http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/rss/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1521-4095

The introduction of grain boundary phases with low resistivity can effectively enhance the thermoelectric performance of Mg3(Sb,Bi)2. This work proposes an in situ engineering approach inducing TiO2-n to reduce interfacial barriers, which is attributed to the formation of Ti3Sb. These secondary phases significantly enhance the power factor while simultaneously reducing the lattice thermal conductivity, thereby resulting in a superior figure of merit (zT) and conversion efficiency.

As a promising thermoelectric material for electronic cooling and power generation, Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 has received extensive attention. Despite efforts to enhance its performance through composite modulation, challenges such as secondary phase refinement, dispersion, and interfacial mismatch, particularly at grain boundaries, remain critical. In this work, by incorporating TiO2-n into the Mg3(Sb,Bi)2-based matrix, the grain boundary phases are in situ engineered, yielding a superior figure of merit (zT) exceeding 2 at 798 K. The electrical conductivity is significantly enhanced with only slight changes to the Seebeck coefficient over the entire temperature range, mainly due to the contribution to carrier concentration and mobility from the newly generated Ti3Sb at grain boundaries. Benefiting from the remarkably enhanced power factor and the diminished lattice thermal conductivity, the zT value shows an overall increase within the temperature range of 300–798 K, leading to a considerable conversion efficiency of 15% for the single-leg device.

An innovative strategy of rapid-directional-solidification is developed to unexpectedly grow non-equilibrium single-crystals of Fe-Ga magnetostrictive material with the supersaturation of Tb, leading to an unprecedentedly giant magnetostriction of 489 ppm in bulk Fe-Ga single-crystals. This study paves the way for realizing revolutionary material performance by innovating the concept and fabrication method of non-equilibrium single-crystals.

The non-equilibrium microstructure characterized by Tb supersaturation within Fe-Ga single-crystals is deduced to induce a substantial enhancement in magnetostriction. However, the growth of the non-equilibrium single-crystal remains a formidable obstacle, as existing methods can only produce either non-equilibrium polycrystal or near-equilibrium single-crystal, leading to the stagnation in magnetostriction. Herein, a rapid-directional-solidification (RDS) strategy is devised to grow non-equilibrium single-crystals. The RDS is realized through achieving an ultrahigh temperature gradient of ≈106 K m−1 at S-L interface front, accompanied by an ultrafast growth velocity. This results in single-crystal growth under non-equilibrium conditions with a giant cooling rate of 102–103 K s−1, which is ≈1–2 orders of magnitude greater than the current state-of-the-art of directional-solidification methods. A non-equilibrium Fe-Ga single-crystal, featured with traces of Tb supersaturation, is successfully grown with a significantly enhanced magnetostriction of 489 ppm. This magnitude of magnetostriction sets a record in bulk Fe-Ga materials, surpassing the maximum value reported for Fe-Ga single-crystals by 60%. The advent of RDS strategy opens an avenue for fabricating non-equilibrium single-crystals with revolutionary performance, and paves the way for fabricating currently unattainable single-crystals for engineering applications.

A self-healing nitroxide redical, DT-TEMPO, has been used to address slow oxidation and mechanical stability limitations of Spiro-OMeTAD in perovskite solar cells, achieving good power conversion efficiency of 25.69% (rigid, certified 25.30%), 21.23% (rigid mini-module), and 24.19% (flexible). Most impressively, the flexible devices with DT-TEMPO show remarkable machnical stability, maintaining ∼95% of initial efficiency after 20 000 bending cycles through a dynamic disulfide bond cleavage and reformation mechanism.

