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

A universal, reagent-free strategy is presented for covalently attaching hydrogels to diverse polymeric substrates through reactive oxygen species. The scalable, linker-free approach enables robust adhesion and broad material compatibility, advancing the fabrication of hybrid solid–hydrogel systems for next-generation biomedical devices and bioprinting applications.

Hydrogels, renowned for their biocompatibility and capacity to mimic biological tissues, are integral to many biomedical applications, such as implantable devices and wound dressings. However, their poor mechanical strength and the challenge of achieving durable adhesion to polymeric surfaces have hindered their broader utility. Current methods of creating hybrid solid-hydrogel (HSH) structures often rely on complex chemical linkers, adding steps, cytotoxic risks, and scalability issues. Here, a novel, reagent-free method that covalently bonds hydrogels to polymeric substrates directly via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is introduced. Through an evaporation-induced enhanced concentration (EIEC) approach, robust hydrogel layers are formed on ROS-functionalized surfaces, eliminating the need for silane-based linkers and achieving up to 60 kPa adhesion strength in wet conditions. This strategy offers robust hydrogel adhesion, reduces processing complexity, and preserves cytocompatibility, as demonstrated by the culture of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and THP-1 derived macrophages with minimal immune response. Applicable across various hydrogels, such as gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), chitosan, and polymeric substrates, including Teflon, polyethylene, and polycaprolactone (PCL), this dry process holds substantial promise for integration into advanced biomanufacturing systems, such as 3D bioprinters, unlocking new potentials in tissue engineering and biomedical device fabrication.

Highly efficient and photo-activated RTP is achieved by doping aromatic heterocyclic derivatives into different polymers. If they are doped into PAM, PVA, or PAA, the resultant powders exhibit a high phosphorescence efficiency of 66.2% under ambient conditions. If the guests are doped into PDMA or PVP, the resultant films demonstrate photo-activated room temperature phosphorescence with a long lifetime of 578.6 ms.

Achieving high phosphorescence efficiency and photo-activated ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) based on the same molecule remains a formidable challenge. Here, a concise strategy is proposed to obtain highly efficient and photo-activated RTP by doping aromatic heterocyclic derivatives into different polymers. Aromatic heterocyclic derivatives are doped into PAM, PVA, or PAA polymers to produce high phosphorescence efficiency. Impressively, the highest phosphorescence quantum yield can reach up to 66.2% at room temperature, which can be attributed to isolating the chromophore to reduce the excimer and the rigid environment from the polymer to restrict the non-radiative transitions. In addition, phosphorescence emission color can be tailored from green to deep blue by varying the guests. After aromatic heterocyclic derivatives are doped into PDMA or PVP, the phosphorescence lifetime is prolonged from 1.2 to 578.6 ms. These polymers are successfully applied to multicolor displays and high-level information storage. This work provides a reasonable strategy to develop highly efficient and photo-activated RTP materials based on the same molecule.

A single layer of orthorhombic V2O5 (α-V2O5) can achieve diverse optical regulations, i.e., blue shift of absorption edge (multi-color variation) and dual band modulation of both visible and near-infrared light, via an intrinsic multiple phase transitions upon ion intercalation. This allows the warm mode to be compatible with other modes within a single electrochromic layer.

Electrochromic oxides possessing the characteristics of color variation and spectra modulation are desirable for smart windows, displays, and camouflage. Here, it is reported that, upon ion intercalation, a single layer of a model phase-transition material, V2O5, can possess diverse modulation of visible and near-infrared spectra while changing color, via intrinsic multiple phase transitions. Specifically, as the phase transitions from α to δ occur, the band transitions around 2.94 eV (420 nm) weaken, causing a blue shift in the optical absorption edge within the visible region. Simultaneously, new band transitions at 1.21 eV emerge and intensify, leading to a broad optical absorption centered around 1025 nm. As the phase transition progresses from δ to γ, the split-off bands in the γ phase fall below the Fermi level, which leads to a near-infrared transparent nature of γ-Li x V2O5. Both absorption edge shifting and dynamically modulating the transmittance in V2O5 are different from other cathodic electrochromic oxides. The color-changing characteristics, together with selective spectral modulation, inspire the realization of multiple working modes for smart windows. Moreover, the optical constants of refractive index ( n ) and extinction coefficient ( k ) at various phases for Li x V2O5 are also demonstrated. It is anticipated that multiple and reversible phase transitions, which have not yet been realized, will be the key design principle for achieving superior electrochromic devices.

