Ferroelectric (FE) and antiferroelectric (AFE) materials have recently emerged as promising candidates for active thermal management, giving rise to a range of novel physical phenomena. However, thermal transport in relation to polarization switching remains insufficiently explored. In this work, we investigate the thermal transport properties of bilayer 2H α-In2Se3 in both the FE and AFE phases using neuroevolution potentials (NEP) combined with the Wigner transport equation. Our results reveal that following the polarization phase transition, the thermal conductivity in bilayer 2H α-In2Se3 is significantly suppressed. Specifically, only considering the three-phonon process may underestimate the thermal switch ratio. When four-phonon scattering is taken into account, the thermal switching ratio (κFE/κAFE) increases from 1.3 to 1.9 at 300 K. Furthermore, with increasing temperature, the coherent contribution to the thermal conductivity gradually increases. These results explain the underlying mechanisms of thermal transport in bilayer ferroelectric materials with polarization, and provide new insights for the design of nanoscale thermal management devices.

MXene/biomacromolecule composites have rapidly emerged as a versatile class of hybrids that couple the electrical and photothermal functionalities of MXenes with the mechanical reinforcement and bio-derived processability of natural macromolecules. This review establishes a unified framework for the field by classifying the architectures reported into four representative categories, namely membranes or films, papers, gels, and nonwoven structures, and by systematically comparing their fabrication strategies, including vacuum-assisted assembly, solution casting, printing, electrospinning, and gelation. The interfacial assembly principles governing structure formation and property retention are summarized, with an emphasis on interfacial hydrogen bonding, electrostatic and coordination interactions, together with hierarchical structural confinement that suppresses MXene restacking and enables continuous transport pathways. Recent progress is critically compared across electromagnetic interference shielding, soft actuation, biomedicine, energy storage, flexible electronic devices, and water purification, highlighting structures, properties, application correlations and performance-limiting factors. Key challenges and opportunities are identified, including oxidation mitigation and long-term stability, scalable manufacturing and large-area processing, standardized biosafety evaluation, and multifunctional integration guided by computations and machine learning. This review provides design principles and practical considerations to accelerate the rational development of robust and sustainable MXene/biomacromolecule composites.

The significant challenges in lithium recovery from salt lake via solvent extraction is the moderate lithium selectivity and the dissolution loss of extractants in aqueous phase. In order to tackle these challenges for lithium extraction for the real application, in this work, quantum chemistry calculation was employed to quantify the steric hindrance of neutral phosphate extractants with both aromatic and alkyl substituents. Among the candidates, 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDP) was identified as the most promising extractant and was further validated through extraction experiments. A novel extraction system, EHDP-MIBK-FeCl3, was proposed and systematically optimized. Under the optimal extraction conditions, EHDP exhibited the highest steric hindrance and the lowest dissolution loss. Up to 91% lithium extraction was achieved at a single-stage, with negligible magnesium co-extraction. The mechanism was elucidated using FT-IR, UV-vis, Raman, NMR, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The extracted lithium species were confirmed to include [Li center dot 2EHDP]+, [Li center dot 3EHDP]+, and [Li center dot 2EHDP center dot 2H2O]+. Finally, the system was applied to real brine from the Qarhan Salt Lake. The extraction efficiency of lithium ELi can reach 83% at single stage and the separation factor of lithium and magnesium beta Li/Mg reaches 106,824, demonstrating excellent selectivity and promising industrial applicability.

The contribution of optical phonon modes to lattice thermal conductivity is well known to be much lower than that from their acoustic counterparts. However, in this study, by combining density functional theory calculations with the solution of the Boltzmann transport equation, optical phonons in 2H-TiS2 are found to be the dominant contributors to thermal conductivity (68%), which is fundamentally different from the common picture of thermal transport. This originates from the acoustic-like optical phonons dominated by the crystal symmetry group. We further reveal that upon Ti self-intercalation, the thermal conductivity is drastically reduced from 15.84 W m-1 K-1 to 1.25 W m-1 K-1, with the contribution of optical phonons decreasing to 48%. Through a comprehensive analysis of phonon scattering mechanisms, the significant decrease in thermal conductivity with self-intercalation can be elucidated by disappearance of acoustic-like optical phonon branches, and the induced strong coupling between optical and acoustic phonons. This work opens a pathway for dynamical and reversible modulation of heat conduction in two-dimensional layered materials.

