ABSTRACT Thulium ions (Tm 3+ ) are employed to expand the luminescent properties of metal halide perovskites due to their rich array of long‐wavelength near‐infrared (NIR) luminescent energy levels. However, Tm 3+ still exhibits weak emission in double perovskites (DPs) owing to the parity‐forbidden nature of its f–f transitions, leading to poor absorption. In this study, the rare‐earth‐based DP Cs 2 NaTmCl 6 was successfully synthesized via a facile method. This material exhibits self‐sensitized NIR‐I and NIR‐II emission under its characteristic excitation. Upon introducing Sb 3+ ions, which possess strong absorption in the UV region, the NIR photoluminescence external quantum efficiency (EQE) of Cs 2 NaTmCl 6 :3% Sb 3+ reaches 21.6%. This enhancement is attributed to the presence of the 1 G 4 energy level of Tm 3+ , which acts as a bridge to efficiently transfer energy from the high‐energy states of Sb 3+ to the NIR‐emitting states of Tm 3+ . Both the pristine and Sb 3+ ‐doped Cs 2 NaTmCl 6 demonstrate excellent thermal quenching resistance. Through a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we demonstrate that the incorporation of Sb 3+ ions reduces the effective optical bandgap of the host matrix by providing additional absorption channels. Leveraging the efficient NIR luminescence, we designed an NIR night‐vision illumination and imaging system. Furthermore, exploiting the emergence of visible luminescence and the distinct NIR emission intensities before and after Sb 3+ doping, we developed a dual‐mode optical anti‐counterfeiting label. These findings provide novel design insights and inspiration for achieving NIR luminescence in rare‐earth‐based DPs.

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdWs) heterostructures have rapidly become promising platforms for advanced optoelectronic devices, mainly due to their extraordinary capability to control electronic and optical properties at atomically abrupt interfaces. However, realizing high-performance optoelectronics strongly relies on precise engineering at these interfaces to optimize charge carrier generation, transport, and extraction efficiencies. In this work, we present a comprehensive theoretical and experimental study of VP/PdSe2 vdWs heterostructure targeting photodetector. Our findings indicate that VP/PdSe2 vdWs heterostructures exhibit a type-I band alignment, enabling photodetection across the visible (VIS) to near infrared (NIR) spectral regions. By introducing graphene as a contact layer (Gr/VP/PdSe2), we significantly enhanced device performance, achieving a remarkable responsivity of 111.3 AW-1 and an external quantum efficiency of 26001%, representing an enhancement of about three orders of magnitude compared to the bare VP/PdSe2 devices. Moreover, the engineered photodetector demonstrated superior stability, maintaining consistent performance over 100 operational cycles, and an exceptionally fast photoresponse time of approximately 10 ms. Additionally, the device showed robust polarization-sensitive detection capabilities with an impressive dichroism ratio across a broad spectrum. This work paves the way to realize innovative 2D heterostructure for high-performance, multifunctional optoelectronic applications.

Laser-induced thermomagnetic gradients in ferrofluidic liquid create a photonic Curie engine that converts modest optical power into giant torque, enabling reversible rotation and guided translation of centimeter-scale floats with >10 3 payload ratios and programmable, contactless control.

With the rapid advancement of multi-dimensional detection, there is an urgent demand for next-generation polarization detectors capable of achieving high responsivity, fast speed, and strong polarization sensitivity, metrics that are typically limited by fundamental trade-offs. Two-dimensional (2D) materials offer a promising platform, yet their weak intrinsic anisotropy constrains polarization ratio (PR) and overall device performance. Here, we report a mid-infrared (MIR) polarization photovoltage field-effect transistor (PPFET) based on black phosphorus/molybdenum disulfide (BP/MoS2) heterostructures that combines polarization detection and amplification within a single architecture. By exploiting gate-tunable transconductance in the linear amplification region, the device achieves a PR up to 510 via a "stretching" mechanism, while maintaining a polarization angle sensitivity (PAS) up to ~46.57 mA/(W·degree) and response times down to ~0.8 μs under 3.5 μm illumination. This combination of high polarization sensitivity, responsivity, and speed establishes PPFETs as a powerful platform for high-performance MIR polarization detection and paves the way for compact, high-precision imaging systems.

