SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4267-y
The synthesis of two-dimensional MBenes from MAB-phase ceramics is impeded by uncontrolled etching kinetics that compromise structural integrity and yield. This study introduces a vacuum molten salt strategy to regulate space-charge accumulation during the selective removal of Al from Mo2AlB2, producing honeycomb-like architectures. The vacuum environment suppresses oxidative side reactions and modulates ionic transport, enabling precise control over etching depth and morphology. The resulting Mo2AlB2 exhibits exceptional electromagnetic wave absorption, with a minimum reflection loss of -56.3 dB at 2.4 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth of 6.8 GHz. These metrics surpass conventional etching-derived MBenes by a factor of 2.5 in attenuation capacity. The space-charge-regulated mechanism is elucidated through in situ spectroscopic and computational analyses, revealing that vacancy-induced charge redistribution governs the etching front propagation. This work establishes a scalable route for high-purity MBenes with tailored porosity, addressing critical bottlenecks in energy absorption and catalytic applications. The vacuum molten salt approach eliminates the need for hazardous HF, offering a safer and more environmentally benign pathway for industrial translation.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4471-6
Triplet sensitization, inspired in part by the natural management of triplet-state energy in photosynthetic systems, has emerged as a transformative strategy for overcoming the intrinsic photophysical limitations of photochromic systems driven by direct excitation, including rapid fatigue, inefficient photoconversion, and the stringent requirement for high-energy ultraviolet light. By exploiting triplet excited states and Dexter-type triplet–triplet energy transfer (TET), this strategy enables red-shifted activation and improved switching performance under milder irradiation conditions. This review summarizes recent advances in triplet-sensitized photochromism across two mechanistic platforms, E/Z isomerization (azobenzenes and overcrowded-alkene molecular motors) and electrocyclization (diarylethenes), examining the full range of triplet sensitizers employed to date, from metalloporphyrins, organic chromophores, and semiconductor quantum dots to metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) and charge-transfer complexes (CTCs). Finally, we examine the key challenges of directional control, structural organization, and efficient long-wavelength sensitization, while discuss emerging strategies that may promote triplet-sensitized photochromism as a versatile platform for next-generation photoresponsive materials and light-controlled biomedicine.
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/s40843-026-4447-3
Chargeable photoconductivity, a non-volatile photoresponse phenomenon, was investigated in multiferroic heterostructures comprising Bi0.85La0.15FeO3 (BLFO) and a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas (Q2DEG). Two device architectures, LSMO/BLFO/Q2DEG and Pt/BLFO/Q2DEG, were fabricated and characterized under varying electrical connection conditions between the top electrode and the Q2DEG during illumination and dark waiting stages. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements reveal that the heterostructures exhibit persistent photoconductivity after illumination, with the magnitude and retention dependent on the circuit configuration. Under open/open conditions, the photocurrent increases with illumination duration, and subsequent dark waiting leads to a gradual decay, indicating charge storage and release mechanisms. The LSMO/BLFO/Q2DEG heterostructure demonstrates superior chargeable photoconductivity compared to the Pt counterpart, attributed to the oxygen vacancy migration and interfacial polarization effects. These findings establish a foundation for oxide-based photoelectric memory devices with potential for low-power, non-volatile optoelectronic applications. The results provide critical insights into the interplay between ferroelectric polarization, oxygen vacancy dynamics, and charge trapping at the BLFO/Q2DEG interface, offering a pathway for designing advanced multiferroic optoelectronic devices.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4477-7
The rapid demand for high-energy-density lithium batteries necessitates advanced solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) to overcome the safety and performance limitations of conventional liquid counterparts. Macrocyclic compounds, with their well-defined cavities, programmable binding sites, and tunable self-assembly, have emerged as powerful molecular regulators for designing next-generation SSEs. This review examines recent advancements in macrocyclic compound-based SSEs by categorizing their functions into four fundamental supramolecular regulation paradigms: cation-centered regulation (e.g., crown ethers), anion-centered regulation (e.g., calixarenes and calixpyrroles), channel-dominated transport (e.g., cyclodextrins), and hybrid regulation (e.g., cucurbiturils). We elucidate how these macrocycles precisely control ion coordination, modulate migration dynamics, and reshape interfacial chemistry, leading to enhanced ionic conductivity, improved Li+ transference numbers, suppressed lithium dendrite growth, and superior interfacial stability. While each paradigm offers distinct advantages, the most promising SSEs often leverage synergistic combinations of these strategies. Finally, we highlight the remaining challenges, including synthetic complexity and multi-objective performance trade-offs, and propose future research directions for developing highly efficient and durable macrocycle-based solid-state lithium batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4263-3
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/s40843-026-4272-3
Ruthenium (Ru)-based alloys are promising alternatives to commercial Pt/C catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) owing to their low cost and favorable hydrogen adsorption properties. However, the sluggish water dissociation on Ru catalysts remains a major kinetic bottleneck in alkaline solutions. Herein, we report a rare earth (RE) dilute alloy strategy by incorporating a trace amount of cerium (Ce, ~1 at%) into a RuCu alloy to promote interfacial water activation. The oxophilic Ce sites strengthen H2O adsorption and reduce the energy barrier for water dissociation, thereby accelerating the Volmer step during alkaline hydrogen evolution. Consequently, the RuCuCe catalyst delivers 10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of only 18 mV in 1.0 M KOH and maintains stable operation for over 100 h at 500 mA cm−2 in a membrane electrode assembly. In situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and pH-dependent measurements verify the facilitated Volmer process induced by Ce incorporation. Temperature-dependent analysis further shows that the apparent activation energy decreases from 47.4 kJ mol−1 for RuCu to 26.4 kJ mol−1 for RuCuCe, consistent with enhanced water dissociation kinetics. This work establishes RE dilute metal alloys as an effective platform for boosting the intrinsic activity of Ru-based alloy catalysts, in which RE incorporation promotes water dissociation while inducing charge redistribution in the alloy matrix.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4269-4
Self-assembled molecular interlayers (SAMs) are promising hole-selective contacts for high-efficiency organic solar cells (OSCs) due to their well-defined energy alignment and minimal parasitic absorption. However, their intrinsically limited mechanical robustness often leads to structural degradation and performance loss under mechanical deformation, restricting their application in flexible devices. Here, we report a nanoparticle-reinforced self-assembled composite interface that simultaneously enhances mechanical reliability and optoelectronic performance. Uniformly dispersed SiO2 nanoparticles are introduced as high-modulus reinforcing building blocks without disturbing molecular self-assembly. In contrast to NiOx nanoparticles, which suffer from aggregation and parasitic absorption, SiO2 nanoparticles exhibit excellent dispersion and optical transparency, enabling formation of a structurally compatible hybrid interface. Mechanistic studies reveal that SiO2 nanoparticles redistribute interfacial stress and form dynamic hydrogen-bond networks with phosphonic acid groups of 2PACz, providing efficient energy dissipation during cyclic deformation. Meanwhile, modulation of interfacial polarity extends the crystallization time window of the active layer, resulting in enhanced molecular ordering and improved charge transport. As a result, devices based on the SiO2/2PACz composite interface achieve a power conversion efficiency of 20.14% for rigid devices and 19.30% for flexible devices, placing the flexible devices among the highest-performing flexible OSCs reported to date, while retaining over 90% of their initial efficiency after repeated bending cycles. This work establishes a general strategy for overcoming the trade-off between electronic selectivity and mechanical robustness in ultrathin self-assembled molecular interfaces, providing design insights for high-performance flexible organic optoelectronics.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4260-5
Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are recognized as a leading candidate for next-generation energy storage due to their high theoretical specific capacity (1675 mAh g⁻¹). However, the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) severely limits cycle life and energy efficiency. Here, we report a multi-interface engineering strategy employing a MnO₂-TiO₂@Ti₃C₂ MXene (MT@MX) heterojunction, synthesized via a facile redox reaction between MXene and KMnO₄, to modulate bidirectional polysulfide conversion. The 2D structure with high conductivity and abundant heterogeneous interfaces facilitates fast ion/electron transfer, reduces reaction energy barriers, and enhances adsorption via d-band center effects. The stepped built-in electric field (BIEF) in MT@MX lowers the migration energy barrier of LiPSs from catalytic MXene to TiO₂ and then to adsorptive MnO₂, enabling reversible migration across multi-interfaces. Optimized heterointerfaces synergistically integrate adsorption, diffusion, and catalytic conversion, yielding excellent cycling stability even at a high sulfur loading of 6.4 mg cm⁻². This work demonstrates that constructing heterojunctions with stepped BIEF offers a feasible approach to modulate interfacial diffusion and provides a new design strategy for high-performance LSB electrocatalysts.
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/s40843-026-4239-2
The sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains a bottleneck for efficient water splitting. NiFe-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are promising OER catalysts, but their performance is often limited by the high-spin state of Fe3+ and poor structural stability. Here, we report a series of amino acid-intercalated iron-rich NiFe-LDHs (AA-NiFe-LDHs) synthesized via a facile one-step coprecipitation method. Intercalation of glycine, alanine, and valine into the interlayer galleries expands the interlayer spacing and induces a partial transition of Fe3+ from high-spin to low-spin state, as confirmed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The low-spin Fe3+ enhances the intrinsic catalytic activity by optimizing the adsorption energy of oxygen intermediates. Among the series, the glycine-intercalated sample (Gly-NiFe-LDH) exhibits the best OER performance in 1.0 M KOH, with an overpotential of 240 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 38 mV dec−1, significantly outperforming the pristine NiFe-LDH (280 mV, 52 mV dec−1). Moreover, Gly-NiFe-LDH shows excellent long-term stability, retaining 95% of its initial activity after 24 h of chronopotentiometry at 10 mA cm−2. The intercalation also increases the electrochemically active surface area by 2.3-fold and reduces the charge transfer resistance from 12.5 Ω to 4.8 Ω. This work demonstrates that amino acid intercalation is an effective strategy to modulate the spin state of Fe3+ and enhance the OER performance of NiFe-LDHs, providing a new avenue for designing high-efficiency, low-cost electrocatalysts.
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/s40843-026-4176-y
Three-photon microscopy (3PM) in the near-infrared-III (NIR-III) window (1600–1840 nm) enables high-resolution visualization of cerebral vasculature in vivo, but its imaging depth and quality are limited by the performance of fluorescent probes. Here, we report a probe optimization strategy transitioning from mirror symmetry to centrosymmetry, yielding a highly symmetric aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecule, T4PQ. The centrosymmetric structure aligns donor-acceptor units, promoting uniform electron cloud delocalization and directional charge transfer, which enhances exciton formation and suppresses non-radiative decay, thereby increasing fluorescence quantum yield. This symmetry also boosts the three-photon absorption cross-section by enhancing electron delocalization and transition dipole moment, enabling stronger nonlinear optical responses under long-wavelength excitation. T4PQ nanoparticles (T4PQ NPs) exhibit an enhanced three-photon absorption cross-section, high fluorescence quantum yield, and excellent photostability. In murine models, T4PQ NPs achieved three-dimensional cerebrovascular imaging at a depth of 1785 μm and real-time hemodynamic observation in microvessels at 1006 μm depth, with good biocompatibility. These results validate the advantage of centrosymmetric molecular design for deep-brain imaging probes, offering a high-performance tool for neurovascular research.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4366-1
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved remarkable power conversion efficiencies, yet their operational stability remains a critical bottleneck for commercialization. Strain at the buried interface, induced by thermal expansion mismatches and lattice distortions during annealing, is a major contributor to performance degradation. This work introduces a meltable additive-enabled liquid medium annealing (LMA) strategy to dynamically regulate strain in situ. By employing a liquid medium that melts at elevated temperatures, the annealing process provides a compliant environment that alleviates residual strain at the buried interface. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark-field imaging reveal improved interfacial contact and reduced lattice distortion. Modulus mapping indicates enhanced mechanical uniformity, while molecular dynamics simulations corroborate the strain-relief mechanism. The d-spacing variation of the (001) facet upon heating at 85 °C is significantly suppressed, indicating superior thermal stability. Under diurnal cycling (12 h maximum power point tracking at 85 °C and 12 h dark at room temperature), the target devices exhibit enhanced stability, retaining a higher fraction of their initial performance compared to controls. This work underscores the importance of phase engineering during annealing and opens a new avenue for strain management in perovskite photovoltaics and beyond.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3828-y
The rapid development of halogen-free solvent-processed organic solar cells (OSCs) has been enabled by side-chain modification on small molecular acceptors, yet the structure-property relationship between inner/outer chain lengths and device performance remains unclear. This study systematically investigates five non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) with varied side-chain positions and architectures, clarifying the effects of inner versus outer modifications on energy level distribution, film morphology, and carrier dynamics. Notably, longer alkyl chains are not always superior; excessive solubility reduces molecular packing order. The optimized PM6:BTP-TO12 blend achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.2%. Furthermore, ternary OSCs incorporating BTP-TO12 as a guest material reach a remarkable PCE of 19.5%, enhancing the performance of L8-BO-based devices processed with green solvents. This improvement is attributed to the low energy loss and well-controlled aggregation behavior of BTP-TO12 in environmentally friendly toluene. These findings establish a design guideline for side-chain engineering in green-solvent-processed OSCs, achieving state-of-the-art performance and advancing scalable, eco-compatible photovoltaic technologies.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3691-9
Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has significantly advanced NIR light sources, yet creating NIR emitters with optimal luminescence properties, high thermal stability, and adjustable emission peaks remains a critical challenge for future smart NIR devices. Here, we introduce a chemical unit cosubstitution strategy by incorporating Ca2+ and Sn4+ ions into the garnet structure. Through this approach, Y3−yCayGa4.95−ySnyO12:0.05Cr3+ (y = 0–1) phosphors were developed by modulating the A&C ligands, resulting in emission centers ranging from 708 to 768 nm. The modified local environment of Cr3+ accounts for the increased light intensity (2.71 times) and broadening observed. Furthermore, this study investigated the impact of varying Cr3+ concentrations (Y2.6Ca0.4Ga4.6−xSn0.4O12:xCr3+) on the production of high-performance phosphors. Compared with Y3Ga4.93O12:0.07Cr3+, the optimized phosphor exhibited exceptional external quantum efficiency (EQE = 34.96%). The luminescence enhancement is attributed to an increase in radiative transitions caused by octahedral Jahn-Teller distortion, whereas the notable thermal stability (91.3% at 423 K) is attributed to the presence of weak electron-phonon coupling (EPC) and oxygen vacancy (OV) defects. Finally, by combining it with a 450 nm blue LED chip, we constructed a near-infrared phosphor-converted LED (NIR pc-LED) device with superior electroluminescence efficiency (18.8% @ 100 mA), increasing the ultralow quenching rate (< 5% intensity loss after 30 days of operation) and demonstrating remarkable performance in plant lighting applications.
