Physics

ABSTRACT Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) with O3‐type cathodes are among the most promising alternatives to lithium‐ion batteries. However, their application is limited by the severe irreversible anionic redox reactions and phase transitions under high‐voltage conditions. In this study, we found that these irreversible processes could be effectively alleviated by precise alkali‐metal layer spacing modulation via tuning initial sodium content, which significantly enhances the high‐voltage performance of O3‐type layered materials. Our results reveal that irreversible anionic redox reactions are triggered prematurely in cathodes with a high initial sodium content. It is noteworthy that these irreversible processes always lead to detrimental phase transitions, incomplete transition‐metal redox, and exacerbated cation migration in layered cathodes. Through precise regulation of the initial Na content from unity to 0.8, the aforementioned issues were effectively alleviated, enabling a high initial discharge capacity of 174 mAh g −1 at 0.2 C, with 161 mAh g −1 retention after 100 cycles. Moreover, the optimized sample delivered outstanding full‐cell performance with a specific capacity of 154 mAh g −1 at 1 C and a capacity retention of 81.8% after 200 cycles. These findings highlight the critical role of sodium stoichiometry in regulating anionic redox and stabilizing layered structures, offering insights into the high‐performance SIB cathode design.

ABSTRACT Laccases are widely utilized in biochemical sensing, food quality monitoring, and pollutant degradation due to their environmentally friendly nature. However, the development of non‐copper‐based laccase mimics remains limited, and their catalytic mechanisms and practical applications require further investigation. Herein, we incorporate non‐metallic boron (B) into manganese (Mn)‐based oxides (MBO), endowing the material with exceptional laccase‐like activity, free from interference typically induced by extraneous metal sites. Acting as an electron modulator, B increases the electron density of Mn active centers and lowers their average valence state (Mn n−δ ), thereby promoting O 2 reduction through a non‐radical pathway. This electronic regulation alters the catalytic mechanism and lowers the activation energy required for benzoquinone formation. As an efficient laccase mimic, MBO catalyzes the Michael addition between dopamine and resorcinol, yielding a dual‐signal product with measurable absorbance and fluorescence. By exploiting the specific coordination and inhibition of MBO by ergothioneine (EGT), a dual‐mode sensing detection and molecular logic operation (“AND”‐“INH”) system was constructed for EGT detection, which achieved high sensitivity, a low detection limit, and excellent operational stability. This work presents a novel strategy for enhancing the laccase‐like performance of Mn‐based nanozymes through non‐metallic doping and applying it to biochemical sensing with logical analysis.

ABSTRACT Interfacial solar evaporation is promising for seawater desalination and complex water treatment. Achieving high efficiency, long‐term stability under high salinity and efficient utilization of evaporation induced waste heat remains challenging. Based on ordered island arrays and stomatal transport networks of cacti, a biomimetic MXene/polypyrrole@polydopamine‐melamine foam (MXene/PPy@PDA‐MF) interfacial evaporator with adjustable island structures and photothermal units is proposed for control of solar energy capture, heat localization and coupled water/salt transport. Under 1 kW m − 2 irradiation, this evaporator achieved an evaporation rate of 4.025 kg m 2 h − 1 . It continued to evaporate for 7 days under a 20 wt.% NaCl condition without experiencing salt clogging, and it also yielded approximately 2.64 g of salt collected and recovered. The excellent salt tolerance originates from low‐resistance salt reflux pathways formed by hierarchical island arrays, combined with concentration‐gradient diffusion and coupled solutal/thermal Marangoni convection. Based on this, the thermal module was integrated to harvest evaporation induced waste heat with a maximum output power density of 1.083 W m − 2 . During the outdoor experiment, the freshwater production is 15.92 kg m − 2 d − 1 , with power density of 0.7 W m − 2 . This research provides new theoretical insights into integrated solar energy systems that couple interfacial evaporation and waste‐heat recovery.