Spiro-OMeTAD is the primary hole transport material (HTM) for high-efficiency and stable flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs). However, the slow oxidation rate and susceptibility to film cracking under stress in Spiro-OMeTAD lead to reduced device stability and efficiency. In this paper, a multi-functional novel self-healing nitroxide radical monomer, 4-[[5-(1,2-dithiolane-3-yl)-1-oxopentyl]amino]-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl (DT-TEMPO), has been introduced to address these challenges. DT-TEMPO, on one side, enhances the hole mobility and conductivity by p-doping Spiro-OMeTAD, while boosting the charge transfer process from perovskite to Spiro-OMeTAD with an optimized energy level alignment on the other side. Additionally, DT-TEMPO endows a self-healing capability to Spiro-OMeTAD through the introduction of dynamic breaking and reconstructing disulfide bond. The optimized perovskite solar cells achieve impressive power conversion efficiencies, 25.69% on rigid substrates (certified 25.30%), 21.23% on rigid mini-modules, and 24.19% on flexible substrates. Remarkably, the FPSCs with DT-TEMPO retain over 90% of their initial efficiency even after 20 000 bending cycles (r = 6 mm) and recover to ≈95% of their initial value through the self-healing process.

The layered oxide cathode material (NNLMO) with the LiMn6 and NiMn6 dual-topology superlattice is constructed for sodium-ion batteries, realizing the reversible cationic and anionic redox. The Ni2+ electronic configuration serves as a redox buffer to tune the redox activity, while the NiMn6 topology provides topological protection to reinforce the superstructure stability.

High-voltage oxygen anionic redox provides a transformative opportunity to achieve high energy density of batteries. However, it is challenging to guarantee the reversibility of both cationic and anionic redox for layered transition metal (TM) oxide cathode materials due to the high oxygen-redox reactivity and the complex structural rearrangements. Herein, a honeycomb-layered Na0.78Ni0.12Li0.18Mn0.7O2 (NNLMO) cathode material with the NiMn6 and LiMn6 dual-topology superlattice is proposed for sodium-ion batteries. The theoretical and experimental studies demonstrate that the Ni2+ electronic configuration serves as a redox buffer to tune the cationic and anionic redox activity by enlarging the energy gap between O 2p and Mn 3d orbitals, while the NiMn6 topology renders the LiMn6 topology delocalized in the TM layers to reinforce the superstructure stability through suppressing the intralayer Mn migration and O2 formation. As a result, NNLMO delivers a highly reversible capacity of 224 mAh g−1 with the mitigated voltage hysteresis and exhibits remarkable capacity retention of 92.2% over 50 cycles within the wide voltage range of 1.5–4.5 V. The findings suggest a new insight into the topological superstructure design of high-energy oxide cathode materials for sustainable batteries.

The synthesis of high-quality AgSb0.973Cd0.017Se2 crystals with short-range order embeds within a long-range periodic structure, achieving the synergistic optimization of both electrical and phonon transport properties. Time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy provides clear evidence of a pronounced reduction in carrier scattering barriers, leads to a threefold enhancement in the average power factor (PFavg), ultimately achieving superior thermoelectric performance.

Thermoelectric materials, like other electronic materials, require high carrier mobility, which is governed by carrier scattering potential. In addition to intrinsic acoustic phonon scattering, the extrinsic factors such as microstructure and atomic arrangement also have great influence on carrier transport in solids, e.g., the emerging thermoelectric material AgSbSe2 with strong cation disorder. However, the experimental evaluation of total carrier scattering potential and distinguishing the contributions from intrinsic and extrinsic scatterings is challenging at present. Here, the time-resolved ultrafast spectroscopy analysis utilizing a pump-probe scheme is performed to characterize the charge carrier dynamics of AgSbSe2 with femtosecond time resolution quantitatively. A significantly lowered total carrier scattering potential energy in Cd-doped AgSbSe2 crystal is determined, resulting from the elimination of grain boundaries and the presence of short-range order that leads to a negative extrinsic scattering potential. The reduction in carrier scattering potential leads to a threefold increase in the average power factor from 323 to 723 K. A maximum thermoelectric figure of merit of 1.7 is achieved in high-quality AgSb0.973Cd0.017Se2 crystal at 723 K, with the output efficiency of the single-leg thermoelectric device reaching a competitive value of 8%. This work reveals how to effectively characterize and modulate carrier scattering potential in thermoelectric compounds.

