Tin iodide perovskites are promising optoelectronic materials for near-infrared (NIR) plasmonic lasers owing to their superior optoelectronic properties, narrow optical bandgap, and process compatibility. However, multiple energy-loss pathways still lead to relatively high lasing thresholds in pristine tin iodide perovskites. In this work, we demonstrate low-threshold room-temperature NIR hybrid plasmonic lasing in controlled bromine (Br)-doped tin-based perovskite microdisks based on a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure. The Br-doped hybrid plasmonic lasers exhibit a threshold range of 89.39-151.27 mu J/cm2 , which is less than half that of the pristine samples. The hybrid plasmonic whispering-gallery mode nature is supported by quartz-substrate photonic controls, MgF2 spacer-thickness-dependent threshold evolution, accelerated double-pump response, and gap-confined simulated field localization. Fitting the temperature-dependent photoluminescence intensity shows that Br doping reduces the exciton binding energy, while analysis of the temperature-dependent full width at half maximum reveals weakened exciton-phonon coupling. These effects are expected to reduce energy-loss pathways associated with Auger-related recombination and exciton-phonon coupling. Furthermore, the device exhibits wavelength tunability from 853 to 900 nm as the temperature decreases from 290 to 130 K. Our work identifies controlled Br doping as an effective strategy for reducing energy loss and facilitating low-threshold roomtemperature hybrid plasmonic lasing. (c) 2026 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Engineering optical feedback is critical for achieving low-threshold lasing in gain media with high intrinsic losses. However, achieving this through a controllable and reproducible engineering of the scattering landscape, rather than relying on intrinsic disorder, remains a significant challenge for random lasers. Here, a powerful strategy to control random lasing in quasi-2D tin-based perovskites is demonstrated by structuring the film's surface via thermal imprinting. This strategy makes the random feedback "less random" and more efficient, though its effectiveness exhibits a complex, non-monotonic dependence on the film's thickness. A comprehensive model is then established to deconvolve the competing effects of optical confinement, scattering, and waveguiding that govern this behavior. Guided by this model, imprinting an optimized grating is shown to not only lower the random lasing threshold but also enhance the operational stability under prolonged excitation. The general applicability of this approach is verified in a different tin-based perovskite composition, and its potential is highlighted by the demonstration of a low-threshold, speckle-free NIR light source. This work establishes "scattering engineering" as a practical design tool to transform intrinsically limited materials into high-performance, functionalized photonic devices.

Integrating ferroelectric materials with semiconductor photocatalysts offers a groundbreaking strategy to enhance solar-driven hydrogen production by improving charge separation and transfer efficiency. Herein, a synergistic system is developed by coupling the tunable ferroelectric polarization of BaTiO3 (BTO) with a Z-scheme heterojunction in Zn0.5Cd0.5S quantum dots (ZCS QDs). The strong and adjustable built-in electric field generated by BTO effectively drives carrier separation, enhances interfacial band bending, and mitigates the excitonic effects commonly observed in QDs, facilitating directional charge transfer. Mechanistic insights, validated by in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM), highlight the pivotal role of ferroelectric polarization in modulating carrier dynamics and interfacial interactions. These attributes, resulting from the synergistic effects of ferroelectric polarization and the Z-scheme heterojunction, enable the ZCS QDs/BTO composite to achieve an outstanding hydrogen evolution rate of 0.83 mmol g(-1) h(-1), surpassing pure BTO and ZCS QDs by factors of 20.8 and 1.7, respectively. Notably, external polarization further amplifies hydrogen production to 1.19 mmol g(-1) h(-1), representing a remarkable 143% increase compared to the pristine system and showcasing the pivotal role of polarization-enhanced built-in electric fields in photocatalysis. This work presents a novel pathway for designing advanced photocatalysts, providing promising prospects for sustainable hydrogen production.

