SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4217-y
Rational design and construction of effective photocatalysts is a promising way for green and sustainable chemistry, but still a great challenge. Herein, taking triphenylamine-containing aldehydes as reactants, two covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs), tris(4-formylphenyl)amine (TPA)-CTF and tris(4-formylbiphenyl)amine (TBPA)-CTF, were rationally constructed. The strong electron donor property of the triphenylamine moieties derived from the initial reactants and the strong electron acceptor nature of the in-situ formed built-in triazine rings in CTFs endowed these robust triphenylamine-based CTFs with donor-acceptor (D-A) or donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) structure features. Photocatalytic experiments revealed that, compared with the controlled phenyl analogue CTF, 1,3,5-tri(p-formylphenyl)benzene (TFPB)-CTF, both of the triphenylamine-based CTFs exhibited superior photocatalytic activity not only in photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide generation, but also in photocatalytic aerobic oxidations of diverse organic substrates. Theoretical studies further confirmed that their enhanced photocatalytic performance should be attributed to their unique D-A or D-π-A features in the constructed triphenylamine-based CTFs. This work successfully demonstrated that rational selection of reactants containing electron donor moieties to construct CTFs should be a reliable way for the construction of effective photocatalysts for photocatalytic oxidation reactions.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3780-3
Real-time health monitoring and ongoing evaluation of physiological conditions are becoming increasingly vital for the advancement of future medical diagnostics and personalized healthcare solutions. Given that certain illnesses necessitate prompt and accessible detection methods, wearable chemical sensors have garnered considerable interest for their capability to monitor health through physiological signals and chemical indicators. This review delivers a thorough examination of recent developments in four primary categories of wearable chemical sensors: biosensors, humidity sensors, gas sensors, and ion sensors. We explore the representative materials, device structures, operating mechanisms, and various application scenarios for each type of sensor. By investigating the latest innovations in these technologies, we aim to provide a detailed overview of the current research landscape, highlight existing challenges, and present potential future directions of wearable chemical sensors in healthcare monitoring.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3693-0
The development of catalysts with highly efficient oxygen evolution performance and low-Ir loading is key to scaling up the application of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis technology. Here, an Ir-skin catalyst (Ir@KM) is realized on a potassium-manganese oxide (K0.25MnOx (KM)) using an ion-exchange method. The Ir-skin over the prepared Ir@KM has a low Ir–Ir atomic distance, endowing an energetically favorable oxide path mechanism to allow a low theoretical overpotential of 0.13 V. Ir@KM offers a low overpotential of ~280 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and provides a high mass activity of up to 18,500 A gIr−1 at a cell voltage of 1.8 V in PEM, which is 17.6 times higher than that of IrO2, demonstrating a significant advantage in reducing the cost of the membrane electrode. The presented Ir-skin concept represents a promising strategy to fabricate low-Ir catalyst with high activity and durability for practical applications of PEM.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202605018
To address the inadequacy of existing temporal emission allocation coefficients for oil storage, transportation, and sales sources in regions with distinct seasonal temperature variations, this study focused on a large oil depot in Northwest China. A method for establishing temperature-dependent hourly allocation coefficients for VOCs emissions was proposed, revealing a positive correlation between ambient temperature and emission coefficients. The coefficient peaked at 0.068 when temperatures exceeded 14 °C and dropped to a minimum of 0.007 below 8.5 °C. Annual VOCs emissions totaled 256.13 t, with summer contributing 108.89 t (42.51% of annual total) and winter only 12.54 t (4.90%), making summer emissions approximately 8.68 times higher than winter. Using CALPUFF dispersion modeling, dynamic source strength scenarios produced a maximum hourly concentration of 2242.7 μg/m³, a 55.12% increase over the constant source strength scenario (1445.8 μg/m³). The area of exceedance increased by 0.03 km², and the atmospheric environmental protection distance extended by 450 m, from 0 m to 450 m. These results demonstrate that conventional constant emission assumptions underestimate peak concentrations and protection distances, posing health risks to nearby residents. The study provides a scientific basis for localized emission regulation and improved environmental protection distance calculations.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509093
