Circularly polarized luminescence(CPL) materials exhibit significant potential in applications such as dynamically tunable helical structures and readily functionaliz able side chains, constitute an ideal platform for the construction of smart CPL materials. Precise control over their helical conformations and ordered self-assembly is essential for achieving high-performance CPL and functional integration. This article reviews the research progress of helical poly(3,5-disubstituted phenylacetylene) systems, with a particular emphasis on the mechanisms by which intramolecular interactions regulate helical conformations and enable reversible switching of circularly polarized and insights for establishing controllable construction routes from helical polymers to macroscopic chiral photonic functional materials. In addition, the applications of CPL-active poly(3, 5-disubstituted phenylacetylene)s in func & hybull;tional materials, such as chiral recognition and detection as well as mechanochromic fluorescence, are introduced.Finally, this article summarizes the challenges currently faced by this class of materials in terms of side-chain functional expansion, solid-state device fabrication, and comprehensive performance optimization, and offers perspectives on future development directions.

Laccase (Lac) is an ideal green oxidase for degrading acetaminophen (APAP), yet conventional immobilization on rigid carriers often compromises its activity and degradation efficiency. To this end, diamines of varying chain lengths (C2-C10) were employed as flexible spacer arms. They were first grafted onto chitosan microspheres, and laccase was subsequently immobilized via these arms to construct a diamine-based flexible spacer arm enzyme system. This system was then applied to the degradation of APAP in simulated industrial wastewater. Systematic characterization revealed that spacer arm length governs the carrier surface architecture and enables mutual size matching between laccase and the pore structure, with the intermediate length (C6) yielding optimal enzyme loading. Notably, the modulation of substrate affinity by spacer arm length proved to be substrate-dependent: affinity for ABTS increased with arm length, whereas affinity for acetaminophen (APAP) progressively declined. In simulated wastewater, the key factors influencing degradation include chloride ion concentration, pH, and p-aminophenol (PAP), which acts as a competitive inhibitor. Based on these parameters, we explored a data-driven strategy to guide spacer arm selection, thereby providing a methodological foundation for tailoring immobilized laccase systems to specific wastewater compositions.

Achieving dynamic motions in molecular crystals with both long-range displacement and precise control remains a central challenge. Herein, we report a light-driven rolling motion in twisted single crystals of 9-cyanoanthracene, representing a new motility paradigm that combines structural asymmetry with directional actuation. Under UV irradiation, straight crystals exhibit limited bending due to anisotropic lattice expansion from localized [4 + 4] photodimerization. However, when twisted into helices, they roll rapidly and directionally toward the light source. Systematic investigations reveal that rolling is driven by a transient, light-induced shift in the center of mass, which generates torque through the misalignment of gravitational and normal forces. The rolling velocity can be finely tuned through external parameters including light intensity and incidence angle, as well as internal structural features including crystal length, width, and helical pitch. While the handedness of helicity does not affect rolling velocity under unconstrained conditions, introducing a lateral constraint with a fine wire reveals a distinct helicity-dependent deflection in the rolling trajectory. Specifically, when rolling toward the light, left-handed helices consistently deviate to the right, whereas right-handed helices deviate to the left. This helicity-biased rolling arises from asymmetric contact forces during rolling and highlights the role of contact mechanics in translating structural chirality into directional motion. This work establishes rolling as a conceptually novel mode of crystal actuation, demonstrating how structural chirality and photoreactivity can be synergistically harnessed to impart directionality to dynamic motion. Our findings lay the foundation for developing advanced smart materials with complex, programmable functionalities based on molecular crystals.

Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile is considered one of the most promising cathode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries due to its high electronic conductivity, minimal polysulfide shuttling, high reversible specific capacity, and excellent cycling stability. However, its practical application is hindered by volume expansion during battery operation. To address this issue, a sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathode with a porous framework is designed via solvent/non-solvent exchange regulation, where by using high-pressure spray-assisted phase separation, an amorphous-dominated 3D interpenetrating aerogel is constructed. This architecture facilitates continuous and rapid charge transfer as well as efficient electrolyte infiltration, and the porous skeleton helps accommodate volume changes during charge-discharge cycles. As a result, the sulfurized polyacrylonitrile aerogel cathode achieves a capacity retention of over 92.3% after 700 cycles at 0.5 C and delivers an initial energy density of 790.8 Wh kg- 1 at 0.2 C. In a full-cell configuration with a prelithiated graphite anode, a reversible capacity as high as 1014 mAh g- 1 with greater than 94.8% capacity retention is maintained after 180 cycles at 0.2 C. This work highlights the importance of rational electrode microstructure engineering and provides an effective strategy for developing high-performance sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathodes in lithium-sulfur batteries.

