Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • Stretching chiral TPU/R-S-PSA elastomeric films induces LD-LB coupling, yielding nonreciprocal CD with opposite signals from opposite sides; unstretched films show reciprocal CPL with |glum| = 10⁻¹, while stretched films achieve nonreciprocal CPL with |glum| = 10⁻². • • The introduction of fluorescent groups enables f-LB coupling with matrix crystallization, enabling multicolor nonreciprocal CPL—a critical step for wavelength-multiplexed optical encryption and logic operations. • • The nonreciprocal CPL films function as chiral logic gates and multidimensional encryption systems, demonstrating a route to smart photonic devices with switchable chiroptical responses. • • The films serve as enantioselective photopolymerization platforms, leveraging nonreciprocal CPL to drive asymmetric reactions—an industrially relevant application for producing chiral polymers with controlled handedness.
Abstract
Thin films with nonreciprocal circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) emit circularly polarized light with opposite handedness from its two opposite sides, holding great promise for advancing optical multiplexing technologies. Herein, we introduce component orientation mismatch into chiral composite films via stretching, which leads to macroscopic optical anisotropy and accordingly drives the films to show nonreciprocal CPL activity. Stretching triggers linear dichroism-linear birefringence (LD-LB) coupling to realize nonreciprocal circular dichroism (CD) in elastomer films consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and chiral polyacetylene (R/S-PSA). Moreover, fluorescence anisotropy-linear birefringence (f-LB) coupling occurs after introducing fluorescent groups into the films to achieve multi-color nonreciprocal CPL. The unstretched films exhibit reciprocal CPL with a luminescence dissymmetry factor (|glum|) of 10⁻¹, with handedness determined by PSA’s intrinsic helical chirality. In the stretched films, the oriented fluorescent groups undergo f-LB coupling with matrix crystallization, resulting in nonreciprocal CPL (|glum|=10⁻²). Based on this distinctive chiroptical feature, we have developed chiral logic gates, multidimensional optical encryption systems, and enantioselective photopolymerization platforms to demonstrate the potential uses of the as-obtained CPL films. This work provides both fundamental insights into and a versatile material platform for developing smart nonreciprocal photonic systems with advanced chiroptical functionality.
1. Introduction
Conventional CPL materials typically exhibit reciprocal chiroptical responses, where the emitted circular polarization handedness is identical from both film surfaces. This reciprocity limits their utility in advanced photonic applications such as optical multiplexing and secure communication, which require direction-dependent control of polarization. Existing approaches to achieve nonreciprocal CPL often rely on complex multilayer architectures or external magnetic fields, suffering from poor scalability and integration challenges. The bottleneck lies in creating a simple, flexible material system that intrinsically breaks symmetry between the two faces of a thin film.
This work addresses that bottleneck by exploiting orientation mismatch between meso- and microscopic components in a chiral polymer elastomer. Stretching a composite film of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and chiral polyacetylene (R/S-PSA) induces linear dichroism and birefringence, coupling to produce nonreciprocal circular dichroism. Subsequent incorporation of fluorescent groups extends this to nonreciprocal CPL, enabling multicolor emission. The approach offers a scalable, mechanically tunable platform for smart photonic devices, demonstrated through logic gates, encryption, and enantioselective photopolymerization.
Loading authentic research manuscript (Pages 1–5)...
Xiao Yu, Kai Yang, Wenbo Yin, Aoqi Wang, Pengpeng Li, Biao Zhao, Jianping Deng (2026). Mismatching in Meso-/Microscopic Orientation Drives Optical Anisotropy to Unlock Multicolor Nonreciprocal Circularly Polarized Luminescence in Chiral Polymer Elastomeric Films. SCIENCE CHINA Materials. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-026-4340-0
Research & Educational Purpose Only: The translations, structured abstracts, analytical annotations, and data reports provided by SinoGreenTechare intended exclusively for academic research, internal corporate R&D, and educational benchmarking. They do not constitute formal engineering, chemical safety, legal, or professional advice.
Copyright & Intellectual Property Notice: Original copyright of the underlying source articles and experimental data remains with the respective authors, institutions, and original publishing journals. SinoGreenTech claims intellectual property only over its proprietary translations, analytical syntheses, and AEO structured enhancements in accordance with international fair use and academic citation principles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the mechanism by which stretching induces nonreciprocal CPL in the composite films?
Stretching aligns the TPU matrix and chiral polyacetylene chains, creating macroscopic optical anisotropy. This leads to linear dichroism-linear birefringence (LD-LB) coupling, which converts intrinsic circular dichroism into nonreciprocal CD. When fluorescent groups are added, fluorescence anisotropy-linear birefringence (f-LB) coupling with the oriented matrix produces nonreciprocal CPL, with opposite handedness from the two film surfaces.