Amid intensifying global warming, carbon emission reduction and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) have become central to climate governance. In March 2023, the European Commission proposed the Green Claims Directive (GCD) to combat greenwashing and enhance the reliability, comparability, and verifiability of environmental claims. The GCD, together with the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, the Carbon Removal Certification Framework, and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards, forms a policy cluster supporting the EU's green transition and CDR deployment. China, as a major greenhouse gas emitter, has made progress in renewable energy and national carbon market construction, yet its total emissions remain high, CDR technologies are nascent, and CCUS deployment is economically oriented, mainly in enhanced oil recovery. This study systematically reviews the legislative background, core objectives, and synergistic logic of the GCD and related policies, focusing on requirements for CDR certification, third-party verification, and carbon credit regulation. It compares Chinese and EU carbon markets in coverage, allowance allocation, and MRV systems. The analysis indicates that EU experience in policy integration, technical standardization, and market maturity can inform China's policy framework, technology pathways, and market efficiency, supporting large-scale CDR and the 'dual carbon' goals.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025030404
The photoelectrocatalytic degradation of seven sulfonamide antibiotics—sulfathiazole (STZ), sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfisoxazole (SIA), sulfamethoxazole (SMZ), sulfapyridine (SPD), sulfadimidine (SMT), and sulfaguanidine (SG)—was investigated using a bismuth vanadate-loaded titanium dioxide array (BiVO4/TiO2) as the anode under visible light irradiation. Systematic evaluation of BiVO4 loading, solution pH, current density, electrolyte type, and electrolyte concentration revealed optimal conditions of 50 mmol·L−1 Na2SO4, a current density of 1.67 mA·cm−2, and pH 2. Under these conditions, STZ removal and total organic carbon (TOC) removal reached 95.7% and 76.7%, respectively. Removal efficiencies for SDZ, SIA, SMZ, SPD, SMT, and SG were 94.9%, 80.9%, 79.1%, 57.7%, 52.3%, and 52.0%, with TOC removal ranging from 50% to 76.7%. Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) identified hydroxyl radicals (·OH), singlet oxygen (1O2), and sulfate radicals (SO4−·) as dominant reactive species. The BiVO4/TiO2 composite exhibited a valence band edge at EVB = 2.775 V vs. RHE, enabling oxidation of H2O, OH−, and SO4^2− to generate these radicals. The heterostructure narrowed the bandgap to 2.12 eV and enhanced visible light response, facilitating efficient charge separation and transfer. Degradation pathways involved oxidation of aniline moieties to nitro groups, followed by hydroxylation and cleavage of S–N, N–C, or S–C bonds, ultimately mineralizing to CO2, H2O, SO4^2−, and NO3−. The system demonstrated high stability and catalytic efficiency across acidic and alkaline conditions, offering a promising approach for antibiotic removal from environmental waters.
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/s40843-025-3937-7
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a formidable clinical challenge due to its high invasiveness and adaptive resistance. We report a bio-mimetic nanoplatform (HMPB-GOx@HSA-Cu2+) integrating starvation therapy, Fenton/Fenton-like catalysis, and mild photothermal therapy (mPTT) for synergistic TNBC treatment. The nanoreactor comprises a hollow mesoporous Prussian blue (HMPB) core loaded with glucose oxidase (GOx), encapsulated in a human serum albumin (HSA) shell covalently functionalized with Cu2+ ions. This design enables spatiotemporal control of Cu2+-mediated Fenton catalysis, responding to the tumor microenvironment (TME) to generate cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH). GOx catalyzes glucose depletion, elevating H2O2 levels and acidity, thereby enhancing catalytic efficiency. Concurrently, mPTT at ~43–45°C accelerates the Fenton reaction and suppresses heat shock protein (HSP) expression, overcoming thermal tolerance via ATP depletion. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate significant anti-tumor efficacy through reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and metabolic disruption, with excellent biocompatibility. This work presents a highly integrated strategy for precise TNBC therapy, addressing limitations of conventional monotherapies.