ABSTRACT Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) is a promising cathode material for lithium‐sulfur batteries, yet conventional ether/ester electrolytes exhibit poor compatibility with both SPAN and lithium metal, making it difficult to simultaneously achieve interfacial stability and safety. In this work, we propose a gel polymer electrolyte (FETB‐GPE), synthesized via copolymerization of a fluorinated acrylate monomer and a multifunctional crosslinker within a weakly solvating electrolyte composed of fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC). By introducing lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB), the Li + solvation structure is optimized, increasing the proportion of contact ion pairs (CIPs) and ion aggregates (AGGs), which facilitates the formation of a LiF and Li x BO y F z rich anion‐derived interphase. Molecular dynamics simulations and analyses confirm that FETB‐GPE enables uniform Li deposition and enhances Li + transport kinetics. Furthermore, symmetric Li||Li cells exhibit highly reversible Li plating/stripping for 4000 h, while Li||Cu cells deliver an average coulombic efficiency of 99.1% at 0.5 mA cm −2 . Consequently, Li||SPAN cells achieve exceptional cyclability with 90.29% capacity retention after 1500 cycles at 5 C and operate stably for over one year at 0.2 C. This work establishes a design principle for polymer electrolytes tailored to Li||SPAN batteries, paving the way for the development of solid‐state lithium‐sulfur systems.

ABSTRACT Electromagnetic metamaterials (EM MMs) show significant promise in combating EM radiation (EMR) in the ultrabroad frequency range (i.e., 4–40 GHz). High‐efficiency EM MMs have to be a combination of EM lossy materials possessing strong intrinsic loss capability and rationally designed periodic structures exhibiting excellent impedance matching. The traditionally used metastructures and material systems seriously inhibit performance breakthrough and application temperature. In this work, a novel intercalated hierarchical lattice metamaterial, composed of porous Al 2 O 3 with a polymer‐derived SiBCN coating deposited on nano‐layered Mo 2 C‐PyC absorbents (SiBCN‐Mo 2 C/PyC‐Al 2 O 3 ), was developed by innovatively integrating additive manufacturing (AM), infiltration, and pyrolysis, and the polymer‐derived ceramic (PDC) approaches. Benefiting from its good impedance matching of hierarchical architecture, strong intrinsic EM attenuation capability of the Mo 2 C/PyC absorbent and improved thermal protection capability provided by the intercalated structure, the obtained SiBCN‐Mo 2 C/PyC‐Al 2 O 3 metamaterial exhibited outstanding effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 36 GHz from 4 to 40 GHz and minimal reflection loss (RL min ) of −32.7 dB at the temperature of 773K, outperforming the traditionally used triply periodic minimal surface and honeycomb structures with identical ingredient. The key innovations of this work include: (a) An intercalated structure possessing strong EM attenuation capability and improved oxidation resistance capability; (b) An engineered hierarchical lattice metastructure exhibiting excellent impedance matching outperforming the conventional counterpart. This work provides novel insight and ideas for the engineering of advanced metastructures, and paves new avenues for the development of next‐generation high‐performance EM absorption components.

ABSTRACT Polyethylene (PE) is the most widely produced and discarded polymer, yet current recycling approaches often yield low‐value products with inferior performance and risk secondary pollution. Here, we present a scalable recycling strategy that integrates interface engineering and orientation structuring to transform recycled polyethylene (rPE) into value‐added materials with ultrahigh thermal conductivity (κ). In situ grafting of maleic anhydride (MAH) strengthens interfacial hydrogen bonding between rPE‐g‐MAH (rPM) and introduced graphite nanosheets (GNPs), increasing the interaction energy from −256.51 to −581.50 kcal/mol. During high‐shear twin‐roll milling, GNPs acquire a highly planar orientation (orientation factor f = 0.91) and are tightly bound by rPM, forming continuous, efficient phonon transport pathway with an interface thermal resistance ( R) as low as 7.03 × 10 −12 m 2 K·W −1 . Benefiting from interfacial design and strong anisotropic alignment, the resulting laminate exhibits exceptional in‐plane thermal conductivity (κ∥) of 44.5 W m −1 K −1 and cross‐plane thermal conductivity (κ⊥) of 2.82 W m −1 K −1 , achieving temperature reductions of 25°C for the LED lamp and 31°C in the CPU cooling tests. This straightforward yet effective strategy not only enables the sustainable upcycling of PE but also establishes a viable route to highly oriented polyolefin/inorganic composites with ultrahigh thermal conductivity.

