Silica nanosheets (SiO2 NSs) hold great promise for advanced thermal protection applications because of their exceptional thermal and chemical stability. However, their development has been hindered by challenges in scalable synthesis and structural integration for specialized applications. Herein, we report a facile and scalable wet-chemical strategy for producing high-quality and ultrathin SiO2 NSs with lateral dimension more than 5 mu m and thickness of similar to 2 nm. After graphene oxide (GO)-templated thermal treatment, the mechanical stiffness of the SiO2 NSs was significantly enhanced from 60.9 to 76.1 GPa. Leveraging their unique ultrathin and large lateral properties, the ultralight SiO2 NSs aerogel was achieved via a bidirectional freeze-casting technique. The aerogel demonstrates excellent fire resistance and high-temperature tolerance, maintaining its structure upon direct exposure to 1200 degrees C flames. Furthermore, the integration of SiO2 NSs into a polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix has enabled the development of a large-area and flexible fire-retardant composite film, which exhibits an exceptional flame self-extinguishing time of 2 s and mechanical flexibility. This work offers a scalable platform for fabricating functional SiO2 NSs-based materials and paves the way for their potential application in energy devices, aerospace protection, and flexible electronics. (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(SiO2 NSs)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic),SiO2 NSs(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)SiO2 NSs,(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)5 mu m,(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)2-3 nm.(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),SiO2 NSs(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)60.9 GPa(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)76.1 GPa.(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)SiO2 NS(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)1200 degrees C(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic),(sic)SiO2 NSs(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)2(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)SiO2 NSs(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).

Functional skins represent a transformative platform for diverse applications, yet their highly conformal deployment and maintenance remain challenging on substrates with arbitrary geometries, complex microstructures and dynamic deformation. Herein, we present a material-form shift for functional skin fabrication, utilizing spray-deposited polyacrylic acid/polyethyleneimine (PAA/PEI) lyophilized hydrogel powders embedded with functional components. Upon rehydration, these powders instantaneously coalesce into conformal hydrogel skins (<5 s). Their micron-scale particle size enables high-fidelity deposition that preserves substrate topography, including microstructural features. The resulting functional hydrogel skins exhibit exceptional mechanical properties: a magnetoactive variant demonstrates softness (Young's modulus approximate to 140 kPa), high toughness (approximate to 800 J/m(2)), and strong interfacial adhesion (approximate to 600 J/m(2)) to various substrates. Soft robots are constructed by conformally coating magnetic hydrogel skins onto elastomer films, maple leaves, or liquid metal balls, capable of flapping, grasping, locomotion, and therapeutic operation. The versatility of the platform is further exemplified through integrated bioinspired functionalities such as thermochromic response and fluorescence. Leveraging convenience, versatility, and broad applicability, this strategy presents an enticing pathway for engineering functional surfaces in devices and robotics.

The increasing frequency of extreme heat events and the growing demand for sustainable thermal management strategies have stimulated the development of energy-efficient approaches for skin-interface systems. Passive radiative cooling, which simultaneously reflects solar irradiation and dissipates thermal energy through infrared emission within the atmospheric transparency window (8–13μm), provides an energy-free approach for regulating local thermal microenvironments. In this perspective, we introduce the fundamental principles and material platforms of radiative cooling technologies and highlight their recent advances in healthcare applications, including personal thermal management, wound healing, and skin-interfaced bioelectronic systems. Despite significant progress, the application of radiative cooling technologies in skin-interface healthcare still faces challenges associated with material safety, scalable fabrication, mechanical durability, environmental adaptability, and multifunctional integration. Future development should focus on artificial intelligence-assisted material design, dynamic thermal regulation, and multifunctional integration to enable next-generation healthcare platforms. This perspective aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential of radiative cooling technologies in advancing sustainable thermal management for next-generation skin-interface healthcare and promote their evolution toward adaptive and intelligent biomedical systems.

A rational cathode design strategy integrating iodine (I-2) complexing agents directly into the solid-phase cathode (fundamentally distinct from electrolyte additive approaches), confining redox-active iodide species through synergistic electrostatic interactions and sterically regulated complexation, is proposed to tackle the long-term stability issue caused by iodide species crossover for zinc-iodine (Zn-I-2) batteries. A systematic evaluation of tetraalkylammonium iodides (TXAIs) establishes that low solubility, strong polyiodide binding, and minimal electrolyte dependence are essential for effective stabilization. Among the candidates, tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI) enhanced cathode mechanical robustness, demonstrated optimal performance over a broad temperature range, maintaining 112.8 mAh g(-1) over 70 000 cycles in a dissolution-prone situation at 5 C (623 days, 1.70 years; the longest reported), achieving 207.3 mAh g(-1) for 1700 cycles (3370 h) at 1 C, and retained 158.1 mAh g(-1) capacity even after 1440 h of resting (the lowest self-discharge behavior to date, mostly < 60 h, 159 mAh g(-1)). Unlike electrolyte additive approaches, this cathode-anchored design ensures long-term confinement fidelity with minimal structural complexity and reduced electrolyte dependence, while relying on exceptionally simple implementations and being inherently highly cost-effective, providing molecular-level insight into iodide stabilization and establishing a practical framework for designing durable, high-performance Zn-halogen batteries.

