Physics

Environmentally friendly InP-based quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are promising for next-generation displays but are hindered by charge imbalance and exciton quenching from conventional ZnMgO electron transport layers (ETLs). To address this, we developed a novel ZnO@hydroxides ETL via a simple sol–gel method. The surface-associated hydroxide species, including LiOH·H2O and Mg(OH)x, form a passivating layer on the ZnO nanocrystals. This leads to a more compact film, reduced surface defects, and better-matched charge injection. Consequently, the optimized red InP/ZnSe/ZnSe0.75S0.25/ZnS QLED achieves a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 26.42%, significantly outperforming the ZnMgO-based device (EQE = 18.59%). Operational stability is also markedly improved, with the T95@100 cd·m–2 lifetime extending from 3,316 to 7,548 h─a greater than 2-fold enhancement. This work demonstrates that rational ETL surface passivation is a highly effective strategy for developing high-efficiency, stable, and cadmium/plumbum-free QLEDs.

Direct ammonia fuel cells (DAFCs) represent a promising carbon-neutral energy conversion technology, yet their widespread application is significantly hindered by the sluggish kinetics of the ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR). To address this, atomically dispersed Mn within Pt nanoclusters that spontaneously self-assemble into continuous shell architectures on carbon black support are developed. Comprehensive characterization combined with theoretical calculations reveals a dual-site synergistic mechanism, wherein Mn sites serve as the primary centers for NH3 capture and dehydrogenation to *NH2 while Pt sites function as secondary active sites to adsorb additional *NH2 intermediates and facilitate subsequent N–N coupling reactions. The optimal catalyst achieves ideal intermediate binding satisfying Sabatier’s principle, delivering a peak current density of 22.69 mA cm–2 (9-fold enhancement over commercial PtIr/C). When integrated into a practical DAFC, the catalyst achieves a peak power density of 14.22 mW cm–2 at 60 °C, outperforming most reported systems.

The limited efficacy of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for colorectal peritoneal metastases (CPM) arises from its failure to remodel the tumor-promoting microenvironment dominated by M2-like macrophages. Here, we demonstrate that anionic nanoparticles coloaded with regorafenib (REG) and paclitaxel (PTX) are capable of overcoming this limitation by not only directly killing tumor cells but also reprogramming macrophages to the antitumor phenotype. We uncovered that anionic nanoparticles achieved superior retention and more balanced in vivo uptake by both tumor cells and macrophages compared with their cationic or neutral counterparts. Then, we fabricated anionic 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate (DOPA) liposome-coated albumin-bound REG and PTX (DOPA@Alb-RP) and demonstrated that DOPA@Alb-RP treatment elicited potent and durable antitumor immunity and significantly prolonged survival in the mouse model of CPM. Impressively, the treatment achieved tumor eradication in 64% of the mice. This macrophage-engaging nanoplatform provides a rational approach to potentiating chemoimmunotherapy against peritoneal metastases.

Highly active oxygen evolution reaction catalysts allow high-efficiency water electrolysis for green hydrogen production, but prevalently encounter severe activity degradation when operated at industrial ampere-level current densities. Here we demonstrate configurating heterostructure interfaces in nickel–iron-based catalysts to exceptionally improve their oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalytic durability at >1000 mA cm–2 by incorporating nitrogen-doped lanthanide oxides, which enable supplementary oxygen intermediate spillover via a modified lattice oxygen mechanism. By virtue of nitrogen-mediated flexible electronic perturbation of cerium, there reversibly form oxygen vacancies in nitrogen-doped cerium dioxide to sustainably accommodate the oxygen intermediates spilled from nickel–iron (oxy)hydroxide and boost *O–O coupling and desorption kinetics, which significantly suppresses the formation of soluble high-valence iron species. This enlists nickel–iron-based heterostructure electrocatalysts with a hierarchical nanoporous architecture to exhibit outstanding oxygen evolution reaction activity and durability, achieving 2000 mA cm–2 at an ultralow overpotential of 310 mV and maintaining stability for >9000 h in 1 M KOH.