ABSTRACT The sensitivity‐selectivity trade‐off remains a fundamental challenge in chemiresistive carbon monoxide (CO) sensing, as enhanced surface redox activity often promotes non‐specific reactions with chemically similar interferents. Single‐atom noble‐metal sensitizers improve adsorption selectivity but suffer from ultra‐low loading, limiting sensing sensitivity. Here, we report a single‐atom Pt‐activated lattice oxygen strategy that simultaneously enhances sensitivity and selectivity by engaging lattice oxygen in CO sensing. By incorporating single‐atom Pt into the SnO 2 lattice, the sensor achieves a ∼15‐fold sensitivity enhancement relative to SnO 2 , excellent selectivity against common interfering gases, and a sensing response even under oxygen‐deficient conditions. Spectroscopic analyses combined with first‐principles calculations reveal a dual functional role of lattice‐anchored Pt: single‐atom Pt establishes preferential CO adsorption sites via electronic interaction with CO, while its strong coupling with the Sn─O framework upshifts the O 2p band center, lowers the activation barrier for lattice‐oxygen‐mediated CO oxidation, and thereby enhances sensing sensitivity. Integration of the sensor into a portable CO breath analyzer further demonstrates over 8‐fold higher sensitivity than a commercial sensor under simulated exhalation conditions. This work establishes single‐atom Pt‐activated lattice oxygen strategy as an effective approach to overcome the sensitivity‐selectivity trade‐off in CO sensing.

ABSTRACT Manganese‐based layered oxides are among the most promising cathode materials for potassium‐ion batteries. Yet their application is hindered by issues like poor structural stability and multiple phase transitions. Herein, the occupancy ratio (K t /K h ) of the conventional triangular prism center site (K t ) to the previously unknown KO 14 hexagonal prism center site (K h ) is finely tuned to stabilize the layered oxide framework for P3‐type K x MnO 2 cathodes. The first‐principles calculations along with ex‐situ X‐ray diffraction, aberration‐corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, and K L‐edge soft X‐ray absorption spectroscopy reveal that the K + at the K h site are locally pinned as self‐pillars, where moderate K h pillars stabilize the oxide framework by suppressing phase transitions and facilitating a solid‐solution K + storage mechanism, while excessive K h immobilizes ions and blocks diffusion pathways. The K content and thermal treatment are functionally interconnected and determine the K h fraction and phase evolution. The K 0.5 MnO 2 cathode with an optimal (K t /K h ) ratio delivers excellent high‐rate performance of 46.1 mAh g −1 at 2 A g −1 and maintains 76.7% of its initial capacity after 2000 cycles at 1 A g −1 . This work demonstrates the potential benefits of alkali‐ion occupancy engineering as a versatile strategy for stable layered oxide cathodes in high‐performance alkali‐ion batteries.

ABSTRACT The development of efficient and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts is crucial for advancing hydrogen production via water electrolysis. The evolution from conventional perovskites to high‐entropy perovskite materials (HEPMs) ingeniously overcomes the limitations of scarce active sites and poor stability, reinvigorating perovskites for OER catalysis. HEPMs, by introducing multiple principal elements into the perovskite lattice, ingeniously combine the structural flexibility of perovskites with the unique effects of high‐entropy materials, thus infusing new vitality into the catalytic application of perovskite materials in OER. This review systematically elucidates the physicochemical origins of the enhanced OER performance from perovskite materials to HEPMs, with a focus on their unique crystal and electronic structural characteristics, as well as the mechanisms of the four core effects. Subsequently, we also provide a critical summary of the main synthesis methods for HEPMs and evaluate their applicability and limitations. In addition, a comprehensive review of the applications of various HEPMs in the OER is conducted, with a focus on research progress in enhancing catalytic performance through strategies. Finally, this paper systematically outlines the challenges and future development directions of HEPMs in the field of OER catalysis, providing a forward‐looking perspective for the design of next‐generation high‐performance electrocatalysts.

