SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4406-y
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising adsorbents for uranium extraction from complex aqueous environments due to their tunable pore structures and customizable functionalities. However, conventional bottom-up assembly routes yield frameworks with fixed dimensionality, where internal pores and buried functional sites remain inaccessible, limiting dynamic optimization for uranium capture. This study introduces a reversible coordination-directed clip-off strategy that enables dimensional programming of COFs through silver-nitrogen coordination bonds and thiosulfate/silver ion regulators. The approach allows controlled cleavage and reconstruction of coordination bonds, dynamically exposing hidden binding sites and adapting the framework to uranium extraction requirements. While the strategy demonstrates high-efficiency uranium extraction, it faces challenges including increased material and operating costs from silver-based regulators, potential structural fatigue from repeated cleavage-reconstruction cycles, and limited validation beyond laboratory scale. The reversible dimensional programming is generalizable to other reticular frameworks such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), enabling stimuli-responsive smart materials, controlled-release carriers, and adaptive separation membranes. Integration with machine learning and computational screening could accelerate rational design of functional active sites. This interdisciplinary approach offers a pathway toward intelligent, dimensionally morphing materials for energy and environmental sustainability, though optimization of regulating components and structural durability is required for practical scalability.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4479-8
The von Neumann architecture is increasingly constrained by energy consumption and data-transfer efficiency as artificial intelligence and data-intensive applications expand. Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the human brain's information-processing mechanisms, offers an alternative paradigm. Two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectric materials are promising candidates due to their intrinsic non-volatility, atomic-scale thickness, ultra-low power consumption, excellent fatigue endurance, and dangling-bond-free surfaces. This review examines recent advances in 2D ferroelectric materials and associated device architectures for neuromorphic applications. It first introduces ferroelectric mechanisms and representative 2D ferroelectrics, then surveys key device architectures including ferroelectric tunnel junctions, diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic devices. Their applications in in-memory computing and in-sensor neuromorphic systems are discussed, with emphasis on artificial neural networks, spiking neural networks, reservoir computing, and neuromorphic perception for efficient information processing and intelligent sensing. The unique properties of 2D ferroelectrics enable integrated sensing, memory, and computing functionalities, demonstrating potential for future neuromorphic and brain-inspired intelligent systems.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4358-y
Oxygen electrocatalysis underpins the viability of proton-exchange-membrane water electrolyzers and rechargeable Zn–air batteries, yet commercial deployment remains constrained by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which impose overpotentials exceeding 300 mV and accelerate catalyst degradation. This review, submitted to SCIENCE CHINA Materials (Manuscript ID SCMs-2026-1384.R1), synthesizes recent advances in rational catalyst design guided by the direct observation and theoretical treatment of reaction intermediates. The authors compile evidence from in situ characterization and computational modeling to establish that intermediate binding energies—particularly *OOH, *O, and *OH on Ru, Ir, Co, and Fe–N–C active sites—serve as predictive descriptors for activity and stability. Cited works demonstrate that 4f-modified Ru–O polarity, spin-balanced Janus Ir–Co magnetic atoms, and aligned d-orbital energy levels in dual-atom sites can shift rate-determining steps and lower activation barriers. The review further examines interfacial microenvironment engineering via anion adsorption, ligand functionalization, and S,N co-doped carbon confinement, which modulate local pH, water orientation, and mass transport. Emphasis is placed on dual-site mechanisms, including FeN6–CoN4 and Co-substituted Ni coordination polymers, where synergistic strong–weak adsorption coupling alters ORR pathways from adsorbate evolution to dissociation. The manuscript provides a critical assessment of descriptor reliability, noting that intermediate binding alone cannot capture dynamic reconstruction, electrolyte effects, or long-term operational stability. By integrating in situ spectroscopy with descriptor-based design, the review offers a framework for translating mechanistic insight into durable, cost-effective oxygen electrocatalysts for industrial electrolysis and metal–air batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4412-y
GeTe-based thermoelectric materials are promising lead-free alternatives to PbTe, but their intrinsically high Ge vacancy concentration (~10^21 cm^-3) leads to excessive carrier density and degraded Seebeck coefficient. This study integrates resonant levels (RLs) via In doping and local van der Waals gaps via Sb/Bi alloying to decouple electron and phonon transport. The optimal composition Ge0.91Sb0.04Bi0.04In0.01Te exhibits a Seebeck coefficient of ~287.31 μV K^-1 at 323 K, more than double that of the In-free sample (~102.28 μV K^-1). The peak figure of merit zT reaches ~1.8 at 723 K, with an average zT of ~1.0 over 323–723 K. Vickers hardness is enhanced to ~224 HV, a ~93% improvement over pristine GeTe (~116 HV). X-ray diffraction reveals a structural evolution toward a pseudo-cubic phase with increasing In content, and the (202) peak shifts to lower angles, indicating lattice expansion. These results demonstrate that synergistic RLs and van der Waals gaps effectively optimize carrier concentration and suppress thermal conductivity, offering a viable route for high-performance, mechanically robust GeTe thermoelectrics.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4432-9
Sodium vanadium phosphate (Na3V2(PO4)3, NVP) with NASICON structure is a promising cathode for sodium-ion batteries but suffers from low electronic conductivity and a high energy barrier for the V4+/V5+ redox couple, limiting practical energy density. A medium-entropy tuning strategy yields the multi-element substituted Na3.2V1.5Cr0.1Fe0.1Mn0.1Ni0.1Ti0.1(PO4)3 (ME-NVP). Entropy modulation tailors the microscopic electronic structure, enabling reversible V4+/V5+ redox at 4.0 V. Analyses reveal a synergistic diffusion mechanism that accelerates Na+ transport and enhances multiple-electron redox kinetics. Ex-situ X-ray diffraction confirms highly reversible structural evolution during cycling. The ME-NVP cathode delivers 116.8 mAh g-1 at 0.1C and retains 83.9% of initial capacity after 1000 cycles at 20C, with excellent performance from -12 to 50 °C. This work demonstrates that configurational entropy regulation unlocks high-energy polyanion cathodes for advanced sodium-ion batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4365-2
The intrinsic trade-off between sensitivity and linear range in piezoresistive tactile sensors has constrained their adoption in high-fidelity flexible electronics. This study introduces a layer-by-layer gradient conductivity (LGC) architecture that decouples these competing metrics. Through sequential deposition of conductive layers with decreasing filler content, the LGC resistive layer establishes a monotonic resistance–pressure relationship. The optimized LGC0.4@3 sensor achieves a record sensitivity of 0.4 kPa⁻¹ and a linear range extending to 300 kPa, as evidenced by relative electrical response measurements (Figure 1d). Dynamic monitoring of ground slope changes and convexity/concavity features (Figure 1e,f) confirms real-time operational stability. The gradient design mitigates percolation saturation, enabling linear output across three orders of magnitude. This advance addresses a critical bottleneck in tactile sensing, offering a scalable pathway for robotic proprioception and wearable health monitors. The fabrication protocol is compatible with roll-to-roll processing, with potential for cost parity against commercial capacitive sensors. Industrial translation requires further validation under cyclic loading and environmental aging, but the demonstrated metrics position LGC sensors as a viable alternative for applications demanding both high sensitivity and broad dynamic range.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4263-3
Monolayer black phosphorus (phosphorene) exhibits a direct bandgap and strong in-plane anisotropy, making it a promising candidate for near-infrared (NIR) optoelectronic devices. However, the precise modulation of its excitonic emission via anisotropic strain remains insufficiently understood, particularly regarding the contrasting strain responses of phosphorene versus transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Here, we combine experimental characterization with tight-binding (TB) modeling to elucidate the strain-dependent bandgap evolution in phosphorene. Using a four-band TB model, we derive the bandgap at the Γ point as E_g^BP = 4t1 + 2t2 + 4t3 + 2t5, with hopping parameters t1 = -1.220 eV, t2 = 3.665 eV, t3 = -0.205 eV, t4 = -0.105 eV, and t5 = -0.055 eV. Under tensile strain along the zigzag (ZZ) direction, the interatomic distance associated with t1 increases, reducing the magnitude of |t1|. Since t1 is negative, the bandgap increases, contrary to the behavior of monolayer MoS2, where tensile strain decreases the bandgap due to positive hopping parameters t11, t22, and t12. This anisotropic strain response enables selective tuning of NIR exciton emission. Our findings provide a quantitative framework for strain engineering in phosphorene-based NIR devices, highlighting the critical role of hopping parameter signs in determining bandgap modulation.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4283-0
Smart windows are critical for building energy conservation, yet existing technologies cannot simultaneously satisfy the diverse requirements of light transmission, thermal insulation, and privacy protection across varying scenarios, such as daytime transparency and nighttime heat retention with opacity. Herein, we report a thermo- and electro-responsive ionogel fabricated via one-step photopolymerization, integrating the electrochromic viologen derivative (Pa-PhV)(TFSI)2 with a thermoresponsive matrix. The (Pa-PhV)(TFSI)2 delivers excellent electrochromic performance, featuring dual-band light modulation, a high coloration efficiency of 433.6 cm2 C-1, and a fast coloration time of 2.52 s. The ionogel exhibits three stable switchable states under thermal and electrical regulation, fulfilling core practical demands for full-spectrum photothermal management. Model house tests verify its excellent seasonal adaptability, with a maximum indoor temperature reduction of up to 15 °C in a simulated summer environment. Furthermore, the ionogel enables dual-encrypted data storage via UCST and voltage triggering. This work broadens the application scope of viologen derivatives and offers a competitive strategy for multifunctional smart windows and encrypted data storage.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4298-x
Conventional electrochemical artificial muscles rely on liquid electrolytes, which suffer from poor encapsulation processability, high leakage risks, and inadequate biocompatibility, limiting their application in bionic medicine, wearable exoskeletons, and humanoid robots. To address these bottlenecks, we fabricated a polyvinyl alcohol-polyacrylic acid (PVA-PAA) double-network hydrogel electrolyte and integrated it with twisted carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns via ultraviolet curing, constructing an all-solid-state artificial muscle unit. The unit maintained structural integrity and actuation performance after mechanical deformation treatments such as weaving and knotting. Experimentally, it achieved a maximum contractile stroke of 16% at −1 to 1.8 V and generated an isometric force of approximately 500 mN at −1 to 2 V. The solid-state artificial muscles exhibited excellent mechanical properties, compact size, and high flexibility, offering new opportunities for applications in bionic medical devices and intelligent robots.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4300-3
The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs) has surpassed 21% with the donor polymer D18, yet its processing from non-halogenated solvents like ortho-xylene (o-XY) remains inefficient due to uncontrolled film formation kinetics. Here, we systematically synthesize D18 polymers with molecular weights ranging from 41.6 kDa to 70.9 kDa to modulate crystallization kinetics. In-situ film drying studies reveal that lower molecular weights accelerate solidification, leading to excessive aggregation, while higher molecular weights slow it, causing insufficient phase separation. A medium molecular weight (D18-M) achieves a balanced crystallization rate, promoting favorable morphology and yielding a PCE of 20.55% with L8-BO as acceptor—one of the highest reported for non-halogenated solvent-processed OSCs. Energy loss analysis indicates that although low-molecular-weight polymers exhibit higher intrinsic luminescence, the blend film's emission is governed by exciton environment, which is dictated by morphology. This work underscores the critical role of molecular weight in controlling film formation and morphology, offering a simple yet effective strategy for high-efficiency, environmentally friendly OSCs.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4367-4
Single-crystalline Cs3Cu2I5 has attracted considerable interest owing to its excellent scintillation performance and favorable stability. Nevertheless, second phases induced by peritectic reactions during melt growth give rise to deteriorated scintillation properties and promote crystal cracking. In this work, the effects of non-stoichiometric ratios of raw material (n(CsI)=0.57, 0.62, and 0.63) on the crystallization behavior and scintillation properties were systematically investigated. The results show that the crystal quality is optimal at n(CsI)=0.62, featuring high transparency, absence of macroscopic inclusions, and cracking free, with a PLQY of 79.3%. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence verifies the self-trapped exciton emission mechanism with strong exciton-phonon coupling, giving an exciton binding energy of 473.9 meV and a Huang-Rhys factor S of 79.8. The as-grown crystal exhibits an optimized light yield of 24,380 photons/MeV, an energy resolution of 3.8% for 137Cs (662 keV) γ-rays, a dominant decay time of 957 ns, and excellent linear response in the medium-to-high energy region. Precise regulation of the raw material stoichiometry can effectively suppress the formation of second phases, yielding high-quality Cs3Cu2I5 single crystals whose comprehensive performance demonstrates promising application potential in γ-ray detection.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4369-1
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage due to sodium's abundance and low cost. Among cathode materials, polyanionic compounds like Na3V2(PO4)2O2F (NVPOF) offer high energy density and dual voltage plateaus at ~3.6 and 4.0 V, but suffer from low electronic conductivity and sluggish Na+ diffusion. Here, we report a dual-modulation strategy combining high-valence Nb5+ doping and polydopamine-derived carbon coating to synthesize Na3V1.94Nb0.06(PO4)2O2F-C (NVPOF-Nb-C) via a hydrothermal route. X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement confirm that Nb5+ doping induces slight lattice expansion without altering the tetragonal I4/mmm framework. Density functional theory calculations reveal that Nb5+ doping optimizes the crystal structure and reduces the Na+ diffusion barrier, while the uniform carbon coating enhances electron transport. Consequently, NVPOF-Nb-C exhibits remarkably improved electrochemical performance, including high reversible capacity, excellent rate capability, and ultralong cycling stability. In a full cell with hard carbon anode, it delivers a high energy density of 487.2 Wh kg−1 at 1C and retains 91.51% capacity after 3000 cycles at 20C. This work provides a synergistic strategy to overcome the intrinsic limitations of polyanionic cathodes for practical SIB applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4206-6
Precise patterning of highly ordered organic semiconductor (OSC) thin-film arrays is critical for next-generation electronics. We report a ladder-like polysilsesquioxane (LPSQ) strategy to synthesize two functional analogs with tunable surface energies and robust dielectric properties. These LPSQ dielectrics, functionalized with alkyl or fluoroalkyl side chains, serve dual roles as gate insulators and patterning layers to guide blade-coating of 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT). This approach yields highly aligned arrays suitable for three-dimensional integration in flexible electronics. Synergistic combination of dense LPSQ dielectric packing and aligned semiconductor domains leads to excellent organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) performance, achieving approximately four-fold improvement in field-effect mobility compared to conventional silicon oxide dielectrics. Patterned LPSQ dielectrics enable high-resolution C8-BTBT patterning on plastic substrates, supporting 4-inch-scale 3D integration of flexible logic circuits, including inverters (voltage gain >100), NOR gates, and NAND gates. This work provides a scalable route to high-performance, large-area flexible organic circuits.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4180-9