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/s40843-025-3588-2
The rapid evolution of aerospace technology necessitates the development of multi-functional composites that combine light weight, mechanical robustness, thermal protection/insulation, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. C/SiC porous ceramic composites are promising for thermal protection in hypersonic vehicles. Here, we report a facile strategy to fabricate Cf/SiC composite polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) via re-pyrolysis of high-energy ball-milled polycarbosilane-vinyltriethoxysilane-graphene oxide (PVG) with Cf/SiC(rGO)p blend interleaves. In-situ generated honeycomb-like cellular structures and non-directional channels reduce density and increase porosity. High-quality SiO2 joints, formed from Si-dangling bonds, strengthen interfacial bonding via a brazing effect, while in-situ SiOC nanowires (SiOCnws) create a hierarchically enhanced network, improving fracture toughness and crack resistance. Multi-scale interfacial/dipole polarization enhances EMI shielding. The optimized Cf(0.2)/SiC(rGO) composite exhibits low density (1.49 g cm−3), high fracture toughness (6.32 MPa m1/2), hardness (7.18 GPa), compressive strength (72.67 MPa), and EMI shielding effectiveness of 58.31 dB. It maintains structural stability under butane blowtorch ablation at ~1300 °C for 3600 s. Porous variants show thermal conductivity of 0.211 W m−1 K−1 with 69.74% porosity. These multi-functional composites are promising for thermal protection systems in aerospace applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3698-5
The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a critical bottleneck in next-generation sustainable energy systems due to its sluggish kinetics. Developing cost-effective, high-efficiency electrocatalysts requires understanding the dynamic structural evolution at electrode-electrolyte interfaces under operating conditions. In situ techniques are invaluable for identifying active centers and monitoring key intermediates. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in cutting-edge in situ methods for characterizing OER electrocatalyst structure evolution. It provides a brief overview of active motifs and robust structures using multiple in situ correlative techniques, establishing essential structure-performance relationships and updating mechanistic understanding at atomic scale under realistic conditions. Key challenges and perspectives are highlighted to promote rational design of promising electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen-associated electrocatalysis and electrosynthesis.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3575-4
Halide perovskite memristors, known for their ion mobility, have emerged as strong candidates for computational units in next-generation memory and neuromorphic computing systems. Nevertheless, most memristors are limited to operating in a single mode, either resistive switching or threshold switching. In this work, we overcome this limitation by developing dual-mode α-formamidinium lead triiodide (α-FAPbI3) perovskite memristors with switchable volatile/nonvolatile states, enabled by engineered SnO2 electron transport layers (ETLs). Through molecular interface optimization using 3-(N,N′-dimethylmyristylammonio) propanesulfonate (Z14) and 4,4′-(1,10-phenanthroline-3,8-diyl)bis(N,N′-bis(4-methoxyphen-yl)aniline) (PNL), we achieved exceptional device stability. Volatile devices exhibited >500 switching cycles, while nonvolatile devices surpassed 1000 cycles, both maintaining a high on/off ratio (~10^3). Beyond memory applications, these devices successfully emulated biological functionalities. The volatile mode replicated four key nociceptor characteristics (threshold, relaxation, sensitization, and no adaptation), while the nonvolatile mode demonstrated advanced synaptic plasticity, including paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) and spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). Capitalizing on this dual-mode synergy, we constructed a spiking neural network (SNN) for handwritten digit recognition, achieving a 93% accuracy rate—a significant milestone for perovskite-based neuromorphic systems. This study not only provides a material-level strategy for multifunctional memristor design but also bridges the gap between biological sensing and artificial intelligence, paving the way for adaptive neuromorphic hardware.
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/s40843-025-3860-0
Drug detection is critical for public health and security, yet reversible and highly sensitive sensing materials remain scarce. This study presents a novel ionogel sensor material, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA)/1-butyl-3-methylimidazole tetrafluoroborate, for reproducible detection of N-methylphenylethylamine (MPEA), a structural analogue of methamphetamine. The ionogel is fabricated by immobilizing a flowable ionic liquid within a PEGDA network via UV curing, preserving ionic mobility for efficient conduction. Integrated on a flexible poly(ethylene naphthalate) substrate, the sensor exhibits over 72.6% transmittance in the visible spectrum, enabling concealed attachment. Utilizing non-covalent interactions, the sensor achieves reproducible MPEA detection at sub-ppb levels at room temperature, with a theoretical detection limit of 317 ppt. It demonstrates high selectivity and consistency. Ionic conductivity was confirmed via current-voltage tests and impedance spectroscopy, and the sensing mechanism was clarified. The device maintains reliable performance under bending, indicating suitability for dynamic environments. With Bluetooth integration for wireless data transmission, the sensor shows strong potential for practical, discreet drug monitoring in real-world applications.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3707-8
Wound infection is a major cause of death during the wound healing process. Improperly dressed wounds can lead to secondary injury, prolonging healing time and increasing infection risk. Here, we propose an antibacterial slippery dressing through molecular engineering of copper ions. The oil layer forms a barrier to reduce clot adhesion to the wound site and prevent environmental contamination. Single-cell level detection indicates that secreted copper ions induce bacterial death not only by disrupting membrane integrity but also by relying on the production of reactive oxygen species. Further membrane depolarization and adenosine triphosphate production blockage result in the aggregation of important proteins in various biological processes, such as metabolic homeostasis, ultimately leading to bacterial death. The animal model confirms that our dressing accelerates wound healing by promoting the growth of granulation tissue and collagen deposition. Our dressing demonstrates significant clinical implications for the design of next-generation therapeutic applications.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61068-2
The poor interface contact between bismuth (Bi) nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) impedes ion/electron transfer in lithium-ion battery anodes. We report an innovative fabrication of ultrafine Bi nanocrystals chemically bonded to rGO (Bi-rGO) via liquid-phase pulsed laser irradiation followed by solvothermal reaction with graphene oxide. Metastable Bi nanocrystals synthesized by laser (5.5 nm) undergo lattice restructuring and shrink to a record-small size of 2 nm during solvothermal combination, the smallest reported for Bi/C composites. The Bi nanocrystals are uniformly anchored onto rGO nanosheets via strong Bi–O–C bonds, which suppress particle aggregation, establish efficient ion/electron transport channels, and alleviate volume expansion during lithiation. The Bi-rGO-2 anode, comprising 2 nm Bi nanocrystals, delivers an exceptional reversible capacity of 586.7 mAh g−1 over 500 cycles at 100 mA g−1, nearly doubling that of a Bulk Bi/rGO composite anode (318 mAh g−1). Theoretical calculations confirm higher binding energy between Bi and rGO at smaller particle sizes, while kinetic analysis reveals accelerated Li+ diffusion. This work provides a scalable route to high-performance alloy anodes through metastable nanocrystal engineering and covalent interface coupling.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3689-9
Converting body heat into electricity presents an appealing route for sustainably powering wearable electronics; however, conventional thermoelectric materials face significant drawbacks, including high ionic concentrations, toxicity, and limited thermoelectric efficiency. Here, we report an ionic thermoelectric hydrogel designed through precise supramolecular chemistry, utilizing dual molecular interactions: host-guest complexation of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) with I3− ions and hydrogen bonding between polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer chains and I3−. This molecularly tailored approach markedly amplifies thermoelectric performance, achieving a high thermopower of 2.21 mV/K and a tenfold enhancement in peak power output at an exceptionally low iodine concentration (10 mmol/L I− + 2.5 mmol/L I3−). The hydrogel maintains excellent biocompatibility and mechanical robustness, suitable for direct skin contact. Demonstrated applications include flexible thermoelectric devices generating nearly 100 mV from body heat and sensor arrays capable of motion and spatial temperature sensing. These results underscore the substantial potential of supramolecularly designed ionic thermoelectric hydrogels for wearable energy harvesting, personalized healthcare monitoring, and advanced human-computer interfaces.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3736-8
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are porous crystalline materials assembled from organic building blocks via strong covalent bonds, offering well-defined pores, high surface area, and tunable properties for applications in gas storage, separation, catalysis, sensing, and energy conversion. However, conventional solvothermal synthesis requires high temperatures, long reaction times, and complex procedures, hindering scalability and increasing costs. Additionally, COFs are typically obtained as microcrystalline powders, limiting their direct use in flow processes. To overcome these barriers, a novel solid-state hot-pressing method was recently reported, enabling rapid synthesis of COF platelets with high crystallinity and porosity. This method involves applying pressure and heat simultaneously, reducing the energy barrier for monomer reactions and facilitating layer growth and stacking, as confirmed by density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations. The approach demonstrated versatility by synthesizing 15 distinct COFs, including imine-, hydrazone-, β-ketoenamine-, and imide-linked frameworks, a three-dimensional COF (COF-300), and a mixed-monomer COF, all within 0.5–5 minutes. Notably, a free-standing COF platelet of 200 cm² was fabricated, showcasing scalability. This strategy addresses the trade-offs among synthetic convenience, product quality, environmental impact, and scalability, positioning COFs for commercial viability.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61069-4
Four-directional dual-matrix C/C composites were fabricated from PAN-based carbon fibers using a combined approach of soft-hard hybrid weaving preform molding, chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) of pyrolytic carbon (PyC), and high-pressure impregnation and carbonization of pitch-derived carbon. The ablation resistance was evaluated in a dual-pulse solid rocket motor, and the ablation behavior was investigated. The carbon rods, formed by twisting and carbonizing fiber bundles, exhibited a hexagonal cross-section, surrounded by a dense PyC 'wall' structure. The linear ablation rates after pulse I and pulse II were 0.068 mm/s and 0.113 mm/s, respectively. A cellular-like PyC layer and nanowire structures were deposited on the surface of the throat convergent section during the post-combustion cooling phase, while cracks and delamination occurred on and within the divergent section. The ablation process involved ultra-high temperatures, high-speed gas scouring, oxygen-containing thermochemical ablation, and thermal shock. This work elucidates the ablation behaviors under dual-pulse conditions and provides technical guidance for designing C/C composites for extreme environments.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507064
This study investigates pollutant removal characteristics and kinetic behaviors in sewage networks, and analyzes their impact on the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N, as COD/TN) of influent to wastewater treatment plants. Source water quality sampling at drainage outlets revealed spatial and temporal variations in C/N, with domestic sewage exhibiting higher C/N than industrial sewage, and diurnal peaks reaching 6.92 versus 4.71 during off-peak hours. Using a pilot-scale adjustable sewage network system in Kunshan, experiments were conducted under high (0.491 m·s−1) and low (0.089 m·s−1) flow velocities, monitoring pollutant removal over 144 hours. Pseudo-first-order kinetics were applied to model COD and TN removal. Results showed that COD (including SCOD and PCOD), BOD5, and SS achieved approximately 80% removal within 144 h, with higher removal at low flow velocity. TN, NH3-N, and TP exhibited lower overall removal rates. Kinetic fitting revealed that COD removal rate constants (kCOD) were significantly higher than those for TN (kTN), and both decreased with increasing flow velocity: at low velocity, kCOD=0.0167 h−1 and kTN=0.0029 h−1; at high velocity, kCOD=0.0127 h−1 and kTN=0.0020 h−1. Simulations based on actual source pollutant concentrations indicated that the time for C/N to drop to the denitrification critical value of 4.50 was 12.24 h at high velocity, but shortened to 9.49 h at low velocity. These findings demonstrate that increasing flow velocity effectively retards the decline of C/N. Therefore, regulating network flow velocity to reduce hydraulic retention time is a key strategy for maintaining adequate C/N at the terminal and ensuring denitrification efficiency in wastewater treatment plants.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507085
This study investigates the spatiotemporal differentiation of suspended particulate matter (SPM) characteristics, sources, and their impacts on water quality between the Middle Route (closed artificial channel) and East Route (open natural water system) of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Thirty sampling sites (13 on the Middle Route, 17 on the East Route) were established, and samples were collected during dry and wet seasons. Water quality parameters and SPM characteristics were analyzed, including particle size distribution, total suspended solids (TSS), chlorophyll a, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes. Results show that the Middle Route maintains good and stable water quality, with SPM dominated by coarse particles (>63 μm, 61.43%–94.68%), total phosphorus (TP) <0.01 mg·L−1, and a significant positive correlation between chlorophyll a and coarse particles (r=0.60), indicating algal aggregation dominates particle formation. In contrast, the East Route exhibits high and fluctuating nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, with SPM dominated by fine particles (<20 μm, 51.26%–88.61%), TP ranging from 0.03 to 1.11 mg·L−1, and a positive correlation with fine particles, suggesting significant external inputs. Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis reveals that Middle Route SPM primarily originates from autochthonous algae (contribution >46.75%), while East Route SPM is influenced by both terrestrial C3 plants and algae. The distinct engineering and management approaches of the two routes lead to significant differences in SPM characteristics and sources, thereby affecting water quality dynamics. The Middle Route requires an 'algal reduction and hydrodynamic optimization' strategy to control algal-derived coarse particle deposition, whereas the East Route benefits from 'retention-sedimentation and wetland purification' to reduce external fine particles and pollutant inputs. This research provides theoretical support and practical guidance for differentiated SPM management in long-distance water diversion systems.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507062
The construction of predictive models for the recurrence of blackening and odor in urban water bodies has become a critical foundation for refined management of urban water environments. Based on water quality monitoring data from 16 cities in the Yangtze River Basin from 2020 to 2023, this study systematically evaluated six typical comprehensive index calculation methods and proposed a probabilistic prediction model for water blackening and odor recurrence centered on the VIKOR composite index. Through sampling analysis and literature review, a power-law relationship between transparency (y) and turbidity (x) was established (y = 3.12x−0.66), leading to a critical turbidity threshold of 46.9 NTU for blackening and odor. Using ANOVA, recursive feature elimination, and random forest, five indicators—turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), total phosphorus (TP), permanganate index (CODMn), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N)—were selected as the model's indicator system, with importance ranking: turbidity > DO > TP > CODMn > NH3-N. The VIKOR composite index exhibited the most robust mapping relationship with blackening probability, achieving high accuracy (RMSE = 0.029, MAE = 0.020) and consistency (NSE = 0.918, R2 = 0.918), whereas models based on other indices yielded R2 values below 0.84. The model demonstrated good predictive performance across the Yangtze, Pearl, Haihe, and Yellow River basins. This model offers a universal decision-making tool for precise identification, early warning, and targeted management of water blackening and odor recurrence, with potential integration into urban water smart platforms.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202506020
