SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4244-0
Near-infrared perovskite light-emitting diodes (NIR-PeLEDs) suffer from poor operational stability, largely due to interfacial reactions at the electron-transport layer (ETL)/perovskite interface. Here, we introduce a zinc ion (Zn2+)-chelated hybrid ETL derived from a Zn2+-chelated polyethylenimine ethoxylated (PEIE) complex, which partially retains the surface properties of ZnO but exhibits significantly reduced oxygen defects and surface-adsorbed hydroxyl groups. This well-modulated surface promotes perovskite crystallization and mitigates interface-induced deprotonation of organic cations during device operation. Consequently, NIR-PeLEDs employing this hybrid ETL achieve a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 20.1%, a high radiance of 652 W sr-1 m-2, and an exceptional T50 lifetime of 270.7 hours at a high current density of 100 mA cm-2, which is over five times that of devices based on conventional ZnO nanocrystal (NC) ETLs. Our results present an effective ETL strategy for operationally stable NIR-PeLEDs and thoroughly reveal the critical role of regulating interfacial reactions in stabilizing buried interfacial contacts. These findings provide valuable insights for advancing perovskite optoelectronic devices that suffer from interface-induced performance degradation.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4349-9
Sodium metal batteries are promising for large-scale energy storage due to sodium's abundance and low cost, but their commercialization is hindered by dendrite growth and low utilization of sodium metal anodes. Here, we report a yolk-shell structure with gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) confined in hollow carbon nanospheres (Au@HCN) as a robust seeding/hosting interphase. The encapsulation isolates Au NPs from direct electrolyte contact, mitigating parasitic reactions, while the void space accommodates volume changes during alloying. Notably, electrochemical testing reveals that Au NPs undergo alloying-induced amorphization upon sodiation, forming a Na-Au amorphous alloy that enhances sodiophilicity and ensures uniform Na nucleation. This amorphous phase, confirmed by ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, reduces nucleation overpotential and promotes dendrite-free deposition. The Au@HCN electrode achieves a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% over 500 cycles at 1 mA cm−2 and a long cycle life of over 2000 hours at 0.5 mA cm−2 in symmetric cells. Full cells paired with Na3V2(PO4)3 cathodes deliver a specific capacity of 105 mAh g−1 with 92% retention after 500 cycles. This work provides a rational design for stable sodium metal anodes through encapsulation and alloying-induced amorphization, offering a pathway for practical sodium metal batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4236-8
Electrochemical nitrate reduction (NO3RR) to ammonia offers a sustainable route for nitrogen recovery from wastewater, yet its efficiency is constrained by complex multi-step proton-electron transfers and competitive hydrogen evolution. Here, we report a series of binary cobalt-copper phosphates with precisely tuned Co/Cu ratios, revealing a volcano-type relationship between composition and catalytic activity. The optimized Co0.5Cu1.5(OH)PO4 catalyst, supported on a Ni3Co1OxHy/Ni foam substrate, achieves a Faradaic efficiency of 99.0% for ammonia at a high current density of 200 mA cm−2 in 1 M nitrate electrolyte, with a production rate of 9.18 mg h−1 cm−2 and sustained stability over 200 hours. In-situ ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations elucidate a tandem mechanism: Co sites promote water dissociation to generate active hydrogen (H*), while adjacent Cu sites facilitate nitrate adsorption and subsequent hydrogenation steps. This synergistic division of labor lowers the energy barrier for the rate-determining step, effectively suppressing HER and enhancing intrinsic kinetics. The work demonstrates that precise atomic-ratio engineering in dual-site transition metal phosphates provides a viable strategy to overcome activity-selectivity trade-offs in electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia conversion.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3615-1
Stretchable electronics are pivotal for bio-integrated devices, soft robotics, and wearables, yet their development is constrained by single-layer architectures that limit integration density and by mechanical mismatch between rigid components and soft substrates, which curtails service life. Here, we introduce a LEGO-like modular assembly strategy to construct multilayer three-dimensional (3D) stretchable electronics. Electronic components (ECs) and self-healing polyurethane (SPU) substrates patterned with liquid metal (LM) circuits serve as the modular blocks. This design simplifies fabrication and markedly enhances 3D integration density. The combination of LM circuits and self-healing elastic substrates enables devices to withstand diverse deformations and to autonomously heal after mechanical damage. Notably, the devices can undergo multiple recycling and reuse cycles without significant performance loss. This methodology offers a new paradigm for advanced flexible electronics, addressing critical bottlenecks in integration density, mechanical robustness, and sustainability.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202604017