Developing highly active and stable electrocatalysts based on the lattice oxygen mechanism (LOM) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) represents a significant challenge in water splitting. Herein, we successfully introduce oxygen vacancies (Ov) into high-entropy MnFeCoNiCu layered double hydroxides (HE-LDHs) via a solution chemical reduction method utilizing a defect engineering strategy. By precisely tuning the concentration of oxygen vacancies, we effectively activate the lattice oxygen within the HE-LDHs. The optimized Ov-rich high-entropy LDHs (Ov-HE-LDHs) exhibit excellent OER catalytic performance, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with a remarkably low overpotential of only 210 mV in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte, which is substantially superior to pristine HE-LDHs (315 mV) and commercial IrO2 (330 mV). Furthermore, the catalyst demonstrates outstanding long-term stability, capable of stable operation for 500 h at a high current density of approximately 200 mA cm−2. Advanced X-ray absorption fine structure analysis elucidates the lower metal valence states, indicating the existence of oxygen vacancies, while isotope labeling experiments and in-situ electrochemical Raman spectroscopy strongly confirm the successful activation of the LOM pathway. Density functional theory calculations further validate that the shift in the OER mechanism towards LOM and the resulting reduction in the reaction energy barrier are the fundamental reasons for the catalyst’s enhanced intrinsic activity. This work proposes a novel strategy for activating lattice oxygen in high-entropy LDHs through defect engineering, offering new insights and experimental guidance for the design and development of highly efficient and stable high-entropy OER electrocatalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4317-4
This correction addresses an image assembly error identified in Fig. 7a of the original article published in Science China Materials, volume 66, issue 6, 2023, pages 2513–2522. The error was confined to the assembly of images in Fig. 7a, which presents H&E staining analysis of major organs from a toxicity study. The corrected version of Fig. 7 is provided in this corrigendum. The original study evaluated the toxicity of lyophilized cabazitaxel (CTX) and Tween 80-based CTX formulations in CD-1 mice following a single intravenous administration of 30 mg kg−1 CTX via the tail vein on day 0, with sacrifice on day 14 for analysis (n=5). The figure includes H&E staining of major organs, complete blood count (CBC) analysis with statistical significance indicated by *p < 0.05, and mouse weight measurements. The correction does not affect the overall results, data interpretation, or scientific conclusions of the original article. All authors have reviewed and approved the content of this corrigendum. The authors sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to the editorial office, reviewers, and readers. The article was received on 6 May 2026, accepted on 4 June 2026, and published online on 31 July 2026.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4232-1
Polyanionic cathode materials are widely considered as potential cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries due to their strong three-dimensional framework and intrinsic thermal safety. Nevertheless, the limitation of the specific capacity and energy density hindered their application, which can be ascribed to the common reliance of single-electron redox reaction of the transition metal. By realizing the reversible double redox reaction of vanadium-based and manganese-based polyanion cathodes, researchers have successfully opened up a new way to break through the long-term performance limitations. Recent studies disclose that vanadium and manganese-based polyanionic cathodes exhibit the possibility of realizing a reversible double-redox reaction, which opened up new avenues to overcome the capacity dilemma. However, many fundamental issues remain unclear, including insufficient structural stability at high operating voltages, irreversible structural evolution induced by sodium extraction, sluggish electronic and ionic transport kinetics, and Jahn–Teller distortion. Therefore, it is imperative to summarize recent work in order to clarify the pathway for future investigation. In this review, the key challenges associated with the activation of the double-redox reaction are outlined, followed by the realization and regulation of the double-redox reaction in polyanionic cathode materials. A systematic summary of recent studies is performed for both vanadium and manganese-based compounds, which could contribute to the fundamental understanding of the double-redox reaction mechanism. Combined with the modification strategy and future perspective, this review provides insights into the rational design of polyanionic cathodes with a reversible double-redox reaction. It also offers insights into the development of high-energy-density cathode materials for next-generation sodium-ion batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4429-9
The capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from dilute streams, such as ambient air or flue gas, is a critical step toward mitigating anthropogenic emissions. While metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) featuring zinc-hydroxide (Zn–OH) sites have shown promise for CO2 binding through bicarbonate formation, their performance is often limited by the spatial arrangement of these active sites. In this work, we demonstrate a reticular chemistry strategy to program the spatial relationship among Zn–OH sites within a shared cavity, moving beyond simple surface area or site density optimization. By designing two isoreticular MOFs, NU-6000 and NU-6001, with distinct pore environments, we achieve differential CO2 adsorption behaviors. Notably, NU-6000-OH, which features a confined cage structure, exhibits significantly enhanced CO2 uptake at low pressures (0.4 mbar) compared to NU-6001-OH, with a site efficiency that surpasses representative MOFs. Structural characterization, including single-crystal X-ray diffraction, reveals the formation of Zn-bound bicarbonate species, confirming the cooperative binding mechanism. This work highlights the importance of the second coordination sphere in governing molecular recognition and suggests that programmed microenvironments could be extended to catalytic applications, such as CO2 reduction, where intermediate stabilization and proton transfer are crucial. Our findings establish reticular chemistry as a powerful tool for engineering local chemical environments, offering a pathway to design advanced sorbents and catalysts with tailored functionalities.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3700-7
Photocatalytic synthesis has been considered a promising technology for solar-to-chemicals conversion. Here, a series of novel photocatalysts was synthesized by decorating uranyl sites on imine-based covalent organic frameworks (i-COF) and proved functioning for the uniformly boosted H2O2 production by 1.6–10.1 folds compared with the bare i-COFs in a wide pH range from 2 to 11. Typically, an optimal H2O2 production rate of 1435.9 μmol g−1 h−1, i.e., 28.72 mmol g(U)−1 h−1, was realized over uranyl decorated TTa-COFs under visible light. Systematic investigations reveal that the universally and remarkably promoted performance is attributed to the outstanding electron-transfer ability, accelerated activation of molecular oxygen and favored formation of ·O2− and *OOH as the key intermediate by virtue of the decorated uranyl ions; thus the two-step single-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for H2O2 photo-generation is significantly facilitated. This work paves a new way for the uranyl-decorated COFs as a novel photocatalyst and provides in-depth insight to the reaction mechanism for photocatalytic H2O2 production.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3831-0
Ammonia decomposition is a key process for generating COx-free hydrogen, yet conventional cobalt catalysts require high temperatures (>550 °C) to overcome the strong Co–N binding that limits N2 desorption. Here we report a novel Co catalyst supported on a Ce and N co-modified perovskite (Co@La_xCe_{1-x}AlO_{3-y}N_z) that achieves 92.6% ammonia conversion with a hydrogen production rate of 9.7 mmol g−1 min−1 at 425 °C and GHSV = 9000 mL h−1 g_cat−1, representing a 125 °C reduction in operating temperature relative to conventional Co-based catalysts. Mechanistic studies using isotopic labeling and in-situ DRIFTS reveal that synergistic Ce and N modification creates a unique LA-L(A+B)-LB active site configuration, which lowers the Schottky barrier at the metal-support interface and promotes facile hydrogen spillover. The reaction proceeds via an interfacial Mars-van Krevelen mechanism, contrasting with the traditional Langmuir-Hinshelwood pathway on conventional Co catalysts. This work provides new insights for designing low-temperature Co-based ammonia decomposition catalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3558-4
The development of advanced titanium alloys capable of operating above 600 °C remains a critical challenge for aerospace propulsion systems, where conventional Ti alloys suffer from insufficient high-temperature strength and microstructural instability. Here, we propose a computationally driven design strategy for titanium-based medium-entropy alloys (MEAs) that integrates thermodynamic phase prediction with mechanistically informed strength modeling, enabling systematic exploration of the Ti-Nb-Al-Cr quaternary system. The optimized Ti70Nb10Al15Cr5 MEA exhibits exceptional performance metrics: 18% room-temperature ductility (as-cast), a yield strength of 520.7 MPa at 650 °C (post-aging), and an ultralow density of 4.76 g/cm3 (45% lighter than Inconel 718). Microstructural characterization reveals a metastable single-phase BCC structure in the as-cast state, which transforms into a BCC/Ti3Al dual-phase system upon aging, with temperature-dependent precipitate morphology and phase stability. The alloy demonstrates superior high-temperature strength retention up to 900 °C (>80 MPa yield strength), outperforming commercial titanium alloys (e.g., Ti-1100, TG6) and bridging the performance gap between conventional Ti alloys and nickel-based superalloys. This work establishes a multi-criteria design paradigm for entropy-engineered alloys, offering a viable pathway to lightweight, high-temperature structural materials for next-generation aerospace applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3605-0
Nickel oxide (NiOx) is widely used as a hole transport material in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, its practical application is limited by low intrinsic conductivity and insufficient hole extraction ability, leading to significant interfacial defects that reduce device efficiency and stability. To overcome these issues, two isomeric small organic molecules, 2,6-NOT and 1,5-NOT, were developed and introduced to modify NiOx. These isomers share the same structure but differ in the substitution positions of functional groups, resulting in distinct molecular planarity. Experimental results demonstrate that 1,5-NOT, featuring extended conjugation and enhanced planarity, more effectively enhances the hole extraction/transport capabilities and conductivity of NiOx compared to 2,6-NOT. The NiOx/1,5-NOT-based device achieves a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.20%, along with excellent long-term stability, surpassing the NiOx control device (18.12%) and the 2,6-NOT-based device (21.87%). These findings indicate that modifying NiOx with small organic molecules significantly improves charge transport performance, and increasing molecular planarity is particularly beneficial for enhancing hole transport and reducing defect density, thereby increasing both efficiency and stability. This work provides a new strategy for NiOx modification via small organic molecules, offering a promising route to high-performance inverted PSCs.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3694-3
Lithium metal anodes (LMAs) are among the most promising candidates for next-generation batteries with high energy density. However, their practical application is hindered by persistent challenges such as dendritic lithium growth, unstable solid electrolyte interphases (SEI), and poor Coulombic efficiency. Surface coating has emerged as a viable solution to address these limitations. In particular, atomic and molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD) techniques offer unparalleled control over the fabrication of ultrathin, conformal coatings, making them especially suitable for stabilizing LMA interfaces. This review comprehensively summarizes recent progress in applying ALD and MLD methodologies to construct durable artificial interphases on LMAs. We discuss the underlying mechanisms through which these coatings inhibit dendrite formation, improve interfacial integrity, and facilitate uniform lithium-ion transport. The roles of inorganic ALD coatings, organic MLD coatings, and their organic–inorganic hybrids are systematically examined, with a focus on their chemical composition, deposition behavior, and electrochemical characteristics. Moreover, we highlight the enhanced performance achieved through the integration of ALD/MLD-engineered interfaces in full-cell systems. The review concludes with a discussion of current challenges and potential research avenues aimed at advancing the rational development of effective LMA protection strategies. Overall, this work offers valuable insights into the role of interfacial engineering via ALD and MLD in enabling the practical deployment of lithium metal batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3738-1
The escalating demand for intelligent and functional textiles, driven by technological advancements, has shifted focus from conventional attributes like warmth and aesthetics to smart functionalities. Natural biomass-derived polysaccharides, owing to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, renewability, and unique chemical structures, are pivotal for next-generation flexible wearable smart textiles. This review systematically outlines common natural polysaccharides (e.g., cellulose, chitosan, starch, alginate) used in such textiles, detailing their structural features and modification strategies. It critically evaluates current fabrication methods, highlighting their advantages and limitations. The performance characteristics, action mechanisms, and application scenarios of polysaccharide-based smart textiles are examined, with emphasis on healthcare, motion tracking, smart clothing, and energy storage/management. The review concludes by addressing existing challenges and proposing future directions for integrating polysaccharide materials into smart textile systems, aiming to guide the development of efficient, green flexible wearable devices.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3746-x
The polyanionic compound Na3V2(PO4)2O2F (NVPOF) possesses a stable three-dimensional framework, high theoretical specific capacity, and favorable operating voltage, yet its sluggish Na+ diffusion kinetics and low electronic conductivity impede industrial application. This study proposes a dual regulation strategy combining carbon coating and heat treatment temperature to synergistically enhance crystallinity and electrochemical performance. NVPOF@C-400 and NVPOF@C-600 were synthesized via in-situ dopamine hydrochloride coating followed by heat treatment at 400 °C and 600 °C, respectively. Carbon coating at 600 °C significantly improved crystallinity and increased electronic conductivity by three orders of magnitude through the carbon layer's conductive network. The ~4.5 nm carbon layer effectively suppressed abnormal grain growth and secondary crystallization aggregation at high temperatures, maintaining uniform particle size of approximately 0.36 μm, which shortens Na+ diffusion pathways and prevents ion transport obstruction. Consequently, NVPOF@C-600 delivered a high discharge capacity of 102.5 mAh g−1 at 20 C and retained 96.5% capacity after 10,000 cycles. In a full-cell configuration with hard carbon (HC), NVPOF@C-600//HC achieved an impressive 89.3% capacity retention after 9,000 cycles. This work provides critical insights for practical implementation of high-performance NVPOF cathodes in sodium-ion batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3603-2
Conventional glass fiber/epoxy (GF/EP) composites, while structurally competent, are hindered by poor interlaminar toughness, low thermal conductivity, and electromagnetic transparency. This study transforms GF/EP composites into advanced structural multifunctional materials by embedding Ti3C2Tx MXene/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) aerogels (TPA) as integral interlayers. Hybrid composites with tailored architectures—aligned (GFAM_A) and random (GFAM_R) TPA/GF/EP laminates—were fabricated via unidirectional and isotropic freeze-casting, respectively. The integrated aerogel phase promotes crack deflection and distributed energy dissipation, leading to notable enhancements in interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and fracture toughness. The continuous Ti3C2Tx MXene network within the aerogel creates efficient through-thickness thermal conduction pathways and imparts strong microwave absorption properties. Notably, GFAM_A achieves simultaneous increases of approximately 52% in ILSS, 78% in toughness, and 42% in thermal conductivity, along with effective microwave absorption: a minimum reflection loss of −23.47 dB and a maximum effective bandwidth of 2.70 GHz. This study demonstrates that precision aerogel engineering provides a powerful strategy for upgrading conventional glass fiber composites into advanced multifunctional structural materials.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3686-6
Fused silica (SiO2) exhibits exceptional thermal stability and dielectric properties, making it an attractive material for aerospace and military applications. However, its relatively poor mechanical performance has limited its widespread practical utilization. This study proposed an innovative approach to fabricate SiO2-hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) composite ceramics via spark plasma sintering (SPS), leveraging the high-temperature phase transformation of cubic boron nitride (cBN) to introduce randomly oriented hBN as a reinforcing phase within the SiO2 matrix. The randomly oriented hBN nanoplates allow cracks to propagate along stronger grain boundaries, rather than along weaker interlayers of hBN, significantly improving the overall strength and fracture toughness of the composite. The maximum flexural strength and fracture toughness achieved are 183.4 MPa and 2.06 MPa m1/2 respectively, which are 3.6 times and 4 times that of fused SiO2. Concurrently, the composites exhibit low dielectric constants (ε = 3.58–3.69) and dielectric losses (tan δ < 0.0087) at 1 MHz. This work successfully enhanced the mechanical performance of fused SiO2 while preserving its excellent dielectric characteristics, opening new possibilities for its potential applications in advanced structural and functional fields.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3683-y
