Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) face significant challenges for practical application, primarily due to the sluggish reaction kinetics and pronounced shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). This study proposes a synergistic strategy involving doping engineering and controlled nitridation-induced electronic state modulation to fabricate a Ni3Fe/Ni2Fe2N composite as an efficient sulfur host material. This rational design integrates the strong catalytic activity of the metal alloy (Ni3Fe) with the high electrical conductivity of the nitride (Ni2Fe2N), enabling effective anchoring and conversion of polysulfides. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and analysis results of XAFS and XPS confirm that an upshifted d-band center and modulated electronic states significantly enhance reaction kinetics and catalytic activity. In situ Raman spectroscopy and DRT analysis directly demonstrate the exceptional capability of the material to suppress the polysulfide shuttle effect. The battery exhibits remarkable cycling stability, achieving 1000 cycles with an ultralow decay rate of 0.045% per cycle. The outstanding performance is retained even under conditions as harsh as a high sulfur loading (4.3 mg cm-2) and low temperature (-10°C). This work not only presents a high-performance catalyst but also provides new insights into the design of LSB catalysts via electronic state modulation.

Information security is critically important. We propose a multilevel electrochromic display design for dynamic information encryption, enabled by Prussian blue, zinc, and potassium nickel hexacyanoferrate. The as-fabricated electrochromic devices offer a two-dimensional CIE color space modulation with four distinct states from transparent to blue, green, and yellow. The devices facilitate precise, localized, and dynamic modulation of electrochromism via an elaborately designed and independently addressable pattern configuration, enabling advanced encryption and identity authentication with enhanced adaptability. This approach achieves superior security through multi-stage authentication, real-time color modulation, and adjustable smart encryption levels tailored to different specific requirements. Our work envisions a new generation of flexible electrochromic devices that elevate both display performance and information security.

Artificial nociceptors are valuable for constructing human-like neural network systems capable of perceiving injury and exhibit significant application potential in medical treatment, prosthetics, and humanoid robotics. Currently, the conventional strategy for constructing artificial nociceptors involves connecting flexible sensors with synaptic devices to detect pain signals. However, this approach inevitably increases system complexity and is therefore unfavorable for large-scale integration. In this study, an artificial nociceptor with an integrated design based on an organic electrochemical transistor was proposed, in which a suspended-gate structure enabled a single device to detect pain signals. In addition, an ionic hydrogel was employed as the electrolyte layer to detect pain signals with different intensities. The device can stably detect pain signals and successfully emulate four key characteristics of biological nociceptors: threshold, relaxation, no adaptation, and sensitization. Experimental results verify that pressure sensing and synaptic functionalities are co-implemented in a single device, underscoring its promise for constructing compact and high-performance neuromorphic sensory systems.

Space exploration and manufacturing are of critical importance for scientific advancement, technological innovation, national security, and the acquisition of extraterrestrial resources. In view of this, chemical and biological nano-/micro-/meso-scale manufacturing provide complementary approaches to overcome key space exploration challenges by enabling the in-situ production of essential life-support materials, propellants, and other resources. This review examines the origin and historical evolution of space manufacturing and the latest advances across different environments—from orbital space stations and the lunar surface to Mars and asteroids. It is structured to present the current state of research, outline key manufacturing strategies and technologies, assess the technical and environmental challenges, and discuss emerging trends and future directions. Besides, the potential applications of emerging technologies such as synthetic biology and artificial intelligence in overcoming the limitations of microgravity, limited resources, and extreme conditions are discussed. Ultimately, this integrative review could serve to guide future development, from advancing space science and disruptive manufacturing to enabling interdisciplinary and application-level innovations.

Light-driven soft robots have enabled untethered locomotion and stimulus-responsive functions, yet most reported systems remain dominated by a single behavior, with limited actuation orthogonality, weak system reconfigurability, and insufficient task-level integration on complex water surfaces. These limitations are particularly restrictive in confined aquatic environments, where floating solids, oil films, and dissolved pollutants frequently coexist. Here, we report a centimeter-scale floating soft robot that addresses this challenge through wavelength-selective modular integration. The system combines UV-responsive LCE-PDMS actuators for reversible gripping, NIR-responsive GTC/PDMS for Marangoni propulsion and oil adsorption, and xenonresponsive TiO2/PAM hydrogel for photocatalytic degradation, enabling decoupled optical control of locomotion, manipulation, and chemical treatment within one untethered platform. The robot can be reconfigured into task-oriented architectures for oil adsorption, solid capture, dye degradation, and integrated remediation. The GTC/PDMS module drives interfacial motion at speeds up to 3.3 cm center dot s-1 and provides an oil-loading capacity of 0.13 g center dot g- 1, the LCE-PDMS actuator achieves reliable gripping within 20 s across 6-27 mm targets, and the TiO2/ PAM module reaches 91% methylene blue degradation within 2.5 h. Beyond ideal conditions, the integrated robot retains multimodal remediation capability in saline, alkaline, turbid, and vortex-disturbed environments. This work establishes a system-level strategy for combining orthogonal light actuation, modular reconfiguration, and multimodal remediation in a single floating soft robotic platform for adaptive water-surface cleaning.

