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

This review systematically summarizes the latest advancements in transition metal-based photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution-related applications. It provides a comprehensive classification of these materials, unveils effective strategies to enhance their catalytic performance, and delves into the fundamental principles underlying their modifications. Furthermore, the review outlines future perspectives in this field and offers guidance on developmental strategies to address existing challenges.

Artificial photosynthesis offers a promising pathway to address environmental challenges and the global energy crisis by converting solar energy into storable chemical fuels such as hydrogen. Among various photocatalysts, transition metal-based materials have garnered significant attention due to their tunable crystal phase, morphology, surface active sites, and other key properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in transition metal-based photocatalysts for hydrogen production, with a particular focus on modification strategies and their underlying mechanisms. By systematically classifying these materials, this work highlights effective approaches for enhancing their catalytic performance, including structural engineering, electronic modulation, and interfacial optimization. Furthermore, this work discusses the fundamental principles governing these modifications, offering deeper insights into their roles in charge separation, surface reactions, and stability. Finally, this work outlines future research directions and key challenges in the rational design of highly efficient transition metal-based photocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production.

We employ photocatalysis to decrease the iron migration barrier, enabling the repositioning of disordered iron atoms into their designated octahedral sites while simultaneously facilitating Li+ diffusion into the LFP lattice, thereby realizing the direct recovery of S-LFP. This method has substantial environmental and economic benefits, making it a promising solution for sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling.

Fe-Li (FeLi) anti-site defects, commonly observed in degraded LiFePO4 cathodes, impede Li+ mobility and disrupt the electronic pathways, leading to significant performance degradation in LFP. However, addressing FeLi anti-site defects to achieve direct recycling of LFP remains challenging due to Fe high migration energy barriers and the lattice distortions they induce. Here, a feasible strategy is proposed for LFP regeneration by utilizing photocatalysis to reduce the Fe migration barrier. This approach facilitates repositioning disordered Fe atoms to their designated octahedral sites while simultaneously enabling Li+ diffusion into the LFP lattice, thus restoring capacity and ensuring cycling stability. The mechanism of the photocatalysis regeneration strategy is comprehensively analyzed through a combination of theoretical calculations, in-depth atomic characterization techniques, and electrochemical evaluations. Notably, this strategy is adaptable to varying levels of FeLi anti-site defects in spent LFP. Furthermore, life cycle analysis highlights the substantial environmental and economic benefits of this advanced strategy, making it a promising solution for sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling.

Flexible QZPCs formulated by the MES@CNT/CC air cathode and IL-PANa hydrogel electrolyte demonstrate a high cell-level energy density of 105 Wh kgcell −1, and an ultra-long cycle life of 4000 cycles at 5 mA cm−2 even at low temperature of −30 °C. The electronic synergy within the bifunctional MES@CNT/CC air cathode, initiates an intriguing adaptive active-site-switching catalytic mechanism during the reciprocating ORR and OER processes, thereby sustaining the high performance of the QZPCs.

Quasi-solid-state Zn-air pouch cells (QZPCs) promise a high energy-to-cost ratio while ensuring inherent safety. However, addressing the challenges associated with exploring superior energy-wise cathode catalysts along with their activity origin, and the super-ionic electrolytes remains a fundamental task. Herein, the realistic high-performance QZPCs are contrived, underpinned by a robust NiVFeCo medium-entropy metal sulfides (MESs) bifunctional air cathode with a record-low potential polarization of 0.523 V, paired with a sodium polyacrylate-ionic liquid hydrogel exhibiting exceptional conductivity (234 mS cm−1) and water retention (93.8% at 7 days) at room temperature as the super-ionic conductor electrolyte. Through combined studies of in situ Raman, ex situ X-ray absorption fine structure analysis, and theoretic calculations, an intriguing adaptive active-sites-switching mechanism of the MESs cathode during discharging/charging processes is unveiled, revealing a dynamic role transition of Co and Ni active sites in the reversible oxygen electrocatalysis. Consequently, the persistent low cathode polarization and super ion-conductive electrolyte endorse QZPCs an excellent rate performance from 1 to 100 mA cm−2 at room temperature. Moreover, an impressively high cell-level energy density of 105 Wh kgcell −1 with an ultra-long cycle lifespan of 4000 cycles at 5 mA cm−2 and a low temperature of −30 °C is achieved.