One-dimensional (1D) multifunctional fibers have garnered significant attention due to their advantageous geometry properties, which allows conformal interfacing with soft biological tissues and efficient charge transport. Here, we developed a solution-deposition strategy for the scalable and cost-effective fabrication of stretchable liquid metal fibers integrated with electrochemically stable, tissue-interfacing electrodes, thereby enabling the realization of stretchable multifunctional fibers. This fiber seamlessly combines electrodes and conductive pathways into a single structure, enabling versatile applications such as electrophysiological signal sensing, in vivo nerve stimulation, and wireless energy transmission. The multifunctional fiber demonstrates significantly improved electrical performance under strain, maintaining conductivity during stretching and bending, and exhibits lower impedance and higher signal stability, particularly during physiological monitoring and electrical stimulation. The fiber's excellent biocompatibility and mechanical compliance makes it well suited for wearable systems and long-term biomedical applications, offering a robust platform for next generation 1D bioelectronics.

Solid-state lithium metal batteries (LMBs) with high safety and energy density are the ultimate goal for energy storage systems. The bottleneck lies in the solid electrolytes, which must maintain perfect solid-solid contact and be electrochemically stable for both Li anode and high-voltage cathode. Here, we develop an in situ polymerized hetero-layered electrolyte that simultaneously broadens the electrochemical window and addresses interfacial issues between multiple components. The polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) layer toward the cathode improves high voltage compatibility to 4.8 V, while the boron nitride (BN) layer toward the anode provides sufficient mechanical strength, regulates Li-ions transport and promotes the formation of an inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). The effect of the hetero-layered structure is then verified in an easy-to-process in situ polymerized poly(1,3-dioxane) (PDOL) electrolyte, that seamlessly integrates multiple interfaces, bridging cathode, PVDF, BN, and Li metal. This solid electrolyte is characterized by high room temperature (RT) ionic conductivity (2.1 x 10-3 S cm-1), and high Li-ions transference number (0.801). Most importantly, the Li|LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2(NCM622) full batteries show remarkable cycling performance with capacity retention of 90.3% over 200 cycles at 0.5 C. The hetero-layered structure with a seamless in situ polymerized interface provides a new avenue for high-energy, solid-state LMBs.

With high conductivity, large surface area and a large number of interlayer structures, graphene has become an excellent choice for electrode materials in supercapacitors, but its mechanical strength and electrochemical performance need to be further improved. Herein, chitosan and polypyrrole were introduced into graphene oxide successively by a simple and low-cost method, and then the composite film was reduced by hydroiodic acid, leading to excellent mechanical and electrochemical properties. Structural characterizations verified the existence of covalent bond, it-it interaction and hydrogen bond, effectively improving the poor interface bonding between graphene sheets. The tensile strength and the microhardness of the composite film was increased by 182 % and 3000 % compared with original film. Electrochemical tests showed significantly improvement of the electrochemical activity, and the capacitance value could reach 170 F/g. This composite film with high strength and high electrochemical performance will become a promising candidate material in the field of flexible supercapacitors.

Solid-solid interfaces in the composite nickel-rich layered oxide LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 (NCM811) cathode for solidstate lithium-metal batteries face the thorny issues of macroscopic contact interface, significant side reaction, intergranular cracking and sluggish Li+/e- transfer. To avoid such problems, we designed a high ionic/electronic dual-conducting soft gel coating on NCM811 cathode particles through the high-temperature semi-cyclized polyacrylonitrile strategy, aiming to build an unobstructed channel for enhanced transport kinetics in solid composite cathode. Additionally, an inner electrochemically stable interface layer is constructed between the coating layer and cathode particles vialing in situ electrochemical conversion. Thus, the coating layers with specific properties can maintain structural integrity of NCM811 cathode via buffering the internal stress during lithiation/delithiation and endows the solid-state battery with low interfacial resistance, outstanding cycling stability and thermal safety stability. Notably, this facile and scalable surface engineering provides a novel solution for the application of high nickel cathode materials in solid-state batteries.