ABSTRACT High‐entropy intermetallics (HEIs) exhibit great potential as efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts due to their great tunability, ordered crystal structures and multi‐component synergistic effects. However, the vast compositional space of HEIs poses significant challenges and difficulties to the traditional experimental and theoretical studies. Herein, taking PtM 3 ‐type HEIs (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) as a typical example, we propose a local environment‐aware feature engineering strategy integrating density functional theory (DFT) calculations and machine learning (ML) method. Specifically, *OH adsorption energies at representative surface sites were computed via DFT, and structural/compositional features were extracted as descriptors to train multiple ML models, with gradient boosting regression (GBR) exhibiting the best performance. Based on predicted *OH adsorption energies, an activity evaluation model was established by combining atomic ratio and local environment, leading to the identification of the optimal Pt 8 Fe 6 Co 6 Ni 3 Cu 3 Zn 6 ‐HEI. The theoretical overpotentials of ORR on the PtCu and PtZn sites of this optimal configuration were calculated to be 0.36 and 0.37 V, respectively, validating the reliability and generalization ability of the “DFT + ML” strategy. Our strategy effectively overcomes the challenge of compositional complexity in HEIs, and offers a new paradigm for the design of other high‐entropy catalytic materials, accelerating the development of advanced electrocatalysts.

ABSTRACT Aqueous Zn metal batteries (AZMBs) hold great promise for grid‐scale energy storage due to their inherent safety, low cost, and resource abundance. However, their practical deployment is hindered by issues such as unstable Zn deposition and persistent side reactions. Epitaxial electrodeposition, enabling the oriented growth of Zn via crystallographic inheritance from tailored substrates, has emerged as a fundamental strategy for achieving highly reversible Zn anodes. However, a systematic review dedicated to the mechanism of Zn epitaxy across different template architectures and electrochemical conditions remains absent. This review summarizes recent advances in Zn epitaxial deposition and outlines key design principles for achieving and sustaining epitaxial growth. We first clarify three prerequisites for epitaxial deposition: lattice matching, structural coherence, and interfacial kinetics. Related strategies are categorized into heteroepitaxy, induced by hexagonal layered materials, metal substrates, as well as homoepitaxy on single‐crystal Zn or textured polycrystalline Zn foils. Furthermore, failure mechanisms of epitaxial growth are unified into three interrelated types: nucleation mode deviation, structural strain degradation and interfacial chemical destabilization. Finally, building upon current limitations, this review outlines prospective directions, including pursuing practical epitaxy, guiding oriented stripping, controlling epitaxial facets, and generalizing metal epitaxy, aimed at guiding the design of high‐performance Zn anodes.

ABSTRACT In the digital information age, self‐powered photodetectors are crucial for meeting the demands of high‐density integration and low power consumption. The flexoelectric effect provides a mechanical approach for the development of high‐efficiency and low‐energy consumption photoelectronic devices. Here, an asymmetric suspended structure model is proposed by taking advantage of the inherent mechanical flexibility of 2D materials. The asymmetric transverse flexoelectric polarization field formed internally enables to have excellent self‐powered photodetection capabilities in the visible to near‐infrared range. The device demonstrates excellent photoelectric performance ( R ∼ 6 A W −1 ) and ultra‐weak light detection capability ( P = 1.5 ). Moreover, the coupling mechanism between photoelectric and flexoelectric effects has been elucidated through kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and first‐principles calculations. In particular, the device achieved stable information transmission and image processing under weak light conditions. The visual gain has been enhanced by more than two orders of magnitude. This research result highlights the potential applications of the flexoelectric effect and lays a solid foundation for the design and integrated development of high‐performance photoelectronic devices.

ABSTRACT Semitransparent perovskite solar cells (ST‐PSCs) for building‐integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) face severe performance trade‐offs when the absorber is thinned to achieve high average visible transmittance (AVT). Thinner absorbers lead to a higher density of interfacial defects, stronger optical scattering, and faster thermal degradation resulting from inefficient heat dissipation. To overcome these interconnected challenges, we introduce a pharmacophore‐guided molecular design strategy using dexamethasone (Dex). The conformationally rigid scaffold of Dex spatially arranges carbonyl, hydroxyl, and 9α‐fluoro groups to enable multi‐point molecular recognition at perovskite heterointerfaces. This precise functional group arrangement simultaneously passivates Pb 2+ and halide defects while enabling high‐quality, pinhole‐minimized films. Meanwhile, an inward‐oriented interfacial dipole optimizes band alignment and accelerates hole extraction, while concurrently enhancing thermal transport by reducing the interfacial thermal resistance. Density functional theory (DFT) and opto‐electro‐thermal (OET) modeling quantitatively demonstrate suppressed nonradiative recombination and interfacial heat generation. Consequently, optimized ST‐PSCs with ∼150 nm absorbers achieve a high open‐circuit voltage of 1.165 V and power conversion efficiency of 15.26% at 20.88% AVT (LUE ≈ 3.19%), with T 80 > 1000 h at 80°C in nitrogen. This work establishes pharmacophore‐guided interfaces as a versatile materials design paradigm for synchronizing optical, electrical, and thermal management in ultrathin PVs.

