Nanoscience News (<front>)

An asymmetric isothiourea–guanidine additive dihydrochloride is developed, which uniformly distributes throughout the perovskite. The isothiourea group preferentially regulates perovskite crystallization along (001) orientation, while guanidine group contributes to suppressing ion migration by formation of N─H···I hydrogen bonds, enabling a 26.73% efficiency with a highest certified steady-state power output of 26.73% to date and an over 4000 h operational stability.

Abstract

Guanidinium and thiourea derivatives play significant roles in suppressing both shallow- and deep-level defects, regulating perovskite crystallization, and leading to enhanced performance for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, an asymmetric isothiourea–guanidine hybrid dihydrochloride is designed by merging the two functional motifs onto a thiazole core to overcome the long-overlooked competition between guanidinium and thiourea additives. Comprehensive characterizations reveal that the isothiourea arm selectively orients crystal growth along the (001) plane while effectively suppressing the formation of dimethylsulfoxide─PbI2 and other deleterious intermediate phases, whereas the guanidinium counterpart immobilizes iodide ions via N─H···I hydrogen bonding, lowering ion-migration activation energy. The resulting films exhibit suppressed defect densities, relieved residual strain, and an air-stable black phase retained after 11 days of ambient aging. Consequently, MA-free PSC delivers one of the highest certified quasi-steady-state output of 26.73% (p–i–n), a conventional 26.18% (n–i–p), and an indoor-light champion of 44.60% (n–i–p). Notably, the devices retain >90% of their initial efficiency after 4000 h of continuous 1-sun illumination (international summit on organic photovoltaic stability (ISOS)-L-1) and 2000 h of dark storage (ISOS-D-1).

By tuning the blend ratio of L8-BO to mBZS-4F acceptors in ternary OSCs, the bandgap is adjustable to match various wide-bandgap perovskite top subcells with a bandgap ranging from 1.80–1.88 eV. This strategy enables high-performance P/OTSCs, with efficiencies over 25.5%, in which the best-performing tandem device achieves an impressive 26.08% efficiency.

Abstract

Perovskite/organic tandem solar cells (P/OTSCs) have attracted wide attention. However, insufficient near-infrared absorption of organic bottom subcells and poor compatibility with perovskite top subcells restrict their further development. Here, a ternary strategy of combining near-infrared-absorbing mBZS-4F and crystalline L8-BO as mixed acceptors along with D18 donor is proposed to form an organic bottom absorber. This approach effectively extended the near-infrared absorption to 970 nm while maintaining low voltage loss (0.54 eV). By adjusting the L8-BO:mBZS-4F ratio to 2:1, a high-performance OSC is achieved with a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.42% and an outstanding fill factor (FF) of 81.25%. This combination strategy exhibits robust compatibility with a 1.80, 1.86, and 1.88 eV wide-bandgap perovskite top subcell, enabling their corresponding P/OTSCs with PCEs of 25.82, 25.50, and 26.08%, respectively. The work suggests that such a ternary strategy not only benefits single-junction OSC performance but also suits a wide range of wide-bandgap perovskite subcells for efficient P/OTSCs.

Nature Materials, Published online: 13 October 2025; doi:10.1038/s41563-025-02379-4

Time-resolved surface X-ray scattering is used to probe how light manipulates orbital order at the surface of a manganite. Femtosecond light is found to generate incoherent atomic disorder on an ultrafast timescale, consistent with the localization of polarons.

Nature Materials, Published online: 13 October 2025; doi:10.1038/s41563-025-02357-w

Spontaneous scrolling in two-dimensional polar van der Waals materials, driven by intrinsic out-of-plane electric polarization, enables the scalable production of nanoscrolls and their heterostructures.

Specializing Reinforcement Learning Techniques for Database Systems

Reinforcement learning (RL) is a powerful general-purpose technique for automatically selecting actions that maximize rewards. At a surface level, RL seems like a perfect fit for solving several problems in data management, such as query optimization (“choose a plan that minimizes latency”), execution engines (“pick the right operator for my context”), and workload management (“schedule my queries such that SLA violations are minimized”). Unfortunately, putting RL into core database components in practice has several drawbacks, such as sample inefficiency and exploration overhead. This talk will begin with a case study in “lessons learned” from deploying learned query optimizers at Microsoft and Meta, and will then present our lab’s current cookbook for successfully integrating RL into data systems. This cookbook boils down to two core principles: (1) move expensive exploration offline, and (2) ensure the overhead of the RL technique being used matches the potential gains from good decision-making.