ABSTRACT Direct electrochemical conversion of industrial flue gas offers a promising route to carbon neutrality, but it remains limited by trace sulfur dioxide (SO 2 , 10–400 ppm) impurities. These impurities cause rapid catalyst deactivation, particularly under the high reaction rates required for industrial application. Here, we introduce a hydrophobic molecular gate strategy to decouple impurity transport from catalyst deactivation. By regulating the interfacial water solvation structure and proton transfer pathways, this design creates a water‐deficient regime to lock the kinetic switch. As a result, SO 2 is isolated from the hydrogen‐mediated reduction, while the transient water required for efficient CO 2 conversion is preserved. When paired with a lattice‐strained copper catalyst, this architecture allows a scaled‐up 100 cm 2 membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to operate at a total current of 20 A for over 120 h, maintaining an ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) Faradaic efficiency (FE) >56% in simulated flue gas.

Nonradiative electron-hole recombination driven by nonadiabatic coupling (NAC) between band-edge states is the primary bottleneck limiting carrier lifetime and thus the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of photovoltaic and photocatalytic materials. In this work, we demonstrate that NAC in lead-free Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) perovskites can be substantially reduced by identifying and suppressing the electron-phonon (e-ph) coupling in the specific atomic layer that contributes most strongly to carrier recombination, which we term the target layer. Taking Y2Ti2O5S2 as a model system, we show that its rock-salt [Y2S2]2+ layer is the dominant source of e-ph coupling. By tuning the spatial distribution of the band-edge states to eliminate their overlap within this target layer, the NAC of Ti-based (and Zr-based) RP perovskites is reduced to 0.18 meV, comparable to that of lead halide perovskites (0.16 meV). Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) simulations yield a carrier lifetime of ∼0.8 μs for the designed material Ba3Zr2O5S2 at room temperature, surpassing that of c-CsPbI3 (∼0.4 μs). This strategy of controlling NAC through target-layer engineering provides new insight into carrier dynamics and offers a practical guideline for designing lead-free perovskites with improved PCE.

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdWs) heterostructures offer a versatile platform where engineered interlayer coupling enables optical processes beyond those of individual materials. Their atomically sharp interfaces support charge-transfer states, directional carrier transport, and broadband light-matter interactions, making them promising for advanced optoelectronics. However, the role of interlayer charge-transfer states in mid-infrared (MIR) photodetection remains insufficiently understood. Here, we demonstrate that a vertically stacked SnS2/InSe vdWs heterostructure enables an interlayer charge-transfer process that extends the photodetection range to 2500 nm, surpassing the intrinsic absorption limits of the constituent layers. The device achieves a high responsivity of 281 A W-1 and an external quantum efficiency of 62,360.6% at 532 nm, representing enhancements of up to 104 compared to individual SnS2 and InSe devices. Density functional theory calculations reveal a reduced interlayer bandgap of 0.55 eV, which is consistent with the experimentally observed photoresponse measured up to 2500 nm. The device also exhibits polarization sensitivity, with a dichroic ratio of 1.35 at 1064 nm, and maintains stable operation under repeated 100th cycling. These results highlight the potential of SnS₂/InSe vdWs heterostructures for broadband and MIR photodetection driven by interlayer charge-transfer states.

Additive manufacturing (AM) holds promise for fabricating complex structural components, but metallurgical defects generated during deposition remain a major hurdle. Particularly lacking is a detailed understanding of how internal defects evolve and close under post-processing thermo-mechanical treatment. In this work, the defect closure behavior in AMed Ti-6Al-4V after hot compression and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) treatment was studied using industrial X-ray computed tomography (CT) and finite element (FE) simulations. The effect of defects on the evolution of their nearby microstructures was also discussed. Results show that defects follow distinct closure pathways under the two methods, i.e. spherical defects-* flattened into ellipsoidal voids-* closure-* welding during hot compression, and spherical defect-* shrinkage-* collapse-* closure-* welding during HIP. From CT and FE data, we determine a critical true strain of 0.4 in hot compression is sufficient for defect elimination. Stress-strain heterogeneity is pronounced near defects, and microstructure differs markedly between defective and defect-free zones. After hot compression, defective regions show a mixed microstructure while defect-free regions form a basket-weave microstructure. After HIP, defective zones evolve to a fully equiaxed microstructure, while defect-free regions retain a basket-weave morphology. The disparities stem from different recrystallization mechanisms, dynamic recrystallization in hot compression versus creep recrystallization in HIP. This work fills a knowledge gap in how defects close under thermal deformation in AMed Ti alloys and offers practical insights for optimizing post-processing routes to improve AM quality.

