The widespread adoption of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is significantly hindered by the rapid degradation of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts under harsh operational conditions. Here, a CeO x ‐integrated heterogeneous carbon support engineering strategy is proposed to stabilize the Co‐N 4 ‐C catalyst (Co SAs/CeO x ‐NC), achieving simultaneous activity‐stability enhancement in PEMFCs. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the enhanced binding energy between Co and the carbon support, combined with the reducibility provided by the electron‐rich nature of the carbon support, synergistically suppresses Co dissolution and carbon oxidation corrosion. Concurrently, the CeO x ‐induce interfacial charge redistribution downshifts the Co d‐band center by 0.12 eV, weakening the over‐adsorption of oxygenated intermediates and enhancing ORR kinetics. The optimized Co SAs/CeO x ‐NC catalyst demonstrates exceptional durability in acidic media (Δ E 1/2 = 8 mV after 5k cycles at high potential of 1.0–1.6 V), outperforming the control Co SAs/NC catalyst (Δ E 1/2 = 30 mV). The Co SAs/CeO x ‐NC‐based PEMFC achieves outstanding peak power density of 1.04 W cm −2 and durability (95% voltage retention after 150 h open‐circuit conditions test).

Na0.44MnO2, with its unique tunnel structure, offers significant advantages for enabling reversible Na+ transport and maintaining structural stability, making it suitable for both aqueous and non-aqueous sodium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, its practical application is hindered by low discharge capacity, insufficient cycling stability, and poor rate performance. Herein, Nb doping is introduced to modify Na0.44MnO2, leading to significant performance improvements in both aqueous sodium-ion batteries (ASIBs) and non-aqueous sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The strong Nb-O bond (753 kJ mol−1) and the large ionic radius of Nb5+ ions (0.64 Å) effectively strengthen crystal structure, mitigate Mn dissolution, and facilitate Na+ transport. The cycling performance of Nb-doped cathode shows remarkable improvement, with capacity retention increasing from 25.74% to 95.48% in ASIBs after 500 cycles, and from 73.12% to 91.29% in SIBs after 400 cycles, compared to the undoped sample. Furthermore, a notable enhancement in rate capability is achieved, as evidenced by higher capacities of 48.68 mAh g−1 in ASIBs and 85.54 mAh g−1 in SIBs at 10C, outperforming the 42.49 and 82.04 mAh g−1 of undoped cathode. This study presents an effective doping strategy to enhance the overall performance of sodium manganese oxides, enabling the development of high-performance cathodes for both SIBs and ASIBs.

Precisely defining proton transport channels and regulating the chemical microenvironment of proton carriers are critical for high-performance proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Beyond optimizing carrier type and density, modulation of electron density distribution offers an underexplored route to enhance intrinsic proton conductivity. Herein, a series of ZnM-BDC-COOH nanosheets are synthesized by partial substitution of Zn2+ with a second metal ion in Zn-BDC frameworks and subsequent -COOH modification. The optimized ZnCu-BDC-COOH achieves a high intrinsic proton conductivity of 361.5 mS cm-1 over 16 times that of the pristine Zn-BDC (22.2 mS cm-1) at 80 °C and 98% RH using comb electrodes. Density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the introduced Cu2+, with higher electronegativity, withdraws more electrons from adjacent -COOH groups and Zn ions, generating asymmetric electron cloud distribution within the O-H bonds and the heterogeneous Zn3CuO(COO)6 nodes. This electron asymmetry facilitates rapid H+ release and establishes a strong local potential gradient that lowers the proton transport barrier. The resulting ZnCu-BDC-COOH lamellar membrane achieves a peak power density of 0.92 W cm-2, outperforming Nafion-117 (0.28 W cm-2), and maintains good durability over 100 h of open-circuit voltage (OCV) under 80 °C and 100% RH in fuel cells.

As living standards improve, the demand for slow-release and antibacterial textiles, such as shoes and socks, is increasing. Microencapsulation is a popular method for encapsulating essential oils. However, traditional essential-oil microcapsules face some issues. Their antimicrobial effects are limited by the substances inside, and it is hard to combine long-term antimicrobial properties with flavor-specific encapsulation. To tackle this, a novel raspberry-inspired multicompartmental microcapsule with oil in the core and silver-based biocides in the shell was developed. Mesoporous SiO2 nanospheres with nano-Ag were made and used as pickering emulsifiers to keep the essential-oil phase stable. Under acidic conditions, the melamine-formaldehyde monomer was cross-linked to form the microcapsule wall, with the SiO2 nanospheres being integrated into it. This innovative structure was endowed with outstanding performance. It was demonstrated by in vitro release studies that the sustained release capabilities were kept consistently elevated even after 20 days. Their antibacterial effectiveness was over 99% against Escherichia coli and Streptococcus aureus, which showed great potential for complex applications.