As two-dimensional metamaterials, metasurfaces have attracted considerable research interest owing to their advantages of small volume and simple fabrication. By integrating the metasurfaces with active components controlled by electric bias, active metasurfaces are able to dynamically manipulate electromagnetic (EM) waves and realize innovative applications across diverse fields. However, conventional active metasurfaces are difficult to achieve continuous and dynamic control of absorptivity and reflectivity over a wide frequency band, which immensely restricts their application in weapon stealth and camouflage. This study presents what we believe to be a novel design that employs an absorbing active metasurface (AAM) to continuously and dynamically control the reflection amplitude, which is achieved by flexibly controlling the external voltage of PIN diodes across multiple layers. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed AAM can achieve continuous and dynamic amplitude modulation within the frequency range of 2.0-15.5 GHz at normal incidence, and maintain angular insensitivity within the incidence angle range of 0°-50°. This inspiring design not only has excellent dynamic control capabilities for EM waves absorption and reflection, but also possesses the advantages of simple design, small thickness and easy fabrication, which has tremendous application potential in stealth weapons and other smart metadevices.

Soft robots based on optically responsive smart materials have attracted extensive research interest for their unique capabilities. However, achieving adaptive, multifunctional mode switching remains challenging. Inspired by wrist rotation, considering the high response speed, miniaturization, and discrete programmability of magnetic actuators, we designed magnetic joints with different magnetization profiles. An assembly method was further proposed, utilizing magnetic actuator materials as joints and optical actuator materials as the skeleton. This approach enables functional synergy while realizing actuation decoupling. Through this functional allocation, the optical skeleton focuses on functional execution, while the magnetic joints concentrate on multimodal adjustment, thereby designing complex and hybrid driving behaviors. This endows soft robots with enhanced maneuverability through multimodal switching capabilities, demonstrating excellent adaptability across diverse operational environments. This approach can provide solutions for the future expansion of soft robot application scenarios and their integration with other functional devices.

ABSTRACT Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) face significant challenges for practical application, primarily due to the sluggish reaction kinetics and pronounced shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). This study proposes a synergistic strategy involving doping engineering and controlled nitridation‐induced electronic state modulation to fabricate a Ni 3 Fe/Ni 2 Fe 2 N composite as an efficient sulfur host material. This rational design integrates the strong catalytic activity of the metal alloy (Ni 3 Fe) with the high electrical conductivity of the nitride (Ni 2 Fe 2 N), enabling effective anchoring and conversion of polysulfides. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and analysis results of XAFS and XPS confirm that an upshifted d‐ band center and modulated electronic states significantly enhance reaction kinetics and catalytic activity. In situ Raman spectroscopy and DRT analysis directly demonstrate the exceptional capability of the material to suppress the polysulfide shuttle effect. The battery exhibits remarkable cycling stability, achieving 1000 cycles with an ultralow decay rate of 0.045% per cycle. The outstanding performance is retained even under conditions as harsh as a high sulfur loading (4.3 mg cm −2 ) and low temperature (−10°C). This work not only presents a high‐performance catalyst but also provides new insights into the design of LSB catalysts via electronic state modulation.