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.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025040104
The oxidative transformation of 2,6-dichlorophenol (2,6-DCP) was investigated in three typical zonal soils: black soil, red soil, and brown soil. Results demonstrated that 2,6-DCP underwent oxidative coupling in all soils, yielding hydroxylated polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (OH-PCDEs) and hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) as primary products. The highest oxidative efficiency occurred in black soil, with approximately 85.1% of 2,6-DCP transformed within three days. In contrast, red and brown soils exhibited lower efficiencies, indicating a strong dependence on soil properties. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the oxidative coupling reaction is endothermic, with elevated temperatures favoring reaction progress. Furthermore, soil microorganisms and dissolved oxygen were identified as critical controlling factors, acting synergistically to drive the reaction. This study provides the first evidence of natural oxidative coupling of 2,6-DCP in soil, forming OH-PCDEs and OH-PCBs. These findings offer significant scientific insight into the environmental fate of halogenated phenolic pollutants in terrestrial systems.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4025-y
Gd3+-sensitized Tb3+-based glasses are high light-yield scintillators. Energy transfer sensitization between Gd3+ and Tb3+ is well-recognized. Gd3+ ions are also found to typically modulate the interionic distances of Tb3+ ions; however, the mechanism why this effect enhances the latter’s photoluminescence still remains unclear. This work focuses on Gd3+, Tb3+ co-doped La2O3-B2O3-SiO2 (LBSO), first demonstrating Tb3+ clusters via spectroscopy. LBSO’s optimal Tb3+ single-doping concentration is 37%, rising to 50% with 20% Gd3+. The LBSO:20%Gd3+,50%Tb3+ sample exhibits a 542 nm emission intensity 2.22 times that of the 37%Tb3+ single-doped sample, 38% scintillation efficiency (vs. BGO), and >20 lp mm−1 X-ray resolution. The introduction of Gd3+ increases the interionic distance between Tb3+ ions within the clusters, thereby suppressing the concentration quenching effect and enhancing the fluorescence emission. We propose this mechanism as “cluster-dispersion sensitization effect”. This effect was further confirmed in other glass systems (LBSO:Lu3+, Tb3+, LBSO:Y3+, Tb3+, Bi-based:Lu3+, Tb3+, etc.). Spectroscopic analysis shows Gd3+-Tb3+ energy transfer efficiency up to 80%. In conclusion, Gd3+ synergistically enhances Tb3+ fluorescence via both effects. These findings not only fully elucidate the sensitization mechanism of Gd3+ ions in Gd3+, Tb3+ co-doped scintillating glasses but also provide new insights for researching the manipulation of activator ion clusters in luminescent materials. In search for novel scintillators, cluster-dispersion sensitization effect may greatly improve their spatial resolution via intrinsic architectures design in glasses, ceramics, thin films, and nanoparticles.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3825-x
Polymer-based dielectric materials with high energy density and thermal stability are critical for modern electric/electronic industries. Polyimide (PI) based materials are promising due to their high temperature resistance and chemical inertness, yet their inherently low dielectric constant and limited charge-discharge energy density restrict applications in film capacitors. While incorporating ferroelectric or conductive fillers can enhance dielectric performance, batch-to-batch inconsistency and physical deterioration remain problematic. This study focuses on molecular structure design and modulation, preparing hyperbranched polyimides with different dianhydride monomers and branching degrees. The effects of chain packing density with polar groups on dielectric and energy storage performances were systematically investigated via experimentation and molecular simulation. Results demonstrate a significant correlation between monomers' electrical distribution and packing density in polymer systems. Molecular simulation further elucidated the underlying mechanism. This work establishes a foundation for designing polymer-based dielectric materials with high dielectric and energy storage performances at the molecular level.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3949-4