Limited proton conductivity within the catalyst layer induces severe ohmic polarizations and constrains power output at high hydrogen-to-electricity efficiencies in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. We demonstrate that proton transfer can be boosted by constructing Brønsted acid-Lewis base interfaces through integrating organic open frameworks with Nafion. These confined interfaces mediate low-barrier relay pathways, disrupt hydrogen bonding to expedite water network reorganization, facilitate consecutive proton transfer, and enrich protons locally. Compared with Nafion, the complexes exhibit an order-of-magnitude increase in proton self-diffusion coefficient, a 6.5-fold rise in proton conductivity, and a 55% reduction in activation energy. When integrated with commercial platinum on carbon, they deliver a fourfold increase in rated power output relative to the baseline, outperforming representative state-of-the-art membrane electrode assemblies with advanced catalysts under similar conditions.

Scaling proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is constrained by high cathodic overpotential and platinum usage for the oxygen reduction reaction, challenges exacerbated by catalyst poisoning from perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomers. Though compositing PFSA with additives can mitigate this poisoning, progress has remained largely empirical due to the lack of quantitative assessment tools. Here, we introduce an electrochemical probe leveraging ionomer-coated single-crystal Pt(111) to quantify the coverage and strength of PFSA adsorption, elucidating how cationic additives suppress Pt poisoning. We identify an inverse correlation between cation hydration energy and PFSA adsorption, guiding the rational design of a poorly hydrated tetramethylammonium-anchored covalent organic framework (TMA+-COFs) as an ionomer additive. Electrochemical and spectroscopic analyses reveal that the composite TMA+-COFs/PFSA layer significantly inhibits sulfonate adsorption and poisoning onto Pt(111) through robust electrostatic interactions, which translates to a 1.7- and 4-fold activity enhancement for industrial Pt/C in rotating-disk and gas-diffusion electrodes, respectively. We also demonstrated a high mass activity of 1.08 A mgPt-1 in a PEMFC cathode with TMA+-COFs. Our work provides an alternative avenue to conventional catalyst engineering through the rational design of advanced composite ionomers for high-performance, low-Pt PEMFCs.

Effective management of wound exudate is critical for promoting wound healing. However, conventional dressings often struggle to balance exudate regulation with bioactive functionality. In this study, a trilayered hierarchical nanofibrous dressing was developed via layer-by-layer electrospinning, featuring unidirectional water transport, bead-embedded drug delivery and pH-responsive chromatic transition for exudate management and wound monitoring. The trilayered composite dressing integrated a hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride/curcumin (PVDF/CUR) bottom layer providing controlled antioxidant release through distinct bead morphology and exudate drainage; anintermediate layer of polyvinylidene fluoride/polyacrylonitrile (PVDF/PAN) enabling directional water transfer; and a hydrophilic top layer composed of polyacrylonitrile/sodium polyacrylate/anthocyanin (PAN/SPA/An) for visual monitoring of wound pH and rapid exudate absorption. The mechanisms for unidirectional water transport and pH-responsive chromatic change were systematically elucidated. Results indicated that the trilayered hierarchical nanofibrous dressing with a layer mass ratio of 1:4:4 (bottom: intermediate: top) exhibited optimal unidirectional water transport performance, achieving a unidirectional transport index of 1325%. It also showed a sustained CUR release profile, with a cumulative release of 66.35% over 60 h, and retained excellent antioxidant activity with a DPPH radical scavenging efficiency of 98.9%. Furthermore, the dressing displayed pronounced color transitions across a broad pH range of 1–12. This work presents a multifunctional wound dressing with promising potential for postoperative care and wound therapy.

Carbon support engineering is used to improve mass transport and long-term durability in proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) catalyst layers. This perspective reviews structural design approaches such as hierarchical pore architectures and graphitized core-shell composites, as well as surface functionalization with heteroatoms including N, F, and Br. These strategies are discussed in relation to oxygen and proton transport resistance, three-phase boundary formation, and ionomer distribution. Mechanistic insights from in situ characterization and modeling are used to connect carbon morphology and interfacial chemistry to carbon corrosion pathways and stability under electrochemical operation. This perspective provides a rationale for selecting support structures and functional groups to mitigate corrosion while maintaining efficient transport, supporting the development of scalable high-performance PEMFC systems.