The rotary kiln roasting of lepidolite for lithium extraction faces challenges of unstable lithium conversion rates and high energy consumption. To address this, a multi-objective optimization method coupling improved neural network simulation with a multi-objective genetic algorithm was proposed, targeting the synergistic optimization of lithium conversion rate (TRLi) and natural gas consumption intensity (EIng). Using long-term industrial time-series data of batching parameters and kiln operating variables, back-propagation (BP) neural network and its particle swarm optimization (PSO) improved variant were developed to model TRLi and EIng. The PSO-BP model demonstrated superior accuracy in capturing the complex nonlinear relationships, reducing mean absolute percentage errors (MAPE) to 0.278 and 0.284 for TRLi and EIng, respectively. Subsequently, the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) was employed to construct a multi-objective optimization model, yielding a Pareto-optimal set of process parameters that maximize TRLi and minimize EIng. The results revealed that under NSGA-II optimized conditions, TRLi could be stabilized between 82.45% and 87.96%, an average increase of 3.61 percentage points over baseline operations, while EIng could be reduced to 53.7 m3 per ton of clinker. For an annual processing capacity of 3.2×105 tons of lepidolite concentrate and sulfate mixture, this corresponds to an additional 127.1 tons of lithium metal recovery, a reduction of 1,964,912 m3 in natural gas consumption, and a decrease of 3,763.84 tons in CO2 emissions annually. This study provides theoretical and technical support for the green, high-quality, and low-carbon supply of critical raw materials for the lithium battery new energy industry.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507027
Ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) is a common water pollutant that can induce eutrophication and threaten aquatic ecosystems and human health. Accurate monitoring is essential for water safety. This study applied a self-developed gas-permeable membrane-based conductivity sensor (GPMCS) for real-time in-situ monitoring of NH3-N in two water bodies. In the Qunying River (surface river water), GPMCS captured concentration fluctuations linked to pump operations and sewage intrusion, with mean inlet and outlet concentrations of 4.67 and 3.42 mg/L, respectively. In Swan Lake (landscape aquaculture water), concentrations reached up to 11.16 mg/L, with site means of 6.42 and 7.04 mg/L, influenced by aquaculture activities, weather, and location. GPMCS results correlated strongly with national standard methods (r1=0.8132, r2=0.7483), confirming accuracy and reliability. Compared to existing techniques, GPMCS offers high selectivity, strong anti-interference, portability, no sample pretreatment, low cost, and environmental friendliness, making it suitable for long-term in-situ monitoring. This technology provides robust support for sustainable water environment management.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507051
This study investigated the dynamic characteristics and recovery of ammonia emissions from a growing-finishing pig house in Yanshi District, Luoyang City, Henan Province, China. High-sensitivity electrochemical sensors and an ammonia absorption recovery device were employed for continuous monitoring and treatment of exhaust air. The results revealed periodic fluctuations in ammonia emission concentrations, strongly correlated with indoor temperature and humidity. Over the entire monitoring period, the average daily ammonia concentration in exhaust air was 9.852 mg·m−3, below the national emission limit of 25 mg·m−3. However, during high-temperature periods (>30 °C), localized concentrations reached 38.36 mg·m−3. Humidity, particularly from spray cooling, temporarily suppressed ammonia volatilization, but its effect was modulated by temperature. Total ammonia emitted during the study was 1380.4 kg, with an average per-pig emission rate of 0.034 kg·d−1. After treatment with the exhaust gas absorption device, the average daily ammonia concentration dropped to 0.437 mg·m−3, achieving a mean recovery efficiency of 93.5%. These findings demonstrate that controlling environmental factors and employing external air absorption devices can significantly reduce ammonia emissions, offering a viable pathway for mitigating nitrogen pollution from livestock operations and promoting resource recovery.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507057
This study presents a novel electrochemical sensor for the rapid detection of trace lead ions (Pb(II)) in water, utilizing a rod-shaped bismuth-based electrode. The electrode was fabricated by modifying a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with basic bismuth nitrate [Bi6O5(OH)3](NO3)5·3H2O, synthesized via a chemical precipitation method. The sensor was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), confirming the rod-like morphology and composition. Electrochemical detection was performed using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in a 0.1 mol·L−1 NaAc-HAc buffer (pH 4.3). The sensor exhibited a linear detection range for Pb(II) from 1 to 90 μg·L−1, with a detection limit of 0.34 μg·L−1 and a sensitivity of 106 μA·(μmol·L−1)−1. The electrode demonstrated excellent anti-interference capability and reproducibility. Recovery tests in real water samples (tap water and campus lake water) yielded high recovery rates, indicating practical applicability. This work provides a simple, cost-effective, and reliable method for monitoring trace Pb(II) in environmental water, particularly relevant for public swimming pools and similar aquatic facilities.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025121602
This study characterized the body burden of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in a physical examination population in Shenzhen and evaluated its impact on thyroid function. Serum samples from 368 residents were analyzed for eight PBDE congeners using atmospheric pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (APGC-MS/MS). The median concentration of ∑8PBDEs was 10.2 ng·g⁻¹ lipid weight (lw), ranging from 0.13 to 2089.4 ng·g⁻¹ lw, with BDE-209 predominating (59.7% of total). Multiple linear regression revealed that a 1.7-fold increase in serum BDE-153 was associated with a 0.4% increase in free triiodothyronine (FT3) (P<0.05), while a 1.7-fold increase in BDE-183 was associated with a 0.9% decrease in total triiodothyronine (T3) and a 0.7% decrease in FT3 (P<0.05). Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) indicated a negative correlation between mixed PBDE exposure and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) at high exposure levels. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression showed that mixed exposure was associated with decreased T3 levels and T3/FT3 ratio, with BDE-153 and BDE-183 as the primary contributors. These findings suggest that PBDE exposure may adversely affect thyroid function and disrupt thyroid hormone homeostasis, with BDE-183 and BDE-153 playing key roles. This study provides a scientific basis for PBDE health risk assessment and thyroid protection.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024112104
Carboxyl-modified polystyrene microplastics (PS-COOH) are negatively charged particles formed by surface oxidation and functional group modification of polystyrene microplastics (PS), widely used in biomedical and analytical chemistry. However, studies on their neurotoxic effects on aquatic organisms are scarce. This study employed zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism, exposing embryos to environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, 100 μg·L−1) of PS and PS-COOH. Neurotoxic effects were assessed by measuring tail coiling frequency at 24 hpf and swimming velocity under alternating light/dark cycles at 120 hpf. Results demonstrated that both PS and PS-COOH induced neurotoxicity, with PS-COOH significantly reducing tail coiling frequency and average swimming speed compared to PS (P<0.05). Exposure to 10 μg·L−1 PS-COOH disrupted neurotransmitter homeostasis, altering levels of acetylcholine (ACh), serotonin (5-HT), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Transgenic zebrafish Tg(huc:EGFP) fluorescence assays revealed that PS-COOH (0.1–100 μg·L−1) caused damage to central neurons. These findings indicate that PS-COOH exposure impairs cholinergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic neurotransmission, induces neuronal damage, and exerts neurotoxic effects on zebrafish larvae. This study provides a theoretical basis for assessing the ecological and health risks of modified microplastics.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024092906
Microplastic pollution in rivers and lakes has become a research hotspot, yet studies in Anhui Province have predominantly focused on northern and central regions, leaving southern Anhui under-investigated. This study addresses that gap by examining the Xin'an River in Huangshan City, a typical river in southern Anhui. Surface water and sediment samples were collected in December 2023. In surface water, microplastic concentrations ranged from 350 to 3700 n·m−3, with particles of 0–0.5 mm dominating (33.93%). Fibrous shapes were most prevalent (59.83%), and colored particles accounted for 50.27%. In sediments, concentrations ranged from 25 to 200 n·kg−1, with 0–0.5 mm particles again dominant (49.63%). Fibers comprised 47.08% of sediment microplastics, and white particles accounted for 34.74%. Polymer analysis identified polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the most abundant material (36.61%), followed by polyamide (PA) (23.22%). Source analysis suggests that fibrous microplastics originate primarily from fiber-based products such as clothing, home textiles, and fishing nets. These findings provide essential baseline data for water resource management, pollution assessment, and ecological remediation of the Xin'an River.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024083002
Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for human health, and dietary intake through Se-rich crops is the primary route. However, total soil Se content does not directly reflect the bioavailability to plants, which depends largely on soil available Se. This study, conducted in Shipai Town, Longshan County, Hunan Province, used 1:50,000 land quality geochemical survey data to investigate factors influencing the Se bioaccumulation coefficient in maize kernels. Soil pH, CaO, and MgO were identified as significantly positively correlated with the bioaccumulation coefficient and were selected as proxies for soil available Se. A random forest (RF) model was developed to predict maize grain Se content and assess the feasibility of cultivating Se-rich maize in low-Se farmland. Results showed that although soil Se was deficient, 53.64% of maize grain samples met the Se-rich product standard (0.02–0.30 mg·kg−1). Compared with multiple linear regression, the RF model exhibited higher accuracy and reliability. The RF model predicted that 40.91% of farmland in the study area is suitable for natural Se-rich maize cultivation, representing a 25.86% increase over the area identified by soil total Se alone. This study provides a novel methodological framework for planting natural Se-rich maize in Se-deficient regions, validating the potential for such cultivation.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024112703
This study investigated air pollution and associated health risks in two underground parking garages located in educational and commercial districts of Nanjing, China. Concentrations of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were monitored. NMHC levels ranged from 0.35–0.55 mg·L−1 (as C) in Garage A and 0.36–1.75 mg·L−1 (as C) in Garage B, peaking during evening rush hours. A total of 23 VOC species were identified, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, dichloromethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane. Benzene series compounds constituted over 90% and 70% of total VOCs (TVOCs) in Garages A and B, respectively. Daily average TVOC concentrations were 146.0 μg·m−3 (weekday) and 49.7 μg·m−3 (weekend) in Garage A, and 2398.1 μg·m−3 and 3401.6 μg·m−3 in Garage B. Maximum CO concentrations reached 10.1 mg·m−3 and 12.6 mg·m−3, exceeding the Chinese indoor standard of 10 mg·m−3 (1-h). NOx levels also exceeded standards. Non-carcinogenic hazard indices (HI) were 0.03 and 0.18, below the EPA threshold of 1. However, carcinogenic risks reached Level II and III, with primary contributors being benzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, and naphthalene in Garage A, and ethylbenzene, benzene, and 1,2-dichloroethane in Garage B. The findings indicate potential health threats to garage users, necessitating enhanced ventilation and exposure mitigation.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024120203
Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) oxidation is a promising technology for organic pollutant removal in water due to its low cost and broad pH applicability. However, its moderate oxidation capacity results in slow degradation rates for refractory organic compounds. Carbon materials (CMs), known for their accessibility, stability, and environmental compatibility, have shown great potential in enhancing KMnO4 oxidation. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements on the enhancement of KMnO4 oxidation of organic pollutants by CMs. The performance and suitability of various CMs in improving KMnO4 oxidation were systematically compared. Additionally, two key mechanisms driving the degradation of organic pollutants in the KMnO4/CMs system were elucidated, along with a discussion on the recycling and regeneration of CMs. Finally, future research directions and development trends for this technology were outlined, aiming to offer insights to advance the practical application of KMnO4/CMs system in water treatment.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024112102
Based on the 2022 activity data of non-road mobile sources in Hebei Province, this study employed the emission factor method recommended by the Guidelines to estimate emissions of CO, HC, NOx, PM2.5, PM10, and SO2. A comprehensive emission inventory was established, followed by spatial and uncertainty analyses. Scenario analysis, aligned with the 14th Five-Year Plan policies, was used to project emissions for 2030. The results indicate that non-road mobile sources in Hebei emitted 76.1×10^3 t of CO, 20.6×10^3 t of HC, 164.0×10^3 t of NOx, 8.5×10^3 t of PM2.5, 9.0×10^3 t of PM10, and 2.4×10^3 t of SO2. Agricultural machinery was the dominant contributor to CO, HC, PM2.5, and PM10, accounting for over 60.0% of CO emissions. Railway locomotives were the primary source of NOx, contributing 50.9%. For SO2, agricultural machinery and railway locomotives contributed 39.0% and 44.4%, respectively. The highest emitting cities were Tangshan (21.3%), Shijiazhuang (15.7%), Cangzhou (11.6%), and Handan (11.6%). Ship emissions were concentrated in Tangshan Port; civil aviation emissions were mainly in Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Qinhuangdao, and Handan; railway emissions were distributed in Shijiazhuang, Baoding, and Handan. Under the updated emission standard scenario, NOx and PM10 emissions in 2030 could be reduced by approximately 35.0%. The phase-out of old machinery yielded the largest reduction in CO (36.0%), while both electrification and phase-out scenarios significantly impacted HC emissions.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2024102403
The rapid combustion of soot at low temperatures is critical for diesel engine cold-start emission control. This study investigates the effects of water vapor (H2O) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) on electricity-pulse-sparked catalysis (EPSC) for soot combustion over a ceramic filter paper-based potassium-supported antimony-doped tin oxide (K/ATO/CP) monolithic catalyst. Under EPSC with 2000 J pulses, the presence of H2O and NOx adversely affected soot combustion performance, yet average reaction rates remained high at 12.0 μmol·gcat−1·s−1 and 9.53 μmol·gcat−1·s−1, respectively, exceeding conventional thermal catalysis (<8 μmol·gcat−1·s−1). In situ Raman and concentration profiles revealed that electricity pulses promote rapid H2O desorption, effectively alleviating H2O poisoning and restoring catalyst activity. In contrast, NOx adsorption forms stable nitrates (e.g., KNO3) that desorb slower than the soot combustion process, leading to incomplete recovery of activity. These findings highlight the importance of adsorbate desorption kinetics in EPSC and suggest that using weakly basic alkaline-earth metals (e.g., Mg, Ca, Sr) with lower nitrate decomposition temperatures could mitigate NOx poisoning. The results provide guidance for advancing EPSC technology in hybrid vehicle exhaust aftertreatment systems.
