SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4192-y
Electrochemical water splitting is pivotal for scalable green hydrogen production, yet its practical deployment hinges on cost-effective electrocatalysts with high activity and durability. This study introduces a low-cost, three-dimensional (3D) nanoporous ZrVFeCoNi material fabricated via chemical dealloying, at merely 0.16% of the cost of Pt. The structure-activity relationship between its microstructure and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance was systematically explored. Lattice defect effects from multiphase intermetallic compounds, combined with multi-metal synergy, optimize H+ adsorption energy and electron transfer kinetics. The 3D nanoporous architecture provides a high electrochemical surface area with abundant active sites, enhancing electrolyte penetration and reducing interfacial mass transfer resistance. Consequently, the ZrVFeCoNi electrode exhibits outstanding HER performance, requiring only a 38 mV overpotential to reach 10 mA cm−2 and maintaining stable operation for 1000 h at 500 mA cm−2. Integrated into a full water electrolyzer (ZrVFeCoNi || IrO2/Ni), the system achieves a cell voltage of 1.60 V at a current density of 400 mA cm−2. Advanced characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that interfacial interactions and charge transfer at heterointerfaces drive catalytic activity, showcasing the potential of 3D nano-structured multiphase intermetallic compounds as high-performance electrocatalysts for green hydrogen systems.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3704-0
The escalating demand for energy storage systems capable of delivering high energy density alongside ultrafast charging and discharging has exposed the limitations of conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), particularly in applications such as electric air vehicles, portable medical devices, and grid-scale storage. Organic cathode materials offer tunable molecular design but suffer from sluggish ion diffusion kinetics, especially under high-rate and low-temperature conditions. This study introduces a 2D vertically ladder-like polymer (2DVLP) synthesized from tribenzoquinoline tribenzoquinone (TTQ) via a 2D polymerization strategy. The polymer features a layered nanosheet structure with densely distributed carbonyl (C=O) redox-active sites serving as Li+ storage centers. Interlayer micropores (0.4–2.0 nm) and structural defects facilitate vertical Li+ diffusion, while weak van der Waals interlayer interactions (no π–π stacking) enable horizontal Li+ intercalation. Coin-type half-cells using 2DVLP cathodes demonstrated outstanding room-temperature performance: 2DVLP-1 and 2DVLP-2 achieved specific capacities of 302 and 291 mAh g−1 at low current densities, respectively. The cross-flow design—combining vertical and horizontal ion transport pathways—effectively mitigates concentration polarization, enabling ultrafast charging. This work provides a scalable strategy for developing high-power organic cathodes, addressing critical bottlenecks in fast-charging energy storage.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3930-3
Methylammonium lead tribromide (MAPbBr3) single crystals (SCs) are promising for room-temperature gamma-ray and X-ray detection, but scaling their size often compromises crystal quality. Here, we report a strategic precursor stoichiometry engineering approach to grow inch-sized, high-quality MAPbBr3 SCs via a constant-temperature evaporation method. We show that constructing a robust electrical double layer through organic cation modulation effectively stabilizes the colloidal precursor. This is achieved by synergistically suppressing MA+ deprotonation while promoting MA+ adsorption as counterions on the [PbBrn]2−n complexes, which collectively strengthens interparticle repulsion and raises the nucleation barrier. This multifaceted approach yields MAPbBr3 SCs with lateral dimensions up to 2 inches and an exceptional X-ray diffraction rocking curve full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.0093° at the (002) face. Consequently, the SCs enable spectroscopic-grade gamma-ray detection, achieving energy resolutions (ER) of 8.4% for the 57Co source (122 keV) and 11.1% for the 137Cs source (662 keV), along with a high X-ray sensitivity of 1.65 × 10^4 μC Gy−1 cm−2. This work paves the way for the practical application of MAPbBr3 SCs in high-performance gamma-ray and X-ray detection.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3927-9