Bioinspired Ru-doped metal hydroxide (Ru-Co(OH)x) is developed as an O2-evolution catalyst with proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) pathway for efficient and low-energy O2 generation. The lattice H species in Ru-Co(OH)x optimizes Ru-oxygen intermediates interactions, thereby enhancing O2 production performance. This technique ensures an uninterrupted O2 supply during emergencies and in regions with limited O2 availability, providing significant societal benefits.

Producing high-purity oxygen (O2) has a wide range of applications across diverse sectors, such as medicine, tunnel construction, the chemical industry, and fermentation. However, current O2 production methods are burdened by complexity, heavy equipment, high energy consumption, and limited adaptability to harsh environments. Here, to address this grand challenge, the de novo design of Ru-doped metal hydroxide is proposed to serve as bioinspired O2-evolution catalysts with proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) pathway for low-energy, environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and portable O2 generation. The comprehensive studies confirm that the lattice H species in Ru-Co(OH)x-based O2-evolution catalyst can trigger a PCET pathway to optimize Ru-oxygen intermediates interactions, thus ultimately reducing reaction energy barriers and improving the activities and durabilities. Consequently, the prepared Ru-Co(OH)x-loaded membrane catalysts exhibit rapid and long-term stable O2 production capabilities. Furthermore, the proposed material design strategy of lattice H-species shows remarkable universality and adaptability to broad Ru-doped metal hydroxides. This efficient, portable, and cost-effective O2 generation technique is suggested to ensure an uninterrupted O2 supply during emergencies and in regions with limited O2 availability or air pollution, thus offering significant societal benefits in broad applications.

The authors show that the (011)C perovskite planes are prone to stacking faults formation in all leading formamidinium-rich perovskite compositions. Using ethylene thiourea as a precursor additive, Othman et al. suppress those vulnerable facets, significantly enhancing the absorber's intrinsic stability under various operational conditions.

The poor intrinsic perovskite absorber stability is arguably a central limitation challenging the prospect of commercialization for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Understanding the nanoscopic structural features that trigger instabilities in perovskite materials is essential to mitigate device degradation. Using nanostructure characterization techniques, we observe the local degradation to be initiated by material loss at stacking faults, forming inherently in the (011)-faceted perovskite domains in different formamidinium lead triiodide perovskite compositions. We introduce Ethylene Thiourea (ETU) as an additive into the perovskite precursor, which manipulates the perovskite crystal growth and results in dominantly in-and out-of-plane (001) oriented perovskite domains. Combining in-depth experimental analysis and density functional theory calculations, we find that ETU lowered the perovskite formation energy, readily enabling crystallization of the perovskite phase at room temperature without the need for an antisolvent quenching step. This facilitated the fabrication of high-quality large area 5 cm by 5 cm blade-coated perovskite films and devices. Encapsulated and unmasked ETU-treated devices, with an active area of 0.2 cm2, retained > 93 % of their initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) for > 2100 hours at room temperature, and additionally, 1 cm2 ETU-treated devices maintained T80 (the duration for the PCE to decay to 80 % of the initial value) for > 600 hours at 65 °C, under continuous 1-sun illumination at the maximum power point in ambient conditions. Our demonstration of scalable and stable perovskite solar cells represents a promising step towards achieving a reliable perovskite PV technology.

Low-dimensional semiconductor materials are promising candidates for photosensitive components in next-generation image sensors. This review offers a thorough and timely examination of novel image sensors, covering their working principles, intriguing materials categorized into four main groups, and advanced imaging applications. Additionally, it delves into the roadmap for next-generation image sensors, exploring future opportunities and challenges in the field.

With the rapid advancement of technology of big data and artificial intelligence (AI), the exponential increase in visual information leads to heightened demands for the quality and analysis of imaging results, rendering traditional silicon-based image sensors inadequate. This review serves as a comprehensive overview of next-generation image sensors based on low-dimensional semiconductor materials encompassing 0D, 1D, 2D materials, and their hybrids. It offers an in-depth introduction to the distinctive properties exhibited by these materials and delves into the device structures tailored specifically for image sensor applications. The classification of novel image sensors based on low-dimensional materials, in particular for transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), covering the preparation methods and corresponding imaging characteristics, is explored. Furthermore, this review highlights the diverse applications of low-dimensional materials in next-generation image sensors, encompassing advanced imaging sensors, biomimetic vision sensors, and non-von Neumann imaging systems. Lastly, the challenges and opportunities encountered in the development of next-generation image sensors utilizing low-dimensional semiconductor materials, paving the way for further advancements in this rapidly evolving field, are proposed.