Metal-cation-free CO2 electroreduction (CO2R) in strong acidic media mitigates CO2 reactant losses, eliminates the risk of metal salt precipitation, and broadens device tolerance compared to acidic, neutral, or alkaline system using metal cations. However, such an acidic environment still poses challenges due to the inert and nonpolar nature of CO2 and intensely competitive hydrogen evolution reaction. Inspired by aquaporins in acidophiles, we engineer sharp-triangle Au nanostructures capped with a hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) layer enriched with cationic sites. The intense local electric fields generated by the high-curvature tips of Au nanocatalyst polarize CO2 molecules, increasing their dipole moment to facilitate adsorption and activation. Meanwhile, the CTAC layer acts as a proton barrier, suppressing HER by mimicking the proton-blocking mechanism of aquaporins. This dual-function design enables continuous CO2R for 100 hours in a flow electrolyzer at pH 1.0, achieving an energy efficiency of 60% and near-unity Faradaic efficiency for CO production. This bioinspired strategy represents a significant advancement in CO2R technology by integrating rational catalyst design principles.

Precise engineering of single-atom catalysts (SACs) with hierarchical porous structures and optimized mass/charge transfer properties is crucial for advancing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Herein, we present a novel molten salt-assisted pyrolysis strategy that employs a "dimensional reduction and pore creation" approach to exfoliate threedimensional (3D)-metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) into three-dimensional porous carbon nanosheets doped with single-atom Fe, resulting in Fe SACs supported on hierarchical porous nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe SA@HPNC). The molten salt treatment simultaneously induces exfoliation and etching, resulting in a hierarchical porous structure with both micropores and mesopores, and a remarkably high specific surface area of 919.5 m2g-1. The twodimensional nanosheet structure enhances the anchoring of Fe by exposing more surface micropores, which reduces Fe being deeply buried in internal micropores and improves oxygen accessibility and mass/charge transfer efficiency. The Fe SA@HPNC demonstrates excellent ORR performance with a half-wave potential of 0.90 V and a kinetic current density of 19.9 mAcm-2. When applied as the cathode in PEMFCs, the Fe SA@HPNC-based cell achieves a remarkable maximum power density of 900 mWcm-2. Distribution of relaxation times analysis further reveals that the exfoliated catalyst exhibits enhanced ORR kinetics and reduced oxygen transport resistance.

Hierarchically structured nanofibrous membrane with high efficiency, low resistance, and unidirectional moisture transport property was constructed by electrospinning. The effect of PU concentration, PVA/PU mass ratio and SiO2 content on morphology, filtration performance and moisture transport performance was studied. The results show that when the PU concentration is 14

The primary aim of this study was to devise an efficient and environmentally eco-friendly alternative technology to traditional hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) fabric bleaching, while also introducing a novel bleaching mechanism. Initially, K-doped g-C3N4 was synthesized and subsequently employed in a photocatalytic bleaching fabric system based on H2O2 ready-to-use process. Results revealed that the impressive fabric whiteness values were achieved with an obvious reduced additives and lower temperatures contrasted with traditional H2O2 bleaching methods. And the K doping content played pivotal role in influencing H2O2 yields and fabric whiteness. Remarkably, unlike the degradation of free mulberry, the removal on cotton fabrics shows an induction period.& sdot;O2-and H2O2 were found as primary species responsible for fabric whitening, rather than active ingredients derived from H2O2 decomposition, which differs from conventional bleaching mechanism. Consequently, this study offers a fresh perspective on the promising path towards green and efficient fabric bleaching method, ultimately contributing to a cleaner production in the printing and dyeing industry.

In this study, a functional nanofibrous membrane with a core-shell structure was constructed by coaxial electrostatic spinning and used to encapsulate the high-boiling spice, 2-phenylethylpyrazine (2-PEP). The shell material was polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and the core material was self-synthesized 2-PEP with high purity verified by 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The thermal stability and release kinetics of the membranes were modulated by the introduction of pristine hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), exfoliated h-BN (EBN), and dopamine-functionalized h-BN (MEBN) into PVDF. The SEM and TEM characterization showed that the prepared MEBN presented a highly homogeneous dispersion on the fiber surface, effectively constructing a continuous heat transfer network. Compared with pure PVDF fibers, the thermal equilibrium time of the MEBN-enhanced nanofiber membrane was shortened from 293 to 118 s, and the release rate of the flavor increased from 12% to 73.3% at 50 degrees C, which resulted in a faster response and higher release efficiency. The optimized nanofiber membrane has a water contact angle of 135.3 degrees, ensuring moisture resistance in humid environments. The material demonstrates superior controlled release capability and environmental adaptability in encapsulating high boiling point fragrances and highlights the potential application of functional nanofiber membranes in the tobacco industry.