Bio: Ryan Marcus is an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he works on building next-generation database management systems that automatically adapt to new hardware and user workloads, invent novel processing strategies, and understand user intention. Before joining Penn, Ryan was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT , and received his PhD from Brandeis University. His work has received multiple awards, including a Google ML and Systems Junior Faculty Award, a SIGMOD Best Paper Award, and recognition in SIGMOD Research Highlights. You can read more about Ryan on his website: https://rmarcus.info

• Speaker: Ryan Marcus (University of Pennsylvania)
• Thursday 06 November 2025, 14:00-15:00
• Venue: Online.
• Series: Computer Laboratory Systems Research Group Seminar; organiser: Eiko Yoneki.

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Less is Better - Determining key barriers and levers for reducing meat consumption in Cambridge colleges, and developing behaviour-led intervention approaches

Excessive appetite for meat is a key component in a global existential poly-crisis, and reducing meat consumption could result in multiple benefits to people and the planet. Current levels of meat-eating and the resulting livestock production are major causal factors in the climate breakdown, the mass extinction of species, and a public health crisis involving zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, and increased all-cause mortality from such causes as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dementia. Furthermore, some consider livestock farming and even eating meat at all, to be cruel, inhumane, and unnecessary. Conversely, contrasting viewpoints consider meat to be an essential component in a healthy and balanced diet and critical for wellbeing and are sceptical of the need to reduce meat consumption and of the products that seek to replace it. Despite (or perhaps because of) an increasingly prominent and polarised discourse around livestock farming and meat-eating, efforts to reduce meat consumption have so far failed to achieve meaningful effect sizes in any population or choice environment.

In my talk I will discuss the complexities of dietary transition away from meat, including the challenges posed by the conflicting deontological and consequentialist root narratives. I will also talk about the results of my recently completed research project that, with the aid of a survey (n=849) and four follow-up focus groups (n=30), determined key barriers and levers for reducing meat consumption in the Cambridge colleges. Finally, I will propose a novel approach to reducing meat consumption, introducing a framework that can guide the development of more inclusive, accepted, and effective population- and context-specific intervention strategies.

• Speaker: Siggi Martinsson, MPhil student, Darwin College
• Tuesday 04 November 2025, 13:10-14:00
• Venue: Richard King room, Darwin College.
• Series: Darwin College Humanities and Social Sciences Seminars; organiser: Janet Gibson.

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Si based capacitive tunneling junctions (SCTJs) and corresponding moving trajectory monitoring and recognition systems for multi-functional neuromorphic computing networks are developed. Such SCTJs exhibit high-speed, low-energy consumption, an exceptionally low driving voltage, controllable reversibility, reproducibility, stability, and bilingual artificial synaptic plasticity. It has important guiding significance for intelligent surveillance, driverless vehicles, robot navigation, and other future intelligent scenarios.

Abstract

The growing demand for artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies has led to a desperate need for energy-efficient neuromorphic computing systems capable of processing large datasets. Here, silicon capacitive tunneling junctions (SCTJs) that leverage the synergistic effects of capacitive coupling and quantum tunneling in Si-compatible devices are presented. These devices demonstrate high-speed switching, low energy consumption, and the ability to emulate neurobiological synaptic behaviors. By using pulse-programmed signal as “stimuli,” the SCTJs modulate charge accumulation and dissipation at the Al2O3/n-Si interface, simultaneously facilitating rapid electrons/holes transfer through the direct tunneling effect, resulting in high-performance bidirectional and bilingual multimodal postsynaptic behavior of SCTJ, with ultrafast response times of 10 ns and energy consumption as low as 1 fJ. Additionally, the SCTJs are integrated into a system capable of monitoring and recognizing the movement trajectories of objects. These findings offer valuable insights into interface gating mechanisms in capacitive tunneling, which has great significance in constructing the next-generation multifunctional silicon-based neuromorphic computing network.

