SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4343-7
Piezoelectric materials interconvert mechanical and electrical energy, but piezoceramics are brittle while PVDF-based ferroelectric polymers exhibit low piezoelectric coefficients (d33 ≈ -30 pC N-1). Chemical modification via morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) engineering has raised d33 in P(VDF-TrFE) to -63.5 pC N-1, and to -69 pC N-1 with stretching, but intrinsic piezoelectricity in relaxor terpolymers remains limited. Here, relaxor ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) with varying C=C double bond (DB) content is synthesized via dehydrochlorination. Structural and electrical characterization reveals that increasing DB content stabilizes long-range ferroelectric order while suppressing short-range relaxor characteristics, forming a trans/helix phase boundary. At a critical DB content of 2.0 mol%, a markedly enhanced intrinsic d33 of -129.0 pC N-1 is achieved, outperforming previous MPB approaches. This finding addresses the fundamental bottleneck of low piezoelectric response in flexible ferroelectric polymers and provides a viable route for high-performance wearable electromechanical devices.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4306-5
Olefin-paraffin separation is a critical and energy-intensive process in the petrochemical industry, with ethylene and propylene purification alone consuming 0.3% of global energy. Current distillation methods are energy-inefficient, and polymer membranes exhibit inadequate separation performance. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), particularly ZIF-8, offer precise molecular sieving due to their uniform pore aperture (~3.4 Å), which lies between the kinetic diameters of propylene and propane. Despite excellent lab-scale performance, ZIF-8 membranes face scalability challenges, with effective areas typically below 10 cm², far from the tens of thousands to millions of square meters required industrially. This paper reviews a recent breakthrough by Weihong Xing, Yichang Pan, and colleagues, who developed a micro-space transformation process (MSTP) for scalable fabrication of heterostructured ZIF-8 (HZIF-8) membranes. Using sealed inner lumens of tubular ceramic supports as confined reaction spaces, they achieved single-tube areas of ~200 cm² and total fabricated areas exceeding 4.6 m². The membranes demonstrated stable separation performance over 30 days at 17 bar and 55 °C with a feed flow of 20 Nm³ d⁻¹. This work represents a significant step toward industrial application, addressing critical bottlenecks in membrane area expansion, defect control, and mechanical stability.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4211-y
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds promise for selective silencing of oncogenic drivers, yet its clinical translation is hindered by endosomal entrapment and inefficient cytosolic delivery. This review systematically examines the biological barriers to siRNA function, emphasizing that successful gene silencing requires not only cellular uptake but also endosomal escape, carrier dissociation, and RISC loading. We categorize current delivery strategies into carrier-free systems and stimuli-responsive carriers. Carrier-free approaches utilize coordination chemistry, molecular self-assembly, or peptide conjugation to form stable siRNA complexes that undergo intracellular dissociation. Stimuli-responsive carriers exploit endogenous tumor cues (e.g., acidic pH, elevated glutathione, specific enzymes, ATP) or exogenous triggers (e.g., light, ultrasound, magnetic fields) to achieve spatiotemporally controlled release. The review highlights recent advances in both strategies, with a focus on their application in cancer therapy. We critically assess the challenges that remain, including heterogeneity of tumor microenvironments, scalability of synthesis, and in vivo stability. Finally, we outline future directions for translating siRNA-based therapies into clinical practice, emphasizing the need for rational design of delivery systems that integrate multiple stimuli-responsiveness and active targeting to overcome biological barriers.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4277-1
Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials hold promise for next-generation spintronics, yet most exhibit Curie temperatures (Tc) far below room temperature, limiting practical applications. Here, we report the realization of room-temperature ferromagnetism in CuCrSe2 nanosheets via controlled anion removal achieved by post-synthetic vacuum annealing. Raw CuCrSe2 shows a low Tc of ~120 K, whereas annealed CuCrSe2 (A-CuCrSe2) nanosheets exhibit robust ferromagnetic ordering above 300 K. Structural and compositional analyses, including transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, confirm that A-CuCrSe2 retains the original layered crystal structure with an estimated Se vacancy concentration of approximately 10%. Magnetic measurements reveal room-temperature ferromagnetism in exfoliated nanosheets, corroborated by magnetic imaging and electric transport measurements. Anomalous Hall effect (AHE) measurements uncover the coexistence of two ferromagnetic phases within the same sample: one with low Tc (~120 K) and another with high Tc (>300 K), indicating spatially heterogeneous magnetic ordering driven by anion removal distribution. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate the microscopic mechanism, suggesting that Se vacancies modulate the magnetic exchange interactions, enhancing Tc. This work demonstrates that anion modulation is an effective intrinsic strategy to achieve room-temperature ferromagnetism in 2D materials, potentially advancing spintronic applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3700-7