Shifting the computing unit from back-end electronic processors to sensors or front-end free-space optics has emerged as a promising solution for enhancing the energy efficiency of visual processing. However, existing optoelectronic computing arrays often struggle to achieve a rich diversity of optoelectronic responses at low hardware costs, failing to balance array integration scale with functional diversity. Here we develop a multi-responsive retinomorphic sensor for reconfigurable optoelectronic computing. Under low-bias voltage control, the two-terminal Sb2Te3/MoS2 heterostructure enables in situ, reversible switching between photodiode and opto-synaptic responses. Meanwhile, it can mimick the intrinsic leaky integrate-and-fire behaviour of biological neurons under focused light pulses. Furthermore, by integrating a sensor array of a specific scale with diffractive optical components, we showcase multi-mode optoelectronic computing capabilities, such as image and video processing, as well as transfer learning applications enabled by optical spike encoding. Leveraging the multiple optoelectronic responses of the sensor, the architecture achieves a superior spatiotemporal dimensionality that is promising for applications in fields such as autonomous driving, satellite remote sensing and robotics. A multi-responsive retinomorphic sensor based on a two-terminal Sb2Te3/MoS2 heterostructure switches between photodiode, opto-synaptic and opto-neuronal modes, enabling low-power, scalable in-sensor optoelectronic computing for static, dynamic and spike-based vision tasks.

Interfacial regulation is the core and an urgent scientific issue for optimizing the performance of MXene-based biocomposites. This study uses all-atom molecular dynamics (AAMD) simulations to systematically investigate the coupling effects of Ti3C2Tx surface terminal groups (-O and -OH) and silk fibroin (SF) chain orientations (0°, 45°, and 90°) on the interfacial mechanical properties of MXene-based biocomposites. Equilibrium analysis demonstrates that the Ti3C2(OH)2 terminal groups construct the strongest hydrogen bond network, yielding the maximum interfacial binding energy. Shear simulations reveal significant orientational differences in interfacial strength: the 0° orientation achieves the highest shear strength, confirming that ordered alignment is critical for efficient stress transfer. Dynamic analysis uncovers two distinct interfacial failure modes: the 0° orientation exhibits brittle-like interfacial fracture under high strength, while the 90° orientation undergoes ductile failure dominated by dynamic friction. The bulk structure of SF remains stable during force-based shear simulation, verifying that the reinforcement mechanism of MXenes originates from optimized interfacial load transfer. This work provides crucial atomic-scale guidance for the rational design and optimization of interfacial mechanical properties in MXene-based composites.

Tackling the dual challenges of global resource circularity and sustainable energy storage, this study pioneers a novel strategy for converting waste biomass (discarded cloth and paper) into high-performance composite anodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) through a dual-engineering approach. Employing a gradient carbonization strategy, 3D porous carbon matrices retaining the intrinsic hierarchical architecture of the precursors are fabricated. Notably, the waste paper-derived carbon framework exhibits exceptional self-supporting properties. Subsequent vapor deposition enables the homogeneous encapsulation of red phosphorus (RP) throughout the carbon skeleton, yielding a stable Carbon@RP composite. Electrochemical evaluations demonstrate that the paper-derived Carbon@RP anode delivers a remarkable reversible capacity of 813.5 at 0.5 mA cm(-2). Mechanistic studies reveal that the paper-inherited "book-like" lamellar channel structure facilitates deep phosphorus infusion. This work establishes a closed-loop paradigm integrating "waste-to-energy storage" conversion, offering a practical and scalable pathway toward eco-friendly, high-energy-density SIBs for next-generation grid-scale renewable energy systems.

The reusing of waste epoxy resin/glass fiber composites from decommissioned wind turbine blades not only helps to reduce environmental burdens and resource waste but also opens up avenues for generating high-performing, useful materials. In this study, these waste composites were used as the reinforcing phase and combined with sodium alginate and sodium hyaluronate pregels, as well as in situ polymerized polyethylene glycol diacrylate, to fabricate lightweight and flexible thermal insulation composites with an interconnected porous architecture and a three-dimensional interpenetrating polymer network. The resultant composite exhibited a superior combination of low bulk density (0.184 g cm(-3)) and high compressive strain (>80%), outperforming a wide range of reported silica-based or organic aerogels and composites. Additionally, it demonstrated excellent elasticity and recoverability, low thermal conductivity (0.068 W (m K)(-1)), and enhanced flame self-extinguishing capability, offering great potential for applications in flexible thermal management and safe insulation systems. This work offers a concept for the high-value use of wind turbine blade debris and the creation of lightweight, flexible, and multipurpose thermal management materials.

