SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4360-7
Polarization-sensitive photodetection is critical for advanced optical communication and imaging systems, yet conventional photodetectors suffer from low on-off ratios and limited polarization discrimination. Here, we report gate-tunable PdSe2/WSe2 van der Waals heterostructures that achieve ultrahigh light on-off ratio and polarization-sensitive photodetection. The heterostructure forms a type-II band alignment, enabling efficient charge separation and self-powered operation. By applying a gate voltage, the photoresponse can be modulated, achieving an on-off ratio exceeding 10^6 under illumination. The device exhibits a high responsivity of 1.2 A/W and a specific detectivity of 10^12 Jones at room temperature. Polarization-sensitive measurements reveal a linear dichroism ratio of 2.1 at 532 nm, attributed to the anisotropic crystal structure of PdSe2. The photodetector operates over a broad spectral range from visible to near-infrared (400-1000 nm) with fast response times (rise/fall < 100 μs). The gate-tunable capability allows dynamic control of the photocurrent, enabling adaptive sensing applications. These results demonstrate that PdSe2/WSe2 heterostructures are promising candidates for high-performance, polarization-sensitive photodetectors, offering a pathway for next-generation optoelectronic devices.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4203-7
The solution process holds great promise for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) fabrication owing to its minimal material loss, simple processing and low equipment investment. However, solution-processed blue OLEDs still face the challenges of low electroluminescence efficiency and poor working stability. In this study, two new cross-linkable blue light-emitting molecules, v-4CzBn and v-5CzBn, were synthesized. They featured a multicarbazole-substituted benzonitrile donor–acceptor structure as the emitting core, with two vinyl phenyl units on the carbazole rings serving as cross-linking groups. A singlet–triplet energy gap of ΔEST ≤ 0.10 eV and a high reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC > 10^6 s−1) were achieved because the three-dimensionally confined covalent network structure formed through a thermal cross-linking reaction limited intramolecular motions and vibrational relaxations of luminescent units. Moreover, this structure suppressed irreversible morphological changes and structural deterioration of light-emitting units due to aggregation or crystallization, improving the light-emitting performance of the device. Nondoped solution-processed OLEDs with the structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/TFB/S-4CzBn/TPBi/LiF/Al exhibited blue emission with a peak at 488 nm, achieving a maximum external quantum efficiency of 12.01%, a maximum luminance of 11,141.15 cd m−2, and a T50 lifetime of 1375.66 h@100 cd m−2. This result represents the longest operational lifetime reported to date for solution-process devices with cross-linked emitting layers.
New Carbon Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(26)61116-X
A standardized dataset of linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) curves is presented for evaluating the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance of carbon-supported catalysts in acidic media. All electrochemical tests were conducted in O2-saturated 0.5 mol L−1 H2SO4 at controlled rotation speeds using a rotating disk electrode. The dataset comprises 120 validated entries from both non-precious metal (MNC) and platinum-based (Pt-MC) catalysts, including original LSV curves and extracted performance parameters such as onset potential, half-wave potential, and limiting current densities at different rotation speeds. Data processing involved potential conversion to the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) scale, background subtraction, outlier removal, and reproducibility checks with defined quality control thresholds (relative standard deviation ≤2% for E1/2 and ≤5% for limiting current). The standardized collection serves as a reliable benchmark for catalyst performance comparison, supports kinetic and mass transport analysis, and provides a structured data source for machine learning applications in electrocatalysis. The dataset is openly available via Science Data Bank, with a DOI, and is intended as a dynamic resource for the ORR electrocatalysis community.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511034
Ionizing radiation (IR) is an emerging advanced oxidation process for degrading recalcitrant organic pollutants in water, but its efficiency is often hampered by matrix effects from coexisting substances in real wastewater. This study coupled three pretreatments—coagulation sedimentation, adsorption, and biological oxidation—with electron beam IR to treat a model cephalosporin wastewater containing cefotaxime sodium (CTX) and typical coexisting components. The results showed that all coupled systems significantly improved treatment performance compared to direct IR: COD removal increased by 19%–42% and CTX removal by 8.4%–19%. Under the tested conditions, the optimal coagulant was polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS), the optimal adsorbent was activated carbon, and the optimal aeration time for biological oxidation was 6 h. All three pretreatments reduced matrix effects, with adsorption, biological oxidation, and coagulation sedimentation lowering the matrix effect by 17%, 11%, and 9%, respectively. Quantum chemical calculations and LC-MS analysis predicted radical reaction sites on CTX and revealed five possible degradation pathways. The study demonstrates that pretreatment-IR coupling is an effective strategy to mitigate matrix effects and enhance the targeted degradation of antibiotics in complex wastewater matrices.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607009