Self-assembled molecules (SAMs) are promising hole-selective layers for high-performance perovskite tandem solar cells. However, their inhomogeneous distribution and disordered packing on substrates lead to interfacial energy losses, limiting further improvements in efficiency and stability. Here, we design a SAM, Me-Ph2mPACz, through meta-disubstitution of dimethylcarbazole moieties on a phenyl linker. Compared to its monosubstituted carbazole counterpart, Me-PhpPACz, Me-Ph2mPACz exhibits stronger adsorption energy and suppresses intermolecular hydrogen bond interaction via π-π stacking interactions. This inhibits the formation of large micelles, promoting a uniform, ordered and thermoresistant hole-selective layer. The resulting multilayer configuration retards crystallization and alleviates residual stress in the perovskite film, thereby reducing non-radiative recombination at the buried interface and enhancing hole extraction. The implementation of Me-Ph2mPACz as the hole-selective layer in 1.68 eV perovskite solar cells reduces interfacial non-radiative losses from 168 mV to 124 mV, accompanied by an increase in power conversion efficiency from 21.82% to 23.14%. The corresponding perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells achieve a champion PCE of 33.40% (certified 32.45% at National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL). Furthermore, encapsulated tandem devices based on Me-Ph2mPACz demonstrate exceptional stability, retaining 83% of their initial efficiency after 1000 h of maximum power point tracking under one-sun illumination at 85 °C in air. This work opens an avenue for designing high-performance and durable self-assembled molecules for perovskite tandem photovoltaics.

Twisted bilayer MoS2 forms a quantum-engineered sensing platform, where the moiré superlattice creates a configurable surface potential for molecular control. Here we present a periodically modulated landscape in bilayer MoS2 by twist-angle tuning, and use it for molecular trapping and selective sensing. The native 54 meV moiré potential confines aromatic molecules (e.g., rhodamine 6G, R6G; methylene blue, MB) at AA-stacking sites. Introducing extended vacancies deepens confinement to 238 meV, enhancing adsorption. Twist angle enables band alignment with molecules, driving charge-transfer resonances. This integrated design, moiré potentials, defect-enhanced trapping and band-aligned charge transfer, synergistically amplifies Raman signals, achieving single-molecule sensitivity down to 10−20 M. Importantly, the platform exhibits molecule-specific selectivity: R6G is optimally detected at 10° and 50° bilayer MoS2, while MB responds at 15° and 45°, demonstrating twist-angle encoding of molecular recognition. Our twisted MoS2 with extended vacancies establishes a moiré system as a versatile platform for selective molecular sensing. Twisted layers of van der Waals materials can generate moiré superlattices, forming reconfigurable surface potentials with nanoscale periodicity. Here, the authors show that the moiré potential in twisted bilayer MoS2 can be used to confine aromatic molecules, improving the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy sensitivity and selectivity of this platform.

Integrating electrochromic(EC)and photochromic(PC)functions within a single material system holds great signifi-cance for the development of next-generation intelligent responsive materials.Traditional organic photochromic materials are all small molecules and oligomers,which require the photochemical response of specific photosensitive groups.However,PEDOT:PSS,a classic electrochromic polymer,has never been reported to exhibit photochromic properties due to the absence of photosensitive groups.Herein,we report for the first time the photochromic properties of PEDOT:PSS films,demonstrating their simultaneous capability of multi-field coupling response in the aspects of light,electricity and chemistry.The composite film undergoes a rapid color change from light blue to dark blue under ultraviolet light irradiation.This is attributed to the trans-formation process from the bipolarons state to the polarons state in the PEDOT:PSS,induced by photogenerated electrons as confirmed by EPR and Raman analyses.Furthermore,the developed hydrogel system enhances charge separation,yielding a 30.1%relative transmittance change and month-long stability.This work fills the long-standing gap in the understanding of the photochromic and electrochromic mechanisms of PEDOT:PSS,providing fundamental insights into carrier dynamics at organic-inorganic interfaces and laying the foundation for the development of multi-mode stimuli-responsive devices.

Viologen-based materials are widely used in electrochromic (EC) systems because of their reversible redox properties. However, their large energy gap makes it difficult to achieve efficient photochromism (PC) at the molecular level. This limitation restricts their further development into multifunctional responsive materials. Therefore, improving their photoresponses and integrating multiple stimuli into one system remain important challenges. Here, we report multi-stimuli-responsive composite hydrogels prepared by integrating viologen derivatives and TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) into a poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) polymer network. Under UV irradiation, the viologen composite hydrogels exhibit obvious photochromic behavior, showing a distinct purple coloration. The colored state can be maintained for more than one month under an N 2 atmosphere. Interestingly, the incorporation of TiO 2 enables thermochromic (TC) behavior in the viologen-based composite hydrogels. After heating at 80 degrees C for 10 min, a distinct blue coloration was observed. This work provides a practical strategy for the design of multifunctional chromic materials.

