High-entropy electrolytes (HEEs) have shown broad application prospects in metal batteries due to their high-entropy effect, cocktail effect, sluggish diffusion effect, and lattice distortion effect. This paper comprehensively summarizes the applications and advantages of HEEs in various metal batteries. For alkali metal batteries (such as lithium metal batteries and potassium metal batteries): high-entropy multi-solvent/multi-salt liquid electrolytes significantly enhance ion migration kinetics, solubility, and interfacial stability; high-entropy all-solid-state/gel polymer electrolytes improve ion transport efficiency while enhancing interfacial contact and mechanical properties; high-entropy oxide/sulfide/fluoride inorganic electrolytes effectively enhance safety and high-voltage stability. In multivalent metal batteries (e.g., zinc metal batteries and magnesium metal batteries), high-entropy multi-solvent/multi-salt liquid electrolytes exhibit universal advantages in improving ionic conductivity and broadening the working temperature range. Additionally, future development directions are proposed in response to the challenges of HEEs in terms of definition, design, and cost. This review provides guidance for the development of advanced electrolytes and the innovation of high-performance batteries.

Citric acid is one of the most effective organic acids for rare earth bioleaching. Yarrowia lipolytica represents a promising chassis due to its inability to produce oxalic acid; however, the metabolic bottlenecks between citrate synthesis and mitochondrial export remain to be systematically addressed. In this study, a heterologous “push–pull” strategy was applied to simultaneously reinforce citrate synthesis and mitochondrial efflux by co-overexpressing YlAMPD (encoding AMP deaminase) and AnYHM2 (encoding a mitochondrial citrate carrier from Aspergillus niger) under the strong constitutive promoters. Three recombinant strains were constructed in Yarrowia lipolytica Po1f: YlAMPD-overexpressing Po1f-pJQ08, AnYHM2-expressing Po1f-pJQ09, and the co-expression strain Po1f-pJQ12. RT-qPCR confirmed successful transcriptional activation of the target genes. Shake-flask fermentation revealed that YlAMPD and AnYHM2 single-gene overexpression strains increased citric acid production by 34.23% and 29.62%, respectively, whereas the co-expression strain achieved a titer of 22.33 g·L−1, representing a 94.51% increase over the control. This enhancement substantially exceeded the arithmetic sum of the individual increases (63.85%), thereby exhibiting a distinct supra-additive effect. This study provides a candidate strain with application potential for rare earth bioleaching and offers a referable metabolic engineering strategy for citric acid production in Yarrowia lipolytica.

Titanium Matrix Composites possess excellent strength and elastic modulus but suffer from insufficient toughness. To address this issue, a novel multi-scale gradient laminated TiC/Ti composite was fabricated via ball milling and Spark Plasma Sintering technology. Macroscopically, the composite exhibits a gradient layered structure, while microscopically, it features an interwoven layer-network distribution of TiC. Micro-nanoscale TiC particles in-situ synthesized through the reaction between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and titanium significantly refine the grain size. The composite achieves a flexural strength of 1134.62 f 31.86 MPa (578.24 f 14.21 MPa for pure titanium and 889.36 f 19.25 MPa for layered samples) and a fracture strain of 4.84 f 0.62% (2.73 f 0.43% for pure titanium and 3.21 f 0.51% for layered samples). This interwoven layer-network structure enables the simultaneous enhancement and favorable balance of strength and toughness: the network structure primarily improves toughness, while the layered structure focuses on increasing strength. Grain refinement strengthening dominates the strength improvement, and the toughness enhancement stems from crack deflection. Additionally, the gradient structure can suppress interlayer stress mutations and crack formation. With the increase in reinforcement content, the fracture mode of the composite layer transitions from intergranular fracture to microcrack penetration fracture. This work provides an effective strategy for fabricating high-strength and high-toughness titanium matrix composites.

