SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4480-1
Ternary organic solar cells (OSCs) incorporating a structurally compatible guest acceptor (C7-Cl) into the PM6:BTP-eC9 host system are demonstrated. The low Flory-Huggins interaction parameter between host and guest acceptors facilitates intimate mixing, optimizing molecular packing and energy-level alignment. High-sensitivity sEQE and EQEEL analyses reveal a reduced non-radiative energy loss (KE3) of 0.216 eV in the ternary device. Consequently, the optimized ternary OSC achieves a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.02% and an improved T80 operational lifetime of 1065 h. This work establishes a feasible strategy via structurally compatible guest doping to simultaneously optimize vertical phase separation and suppress non-radiative loss, providing a facile and effective route toward high-performance and stable OSCs.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3662-4
Luminescent thermometry has become a research hotspot due to its high spatial resolution, fast response, and non-invasive nature. However, achieving high-performance temperature imaging requires both luminescent materials with high temperature sensitivity and efficient imaging methods, which remains a significant challenge. In this study, a series of pure-phase rubidium germanate phosphors doped with manganese were synthesized and encapsulated into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films to improve chemical stability. The dramatic temperature-dependent luminescence behavior of Mn4+ in the Rb2Ge4O9 matrix provides reliable and efficient methods for temperature sensing. The high-sensitivity temperature sensing capability of the Rb2Ge4O9:0.002 Mn4+ fluorescent film has been confirmed, leveraging temperature-dependent emission intensity, luminescence decay lifetime, and time-resolved intensity ratio techniques. Notably, Rb2Ge4O9:Mn4+ fluorescent film exhibits a strikingly high relative sensitivity of 17.03% K−1 at 330 K in the time-resolved thermometry scheme, which is the highest relative temperature sensitivity within the physiological temperature range known to us. High-performance temperature imaging of the fluorescent film is achieved through the time-resolved intensity ratio strategy with a best practical temperature resolution of 0.08 K at 325 K. Furthermore, the temperature images of an operating nickel circuit with a line width of 20 μm under different working currents were recorded, showing a clear circuit microstructure and temperature gradient. These findings pave a novel path for realizing high-performance temperature imaging.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(25)60616-5
CuZnAl (CZA) is a classic industrial catalyst for methanol synthesis from syngas, but its catalytic performance for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol is suboptimal. The catalytic mechanism of Cu species in CZA remains challenging. This study systematically investigates the valence state changes of active Cu species in CZA catalysts and their influence on catalytic performance by modifying catalysts with varying amounts of electron donor K, thereby identifying the catalytic function of Cu species with different valence states. H2-TPR, XPS, and HR-TEM characterizations reveal that highly dispersed K species supported on CZA catalysts inhibit the reduction of CuO, resulting in a small amount of Cu2O active species being produced under reaction conditions, thus causing a decrease in catalytic activity. Furthermore, XRD and Cu LMM spectra show that the proportion of Cu0 in K-modified CZA catalysts increases with K loading, but a higher proportion of Cu0 species on the surface obviously promotes the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction. According to the results of in situ infrared spectroscopy, CZA catalyst follows the reaction pathway mediated by HCOO* in the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511034
Ionizing radiation (IR) is an emerging advanced oxidation process for degrading recalcitrant organic pollutants in water, but its efficiency is often hampered by matrix effects from coexisting substances in real wastewater. This study coupled three pretreatments—coagulation sedimentation, adsorption, and biological oxidation—with electron beam IR to treat a model cephalosporin wastewater containing cefotaxime sodium (CTX) and typical coexisting components. The results showed that all coupled systems significantly improved treatment performance compared to direct IR: COD removal increased by 19%–42% and CTX removal by 8.4%–19%. Under the tested conditions, the optimal coagulant was polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS), the optimal adsorbent was activated carbon, and the optimal aeration time for biological oxidation was 6 h. All three pretreatments reduced matrix effects, with adsorption, biological oxidation, and coagulation sedimentation lowering the matrix effect by 17%, 11%, and 9%, respectively. Quantum chemical calculations and LC-MS analysis predicted radical reaction sites on CTX and revealed five possible degradation pathways. The study demonstrates that pretreatment-IR coupling is an effective strategy to mitigate matrix effects and enhance the targeted degradation of antibiotics in complex wastewater matrices.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3929-4
Hydrogels are extensively utilized in biomedical fields such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound dressings due to their excellent biocompatibility, high water content, and tunable physicochemical properties. However, conventional hydrogels often undergo uncontrolled swelling in physiological environments, leading to mechanical degradation, structural destabilization, and functional failure, which severely restricts their long-term applicability. Recent advances have focused on developing anti-swelling hydrogels with equilibrium swelling ratios typically below 150%, achieved through strategies including the introduction of hydrophobic interactions, enhancement of cross-linking density, and incorporation of nanocomposite structures. These approaches significantly improve dimensional stability and mechanical integrity under physiological conditions. This review systematically summarizes the common preparation strategies for anti-swelling hydrogels and highlights their latest progress in biomedical applications, including wound dressings, tissue adhesives, and implantable devices. The advantages and future directions, such as smart responsiveness and multifunctional integration, are critically discussed. The review aims to provide theoretical guidance and technical references for the development of next-generation high-performance medical hydrogel materials.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4068-2
Eutectic high-entropy alloys (EHEAs) combine multi-principal-element compositions with regular lamellar microstructures, offering exceptional high-temperature stability and mechanical properties. However, conventional casting yields random solidification microstructures and inhomogeneous phase distributions, constraining strength-ductility synergy. This study employs directional solidification (DS) on Al19Fe20Co20Ni41 EHEA to achieve precise microstructural control, constructing a multi-level lamellar architecture with a herringbone-like alternating arrangement. This tailored microstructure refines interlamellar spacing, eliminates detrimental isolated B2 phases, and promotes slip continuity at interfaces, enhancing coordinated dislocation motion and uniform distribution across multiple slip systems. Consequently, the DS EHEA exhibits superior mechanical properties compared to most reported thermomechanically processed and directionally solidified HEAs. Micro-mechanistic analysis reveals that homogenized geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) density, interface-assisted crack deflection, and multi-stage strain-hardening from sequential dislocation activation collectively contribute to outstanding strength-ductility synergy. This work demonstrates that programming solidification paths enables design of unique multi-level lamellar architectures, serving as intrinsic microstructural composites that optimize dislocation management and crack propagation, offering a novel paradigm for developing ultra-robust EHEAs for extreme service environments.