SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4177-3
Chirality profoundly influences tumor therapy by regulating key physiological processes, yet the link between chirality and therapeutic properties of atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs) remains poorly understood. Atomically precise Au25 NCs protected by chiral cysteine ligands (L-Au25(cys)18, D-Au25(cys)18, and Rac-Au25(cys)18) were constructed and systematically investigated to elucidate the association between chirality and tumor therapeutic performance. Although no significant difference in enzyme-like activity was observed among the three NCs, Rac-Au25(cys)18 exhibited enhanced reactive oxygen species generation under 808 nm laser irradiation, achieving superior phototherapeutic effects in both in vitro and in vivo tumor models. The chiral Au25 NCs induced distinct cell death pathways: L-Au25(cys)18 primarily triggered ferroptosis, D-Au25(cys)18 induced both ferroptosis and apoptosis, and all three NCs activated disulfidptosis. In vivo, tumor inhibition rates for L-Au25, D-Au25, and Rac-Au25 groups were 46.7%, 42.5%, and 68.3%, respectively, with no significant body weight fluctuations and minimal hepatorenal toxicity. Hematological and histopathological analyses confirmed favorable systemic biocompatibility. This work clarifies the correlation between chiral structures and tumor therapeutic performance of gold NCs, providing experimental insights and theoretical support for the design of novel chiral nanomaterials and optimization of precise tumor phototherapeutic strategies.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3470-6
Inkjet printing of two-dimensional transition metal chalcogenides (TMDs) is promising for low-cost, large-scale flexible electronics, yet challenges persist due to poor crystallinity and toxic solvents. Here, we report a green ink formulation using zwitterionic cocamidopropyl betaine (CAB) as a dispersant and surfactant for liquid-phase exfoliation of single-crystalline TMDs in water and isopropanol (IPA). The dispersions contain no additives or binders, enabling direct production of stable (over one month) and concentrated (2 mg/mL) inks for MoS2, MoTe2, WS2, WSe2, and WTe2. Fully-printed MoSe2/CAB humidity sensors exhibit superior sensitivity (ΔI/I0 = 468.1) and rapid response/recovery times (27 s/0.42 s) under bending. Inkjet-printed WTe2/CAB pads on 6-μm-thick substrates demonstrate exceptional mechanical stability, with resistance variations of 1.4% under single bending and 2% after 1,000 cycles, and acquire high-quality electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) signals. This strategy enables scalable fabrication of TMD-based flexible electronics, advancing industrial integration.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3545-7
Magnetically driven hydrogel robots show promise in biomedical and underwater applications due to remote controllability, flexibility, biocompatibility, and chemical stability. However, limited functional integration restricts their adaptability. Here, a universal modular assembly strategy is introduced using a self-healing κ-carrageenan/polyacrylamide hydrogel embedded with magnetic particles, enabling free assembly of magnetic actuation modules. These modules construct soft robots with complex geometries and magnetization distributions, allowing diverse deformations under magnetic fields. The strategy further integrates photocatalysis by embedding Ru-Bi2CrO6 photocatalysts into functional modules, yielding an oxygen-generating robot. This robot exhibits flexible underwater movement via magnetically controlled oscillatory actuation, minimizing water agitation while supplying stable oxygen to specific aquatic environments. The photocatalytic oxygen evolution rate reaches 389.1 μmol g−1 h−1. The hydrogel skeleton suppresses particle aggregation and sedimentation, and facilitates magnetic recovery. This scalable and adaptable approach advances multifunctional soft robot design.