How do the |glum| values compare between unstretched and stretched films, and what are the implications for device performance?
Unstretched films exhibit reciprocal CPL with |glum| = 10⁻¹, while stretched films show nonreciprocal CPL with |glum| = 10⁻². Although the nonreciprocal films have a lower dissymmetry factor, their direction-dependent emission enables advanced functionalities like logic gates and encryption, which are not achievable with reciprocal films.
What are the scalability and mechanical robustness of these elastomeric films for industrial applications?
The films are based on thermoplastic polyurethane, a commercially available elastomer, and the fabrication involves simple stretching, which is amenable to roll-to-roll processing. The mechanical flexibility of TPU ensures durability under repeated stretching, as demonstrated by the reversible chiroptical response. However, specific fatigue data are not provided in the abstract, so long-term cycling stability remains to be evaluated.
Can the nonreciprocal CPL be tuned across multiple colors, and how is this achieved?
Yes, multicolor nonreciprocal CPL is achieved by incorporating different fluorescent groups into the films. The f-LB coupling with the oriented matrix allows each fluorophore to emit with opposite handedness from opposite sides, enabling wavelength-multiplexed emission. The exact emission wavelengths and color range are not specified in the abstract, but the concept is demonstrated.
What are the potential applications of these films in enantioselective photopolymerization, and what is the expected enantiomeric excess?
The nonreciprocal CPL films can serve as chiral sources to drive enantioselective photopolymerization of diacetylene, as illustrated in Figure 6c. The handedness of the emitted CPL can be controlled by stretching direction, potentially leading to enantiomeric excess in the polymer product. However, quantitative ee values are not provided in the abstract, so further data are needed to assess efficiency.
Related Chinese Research & Cross-Citations
Ammonium Vanadate Cathodes in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Design Strategies and Research Progress
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) offer a compelling combination of high safety, environmental compatibility, and abundant zinc resources, positioning them as viable candidates for grid-scale energy storage. Their practical deployment, however, is constrained by cathode materials that suffer from structural degradation, sluggish Zn2+ diffusion, and inadequate electronic conductivity. Ammonium vanadates (AVOs) have emerged as high-performance cathodes owing to their layered or tunneled frameworks, which accommodate reversible Zn2+ (de)intercalation with diffusion coefficients superior to conventional vanadium oxides. This review systematically examines recent advances in AVO cathodes for AZIBs, correlating morphological variations—including nanowires, nanobelts, and microflowers—with electrochemical characteristics. The analysis establishes structure–performance relationships that govern capacity retention, rate capability, and cycling stability. Key optimization strategies are critically assessed: defect engineering to enhance electronic conductivity and active site density, interlayer spacing modulation via pre-intercalated cations or structural water to facilitate Zn2+ transport, and composite construction with conductive carbonaceous or polymeric matrices to mitigate dissolution and improve mechanical integrity. Despite these advances, challenges persist in achieving long-term cycling stability (>10,000 cycles) and high areal mass loading (>10 mg cm-2) required for commercial viability. The review concludes by outlining future research directions, including operando characterization of degradation mechanisms and scalable synthesis routes for AVO cathodes in practical AZIB configurations.
Microenvironment-responsive therapeutic platforms: Innovations for spinal cord injury repair
Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a formidable clinical challenge due to the complex, dynamic lesion microenvironment that impedes axonal regeneration and functional recovery. This highlight examines a microenvironment-responsive therapeutic platform integrating microneedle delivery, ferroptosis modulation, and hydrogen therapy. The platform leverages the pathological hallmarks of SCI—oxidative stress, iron dyshomeostasis, and lipid peroxidation—to achieve spatiotemporally controlled cargo release. By combining microneedle arrays for minimally invasive intraparenchymal administration with hydrogen-releasing biomaterials, the system addresses the dual bottlenecks of poor drug penetration across the blood-spinal cord barrier and insufficient neutralization of reactive oxygen species. Ferroptosis inhibition is achieved through iron chelation and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) stabilization, while hydrogen gas scavenges hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite. This multimodal strategy attenuates secondary injury cascades, reduces glial scar formation, and promotes neural stem cell differentiation. The work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82574518) and the Talent Cultivation Project of Paring Academicians with Young Talents in higher education institutions in Zhejiang. The authors declare no conflict of interest. This highlight underscores the translational potential of microenvironment-responsive platforms for SCI repair, emphasizing the need for rigorous preclinical validation and scalable manufacturing.