DAC-AA into SnO2 colloids favors the crystalline phase and preferential orientation along high-oriented (101) and (200) crystal planes by reducing surface absorption energy and modulating crystal thermodynamics, promoting heating transfer rate in the flexible PEN substrate and favoring perovskite/SnO2 lattice matching. The f-PSCs fabricated in full-air conditions produce an efficiency of 23.87% and exceptional mechanical stability.

Tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) electron transport layer (ETL) emerges as the most promising n-type semiconductor material for flexible perovskite solar cells (f-PSCs). The (110) facet-dominated SnO2 colloids are readily created, whereas other best-performing (101) and (200) facets-dominated ones with superior potential in interface modulation and lattice matching remain insufficiently explored. Here water-soluble acryloyloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride-acrylamine (DAC-AA) doping into SnO2 colloids produces more (101)- and (200)-oriented crystal domains through lowering surface absorption energy and offering additional thermodynamic driving force. Theoretical and experimental analyses corroborate that the grain preference orientation induced by DAC-AA modification strengthens heating transfer rate on the flexible substrate and favors lattice matching of perovskite (100) plane on SnO2 (101) and (200) facets. Accordingly, the champion f-PSCs on high-oriented SnO2-DAC-AA ETLs fabricated fully in ambient air conditions achieve the efficiencies of 23.87% and 22.41% with aperture areas of 0.092 and 1 cm2. In parallel, the propitious interfacial lattice arrangement attenuates the formation of micro-strain inside perovskite films, maintaining 92.5% of their initial performance after 10 000 bending cycles with a curvature radius of 6 mm.

The combination of flexible matrices with embedded hard-magnetic nodes enables metastructures with reprogrammable mechanical properties, even in the absence of external magnetic fields. The evolving interaction between nodes during structural deformation allows mechanical tunability under quasi-static and dynamic loading, and bistable transitions. This approach enables engineered structural components with adaptable mechanical responses, reprogrammable via magnetic element redistribution or applied fields.

This study experimentally demonstrates the reprogrammability of a rotating-squares-based mechanical metamaterial with an embedded array of permanent magnets. How the orientation, residual magnetization, and stiffness of the magnets influence both the static and dynamic responses of the metamaterial is systematically investigated. It is showed that by carefully tuning the magnet orientation within the metamaterial, notable tunability of the metamaterial response can be achieved across static and dynamic regimes. More complex magnetic node configurations can optimize specific structural responses by decoupling the tunability of quasi-static stress–strain behavior from energy absorption under impact loading. Additionally, reprogrammability can be further enhanced by an external magnetic field, which modulates magnetic interactions within the structure. This work paves the way for developing engineered structural components with adaptable mechanical responses, reprogrammable through either the redistribution of magnetic elements or the application of an external magnetic field.

Laser micropatterning is presented as a promising technology in the search for autonomous dew water harvesting materials. Laser-grooved metallic surfaces achieve simultaneously high infrared emissivity and superhydrophilicity, which gives them self-cooling properties under atmospheric radiative deficit and the ability to condense water in an efficient filmwise fashion. An autonomous dew water harvesting system based on those surfaces yields remarkable results.

The present work explores a unique yet unexplored synergy between the properties of laser micropatterned metallic surfaces and the requirements for an autonomous dew water harvesting candidate material. Laser-patterned aluminum surfaces achieved simultaneously high infrared emissivity (up to 0.95 in the atmospheric window) and superhydrophilic wettability (water contact angle of 0°), key properties enabling passive radiative cooling and filmwise condensation dynamics respectively. The generation of micrometric-sized grooves during laser processing plays a fundamental role in both properties, as they provide a broadband enhancement of the emissivity based on multiscale topographies and oxide layers, while limiting the growth of the water film during condensation through strong capillary wicking forces. As a result, the patterned aluminum surfaces display self-cooling capacities under radiative deficit conditions as well as low water retention levels (three times lower than the untreated dropwise condensation counterparts). The promising results obtained lead to the construction and evaluation of a real size outdoors autonomous dew water harvesting system based on those surfaces, demonstrating the scalability of the technology. A 70% improvement in the collected dew water in comparison to a state-of-the-art reference material is consistently measured during 1-year outdoor study, proving the robustness of the surfaces and their performance.