Photocatalytic synthesis has been considered a promising technology for solar-to-chemicals conversion. Here, a series of novel photocatalysts was synthesized by decorating uranyl sites on imine-based covalent organic frameworks (i-COF) and proved functioning for the uniformly boosted H2O2 production by 1.6–10.1 folds compared with the bare i-COFs in a wide pH range from 2 to 11. Typically, an optimal H2O2 production rate of 1435.9 μmol g−1 h−1, i.e., 28.72 mmol g(U)−1 h−1, was realized over uranyl decorated TTa-COFs under visible light. Systematic investigations reveal that the universally and remarkably promoted performance is attributed to the outstanding electron-transfer ability, accelerated activation of molecular oxygen and favored formation of ·O2− and *OOH as the key intermediate by virtue of the decorated uranyl ions; thus the two-step single-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for H2O2 photo-generation is significantly facilitated. This work paves a new way for the uranyl-decorated COFs as a novel photocatalyst and provides in-depth insight to the reaction mechanism for photocatalytic H2O2 production.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3740-y
The continuous advancement of bionanomaterial technology has driven significant strategic transformations in the design and fabrication of biomimetic nanocarriers. This review systematically traces the evolution from single-cell membrane nanovesicles to hybrid cell membrane nanovesicles integrating multiple cell membranes, culminating in cell membrane hybrid lipid nanoparticles (CM-LNPs) that combine natural cell membranes or membrane proteins with engineered synthetic phospholipids. This technological progression enables the synergistic retention of multicellular biological functions while incorporating advantageous synthetic material properties, such as enhanced engineering flexibility and surface modifiability. The article critically evaluates the advantages and limitations of traditional extrusion and ultrasonication methods for preparing cell membrane nanovesicles, highlighting the benefits and development prospects of novel microfluidic techniques in CM-LNP fabrication. Furthermore, it explores future application prospects and challenges of CM-LNPs in the biomedical field, particularly in drug delivery systems and precision medicine. The review underscores the potential of CM-LNPs to overcome clinical limitations of conventional liposomes, such as poor stability, rapid drug leakage, and inadequate targeting, by leveraging the natural homing effect of cell membranes and the tunability of synthetic lipids. Emphasis is placed on the role of microfluidics in achieving precise, scalable, and reproducible fabrication, which is critical for clinical translation. The abstract synthesizes current knowledge and identifies key research gaps, offering a forward-looking perspective on the engineering of biomimetic nanoparticles for advanced therapeutic applications.
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/s40843-025-3773-7
Kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells suffer from significant open-circuit voltage (VOC) deficits due to severe interfacial and bulk recombination, restricting their power conversion efficiency (PCE) far below the Shockley-Queisser limit. This work proposes a low-temperature annealing strategy during ITO sputtering (SA) to synergistically address these challenges. The temperature applied during ITO sputtering not only improves the crystallinity, carrier concentration, and optical transmittance of the ITO layer but also promotes the diffusion of In from ITO into both CdS and CZTSSe layers. Consequently, lattice matching at the CZTSSe/CdS interface is optimized, enabling epitaxial growth. And a favorable ITO/In:CdS/In&Cd:CZTSSe structure with optimal band alignment is obtained. As a result, a champion device with a PCE of 14.29% was achieved. The SA-treating also enabled the CZTSSe solar cells to achieve the highest VOC reported to date, exceeding 590 mV. This underscores the essential role of SA processing in optimizing interface engineering and suppressing defects, thus promoting the development of low-cost, high-performance kesterite photovoltaics.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024103107
Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed to predict the reaction rate constants (kO3) of aromatic compounds with ozone in water. Molecular descriptors were screened using a combination of genetic algorithm and stepwise regression. Multiple linear regression (MLR), support vector machine (SVM), and projection pursuit regression (PPR) were employed to construct local models. The PPR model exhibited superior performance with a goodness-of-fit R2 of 0.923, leave-one-out cross-validation Q2LOO of 0.836, and external validation Q2ext of 0.873. The model was interpreted using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), revealing that ozone attack is hindered by the presence of dssC (=C<) fragments and chlorine atoms. The applicability domain was characterized using Williams plots. Tree manifold approximation and projection (TMAP) was used to visualize structural similarity and diversity, and Arithmetic Residuals in K-groups Analysis (ARKA) identified potential activity cliffs. The model adheres to OECD principles for QSAR validation, providing a robust tool for predicting kO3 of untested or novel aromatic compounds and extendable to other environmental applications.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507088
Methanol is highly biodegradable, yet its efficient and stable anaerobic treatment is constrained by prolonged microbial adaptation to toxic substances, narrow microbial community structure, and poor sludge granulation. This study applied two functional additives—sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) as an inorganic carbon source (IC) and an amino-acid-rich organic functional supplement (FS)—to accelerate the startup of two upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors. UASB-A received 3,000 mg·L−1 NaHCO3 and 127 mg·L−1 FS, while UASB-B received only 3,000 mg·L−1 NaHCO3. Both additives enabled rapid startup and granulation by shortening hydraulic retention time (HRT) and increasing organic loading rates (4, 6, 9, 15, 20, and 30 g COD·L−1·d−1). Granulation was evidenced by increased total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), and particle size distribution. Microbial community analysis at HRT 0.2 d revealed highest relative abundances of Acetobacterium at 30.2% (UASB-A) and 36.9% (UASB-B). NaHCO3 supplementation enhanced syntrophy between Acetobacterium and the acetoclastic methanogen Methanothrix, while FS significantly increased the abundance of Sporomusa, establishing a novel syntrophic relationship with Methanothrix. These interactions promoted sludge granulation. The study demonstrates that functional additives facilitate rapid startup and granulation in methanol anaerobic treatment, offering a strategy to overcome process bottlenecks.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025010802
Ozone (O3) pollution is a prominent issue in the Guanzhong Plain, necessitating effective control of its precursors, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, studies on VOC pollution characteristics at the county level are scarce. To investigate the summer VOC pollution characteristics and sources in high-altitude towns of the Guanzhong Plain, continuous monitoring of 53 typical VOC species was conducted at two sites in Changwu County, Xianyang City (elevation 1200 m). The spatiotemporal variations of ambient VOCs and their ozone formation potential (OFP) were analyzed, and source apportionment was performed using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. Results showed that average total VOC (TVOCs) concentrations at the Changwu Government and Changwu Middle School sites were 60.04×10⁻⁹ and 83.28×10⁻⁹, respectively. Oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) dominated, accounting for 55.14% and 62.91% of TVOCs, followed by alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, and halogenated hydrocarbons. Industrial sources contributed the most (43.2%) to VOC emissions in Changwu County, but site-specific differences were observed: the Government site was primarily influenced by solvent use (30.7%) and motor vehicles (19.1%), while the Middle School site was dominated by domestic sources (27.6%) and motor vehicles (20.0%). The average OFP values at the Government and Middle School sites were 258.84×10⁻⁹ and 378.04×10⁻⁹, respectively, with alkenes and OVOCs as the main contributors, originating from industrial emissions, solvent use, and biogenic sources. EKMA curves indicated that Changwu County was in a VOC-limited regime during the observation period, confirming the effectiveness of VOC control for ozone mitigation. These findings provide scientific guidance for local ozone management and offer a paradigm for precise ozone pollution control in county-level regions of the Guanzhong Plain.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60648-2
The influence of mixing modes on the integrated process of co-pyrolysis of Naomaohu coal (NMH) and elm (ELM) with CO2 reforming of methane (CP-CRM) was investigated over Ni-based catalysts prepared by ball milling. Three mixing modes—NMH/ELM, ELM/NMH, and Blends—were examined and compared with co-pyrolysis under N2 (CP-N2). Results show that product distribution was significantly affected by mixing mode. The Blends mode achieved the highest tar yield, increasing by 35.29% compared with CP-N2. Light oil content in tar was higher, while pitch content was lower for Blends relative to layered modes. Phenols content in tar from Blends was 19.52% higher than CP-N2, and free radical concentration in tar was higher, attributed to enhanced heat and mass transfer between particles by mechanical mixing, promoting complete pyrolysis and efficient utilization of hydrogen-rich free radicals (·H, ·CHx) to suppress secondary cracking and polymerization. In contrast, NMH/ELM mode in CP-CRM improved phenols content by 33.27% over CP-N2. Free radical concentration in tar during CP-CRM was lower than in CP-N2, indicating timely stabilization of pyrolysis radicals by reforming-generated radicals. These findings provide guidance for regulating tar yield and composition in co-pyrolysis processes.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025031905
