SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3793-9
Organic solar cells (OSCs) require both a high donor/acceptor (D/A) interfacial area for efficient exciton dissociation and a vertically phase-separated morphology for efficient charge transport. Traditional bulk heterojunctions (BHJs) provide large interfacial areas but lack vertical phase separation, while quasi-planar heterojunctions (QPHJs) achieve vertical separation at the cost of reduced interfacial contact. Here, we introduce an in situ pore-forming strategy for polymer thin films. By incorporating an excess of additives as pore-forming agents into the donor layer, a nanoporous film with a fibrous nano-network is generated. Subsequent deposition of acceptor molecules fills these nanopores, creating a hybrid planar/bulk heterojunction (HP/BHJ) that synergizes the strengths of both architectures. This design enhances performance by: (1) increasing the D/A interfacial area via nanopores, forming a three-dimensional network that accelerates exciton dissociation; (2) promoting close molecular packing that minimizes carrier recombination and establishes low-defect charge transport channels; and (3) fostering vertical phase separation through layer-by-layer deposition. Binary OSCs fabricated with this strategy achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.0%, surpassing conventional BHJ and QPHJ devices by a significant margin. The approach demonstrates general applicability, with analogous improvements observed in D18/BTP-eC9-4F and PM6/L8-BO systems, underscoring its potential for advancing OSC performance.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61066-9
Carbon materials suffer from limited dielectric loss, resulting in poor impedance matching and inadequate microwave attenuation. To address this, hierarchical structures with synergistic loss mechanisms are sought. Here, biomass cattail serves as a sustainable precursor for nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays decorated with Fe3C nanoparticles via chemical vapor deposition, yielding Fe3C@NCNTs/CMTs composites. The crystallinity, tuned by calcination temperature, critically influences microwave absorption. At 800 °C, the composite achieves a minimum reflection loss of –35.8 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 7.02 GHz at a thickness of only 1.7 mm, with an ultralow filler loading of 10 wt%, covering the entire Ku band and part of the X band. This performance stems from enhanced magnetic loss and multiple dielectric polarization mechanisms. The study demonstrates a promising strategy for designing biomass-derived carbon-based broadband microwave absorbers.
The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225185
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), widely used as an insulating gas in high-voltage electrical equipment, possesses a global warming potential (GWP) 25,200 times that of CO2, necessitating efficient degradation technologies. This study employed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate the thermal catalytic degradation of SF6 in a fixed-bed reactor, integrating models for porous media, heat transfer, turbulence, and chemical kinetics. The simulations revealed significant radial non-uniformities in pressure, velocity, temperature, and species concentration distributions, with temperature identified as the dominant factor influencing degradation efficiency. Radial temperature gradients caused uneven reaction rates, with degradation rates near the wall substantially exceeding those at the central axis, thereby reducing overall SF6 conversion. To address this, structural optimizations were implemented, including reducing the reactor tube diameter and incorporating inert porous media with high thermal conductivity at both ends of the catalytic section. These modifications enhanced radial heat transfer, homogenized the temperature field, and improved the uniformity of reaction rates and species concentrations. Parametric studies on inlet gas velocity showed that both excessively low and high flow rates were detrimental: low velocities led to underutilization of the downstream catalyst and increased energy consumption, while high velocities deteriorated heat transfer and exacerbated radial temperature gradients. The optimal inlet velocity range was determined to be 0.4–0.8 m/s for a reactor tube inner diameter of 10 mm, balancing catalyst utilization, energy consumption, and degradation efficiency. This research provides data-driven guidance for the design and scale-up of SF6 catalytic degradation reactors.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(25)60624-4
Para-xylene (PX) is a critical chemical feedstock for producing polyesters, plastics, and fibers, with China's 2024 consumption reaching 40 million tons (63% of global total) and an import dependency of 17%. Conventional naphtha-based routes face feedstock security and cost volatility, prompting interest in syngas conversion. This review systematically examines recent catalyst developments for direct syngas-to-PX-rich aromatics, focusing on three systems: Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) catalyst/zeolite coupling, methanol synthesis catalyst/zeolite synergy, and dual-engine/zeolite catalysis. Critical parameters such as active component electronic structure, promoter effects, and zeolite pore topology are analyzed to reveal governing principles of activity, selectivity, and stability. Reaction mechanisms via olefin, methanol, and dual-intermediate pathways are explored. Current bottlenecks include coordinated optimization of activity and stability, and unclear regulation of PX selectivity. Future research directions are proposed to address these challenges.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3895-7
Flexible transparent electrodes are vital for next-generation electronics, but conventional silver nanowire (AgNW) networks suffer from non-uniform current and “hot spots” due to their random arrangement. To address this, we present a facile rubber pressure treatment that enables the controlled self-assembly of ordered AgNW micromesh (Ag NMs) on hydrophilic surfaces. This simple physical treatment simultaneously modifies surface energy and topography through molecular chain transfer from the rubber, creating optimal wetting conditions for coffee-ring assembly. This dual modification transforms droplet evaporation from constant contact angle to constant contact radius mode, enabling the universal fabrication of well-defined Ag NMs on diverse substrates like glass, polymers, and even curved surfaces. The resulting Ag NMs/colorless polyimide (CPI) electrodes (2 cm × 2 cm, ~30 Ω/sq), fabricated via single-step transfer and embedding, demonstrate desirable uniform sheet resistance distribution (<5% variation), outstanding mechanical durability, and environmental stability. These electrodes exhibit superior performance in practical applications, including stable electrical heating (159 ± 3°C at 8 V) with uniform temperature distribution and excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding (26.4 dB), while maintaining high optical transparency (~78%). This scalable approach offers a promising platform for advanced flexible electronics.