ABSTRACT The inherent trade‐off between electrical loss for electromagnetic (EM) absorption and thermal transport for heat management limits optimization of conventional multilayer integrated circuit (IC) packaging architecture. Inspired by the morphological structure of Tremella, we design a wrinkled nanoflower 1T‐MoS 2 @BN heterostructure, where electrostatic self‐assembly yields intimate coupling between BN nanosheets and 1T‐MoS 2 to build a multiscale heterogeneous interfacial network. BN introduces efficient phonon pathways that reduce interfacial thermal resistance and strengthen dipole/interfacial polarization, thereby enabling enhanced EM energy dissipation and heat conduction. At 55 vol% loading, the 1T‐MoS 2 @BN ratio enables tunable multifunctionality: a thermally favored composition (1:1.5) achieves 5.54 W m − 1 K − 1 , while an absorption‐prioritized ratio (1.5:1) delivers −48.8 dB RL m i n with a 3.1 GHz bandwidth at 2.46 mm. This demonstrates an integrated platform balancing thermal and EM performance within one material system. Using this multifunctional composite, the multilayer packaging scheme for conventional radio‐frequency (RF) devices can be streamlined while improving performance. Under near‐field conditions at 5–6 GHz, the shielding effectiveness exceeds 20 dB while continuous thermal pathways rapidly evacuate operating heat, effectively suppressing junction temperature. This heterostructure serves as an ideal model to probe atomic‐scale charge transfer and multidimensional phonon transport, offering a design concept for next‐generation integrated electronics.

ABSTRACT The piezoionic effect, as an emerging force‐sensing mechanism, shows great potential in self‐powered sensing applications. However, the sensitivity of conventional piezoionic sensors remains relatively low due to the limited difference in anion and cation diffusivity, which restricts their applicability in high‐precision sensing. Here, a cellulose/alginate hydrogel with a controllably phase‐separated structure, enabling a substantial enhancement in piezoionic output is developed. Through a sequential cross‐linking strategy, a biphasic network structure composed of cellulose and aluminum alginate is successfully constructed. The cellulose phase provides structural stability, and the macroporous aluminum alginate phase enables rapid ion diffusion while the strong coordination between aluminum ions and alginate selectively immobilizes cations, thereby significantly enhancing ion diffusion difference under pressure and improving the piezoionic sensor performance. The optimized hydrogel sensor exhibits high sensitivity (14.13 mV kPa −1 ), fast response (60 ms), and excellent cycling stability, enabling high‐precision monitoring of weak physiological signals while also functioning as a micro‐power source for electronic devices. This work provides an innovative structural design strategy for developing high‐performance, environmentally friendly piezoionic materials and sensing systems.

ABSTRACT The development of artificial photosynthesis for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production holds considerable practical significance in pivotal fields such as energy conversion and environmental remediation. However, the precise manipulation of photocatalyst electronic structures and the induction of directional photogenerated charge migration remain among the core challenges in this field. Herein, we realized accurate modulation of carbon (C) doping concentrations in carbon nitride (CN) matrices via the introduction of uracil during supramolecular self‐assembly. Based on the regulation of electronic structure and dipole moment, a localized asymmetric carbon nitride photocatalyst (KCCN V ) featuring customized electron traps has been designed and constructed. More importantly, by precisely constructing electronic traps (cyano groups, ─C≡N), novel localized electron‐rich domains are formed to efficiently capture photo‐generated electrons and induce directed carrier migration, thereby significantly suppressing the non‐radiative recombination of photo‐generated electron‐hole pairs. KCCN V achieved an impressive H 2 O 2 production efficiency of 6120.1 µmol g −1 h −1 under oxygen conditions. Furthermore, a Fenton reaction system using H 2 O 2 was constructed in the field to achieve efficient mineralization removal of organic wastewater. This work provides valuable insights into the future solar‐driven H 2 O 2 synthesis and its practical applications, via the rational design of localized asymmetric carbon nitride based on electronic structure engineering.

