This study demonstrates a laser-driven precision manufacturing approach for tunable wettability surfaces by direct conversion of polyimide films into laser-induced graphene (LIG) with hierarchical microstructures. By precisely controlling Ytterbium fiber laser parameters, the reversible transition between superhydrophilic (contact angle approximate to 15 degrees) and superhydrophobic (contact angle approximate to 155 degrees, hysteresis < 5 degrees) states is achieved. Comprehensive characterizations reveal that the non-monotonic wettability transition results from the synergistic evolution of carbonization degree, surface chemistry, and hierarchical roughness. The grid-like LIG structures fabricated at 70 W power exhibited optimal superhydrophobicity due to their unique combination of high sp(2) carbon content, minimal oxygen content, moderate surface roughness (Sa = 15.27 mu m), high fractal dimension (Df = 2.35), and optimal feature aspect ratio (1:4.2). The process exhibited excellent reproducibility (contact angle standard deviation <+/- 2 degrees across 10 samples) and environmental stability (contact angle remained >150 degrees after 30 days of ambient exposure). This approach enables rapid, mask-free fabrication of functional surfaces with tunable wettability for applications in anti-icing, liquid transport, and microfluidic devices.

This review outlines advances in material and flexible generator strategies enabling sustainable power from water evaporation for next-generation self-powered flexible electronics.

The growing demand for integrated temperature-pressure sensing in human-machine interaction and health monitoring makes smart textiles an ideal medium due to their comfort, breathability, and flexibility. However, a key challenge is finding a reliable method to integrate high-performance dual-mode sensors into textile substrates while ensuring effective signal decoupling. Herein, a flexible, ultrathin, and signal-decoupled temperature-pressure dual-mode sensing electronic textile is proposed. The resistive temperature sensing unit utilizes a multi-stage phase transition mechanism to achieve an ultrahigh temperature coefficient of resistance (up to 125.9%/degrees C) and a broad temperature sensing range (0 degrees C-50 degrees C). The capacitive pressure sensing unit exhibits high sensitivity (up to 62.3 kPa-1) and rapid pressure response and recovery times (30 ms/60 ms). By integrating machine learning algorithms, precise recognition of different objects being grasped is achieved. Furthermore, through the fabrication of a sensor array, spatial mapping of pressure and temperature distributions on a simulated body surface is successfully realized, offering a promising route toward developing versatile health-monitoring platforms.

Micro-nano structures were fabricated on photovoltaic glass surfaces by femtosecond laser technology. As a result, superhydrophobicity was significantly enhanced. Broad application prospects were demonstrated, including dust removal at photovoltaic power stations and self-cleaning of module components. Two key scientific issues are addressed in the study: the achievement of superhydrophobic surfaces on photovoltaic glass through femtosecond laser texturing, and the dust-carrying motion behavior of droplets. The impact and dustcarrying motion processes of droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces were systematically observed and analyzed. The influences of surface characteristics, droplet volume, and falling height on droplet dynamic behavior were revealed. The correlation between the maximum spreading diameter (Dmax) and dynamic wetting characteristics was clarified. Quantitative relationships were established among the number of droplet bounces, the maximum bounce height (Hmax) of satellite droplets, and energy conversion. Accordingly, corresponding relationships were constructed among the spreading diameter, bounce height, and dust-carrying capacity of droplets. A comprehensive performance evaluation system for superhydrophobic photovoltaic surfaces was established, covering key indicators such as wettability, droplet dynamic behavior, mechanical durability, thermal stability, and light transmittance. The measured stable contact angle was 157 degrees, light transmittance reached 87.4%, and the long-term operating temperature limit was 350 degrees C. The study holds significant scientific value for understanding the femtosecond laser precision etching mechanism and for addressing self-cleaning technical bottlenecks in photovoltaic power stations. Technical support is also provided for energy conservation and consumption reduction, thereby contributing to the "dual carbon" goals.

