In this study, ZnO ceramics doped with different concentrations of Cr2O3 were prepared by solid-phase sintering to simultaneously enhance the performance of the pre-breakdown and breakdown regions. The Cr2O3 doping reduced the donor concentration within the grain, which increased the breakdown field from 283 to 316 V/mm. Furthermore, Cr-O bonds formed in the grain boundary and the width of the depletion layer increased from 15.07 to 19.57 nm. The electronic state introduced by the Cr-O bonds enhanced the nonlinearity coefficient from 60 to 78. The expansion of the depletion layer promoted the generation of hot electrons, which in turn decreased the switching residual voltage ratio over the current range of 6.22 A/cm2 to 62.2 A/cm2. ZnO varistor ceramics with optimized properties were obtained when doped with a Cr2O3 amount-of-substance fraction of 0.33%. These ceramics had good nonlinearity coefficients and prevented switching of the overvoltage ratio.

Aqueous seawater-based batteries (ASWBs) are promising for low-cost, sustainable energy storage but are limited by highly reactive free water in pure seawater (PSW), which leads to electrode degradation and poor cycling stability. Herein, we address this bottleneck by an entropy-enhanced cosolvent approach using an eco-friendly, low-cost modified seawater (MSW) electrolyte (ethylene glycol as the cosolvent) for ASWBs. EG molecules increase the short-range entropy of the MSW, forming discrete, small clusters that increase Na+ mobility and reduce free water activity by disrupting the native H-bonding network of PSW. Combining this MSW electrolyte with a high-entropy hexacyanoferrate (HEHCF) cathode results in exceptional cycling lifespan (>20,000 cycles) at a high current density of 7000 mA g(-1), with 96.50% capacity retention and full charge-discharge in 35-39 s. This outstanding performance stems from a pseudocapacitive-dominant charge-storage mechanism, reversible monoclinic <-> cubic phase transitions in HEHCF, and suppressed parasitic reactions. This work provides a cost-effective, scalable electrolyte-engineering strategy to unlock stable ASWBs, advancing their potential for grid-scale and marine energy-storage applications.

ABSTRACT All‐solid‐state lithium‐sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs) with polymer electrolytes have high theoretical energy density and improved safety, providing appealing potential for next‐generation energy storage. However, limiting the dissolution of long‐chain polysulfides (LiPSs) in polymer electrolyte and achieving high S loading in cathodes remains a challenge. To tackle this issue, we demonstrate a 3D electrode composed of a mixture of styrene butadiene rubber and lithium carboxyl methyl cellulose as the binder, equipped with a high concentration of all‐solid‐state polyethylene oxide (PEO) ‐based electrolyte filled with LLZTO (Li 6.5 La 3 Zr 1.5 Ta 0.5 O 12 ) and LiPSs (named LiPS/LLZTO‐CL/S). The synergistic design exhibits outstanding structural stability, preventing the dissolution of long‐chain LiPSs, enhancing the kinetics of short‐chain LiPSs, alleviating volume expansion, and offering pathways for ion/electron transport. The battery possesses attractive cycling stability and can maintain high capacity retention (1106 mAh g −1 even after 500 cycles) at 0.2 C. Its structural and electrochemical advantages enable stable cycling at a high sulfur loading of 7.0 mg cm −2 and 0.5 C without electrolyte in the cathode. This work proposes a novel strategy for the structural design of high‐loading polymer ASSLSBs.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries face significant challenges due to dendrite formation and water-induced side reactions. To address these issues, we are developing fluorinated multifunctional self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on zinc anodes using (3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)trimethoxysilane. These SAMs enhance the transport kinetics of Zn2 + ions through ion-dipole interactions, thereby contributes to suppressed the formation of zinc dendrites under high current density. Additionally, the hydrophobic and electronegative properties of SAMs repel water molecules and anions, thereby alleviates hydrogen evolution and corrosion. The modified zinc anode demonstrates superior electrochemical performance, enabling symmetric cells to operate stably for over 1570 h at a current density of 5 mA cm-2 and an areal capacity of 2.5 mAh cm-2, as well as achieving a sixfold increase in cycling stability at 10 mA cm-2 compared to unmodified zinc anodes. Furthermore, asymmetric cells exhibit a coulombic efficiency of 99.69% sustained over 850 cycles. Full cells incorporating various cathode materials show improved rate capabilities and exceptional longevity, exemplified by Zn//I2 cells maintaining 86.3% capacity retention after 30 000 cycles. This interface engineering approach promotes uniform zinc plating and stripping while enhancing interfacial stability, offering a molecular-level protective strategy for advancing high-performance zinc metal batteries.