Ensuring broad-spectrum visible-light absorption and efficient electron extraction is essential for enhancing the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen production. To achieve this, manipulating carrier dynamics through cocatalyst heterojunction engineering has attracted considerable concern. However, conventional narrow-bandgap Cu-In-Zn-S (CIZS) nanocrystals (NCs) typically exhibit limited photocatalytic activity due to severe exciton annihilation. Herein, two-dimensional (2D) CIZS nanobelts (NBs) were coupled with Ni9S8 cocatalyst to construct a library of CIZS/Ni9S8 Schottky heterojunctions synthesized via a combined colloidal one-pot and hot-injection strategy. As anticipated, the CIZS/2.0%Ni9S8 heterojunction displayed the optimal photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of 2.75 mmol g(-1) h(-1), approximate to 3.31 times higher than that of pristine CIZS NBs (0.83 mmol g(-1) h(-1)). Experimental results uncovered that the enhanced photocatalytic performance originated from the formation of the CIZS/2.0%Ni9S8 Schottky heterojunction, which facilitated efficient charge transfer from CIZS NBs to Ni9S8 and hindered the return of electrons. Moreover, Ni9S8 serves as active catalytic sites, significantly accelerating surface proton reduction reactions. This study provides valuable insights into the rational design and precise synthesis of colloidal multinary Cu-based chalcogenide heterojunctions for efficient photocatalytic energy conversion.

In this study, chiral carbon nanorings D3-(P)-NR5 and D3-(M)-NR5 with outstanding chiral linear and nonlinear optical properties were synthesized. They exhibit excellent circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with a high CPL brightness of 1008 M-1 cm-1 and a significant second-harmonic generation circular dichroism response with a high anisotropy factor of up to 0.59.

Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 into CO holds great promise for addressing environmental challenges and industrial needs. However, the practical implementation is hindered by the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which competes for electrons and reduces the selectivity of the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Here, we have proposed a novel strategy to enhance CO2RR selectivity using an ordered structure from a mass transport perspective for the first time. Ag nanowires (NWs) were selected as model catalysts and assembled into an ordered array. The ordered structure of Ag NWs induces an ordered micro electric field that crucially regulates the kinetic mass transports of both the CO2RR and HER. This micro electric field is demonstrated to promote the preferential accumulation of CO2 on the catalyst surface while concurrently repelling H2O molecules. This dual action, which enriches the desired reactant and depletes the source for the competing reaction, tilts the balance in favor of CO2 reduction over the HER, thereby enhancing selectivity towards CO production. Therefore, the ordered Ag NW arrays demonstrated highly efficient CO2 electroreduction to CO, resulting in an impressive 97.3% faradaic efficiency (FE) of CO at a current density of 100 mA cm-2, significantly outperforming their disordered counterparts. This innovative approach not only inspires the design of structural assembly in electrocatalysts from a mass transport perspective but also provides fundamental insights into the relationship between the ordering of structured catalysts and their CO2RR performance.

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells (TSCs) hold great promise for next-generation photovoltaics, yet uneven coverage and thermal instability of self-assembled hole-selective contacts hinder their commercialization. Here, we introduce ZF6, an amorphous molecular contact with an asymmetric π-extended structure, featuring a dimethylindenocarbazole core and carbazole substitution. ZF6 exhibits rapid and robust adsorption on transparent conductive substrates, achieving uniform coverage and exceptional thermal stability. Its optimal energy level alignment and enhanced carrier extraction efficiency are compatible with various bandgap perovskites. ZF6-based double-junction perovskite/silicon TSCs achieve a reverse-scan power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 34.02% (certified 32.81% at NREL) with improved operational stability, retaining over 97% and 87% of initial efficiency after 1000 h of maximum power point tracking at 45°C and 85°C, respectively. We also fabricate triple-junction perovskite/perovskite/silicon TSCs, achieving a certified steady-state PCE of 30.42%, which represents the highest-performing triple-junction perovskite-based TSCs reported to date. This work establishes a novel design strategy for robust molecular contacts, advancing efficient and durable perovskite-based tandem photovoltaics.

Simultaneous achievement of green hydrogen production and pollutant removal is an attractive approach for mitigating energy scarcity and environmental pollution. This work successfully constructed an all-solid-state CdZnS/CNT/CuCo2S4 Z-scheme heterojunction via a combined hydrothermal and solvent evaporation approach, enabling highly efficient bifunctional photocatalytic performance in hydrogen production and tetracycline removal. Benefiting from visible light excitation, the tailored CdZnS/CNT/CuCo2S4 heterostructure delivered an outstanding photocatalytic H2 generation activity, as high as 10.29 mmol g- 1 h-1. The catalytic performance was 3.3 times superior to pristine CdZnS. Moreover, it achieved 92.3% degradation of tetracycline within 30 min. The boosted photocatalytic performance originates from the Z-type charge transmission pathway supported by CNT electron bridges, significantly promoting carrier separation and transport. Excited electrons in CdZnS reduce water to produce hydrogen, while the holes in CuCo2S4 degrade tetracycline. This study paves a rational pathway for the fabrication of Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts that employ carbon nanotubes as electron mediators.