The ion-dipole interactions within Li(solvents) x + groups for fast interfacial Li+ desolvation/diffusion and dendrite-free deposition are reduced by taming various d-orbital electron-delocalized catalyzers under the low-temperature surroundings. Consequently, the cells with weak ion-dipole interaction delivers long-term cycling life with high environmental robustness from 25 to −50°C, and the practical full cell stabilizes excellent capacity retention of ≈100% under 0°C.

Abstract

Low-temperature lithium metal batteries (LT-LMBs) are increasingly desired for higher energy density and longer lifespan. However, due to organic electrolyte solidification, LT-LMBs are impeded by huge barriers resulting from the hindrance of larger solvation shells with strong ion-dipole interactions, leading to depressive Li kinetics and severe dendrite formation. Herein, interfacial catalysis by constructing electron delocalization d-orbital metal oxides toward the ion-dipole interactions is pioneered to accelerate the larger Li(solvents) x + dissociation under the low-temperature environment. Specifically, various kinds of d-orbital metal oxides (M = Ti, V, Fe, Co) with oxygen defect modulation are systematically screened and investigated for breaking the ion-dipole interactions, and the prototyped titanium oxide with adjustable electron delocalization behave the best, as confirmed by electrochemical and theoretical experiments. Consequently, optimized Li electrodes withstand environmental robustness from 25 to −50°C, and stabilize long-term cycling up to 1800 h and high Coulombic efficiency without any short-circuit under −20°C. The as-fabricated Li–S full cell enables a high-capacity retention of 88% at 0.2 C over 200 cycles, and the high-loading Li-LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cell (≈20 mg cm−2) demonstrates excellent capacity retention ≈100% under 0°C, providing a new guideline for adopting a catalytic strategy for achieving advanced LT-LMBs.

Title to be confirmed

Join us for the Cambridge AI in Medicine Seminar Series, hosted by the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre and the Department of Radiology at Addenbrooke’s. This series brings together leading experts to explore cutting-edge AI applications in healthcare—from disease diagnosis to drug discovery. It’s a unique opportunity for researchers, practitioners, and students to stay at the forefront of AI innovations and engage in discussions shaping the future of AI in healthcare.

This month’s seminar will be held on Thursday 30 October 2025, 12-1pm at the Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre (Main Lecture Theatre), University of Cambridge and streamed online via Zoom. A light lunch from Aromi will be served from 11:45. The event will feature the following talks:

Explainable Integration of Kidney Cancer Radiology and Pathology – Dr Shangqi Gao, Research Associate, Early Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge

Dr Shangqi Gao is a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, working with Dr Mireia Crispin. Prior to this, he was a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at the University of Oxford, collaborating with Prof. Clare Verrill and Prof. Jens Rittscher. Shangqi Gao earned a Ph.D. in Statistics from Fudan University, an M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics from Wuhan University, and a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics from Northwestern Polytechnical University. Shangqi is the recipient of the Shanghai Natural Science Award (2023), the Elsevier–MedIA 1st Prize & Medical Image Analysis MICCAI Best Paper Award (2023) and the MICCAI AMAI Best Paper Award (2025). He currently serves as President of the MICCAI Special Interest Group on Explainable AI for Medical Image Analysis.

Abstract: We present an explainable AI framework for kidney cancer analysis that integrates pathological and radiological information to enhance prognostic assessment. Using TNM staging guidelines and pathology reports, we construct interpretable pathological concepts and extract deep features from whole-slide images via foundation models. Pathological and radiological graphs are then built to capture spatial correlations, and graph neural networks with sparsity-informed probabilistic integration identify key biomarkers and risk patterns. This approach ensures explainability and fairness in distinguishing low- and high-risk patients, addressing the intrinsic heterogeneity of kidney cancer.

Title TBC – Dr Shuncong Wang, Research Associate, Department of Radiology, University of Cambridge

Details to follow.

This is a hybrid event so you can also join via Zoom:

https://zoom.us/j/99050467573?pwd=UE5OdFdTSFdZeUtIcU1DbXpmdlNGZz09

Meeting ID: 990 5046 7573 and Passcode: 617729

We look forward to your participation! If you are interested in getting involved and presenting your work, please email Ines Machado at im549@cam.ac.uk

For more information about this seminar series, see: https://www.integratedcancermedicine.org/research/cambridge-medai-seminar-series/

• Speaker: Dr Shangqi Gao and Dr Shuncong Wang
• Thursday 30 October 2025, 11:45-13:00
• Venue: Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre (Main Lecture Theatre), University of Cambridge.
• Series: Cambridge MedAI Seminar Series; organiser: Hannah Clayton.