The Shule River Basin, a typical arid inland river basin, faces critical water scarcity that threatens ecological security and sustainable development. This study integrated the FLUS and InVEST models to simulate water yield in 2030 and 2050 under three climate scenarios (SSP119, SSP245, SSP585). Geographic detectors quantified the driving mechanisms of natural and human factors. Results showed: (1) Desert dominates land use (78.6% in 2020). Under SSP119, desert area decreases by 0.69% by 2050, while under SSP585 it expands by 5.7%, with grassland loss of 23.0%, indicating severe ecological degradation. (2) Water yield exhibits a south-high, north-low spatial pattern, with high values in glacier-covered and high-altitude areas. SSP119 yields the most significant increase (147.6×10^8 t by 2050), whereas SSP585 shows minimal increase (43.9×10^8 t) due to extreme climate. (3) Precipitation and DEM are core driving factors; the interaction between land use type and precipitation has the strongest influence, implying that artificial land use changes can significantly regulate water yield. This multi-scenario framework provides decision support for water resource management and ecological governance in arid inland river basins.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4105-8
Chiral europium(III) (Eu(III)) complexes, characterized by their f-f transitions and allowed magnetic dipole transitions, exhibit narrowband emission and superior circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with high luminescence dissymmetry factors (g_lum), making them promising for circularly polarized organic light-emitting diodes (CP-OLEDs) and 3D displays. Here, we report a pair of R/S-Eu(TTA)3DFPO enantiomers, employing β-diketone 1,1,1-trifluoro-3-(2-thenoyl)acetone (TTA) as the main ligand and point-chiral R/S-tert-butyl(6-(diphenylphosphoryl)dibenzo[b,d]furan-4-yl)(phenyl)phosphine-oxide (R/S-DFPO) as ancillary ligands. In toluene, these enantiomers display characteristic narrowband red emission from the 5D0→7F2 transition of Eu(III), with a maximum emission wavelength of 617 nm, a full width at half maximum of 11 nm, a photoluminescence quantum yield of 43%, and pronounced chiroptical response, evidenced by |g_PL| values of 8.0 × 10^-3 around 590 nm (5D0→7F1 transition). Notably, CP-OLEDs fabricated via vacuum deposition achieve a maximum external quantum efficiency of 4.0% and exhibit obvious circularly polarized electroluminescence with |g_EL| values exceeding 1.0 × 10^-2. These results demonstrate that point-chiral phosphine-oxide ligands provide an effective strategy for achieving coordination-stable chiral Eu(III) complexes for high-performance CP-OLEDs.
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.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025021702
Bacteria and microorganisms in toilets can enter the air via aerosol plumes generated during flushing, posing potential health risks. This study evaluates the feasibility of electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for household toilet disinfection. Disinfection experiments showed that at H2O2 concentrations of 50–200 mg·L−1, bacteria in toilet bowl seal water were completely inactivated within 4–24 h without generating harmful disinfection by-products. By installing a gas diffusion electrode in the toilet tank and utilizing oxygen from air to electrochemically synthesize H2O2 in situ, the total bacterial count in the seal water was reduced by more than 90% during normal toilet use, thereby lowering the risk of disease transmission via toilet aerosols. The results suggest that electrochemical H2O2 synthesis offers a safe, healthy, and environmentally friendly disinfection method for household toilets.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607009
Resource utilization of food waste is a key measure for implementing waste classification and constructing zero-waste cities in China. However, the technical route based on anaerobic digestion currently faces developmental bottlenecks. In this study, engineering-scale facilities located in Northeast, North, Northwest, and Southeast China were selected, and material flow analysis was employed to comprehensively assess the current status of anaerobic digestion of food waste. The results indicated that, during the pretreatment stage, both leachate and organic slurry from all surveyed regions exhibited high COD/TN ratios, and the leachate contained high concentrations of lipids. Following three-phase (oil-water-solid) separation, the oil recovery rate could reach over 98%. Anaerobic digestion of each ton of food waste from the four regions generated approximately 70 to 80 Nm³ of biogas, while simultaneously producing liquid digestate accounting for 69% to 80% of the total mass and solid digestate accounting for 2.7% to 3.6%. However, the annual continuous production of digestate was not aligned with the seasonal demand for land use, thereby restricting the pathway for resource utilization. Converting food waste into an external carbon source can significantly enhance its resource utilization efficiency, with the economic benefits increasing by more than 203% compared to the methanogenesis pathway. The selection of the carbon source production technology route should be comprehensively determined by taking into account factors such as the specific nitrogen removal requirements of the target wastewater treatment process, the quality requirements for the carbon source products, and the substitution rate of commercial carbon sources.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3948-7