Indium-based transparent conductive oxides are widely used as electrodes and recombination layers in perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, yet their scalability is constrained by indium scarcity and sputtering-induced damage. We report high-efficiency and stable indium-free perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells enabled by reactive plasma deposited tin oxide (RPD-SnOx). For RPD-SnOx as the recombination layer, we achieved a certified efficiency of 33.6%. Fully indium-free tandems that used RPD-SnOx as both recombination layer and electrodes delivered a champion power conversion efficiency of 33.2% (1 square centimeter) and a minimodule with a certified efficiency of 31.0% (207.9 square centimeters). Dense and uniform self-assembled monolayer anchoring enabled by RPD-SnOx suppressed nonradiative recombination and reduced halide migration. Indium-free minimodules exhibited high thermal, damp-heat, and outdoor operational stability and retained 65% of their maximum initial efficiency after 105 days of outdoor operation.

Antisymmetric magnetoresistance shows strong potential in multi-state memory, logical circuits, and high-performance computing. However, the weak magnetoresistance effect and difficulty in manipulation remain as major challenges to practical applications. Emerging van der Waals (vdW) magnets offer promising candidates to overcome the neckbottle. Here, we report the first demonstration of spin-orbit torque (SOT) controlled antisymmetric magnetoresistance effect in vdW Fe3GaTe2/Fe3GeTe2 heterostructure. Spin-orbit coupling induces spinmomentum locking at the Fe3GaTe2/Fe3GeTe2 interface, contributing to the antisymmetric magnetoresistance phenomenon. The shape of antisymmetric magnetoresistance can be highly tunable by current. Surprisingly, current-induced SOT fields are significantly large at low temperatures. In addition to the intrinsic SOT in nano-ferromagnet, the quantitative analysis indicates that the spinmomentum locking can generate a sizable spin current, which results in a large interfacial SOT and magnetoresistance ratio. Based on multiple tunable magnetoresistance states and non-volatility, a compute-in-memory processor is constructed, which achieves high performance in image classification and cryogenic qubit state discrimination. These results mark an important step in advancing the antisymmetric magnetoresistance effect toward energy-efficient spintronic devices.

ABSTRACT Antisymmetric magnetoresistance shows strong potential in multi‐state memory, logical circuits, and high‐performance computing. However, the weak magnetoresistance effect and difficulty in manipulation remain as major challenges to practical applications. Emerging van der Waals (vdW) magnets offer promising candidates to overcome the neckbottle. Here, we report the first demonstration of spin‐orbit torque (SOT) controlled antisymmetric magnetoresistance effect in vdW Fe 3 GaTe 2 /Fe 3 GeTe 2 heterostructure. Spin‐orbit coupling induces spinmomentum locking at the Fe 3 GaTe 2 /Fe 3 GeTe 2 interface, contributing to the antisymmetric magnetoresistance phenomenon. The shape of antisymmetric magnetoresistance can be highly tunable by current. Surprisingly, current‐induced SOT fields are significantly large at low temperatures. In addition to the intrinsic SOT in nano‐ferromagnet, the quantitative analysis indicates that the spinmomentum locking can generate a sizable spin current, which results in a large interfacial SOT and magnetoresistance ratio. Based on multiple tunable magnetoresistance states and non‐volatility, a compute‐in‐memory processor is constructed, which achieves high performance in image classification and cryogenic qubit state discrimination. These results mark an important step in advancing the antisymmetric magnetoresistance effect toward energy‐efficient spintronic devices.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess extremely high intrinsic thermal conductivity, which is generally considered to suppress current saturation caused by self-heating. However, in practical applications, CNTs are often covered by amorphous gate oxides, and their influence on thermal conductivity has not been studied. To fill this gap, we systematically study the effect of the nanogap between CNTs and amorphous oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, and HfO2) on their thermal conductivity using molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that when the nanogap is minimized, all three amorphous oxides significantly reduce the thermal conductivity of CNTs, with Al2O3 having the strongest effect, reducing thermal conductivity by nearly five times. Harmonic phonon analysis reveals that this material dependence originates from interfacial phonon mode coupling. Based on vibrational density of states analysis, it was found that amorphous Al2O3 overlaps most with CNTs at low frequencies (0-30 THz), leading to strong interfacial phonon mode coupling. Besides, spectral energy density analysis further reveals that interfacial interaction enhances anharmonic phonon scattering and significantly shortens phonon lifetime, which is the main mechanism underlying the reduction in thermal conductivity. As the nanogap increases, the interface phonon coupling gradually weakens and the thermal conductivity of CNTs recovers and approaches its intrinsic value at approximately 12.5 Å. This study not only clarifies the crucial role of the nanogap in thermal transport in the CNT/oxide systems but also provides a theoretical basis for the thermal management design of high-performance CNT-based electronic devices.

