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.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202506021
To elucidate the seasonal variation in cadmium (Cd) accumulation in ratoon rice and its relationship with root surface iron plaque, this study compared Cd concentrations in brown rice and the characteristics of iron plaque components (amorphous Fe, Am-Fe; crystalline Fe, Cry-Fe) between the main and ratoon crops of six rice varieties under different stubble heights. A field experiment was conducted in a Cd-contaminated paddy in Liuyang, Hunan (soil total Cd: 0.56 ± 0.06 mg·kg⁻¹). Ratoon crop treatments included low stubble (20 cm) and high stubble (60 cm). Brown rice Cd concentrations varied by variety, season, and stubble height. Low stubble generally increased brown rice Cd in the ratoon crop compared to high stubble; high stubble reduced Cd in most varieties relative to the main crop. Health risk assessment indicated that low stubble in the ratoon crop posed higher non-carcinogenic risk than the main crop and high stubble, while carcinogenic risks exceeded acceptable levels across all treatments. Iron plaque Am-Fe and Cry-Fe concentrations in the ratoon crop were generally lower than in the main crop, with Am-Fe consistently exceeding Cry-Fe. In the main crop, total Fe, Am-Fe, and Cry-Fe on root surfaces were significantly negatively correlated with brown rice Cd (P < 0.05), but correlations were not significant in the ratoon crop. High stubble reduced Cd accumulation and non-carcinogenic risk in most varieties, yet carcinogenic risk remained. Iron plaque significantly impeded Cd uptake in the main crop but its effect weakened in the ratoon crop. Selecting low-Cd-accumulating varieties and optimizing stubble height are key strategies for safe ratoon rice production in Cd-contaminated areas.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4163-y
Liquid metals (LMs) are promising catalyst systems due to their unique interfacial properties, yet migration and aggregation of active species cause performance degradation. Here, we report a composition optimization strategy using a Ga-In eutectic liquid metal support to reduce surface energy and achieve homogeneous incorporation of Cu species (GaIn-Cu). Comprehensive characterizations confirm uniform Cu dispersion, which inhibits migration and formation of CuGa2 intermetallic phases during CO2 electroreduction (CO2RR). The GaIn-10-Cu catalyst achieves a maximum CH4 Faradaic efficiency of 73.49% at -0.8 V vs. RHE, significantly higher than Ga-Cu (61.49%). Moreover, GaIn-10-Cu exhibits enhanced stability for CH4 generation over 40 h of continuous operation. In-situ spectroscopic studies reveal that GaIn-10-Cu favors formation and protonation of key *CHO and *OCH3 intermediates, steering selectivity toward CH4. This work demonstrates that tuning LM composition modulates catalytic site performance, offering a strategy for durable and selective LM-based electrocatalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3641-y
Organic field-effect transistor (OFET)-based optoelectronic synapses are pivotal for neuromorphic vision, yet polycrystalline/amorphous films suffer from grain-boundary carrier scattering and threshold instability, limiting spatiotemporal fidelity. This work employs large-area C8-BTBT single crystals to fabricate a low-voltage (1 V) optoelectronic synaptic array with a coefficient of variation of 8% in synaptic weight modulation. The grain-boundary-free structure mitigates interfacial defects, ensuring device-to-device uniformity. The array emulates human visual processing under distinct cognitive states: dispersed-attention mode (V_GS = 0.5 V) yields rapid response and short-term plasticity, while focused-attention mode (V_GS = 1.5 V) enables noise suppression and long-term potentiation via polarity-dependent carrier trapping. At 9.6 μW cm⁻² illumination, the device replicates essential synaptic functions, including learning and memory. Pattern recognition tests with six grayscale intensities demonstrate that the concentration state enhances photoresponse sensitivity and contrast discrimination, resolving fine details such as speckle patterns on bird plumage, whereas the moderate attention state fails to resolve such features. This platform advances hardware-level perception-computation integration for biomimetic vision chips, offering a pathway to energy-efficient, context-aware neuromorphic systems.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3333-9
Organic solar cells (OSCs) have surpassed 20% power conversion efficiency (PCE) through donor/acceptor material optimization and bulk heterojunction (BHJ) morphology control. However, morphology manipulation via solvent selection, additives, and annealing remains system-specific, causing performance variability and impeding scalability. Wang, Li, Gao and co-workers introduce BTP-TO2, a non-fullerene acceptor bearing an oligo(ethylene glycol) side chain, which enables solvent-insensitive morphology. Devices processed from diverse halogenated and non-halogenated solvents achieve consistent PCEs around 19%. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) reveals that in deuterated solutions, PM6:BTP-TO2 blends exhibit a fractal dimension with slope ~ -1 in the intermediate q region (0.005–0.1 Å⁻¹) and ~ -4 in the high q region (0.1–0.3 Å⁻¹), indicating a stable, persistent molecular conformation. The design rules: enhance acceptor side-chain/solvent interaction to maintain stable conformation; weaken polymer donor–NFA intermolecular interactions to promote rod-like donor conformation and preferential precipitation, decoupling film formation dynamics from blend morphology. Devices retain >80% of initial efficiency (T80) for over 1200 h under continuous operation, and large-area modules demonstrate consistent performance, supporting industrial scale-up.