Wearable multimodal sensors enable advanced health and motion monitoring but often face a trade-off between signal crosstalk and structural complexity. Herein, we report a strain-temperature bimodal sensor based on morphology-programmable, orthogonally aligned silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays that intrinsically decouple the two modalities within a single-material platform. Unlike conventional designs relying on shared channels or heterogeneous stacks, our architecture employs an in-plane solid-liquid-solid mechanism to grow orthogonally arranged arrays of serpentine and straight SiNW channels, for strain and temperature sensing, respectively. The sensor achieves a high strain sensitivity (gauge factor up to 155) and a broad temperature detection range (20-97 °C) while maintaining stable operation over 40,000 stretching cycles, enabling simultaneous monitoring of skin temperature and joint motion. Furthermore, a convolutional neural network (CNN)-assisted classifier precisely identifies complex stimuli with 95% accuracy. This structurally integrated platform establishes a scalable pathway for multimodal sensing, advancing next-generation wearable electronics and human-machine interaction systems.

Phase-coherent superconducting proximity in topological materials (TMs) requires clean superconductor–topological material (SC–TM) interfaces, yet conventional top-contact fabrication often degrades them through oxidation, polymer residue, and process-induced disorder. Here we introduce a prepatterned superconducting bottom-contact architecture in which MoRe/Au electrodes are defined before van der Waals (vdW) crystal transfer, thereby avoiding on-flake lithography after transfer. In WTe2- and Bi1.5Sb0.5Te1.7Se1.3-based Josephson junctions, this architecture yields systematically larger IcRN and longer-ranged coupling than conventional top contacts. Cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy reveals atomically abrupt, chemically well-separated interfaces. These results establish prepatterned SC–TM contacts as a practical route to reproducible, micrometer-scale Josephson platforms in vdW TMs.

Realizing robust many-body exciton interactions, coherence, and long-range exciton transport is central to technologies ranging from quantum information science (QIS) to light-emitting devices and solar cells. Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) offer scalable fabrication and spectral tunability, yet performance is suppressed by inhomogeneous broadening, defects, and fast dephasing. Lead-halide perovskite QDs, exhibiting large transition dipole moments, high radiative efficiencies, and slow low-temperature dephasing, enable strong light-matter coupling and long-range dipolar exciton-exciton interactions. This review focuses on the origins and consequences of many-body exciton physics in perovskite QDs, including dipole-mediated interactions and cooperative radiative phenomena. We discuss how exciton fine structure, inter-QD electronic coupling, and exciton-phonon interactions govern coherence and the role of disorder. We then examine exciton transport in QD solids, emphasizing the crossover from coherent motion enabled by delocalized excitonic wave functions to dephasing-driven incoherent hopping. Finally, we survey routes toward scalable many-body states through nanophotonic integration.

Nanozymes have attracted considerable attention as chemodynamic therapy (CDT) agents for tumor therapy because of their high catalytic activity. However, their incapable tumor tropism and uncontrollable metabolism interference hinder their further application. Here, a biohybrid system that integrates electroactive bacteria and Fe2O3 nanozyme precursors is introduced to address these challenges. Leveraging the bioactivity of electroactive bacteria, the biohybrids exhibit long-term tumor retention, also in situ catabolize tumor lactate to reduce Fe2O3 into Fe3O4, which mimics peroxidase ability to catalyze the intratumoral H2O2 into cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals and kill tumor cells. The exhaustion of tumor lactate also alleviates tumor cell resistance to oxidative stress by downregulating the oxidative stress-resistant nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, further amplifying CDT. This study connects the natural bioactivity of living bacteria and the biomimetic catalytic activity of artificial nanozymes to in situ execute CDT and prevent metabolism interference to normal tissues, proposing an innovative strategy for tumor therapy.