Current research on integrated circuits and power electronics is rapidly advancing toward miniaturization, high power density, and multi-chip integration, which presents unprecedented challenges to the thermal management performance of packaging materials. Along the device-to-sink heat-flow path in power modules, thermal management relies primarily on two functional material systems: substrate materials that provide mechanical support and electrical insulation, and thermal interface materials (TIMs) that bridge heat transfer across heterogeneous interfaces. This paper summarizes recent advances in thermal management materials for power electronics, with a focus on ceramic-based substrate systems, particularly Si3N4 ceramics, and TIM systems including conductive adhesives, diamond-reinforced composites, and 2D filler-reinforced polymer composites. Emphasis is placed on improvements in thermal conductivity, reduction of thermal resistance, and enhancement of mechanical reliability through process optimization, interfacial engineering, and hybrid filler design. In addition, representative multiscale simulation approaches and emerging applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning are reviewed as tools for understanding interfacial heat transport and accelerating materials screening and optimization. Finally, key challenges and future directions toward scalable, reliable, and intelligent thermal management solutions are discussed, providing guidance for both academic research and industrial deployment in next-generation power-electronics packaging.

Scalable fabrication of highly conductive and flexible yarns is essential for next-generation wearable heating textiles. However, liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite into graphene remains constrained by the intrinsic trade-off between achievable concentration and quality of graphene dispersions. Herein, a simple and cost-effective sand-milling exfoliation strategy is developed for the large-scale production of graphene dispersions by exploiting the noncovalent surface interactions between graphene and a sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS)-carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) bicomponent surfactant system. The bicomponent surfactant system not only lowers the surface tension of water to facilitate efficient exfoliation but also provides synergistic steric-electrostatic stabilization of graphene nanosheets. Through systematic regulation of the CMC molecular weight, stable graphene dispersions with a high concentration of up to similar to 20 mg & centerdot;mL-1 were obtained. The resulting graphene nanosheets exhibit a high proportion of few-layer structures (42%, <= 3 nm), uniform lateral dimensions of 0.6-0.8 mu m, a low defect density (I D/I G approximate to 0.10), and an electrical conductivity of 7220 S & centerdot;m-1. Benefiting from strong hydrogen-bonding interactions, graphene is uniformly deposited onto cotton yarns, resulting in flexible conductive yarns with a low resistance of 32 +/- 19 Omega for a length of 2 cm and efficient Joule heating up to 130.6 degrees C at 5 V, demonstrating promising potential for wearable electronics. It is observed that hydrogen-bonding interactions play a dominant role in the graphene-cellulose interfacial interaction, enabling intimate interfacial contact and uniform graphene anchoring on the yarn surface. This interfacial coupling facilitates the formation of continuous conductive pathways, thereby accounting for the low electrical resistance and efficient Joule heating performance.

Metal sulphate catalysts are widely used in biomass conversion to produce value-added chemicals, yet their stability in the reaction environment has not been studied. Most often, based on the inherent thermal stability of the pure species, sulphate catalysts are simply assumed stable when the reaction temperatures are low. However, in this paper, through studying the catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose ((C6H10O5)n) by experimental investigation, advanced characterisation and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we prove that the ZnSO4 - supported MCM-41 (with the inclusion of 1 wt% Pd in its matrix) is unstable at the pyrolysis temperatures of 400-450 degrees C, which is far below the thermal decomposition temperature of 646 degrees C for pure ZnSO4. This is due to the strong reaction between ZnSO4 and formaldehyde (HCHO), an intermediate produced from the Grob fragmentation of the methyl group on glucose. It induces the loss of Br & Oslash;nsted acidity and reactivity of catalysts, along with the release of gaseous SO2 that is environmentally concerning. Nevertheless, upon the inclusion of only 3.5 wt% Al into the MCM-41 matrix, ZnSO4 was confirmed to remain stable during the cyclic and continuous tests, due to the formation of a strong covalent Zn-SO4-Al bond that enhances the dispersion of ZnSO4 within the MCM mesoporous framework, and the energy demand for the desorption of SO2 from the catalyst surface. Most significantly, such a hidden benefit of Al is complementary to its primary role in moderating the total acidity and Br & Oslash;nsted/ Lewis acid ratio, leading to a record - high furfural (C5H4O2) selectivity of 44-49.5 % and a mass yield of 27.7-31.2 wt% from the pyrolysis of cellulose in a batch-scale fixed-bed reactor. The hidden benefit of Al is also applicable to other sulphates, including CuSO4 and Fe2(SO4)3, although the extent for the improvement on their stability varies. These findings are expected to offer new insights for the design and use of sulphate-based acidic catalysts in practical applications.