The implementation of cost-effective and active ruthenium dioxide (RuO2)-based catalysts in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) is hindered by their insufficient stability, primarily due to uncontrollable loss of the lattice oxygen during OER operation. To address this challenge, a non-metallic fluorine doping strategy is developed to stabilize the lattice oxygen, controlling a low participation of lattice oxygen and simultaneously enhancing catalytic performance. Theoretical calculations and in situ spectroscopy measurements reveal that electron-withdrawing F weakens lattice oxygen reactivity and enhances its proton affinity, suppressing the lattice oxygen mechanism (LOM) pathway while accelerating the deprotonation kinetics, thereby leading to simultaneous improvements in both stability and activity. The optimized F-RuO2 catalyst achieves a remarkably low overpotential of 198 mV at 10 mA cm- 2 and exceptional durability with a negligible degradation rate of 15 & micro;V h- 1 within 600 h. When integrated into a PEMWE, it requires only 1.80 V to deliver a high current density of 3 A cm- 2 and maintains stable operation for over 850 h at 100 mA cm- 2. This work provides a feasible strategy to break the activity-stability trade-off of OER electrocatalysts through rational regulation of lattice oxygen behavior, facilitating the industrial adoption of RuO2-based catalysts in PEMWEs.

Lithium-rich manganese-based oxides (LRMO) suffer from rapid capacity decay, mainly driven by interfacial instability and bulk structural degradation associated with Jahn-Teller (J-T) distortion in Mn3+-rich regions. Such distortion accelerates surface oxygen activity, triggers nonuniform cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) formation along with promoted parasitic reactions. Herein, we develop an electrolyte‑induced interfacial/bulk dual regulation strategy that enables negligible capacity decay in Li‑rich cathodes via coordinated interfacial/bulk regulation. In situ characterizations combined with interfacial compositional analyses confirm the dynamic formation of a thin, uniform, and robust LiF/LiBO2-rich CEI, which stabilizes surface oxygen species and suppresses interfacial side reactions. Meanwhile, local structural analyses combined with theoretical calculations reveal that fluorinated molecules regulate Mn into a low-spin configuration, thereby alleviating J-T distortion and preventing bulk structural degradation. Benefiting from this dual induced interfacial-bulk stabilization effect, LRMO||Li cells deliver an initial capacity of 219.6 mAh g-1 and retain 97.6% of their capacity after 400 cycles. This work provides a new pathway toward electrolyte-mediated dual stabilization and demonstrates the feasibility of mitigating capacity decay in Li-rich cathodes via electrolyte-induced interfacial/bulk regulation.

Piezoelectricity and lattice defects play a crucial role in influencing the optical properties of elastic-mechanoluminescent materials, which can be modulated by incorporating a certain amount of ferroelectric materials. Here, a series of novel ferroelectric phosphors Na0.991−xBaxPr0.003Nb1−xTixO3 was synthesized by a conventional solid-state reaction method in an ambient atmosphere. The defects, piezoelectric properties, and their correlation with optical performance were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and quasi-static d33 measurements. With the incorporation of BaTiO3, the reduction in ferroelectric domain size and the formation of a morphotropic phase boundary, accompanied by an increased phase ratio of the polar orthorhombic phase, contributes to enhanced piezoelectric performance. Additionally, the introduction of BaTiO3 leads to the formation of new impurity defects, thereby increasing the overall defect density. The enhanced piezoelectric property, with a maximum d33 of 37 pC/N, combined with increased defect concentration, synergistically contributes to the optimal mechanoluminescence performance observed at the x = 0.01 composition. This study provides a feasible strategy for the development of novel mechanoluminescent materials.