A rigorous understanding of thiol-yne crystallization in a series of stoichiometrically identical stereocontrolled elastomers with variations in cis vs trans backbone stereochemistry provides a path forward to design and utilize structural elements in films for barrier applications. Varying the isomer content in these elastomers directs different temperature and rate dependent crystallization behavior which affords control overmicron-scale structure.

Barrier polymers underpin almost every commercial sector, yet the needs of several emerging areas remain unmet by commercially-available materials, including temporary orthopedic implants, transient health monitors, neural implants, and other long-term implants. The ability to tune polymer composition independently of polymer structure positions thiol-yne click chemistry as a promising platform to serve these emerging technologies. This work describes the differences in the hierarchical structure of stoichiometrically identical materials which differ only in the proportion of the cis versus trans backbone alkene stereochemistry. Varying the isomer content in this way directs different temperature and rate dependent crystallization behavior, which affords control over micron-scale structure. This investigation focuses on how these stereochemical features affect the water vapor permeation process by several methods and develops an understanding of how this unique structural regularity improves barrier performance relative to a commercially available water barrier polymer, poly(ethylene terephthalate).

This study proposes a generalized dynamic template strategy for the controllable synthesis of H-MOFs (e.g., ZIF-67 and Co-BTC) and systematically investigates the effects of pore size, functional groups, and multimetal synergism on the performance of Li–S batteries. The study also screens out a high-performance sulfur-hosted HE-MOF-74. XAFS and in situ characterizations confirm that the hierarchical structure mitigates active material deactivation and host degradation.

The systematic regulation of the pore size and chemical environment of nano-metal-organic skeletons (n-MOFs) has been challenged, making it difficult to study their structure-property relationships in depth. In this study, a universal dynamic template strategy is proposed and successfully achieves the controllable construction of various hollow n-MOFs (including ZIF-67, Co-BTC, etc.). Based on this, the progressive optimization mechanism of pore size limitation (3.4–18 Å), functional group modification (─H, ─NH2, etc.), and multi-metal (Co, Ni, etc.) synergism on the performance of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries is systematically revealed, and the long-cycle-life sulfur host HE-MOF-74 is further screened. The experimental findings and in situ characterizations collectively demonstrate that hierarchical structural optimization synergistically mitigates active material deactivation and host structure degradation. This work not only provides an integrated “synthesis-structure-performance” material design paradigm for Li–S batteries, but also provides a theoretical basis for extending the multiscale optimization logic to other multistep reactive systems.

A reversible transition from nonferroelectric to ferroelectric behavior is achieved in hafnia films by modulating the surrounding atmosphere. The domain relaxation dynamics exhibit high sensitivity to environmental factors, including gas composition (ambient, N2, CO2, O2) and relative humidity, highlighting the crucial role of the measurement environment in determining the ferroelectric properties of hafnia films.

Ferroelectricity in hafnia films has triggered significant research interest over the past decade due to its immense promise for next-generation memory devices. However, the origin of ferroic behavior at the nanoscale and the means to control it remain an open question, with the consensus being that it deviates from conventional ferroelectrics. In this work, a novel approach is presented to tune ferroelectric properties of hafnia through environmental control using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). A reversible transition from non-ferroelectric to ferroelectric behavior by modulating the surrounding atmosphere is demonstrated. Notably, the domain relaxation dynamics exhibit striking sensitivity to environmental factors, including ambient conditions, specific gas compositions (N2, CO2, O2), and humidity levels. The critical role of surface water removal, gas molecule adsorption, and their interactions with near-surface oxygen vacancies is identified and the injected charge in determining ferroelectricity in uncapped hafnia films. These insights reveal a significant strategy for stabilizing ferroic responses by carefully regulating the chemical environment, offering new possibilities for precise control in hafnia-based films.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines offer a powerful approach for cancer immunotherapy, but their clinical impact remains limited by delivery challenges and suboptimal immune activation. This review discusses key biological barriers and design strategies—including structural optimization, immunomodulation, organ targeting delivery, and advanced nanocarriers—to enhance vaccine efficacy. Emerging innovations and translational challenges are highlighted to guide next-generation mRNA cancer vaccine development.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine has emerged as a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy, enabling the induction of precise and robust immune responses against tumor antigens. Nevertheless, enormous challenges remain, in particular its limitations in achieving optimal immunogenicity and therapeutic efficacy, result in modest clinical benefit. Here, the biological barriers are reviewed that impede the functionality of mRNA cancer vaccine and describe the design considerations, including structure engineering, chemical modification, and development of next-generation delivery materials for enhancing cancer immunotherapy. Recent advances are highlighted aimed at improving vaccine efficacy through targeted delivery, modulation of immune cell interactions, and stimulation of innate immune responses. Finally, the challenges are examined in clinical translation and explore future directions for improving the therapeutic potential of mRNA cancer vaccines. By synthesizing current progress and identifying critical hurdles, this review provides a framework for advancing mRNA-based cancer immunotherapy.