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From Prison to Cambridge - A Journey of Resilience

Christian Austin came to Darwin in October 2017 to study for the MPhil in Criminological Research, having previously served more than a decade in prison. In his forthcoming memoir Resilient: From Childhood Adversity to Cambridge University Christian reflects on how he survived adverse childhood experiences, addiction and solitary confinement to gain a Masters degree at Cambridge. He will discuss the importance of reading and music in his journey and the insights he gained from Gabor Maté on addiction, and Patti Ashley and Cendie Stanford on childhood trauma.

“Christian sheds light in the darkness, showing that anyone can turn their life around – Patti Ashley, Psychotherapist, Trauma Recovery Specialist, and author of Shame-Informed Trauma.

• Speaker: Christian Austin
• Tuesday 21 October 2025, 13:10-14:00
• Venue: Richard King room, Darwin College.
• Series: Darwin College Humanities and Social Sciences Seminars; organiser: Janet Gibson.

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Dual-ion regulated polyphosphoester-based electrolyte (PPUM-PE) achieves dendrite-free uniform lithium(Li) deposition, constructing a protected anode with robust bilayer solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Assembled LiFePO4 batteries deliver 1000 cycles at 1C alongside significantly enhanced safety.

Abstract

The practical application of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) is hindered by the imbalanced periodic oscillatory distribution of cations/anions in liquid electrolytes (LEs) and thus the formed mechanically vulnerable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), which collectively exacerbate lithium (Li) dendrite formation and degrade electrochemical stability. To overcome these issues, a polyphosphoester electrolyte (PPUM-PE) is designed through a dual-ion regulation strategy. The ‒NH‒ moieties in PPUM polymer effectively anchor anions, while its P═O/C═O functional groups reconstruct Li+ solvation architecture, collectively enabling an exceptional Li+ transference number (0.82) and improved reductive stability of the solvation sheath. A bilayer SEI layer formed on Li anodes—composed of an outer lithium-containing alkyl phosphate polymer and an inner LiF-enriched inorganic phase—exhibits high Young's modulus, effectively suppressing Li dendrite propagation and continuous electrolyte decomposition. Impressively, the as-assembled LMBs employing LiFePO4 cathodes retain 91.28% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 1C. The electrolyte also demonstrates good compatibility with high-voltage cathodes (LiCoO2, LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2) and substantially improves battery thermal safety. This dual-ion synergistic regulation provides a scalable pathway toward high-energy-density LMBs.

The concept of spatially-controlled planar guided crystallization is a novel method for programming the growth of optically homogeneous low-loss Sb2S3 phase-change material (PCM), leveraging the directional crystallization within confined channels. This guided crystallization method is experimentally shown to circumvent the current limitations of conventional PCM-based nanophotonic devices, including a multilevel non-volatile optical phase-shifter and a programmable metasurface with reconfigurable bound state in the continuum.

Abstract

Photonic integrated devices are progressively evolving beyond passive components into fully programmable systems, notably driven by the progress in chalcogenide phase-change materials (PCMs) for non-volatile reconfigurable nanophotonics. However, the stochastic nature of their crystal grain formation results in strong spatial and temporal crystalline inhomogeneities. Here, the concept of spatially-controlled planar guided crystallization is proposed, a novel method for programming the growth of optically homogeneous low-loss Sb2S3 PCM, leveraging the seeded directional and progressive crystallization within confined channels. This guided crystallization method is experimentally shown to circumvent the current limitations of conventional PCM-based nanophotonic devices, including a multilevel non-volatile optical phase-shifter exploiting a silicon nitride-based Mach–Zehnder interferometer, and a programmable metasurface with spectrally reconfigurable bound state in the continuum. Precisely controlling the growth of PCMs to ensure optically uniform crystalline properties across devices is the cornerstone for the industrial development of non-volatile reconfigurable photonic integrated circuits.

A novel True Random Number Generator (TRNG) exploiting unpredictable conductive domain walls in single-crystal LiNbO3-on-insulator (LNOI) as a physical high-entropy source is demonstrated. The device achieves high-amplitude stochastic currents arising from the random nucleation and reconfiguration of conductive domain walls, enabling ultrafast output and flexible device scaling at comparable operating voltages.