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.
The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225188
Driven by the urgent demand for green and low-carbon technologies, the development of high-performance and cost-effective rare-earth free permanent magnets has emerged as a key research focus for sustainable energy and advanced electronic applications. Among various candidates, M-type strontium ferrites have attracted considerable attention due to their excellent thermal stability, high magnetocrystalline anisotropy, and abundant raw material availability. In this study, Sr0.41La0.36Ca0.23Fe11.8Co0.2O19 was selected as the base system, and a series of samples were synthesized via a solid-state reaction combined with high-energy ball milling. The synergistic effects of varying CeO2/La2O3 mass ratios (0:10 to 10:0) and pre-sintering temperatures (1150-1200°C) on the microstructure and magnetic properties were systematically investigated. Microstructural analyses revealed that moderate Ce substitution effectively induced controlled lattice distortion and promoted densification, which inhibited abnormal grain growth and refined the microstructure. Such structural modulation not only enhanced domain wall pinning but also improved magnetocrystalline anisotropy, leading to a remarkable increase in coercivity. Magnetic measurements confirmed that the composition with a CeO2/La2O3 mass ratio of 2:8 and pre-sintered at 1180°C achieved the most balanced magnetic performance, exhibiting enhanced coercivity, sufficient remanence, and stable saturation magnetization. This work provides new insights into the cooperative effects between rare-earth doping ratios and thermal processing parameters, clarifying how lattice defects, grain boundary characteristics, and microstructural evolution collectively govern the magnetic properties of M-type ferrites. The findings establish a practical strategy for tailoring the microstructure-property relationship in rare-earth free permanent magnets, opening an optimized processing window for scalable fabrication of environmentally friendly, high-performance ferrite materials.
The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225246
The development of efficient catalyst classification technologies is crucial for optimizing fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and catalytic pyrolysis coupling processes, where distinct particle size distributions are required for different reaction pathways. In this study, a large-scale cold-model experimental platform of a multi-arm vortex separator is established to explore the influence of operating conditions on classification behavior. Systematic experiments are conducted by changing ejection gas velocity (8~20 m/s), inlet particle concentration (30~70 g/m3), and bed linear velocity (0.15~0.25 m/s). The results demonstrate that ejection gas velocity governs classification sharpness by controlling the entrainment of fines within the coarse fraction. The increase in ejection gas velocity enlarges the upward axial gas velocity inside the device, thereby enhancing the entrainment effect on particles near the vortex arm outlets. Increasing the ejection gas velocity from 12 to 16 m/s reduces proportion of fine particles in coarse components from 14% to 12%. The inlet particle concentration imposes competing effects on classification performance: while higher concentrations promote agglomeration and modify turbulence distribution, excessive loading intensifies fine-particle entrainment, thereby diminishing classification selectivity. The system maintains stable pressure drop characteristics under different bed linear velocities, with the pressure drop increasing by maximum of about 15% when the bed linear velocity is raised from 0.15 m/s to 0.25 m/s. Analysis of grade efficiency curves reveals classical S-shaped profiles with cut sizes (dc50) shifting under different operating regimes. Higher particle concentrations reduces dc50, favoring fine-particle removal, while higher ejection gas velocities enlarge dc50, moving the classification boundary toward larger sizes. These findings confirm the synergistic effect of ejection gas velocity and inlet concentration, highlighting that rational parameter matching can simultaneously improve efficiency and selectivity. Beyond the experimental findings, this work emphasizes the broader applicability of multi-arm vortex separators in refining and petrochemical processes. By enabling precise adjustment of particle size distribution, the system offers a promising pathway for enhancing catalyst utilization, extending catalyst lifetime, and facilitating process intensification in coupled FCC-pyrolysis units.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4054-x
The sluggish kinetics and high onset potentials of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode of alkaline water/seawater electrolyzers limit overall energy efficiency. Noble-metal oxides like RuO2 are active but suffer from high cost, agglomeration, and dissolution under oxidizing potentials, especially in chloride-rich electrolytes where competing chloride oxidation reaction (ClOR) occurs. Here, we report a mild two-step dry-wet milling strategy to achieve throughout lattice doping of F− into MnO2 (F-MnO2) and subsequent anchoring of atomically dispersed Ru via Ru–O/F hybrid bonds. The strengthened Mn 3d–O/F 2p hybridization and negative charge shielding of surface F− enhance OER activity/selectivity relative to ClOR and impart superior Cl− tolerance and corrosion resistance. The resulting F-Ru-MnO2-TH electrocatalyst exhibits overpotentials of 280 mV and 200 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline water and simulated seawater, respectively. It retains ~100% of initial activity after 200 h continuous operation in alkaline media and >95% after 300 h in simulated seawater, significantly outperforming Ru-MnO2 and commercial RuO2. This work provides a scalable route to durable, high-performance OER catalysts for seawater electrolysis.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3646-1
Repairing cartilage defects requires biomaterials with mechanical properties similar to native cartilage. However, balancing these properties with biodegradability remains a major challenge. In this study, a degradable antibacterial hydrogel with promising mechanical characteristics was developed for personalized cartilage defect repair. The hydrogel was synthesized using chitosan and gelatin via microcrystallization and gelation, combined with chemical crosslinking facilitated by epichlorohydrin. This method significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of the material, with compressive modulus of the optimal group reaching 0.2 MPa and tensile strength reaching 2.2 MPa, which are comparable to those of human cartilage. The hydrogel maintained its integrity after 50000 compression cycles. With excellent flowability prior to crosslinking, it can adapt to complex cartilage defects. The inclusion of gentamicin provides antibacterial properties, while nano-hydroxyapatite promotes osteogenesis. This hydrogel, with its multiple crosslinking mechanisms, balances mechanical strength, biodegradability, and adaptability, offering a promising solution for repairing infected cartilage defects.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509035
Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is an economical and efficient technology, yet its application has been largely confined to sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). This study introduces a novel continuous-flow self-circulating upflow granular sludge bed (Zier) process with separate aeration for treating real domestic wastewater. By regulating operational parameters, the nitrogen removal performance and granular sludge stability were investigated. Under hydraulic retention time of 10 h, self-circulation times of 29–58, and upflow velocity of 11–18 m·h−1, effluent NH4+-N and TN averaged (5±3.4) mg·L−1 and (10±2.8) mg·L−1, respectively, with COD at (30±6.2) mg·L−1. The process maintained sludge stability: mixed liquor suspended solids increased from 5,080 to 6,650 mg·L−1, mean particle size was 209.6 μm, and sludge volume index (SVI) remained at 50–60 mL·g−1. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) increased from 26.05 to 68.27 mg·g−1, with proteins (PN) rising from 21.26 to 59.44 mg·g−1 and polysaccharides (PS) from 4.79 to 8.82 mg·g−1, elevating the PN/PS ratio from 4.4 to 6.7. These results confirm that the Zier process preserves granular structure and function in continuous flow. The process demonstrates robust nitrogen removal and offers a novel approach for continuous-flow AGS applications in real wastewater treatment.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202506084
Groundwater is a vital drinking and irrigation source in the loess regions of northwestern China. In Guyuan, a densely populated area in southern Ningxia, systematic assessments of groundwater pollution risks are lacking. This study collected 60 groundwater samples and employed the Nemerow index, heavy metal pollution index (HPI), and health risk assessment models to evaluate pollution levels and health risks of eight elements including Cr, As, and Hg. Results show that the groundwater is generally Class IV quality, with a mean TDS of 1350.9 mg·L−1. Average concentrations of As, Cr, and Mn are 4.39, 29.87, and 45.77 μg·L−1, respectively. The Nemerow index indicates moderate pollution. The mean HPI is 10.56, but a local sample (PS1-51-下) reaches 36.15, indicating severe pollution. Health risk assessment reveals that carcinogenic risks from Cr and As for adults and children are 8.037×10−6 a−1 and 3.863×10−6 a−1, respectively, below US EPA limits but above recommended levels by Swedish and Dutch agencies, with children at higher risk. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes and principal component analysis suggest that groundwater is primarily recharged by atmospheric precipitation. Cr, Zn, and Mn mainly originate from regional copper ore belts, coal mining, and agricultural activities. This study fills a gap in multidimensional groundwater assessment in populated loess areas, identifies pollution characteristics distinct from typical loess regions, and provides a scientific basis for regional water resource risk management and sustainable development.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025011303
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are persistent organic pollutants with environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity, posing significant threats to marine ecosystems and human health. This study developed an analytical method using anhydrous sodium sulfate-alumina composite column chromatography coupled with gas chromatography-orbitrap mass spectrometry to quantify mono- to deca-BDEs in coastal seawater of Dalian, China. The total PBDE concentrations (∑PBDEs) ranged from not detected to 511.96 pg·L−1, with a mean of 163.96 pg·L−1. BDE-209 was the dominant congener, contributing 24.1% to ∑PBDEs. Spatial distribution exhibited distinct heterogeneity, with higher abundances of highly brominated PBDEs near sewage discharge outlets. Partial least squares discriminant analysis indicated that anthropogenic activities, particularly sewage discharge, were the primary sources. Ecological risk assessment revealed extremely low risk, with the highest risk quotient of 0.013 for BDE-17. These findings provide baseline data for PBDE contamination in Dalian coastal waters and underscore the need for continued monitoring of emerging contaminants.