Chiral flower-like aluminum oxyhydroxide (AlOOH) supraparticles (SPs) are fabricated as an adjuvant, indicating that that L-SPs enters dendritic cells (DCs) via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) to enhance NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation.

Aluminum-based adjuvants dominate global vaccine formulations owing to their proven efficacy in humoral immunity induction. However, their inherent limitations in activating cellular immunity pose critical challenges for vaccine development. In this study, chiral flower-like aluminum oxyhydroxide (AlOOH) supraparticles (SPs) are synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal method using cysteine (Cys) enantiomers as chiral ligands, achieving a g-factor of 0.004. L-AlOOH SPs (L-SPs) demonstrate significantly greater enhancement in dendritic cell (DC) maturation and antigen cross-presentation efficiency compared to D-AlOOH SPs (D-SPs), indicating its potential as an adjuvant. Mechanistic studies reveal that L-SPs enter DCs via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), thereby enhancing NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. In vivo experiments show that L-SPs generate 21.59-fold higher OVA-specific antibody titers than commercial aluminum adjuvants. Further studies show that L-SPs, after mixed with H9N2 virus proteins, enhance influenza virus antibody titers by 15.28-fold, with sustained protection, confirming its translational potential. This study demonstrates the performance of chiral AlOOH SPs to simultaneously amplify humoral and cellular immunological responses, entering it as a promising next-generation adjuvant for cancer immunotherapy and pandemic preparedness.

CuInS₂/ZnS quantum dots (nCIS QDs) are developed via template-assisted cation exchange, enabling photon upconversion (UC) with NIR-I emission, a large Stokes shift (≈650 meV), and high PLQY (≈0.95). The QDs are incorporated into a 3D-printed polymer matrix, forming a scaffold with strong optical contrast under UC imaging. This system enables high-contrast NIR imaging for surgical guidance, even under interference layers.

A facile synthesis and application of photon upconversion (UC) probes, CuInS₂/ZnS quantum dots (nCIS QDs) is presented, which exhibits near-infrared (NIR) spectral emission. The nCIS QDs are synthesized via a template-assisted cation-exchange reaction during a heating process, resulting in NIR-I emission with a large Stokes shift (≈650 meV) and a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY, ≈0.95). This behavior is attributed to a template-assisted cation-exchange mechanism that produces a wurtzite crystal structure and deep defect states, leading to a relatively long fluorescence lifetime (≈5 µs). The quantum confinement effect allows for the emission of light at different wavelengths by adjusting the size of the nanocrystals. Moreover, their deep defect states facilitate photon UC via a self-trapping triplet-triplet annihilation mechanism. The promising potential of the nCIS QDs is explored in UC imaging, demonstrating high-contrast NIR imaging under IR vision modules, even in the presence of interference layers. It suggests potential applications in surgical guidance and future biomedical imaging.

This review explores the integration of responsive materials and soft robotic actuators with implantable electronics to address key challenges in bioelectronic medicine. By enabling shape actuation, these technologies improve deployment, adaptability, and accuracy in minimally invasive procedures. The review discusses actuation mechanisms, device designs, and future opportunities for intelligent, responsive implants with enhanced therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities.

Bioelectronic medicine uses implantable electronic devices to interface with electrically active tissues and transform the way disease is diagnosed and treated. One of the biggest challenges is the development of minimally invasive devices that can be deployed to patients at scale. Responsive materials and soft robotic actuators offer unique opportunities to make bioelectronic devices with shape actuation, promising to address the limitations of existing rigid and passive systems, including difficult deployment, mechanical mismatch with soft tissues, and limited adaptability in minimally invasive settings. In this review, an overview is provided of smart materials and soft robotic technologies that show promises for implantable use, discussing advantages and limitations of underlying actuation mechanisms. Examples are then presented where soft actuating mechanisms are combined with microelectrodes to create shape actuating bioelectronic devices. Opportunities and challenges for next-generation intelligent bioelectronic devices assisted by responsive materials and soft robotic actuators are then discussed. These innovations may allow electronic implants to safely navigate to target areas inside the body and establish large area and spatiotemporally controlled interfaces for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures that are minimally invasive.

