SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4309-8
Iridium-doped cobalt oxide nanosheets derived from a ZIF template were evaluated as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). Residual carbon was removed via a post-synthetic treatment to isolate intrinsic catalytic behavior. The Ir0.23Co0.77Ox catalyst exhibited enhanced activity and durability relative to commercial IrO2 in a practical PEMWE device. Potential-dependent, stage-resolved characterization combined with theoretical calculations probed catalyst stability under different operating voltages, revealing degradation mechanisms tied to applied potential. Contact angle measurements showed that the Ir0.23Co0.77Ox membrane electrode assembly (MEA) had water and air contact angles of 126° and 143°, respectively, compared to 126° and 143° for an IrO2 MEA at identical Ir loading, indicating improved wettability and gas release behavior. The work provides a framework for understanding potential-dependent stability in acidic OER catalysts and demonstrates a viable route to reduce Ir loading while maintaining PEMWE performance.
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.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3798-x
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colorectal mucosa, where conventional enema therapies suffer from poor retention and limited inflammation modulation. Here, we report a highly fluid probiotic-containing enema solution (s-BSA-Fe+EcN) integrating bovine serum albumin (BSA), Fe2+, and probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN). The solution's high fluidity enables comprehensive coverage of irregular colorectal mucosa. Upon encountering reactive oxygen species (ROS)-rich inflamed lesions, Fe2+ mediates H2O2 scavenging and hydroxyl radical generation, triggering BSA crosslinking and in situ gelation into a conformal hydrogel (h-BSA-Fe+EcN). This targeted adhesion mitigates oxidative damage to host tissues and preserves probiotic viability. In a porcine model, endoscopic imaging confirmed inflammation-targeted gelation in vivo. In a dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse colitis model, h-BSA-Fe+EcN demonstrated excellent therapeutic efficacy, reducing disease activity index and restoring colonic architecture. This strategy addresses the dual challenges of fluid perfusion and rapid ROS-responsive gelation, offering an advanced transanal treatment for UC.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3874-1
The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) model sizes to trillions of parameters has intensified the demand for computational paradigms that overcome the von Neumann bottleneck. Emerging memory technologies, while advancing, fall short of meeting the massive requirements of large-scale models. Ferroelectric materials, with their continuous tunability of domain patterns, offer a promising route to emulate synaptic weights in biological learning. This review systematically examines four fundamental ferroelectric-based device architectures: ferroelectric capacitors, ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs), ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs), and ferroelectric domain wall memories. We analyze their latest progress, application domains, and inherent advantages, while critically assessing the challenges impeding their commercialization. Key issues include scalability, endurance, retention, and integration with CMOS technology. We also highlight optimization strategies for material and device performance, array-level design, and neuromorphic computing architectures. Future research directions are proposed, emphasizing the expansion of novel applications and the realization of energy-efficient, high-density in-memory computing systems. This review provides a comprehensive framework for researchers and engineers aiming to harness ferroelectric devices for next-generation computing.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3769-2
Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) are pivotal for sustainable hydrogen production, yet the corrosion-induced TiOx on porous transport layers (PTLs) introduces Schottky contact barriers and pinch-off effects, severely impeding charge transfer and efficiency. Here, a cost-effective MoIrOx coating via spray deposition and thermal treatment on Ti felts is proposed. The coating forms a conductive interlayer that establishes a Schottky barrier staircase, reducing the effective electron transfer barrier and isolating TiOx from the ionomer to mitigate the pinch-off effect. The optimal PTL achieves a current density of 3.27 A cm−2 at 2 V, surpassing uncoated Ti felts by 59.5%. The MoIrOx interlayer suppresses localized electron accumulation at the interface, enabling stable operation with ultra-low catalyst loadings by preventing direct ionomer-TiOx contact. This work demonstrates a scalable strategy to enhance PEMWE efficiency and durability while minimizing precious metal reliance, offering critical insights into interface engineering for electrolyzers.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60679-2