This perspective introduces an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven nanoarchitectonics framework for targeted drug delivery, combining database-guided nanocarrier design, machine learning (ML)-assisted surface engineering with a designed targeting system, and in silico modeling for dynamic optimization. This integrated strategy enables the development of programmable, responsive, and adaptive delivery systems, offering a transformative approach to overcoming translational barriers in precision nanomedicine.

The development of data-driven and targeted drug delivery systems is essential for advancing precision therapeutics. Despite substantial progress in nanocarrier development, conventional platforms continue to face major challenges in clinical translation due to biological complexity, off-target accumulation, and limited adaptability to dynamic physiological environments. The integration of nanoarchitectonics and artificial intelligence (AI) offers an advanced strategy for engineering delivery systems that are structurally programmable, stimuli-responsive, and autonomously optimized. Nanoarchitectonics enables the construction of hierarchical nanostructures with precise spatial and temporal control, while AI facilitates modeling, prediction, and iterative optimization throughout the development pipeline. In this perspective, an AI-driven nanoarchitectonics framework is introduced for targeted drug delivery, structured around three key phases: 1) molecular target identification through bioinformatic profiling, 2) machine learning (ML)-guided surface engineering to enhance targeting specificity, and 3) in silico modeling of delivery dynamics and systemic distribution. Drawing on recent advances and representative case studies, how AI tools are illustrated, from generative design algorithms to predictive pharmacokinetic models, are transforming the field from empirical formulation toward mechanism-informed and AI-driven intelligent design. By highlighting current limitations and outlining future directions for the integration of AI and nanoarchitectonics, are concluded with a focus on enabling clinically translatable nanomedicine platforms.

Through precise d-orbital optimization, a novel Ni-based coordination polymer, Ni-BTA, is synthesized for potassium-ion battery anodes. The engineered electronic structure, featuring strong Ni2⁺–ligand π–d conjugation, enhances the stability of the organic framework by strengthening C═N bonds. This structural reinforcement enables highly reversible electrochemical processes and contributes to the material's exceptional cycling performance and high capacity.

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) offer a cost-effective, resource-abundant alternative to lithium-ion systems, yet the development of high-performance anodes with adequate capacity, stability, and rate capability remains a major challenge. Here, an electronic structure engineering strategy is introduced via d-orbital configuration optimization in a novel class of π–d conjugated coordination polymers (TM-BTA, TM = Ni, Co, Mn). Orbital-level and charge density analyses reveal that the metal center's electronic configuration governs metal–ligand interaction strength, thereby modulating charge delocalization and ligand redox behavior. Among the series, Ni2⁺ exhibits the strongest π–d conjugation with nitrogen donor atoms, stabilizing C═N bonds and enabling highly reversible C═N/C─N transformations as the dominant redox process. This optimized coordination lowers the K⁺ adsorption energy barrier by 44% compared to Co2⁺ and Mn2⁺, markedly improving kinetics. As a result, Ni-BTA delivers a high reversible capacity of 452 mAh g−1 with 99.2% retention over 500 cycles at 100 mA g−1, and maintains 292 mAh g−1 after 4,000 cycles at 1,000 mA g−1. In situ spectroscopy and DFT calculations reveal a ligand-centered three-electron redox mechanism, where nitrogen heterocycles dominate K⁺ storage and electrochemically inert Ni centers maintain structural integrity. This work establishes a general design principle for KIB anodes via d-orbital engineering in coordination polymers.