Inspired by glow-worms, a high-performance multifunctional fluorescent actuator is fabricated by combining ultra-stable perovskite quantum dots with self-healing materials. It integrates large deformation, high brightness, high color-purity, color-changing function and full-device self-healing function together. The full-device self-healing function enables reconfigurable on-demand fluorescent patterns. This actuator opens new paths to soft robots and reconfigurable information encryption.

Fluorescent actuators with light-emitting and shape-deformation properties are promising in bionics and soft robotics. However, current fluorescent actuators barely balance actuation performances with fluorescence properties, as they exhibit insufficient brightness, poor color-purity, low-stability, and few functional-integrations, limiting their applications in complex scenarios. Herein, inspired by glow-worms, a multifunctional fluorescent actuator by combining ultra-stable perovskite quantum dots with polyurethane and graphene oxide composites is reported, which integrates large deformation, high brightness, high color-purity, color-changing function and full-device self-healing function together. The actuator shows a large bending curvature of 2.48 cm−1. It exhibits excellent fluorescence performances, such as quantum yields as high as 58.88% and full-widths at half-maximum as narrow as 21 nm. The actuation and fluorescence properties show long-term stability during more than 1100 cycles of near-infrared irradiation and 12 h of ultraviolet exposure. Moreover, the actuator is integrated with color-changing and full-device self-healing functions, enabling a synergetic color/shape change and reconfigurable on-demand fluorescent patterns. Then, a smart gripper and a crawling robot with crawling/rollover motions are demonstrated. Finally, a non-contact dynamic display of reconfigurable encrypted information driven by light is fabricated to mimic light communications of glow-worms. This actuator demonstrates unprecedented multifunctionality, opening new avenues for fluorescent soft robotics.

This work presents a neuromorphic transistor integrating sensing, memory, and computing in one device to address the challenges of commercial artificial vision system. By varying top gate voltages, it can operate as an ultrasensitive photo-sensor (≈6.515 kA W−1), a non-volatile multi-level optical memory (>4 bits), and a neuromorphic visual synapse with 95.26% image recognition accuracy by combing artificial neural network model.

In commercial artificial vision system (AVS), the sensing, storage, and computing units are usually physically separated due to their architecture and performance gaps, which thus increases the volume, complexity, and energy loss. This work develops a neuromorphic transistor integrating these different modules within one single device. Leveraging the gate-tunable out-of-plane electric field, the device achieves the multi-mode integration of photo-sensor, optical memory, and visual synapse. When operating at negative top gate voltage (VTG), a strong photo-gating effect enables highly sensitive photo-response with responsivity of ≈6.515 kA W−1 and detectivity up to ≈3.92 × 1014 Jones. Due to the charge storage effect, it can also act as a non-volatile multi-level (>4 bits) optical memory with a long endurance of over 10 000 s and a high writing/erasing ratio of up to 106. At zero or positive VTG, the transistor switches to visual synapse mode with neuromorphic computing capability, providing a pathway for complex biological learning and flexible synaptic plasticity. By further combining the synaptic plasticity with an artificial neural network (ANN), it achieves precise image recognition and classification with an accuracy of up to 95.26%. This work develops a multi-mode transistor that integrates key components of an AVS, addressing the existing challenges of all-in-one integration and manufacturing complexity.

A novel bifacial-iridescent solar cell is developed using an inverse opal perovskite photonic crystal. It exhibited unique iridescent structural colors on both sides and achieved an impressive bifacial equivalent efficiency of 18.00% for small cells and 12.77% for mini-modules.

