SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3605-0
Nickel oxide (NiOx) is widely used as a hole transport material in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, its practical application is limited by low intrinsic conductivity and insufficient hole extraction ability, leading to significant interfacial defects that reduce device efficiency and stability. To overcome these issues, two isomeric small organic molecules, 2,6-NOT and 1,5-NOT, were developed and introduced to modify NiOx. These isomers share the same structure but differ in the substitution positions of functional groups, resulting in distinct molecular planarity. Experimental results demonstrate that 1,5-NOT, featuring extended conjugation and enhanced planarity, more effectively enhances the hole extraction/transport capabilities and conductivity of NiOx compared to 2,6-NOT. The NiOx/1,5-NOT-based device achieves a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.20%, along with excellent long-term stability, surpassing the NiOx control device (18.12%) and the 2,6-NOT-based device (21.87%). These findings indicate that modifying NiOx with small organic molecules significantly improves charge transport performance, and increasing molecular planarity is particularly beneficial for enhancing hole transport and reducing defect density, thereby increasing both efficiency and stability. This work provides a new strategy for NiOx modification via small organic molecules, offering a promising route to high-performance inverted PSCs.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3898-7
Platinum (Pt) is the benchmark catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in acidic electrolytes, but its performance in alkaline media is limited by excessively strong hydrogen binding energy (HBE). Here, we report oxygen-modified ultrasmall RuCu nanocrystals (RuCu/C-200) as an efficient catalyst for both alkaline HER and HOR. The RuCu/C-200 catalyst exhibits excellent HER activity with an overpotential of 9 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 19.7 mV dec−1. For HOR, it achieves a 4.2-fold higher exchange current density than the unannealed sample. Mechanistic studies reveal that the optimized HBE, hydroxyl binding energy (OHBE), and strongly hydrogen-bonded interfacial water, induced by oxygen modification, are the intrinsic determinants of the improved catalytic activity. This work underscores the potential of combining nanoscale structural design with oxygen modification to develop high-performance Ru-based electrocatalysts for both alkaline HER and HOR.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4100-9
Shape memory droplet manipulation platforms have attracted significant attention due to their programmable droplet control capabilities. Current research primarily focuses on superhydrophobic surfaces and slippery lubricant-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS); however, these approaches suffer from vulnerable surface micro/nanostructures and loss of lubricant oils. Here, we report a shape memory quasi-liquid polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) brush surface that overcomes these limitations. The surface is fabricated by introducing a SiO2 layer as a 'bridge' on a shape memory epoxy substrate, providing abundant functional groups for grafting PDMS brushes. By precisely controlling the SiO2 layer thickness and grafting conditions, the surface exhibits good shape memory properties and low adhesion to diverse liquids with varying surface tensions. Reversible anisotropic/isotropic droplet sliding control for both water and organic droplets is demonstrated through dynamic introduction/removal of groove structures, proving excellent droplet manipulation based on the combination of shape memory and low adhesion of PDMS brushes. Furthermore, the material can be applied as a functional coating on diverse substrates to impart anti-fouling and self-cleaning properties. This work introduces a nanoscale SiO2 layer as a 'bridge', offering a strategy to graft PDMS brushes onto polymer surfaces. Given the advantages of quasi-liquid PDMS brushes and programmable controllability of shape memory polymers, this work provides fresh ideas for developing droplet manipulation platforms.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3394-6
Hard carbon (HC) is a leading anode candidate for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its disordered structure and expanded interlayer spacing (3.4–4 Å), which facilitate sodium-ion intercalation. However, the poor initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of HC remains a critical barrier to commercial viability. Phenolic resin (PF) precursors offer high carbon yield and good reversible capacity, yet the relationship between PF solid content and ICE is not fully understood. This study investigates four commercial PF-based hard carbons with varying solid contents, then modifies them via pore-forming agents, cross-linking curing, and ball-milling. The optimized U-HC sample, derived from the highest solid-content PF, achieves an ICE of 89.84% and a specific discharge capacity of 354.18 mAh g⁻¹ at 35 mA g⁻¹. Baseline PF-derived HCs typically exhibit ICE values below 82%, as reported for resorcinol-formaldehyde resin (82%) and PTCDA-modified PF (77.9%). The pore-forming strategy enhances ICE beyond 86% across modified samples, with U-HC reaching 89.84%. This improvement is attributed to optimized pore architecture that reduces irreversible sodium trapping and SEI formation. The findings provide a rational design pathway for high-ICE PF-derived hard carbon anodes, addressing a key bottleneck in SIB commercialization.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3381-5
The sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) necessitate high overpotentials, impeding the economic viability of electrochemical water splitting. Noble metal-based catalysts (Pt/C for HER, IrO2/RuO2 for OER) suffer from high cost and scarcity, while bifunctional catalysts that simultaneously catalyze both reactions remain rare. This study reports a Pt-decorated FeCoNiMnCr high-entropy (oxy)hydroxide (HEH) on Ni foam (NF) synthesized via a facile two-step electrodeposition at ambient temperature. The resulting Pt/FeCoNiMnCr HEH/NF exhibits a three-dimensional porous architecture composed of interconnected ultrathin nanosheets, providing a large active surface area and efficient ion/mass transport. The catalyst achieves an overpotential of 306 mV at 100 mA cm−2 for OER and 116 mV at 50 mA cm−2 for HER. When employed as both anode and cathode in a two-electrode water electrolyzer, it requires only 1.56 V to reach 20 mA cm−2 and operates stably for over 50 h. The enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of the unique ultrathin nanosheet structure and electronic coupling between Pt nanoparticles and the FeCoNiMnCr HEH matrix. This strategy offers a novel route for constructing efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts with reduced noble metal loading for practical water splitting.