Immunotherapy has shed light on clinical oncology for several decades. However, it still suffers from heterogeneous therapeutic outcomes and potential immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Inspired by a natural phenomenon that microalgae can absorb and accumulate selenium (Se), a well-known healthcare element, we engineered a Se-enriched cyanobacterium Synechococcus Sp (Se-Ssp) for advanced immunotherapy. Simply by culturing in the presence of Na2SeO3, Se nanoparticles could be bio-fabricated within Synechococcus Sp, underscoring a facile preparation process with promising translational potential. With satisfactory biocompatibility and internalization efficiency, Se-Ssp boosted dendritic cell maturation and antigen presentation via both the Toll-like receptor and the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathways, likely attributed to the Se-enhanced influx of calcium. In vivo studies demonstrated that Se-Ssp elicited potent innate immunity and maintained long-term adaptive immunity, effectively inhibiting tumor growth with sustained protection against recurrence. In addition, Se-Ssp was validated to sensitize the reaction of both primary and distant tumors to immune checkpoint and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase inhibitors; it also restrained the progression of orthotopic bladder carcinoma via intravesical instillation as well. Briefly, this study developed an anti-cancer immune application of engineered Se-Ssp, offering a promising alternative with significant therapeutic potential that might benefit patients with cancer.

Ultrasound-responsive micro/nanobubbles (MNBs) are promising tools for targeted cancer therapy due to their controllable acoustic activation and real-time imaging. Despite extensive research, the quantitative relationship between bubble structure, acoustic response, and therapeutic efficacy remains poorly understood. This knowledge gap hinders parametric design and clinical standardization. This review summarizes recent advances from an engineering perspective, highlighting how structural parameters—such as size, shell, gas core, and ligand density—affect acoustic sensitivity and drug release. Furthermore, the roles of microfluidic electroporation and cell membrane coating are discussed in terms of controllable fabrication and preservation of biological functions, highlighting their significance for reproducible and predictable therapies. In conclusion, this review establishes a “Structure-Response-Efficacy (S-R-E)” framework to summarize the core relationships between structural design and acoustic modulation. We propose an engineering strategy based on a standardized parameter system to guide the predictable design and clinical translation of ultrasound-based theranostic platforms.

Conformal deposition of perovskite on fully textured silicon bottom cells using low-cost solution processing remains challenging, limiting the process compatibility and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. Herein, this challenge through synergetic engineering of the perovskite composition and tunneling recombination junction (TRJ) is addressed. The utilization of wide bandgap perovskite with high cesium content and silicon heterojunction (SHJ) bottom cell with hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) TRJ is found to enable conformal perovskite on fully textured SHJ bottom cells using solution processing. A remarkable PCE of 33.38% (certified 32.94%) is achieved for the tandem, featuring a record short-circuit current density of 21.21 mA cm-2. The tandem displays excellent stability, retaining 80% of its initial efficiency after 2324 h of operation at maximum power point (AM 1.5G, 25 °C).

Pt-group metal single-atom catalysts (SACs) with a large single-atom areal density are highly desirable for efficient electrocatalysis but remain challenging to synthesize. Herein, a facile vacuum direct current arc discharge (DCAD) strategy is reported for the rapid and scalable synthesis of Pt SACs with an unprecedented areal density of 10.6 atoms nm-2 (3.82 wt.% Pt loading) firmly anchored on CoNi nanoalloy and confined by carbon nanotubes (CoNiPtSA@G). Notably, due to the strong electron trapping effect between Pt SA and CoNi substrates, CoNiPtSA@G retains its structural integrity at 1000 °C, demonstrating an outstanding thermal stability despite the ultra-high areal density. Moreover, the DCAD strategy is universal, which can be applied to other metals such as Iridium. It is also scalable, with a demonstrated gram-scale yield achieved within 0.5 h. The resulting CoNiPtSA@G catalyst exhibits exceptional hydrogen evolution reaction performance, achieving an overpotential of 23 mV at 10 mA cm-2, a mass activity over 5 times higher than that of 20 wt.% Pt/C catalyst and high stability during the 120 h test. This work provides a groundbreaking pathway for the large-scale production of high single-atom areal density, thermally robust SACs, advancing their practical applications in clean energy technologies.