Self-healing polyurethanes (SHPUs) are characterized by high structural tunability, flexible dynamic bond construction, and excellent compatibility between mechanical and functional properties. As a result, they exhibit promising potential for a wide range of applications, including smart coatings, flexible sensors, wearable electronics, and information anti-counterfeiting. However, most currently reported SHPUs still rely on single-stimulus-triggered healing patterns, which often suffers from harsh activation conditions, limited spatial selectivity, low energy efficiency, and poor adaptability to complex environments. Multi-stimulus synergistic strategies have recently emerged as a promising route to overcome these limitations by coordinating healing processes across temporal, spatial, and energetic dimensions. In this review, recent advances in multi-stimulus synergistic SHPUs are systematically summarized and classified into three core mechanistic patterns, including sequential triggering, synchronous enhancement, and hybrid synergistic mechanisms. The hybrid synergistic mechanism combines the features of sequential triggering and synchronous enhancement. The sequential triggering mechanism includes representative paradigms such as location-healing, preconditioning-healing, and shape-memory-assisted self-healing. The synchronous enhancement mechanism is mainly represented by light-heat, electro-heat, and magneto-heat coupling. Further discussion covers applications of the relevant systems in intelligent protective coatings, flexible sensors and wearable electronics, and information storage and anti-counterfeiting fields. Finally, current challenges and future opportunities are highlighted, with particular emphasis placed on expanding stimulus combinations, establishing general mechanistic criteria, standardizing evaluation methods, and advancing device-level integration.

In this work, a hybrid filler g-C3N4@TiO2 consisting of g-C3N4 and TiO2 was prepared by an in situ surface growth strategy. The hybrid was then incorporated into ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) by melt compounding to improve wear resistance. The morphology observation revealed that 3 wt% g-C3N4@TiO2 could uniformly disperse in the UHMWPE matrix without visible aggregates. The UHMWPE composites containing g-C3N4@TiO2 exhibited enhanced thermal stability, crystallinity as well as storage modulus. The tribological tests demonstrated that the UHMWPE composite containing 3 wt% g-C3N4@TiO2 achieved the lowest coefficient of friction (0.162) and a significantly reduced wear rate (3.27 & times; 10-6 mm3/N & centerdot;m). These values represented reductions of 28.0% and 47.9%, respectively, compared to pure UHMWPE. The surface analysis confirmed that the presence of g-C3N4 and TiO2 had good synergistic effects on the formation of a continuous, compact tribofilm, which effectively reduced direct contact and abrasive wear. The improved tribological behavior is ascribed to the layered g-C3N4 contributed lubrication through interlayer shearing, while TiO2 nanoparticles enhanced the mechanical strength and wear resistance of the tribofilm, ensuring its durability under sliding conditions. This work offers a feasible way to develop hybrid additives for UHMWPE composites with low coefficient of friction and good wear resistance.

Abstract The performance of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is frequently limited by issues such as low strength and wear resistance. Inspired by the hierarchical structure of crab legs, this study develops a hybrid fiber filler designed to synergistically enhance the tribological and mechanical properties of UHMWPE composites. The filler (PBO@PDA@ZnO) architecture utilizes poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers as a rigid structural skeleton, employs polydopamine (PDA) as a functional intermediate layer, and incorporates uniformly loaded zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on the surface to create a “rigid skeleton-functional particle” system. The results indicate that the PBO@PDA@ZnO hybrid filler significantly optimizes both mechanical and tribological performance. Specifically, the UHMWPE composite reinforced with 1 wt % filler exhibits the best overall performance, with the elongation at break increasing from 650% to 850% while simultaneously improving tensile strength. Furthermore, under both low and high load conditions, the friction coefficient of the UHMWPE composite is all reduced by over 60%, and the wear rate is decreased by an order of magnitude, with the lowest value reaching 8.46 × 10–7 mm3/N·m. This superior performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of fiber reinforcement, stable transfer film formation, and the “micro-bearing” rolling effect of the ZnO nanoparticles. This study provides a biomimetic strategy for the fabrication of high-performance self-lubricating UHMWPE composites.