Electronic devices that harness the interaction between electrical energy and the environment have become powerful tools with applications across various scenarios, from living systems to external settings, including biomedical implants, wearables, environmental sensing, and catalysis. As demand for diverse environments and complex tasks grows, electronic devices are increasingly required to possess adaptability and learning capabilities, thereby achieving intelligence. However, traditional silicon-based integrated circuit rigid electronic devices exhibit limitations, primarily in their inability to adapt to miniaturization and dynamic environments, as well as to support centralized information processing for large-scale data processing. To address these issues, integrating material intelligence into the architecture of traditional electronic devices has emerged as a new trend, enabling distributed intelligence across each module to enhance overall intelligent performance. This review examines how intelligent matter integrates embodied intelligence into various modular designs through its intrinsic physicochemical properties. Moving beyond a redundant layout of traditional performance metrics, this work provides a deep analysis of how intelligent matter empowers electronic devices with advanced “bio-like” behaviors, including multimodality, proactive environmental adaptation, and learning capabilities. Subsequently, we discuss existing challenges in this field and outline future development directions. Our aim is to provide design principles and technical pathways for the deep integration of intelligent materials and electronic systems, laying the foundation for advancing next-generation intelligent devices in applications such as bionic sensing, adaptive control, and environmental interaction.

Lithium–sulfur batteries, despite their high specific capacity, high theoretical energy density, environmental benignity, and low cost‐related unique advantages, face critical challenges including polysulfide shuttling, sluggish redox kinetics, and uncontrolled lithium dendrite growth. Here, we propose a magnetic field cooperative regulation strategy that concurrently optimizes both sulfur cathode and lithium via spin engineering and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects. Bilayer‐hollow FeNi boride bipyramids (FeNi─B) with nanoreactor architectures were designed, in which an external magnetic field triggers 3d‐orbital electron spin rearrangement. Simultaneously, the uniform distribution of ions and dendrite‐free deposition were achieved by driving lithium‐ion spiral convection through MHD effects. It is worth noting that the optimized cells exhibit exceptional cycling stability under extreme conditions (−40°C). Density functional theory and multiphysics simulations jointly reveal two mechanisms: Spin‐polarization‐enhanced adsorption energy for sulfur species and lithium protection via Lorentz‐force‐mediated ion transport. This work establishes a novel paradigm for designing magnetic field‐responsive electrocatalysts and manipulating spin‐orbit coupling, offering broad implications for multiphysical‐field strategies in next‐generation batteries.

Reoccluding the exposed dentinal tubules is crucial for treating dentin hypersensitivity (DH). However, the narrow structure and high-density negative charges of dentinal tubules impede the penetration of filling repair materials to effectively achieve deep-induced mineralization for DH treatment. Herein, a morphologically controllable Fe3O4@SiO2 magnetic Janus nanomotors (MJNs) were synthesized via a seeded emulsion-mediated surface growth strategy. The as-achieved MJNs exhibit magnetic response, with a head diameter of about 200 nm, and snake-like morphology with a tunable tail length regulated 200 nm-4 µm. By adjusting the magnetic field variations, it is permitted to control and transform the cluster structure of MJNs, forming vortex and ribbon clusters. Induced by the magnetic field, the MJNs can infiltrate into narrow dentinal tubules and reaching depths of up to ∼36 µm. To enhance the interaction with dentin, polycatechol group was introduced onto the surface of MJNs to promote mineral formation within the tubules. As a result, dentinal tubule occlusion could be achieved within 3 days under the tested conditions, indicating the potential of this approach for DH treatment.

Gas sensing plays a critical role across diverse fields, including medical diagnostics, industrial safety, and environmental monitoring. However, conventional gas sensors often suffer from poor selectivity and limited sensitivity, especially at low concentrations. Herein, we present a light-regulated gas-sensing system based on MXene-hydrogel composites, integrated with machine learning, for a low detection limit (5 ppb) and high-accuracy classification. PNIPAM hydrogel provides a reconfigurable and adsorptive surface, while MXene offers excellent electrical conductivity and photothermal conversion. Near-infrared light modulation further enhanced selectivity and reduced response/recovery times. When integrated with machine learning classification algorithms, the sensing system enabled robust classification of ten gas molecules with an accuracy of 98.64%. In a pilot breath-sample discrimination task, the system further distinguished cancer patients from healthy controls with a binary classification accuracy of 97.3%. These findings highlight the potential of combining light-regulated sensing materials with machine learning analysis for compact gas identification and exploratory breath-based screening.