Although energy level repulsion is typically observed in interacting quantum systems, non-Hermitian physics predicts the effect of level attraction, which occurs when significant energy dissipation is present. Here, we show a manifestation of dissipative coupling in a high-quality AlGaAs-based polariton microcavity, where two polariton branches attract, resulting in an anomalous, inverted dispersion of the lower branch in momentum dispersion. The dissipative coupling is explained by the interaction with an indirect exciton, acting as a highly dissipative channel in our system. Using angle-resolved photoluminescence measurements we observe the evolution of the level attraction with exciton-photon detuning, leading to changes in anomalous dispersion shape within a single sample, and the observed dispersions are well captured within a phenomenological model. Our results present a new mechanism of dissipative coupling in light-matter systems and offer a tunable and well-controlled AlGaAs-based platform for engineering the non-Hermitian and negative mass effects in polariton systems.

ABSTRACT Buildings account for 30%–40% of global energy consumption, a substantial fraction of which is associated with heat transfer through conventional windows. Although window technologies have advanced considerably, most existing solutions still rely on passive operation or cumbersome designs that compromise transparency. Here, we report a smart window that combines thermal regulation with thermoelectric energy harvesting. The system integrates two hydrogel layers: one undergoes dual‐phase transitions at 16°C and 32°C to enable temperature‐responsive optical switching, while the other provides thermoelectric functionality. The window maintains over 90% transparency between these transition temperatures, but turns opaque above and below them, thereby affording effective thermal insulation under both hot and cold conditions. At the same time, it delivers a power density of 0.191 W/m 2 under a 10 K temperature differential between the exterior and interior surfaces. This work provides a physically decoupled strategy for combining dynamic optical regulation and thermoelectric energy harvesting in transparent smart windows, highlighting their potential for next‐generation multifunctional building envelopes.

ABSTRACT Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains an aggressive, treatment‐refractory central nervous system malignancy, largely due to its invasiveness, vascular heterogeneity, and the blood‐brain barrier (BBB). Conventional therapies suffer from poor specificity and insufficient intratumoral drug delivery. To address these challenges, we developed a tumor microenvironment (TME) and ultrasound (US) responsive biomimetic nanoreactor (CuTPD@M NPs) integrating bioorthogonal catalytic therapy (BCT) and sonodynamic therapy (SDT) for precision‐targeted GBM treatment. The nanoplatform comprises a Cu(II)‐coordinated porphyrinic metal‐organic framework encapsulating azide and alkyne‐functionalized prodrugs, cloaked with homologous GBM cell membranes, which enhances BBB penetration and homotypic tumor targeting. In response to elevated intracellular glutathione levels, Cu(II) is reduced to Cu(I), triggering an azide‐alkyne cycloaddition to generate a combretastatin A‐4 analog in situ, effectively disrupting tumor angiogenesis. Concurrently, US activates the porphyrin‐based sonosensitizer, producing reactive oxygen species that induce mitochondrial dysfunction, glutathione peroxidase 4 downregulation, and ferroptosis. In murine GBM models, CuTPD@M combined with US achieved significant tumor growth inhibition, reduced angiogenic markers, and prolonged median survival. This work suggests a potentially transformative nanotherapeutic approach that leverages TME‐ response to co‐activate BCT and SDT within a biomimetic nanosystem. The CuTPD@M platform demonstrates potential as an advance in precision nanomedicine for the treatment of intracranial malignant tumors.

ABSTRACT The conformal integration of nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) center nanodiamond arrays onto soft, hydrated, curvilinear biological interfaces remains a fundamental challenge for in vivo quantum sensing and imaging. Conventional transfer techniques often fail due to reliance on high temperature, corrosive chemicals, or mechanical peeling, leading to pattern damage, low fidelity, or poor biocompatibility. Here, we report a transfer strategy utilizing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) soluble tape that enabling rapid, residue‐free, high‐fidelity transfer of nanodiamond patterns onto diverse biointerfaces. The success of this method is rooted in a unique “hydrate‐soften‐expand‐self‐peel” mechanism of the PVA backing. In situ mechanical tracking reveals non‐uniform PVA swelling generates transient normal and shear stresses at the interface. These stresses delaminate the tape within 3 min at room temperature while promoting adhesion of nanodiamonds to the substrate. In contrast, conventional tapes undergo passive dissolution and collapse, causing residue contamination and reduced efficiency. Leveraging this mechanism, we achieve conformal patterning on ultra‐soft hydrogels (∼0.6 kPa) and highly curved bio‐surfaces (hair, 100 µm − 1 ). Additionally, we demonstrate a dual‐identity verification system integrating data storage and physical unclonable functions on a hydrogel contact lens. This work provides a versatile tool for bio‐interface engineering and a general framework for gentle, efficient transfer of functional nanomaterials.