Abstract

Random ferroelectric domain nucleation and growth lead to the generation of numerous unpredictable microscopic states that collectively form a natural high-entropy system. Conventional electrical methods can directly measure reversible domain switching currents, offering a viable platform for true random number generation (TRNG). However, TRNG based on random ferroelectric switching events is limited by the noise amplitudes in electrical signals. In this study, TRNG is realized via the stochastic formation of conductive domain walls in single-crystal LiNbO3 thin films bonded to SiO2/Si wafers. This approach achieves a noise amplitude and cycling endurance >500 nA and >1010, respectively. The interfacial-layer-based device exhibits self-reinitialized stochastic sub-10-ns domain switching operations, enabling ultrafast generation of bit outputs and flexible device scaling. The generated random bitstreams, validated via National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)tests, exhibit robust resistance against machine-learning-based predictive attacks. This pioneering study establishes ferroelectric conductive domain walls as groundbreaking platforms for CMOS-compatible entropy source extraction, effectively addressing the long-standing challenges in amplifying entropy signals with operational robustness.

Utilizing the thermodynamic theory of optical properties, a colossal cryogenic electro-optic response in BaTiO3 thin films is designed and demonstrated by stabilizing a low symmetry metastable monoclinic phase via epitaxial strain tuning with an electro-optic response reaching ≈2516 pm V−1 at 5 K. This approach represents a new paradigm for engineering large property enhancements in materials applied toward cryogenic photonics.

Abstract

The search for thin film electro-optic materials that can retain superior performance under cryogenic conditions has become critical for quantum computing. Barium titanate thin films show large linear electro-optic coefficients in the tetragonal phase at room temperature, which is severely degraded down to ≈200 pm V−1 in the rhombohedral phase at cryogenic temperatures. There is immense interest in manipulating these phase transformations and retaining superior electro-optic properties down to liquid helium temperature. Utilizing the thermodynamic theory of optical properties, a large low-temperature electro-optic response is designed by engineering the energetic competition between different ferroelectric phases, leading to a low-symmetry monoclinic phase with a massive electro-optic response. The existence of this phase is demonstrated in a strain-tuned BaTiO3 thin film that exhibits a linear electro-optic coefficient of 2516 ± 100 pm V−1 at 5 K, which is an order of magnitude higher than the best reported performance thus far. Importantly, the electro-optic coefficient increases by 100 × during cooling, unlike the conventional films, where it degrades. Further, at the lowest temperature, significant higher order electro-optic responses also emerge. These results represent a new framework for designing materials with property enhancements by stabilizing highly tunable metastable phases with strain.

A arch-like FBI-PyAI molecule (4-(5,6-difluoro-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)butan-1-ammonium iodide) is designed and synthesized, which forms an ordered interlayer that relieves buried interfacial stress and mismatch, thereby enhancing structural integrity of perovskite films and the stability of devices.

Abstract

Thermal instability remains a key barrier to the commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), largely due to severe thermomechanical mismatch at the buried interface between the perovskite and transport layers. This mismatch induces interfacial strain, triggering deep-level defects, ion migration, and phase segregation that severely impair device stability. Here, a thermomechanical stress engineering strategy is introduced via rational molecular interface design. Specifically, a novel molecule, 4-(5,6-difluoro-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)butan-1-ammonium iodide (FBI-PyAI) is synthesized, that anchors at the TiO2/perovskite interface likely in a unique “molecular bridge” configuration. This soft interface yields an extremely low modulus and significantly reduces the interfacial stress energy from 0.554 to 0.178 eV, thereby suppressing defect formation and minimizing phase segregation. Meanwhile, the functional groups in FBI-PyAI passivate defects and induce vertically oriented perovskite crystallization, forming compact films with fewer voids and improved structural uniformity. As a result, the modified devices achieve exceptional thermal stability, which maintains 88% of initial efficiency after 50 thermal cycles (−15 to 65 °C). Moreover, the modified PSC delivers a competitive efficiency of 25.01% and outstanding photostability (95% retention after 800 h illumination under ISOS-L-1 protocol). This work offers mechanistic insight into interfacial stress modulation and underscores its importance for thermally stable PSCs.