A series of NiCrMoAl-x%AT cermet composite anti-skid coatings were prepared using plasma-enhanced high-velocity arc spraying (PE-HAS) technology, with NiCrMoAl alloy wire (2.0 mm in diameter) and AT ceramic powder (average particle size of 35 μm, consisting of Al2O3 and Ti2O3) as feedstocks, under different wire-to-powder feeding ratios. The microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and tribological performance of the coatings were comprehensively investigated. The results indicate that all composite coatings with varying ceramic contents exhibit relatively high surface roughness and a high friction coefficient. As the AT content increases, the microhardness and wear resistance of the coatings improve significantly, which is attributed to the presence of multiple locally reinforced regions composed of different forms of ceramic phases that resist abrasive action. The wear mechanisms of the coatings are identified as abrasive wear and adhesive wear, and the wear resistance mechanism is hard-phase strengthening. However, excessively high ceramic feeding rates lead to incomplete melting or rebound of the ceramic powder, resulting in a decrease in the deposition rate of the ceramic within the coating and consequently degraded coating performance. Furthermore, the unique dual feeding method promotes the formation of an in-situ bilayer structure in coatings with high ceramic content, further enhancing their wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

The two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit excellent electrical, optical, and mechanical properties. However, achieving precise control over chiral 2D materials remains a significant challenge. The present work introduces asymmetric side chain engineering to prepare the helically grooved poly(3,5-disubstituted phenylacetylene)s (PPAs), and investigates the effect of their asymmetric contour on tailoring 2D nanostructures. The post-polymerization modification of the same platform polymer was used to efficiently prepare a series of rigid helical PPAs with various lengths of alkyl side chains and the identical degrees of polymerization and distribution. Increasing asymmetry of side chains produces anisotropic hexagonal platelets with progressively high aspect ratios, while PPAs with symmetric side chains form regular 2D hexagonal sheets. Notably, the largest side chain asymmetry generates supramolecular structures with distinct chiral vortices. The computational simulations have also been performed to further elucidate the different self-assembly mechanisms of polymers. All 2D assemblies exhibit significantly enhanced circularly polarized luminescence compared to discrete polymer solutions. This work establishes side chain asymmetry as a crucial factor for programming supramolecular chirality and opens new avenues for developing advanced chiroptical materials.

Dynamic regulation of polymer solution phase behavior with real-time reversibility remains challenging. Here, we report a light-responsive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) system that enables reversible switching between linear and cyclic topologies, allowing continuous modulation of thermally induced phase transitions. Linear PEG functionalized with styrylpyrene end groups undergoes efficient intramolecular [2 + 2] photocycloaddition under visible light to form cyclic polymers, while UV irradiation restores the linear precursor. This reversible topology interconversion allows continuous tuning of the cyclic/linear ratio. As a result, the cloud point temperature of aqueous solutions can be modulated over a wide range from 37 to 65 °C. Aggregation appears to be enhanced in linear polymers through end-group-mediated π-π stacking and intermicellar bridging, whereas it is suppressed in cyclic polymers due to topological constraints and reduced stacking interactions. This work establishes topology switching as a noninvasive strategy for dynamically regulating polymer solution thermodynamics and highlights topology as a tunable parameter for controlling thermoresponsive behavior.

Intrinsically emissive helical poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) are attractive circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials, yet their color tunability and light-harvesting capability remain limited because the emission mainly originates from the backbone excited states. Herein, we construct side-chain/backbone bichromophoric PPA systems to investigate Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and its effect on CPL performance. Using a pentafluorophenyl ester-functionalized PPA-PFP as a common precursor, planar aromatic donors, pyrene (Py) and naphthalene (Nap), and a non-coplanar donor, triphenylamine (TPA), were systematically introduced through activated-ester amidation. Py-PPA and Nap-PPA both underwent efficient donor-to-backbone energy transfer to the emissive cis-cisoid helical backbone, while Py-PPA showed a higher FRET efficiency and a much more pronounced solid-state CPL enhancement, with a ∣glum∣ value of 7×10−2 in the film. In contrast, TPA-PPA exhibited conformation-coupled FRET attenuation and emission color switching because the bulky twisted donor destabilized the cis-cisoid back-bone. Further spectroscopic and diffraction studies revealed that the superior CPL performance of Py-PPA originated from the synergistic combination of stronger pendant chiral ordering and more efficient side-chain-to-backbone energy transfer during solution aging and film formation. These results show that donor-pendant modification is an effective way to regulate FRET and CPL in intrinsically emissive PPA systems.