ABSTRACT Freestanding oxide ferroelectrics have attracted increasing attention due to their structural tunability, mechanical compatibility, and potential applications in next‐generation nonvolatile ferroelectric semiconductor devices. Here, we achieved a gentle decomposition of La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 (LSMO) sacrificial layer through an electrodynamic decomposition strategy, which can achieve rapid decomposition in weak acids, even in water that undergoes a small amount of hydrolysis reaction. The fastest decomposition time of LSMO is only 20 s, which is at least three orders of magnitude shorter than the time required for strong acid etching. The controllable decomposition time is within the range of 20 to 250 s by screening solution. Density functional theory calculations and electrodynamic decomposition curves jointly reveal the intrinsic chemical reasons for the ultrafast decomposition efficiency, specifically the adsorption energy and electric field effect. The procedure and results for fabricating high‐integrity freestanding PbZrO 3 films using acetic acid and sodium chloride solutions have been demonstrated. This gentle electrodynamic decomposition strategy, integrating rapidity, low destructiveness, and various solutions compatibility, paves the way for further exploring the application potential of freestanding oxide materials in multifunctional semiconductor devices.

ABSTRACT The abnormal amyloid‐ β (A β ) aggregation is critical in the progression of Alzheimer's disease pathology, yet clinical therapeutics to alleviate amyloidosis in the patients is hindered due to low efficiency and side effects. Here, a multifunctional nanoplatform (Pep‐COF@E/P/S), where A β targeting peptide KLVFFA, small‐molecule EGCG and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were combined together upon the covalent organic framework to attenuate A β fibrils, alleviate A β fibrils‐induced cytotoxicity, and function as an MRI probe, is reported. Specifically, Pep‐COF@E/P/S enables A β targeting through the hydrogen bond of the KLVFFA component. Meanwhile, A β fibrils were attenuated by hydrogen bond and electrostatic interactions, thereby alleviating A β fibrils‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction as well as membrane damage further. In addition, Pep‐COF@E/P/S also exhibited favorable blood compatibility, biosafety as well as BBB permeability in vivo. Of note, the combination of SPIONs enables Pep‐COF@E/P/S as a potential MRI probe. It is expected that multifunctional Pep‐COF@E/P/S provides an attractive avenue to promote the development of precise and efficacious treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACT Superhydrophobic surfaces integrating both photothermal and electrothermal effects are regarded as one of the most promising approaches for all‐weather anti‐/de‐icing. However, their practical application is still hindered by two major challenges: the instability of the air layer and excessive energy consumption. Inspired by the densely curved/coiled morphology of Antarctic lichens, a multilayer semi‐enclosed air cavity structure was constructed. This structure forms a stable air‐based thermal insulation layer, which reduces ice adhesion and markedly prolongs the icing delay time. At −20°C, the icing delay time reaches 3578 ± 120.10 s. In addition, Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) effectively enhance the photothermal conversion performance, while the incorporation of ZIF‐MXene facilitates charge transport and broadens light absorption. At −20°C and 60% Relative Humidity (RH), the surface temperature rapidly increased to 29.2 ± 1.40°C under 1 sun irradiation (photothermal), to 117.4 ± 3.67°C under an applied voltage of 8 V (electrothermal), and to 139 ± 3.80°C (photothermal + electrothermal). These results demonstrate that this biomimetic composite coating possesses both highly efficient photothermal and electrothermal de‐icing capabilities in low‐temperature environments. This work offers a novel approach for designing highly efficient, multifunctional anti‐/de‐icing surfaces.

ABSTRACT NiFe−based catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are fundamentally constrained by an insufficient number of active sites and their limited exposure. To overcome this issue, we propose a route for transforming nanorods to nanotubes via electrochemical reconstruction, yielding well−exposed Fe−NiOOH nanoarrays featuring abundant active sites to boost ampere−level water oxidation. This unique architecture is derived from the Ostwald ripening of an Fe−rich Fe−Ni−MOF precursor, which subsequently generates highly active Fe−doped γ−NiOOH with an optimized electronic structure. The as−prepared Fe−NiOOH exhibits an extremely low overpotential of 309 mV at 1 A cm −2 with a Tafel slope of 51.4 mV dec −1 in alkaline media, alongside outstanding long−term stability for over 100 h. Furthermore, the Fe−NiOOH nanotubes are highly conducive to activating the lattice oxygen mechanism (LOM) and stabilizing the local oxygen coordination through structural irregularities, thus significantly enhancing the intrinsic catalytic activity. When assembled in an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer, the catalyst enables the electrolyzer to achieve an industrial−level current density of 5 A cm −2 at a cell voltage of only 2.3 V. This work establishes a critical design principle for NiFe−based electrocatalysts and accelerates the commercialization of ampere−level water splitting technology.

