SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3807-8
Electrocatalytic co-reduction of CO2 and nitrate offers a sustainable route for urea synthesis, valorizing nitrogenous waste and CO2. However, achieving high-performance urea electrosynthesis under ambient conditions remains challenging due to the need for simultaneous activation of CO2 and efficient H2O dissociation to supply active *H for *NOx hydrogenation, ultimately forming key C- and N-containing intermediates for C–N coupling. Here, we report a bifunctional Pd-single-atom-modified Cu (Pd1Cu) nanorod catalyst that synergistically promotes adsorption and stepwise activation of CO2 and H2O, steering the reaction pathway toward selective urea synthesis. Integrating experimental evidence, in situ spectroscopy, and computational analyses, we disclose that atomically dispersed Pd sites kinetically favor co-generation of *CO and *NH2 via H2O dissociation-driven proton transfer, forming an optimal intermediate balance. The dual metal active sites enhance C–N coupling via combined electronic and geometric effects, substantially lowering the reaction energy barrier and improving selectivity. This work provides a rational design strategy for advanced multifunctional catalysts for urea electrosynthesis, contributing to carbon neutrality and waste nitrogen valorization.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3815-0
The development of bifunctional electrocatalysts capable of integrating biomass-derived platform molecule oxidation with organic reduction offers a promising strategy for simultaneously enhancing energy efficiency and generating high-value chemicals. However, designing catalysts that exhibit both high activity and stability in integrated systems remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report a self-supported electrode composed of nitrogen-doped carbonized wood (NCW) supported NiCo nanosheets (NiCo 0.3/NCW) that enables the electrocatalytic 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation to produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and the nitrobenzene reduction to yield aniline in an integrated electrochemical cell. The NiCo 0.3/NCW electrode achieves the production of FDCA and aniline at a low cell voltage of 1.7 V, with ~99% anodic and ~92% cathodic Faradaic efficiencies, respectively. Experimental characterizations disclose that the hierarchical porous NCW architecture promotes the dispersion of active sites, while nitrogen doping strengthens metal–support interactions. In-situ spectroscopic experiments combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that cobalt incorporation tunes the electronic structure of nickel, thus optimizing substrate and intermediate adsorption, and lowering energy barriers. These effects ultimately enhance the performance of the natural wood-derived catalyst in integrated biomass valorization and selective organic electrosynthesis.
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.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202604016
River and lake health assessment is an important technical means to evaluate the health status of rivers and lakes, scientifically analyze river and lake problems, and strengthen the implementation of the river and lake head system. Based on the Guidelines for River and Lake Health Assessment (Trial) and the characteristics and actual basin conditions of the lower Yellow River in Henan, this study determined the river health evaluation index system for this reach. Through collection of basic data and special investigations and monitoring, the health status in 2020 was evaluated from four criteria layers: 'basin', 'water', biology, and social service function. The overall score was 83.4, corresponding to a 'healthy' grade. The four criteria layer scores were 73.7, 95.0, 62.1, and 95.5, respectively. The evaluation identified main problems including low aquatic biodiversity, suboptimal shoreline conditions, and pressure on water supply security. Corresponding governance and protection measures were proposed, such as strengthening ecological protection, improving river regulation works, enhancing shoreline management, and upgrading water diversion facilities. The results provide scientific basis for river health management and the implementation of the river chief system in the lower Yellow River.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4002-8
Neuromorphic electronic systems, inspired by the brain's parallel and distributed information processing, have emerged as a promising alternative to von Neumann architectures, which suffer from the memory wall and limited energy efficiency. However, seamless integration with biological tissue, particularly human skin, necessitates mechanical flexibility and conformability. Flexible neuromorphic electronics, combining neuromorphic computing with flexible substrates, enable brain-inspired processing with high efficiency and ultralow power consumption, targeting smart wearables, digital health, and brain-computer interfaces. Despite rapid advances in flexible synaptic devices, a cross-disciplinary synthesis connecting materials, device physics, circuit integration, and applications is lacking. This review systematically follows a device-to-system framework, first summarizing recent progress in flexible artificial synapses that emulate neural functions, then discussing neuromorphic circuits and systems, focusing on collaborative sensing-computing and heterogeneous integration strategies toward integrated sensing-memory-computing systems. Emerging applications in next-generation bio-intelligent systems, including wearables, health monitoring, and human-machine interaction, are highlighted. Key challenges and future directions are summarized to guide development of efficient, intelligent, and biocompatible bionic hardware. The review underscores the need for standardized metrics and scalable manufacturing to translate laboratory prototypes into practical flexible neuromorphic systems.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(25)60623-2
Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) is a promising route for direct conversion of methane to C2–C3 hydrocarbons, but conventional thermal catalysis suffers from insufficient conversion and selectivity. Here, we report a novel Mn2O3-TiO2-Na2WO4/SiO2+SiC microwave catalyst prepared by ball-milling, which enables efficient OCM under microwave irradiation. At 700 °C, the microwave catalytic reaction mode (MCRM) achieves a CH4 conversion of 26.6%, a C2–C3 selectivity of 76.5%, and a C2–C3 yield of 20.4%, significantly outperforming the conventional reaction mode (CRM) under identical conditions (12.3%, 61.9%, and 7.5%, respectively). The catalyst exhibits stable performance for 20 h in MCRM, maintaining CH4 conversion above 25% and C2–C3 selectivity above 76%. Characterization (XRD, XPS, O2-TPD, Raman) reveals that calcination promotes Mn–Ti interaction, increasing peroxy species and lattice oxygen (Oγ), which enhance reactivity and selectivity. Notably, microwave irradiation reduces the apparent activation energy from 173 kJ/mol (CRM) to 27.5 kJ/mol, facilitating free radical coupling and suppressing deep oxidation. These findings provide a low-temperature, energy-efficient strategy for methane valorization, contributing to sustainable chemical manufacturing.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2026020207
Although the production and use of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) have been completely banned in China since December 2021, historical production activities may still leave high-concentration residual contamination in localized areas. This study investigated a typical legacy site of historical HBCDs production in eastern China. Surface and core soil samples were systematically collected both inside and outside the former plant area to characterize the occurrence, spatial distribution, and environmental burden of HBCDs, and to evaluate associated human health risks. Results showed that HBCD concentrations in soils outside the plant area ranged from below detection limit to 6.90×10² ng·g⁻¹ dw, while those inside the plant area were substantially higher, reaching up to 1.18×10⁶ ng·g⁻¹ dw. γ-HBCD was the dominant isomer; however, its relative abundance was lower than that reported in commercial HBCD mixtures and in previous studies conducted near production facilities. Outside the plant, HBCDs concentrations in soil generally decreased with increasing distance from the site, yet remained detectable at a distance of approximately 10 km (15.2 ng·g⁻¹ dw). Within the plant area, HBCDs concentrations in soil cores decreased with depth, declining from 1.08×10⁴–1.18×10⁶ ng·g⁻¹ dw in surface soils to 1.05–93.5 ng·g⁻¹ dw at depths of about 4 m. Analysis of the relative cumulative environmental burden indicated that although HBCDs loads were highest in the near-source area, they gradually accumulated over a broader spatial scale. Approximately 23.7%, 40.1%, 60.0%, and 87.1% of the total estimated burden accumulated within 2 km, 2.81 km, 4 km, and 6 km from the site, respectively. Health risk assessment indicated that oral ingestion of soil was the primary exposure pathway for different populations. Localized high-contamination zones within the plant area contributed significantly to non-carcinogenic risks, while overall risks for children outside the plant area were at acceptable levels.
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.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4096-7
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanomaterials exhibit exceptional properties but suffer from severe aggregation due to undesirable surface characteristics, limiting their application in polymer nanocomposites. Existing covalent functionalization methods often compromise between time efficiency, energy consumption, and structural integrity. This study presents a rapid, room-temperature catalytic grafting strategy using tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (B(C6F5)3) to functionalize h-BN nanoflakes bearing edge hydroxyl groups. The reaction between B–OH groups and activated Si–H bonds of hydrosilanes proceeds under mild conditions, preserving the structural integrity of h-BN. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm the catalytic feasibility and elucidate two possible reaction pathways: backside-attack and flank-attack mechanisms. The modified h-BN exhibits significantly improved dispersibility in low-polarity solvents and tunable surface properties. This efficient method offers a versatile platform for h-BN surface engineering, facilitating broader practical applications.