Photocatalytic hydrogen production offers a sustainable solar-to-hydrogen conversion route by splitting water under light irradiation. However, most systems remain confined to laboratory conditions because of limited efficiency, stability, and scalability. This review provides an overview of how materials design, system engineering, and data-driven tools can be integrated to advance photocatalytic hydrogen production toward practical deployment. Fundamental strategies for improving solar-to-hydrogen efficiency are first summarized, focusing on band-structure modulation, charge-carrier dynamics, surface catalytic-site optimization, and stability enhancement. Representative photocatalyst families-including metal oxides, metal sulfides, MOFs, MXenes, and their heterostructures-are discussed in terms of how S-scheme and Z-scheme architectures, cocatalyst loading, facet control, and defect engineering collectively govern light absorption, charge separation, and reaction kinetics. Beyond powder suspensions, approaches such as photothermal catalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, magnetic-field-assisted photocatalysis, and photobiocatalytic systems that couple biological components with inorganic photocatalysts are highlighted. Emphasis is placed on the role of artificial intelligence in accelerating materials discovery, elucidating structure-property-performance relationships, and guiding reactor and process optimization. By linking mechanistic insights with system-level design and using quantitative performance indicators such as AQE and STH, this review outlines a framework for developing efficient, durable, and scalable photo-catalytic hydrogen production technologies suitable for real-world deployment.

ABSTRACT The electrochemical performance of sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) cathodes over a wide temperature (WT) range is crucial, but is fundamentally limited by sluggish kinetics and transition metal dissolution under harsh conditions. Herein, a channel structured Prussian blue analog (MnANP‐channel, MAC) featuring unconventional carbon‐nitrogen vacancies (V CN ) was designed via a novel “one‐step” in situ etching strategy. Theoretical calculations and experimental results reveal that V CN enhances the intrinsic affinity for transition metals and accelerates the diffusion kinetics of sodium ions. The channel microstructure maximizes active site utilization and facilitates rapid mass and charge transport at the electrode‐electrolyte interface. This synergistic interplay between the molecular and microscopic scales, creating a unique “dual‐channel” architecture, endows MAC with excellent WT‐range adaptability (103.9, 151.4, and 162.1 mAh/g at −50°C, 25°C, and 50°C, respectively), exceptional rate capability (20 A/g), and remarkable long‐term cycling stability (≈ 6800 cycles). Critically, the MAC//HC full cell exhibits superior energy density (≈ 309 Wh/kg, based on the total mass of the cathode and anode active materials) and wide‐temperature electrochemical performance (−40°C~50°C). Moreover, this versatile synthetic strategy can be extended to diverse PBA compositions (Fe‐, FeCo‐, FeCoMn‐, and FeCoMnNi‐ANP), offering great opportunities for rational construction of advanced architectures with targeted functionalities.

Unlike conventional electrochromic devices, Zinc anode-based electrochromic devices (ZECDs) ensure excellent charge balance between the electrochromic layer and Zn anode during the coloring/bleaching by reversible metal deposition/stripping on the Zn anode. Meanwhile, the inherent potential difference between the metal anode and the electrochromic layer can drive the spontaneous coloration/bleaching of ZECDs, featuring energy retrieval functionality. This review discusses the working mechanisms, performance indexes of ZECDs, and the impact of material selection on ZECD performance. Furthermore, we comprehensively summarize the latest research progress of ZECDs in energy storage, smart windows, and multicolor displays. We argue that using high-transparency zinc mesh, additive manufacturing processes, and self-healing electrochromic materials can significantly advance the commercialization of large-area ZECDs. Finally, “electrode-free” device structures, renewable or replaceable electrolytes, and strategies to suppress zinc dendrites are prospected to overcome cost-effectiveness and lifespan issues of ZECDs. This review aims at enabling more efficient and advanced ZECDs for multifunctional applications.

Conventional Prussian blue (PB)-based electrochromic devices (ECDs) suffer from a narrow light modulation range due to their single absorption band. Herein, an anode-free Zn-PB electrochromic device is reported, utilizing a platinum (Pt) layer-modified ITO glass (denoted as Pt/ITO glass) counter electrode with a hybrid electrolyte containing propylene carbonate (PC). This device compensated for the charge released or consumed during the bleaching/coloring process of the PB electrode (i.e., ion-insertion/extraction) through a reversible Zn electrodeposition occurring on the surface of the Pt/ITO glass. The Pt layer ensured a uniformly distributed electric field across the electrode surface, leading to uniform Zn deposition. Concurrently, PC molecules modified the solvation structures of ions, engendering uniform Zn deposition and suppressing the "ion trapping" effect of PB. Meanwhile, PC suppressed water activity by changing the H-bonding network of electrolytes, thereby limiting the formation of by-products, the occurrence of side reactions, and the destruction of the PB structure. As a result, the optimized anode-free Zn-PB ECDs demonstrated high transmittance modulation ability (60.3% at 700 nm) and exceptional cycling durability (71.7% capacity retention and 69.1% of its initial Delta T after 1000 cycles). Finally, a dual-mode electrochromic device is developed with five color states to expand the light modulation range.