Household textiles such as anti-bug curtains and car seat cushions with fragrance-controlled release properties and temperature regulation have become increasingly popular with the improvement of living standards and health awareness. Microencapsulation is a common finishing method for functional textiles. However, traditional microcapsules are typically designed as single-chamber systems with limited functionality, making it difficult to meet the demands of complex applications. To overcome this limitation, a novel dual-chamber microcapsule was developed, with its design taking inspiration from the lotus seedpod. Robust SiO2 nanospheres containing phase change materials were initially synthesized as Pickering emulsifiers to prepare emulsions loaded with essential oils. The melamine-formaldehyde monomers crosslinked to form the microcapsule walls under acidic conditions. Simultaneously, the SiO2 nanospheres encapsulating phase change materials were integrated into the wall structure. The encapsulation of phase change materials and essential oils within a single capsule was optimized. The dual-chamber microcapsule system manifested fragrance-controlled release and energy-storage properties concurrently. The release studies of essential oils revealed the capacity and mechanism to govern the uniform and stable release of mint oil. Even though the temperature increased by 50 degrees C, the cumulative release of oil changed by a mere 9.85 %. Moreover, the dual-chamber microcapsule system not only could adjust the material temperature, but also exhibit remarkable thermal impact resistance, and it possesses high thermal stability after 100 cycles. Subsequently, the microcapsules were applied for the functional finishing of the textile, which exhibited excellent fragrance-controlled release and thermal regulation from 30 degrees C to 70 degrees C, thereby achieving a comprehensive improvement from smell to touch. Overall, these microcapsules, characterized by their innovative design, were endowed with unique functionality, thereby presenting substantial potential for applications in smart textiles.

Alkaline anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWE) are promising for clean hydrogen production, yet encounter challenges such as low efficiency and instability at high current densities. Herein, an efficient Ru‐based catalyst with a dual‐site architecture (Ru NC/Ru SA –N 2 O 2 ) is reported, for boosting HER in practical AEMWE. The optimized Ru SA –N 2 O 2 sites engineer dynamic H migration pathways that effectively alleviate the strong H* adsorption around Ru clusters, reaching rapid H* desorption. This unique dual‐site configuration enables the construction of successive channels of H combination between H* from Ru clusters and Ru SA ‐N 2 O 2 sites, avoiding the over‐adsorption of H* and the overlay of Ru clusters. An AEMWE using Ru NC/Ru SA –N 2 O 2 (with only 80 µg Ru cm −2 ) can reach 3 A cm −2 at only 1.82 V and exhibits excellent stability for 600 h with a decay of only 30 µV h −1 (at 1 A cm −2 ). This work highlights the rational design of dual‐site architecture regulates H migration dynamics through synergistic mechanisms for activity and stability promotion in AEMWE.

Anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) is promising for clean hydrogen production, yet it encounters challenges such as inefficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics and instability under industrial‐relevant current densities. Exploring Ru‐based materials with metal‐support interaction (MSI) represents a promising strategy for developing exceptional performance of electrocatalytic water splitting. Herein, a heterojunction‐supported Ru single‐atom catalyst (Ru‐NCO/rGO) is reported with an ultrahigh Ru loading of 10.76 wt.% and RuO 3 configuration. The NiCo 2 O 4 /rGO enhances the MSI and tunes the electronic structure of Ru sites, resulting in highly efficient and stable alkaline OER performance. The Ru‐NCO/rGO exhibits a low overpotential of 219 mV at 10 mA cm −2 , superior to most currently reported Ru‐based OER catalysts. Remarkably, the AEMWE using Ru‐NCO/rGO requires only 1.89 V to deliver 1.0 A cm −2 , while maintaining stable operation for 200 h at 500 mA cm −2 . Density functional theory (DFT) reveals that the heterojunction supports can optimize the charge distribution of Ru sites, strengthen the MSI, thereby reducing the RDS energy barrier while enhancing catalytic performance.