The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency by water splitting is limited by Coulomb attraction-driven charge recombination and sluggish surface reaction kinetics. The built-in electric field generated by heterojunctions has a limited range and weak intensity, rendering it ineffective in addressing the recombination of bulk-phase photogenerated carriers. Here, we propose a strategy to induce a polarization electric field by enhancing polyhedral distortion in non-centrosymmetric semiconductors via surface perturbation effect. Specifically, electronegative metal element Cu and non-metal coordination element P are introduced to form a strongly electronegative unit, which amplifies the intrinsic piezoelectric polarization of hexagonal CdS by enhancing the lattice distortion of [CdS₄] polyhedra (distortion index, D=4.24×10⁻²). The resultant CP@PEF/CdS photocatalyst achieves an exceptional hydrogen evolution rate of 290.8 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ and an apparent quantum efficiency of 76.8% at 420 nm. Experimental and DFT analyses confirm that the enhanced performance originates from the optimized charge-transfer dynamics (τv=0.63 ns) and surface thermodynamics (ΔGH*=0.025 eV) enabled by the strengthened polarization electric field (μ=0.5499 e·Å) and the directional Cd–S–Cu–P electron transfer channel. This study proposes a new strategy—"polarization-field engineering via perturbation effect"—for designing high-performance non-Pt photosystem, which can be extended to a variety of non-centrosymmetric semiconductors.

Fluidic oscillation and flow bistability-classical signatures of nonlinear fluid dynamics-typically occur at high Reynolds numbers, whereas the Rosensweig instability, manifested as spike formation on a ferrofluid surface under a magnetic field, reflects a static nonlinear phenomenon. Here, we report oscillation and bistable rotation of ferrofluid spikes under continuous-wave laser excitation. Enabled by Marangoni instability, local laser heating causes a single spike to vanish or to oscillate around the laser spot like a pendulum. For two or more spikes, the pattern undergoes steady clockwise or counterclockwise rotation, depending on the laser position. A brief puff of air or a gentle drag with a tip in the opposite direction can reverse the rotation direction. These behaviors arise from symmetry breaking and asymmetric thermomagnetic forces. Single spike oscillation results from the breaking of axial symmetry of the magnetic field, whereas multispike rotation occurs even in a perfectly axisymmetric field through spontaneous symmetry breaking of the coupled magnetic-field-ferrofluid-laser system. The two rotation directions constitute bistable states separated by an energy barrier, analogous to deformable mechanical systems that switch states under external perturbations. Our findings provide a simple, reconfigurable platform for exploring nonlinear fluid dynamics at low Reynolds numbers and open opportunities in optofluidics and soft robotics.

ABSTRACT Self‐powered vector angle sensors with ultrahigh durability, high precision, and directional recognition are critical for digital twin applications. Current research, however, primarily focuses on achieving simultaneous detection of rotation angle and direction, often compromise durability and accuracy. Here, we present a non‐contact self‐powered vector angle sensor (NCSP‐VAS) that overcomes this trade‐off by incorporating a bidirectional ratchet mechanism and a freestanding triboelectric layer structure. The NCSP‐VAS simultaneously monitors rotation direction and angle with exceptional durability (>10 7 cycles, ≈3300 h) and high precision (2°resolution). Unlike conventional methods that require complex signal processing, our design determines direction via signal‐source analysis and derives the angle from pulse counting. As a result, we demonstrate real‐time human joint motion tracking for somatosensory virtual reality (VR) control, as well as integration into steering systems for concurrent virtual driving simulation and detection of unsafe maneuvers (e.g., abrupt steering). These applications highlight the NCSP‐VAS's dual functionality as a biological motion monitor and an interactive control interface, underscoring its potential for digital twin and next‐generation VR/augmented reality (AR) systems.

While morphological control in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been widely explored, the extension of this concept to compositional engineering and precise anisotropic growth in high-entropy systems has only recently emerged. Herein, we present the first synthesis of one-dimensional single-crystal HE-MOF-74 nanorods (comprising Co, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Mo) via a dual strategy, where zinc-directed anisotropic growth occurs exclusively on a graphene oxide support. In situ Raman spectroscopy combined with molecular probe electroanalysis and DFT analysis reveal two simultaneous catalytic pathways. (i) The oxophilic Mo promotes the adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM) with Ni centers (Ni-Ni*-Mo), (ii) Zn enhances the covalency of the M-O bonds, specifically favoring Fe-O/Co-O covalency to activate the lattice-oxygen-mediated mechanism (Co/Fe-O*-Zn). This synergistic dual-pathway mechanism in the HE-MOF nanorod is directly responsible for the exceptional electrocatalytic performance, which includes an ultralow OER overpotential of 220 mV and remarkable stability sustained for 250 h at a high current density of 100 mA cm-2. It also demonstrates superior performance for urea (UOR, 1.32 V at 10 mA cm-2), ethanol (EOR, 1.31 V at 10 mA cm-2), and methanol (MOR, 1.355 V at 10 mA cm-2) oxidation reactions, significantly outperforming its lower-entropy counterparts. This work demonstrates how Zn ions, supported by graphene oxide, play a crucial role in directing anisotropic growth in high-entropy systems, while simultaneously activating dual-mechanistic pathways to synergistically enhance multianodic reactions.