Rare earth elements (REEs), as strategic resources, cause severe pollution and ecological degradation through chemical leaching processes. Bioremediation technology offers an efficient green alternative for REE recovery from wastewater. This study investigated Yarrowia lipolytica to elucidate its efficient adsorption mechanisms and stress adaptation towards La(III)/Ce(III). Phenotypic analysis revealed that the strain enhances adsorption capacity for La(III)/ Ce(III) by increasing specific surface area through dimorphic transition. Under optimal conditions, adsorption rates reached 84.33% for La(III) and 87.21% for Ce(III). Adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model (indicating chemisorption dominance), and isotherms conformed to the Langmuir model (suggesting monolayer adsorption). FTIR and XPS analyses identified cell surface -OH groups as key active sites, directly capturing REE ions via complexation. Integrated transcriptomic and DNA methylomic analyses uncovered interaction mechanisms and stress responses: La(III) exposure inhibited glycolysis/TCA cycle genes while activating peroxisome pathways (antioxidant defense) and ABC transporters (ion efflux). Ce(III) exposure specifically suppressed amino acid metabolism (e.g., glutamate pathway). Whole-genome methylation levels decreased significantly with preferential methylation in CHH contexts. 10 (La(III)) and 4 (Ce(III)) were identified differentially expressed genes accompanied by altered methylation levels, demonstrating DNA methylation-mediated regulation of La(III)/Ce(III) resistance genes. This study lays a theoretical foundation for bioremediation of REE pollution.

The effect of microstructural evolution on mechanical behavior of carbon/carbon composites after heat treatment has been investigated. Two kinds of samples, heat-treated at 2300 °C and 2700 °C, were used in the current study. As the heat treatment temperature is 2700 °C, the pyrolytic carbon acquires a higher orientation via carbon atomic layer rearrangement, accompanied by microstructural evolution such as self-healing of concentric ring cracks, narrowing of the fiber/matrix interface and bridging between adjacent fibers. This microstructural evolution results in a significant decline in the mechanical properties of the composites: compressive strength, flexural strength, and shear strength decreased by approximately 60%, 68%, and 71%, respectively, while the corresponding fracture strains increased by 52%, 25%, and 19%, respectively, indicating an improvement in pseudoplasticity.

The synergistic enhancement of strength and ductility has long been a major challenge in the field of titanium matrix composites (TMCs). In this study, multi-scale layered TMCs with both macroscopic and microscopic laminar characteristics were successfully fabricated via spark plasma sintering (SPS) combined with hot rolling. Results show that in-situ formed TiC particles have a specific orientation relationship with the alpha-Ti matrix: TiC (11-1)//a-Ti(10-10) and TiC[-121]//a-Ti[01-10], with a misfit degree (delta) of 2.2%, forming a coherent interface. During hot rolling, the dislocation pinning and deformation hindering effects of TiC particles dominate the evolution and regulation of matrix texture: on one hand, they drive the transformation of matrix texture from T-texture to pyramidal and prismatic textures, significantly activating dislocations and increasing the proportion of pyramidal slip systems; on the other hand, they effectively weaken the texture intensity by restricting excessive deformation of the alpha-Ti matrix and promoting dynamic recrystallization. The as-rolled multi-scale layered TMCs exhibit favorable synergistic strength and ductility: the yield strength and tensile strength reach 555.76 MPa and 882.33 MPa, increasing by 25.4% and 54.5% compared with pure titanium, respectively; the apparent elongation is 21.25%, an increase of 1.79% over pure titanium, while the intrinsic plastic strain of the matrix is 17.52% (slightly lower than that of pure titanium). The strengthening mechanism of the material is mainly grain refinement strengthening(40.0%) and load transfer strengthening(31.5%), while the ductility improvement is mainly attributed to the construction of layered structures, grain refinement, and sufficient activation of dislocations. This study provides a new approach for preparing TMCs with favorable strength-ductility synergy.