Effective management of traumatic hemorrhage requires rapid blood loss control and facile removal of hemostatic materials to minimize secondary tissue damage. We fabricated a strongly adhesive aerogel (OPA) via Schiff-base crosslinking of oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) and ε-polylysine (ε-PL), enabling rapid hemostasis in lethal arterial trauma and on-demand removal via phase transition. OPAs exhibited tunable porosity and rapid blood absorption. Surface hydroxyl, amino, and carboxyl groups promoted strong hydrogen bonding with tissues, blood cells, and plasma proteins, enhancing tissue adhesion and platelet capture/activation. In a rabbit femoral-artery-injury model, OPA4 shortened hemostatic time by ~80% and reduced blood loss to 38% of the blank group. Notably, OPAs retained only 2% of initial adhesion after hydration, allowing gentle removal. OPAs also demonstrated excellent antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. The simple one-step freeze-drying process and tailorable shapes offer scalable production and versatile applications. This study provides a versatile strategy for emergency and surgical hemostasis, combining rapid control of life-threatening arterial bleeding with on-demand atraumatic removal, promising improved patient outcomes and streamlined postoperative care.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61065-7
Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging desalination technology that removes dissolved salts from brackish water via ion electrosorption at electrically charged electrode interfaces. It has gained recognition as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional methods such as reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, and thermal distillation, which often suffer from high energy consumption and environmental impact. Among electrode materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are particularly attractive due to their high specific surface area, superior electrical conductivity, and excellent electrochemical stability. This review comprehensively analyzes recent advances in performance optimization strategies for CNT-based CDI electrodes, including material engineering and structural design. Key strategies include hybridization with activated carbon, graphene, metal oxides, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as well as surface functionalization and three-dimensional architecture construction. These approaches enhance salt adsorption capacity, charge efficiency, and cycling stability. For instance, dispersing CNTs in activated carbon electrodes improves conductivity and ion transport, while MOF-derived nitrogen-doped carbon/CNT heterostructures exhibit high desalination performance. The review also evaluates the pivotal role of CNT-based electrodes in driving technological progress in CDI and discusses persistent challenges such as electrode fouling, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Promising research directions, including flow-electrode systems and selective ion removal, are highlighted to overcome current limitations. Overall, CNT-based materials hold significant promise for advancing CDI as a viable water purification technology.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61072-4
Sodium-ion capacitors (SICs) typically feature a hybrid design, incorporating a battery-type anode that operates by faradaic redox reactions and an activated carbon cathode that functions through electrical double-layer (EDL) adsorption/desorption. However, the kinetics of faradaic processes are inherently slower than those of EDL processes, leading to a fundamental problem known as kinetic imbalance between the electrodes, which hinders the development of high-performance SICs. To address this, we synthesized composites of bismuth nanoparticles in N-doped carbon (Bi@NC) by a high-temperature sintering method. The resulting Bi@NC anode has a specific capacity of 300 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, an exceptional rate capability (maintaining performance at currents exceeding 75 A g−1), and outstanding cycling stability over 12,000 cycles. Three-electrode Swagelok cell tests revealed that this high-rate Bi@NC composite effectively decreases the kinetic gap with the activated carbon cathode, as shown by an analysis of their respective potential swing windows (vs. Na/Na+). This enables the fabricated SIC to achieve a maximum energy density of 115 Wh kg−1, a peak power density of 45,535 W kg−1, and a long cycle life exceeding 8,000 cycles.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4022-7
Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) have emerged as promising alternatives to noble metals in electrocatalysis due to their noble metal-like electronic structures, high conductivity, low cost, and robust chemical stability against corrosion and oxidation under harsh conditions. The rational design and controlled synthesis of TMNs with distinct structures are crucial for developing highly efficient electrocatalysts. This review comprehensively summarizes representative synthetic strategies for TMNs, including direct nitridation, solid-state reaction, sol-gel assisted reaction, and wet-chemical reaction. It presents distinct structural characterizations and demonstrates their advances in electrochemical applications. Finally, the remaining challenges and future research directions for exploring TMNs with well-defined structures are proposed, aiming to guide the development of high-performance electrocatalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3919-0
Nuclear energy is critical for sustainable economic development and achieving carbon neutrality. With only about 6.14 million tons of terrestrial uranium, sufficient for ~70 years of global nuclear power plant operation, the recovery of uranium from seawater and spent fuel is essential for long-term nuclear fuel supply. The ocean contains approximately 4.5 billion tons of uranium, which could sustain nuclear power for ~2000 years if efficiently extracted. However, seawater uranium extraction faces significant challenges due to the extremely low uranium concentration (~3.3 ppb), high concentrations of competing ions, natural organic matter, and marine biofouling. This perspective reviews representative laboratory advances, including sulfonated covalent organic frameworks (S-COF) achieving a sorption capacity of 31.5 mg/(g·day) with high selectivity, amidoxime-based organic cages with a capacity of 11.97 mg/g over 30 days, and a micro-redox reactor strategy that continuously regenerates binding sites. Electrochemical methods have also shown promise for converting soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV) oxides. Despite these advances, the transition from laboratory powders to durable marine materials remains problematic. Key gaps include the need for antibacterial properties, mechanical stability under wave action, cost competitiveness with terrestrial mining, and environmental safety of nanomaterials. Artificial intelligence (AI) is proposed to accelerate the design of high-performance, stable materials. This perspective emphasizes the necessity for interdisciplinary research to bridge the gap between bench-scale innovations and practical ocean deployment.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3685-7
NiMo-based catalysts are promising for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), yet optimizing their electronic structure and enhancing mass transfer remain challenging. Here, we report a route to synthesize two-dimensional (2D) porous Mo2N-Ni heterojunction nanosheets with tuned Ni/Mo ratio for enhanced alkaline HER. The precursor is assembled from polyoxometalate clusters (PMo12) and layered Ni(OH)2. The interaction between PMo12 and Ni(OH)2 suppresses particle agglomeration during pyrolysis, yielding 2D porous sheets composed of small Mo2N-Ni units. Electron transfer from Ni to Mo2N redistributes electrons at the heterojunction, optimizing intermediate adsorption/desorption. The porous structure enhances mass transfer, reducing catalyst impedance. The optimized catalyst exhibits an overpotential of 19 mV at 10 mA cm−2, comparable to commercial Pt/C. An anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer pairing this catalyst with NiFe-LDH achieves 500 mA cm−2 at 1.80 V and operates stably for 300 h. This assembly method offers a scalable strategy for efficient catalyst production.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3807-8
Electrocatalytic co-reduction of CO2 and nitrate offers a sustainable route for urea synthesis, valorizing nitrogenous waste and CO2. However, achieving high-performance urea electrosynthesis under ambient conditions remains challenging due to the need for simultaneous activation of CO2 and efficient H2O dissociation to supply active *H for *NOx hydrogenation, ultimately forming key C- and N-containing intermediates for C–N coupling. Here, we report a bifunctional Pd-single-atom-modified Cu (Pd1Cu) nanorod catalyst that synergistically promotes adsorption and stepwise activation of CO2 and H2O, steering the reaction pathway toward selective urea synthesis. Integrating experimental evidence, in situ spectroscopy, and computational analyses, we disclose that atomically dispersed Pd sites kinetically favor co-generation of *CO and *NH2 via H2O dissociation-driven proton transfer, forming an optimal intermediate balance. The dual metal active sites enhance C–N coupling via combined electronic and geometric effects, substantially lowering the reaction energy barrier and improving selectivity. This work provides a rational design strategy for advanced multifunctional catalysts for urea electrosynthesis, contributing to carbon neutrality and waste nitrogen valorization.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3713-y
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), yet their practical application remains limited by poor electrical conductivity and sluggish reaction kinetics. In this work, we synthesize three high-entropy LDHs (HELDHs) featuring a hierarchical architecture of microspheres assembled from ultrathin nanosheets, via a simple hydrothermal method using a combination of low-cost, catalytically active transition metals (Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Cr). Among them, the FeCoNiMnZn HELDH exhibits outstanding OER performance, requiring an overpotential of only 306 mV to reach a current density of 100 mA cm−2. Notably, during 200 h of continuous operation, the device exhibits a stable and, in some cases, increasing current output. This exceptional activity is attributed to the formation of abundant cation vacancies, induced by Zn leaching, which enhance the intrinsic catalytic properties by optimizing the adsorption energies of key OER intermediates. Density functional theory calculations further validate that these vacancies modulate the electronic structure and lower reaction barriers, underscoring the effectiveness of cation-vacancy engineering in high-entropy systems for efficient and durable water oxidation catalysis. The optimized catalyst was further evaluated as the air cathode in a zinc–air battery, demonstrating practical electrochemical performance.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3674-2
Enhancing catalytic activity is a core objective in catalyst design, with active site accessibility being a critical determinant. Polyoxometalate-based metal-organic complexes (POMOCs), combining advantages of POMs and MOCs, offer potential for constructing catalysts with highly accessible active sites. In this study, a series of POMOCs were synthesized using different POM templates: [CoII1.5(L)1.5(PMo12O40)(H2O)4]·3H2O (Co-PMo12), [CoII1.5(L)1.5(PW12O40)(H2O)4]·3H2O (Co-PW12), [CoII2(L)2(SiW12O40)(H2O)4]·11H2O (Co-SiW12), and H[CoII2.5(L)3(P2W18O62)(H2O)8]·10H2O (Co-P2W18). These were characterized by FT-IR, PXRD, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Catalytic activity differences for olefin epoxidation were attributed to distinct accessibility of Co(II) sites upon thermal activation. Notably, Co-P2W18 achieved 99% yield of 1,2-epoxycyclooctane within 3 hours at room temperature using O2 as oxidant, owing to highly accessible unsaturated Co(II) sites. This performance is superior to most reported catalysts. The reaction mechanism was investigated using density functional theory. The catalyst exhibited excellent stability over five cycles, with FT-IR, PXRD, and XPS confirming structural and oxidation state integrity. This work highlights the potential of POMOCs in designing catalysts with highly accessible active sites for enhanced catalytic activity.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3711-8
Mechanoluminescent (ML) materials that emit light under mechanical stress are attracting growing attention for their potential in next-generation sensing, display, and energy-harvesting technologies. Among these, Mn/Cu-doped zinc sulfide (ZnS) has emerged as a leading candidate due to its bright emission, low activation threshold, and remarkable self-recovery over thousands of cycles. Despite these advantages, the fundamental mechanisms governing ML remain unresolved, with ongoing debate between two primary models: the piezoelectric effect and the triboelectric effect. The piezoelectric effect is generally associated with scenarios where ML materials emit light directly under external pressure and exhibit self-recoverable performance, whereas the triboelectric effect dominates when emission occurs at the interface of layered materials. Previous research on ZnS-based ML systems has focused on phase transitions from the sphalerite phase to the wurtzite phase, as the latter is widely recognized as critical for ML activity. A recent study published in Advanced Materials introduces a transformative approach that not only enhances ML performance but also provides new insights into its underlying mechanism. The authors demonstrate that controllable phase transitions can be used to tune and optimize ML properties in ZnS. For the first time, they report a gradual and reversible transition between hexagonal wurtzite (wt-ZnS) and cubic sphalerite (sp-ZnS) phases at room temperature using low uniaxial pressure in the range of 0–30 MPa, a striking departure from the extreme conditions traditionally required for such transformations. Applying modest pressure with a standard tableting machine converts wt-ZnS into sp-ZnS without the need for high-temperature or high-pressure environments, while subsequent thermal annealing reverses the process, enabling reversible structural cycling. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that this phase transition is mediated by dislocations: a 1/3⟨1120⟩ screw dislocation decomposes into two 30° Shockley partial dislocations, 1/3⟨1010⟩ and 1/3⟨0110⟩, whose glide converts portions of the wt-ZnS lattice into the sp-ZnS structure. These dislocation-driven rearrangements introduce stacking faults and localized lattice distortions that exert a profound influence on luminescence behavior. Under dynamic loading, charged dislocations facilitate carrier transport toward Mn2+ luminescent centers by altering the energy transfer pathways. Regions undergoing phase transition exhibit stronger mechanoluminescence due to an enhanced local piezoelectric field compared to areas without phase transition. The study further uncovers strikingly different responses for Mn and Cu dopants under pressure. For Mn-doped ZnS, ML intensity increases by up to 2.7 times at moderate pressures around 10 MPa, an enhancement attributed to stronger local piezoelectric fields and more efficient carrier transport. In contrast, Cu-doped ZnS exhibits pronounced ML quenching under similar conditions, underscoring the fundamentally different energy transfer pathways associated with these dopants. Pressure-thermal cycling enables tunable ML and photoluminescence (PL) properties, opening new opportunities for adaptive optical devices. The manuscript also reports on the ML behavior of Mn, Cu co-doped ZnS, which exhibits similar pressure-responsive characteristics to Cu-doped ZnS, but with the emission predominantly originating from Mn2+ centers. The authors propose a dislocation-mediated ML mechanism in which charged dislocations generate local electric fields that alter carrier migration and complexation. Under dynamic loading, the piezoelectric field in ZnS separates carriers, which become trapped at defect levels and subsequently recombine at luminescent centers, leading to light emission.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507111
This study investigated the effects of a ring-shaped pulsed electric field (PEF) (1.5 V, 4 h on-time per cycle) on nitrogen removal performance and microbial community structure of anammox granular sludge (AnGS). Two anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (R1 control, R2 with PEF) were operated under stepwise increasing nitrogen loading rates (NLR). At NLR below 1,155 mg·(L·d)−1, R2 exhibited total nitrogen removal efficiency (TRE) 7.5%–17.0% higher than R1, with biomass, specific anammox activity (SAA), and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) increased by 5%–7%, 21%–71%, and 54%–77%, respectively. However, at NLR above 1,320 mg·(L·d)−1, the toxic effect of nitrite dominated, and PEF enhancement diminished or even reversed to inhibition. Microbial community analysis revealed that at low-to-moderate NLR, PEF increased the relative abundance of Planctomycetes and key anammox bacteria (Candidatus Brocadia and Candidatus Jettenia), along with enhanced community richness (Chao1) and diversity (Shannon/Simpson indices). At high NLR, PEF decreased microbial richness compared to R1. Principal component analysis and redundancy analysis indicated that PEF was the key factor driving community differences at low-to-moderate NLR, whereas nitrite concentration became the dominant factor at high NLR. This study provides theoretical support for enhancing the resilience and engineering application of anammox processes.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507043