Sodium metal is considered an ideal anode material for high-performance sodium-based batteries. However, volume changes and dendrite growth during cycling seriously restrict its practical application. To address these challenges, this study utilizes harmful green tide algae Enteromorpha prolifera as a raw material to fabricate a self-supporting, sodiophilic, 3D Enteromorpha prolifera-derived carbon (EC) matrix via defect engineering. The results demonstrate that the 3D EC matrix can reduce nucleation overpotential, enhance binding ability with sodium atoms, and induce sodium to deposit horizontally inside EC, effectively addressing the issue of dendrite formation. Furthermore, the Na-EC symmetric cell demonstrates exceptional cycling stability with an ultralow polarization of 12 mV over 1000 h at 5 mA cm−2, 5 mA h cm−2. Notably, this stability persists even under ultrahigh current density and areal capacity conditions (30 mA cm−2, 30 mA h cm−2), maintaining stable operation for 500 h. When configured in full-cell systems with Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, the assembled cell delivers an initial discharge capacity of 108.1 mA h g−1 at a 1 C rate, and maintains a capacity retention rate of 94.4% after 500 cycles. This study proposes an innovative strategy to advance high-performance dendrite-free sodium metal batteries through the recycling of marine environmental waste into functional energy materials.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025041804
Ethylene diamine tetra (methylene phosphonic acid) sodium (EDTMPS), an organic phosphonate scale and corrosion inhibitor, is widely used in industrial recirculating cooling water systems. Its efficient degradation in blowdown water is critical for water reuse. This study employed a plate-frame electrochemical advanced oxidation (EAOP) system with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode to degrade EDTMPS. The effects of operating conditions (temperature, voltage, liquid flow rate) and water quality parameters (pH, electrolyte concentration, chloride ion concentration) were systematically investigated. Optimal degradation efficiency of 99.48% was achieved at 50 °C, 300 mL·min−1, 7.0 V, pH 10, and 0.05 mol·L−1 Na2SO4. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) characterization of chloride-containing systems indicated that reactive species included hydroxyl radicals, sulfate radicals, and possibly chlorine radicals. In a coexisting system with benzotriazole (BTA), EAOPs degraded EDTMPS and BTA with comparable efficiencies. The results demonstrate that BDD-based EAOPs is effective for removing organic phosphonates from low-chloride, low-hardness cooling water, offering a promising approach for blowdown water treatment and reuse.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60664-0
The selective hydrogenation of biomass-derived furfural (FAL) to high-value chemicals such as furfuryl alcohol (FOL) or tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (HFOL) is pivotal yet challenging due to the need for precise control over reaction pathways. In this study, a Ni2Al-LDO (layered double oxide) catalyst with highly dispersed surface NiO was synthesized via structural topological transformation of layered double hydroxides. The catalyst exhibited excellent performance in furfural hydrogenation, achieving a 91.42% yield of FOL at 160 °C and 1.4 MPa H2. Gradual reduction of Ni2Al-LDO produced Ni/NiO mixtures, enabling a tunable shift from FOL to HFOL as NiO content decreased and metallic Ni content increased. After reduction at 700 °C for 2 hours, the HFOL yield reached 93.95% under identical conditions. CO2-TPD, NH3-TPD, and FT-IR analyses revealed that variations in reduction degree influenced furfural adsorption behavior. NiO species selectively adsorb the C=O group of furfural, with isopropanol serving as the hydrogen source via the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) pathway, yielding FOL. In contrast, metallic Ni0 surfaces facilitate flat adsorption, enabling simultaneous activation of both the furan ring and carbonyl group, and can activate both H2 and isopropanol, with H2 as the primary hydrogen source, leading to complete hydrogenation to HFOL. This work elucidates a clear structure-activity relationship centered on the metal oxidation state and provides a practical reduction-engineering approach for designing adaptable catalysts in biomass upgrading.