Land use types profoundly influence the accumulation, speciation, and ecological risk of heavy metals through differences in human activity intensity, pollution input pathways, and soil self-regulation capacity. This study investigated soils of different land use types in Longhua County, downstream of the Yixun River Basin, central Chengde City, Hebei Province. Using the Nemerow Index and Potential Ecological Risk Index, the overall regional pollution was mild (Pn=1.65) with low ecological risk (RI=121.17). Main pollutants were Cd, Pb, Zn, and Hg, with Cd and Hg as primary ecological risk factors. Construction land exhibited moderate pollution and medium risk, with a Nemerow Index of 2.37 and average RI of 190.78, significantly exceeding other land use types. PMF model identified four pollution sources: pedogenic parent material natural source (43.54% contribution) dominating Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn enrichment; metallogenic parent material natural source (19.88%) controlling Cd spatial differentiation; agricultural-transportation mixed source (24.79%) driving As and Pb accumulation; and industrial source (11.93%) causing local Hg enrichment. Natural sources contributed 63.42% of total heavy metals, being the primary contributor. As was generally below background values, not constituting pollution; Pb exceeded standards but posed low ecological risk; industrial Hg enrichment in construction land presented high pollution and ecological risk, requiring priority control.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511095
To address the low temporal resolution of conventional monthly dustfall monitoring and the lack of component information, this study proposed a daily dustfall measurement method that adds a filtration step to the Chinese standard method, referencing international standards. Using a sand-core filtration device with quartz or mixed cellulose ester membranes, the method achieved a spiked recovery of 101.1% ± 1.2%, good parallelism (y = 0.95x + 0.28), and satisfactory temporal closure. During autumn–winter (November 2020 to March 2021) at a representative site in Xicheng District, Beijing, daily dustfall ranged from 0.06 to 2.33 t·(km²·d)−1. Days with daily dustfall exceeding 0.7 t·(km²·d)−1 accounted for only 4% of the sampling days but contributed 25% of the total dustfall, with high values mainly occurring in January, March, and December. The insoluble fraction averaged 83% ± 12%, and a logarithmic model (y = 9.36ln(x) + 99.98) was established to estimate the insoluble proportion from insoluble dustfall (x, ≤1.00). Daily dustfall showed a strong positive correlation with average wind speed, and an exponential prediction model (y = 0.06e0.61x) was derived. Windy conditions (≥3 on the Beaufort scale) significantly amplified dustfall. The study recommends suspending earthwork, covering bare ground, and increasing watering frequency during high-wind alerts to mitigate dust pollution. This work provides a reliable method for high-resolution dustfall monitoring and insights for targeted pollution control in urban core areas.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202512015
The co-contamination of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in agricultural soils near mining areas poses significant risks to ecosystems and human health. Conventional stabilization materials often exhibit insufficient performance for Zn, particularly in multi-metal systems. This study synthesized a novel composite biochar (PFMBC) by loading phosphate and iron-manganese oxides onto biochar via phosphoric acid impregnation followed by secondary pyrolysis at 600 °C. The stabilization efficiency of PFMBC was evaluated against pristine biochar (BC) and iron-manganese modified biochar (FMBC) in a soil collected from a lead-zinc mining area (total Cd: 43.77 mg·kg−1, Pb: 3355.94 mg·kg−1, Zn: 1296.57 mg·kg−1). After 60 days of incubation with 5% PFMBC, the DTPA-extractable (bioavailable) fractions of Cd, Pb, and Zn decreased by 73.44%, 90.10%, and 69.33%, respectively, significantly outperforming BC and FMBC. Sequential extraction indicated that PFMBC promoted the transformation of Cd, Pb, and Zn from acid-soluble and reducible fractions to more stable residual fractions. Characterization via FTIR, SEM, and XRD revealed enhanced surface functional groups and the formation of stable mineral phases. The synergistic effects of phosphate precipitation, iron-manganese oxide adsorption, and surface complexation contributed to the superior stabilization, particularly overcoming the challenge of Zn immobilization. These findings demonstrate that PFMBC is a promising amendment for the remediation of Cd-Pb-Zn co-contaminated soils, offering high efficiency and long-term stability.