This review systematically examines recent advancements in low-concentration electrolytes (LCEs) and analyzes current challenges, limitations, and failure mechanisms across various rechargeable battery systems using LCEs, including lithium-ion, lithium-metal, lithium-sulfur, sodium-ion, sodium-metal, zinc, potassium, calcium, and magnesium batteries. Modification strategies, theoretical simulations, and cutting-edge characterization techniques for LCEs are discussed, and future directions for high-performance LCEs are proposed to address ongoing challenges.

Low-concentration electrolytes (LCEs) present significant potential for actual applications because of their cost-effectiveness, low viscosity, reduced side reactions, and wide-temperature electrochemical stability. However, current electrolyte research predominantly focuses on regulation strategies for conventional 1 m electrolytes, high-concentration electrolytes, and localized high-concentration electrolytes, leaving design principles, optimization methods, and prospects of LCEs inadequately summarized. LCEs face unique challenges that cannot be addressed by the existing theories and approaches applicable to the three common electrolytes mentioned above; thus, tailored strategies to provide development guidance are urgently needed. Herein, a systematic overview of recent progress in LCEs is provided and subsequent development directions are suggested. This review proposes the core challenge of the high solvent ratio in LCEs, which triggers unstable organic-enriched electrolyte/electrode interface formation and anion depletion near the anode. On the basis of these issues, modification strategies for LCEs, including passivation interface construction and solvent‒anion interaction optimization, are used in various rechargeable battery systems. Finally, the role of advanced simulations and cutting-edge characterization techniques in revealing LCE failure mechanisms is further highlighted, offering new perspectives for their future development and practical application in next-generation rechargeable batteries.

This work identifies the lithium plating failure mechanism in energy-type and power-type single-layer graphite electrodes. Based on this, a two-layer graphite anode is designed and scaled up, with energy-type graphite on the top and power-type graphite on the bottom. This design inhibits lithium plating and greatly extends the lifespan of energy and power-densified LFP batteries.

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries are increasingly adopted in grid-scale energy storage due to their superior performance and cost metrics. However, as the desired energy and power are further densified, the lifespan of LiFePO4 batteries is significantly limited, mainly because the lithium plating severely occurs on the graphite anode. Here, first the lithium plating characteristics of both energy-type and power-type graphite electrodes in single-layer design are deciphered. Based on these findings, a suitable two-layer design with energy-type graphite on the top layer and power-type one on the bottom layer, is disclosed. Such configuration effectively inhibits lithium plating throughout the graphite electrode, drastically increasing the lifespan in an energy- and power-densified LiFePO4 battery. The assembled pouch cell with an energy density of 161.5 Wh kg−1, delivers a capacity retention rate of 90.8% after 2000 cycles at 2 C. This work provides valuable insights into the failure mechanism of graphite electrodes, but also innovative strategies of electrode engineering for extending batteries’ performance horizon.

Pt1-MoL-Mo2C surface single atom alloys (SSAAs) that integrate the advantages of Single atom catalysts (SACs) and Single atom alloys (SAAs) are successfully fabricated via incorporating ultrathin Mo layer on the surface of Mo2C matrix, exhibiting superior catalytic activity toward HER.

Single atom catalysts (SACs) achieve 100% utilization of metal atoms and have versatile support effects, whereas single atom alloys (SAAs) with metallic bonds own the free-atom-like electronic structure. Herein, surface single atom alloys (SSAAs) are developed that integrate the advantages of SACs and SAAs via incorporating an ultrathin metallic layer during the synthetic process of SACs. It is shown that the Pt single atom preferentially coordinates with metallic Mo nanolayer, thereby forming a Pt1-MoL surface atom alloy on Mo2C (marked as Pt1-MoL-Mo2C SSAAs). Comprehensive spectroscopic and theoretical calculations reveal that the Mo nanolayer in SSAAs not only functions as an electron buffer between Pt1 and Mo2C, leading to a free-atom-like d state at Pt1 sites and thereby balancing the adsorption and desorption of H, but also enhances the aggregation, adsorption, and activation of H2O. Consequently, the Pt1-MoL-Mo2C SSAAs exhibit superior alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance compared to Pt1/Mo2C SACs, achieving a low overpotential of 12 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 17 mV dec−1. This work provides novel insights into the design of advanced single-site catalysts.