This work reveals the mutual promotion of adjacent cation and anion vacancies in perovskite, and further develops a passivation strategy to synchronously passivate perovskite defects using a new additive of 2-hydrazinylpyrazine. The PSCs with active areas of 0.08 and 1 cm2 achieve champion PCEs of 26.28% and 24.71%, retaining 93% efficiency after 1700 h under 1-sun illumination.

The perovskite defect evolution directly impacts the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this work, the mutual promotion mechanism of adjacent cation and anion vacancies in perovskite is unveiled, which means the cation/anion vacancy induces the adjacent anion/cation vacancy through decreasing the formation energy. This mutual promotion mechanism provides an explanation for the dynamic evolution of defects, and emphasizes the necessity of simultaneously passivating of adjacent defects. Accordingly, a new additive of 2-hydrazinylpyrazine is utilized to passivate adjacent defects, considering its adjacent electron-rich N atom, which can chemically bond uncoordinated Pb, and the hydrazine group, which can anchor FA+ through hydrogen bonds. Besides, this 2-hydrazinylpyrazine also optimizes the perovskite crystallization through accelerating nucleation and slowing crystal growth, demonstrated by the in situ photoluminescence spectra. The resulting inverted 0.08 cm2 and 1 cm2 PSCs obtain PCEs of 26.28% and 24.71%, respectively. Moreover, the Target device shows enhanced stability by maintaining 93% and 90% of the initial efficiency after operating 1700 h under 1-sun illumination and being exposed to harsh thermal cycling for 150 times, respectively.

Our dipole-engineered electrolyte paradigm establishes an innovative approach beyond prevailing ion-dipole modulation framework, offering a generic-methodology for ultralow-temperature electrolyte design.

Electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices often exhibit poor low-temperature performance due to high interfacial desolvation energy barriers. While conventional strategies targeting ion-dipole interactions have improved desolvation kinetics, they suffer from a fundamental trade-off with bulk-phase ion diffusion. Here, a dipole-engineered electrolyte paradigm is proposed to overcome desolvation barriers for enhanced ultralow-temperature energy storage. Following this new paradigm, a weakly-dipolar-interacting electrolyte (WDIE) is developed by regulating dipole–dipole interactions within ionic solvates between primary and co-solvents. Through comprehensive experimental characterization and theoretical analyses, the interplay between dipole–dipole interactions and solvation dynamics across both interfacial and bulk phases is elucidated. Specifically, WDIE transforms the ionic solvate from conventional double-layer to distinctive mono-layer with attenuated solvent coordination number, effectively lowering solvent residence time and desolvation energy barriers. Simultaneously, it promotes solvent cluster dissociation, disrupting cross-linked electrolyte networks and enhancing bulk ion diffusion. As a proof of concept, WDIE-based supercapacitors exhibit optimized ultralow temperature performance, which retain 97.15% capacity from 20 to −70 °C, surpassing moderately- and strongly-dipolar-interacting electrolytes and ranking among the best reported. Moreover, theoretical calculations further demonstrate the broad applicability of this strategy when ionic radius exceeds 3.84 Å. This work demonstrates a scalable dipole-engineered electrolyte paradigm to overcome low-temperature EES limitations.

Based on the self-synthesized main-chain azobenzene thermoplastic polyurethane (Az-TPU), a real-time solar UV dose monitoring device is developed. This device exhibits high performance, recyclability, and strain-insensitivity, enabling the conversion of solar UVA signals into real-time signals transmitted via a smartphone application, demonstrating promising potential for broad practical applications.

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, a primary cause of skin cancer and erythema, poses irreversible risks to human health, underscoring the urgent need for advanced solar UV detector. Herein, we present a novel intrinsically flexible UVA detector featuring real-time monitoring, high performance and recyclability. This breakthrough is achieved through engineered oriented composite fabrics combining main-chain azobenzene-thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (Az-TPU) with piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] nanogenerators. The molecular architecture employs azobenzene groups and 4,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) as hard segment, while polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMG) forms the soft segment. The physical cross-linking network and homogeneous microphase-separated structure enables the fabrics to generate substantial internal stress, resulting in superior photoelectrical conversion capabilities. The device we report achieves an 80 ms response time and maintains excellent linear correlation (R2 = 0.997) across a broad light intensity range (0.05–50 mW·cm−2). Remarkably, the fabric achieves dynamic UV light monitoring when subjected to a tensile strain of 10%. Integrated with Bluetooth communication, the device enables real-time data transmission to mobile devices for continuous UVA intensity and dose monitoring throughout daily sunlight exposure. With demonstrated capability for solar UVA measurement, this technology presents significant industrial potential for wearable solar UV monitoring systems.