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide, leads to chronic pain and reduced mobility, for which total joint arthroplasty remains the definitive and most effective treatment. Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been the most widely used bearing material in artificial joints owing to its excellent tribological properties and biocompatibility. However, the long-term clinical outcome of this treatment is limited by the wear-induced failure of UHMWPE implants. Inspired by the natural joint's lubrication mechanism, a bulk grafting modification strategy was adopted to fabricate a bio-lubricating UHMWPE composite with an extended service life. Hydrophilic anionic polymer brushes poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt) (PSPMK) were grafted onto UHMWPE powder via photo-induced polymerization, while halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were similarly modified to enhance dispersion and interfacial synergy. The composite with 1 wt % modified HNTs exhibited a remarkably low coefficient of friction (0.012) and wear rate (8.98 × 10-7 mm3·N-1·m-1), representing reductions of 52.9% and 66.2%, respectively, compared to pristine UHMWPE. Mechanical properties, including compressive strength, modulus, and hardness, were also improved due to the reinforcing effect of well-dispersed HNTs. The integrated PSPMK brushes embedded throughout the bulk material ensure persistent hydration lubrication even after surface wear. This work provides a promising material design for next-generation long-lasting artificial joints with combined high strength and superior lubrication.

How to develop a unified manufacturing strategy that can achieve high-speed and low-cost production while ensuring the physical and electrical independence between functional components to build high-performance flexible electrical systems remains a challenge. Herein, a fabrication method of screen printing is introduced to enable the preparation and interconnection of flexible zinc-silver batteries and pressure sensors. The introduction of a mild electrolyte of ZnCl2 reduces the cathode dissolution, thereby enhancing the stability and reliability of the battery system. Moreover, the hierarchical structure of the sensing layer introduced by screen printing, combined with interdigital electrodes (IDEs) printed on rough paper, forms a multi-scale hierarchical pressure sensor. The contact resistance at different scales varied during compression, significantly enhancing the sensitivity of the printed pressure sensor (413.03 kPa-1). Furthermore, integrating the printed battery with the pressure sensor to assemble an integrated sensing-energy system enables gesture monitoring and recognition. Leveraging the independent operation of the two devices, the scalability of screen printing, and its cost-effectiveness, this approach could enable the next-generation of wearable electronics, contributing to advanced and sustainable technological solutions.

The emergence of Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable devices has driven demand for flexible and miniaturized supercapacitors. Screen printing, as an emerging technology, demonstrates strong vitality and enormous potential in the manufacturing of supercapacitors. Herein, the Ni3V2O8/carbon nanofibers (CNFs) composite electrode materials are prepared via hydrothermal pyrolysis, and its morphology, composition, oxidation states, and bonding information are carefully characterized. Electrochemical characterizations revealed that the Ni3V2O8/CNFs electrode exhibited outstanding performance, with a significant specific capacitance of 1645 F g-1 (1 A g-1). Furthermore, the electrode demonstrated remarkable cycling stability, with a capacitance retention of 80.4 % after 20,000 cycles, highlighting its excellent rate capability and robust pseudocapacitive properties. Subsequently, the screen-printing inks are formulated using as-prepared Ni3V2O8/CNFs, acetylene black, and ethyl cellulose. The flexible printed Ni3V2O8/CNFs//AC asymmetric supercapacitor exhibited an areal capacitance of 234.18 mF cm-2 (1 mA cm-2). After 15,000 charge-discharge cycles, it retained 76.73 % of its capacitance. The individual supercapacitor achieved a charging voltage of up to 1.60 V, and could power an LED bouquet for over 35 s. We anticipate that the printed supercapacitor will become a promising candidate for next-generation wearable and portable energy, storage systems.