ABSTRACT Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) via two‐step sequential deposition represent one of the most promising upscaling photovoltaic technologies, yet their performance is critically constrained by deficient charge extraction and severe carrier losses at the contact. To tackle this key challenge, an efficient strategy is proposed to construct a highly efficient hole‐selective perovskite contact using a novel additive, 4‐nitro‐2‐(trifluoromethyl)benzonitrile (NTFB). The incorporation of NTFB effectively promotes the sequential crystallization dynamics and concurrently reconfigures the perovskite energetics, enabling an excellent contact with upper hole transport layer, characterized by reduced morphological defects and a homogeneous energetic landscape. This highly efficient contact facilitates superior hole extraction while effectively blocking electrons, thereby minimizing interfacial nonradiative recombination and extending the quasi‐Fermi‐level splitting. As a result, the target device exhibits a markedly improved performance, with power conversion efficiency increasing from 22.61% to 25.10%, along with enhanced stability under continuous maximum power point operation. This work provides a facile method for constructing highly charge‐selective contacts to minimize charge carrier loss and further advance perovskite solar cell technology.

Perovskite/perovskite/silicon-based triple-junction solar cells are a promising low-cost route to surpass the Shockley–Queisser efficiency limit of single-junction photovoltaics, but their performance is constrained by non-radiative losses in wide-bandgap perovskites and sub-optimal light management across the multilayer stack1-3. Here, we introduce a passivating molecule, 4F-POEABr, which strongly suppresses surface-defect-mediated recombination of WBG perovskite films. The ammonium attached and electron-deficient structure of 4F-POEABr provides combined chemical and field-effect passivation, enabling a quasi-Fermi-level splitting of 1.53 eV and an open-circuit voltage of 1.413 V in the WBG sub-cell. In parallel, systematic interference management is used to optimize the current density of the current-limited middle sub-cell, yielding a gain of 0.5 mA cm⁻2 via a tailored tin oxide/indium zinc oxide bilayer structure. As a result, the triple-junction devices achieve certified steady-state power conversion efficiencies of 32.22% for a 1.046 cm2 aperture area and 26.97% for a 15.62 cm2 aperture area, with negligible hysteresis. Robust interconnection layers and engineered perovskite interfaces further enhance operational stability and reduce device-to-device variation. This work demonstrates a synergistic strategy for pushing perovskite/silicon triple-junction solar cells toward their theoretical efficiency limits, enabling scalable, high-performance photovoltaic technologies.

The sluggish ionic conduction kinetics and severe lithium (Li) dendrite growth result in rapidly deteriorated electrochemical performance of solid-state Li metal batteries especially when operating at high charge/discharging rates. Herein, we proposed a composite solid-state electrolyte (CSE) by incorporating surface-sulfonated organic nanofillers into polymeric cationic liquid with imidazolidinium skeleton to construct Lewis-acid/base dipolar inner interphase, thus enabling differential design of coordination environments of Li-ions and anions to simultaneously achieve fast ion transport and anion-derived stable SEI. The dipolar moments effectively enhance the dissociation of “Li+-anion” pairs in bulk phase to achieve fast structural migration of Li-ion. Meanwhile, the imidazolidinium groups absorbing dual anions could overcome the external electric field and adjust the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals of anions to accelerate the reduction kinetics of bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and nitrate. Hence, a SEI enriched lithium fluoride (LiF) and lithium nitride (Li3N) is generated to facilitate interfacial ion transport and suppress Li dendrite. The well-designed electrolyte contributes to 900-cycle Li||LiCoO2 batteries with capacity retention of 92% and 500-cycle Li||LiFePO4 battery at 5C. Additionally, the molecular dipolar field could generate induced dipolar in N2/O2 molecules, effectively preventing gas diffusion through “dipolar-induced dipolar” interactions and thereby, providing a potential solution for long-term Li-air batteries.

