SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3615-1
Stretchable electronics are pivotal for bio-integrated devices, soft robotics, and wearables, yet their development is constrained by single-layer architectures that limit integration density and by mechanical mismatch between rigid components and soft substrates, which curtails service life. Here, we introduce a LEGO-like modular assembly strategy to construct multilayer three-dimensional (3D) stretchable electronics. Electronic components (ECs) and self-healing polyurethane (SPU) substrates patterned with liquid metal (LM) circuits serve as the modular blocks. This design simplifies fabrication and markedly enhances 3D integration density. The combination of LM circuits and self-healing elastic substrates enables devices to withstand diverse deformations and to autonomously heal after mechanical damage. Notably, the devices can undergo multiple recycling and reuse cycles without significant performance loss. This methodology offers a new paradigm for advanced flexible electronics, addressing critical bottlenecks in integration density, mechanical robustness, and sustainability.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202508084
Granite mining areas generate large quantities of abandoned soil and rock powder, posing environmental challenges and resource waste. This study investigates the synergistic preparation of porous ceramsite from two typical granite solid wastes—weathered granite soil (high Al2O3) and granite waste rock powder (high SiO2)—with waste glass powder as a fluxing agent. Single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (Box-Behnken) were employed to optimize the process and elucidate the pore-forming mechanism. The optimal conditions were a mass ratio of weathered granite soil:granite waste rock powder:waste glass powder of 5.6:2.4:2, a preheating temperature of 480 °C, a sintering time of 32 min, and a sintering temperature of 1140 °C. Under these conditions, the resulting porous ceramsite achieved a compressive strength of 1.74 MPa. The ceramsite effectively immobilized heavy metals, ensuring environmental safety. This research demonstrates that multi-component complementarity and multi-factor coupling optimization can produce porous ceramsite with favorable mechanical properties and stable pore structure, providing a theoretical basis and technical support for high-value utilization of granite solid waste.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3763-9
Developing near-infrared (NIR) organic phototheranostic agents with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is crucial for precise diagnosis and synchronous cancer treatment by regulating excited-state energy dissipation. However, the distorted molecular configuration of AIE systems poses a challenge to achieving both high fluorescence quantum yield (QY) and large molar extinction coefficient (ε). Herein, a series of donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) AIE small molecules with bright NIR emission and high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) were developed through an acceptor planarization and donor rotation molecular engineering strategy. Upon encapsulation into water-dispersible nanoparticles (NPs), SVD NPs exhibited strong molar absorptivity (ε = 3.92 × 10^4 M^-1 cm^-1), high QY of 4%, and improved photothermal performance (PCE × ε = 2.2 × 10^4), enabling effective NIR fluorescence imaging-guided phototherapy for successful ablation of subcutaneous tumors. This study offers valuable insights into the simultaneous enhancement of bright NIR luminescence and exceptional photothermal performance in AIE phototheranostic agents, propelling advancements in tumor diagnosis and treatment.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3962-y
Photochromic Förster resonance energy transfer (pc-FRET)-based subnanometric polymersomes with accurate color control offer a transformative yet challenging tactic for advanced and custom-tailored information encryption. Herein, various amphiphilic alternating pyrene/azobenzene-containing copolymers were polymerized using one-pot Ugi four-component polycondensation. Subsequent self-assembly was performed to produce highly-integrated monolayer subnanometric polymersomes (MSNPSs) and their composites, with diameters of around ~250 nm and vesicular thicknesses of approximately ~12.0 Å. J-aggregated monolayer chain-folding mechanism was accountable for the donor-acceptor-donor stacking manner within the vesicular membrane, beneficial to achieve highly efficient energy transfer. The trans-to-cis photoisomerization of azobenzenes rendered MSNPSs and their composites with photo-triggered structural transitions in diameter and vesicular thickness. Benefitting from considerable spectral overlap between cis-azobenzene and pyrene, MSNPSs and their composites were capable of photo-controllable non-invasive pc-FRET performance with a wide Stokes shift (~320 nm). The accurate color variation from blue to red highly depended upon precise modulation of both irradiation duration and precursor-fixed donor/acceptor ratios. The proof-of-concept individually multichromatic 2D QR code was attained using photochromic MSNPSs and their composites in patterning lithography, displaying a multimodal decryption and favorable repeatability for high-level and personalized information protection. Our work paves a prospective avenue to meticulously craft stimuli-chromatic polymersomes for the potential of advanced information encryption.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4115-9