All-solid-state lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are regarded as next-generation devices for energy storage due to their safety and high energy density. The issues of Li dendrites and poor mechanical compatibility with electrodes present the need for developing solid-state electrolytes with high stiffness and damping, but it is a contradictory relationship. Here, inspired by the superstructure of tooth enamel, we develop a composite solid-state electrolyte composed of amorphous ceramic nanotube arrays intertwined with solid polymer electrolytes. This bionic electrolyte exhibits both high stiffness (Young′s modulus=15 GPa, hardness=0.13 GPa) and damping (tan δ =0.08), breaking the trade-off. Thus, this composite electrolyte can not only inhibit Li dendrites growth but also ensure intimate contact with electrodes. Meanwhile, it also exhibits considerable Li + transference number (0.62) and room temperature ionic conductivity (1.34×10 −4  S cm −1 ), which is attributed to oxygen vacancies of the amorphous ceramic effectively decoupling the Li-TFSI ion pair. Consequently, the assembled Li symmetric battery shows an ultra-stable cycling (>2000 hours at 0.1 mA cm −2 at 60 °C, >500 hours at 0.1 mA cm −2 at 30 °C). Moreover, the LiFePO 4 /Li and LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 /Li all-solid-state full cells both show excellent cycling performance. We demonstrate that this bionic strategy is a promising approach for the development of high-performance solid-state electrolytes.

The combination of Na metal with a 3D scaffold has effectively solved the long-standing problems of sodium metal batteries, including dendrite formation and volume change. However, uncontrollable interfacial reaction and morphology degradation caused by the high surface area of the scaffold are still unsolved. Here, a solvent pretreatment strategy is reported to generate a pre-formed solid electrolyte interface (SEI) protected Na exclusively confined in the scaffold. This pre-formed SEI prevents the reactive Na from the direct contact with the electrolyte, thereby mitigating side reactions. Meanwhile, by removing the highly reactive Na nanoparticles, as well as their low ionic conductivity derivatives on the surface, this exclusively confined Na structure enhances the uniformity of Na plating/stripping and the corresponding ion transport kinetics. Benefiting from this pre-formed SEI optimization, a thin and NaF-riched SEI can be further evolved during cycling. Compared to the pristine counterpart, Na3V2(PO4)3 coupled with the anode protected by pre-formed SEI exhibits a 14.9% and 18.9% increase in specific capacity at 25 and -30 °C, respectively. The pre-formed SEI strategy solves the prolonged interfacial issues of high surface area Na metal composite anodes, and brings a new perspective to the plating/stripping behaviors.

The room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) battery system holds considerable promise for high-energy-density storage, yet it persists in encountering critical challenges, including polysulfide dissolution, sluggish sulfur redox reactions (SRR), and constrained Na+ transport. The rational design of electrocatalysts with optimized adsorption and powerful catalytic activity represents a key strategy to overcome these limitations. Herein, a synergistic catalyst design strategy is presented through the tuning of electronic properties and structural disorder based on oxygen-incorporated MoS2 nanosheets. The controllable oxygen incorporation enhances the intrinsic conductivity of MoS2 and optimizes its adsorption-catalysis performance toward polysulfides. Simultaneously, the moderate structural disorder introduces abundant non-metallic active sites for sulfur conversion without disrupting interdomain electron transport, thereby accelerating reaction kinetics. As a result, this electronically-structured dual-optimized electrocatalyst with highly active and stable catalytic sites lowers the energy barrier of SRR and enhances both ion and electron transfer. Encouragingly, representative MoS1.56O0.44 nanosheets, employed as a functional modification layer on the polypropylene separator, exhibit an outstanding rate capability of 560 mAh g-1 at 3 C and exceptional cycling stability in RT Na-S batteries, with a high retained capacity of 447 mAh g-1 over 1000 cycles at 1 C.

Safety is an essential concern in the ongoing pursuit of high-energy-density batteries. As one of the most promising energy storage systems, lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are still plagued by the dendrite growth and associated high risk especially in high-temperature environments. Herein, we have designed a thermally managed separator by hybridizing polybenzimidazole (PBI) with AlN nanowires (PBI-AlN), which shows the merits of heat resistance, nonflammability, and enhanced thermal conductivity. This design promotes dendritefree plating and ensures the safe operation of LMBs over 100 degrees C. At room temperature, the Li|Li symmetric cell with the optimal PBI-AlN700 separator presents an ultralong lifetime over 10000 h with an ultralow overpotential of approximate to 16 mV at 5 mA cm- 2 with 5 mAh cm- 2. At the high temperature of 120 degrees C, the Li|LiFePO4 coin cell with PBI-AlN700 separator still has a large specific capacity of 148.9 mAh g- 1 at 1 C. The corresponding pouch cell can steadily light the lamp arrays under repeated bending/restoring states and work safely over 100 degrees C, showing the flexibility and high-temperature stability of the PBI-AlN separator. This study provides a novel separator to enable the safe operation of LMBs at high temperatures and proposes a strategy for separator design from a thermal management perspective.