High-entropy sulfides (HESs) integrate the high ionic conductivity of sulfide materials with the structural tunability of high-entropy design, demonstrating immense potential in advanced energy storage. This review systematically traces the development trajectories of HESs across four key domains: solid-state electrolytes, lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium/sodium-ion batteries, and supercapacitors. By critically examining the evolving "composition-structure-performance" relationships, we highlight breakthroughs in key metrics, including ionic conductivity, cycle life, rate capability, and specific capacitance. Crucially, insights reveal that crystal structure primarily determines the attainable performance window, whereas configurational entropy mainly improves structural stability and transport homogeneity. Therefore, the most effective design strategy avoids simply maximizing entropy. Instead, it combines favorable structural frameworks with moderate high-entropy engineering, often reinforced by nanoscale architectures. Ultimately, this work provides a clear historical framework and forward-looking guidance, emphasizing the need for rigorous validation in practical full cells to verify the intrinsic contributions of high-entropy effects.

Lithium‑sulfur batteries (LSBs) suffer from critical bottlenecks at the cathode, including polysulfide shuttling, the insulating nature of sulfur/lithium sulfides, pronounced volume expansion, and sluggish reaction kinetics. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), by virtue of their programmable pore architectures and tailorable coordination chemistry, have transcended their initial role as mere “porous containers” to emerge as versatile “functional platforms.” Unlike previous reviews that typically focus on individual material categories or isolated functions, this review traces a clear evolutionary trajectory-“active material container → chemical anchoring platform → catalytic reactor → atomic-scale catalytic sites”-to systematically delineate the key developmental stages and corresponding material families (pristine MOFs, MOF composites, MOF derivatives, and MOF-based single-atom systems). Their underlying working mechanisms are comprehensively elucidated from four synergistic dimensions: adsorption, catalysis, conduction, and structural integrity. Furthermore, by integrating the complementary attributes of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and Prussian blue analogues (PBAs), we distill emerging design trends that emphasize structure-chemistry-electronics synergy to meet the demands of high sulfur loading, lean electrolyte operation, and extended cycle life. Finally, we propose future research pathways encompassing green synthesis, morphological engineering, multi-metal cooperativity, and full-device integration, aiming to provide both theoretical insights and practical design guidelines for advancing the real-world deployment of LSBs.

The in-situ melt reaction method for synthesizing carbide coatings on carbon fibers has garnered considerable research interest owing to its superior cost-effectiveness. In this work, the reaction process and growth kinetics of the in-situ melt reaction method were systematically investigated, with the key characteristics of this process being elucidated in depth. Titanium powder participates in the reaction via melt mass transfer. Furthermore, the growth kinetics of the carbide coating is dominated by the diffusion behavior of carbon within the carbide layer rather than the chemical reaction rate itself. For the kinetic analysis, the thickness of the carbide layer was measured as a function of holding time and temperature. The results show that the reaction follows a parabolic relationship in the temperature range of 1000°C to 1100°C, with the reaction activation energy determined to be 42.299 kJ/mol. These findings provide valuable insights into the synthesis of carbide coatings via the in-situ melt reaction method, which can facilitate the optimization of the preparation process and further advance the understanding of their growth mechanisms and performance in diverse practical applications.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion of organic substrates into value-added chemicals provides a promising strategy for their utilization. However, the low efficiency and poor selectivity of photoanodes limit the development of this strategy. Herein, we report the construction of a highly efficient WO3 photoanode with N-Bi-O asymmetric coordination via single-atom engineering. The asymmetric coordination of Bi single atoms can generate electron trapping states and create built-in electric fields, accelerating carrier transfer and separation, thereby enhancing the selectivity for glycerol oxidation to dihydroxyacetone (DHA). Additionally, in situ spectroscopy and DFT calculations reveal that single-atom Bi sites activate glycerol molecules and stabilize carbon radicals, while O-vacancy-induced N-Bi-O coordination further promotes DHA desorption by lowering the energy barrier through charge redistribution. Due to the asymmetric coordination structure, an improved photocurrent density of 1.21 mA cm-2 with a glycerol conversion rate of 118.2 mmol m-2 h-1 and a DHA selectivity of 71.3% at 1.2 V vs. RHE is achieved over the optimized Bi, N-WO3 photoanode.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs), featuring nearly 100% atomic utilization efficiency, show great potential for application in Li-S batteries. However, the kinetic mismatch between the uniform active sites of SACs and the diverse reaction intermediates in the multi-step sulfur redox process leads to a lack of catalytic specificity, causing suboptimal efficiency and activity degradation. In this work, a synergistic catalyst of Fe single atoms coupled with Fe clusters anchored on porous carbon nanofibers (Fe SA/ACs/CNF) was developed to address these constraints concurrently. The synergistic sites optimize the electron-transfer pathway with LiPSs, which accelerates LiPSs conversion kinetics and lowers the associated reaction barriers, thereby promoting the formation of more stable sulfur phases (alpha-S8) and rapid deposition of Li2S. Arising from this mechanism, the sulfur cathode achieves an areal capacity of 5.9 mAh cm-2 under even a low E/S ratio of 5 & micro;L mg-1 and sulfur loading of 6.5 mg cm-2. This work establishes atomic/cluster synergy as an effective design paradigm for high-efficiency sulfur catalysis, providing a pathway toward high-performance Li-S batteries.