All-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs) with polymer electrolytes have high theoretical energy density and improved safety, providing appealing potential for next-generation energy storage. However, limiting the dissolution of long-chain polysulfides (LiPSs) in polymer electrolyte and achieving high S loading in cathodes remains a challenge. To tackle this issue, we demonstrate a 3D electrode composed of a mixture of styrene butadiene rubber and lithium carboxyl methyl cellulose as the binder, equipped with a high concentration of all-solid-state polyethylene oxide (PEO) -based electrolyte filled with LLZTO (Li6.5La3Zr1.5Ta0.5O12) and LiPSs (named LiPS/LLZTO-CL/S). The synergistic design exhibits outstanding structural stability, preventing the dissolution of long-chain LiPSs, enhancing the kinetics of short-chain LiPSs, alleviating volume expansion, and offering pathways for ion/electron transport. The battery possesses attractive cycling stability and can maintain high capacity retention (1106 mAh g-1 even after 500 cycles) at 0.2 C. Its structural and electrochemical advantages enable stable cycling at a high sulfur loading of 7.0 mg cm-2 and 0.5 C without electrolyte in the cathode. This work proposes a novel strategy for the structural design of high-loading polymer ASSLSBs.

【Purposes】As fundamental conversion technologies that transform coal into clean oil, gas, and high-value chemicals, pyrolysis and liquefaction play a vital role in promoting clean and efficient utilization of coal, thereby providing essential support for ensuring national energy security and realizing the “Dual Carbon” strategic goals. Only by elucidating their reaction mechanisms, precise control of product distribution and quality can be achieved from the source. However, with traditional experimental methods, it is difficult to analyze dynamic evolution and microscopic reaction processes of free radicals.【Methods】Therefore, in this study, Liangshuijing raw coal (LS-R), vitrinite-enriched coal (LS-V), and inertinite-enriched coal (LS-I) were chose as research objects to construct LS-R, LS-VI integrated maceral pyrolysis models, and LS-R liquefaction model. Then, reactive force field molecular dynamics (ReaxFF MD) simulations were used to systematically investigate the evolution characteristics of product distribution, hydrogen radical behavior, and the H/C atomic ratio of tar during isothermal and heating processes in different models.【Results】 The results show that during pyrolysis, asignificant synergistia effect exists between vitrinite(LS-V) and intertinite(LS-I), leading to a notable higher numbers of oil and gas molecules generated by the LS-V1 mixed model than by those of the LS-R model. In the liquefaction process, the introduction of the hydrogen-donor solvent tetralin significantly increases the concentration of hydrogen radicals within the system, thereby effectively promoting the hydro-stabilization process of tar precursors and noticeably improving the H/C atomic ratio of tar products.【Conclusions】This study reveals the modulation mechanisms of maceral synergistic effects and hydrogen-donor solvents on the reaction pathways at atomic level, providing an important theoretical basis for the directional optimization of coal pyrolysis and liquefaction processes towards the goal of clean and efficient utilization of coal.

High deliverable methane capacity (DC) is critical for methane purification and on-board storage. Although computer-aided design and high-throughput grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) calculations can screen large materials spaces, their computational cost scales steeply with database size. Here, a combined genetic algorithm-deep learning (GA-DL) strategy is developed to rapidly identify top performing 2D hypothetical covalent organic frameworks (h-COFs). A database of 11,677 h-COFs was constructed from diverse topologies, nodes, linkers, and functional groups. Genetic encoding of the building blocks enables GA iterations to progressively enrich candidates with high DC without exhaustively simulating all structures. To further accelerate screening, a recurrent neural network (RNN) surrogate is integrated into GA to propose high-value candidates each generation. Across test cases, GA converges toward h-COFs with DC values near the best in the database, while GA-DL substantially increases the fraction of top candidates encountered per simulation and reduces overall computational effort. The same framework effectively prioritizes h-COFs with promising CH4/H2 separation, highlighting GA-DL as a general and scalable route to navigate large porous-materials spaces

This work examined how rotation speed influences the microstructure and electrochemical properties of the stir zone (SZ) in 430 ferritic stainless steel joined by friction stir welding (FSW). The findings show that a higher rotation speed improves the formation quality of the initial region of the welded joint, coarsens the SZ grains, reduces the fraction of low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs), and deteriorates corrosion resistance. At 500 rpm, the SZ achieved an average grain size of 3.8 mu m and a self-corrosion current density of 1.367 x 10-7 A & sdot;cm-2, showing the most uniform microstructure and the optimal electrochemical performance. Lower rotation speed helps obtain a fine, uniform grain structure in the SZ, facilitating rapid formation of a dense passive film and improving corrosion resistance.