In this study, MXene and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets were introduced into Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix to fabricate ternary composites with a well balanced dielectric constant and dielectric loss. The g-C3N4/MXene hybrid fillers were prepared via solution blending, followed by the fabrication of gC3N4/MXene/PVDF composite films through solution casting. At 1 kHz, the composite film containing 6 wt% gC3N4 exhibited a high dielectric constant of 56.2 and a low dielectric loss of 0.12. The g-C3N4 nanosheets effectively inhibited the self-stacking of MXene nanosheets, thereby suppressing the formation of conductive pathways and reducing the dielectric loss of g-C3N4/MXene/PVDF composites. Additionally, g-C3N4/MXene hybrid fillers enhanced interfacial polarization, promoted the formation of microcapacitor structures within the composites, and improved mechanical properties. The storage modulus of the composite film containing 6 wt% g-C3N4 reached 1230 MPa, which is 2.12 times that of pure PVDF. This work presents a promising strategy for developing PVDF-based dielectric composites with superior dielectric performance.

The widespread application of flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors (FPPS) across multiple scenarios via highthroughput fabrication has been limited by an insufficient understanding of the microstructure-electrode interface and a lack of design principles for multi-parameter performance. Herein, we develop a modular hybrid manufacturing strategy that combines casting, printing and surface modification to achieve stable fullinterface integration. This strategy enables the rapid fabrication of twelve sensor configurations by combining four microstructures with three interdigital electrodes (IDEs). We further establish a multidimensional evaluation framework that incorporates signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), noise power spectral density, and time-frequency analysis beyond mere sensitivity coefficient (S). This approach directly visualized, for the first time, the performance variations across configurations under dynamic pressure and quantified the inherent trade-offs among sensitivity, linearity, and noise. The optimal configuration was determined to be a combination of a rhombic pyramid microstructure and an IDE-Type-1 (RP-1-FPPS), achieving a wide sensing range of 0-260 kPa, a S of 14.368 kPa-1 in sensing range of 0-30 kPa, 2.636 kPa-1 in sensing range of 30-200 kPa, low 1/f noise, and an SNR exceeding 45 dB. It exhibited reliably in diverse applications, including pulse monitoring, industrial equipment condition monitoring, and machine-learning-driven robotic grasp recognition. This study proposes a strategy for developing cost-effective, high-performance FPPS, which provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between structure and performance and lays the foundation for reliable multi-scenario applications.

Flexible aqueous rechargeable sodium-ion batteries (ARSIBs) hold great promise for applications in wearable and portable electronics because of their affordability, safety, and flexibility. However, achieving outstanding cycling stability and high-efficiency recycling still pose challenges. Therefore, the creation of efficient active materials and appropriate manufacturing techniques is significant to their further advancement. The Na3V1.95Co0.05(PO4)2F3/2%FNC (NVCoPF/FNC) composites with heterostructure are fabricated by utilizing Co2+-doping and ZIF-8-derived nitrogenous carbon (FNC) loading strategies, which exhibits a high specific capacity (182.0 mAh g- 1) and maintain 72% capacity retention after 300 cycles at 1 C. Furthermore, the ex-situ characterizations, electrochemical kinetics analysis, and theory calculations demonstrate that Co2+-doping and FNC-loading can enhance the conductivity and structural stability. Based on NVCoPF/FNC cathodes and NaTi1.75Co0.25(PO4)3 (NTCoP) anodes, the fully-printed ARSIBs (NTCoP//NVCoPF/FNC) are fabricated via facile screen-printing and origami techniques. The PET-based batteries demonstrate ultrahigh cycle stability of 30,000 cycles, surpassing all other flexible ARSIBs reported to date. In addition, the used paper-based batteries can be recycled, including flexible substrate, current collectors and gel-electrolyte, which achieves high-efficiency recycling, demonstrating its sustainability and feasibility in practical applications. This study offers an innovative scientific perspective that is expected to fabricate ultra-stable flexible ARSIBs.