The mechanical properties of as-cast TiAl alloys are severely limited by their coarse as-cast microstructure. This study proposes a low-temperature pre-deformation heat treatment to refine the microstructure of an as-cast Ti-47Al-2Nb-2Cr alloy. The process involves pre-deformation below the eutectoid temperature followed by heat treatment in the α+γ phase field, yielding two distinct microstructures: duplex (DP) and nearly lamellar (NL). The average lamellar colony size was reduced to 5.3% and 20% of the as-cast size for DP and NL structures, respectively. Microstructural evolution analysis reveals that the decomposition of coarse lamellar colonies and the formation of fine grains are governed by γ recrystallization, γ→α phase transformation, and α recrystallization. Remnant colonies after deformation are completely eliminated by subsequent heat treatment, enhancing microstructural homogeneity and mechanical properties. The DP alloy exhibits an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 537 MPa and an elongation (EI) of 6.8% at 800°C, representing increases of 44.7% and 518.2% over the as-cast alloy, respectively. Analysis of crack propagation and deformation mechanisms indicates that grain refinement and lamellar structure refinement contribute to improved deformation ability. This work provides a viable pathway for optimizing as-cast TiAl alloys for high-temperature applications.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509080
Plastic pollution poses a global environmental challenge, and developing efficient, low-cost pyrolysis catalysts is crucial for resource recovery from plastic waste. This study investigates ex-situ catalytic pyrolysis of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) over ZSM-5 (Si/Al = 25) modified with Zn and Fe at loadings of 5% and 10% via impregnation. Catalysts were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, XPS, SEM, TEM, and BET. TGA was used to assess thermal behavior, and catalytic pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a tube furnace at 450 °C, with product analysis by GC-MS. Results show that metal incorporation preserved the ZSM-5 framework while modifying acid site distribution and surface morphology, enhancing cracking and dehydrogenation. All modified catalysts increased light gasoline-range hydrocarbon yield and reduced heavy fractions compared to non-catalytic runs. Among them, 10% Zn/ZSM-5 exhibited the best performance, boosting light gasoline hydrocarbons to 74.77%, approximately three times that of the non-catalytic case, significantly improving oil quality. This study demonstrates the potential of low-cost metal-modified zeolites for efficient and economical plastic waste pyrolysis.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4070-2
A series of ~20 nm intermetallic Pd3Pb nanocubes with tunable surface Pb exposure were synthesized via a facile one-step solvothermal approach, providing an ideal system to investigate the way in which the surface configurations of Pb-rich (Pd3Pb/Pb), Pd-rich (Pd3Pb/Pd), and standard Pd3Pb nanocubes influence the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) mainly through the ligand effect while excluding geometric influences. Electrochemical measurement results indicate that the Pd3Pb/Pb catalyst delivered outstanding C1+ selectivity, achieving a high Faradaic efficiency of 96.88% at −0.72 V (vs. RHE), significantly outperforming the Pd3Pb/Pd (39.86%) and standard Pd3Pb (81.75%) counterparts. In situ FTIR together with DFT calculations further elucidated that Pb incorporation can modulate the electronic structure of Pd via p-d hybridization, leading to the upshift of the d-band center. This will, in return, strengthen the intermediate adsorption ability and lower the energy barriers of the C1+ pathways while effectively suppressing the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. This work establishes a precise surface engineering paradigm of intermetallic nanocrystals for designing high-performance electrocatalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3362-8
Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to high-value-added products is a crucial approach for promoting carbon recycling and mitigating energy challenges. Here, extensive theoretical screenings were conducted on nitrogen-doped graphene-supported heteronuclear dual-atom catalysts (DACs) M1/M2-NC (M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) for CO2RR using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The calculations indicate that Mn/Cu-NC exhibits superior catalytic activity and selectivity for the CO2RR to HCOOH with a limiting potential as low as -0.15 V. The superior performance is attributed to the strong d-electron coupling between Mn and Cu dual atoms in Mn/Cu-NC, which results in an upward shift of the d-band center of the Mn single atom closer to the Fermi level. Moreover, the adsorption of the key intermediate *OCHO on the Mn single atom was further enhanced, thereby reducing the limiting potential and improving the catalytic performance for CO2RR. This work offers a comprehensive theoretical insight into the catalytic mechanism of the novel Mn/Cu-NC DAC for CO2RR and establishes a critical descriptor of d-band center of the catalytic active center to determine the catalytic activity of DACs for CO2RR, thereby providing guidance for the future design and fabrication of graphene-based metal DACs for CO2RR.