catalysts (PtNi-BTC-C). Among them, the optimized PtNi-BTC-C10 exhibits exceptional alkaline HER performance, requiring an overpotential of only 41 mV to achieve 10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 31.1 mV dec−1. It also demonstrates outstanding durability with a current retention of 90.7% after 70 h, far exceeding Pt/C. Extensive characterization confirms that moderate Zn dilution optimally modulates the Ni particle size and dispersion, leading to maximized active sites and enhanced charge transfer. Combined with DFT calculations, the Pt-Ni-cluster model for PtNi-BTC-C10 possesses an optimized electronic structure with a shifted d-band center, which facilitates water dissociation and optimizes H* desorption with the most favorable energetics (0.262 eV). This work provides a fundamental understanding of precursor dilution engineering and offers a versatile pathway for designing advanced noble-metal-based bimetallic electrocatalysts.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2026030601
Bisphenol A (BPA), a high-volume industrial chemical, is implicated in neurotoxicity and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. This study integrates network toxicology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations to systematically delineate the common mechanisms linking BPA to Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). Using the human astrocyte cell line SVGP12 as an in vitro model, we identified six key toxic functional proteins—TP53, HSP90AA1, HSP90AB1, INS, BCL2, and AKT1—that mediate BPA's effects across these diseases, with BCL2 emerging as the most central node. Experimental validation demonstrated that BPA induces oxidative stress and cell cycle arrest, suppresses the INS-AKT1-BCL2 anti-apoptotic pathway, and activates the TP53-HSP90 pro-apoptotic pathway, culminating in mitochondrial apoptosis of astrocytes and disruption of neural microenvironment homeostasis. These findings reveal a convergent mechanism by which BPA accelerates neurodegeneration, filling a critical gap in understanding BPA's role in AD, PD, and HD. The study provides a novel theoretical framework and experimental evidence for BPA neurotoxicity risk assessment and informs preventive and therapeutic strategies for BPA-related neurodegenerative disorders.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4158-6
Near-infrared piezochromic materials exhibiting luminescence responses are critical for mechanical sensors and storage devices. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), as crystalline porous materials, combine structural adaptability with tunable photophysical properties, yet their piezochromic applications remain underexplored. Here, we report a series of donor-acceptor structured two-dimensional COFs (2D COFs) with bright red emission, all showing pronounced red-shifts spanning red to near-infrared regions. Notably, Py-BO-COF exhibits the largest piezochromic shift of 187 nm with a high sensitivity of 44.52 nm GPa−1, significantly surpassing Py-BT-COF, TPE-BO-COF, and most reported COF/MOF systems. Py-BO-COF also demonstrates fully reversible and repeatable emission switching over multiple cycles, maintaining excellent linearity without degradation. In situ spectroscopic analyses and theoretical simulations reveal that variations in piezochromic rates arise from differences in charge-transfer (CT) processes, while the pronounced red-shift in Py-BO-COF is associated with reduced interlayer distance and enhanced coplanarity. This study systematically establishes the structure-property relationship in piezochromic 2D COFs, offering strategic guidance for designing highly sensitive and reversible pressure-responsive materials, thereby advancing smart piezochromic systems.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4037-1
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) poses a therapeutic challenge due to its anatomical complexity and the limitations of conventional treatments in achieving precise targeting and sufficient efficacy. Here, we report a multifunctional platform based on heat-triggered electrospray self-healing porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres encapsulating indocyanine green (ICG), sequentially coated with a tannic acid-Fe3+ (TAF) metal-phenolic network and fibronectin (FN) for targeted photothermal/chemodynamic combination therapy. The resulting functional microspheres (PI-TAF@FN) exhibit an average size of 1.9 μm, excellent colloidal stability, heat-induced self-healing performance, and a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 51.4%. These microspheres specifically target NPC cells via FN-mediated integrin recognition, enabling ICG/TAF-mediated photothermal therapy under 808-nm laser irradiation and TAF-mediated chemodynamic therapy, leading to enhanced cancer cell apoptosis in vitro. In a mouse NPC model, the combined photothermo-chemodynamic therapy achieved effective tumor treatment with minimal systemic toxicity. Furthermore, the dual TAF and ICG components allow multimode FN-targeted T1-weighted magnetic resonance/fluorescence/thermal imaging for precision NPC management. This electrospray self-healing porous microsphere platform offers a unique theranostic strategy that can integrate diverse therapeutic and diagnostic components for precision oncology.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4109-2
The fabrication of high-efficiency organic solar cells (OSCs) under ambient conditions remains a formidable challenge due to the sensitivity of active layer morphology to environmental factors. We propose an innovative approach for air-processed devices that combines spontaneous water-spreading film formation with layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition. This method enables the fabrication of donor- and acceptor-dominant bulk heterojunction blend films near the anode and cathode interfacial layers, respectively, optimizing vertical phase separation and enhancing charge transfer efficiency. In the D18:L8-BO system, the device achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.02% with an exceptionally narrow efficiency distribution. Even for devices with an area of 1 cm2, a PCE of 16.56% is attained. After a 1000-hour decay test, the efficiency retains 84.1%. This novel method offers a promising pathway for advancing the industrial application of large-area, highly stable devices with narrow efficiency distribution under ambient conditions.