SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3862-x
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is indispensable for next-generation electronics and quantum technologies, yet controlled synthesis of isotopically engineered hBN with macroscopic scalability and atomic-level precision remains challenging. Here, we present a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method using elemental boron (B) and nitrogen (N) precursors to achieve wafer-scale growth and precise isotopic control of hBN films. High-quality hBN films are synthesized on Cu substrates via optimized B evaporation and N2 plasma activation. The growth mechanism involves an oxygen-mediated pathway for B transport and a layer-by-layer (Frank-van der Merwe) mode for multilayer formation. By employing isotopically enriched B powders (10B and 11B) and N2 gases (14N2 and 15N2), we demonstrate tunable isotopic compositions with phonon mode shifts quantitatively matching harmonic oscillator predictions. Furthermore, we realize unprecedented in-plane h10BN-h11BN heterostructures through dynamic B source switching during growth. This PECVD strategy establishes a transformative synthesis platform merging industrial-scale production capacity with atomic-scale isotopic precision, enabling new opportunities to engineer thermal transport, optical response, and quantum coherence in two-dimensional materials.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3869-7
Iontronic capacitive pressure sensors (ICPSs) are pivotal for wearable technology, yet their performance is constrained by an inherent trade-off between sensitivity and detection range. Here, we introduce a micro-electric double layer (micro-EDL) engineering strategy to overcome this limitation. This is realized through a nanocomposite dielectric where multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) form a percolated network, generating a dense array of pressure-responsive nano-capacitors. Synergistically integrating a hierarchical MoS2/NiCo-LDH electrode provides abundant pseudocapacitive interfaces. The resulting sensor exhibits an ultrahigh sensitivity of 67,095 kPa−1 at 1 kHz, a broad detection range up to 1.3 MPa, rapid response and recovery times of 4 ms and 5 ms, respectively, and outstanding durability exceeding 18,000 cycles. Practical validation demonstrates 100% classification accuracy in recognizing complex gestures and gait patterns, underscoring its real-world applicability. These findings establish micro-EDL engineering as a promising route for advancing next-generation iontronic devices, offering insights into their electrochemical mechanisms.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4016-3
Rare earth-based electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials are promising due to their strong dielectric and magnetic loss capabilities, yet effective enrichment and utilization of rare earth ions remain challenging. Here, an anionic imidazolium-based metal-organic framework (MOF), MOZ-200, is employed to enrich multiple rare earth ions (La3+, Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+, Y3+) via host-guest interactions. The anionic framework uniformly confines these ions, which are converted in situ into highly dispersed high-entropy rare earth alloy nanoparticles during carbonization. The resulting HE@C composites feature a conductive, graphitized carbon matrix with abundant multi-scale polarization centers and heterogeneous interfaces, enhancing dipole polarization, interface polarization, and conductive loss. Consequently, the material achieves excellent EMW absorption in the Ku band, with a minimum reflection loss of -79.20 dB and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth of 5.23 GHz. Integrated into a polyurethane matrix, a multifunctional flexible device is realized, offering EMW absorption, photothermal heating, microwave de-icing, and hydrophobicity. This work provides a feasible strategy for rare earth ion utilization and advances the design of flexible multifunctional EMW absorbing materials.