Multiple-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) materials frequently exhibit extended exciton lifetimes, making device performance highly sensitive to minute variations in doping concentration. To mitigate this, we introduce two rigid, rod-like spiro-frameworks via non-conjugated single bonds into a traditional MR-TADF skeleton and intentionally design two MR-TADF emitters, designated as DspiroS-BN and TspiroS-BN. This external spiro modification strategy not only effectively suppressed the spectral broadening caused by long-range charge transfer (LRCT), thereby significantly improving spectral purity, with FWHM values of only ~21 nm in dilute toluene solution and 24 and 26 nm for DspiroS-BN and TspiroS-BN in doped films, respectively. Moreover, the enhanced molecular rigidity of the spiro structure and the possible moderate increase in the intermolecular interaction distance jointly led to a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of over 95% in the doped films. Notably, the optimized organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) achieve high external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) exceeding 34%, signifying a substantial performance improvement over the parent skeleton. Furthermore, the two materials exhibit excellent lysosome-targeting capabilities, and biological safety evaluations indicate that this series of probes demonstrates neither dark toxicity nor phototoxicity, thereby confirming their superior biocompatibility and promising potential for applications in bioimaging and long-term tracking. This work underscores the versatile properties of these two materials, offering a highly promising pathway for developing advanced multifunctional materials.

In pursuit of higher energy density, Si/graphite (Si/Gr) composite anodes have emerged as a promising candidate, but traditional structures (where Si nanoparticles are merely surface-deposited on Gr) still suffer from preferential Si lithiation. This causes asynchronous reaction kinetics, local Li* depletion, and exacerbated mechanical degradation, ultimately limiting cycle life. This paper proposes a novel "Gr-Si-Gr" sandwich-structured composite material, where Si particles are embedded between oriented and closely stacked graphite layers, and further coated with a pitch-derived carbon layer. This structure not only physically constrains the expansion of Si but, more importantly, introduces an ion regulation mechanism synergistically mediated by the curved graphite edges and the coating carbon layer. In the sandwich structure, the curved graphite edges serve as kinetic barriers, slowing down Li* transport towards Si, delaying its lithiation, while enabling graphite to participate earlier in the charging reaction. Consequently, synchronous lithiation of Si and graphite is achieved, alleviating stress concentration and inhibiting structural collapse. Combined with a continuous 3D conductive network, this design enables high Si loading while maintaining excellent cycling stability. Our work provides a microstructureoriented strategy to achieve synchronous (de)lithiation and matched kinetics between Si and graphite in Si/Gr anodes, paving the way for developing high-energy-density and durable lithium-ion batteries.

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries have become promising candidates for large-scale energy storage, owing to their high theoretical capacity, cost-effectiveness, and abundant raw materials. However, their practical implementation is hampered by the notorious shuttle effects of polysulfides, insulation of sulfur, and severe volume changes of cathode. Herein, graphitic carbon-wrapped Co4N nanostructures (Co4N-C) embedded within biomass-derived nitrogen-doped microporous carbon materials are synthesized through a simple hightemperature treatment process by incorporating sulfonated cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPcS) into biomass-based carbon precursors. The carbon frameworks provide electron transporting network and buffer space for volume expansion, while Co4N-C acts as a catalytic site to modulate sulfur conversion reaction. The optimized carbon materials exhibit high specific surface area (1173.40 m2 g- 1), enhanced graphitization and catalyze sites, endowing RT Na-S with superior electrochemical performance. The Na-S battery employing optimized carbon materials show a capacity retention of 84.1% after 400 cycles at 1C, and deliver a reversible capacity of 623.21 mAh g- 1 after 1200 cycles at 2C. These results highlight the synergistic effects of physical confinement and catalytic conversion on migrating shuttle effect, offering a viable pathway for high-performance RT Na-S batteries.