The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225241
Amid the global pursuit of carbon neutrality, the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into high-value-added aromatics represents a critical frontier in sustainable chemistry. This process offers the dual benefit of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while establishing a non-petroleum route for the production of indispensable platform chemicals. However, the practical realization of CO2 conversion is hindered by formidable challenges originating from the thermodynamic stability of CO2 and the kinetic challenges in C-C bond formation. This review provides a critical and comprehensive analysis of recent progress on CO2 hydrogenation to aromatics, focusing on the development of catalyst design, reaction kinetics, and reactor engineering, with the goal of accelerating industrial application. The two dominant reaction pathways, i.e., the methanol-intermediate and the olefin-intermediate routes, are summarized and progress in the design of efficient multifunctional catalysts for each pathway is given. A key point in bifunctional catalyst development is the challenge of balancing the synergy and separation of hydrogenation sites and acidic aromatization active sites. Synergy is crucial for driving the reaction equilibrium forward by rapidly consuming intermediates, whereas separation, often achieved through sophisticated architectures like core-shell structures, is vital for preventing deactivation, such as the migration of alkaline promoters into the zeolite (the aromatization component). Also, this review analyzes the kinetic modeling progress proposed for this complex, multi-step reaction system. For the initial CO2 conversion step, the authors highlighted the evolution of kinetic models, particularly the ongoing efforts to accurately quantify the critical water inhibition effect in methanol synthesis. For the subsequent aromatization stage, this review critically compares two distinct modeling strategies: the use of lumping models, which simplify the reaction network for robust engineering simulations, and the single-event microkinetic (SEMK) models, which offer profound mechanistic insights by considering elementary reaction steps. Furthermore, it is pointed out that these kinetic models serve as indispensable inputs for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, which guide the design, optimization, and scale-up of industrial reactors. These simulations can address practical engineering challenges such as thermal management to control hotspots and fluid dynamics to mitigate excessive pressure drop. By systematically bridging the conceptual gap from atomic-level catalyst design to macro-scale reactor optimization, this review provides theoretical guidance aimed at accelerating the engineering scale-up of this vital carbon utilization technology.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202605019
The utilization of food waste as a fermentation substrate can effectively reduce the substrate cost of lactic acid production industrialization, and synergistic fermentation with leachate could promote lactic acid production. However, the effect of magnesium ions in leachate on lactic acid production, metabolic processes, and key functional bacterial communities remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of adding magnesium ions on lactic acid fermentation using food waste as substrate. Results showed that the optimal magnesium ion dosage was 750 mg/L, achieving a lactic acid yield of (37.4±0.5) g COD/L and L-lactic acid optical activity of (96.3±0.9)%. Mechanistic studies revealed that magnesium ions accelerated substrate dissolution, significantly enhanced the activities of key hydrolytic enzymes (α-glucosidase, amylase, protease) and L-lactic acid producing enzymes, thereby increasing hydrolysis and lactate production rates. Simultaneously, the relative activity of lactate-consuming enzymes decreased, slowing lactate consumption. At 750 mg/L Mg2+, the relative abundances of Enterococcus and Streptococcus were 65.0% (2.2 times the Blank) and 18.7% (37.8% of the Blank), respectively, with a total of 83.7%, enhancing lactic acid yield and L-lactic acid optical activity. Metabolic pathway prediction and functional gene analysis further indicated that magnesium ions increased the relative abundance of carbohydrate metabolism pathways and genes encoding lactate dehydrogenase. This study provides technical support for food waste resource utilization.
The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225264
The high cost of high-purity hydrogen necessitates the utilization of low-cost industrial by-product hydrogen as an alternative gas source to reduce hydrogen storage costs. Industrial by-product hydrogen typically contains impurities such as H2S and CO, yet the poisoning mechanisms of these gases on superlattice hydrogen storage alloys during hydrogen absorption/desorption remain poorly understood. This study systematically investigates the poisoning effects and regeneration behavior of La0.65Mg1.32Ca1.03Ni9Y0.17 superlattice hydrogen storage alloy in atmospheres containing 10^-3 H2S and CO. The experimental protocol comprised 10 poisoning cycles followed by 1 regeneration, repeated to total 20 poisoning cycles and 2 pure hydrogen regenerations. Results show that in pure hydrogen, the alloy's hydrogen storage capacity gradually decreases after 22 cycles but is effectively restored after dehydrogenation at 473 K. In the presence of impurity gases, the hydrogen storage capacity retention rates after 10 poisoning cycles with H2S and CO are 3.56% and 2.71%, respectively; after 20 cycles, these decrease to 3.68% and 1.73%, respectively. After dehydrogenation at 473 K, retention rates recover to 40.35% and 98.27%, respectively. This indicates that poisoning severity follows the order CO > H2S, while regeneration difficulty follows H2S > CO. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that after poisoning, the main phase transforms from AB3 to AB3H, but reverts to AB3 after high-temperature dehydrogenation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that after H2S poisoning, CaS and CaSO4 form on the alloy surface, indicating irreversible chemical adsorption. In contrast, after CO poisoning, no new substances are detected, indicating reversible adsorption. This study clarifies the differentiated poisoning mechanisms of impurity gases and provides theoretical support for the application of rare-earth superlattice hydrogen storage alloys in complex atmospheres.
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/s40843-025-3992-y
Two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit excellent electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, yet precise control over chiral 2D materials remains a significant challenge. This work introduces asymmetric side chain engineering to prepare helically grooved poly(3,5-disubstituted phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) and investigates the effect of their asymmetric contour on tailoring 2D nanostructures. Post-polymerization modification of a common platform polymer efficiently produced a series of rigid helical PPAs with varying alkyl side chain lengths while maintaining identical degrees of polymerization and distribution. Increasing side chain asymmetry yielded anisotropic hexagonal platelets with progressively higher aspect ratios, whereas symmetric side chains formed regular 2D hexagonal sheets. Notably, the largest side chain asymmetry generated supramolecular structures with distinct chiral vortices. Computational simulations elucidated different self-assembly mechanisms, revealing that vortex-like assemblies are kinetically stabilized rather than thermodynamically stable. All 2D assemblies exhibited significantly enhanced circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) compared to discrete polymer solutions, with dissymmetry factors (g_lum) reaching as high as 0.1. This work establishes side chain asymmetry as a crucial factor for programming supramolecular chirality and opens new avenues for developing advanced chiroptical materials.
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/s40843-025-3928-4
Circularly polarized afterglow (CPA) materials provide an advanced optical signature to light emission, offering great potential for advanced photonic technologies. However, practical implementation remains challenging due to the lack of satisfactory performance, that is, high luminescence dissymmetry factor (g_CPA), long visualization time, and good processability. Here, we develop processable, full-color CPA materials composed of cholesteric liquid crystal polymers (CLCPs) and inorganic phosphors embedded in polymers, achieving a high g_CPA value of up to 0.74 and a long visualization time of 7 min. The materials are constructed with a bilayer structure comprising CLCPs and inorganic luminophors such as Y2O2S:Eu,Mg,Ti, SrAl2O4:Eu,Dy, and Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu. The CLCPs are synthesized from polymerizable liquid crystal monomer RM257, chiral dopants R/S5011, dipropylamine, photoinitiator Irgacure 651, cross-linker PETMP, and chain extender. The resulting materials exhibit excellent circularly polarized optics, enabling the implementation of circular polarization differential imaging (CPDI), where images are generated by subtracting two images captured through left- and right-handed circularly polarized filters. This work demonstrates the unique application of CPA in imaging, opening a new pathway for the use of purely inorganic solid-state luminophors in chiral functional materials.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3742-5
Nematic liquid crystal elastomers (NLCEs) exhibit excellent mechanical properties and diverse deformation modes, while cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs) as photonic crystals (PCs) possess superior optical performance and intelligent response characteristics. Combining these two elastomers into a monolithic material is a challenging yet promising endeavor. Here, we designed and synthesized a new diselenide-bonded molecule (DSeAc), whose lower bond energy between selenium atoms endows it with excellent bond exchange ability. Consequently, two LCE matrices containing DSeAc molecules can achieve seamless bonding under mild conditions via dynamic diselenide bond exchange. By integrating a CLCE film and an NLCE actuator into a monolithic film, we enable the integration of two functional components, whose functional characteristics can be tailored as required. This function block combination strategy offers a promising pathway for developing smart materials with complex functions, showing great potential in information storage, anti-counterfeiting, and biomimetics.
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.202510013
To investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of nutrients and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in Dongping Lake, a coupled hydrodynamic-water quality-ecological model was developed using Delft3D. The model simulated total nitrogen (TN), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N), total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), and Chl-a. After validation, the model systematically analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns and influencing factors, revealing nitrogen and phosphorus transformation pathways. Results showed three temporal phases: relatively stable concentrations from January to April, significant fluctuations from May to August, and gradual stabilization from September to December, with peak timing varying among indicators. Spatially, concentrations were generally higher in the south and lower in the north, but NH4-N, TP, and Chl-a exhibited reverse patterns (higher in north) during certain periods. External inputs, primarily from the Dawen River, dominated the overall distribution, while water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and hydrodynamic conditions further modulated internal variability. Nitrogen and phosphorus showed distinct fates: nitrogen was primarily removed via denitrification and anammox, whereas phosphorus tended to transform into particulate forms and remained in the lake for extended periods. These findings provide scientific support for precise water quality management in Dongping Lake.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509124
To reveal the spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanisms of water quality in the Hanjiang River Basin, this study utilized monthly water quality monitoring data from 54 sections from January 2021 to April 2024. Methods including single-factor index, comprehensive water quality index (WQI), principal component analysis (PCA), and optimal parameters-based geographical detector (OPGD) were employed. Results indicated significant spatiotemporal differences, with total nitrogen (TN), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and permanganate index (CODMn) as major pollutants, TN being the most critical. Temporally, agricultural non-point source organic pollution dominated in wet season, while comprehensive organic pollution with industrial point source characteristics prevailed in dry season. Spatially, water quality deteriorated along the main stream, with tributary downstream areas showing severe pollution, forming a pattern of 'mountainous areas good, plains poor'. OPGD revealed combined effects of natural conditions and human activities, proposing a 'zonal control and targeted treatment' strategy.
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.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60652-4
The performance of industrial zeolite catalysts, exemplified by fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts, is governed by microscopic behaviors including mass transfer, acidity, and coking. Conventional characterization techniques such as XRD, N2 physisorption, and TPD provide bulk-averaged or static ex situ information, failing to resolve dynamic processes under realistic reaction conditions. Recent advances in super-resolution fluorescence imaging enable nanoscale visualization of these key processes. This review systematically summarizes three critical applications: (1) Mass transfer diffusion: heterogeneous diffusion of reactant molecules within hierarchical pore networks is revealed, quantifying diffusion barriers and tortuosity. (2) Acid site accessibility: nanoscale localization of acid sites and their accessibility is achieved, correlating with catalytic activity. (3) Coking behavior: spatiotemporal evolution of coke species is identified, linking coke precursors to deactivation. The review elaborates how super-resolution imaging deepens understanding of fundamental catalytic mechanisms, providing theoretical support for rational design of high-performance catalysts through pore structure optimization, acid site regulation, and coking suppression. Current challenges and future directions are discussed, emphasizing the need for in situ correlation with catalytic performance.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60635-4
A Cu-based carbon catalyst (H-Cu/C) with octahedral morphology was synthesized by pyrolyzing the metal-organic framework (MOF) precursor HKUST-1 under inert N2 atmosphere. Characterization via XPS, XRD, SEM, and HRTEM revealed that Cu(0) nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in a carbon matrix, with island-like Cu2O structures serving as active sites. The carbon matrix effectively stabilized the metal nanoparticles, suppressing migration and sintering during reaction. Combined with TEMPO and using molecular oxygen as a green oxidant, the H-Cu/C catalyst exhibited high efficiency in the selective oxidation of aromatic alcohols to corresponding aldehydes under alkali-free conditions. Using benzyl alcohol as a model substrate, an alcohol conversion of 99.2% and a benzaldehyde yield of 94.1% were achieved under mild conditions (100 °C, 0.5 MPa O2, 1 h). The catalytic system demonstrated excellent universality for various mono- and ortho/para-disubstituted aromatic alcohols, affording conversions over 99% and aldehyde yields above 95%. The catalyst could be regenerated via H2 reduction and reused without significant loss of activity. This work provides a new strategy for designing green and efficient non-noble metal catalytic systems for oxidation reactions.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025022301
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a typical perfluorinated compound, has been restricted from production and use due to its adverse effects on organisms and ecosystems. It has been replaced by various emerging alternatives, including 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (6:2 FTSA). Recently, 6:2 FTSA has been widely detected in aquatic environments; however, studies on its toxicity to aquatic organisms remain limited. To compare the toxic effects of PFOS and 6:2 FTSA on aquatic organisms, zebrafish embryos were exposed to each compound for 72 h. Toxic effects were evaluated, and alterations in endogenous metabolites and metabolic pathways in zebrafish embryos were analyzed using metabolomics. The study demonstrated that both PFOS and 6:2 FTSA induced malformations in zebrafish embryos, with 61 and 33 endogenous differential metabolites identified respectively, predominantly involving lipids and amino acid derivatives. PFOS induces immunotoxicity primarily by disrupting lipid metabolism pathways, thereby interfering with normal embryonic development. In addition, 6:2 FTSA exhibited neurotoxicity by affecting metabolic pathways such as dopaminergic synapses. This study elucidates the differential metabolic responses induced by PFOS and 6:2 FTSA in zebrafish embryos, providing a theoretical basis for assessing the health risks of PFOS alternatives.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025021902