Heterogeneous catalytic reactions often exhibit kinetic oscillations—spontaneous, non-equilibrium phenomena occurring across various reaction systems. Despite decades of investigations, the mechanisms that initiate and sustain these oscillations remain elusive. Here we report the discovery of unexpected kinetic oscillations over Pt/CeO 2 catalysts during the competitive oxidation of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at approximately 60°C. Through operando characterization and first-principles mathematical analysis, we uncover the underlying mechanism and existence conditions of oscillations, demonstrating that these oscillations are governed by periodic cycles of ceria reduction and oxidation, gated by CO coverage on Pt. This represents the first demonstration that the reactive oxygen pool of the support can actively induce and sustain catalytic oscillations. These findings redefine metal-support synergy and provide a theoretical formalism for understanding complex non-equilibrium phenomena in heterogeneous catalysis.

Abstract Rh-mediated diazoacetate polymerization has garnered significant attention as an effective approach to obtain highly syndiotactic, completely functionalized carbon chain polymers. However, improving catalytic efficiency of the Rh complex by using readily available reagents remains challenging. Herein, we report an unprecedented catalytic system consisting of RhI(cod)Cl]2 (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) and organoamine that can polymerize various diazoacetates to afford well-defined syndiotactic polycarbenes in high yields, with large molar masses and narrow dispersities. A combination of thorough mechanistic characterization and DFT calculations reveals that the chain propagation may start with [(cod)RhI-H(NEt3)] species, formed by the oxidative addition of [(cod)RhI-Cl(NEt3)] with trace ethanol in reaction solvent and subsequent reductive β-H elimination. Optically active helical polymers also form from achiral bulky diazoacetates when enantiomerically pure amines serve as ancillary reagents. Those polymers without traditional luminophore exhibit interesting circularly polarized photoluminescence. The present work demonstrates a promising route to explore high-performance Rh-based catalysts for carbene polymerization and develop advanced functional materials.

Ethylene glycol (EG) derived from biomass and plastic wastes can serve as a sustainable H2 resource through steam reforming (HOCH2CH2OH + 2H2O ⇄ 5H2 + 2CO2). However, achieving high activity in H2 production with good selectivity toward CO2 under mild conditions poses a challenge. A thoughtful understanding of the active sites that accelerate the cleavage of the C-C bond rather than the C-O bond and the activation of the water molecule is still lacking. In this study, we developed a PtNa/γ-Mo2N catalyst that efficiently enables hydrogen production from ethylene glycol steam reforming (EGSR) reactions. This catalyst achieved outstanding H2 productivity, reaching 6000 molH2·molPt-1·h-1 at 250 °C under 10 bar with high CO2 selectivity (89%) and low CO selectivity (1%) in carbon-containing products. Comprehensive characterizations revealed the crucial role of the interface between highly dispersed Pt species and Mo2N in activating ethylene glycol and water. Additionally, sodium (Na) was found to block acidic sites, preventing the formation of side products from C-O bond cleavage, and to modulate Pt sites, enhancing the reforming process by accelerating the water gas shift reaction.

Carbon-neutral hydrogen production is of key importance for the chemical industry of the future. We demonstrate a new thermal catalytic route for the partial reforming of ethanol into hydrogen and acetic acid with near-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This reaction is enabled by a catalyst containing a high density of atomic Pt1 and Ir1 species supported on a reactive alpha-molybdenum carbide substrate, achieving a hydrogen production rate of 331.3 millimoles of hydrogen per gram catalyst per hour and an acetic acid selectivity of 84.5% at 270°C, and is therefore more energy-efficient compared with standard reforming. Techno-economic analysis of partial ethanol reforming demonstrates the potential profitability for operation at an industrial scale, presenting the opportunity to produce hydrogen and acetic acid with a substantially reduced carbon dioxide footprint.