Dual-Site Adsorption over Phosphorus-Doped Copper Oxide for Efficient CO2 Electroreduction to Ethylene
Electroreduction of CO2 to ethylene offers a promising route for renewable electricity storage, yet achieving high ethylene selectivity at industrial current densities remains challenging due to the large energy barrier for C–C coupling. Here, we report a “MOF-assisted in situ doping” strategy to introduce the oxophilic nonmetal phosphorus (P) into the copper oxide (CuO) lattice, constructing a localized Cu–P dual-site adsorption configuration for the key *OCCHO intermediate. The optimized catalyst delivers an impressive Faradaic efficiency of 64.6% for ethylene with a partial current density of 646 mA cm-2. Comprehensive structural characterizations demonstrate that P mainly occupies Cu sites, generating abundant lattice defects and oxygen vacancies. In situ synchrotron infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations reveal that P doping modulates the electronic structure of Cu, optimizes the binding energies of *CO and *CHO, and stabilizes *OCCHO via P–O/Cu–C dual-site adsorption, thereby significantly lowering the asymmetric C-C coupling energy barrier to 0.74 eV. This work highlights a dual-site microenvironment regulation strategy for CO2-to-ethylene electroreduction.
Hydrophilic Single-Atom Interface Unlocks Low-Potential CO Removal on Pt in PEMFCs
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) fed with reformate hydrogen suffer severe anode poisoning by trace CO, necessitating high CO electrooxidation potentials that degrade performance and durability. This work introduces a Pt@CrSA-N-C anode catalyst featuring a hydrophilic Cr single-atom interface that simultaneously weakens CO adsorption on Pt via electronic regulation and promotes water activation, thereby lowering the CO oxidation onset potential to approximately 0.13 V vs. RHE. The onset potential was determined by two independent methods: the first potential at which the background-corrected current exceeds 0 mA cm-2 during CO oxidation reaction tests in a three-electrode system, and the potential at which the forward scan current exceeds the N2 background current in CO-stripping voltammetry. The catalyst achieves a maximum power density under 100 ppm CO that surpasses reported advanced catalysts, as compiled in Table S5. Structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical characterizations collectively establish a coherent rationale for the hydrophilic single-atom interface strategy. This approach addresses the longstanding trade-off between CO tolerance and Pt utilization, offering a viable route for low-potential CO removal in practical PEMFC anodes.
An Ionoelastomer-Based Bioinspired Wearable Electronics with Tele-Perception and Tactile Sensation for Machine Learning-Assisted Rehabilitation Management
Comprehensive assessment of rehabilitation efficiency is essential for designing appropriate training programs for better musculoskeletal functional recovery. Existing contact-receptor-dependent rehabilitation assessment systems mostly focus on assessing the restoration of muscle function by evaluating grip strength or joint flexion angle; however, parameters reflecting neuromuscular synergistic function are always overlooked. Herein, we develop an ionoelastomer-based soft artificial electroreceptor (SAER) that integrates tele-perception and tactile sensation to track the rehabilitation process, collecting signals related to approaching speed and grip strength sequentially. The SAER uses polyurethane ionoelastomer incorporated with quasi-solid conductive salt as the electric field receptor, and is integrated on a rehabilitation-training ball after assembly to establish an untethered detection device; this enables the remote capture of hand approaching parameter within a 9 cm range, followed by the quantification of grip strength when contacting and grasping. Furthermore, a data-driven assessment system is established by integrating machine learning, which accurately classifies rehabilitation efficiency into six levels; it supports for rehabilitation evaluation and training programs adjustment. Overall, the SAER-based rehabilitation management system establishes a paradigm that synergistically evaluating parameters corresponding to neuromuscular functional restoration and holds strong potential for home-based active rehabilitation for minimizing dependence on frequent clinical supervision.
Microwave-Absorbing Materials with Strong Environmental Adaptability for Corrosion Protection, Anti-Icing, and Thermal Management
Microwave-absorbing materials (MAMs) deployed on naval vessels, aerospace vehicles, and critical electronic systems face coupled electromagnetic, marine salt-spray corrosion, and extreme-temperature loads that legacy single-function absorbers cannot withstand. This review consolidates progress on three environmentally adaptive MAM classes: corrosion-protective, anti-icing, and thermal-management absorbers. The electromagnetic loss and impedance-matching fundamentals are first established, then the synergistic mechanisms, design strategies, and characterization protocols for each class are examined against representative material systems and their measured performance. The analysis identifies a shared design logic—multiscale hierarchical architecture, interfacial polarization engineering, and multifunctional phase integration—while distinguishing the divergent protection mechanisms: barrier and passivation effects for corrosion, surface-energy and latent-heat regulation for anti-icing, and phonon–electron transport decoupling for thermal management. Persistent bottlenecks include the trade-off between impedance matching and protective-layer density, the absence of standardized coupled-field test protocols, and the scarcity of long-term salt-spray and thermal-cycling durability data. Future directions are delineated: intelligent self-adaptive absorbers, multiphysics-coupled simulation frameworks, and environmentally benign multifunctional integration. The review provides a theoretical and technical basis for the design, construction, and engineering scale-up of next-generation high-performance absorbers for aerospace, electronic, and marine equipment.