SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3848-7
Conventional heterogeneous photocatalysts often suffer from insufficient light absorption, rapid charge recombination, and a lack of specific reactive sites for efficient photocatalytic oxidation. To overcome these limitations, we propose a molecular polarization engineering approach utilizing structurally well-defined donor (D)-acceptor (A) covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs). The construction of dipole-induced built-in electric fields within the D-A-structured CTFs enables enhanced exciton dissociation and facilitates directional charge transfer. Specifically, the asymmetric A1-D-A2 moiety enhances molecular polarization in the dual-acceptor system CTF-TBT (A1-D-A2), enabling efficient charge separation through multiple electron-withdrawing units. This structural design promotes directional electron transfer toward the secondary acceptor (benzothiazole, A2), while simultaneously concentrating holes on the donor unit. Consequently, the A2 moiety acts as a site for efficient O2 activation via electron accumulation, whereas the highly oxidized donor unit provides strongly positive holes (h+) that facilitate substrate oxidation. Experimental and DFT calculation results confirm that CTF-TBT demonstrates highly enhanced photocatalytic oxidation performance, which can be attributed to its multi-channel charge separation mechanism and spatially separated redox-active sites. This study highlights the effectiveness of molecular dipole engineering in designing heterogeneous photocatalysts with controlled charge transfer pathways and improved redox capabilities. The proposed design principles provide a universal approach for promoting solar-driven chemical synthesis applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3898-7
Platinum (Pt) is the benchmark catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in acidic electrolytes, but its performance in alkaline media is limited by excessively strong hydrogen binding energy (HBE). Here, we report oxygen-modified ultrasmall RuCu nanocrystals (RuCu/C-200) as an efficient catalyst for both alkaline HER and HOR. The RuCu/C-200 catalyst exhibits excellent HER activity with an overpotential of 9 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 19.7 mV dec−1. For HOR, it achieves a 4.2-fold higher exchange current density than the unannealed sample. Mechanistic studies reveal that the optimized HBE, hydroxyl binding energy (OHBE), and strongly hydrogen-bonded interfacial water, induced by oxygen modification, are the intrinsic determinants of the improved catalytic activity. This work underscores the potential of combining nanoscale structural design with oxygen modification to develop high-performance Ru-based electrocatalysts for both alkaline HER and HOR.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3794-0
Luminescent transparent display technology is widely used in emerging fields such as augmented reality glass, head-up vehicle display, and commercial retail windows. While electroluminescent display is well established, the photoluminescent transparent screen of full-color rendering ability remains elusive due to the severe crosstalk between emitters. Herein, a full-color transparent screen of an orthogonal red/green/blue (R/G/B) luminescence is reported. Lanthanide fluoride nanocrystals are used as the emitters, where the color is tuned by a deliberate choice of doping activators including Tb3+, Eu3+, and Tm3+. Polyvinyl alcohol, with an identical refractive index to nanocrystals, is employed as the host matrix, enabling a high transparency up to 86% in the visible region upon a high loading content (~78 wt%) of nanocrystals. It should be noted that the nanocrystals are embedded in separate monolayers before integration by a UV-selective absorber, i.e., epoxy resin, which absorbs 254-nm UV to block cross-excitation between Tb3+ and Eu3+ layers, providing an asymmetric luminescent property from both sides of the screen. In a proof-of-concept experiment, a full-color prototype is showcased in real time for its potential applications in advanced displays of immersive experience.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3873-7
The escalating demand for lightweight, multifunctional stealth materials in modern protective applications necessitates integrated solutions against electromagnetic interference (EMI), infrared (IR) detection, and incendiary threats. This study presents an innovative melamine foam (MF)-based composite featuring an asymmetric dual-nano conductive network, achieving absorption-dominated EMI shielding, IR stealth, and flame retardancy. Inspired by the Salisbury screen, the composite employs MF as an interlayer and flame-retardant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofiber membrane as a substrate. The architecture comprises a carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-modified impedance matching nanofiber layer as the top absorber and a silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-modified nanofiber layer as the highly conductive reflective bottom. Precise control of CNTs content and interlayer thickness enables tunable electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption, yielding a low reflection coefficient of 0.03 and a high EMI shielding effectiveness of 79.23 dB at a total thickness of 4.40 mm. Even at 1.40 mm, effective absorption-dominated shielding is maintained. The performance remains stable under ultrasonic, compression, and bending tests, demonstrating high durability. The mechanism underlying absorption-dominated EMI shielding at reduced thickness, relying on destructive interference of EMWs enabled by the asymmetric dual-nano conductive network, is thoroughly elucidated. Additionally, the composite exhibits superior IR stealth and self-extinguishing properties. This work offers a feasible strategy for designing high-performance stealth materials with strong potential for personnel and communication equipment protection.
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.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3312-9
Passive thermal management systems lack adaptive capacity and precise temperature control, limiting their deployment in dynamic environments. This study introduces a passive thermostat comprising a thermal-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel upper layer and a photothermal conversion bottom layer. The hydrogel undergoes a reversible phase transition between transparent and opaque states, modulating solar heating and cooling to maintain a designable, stable temperature. By tuning the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the hydrogel between 30 and 38 °C, the thermostat achieves a set-point equal to the LCST under open-air conditions. Experimental validation over 3 h in cold winter demonstrated a temperature variance of only 0.287 °C, while on extremely hot summer days the system maintained a stable, relatively low temperature by switching off solar heating. These results establish a viable pathway for energy-free, precise thermal regulation using renewable solar resources, with potential applications in building energy efficiency, personal thermal management, and electronic device cooling.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3587-4
Unstable zinc interfaces arising from dendrite growth and parasitic reactions impede the practical deployment of rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries. This study introduces 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) as a parts-per-million (ppm) level electrolyte additive to stabilize the Zn anode. Theoretical and experimental analyses reveal that PAN undergoes parallel adsorption on the Zn surface, establishing strong π-π interactions between adjacent molecules that efficiently repel water. The OH, pyridine N, and azo N groups in PAN chelate Zn2+, modulating Zn2+ diffusion and promoting uniform deposition while suppressing dendrite formation. A 10 ppm (0.04 mM) PAN addition extends the lifespan of a symmetrical cell to 1500 h at 2 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2. The Zn||Cu half-cell achieves a Coulombic efficiency of 99.91% over 3500 cycles at 5 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2. Full cells with NH4V4O10 and MnO2 cathodes exhibit enhanced cycling stability. Notably, a Zn||NH4V4O10 pouch cell retains 71.1% capacity after 250 cycles at 0.8 A g−1. This work demonstrates a viable strategy for selecting high-efficiency additives for aqueous metal-based batteries.