Superconductivity is defined by two fundamental criteria: zero electrical resistance and the Meissner effect. However, measuring the magnetic properties of samples under high pressure in diamond anvil cells—where sample sizes are limited to tens of micrometers and confined spatially—has long been a challenging task in high-pressure research. Magnetic measurements under high pressure using diamond anvil cells can generally be classified into four distinct methods. Among these, the modulated magnetic susceptibility measurement, which employs laboratory-fabricated multi-turn micro-coils and two lock-in amplifiers connected in series, has often yielded contradictory experimental results in the literature due to an insufficient understanding of its underlying measurement principles. In this work, starting from the experimental configuration and Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, we re-derive the expressions for the signal magnitude of the superconducting diamagnetic transition registered on the primary and secondary lock-in amplifiers. We obtain an expression for the signal amplification introduced by the modulated magnetic field, thereby clarifying the measurement principle of modulated magnetic susceptibility and identifying potential issues in previous studies.

Low-dimensional van der Waals materials constitute fertile ground for exploring intertwined magnetism, transport, and optoelectronics, yet the structural provenance underlying the interplay among diverse quantum orders remains scarcely elucidated. Here, we report a rare case of simultaneous enhancement of magnetic order and photoconductivity in pressurized quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet MnSb2S4. Concomitant with a pressure-induced insulator-to-metal transition, MnSb2S4 exhibits a collapse of magnetic order and dramatic positive-to-negative photoconductivity switching at ∼30 GPa. Notably, possible superconductivity emerges with further compression. Detailed structural analyses and theoretical calculations corroborate these anomalous behaviors and unravel sequential pressure-driven orbital and spin crossover of Mn2+, accompanied by opposite evolutions of Jahn-Teller distortions in two inequivalent [MnS6] octahedra. The intriguing electronic and structural evolutions establish MnSb2S4 as a promising candidate for versatile device engineering and offer an ideal platform for deciphering intricate coupling among multiple degrees of freedom.

The pressurized Shastry-Sutherland Mott insulator SrCu2(BO3)2 has been found to host a plaquette-singlet phase and an antiferromagnetic phase that break different symmetries spontaneously.The recent experiment showed that their transition is of a first order nature, which seems against the pursuit of exotic and deconfined degrees of freedom in this famous frustrated quantum magnet. We found a new direction in this study. By applying a magnetic field to the material, we discover that SrCu2(BO3)2 exhibits a universal and metallic T-linear specific heat behavior in a large magnetitic field range close to the pressure of zero-field first order transition between plaquette-singlet and antiferromagnetic phases. Such an unexpected gapless response from an electronically gapped Mott insulator could be attributed to magnetized Dirac spinons liberated by the combined effect of magnetic field and pressure, consistently seen from our quantum many-body thermal tensor network computation of the Shastry-Sutherland model under magnetic field. Such a robust and universal T-linear specific heat phase points out the richness of the phase diagram of the material expanded by the axes of pressure and magnetic field and is calling for new theoretical frameworks to its full explanation.

Metalloenzymes, particularly heme-based enzymes, achieve multifunctional intermediate regulation by leveraging axial ligation, a capability that remains difficult in synthetic single-atom catalysts (SACs) typically optimized for single function. Inspired by natural heme, we propose a directional orbital buffering strategy to couple catalase (CAT)-like reactivity with electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Among the examined iron-nitrogen-carbon (Fe-N-C) catalysts, axially coordinated FeN5-C exhibits the highest H2O2 decomposition efficiency (K cat/K m = 0.41 mM-1 s-1), converting H2O2 to O2. Mechanistic analyses reveal that FeN5-C enables directional orbital buffering and balanced oxygen-intermediate turnover, allowing ORR-generated H2O2 to enter the CAT-like pathway and regenerate O2 for in situ ORR at the same active site. Consequently, FeN5-C achieves an ultralow H2O2 yield of 0.41% and enhanced ORR activity in neutral media. As a membrane-free glucose/O2 biofuel-cell cathode, FeN5-C delivers exceptional H2O2 resistance and a record power density.