ABSTRACT The development of practical lithium‐sulfur (Li─S) batteries is fundamentally impeded by an intrinsic trade‐off between polysulfide immobilization and sulfur redox kinetics: strong adsorption suppresses polysulfide shuttling but impedes charge transfer, whereas conductive hosts favor fast kinetics yet fail to confine soluble species. Here, we demonstrate that built‐in interfacial electric fields can help alleviate this long‐standing dilemma by regulating sulfur redox chemistry through a distinct interfacial mechanism. By constructing a metallic‐polar NiTe 2 ‐CoO heterostructure, spontaneous electron transfer across the heterointerface generates a localized electric field, which, together with moderate interfacial chemical interactions, stabilizes polysulfides and supports more favorable sulfur‐conversion kinetics. Comprehensive experimental characterizations combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the NiTe 2 ‐CoO heterointerface simultaneously modulates polysulfide chemisorption and accelerates multistep sulfur redox reactions, enabling fast Li 2 S nucleation and efficient Li 2 S oxidation. Benefiting from these interfacial effects and a hierarchical hollow architecture that maximizes active heterointerfaces, Li─S cells exhibit accelerated redox kinetics, high sulfur utilization, and exceptional cycling stability under high sulfur loading and lean electrolyte conditions. This work establishes interfacial electric‐field modulation as a general design principle for resolving the adsorption‐kinetics trade‐off in Li─S batteries.

ABSTRACT Quantum dot color conversion (QDCC) is a promising route for next‐generation micro displays, offering exceptional emission tunability, high color purity, and seamless integration with blue micro‐LEDs. However, current QDCC technologies suffer from limited luminance and power efficiency due to severe optical losses from highly absorptive pixel‐defining barriers. Here, we report a QDCC architecture featuring high‐aspect‐ratio metallic barriers that can simultaneously suppress optical crosstalk and recycle otherwise wasted photons emitted from a blue micro‐LED. The metallic barriers were in the form of metal‐mesh which were made by scalable and cost‐effective imprinting, copper electroplating, and silver coating processes. The metal‐mesh barriers enabled a record resolution of 2540 pixels per inch (PPI), an aperture ratio >60%, a barrier height of ∼10 µm. The smooth and high‐aspect‐ratio sidewalls significantly enhanced optical confinement and achieved reflectance approaching 80%, which is the highest resolution of reflective barrier reported to date. The optical measurements revealed a greater than fourfold increase in QD emission because of the enhanced color conversion, confirming substantially improved photon confinement and energy‐conversion efficiency. This approach establishes a scalable route toward high‐efficiency full color Micro‐LED displays, paving the way for next‐generation augmented and virtual reality systems.

ABSTRACT Multifunctional flexible sensors utilizing a single active material are crucial for creating compact, integrated, and mechanically compliant human–machine interaction systems. However, when multiple physical effects coexist in one material, intrinsic multi‐physics coupling often causes signal crosstalk and affects sensing accuracy. Herein, a temperature‐strain dual‐function sensor based on a Bi 2 Te 3 film is constructed and a self‐compensation strategy is introduced to suppress temperature‐induced drift in the strain readout. The thermoelectric voltage generated by the Bi 2 Te 3 film serves as an in situ temperature indicator to correct the influence of temperature drift on the strain‐sensing signal. Consequently, the impact of temperature on the relative error of strain sensing decreased from −4.6 to 6% K −1 , making an 87% reduction in absolute terms. Furthermore, a wearable gesture recognition and temperature perception system was established and enabled simultaneous recognition of various postures, deformation degrees, and object/environmental temperature changes. This system highlights the potential of single‐material‐based self‐compensated sensors in intelligent interactive electronics, representing an important step forward in advancing the practical application.