Conventional metastructures encounter limitations in simultaneously achieving broadband performance, thin thickness, and adaptability to curved surfaces. To overcome these challenges, a chessboard-like metastructure was developed based on a dual complementary mechanism of electromagnetic (EM) absorption and phase interference, aimed at enhancing its radar cross section (RCS) reduction performance. Through the design of multi-scale unit cells and optimized spatial arrangement, a - 10 dB RCS reduction bandwidth spanning 5.3 similar to 18 GHz was achieved. Notably, the propagation phase compensation model was introduced to ensure stable performance under extreme curvature (alpha=180 degrees) and wide-angle incidence (0 degrees similar to 60 degrees), surpassing existing conformal metastructures in bandwidth efficiency. The influence of unit cell parameters on RCS reduction was systematically investigated and validated through simulations and experimental measurements. This work offers a viable approach for the design of lightweight, ultra-thin metastructures with strong potential for conformal EM stealth applications.

Metamaterials have garnered significant attention in the field of electromagnetic wave absorption due to their unique electromagnetic absorption properties. However， conventional metamaterial absorbers， with their fixed structures and materials， struggle to meet the demand of dynamically controlling electromagnetic stealth for weapons and equipment in complex battlefield environments. By incorporating tunable units， the electromagnetic properties of metamaterial absorbers can be flexibly and dynamically controlled through external excitation sources. This capability plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficacy of electromagnetic stealth for weapons and equipment. In this paper， the mechanism of regulating the metamaterial electromagnetic performance is elucidated through equivalent circuit. The current research status of tunable metamaterial absorbers， which utilize active materials， dynamic structures and circuit components， is introduced in detail. To explore the application performance of tunable metamaterial absorbers， the existing bottleneck issues in current research， such as control range and response speed are also discussed. Furthermore， the future development direction is extensively explored from the aspects of intelligent perception control， adaptive adjustment optimization， networked collaborative control， and self-powered energy supply， providing a valuable reference for the continued advancement and application of tunable metamaterial absorbers.

Regarding the issue of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste proliferation, various methods-including physical, chemical, and biological approaches-have been proposed for PET depolymerization, with bio-enzymatic degradation emerging as a sustainable solution. However, this process is hindered by slow kinetics and enzyme thermal instability, necessitating the development of more efficient and mild strategies. This study innovatively explored enhancing the efficiency of enzyme-catalyzed PET degradation by utilizing magnetic nanoparticle modulation and the photothermal effects of photo-responsive materials. Hydrophobic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) formed nanochains that exhibited whirlpool motion under a rotating magnetic field, enhancing hydrolytic enzyme activity through microreaction. It revealed that at a concentration of 1 mg/mL Fe3O4 NPs and a magnetic field strength of 2 mT, hydrolysis efficiency increased by 38 %. Furthermore, exposure to light radiation significantly altered the physicochemical properties of plastics, including crystallinity, hydrophobicity, surface functional groups, and morphology. Photo-responsive materials exhibited a photothermal effect, increasing the temperature of the enzyme-catalyzed system and thereby enhancing degradation efficiency. Light pretreatment of MXene followed by PET hydrolase improved degradation efficiency by 148 %. The successful implementation of this innovative strategy holds promise for further advancing the practical application of bio-enzyme degradation of PET and making a substantial contribution to environmental protection efforts.

The continuous improvement of electromagnetic technology is leading to advancements in electromagnetic microwave absorbing materials (EAM), which are increasingly crucial in fields like communications, medicine, and military applications. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently gained recognition as promising precursors for EAMs due to their customizable structure, notable porosity, and large specific surface area. EAMs derived from MOFs often demonstrate desirable electrical conductivity, magnetic properties, and a sufficient number of defects and interfaces, providing various advantages in impedance matching and microwave absorption. In this review, firstly, the categories as well synthetic method of MOFs are systematically outlined, and the electromagnetic wave absorption mechanism of MOF derivatives are also expounded based on impedance matching and electromagnetic dissipation. Secondly, EAMs derived from various MOFs based precursors are also comprehensively summarized. Finally, the current challenges and prospects for future opportunities of MOF derived EAMs are discussed.