This review systematically outlines recent advances in designing chiral supramolecular architectures based on naphthalene diimide and perylene diimide (PDI). It categorizes structures (macrocycles, cages, aggregates, crystalline frameworks) and details chirality sources (covalent chiral modification, intrinsic PDI core distortion, exogenous induction). Key applications in circularly polarized luminescence, optoelectronic detectors, and asymmetric catalysis are highlighted.

Chiral supramolecular architectures based on naphthalene diimide (NDI) and perylene diimide (PDI) possess significant potential for chiroptical applications due to their physical properties, including large molar extinction coefficient, high fluorescence quantum yield, reversible redox activity, and robust photochemical/thermal stability. The chirality of NDI/PDI-based supramolecular architectures primarily originates from three sources: i) covalent modification of NDI/PDI with chiral substituents, ii) intrinsic axial chirality through distortion of the PDI conjugated plane, and iii) supramolecular asymmetric assembly of achiral NDI/PDI induced by exogenous chiral environments. This review systematically outlines recent advancements in the design principles of NDI/PDI-based chiral supramolecular architectures, including macrocycles, cages, aggregates, and crystalline frameworks, with an emphasis on the structure–activity relationship for chirality induction, transmission, and amplification. Advancements for their functional applications in circularly polarized luminescence (CPL), optoelectronic detectors, and asymmetric catalysis are also listed. Despite such progress, challenges persist in expanding the diversity of chiral NDI/PDI motifs, regulating the weak interactions for chiral supramolecular structures, elucidating chirality transfer and amplification mechanisms, and realizing diverse chiral applications. This review provides a comprehensive guide for the rational design of NDI/PDI-based chiral supramolecular architectures, facilitating their full exploitation in next-generation chiral technologies, like CPL light-emitting diode and chiral biomedicine.

Prelithiation boosts the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries by compensating for lithium loss. This review integrates the synergistic effects of prelithiation of each component in full cells. Additionally, the kinetic challenges of prelithiation in all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries are summarized. Finally, the prelithiation strategy is extended to other premetallation designs, providing guidance for the establishment of high-energy and high-safety energy storage systems.

Prelithiation technology is widely regarded as an effective strategy to enhance the energy density and extend the cycle life of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The principle of prelithiation is to introduce additional active Li+, thereby compensating for Li losses during initial charging and long-term cycling. However, the current summaries of various prelithiation approaches are predominantly focused on liquid LIBs, with limited reviews available on solid-state LIBs. Compared to liquid LIBs, solid-state LIBs not only face uniformity issues caused by the uneven mixing of active materials and Li sources during prelithiation, but also encounter severe kinetic challenges arising from rigid solid–solid interface contact. Here, various prelithiation techniques are first integrated and the dynamic correlation between the prelithiation of each component in a full cell and its electrochemical performance is systematically introduced. Furthermore, the challenges of prelithiation techniques in solid-state LIBs in terms of solid–solid interface and Li+ transport are discussed. Finally, these prelithiation technologies are expected to be extended to the design of other premetallation agents, which guide the development of high-energy and high-safety energy storage systems.

NiO x suffers from high surface defects and an energy level mismatch with perovskite. Conventional organic modifiers, limited by weak binding, fail to deliver effective surface passivation and energy level regulation. We design [4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]triethoxysilane (3F-PTES), forming strong tridentate bonds with NiO x to reduce surface defects, while its terminal dipole group optimizes energy alignment, enabling efficient p-i-n perovskite solar cells.