Direct regeneration offers a shortcut to close the material supply loop of lithium-ion batteries and is a promising recycling strategy. However, in spent LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 positive electrode, severe bulk cation disorder and surface rock salt phase hinder Li+ reinsertion. Moreover, the coexistence of single and poly-crystal particles in commercial batteries further complicates uniform re-lithiation and morphological regeneration. Herein, we propose an oxidation strategy to simultaneously regulate the structural reconstruction and morphological evolution of spent material. During oxidation, surface NiO transforms into NiOOH, while targeted oxidation of the anti-site Ni2+ to Ni3+ in the bulk reduces Li+/Ni2+ mixing. This reconstructs Li+ diffusion channels from surface to bulk, facilitating re-lithiation. Meanwhile, structural changes induce lattice expansion in secondary particles, causing their decomposition into primary particles and forming uniform precursor particles. These particles, with continuous Li+ transport channels and NiOOH surface, agglomerate into large single-crystal during calcination. The regenerated LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 achieves a high tap density of 2.57 g/cm3 and retains 80.2% capacity after 600 cycles. This work presents a concept for the direct regeneration of degradable positive materials.

Silicon anodes hold great promise for high-energy lithium-ion batteries but suffer from severe volume expansion and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. To address these challenges, this study develops a thermally crosslinked dual-polymer (KH550/sodium alginate) coating strategy. The 350 degrees C-pyrolyzed coating forms a semi-carbonized artificial SEI on the surface of Si particles that effectively suppresses side reactions and accommodates volume changes. Comparing with uncarbonized polymer coating, the denser semi-carbonized one demonstrates its unique effect in matching Li+ diffusion kinetics between the interface and bulk silicon, retaining the structural integrity of Si particles during lithiation. The resulting Si anode exhibits minimal volume expansion (8%), 82.5% initial Coulombic efficiency, 948 mAh g-1 after 500 cycles at 2 A g-1, thereby developing a new gate on enhancing electrochemical performance by pre-constructing semi-carbonized polymer coating around Si particles.

The practical deployment of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based solid electrolytes is significantly hampered by their low room-temperature ionic conductivity, stemming from high PEO crystallinity and strong ethylene oxide (EO)-Li+ coordination. Herein, we introduce a bulk-surface engineering strategy utilizing controlled N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) coordination and a simple two-step drying process. This approach creates an asymmetric-structured PEO electrolyte where distinct molecular environments are engineered in the bulk and at the surface. Experimental and theoretical analyses reveal that controlled NMP coordination during the initial drying establishes a bulk [NMP-Li+ ] solvation structure that effectively weakens EO-Li+ binding, dramatically enhancing Li+ transport kinetics. Crucially, the subsequent drying phase intentionally depletes NMP from the electrolyte surface, forming a unique NMP-deficient phase. This engineered surface eliminates the thermodynamic instability of NMP towards Li metal, fostering a robust solid electrolyte interphase. Consequently, the asymmetric electrolyte (NP- x ) achieves a high room-temperature ionic conductivity (0.14 mS cm-1 ) and Li+ transference number (0.41). Symmetrical Li-Li cells demonstrate ultra-stable cycling exceeding 20 0 0 h at 25 degrees C. The obtained solid-state Li-LiFePO4 cells deliver a high specific capacity (158.4 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C) with 89% capacity retention over 500 cycles, and maintain stable cyclability even at 0 and -15 degrees C. This solvent coordination-mediated bulk-surface decoupling offers a fresh perspective for enhancing the Li+ transport and the interface stability of PEO-based electrolyte. (c) 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Constructing internal voids is an effective strategy to mitigate the severe lithiation-induced volume expansion of Si anodes for lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, porous Si prepared via conventional reduction methods commonly undergoes structural shrinkage and uncontrollable pore configuration. Herein, a novel iron-driven internal percolation mechanism is proposed to fabricate porous Si@C composites (p-Si@C) through the ion exchange between Fe-based Prussian blue templates and silicate anions, followed by low-temperature molten-salt aluminothermic reduction. The in-situ formed Fe network acts as an electronic highway to accelerate the reduction of SiO2, while functioning as a sacrificial template to maintain a non-shrinking topological framework with interconnected pores. Moreover, iron species catalyze the growth of graphitized carbon shells, inducing the formation of a LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase. Benefiting from the optimized structure, the p-Si@C anode delivers a high reversible capacity of 605 mAh g-1 at 8 A g-1, and the full cell paired with LiFePO4 retains 95% of its capacity after 550 cycles. This work develops an innovative fabrication strategy for controllable porous Si based on the metal-driven internal percolation mechanism, which can be extended to the rational design of other porous electrode materials.