Octuple-state sliding ladder ferroelectrics in bilayer van der Waals GeSe/SnS heterostructures.

Advancing next-generation high-density data storage and post-Moore computing technologies requires the engineering of higher-order multistate ferroelectric transitions. In this study, we demonstrate an octuple-state sliding ladder ferroelectric behaviour in bilayer GeSe/SnS van der Waals heterostructures. This behaviour arises from compression-modulated interlayer sliding, which induces a series of multi-step phase transitions.

Carbon-Negative Ammonia Production from the Air.

Ammonia holds paramount importance as a fundamental chemical commodity for large-scale production of fertilisers and hydrogen carriers. The conventional Haber-Bosch process relies heavily on fossil fuels, making ammonia synthesis a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we show a carbon-negative ammonia synthesis process that not only produces ammonia from the air but also directly captures the atmospheric CO (DAC).

Enabling an ultraefficient lithium-selective construction through electric field-assisted ion control.

Membranes with precise ion transport behaviors are regarded as an alternative for lithium (Li) extraction from water streams. Current membranes demonstrate limited viability due to the lack of efficient Li-selective architectures. We propose an electric field-assisted ion control hypothesis in reinforcing ultraefficient Li-selective membranes, in which an ionized zeolitic imidazolate framework layer (Q-PEI@ZIF) is constructed via polyethylenimine (PEI) in situ confinement conversion and subsequent quaternization of 2,3-epoxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride.

Interconnected nanoconfining pore networks enhance catalyst CO interaction in electrified reactive capture.

Systems that sequentially capture and upgrade CO from air to fuels/fuel-intermediates, such as syngas and ethylene, rely on an energy-intensive CO release process. Electrified reactive capture systems transform CO obtained directly from carbonate capture liquid into products. Previous reactive capture systems show a decline in Faradaic efficiencies (FE) at current densities above 200 mA/cm.

Deciphering the stability of two-dimensional III-V semiconductors: Building blocks and their versatile assembly.

Two-dimensionalization unlocks the unique and superior physical properties of materials, but extending it to nonlayered crystals is challenging. Using density functional theory and machine learning, we unveil a universal rule for creating stable two-dimensional counterparts of traditional high-performance III-V semiconductors, i.e.

Unraveling the Impact of Electrosorbed Ions on the Scaling Behavior of Fast-Charging Dynamics of Nanoporous Electrodes Toward Digital Design of Iontronic Devices.

Electrolyte-filled nanoporous electrodes with fast-charging capability are critical for advanced energy storage and iontronic devices. However, experiments and simulations consistently show that increasing electrode thickness degrades performance by limiting ion access to effective electrode/electrolyte interfaces, especially under fast-charging conditions. While often attributed to sluggish ion transport, the underlying mechanisms and the quantitative link between thickness and performance remain unclear due to complex pore structures and nanoconfined ion dynamics.

Preferred Parallel Alignment of Sulfonamide Enables High-performance Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Molecule additives emerge as a highly effective strategy for enhancing the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), owing to their potential in suppressing intrinsic defects in perovskite. However, the influence of atomic configuration and electronic properties of additives on their passivation performance receives little attention. Here, two benzenesulfonamide derivatives, 4-carboxybenzenesulfonamide (CO-BSA) and 4-cyanobenzenesulfonamide (CN-BSA) are investigated, examining the effects of molecules with different electron‑acceptor functional groups on the defect passivation of perovskite layer and the photovoltaic properties of perovskite solar cells (PSCs.

Mesoscale dynamics of electrosorbed ions in fast-charging carbon-based nanoporous electrodes.

Electrosorption, the accumulation of electrolyte ions at charged interfaces, is a common phenomenon across various electrochemical systems. Its impact is particularly pronounced in nanoporous electrodes owing to their high surface-to-volume ratios. Although electrosorption alters the ion distribution at the electrode-electrolyte interface through the formation of an electrical double layer, the effects of electrosorbed ions on the charge storage dynamics in nanoporous electrodes and their ability to improve charging processes have often been overlooked.

Electrostatic nano-mask patterned 180° domain walls in a ferroelectric film.