ABSTRACT The protection of metallic equipment in marine environments demands integrated solutions that combine corrosion and fouling resistance with self‐healing functionality to ensure long‐term reliability. This study presents a self‐healing integrally antifouling and anticorrosion coating (SIAAC) exhibiting rapid photothermal response and superior protective performance. The composite coating (STPUa‐BPGO) achieves efficient photothermal conversion, exceeding 80°C within 3 min under near‐infrared (NIR) light irradiation, and demonstrates a healed efficiency of 90.29% after 10 min with excellent repeatability. The anticorrosion is achieved by the shielding effect of dopamine‐coated and reduced graphene oxide (PGO) within the matrix. After 30 d of immersion in 3.5% NaCl solution, the |Z| 0.01 Hz value of STPUa‐BPGO remains as high as 2.80 × 10 8 Ω cm 2 , effectively integrating photothermal self‐healing with shielding anticorrosion. Additionally, the antifoulant 1,2‐benzisothiazol‐3(2 H )‐one is controlled for release by hydrogen bonding, inhibiting bacteria and algae coverage by 97.66% and 2.15%, respectively. Marine field tests further confirm its efficacy in preventing biofouling. By synergistically incorporating self‐healing, anticorrosion, and antifouling properties, STPUa‐BPGO presents a robust and multifunctional coating system for the protection of marine metallic structures.

ABSTRACT In the development of sustainable Na‐ion battery cathodes, the use of earth‐abundant elements, such as iron, is essential to reduce costs and mitigate reliance on scarce transition metals. However, Fe‐based layered oxides frequently exhibit complex redox behavior and structural instability, making it crucial to understand how Fe affects the redox properties and phase evolution during cycling. Here, we use Fe‐rich O3‐type layered Na x Fe y Mn 1−y O 2 ( y = 0.5–0.8) as a model system to elucidate the role of Fe by combining cyclic voltammetry, operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, and stacking‐fault‐sensitive operando powder X‐ray diffraction. Increasing Fe content shifts the high‐potential redox response to lower potentials and promotes earlier Fe 3+ migration into tetrahedral sites in O‐type NaO 2 layers during charge. This migration strongly influences the phase evolution: While moderate‐Fe compositions complete the O3→P3→OP2→O3 sequence in the first electrochemical cycle, Fe‐rich materials remain confined to stacking‐faulted O3‐like structures due to early structural “pinning” of the O‐type layers. The findings clarify the mechanistic role of Fe in the interplay between cationic and anionic redox processes and establish why Fe content exerts such a strong, composition‐dependent influence on the structural stability of O3‐type Na‐ion cathodes.

ABSTRACT Persistent luminescence (PersL) materials are extensively utilized in areas such as emergency lighting and information storage, but their performance is generally optimized at room temperature and degrades significantly under high‐temperature conditions. Herein, a serials of Mg 2 GeO 4 :Ti 4+ ,Ln 3+ (Ln = Tb, Eu) phosphors demonstrate anomalous thermal quenching PersL due to the temperature‐dependent Fermi‐Dirac distribution of bound charge carriers of Ti 4 + Mg 2 + as remote electron traps and as hole traps. The high carrier retention rate is attributed to the ability of Ti 4 + Mg 2 + positive charge center to strongly trap non‐bonding electrons over a long range (about 20 Å) as the electronic satellite for its stable operation. Under external optical/thermal stimulation, the released electrons and holes recombine at the different luminescent levels of Tb 3+ , giving rise to PersL emission with different branching ratios. Based on these phosphors, a five‐dimensional (5D) optical storage (encoding information in 2D space, trap depth, temperature, and time dimensions) and the encrypted engine program for high‐temperature aerospace engines are developed. This study elucidates the long‐range electron‐trapping and release processes mediated by Ti 4+ centers, offering a new design concept for advanced PersL materials.