Abandoned coal mines cause severe soil degradation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss. This study characterizes microbial community dynamics across distinct microhabitats—slag-enriched soil (D-1), waterlogged sediment (W-3), and acidic wastewater (W-5)—in Hunan mining areas. High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing revealed Proteobacteria (31%–60%) dominance across sites, with Firmicutes enriched in acidic W-5 (49%) and Bacteroidetes in organic-rich D-1 (21%). Community diversity significantly diverged along pH/metal gradients (db-RDA: pH explained 74.8% variation, p < 0.001), correlating with environmental stressors. Functional predictions (PICRUSt/FAPROTAX) suggest potential adaptations: sulfur oxidation increased in acidic zones (25.7%), while organic degradation peaked in contaminated soils (38.1%). These community-environment linkages support bioremediation design: augmenting acid-tolerant taxa in low-pH zones and pollutant-degrading microbes in metal-impacted soils to accelerate ecological restoration.

Rare earth elements (REEs) represent critical industrial resources, yet conventional extraction methods face substantial environmental and efficiency constraints. Fungal bioleaching emerges as an eco-friendly alternative, leveraging organic acid secretion to facilitate REEs dissolution and adsorption. However, progressive REEs accumulation inhibits microbial activity, with fungal resistance mechanisms remaining incompletely understood. Here, we report the discovery of Aspergillus niger FH1, a highly REEs-tolerant strain exhibiting remarkable Ce(III) tolerance (600 mg/L maximum) and achieving 74.05% adsorption efficiency under optimized conditions. Integrated physicochemical characterization (SEM, FTIR, XPS) revealed dual adsorption mechanisms: physical entrapment evidenced by Ce(III)-induced cellular invagination, and chemical monolayer binding via extracellular functional group coordination (amino, hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, phosphate), with specific moieties enabling Ce(III) capture through surface complexation. Transcriptomic analysis identified 3,733 differentially expressed genes under Ce(III) stress. Functional annotation (GO/KEGG) demonstrated: (1) Significant repression of oxidative phosphorylation genes; (2) Concomitant upregulation of glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and amino acid metabolism genes indicating metabolic rerouting for energy maintenance; (3) Enhanced expression of antioxidative/chelating metabolite synthesis pathways. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing revealed conserved global 5mC DNA methylation levels (0.32% vs. 0.36% in controls) with preferential CHH-context targeting. Collectively, these adaptation strategy combines extracellular sequestration, metabolic plasticity, and stress mitigation to confers exceptional resilience against rare earth metal toxicity. The demonstrated adsorption-tolerance synergy positions A. niger FH1 as an important bioagent for sustainable recovery of recalcitrant rare earth resources.