Municipal sludge with high moisture content and strong viscosity tends to form a dense crust during conventional rotary drum drying, reducing heat and mass transfer efficiency and prolonging drying time. This study proposes a thermal steel ball-enhanced rotary drum drying method that introduces high heat capacity, high thermal conductivity steel balls to achieve synergistic contact heat conduction and mechanical disturbance. An evaluation system incorporating dimensionless moisture ratio (MR), drying rate (DR), characteristic drying time (tdry), effective moisture diffusivity (Deff), and volumetric evaporation intensity (U) was established. Results show that compared with conventional drying, steel ball-enhanced drying increased maximum drying rate (DRmax) by 22.59%–41.19%, U by 38.06%–93.43%, and shortened tdry by 27.56%–48.30%, with more pronounced advantages under high load conditions. Deff was significantly higher throughout the process, with maximum increase up to 48.30%, indicating that ball rolling and collision effectively disrupt the crust and promote moisture migration. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the performance enhancement arises from the dual action of thermal-mechanical coupling and mechanical disturbance, which enhances local heat flux via contact conduction and dynamically renews the drying interface, shortening diffusion paths. This study elucidates the heat and mass transfer mechanisms of thermal steel ball-enhanced sludge drying, providing theoretical support and technical reference for efficient sludge volume reduction and dryer design optimization.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(25)60617-7
The global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, with wind energy gaining increasing prominence due to its clean and renewable nature. However, as installed wind power capacity expands, disposal of waste wind turbine blades (WWTB) has emerged as a significant challenge. These blades are predominantly composed of epoxy resin (EP) polymers, carbon fibers (CFs), and glass fibers (GFs). Improper disposal exacerbates environmental concerns and leads to loss of valuable resources, particularly carbon-based materials. Pyrolysis technology, a versatile and environmentally sustainable method for resource recovery, has garnered considerable attention for WWTB disposal. This work presents a comprehensive review of pyrolytic recycling of WWTB, focusing on principles and classifications of pyrolysis technology, key factors influencing the pyrolysis process, as well as pyrolysis methods, equipment, products, and their applications. Through in-depth analysis of current research, this review identifies critical unresolved issues and provides a forward-looking perspective on emerging research trends. The review highlights that pyrolysis can effectively recover glass fibers and carbon fibers with mechanical property retention depending on process conditions, and that catalytic pyrolysis can enhance the quality of recovered products. Economic analysis indicates that collaborative disposal methods can improve cost-effectiveness. Future research should focus on optimizing process parameters for large-scale industrial application and developing more efficient catalysts to improve product selectivity and fiber quality.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024110703
Urban river ecosystems are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, necessitating comprehensive health assessments beyond conventional water quality metrics. This study evaluates the ecological health of the Zhongshan South Road reach in Wuhu, China, by integrating microbial community integrity with physicochemical parameters. Nine monitoring sections were established, considering land use, pollution sources, and seasonal hydrology. Over four seasons, eight water quality parameters and microbial indicators were systematically monitored. A Microbial Index of Biotic Integrity (M-IBI) was developed through candidate parameter screening, interference response analysis, and discriminant ability assessment. Core metrics included Chao1 index, Sobs index, and relative abundances of Acinetobacter and hgcl-clade genera. M-IBI scores were standardized and classified into health levels, with results compared against the Water Quality Index (WQI). Findings revealed seasonal M-IBI variation: winter > autumn > summer > spring, with downstream water quality superior to upstream. Spatial and seasonal patterns of WQI and M-IBI were largely concordant, though discrepancies arose from differential microbial responses to environmental factors and heightened sensitivity to human disturbance. The M-IBI approach demonstrated robust applicability for river health assessment, offering a sensitive, integrative tool for urban water management.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024112101
The biological reduction of Cr(VI) to less hazardous Cr(III) is a promising strategy for remediating Cr(VI)-contaminated sites. Both biochar and riboflavin can act as electron shuttles to accelerate this bioreduction process, yet their combined effects remain poorly understood. Using Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 as a model reducing bacterium, we investigated the joint influence of biochar (average particle size 28.85 μm) and riboflavin at high (1 mmol·L−1) and low concentrations on Cr(VI) bioreduction. Individually, biochar and high-concentration riboflavin enhanced indirect electron transfer, accelerating Cr(VI) removal. However, when combined, the fast-phase reaction rate (rf0) did not significantly improve compared to single amendments. The combined action factor revealed an antagonistic inhibition between biochar and riboflavin. Mechanistically, high-concentration riboflavin saturated biochar's adsorption sites (equilibrium concentration 0.96±0.04 mmol·L−1), hindering biochar's role as an electron conduit. With a bacterial density of 3.4×10^7 cells·mL−1, the inter-bacterial distance (30.87 μm) exceeded biochar's particle size, and the per-cell riboflavin concentration (2.9×10−2 pmol·cell−1) was sufficient for riboflavin to dominate as the primary electron shuttle, while biochar's surface became coated, reducing its efficacy. These findings reveal the complex interplay between biochar and soluble organic matter in Cr(VI) bioreduction, underscoring the need to consider such antagonistic effects when designing bioremediation strategies for multi-component contaminated environments.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202604026
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants ubiquitously present in soils, posing severe risks to ecosystems and human health. This study synthesized MIL-88A(Fe) via a hydrothermal solvent method and applied it to the photocatalytic degradation of phenanthrene-pyrene (PHE-PYR) composite contaminants in soil, investigating the adsorption-photocatalytic synergy. Results demonstrated that adsorption of PHE-PYR onto MIL-88A(Fe) was dominated by physical and monolayer surface adsorption, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 97.25 mg/kg. This strong adsorption increased pollutant concentration near active sites, accelerating photocatalytic degradation. Under optimal conditions—3% catalyst dosage, 40% soil water content, 60 min visible light irradiation, initial pollutant concentration of 200 mg/kg, and acidic soil—the total degradation efficiency reached 79.20%. Photoelectrochemical characterization revealed significant visible-light response (200–600 nm), a narrow bandgap of 3.04 eV, and favorable band structure facilitating efficient electron-hole separation. Quenching experiments identified superoxide radicals (·O2−) and holes (h+) as primary reactive species. GC-MS analysis of intermediates indicated that PYR undergoes hydroxylation, oxidation, and ring-opening to form PHE, which is further hydroxylated and oxidized, ultimately mineralizing to CO2 and H2O. This work provides an efficient strategy for remediating PAH-contaminated soils.
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/s40843-025-3881-y
One-dimensional (1D) and quasi-1D platinum diselenide (PtSe2) exhibit enhanced quantum confinement and surface effects, leading to distinctive electronic and optical properties. However, efficient synthesis of high-quality quasi-1D PtSe2 with controlled dimensionality and orientation remains challenging. Here, we report the first successful synthesis of quasi-1D PtSe2 via a carrier-gas-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach. By optimizing hydrogen concentration, we achieved highly oriented and crystalline quasi-1D PtSe2, which exhibits exceptional thermodynamic stability along the (110) crystal plane. Electrical characterization reveals that 2D few-layer PtSe2 exhibits p-type semiconductor properties, while quasi-1D multilayer PtSe2 displays semimetallic behavior. Due to quantum confinement effects, both materials exhibit similar carrier mobilities. In photodetection at 1550 nm, 2D PtSe2 exhibits conventional positive photoresponse with a maximum responsivity of 97.0 A/W. In contrast, quasi-1D PtSe2 demonstrates unique negative photoresponse, achieving a maximum responsivity of 194.2 A/W, attributed to its semimetallic nature and significant surface traps. Temperature-dependent photoresponse measurements at various power levels further confirm that the negative response originates from a defect-assisted photogating effect, the strength of which exhibits significant temperature dependence under high-power illumination. This work not only fills a gap in the synthesis of 1D PtSe2 but also provides a novel material platform for developing advanced infrared optoelectronic devices.
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.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61101-8
Phenolic compounds are typical refractory organic pollutants in coal chemical coking wastewater, posing significant risks to ecosystems and human health. Conventional treatment methods are inefficient, necessitating advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Here, we report a low-cost Fe/N–C catalyst synthesized from coal-tar pitch, a common by-product of the coal chemical industry, via a self-assembly and pyrolysis strategy using graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) as a template and nitrogen source, with dicyandiamide as an auxiliary nitrogen source and FeCl3·6H2O as the iron precursor. The resulting nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets possess abundant defects (sp3-C/sp2-C = 0.66) and atomically dispersed iron species. The Fe/N–C catalyst exhibits outstanding catalytic activity for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation, achieving over 98% phenol degradation within 30 minutes and a 60% total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate. Mechanistic studies, including radical quenching and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments, reveal that both radical and non-radical pathways contribute to phenol degradation, with singlet oxygen (1O2) as the primary reactive oxygen species. Electrochemical analyses demonstrate that atomically dispersed Fe sites significantly enhance interfacial electron transfer. Post-reaction characterization indicates the consumption of pyrrolic-N, C=O, and carbon defects as active sites, while graphitic-N and Fe–N structures remain stable, confirming the catalyst's stability. This work provides an economical route to convert coal-tar pitch into high-performance catalytic materials for efficient water treatment, embodying the circular economy concept of waste-to-resource utilization.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61108-0
Adipic acid is a key monomer for nylon-6,6 and nylon-6, yet its industrial production via nitric acid oxidation of KA oil suffers from high energy consumption and N2O emissions. This study reports a green catalytic system for one-pot oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid using a Cu/Cu2O@C composite catalyst derived from wood chips. During pyrolysis, wood chips serve as both carbon support precursor and in-situ reducing agent, converting Cu2+ into Cu/Cu2O active species. The abundant defects in biomass carbon form strong coordination interactions with copper, regulating the electronic distribution of active sites and enhancing catalytic performance. Under optimized conditions (100 °C, 12 h), the Cu/[email protected] catalyst achieves a cyclohexane conversion of 19.36% and an adipic acid selectivity of 73.28%. Mechanistic studies reveal that the electronic interaction between the carbon support and copper species strengthens adsorption of cyclohexanone, promoting selective formation of adipic acid. The reaction follows a free radical chain mechanism involving hydroxyl and alkyl radicals. This work provides a viable strategy for developing eco-friendly, low-cost, and high-efficiency catalytic materials for industrial adipic acid synthesis.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61116-X
A standardized dataset of linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) curves is presented for evaluating the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance of carbon-supported catalysts in acidic media. All electrochemical tests were conducted in O2-saturated 0.5 mol L−1 H2SO4 at controlled rotation speeds using a rotating disk electrode. The dataset comprises 120 validated entries from both non-precious metal (MNC) and platinum-based (Pt-MC) catalysts, including original LSV curves and extracted performance parameters such as onset potential, half-wave potential, and limiting current densities at different rotation speeds. Data processing involved potential conversion to the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) scale, background subtraction, outlier removal, and reproducibility checks with defined quality control thresholds (relative standard deviation ≤2% for E1/2 and ≤5% for limiting current). The standardized collection serves as a reliable benchmark for catalyst performance comparison, supports kinetic and mass transport analysis, and provides a structured data source for machine learning applications in electrocatalysis. The dataset is openly available via Science Data Bank, with a DOI, and is intended as a dynamic resource for the ORR electrocatalysis community.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202508021
Coal chemical industry waste salt, generated from high-salinity wastewater treatment, poses a bottleneck for green transformation under the 'dual carbon' strategy due to its low value and high complexity. This study investigated a typical coal chemical industrial park in Northwest China, using principal component analysis (PCA) on actual waste salt samples to identify pollutant characteristics and assess resource utilization potential. Results showed total organic carbon (TOC) ranged from 707.9 to 7,737.9 mg·kg⁻¹, with benzo(a)pyrene concentrations frequently exceeding the limits of the 'Identification Standards for Hazardous Wastes' (GB 5085.3). Hardness ions and metal ions also surpassed relevant product standards. PCA classified the waste salts into three types: sodium sulfate type, sodium chloride type, and high-complexity mixed salt, each corresponding to distinct resource utilization pathways. The study proposes differentiated technical routes based on PCA classification, providing a feasible reference for classified management and technology selection. This research supports the national policy of 'harmless pretreatment + resource utilization' for waste salt, contributing to green and high-quality development of the coal chemical industry.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(25)60620-7
Direct coal liquefaction (DCL) diesel constitutes over 60% of DCL products, yet its cetane number (30–40) falls short of the automotive diesel standard (≥45). Rapid and accurate compositional analysis is essential for optimizing properties via component blending. Traditional gas chromatography offers high accuracy but is unsuitable for online industrial monitoring. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy enables rapid, non-destructive analysis, but spectral interpretation is complex. This study integrates NIR spectroscopy with machine learning (ML) to construct a spectral-composition database for DCL diesel. Feature extraction using correlation coefficient and mutual information methods screened key wavelength variables, reducing dimensionality from ~1800 to ~200 wavelengths. Three ML models—Lasso, SVR, and XGBoost—were compared. Excluding spectral data with absorbance >1 significantly improved model accuracy, increasing test set R² from 0.85 to 0.96. After feature extraction, the optimal variable count was 177, enhancing computational efficiency. Among models, SVR-MI-0.9 (mutual information feature selection) achieved the best performance, with training and test set R² values exceeding 0.98, enabling precise prediction of paraffin, naphthene, and aromatic contents. This research provides a robust methodology for intelligent online quality monitoring. An intelligent NIR spectroscopy data analysis software was independently developed based on the established model. Compared with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography, the software reduced analysis time by over 98%, with absolute prediction error below 0.2%. Thus, rapid analysis of DCL diesel components was successfully realized.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025010608
This study investigated the occurrence and distribution of 27 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface water and sediment of the Fuchun River, a tributary of the Qiantang River Basin. Surface water samples were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Total PFAS concentrations (∑PFAS) in surface water ranged from 30.04 to 105.26 ng/L, with mean and median values of 59.64 ng/L and 51.43 ng/L, respectively. The dominant compounds were perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX), and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA). Concentrations generally decreased from upstream to downstream, consistent with previous studies. Notably, GenX levels were significantly elevated compared to earlier reports. In sediment, ∑PFAS concentrations ranged from not detected (ND) to 0.59 ng/g dry weight, with mean and median values of 0.14 ng/g and 0.11 ng/g, respectively. PFOA and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) were the primary sediment contaminants. Source apportionment indicated that industrial wastewater discharge and sewage treatment plant effluents were the main sources of PFAS in the river. Risk assessment using risk quotients suggested low ecological risks to aquatic organisms for most detected PFAS. However, the presence of short-chain and novel PFAS warrants further investigation due to potential unknown risks.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202605008
