ABSTRACT Aqueous zinc‑iodine (Zn‐I 2 ) batteries demonstrate significant potential for large‑scale energy storage, yet their practical application remains hindered by polyiodide shuttling at the cathode and uncontrolled Zn dendrite growth at the anode. In this work, an asymmetric twist molecule (ATM) was designed, which disrupts the equilibrium of molecular charge distribution and spatial steric effects. The rigid twist backbone locks the amino and carboxyl groups in a fixed orientation, generating a permanent molecular dipole that creates a stable local electrostatic field. This field adsorbs iodide ions, suppressing iodine hydrolysis and preventing polyiodide migration. Meanwhile, the oriented local electric field homogenizes the Zn 2+ flux and mitigates dendrite formation at the Zn anode, enabling uniform Zn deposition. Consequently, experimental results demonstrate that the Zn‐I 2 battery delivers a reversible capacity of 235 mAh g −1 under a high loading of 7.3 mg cm −2 . Furthermore, the ATM containing Zn//Zn symmetric cell exhibits an ultralong cycling lifespan exceeding 6100 h at 1 mA cm −2 . This study proposes a feasible technical pathway for constructing highly stable aqueous Zn‐I 2 batteries through the concept of asymmetric twist molecular design.

The rheological behavior of the aluminum melt foam dictates the final porous structure of solidified material. To date, experimental investigations into the flow properties of aluminum melt foams remain limited. In this study, a customized rotational viscometer was developed to quantitatively assess the apparent viscosity of aluminum melt foam. Melt foams with various gas volume fractions were prepared via the direct foaming method and subjected to rate-controlled testing across different rotational speeds. The results demonstrate a non-monotonic relationship between apparent viscosity and gas volume fraction, characterized by an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease, peaking at a volume fraction of ∼70% under low rotation speeds. At lower gas fractions, bubble jamming increases the resistance to bubble rearrangement; however, beyond a critical threshold, progressive film thinning induces rupture under shear loading, leading to a significant drop in viscosity. Furthermore, in our experimental conditions, the melt foam exhibits pronounced shear-thinning behavior, where the mechanical response transitions from a solid-like to a liquid-like state beyond a shear rate of ∼2 s−1. Morphology analysis of the pore structure reveals that high-rate shearing locally refines pores and increases the liquid fraction. This mechanism mitigates the resistance to bubble rearrangement, thereby yielding macroscopic fluid-like behavior. These findings provide fundamental insights into the rheology and structural evolution of aluminum melt foams under shear flow, proposing a viable strategy for tailoring the gradient pore structure of aluminum foams.

Hybrid antiperovskites have attracted tremendous research interest with unique assembly architecture, holding great promise in ferroelectricity, nonlinear optics, optoelectronic detection, etc. However, constructing hybrid antiperovskite has always been a great challenge, and the ferroelasticity within this family remains unexplored. Here, we report the first case of hybrid antiperovskite ferroelastic, (C3H8ON)3(SnCl6)Cl, designed via molecular modification. Through hydrogen-bond engineering by substituting (C3H6ON)+ cations with (C3H8ON)+, the stacking arrangement of components in lattice was reconfigured to transform a zero-dimensional precursor of (C3H6ON)2SnCl6 into a three-dimensional hybrid antiperovskite architecture. This structural reorganization successfully induces a ferroelastic phase transition with an Aizu notation of 2mF222. This work not only enriches the hybrid antiperovskite family, but also sheds new light for designing ferroic materials.

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite (HOIP) bistable materials have recently received increasing attention for their great potential applications in next-generation sensors, actuators, and smart devices. However, HOIP bistable materials with large enthalpy change (Delta H) are still rare. Herein, by introduction of a large-sized organic cation, [3-HTMPA]+ (3-dimethylamino-2,2-dimethyl-1-propanol), we synthesized a one-dimensional (1D) HOIP bistable material, [3-HTMPA]PbI3, which exhibits multichannel switching in second-harmonic generation (SHG), dielectric, and conductivity. More importantly, [3-HTMPA]PbI3 possesses a large Delta H value of 53.31 kJmol, surpassing that of most of the previously reported HOIP bistable materials. This work broadens the potential application areas of bistable materials and facilitates further exploration of multifunctional bistable materials.