Quasi-solid/solid-state sulfur redox reactions critically determines the electrochemical stability of room-temperature sodium‑sulfur (Na-S) batteries, yet the field still lacks comprehensive and profound understanding of underlying mechanisms. This directly contributes to ambiguous interpretation of fundamental electrochemical principles as well as substantial obstacles to performance breakthroughs and practical applications of Na-S batteries. In this critical review, we comprehensively present deep understanding of quasi-solid/solid-state sulfur redox reactions in Na-S batteries. First of all, the differences of various sulfur redox reaction mechanisms are analyzed with a focus on their formation origins a and behavior characteristics. Following by it, the fundamental principles and methodologies of designing quasi-solid/solid-state sulfur redox reactions are elaborated, especially emphasizing their correlation to materials, electrolytes, and interfaces. Then, we systematically discuss how to kinetically manipulate quasi-solid/solid-state sulfur conversion in Na-S batteries. Finally, reasonable perspectives are offered to guide future development of Na-S batteries.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to investigate the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) on a series of metal-embedded Co6Te8(PH3)5 chalcogenide clusters, incorporating transition metals and f-block elements including Ti (3d), Zr (4d), Hf (5d), Ce (4f/5d), and Th (5f/6d). Structural modifications introduced by metal embedding were found to effectively tune the electronic structure, thereby altering the reactivity of the host cluster. Subsequently the interplay between f and d orbitals was systematically analyzed to reveal its role in modulating catalytic activity. Among all candidates, Ce@Co6Te8(PH3)5 exhibits the lowest endothermic energy along the CO2RR pathway, suggesting its superior catalytic performance. This behavior arises from the unique participation of Ce 4f states, which enhance both π* antibonding population and Pauli repulsion at the Co-CO interface. These two effects jointly weaken the net interaction, making CO desorption most favorable on Ce@cage and thereby accelerating the catalytic cycle. Additionally, 4f electron localization narrows the HOMO-LUMO energy gap, further increasing the electronic reactivity of the cluster. These findings highlight 4f electron localization as a key descriptor for designing high-performance molecular catalysts based on chalcogenide clusters.

Thulium ions (Tm3+) are employed to expand the luminescent properties of metal halide perovskites due to their rich array of long-wavelength near-infrared (NIR) luminescent energy levels. However, Tm3+ still exhibits weak emission in double perovskites (DPs) owing to the parity-forbidden nature of its f-f transitions, leading to poor absorption. In this study, the rare-earth-based DP Cs2NaTmCl6 was successfully synthesized via a facile method. This material exhibits self-sensitized NIR-I and NIR-II emission under its characteristic excitation. Upon introducing Sb3+ ions, which possess strong absorption in the UV region, the NIR photoluminescence external quantum efficiency (EQE) of Cs2NaTmCl6:3% Sb3+ reaches 21.6%. This enhancement is attributed to the presence of the 1G4 energy level of Tm3+, which acts as a bridge to efficiently transfer energy from the high-energy states of Sb3+ to the NIR-emitting states of Tm3+. Both the pristine and Sb3+-doped Cs2NaTmCl6 demonstrate excellent thermal quenching resistance. Through a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we demonstrate that the incorporation of Sb3+ ions reduces the effective optical bandgap of the host matrix by providing additional absorption channels. Leveraging the efficient NIR luminescence, we designed an NIR night-vision illumination and imaging system. Furthermore, exploiting the emergence of visible luminescence and the distinct NIR emission intensities before and after Sb3+ doping, we developed a dual-mode optical anti-counterfeiting label. These findings provide novel design insights and inspiration for achieving NIR luminescence in rare-earth-based DPs.