Polymer electrolytes are promising for solid-state lithium metal batteries, while the intrinsic limitations such as low room-temperature ion conductivity and moderate electrochemical stability exist. Introduction of inorganic particles provides limited...

With the rapid development of industrialization, the consumption of energy resources has surged dramatically. Nuclear energy, which is widely acknowledged as a sustainable and environmentally-friendly energy source with low carbon emissions, has garnered widespread global attention. Extracting uranium from seawater and wastewater where containing abundant uranium resources offers a continuous and sufficient supply of nuclear fuel, serving as a critical solution to mitigate uranium resource shortages. Graphene oxide, leveraging with large specific surface area, exceptional chemical stability, as well as tunable functionalization potential, have demonstrated remarkable potential in uranium extraction from seawater and wastewater. This work systematically reviews recent advancements in graphene oxide-based materials for uranium extraction, from graphene oxide powders to the macroscopic assemblies (such as graphene oxide membranes, aerogels, and hydrogels) and focus on their adsorption performance for uranium in seawater and wastewater. Furthermore, it discusses the primary challenges faced by graphene oxide-based materials in seawater and provides insights into future development directions. Through in-depth research on the development of graphene oxide materials for uranium extraction, it is anticipated that efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable novel materials can be developed, offering innovative solutions to the supply of global uranium resource.

Prelithiation technology is widely regarded as an effective strategy to enhance the energy density and extend the cycle life of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The principle of prelithiation is to introduce additional active Li+, thereby compensating for Li losses during initial charging and long-term cycling. However, the current summaries of various prelithiation approaches are predominantly focused on liquid LIBs, with limited reviews available on solid-state LIBs. Compared to liquid LIBs, solid-state LIBs not only face uniformity issues caused by the uneven mixing of active materials and Li sources during prelithiation, but also encounter severe kinetic challenges arising from rigid solid-solid interface contact. Here, various prelithiation techniques are first integrated and the dynamic correlation between the prelithiation of each component in a full cell and its electrochemical performance is systematically introduced. Furthermore, the challenges of prelithiation techniques in solid-state LIBs in terms of solid-solid interface and Li+ transport are discussed. Finally, these prelithiation technologies are expected to be extended to the design of other premetallation agents, which guide the development of high-energy and high-safety energy storage systems.

Compared to adding high-purity H2, converting microalgae-oil into high-quality fuel through in-situ transfer hydrogenation is more economical and safer. Multiple Ni/CexZr1-xO2 catalysts were prepared using the co- precipitation method and evaluated for in-situ transfer hydrogenation for palmitic acid (PA) with methanol as the hydrogen donor. The results indicated that, compared to Ni/ZrO2 and Ni/CeO2, the catalytic activity of all Ni/CexZr1-xO2 has been significantly improved by the formation of solid solutions. Wherein, Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 possessed the best catalytic effect, surpassing commercial Pt/C. And under optimized conditions (330 degrees C, 4 h, and 9.6 mmol methanol), Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 (15 wt% Ni-loading) achieved the highest palmitic acid conversion of 93.6 % and alkane yield of 90.4 %. The excellent performance of Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 was attributed to the combined effect of larger BET surface area, smaller particle size, stronger H-adsorption capacity and spillover hydrogen effect, more surface defects and oxygen vacancy concentrations. The stability testing showed that after four cycles, the main products over Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 changed from alkanes to methyl palmitate. And the catalyst deactivation was caused by multiple factors such as the decomposition of Ce0.8Zr0.2O2, aggregation and leaching of Ni, and carbon deposition.

The development of anode materials with high rate performance as well as favourable working durability is key for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, MgV3O8 is reported as an advanced anode material, using a facile and scalable solution combustion technology. The MgV3O8 anode shows a "near-zero" volume change (<10% over 1000 cycles). This can be explained by a solid-solution Li+ storage mechanism, leading to superior cycling stability. Consequently, the MgV3O8 electrode achieves a remarkable capacity of approximately 102.6 mA h g-1 at 2.0 A g-1, along with a low fading rate of 0.001% per cycle over 3000 cycles.