Heteroatom-doped single-atom catalysts (SACs) have established a critical role in enabling high-performance Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Nevertheless, there persists a deficiency in understanding the structureactivity relationship between heteroatom-doped SACs and polysulfides (LiPSs) conversion. Herein, Co SACs with different P-doping positions are modeled and a volcano correlation between the catalytic activity of LiPSs conversion and d band center of Co regulated by the positions of P doping is revealed. The axial P-coordinated Co SACs (CoN4P/NC), with appropriate d band center position, is at the apex of the volcanic relationship, possessing the prominent catalytic activity toward LiPSs conversion. In consequence, the battery with S@CoN4P/NC cathode shows eminent cycling stability with an ultralow capacity fade rate of 0.035 % cycle- 1 at 4C over 200 cycles and a high areal capacity of 6.43mAhcm-2 even if the sulfur loading to 7.0 mg cm- 2. This work offers an essential comprehension of the inherent relationship between catalytic activity and the coordination structure of heteroatom-doped SACs, which provides references for the activity sites designing and regulation of heteroatomdoped SACs for Li-S batteries.

The coutilization of multiple carbon sources improves metabolic flexibility and efficiency, thereby enhancing product yields while alleviating cellular stress and energy imbalances during biosynthesis. In this study, we engineered Yarrowia lipolytica for enhanced β-carotene production by coutilizing xylose and acetic acid─two major carbon components derived from lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Through the integration of heterologous xylose assimilation pathways, a β-carotene biosynthetic module, the native Acs/Aarc-mediated acetyl-CoA synthesis route, and the nonoxidative glycolysis (NOG) pathway, we established a robust metabolic framework to optimize carbon flux. The engineered strain produced 185.4 mg/L (27.8 mg/g dry cell weight) β-carotene from xylose alone, which was enhanced to 4.2-fold to 776.9 mg/L with a content of 70.4 mg/g dry cell weight under cofermentation with 25 g/L xylose and 25 g/L sodium acetate. These results demonstrate the potential of Y. lipolytica as a versatile microbial chassis for the bioconversion of renewable carbon sources into high-value products, and offer a promising strategy for lignocellulosic biorefinery development through C5-C2 coutilization coupled with NOG pathway enhancement.

In order to achieve a balance between the strength and ductility of titanium matrix composites (TMCs), a spray deposition method was employed to deposit carbon nanotubes (CNTs) onto the surface of Ti foil. Subsequently, spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 850 °C and an additional 1 h heat treatment at 880 °C were utilized to fabricate two laminated composites of different composition, namely, CNTs/Ti (SPS) and in situ TiC/Ti (SPS+HT). The microstructure evolution, mechanical properties, and strengthening and fracture mechanisms of laminated composites were systematically studied. The results revealed that after sintering at 850 °C, the reaction between CNTs and the titanium matrix was limited. However, after a 1 h heat treatment at 880 °C, CNTs were completely transformed into TiC, while the titanium matrix remained α phase without undergoing phase transformation. Through rolling and annealing, TiC particles were refined to 500 nm and exhibited a flattened shape. The in situ TiC/Ti layered composite material exhibited a tensile strength (UTS) of 491.51 MPa, which was a 29.63% improvement compared to pure titanium (379.16 MPa), and significantly higher than the UTS of CNTs/Ti samples (419.65 MPa). The primary strengthening mechanism was load transfer strengthening. The elongation (EL) remained at 26.59%, slightly lower than pure titanium (29.15%) and CNTs/Ti samples (27.51%). This can be attributed to the increased connectivity of the matrix achieved through rolling, which enhanced the ability to passivate cracks and prolonged the crack propagation path. This study presents a method for preparing laminated titanium matrix composites with both strength and ductility by controlling the heat treatment process.