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.0254-6108.2025042103
This study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution, ecological risk, and sources of seven heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, As) in surface sediments of Ranwu Lake, Xizang. Twelve samples were collected during the glacial ablation period (July 2024) and late glacial ablation period (November 2024). Concentrations were determined and analyzed using inverse distance weighting (IDW) for spatial patterns, geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk index (RI) for risk assessment, and correlation analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), and absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) for source apportionment. Results showed that during glacial ablation, mean Cr, Cd, Pb, and As exceeded Xizang soil background values, while in the late ablation period only Cd, Pb, and As remained elevated. Spatial distribution varied between periods, with high concentrations in the middle and lower lake during ablation, shifting to the lower lake in the late period. Igeo and RI indicated overall low ecological risk, with Cd as the primary risk factor; mean RI values were 81.79 and 98.30 for the two periods, respectively. Source apportionment revealed that heavy metals mainly originated from natural and transportation sources, with traffic emissions being the major contributor to ecological risk. Specifically, Cr, Ni, and As were predominantly natural, Cd and Pb were mainly traffic-related, and Cu and Zn were influenced by both natural and traffic sources.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3998-8
Constitutional isomerism in covalent organic frameworks (COFs) has emerged as a powerful strategy to tailor material properties for photocatalytic applications. Here, we report the design and synthesis of two isomeric multicomponent COFs (MC-COFs) via Schiff-base condensation followed by Povarov reaction, converting imine linkages into quinoline structures. These isomeric MC-COFs exhibit opposing C=N bond orientations and distinct phenyl group alignments within the COF pores, leading to different torsion angles in the COF layers. Structural analyses reveal that enhanced planarity promotes π-π stacking and electron delocalization, resulting in favorable band structures and reduced exciton binding energies. Consequently, the optimized COF achieves a superior hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production rate of 3128 μmol g−1 h−1 under visible light irradiation. This work underscores the critical influence of structural isomerism on the photocatalytic efficiency of MC-COFs and provides insights for rational design of high-performance COF-based photocatalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4045-x
The release of radioactive iodine from nuclear accidents and nuclear medicine poses significant environmental and health risks. Here, we report the design and synthesis of two cross-linked macrocycle-based porous organic polymers (P1 and P2) with different functionalities for efficient and rapid capture of radioactive iodine. P1 achieves complete iodine adsorption within 5 minutes, with an exceptional adsorption rate constant (k_obs) of 18.92 g g−1 min−1 (8.24 g g−1 min−1 for P2), representing a record-high iodine removal rate among state-of-the-art porous organic polymers. P1 demonstrates superior iodine adsorption efficacy in dynamic flow-through experiments, achieving a remarkable efficiency of 96.4% for radioactive 131I removal, greatly minimizing radiation contamination. Experimental and modelling techniques reveal that the superior iodine adsorption performance originates from electron-rich functional groups, hydrophobic surface, and porous structure of P1, thus exhibiting remarkable iodine capture capabilities through charge transfer, halogen bonding, and hydrophobic effects. The adsorbents show excellent stability and performance under complex and harsh conditions (pH 2–10) and can be easily regenerated, confirming their excellent reusability and potential for practical applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4118-0
Polymer composite dielectrics are key materials for high-temperature film capacitors, yet their energy storage capability is severely constrained at elevated temperatures. Molecular fillers that simultaneously integrate deep-level trapping (high electron affinity, Ea), strong insulation (large bandgap, Eg), and high thermal stability are rarely available, posing a major challenge for improving high-temperature energy storage performance. To address this challenge, we screen and identify hexaazatriphenylene hexacarbonitrile (HAT-CN) as a promising candidate that fulfills the above critical requirements from numerous commercial organic molecules. When incorporated into a high glass transition temperature (Tg) polymer fluorene polyester (FPE), the resulting all-organic composite exhibits simultaneously suppressed high-temperature conduction loss and preserved mechanical robustness. Consequently, the optimized composite achieves record-high discharged energy densities of 7.31 J cm−3 at 150 °C and 6.14 J cm−3 at 200 °C (η≥90%) with a low cost and scalable process. This work demonstrates that the filler design based on synergistic key properties provides a potent pathway to break the longstanding high-temperature performance bottleneck in polymer dielectrics.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3480-1
Electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia (NRA) offers a sustainable route for wastewater denitrification and decentralized ammonia synthesis, but its practical deployment is constrained by sluggish reaction kinetics and the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Monometallic Cu electrocatalysts, despite favorable nitrate adsorption and tunable electronic structure, exhibit weak H* adsorption, limiting the hydrogen radical-mediated pathway that suppresses HER at low overpotentials. Here, highly dispersed Cu/WO3 heterojunctions supported on carbon fiber were synthesized via carbothermal shock reduction, which reaches ultra-high temperatures within seconds and prevents active-site accumulation. The optimal Cu/WO3 heterojunction achieves an ammonia yield rate of 158.66 μmol h−1 cm−2 and a Faradaic efficiency of 98.27%. Electron paramagnetic resonance and density functional theory calculations reveal a synergistic mechanism: Cu sites preferentially adsorb NO3−, while adjacent WO3 sites accelerate water dissociation to generate hydrogen radicals (H*), which drive the continuous hydrogenation of nitrate to ammonia. This spatial separation of functions promotes the H*-mediated pathway and suppresses HER. The work establishes a heterojunction design strategy for non-precious-metal NRA electrocatalysts, enabling high-rate, high-selectivity ammonia production under mild conditions.