Colorful perovskite solar cells exhibit excellent potential for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs), which increase the utilization of clean power. However, their efficiencies are lower than those of uncolored devices. Moreover, traditional mono-facial colored devices cannot satisfy diverse BIPV scenarios. Here a bifacial iridescent solar cell (BFI-SC) is developed, constructed by inverse opal (IO) perovskite photonic crystals and transparent front and rear electrodes. The developed BFI-SC exhibited bright vivid colors on both sides, which originate from the reflection at the photonic stop band of the IO perovskite photonic crystal. Moreover, this unique IO photonic crystal decreased the interfacial Fresnel reflection and generated a slow-photon effect, which increases the material light absorption and utilization to obtain high efficiency. Furthermore, the BFI-SC can harvest light from both sides, considerably enhancing the device efficiency. Thus, the BFI-SC achieved an impressive bifacial equivalent efficiency (η eq) of 18.00%, which is the highest value achieved for the reported multicolored (or iridescent) solar cell. A larger-scale BFI-SC module is successfully assembled, achieving a champion η eq of 12.77%. In addition, another perovskite material with an IO structure and wide-bandgap components exhibited vivid colors on both sides, indicating the universality of this coloring strategy and its independence of the perovskite components.

This work uncovers an anomalous density-scaling toughening law in discrete lattices, where ultrahigh specific fracture toughness can be achieved at ultralow relative density, thereby filling gaps in material property space. This anomalous toughening law stems from crack-tip blunting triggered by delocalized strut-buckling transformation at ultralow densities, which is universal across various lattice metamaterials with varying sizes, topologies, and component properties.

Lightweight lattice metamaterials attract considerable attention due to their exceptional and tunable mechanical properties. However, their practical application is ultimately limited by their tolerance to inevitable manufacturing defects. Traditional fracture mechanics of lattice metamaterials are confined to localized tensile failure of a crack-tip strut, overlooking the toughening effect of buckling instability in discrete struts around the crack front. Here, via a combination of additive manufacturing, numerical simulation, and theoretical analysis, this work identifies an anomalous power scaling law of specific fracture energy with relative density, where the scaling exponent shifts to negative values below a critical relative density. This anomalous toughening law stems from crack-tip blunting triggered by delocalized strut-buckling transformation at ultralow densities, which is universal across various lattice metamaterials with varying length scales, crack orientations, node connectivity, and component properties. By strategically harnessing strut buckling mechanisms, exceptionally high specific fracture toughness can be achieved at extremely low relative density, thereby addressing gaps in the material property design space. These findings not only provide physical insights into discrete lattice fracture but also offer design motifs for ultralight, ultra-tough lattice metamaterials.

This study developed a bio-active, inhalable nanozyme-backpacked M13 phage (CZM) which specifically delivers to the ischemic core via the olfactory bulb pathway. Leveraging M1-microglia hitchhiking, CZM accumulates specifically at the lesion site, scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) to mitigate neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis, providing a safe and effective strategy for the precise treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders.

There is a desperate need for precise nanomedications to treat ischemic cerebral injury. Yet, the drawbacks of poor delivery efficiency and off-target toxicity in pathologic parenchyma for traditional antioxidants against ischemic stroke result in inadequate brain accumulation. M13 bacteriophages are highly phagocytosed by M1-polarized microglia and can be carried toward the neuroinflammatory sites. Here, a bio-active, inhalable, Ce0.9Zr0.1O2-backpacked-M13 phage (abbreviated as CZM) is developed and demonstrates how M13 bacteriophages are taken up by different phenotypes’ microglia. With the M1 microglia's proliferating and migrating, CZM can be extensively and specifically delivered to the site of the ischemic core and penumbra, where the surviving nerve cells need to be shielded from secondary oxidative stress and inflammatory cascade initiated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). With non-invasive administration, CZM effectively alleviates oxidative damage and apoptosis of neurons by eliminating ROS generated by hyperactive M1-polarized microglia. Here, a secure and effective strategy for the targeted therapy of neuroinflammatory maladies is offered by this research.

A ZVO/RuO2 cathode is designed by coupling Zn0.85V10O24·7.4H2O (ZVO) and RuO2 through interfacial V─O─Ru bonds in which a dynamic reversible breakage and reconstruction of V─O─Ru, which provide a reversible electron transfer channel between RuO2 and ZVO, making RuO2 as an additional electron acceptor and donor, accelerating the migration kinetics of H+/Zn2+ in ZVO.