ABSTRACT Two‐dimensional π‐conjugated Ni 3 (HITP) 2 MOFs have attracted widespread attention due to their ordered metal‐ligand coordination and π‐conjugated structure, while its potential in photodetectors is not fully explored. In this work, large‐area Ni 3 (HITP) 2 thin film is integrated with high‐resistivity n‐type silicon to construct a self‐powered photodetector featuring high‐speed and dual‐mode response. Benefiting from a highly delocalized π‐conjugated system enabling efficient charge transport both intra‐layer and inter‐layer, Ni 3 (HITP) 2 acts as an electrode transport layer similar to graphene. By regulating the built‐in electric field with the applied bias, the device operates in photovoltaic mode under zero or negative bias, and switches to photoconductive mode under positive bias. Notably, the device exhibits an ultra‐fast response time of 640 ns under the power density of 2.86 mW/cm 2 at zero bias, along with a high specific detectivity of 2.42 × 10 13 Jones. Its broadband absorption extends the operational wavelength of silicon‐based device to 1550 nm. Additionally, it can produce high‐resolution images in both modes. This study highlights the comprehensive advantages of Ni 3 (HITP) 2 , demonstrating its great potential for silicon‐based optoelectronic integration and intelligent applications.

ABSTRACT Designing high‐performance birefringent materials that simultaneously achieve large birefringence, a wide transparency range, and favorable crystal growth habits remains a critical yet challenging objective in polarized optical devices. Herein, two new interhalogens AICl 2 (A = NH 4 , Rb), were rationally designed by coupling [NH 4 ] + and alkali metal ions with linear dihalide units and fabricated by solution methods. Both compounds crystallize in the orthorhombic Pnma space group and comprise linear [ICl 2 ] units. The well‐aligned [ICl 2 ] units in the structures induce large birefringence: 0.75 for RbICl 2 and 0.70 for NH 4 ICl 2 at 546 nm, respectively, which are 3.7/3.4 times larger than that of commercial birefringent crystal YVO 4 (0.204@546 nm). A high‐quality RbICl 2 single crystal (1.1 × 0.5 × 0.2 cm 3 ), exhibiting a wide transparency window extending from 0.50 to 25 µm, was grown via room‐temperature solution crystallization. Theoretical calculations reveal that the optical anisotropy is governed by the anisotropic electron density distribution within the [ICl 2 ] unit and the ordered arrangement of these units, confirming it as an advantageous birefringence‐active motif. The results highlight the inorganic interhalogen as an emerging system for the design of high‐performance photoelectric functional materials, with RbICl 2 as a promising birefringent material.

ABSTRACT Rechargeable aqueous aluminum batteries (AABs) are considered one of the ideal candidates for large‐scale energy storage systems due to their high theoretical capacity and abundant elemental reserves. However, the passivating alumina layer and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the aluminum (Al) metal anode seriously impede the application of AABs. Herein, we significantly reduced the high energy barrier of Al deposition on the alumina surface via a modulated Fermi‐level pinning (FLP) strategy, with drastically improved Al deposition kinetics and stable cycling performance in AABs. Benefiting from the mitigated FLP at the in situ constructed Sn/Al 2 O 3 interface configuration, the modified Al anode markedly enhanced the interfacial electron/ion kinetics and delivered one of the lowest initial Al deposition overpotentials of only 33 mV at 0.05 mA cm −2 , further verified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, by combining a hydrated eutectic medium to improve stability, the Al||Al symmetric cell with the optimized electrolyte exhibited superior cycling stability of over 880 h. Practically, the as‐prepared prototype pouch cells displayed high performance with above 161.4 mAh g −1 capacity after 450 cycles. Overall, the newly developed FLP strategy markedly enhances anode performance, and paves the new pathway towards AABs and other aqueous metal‐ion batteries.