Achieving highly ordered assembly of two-dimensional nanosheets while maintaining strong interfacial interactions remains a challenging task, as intrinsic incompatibility and structural disorder often limit efficient electron and phonon transport. To overcome this issue, a stepwise interfacial engineering strategy is developed by integrating molecular bridging, ionic crosslinking, and reduction-induced network reconstruction. Specifically, Ti₃C₂Tₓ is incorporated into graphene oxide (GO) frameworks, followed by the introduction of sodium alginate (SA) to form a hydrogen-bonded network that improves interfacial compatibility. Subsequent Ca²⁺-mediated coordination further reinforces interlayer cohesion and induces structural densification. After reduction, a highly compact and well-aligned lamellar GO/MXene composite film with a restored conductive network is achieved. As a result, the optimized film delivers an ultrahigh electrical conductivity of 2367 S cm⁻¹ and then an outstanding electrothermal performance with a saturation temperature of 350 °C at 6 V. Meanwhile, efficient photothermal conversion is achieved, reaching 78 °C under 200 mW cm⁻² irradiation. The film is also provided with a high electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of ~41 dB and an ultrahigh specific shielding efficiency (SSE/t) of 15922.5 dB·cm²·g⁻¹. This work provides a generalizable strategy for regulating interfacial interactions and structural ordering in layered nanomaterials, offering significant potential for integrated thermal management, infrared stealth, and electromagnetic protection.

ABSTRACT Perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells (PSTSCs) represent a transformative photovoltaic technology, with certified power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) approaching approximately 35%, surpassing the limits of single‐junction devices while retaining potential for cost‐effective, scalable deployment. Yet, the path from lab‐scale records to commercial viability is hindered by persistent challenges in long‐term stability, large‐area fabrication, and real‐world reliability. Here, we address key degradation mechanisms, ranging from intrinsic issues like halide segregation and interfacial delamination to extrinsic stressors such as dust, dew, hail, partial shading, and biogenic contamination, as well as system‐level concerns including hotspot formation, electrode corrosion, potential‐induced degradation (PID), and stress‐induced current mismatching. We further evaluate installation‐dependent performance factors (tilt angle, mounting height, albedo, wind, and thermal cycling) and review advances in film uniformity, interface engineering, and light management. Economic considerations, including levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) benchmarks, are assessed alongside the urgent need for standardized IEC/ISOS testing and independent validation. By integrating efficiency, stability, and cost into a unified framework, we propose a roadmap toward the 25‐year operational lifetime required for widespread PSTSC adoption, positioning them as a cornerstone of a sustainable, low‐carbon energy future.

ABSTRACT Increasing cell voltage is a key strategy for enhancing the energy density of lithium batteries. Previously, this was mainly achieved by adjusting the redox potentials of transition‐metal‐based cathode materials through inductive effects that altered the covalency of metal—oxygen bonds. Here, we present a novel strategy for increasing battery voltage that consists of acting on the redox potential of the electrochemically active electrode through charge transfer with the electrolyte. To demonstrate this new concept, we used CF x ‐type electrodes, which are found in commercial primary batteries, and successfully achieved an impressive increase in redox potential of over 250 mV. This was done by increasing the ionicity of the C─F bond via a lactam‐based electrolyte with high electron‐donating capability. This finding, which was extended to other electrodes, namely I 2 , was rationalized through an array of analytical techniques and computational methods. Contrary to common belief, we clearly demonstrate that the electrolyte itself can significantly impact the bulk redox properties of electrodes, such as voltage. The new proposed inductive effect, driven by interactions between the solvent and the redox center, opens up new avenues of research in chemical bond regulation. It would also be highly valuable in energy‐related systems, including electrocatalyst and beyond.

Silicon (Si) has emerged as the prime anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. Nevertheless, the degradation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) due to Si volume expansion limits its application. Herein, a robust lithium fluosilicate (Li2SiF6) layer was prepared on the surface of Si particles via a moderate-temperature sintering process. The structural characterizations show that Si nanoparticles were wrapped in a thin and uniform Li2SiF6 coating layer. The Li2SiF6 layer not only reduces surface side reactions but also alters the components of the SEI film. The structural stability and electrical conductivity of the SEI film on the Si anode have been significantly improved. Consequently, the Li2SiF6-modified Si anode demonstrates superior capacity retention of 85% after 200 cycles at 1 A g−1. This modification strategy remains effective for commercial silicon‑carbon (Si/C) anode material. The full-cell composed of a Li2SiF6-modified Si/C anode and an NCM811 cathode exhibits excellent cycling performance, with a capacity retention of 80.2% after 800 cycles at 1C. This novel coating strategy holds great promise for the development of high-performance silicon-based anode materials.