Nickel oxide (NiO x ) is a promising hole transport material for perovskite solar cells, but its high surface defect density and energy level mismatch with perovskite limit device efficiency. Conventional organic surface modifiers, relying on weak hydrogen bonds or single covalent bonds, fail to anchor stably to NiO x , hindering their functional effectiveness. Here, A multidentate anchoring organic molecule, [4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]triethoxysilane (3F-PTES), is presented, forming robust tridentate covalent bonds with the NiO x surface and significantly enhances interfacial binding strength and surface coverage compared with conventional groups (e.g., carboxyl). As a result, the interfacial defect density is reduced by 2.5-fold compared with carboxyl-modified counterparts and significantly suppresses the deprotonation reaction between NiO x and perovskite, thereby greatly improving interfacial contact. The designed trifluoromethyl terminal group further enables precise tuning of NiO x energy levels, achieving near-ideal band alignment with perovskite (energy offset ΔE = 0.01 eV). Incorporating this modified NiO x into inverted devices, a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.47% is achieved, along with outstanding operational stability, retaining 97% of their initial efficiency after 1500 h of continuous operation under maximum power point tracking (65 °C, 60% relative humidity, AM 1.5G illumination, ISOS-L-3 protocol).

Foam-TEX textile is developed through an integrated back-weft weaving and in situ foaming process, creating an interlocking double-layer textile with a closed-pore microstructure. This material has low thermal conductivity (0.039 W/(m⋅K)), excellent water resistance and moisture transport (one-way transport index: 1082%; WVT > 4000 g/(m2·24h)), and maintains stable under extreme temperatures (–196 to 100 °C), deformation, and washing.

Protective textiles face a critical challenge in cold and moisture-rich environments, in which conventional layered clothing systems and multi-layer functional textiles often sacrifice breathability and comfort to enhance insulation, or conversely, lose body heat with moisture accumulation. Here, back-weft weaving technology is combined with an in situ foaming process to produce an interlocking double-layer textile (Foam-TEX) featuring abundant closed-pore microspheres on the foamed fibers and gradient pores throughout the textile. The closed-pore structural engineering spatially couples the closed-pore insulation unit with the gradient vapor transmission channel to ensure thermal comfort in cold environments, while effectively preventing heat loss caused by the degradation of insulation performance due to sweat in extremely cold working conditions. As a result, the closed-pore microstructure provides a low thermal conductivity of 0.039 W/(m·K). Meanwhile, the gradient pores create Laplace pressure difference during water diffusion, driving unidirectional moisture transport and achieving excellent one-way transport index (1082%) and moisture permeability (>4000 g/(m2·24h)). Foam-TEX also demonstrates excellent stability under alternating extreme temperature conditions (–196 to 100 °C), washing, and wringing. This approach provides a flexible and scalable platform to extend the capabilities of Foam-TEX (e.g., Joule heating) to accommodate a variety of extreme wearing scenarios.

A novel organic||I2 battery system with a photo-assisted mechanism is developed. This design offers accelerated iodine conversion kinetics, enhanced utilization of iodine ions, avoided polyiodide's shuttle, and four-electron reaction mechanism for iodine species conversion. Leveraging the above merits, the photo-assisted PTCDI||I2 battery delivers a high energy density of 0.66 mWh cm−2 alongside remarkable long-term cycling durability and excellent bending capability.

Rechargeable aqueous iodine-based electrochemical energy storage systems offer a cost-effective alternative to conventional alkali metal batteries for grid-scale applications. However, their practical deployment is hindered by sluggish iodine redox kinetics and the shuttle of polyiodides, which severely limit their lifespan. To address these challenges, a novel solid-state organic||I2 battery leveraging a Co3O4-TiO2 heterojunction photocathode is developed. By integrating a photo-assisted mechanism with an innovative device architecture, the system achieves accelerated iodine conversion kinetics, enhances iodide ion utilization, and enables a four-electron redox pathway. Theoretical calculation combined with electrochemical analysis reveals that the photo-assisted mechanism promotes electrostatic adsorption of polyiodides, accelerates interfacial charge transfer, and significantly improves iodine redox kinetics. As a result, the organic||I2 battery delivers a high specific capacity of 1.36 mAh cm−2, a discharge voltage of 2.4 V, and excellent cycle stability over 1000 cycles, retaining 80.9% of its capacity at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. This photo-enhanced battery exhibits strong competitiveness compared to previously reported iodine-based batteries. The remarkable performance of this photo-assisted prototype offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for next-generation energy storage.