Vegetable production is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, yet national-scale assessments comparing cultivation modes remain scarce. Using life cycle assessment (LCA) and provincial statistical data from 2018–2022 across 27 provinces, we quantified the carbon footprint (CF) per unit yield for 10 typical vegetables under open-field and facility farming. Results show annual average CFs range from 65.5 to 293.8 g CO2-eq/kg, with open-field radish lowest and open-field green bean highest. Spatial heterogeneity is pronounced, especially for facility eggplant and open-field green bean. CF exhibits distinct clustering: fruit vegetables emit more in central-southern open-field and northern facility systems, while leafy vegetables follow a 'south-high, north-low' pattern. Fertilizer production and field N2O emissions dominate, contributing up to 80.4% of total CF. In facility systems, irrigation electricity and agricultural film inputs become significant, reaching 57.87% contribution. These findings support region- and crop-specific mitigation strategies for China's agricultural dual-carbon goals.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3877-7
Circularly polarized (CP) photodetectors are pivotal for optical communication, polarization imaging, and target recognition. Chiral organic materials offer structural tunability, solution processability, and compatibility with flexible substrates, yet their development is hindered by synthetic challenges, enantiomeric separation difficulties, and intrinsically weak chiroptical responses. Recent advances in molecular design and solid-state assembly have markedly enhanced device performance. This review summarizes developments in chiral organic materials for CP photodetection, focusing on molecular design and supramolecular engineering. It highlights strategies such as chiral non-fullerene acceptors, cooperative supramolecular polymerization, and chiral 2D supramolecular organization in single crystals, which amplify dissymmetry factors and enable high-performance detection across UV to near-infrared regions. Potential applications in spin-encoded communication, biological sensing, and quantum computing are discussed. The review aims to deepen understanding and foster interdisciplinary research in this emerging field.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3945-8
Pillar[n]arenes, macrocyclic hosts with unique pillar-shaped architectures, exhibit dynamic planar chirality arising from restricted rotation of their hydroquinone units. This review summarizes recent advances in constructing chiral bis- and multi-macrocycles by fusing additional rings onto pillararene backbones. These systems serve as privileged platforms for chiral inversion molecular machines, particularly molecular universal joints (MUJs), and for integrating pillararenes with other macrocycles to create chiral platforms with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). The design strategies, chiral inversion mechanisms, and attractive properties of these materials are discussed, highlighting their potential in chiral recognition, asymmetric catalysis, and chiral luminescent materials.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3830-6
Controlled fabrication of artificial multiple-stranded helices is central to deciphering chirality complexity and hierarchical self-assembly processes. Inspired by biological helical nanostructures, we designed a twisted figure-of-eight chiral macrocycle (M1) from pyrene and benzene diimide subcomponents to direct hierarchical assembly of double- and quadruple-stranded superhelices. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that M1 undergoes charge-transfer and CH···π interactions-driven helical wrapping, forming right-handed (P) single strands that intertwine into quadruple π-helical superstructures. Crucially, the macrocycle's adaptive cavity and interstitial voids could bind electron-deficient naphthalene diimide (NDI) guests through charge transfer interactions, triggering transformation to left-handed (M) double helices. This structural shift induces helicity inversion and optical anisotropy changes, demonstrating a rare case of crystalline-state multiple-helix conversion with supramolecular chirality inversion. This work establishes a template-free methodology for synthesizing multiple-stranded π-helices and controlling their transformations through supramolecular engineering.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3784-9
Symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS) is a fundamental process in natural photosynthesis and holds promise for organic semiconductor applications. However, the influence of SB-CS on excited-state chirality has remained unexplored. Here, we employ femtosecond time-resolved circularly polarized luminescence (TRCPL) and transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy to investigate the excited-state chirality dynamics of a chiral perylenediimide bichromophore (Cy-PDI 2). Our results reveal that the locally excited (LE) state decays to a symmetry-breaking charge-separated (SB-CS) state within 88 ps in tetrahydrofuran (THF), while this process is strongly quenched in toluene (TOL). Time-dependent emission dissymmetry factor g_lum(t) extracted from TRCPL kinetics demonstrates a one-order-of-magnitude enhancement of circularly polarized luminescence after SB-CS, directly reflecting the asymmetry of electron cloud distribution on an ultrafast timescale. This work provides the first direct observation of excited-state chirality evolution during SB-CS and proposes a mechanistic framework. Our findings offer deeper insight into the origin of excited-state chirality, which is crucial for understanding efficient energy transfer, enantiospecific recognition, and asymmetric catalysis in biological and chemical systems.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3650-6
Aggregation-induced emission active chiral polymer dots (AIE@CPdots) are emerging as high-performance emission layers (EMLs) for circularly polarized organic light-emitting diodes (CP-OLEDs) due to their persistent emission stability, high photoluminescence quantum yields, excellent solution processability, facile functionalization, tunable bandgap-governed emission, and superior device processability. However, reports on such systems remain scarce. In this study, a pair of chiral conjugated polymer enantiomers (R/S-PFC) was synthesized via Suzuki polymerization using three monomers: a chiral binaphthalene moiety, a fluorenyl linker, and an AIE-active cyanostyrene dye. After annealing at 110 °C, the resulting R/S-PFC self-assembled into chiral nanoparticles (AIE@CPdots) in a chloroform/n-hexane mixed solvent (9:1 v/v), exhibiting enhanced circularly polarized luminescence with a luminescence dissymmetry factor (|g_lum|) of 4.4 × 10⁻³ at 462 nm. Notably, AIE@CPdots served as the EML in CP-OLEDs, achieving high-performance circularly polarized electroluminescence with an electroluminescence dissymmetry factor (|g_EL|) of 3.0 × 10⁻³ at 464 nm, a maximum luminance (L_max) of 6022 cd m⁻², and a maximum current efficiency (CE_max) of 1.10 cd A⁻¹. This work provides a novel strategy for designing superior EML materials for CP-OLEDs via chiral self-assembled AIE@CPdots.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3756-5
Photochemical organic synthesis exploits the distinctive redox properties of excited-state photocatalysts to avoid stoichiometric redox reagents, enabling green and sustainable transformations. However, the conversion efficiency of light-to-chemical energy remains a key bottleneck for large-scale application. Here, we synthesize ultra-thin graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets by regulating precursor types and thermal protocols. In photochemical Minisci-type cross-couplings, this ultra-thin carbon nitride exhibits high catalytic efficiency, achieving rates of 40 mmol g_cat−1 h−1 under LED irradiation and 10.9 mmol g_cat−1 h−1 under natural sunlight. The photocatalyst's high specific surface area (120 m2 g−1) enhances substrate adsorption capacity and accelerates surface electron transfer, boosting photocatalytic efficiency. Furthermore, the material demonstrates excellent recycling stability, and the reaction system was successfully scaled to gram-level, highlighting its potential for industrial applications. This work provides a typical case for solar-driven organic synthesis and inspires further developments in heterogeneous photocatalysis.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3818-4
The electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2RR) to multi-carbon (C2+) products is of significant interest due to its implications for chemical manufacturing and carbon neutrality. However, the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and sluggish C–C coupling kinetics impede selectivity at industrial current densities. Here, we report an interfacial nanoconfinement strategy using N-(2-acetamido)iminodiacetic acid (ADA) to engineer a series of capping layer-covered Cu catalysts (Cu@ADA-x). A volcano-type correlation between capping layer thickness and C2+ selectivity is observed. The optimized Cu@ADA-m catalyst achieves a maximum Faradaic efficiency for C2+ products (FE C2+) of 86.8% and maintains over 80% of its initial FE C2+ after 42 hours at 200 mA cm−2, with an energy efficiency of 38.5%. In-situ Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the capping architecture stabilizes metastable Cu species and optimizes gas adsorption, enhancing *CO intermediate utilization and lowering C–C coupling energy barriers. This work provides a catalyst design principle for industrial-scale carbon-neutral electrochemical production of multi-carbon products.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3798-x
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colorectal mucosa, where conventional enema therapies suffer from poor retention and limited inflammation modulation. Here, we report a highly fluid probiotic-containing enema solution (s-BSA-Fe+EcN) integrating bovine serum albumin (BSA), Fe2+, and probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN). The solution's high fluidity enables comprehensive coverage of irregular colorectal mucosa. Upon encountering reactive oxygen species (ROS)-rich inflamed lesions, Fe2+ mediates H2O2 scavenging and hydroxyl radical generation, triggering BSA crosslinking and in situ gelation into a conformal hydrogel (h-BSA-Fe+EcN). This targeted adhesion mitigates oxidative damage to host tissues and preserves probiotic viability. In a porcine model, endoscopic imaging confirmed inflammation-targeted gelation in vivo. In a dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse colitis model, h-BSA-Fe+EcN demonstrated excellent therapeutic efficacy, reducing disease activity index and restoring colonic architecture. This strategy addresses the dual challenges of fluid perfusion and rapid ROS-responsive gelation, offering an advanced transanal treatment for UC.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3833-1
Developing plasmonic nanomaterials with compositions beyond noble metals is crucial for expanding their applications. Transition metal nitrides, such as titanium nitride (TiN), exhibit excellent plasmonic optical properties and photothermal conversion efficiency, showing promise in catalysis, photothermal therapy, and seawater desalination. However, the structure-property relationship governing their plasmonic optical properties remains unclear. Here, we constructed Au@TiN core-shell nanostructures and systematically investigated the tunability of their geometry, composition, and optical properties. By varying the Au core size and TiN shell thickness, we achieved precise control over the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) from visible to near-infrared wavelengths. Single-particle scattering spectroscopy revealed distinct plasmon hybridization modes, with experimental spectra matching theoretical simulations. The Au@TiN nanostructures exhibited enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 78.5%) under 808 nm laser irradiation, significantly outperforming pure TiN nanoparticles (η = 45.2%). This work demonstrates multi-factor control over plasmonic effects in TiN, providing insights for designing TiN-based plasmonic nanomaterials for catalysis and sensing.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3766-0
Leuco dye-based thermochromic fibers suffer from poor light fastness, limiting their cyclability. Here, a hydrogen bond dissociation/structural isomerization-based dual ultraviolet (UV)-shielding strategy is proposed to develop enhanced light-resistant thermochromic elastomer fibers (Azo/TCM@Abs/TPU) employing UV absorbers and 4-dodecyloxyazobenzene (C12-Azo) through a coaxial wet-spinning process. The integration of UV absorbers and C12-Azo enhances UV protection, effectively blocking nearly the entire UV spectrum. The light fastness of Azo/TCM@Abs/TPU has been improved to Grades 3–4, enabling a stable thermochromic function to withstand several months of sunlight exposure. Additionally, the absorbed UV light is stored as chemical energy within C12-Azo via trans-to-cis photoisomerization. This stored energy can be released as heat on demand. The coaxial dual-protection concept using photoisomerization offers an efficient method to enhance light resistance in thermochromic fibers.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509049
This study systematically compared three virus enrichment and concentration methods—polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation, aluminum salt coagulation, and centrifugal ultrafiltration—for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in high-turbidity, high-strength wastewater from inbound flights. The aluminum salt coagulation method exhibited the best overall performance, achieving an average recovery rate of 25.95% for SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus, significantly higher than PEG precipitation (12.91%) and centrifugal ultrafiltration (0.22%) (P<0.05). Its detection limit reached 10 copies·mL⁻¹, whereas centrifugal ultrafiltration suffered severe membrane fouling, limiting detection to 1,000 copies·mL⁻¹. Considering the high pH buffering of flight wastewater, the aluminum salt method was optimized by adjusting pH to 6.00±0.4, employing rapid magnetic stirring, and reducing mixing time to 1 minute, yielding an average recovery of 27.56% (not significantly different from the original 25.95%, P>0.05). An automated enrichment device was developed based on the optimized method, reducing processing time per sample from 115 min to 60 min while maintaining comparable recovery and improved repeatability. Applied to 1,309 wastewater samples from inbound flights between January 2024 and May 2025, the average detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 was 45.45%, with trends consistent with national COVID-19 epidemiological data. The automated device demonstrates suitability for routine surveillance, providing technical support for port epidemic prevention.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509047
To reveal the dynamic characteristics of ecosystem carbon flux and its response to meteorological factors, this study employed the Biome-BGC model to simulate gross primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP) of vegetation in Beijing for historical (2001–2014) and future (2051–2070) periods under SSP126 and SSP585 scenarios, using multi-source data including regional meteorology, vegetation type, and soil texture. The Mann-Kendall (M-K) test and Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis were applied to examine spatiotemporal patterns and carbon use efficiency (CUE). Results indicate that Biome-BGC accurately reproduces historical carbon flux characteristics. Temporally, annual mean GPP and NPP exhibited fluctuating upward trends, ranging from 584 to 777 g C m−2 a−1 and 238 to 388 g C m−2 a−1, respectively. Spatially, GPP and NPP displayed both same-phase and opposite-phase distribution patterns. Annual mean temperature was the dominant factor influencing GPP and NPP trends, followed by solar radiation and precipitation. Under future scenarios, both GPP and NPP are projected to increase, with SSP585 showing greater enhancement. By 2070, GPP is expected to rise by 171 and 376 g C m−2 a−1 under SSP126 and SSP585, respectively, while NPP increases by 71.8 and 137 g C m−2 a−1. The spatial distribution of GPP and NPP exhibits a 'low-center, high-periphery' pattern, with multi-year means of 969 and 425 g C m−2 a−1. Future CUE is approximately 0.45, indicating substantial carbon sequestration potential of Beijing's vegetation under climate change.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509019
To enhance the electricity generation and decolorization efficiency of bioelectrochemical systems (BES) for azo dye wastewater, this study introduced pomelo peel biochar as anode material and flavonoid-rich Chinese herbal medicines as electron mediators (EMs) into microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The anodes were prepared by chemical activation with KOH, ZnCl2, and H3BO3, followed by polypyrrole (PPy) modification. Among the modified anodes, PPy-PPCH3BO3-CC exhibited the best electrochemical performance. The EMs were derived from aqueous extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin), Ginkgo biloba leaves, and Pueraria lobata (Gegen). The extract from Scutellaria baicalensis showed the highest electron transfer capability. In the MFC system equipped with the optimal anode and Scutellaria baicalensis extract, the maximum output voltage reached (587±10) mV, power density increased to 423.12 mW·m−2, Coulombic efficiency was (57.85±1.06)%, COD removal efficiency was (77.45±0.92)%, charge transfer resistance (Rct) decreased to 7.15 Ω, and methyl orange decolorization rate reached (95.86±1.12)%. These results were significantly superior to the control group, demonstrating that natural source materials can effectively enhance the performance of BES for methyl orange wastewater treatment.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60641-X