Efficient hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) and heteroatom doping electrode materials remain a formidable challenge for advanced capacitive deionization (CDI) systems for cadmium-containing wastewater purification. This study reports the successful preparation of asymmetric CDI cathodes for the electrosorption of Cd2+ by a controlled dual-organic-salt activation strategy, and its adsorption performance and underlying mechanism were comprehensively investigated. Compared with a single K2C2O4 activation strategy, incorporating C8H16N2O6S2K2 during activation induced a chain activation-gas etching reaction, resulting in a carbon material with high heteroatom doping, exceptional specific surface area an optimized pore distribution, and abundant edge defects. Further, the optimized N, S-doped HPC2 exhibited a high specific capacitance (118 F g-1), enhanced reversibility, and efficient electron transfer, contributing to an exceptional electrochemical Cd2+ adsorption capacity (125.13 mg g-1 at 1.2 V). Meanwhile, it exhibited outstanding selectivity (Kd = 18,179 mL g-1), remarkable cycling stability (91 % retention over 20 cycles), and superior practical performance, achieving ultralow Cd2+ concentrations (<1 μg L-1) in real desulfurization wastewater via multi-stage asymmetric CDI. This work exemplifies the effectiveness of the one-step method to achieve accurate regulation of pore architecture and heteroatom co-doping, thereby providing novel insights into the mechanism of cadmium removal.

The application of aqueous zinc metal batteries is impeded by dendrite growth and rampant side reaction. Herein, a highly entangled zwitterionic hydrogel of l-carnitine/polyacrylamide is proposed for constructing the highly entangled polyacrylamide network that could form a high-speed channel for ion transport during charging and discharging processes. The interconnected polymer structure promotes uniform distribution of Zn2+, thereby effectively inhibiting dendrite formation. Furthermore, anchoring of zwitterions in zinc anodes facilitate the deposition of Zn2+. Simultaneously, coordination of carboxyl groups in zwitterion with the Zn2+ desolvates it, which helps to suppress side reactions. On the basis of uniform ions distribution and coordination of mechanism, Zn||Zn symmetric batteries exhibit 500 h of reliable plating/stripping at 8 mA cm-2. Additionally, Zn||MnO2 batteries can perform 1, 600 cycles at 0.5 A g-1. And Zn||MnO2 pouch batteries demonstrate superior energy storage under various states.

Chiral compounds play pivotal roles in modern pharmaceutical development; however, practical methods for the direct crystallization resolution of racemic compounds are still scarce, and there are also no clear guidelines available to direct this process effectively. In this contribution, we present a strategy that employs "tailor-made" polymer additives to selectively recognize racemic crystals with homochiral periodic structures, facilitating a highly efficient and convenient resolution process. For racemic crystal systems that form racemic compounds, enantiomerically enriched d-Glu (86 ee%) and d-Gln (95 ee%) have been obtained from their racemate using 1 wt % poly(epsilon-methyl acryloyl-S-lysine). The selective inhibition of both l-crystals and racemic compounds characterized by l-molecular periodic structures using "tailor-made" polymers is key to successful resolution. Additionally, the spacer length of the side group of the polymeric additives has been found to influence the resolution efficiency by modulating the adsorption strength difference between the polymer and the crystals. Our study reveals the mechanism during the resolution of racemic compounds aided by polymer additives and will provide a simple, versatile, and cost-effective approach for the direct crystallization resolution of a broad spectrum of racemic compounds.

Achieving a precise understanding of the active site structure has long been an ultimate goal in fundamental heterogeneous catalysis research, yet it remains exceptionally challenging in nanocluster catalysis. In Pt-catalyzed dehydrogenation reactions, such as cyclohexane dehydrogenation for liquid organic carriers (LOHC), previous efforts have provided valuable insights into the size effects of nanoclusters. However, the optimal geometry of the active sites has remained elusive and, at times, contradictory. In this study, we investigate the geometric effect and the active site structure in fully-exposed Pt clusters supported on ceria that exhibit superior activity in cyclohexane dehydrogenation (11.4 mol mol Pt − ¹ s − ¹), characterized by small coordination numbers, high metal utilization efficiency, and abundant convex edge sites. Through a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches, we demonstrate that the convex edge sites predominant within the fully-exposed Pt clusters outperform other active structures (e.g., terrace sites, hollow sites, etc.) in dehydrogenation reactions. These convex edge sites are not only efficient in C─H activation but, more notably, are also resistant to detrimental carbonaceous intermediates, hence enabling high and long-lived H 2 production activity.

Two-dimensional (2D) chiral materials offer exciting opportunities in sensing and catalysis, yet achieving mesoscale chirality in 2D organic assemblies remains challenging. We introduce a bioinspired strategy to fabricate 2D vortex-like platelets with mesoscale chirality from DNA-mimicking helically grooved poly(phenylacetylene) derivatives via interchain twisted coupling. By tuning assembly kinetics including solvent exchange rate and temperature, we program both the handedness and curvature of mesoscopic chirality. Theoretical simulations show that inherent chain helicity dictates twist direction, while assembly conditions govern angular magnitude. Polymers with helical grooves outperform rigid rod-like analogues: their fluted surfaces serve as stereochemical "hotspots", channeling torsional stress to enable directional coupling across the plane. Dependence of mesoscale chirality on polymer molecular weights further confirms the universality of helical-groove-driven chiral amplification. These vortex platelets exhibit enhanced circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) superior to regular achiral 2D ones. This work offers new insights into both mechanistic understanding of hierarchical chirality transfer and an engineering framework for biomimetic mesoscale chiral materials.