Using near-field infrared and atomic-resolution transmission electron imaging, a novel phenomenon is observed: the presence of conductive interstitial Ga line defects within β-Ga2O3 nanoflakes. These defects lead to an associated increase in conductivity, which in turn results in a broadband infrared response and the quenching of cathodoluminescence. Functioning as an antenna, these defects can excite phonon polaritons in hexagonal boron nitride cladding layers, offering exciting prospects for applications in nanophotonic devices.

Beta-phase gallium sesquioxide (β-Ga2O3), possessing an ultrawide bandgap and high breakdown voltage, exhibits strong potential for deep-ultraviolet photodetection and high-power electronics. However, nanometer-scale line defects, prevalent in β-Ga2O3 growth, degrade device performance by increasing leakage currents and reducing breakdown voltages, thus termed “killer defects”. Critically, the impact of these defects at the atomic scale remains unclear due to limited characterization and a lack of detailed understanding. Here, the observation of novel conductive atomic line defects is reported within β-Ga2O3 nanoflakes using near-field infrared imaging. Combining atomic-resolution imaging with density functional theory calculations, these defects are identified as interstitial Ga atoms migrating along the c-axis. These atomic line defects exhibit a broadband infrared response and quenched cathodoluminescence, indicative of significantly enhanced local conductivity. This elevated conductivity enables subsurface near-field detection of the defects and remote excitation of phonon polaritons in a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) capping layer. These findings underscore the distinct conductivity of atomic-scale line defects, emphasizing the need for their controlled management during material synthesis and device fabrication, while simultaneously suggesting opportunities for their exploitation in nanophotonic applications.

An innovative plasmon-mediated electron emission (PMEE) nanocathode is developed through gold nanoparticle-decorated vertically aligned few-layer graphene, enabling synchronized generation of picosecond electron pulses and GHz electromagnetic radiation. This room-temperature system achieves exceptional performance of 8.81 × 109 A·m−2·sr−1·V−1 brightness and 0.97 eV energy spread, while operating at moderate excitation, offering a promising platform for compact and high-efficiency vacuum electronic devices.

Vacuum electronic devices offer superior electron mobility and spatiotemporal electron manipulating precision, with recent challenges focusing on ultrafast electron pulses for high-frequency, high-energy, and high-resolution applications. Plasmon-mediated electron emission (PMEE) nanocathodes provide a promising solution by producing high-quality ultrafast electron pulses while simplifying the electron beam manipulation. In this study, we developed a PMEE Au-on-Gr nanocathode using vertically aligned few-layer graphene decorated with gold nanoparticles, enabling synchronized generation of picosecond pulsed electron beam and electromagnetic radiation. The nanocathode achieved 80 MHz electron pulses with a 500 ps pulsewidth, 0.91 A·cm−2 peak current density, 6.53% external quantum efficiency, and 8.81 × 109 A·m−2·sr−1·V−1 reduced brightness. Additionally, it exhibited a 7.1° divergence angle and 0.97 eV energy spread under low excitations. Synchronized radiation pulses at 2.3, 5.7, and 9.2 GHz corresponded to electron pulse features. The excellent performance stems from plasmonic field enhancement and efficient hot electron generation driven by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the PMEE nanocathode. The dynamic effects of high-energy hot electron injection at the Au-Gr interface also play a critical role. This system enables compact, room-temperature, low-power vacuum electronic devices for ultra-high spatiotemporal resolution and high-frequency applications, driving progress in materials science and nanotechnology.

The study explores how interfacial redox mediation influences Mn2⁺/MnO₂ conversion, focusing on local environmental regulation. It is found that the VO2⁺/VO₂⁺ redox couple stabilizes pH, controls H₂O activity, and mediates Mn3⁺, enabling 100% Mn2⁺/MnO₂ conversion. This approach suppresses Mn degradation, extends electrode lifespan, and achieves record-high electrode capacity (100 mAh cm− 2), offering a breakthrough for static Mn2+/MnO2 batteries.