Energy-induced peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation offers a green approach for pollutant degradation, yet conventional activation approaches suffer from relatively low activation efficiency. In this study, a magnetic microreactor (Fe3O4/C-mPDA@SiO2) with an Fe species-doped carbonized mesoporous polydopamine core and a thermally insulating mesoporous SiO2 shell was designed and constructed. With the integrated capability to perform photothermal conversion, provide thermal confinement, resist interference, and allow magnetic recycling, this microreactor enables efficient PDS activation for the highly effective degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). This microreactor was fabricated via an interfacial self-assembly combined with a two-step reduction strategy. Compared with Fe3O4/C-mPDA (which possesses a mesoporous core but lacks a SiO2 mesoporous shell), the material exhibits superior anti-interference capability via a size-exclusion effect. In contrast to Fe3O4/C-PDA@SiO2 (featuring a mesoporous shell yet without a mesoporous core), it demonstrates an enhanced spatial confinement effect due to the existence of radial mesopores in the core. Compared to water bath heating, the NIR light-induced heating strategy within the mesoconfined space of the Fe3O4/C-mPDA@SiO2 shell achieved 5.5 times increase in RhB degradation rate. The microreactor also exhibited excellent reusability and recyclability, demonstrating its potential for efficient and sustainable catalytic applications. This study provides important insights for the design of nanoconfined photothermal microreactors for the highly efficient activation of PDS.

Near-infrared spin-light-emitting diodes (NIR-Spin-LEDs), which generate circularly polarized light, offer opportunities for applications such as biomedicine. However, the longest reported emission wavelength of NIR-Spin-LEDs remains limited to 782 nm, making spin-polarized electroluminescence beyond 800 nm challenging. Here we show NIR-Spin-LEDs based on a mixed-dimensional tin-based perovskite heterostructure incorporating chiral R/S-α-methylbenzylammonium (R/S-MBA+) spacer cations. The low-dimensional phases induced by R/S-MBA+ provide chiroptical activity, while three-dimensional FA0.9Cs0.1SnI3 domains serve as the near-infrared emissive centers. Controlled crystallization produces a cypress-leaf-like morphology that promotes carrier confinement and improves charge-injection balance. The resulting devices exhibit electroluminescence peaking at 905 nm, with an external quantum efficiency of 7.8% and a maximum electroluminescence dissymmetry factor (gEL) of 5.5 × 10-2. This work extends spin-polarized electroluminescence into the deep near-infrared region and provides a strategy for developing lead-free NIR-Spin-LEDs.

Developing ice-resistant, multifunctional fabrics for cold, humid environments remains challenging, particularly in achieving high photothermal efficiency, superhydrophobicity, bacterial anti-adhesion, and mechanical durability without compromising breathability and flexibility. Herein, we report a titanium diboride @ silver (TiB2@Ag) composite coating deposited on a nonwoven fabric via a simple dip-coating approach for photothermally driven anti-icing and de-icing performances at low temperatures. The resulting coating surface exhibits hierarchical micro-nanostructured asperities, formed by TiB2 nanosheets decorated with Ag nanoparticles within a hydrophobic polymer matrix, imparting an excellent anti-wetting surface (water contact angle >160 degrees). The incorporation of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles, combined with strong broadband solar absorption (>90% across 300-2500 nm), synergistically enhances the photothermal conversion performance. Therefore, the functional fabrics show a substantial freezing delay (similar to 612 s) and rapid de-icing at -20 degrees C within 83.2 s, achieving a de-icing efficiency of 72%. Under 1 sun irradiation, the surface temperature rises to similar to 79 degrees C within 600 s. The coating also demonstrates excellent bacterial anti-adhesion ability (>= 90% reduction against E. coli and S. aureus) with minimal cytotoxicity (>99% cell viability). Importantly, the coated fabrics retain superhydrophobicity (>155 degrees) after repeated sandpaper abrasion and washing cycles, indicating strong coating durability. This fabric exhibits appreciable mechanical resilience (32 MPa at 20% strain, stable after 300 bending cycles) and chemical stability while maintaining flexibility and air permeability for long-term durability. This work provides an effective strategy for designing durable multifunctional textiles with enhanced photothermal anti-icing/de-icing performance for operation in cold environments.

Spatial chirality programming in plasmonic nanostructures is essential to overcome fundamental limitations of conventional chiral photonics, yet persistent symmetry constraints intrinsically restrict programmable chiroptical control. Here, we employ DNA origami to construct hybrid plasmonic systems integrating gold nanocubes (NCs) or nanospheres (NSs) with nanorods (NRs). We demonstrate that NC-NR hybrids exhibit robust, angle-tunable (theta) 3D circular dichroism (3D-CD) responses featuring reversible sign inversion, whereas geometrically isotropic NS-NR counterparts show negligible chirality. This chiral mechanism arises from wavelength-dependent phase reversal and incident-direction-encoded coupling of plasmon modes, where the longitudinal and transverse modes of the nanorods hybridize with multiple nanocube modes, collectively governing the dual-band (680 and 540 nm) 3D-CD responses. This work establishes and validates a programmable platform for spatial chiroptical engineering.