Due to the insufficient three-phase interfaces and high oxygen transport resistance, the high intrinsic activity cannot be sufficiently utilized in practical proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The efficient transport of protons and reactants within the catalyst layers (CL) is largely influenced by the pore structure of the carbon support, hosting both metal sites and ionomers. Herein, we constructed a porous nanosheet Pt-free catalyst (FeAC-N-SC) by selecting a highly nitrogen-rich GT-18 MOF via salt template to realize the improvement of PEMFC performance. The simulation and experimental results illustrate that the microstructure can benefit the homogeneous dispersion of ionomers and facilitate oxygen mass transport in the cathode CL, ultimately achieving efficient utilization of catalytic activities. The PEMFC assembled from the FeAC-N-SC catalyst exhibited an outstanding peak power density of 1.1 W cm-2 and durability (61% power density retention after AST-30k cycles and 92% voltage retention after 100 h OCV test). DFT results demonstrated that the introduction of Fe atomic clusters can boost the intrinsic activity of ORR by regulating the electron distribution of single-atomic Fe-N4 sites. This study reveals the relationship between CL design, mass transport, and electrode microstructure, which successfully exploits the intrinsic activity of cathode catalysts and enhances the power generation capacity.

Achieving the integration of simulated flue gas catalysis with acidic eCO2RR represents a highly promising and economically viable strategy for industrialization, yet remains unexplored. Here, with the design of a nitrogen-rich conjugated framework (CAU-35), we first report the successful demonstration of highly efficient conversion of simulated flue gas to formic acid in an acidic environment, while further unveiling a novel mechanism of protonation-enhanced adsorption. Through the integrated construction of capture and catalysis, the system can achieve an unprecedented Faradaic efficiency of 96.6% for formic acid production and a remarkable single-pass conversion efficiency up to 71.4% in a flow cell, surpassing the performance of conventional alkaline systems and those utilizing pure CO2 as a feedstock. Moreover, comparative studies with the nitrogen-free analogue (CAU-7) unequivocally demonstrate that the anomalous enhancement in acidic acid stems from material protonation. Further complemented by molecular dynamics simulations, the novel mechanism is uncovered by which material protonation can enhance CO2 adsorption and catalytic performance via optimization of interfacial interaction. These fundamental insights provide critical principles for system optimization and microenvironmental design, paving the way for the practical implementation of eCO2RR technologies.

A novel tandem reaction system formed with H2O2 production and in situ fabric bleaching reaction was firstly designed and constructed with Au/TiO2 photocatalyst. Results showed H2O2 generated in situ achieved highefficiency fabric bleaching under the sunlight excitation, thus successfully constructing a ready -to -use system.center dot OH was confirmed as the main active specie in the simultaneous fabric bleaching reaction. Herein, to ensure the sufficient H2O2 production is a key factor. The different intensity of strong metal -support interaction (SMSI) was introduced into Au/TiO2 by regulating the calcination atmosphere to boost the H2O2 yield. H2/Ar calcination atmosphere imparted Au/TiO2 the SMSI effect to make H2O2 yield exceed that of counterpart under air atmosphere after 6 h of continuous reaction. The controllable capsulating overlayer on Au NPs provided relatively fewer exposed Au active sites to balance the H2O2 generation and decomposition rates, thus giving a better final yield. This work not only offer a novel path to improve H2O2 generation performance,but also propose new ideas for realizing in situ bleaching using sunlight as driving force and cleaning production of textile printing and dyeing industry.

Single atomic catalysts (SACs) offer a superior platform for studying the structure–activity relationships during electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). Yet challenges still exist to obtain well-defined and novel site configuration owing to the uncertainty of functional framework-derived SACs through calcination. Herein, a novel Bi−N 2 O 2 site supported on the (1 1 0) plane of hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) is reported directly for CO 2 RR. In flow cell, the target catalyst Bi1-HOF maintains a faradaic efficiency (FE) HCOOH of over 90 % at a wide potential window of 1.4 V. The corresponding partial current density ranges from 113.3 to 747.0 mA cm −2 . And, Bi1-HOF exhibits a long-term stability of over 30 h under a successive potential-step test with a current density of 100–400 mA cm −2 . Density function theory (DFT) calculations illustrate that the novel Bi−N 2 O 2 site supported on the (1 1 0) plane of HOF effectively induces the oriented electron transfer from Bi center to CO 2 molecule, reaching an enhanced CO 2 activation and reduction. Besides, this study offers a versatile method to reach series of M−N 2 O 2 sites with regulable metal centers via the same intercalation mechanism, broadening the platform for studying the structure–activity relationships during CO 2 RR.