Manganese dioxide (MnO2) deposition/dissolution (Mn2+/MnO2) chemistry, involving a two-electron-transfer process, holds promise for safe and eco-friendly large-scale energy storage. However, challenges like electrode/electrolyte interface environment fluctuations (H+ and H2O activity), irreversible Mn degradation, and limited understanding of degradation mechanisms hinder the reversibility of the Mn2+/MnO2 conversion. This study demonstrates a vanadyl/pervanadyl (VO2+/VO2 +) redox-mediated interface designed for high-energy Mn2+/MnO2 batteries. Unlike flow systems, this work uncovers, for the first time, the mechanism of a static redox-mediated interface in regulating interfacial H+ and H2O activities. Significantly, the VO2+/VO2 + chemical redox mediation targets Mn3+ intermediates, suppressing their hydrolysis and enabling 100% Mn2+/MnO2 conversion. The redox-mediated interface enhances the Mn redox electron transfer process, achieving a stable ≈95% coulombic efficiency and ultrahigh capacity of 100 mAh cm− 2 with an areal energy density of 111 mWh cm− 2, outperforming flow systems. The electrode also exhibits an average specific capacity of 593 mAh g−1, approaching the theoretical limit of 616 mAh g−1, and a specific energy density of 721 Wh kg−1 at high MnO2 loadings (50–150 mg cm−2). The findings highlight the critical role of interfacial redox mediation in regulating H+ and H2O activities and underscore the significance of interface dynamics.

This study presents a “plug-and-display” strategy for constructing T cell nanoengagers by directly embedding genetically engineered lipid-tagged antibodies into lipid-based nanoparticles. This versatile approach enables the design of both bi- and tri-specific nanoengagers, which effectively recruit T cells to tumor cells, enhance T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and mitigate T cell exhaustion.

T cell engagers, which bind tumor-associated antigens and T cell specific molecules, represent a promising class of immunotherapies for enhancing targeted immune responses. Here, a “plug-and-display” platform is introduced for engineering T cell nanoengagers by anchoring antibody fragments into lipid-based nanoparticles. This approach utilizes a genetically engineered lipoprotein fused with single-chain variable fragments (scFv) and nanobodies, which spontaneously integrate into lipid bilayer of the nanoparticles, achieving a high surface density of at least 0.102 scFv nm−2 (≈3200 scFv per particle). Modular bi-specific (Lipo-BiTE) and tri-specific (Lipo-TriTE) immunoliposomes are designed to enhance anti-tumor T cell immune responses. The Lipo-BiTE, integrating anti-CD3 and anti-HER2 scFv at an optimized surface density of 1.28 × 10−3 scFv nm−2, exhibits enhanced CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity in HER2-positive tumor models by simultaneously engaging tumor cells and T cells. Incorporating anti-PD-L1 nanobodies to create Lipo-TriTE further addresses T cell exhaustion. This modular platform provides a robust foundation for designing immune cell engagers, with broad applications in targeted immunotherapy.

A superwetting-enabled in situ silicification strategy is proposed to fabricate artificial silicified wood without high pressure and high temperature. The artificial silicified wood exhibits super flexural strength (≈216.49 MPa) and resistance to termites (98.70% mass retention) and fungi (over 90.64% mass retention), meeting the highest AWPA and ASTM standards. This method offers a promising approach to the conservation of wooden artifacts.