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) ultrafiltration membranes are widely used in water treatment, yet their anti-fouling performance remains a challenge. In this work, PAN was first reacted with sodium azide via click chemistry to synthesize 1,2,3,4-tetrazolium polyacrylonitrile (PAN-N). Subsequently, PAN-N was reacted with iodoacetamide (IAM), 2-iodoethanol (IH), iodoacetic acid (IA), and chlorosulfonic acid (CSA) to introduce hydrophilic groups, and anti-fouling PAN ultrafiltration membranes were fabricated via phase inversion. The membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and contact angle measurements. Results showed that the PAN-N membrane exhibited superior performance to pristine PAN, with water flux increasing from 0.9233 to 1.232 L·(m2·h·kPa)−1 and bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection from 69.23% to 82.4%. Hydrophilic modification further enhanced performance; the PAN-N-IA membrane achieved the highest water flux of 1.7347 L·(m2·h·kPa)−1 and rejection of 93.57%. Anti-fouling tests revealed that modified membranes followed the order: PAN-N-CSA > PAN-N-IA > PAN-N-IH > PAN-N-IAM > PAN-N > PAN. PAN-N-CSA and PAN-N-IA showed comparable anti-fouling performance, with total fouling indices of 56.1% and 58.47%, reversible fouling indices of 47.17% and 46.97%, and irreversible fouling indices of 8.97% and 11.47%, respectively. This work demonstrates that PAN-N-IA membranes combine high flux, high rejection, and excellent anti-fouling properties, making them promising for water treatment applications.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025081103
Nitrous acid (HONO) is a critical precursor of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) in the atmosphere, influencing oxidative capacity and secondary pollutant formation. However, model simulations often underestimate HONO concentrations, and its role in nitrate formation remains unclear. This study investigates a typical winter haze episode in Guangzhou (January 2021, peak PM2.5: 243.0 μg·m−3) using observational data and a box model to quantify HONO sources and assess their impact on ·OH and particulate nitrate. HONO concentrations increased from (1.0±1.0) μg·m−3 during clean periods to (9.2±3.8) μg·m−3 during polluted periods, while nitrate rose from (6.4±3.4) to (43.3±20.0) μg·m−3 (6.8-fold). Incorporating seven additional HONO sources improved simulated daytime HONO from (0.3±0.1) to (6.5±2.3) μg·m−3, matching observations. Source apportionment showed direct vehicle emissions dominated (49.7%), followed by heterogeneous photosensitized reaction of NO2 on aerosol surfaces (23.0%), ground surface reaction (10.7%), and nitrate photolysis (8.7%). With optimized HONO, simulated daytime ·OH increased from (0.6±0.3)×10^6 to (1.5±0.8)×10^6 molec·cm−3 (1.2-fold), and nitrate production via ·OH+NO2 increased from (3.4±1.2) to (15.3±8.5) μg·m−3·h−1 (3.5-fold). The simulated-to-observed nitrate ratio improved from 21% to 81%. Sensitivity tests indicated that setting nitrate photolysis enhancement to 100 times gaseous nitric acid yielded better HONO and nitrate simulations. This study underscores the importance of refining HONO sources for accurate simulation of atmospheric oxidation and nitrate formation, aiding pollution control strategies.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025100102
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants of concern in China, and drinking water is a major exposure pathway. This study investigated 17 PFAS in surface water from 12 drinking water sources along the Hubei section of the Yangtze River mainstream during dry, normal, and wet seasons. Total PFAS concentrations ranged from 10.84 to 41.05 ng/L (dry), nd to 62.60 ng/L (normal), and 6.77 to 29.00 ng/L (wet). Predominant compounds were PFBS, PFOA, PFHxA, PFBA, and PFOS. Lake-type sources exhibited significantly higher concentrations than river-type sources, and dry and normal seasons showed higher levels than wet season. Compared to other Chinese sources, PFAS levels in Hubei were moderate, with fluorochemical plant inputs and population density as likely influencing factors. Ecological and health risk assessments indicated acceptable risks. In four selected water supply systems, PFAS distribution from source to tap was examined; PFOA, PFBA, PFHxA, and PFBS were dominant, and secondary water supply did not significantly introduce or remove PFAS. Health risks from tap water were within acceptable limits.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606007
Cobalt-aluminum spinel metal oxides derived from hydrotalcite were synthesized via hydrothermal, coprecipitation, and sol-gel methods, and their catalytic performance for NO oxidation was systematically evaluated. Characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), O2 temperature-programmed desorption (O2-TPD), H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the synthesis method significantly influences the surface Co2+/Co3+ ratio, which in turn modulates the formation of surface oxygen vacancies. The hydrothermally synthesized catalyst (CoAlO-H) exhibited the highest density of surface oxygen vacancies, leading to enhanced adsorption and activation of gaseous oxygen and superior NO oxidation activity compared to coprecipitation (CoAlO-C) and sol-gel (CoAlO-S) counterparts. Mechanistic studies using NO-TPD, NO+O2-TPD, and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (in situ DRIFTS) identified nitrates as key intermediates. Notably, CoAlO-C and CoAlO-S followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism, whereas CoAlO-H operated via both L-H and Mars-van Krevelen (MvK) mechanisms. The exceptional performance of CoAlO-H is attributed to its abundant surface oxygen vacancies, high surface oxygen mobility, and low decomposition temperature of reaction intermediates. These findings provide a rational basis for designing efficient non-precious metal catalysts for NO oxidation in diesel exhaust aftertreatment.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606005
In the context of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, urban reclaimed water plants must adopt measures such as energy conservation, consumption reduction, and enhanced resource and energy utilization to achieve carbon neutrality. This study developed a carbon emission balance model and accounting method for such plants, incorporating strategies of carbon emission reduction, carbon substitution, and carbon sink. The optimal pathway towards carbon neutrality was evaluated based on the carbon emission balance ratio. Using a 1×10⁵ m³/d urban reclaimed water plant as a case study, the results showed total carbon emissions of 20,934 t CO2e. The carbon emission reduction from reclaimed water source heat pumps for heating and cooling was 21,701 t CO2e, yielding a carbon emission balance ratio of 103.7%. In contrast, other carbon reduction measures contributed 15,424 t CO2e, with a balance ratio of 73.7%, highlighting the pivotal role of reclaimed water source heat pumps. When the heat pump extracted 27% and 36% of residual thermal energy, coupled with reclaimed water reuse or sludge anaerobic digestion-cogeneration, respectively, both pathways achieved a 100% balance ratio. Assuming year-round extraction, the balance ratio reached 213%. The carbon reduction ratio between utilizing residual thermal energy and chemical energy was 8.76:1. This study demonstrates that urban reclaimed water plants can achieve carbon neutrality through multiple pathways, with residual thermal energy recovery exhibiting significant potential.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606003
Membrane separation technology, offering high separation efficiency, low energy consumption, and operational flexibility, is promising for lithium recovery. However, selective lithium extraction from complex matrices such as salt lake brines and battery leachates remains challenging. Traditional membrane development relies on empirical trial-and-error, suffering from low efficiency and the permeability-selectivity trade-off. This review systematically delineates machine learning (ML)-based frameworks for membrane material development, including high-throughput rational screening, inverse design of synthesis protocols, and high-fidelity performance prediction. We elucidate how advanced ML algorithms decipher structure-activity relationships at the molecular level, enabling breakthroughs in performance ceilings and guiding bottom-up fabrication of next-generation membranes. Critical challenges are assessed: scarcity of high-quality standardized datasets, limited model interpretability, and poor generalizability to industrial scales. Future directions emphasize physics-informed hybrid models, open-source global databases, and full-process system optimization to bridge laboratory innovation and industrial deployment.
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.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606020
Municipal wastewater treatment plants in China face excessive influent grit loads and carbon source deficiencies, while conventional pretreatment (screening, grit chambers, primary sedimentation) exhibits low fine grit removal and poor carbon retention. A novel swinging ultra-fine screen with a screening precision of 0.1 mm was developed and tested at a pilot scale of 1000 m³/d. Systematic evaluation of screens with apertures from 0.05 to 0.4 mm was conducted, with mechanisms analyzed via particle size distribution, COD fractionation, and fouling layer characterization. The 0.1 mm screen achieved an SS removal efficiency of 89.3%, significantly higher than 57.4% for conventional processes, while COD removal was only 9.5% versus 28.6%, corresponding to a carbon source retention of 93%. The device nearly completely retained particles >0.1 mm and achieved >98% removal for particles in the 0.075–0.1 mm range. Performance remained stable under fluctuating COD and SS conditions. A three-stage fouling theory for micro-screens was proposed. This work represents the first application of 0.1 mm screening precision in pretreatment, markedly improving fine grit retention and carbon source preservation, with strong resilience to water quality variations.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3820-5
Two novel N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-based ligands featuring rigid boron-oxygen (BO) fused-ring units, named Bpmi and Bpmb, and the two corresponding homoleptic meridianal iridium complexes, namely mer-Ir(Bpmi)3 and mer-Ir(Bpmb)3, were designed and synthesized. Single-crystal structures revealed a meridional coordination geometry for both complexes. Shorter Ir–C carbene bond lengths and rigid planar BO-fused ring units contribute to enhanced stability. Both complexes exhibit efficient green phosphorescence (λem = 536/521 nm in toluene, ΦPL > 78%) with short lifetimes (τ = 846/1083 ns), leading to high radiative rate constants (Kr = 10.04 × 10^5 and 7.29 × 10^5 s−1, respectively). Theoretical calculations indicate significantly increased metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) character (21.69% for mer-Ir(Bpmi)3; 17.30% for mer-Ir(Bpmb)3) compared to reference complexes (13.01% for mer-Ir(pmi)3; 15.99% for mer-Ir(pmb)3). Both complexes exhibit exceptional thermal stability with decomposition temperatures of 491°C (mer-Ir(Bpmi)3) and 540°C (mer-Ir(Bpmb)3). OLED devices using mer-Ir(Bpmb)3 and mer-Ir(Bpmi)3 as emitters demonstrate maximum external quantum efficiencies of 20.0% and 15.6%, respectively. This research pioneers boron-fused ring-containing NHCs and their phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes, establishing a novel design strategy for high-performance NHC-based OLED phosphorescent emitters.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3810-y
Amorphous metal-organic frameworks (aMOFs), with abundant defects and unsaturated coordination sites, are ideal precursors for investigating electrocatalytic reconstruction mechanisms. However, systematic understanding of how different modulation strategies affect reconstruction pathways and final active species remains lacking. Here, an amorphous MOF constructed from 3,4,9,10-pyrene-tetracarboxylic acid (PTA) serves as a controllable precursor to compare doping and alloying effects on structural reconstruction and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Doping promotes preferential reconstruction into Fe-rich (oxy)hydroxides with more exposed active sites, whereas alloying yields Fe-Co mixed (oxy)hydroxides with limited site exposure. The doped system FeCo0.05-PTA exhibits outstanding OER activity in alkaline conditions, with overpotentials of 208 and 248 mV at 50 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively, and a low Tafel slope of 36.2 mV dec−1. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) captures the OOH* intermediate, confirming the adsorbate evolution mechanism. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show the doped system has the lowest free-energy barrier (ΔG = 0.59 eV) at the rate-determining step. This study underscores the decisive role of precursor design, elucidates distinct effects of doping and alloying on reconstruction pathways and final properties of amorphous MOF-derived (oxy)hydroxides, and provides insights for designing related electrocatalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3597-2
Magnetism and electric polarity are fundamental physical phenomena whose coupling gives rise to magnetoelectric (ME) effects. Multiferroics, materials hosting simultaneous ferroelectric and magnetic orders, offer cross-control mechanisms but face inherent incompatibility due to the d0 rule versus partially filled d/f orbitals. Improper ferroelectricity, as in h-YMnO3, circumvents this but yields weak polarization (<10 μC/cm2). Type-I multiferroics like BiFeO3 exhibit strong polarization (~100 μC/cm2) but weak ME coupling. This paper introduces autferroicity, a novel ferroic state where ferroelectric and magnetic orders are mutually exclusive, leveraging their repulsive coupling to achieve field-selective switching and strong ME response. Autferroics encode logic states in the identity of the active ferroic phase, enabling high-contrast, low-crosstalk nonvolatile memory. Their bistable energy landscape, reshaped by strong ME coupling, facilitates true random number generation (TRNG) with reduced energy barriers and higher switching frequencies. Practical realization demands advances in synthesis and phase control. Autferroicity offers a paradigm shift, exploiting ferroic exclusivity rather than coexistence, promising robust bistability and intrinsically strong ME coupling for next-generation devices.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3914-7
Incorporating fluorinated side-chains into M-series acceptors enhances the fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs). However, the impact of fluorinated side-chain positions on charge mobility and photovoltaic performance remains unexplored. Here, we synthesize a partially fluorinated alkyl chain, 7-butyl-1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoro-octyl, and attach it to either the oxygen or nitrogen atoms of the M-series acceptor backbone, yielding two new acceptors, O5F and N5F. Compared to O5F, N5F exhibits closer π-π stacking and higher charge mobility. Consequently, PM6:N5F-based devices achieve a PCE of 18.8% with an FF of 80.7%, surpassing PM6:O5F counterparts (PCE 17.8%, FF 79.2%). The 18.8% PCE is among the highest reported for A-D-A-type small-molecule acceptors. Notably, PM6:N5F devices show significantly improved operational stability, with a T80 lifetime of 1084 hours under one-sun illumination, versus 123 hours for PM6:O5F. This work demonstrates that positioning partially fluorinated side-chains on nitrogen atoms optimizes intermolecular packing and carrier transport, enhancing both efficiency and stability. It underscores the potential of partially fluorinated side-chains in designing high-performance NFAs.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511047
Ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission lines are critical infrastructure for China's energy strategy. Compared with conventional voltage lines, UHV lines exhibit nonlinear growth in resource and capital consumption, complex supply chains, and strong spatiotemporal heterogeneity in carbon emission factors, resulting in substantial and uncertain construction-phase emissions. Accurate accounting is essential for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals in the power sector. To address issues of ambiguous system boundaries, weak characterization of input parameter uncertainty, and poor cross-year applicability of input-output carbon intensities, this study defines the accounting boundary using budget quotas and develops a hybrid life cycle assessment (HLCA) model. For easily traceable emission sources, process-based LCA (PLCA) is applied, with uncertainty analysis via distribution fitting and Monte Carlo simulation. For difficult-to-trace sources, input-output LCA (IO-LCA) is used with carbon intensity correction. A case study of a ±800 kV transmission line yields a construction-phase carbon emission intensity of 1,858.91 t·km⁻¹ (CO₂ equivalent), with a 95% confidence interval of [1,379.73, 2,486.45] t·km⁻¹. Sobol global sensitivity analysis identifies key emission reduction pathways. The method's validity is confirmed by comparison with existing studies, providing quantitative support for low-carbon design, construction optimization, and carbon auditing of UHV projects.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202502081
Coal dust from open-pit mining severely impacts the mining area and surrounding environment, exhibiting significant dynamic changes. However, quantitative assessments of the pollution extent and multi-timescale evolution remain insufficient. Based on the Google Earth Engine platform and Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI/OLI-2 and Sentinel-2 MSI imagery from 2001 to 2024, we retrieved the enhanced coal dust index (ECDI) and coal dust pollution levels. Combined with the mine lifecycle stages, we revealed the temporal and spatial variations of coal dust in the Baorixile mining area. Annual and monthly remote sensing retrievals were stacked to construct multi-year and intra-annual dust impact frequency (DIF) indicators, precisely quantifying the spatial extent and frequency of coal dust pollution. Results show that from 2001 to 2024, the interannual coal dust pollution experienced three stages: fluctuating increase, significant decrease, and stabilization. The average pollution degree peaked at 0.41 in 2010 and remained between 0.18 and 0.22 from 2016 to 2024. The spatial pattern improved, converging from widespread diffusion to the open-pit and bare coal accumulation areas. From 2019 to 2023, intra-annual pollution increased then decreased, with summer most severe, followed by autumn, spring, and winter. Based on annual retrievals, 6 periods of multi-year DIF (2001-2024) were generated at 4-year intervals. The maximum impact range (DIF≥1) first expanded then contracted significantly; the perennial impact area (DIF=4) shifted from the southeast to the central-western open-pit, indicating a notable migration of dust disturbance gravity and effective control. Based on monthly retrievals, 6 periods of intra-annual DIF (2019-2024) were generated at 12-month intervals. The intra-annual DIF showed a gradient decreasing from the core operation area to the periphery. High-frequency zones (DIF≥9) were stably concentrated in the open-pit. The affected area fluctuated downward from 88.14 km² in 2019 to 72.84 km² in 2024. This study provides theoretical and data support for scientifically understanding and monitoring the ecological status of mining areas and formulating dust suppression measures.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509036
Algal-derived phosphorus (P) constitutes a significant fraction in eutrophic lakes, with particulate phosphorus (PP) serving as both a major internal P reservoir and a potential target for P resource recovery. This study proposed a chitosan-coupled electroflotation (CEF) technology for efficient enrichment and recovery of algal-derived P from high-algal water. Using Taihu Lake algae-laden water as the test medium, the effects of chitosan dosage and voltage on the enrichment of different P fractions were systematically evaluated. Results showed that the optimal P enrichment was achieved at a chitosan dosage of 15 mg·L−1, and higher voltages further enhanced the enrichment efficiency. Under optimal conditions, PP accounted for 83.57% of the enriched P, indicating a strong capability for particulate P capture. The mechanism involved chitosan-induced flocculation via charge neutralization and sweep flocculation, while higher voltages increased the positive charge density of chitosan molecules, enhancing charge neutralization and electroflotation. In P release experiments, open conditions significantly promoted the transformation of PP to dissolved P, whereas closed conditions inhibited this process. Additionally, chitosan's antibacterial action and physical retention effectively limited P release. Compared with conventional metal salt coagulants, this method avoids metal ion residues, offering high environmental safety and providing a green and feasible approach for the harmless disposal and resource utilization of algal-derived P in eutrophic lakes.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511004
To address nitrate nitrogen accumulation in aquaculture tailwater, a core-shell encapsulated immobilized denitrifying bacterial capsule containing lychee seed powder and denitrifying activated sludge was developed. The capsule's micro-morphology, bacterial activity recovery, growth, community structure changes, and diffusion coefficient dynamics during acclimation were investigated. The capsule shell exhibited a honeycomb porous structure with an average pore size of (0.25 ± 0.063) μm. Denitrifying bacterial activity recovered rapidly, with nitrate nitrogen removal efficiency stabilizing at 83.61% by day 21. Biomass within the capsules increased progressively, reaching (21.96 ± 0.28) mg·(g-pellet)−1 on day 30. The effective diffusion coefficient decreased with biomass growth, dropping to 0.232 × 10−9 m²·s−1 by day 30. Organic carbon source and encapsulation acclimation environment altered the microbial community structure; after acclimation, dominant genera were Methylobacterium (22.8%), Brevibacillus (18.1%), and Azospirillum (17.3%). Denitrifying bacteria containing nirS- and nirK- genes predominantly belonged to Proteobacteria (>99%). Genera involved in organic carbon metabolism and denitrification, including Bosea, Bradyrhizobium, Rhizobacter, and Alicycliphilus, increased in abundance. The encapsulated denitrifying bacteria exhibited short activity recovery time and excellent denitrification performance, making them suitable for denitrification of aquaculture tailwater or other low C/N ratio wastewater.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202510034
Phosphonate wastewater, characterized by stable C–P bonds, poses significant environmental risks due to its resistance to degradation and potential to contribute to eutrophication. This study developed a chloride-enhanced Fe(II)/PMS/H2O2 system for the oxidative degradation of 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC) and simultaneous recovery of phosphorus as iron phosphate (FePO4). Under optimal conditions (0.1 mmol/L PBTC, 1.0 mmol/L Fe(II), 0.5 mmol/L PMS, 0.5 mmol/L H2O2, 10 mmol/L NaCl, initial pH 3.0, 60 min), total phosphorus (TP) removal reached 100%, with phosphorus nearly completely recovered as FePO4 precipitate. Increasing NaCl concentration and temperature enhanced TP removal, while pH significantly influenced removal efficiency and product speciation; acidic conditions (pH < 4.3) favored FePO4 precipitation. Coexisting Ca2+ and Mg2+ had negligible effects, whereas HCO3− and humic acid (HA) inhibited TP removal in a concentration-dependent manner. Radical quenching and electron spin resonance (ESR) analyses identified hydroxyl radicals (•OH), ferryl ion (Fe(IV)=O), sulfate radicals (SO4•−), and chlorine radicals (Cl•) as primary reactive species, with •OH playing a dominant role. Chloride introduction promoted the generation of multiple reactive species, and Cl• and its derivative Cl2•− directly attacked the C–P bond and phosphonate group, facilitating phosphorus release as PO43− and subsequent FePO4 formation. The system's feasibility was validated using actual industrial circulating cooling water. This study provides a novel approach for phosphonate wastewater treatment and phosphorus recovery.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60638-X
The extensive emission of greenhouse gases, primarily CO2 and CH4, has contributed to intensified global warming. Dry reforming of methane (DRM, CH4 + CO2 → 2CO + 2H2) offers a pathway for the synergistic utilization of these two major greenhouse gases, presenting important implications for both environmental protection and energy sustainability. However, the catalysts still face challenges such as carbon deposition and sintering of active metals, which adversely affect the catalytic performance and long-term stability. Oxygen vacancies, which are common lattice defects in metal oxides, have been demonstrated to improve the DRM performance by modulating the surface and interfacial properties of the catalysts. This review systematically summarizes research progresses in DRM over the past decade, outlines the major challenges and emphasizes the critical roles of oxygen vacancies in suppressing carbon deposition and inhibiting metal sintering. Furthermore, the mechanisms through which oxygen vacancies influence DRM reactions are discussed, combined with their formation pathways and regulation strategies. These insights provide essential theoretical foundations for the design and synthesis of highly efficient and stable DRM catalysts.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60683-4
The catalytic conversion of C1 molecules (e.g., CO, CO2) is pivotal for sustainable C1 chemistry and low-carbon transformation. A profound understanding of microscopic reaction mechanisms requires systematic theoretical and experimental data. This study constructs a computational dataset for C1 molecular catalytic conversion over iron-based catalysts, focusing on Fe5C2 and systematically integrating multidimensional information on adsorption, dissociation, and formation reactions across crystal surfaces (001, 111, 510). The dataset comprises 690 directories and 1961 files, including 96 configurations for Fe5C2(001), 93 for Fe5C2(111), and 472 for Fe5C2(510). It covers adsorbed states (e.g., COH, H2), dissociated states (e.g., CO under 2H conditions), and formation states (e.g., CH/CH3 under 2H and H2O conditions). A standardized hierarchical storage system categorizes reaction types, crystal surfaces, and structural parameters. This dataset serves as a benchmark for validating quantum chemical methods and provides critical data support for catalyst design and reaction pathway optimization by uncovering coupling effects of crystal surfaces and reaction mechanisms. The data are publicly available via DOI: 10.57760/sciencedb.34259.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025032004
This study proposes an integrated source apportionment framework that synergistically integrates pollution source classification, atmospheric dispersion modeling, backward trajectory analysis, weighted trajectory clustering, and forward contribution estimation to accurately target peak reduction at localized air pollution hotspots. Applied at the County-Town Scale in Beijing, this method was employed to investigate pollution episodes at the Tongzhou Dongguan monitoring site. Source classification relied on a pollution fingerprint database and temporal concentration profiles, while local contributions were quantified through combined air quality modeling and monitoring data. Forward and backward trajectory analyses enabled the identification of potential source regions and key contributors. Results indicate that construction dust, road dust, and emissions from the catering industry were the dominant local sources, with construction and road dust contributing most prominently to PM2.5 concentrations. Furthermore, abnormal PM2.5 increases were closely linked to low boundary layer height, weak winds, and high humidity, emphasizing the role of meteorological conditions in pollution accumulation. The proposed framework proves effective in pinpointing local pollution sources and offers a scientific basis for targeted air quality management at finer spatial scales.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025032704
Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a key component of the anti-COVID drug Lianhua Qingwen, is recalcitrant to biodegradation and tends to bioaccumulate, posing risks to aquatic ecosystems. Conventional water treatment methods are inadequate for its removal. This study investigated the degradation of CGA using a magnetic field coupled Fe-C activated persulfate (MF/Fe-C/PS) advanced oxidation process. The degradation efficiencies of Fe-C, PS, Fe-C/PS, and MF/Fe-C/PS systems were compared, and the dominant reactive species and their contributions were identified. The effects of initial pH, persulfate (PS) concentration, Fe-C dosage, and inorganic anions on degradation kinetics were examined, along with the degradation pathway and disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation potential. Results showed that MF/Fe-C/PS achieved 99% degradation of CGA within 60 min under optimal conditions: pH=3, PS concentration 1.5 mmol·L−1, and Fe-C dosage 0.4 g·L−1. Coexisting Cl−, Br−, and I− inhibited CGA oxidation to varying degrees, as did natural organic matter (FA and BAS). The reactive species SO4−·, ·OH, and 1O2 contributed 41.6%, 30.5%, and 27.9%, respectively. Degradation mechanisms included hydrolysis, dehydroxylation, decarboxylation, and benzene ring cleavage. Pre-oxidation by MF/Fe-C/PS significantly reduced the DBP formation potential during subsequent chlorination/chloramination. Energy per order (EE/O) analysis indicated favorable economic efficiency.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607006
This study evaluates the global warming potential (GWP) of three typical air pollution control device (APCD) configurations in municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration under ultra-low emission standards. The configurations are APCD1 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF), APCD2 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF+SCR+WS), and APCD3 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF+WS+SCR). Life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to quantify GWP. Results indicate that APCD3 exhibits the highest GWP due to increased electricity consumption, yet it achieves the lowest pollutant emissions among the three. APCD1 shows the highest NOx emissions, contributing significantly to GWP, and requires technological upgrades. APCD2 consumes more resources but does not proportionally reduce emissions, suggesting inefficiencies. Electricity consumption is the dominant factor influencing GWP across all processes; reducing electricity use and improving energy efficiency are critical for mitigating environmental impact. The study recommends further research on CO2 reduction strategies and adoption of more efficient DeNOx technologies to align MSW incineration with ultra-low emission and low-carbon goals.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607014
Reducing ammonia emissions and recovering lost nitrogen are critical for enhancing nitrogen content in compost. Biological trickling filters, as end-of-pipe odor control, retain ammonia nitrogen in effluent, offering a reuse pathway. However, the impact of nitrogen-rich wastewater reuse within the optimal C/N range (20.0:1–30.0:1) remains unclear. This study composted biogas residue, sawdust, food waste, and mushroom residue, setting initial C/N as the control variable. Four groups were established: low C/N with nitrogen-rich wastewater (LRN), low C/N with deionized water (LRW), high C/N with nitrogen-rich wastewater (HRN), and high C/N with deionized water (HRW). Simulated wastewater (2000 mg/L NH4+-N and 2000 mg/L NO2−-N) was recycled. Results showed no inhibition of final maturity; pH (8.17–8.48) and seed germination index (GI) (90.85%–122.96%) met organic fertilizer standards. HRN reduced cumulative total greenhouse gases, N2O, and NH3 by 20.32%–30.35%, 0.67%–53.38%, and 52.14%–62.15% compared to LRN and LRW. Although HRN emissions were slightly higher than HRW (total GHGs +4.56%, NH3 +4.99%), HRN final nitrogen content (4691.27 mg/kg) exceeded HRW (4514.96 mg/kg), attributed to sufficient carbon enhancing microbial assimilation. Conversely, low C/N with nitrogen-rich wastewater increased NH3 and N2O emissions (LRN vs LRW: +26.43% and +112.99%) due to carbon limitation. Thus, high initial C/N with nitrogen-rich wastewater reuse effectively reduces gaseous nitrogen loss and greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining compost maturity.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3965-5