The advancement of extreme-condition equipment, such as hypersonic vehicles and next-generation gas turbine engines, imposes stringent requirements on thermal barrier materials, particularly high fracture toughness and low thermal conductivity. However, these properties are often mutually exclusive in oxide ceramics due to their intrinsic ionic and covalent bonding. Conventional strategies to reduce thermal conductivity, such as introducing point defects or porosity, typically degrade mechanical properties, while toughening methods like second-phase or phase transformation toughening can adversely affect thermal transport. Rare earth tantalates and niobates, which exhibit ferroelastic phase transitions, offer promise for ultra-high-temperature applications (>1500°C) due to their unique domain structures that enhance toughness. Yet, weak grain boundary bonding limits the full potential of ferroelastic toughening. Li et al. proposed a high-density dislocation engineering strategy to overcome this trade-off. By introducing dislocations with densities of 10^8–10^10 mm^-2 into (YTaO4)1-x/(Y3TaO7)x (x=0.1–0.6) composite ceramics via spark plasma sintering and subsequent heat treatment, they achieved significant reductions in thermal conductivity through phonon scattering while simultaneously enhancing fracture toughness via crack deflection and energy dissipation. This work successfully decouples thermal and mechanical performance, offering a new paradigm for microstructural design in thermal protection materials.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4221-y
The advancement of 5G/6G communications and hypersonic vehicle technology imposes stringent requirements on electromagnetic wave absorbing materials, demanding efficient low-frequency (C-band, 4–8 GHz) response and stable performance above 500°C in oxidizing environments. Traditional absorbers face inherent contradictions: carbon-based composites suffer oxidation, magnetic materials lose function above Curie temperature, and ceramics like SiOC exhibit poor low-frequency absorption due to single dielectric loss. Zeng et al. (Adv Mater, 2026) propose a nitrogen-induced evolution from Fe nanoparticles to Fe single atoms within SiOC ceramic fibers. Through electrospinning of polycarbosilane, PVP, and iron(III) acetylacetonate, followed by curing at 200°C and pyrolysis at 1000°C with dicyandiamide as nitrogen source, they achieve Fe-N4 single-atom coordination. EXAFS confirms Fe-N peak at ~1.5 Å and absence of Fe-Fe peak at ~2.2 Å, ruling out clusters. This design leverages strong Fe-N covalent bonds and unique electronic structure, retaining magnetic contribution to low-frequency response while preventing nanoparticle agglomeration and oxidation. The work achieves synergistic breakthrough in low-frequency absorption and high-temperature stability, pioneering design for extreme environments.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4334-9
Piezoelectric materials underpin modern electromechanical energy conversion, serving as critical components in sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters. Their performance is intrinsically governed by the piezoelectric coefficient, yet optimizing this property remains challenging due to the profound influence of diverse microscopic structures. This review systematically examines three fundamental crystalline architectures—perovskite, wurtzite, and fluorite—and critically analyzes performance optimization strategies tailored to each structure. We explore five principal modification approaches: defect engineering, elemental doping, heterostructure film fabrication, composite film design, and buffer layer incorporation, with emphasis on the underlying physical mechanisms that drive property enhancements. By providing a cross-structural comparison, this review establishes clear structure–property relationships, offering a foundational guide for material selection and design. Furthermore, we highlight the implications of these advanced materials for next-generation applications in energy harvesting and smart devices. Finally, we present a forward-looking roadmap, outlining emerging research directions and addressing key technical challenges to guide the development of next-generation high-performance piezoelectric materials.