Wooden artifacts have attracted comprehensive concern as the witnesses of human civilization; however, their conservation suffers from many difficulties, such as natural degradation and biological invasion. Silicified wood, as a fossil material that has existed for millions of years, provides a valuable clue for the long-term conservation of wooden materials. In this work, a superwetting-enabled in situ silicification strategy is reported to silicify wood in a confined way, fabricating artificial silicified wood within 100 h. The superwetting process of the silica sol enables multi-scale high silica filling throughout the entire wood from the nanoscale to the macroscale. The artificial silicified wood shows a high flexural strength of ≈216.49 MPa and super resistance against termites and fungi. The artificial silicified wood retains 98.70% of its mass against termites, and over 90.64% of its mass against fungi, meeting the safest level in the global standards. The finding provides a general silicification approach for wood-like materials with complex hierarchical structures and a promisingly alternative solution for the conservation of wooden artifacts.

A novel near-infrared II J-aggregate-based nanomedicine has been observed to target tumor tissue and achieve effective penetration and prolonged retention in tumor tissue using an in situ secondary self-assembly strategy. These nanomedicines induce tumor pyroptosis by generating type I reactive oxygen species (superoxide anions), facilitating robust NIR-II fluorescence imaging and activating tumor photoimmunotherapy.

Pyroptosis, a programmed cell death mechanism that bypasses apoptosis resistance and triggers tumor-specific immune responses, has gained much attention as a promising approach to cancer therapy. Despite enhancing tumor accumulation and extending the circulation of small-molecule drugs, nanomedicines still face significant challenges, including poor tissue penetration, tumor resistance, and hypoxic microenvironments. To overcome these challenges, a novel near-infrared II (NIR-II) J-aggregate-based nanomedicine is designed, leveraging an in situ secondary self-assembly strategy to fabricate highly targeted nanoparticles (MSDP NPs). These nanomedicines trigger pyroptosis by generating type I reactive oxygen species, especially superoxide anions, while simultaneously activating photoimmunotherapy. In vivo studies demonstrate that MSDP NPs achieve efficient tumor penetration and prolong tumor retention, which is facilitated by the J-aggregate-driven formation of microscale spindle-shaped fibrillar bundles through in situ secondary self-assembly at the tumor site. This unique structural transformation enhances nanomedicine accumulation in tumor tissues, enabling robust NIR-II fluorescence imaging and improving therapeutic efficacy even in hypoxic tumor microenvironments. This study provides an innovative phototheranostic strategy that utilizes the in situ secondary self-assembly of NIR-II J-aggregates to induce tumor pyroptosis, offering a potential solution to the limitations of current nanomedicines in cancer therapy.

Here, the study reports morphotropic phase boundary like behavior in a relaxor ferroelectric polymer with a unique head-to-head/tail-to-tail chain structure by the complete hydrogenation of poly(vinylidene fluoride-chlorotrifluoroethylene), achieving an outstanding piezoelectric coefficient of −107 pC/N, over five times higher than commercial polyvinylidene difluoride. This breakthrough enables next-generation high-performance flexible devices.

During past decades, the construction of morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) behavior in ceramic-based relaxor ferroelectrics has successfully led to a significant enhancement in the piezoelectric coefficient for actuators, transducers, and sensors application. However, MPB-like behavior is achieved only in the ferroelectric state in flexible ferroelectric polymers such as poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) with the highest piezoelectric coefficients of ≈−63.5 pC/N, due to the lack of a rational design in polymer chain structure and composition. Here, the study reports the first MPB-like behavior observed in a relaxor ferroelectric polymer synthesized by fully hydrogenating poly(vinylidene fluoride-chlorotrifluoroethylene), which are primarily linked in a head-to-head/tail-to-tail manner, and trifluoroethylene units are randomly dispersed along the molecular chain. The unique polymer chain structure is found to be responsible for the formation of conformations disorder, thus strong relaxor behavior, and phase transition from an all-trans conformation to 3/1 helix, thus inducing phase boundary behavior. As a result, an outstanding longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient of −107 pC/N, more than five times higher than that of commercial poly(vinylidene fluoride) (−20 pC/N), is observed. This work opens up a new gate for next-generation high-performance flexible devices.

A microphase separation-driven supramolecular tissue adhesive based on guanidinium-functionalized polydimethylsiloxane exhibits instantaneous adhesion in both dry and wet environments. In the meantime, this material demonstrates the capacity for antibacterial hemostasis upon application to biological tissues and can be readily removed from tissue surfaces through wet wiping with medical-grade alcohol.