Sustained continuous-wave lasing in colloidal quantum dots is achieved by leveraging a novel microfluidic dot-in-matrix strategy. The novel QD microfluidic platform enables the first demonstration of 6 excitons per QD under cw excitation and hence simultaneous two-band cw stimulated emission from both the 1S and 1P states. These results open the first-ever cw QD laser device relevant for practical applications.

Sustained amplified stimulated emission (ASE) under continuous-wave (cw) excitation is a prerequisite for any new gain material being developed for lasing applications. Despite the great success achieved in colloidal quantum dot (QD) lasers, the cw light amplification is hampered by the high pump threshold and thermal effects of QD solids. Herein, the first-ever cw ASE and lasing from QDs relevant for practical implementations are realized by adopting the microfluidic dot-in-matrix design. Leveraging on the transient and steady-state gain spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that the high-concentration dispersed QDs with a gain feature customized for cw pumping render the low pump threshold (≈340 W cm−2). Meanwhile, the QD micro-liquids effectively dissipate the heat arising from the nonradiative multi-carrier recombination. As such, the unprecedented two-band cw ASE and long-lasting cw lasing with coherent output beam are realized. The findings open the door to practical QD lasers and may unlock new possibilities in optofluidics and optoelectronics.

This review summarizes recent advances in p-block metal-based electrocatalysts for H2O2 synthesis, covering catalyst design, performance optimization, and comparison to noble and transition metals, outlining reaction mechanisms by a synthesis of DFT calculations reported in the literature. Considering the merits and limitations of different metals, it outlines key challenges, actionable strategies, and future prospects for the field.

Electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) via the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) offers a sustainable alternative for the traditional anthraquinone method. p-block metals exhibit unique electronic structures and tunable surface properties, showing great potential in 2e− ORR. However, a systematic review focusing on recent progress in p-block metal-based electrocatalysts for H2O2 synthesis is lacking. To fill the gap, this work first shows a marked increase in p-block metal research over the past decade by bibliometric analysis of over 300 publications. Research on 2e− ORR has surged since 2019, while research on 2e‒ water oxidation reaction (WOR) has declined. Strategies for the synthesis and optimization of various p-block metal-based catalysts are discussed in detail. Based on a synthesis of DFT calculations in the literature, the reaction mechanisms of p-block metal catalysis proceeding are summarized via a 2e− pathway. Finally, considering the merits and limitations of different metals, this review outlines the primary challenges and future directions in this area, emphasizing the importance of improving catalyst stability, deepening mechanistic understanding, and developing cost-effective synthesis methods. It also offers novel perspectives on the engineering of p-block metal-based catalysts and promotes the development of sustainable H2O2 electrosynthesis technologies.

Equivalent circuit model and micro-surface analysis prove that horizontally aligned rod-in-rod quantum rods films (82% in-plane dipoles) enable high outcoupling yet suffer from carrier leakage within the conventional device structure. An inverted device structure suppresses carrier leakage and achieves 31% and 20.2 % EQE in red and green QR-LEDs, respectively, unlocking the potential of anisotropic nanocrystals.

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) have approached the theoretical limit of external quantum efficiency (EQE) determined by outcoupling efficiency. To achieve further improvements, novel optical designs must be explored, such as constructing optical microcavities, utilizing light scattering, or tuning the orientation of transition dipole moments (TDM). This study reports advances in red rod-in-rod quantum rods (QRs) film that exhibits a high in-plane dipole orientation of 82%, achieved through shape-induced horizontal self-alignment. Also a critical issue is discovered: the carrier leakage through irregular quantum rod films, which hinders the EQE of quantum rod light-emitting diodes (QR-LEDs) and limits its competitiveness with QD-LEDs. An equivalent circuit model comprising two diodes clearly illustrates the impacts of the leakage current within conventional QR-LED structures. By transforming the QR-LEDs device structure, balanced carrier injection and suppressed leakage current are simultaneously enhanced, achieving a red QR-LEDs with a peak EQE of 31% and a peak brightness of 110 000 cd m− 2. Additionally, these strategies are applied to green dot-in-rod QRs, demonstrating a peak EQE of 20.2% with ultra-high luminance of 250 000 cd m− 2. This work is expected to pave the way for further improvements in the LED performance based on anisotropic nanocrystals.