Interlayer engineering offers a compelling strategy for tailoring emergent quantum states in van der Waals materials. The latest discoveries of nickel-based superconducting materials have once again ignited extensive interest in exploring transition-metal-based high-temperature superconductors. Two-dimensional metal-centered geometry, subtle valence regulation, and interactions dominated by interlayer stacking are key to achieving the superconducting state. Here, we present that pressure-mediated interlayer sliding in the antiferromagnetic honeycomb lattice CrPSe3 triggers a cascade of electronic transitions, including an insulator-to-metal crossover, the emergence of a density-wave-like order, and possible superconductivity. The resulting phase diagram reveals a maximum transition temperature of 5.8 K concomitant with complete suppression of the density-wave-like order at 30.1 GPa. Comprehensive structural analyses uncover successive interlayer sliding accompanied by aberrant compressibility and pronounced volume collapse. Atomic-resolution imaging corroborates the irreversible sliding process, leading to a distinct metastable electronic state upon decompression. These insights underscore interlayer sliding as a powerful tool for manipulating quantum states in van der Waals materials.

We report a dual-molten-salt (NaCl and KCl) strategy to address the limited accessibility of ZIF-8-derived single-atom sites. This synergy increases the accessible Fe-Nx site density to 4.0 × 1019 sites g-1 and the utilization to 27%, together with enhanced intrinsic activity for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction.

The discovery of superconductivity with a transition temperature (Tc) exceeding 40 K in La3Ni2O7 and (La,Pr)3Ni2O7 thin films at ambient pressure provides a viable platform for the experiments that can only be conducted under ambient-pressure conditions, and for the theoretical investigations aimed at understanding the commonalities and peculiarities of the behaviors related to the superconductivity between the film and the compressed bulk systems - including the effects of oxygen vacancies and strain. Consequently, it is crucial to determine whether Tc can be further enhanced and to uncover the underlying physics that controls the Tc value in these ambient-pressure superconducting thin films. Here, we report a systematic study of hydrostatic pressure effects on the superconducting properties of (La,Pr)3Ni2O7 thin films. We find that external pressure universally enhances Tc of the film samples regardless of their initial Tc value. The onset Tc of 68.5 K at 2.0 GPa demonstrates a notable increase from 62 K at 0.3 GPa. Furthermore, we observe that the samples without zero resistance show a resistance dip just above the superconducting transition, whereas the samples that exhibit zero resistance do not display this dip. Applying pressure can suppress the dips and drive the system toward zero resistance. Based on our results, we propose that this feature is associated with oxygen vacancies and that the depth of the dip can serve as an indicator of the concentration of the vacancies. It is plausible that the dip is caused by the localization of mobile electrons at the vacancy sites. Applying pressure can delocalize these electrons, which in turn may contribute to the increase in Tc.

Zinc-iodine batteries (ZIBs) with organic iodine hosts that harness the I-/I+ conversion offer a promising route to high-energy storage but remain limited by rapid capacity decay. Conventional approaches employing high-concentration ZnCl2 electrolytes effectively activate I-/I+ conversion in carbon hosts but prove incompatible with organic systems. Here, its excess free Cl- is identified to displace polyiodide from organic iodine hosts, thereby triggering an irreversible I-/I+ process. To address this, a dual-zone chloride engineering strategy is introduced that spatially separates chloride environments into complementary domains. At the cathode, a non-dissociative hydrophobic salt (trioctylmethylammonium chloride) establishes a confined Cl--rich, water-deficient environment, suppressing polyiodide desorption and preventing hydrolytic I⁺ decomposition. In the electrolyte, a chloride-liberating salt (0.2 m ZnCl2) dissolved in a glycerol-water solvent replenishes free Cl- to fully activate I0/I⁺ conversion while enhancing high-voltage tolerance. This cooperative design delivers an organic-based two-electron ZIB with 87.0% capacity retention over 11,000 cycles, and validates its universality in a carbon-based ZIB retaining 87.2% capacity after 35,000 cycles. By uniting cathodic confinement with electrolyte liberation, dual-zone chloride engineering establishes a generalizable framework for stabilizing two-electron iodine redox chemistry, paving the way toward durable, high-energy aqueous ZIBs.

Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is one of the most widely produced bulk chemicals globally with a production of approximately 50 Mt per year. NH4NO3 is produced by the Haber-Bosch process (which converts elemental nitrogen to ammonia), followed by the Ostwald process (which converts ammonia to nitric acid). These thermal catalytic processes are estimated to contribute approximately 2 % of the global annual energy demand. In contrast, photocatalysis is a promising alternative for the direct conversion of nitrogen into nitrogen-containing compounds under mild reaction conditions. However, using photocatalysis for the simultaneous production of ammonium and nitrate in one reactor ( so-called overall nitrogen fixation) is still challenging. Herein, we report a proof-of-principle study that demonstrates the direct gas-phase photocatalytic conversion of elemental nitrogen into ammonium nitrate. As a heterogeneous photocatalyst, we used cobalt-containing polyoxometalate Na10[Co4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2] deposited on commercial TiO2 nanoparticles (P25). UV-light irradiation of a gaseous mixture of nitrogen (N-source), water (proton source), and oxygen (oxidant) at 150 °C resulted in the simultaneous production of ammonium and nitrate, as well as a minor amount of nitrite. Mechanistic studies provide initial insights into the performance and stability of heterogeneous catalysts. This study opens a new paradigm for photochemical production of ammonium nitrate from nitrogen, oxygen, and water.

In recent years, the resistance signature of the high temperature superconductivity above 250 K in highly compressed hydrides (more than 100 GPa) has garnered significant attention within the condensed matter physics community. This has sparked renewed optimism for achieving superconductivity under room-temperature conditions. However, the superconducting diamagnetism, another crucial property for confirming the superconductivity, has yet to be conclusively observed. The primary challenge arises from the weak diamagnetic signals detected from the small samples compressed in diamond anvil cells. Therefore, the reported results of superconducting diamagnetism in hydrides have sparked intense debate, highlighting the urgent need for workable methodology to assess the validity of the experimental results. Here, we are the first to report the ultrahigh pressure measurements of the superconducting diamagnetism on Nb0.44Ti0.56, a commercial superconducting alloy, in a record-wide pressure range from 5 GPa to 160 GPa. We present detailed results on factors such as sample size, the diamagnetic signal intensity, the signal-to-noise ratio and the superconducting transition temperature across various pressures and different pressure transmitting media. These comprehensive results clearly demonstrate that this alloy is an ideal reference sample for evaluating superconductivity in compressed hydrides,validating the credibility of the experimental systems and superconducting diamagnetic results, as well as determining the nature of the superconductivity of the investigated sample. In addition, these results also provide a valuable benchmark for studying the pressure-induced superconductivity in other material families.

The studies on superconductors under extreme conditions offer valuable insights for assessing their potential in new applications. Nb3Sn, an intermetallic alloy with an A15 structure, is a key commercial superconductor known for its high critical current and magnetic field tolerance. Here, we systematically investigated the physical properties of Nb3Sn under high pressures. Our findings reveal that superconductivity in Nb3Sn remains robust up to similar to 142 GPa, demonstrating remarkable stability despite a gradual suppression of Tc with increasing pressure. First-principles calculations indicate that the pressure-dependent superconducting behavior is primarily driven by variations in the density of states of Nb's d-electrons, particularly contributions from the dx2-y2and dz2orbitals. Furthermore, we predict the potential for synthesizing Nb3Sn films and demonstrate that biaxial strain induced by suitable substrates can preserve their superconducting properties. This comprehensive study not only enhances our understanding of Nb3Sn's superconducting mechanism under high pressure but also opens new avenues for its application in advanced superconducting technologies.

Developing efficient non-precious metal catalysts for oxygen electrocatalysis is crucial for advancing renewable energy storage systems such as rechargeable Zn-air batteries. Nitrogen-doped carbon (M-N-C) materials with atomically dispersed metal sites, particularly Fe-N-C, exhibit remarkable activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR); however, their performance in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains unsatisfactory. In this work, we present the fabrication of Fe, Co, and Ni trimetallic single-atom catalysts, which exhibit outstanding bifunctional catalytic performance. Using ZIF-8 and phytic acid as chelating agents, we achieved uniform dispersion of Fe, Co, and Ni atoms within a porous carbon matrix, preventing metal agglomeration and enhancing catalytic performance. The Fe30Co30Ni30-phosphorus and nitrogen doped carbon (PNC) catalyst, after optimization, achieved a half-wave potential of 0.85 V for ORR and an OER overpotential of 310 mV at 10 mA·cm-2, outperforming many state-of-the-art non-precious metal catalysts. When applied in a Zn-air battery, it achieved a peak power density of 221 mW·cm-2, a specific capacity of 791.3 mAh·gZn-1, and remarkable durability over 330 h. This study offers an efficient approach for developing high-performance catalysts for renewable energy applications.