This study develops a regional assembly crosslinking (RAC) hydrogel fabricated via electric-field-enhanced phase separation. The process generates a unique polypyrrole:polystyrene sulfonate junction matrix that inherently translates topological randomness into unpredictable, unclonable electrochemical responses. RAC hydrogels demonstrate electrochemical encryption that shows exceptional resistance to machine learning attacks, establishing a novel paradigm for secure hydrogel-based devices.

Abstract

The sustainable development of an informatized and intelligent society relies on information security. Physical unclonable cryptographic primitives effectively secure information through random physical structures. However, the limited size of challenge–response pairs renders them vulnerable to machine learning attacks. This study proposes a regional assembly crosslinking (RAC) strategy to impart hydrogels with macroscopic, unclonable electrochemical behaviors derived from topological polymeric networks. An electric-field-enhanced phase separation approach is employed to create ion–electron transduction junctions based on polypyrrole:polystyrene sulfonate (PPy:PSS), forming a transduction junction matrix within the RAC hydrogel. The distinct transduction times of individual junctions enable pulsed electrical signals to convert the unique polymeric network topology into unpredictable and unclonable electrochemical responses. The RAC hydrogel-based encryption device generates over 1019 challenge–response pairs, significantly surpassing the standard requirement of 1010 for a strong physical unclonable cryptographic primitive. Additionally, the inherent nonlinear electrochemical characteristics of the ion–electron junction matrix significantly enhance the resistance of RAC hydrogels against machine learning attacks, including linear regression, multi-layer perceptrons, and Transformers. This study demonstrates that the electrochemical behavior of polymer networks in conductive hydrogels can emulate 3D electronic component matrices, establishing a novel paradigm for hydrogel phase engineering in information technology applications.

A high-performance stacked triboelectric nanogenerator is designed by the self-layered method, achieving efficient fabrication, high durability, and high output, which is a huge breakthrough for traditional designs. A device with 100 layers achieves a record-high volume charge density of 49.39 ± 1.73 mC m−3, enabling sustainable high-power applications in smart agricultural monitoring.

Abstract

Capturing low-density ambient mechanical energy to power devices is a sustainable development pathway. In which, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with a stacked design has garnered wide attention for its remarkable enhancement in output. However, the traditional layer-by-layer method generally results in complex fabrication and low output density. Herein, a novel self-layered method is proposed for efficiently constructing high output stacked TENG based on sliding mode. With the stacked thin steel sheets serving as the stator, an insertable rotor consisting of long fibers in the radial direction can be easily inserted into the stator during the rotating process. This achieves a self-layered effect, greatly simplifying the fabrication and improving the output. Finally, a highly integrated TENG comprising 200 units is fabricated within a height of 16.05 cm, and the volume charge density reaches 49.39 ± 1.73 mC m−3, which is 4 times of the previous record. The high power enables 10 commercial LEDs in 90 W power or 46 wireless agricultural sensors to work continuously. Besides, the TENG of 40 units can continuously power 8 wireless agricultural sensors at 6 m s−1 wind speed. Overall, this work overcomes the limitations of traditional designs, and provides a novel approach toward large-scale energy applications in sustainable agriculture.

Crosslinked polymers with decoupled non-conjugated backbones and polar moieties are designed through a modular molecular engineering to simultaneously optimize molecular polarity, topological crosslinking, and free volume in alicyclic polymers. The fully crosslinked P0-B300 delivers a record-high discharge energy density of 4.65 J cm−3 and superb insulation performance (breakdown strength greater than 700 MV m−1) at 250 °C, outperforming conventional dielectrics.