Resource utilization of food waste is a key measure for implementing waste classification and constructing zero-waste cities in China. However, the technical route based on anaerobic digestion currently faces developmental bottlenecks. In this study, engineering-scale facilities located in Northeast, North, Northwest, and Southeast China were selected, and material flow analysis was employed to comprehensively assess the current status of anaerobic digestion of food waste. The results indicated that, during the pretreatment stage, both leachate and organic slurry from all surveyed regions exhibited high COD/TN ratios, and the leachate contained high concentrations of lipids. Following three-phase (oil-water-solid) separation, the oil recovery rate could reach over 98%. Anaerobic digestion of each ton of food waste from the four regions generated approximately 70 to 80 Nm³ of biogas, while simultaneously producing liquid digestate accounting for 69% to 80% of the total mass and solid digestate accounting for 2.7% to 3.6%. However, the annual continuous production of digestate was not aligned with the seasonal demand for land use, thereby restricting the pathway for resource utilization. Converting food waste into an external carbon source can significantly enhance its resource utilization efficiency, with the economic benefits increasing by more than 203% compared to the methanogenesis pathway. The selection of the carbon source production technology route should be comprehensively determined by taking into account factors such as the specific nitrogen removal requirements of the target wastewater treatment process, the quality requirements for the carbon source products, and the substitution rate of commercial carbon sources.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202608021
To address the significant increase in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its chemical component concentrations caused by the concentrated setting-off of fireworks and firecrackers during the Spring Festival in Yancheng City, this study introduced the Bayesian-optimized XGBoost model (BO-XGBoost) based on PM2.5, particulate component, and meteorological observation data. The model simulated non-setting-off baseline concentrations using meteorological factors as independent variables, enabling quantitative assessment of setting-off contributions. Results showed that the concentrated setting-off exerted significantly differentiated effects on various pollutants. Among water-soluble ions, K+ and Mg2+ were core characteristic tracers, with concentrations reaching 15.89 and 20.08 times baseline levels on Lunar New Year's Eve, directly reflecting high-intensity emissions. Secondary conversion ions such as SO4^2- and NO3^- showed sustained high contributions on both Lunar New Year's Eve and the fifth day of the first lunar month, reflecting cumulative effects of atmospheric chemical transformation. Among inorganic elements, K, Ba, and Sr were core characteristic tracers, with concentrations showing explosive growth on Lunar New Year's Eve, serving as direct fingerprints of fireworks. Elements such as Pb and Mn were also significantly affected, reflecting direct heavy metal emissions. Temporal comparisons indicated that emission intensity on Lunar New Year's Eve was significantly higher than on the fifth day, with increased proportional contribution of secondary conversion processes on the fifth day. The study achieved accurate quantification of setting-off contributions through a data-driven model, clarifying pollution fingerprint characteristics and temporal differentiation patterns, providing scientific basis for air quality management and policy optimization during the Spring Festival.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4033-1
Photodetectors are critical components in modern optoelectronic systems, underpinning applications in optical communication, low-altitude economy, environmental monitoring, and national defense. Layered two-dimensional (2D) materials such as MoS2, WS2, black phosphorus (BP), and ReS2 have attracted extensive attention due to their remarkable electronic and optical properties, including facile mechanical exfoliation and tunable characteristics via thickness engineering. The absence of dangling bonds enables the construction of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures free from lattice-matching constraints, promoting efficient charge transport, enhanced light absorption, and suppressed dark current. Among layered materials, semimetals such as graphene, PdTe2, MoTe2, and TaIrTe4 exhibit narrow or zero bandgaps, enabling ultrabroadband spectral responses from ultraviolet (UV) to terahertz (THz). ZrTe3, a layered gapless semimetal, demonstrates pronounced carrier transport features, including robust excitons and ultrafast carrier relaxation times, making it an ideal candidate for photodetection. However, pure ZrTe3-based photodetectors suffer from substantial dark current due to the absence of an energy bandgap, degrading signal-to-noise ratio and specific detectivity (D*). This work reports a high-performance broadband photodetector based on a ZrTe3/CuInP2Se6 heterostructure. By exploiting an asymmetric contact configuration that introduces a Schottky barrier, the device effectively suppresses dark current while enhancing photoresponse. The photodetector exhibits broad spectral sensitivity from UV to near-infrared (355–1177 nm), microsecond-level response speed, and high responsivity and specific detectivity. Beyond conventional photodetection, an optoelectronic information encryption-decryption application is demonstrated, where modulated light and bias voltage serve as dual input channels to encode and decode ASCII signals. This study resolves the challenge of high dark current in semimetal-based photodetectors and introduces a multifunctional platform for secure optoelectronic communication, highlighting the potential of ZrTe3 for next-generation photonic and quantum information technologies.