SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4233-8
Ferroelectrics with intrinsic electric polarization are indispensable for non-volatile storage and computing-in-memory chips. However, conventional perovskite ferroelectrics suffer from size effects that degrade functional properties at reduced dimensions, limiting nanoscale applications. Fluorite-based ferroelectrics, such as HfO2 and ZrO2, maintain ferroelectricity in nanocrystalline films and are compatible with Si-based processes, but their ferroelectricity relies on a metastable orthorhombic (O) phase that is thermodynamically unstable at room temperature, leading to wake-up effects, fatigue, and reduced reliability. Previous stabilization strategies (stress, doping, oxygen vacancies) lack atomic-level verification or depend on specific processing conditions. This highlight discusses a recent Nature Materials study by Wang et al. that demonstrates grain boundary (GB) chemical engineering as a new paradigm. Using a La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) buffer layer, they achieved stable O-phase ZrO2 films. Atomic-scale HAADF and EELS revealed ordered GBs with selective segregation of La, Sr, and Mn, forming chemically ordered heterostructures. First-principles calculations showed that the ordered eg/t2g orbital arrangement of Mn3+/Mn4+ at GBs softens phonon modes by regulating Zr–O bond strength, stabilizing the ferroelectric phase. This work establishes GBs as independent functional units, offering a universal approach for designing highly stable metastable functional materials.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3817-3
The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data-driven edge intelligence applications has created an urgent demand for highly efficient computing hardware. Ferroelectric memristors have emerged as promising candidates for edge hardware due to their multi-level conductance tunability and high integration potential. In this work, we fabricated yttrium-doped hafnium oxide (YHO) memristors with a remanent polarization of ~30 μC/cm2, a multi-level resistive state retention time of approximately 10^5 s, and an endurance of up to 10^9 cycles. Based on this device, we constructed a real-time path-tracking system for intelligent vehicles—which achieves 100% path recognition accuracy—and a traffic sign denoising network optimized for hardware mapping via a hierarchical mixed-precision quantization strategy; this network yields denoised images with a peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of 27.04 and a structural similarity index measure (SSIM) of 0.80. This work paves an innovative pathway for the practical application of hafnium-based ferroelectric memristors, accelerating the development of highly efficient hardware for edge intelligence.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3984-5
Rechargeable aluminum batteries (RABs) are promising for large-scale energy storage due to high theoretical capacity, inherent safety, and abundant aluminum reserves. However, conventional AlCl3-based ionic liquid electrolytes suffer from high cost, uncontrolled dendrite growth, and severe anode corrosion. Here, a molecular-level ligand engineering strategy is proposed, employing nitrogen-containing cyclic amides with tunable N–H functionalities to modulate the coordination environment of deep eutectic electrolytes (DEEs). Combined experimental and theoretical investigations reveal that the α-pyrrolidone-based DEE (PDEE) possesses a wider electrochemical window, higher ionic conductivity, and lower polarization. Precise N–H regulation optimizes cationic ligand and chloroaluminate anion interactions, accelerating ion transport to facilitate uniform Al deposition without dendrites. The amine functionalities enable in situ construction of a uniform inorganic-organic bilayer solid electrolyte interphase, mitigating anode corrosion and enhancing long-term interfacial stability. As a result, Al//Al symmetric batteries with PDEE achieve stable cycling for over 2000 hours, while Al-graphite full batteries demonstrate negligible capacity decay after 6000 cycles. This study establishes that ligand molecular engineering offers an effective strategy for optimizing DEEs, enabling durable and high-performance RABs.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60692-5
Long persistent luminescence materials (LPLMs) have demonstrated significant potential in photo- and electro-catalysis due to their unique capability of storing and controllably releasing photogenerated charge carriers. These materials offer innovative solutions for environmental remediation and sustainable energy technologies. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the application of LPLs in photo- and electro-catalysis, outlining their developmental history and underlying mechanisms. Emphasis is placed on their applications in organic pollutant degradation, photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, and photovoltaic cells. Furthermore, design strategies and research frameworks for LPLs are discussed. The current limitations and challenges in this field are examined, and future research directions are proposed to facilitate the transition of LPLMs from fundamental research to practical applications in energy and the environment. Key materials such as SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ exhibit afterglow lasting up to 30 hours, enabling round-the-clock catalytic activity. Composite systems like g-C3N4@Au@SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ and Cu|CuO/SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ have achieved efficient degradation and simultaneous hydrogen evolution. Z-scheme heterojunctions, e.g., Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+,Dy3+/Ag3PO4, demonstrate enhanced performance. The review highlights the potential of LPLMs to overcome the limitation of intermittent light sources, providing a pathway for continuous catalytic processes.