Ferroelectric domain walls (FDWs) exhibit exotic structural and electronic properties, positioning them as a promising functional element for next-generation nanoelectronics. However, achieving the deterministic creation of FDWs with nanoscale precision and controlled polarization of domains remains a substantial challenge for the scalable FDW-device fabrication and circuit design. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for FDW engineering by tailoring the interfacial electrostatic profile.

Wet chemically produced nanomaterials for soft wearable biosensors.

Wearable biosensors are gaining significant attention for their ability to monitor vital health signs remotely, continuously, and non-invasively. Nanomaterials offer transformative potential for next-generation soft wearable sensors, enabling seamless skin integration with enhanced comfort and data accuracy. Wet chemistry provides a scalable, cost-effective approach to producing nanomaterials, transforming rigid sensors into soft, flexible, and stretchable devices for broader wearable applications.

Cobalt-Oxygen Coordination Steering *NO Hydrogenation in Nitrate Electroreduction.

Understanding the hydrogenation behavior of *NO during electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NORR) is essential for designing catalysts with high selectivity toward ammonia (NH) and valuable intermediates like hydroxylamine. Spinel cobalt oxides (CoO) are promising NORR electrocatalysts, yet the exact *NO hydrogenation mechanism remains unclear. Here, we integrate theoretical calculations and systematic experiments to reveal that the hydrogenation pathway is dictated by the coordination environment, which can be tuned via crystal facet engineering.

The van der Waals antiferromagnetic proximity effect at the FePS/Pt uncompensated interface.

van der Waals antiferromagnetic insulators are emerging as promising candidates for spintronics and quantum computing due to their unique magnetic properties. However, detecting antiferromagnetism at the atomic scale remains challenging due to compensated spin order. In this study, we present a novel approach to observe the antiferromagnetic proximity effect in FePS/Pt heterostructures.

Regulate Ion Transport in Subnanochannel Membranes by Ion-Pairing.

The ability of biological ion channels to respond to environmental stimuli, regulate ion permeation rates, and selectively transport specific ions is essential for sustaining physiological functions and holds immense potential for various practical applications. In this study, we report a highly selective ion separation membrane capable of responding to ionic stimuli, thereby regulating the permeation rate of the target ions. This membrane is constructed from two-dimensional MXene nanosheets functionalized with γ-poly(glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) molecules.

Lateral heterophase electric polar topological superstructures of monolayer SnS: a first-principles computational study.

Ferroelectric topological structures in two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as a promising platform for exploring novel topological electronic properties and applications. To date, the reported topological structures have been limited to single-phase 2D materials with spatially varying polarization distributions. Many 2D materials exhibit multiple ferroelectric phases; however, topological structures that combine these phases remain largely unexplored.

Van der Waals Engineering of One-Transistor-One-Ferroelectric-Memristor Architecture for an Energy-Efficient Neuromorphic Array.

Two-dimensional-material-based memristor arrays hold promise for data-centric applications such as artificial intelligence and big data. However, accessing individual memristor cells and effectively controlling sneak current paths remain challenging. Here, we propose a van der Waals engineering approach to create one-transistor-one-memristor (1T1M) cells by assembling the emerging two-dimensional ferroelectric CuCrPS with MoS and -BN.

Highly sensitive, responsive, and selective iodine gas sensor fabricated using AgI-functionalized graphene.

Radioactive molecular iodine (I) is a critical volatile pollutant generated in nuclear energy applications, necessitating sensors that rapidly and selectively detect low concentrations of I vapor to protect human health and the environment. In this study, we design and prepare a three-component sensing material comprising reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as the substrate, silver iodide (AgI) particles as active sites, and polystyrene sulfonate as an additive. The AgI particles enable reversible adsorption and conversion of I molecules into polyiodides, inducing substantial charge density variation in rGO.

Directional Droplet Wetting on Cellulose Surfaces with Physical Modification.

Directional wetting of liquids on solid surfaces is crucial for numerous applications. However, the impact of physical modifications on near-superhydrophilic cellulose has received limited attention as it is widely considered unfeasible. In this study, we present a previously unreported and simple but effective mechanism of directional wetting induced purely by physical modifications on pristine cellulose surfaces.