The integration of photochromism (PC), time-dependent phosphorescence color (TDPC), and persistent luminescence (PersL) into a singular inorganic material is highly desirable for advanced applications such as information encryption and UV monitoring. However, achieving such synergistic multimodal optical responses remains an outstanding challenge. Herein, a new optical material based on barium magnesium silicate (BMS) was constructed by co-doping Eu and Fe/Co ions. This inorganic material system exhibits, for the first time, simultaneous reversible PC, TDPC, and PersL. Precise control of oxygen vacancies and trap distribution endows the materials with high color contrast, rapid response, and excellent reversibility. After 365 nm irradiation, tunable room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) with evolving emission colors is observed, while green PersL emerges after 254 nm excitation. Mechanistic investigations reveal that these multimodal responses arise from synergistic electron capture and recombination processes between defect centers and Eu ions. The practical application of this material has been demonstrated through the development of printable inks suitable for flexible UV sensors, dynamic information encryption, and multi-level anti-counterfeiting. This study proposes a feasible approach for designing high-performance inorganic photo-responsive materials, bridging the gap in TDPC research for inorganic systems and paving the way for their use in intelligent optical security and sensing.

Aqueous symmetric sodium-ion batteries (ASSIBs) are gaining attention as attractive energy storage devices for flexible and wearable electronics due to their excellent structural stability, inherent safety, environmental friendliness, and the abundant sodium resources. NASICON-structured Na2VTi(PO4)(3) (NVTP) features a three-dimensional framework structure; Ti4+/Ti3+ and V4+/V3+ redox couples can be used to fabricate symmetrical sodium-ion batteries as both the anode and the cathode. However, poor cycle stability and irreversible dissolution in aqueous solutions limit the application of NVTP in flexible ASSIBs. Herein, the Na1.9K0.1VTi(PO4)(3)-10% GNP (NKVTP-GNP) composite was synthesized by partially substituting Na+ in Na2VTi(PO4)(3) with K+ and coating graphene nanoplatelets (GNP). The K(+ )doping and GNP coating successfully promoted the conversion of V4+ to V5+ and enhanced the cycling stability of the materials. The capacity retention rate of the NKVTP-GNP cathode is 99% after 1000 cycles, while the anode maintains 81% of its capacity after 500 cycles. Additionally, a flexible symmetric battery NKVTP-GNP//NKVTP-GNP was fabricated via a screen-printing technique, which delivered a wide voltage window of 1.8 V, an energy density of 63 Wh kg(-1), and excellent cycling stability, retaining 90% of its capacity after 2000 cycles at 10 C. More importantly, the battery shows high flexibility, adjustable shapes, and high-throughput manufacturing. This work provides insights into the development of high-performance flexible ASSIBs.

ABSTRACT Flexible temperature sensors are highly desirable for intelligent packaging/ logistics and temperature monitoring, where low‐cost fabrication, patternability, tunable sensing behavior, and substrate adaptability are required. However, most phase‐change‐based temperature sensing materials rely on a single transition temperature, which often results in sudden changes in resistance near the melting region, leading to a narrow operating range and limited tunability for diverse application scenarios. Herein, a programmable thermosensitive composite ink based on multi‐melting‐point acrylate copolymers is proposed. By screen printing the ink onto PET and cellulose paper substrates, resistive flexible temperature sensors with substrate‐dependent sensing behaviors are fabricated, and the influence of substrate structure on temperature response is clarified. By adjusting the composition of the copolymers, the sensing range and relative resistance variation can be effectively regulated. The resulting sensors exhibit a wide sensing range of 0°C–50°C, a temperature resolution of 0.1°C, and good cycling stability. Additionally, a paper‐based sensing array enables spatial temperature mapping on the packaging surfaces, while a PET‐based sensor serves as a visual LED temperature switch, demonstrating the potential of this programmable thermosensitive ink for flexible temperature monitoring, smart packaging labels, and threshold temperature alarms.