Intercalation-type layered vanadium oxides have been widely explored as cathode materials for aqueous zinc–ion batteries (AZIBs). However, attaining both high power density and superior stability remains a formidable challenge. Herein, layered vanadium oxides are pre-intercalated with Zn2+ to form Zn0.85V10O24·7.4H2O (ZVO), which is then combined with RuO2 nanoparticles to construct a ZVO/RuO2 heterostructure featuring interphase V─O─Ru bonds. ZVO/RuO2 heterostructure exhibits a dynamic stable coupling at the interphase via V─O─Ru chemical bonds reconstruction during discharging/charging processes. The dynamically reversible reconstruction of interphase V─O─Ru bonds provides a fast electron transfer channel between RuO2 and ZVO cathode, as demonstrated by ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, making RuO2 an additional electron acceptor and donor, and accelerating the migration of H+/Zn2+ in layered ZVO cathode. Therefore, an ultra-high capacity (411 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, 225 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1) and long cycling stability (a retention of 92.2% at 20 A g−1 over 20000 cycles) performances are achieved. This interphase reversible reconstruction route provides a promising approach to achieving excellent cycling stability in cathode materials.

A brand-new A-D1-D2-D1-A type electron acceptor BTPT-IC4F is designed, synthesized and integrated with donor polymer PBDB-T to achieve full-spectrum light harvesting. PBDB-T:BTPT-IC4F nanoparticles exhibit a promising external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 6.3% at 730 nm, which is attributed to efficient hole extraction from BTPT-IC4F* (excited BTPT-IC4F) to PBDB-T phase in the molecular-level heterojunction under pure near-infrared (NIR) photon excitation.

The energy of sunlight is predominantly concentrated in near-infrared (NIR) region, posing a paramount limitation for practical application of conventional photocatalysts. Organic semiconductors can offer NIR absorption and tunable energy levels simultaneously through molecular engineering, which presents great potential in solar-driven catalysis. However, an individual organic semiconductor typically generates Frenkel excitons with large binding energy, hindering efficient electron-hole separation. Herein, we develop molecular-level heterojunction to suppress electron-hole recombination, thereby achieving a boosted hydrogen (H2) evolution reaction rate of 25.54 µmol h−1 (12.77 mmol h−1 g−1) under visible–near-infrared (Vis–NIR) light. Surprisingly, heterojunction nanoparticles (NPs) comprising donor polymer PBDB-T matched with an A-D1-D2-D1-A type acceptor BTPT-IC4F exhibit a promising external quantum efficiency of 6.3% at 730 nm. Transient absorption spectroscopy monitors effective extraction of photogenerated holes from the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of BTPT-IC4F to the HOMO of PBDB-T, while first-principle calculations confirm the prolonged lifetime of excited BTPT-IC4F due to efficient hole capture by the PBDB-T phase. The outstanding performance of heterojunction NPs under NIR light is ascribed to strong hole transfer within the nanoparticle. This study provides valuable insights for designing molecular-level organic heterojunction photocatalysts toward NIR light-driven H2 evolution and other potential reactions.

This review uncovers the commonalities of rechargeable metal–sulfur batteries in aspects of sulfur redox reactions (electrochemical fundamentals, reaction mechanisms, innate challenges, and key influence factors) and advanced targeted methodologies to boost sulfur redox reactions in rechargeable metal–sulfur batteries. The existing shackles confronted by rechargeable metal–sulfur batteries and their future development directions are prospected as well.

The profound understanding of chemical reaction essence and kinetic behaviors is crucial to develop rechargeable battery technologies. Based on multi-electron conversion, sulfur redox reactions hold great promise for establishing low-cost, high-energy-density, and longstanding rechargeable batteries. However, the sulfur redox reaction processes suffer from a series of common daunting cruxes, leading to incomplete redox reactions and inferior battery performance when working in rechargeable batteries. These innate challenges of sulfur redox reactions include poor sulfur reactivity, sluggish charge transmission, severe polysulfide shuttling, high redox energy barrier, and undesirable reaction reversibility. Accordingly, it becomes a consensus to effectively manipulate sulfur redox kinetics for developing competent rechargeable metal–sulfur batteries. Herein, this review centers on sulfur redox reactions, within the compass of understanding electrochemical fundamentals, principles, thermodynamics, dynamics, and kinetics as well as emphatically presents universal methodologies to boost sulfur redox reaction kinetics in rechargeable metal–sulfur batteries. The unique viewpoint on sulfur redox reactions in rechargeable metal–sulfur batteries can provide a deepened understanding of sulfur electrochemistry and lead to new insights into the sulfur cathode designs and battery configurations, thus accelerating reaction kinetics of sulfur cathodes and promoting practical progress on high-energy-density battery technologies.