High concentrations of copper ions have long been recognized as a key factor limiting the efficiency of bioleaching due to the metal toxicity to microorganisms. In order to identify new determinants of copper resistance, we assessed the impact of different copper ion concentrations on the bioleaching model organism Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Furthermore, we employed 6mA IP-seq technique to evaluate changes in the 6mA methylation levels of A. ferrooxidans under two conditions: iron oxidation and sulfur oxidation, both under copper stress. The results indicated that as the concentration of copper ions in the growth environment increased, the copper toxicity significantly inhibited the growth of A. ferrooxidans. The maximum tolerable copper ion concentration for iron-grown and sulfur-grown A. ferrooxidans was found to be 100 mM. Under 100 mM Cu2+ exposure, 184 and 242 differentially methylated genes were identified in the iron oxidation and sulfur oxidation A. ferrooxidans, respectively(P < 0.01). From the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional analysis, under iron oxidation conditions, 130 differentially methylated genes were annotated and mapped into 7 KEGG pathways, while under sulfur oxidation conditions, 188 differentially methylated genes were annotated and mapped into 4 KEGG pathways (P < 0.05). Several differentially methylated genes were found to be associated with the following responses to copper stress: iron-sulfur oxidation acceleration, amino acid synthesis, and activation of the RND-type efflux system, polypeptide-based copper resistance systems, and metal ATPases to expel copper ions. In summary, the 6mA methylation levels in A. ferrooxidans change under copper stress, and these changes are widely present in various copper resistance genes. This study reveals a novel copper resistance mechanism in A. ferrooxidans, providing new insights for enhancing bioleaching efficiency and demonstrating significant implications for advancing biometallurgy.

DNA N6-methyladenine (6mA) modification is widespread in organisms and plays an important functional role in the regulation of cellular processes. As a model organism in biohydrometallurgy, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans can obtain energy from the oxidation of ferrous iron (Fe2+) and various reduced inorganic sulfides (RISCs) under acidic conditions. To determine the linkage between genomic DNA methylation and the switching between the two oxidative metabolic pathways in A. ferrooxidans, the 6mA landscape in the genome of A. ferrooxidans cultured under different conditions was evaluated by using 6mA-IP-seq. A total of 214 and 47 high-confidence peaks of 6mA were identified under the Fe2+ and RISCs oxidizing conditions, respectively (P<10-5), suggesting that genomic methylation was greater under Fe2+ oxidizing conditions. 6mA experienced a decline at the transcription start site (TSS) and occurs frequently in gene bodies under both oxidizing conditions. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that 7 KEGG pathways were mapped into and most of the differentially methylated genes were enriched in oxidative phosphorylation and metabolic pathways. Fourteen genes were selected for studying the effect of differences in methylation on mRNA expression. Thirteen genes, excluding petA-1, demonstrated a decrease in mRNA expression as methylation levels increased. Overall, the 6mA methylation enrichment patterns are similar under two conditions but show differences in the enriched pathways. The phenomenon of upregulated gene methylation levels coupled with downregulated expression suggests a potential association between the regulation mechanisms of 6mA and the Fe2+ and RISCs oxidation pathways.

Although travelers are frequently accompanied by abdominal discomfort and even diarrhea, not every trip can cause this issue. Many studies have reported that intestinal microbes play an important role in it. However, little is known about the reason for the dynamics of these intestinal microbes. Here, we delved into the effects of short-term travel on the gut microbiota of 12 healthy individuals. A total of 72 fecal samples collected before and after one-week travel, alongside non-traveling controls, underwent amplicon sequencing and a series of bioinformatic analyses. We found that travel significantly increased intra-individual gut microbiota fluctuations without diarrhea symptoms. In addition, the initial composition of the gut microbiota before travel emerged as a crucial factor in understanding these fluctuations. Travelers with stable microbiota exhibited an enrichment of specific probiotic bacteria (Agathobaculum, Faecalibacterium, Bifidobacterium, Roseburia, Lactobacillus) before travel. Another batch of data validated their predictive role in distinguishing travelers with and without the gut microbial disorder. This work provided valuable insights into understanding the relationship between gut microbiota and travel. It offered a microbiota-centric perspective and a potential avenue for interventions to preserve gut health during travel.