Polycarbonate (PC) is a widely utilized engineering plastic, but its accumulation in waste streams poses environmental and health risks due to the leaching of toxic bisphenol A (BPA). This study presents a catalyst-free methanolysis route for the chemical recycling of waste PC into BPA under mild conditions. At 160 °C, complete depolymerization of PC (100.0% conversion) was achieved with a high BPA yield of 95.0% without any catalyst or auxiliary solvent. A scaled-up experiment with 10 g PC demonstrated a facile separation process, recovering BPA with over 85.0% yield. The method proved effective for various commercial PC grades and mixed plastics, including ABS-PC blends, as well as other polyesters such as polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, and polyethylene terephthalate. Based on SEM and GPC analyses, a probable alcoholysis depolymerization mechanism was proposed, involving initial swelling and gradual breakdown of PC into soluble macromolecules with broad molecular weight distribution, ultimately yielding BPA. This work offers a facile, green, and efficient approach for the alcoholysis recovery of polyester plastics, addressing both environmental concerns and sustainable resource utilization.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60636-6
Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (DMMx) are promising clean diesel additives. Compared to the traditional aldol condensation route, the one-step oxidative method for producing DMMx directly from methanol is a green synthesis route offering significant advantages. However, due to the complexity of the reaction, a balance must be struck between oxidation depth and C–O chain growth efficiency. This imposes specific requirements on the design of catalysts with multifunctional active sites: the catalyst should possess appropriate oxidative activity, suitable acid strength distribution, and effective synergy between these two functions. To address these challenges, this study designed a sulfuric acid-modified molybdenum-doped NASICON catalyst, which demonstrated favorable catalytic performance in the one-step oxidative synthesis of DMMx from methanol. Over the NSC-Mo-0.5-30% catalyst, methanol conversion rate of 81.3% and the DMMx selectivity of 58.7% were achieved, along with the formation of heavier molecules, as evidenced by the DMM2–6 selectivity of 11.3%. The NH3-TPD, Py-IR and XPS results indicate that the introduction of molybdenum increases the number of weak Lewis acid sites, while sulfuric acid impregnation not only generates gradient-distributed Brønsted acid sites but also promotes the formation of Mo5+/Mo6+ redox pairs. The cooperation of the two types of active sites significantly enhances catalyst performance.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202510041
This study presents a full-scale engineering practice of retrofitting an idle upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor into an aerobic granular sludge (AGS) system for treating low-strength municipal wastewater. The design capacity was 20,000 m3/d (maximum 24,000 m3/d), achieving separate treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater to reduce operational costs. Systematic analysis covered hydraulic capacity enhancement, effluent quality, pollutant removal efficiencies, sludge granulation progress, and operational costs. Results showed rapid start-up: the system reached 75% of design capacity by day 10 and 90% by day 26. During a 4-month operation, average removal efficiencies for COD, NH4+-N, TN, and SS were 83.2%, 97.0%, 75.9%, and 94.4%, respectively, even under low influent BOD5/TN ratios (typically below 4). Granulation progressed quickly: by day 44, average particle size was 2.6 times that of the inoculum and over 4 times that of flocs, with granules (>200 μm) accounting for 17.3%; by day 110, these values increased to 3.2 times and 5 times, with granule proportion reaching 33.4%. Compared to the previous year (June–August), the AGS process reduced electricity consumption, chemical consumption, and sludge production by 77.3%, 25.4%, and 30.4%, respectively, while saving 65.6% of footprint. This ten-thousand-ton case provides a practical basis for AGS technology application in China.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60654-8
The declining costs of renewable energy are progressively improving the economic viability of employing electrochemical techniques for carbon dioxide capture. Electrochemical carbon capture (ECC) technology utilizes electrical energy to drive electrode reactions, enabling the selective separation of CO2. The vigorous development of ECC powered by renewable energy offers a promising alternative route to conventional carbon capture methods, overcoming limitations associated with thermally driven capture and release cycles. This approach provides a promising alternative route that is more efficient, flexible, scalable, low-energy-consuming and low-polluting for traditional carbon capture technologies. This review begins by introducing established, large-scale carbon capture technologies, such as pre-combustion capture, post-combustion capture, oxy-fuel combustion, adsorption, membrane separation and the calcium looping process. It then transitions to several rapidly developing ECC technologies, including electrochemically mediated amine regeneration (EMAR), pH-swing-mediated systems, and methods involving redox-active molecules. The pH-swing systems are further categorized into bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED), proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET), and membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI). For each method, the underlying principles, technological advancements, advantages, as well as current problems and challenges, are systematically elucidated. It is anticipated that with the widespread deployment of green electricity and persistent innovation in electrochemical materials, ECC technology will emerge as a highly efficient and low-carbon strategy, contributing significantly to the global goal of achieving carbon neutrality.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025021602
Iron-based catalysts are widely used in water pollution treatment due to their high stability and redox capabilities. However, conventional single-component iron-based catalytic systems face challenges such as slow reaction kinetics and low efficiency in generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) during organic pollutant degradation. In this study, three electroactive bacteria (Bacillus megaterium, Lactococcus lactis, and Shewanella putrefaciens) were selected to interact with nano-Fe3O4 to construct bacterial/Fe3O4 hybrid materials, accelerating the degradation of gallic acid. The results showed that bacterial interaction with Fe3O4 facilitated rapid electron transfer, enhancing gallic acid degradation. The bacterial/Fe3O4 hybrid materials exhibited significantly higher gallic acid degradation rates compared to Fe3O4 alone. This improvement was mainly attributed to the ability of electroactive bacteria to promote the formation of oxygen vacancies (OVs) on the Fe3O4 surface, accelerating electron transfer and subsequently enhancing the generation of ROS, including hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, and singlet oxygen. Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive relationship between OVs and ROS generation, with hydroxyl radicals showing the highest correlation with the gallic acid degradation rate constant (r = 0.98), indicating its dominant role in gallic acid degradation; the hydroxyl radicals quenching experiment also verified its dominant role. Additionally, due to the temperature sensitivity of bacteria, the degradation rate of gallic acid reached its peak in the temperature range of 30–40 °C. This study reveals the mechanism by which electroactive bacteria enhance the catalytic activity of Fe3O4, providing a new strategy for its application in advanced oxidation technology for water pollution treatment.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025022302
The escalating environmental contamination by mercury ions (Hg2+) poses severe risks to ecosystems and human health, necessitating the development of rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective detection methods. In this study, Fe1-xS@CNT composite nanozymes were synthesized via a straightforward solvothermal approach. The nanozymes exhibit uniform morphology, structural stability, and significant peroxidase (POD)-like activity. The incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNT) facilitates electron transfer, enhancing the Fenton reaction between Fe2+/Fe3+ to generate abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS), primarily hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and superoxide anions (·O2−). The synergistic action of these ROS and photogenerated holes (h+) promotes the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to a blue-colored product (oxTMB), establishing a colorimetric system of Fe1-xS@CNT + H2O2 + TMB. The specific binding of S2− on the nanozyme surface to Hg2+ inhibits POD activity, reducing the absorbance of the system. This principle was harnessed to develop a colorimetric method for Hg2+ quantification in environmental water samples. The method demonstrates a linear range of 0.1–500 μg·L−1 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.04 μg·L−1. Validation in real water samples (campus and tap water) showed recoveries between 94.4% and 111.1% with relative standard deviations (RSD) below 3.0%, comparable to atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The method offers advantages of simplicity, rapid analysis, and naked-eye visibility, providing a novel approach for on-site monitoring of heavy metal pollutants.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606014
Microplastics, as emerging environmental pollutants, can adsorb psychotropic drugs in aquatic environments, facilitating their migration and transformation, ultimately posing ecological risks. This study investigated the adsorption behavior and mechanisms of four common microplastics—polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)—each with a particle size of 50 μm, toward three psychoactive drugs: diazepam, fluoxetine, and mianserin. Adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and the effects of pH and salinity were examined. Kinetic data fitted well to a pseudo-second-order model, indicating chemisorption as the rate-limiting step. Isotherm analysis using Langmuir and Freundlich models revealed that PE exhibited the highest affinity for fluoxetine, PP for mianserin, and PVC for diazepam, while PS showed linear adsorption for fluoxetine, suggesting partitioning. The adsorption of diazepam was maximal at pH 6.5–8.5, typical of natural surface waters, and increased with NaCl concentration, indicating that non-electrostatic interactions dominate and that higher ionic strength enhances adsorption. Mechanistic insights suggest that hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions (for PS), and halogen bonding (for fluoxetine) contribute to adsorption. These findings highlight the potential of microplastics to act as vectors for psychoactive drugs, necessitating further research on their environmental fate and ecological implications.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606008
Resin-enhanced electrosorption for water treatment significantly improves ion adsorption efficiency and selectivity through synergistic effects, making it a research hotspot in the water treatment field. This technology provides an innovative solution to the bottlenecks of kinetic lag and insufficient selectivity by modulating electrode-solution interface behavior in multiple dimensions. Current technological advances include the following: a simple integration method enables desalination efficiency to exceed 92.3%; resin-coated composite electrodes eliminate the co-ion effect and achieve a 42% increase in total salt adsorption capacity; resin-derived porous carbon electrodes with tunable pore structures possess three to five times the adsorption capacity of commercially available activated carbon; and by enhancing solution convection and electrophoretic convection, the resin-filling strategy achieves a high desalination rate of (670 ± 20) mg/(L·h). Studies have demonstrated that different material combinations can achieve targeted optimization of adsorption performance based on specific water quality characteristics. Future research directions may focus on: developing intelligent resin materials with electromagnetic responsiveness; constructing a multi-scale structural design theory for resin-electrode systems; and establishing a cross-scale model integrating electrochemistry, fluid dynamics, and interface science for comprehensive analysis. In particular, in-depth studies are needed on the dynamic behavior of resin-based flow electrodes under electric/magnetic field regulation, as well as the precise construction of catalytic sites on the resin surface. This review aims to promote the widespread application and efficient practice of this technology in water treatment, providing a theoretical foundation and scientific basis for the future development of high-efficiency, selective, and stable electrosorption technologies.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606010
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a critical factor controlling endogenous phosphorus (P) migration in eutrophic waters. Existing oxygenation technologies suffer from high energy consumption and sediment disturbance, necessitating low-disturbance, pH-stable strategies that avoid additional nitrogen and P loads. This study evaluated an oxygen-loaded porous material (OLPM) for inhibiting sediment P release using laboratory microcosms with natural eutrophic water samples. DO microprofiles across the sediment-water interface (SWI) were measured with microelectrodes; diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) resolved Fe, S, and P distributions; and sequential extraction quantified sediment P fractions. Results showed that OLPM coverage increased surface sediment DO concentration by 6.58-fold and DO penetration depth by 1.33-fold (16.8 mm). Overlying water total phosphorus (TP) decreased by 93.79%, and sediment interstitial phosphate (PO4-P) decreased by up to 45.75%. The SWI TP exchange flux reversed from +0.0068 mg/(m2·d) to -0.014 mg/(m2·d), shifting the system from a P source to a P sink. Sediment P fractionation revealed a 5.22% increase in stable Res-P and a 4.48% decrease in labile NaHCO3-P. Mechanistically, OLPM enhanced iron oxidation (Fe2+ reduced by 59.62%) and suppressed sulfate reduction (S2- homogenized at low levels), promoting P immobilization via Fe-S coupling. The material effectively inhibits endogenous P release through interfacial DO regulation without altering pH, offering a promising approach for eutrophication management.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606009
The escalating volume of municipal solid waste in China necessitates effective disposal strategies. Industrial kiln co-processing offers a promising route, but high-temperature decomposition of chlorinated components releases HCl and Cl2, causing severe equipment corrosion and operational issues. This study investigates the high-temperature dechlorination performance of fly ash and red mud, two abundant industrial solid wastes, as potential dechlorination agents. Using a high-temperature tube furnace system, dechlorination efficiencies were evaluated across 600–900 °C. At 700 °C, fly ash achieved a peak dechlorination efficiency of 93.33%, while red mud reached 88.61%. However, efficiencies declined with further temperature increase, dropping to 65.6% and 58.27% at 900 °C for fly ash and red mud, respectively. To enhance performance at higher temperatures, fly ash was modified via alkali (NaOH) treatment. The modification increased surface roughness and porosity, disrupted Si-O-Si and Si-O-Al networks, and exposed active sites. Consequently, the alkali-modified fly ash exhibited a peak dechlorination efficiency of 94.98% at 800 °C, a 23.08% improvement over unmodified fly ash (71.9%). These findings demonstrate the technical feasibility of utilizing solid wastes as dechlorination agents, offering a dual benefit of waste valorization and cost-effective high-temperature gas purification. The study provides a foundation for scaling up this approach in industrial kiln applications, contributing to sustainable waste management and reduced environmental impact.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3963-5
Metal additive manufacturing (MAM) enables integrated one-piece fabrication of parts, high material utilization efficiency, and unparalleled design freedom. However, problems such as low production efficiency, difficulties in ensuring quality stability and defect control limit the large-scale industrial application of AM. In-situ active modulation for AM enables dynamic regulation of parts during the fabrication process, thereby enhancing the quality of the final fabricated parts without introducing extra processing steps. In-situ active regulation enables direct intervention during defect nucleation, providing better effectiveness than post-printing repairs while avoiding performance degradation risks associated with post-processing. Based on the difference of core factors directly affected during regulation, in-situ active regulation is categorized into the following. (1) Process and path parameter optimization, where regulation directly impacts manufacturing-related procedural rules. It is the simplest method of control and the preferred approach, with widespread attention focused on its effects on microstructure and mechanical properties. (2) Laser beam shaping, where regulation directly influences the energy carrier morphology. To address issues such as edge over-melting and localized energy deficiency caused by non-uniform energy distribution, laser beam shaping should be employed. (3) Additional physical field modulation achieved by superimposing supplementary physical fields. When optimal process and path parameters still fail to obtain the desired microstructure and mechanical properties, additional physical field control may be considered. Meanwhile, this work summarized the effects of different additional physical fields on the mechanical properties of various metallic base materials. The future trends of in-situ modulation in additive manufacturing are also discussed.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3874-1