Precise modulation of ferroelectric properties in van der Waals (vdW) layered materials is crucial for multifunctional nanoelectronics. Here, we demonstrate that Li⁺ substitution at Cu sites (Cu1-xLixInP2S6, x≤ 0.1) concurrently enhances ferroelectric and ionic conductivities, and enriches the polarization configurations of CuInP2S6. With Li-doping, benefiting from the strengthened Cu-S interlayer bond and reduced interlayer spacing, the Curie temperature increases from 315 K (pristine) to 327 K (x = 0.1), and Cu⁺ ionic conductivity activation energy is lowered from ∼0.6 eV (pristine) to ∼0.4 eV (x = 0.1). Meanwhile, the high-polarization state is stabilized and gives rise to the coexistence of low- and high-polarization states (LP and HP), which lays a fertile ground for topological polar texture. Numerous polar bubbles and labyrinth domains with varied sizes and shapes are observed at the border between HP and LP phases. Interestingly, a strain gradient switches the HP to the LP state, establishing an intriguing flexoelectrical response and providing a mechanical pathway to tune and confine the polar texture. This work provides a feasible chemical strategy to modulate ferroelectric properties and polar configurations in vdW ferroelectrics, offering promising opportunities for advanced electronics, neuromorphic computing, and topotronics.

Understanding the biological effects of chiral nanomaterials holds much significance for chirality-dependent biomedical applications. In particular, structurally chiral plasmonic nanomaterials are gaining increasing attention due to their unique structure-dependent chiroptical properties, which arise from the integration of plasmonic characteristics with geometric chirality. Recent advances in controlling the geometry and chiroptical activities of chiral plasmonic nanostructures are opening new avenues for their integration into biomedical applications. The chirality-dependent functionality of chiral plasmonic nanomaterials could originate from strong chiral light-matter couplings or enantioselective interactions at chiral interfaces, enabling sensitive biosensing and high-performance therapeutic interventions. Thus, this review provides an overview of controllable synthesis of chiral plasmonic nanomaterials and biomedical applications for chirality-dependent enantioselective recognition, biosensing, and therapeutic interventions. We focus on the recent developments in the controllable synthesis of chiral plasmonic nanomaterials, especially on those with intrinsically structural chirality. Furthermore, the emerging biomedical applications of chiral plasmonic nanomaterials, along with their main challenges and future research directions, are discussed. We anticipate that these studies would provide new insights into the interaction between artificial chiral materials and biological systems.

Interfacial thermal stress is a common issue limiting the performance of perovskite optoelectronics, particularly x-ray detectors. This challenge originates from thermomechanical incompatibility: conventional high-temperature perovskite crystallization induces severe interfacial thermal stress upon cooling, triggering film delamination and cracking. Herein, through solvent engineering and intermediate design, we demonstrate, for the first time, the low-temperature formation of perovskite thick films, mitigating this issue at its origin. This is achieved by a new perovskite ink formulation containing highly volatile 2-methoxyethanol (2-ME) and monodentate coordinating 1-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidone (CHP). This combination yields a new intermediate, (CHP)2Pb3I6, that largely decouples nucleation from growth and lowers the crystallization temperature from 135 to 75°C. This reduction, along with an improved wettability, decreases the interfacial thermal stress by ∼75% and doubles the interfacial adhesion strength. Consequently, robust integration of perovskite thick films with an indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT) backplane is achieved. The resulting flat-panel imager delivers a spatial resolution of 4.73 lp mm-1 (0.59 lp pix-1) when the modulation transfer function (MTF) reaches 0.2, outperforming commercial amorphous selenium (α-Se) and previous perovskite-based imagers. This work elucidates intermediate-regulated crystallization thermodynamics and opens avenue for integrating monolithic perovskite optoelectronics onto temperature‑sensitive substrates.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites with giant piezoelectric responses, exemplified by TMCM-CdCl_{3}, represent a promising platform for flexible and environmentally friendly electromechanical materials. However, the microscopic origin of such exceptional performance in this weakly polar system has remained elusive. Here, using deep-learning-assisted large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we resolve this paradox by reproducing a giant piezoelectric coefficient of ≈211  pC/N and demonstrating that it arises from the collective contribution of multiple intrinsic components, particularly the shear component d_{15}. This effect does not stem from conventional polarization rotation or phase switching, but instead originates from stochastic 120° in-plane rotational hopping of a small fraction of organic cations. This discrete hopping mechanism is governed by the local C_{3}-symmetric halogen-bonding network between the host framework and the guest cation. The Arrhenius-type temperature dependence of d_{15} further confirms the role of thermally activated dipole hopping. This Letter provides a clear pathway to enhance piezoelectric performance of hybrid materials through rational engineering of host-guest interactions.