Tissue adhesives are promising materials for expeditious hemorrhage control, while it remains a grand challenge to engineer a superior formulation with instantaneous adhesion, on-demand debonding, and the integration of multiple desirable properties such as antibacterial and hemostatic capabilities. Herein, a multifunctional supramolecular tissue adhesive based on guanidinium-modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is introduced, driven by a reversible microphase separation mechanism. By optimizing the content of guanidinium ions, precise control over cohesive strength, adhesion, and wettability is achieved, resulting in strong instantaneous adhesion under both dry and wet conditions. Notably, the supramolecular nature of the adhesive allows for convenient on-demand removal using medical-grade alcohol, offering a critical advantage for easy debonding. Additionally, the adhesive exhibits remarkable antimicrobial properties while maintaining excellent biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. Its underwater injectability supports minimally invasive surgical procedures. Furthermore, the adhesive's ability to incorporate solid particles enhances its versatility, particularly for the development of drug-embedded bioadhesives. This work addresses key challenges in tissue adhesive design via a microphase separation-driven working principle, thereby opening promising new avenues for the development of advanced bioadhesives with tailored properties and enhanced surgical and wound care outcomes.

This research introduces an aerogel apheresis device specifically designed for hyperlipidemia management in elderly patients. Leveraging the unique properties of aerogels, LipClean achieves selective lipid adsorption from plasma while maintaining efficiency and biocompatibility. The optimized hydrophilic-hydrophobic network ensures effective water permeability and reduces the unintended removal of essential plasma components.

Elderly patients with hyperlipidemia often exhibit resistance to conventional hypolipidemic treatments, underscoring the need for more effective strategies to address lipid imbalances in this high-risk group. This study introduces LipClean, an aerogel-based apheresis device specifically designed to remove harmful plasma lipids. LipClean is constructed using hydrophilic cellulose fibers, which serve as a supramolecular platform for synthesizing hydrophobic conjugated polymers through a Sonogashira-Hagihara reaction. These conjugated polymers are then cross-linked with the cellulose fibers via phosphorylation, generating an aerogel monolith with an interpenetrating network of hydrophilic fibers and hydrophobic polymers. Unlike bilayer aerogels that separate hydrophilic and hydrophobic layers, LipClean's interpenetrating structure is precisely engineered through polymer design and gradient cross-linking. This optimization enhances both bodily fluid flow and lipid adsorption while minimizing the removal of essential plasma components and ensuring unobstructed cell passage. In preclinical testing, LipClean significantly reduced triglyceride and cholesterol levels in an elderly rat model of hyperlipidemia and normalized lipid levels in blood samples from hypertensive patients. Importantly, purified blood maintained normal levels of blood cells and physiological and biochemical indicators after apheresis, highlighting LipClean's potential for managing hyperlipidemia-related disorders. This study, therefore, underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in driving medical device innovation.

It is shown that the synthesis of solution-processable poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) hole transporting materials (HTMs) follows the principle of oxidative polymerization-induced electrostatic self-assembly (OPIESA), with the kinetic behavior strongly correlated to the volume of the polyanion matrix, and propose a kinetically-controlled polymerization (KCP) approach to synthesize solution-processable, high-performance PEDOT HTMs by halting the polymerization at certain stages within a low-volume polyanion matrix.