Olefin hydroformylation is a pivotal process for synthesizing high-value-added aldehydes, with applications extending from short-chain to long-chain olefins (C6+). Traditional homogeneous catalytic systems suffer from difficulties in separating and recovering precious rhodium (Rh), driving research toward heterogeneous catalytic systems. This review summarizes recent progress in supports for heterogeneous Rh-based catalysts, focusing on the influence of structural regulation strategies of inorganic oxide-supported, porous carbon-supported, organic porous polymer-based, zeolite-supported, and composite-supported catalysts on active site dispersion, regioselectivity, and cycle stability. Key findings include enhanced linear-to-branched (n/i) ratios and turnover frequencies (TOF) achieved through tailored support design. For instance, Rh1/CeO2 with morphology effects demonstrates molecular-level understanding of support effects, while Rh/activated carbon with surface oxygen groups improves catalytic performance in 1-hexene hydroformylation. Porous monophosphine polymers confine atomically dispersed Rh, achieving regioselective hydroformylation. Additionally, Rh-N4 single atoms and Rh clusters dual-active sites on supports yield ultra-high TOF. The review aims to provide insights for rational design of high-performance heterogeneous hydroformylation catalysts, addressing industrial challenges of catalyst recovery and stability.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025041502
Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, are ubiquitous environmental contaminants with documented presence in urban, rural, marine, remote, and polar atmospheres. The atmosphere serves as a primary medium for their long-range transport, raising concerns regarding climate interactions and human health. This review synthesizes recent advances in atmospheric MPs research, encompassing sampling strategies, pretreatment protocols, analytical techniques, occurrence characteristics, and ecological ramifications. Passive and active sampling methods are delineated, with active samplers enabling quantitative flux measurements. Pretreatment typically involves sequential steps of sieving, density separation, digestion, staining, and filtration to isolate MPs from complex matrices. Identification relies on visual inspection, micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR), micro-Raman spectroscopy, laser direct infrared imaging (LDIR), and mass spectrometry. Reported atmospheric MPs predominantly exhibit dimensions below 700 μm, with fibrous morphologies being most prevalent. Color distribution is dominated by black, followed by white and transparent particles. Over 20 polymer types have been identified, with textiles, tire wear, and dust identified as principal sources. Atmospheric MPs can influence solar radiation balance, cloud formation processes, and pose risks to flora, fauna, and human health. However, research remains nascent; standardization of sampling and analytical protocols, along with comprehensive toxicological assessments, are critical knowledge gaps requiring urgent attention.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4144-y
Developing efficient strategies for electrically manipulating two-dimensional magnetism at room temperature is a key challenge in contemporary spintronics. In this study, we demonstrate giant electromechanical control over the magnetism of the room-temperature van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2 by integrating it with the ferroelectric α-In2Se3. Modest gate voltages lead to an almost complete suppression of the coercive field by 96.5%, corresponding to a remarkable peak modulation sensitivity of ~8.1 mT V−1, which stands out among existing van der Waals magnetoelectric systems. Importantly, this substantial magnetoelectric response is predominantly unaffected by voltage polarity, as both positive and negative gate voltages induce similar magnetic modulation effects. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we tracked the voltage-induced Raman spectral changes, revealing a peak shift of 1.7 cm−1 that accurately represents an effective in-plane tensile strain of ~1.42% under an equivalent bias, demonstrating polarity independence as well. The synchronized magnetic response and strain variation unequivocally indicate that the induced tensile strain serves as the fundamental physical driver behind the magnetic modulation. Additionally, density functional theory calculations corroborate that the reduction in magnetic anisotropy induced by tensile strain results in a decrease in the coercive field. Our work establishes a novel and efficient approach for achieving voltage control of magnetism at room temperature in van der Waals multiferroic heterostructures, highlighting their significant potential for applications in ultra-low-power magnetic logic and sensing technologies.