SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4363-6
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) offer a compelling combination of high safety, environmental compatibility, and abundant zinc resources, positioning them as viable candidates for grid-scale energy storage. Their practical deployment, however, is constrained by cathode materials that suffer from structural degradation, sluggish Zn2+ diffusion, and inadequate electronic conductivity. Ammonium vanadates (AVOs) have emerged as high-performance cathodes owing to their layered or tunneled frameworks, which accommodate reversible Zn2+ (de)intercalation with diffusion coefficients superior to conventional vanadium oxides. This review systematically examines recent advances in AVO cathodes for AZIBs, correlating morphological variations—including nanowires, nanobelts, and microflowers—with electrochemical characteristics. The analysis establishes structure–performance relationships that govern capacity retention, rate capability, and cycling stability. Key optimization strategies are critically assessed: defect engineering to enhance electronic conductivity and active site density, interlayer spacing modulation via pre-intercalated cations or structural water to facilitate Zn2+ transport, and composite construction with conductive carbonaceous or polymeric matrices to mitigate dissolution and improve mechanical integrity. Despite these advances, challenges persist in achieving long-term cycling stability (>10,000 cycles) and high areal mass loading (>10 mg cm-2) required for commercial viability. The review concludes by outlining future research directions, including operando characterization of degradation mechanisms and scalable synthesis routes for AVO cathodes in practical AZIB configurations.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4002-8
Neuromorphic electronic systems, inspired by the brain's parallel and distributed information processing, have emerged as a promising alternative to von Neumann architectures, which suffer from the memory wall and limited energy efficiency. However, seamless integration with biological tissue, particularly human skin, necessitates mechanical flexibility and conformability. Flexible neuromorphic electronics, combining neuromorphic computing with flexible substrates, enable brain-inspired processing with high efficiency and ultralow power consumption, targeting smart wearables, digital health, and brain-computer interfaces. Despite rapid advances in flexible synaptic devices, a cross-disciplinary synthesis connecting materials, device physics, circuit integration, and applications is lacking. This review systematically follows a device-to-system framework, first summarizing recent progress in flexible artificial synapses that emulate neural functions, then discussing neuromorphic circuits and systems, focusing on collaborative sensing-computing and heterogeneous integration strategies toward integrated sensing-memory-computing systems. Emerging applications in next-generation bio-intelligent systems, including wearables, health monitoring, and human-machine interaction, are highlighted. Key challenges and future directions are summarized to guide development of efficient, intelligent, and biocompatible bionic hardware. The review underscores the need for standardized metrics and scalable manufacturing to translate laboratory prototypes into practical flexible neuromorphic systems.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025091205
This study analyzes the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and driving mechanisms of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O3, and CO in the Kuytun-Dushanzi-Wusu (Kui-Du-Wu) region of Xinjiang, based on monitoring data from 2018 to 2024. Results indicate that urban sites (e.g., Kuytun Laoganju Station) are influenced by traffic emissions, leading to elevated PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations. Dushanzi District, with petrochemical industry emissions, exhibits notable SO2 and O3 pollution. Agricultural areas (e.g., Kuytun Huaxin Tomato Company) show significant PM10 and CO levels affected by dust and diesel machinery. Over the study period, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and CO concentrations generally declined at annual rates of 1.5–4.0 μg·m−3·a−1, reflecting the effectiveness of coal substitution, industrial upgrades, and vehicle emission controls. Conversely, O3 concentrations increased consistently at rates of 1.3–3.2 μg·m−3·a−1, highlighting shortcomings in volatile organic compound (VOCs) control. Seasonal patterns show PM and CO peaking in winter due to heating combustion and temperature inversions, and reaching minima in summer due to enhanced diffusion and precipitation. O3 peaks in summer driven by photochemical reactions, contrasting with NO2 winter highs from heating and industrial activities. The findings underscore the need for coordinated control of VOCs and NOx, optimized dust management, and differentiated emission controls for industrial, traffic, and agricultural sources.