High-performance thermoelectric materials are typically narrow-band gap semiconductors. Here, by decoupling charge and heat transport in BaZrS3 with a band gap of about 1.9 eV, we made the emerging chalcogenide perovskite a high-performance thermoelectric material with only earth-abundant elements. Our first-principles calculations indicate that the high ionicity of BaZrS3 renders the electrons to propagate mainly through the Zr-4d orbitals, so that isovalent alloying Se on S sites minimally affects its charge transport while effectively suppressing lattice thermal conductivity. Using a flux-assisted solid-state method, we synthesized single-phase BaZrS3(1−x)Se3x samples with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25. As an indicator of decoupled charge and heat transport, the electron mobility is found barely degraded with increasing Se content, while the thermal conductivity is significantly reduced from 2.07 to 0.99 W m−1 K−1 at room temperature. This results in a record-high ZT of 0.81 at 750 K, a value never achieved for materials with band gaps greater than 1.5 eV, and the highest among all perovskite materials. Our work not only underscores the potential of wide band gap semiconductors as high-performance thermoelectric materials, but also demonstrates the strategy of decoupling the charge and heat transport for enhancing their thermoelectric performance.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3915-8
Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based antibiofilm therapy is limited by short ROS lifetime, restricted diffusion, and biofilm barriers. We designed a bacteria-targeted piezoelectric heterostructure (U-B/F) comprising boronic acid-functionalized UiO-66(Hf) (U-B) and carboxylated fullerene (C70-COOH). Boronic acid groups enable selective bacterial binding. Under ultrasound (US), the Z-scheme heterojunction enhances piezoelectric response and charge separation, amplifying sonocatalytic ROS generation. Fullerene acts as a peroxidase mimic, converting endogenous H2O2 into cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Additionally, favorable band alignment allows US-induced electron transfer from bacteria to U-B/F, disrupting bacterial electron transport and energy metabolism. Transcriptomic profiling confirmed bioenergetic collapse and oxidative stress. In vitro, U-B/F achieved 99.99% elimination of planktonic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 92.41% removal of mature biofilms. In MRSA-infected diabetic mice, U-B/F under US irradiation accelerated wound healing by eradicating infection, alleviating inflammation, and promoting tissue regeneration. This work provides a rational strategy for designing multifunctional nanomaterials integrating bacterial targeting, dual ROS catalysis, and electron transfer interference to combat biofilm-associated infections.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202608008
Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), including caproate and caprylate, are promising biobased products with high energy density, hydrophobicity, and chemical conversion value, serving as key intermediates linking organic waste valorization to circular economy development. Compared to conventional anaerobic digestion for methane, chain elongation (CE) via reverse β-oxidation (RBO) converts short-chain intermediates (e.g., acetate, lactate, ethanol) into higher-value carboxylic acids, offering a novel route for resource recovery from sewage sludge, food waste, agricultural residues, livestock manure, and high-strength organic wastewater. However, natural mixed-culture CE systems face constraints from substrate composition fluctuations, electron donor competition, methanogenic carbon diversion, insufficient product selectivity, product toxicity, and high separation costs, hindering stable, efficient, and targeted MCFA production. This review systematically summarizes the metabolic mechanisms, artificial regulation strategies, and engineering bottlenecks in CE-based MCFA production, emphasizing directed recovery of carbon and electron resources from organic wastes. Future directions include stable continuous-flow operation, product separation and recovery, techno-economic assessment, and life cycle evaluation. The review aims to provide insights for high-value organic waste utilization and synergistic optimization of carbon and energy recovery.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4334-9
Piezoelectric materials underpin modern electromechanical energy conversion, serving as critical components in sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters. Their performance is intrinsically governed by the piezoelectric coefficient, yet optimizing this property remains challenging due to the profound influence of diverse microscopic structures. This review systematically examines three fundamental crystalline architectures—perovskite, wurtzite, and fluorite—and critically analyzes performance optimization strategies tailored to each structure. We explore five principal modification approaches: defect engineering, elemental doping, heterostructure film fabrication, composite film design, and buffer layer incorporation, with emphasis on the underlying physical mechanisms that drive property enhancements. By providing a cross-structural comparison, this review establishes clear structure–property relationships, offering a foundational guide for material selection and design. Furthermore, we highlight the implications of these advanced materials for next-generation applications in energy harvesting and smart devices. Finally, we present a forward-looking roadmap, outlining emerging research directions and addressing key technical challenges to guide the development of next-generation high-performance piezoelectric materials.