Abstract

Polymer dielectric capacitors are critical for high-temperature energy storage, yet current materials face a trade-off between thermal stability and capacitive performance due to conduction loss or insufficient polarization. Here, a modular molecular engineering to simultaneously optimize molecular polarity, topological crosslinking, and free volume in alicyclic polymers is designed. By incorporating thermally crosslinkable benzocyclobutene (BCB) and sulfone-methyl (─SO2CH3) groups into norbornene-based monomers via ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), crosslinked networks with decoupled non-conjugated backbones and polar moieties are constructed. The polymers exhibit a wide optical bandgap (E g > 3.7 eV), high thermal stability (T g > 350 °C), and suppressed dissipation (D f ≈ 0.0006). Optimized P50-B250 delivers an exceptional discharged energy density (U d) of 8.00 J cm−3 at 150 °C (≥90% efficiency), while fully crosslinked P0-B300 retained U d of 7.34 J cm−3 at 200 °C and 4.65 J cm−3 at 250 °C, outperforming conventional dielectrics. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that crosslinking increases free volume fraction by ≈40%, inhibiting interchain charge transfer complexes (CTCs). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that sulfonyl-enhanced polarization and crosslinking collectively restrict charge migration. This work establishes a general framework for designing polymer dielectrics by integrating structural modularity and topological control, offering pathways for next-generation energy storage applications under extreme conditions.

The aberrant overexpression of METTL1, a key m7G modulator, and HDAC1, are found to be associated with poor chemotherapeutic response in osteosarcoma. To target these epigenetic vulnerabilities, innovative carrier-free nano-epidrugs incorporating first-line doxorubicin with siMETTL1, FDA-approved HDAC inhibitor, and DSPE-PEG2000-cRGD are developed, synergistically regulating m7G-modified tRNA-mediated translation of DNA repair proteins, and HDAC-mediated histone deacetylation, amplifying DNA damage, thereby evoking osteosarcoma chemosensitization.

Abstract

Osteosarcoma has witnessed stagnant clinical outcomes over the past four decades, owing to the inevitable reduction in chemosensitivity during treatment. Although epigenetics offers promising strategies to augment chemosensitivity, its role in osteosarcoma remains elusive. Here, by analyzing clinical cohorts, it is found that the aberrant overexpression of methyltransferase 1 (METTL1), a key N7-methylguanosine (m7G) modulator, and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), associated with poor chemotherapeutic response in osteosarcoma. To target these epigenetic vulnerabilities, innovative carrier-free nano-epidrugs (siMBD-R NPs) are developed, incorporating first-line doxorubicin (DOX) with siRNA against METTL1 (siMETTL1), FDA-approved HDAC inhibitor belinostat (BEL), and DSPE-PEG2000-cRGD. With ultrahigh active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) loading content (≈92.7 wt.%), tumor-specific targeting capability, and unique pH-responsive release characteristics, the siMBD-R NPs indicate remarkable tumor accumulation (15.2-fold enhancement) compared to free siMETTL1. Importantly, through dual-epigenetic regulation, the nano-epidrugs markedly amplify DOX-triggered DNA damage. Specifically, siMETTL1 selectively disrupts m7G-modified tRNA-mediated translation of DNA repair proteins, and BEL-induced HDAC inhibition remodels chromatin into a more accessible state, promoting DNA damage accumulation. In vivo studies demonstrate that siMBD-R NPs can significantly potentiate chemosensitivity, achieving an 81.5% relative increase in tumor inhibition, and can activate an immune response. This work highlights the potential benefits of leveraging dual-targeted epigenetic intervention to evoke osteosarcoma chemosensitization.

This review summarizes the recent advances in sodium-ion battery electrolytes (including organic, aqueous, gel, ionic liquid, and solid-state types) and their influence on the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). It discusses SEI formation, aging, and optimization, as well as cases where no SEI forms, providing insights into the critical relationship between electrolyte chemistry and interfacial stability.

Abstract

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are regarded as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to the low cost and abundant availability of sodium. Electrolyte, as the medium for ion transport, plays a crucial role in determining the electrochemical performance. Currently, SIBs employ mainly organic electrolytes, aqueous electrolytes, ionic liquids, gel electrolytes, and solid electrolytes. These electrolytes have made significant progress according to the needs of various application scenarios. Notably, the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed by decomposition of electrolytes on the electrode surface has a decisive influence on the performance of SIBs, and its composition and formation mechanism are closely related to the chemical nature of the electrolyte. Therefore, a deep understanding of the structure and interfacial chemistry of the SEI is essential for developing high-performance SIBs, preferably through the simple and effective modulation of electrolyte composition. However, the fragmented and insufficient mechanistic summary on this connection results in poor guidance on future research, especially for the co-design of electrolyte and solid electrolyte interphase. This review summarizes and compares the research progress of various electrolyte systems, discusses the formation and aging mechanisms of SEI, and presents the perspectives on the integrated design of electrolyte and SEI.