Bi/Sb‐based halide ferroelectrics have become promising lead‐free alternatives due to their excellent stability and environmental friendliness. However, their wide bandgaps and limited charge‐carrier mobility‐lifetime ( µτ ) product impede their optoelectronic performance. Here, we report a new eco‐friendly method for growing lead‐free halide ferroelectric solid‐solution (HDA)Sb 1‐x Bi x I 5 (x = 0–1) (HDA = hexane‐1,6‐diammonium), by isothermal evaporation from a biomass‐derived solvent, γ ‐valerolactone (GVL). The solid‐solution strategy, good material stability,‐ and high‐quality centimeter‐sized single‐crystals not only endow the (HDA)Sb 0.39 Bi 0.61 I 5 with the narrowest bandgap of 1.64 eV among Bi/Sb‐based halide ferroelectrics, but also enhance its µτ product by approximately two orders of magnitude compared with the parent (HDA)SbI 5 . Benefiting from these attributes and the intrinsic ferroelectric spontaneous polarization, the X‐ray detector based on (HDA)Sb 0.39 Bi 0.61 I 5 exhibits excellent self‐powered detection performance with a high sensitivity of 1,040 µC Gy air −1 cm −2 and a low detection limit of 0.25 nGy air s −1 . More excitingly, its detection sensitivity can reach 17,560 µC Gy air −1 cm −2 , which is the highest among reported halide ferroelectrics, and superior to that of most halide detectors. This work opens new avenues for the rational engineering of Bi/Sb‐based halide ferroelectrics for advanced optoelectronic applications.

ABSTRACT Metal‐free perovskites (MFPs) have emerged as eco‐friendly candidates for next‐generation x‐ray detection. However, their development is severely hindered by poor material stability and the reliance on high driving voltages, which exacerbate device complexity and operational risks. Herein, we adopt a multistage fluorination strategy to develop a novel MFP ferroelectric, FMDABCO‐NH 4 (PF 6 ) 3 (FMDABCO 2+ = N ‐fluoromethyl‐ N′ ‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octonium). X‐site fluorination endows FMDABCO‐NH 4 (PF 6 ) 3 with excellent stability, while A‐site fluorination enhances molecular dipoles and rotational barriers, leading to multiaxial ferroelectricity, an elevated Curie temperature ( T C ) of 340 K, and a spontaneous polarization ( P s ) of 16 µC cm −2 , the highest value among reported fluorinated MFP ferroelectrics. As a result, FMDABCO‐NH 4 (PF 6 ) 3 single crystals enable self‐powered x‐ray detection along three equivalent polar axes, representing the first multiaxial self‐powered MFP x‐ray detector. Furthermore, under a low electric field of 80 V mm −1 , FMDABCO‐NH 4 (PF 6 ) 3 delivers a record‐high sensitivity of 2860 µC Gy air −1 cm −2 among MFP ferroelectrics, while retaining 93% of its initial sensitivity after 1 year of ambient exposure. This work establishes a viable pathway toward environmentally benign, high‐performance, and self‐powered x‐ray detectors.

Ferroelectric semiconductors hold promise for emerging applications in photovoltaics and photodetection. Solid ferroelectricity with a narrow bandgap has long been pursued to facilitate efficient charge generation and transport. However, their integration has been a continuous challenge as a possible leakage current can compromise ferroelectricity. Here, through the molecular modification and solid solution strategy on a series of one-dimensional (1,4-BDA)Sb x Bi1-x Br5 (x = 0-1) (BDA = 1,4-butanediaminium), we have achieved robust ferroelectricity with a high Curie temperature (T c) of 379 K, and a reduced bandgap of 2.25 eV is realized in the composition (1,4-BDA)Sb0.7Bi0.3Br5. Benefiting from the promotion effect of the narrow bandgap and ferroelectric built-in electric field, compared to the parent (1,4-BDA)BiBr5, these attributes enable (1,4-BDA)Sb0.7Bi0.3Br5 to demonstrate X-ray detection capability with a sensitivity of up to 7479 mu C Gyair -1 cm-2 and a limit of detection of 260 nGyair s-1, which is more than 21 times lower than that required for standard medical diagnostics. This study will provide insight into designing ferroelectric semiconductors for high-performance photoelectric devices.

Solution peeling of perovskite single crystals for the fabrication of stable and highly efficient phosphors.