ABSTRACT The buried NiO x /perovskite interface is a critical bottleneck for inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs), where interfacial defects and redox reactions jointly degrade efficiency and stability. Here, we introduce zinc diethylphosphinate (ZDP) as a molecularly engineered interlayer that initiates a coupled cascade reaction at this interface. The diethylphosphinate anion simultaneously consumes surface hydroxyl species on NiO x and reduces iodine to iodide within the perovskite, while the Zn 2+ cation further passivates ionic defects and forms a stabilizing complex. This reaction‐led process, complemented by enhanced interfacial hydrophobicity, concurrently optimizes energy alignment, promotes hole extraction, and improves perovskite crystallinity. Consequently, ZDP‐modified devices achieve champion power conversion efficiencies of 25.34% and 22.21% for 1.56 and 1.68 eV perovskites, respectively, with a large‐area (1.05 cm 2 ) cell reaching 23.71%. Unencapsulated devices retain 90.20% of their initial efficiency after 1440 h in N 2 . This work demonstrates that a reduction‐complexation cascade strategy effectively enhances both efficiency and stability of NiO x ‐based inverted PSCs.

Abstract To investigate the band alignment variations of heterojunctions composed of GaN materials with different polarity faces and different 2D materials, two sets of heterojunctions h-BN/c-GaN, h-BN/(11-22)-GaN, h-BN/a-GaN and MoSe2/c-GaN, MoSe2/(11-22)-GaN, MoSe2/a-GaN were prepared. The Valence Band Offsets (VBOs) of the heterojunctions were measured directly by XPS, and the Conduction Band Offsets (CBOs) were then computed from the VBOs. The compounds h-BN/c-GaN, h-BN/(11-22)-GaN, and h-BN/a-GaN all classify as type-I heterojunctions, with VBOs of 0.68 eV, 1.59 eV, and 0.89 eV, respectively. The heterojunctions MoSe2/c-GaN, MoSe2/(11-22)-GaN, and MoSe2/a-GaN exhibit VBOs of 2.06 eV, 1.10 eV, and 2.74 eV, respectively. The heterojunctions MoSe2/c-GaN and MoSe2/a-GaN are type II heterojunctions, while MoSe2/(11-22)-GaN is a type I heterojunction. Concurrently, the change rule of heterojunction bands is summarized, and the influence of polarization effect on heterojunction bands is analyzed. The band position of the 2D material changes as the GaN material undergoes a transition from polar to semi-polar and then to non-polar. This change is evidenced by a decrease and subsequent increase in band position relative to the band position of the GaN material.

An increasing number of studies are moving toward the combination of quantum mechanics and gravity, where studying gravity from a very small source mass is a viable starting point. Preparing for such experiments, investigations of weak gravitational forces have employed mechanical resonators to detect time-dependent gravitational forces from actuated source masses. Here, we demonstrate a source mass approach that utilizes capacitive actuation of a 1 mg gold sphere embedded on a silicon nitride membrane, rather than piezoelectric or motorized actuation. The design simultaneously provides a method for microwave-optomechanical implementation by coupling the membrane position to the electromagnetic mode of a 3D cavity. The cavity quality factor is not significantly compromised by electromagnetic leakage to the actuation electrode, allowing DC and kilohertz AC voltages to be introduced in the region where electric fields are strongly concentrated. We measure over 700 nm of a driven oscillation amplitude and more than 10% tunability in the mechanical resonance frequency of the loaded membrane, giving the potential to match the oscillations to the frequency range of a detector in future experiments. An optomechanical readout is demonstrated by measuring the cavity resonance at cryogenic temperatures, while room-temperature measurements provide complementary understanding of the mechanisms that influence the mechanical response, including repulsive contact due to collisions within the device.