ABSTRACT Engineered high‐birefringence materials overcome natural crystal limits (typically Δ n = 0.15−0.28), enabling advanced polarization‐sensitive photonics and quantum information processing. Here we present a tailored crystal [C(NH 2 ) 3 ]ICl 2 ( GIC ) exhibiting exceptional optical anisotropic behavior, as evidenced by its remarkable birefringence of up to 0.95 across the ultraviolet to infrared spectral range via using the Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometer. Critically, the measurements confirm negligible dichroism (Δ κ ≈0 @350−1690 nm) in the material, further validating its pure birefringent character. This strict decoupling of dichroism and birefringence makes it ideal for polarization‐sensitive devices requiring minimal absorption‐induced crosstalk. It delivers an excellent laser‐induced damage threshold (LIDT) of 123.4 MW·cm −2 , making it suitable for high‐power laser systems and significantly enhancing the stability and reliability of equipment under extreme optical power conditions. First‐principles calculations demonstrate that the pronounced birefringence arises from the cooperative interplay between the inherent optical anisotropy and the a ‐axis‐oriented alignment of the linear [ICl 2 ] − anions, where the anisotropic electron density distribution amplifies polarization‐dependent refractive index splitting. This work establishes [ICl 2 ] − as a critical optical anisotropic unit (OAU). Notably, we pioneered the cation‐templated strategy to optimize linear units' orientation for achieving maximal birefringence, enabling novel high‐performance birefringent crystals.

ABSTRACT Molecular‐scale coatings are valued for their flexible designability, versatility, and high precision, yet their mechanical fragility severely limits reliability in applications such as optical components and medical devices. This limitation mainly arises from the long‐standing trade‐off between low friction and wear resistance. Herein, we address this challenge by developing a mechanically robust molecular‐scale superlubricity coating based on a dynamic heterogeneous architecture, constructed from organic–inorganic hybrid units in which liquid carbon‐dots (LCDs) nanofluids are confined within porous hollow silica carriers. This rational design rapidly enters a superlubric state with an ultralow coefficient of friction (COF ≈ 0.00616) and maintains stable performance over 10 800 sliding cycles under testing. Beyond lubrication, the coating exhibits antibiofouling performance against E. coli , S. aureus , Porphyridium , and Dunaliella , with reduction rates of up to 99%, while retaining high optical transmittance (>85%). Mechanistically, the porous silica framework provides load‐bearing and stress redistribution, whereas confined LCDs dissipate shear energy through dynamic rearrangement. Meanwhile, the LCDs‐induced dynamic surface texture stabilizes the top molecular monolayer and sustains its low‐surface‐energy interfacial effect. Together, these features mitigate the trade‐off between low friction and mechanical durability. This work offers a strategy for multifunctional coatings integrating molecular‐scale lubrication, interfacial stability, optical transparency, and antifouling performance.

ABSTRACT Aqueous zinc batteries (AZBs) face significant challenges due to the limited compatibility of Zn anodes with conventional separators, leading to dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and poor cycling stability. While separator design is crucial for optimizing battery performance, its potential remains underexplored. Commonly used glass fiber filters were not originally designed as battery separators, and their properties have a limited impact on these challenges. To address these limitations, nanochitin derived from waste shrimp shells was used to fabricate separators with varying concentrations of amine and carboxylic functional groups. This study investigates how the type and concentration of these groups influence separator properties and performance, inhibiting dendrite growth, local HER formation, and poor cycling stability. In a mild acidic electrolyte, the density of ammonium and carboxylic groups significantly affected water structure and ionic conductivity. Quasi‐elastic neutron scattering revealed that low‐functionalized chitin, particularly with only ammonium groups, promotes strongly bound water with restricted mobility, enhancing Zn plating and stripping kinetics. These separators exhibit exceptional Zn stability over 2000 h at 0.5 mA/cm 2 , maintaining low overpotentials and stable polarization. Full cells of ZnǁNaV 3 O 8 ·1.5H 2 O achieved over 2000 cycles at 2 A/g, demonstrating that simple, low‐functionalized nanochitin separators significantly improve AZB performance.