The updating of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) hole transporting material (HTM) is crucial for organic solar cells (OSCs). Despite decades of development in PEDOT:PSS and its derivatives, a comprehensive understanding of their supramolecular polymerization mechanisms remains elusive, precluding the attainment of the optimal architectures and functions. Herein, it is shown that the synthesis of PEDOT:PSS follows the principle of oxidative polymerization-induced electrostatic self-assembly, with the kinetic behavior strongly correlated to the volume of PSS polyanion matrix. Moreover, a kinetically controlled polymerization approach is proposed to synthesize PEDOT HTMs with exceptional time efficiency by prematurely halting the rapid polymerization process within a low-volume PSS matrix. The reduced interference from PSS confers unique advantages to the methodology in achieving highly oxidized and interconnected PEDOTs. This leads to comprehensive improvements in the physico-chemical properties of PEDOT:PSS, significantly enhancing OSC efficiency to 20.04%. Furthermore, the optimized PEDOT maintains exceptional semiconducting characteristics and outstanding OSC efficiency even at an unprecedentedly high PSS insulator content of 94.12%. The substantial increase in loading significantly amplifies the manifestation of polyanion functionalities, such as improving colloidal stability, thereby facilitating the resurgence of previously underutilized naphthalene sulfonate polyanion in the fabrication of high-quality, solution-processable PEDOT HTMs.

An implantable wireless supercapacitor-activated neuro (W-SCAN) system consisting of the coil, diode bridge circuit, in-hydrogel supercapacitor, and stimulation electrodes has been developed for neuronal excitation and inhibition. By applying an adjustable electric field to stimulation electrodes, a spontaneously induced ionic oscillatory stimulation within tissue fluids is generated, which enables electro-interventional therapy for brain-related neurological disorders.

The bidirectional modulation of cerebral neurons in the brain possesses enhancement and inhibition of neural activity, which is of great interest in the treatment of motor nerve disorders and emotional disorders, and cognitive defects. However, existing approaches usually rely on electrical/electrochemical stimulations, which show low security by implanting metal probes and unidirectional currents with single modulation. Herein, an implantable in-hydrogel wireless supercapacitor-activated neuron system consisting of the coil, diode bridge circuit, in-hydrogel supercapacitor, and stimulation electrodes is fabricated, which provides a bidirectional and adjustable ion diffusion current to safely and effectively excite and inhibit brain neurons. The designed in-hydrogel supercapacitor exhibits a high storage charge ability of ≈90 times larger than the devices without hydrogel encapsulation, owing to the in situ radical addition mechanism. Moreover, the in-hydrogel electrodes are implanted into the thalamus, amygdala, and prefrontal lobes of the brain to evoke the corresponding changes in potential intensity and frequency through the external chargeable coil and diode bridge circuit, which verifies the potential of the multimodule supercapacitor in amelioration and treatment Parkinson's, severe depression, and Alzheimer's disease.

Piezoelectric transduction in monolayer MoS2 is demonstrated using an ultrasound tip ( 100 kHz) from a wire bonder. Transient current measurements reveal sharp peaks with high peak-to-base ratios, tunable via gate voltage and ultrasound power. Multiple acoustic wave reflections enhance signal linewidth, validated by microacoustic simulations, establishing a robust platform for ultrasound-driven piezoelectric sensing.

The interaction of ultrasonic waves with piezoelectric materials provides a quantitative route to enhance electrical and mechanical coupling in van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures. Here, wire-bonding tip-assisted ultrasound (≈100 kHz) is presented as an effective approach to achieve piezoelectric transduction in monolayer MoS2 on Si/SiO2 substrates. Transient current measurements show reproducible sharp peaks with a peak-to-base ratio (I peak /I base ≈ 12) unique to monolayer MoS2, under an impact duration of 10–100 ms. Electrostatic gate voltage (V g ) and ultrasound power (W P ) tunable piezocurrent exhibit 3–5 times higher sensitivity in the ON-state (V g ⩾ 0) compared to the OFF-state. Multiple reflections of acoustic waves at source-drain electrodes, with an increment in reflection coefficients, enhance the linewidth of peak currents, validated by microacoustic simulations of surface acoustic wave (SAW) propagation in submicron geometries. The localized strain and Joule heating under ultrasonic excitation may generate a temperature rise of ≈20 K, which reduces activation energy barriers, potentially enhancing reaction rates in temperature-sensitive chemical processes, such as hydrogen peroxide decomposition. This thermal-damage-free method integrates with silicon-based fabrication, establishing a robust platform for on-chip catalysis and energy harvesting in FET-based piezotransducers.