Inorganic cesium lead triiodide (CsPbI3) perovskites have garnered extensive attention due to their significant potential in solar energy harvesting and conversion. Currently, the preparation of high-quality CsPbI3 films primarily relies on the DMAPbI3-assisted crystallization method. However, it is challenging to completely remove DMAI from CsPbI3 films, and residual DMAPbI3 may lead to local heterogeneity, defect formation, and rough morphology. Although extending annealing time and increasing humidity can reduce the residual DMAPbI3, these methods will adversely affect the film morphology and device performance. Herein, a strategy of hydroxyl self-assembly on the TiO2 surface for promoting DMAI volatilization has been developed. The hydroxyl groups can undergo condensation dehydration during perovskite film annealing to generate H2O molecules. Furthermore, we have revealed the real mechanism by which humidity promotes DMAI volatilization, demonstrating that H2O molecules facilitate the ion exchange of DMA* and Cs* during perovskite crystallization. Benefiting from hydroxyl self-assembly, CsPbI3-based devices achieved a power conversion efficiency of 19.50% and enhanced operational stability. Our study provides an effective strategy to modulate the crystallization process without the residual harmful by-products. (c) 2026 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Pheniramine maleate, a first-generation over-the-counter antihistamine, is widely used to treat allergies and as a sedative. However, its irrational use may result in drug-safety problems and threaten human health. Therefore, methods for rapidly detecting pheniramine have been widely studied and are significant from a practical perspective. In this study, we used electrospinning and hydrothermal methods to grow NiCo-based layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets on the surfaces of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and prepare NiCo-LDHs@CNF-based electrochemiluminescence sensors for the highly sensitive detection of pheniramine. The results show that both Ni and Co elements in NiCo-LDHs have multiple valence states. During the electrochemical process, these metal ions can rapidly and reversibly transform into each other among different valence states, forming efficient surface REDOX pairs. However, pure NiCo-LDHs tend to accumulate on the electrode surface. Therefore, in the prepared NiCo-LDHs@CNFs, CNFs act as the central skeleton to firmly support NiCo-LDHs, endowing them with high catalytic activity, high electrical conductivity, large specific surface area and excellent structural stability. The electrochemiluminescent sensor exhibited a detection limit of 8.6 × 10−10 mol/L in the 1 × 10−8 to 6 × 10−5 mol/L range, with a coefficient of determination of 0.9997. The sensor delivered a recovery rate of 97.1–103.4

The research about two-dimensional van der Waals magnetic materials has advanced the breakthroughs in ultrathin magnetic devices. We experimentally demonstrate that a single-crystal N-face AlN polar substrate can program layer-number-parity-dependent magnetic multistates and their evolution sequence in few-layer CrI3. In odd-layer samples, as 5L-CrI3/AlN, when μ0H sweeps from 3 to -3 T, the reflective magnetic circular dichroism signal evolves through distinct magnetic multistates (+ 5 → -1 → +1 → -5), where +1 corresponds to the moment of a spin-up monolayer. Thereby, we vertically program novel magnetic ground states and their evolution sequence via a simplified heterointerface. Our first-principles calculations attribute this effect to interfacial hole doping: it globally reconfigures the magnetic ground state of odd-layer CrI3 to a novel ferrimagnetic order, and spatially differentiates the interlayer exchange coupling and magnetic anisotropy between the surface/interfacial and interior layers. Our work advances the practical integration and design of two-dimensional magnetic devices with tailored functionalities.

Hybrid rare-earth double perovskites (HREDPs) have received increasing attention due to their structural tunability and multifunctionality. However, the impact of lanthanide contraction on the properties of HREDPs remains to be investigated. Herein, we synthesized a series of isostructural HREDP ferroelastics, (DMSOX)(2)LnCs(NO3)(6) (DMSOX = dimethylsulfoximine and Ln = La3+, Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+, Sm3+, and Eu3+). The results demonstrate that decreasing the rare-earth ionic radius modulates the Curie temperature (T-C), exhibiting a monotonic decrease from 411.1 to 395.8 K across the lanthanide series. Structural analysis reveals that the shrinkage of the ionic radius weakens hydrogen bonding interactions, which is the primary origin of the lowered T-C. Among them, Eu-based (DMSOX)(2)EuCs(NO3)(6) possesses an orange-red luminescence behavior with a lifetime of 4.87 ms and a quantum yield of 44%. This work provides a distinct strategy for fine-tuning multifunctional HREDP materials.

Perovskite materials have attracted substantial attention for their promising applications in high-performance light-emitting devices. However, the development of cyan-emissive metal halide perovskites lags markedly behind their red and green counterparts among the multi-color emissive type perovskites, primarily because of their poor stability and low luminescence efficiency. Herein, PbBr(OH)-encapsulated and Zn-doped MAPbBrxCl3-x (MA = CH3NH3+) cyan phosphors were fabricated by in situ solution peeling from Zn-alloyed MAPbBrxCl3-x single crystals. Notably, the PbBr(OH) shell-encapsulated perovskite phosphors not only demonstrate excellent stability under light, heat, and exposure to organic solvents but also confine the photogenerated excitons, passivate surface defects, prevent ion migration and suppress non-radiative losses in the MAPbBrxCl3-x nanocrystals upon Zn doping, resulting in a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). As a representative candidate, the Zn:MAPbBr2.2Cl0.8@PbBr(OH) phosphor exhibits a bright cyan emission at 481 nm with a high PLQY of over 90%. The Zn:MAPbBr2.2Cl0.8@PbBr(OH) phosphor-based cyan light-emitting diode maintains a brightness exceeding 1000 cd m-2 even after 24 h of continuous operation under a current of 9.8 mA with exceptional stability. Furthermore, these cyan-emissive phosphors can be utilized for overcoming the issues of "blue overshoot" and "cyan gap" in white light-emitting diodes.