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) have emerged as a promising material platform for soft robotics, effectively integrating programmable molecular orientation with the inherent flexibility of elastomers. This unique combination enables significant, reversible deformations responding to external stimuli, including heat, light, electric, and magnetic fields. Due to these characteristics, LCEs serve as an ideal material system for bridging biological principles with engineered soft robotic applications, enabling the development of adaptive and multifunctional systems with enhanced biomimetic capabilities. However, the mechanisms of bioinspired motion and the effective integration of biomimetic functions in LCE-based robots remain insufficiently explored. This review systematically examines recent advances in LCE-based biomimetic soft robots, focusing on multimodal actuation strategies, including contraction, crawling, rolling, jumping, swimming, and plant-inspired motions. It highlights integrated functional enhancements achieved via innovative material compositions, structural designs, and advanced manufacturing techniques. These developments have enabled novel robotic functionalities, including programmable actuation, self-healing and recycling, color morphing and camouflage, and tunable bioinspired surface characteristics.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3875-1
Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from pure water is a promising strategy to address critical challenges in energy sustainability and environmental remediation. However, HER over single-component photocatalysts is intrinsically limited by inefficient carrier separation and relatively poor photostability. Forming abundant interfaces between two components is an effective approach for solving these issues. Herein, a series of hierarchical core-shell heterojunction photocatalysts, designated as F@Z-X, was rationally constructed by in situ growing ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) nanosheets on a Ti-based metal-organic framework (FIR-125), demonstrating remarkable structural stability. Due to the abundant intimate contact interfaces and well-matched band structure, the F@Z-X series exhibit enhanced HER performance. Among them, the optimized heterojunction [email protected] shows a photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 3789.45 μmol g−1 h−1, which is about 4.4 and 264.4 times higher than that of pristine ZIS (859.57 μmol g−1 h−1) and FIR-125 (15.32 μmol g−1 h−1), respectively. Moreover, the photocatalyst manifests excellent reusability and durability, maintaining its performance over five consecutive cycles and sixteen hours of continuous reaction. The outstanding performance of [email protected] may be ascribed to an optimal balance among three fundamental photocatalytic processes: sufficient light absorption, exceptional carrier separation, and appropriate surface reaction. This work offers valuable insights into the rational design and controllable synthesis of novel heterojunction photocatalysts for efficient hydrogen evolution.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3984-5
Rechargeable aluminum batteries (RABs) are promising for large-scale energy storage due to high theoretical capacity, inherent safety, and abundant aluminum reserves. However, conventional AlCl3-based ionic liquid electrolytes suffer from high cost, uncontrolled dendrite growth, and severe anode corrosion. Here, a molecular-level ligand engineering strategy is proposed, employing nitrogen-containing cyclic amides with tunable N–H functionalities to modulate the coordination environment of deep eutectic electrolytes (DEEs). Combined experimental and theoretical investigations reveal that the α-pyrrolidone-based DEE (PDEE) possesses a wider electrochemical window, higher ionic conductivity, and lower polarization. Precise N–H regulation optimizes cationic ligand and chloroaluminate anion interactions, accelerating ion transport to facilitate uniform Al deposition without dendrites. The amine functionalities enable in situ construction of a uniform inorganic-organic bilayer solid electrolyte interphase, mitigating anode corrosion and enhancing long-term interfacial stability. As a result, Al//Al symmetric batteries with PDEE achieve stable cycling for over 2000 hours, while Al-graphite full batteries demonstrate negligible capacity decay after 6000 cycles. This study establishes that ligand molecular engineering offers an effective strategy for optimizing DEEs, enabling durable and high-performance RABs.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3941-2
The precise and directed assembly of multicomponent aggregates remains a central challenge in materials chemistry, particularly the integration of neutral clusters. This study introduces a 'cation-mediated co-crystallization' strategy to overcome electrostatic assembly barriers between neutral aluminum molecular rings and polyoxometalates (POMs). By controllably functionalizing the rings with cationic moieties, the approach bypasses traditional 'ion-pair' limitations, enabling incorporation of diverse neutral clusters. The strategy exhibits structural extensibility, with cationic sites adjustable on ring exteriors or interiors, and potential extension to various polyanionic systems. The resulting hybrid materials demonstrate outstanding solution processability. When incorporated as dielectric dopants in a polymer matrix, they achieve a synergistic '1+1>2' effect: aluminum rings contribute high capacitance density (~11.19) and low dielectric loss (~0.03), while POMs provide high breakdown strength (~740 MV m−1). This work establishes a paradigm for directed macroscopic functional assembly via molecular-level cluster interaction 'encoding'.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511054
A novel S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst, Bi6O5(OH)3(NO3)5·3H2O/BiOBr0.8I0.2 (BON@BI), was synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method using Bi6O5(OH)3(NO3)5·3H2O (BON), KBr, and KI as precursors. The mass ratio of BON to BiOBr0.8I0.2 (BI) was optimized, revealing that the 20% BON@BI composite (BON@BIOPT) exhibited the highest visible-light photocatalytic activity. Under 30 min of visible-light irradiation, BON@BIOPT achieved a 99.8% degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB), approximately twice that of pristine BI (52.2%). The composite displayed a rod-like morphology with uniform nanosheets, and its specific surface area increased from 32.54 m²·g⁻¹ (BI) to 44.7 m²·g⁻¹. The absorption edge red-shifted from 560 nm (BI) to 580 nm, narrowing the bandgap from 2.55 eV to 2.43 eV. The S-scheme heterojunction formed between BON and BI generates an internal electric field that effectively suppresses recombination of strongly reducing photogenerated electrons and strongly oxidizing holes, with superoxide radicals (O₂•⁻) and holes (h⁺) identified as the primary reactive species. BON@BIOPT exhibited excellent stability, retaining 88.6% degradation efficiency after seven consecutive cycles. It also demonstrated robust environmental adaptability, maintaining 85–98% degradation efficiency under various pH conditions and in the presence of interfering anions. The degradation pathway of RhB involves N-de-ethylation, cleavage of the conjugated chromophore, and deamination, ultimately mineralizing into low-molecular-weight organics, inorganic salts, CO₂, and H₂O. These results underscore the potential of BON@BIOPT for practical remediation of organic pollutants in water.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60680-9
Low-temperature chemical looping air separation (CLAS) is a promising technology for producing oxygen-enriched gas streams, utilizing the redox properties of solid oxygen carriers to selectively capture and release oxygen from air. Oxygen vacancy formation energy (Eovf) is a key descriptor for evaluating the ease of oxygen release. In this study, the applicable range of Eovf for CLAS oxygen carriers was determined to be <2.3 eV via thermodynamic calculations. A graph neural network (GNN) model, specifically the ALIGNN architecture, was trained to predict Eovf with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.26 eV on the test set. Using this model, a high-throughput screening of 3,649 compositions of SrxA1−xFeyB1−yO3 perovskites was conducted to identify promising CLAS oxygen carriers. The predictions revealed that doping with Ba and Ca at the A-site and Co at the B-site effectively reduces Eovf. The screening criterion of Eovf < 2.3 eV successfully rediscovered several previously reported low-temperature CLAS oxygen carriers, validating the approach. This work demonstrates that GNN-based Eovf prediction can significantly accelerate the discovery of CLAS materials, with broader implications for other chemical looping applications such as full oxidation and syngas production.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511050
Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Inner Mongolia has long relied on landfilling, facing land scarcity and leachate management challenges. This study addresses the region's dry, cold climate, high proportion of agricultural and livestock waste, fluctuating moisture content, and weak leachate treatment capacity. An engineering optimization was implemented on an 80 t·d−1 vertical rotary gasification-incineration system featuring a dual-combustion-chamber design (primary chamber for medium-temperature pyrolysis-gasification at 550–650 °C and secondary chamber for high-temperature oxidation above 900 °C), coupled with in-situ leachate recirculation. Field measurements showed improved processing capacity and continuous operation stability. Under the project's leachate yield, in-situ recirculation achieved on-site disposal without significant adverse effects on gasification-incineration conditions, providing buffering against moisture fluctuations. During the monitoring period, major gaseous pollutant emissions remained below current national standards. The results provide engineering references for the co-processing and stable operation of small-scale county-level MSW treatment facilities.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025041804
Ethylene diamine tetra (methylene phosphonic acid) sodium (EDTMPS), an organic phosphonate scale and corrosion inhibitor, is widely used in industrial recirculating cooling water systems. Its efficient degradation in blowdown water is critical for water reuse. This study employed a plate-frame electrochemical advanced oxidation (EAOP) system with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode to degrade EDTMPS. The effects of operating conditions (temperature, voltage, liquid flow rate) and water quality parameters (pH, electrolyte concentration, chloride ion concentration) were systematically investigated. Optimal degradation efficiency of 99.48% was achieved at 50 °C, 300 mL·min−1, 7.0 V, pH 10, and 0.05 mol·L−1 Na2SO4. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) characterization of chloride-containing systems indicated that reactive species included hydroxyl radicals, sulfate radicals, and possibly chlorine radicals. In a coexisting system with benzotriazole (BTA), EAOPs degraded EDTMPS and BTA with comparable efficiencies. The results demonstrate that BDD-based EAOPs is effective for removing organic phosphonates from low-chloride, low-hardness cooling water, offering a promising approach for blowdown water treatment and reuse.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025041502
Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, are ubiquitous environmental contaminants with documented presence in urban, rural, marine, remote, and polar atmospheres. The atmosphere serves as a primary medium for their long-range transport, raising concerns regarding climate interactions and human health. This review synthesizes recent advances in atmospheric MPs research, encompassing sampling strategies, pretreatment protocols, analytical techniques, occurrence characteristics, and ecological ramifications. Passive and active sampling methods are delineated, with active samplers enabling quantitative flux measurements. Pretreatment typically involves sequential steps of sieving, density separation, digestion, staining, and filtration to isolate MPs from complex matrices. Identification relies on visual inspection, micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR), micro-Raman spectroscopy, laser direct infrared imaging (LDIR), and mass spectrometry. Reported atmospheric MPs predominantly exhibit dimensions below 700 μm, with fibrous morphologies being most prevalent. Color distribution is dominated by black, followed by white and transparent particles. Over 20 polymer types have been identified, with textiles, tire wear, and dust identified as principal sources. Atmospheric MPs can influence solar radiation balance, cloud formation processes, and pose risks to flora, fauna, and human health. However, research remains nascent; standardization of sampling and analytical protocols, along with comprehensive toxicological assessments, are critical knowledge gaps requiring urgent attention.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025042203
Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in crops is influenced by complex, crop-specific factors, posing challenges for the safe utilization of soils with elevated Cd levels. This study focused on a region with anomalously high soil Cd in northern Longshan County, Hunan Province, China. We systematically collected and analyzed Cd concentrations in the edible parts of lily (Lilium spp.) and maize (Zea mays L.), along with corresponding root-zone soil properties including Cd content, pH, and oxide levels. The bioconcentration factors (BCF-Cd) for lily and maize were compared, and their controlling factors were identified. Using random forest with hyperparameter optimization, optimal predictive models for BCF-Cd were developed for each crop. Results showed that lily BCF-Cd was significantly higher than that of maize. Key factors influencing BCF-Cd in both crops included soil pH, manganese (Mn), organic matter (OM), and the weathering-leaching coefficient (ba). Feature importance analysis identified soil pH as the most critical factor. Based on model predictions, a zoning scheme for safe arable land utilization was proposed to maximize land productivity while ensuring the medicinal safety of lily and food safety of maize. This study provides scientific support for enhancing food security and optimizing land resource use.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4055-6
The global pursuit of clean energy and environmental remediation has intensified research into solar-driven photocatalysis, with g-C3N4 emerging as a leading metal-free polymer semiconductor. Between 2020 and 2025, significant advances have been achieved in overcoming the inherent limitations of pristine g-C3N4, such as restricted light absorption (wavelengths <460 nm), rapid charge recombination, and insufficient active sites, through sophisticated modification strategies. This period has witnessed the refined development of elemental doping, defect engineering, heterostructure construction, and cocatalyst loading, each playing a critical role in enhancing optical properties, charge separation efficiency, and surface reactivity. Contemporary research increasingly focuses on band structure precision engineering, interfacial charge transfer pathways, and defect-mediated catalytic mechanisms. These developments are underpinned by advanced characterization techniques, including X-ray absorption spectroscopy, in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance. Looking forward, emerging trends such as AI-guided material design, atomic-scale defect control, and operando analysis are shaping the next generation of high-efficiency g-C3N4 photocatalysts, offering a promising outlook for their application in sustainable energy conversion and environmental remediation.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3951-4
Silicon anodes offer an ultrahigh theoretical capacity (4200 mAh g−1) but suffer from >300% volumetric expansion during cycling and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, leading to rapid capacity fading. Here, we design a hierarchical composite p-cSi@aSi@MgSiN2@C featuring a porous crystalline-amorphous silicon core (p-cSi@aSi), an in-situ MgSiN2 transition layer, and an outer nitrogen-doped carbon shell. The 3D interconnected pores accommodate volume expansion, while amorphous silicon enables isotropic lithiation-induced strain, eliminating crystalline phase transition barriers. The MgSiN2 layer transforms into a tough Li3N-rich SEI with ultra-fast ion channels, and the carbon shell provides mechanical confinement and electronic conductivity. This synergistic interface engineering achieves an initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 81.4%, a charge transfer resistance of 16.4 Ω after 200 cycles (64% reduction), and a Li+ diffusion coefficient of 1.72×10−11 cm2 s−1. The anode delivers 1719.3 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C after 200 cycles and 823.8 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C after 500 cycles. The molten salt electrolysis synthesis achieves a current efficiency of 68.12% and specific energy consumption of 12.76 kWh kg−1, with an estimated electricity cost of 1154.69 USD ton−1, only 20% of commercial Si/C anodes. This work resolves the ICE-cycle life trade-off and provides a scalable, cost-effective approach for next-generation high-energy batteries.