The efficient and sustainable production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) via solar-driven photocatalysis is hindered by poor charge separation and limited light absorption. To address these challenges, we present a novel S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst composed of cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles and phenolic resin (RF523). The integration of RF523 with CdSe promotes efficient charge separation by generating a built-in electric field, reducing electron-hole recombination. This design enhances both the oxidation and reduction capabilities of the materials and expands spectral absorption to the near-infrared region (800 nm), which is underutilized in conventional systems. The RF/CdSe-100 composite demonstrated a remarkable H2O2production rate of 888.9 mu mol & sdot;h-1 under full-spectrum light, outperforming mechanically mixed samples by a factor of 2.0. Additionally, the composite exhibited broad-spectrum light absorption, with an apparent quantum yield of 19.0 % under 365 nm light and 1.7 % under 800 nm light, highlighting its ability to efficiently utilize a wide range of solar energy. The photocatalytic mechanism is driven by the S-scheme charge transfer process, enhancing redox efficiency and promoting the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) for H2O2production. This work offers an efficient strategy for solar-driven H2O2synthesis, advancing the design of photocatalysts for renewable energy and environmental applications.

In the April 25 issue of Science, Yue et al. present an innovative MOF@POM hybrid catalyst, which they designed by grafting CoFe-MOFs onto nickel-bridged POMs. The resulting catalyst sets a new benchmark for efficient and durable water oxidation by exhibiting outstanding performance in an anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer.

Photocatalysis is a sustainable and eco-friendly technology for solar energy conversion. However, the development of advanced photocatalysts remains challenging due to slow exciton dynamics and limited active accessibility. Herein, we present a novel transformation strategy for synthesizing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) from hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs). This transformation is driven by the in-situ conversion of hydrogen bonds to coordination bonds. A series of 4,4 ',4 '',4 & tprime;-(porphyrin-5,10,15,20-tetrayl) tetra benzoic acid (TCPP)-based MOFs, denoted as HIII-MT (M = Cu, Zn, Fe, Ce, and Mg), were successfully synthesized from TCPP HOF (HIII). The HOF offers a flexible framework that guides the precise assembly of porphyrin ligands and metal centers, making it possible to develop a highly ordered molecular arrangement with abundant metal active sites. The resulting HIII-CuT exhibits remarkable photocatalytic performance and achieves 88 % carbamazepine degradation under solar light. This efficiency surpasses template-free CuT, HIII, and aggregated TCPP by 2.4, 3.6, and 8 times, respectively. The enhanced performance is due to prolonged electron lifetimes and improved substrate adsorption. This work provides a new pathway for designing high-performance MOF photocatalysts with controlled orientation and tailored structure, opening great opportunities environmental remediation and sustainable energy applications.

We report the discovery of pressure-induced superconductivity transitions in RbMgBi, a nonmetallic layered compound under ambient conditions. Upon compression, RbMgBi first undergoes an insulator-to-metal transition at similar to 4.5 GPa, coinciding with the emergence of a superconducting phase (SC-I). A second superconducting phase (SC-II) appears near 10.4 GPa, with both phases coexisting until SC-II becomes dominant above similar to 14 GPa. High-pressure ac susceptibility confirmed the bulk superconducting nature in both phases. High-pressure x-ray diffraction reveals a substantial c-axis contraction and a structural transition from a tetragonal P4/nmm to an orthorhombic Cmcm phase near 5.5 GPa, underscoring the role of interlayer spacing in enabling superconductivity. Hall measurements show marked carrier evolution at the critical pressures, while first-principles calculations indicate a pressure-driven electronic reconstruction-from a single-band regime to a multiband state with enhanced Fermi velocity and superfluid density. Our results demonstrate a strong interplay between structural compression, carrier dynamics, and superconducting behavior, offering new insight into pressure-tuned superconductivity and guiding principles for designing emergent superconductors via coupled structural-electronic engineering.

Covalent triazine framework (CTF) derivatives have emerged as promising metal-free electrocatalysts due to their high nitrogen content and intrinsic porosity. However, their performance remains limited by sluggish interfacial charge transport and the inaccessibility of active sites. Herein, we report an interfacial covalent bridging strategy based on grafting polymerization to construct a carbon heterostructure electrocatalyst, featuring vertically aligned nitrogen-doped nanosheets covalently anchored onto graphene (v-N/CNS/Gr) support. The covalently bridged interface promotes interfacial charge transfer across the heterostructure, activating otherwise dormant nitrogen active sites and amplifying the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) reactivity. In situ spectroscopic analyses and theoretical simulations reveal that the covalent bridged bonding promotes charge transport and oxygen activation, and optimizes the adsorption/desorption of intermediates, collectively contributing to reduced energy barriers along the 4e- ORR pathway. As a result, the v-N/CNS/Gr delivers excellent ORR activity with a half-wave potential of 0.85 V (vs RHE). When employed as the cathode in a Zn-air battery, v-N/CNS/Gr achieves a high-power density and stable operation over 850 h. This work demonstrates a generalizable triazine-polymer-based interfacial bridge strategy for enhancing active site accessibility and charge transport in metal-free electrocatalysts.

Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia (eNRA) is a promising route toward environmental sustainability and clean energy. However, its efficiency is often limited by the slow conversion of intermediates due to spin-forbidden processes. Here, we introduce a novel A-site high-entropy strategy to develop a new perovskite oxide (La0.2Pr0.2Nd0.2Ba0.2Sr0.2)CoO3-δ (LPNBSC) for eNRA. The LPNBSC possesses a higher concentration of high-spin (HS) cobalt-active centers, resulting from an increased concentration of [CoO5] structural motifs compared to conventional LaCoO3. Consequently, this material exhibits a significantly improved electrocatalytic performance toward ammonia (NH3) production, resulting in a 3-fold increase in yield rate (129 μmol h-1 mgcat.-1) and a 2-fold increase in Faradaic efficiency (FE, 76%) compared to LaCoO3 at the optimal potential. Furthermore, the LPNBSC-based Zn-nitrate battery reaches a maximum FE of 82% and an NH3 yield rate of 57 μmol h-1 cm-2. Density functional theory calculations reveal that A-site high-entropy management in perovskites facilitates nitrate activation and potentially optimizes the thermodynamic rate-determining step of the eNRA process, namely, *HNO3 + H+ + e- → *NO2 + H2O. This work presents an efficient concept for modulating the spin state of the B-site metal in perovskites and offers valuable insights for the design of high-performance eNRA catalysts.

The hydrogen storage/release system based on sodium borohydride (NaBH4) is the most practical chemical hydrogen storage and release method. But it requires efficient, reusable and inexpensive catalysts to drive the reaction under ambient condition. Coupling photocatalysis with traditional thermal catalysis is an ideal strategy to enhance the reaction efficiency. Inspired by the photosensitive nature of polydopamine (PDA), PDA-coated CoFeAl layered double hydroxides (CoFeAl-LDH@PDA) have been designed by in-situ polymerization for photothermal co-catalysis of H2 production from NaBH4 under visible light. The close contact between PDA and CoFeAl-LDH creates a heterogeneous structure, which accelerates the photogenerated charge transfer and the efficiency of electron-hole partitioning, resulting in the photocatalytic activity greatly enhanced. Moreover, the addition of PDA enhanced the absorption of visible light by the catalyst, which made the system have higher heat in the photothermal conversion, and promoted the photothermal synergistic catalytic hydrogen production. In addition, the cycling stability of CoFeAl-LDH@PDA was significantly improved by the protective layer of PDA, and 89 % of the initial yield could be maintained after 5 cycles. The structure design provides a new idea to further promote the practical application of NaBH4 photothermal catalysis for hydrogen production.

The discovery of high critical temperature (Tc) superconductivity in pressurized La_3Ni_2O_7 has ignited renewed excitement in the search of novel high-Tc superconducting compounds with 3d transition metals. Compared to other ambient-pressure superconductors, such as copper-oxide and iron-oxypnictides, unraveling the mechanisms of the pressure-induced superconductivity poses significant and unique challenges. A critical factor in this phenomenon seems to be related to the electronic configuration of 3d orbitals, which may play a fundamental role in driving high-Tc superconductivity. However, the pressure effects on the mixed-valence states of 3d-orbital cations and their influence on the emergence of high-Tc superconductivity remain poorly understood. Here, we use high-pressure (P) and low-temperature synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy to investigate the influence of pressure on the mean valence change of Ni ions in La_3Ni_2O_7. Our results demonstrate that at a low-temperature of 20 K, the mean valence remains relatively stable across the pressures range from 1 atm to 40 GPa. Based on analyzing the absorption data, we find that, at a critical pressure, the ambient-pressure ordered phases disappear and both the structural and the superconducting phase transition occur. The pressure-induced structural phase transition revealed by our absorption results is consistent with that determined by X-ray diffraction, offering new information for a comprehensive understanding on the pressure-induced superconductivity in La_3Ni_2O_7.