Endowing fabrics with the ability to autonomous respond to environmental changes represents a crucial development direction for the next-generation smart fabrics. Liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) has emerged as a powerful material for endowing fabrics with actuation capabilities due to its exceptional actuation performance and easy processability. However, the challenge of how to use LCE to endow commercial fabrics with driving capabilities in each fiber, thereby directly converting ordinary textiles into smart fabrics, has not been effectively solved. This study introduces a new method for fabricating LCE fabric actuators (LCE-FAs) using screen-printing technology. A newly developed LCE ink is directly printed onto the fabric substrate in a patterned form. Without external intervention, the liquid crystal molecules can spontaneously align in the direction consistent with the fabric fibers, thus endowing the fabric with the capability for directional actuation. Experiments and finite element analysis on different fabric structures confirm that knitted structures significantly enhance the actuation performance of fabric actuators. By tailoring printing direction and patterning, the complex three-dimensional deformation of the actuator can be precisely controlled. The fabricated crawling LCE-FA can freely navigate across various complex terrains and carry additional devices to accomplish specified tasks. As fabrics are ubiquitous in daily life and unlikely to arouse external attention, a walkable commercial fabric would play a pivotal role in applications such as camouflage reconnaissance and security surveillance.

Transparent antifogging coatings are widely used in transportation, optical, and medical applications. However transparent superhydrophobic antifogging coatings are constrained by the competing requirements of optical transparency, functional nanoparticle exposure, and interfacial durability. Here, a siloxane-modified polyacrylate (PAS) matrix was combined with aluminum dihydrogen phosphate [Al(H2PO4)3]-regulated fluorinated silica nanoparticles (AF-SiO2) through curing-controlled surface deposition. Al(H2PO4)3 provided a mild acidic environment for the hydrolysis–condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and Perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (FAS), producing AF-SiO2 with an average hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 27 nm. A PAS pre-curing time of 10 min was used to promote partial particle embedding while preserving the exposure of fluorinated groups and nanoscale roughness. At an AF-SiO2 content of 8 wt%, the coating exhibited a water contact angle of 154.9° and an average visible-light transmittance above 80%. The coating maintained visual clarity during 12 h of hot-vapor exposure and showed self-cleaning behavior. After 120 min of water-droplet impact and 200 g of sand impact, the water contact angle remained approximately 150°. After 100 abrasion cycles and 60 tape-peeling cycles, the contact angles were 146.8° and 145.6°, respectively. Water repellency was also retained after treatment at 150 °C for 12 h and UV aging for 168 h. These results provide a curing-controlled interfacial strategy for balancing optical transparency, surface functionality, and mechanical retention in superhydrophobic coatings.

This study synthesizes mixed-phase vanadium oxide (VxO2x+1) thin films with dual electrochromic and capacitive functionalities through a synergistic combination of sol-gel processing, electrochemical deposition, and thermal annealing. The VO-350 film, annealed at 350 degrees C, exhibits a hierarchically ordered "dense-layer/porous-interior" architecture, achieving exceptional areal capacitance and superior optical modulation. This single-material system exhibits an unparalleled four-state multicolor switching capability (yellow, green, blue and brown) with rapid kinetics (<20 s) and ultrahigh cycling stability, retaining 51.29% of its initial capacitance and exhibiting zero optical modulation decay after 2,000 cycles. When integrated into VO-350/WO3 electrochromic devices, the system delivers dual-band high modulation (58.39% @750 nm and 59.11% @1000 nm after 3000 cycles) alongside enhanced switching dynamics. This work pioneers a methodology that precisely orchestrates reduction potentials and thermal annealing strategies to directionally regulate vanadium oxidation states, crystallographic phases, and morphological features, this establishes a standardized paradigm for designing dual-functional electrochromic capacitors.