Natural polymers have been used as stereoselective crystallization inhibitors benefiting from their intrinsic hierarchical chirality. However, the chirality of their constituent unit is intrinsically immutable due to the natural biosynthetic origin of biopolymers, fundamentally limiting their versatility, as they cannot be synthetically inverted to target the opposite enantiomer. Herein, we designed a magnetic nanosplitter by grafting cellulose acetate phthalate onto Fe3O4 nanoparticles to selectively interact with the crystals of one enantiomer, enabling them to form magnetized crystals that can be efficiently separated from their racemic conglomerate with an external magnetic field. This approach enabled the resolution of racemic nimodipine, simultaneously yielding considerable quantities of magnetic S-crystals and nonmagnetic R-crystals. It should be mentioned that using pristine natural polymer derivatives can only obtain crystals of one enantiomer, the less pharmacologically active R-crystals. Further structural investigation revealed that the chain length of the polymer and the size of Fe3O4 nanoparticles significantly influence the resolution of the nanosplitters. When containing cellulose acetate phthalate with a molecular weight above 20 kDa and Fe3O4 cores sized between 5 and 14 nm, the optimal performance has been achieved, producing S- and R-enantiomers with 82 ee% and 92 ee%, respectively, and a combined yield of 40%. This work pioneers a magnetically driven separation strategy that can be seamlessly integrated into automated chiral separation platforms.

Fluorine/silicon-free waterborne polyacrylate/nano-ZnO composite cotton fabric coatings (EPSAs) were developed to address the potential environmental and health risks posed by traditional fluorine-containing finishing agents. A molecular bridge constructed by 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) formed a crosslinked network, promoting synergistic directional alignment of tert-butyl and long-chain alkyl groups to create a low-surface-energy chemical hydrophobic barrier. Meanwhile, the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) modified nano-ZnO not only improved the dispersibility of nano-ZnO, but also enhanced its mechanical stability through the hydrogen bonding interaction and interpenetrating network structure between PVA molecular chains and the polyacrylate main chains. Additionally, the PVA-modified nano-ZnO and polyacrylate jointly constructed a micro-nano rough structure on the fiber surface. This effectively inhibited water adsorption and enhanced impermeability. This hierarchical synergistic effect enabled the optimized EPSA4 coating membrane to achieve 5.4 % water absorption over 7 d while the coated cotton fabric demonstrated a 128 degrees water contact angle with 2.5 h effective water impermeability that remained stable after 50 washing cycles. Additionally, the coating significantly enhanced the cotton fabric's UPF value from 30.5 to 93.3 and achieved antimicrobial efficiencies of 99.98 % against Escherichia coli and 99.95 % against Staphylococcus aureus. By retaining their inherent breathability, this innovative coating system provided cotton fabrics with long-term hydrophobicity, antimicrobial functionality, and UV resistance, offering an environmentally sustainable multifunctional textile solution for applications including medical protective garments, outdoor technical textiles, and other sectors requiring integrated performance and eco-friendly characteristics.

Aside from activity and selectivity, catalyst stability is a key focus in heterogeneous catalysis research. Although sintering of metal species has been considered the primary cause for deactivation of metal catalysts, our study reveals that the loss of activity at low reaction temperatures in the CeO2-supported Pt (Pt/CeO2) catalyst in complete propane oxidation is due to the dispersion of Pt ensemble sites (nanoclusters) and their subsequent operando conversion into Pt single atoms under reaction conditions. These Pt single-atom species exhibit low reactivity and act as spectators in the low-temperature reaction region. To address this issue, we engineered the surface of CeO2 by introducing NbOx, which does not directly interact with Pt. Instead, NbOx blocks the strong binding sites for Pt on CeO2, thereby preventing Pt redispersion/fragmentation and preserving reactive Pt ensembles. This strategy led to a remarkable 37-fold increase in the reaction rate compared to the Pt/CeO2 catalyst. Our findings emphasize the importance of suppressing the formation of noble metal single-atom spectators through innovative surface engineering strategy. These mechanistic insights not only advance the understanding of the materials science of Pt/CeO2 but also extend to critical technological fields such as energy conversion systems and environmental remediation technologies.