HexagonRingCalculator: A Handy Code for Hexagonal Ring Characterization in Atomistic Simulations.

Hexagonal rings are critical to the properties of many nanomaterials by determining their mechanical strength, thermal stability, and electrical conductivity, therefore this kind of structure has been intensively concerned in computational studies. However, existing molecular dynamics (MD) simulation tools lack specialized functions for identifying and characterizing them. To address this gap, we developed HexagonRingCalculator, a tool for identifying hexagonal rings and calculating their geometric properties, including bond lengths, ring area, and circularity, directly from MD simulation data.

New Engineering Science Insights into the Electrode Materials Pairing of Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices.

Pairing the positive and negative electrodes with their individual dynamic characteristics at a realistic cell level is essential to the practical optimal design of electrochemical energy storage devices. However, the complex relationship between the performance data measured for individual electrodes and the two-electrode cells used in practice often makes an optimal pairing experimentally challenging. Taking advantage of the developed tunable graphene-based electrodes with controllable structure, experiments with machine learning are successfully united to generate a large pool of capacitance data for graphene-based electrode materials with varied slit pore sizes, thicknesses, and charging rates and numerically pair them into different combinations for two-electrode cells.

Surface-Enriched Room-Temperature Liquid Bismuth for Catalytic CO Reduction.

Bismuth-based electrocatalysts are effective for carbon dioxide (CO) reduction to formate. However, at room temperature, these materials are only available in solid state, which inevitably suffers from surface deactivation, declining current densities, and Faradaic efficiencies. Here, the formation of a liquid bismuth catalyst on the liquid gallium surface at ambient conditions is shown as its exceptional performance in the electrochemical reduction of CO (i.

Unlocking Direct Lithium Extraction in Harsh Conditions through Thiol-Functionalized Metal-Organic Framework Subnanofluidic Membranes.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes with high ion selectivity are highly desirable for direct lithium-ion (Li) separation from industrial brines. However, very few MOF membranes can efficiently separate Li from brines of high Mg/Li concentration ratios and keep stable in ultrahigh Mg-concentrated brines. This work reports a type of MOF-channel membranes (MOFCMs) by growing UiO-66-(SH) into the nanochannels of polymer substrates to improve the efficiency of MOF membranes for challenging Li extraction.

Unravelling the atomistic mechanisms underpinning the morphological evolution of Al-alloyed hematite.

Hydrothermal synthesis based upon the use of Al as the dopant and/or ethanol as the solvent is effective in promoting the growth of hematite into nanoplates rich in the (001) surface, which is highly active for a broad range of catalytic applications. However, the underpinning mechanism for the flattening of hematite crystals is still poorly comprehended. To close this knowledge gap, in this work, we have attempted intensive computational modelling to construct a binary phase diagram for FeO-AlO under typical hydrothermal conditions, as well as to quantify the surface energy of hematite crystal upon coverage with Al and ethanol molecules.

Assessment of Self-report, Palpation, and Surface Electromyography Dataset During Isometric Muscle Contraction.

Measuring muscle fatigue involves assessing various components within the motor system. While subjective and sensor-based measures have been proposed, a comprehensive comparison of these assessment measures is currently lacking. This study aims to bridge this gap by utilizing three commonly used measures: participant self-reported perceived muscle fatigue scores, a sports physiotherapist's manual palpation-based muscle tightness scores, and surface electromyography sensors.

Out-of-plane pressure and electron doping inducing phase and magnetic transitions in GeC/CrS/GeC van der Waals heterostructure.

Out-of-plane pressure and electron doping can affect interlayer interactions in van der Waals materials, modifying their crystal structure and physical and chemical properties. In this study, we used magnetic monolayer 1T/1T'-CrS and high symmetry 2D-honeycomb material GeC to construct a GeC/CrS/GeC triple layered van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH). Based on density functional theory calculations, we found that applying out-of-plane strain and doping with electrons could induce a 1T'-to-1T phase transition and consequently the ferromagnetic (FM)-to-antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition in the CrS layer.