SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4477-7
The rapid demand for high-energy-density lithium batteries necessitates advanced solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) to overcome the safety and performance limitations of conventional liquid counterparts. Macrocyclic compounds, with their well-defined cavities, programmable binding sites, and tunable self-assembly, have emerged as powerful molecular regulators for designing next-generation SSEs. This review examines recent advancements in macrocyclic compound-based SSEs by categorizing their functions into four fundamental supramolecular regulation paradigms: cation-centered regulation (e.g., crown ethers), anion-centered regulation (e.g., calixarenes and calixpyrroles), channel-dominated transport (e.g., cyclodextrins), and hybrid regulation (e.g., cucurbiturils). We elucidate how these macrocycles precisely control ion coordination, modulate migration dynamics, and reshape interfacial chemistry, leading to enhanced ionic conductivity, improved Li+ transference numbers, suppressed lithium dendrite growth, and superior interfacial stability. While each paradigm offers distinct advantages, the most promising SSEs often leverage synergistic combinations of these strategies. Finally, we highlight the remaining challenges, including synthetic complexity and multi-objective performance trade-offs, and propose future research directions for developing highly efficient and durable macrocycle-based solid-state lithium batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4277-1
Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials hold promise for next-generation spintronics, yet most exhibit Curie temperatures (Tc) far below room temperature, limiting practical applications. Here, we report the realization of room-temperature ferromagnetism in CuCrSe2 nanosheets via controlled anion removal achieved by post-synthetic vacuum annealing. Raw CuCrSe2 shows a low Tc of ~120 K, whereas annealed CuCrSe2 (A-CuCrSe2) nanosheets exhibit robust ferromagnetic ordering above 300 K. Structural and compositional analyses, including transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, confirm that A-CuCrSe2 retains the original layered crystal structure with an estimated Se vacancy concentration of approximately 10%. Magnetic measurements reveal room-temperature ferromagnetism in exfoliated nanosheets, corroborated by magnetic imaging and electric transport measurements. Anomalous Hall effect (AHE) measurements uncover the coexistence of two ferromagnetic phases within the same sample: one with low Tc (~120 K) and another with high Tc (>300 K), indicating spatially heterogeneous magnetic ordering driven by anion removal distribution. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate the microscopic mechanism, suggesting that Se vacancies modulate the magnetic exchange interactions, enhancing Tc. This work demonstrates that anion modulation is an effective intrinsic strategy to achieve room-temperature ferromagnetism in 2D materials, potentially advancing spintronic applications.