The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) model sizes to trillions of parameters has intensified the demand for computational paradigms that overcome the von Neumann bottleneck. Emerging memory technologies, while advancing, fall short of meeting the massive requirements of large-scale models. Ferroelectric materials, with their continuous tunability of domain patterns, offer a promising route to emulate synaptic weights in biological learning. This review systematically examines four fundamental ferroelectric-based device architectures: ferroelectric capacitors, ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs), ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs), and ferroelectric domain wall memories. We analyze their latest progress, application domains, and inherent advantages, while critically assessing the challenges impeding their commercialization. Key issues include scalability, endurance, retention, and integration with CMOS technology. We also highlight optimization strategies for material and device performance, array-level design, and neuromorphic computing architectures. Future research directions are proposed, emphasizing the expansion of novel applications and the realization of energy-efficient, high-density in-memory computing systems. This review provides a comprehensive framework for researchers and engineers aiming to harness ferroelectric devices for next-generation computing.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3986-2
Organic/molecular ferroelectrics exhibiting spontaneous polarization have attracted increasing attention due to their flexibility, light weight, low-temperature processability, environmental friendliness, and biocompatibility. Among them, organic donor-acceptor cocrystals, self-assembled from two or more components, offer new insights into ferroelectricity. This review systematically examines recent progress in organic donor-acceptor cocrystal ferroelectrics, focusing on microscopic origins of ferroelectricity, structure modulation strategies, and underlying mechanisms. Ferroelectric origin mechanisms, including intermolecular charge transfer, proton transfer, and order-disorder transitions, are analyzed in detail. Structure-property relationships in crystal engineering are summarized, and recent advances in theoretical simulations, experimental characterization techniques, and practical applications are introduced. Finally, current challenges and future research perspectives are outlined. The review highlights that weak intermolecular interactions often lead to low Curie temperatures (Tc), limiting practical applications. Strategies to enhance Tc involve introducing stronger molecular interactions to increase transition energy barriers. Notably, room-temperature ferroelectricity in organic cocrystals has been achieved, as demonstrated by Wiscons et al. (Angew Chem Int Ed, 2018, 57: 9044–9047). The review underscores the potential of organic cocrystal ferroelectrics for flexible and wearable electronics, while addressing the need for higher Tc and robust switching performance.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3813-y
Sonothermal therapy (STT) is an emerging noninvasive energy-based modality that leverages deeply penetrating ultrasound to activate engineered nanomaterials, converting acoustic energy into localized heat. This review systematically delineates four coupling routes between ultrasound and nanomaterials: thermoelastic, thermoviscous, and plasmonic heating; nonradiative recombination and acousto-electric coupling; thermal vibrations in carbon and conjugated systems; and cavitation heating. Design principles for STT nanomaterials are established, with guidance for pre-, intra-, and post-treatment phases, and linked to applications in tumor ablation, wound infection and healing, and implant-associated infection and regeneration. Hybrid platforms integrating STT with sonodynamic or sonocatalytic reactive oxygen species generation are discussed. Key translational barriers include the lack of quantitative and standardized metrics for conversion efficiency, the need for scalable and reproducible manufacturing aligned with Good Manufacturing Practice, limited in vivo biodistribution and biosafety data, and weak links from preclinical models to clinical endpoints. An integrated framework connecting mechanism, material design, and therapeutic outcome is proposed to guide the development of next-generation STT nanoplatforms for treatment-resistant disease.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606018
Swine wastewater, a high-strength organic effluent, offers a viable substrate for anaerobic biohydrogen production, aligning with clean energy recovery. This study compared hydrogen production in three anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBRs) treating: raw wastewater (R1), supernatant after MAP (magnesium ammonium phosphate) precipitation for nitrogen and phosphorus recovery (R2), and the same supernatant with anaerobic sludge heat-treated at 75°C for 0.5 h (R3). Without pH adjustment, hydrogen production in R1 remained below 0.50 mmol/(kg·d). At an influent COD of 1800 mg/L, R2 and R3 achieved hydrogen production rates of 48.17 and 71.44 mmol/(kg·d), respectively. At COD 2400 mg/L, methane concentrations in R1, R2, and R3 were 10.8%, 14.2%, and 9.1%, respectively, indicating MAP pretreatment enhanced both hydrogen and methane production. As COD increased, R1's methane concentration rose to 14.6%, while average COD removal efficiencies for R1, R2, and R3 were 78.9%, 70.8%, and 52.5%, respectively. Under pH adjustment, all reactors peaked at pH 4.0, with hydrogen production rates of 0.10, 7.74, and 8.83 mol/(kg·d) for R1, R2, and R3, respectively. These findings demonstrate that MAP pretreatment combined with sludge heat treatment significantly enhances biohydrogen production, offering a promising strategy for swine wastewater valorization.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3889-6
Photocatalytic hydrogen production is fundamentally limited by inefficient charge separation and asynchronous supply of electrons and protons to active sites. Here, we designed a ZnIn2S4/ZnCo2S4 (ZIS/ZCS) heterojunction with an atomically coherent interface achieved via an ultralow lattice mismatch of 0.05%. This unique structure promotes rapid electron transfer through a built-in electric field and facilitates continuous proton migration via a hydrogen spillover effect, thereby synchronizing electron and proton delivery at the catalytic interface. This dual regulation of electrons and protons synergistically promotes proton-coupled electron transfer, resulting in a high hydrogen evolution rate of 70.3 mmol g−1 h−1 and selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to aldehyde (39.3 mmol g−1 h−1) with 93.6% selectivity. This work demonstrates the critical importance of lattice match and dual charge-proton management in designing efficient photocatalysts for complex redox reactions.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3925-5
Capacitive pressure sensors have garnered significant attention in electronic skin, human-machine interaction, health monitoring, and medical devices due to their remarkable properties like highly sensitive pressure perception, good repeatability, and rapid response capabilities. However, manufacturing capacitive pressure sensors that simultaneously achieve a broad linear detection range and high sensitivity remains a significant challenge. Herein, a novel hierarchically interlocked capacitive pressure sensor (HI-CPS) was designed by integrating a stretchable polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based nanofilm dielectric layer with hierarchically interlocked microstructures, demonstrating excellent linearity and high sensitivity over a wide sensing range. HI-CPS based on a one-layer nanofilm exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity (9.40 kPa−1) and an ultralow detection limit (0.1 Pa). When the dielectric layer comprises two layers of stacked nanofilms, the sensor not only maintains high sensitivity (3.17 kPa−1) but also achieves excellent linearity (R2 = 0.999) over a broad working range (<5 kPa), along with remarkable stability even after 10,000 cycles. Benefitting from the outstanding comprehensive performance, HI-CPS has been proven to be successfully implemented in monitoring various human biological signals, sign language recognition, and basketball shooting gesture correction. This strategy of assembling the tailored nanofilm with structural engineering has significant potential application in building high-performance pressure detection and recognition devices.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511087
Identifying the sources and driving factors of heavy metals (HMs) in paddy soils around mining areas is crucial for safeguarding regional agricultural production and food security. This study focused on paddy soils near a mining area in southern Jiangxi Province, integrating Spearman correlation analysis, positive matrix factorization (PMF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) coupled with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to quantitatively apportion potential ecological risks, pollution sources, and driving factors. Results showed that mean concentrations of Pb, Ni, and Cu exceeded the soil background values of Jiangxi Province, except for Cr. The mean comprehensive potential ecological risk index (RI) was 17.4, with 25.7% of sampling sites exhibiting moderate risk, and Ni being the primary ecological risk factor. Source apportionment identified three main sources: natural background (51.1%), industrial and mining activities (26.6%), and a mixed source of agricultural activities and traffic emissions (22.3%). Spatial variation of Cr, Cu, and Ni was predominantly governed by soil physicochemical properties (Fe and P contents), whereas Pb distribution was significantly influenced by industrial and mining activities. The combination of PMF and XGBoost-SHAP effectively delineated sources and driving factors, providing a scientific basis for targeted soil management and pollution control in mining-affected agricultural regions.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202510029
Low hydrolysis efficiency is a core bottleneck in anaerobic digestion (AD) of lignocellulosic agricultural residues, limiting methane production and resource utilization. This study optimized thermal hydrolysis pretreatment (THP) of corn straw (CS) using response surface methodology (RSM) to enhance methane yield. The optimal conditions were determined as solid-to-liquid ratio of 51.0–57.5 mg·mL−1, pretreatment time of 74–81 min, and temperature of 182.5–197.5 °C. Under the optimal combination (52.3 mg·mL−1, 78.4 min, 191 °C), cumulative methane yield increased from 218.0 to 362.9 mL·g−1 VS, a 66.7% improvement over untreated CS. Characterization via XRD, FTIR, and SEM revealed that THP disrupted the lignocellulosic structure, reducing lignin content from 21.5% to 8.3% and crystallinity index (CrI) from 70.83% to 61.95%. Inhibitory derivatives generated during THP included furfural (1.69 mg·mL−1), 5-methylfurfural (2.44 mg·mL−1), and phenol (23.14 mg·L−1), with a theoretical combined inhibition rate of 7.26%. The promotion effect on methane production (66.7%) far exceeded the theoretical inhibition (7.26%), indicating that THP under optimized conditions is effective and environmentally controllable. This study provides a systematic framework for optimizing THP parameters to maximize methane production from agricultural residues.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202510081
Electrochemical two-electron oxygen reduction (2e−ORR) for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis faces challenges of low cathodic catalytic efficiency and complex catalyst preparation. This study prepared nitrogen-vacancy (Nv) rich carbon nitride via one-step pyrolysis, composited with carbon nanotubes (CNT), and loaded onto graphite felt (GF) to fabricate a non-precious metal gas diffusion electrode Nv-C3N4-CNT/GF. The electrode exhibited a three-dimensional fibrous skeleton with interconnected micro-nano hierarchical pores, facilitating efficient electron transport. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed a low charge transfer resistance of 13.26 Ω, indicating superior electrocatalytic activity and charge transfer efficiency. Single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (RSM) optimization determined optimal conditions: calcination temperature 300 °C, catalyst mass ratio 3:1, Nv-C3N4-CNT loading 0.1 g, current density 40 mA·cm−2, pH 7, and aeration rate 0.1 L·min−1. Under these conditions, H2O2 accumulation reached 1622.73 mg·L−1 after 90 min, which was 1.3 and 1.5 times higher than g-C3N4-CNT/GF and CNT/GF electrodes, respectively. Stability tests showed that after 6 cycles, H2O2 production remained at 1400.52 mg·L−1, and within 960 min, the maximum production reached 2014.04 mg·L−1 with a highest Faradaic efficiency of 54.86%. These results demonstrate the electrode's potential for cyclic use. This study provides a new approach for developing efficient, low-cost electrodes for electrosynthesis of H2O2, offering a reference for green H2O2 production.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511002
To treat large-air-volume, low-concentration volatile organic compounds (VOCs) containing tetrachloroethylene (PCE) generated from rubber-metal bonding, this study systematically investigated the adsorption-desorption behavior and interaction mechanisms of PCE, toluene, and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) on granular activated carbon (GAC). Static adsorption experiments showed that PCE adsorption capacity reached 556.6 mg·g−1, while dynamic multi-component adsorption capacity was 179.6 mg·g−1. Kinetic analysis indicated that PCE adsorption was controlled by both intraparticle diffusion and external surface adsorption, whereas toluene and MIBK were primarily intraparticle diffusion-limited. During high-temperature nitrogen desorption, PCE underwent dechlorination, hydrogenation, and recombination, producing trichloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and HCl, with HCl accounting for 3.61% of the chlorine molar content in adsorbed PCE. After four adsorption-desorption cycles, the iodine value of GAC dropped below the industry standard of 600 mg·g−1; however, water washing and alkali immersion extended the cycle life to 8 and 9 cycles, respectively. The HCl generation pattern in co-adsorption systems was consistent with single-PCE systems. A regeneration process combining alkali immersion and water washing was proposed and integrated into an engineering strategy. Compared to conventional activated carbon adsorption coupled with RTO incineration, the proposed classification strategy reduced annual costs by 49.5×10⁴ CNY. This work provides a cost-effective and safe solution for Cl-VOCs treatment.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511020
With the increasing number of oil pipelines crossing rivers, the potential risks of oil leakage and surface spreading to river ecosystems and water environments are becoming more severe. Scenario-based simulation of oil spill diffusion is a prerequisite for effective interception point placement and leakage risk prevention. Numerous factors influence oil spill diffusion, including environmental conditions, river hydrology, and accessibility of emergency resources. This study integrates these factors and multiple dynamic processes to design eight typical scenarios for oil spill diffusion simulation, considering emergency resource locations, river hydrological regimes, and leakage modes. A case study is conducted on an oil pipeline crossing a river in northwest China. Results indicate that the diffusion distance and affected area are primarily controlled by water conditions and emergency resource accessibility. In emergency management, the efficiency of maintenance and repair resources during high-water months should be prioritized. Mechanistically, external forces such as hydraulic and wind forces have a greater influence on diffusion distance, surpassing internal forces like gravity, viscosity, and surface tension within a short time. For river crossings near emergency resources, internal force effects should be considered in oil spill diffusion simulations. When emergency resource arrival times are long, the diffusion distance based on Fay's theory is relatively small and can be neglected in engineering practice. This study provides a computational basis and methodological reference for risk assessment and emergency response to potential oil spills from pipelines crossing rivers, enhancing the scientific and effective nature of risk prevention and emergency handling.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.3724/2097-213X.2025.JFCT.0034
Catalytic cracking of gasoline and diesel to light olefins is a pivotal route for high-value utilization of surplus fuels, typically employing zeolite catalysts. This study systematically investigates the effects of zeolite type and acidic properties on the catalytic cracking of dodecane, a diesel model compound, using SAPO-34, ZSM-5 with SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of 38, 85, and 200, and USY. Catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, N2 physisorption, NH3-TPD, and pyridine-FTIR, and evaluated in a fixed-bed reactor. Results demonstrate that zeolite type is the primary determinant of conversion and product distribution. SAPO-34, with 0.38 nm pores, achieved only 24.33% conversion and negligible BTX yield, with severe external coking. ZSM-5-38 and USY, with larger pores, achieved near-complete conversion; however, ZSM-5-38, possessing moderate acidity, yielded the highest light olefins (18.40%) and minimal coke (0.18%), while USY, with higher acidity, promoted hydrogen transfer and coking (12.90% coke). Within ZSM-5 series, lower acid site density (ZSM-5-200) proved optimal, achieving 97.79% conversion and a total light olefin yield of 41.93% (ethylene 11.11%, propylene 20.33%, butenes 10.49%) with low coke (0.43%). The study proposes reaction pathways and regulatory mechanisms, highlighting that zeolite type and acidity govern the relative rates of cracking, hydrogen transfer, oligomerization, aromatization, and coking, thereby dictating performance. These findings provide a rational basis for optimizing zeolite catalysts in commercial gasoline/diesel cracking processes.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025040705
Chromium is a common environmental metal pollutant. Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 can generate extracellular electrons, facilitating the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), thereby mitigating its toxicity. Both biochar and electroactive dissolved organic matter (e-DOM) regulate extracellular electron transfer during Cr(VI) bioreduction. In practice, surface DOM on biochar can detach and enter the environment, while the biochar matrix (BCM) remains the predominant form and coexists with e-DOM. However, the combined effects of BCM and e-DOM on microbial Cr(VI) removal are unclear. This study investigated the individual and combined impacts of biochar matrix and AQDS (a model e-DOM) on Cr(VI) reduction by S. oneidensis MR-1. Results showed that biochar matrix or AQDS alone promoted Cr(VI) removal, primarily by accelerating electron transfer during the fast reduction phase. However, when both were added, an antagonistic effect was observed, attributed to increased repulsive forces between the biochar matrix-AQDS complex and the bacterial cells, which inhibited electron transfer to Cr(VI). This research elucidates the electrochemical interactions between biochar matrix and e-DOM, providing a theoretical basis for biochar applications in environmental remediation and risk assessment.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025032601
This study investigated the pollution characteristics of chlorate and perchlorate in tea from Anhui region and assessed the health risks associated with tea consumption. A total of 132 tea samples, including green tea (n=89), black tea (n=30), yellow tea (n=10), and white tea (n=3), were collected from major tea-producing areas. Chlorate and perchlorate levels were quantified using isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Chlorate was detected in 15.9% of samples, with concentrations ranging from not detected to 0.040 mg·kg−1, and no samples exceeded the regulatory limit. Perchlorate was detected in 100% of samples, with concentrations ranging from 0.011 to 1.611 mg·kg−1, and 2.3% of samples exceeded the limit. Pollution characteristics analysis revealed that perchlorate levels were significantly correlated with tea type and geographical origin, with environmental contamination in tea-growing areas being the primary determinant. A significant positive correlation was also observed between chlorate and perchlorate levels. Health risk assessments were conducted for the general tea-consuming population, sub-groups loyal to specific tea types (green and black tea), and sub-groups preferring local tea from high-pollution regions (Lu'an City and central Anhui). Assessments were based on mean and 95th percentile (P95) exposure levels. For chlorate, the maximum hazard quotient (HQ) was 0.003, far below 1, indicating negligible risk. For perchlorate, all HQ values were below 1, regardless of tea type or region, based on both mean and P95 levels, using the Chinese provisional tolerable daily intake (tTDI). However, perchlorate contamination in central Anhui, particularly Lu'an City, warrants continued monitoring due to elevated levels and occasional exceedances.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607004
Pelletizing technology is widely applied in biomass and coal fuel processing, offering advantages in transport, storage, and energy density. Coal gasification fine slag (CGFS), a carbon-rich coal-based solid waste, holds potential as a fuel. This study prepared centimeter-scale composite pellets by blending CGFS with various biomass types under 6 MPa at room temperature for 2 minutes. Combustion and emission characteristics were investigated using a self-developed flat-flame macro-thermogravimetric reactor simulating high heating rate conditions. Results showed that biomass type significantly influenced combustion due to chemical composition differences. Introducing biomass altered fuel particle composition, enhancing combustion rates of single-component fuels by 3–5 times during volatile combustion. Co-combustion reduced NOx and CO emissions by over 50% compared to pure CGFS. Higher biomass ratios accelerated volatile release and shortened burnout time but increased NO emissions due to higher volatile nitrogen content. Conversely, CO emissions decreased due to improved char combustion conditions. These findings provide critical experimental support for optimizing clean and efficient solid fuel production from CGFS and biomass.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607013
This study investigated the synergistic effects of earthworm mucus and two biochar types (rice husk biochar and straw biochar) on heavy metal bioavailability during sludge composting. Sludge was amended with earthworm mucus alone or combined with biochars at varying proportions, and the impacts on physicochemical properties, total heavy metal concentrations, bioavailable fractions, and chemical speciation were analyzed. Results showed that mucus addition increased sludge pH and electrical conductivity (EC) but decreased total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) contents. Synergistic mucus-biochar composting further elevated pH and EC while reducing TN, with the optimal treatment being mucus plus 10% rice husk biochar. Mucus-only composting reduced total concentrations and bioavailability of Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb. Adding biochars significantly enhanced these reductions. Specifically, mucus with rice husk biochar achieved the best Cd removal, with total and bioavailable Cd decreasing by 27.03%–55.68% and 9.52%–28.57% (P<0.05), respectively, compared to controls. Mucus with straw biochar was most effective for Ni, Zn, and Pb, reducing total contents by 3.81%–5.72%, 7.93%–34.62%, and 42.61%–79.46%, and bioavailable fractions by 2.90%–26.31%, 15.58%–24.14%, and 32.30%–36.88% (P<0.05), respectively. Speciation analysis revealed that Cd, Ni, and Pb carbonate-bound fractions transformed into residual forms, and exchangeable fractions shifted to Fe-Mn oxide-bound forms. Straw biochar addition resulted in the highest residual fractions for Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb, increasing by 0.35%–7.02%, 8.61%–12.90%, 16.62%–23.02%, 17.33%–26.10%, and 16.12%–27.20% (P<0.05), respectively. These findings demonstrate that earthworm mucus combined with rice husk or straw biochar effectively reduces heavy metal concentrations and bioavailability in sludge, offering a promising strategy for sludge composting.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3966-0
The development of low platinum-loading catalysts for the economically viable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) remains challenging. Herein, a precursor dilution strategy is used to fabricate Pt nanoclusters anchored on Ni-embedded porous carbon microspheres. The approach begins with the facile synthesis of Zn/Ni-based coordination polymers (Ni-BTC-Zn) due to the isomorphic substitution of Zn2+ and Ni2+. During pyrolysis, the evaporation of zinc species results in a highly porous carbon structure with well-dispersed nickel nanoparticles. Subsequent solvothermal treatment allows for the uniform deposition of Pt nanoclusters to form the final bimetallic PtNi catalysts (PtNi-BTC-C). Among them, the optimized PtNi-BTC-C10 exhibits exceptional alkaline HER performance, requiring an overpotential of only 41 mV to achieve 10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 31.1 mV dec−1. It also demonstrates outstanding durability with a current retention of 90.7% after 70 h, far exceeding Pt/C. Extensive characterization confirms that moderate Zn dilution optimally modulates the Ni particle size and dispersion, leading to maximized active sites and enhanced charge transfer. Combined with DFT calculations, the Pt-Ni-cluster model for PtNi-BTC-C10 possesses an optimized electronic structure with a shifted d-band center, which facilitates water dissociation and optimizes H* desorption with the most favorable energetics (0.262 eV). This work provides a fundamental understanding of precursor dilution engineering and offers a versatile pathway for designing advanced noble-metal-based bimetallic electrocatalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3892-2
Single-atom co-catalysts on semiconductor substrates offer a cost-efficient route to enhance photocatalytic performance with minimal precious metal loading. However, precise tuning of local coordination environments and construction of efficient single-atom co-catalysts remain challenging for overall water splitting. Here, we employ an icing-assisted photochemical reduction strategy to anchor atomically dispersed Pt species as hydrogen evolution co-catalysts on Al3+-doped SrTiO3 (Pt SA-STO). The optimized Pt SA-STO exhibits remarkable activity, with hydrogen and oxygen evolution rates of 13.62 and 6.71 mmol h−1 g−1, respectively, and a turnover frequency (TOF) of 2114.5 h−1. We pioneer the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to quantitatively track the temporal evolution of Pt4+ to Pt2+ under continuous irradiation during the icing-assisted photoreduction. Advanced characterizations and theoretical calculations confirm that single-atom Pt co-catalysts facilitate directional transfer and extraction of photogenerated charge carriers, effectively suppressing surface recombination. This work provides insights into designing novel single-atom co-catalysts by deepening understanding of electronic configurations and active sites in photocatalytic overall water splitting.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3825-x
Polymer-based dielectric materials with high energy density and thermal stability are critical for modern electric/electronic industries. Polyimide (PI) based materials are promising due to their high temperature resistance and chemical inertness, yet their inherently low dielectric constant and limited charge-discharge energy density restrict applications in film capacitors. While incorporating ferroelectric or conductive fillers can enhance dielectric performance, batch-to-batch inconsistency and physical deterioration remain problematic. This study focuses on molecular structure design and modulation, preparing hyperbranched polyimides with different dianhydride monomers and branching degrees. The effects of chain packing density with polar groups on dielectric and energy storage performances were systematically investigated via experimentation and molecular simulation. Results demonstrate a significant correlation between monomers' electrical distribution and packing density in polymer systems. Molecular simulation further elucidated the underlying mechanism. This work establishes a foundation for designing polymer-based dielectric materials with high dielectric and energy storage performances at the molecular level.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3949-4
Sodium metal is considered an ideal anode material for high-performance sodium-based batteries. However, volume changes and dendrite growth during cycling seriously restrict its practical application. To address these challenges, this study utilizes harmful green tide algae Enteromorpha prolifera as a raw material to fabricate a self-supporting, sodiophilic, 3D Enteromorpha prolifera-derived carbon (EC) matrix via defect engineering. The results demonstrate that the 3D EC matrix can reduce nucleation overpotential, enhance binding ability with sodium atoms, and induce sodium to deposit horizontally inside EC, effectively addressing the issue of dendrite formation. Furthermore, the Na-EC symmetric cell demonstrates exceptional cycling stability with an ultralow polarization of 12 mV over 1000 h at 5 mA cm−2, 5 mA h cm−2. Notably, this stability persists even under ultrahigh current density and areal capacity conditions (30 mA cm−2, 30 mA h cm−2), maintaining stable operation for 500 h. When configured in full-cell systems with Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, the assembled cell delivers an initial discharge capacity of 108.1 mA h g−1 at a 1 C rate, and maintains a capacity retention rate of 94.4% after 500 cycles. This study proposes an innovative strategy to advance high-performance dendrite-free sodium metal batteries through the recycling of marine environmental waste into functional energy materials.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025042702
This study estimated initial volume mixing ratios of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Dalian from June 1 to August 31, 2024, using a photochemical age-based parameterization method, and performed source apportionment with positive matrix factorization (PMF). Observed average TVOCs concentration was 12.49×10⁻⁹, comprising alkanes (84.2%), alkenes (10.4%), and aromatics (5.4%). Corrected initial TVOCs was 14.93×10⁻⁹, indicating a loss rate of 16.4%. Loss rates were highest for alkenes (53.2%), followed by aromatics (23.3%) and alkanes (6.8%). Ozone formation potential (OFP) averaged 21.31×10⁻⁹ (observed) and 38.75×10⁻⁹ (initial), with an OFP loss rate of 45.0%, distributed as alkenes (56.4%), aromatics (32.7%), and alkanes (10.3%). During ozone pollution episodes, TVOCs chemical loss was 1.9 times that of non-pollution periods, with alkene loss reaching 61.6%; OFP loss was 1.2 times higher, with alkenes contributing 88.4% to TVOCs loss. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation potential from 08:00–17:00 was 1.51×10⁻¹ μg·m⁻³, with 99.4% from aromatics and toluene contributing 68.3%. PMF identified five sources: motor vehicles (49.6%), oil and gas volatilization (20.7%), petrochemical enterprises (12.6%), industrial processes (11.2%), and solvent use (5.9%). OFP modeling indicated motor vehicles contributed most to ozone formation (41.1%), followed by petrochemical enterprises (35.8%). During ozone pollution, PMF based on initial concentrations showed petrochemical sources had the highest OFP contribution (42.5%), whereas observed concentrations indicated motor vehicles as the top contributor (42.5%). This discrepancy underscores the necessity of correcting for photochemical losses in source apportionment studies.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025042504
This study investigated the effect of co-aging with common cations/anions and humic acid (HA) on the combined use of Vallisneria natans (VN) and lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) for controlling phosphorus (P) release from sediment. Results showed that co-aging significantly reduced the phosphate adsorption capacity of LMB, with the maximum unit adsorption capacity decreasing by 33.8% compared to the unaged material. Under the combined application of VN and unaged LMB, P in sediment could still be released into pore water via dissimilatory iron(III) reduction mediated by iron-reducing bacteria and chemical reduction of iron(III) induced by sulfate-reducing bacteria metabolites, subsequently migrating to overlying water. However, the combined treatment effectively inhibited P release, achieving an average reduction efficiency of 57.1% for dissolved reactive phosphorus (SRP) in overlying water and 74.0% for labile P in sediment (measured by DGT) at an LMB dosage of 89 g·m−2. Co-aging with common ions and HA diminished the P control efficiency of the combined treatment, primarily due to reduced phosphate adsorption capacity of LMB. Therefore, mitigating the negative effects of co-aging is crucial for enhancing the long-term P control performance of the VN-LMB combined technology.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202608009
To investigate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of natural draft direct air-cooling towers (NDC) for large coal-fired power generating units, a three-dimensional CFD numerical model covering major plant buildings, air-cooled radiators, and ambient wind fields was established based on the NDC systems of a 2×660 MW unit of a power plant. The influences of meteorological factors, including ambient wind speed, ambient temperature, and ambient wind direction, as well as regulation measures such as rolling shutters, louvers, and bypass windows on the heat dissipation performance of NDC towers were systematically analyzed. The results demonstrate that ambient wind speed acts as the dominant factor governing the performance of the NDC system. As wind speed rose, the uneven distribution of air intake volume and heat dissipation among each cooling delta increased remarkably, which elevated the unit back pressure, and the upstream tower suffered more severe impacts than the downstream one. Ambient temperature exerted a slight effect on circumferential flow distribution, yet substantially changed the overall back pressure of the system. In terms of regulation strategies, closing rolling shutters in the windward zone and reducing the opening of partial louvers can improve air flow redistribution to a certain extent, but will reduce the total air flow rate and total heat dissipation of the entire tower. By contrast, bottom bypass windows can effectively optimize the air intake on the leeward side and boost heat dissipation under high-wind operating conditions, whereas top bypass windows deliver only limited improvement effects. This research can provide fundamental data and technical references for the optimal design, operational regulation, and energy-saving retrofitting of large NDC units.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2026022402
Graphene oxide–silver nanoparticle (GO-AgNPs) nanocomposites synergistically combine the high specific surface area and biocompatibility of graphene oxide with the potent antibacterial and optical properties of silver nanoparticles. This review systematically examines current synthetic strategies—physical, chemical, and biological—and their influence on nanocomposite morphology, loading efficiency, and stability. The biomedical applications of GO-AgNPs are critically analyzed, focusing on antimicrobial activity, anticancer therapy, drug delivery, and biosensing. Mechanistic insights reveal that antimicrobial action involves membrane disruption, oxidative stress, and damage to biomolecules, while anticancer effects are mediated through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The review also addresses challenges such as AgNP aggregation and stability, which are mitigated by GO support. Future directions emphasize the development of multifunctional nanomedicine platforms, with a need for standardized toxicity assessments and scalable synthesis. This comprehensive overview aims to guide further research and clinical translation of GO-AgNPs.