National Science Review最新文献

Given their high safety, environmental friendliness and low cost, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have the potential for high-performance energy storage. However, issues with the structural stability and electrochemical kinetics during discharge/charge limit the development of AZIBs. In this study, vanadium oxide electrodes with organic molecular intercalation were designed based on intercalating 11 kinds of charged organic carboxylic acid ligands between 2D layers to regulate the interlayer spacing. The negatively charged carboxylic acid group can neutralize Zn²⁺, reduce electrostatic repulsion and enhance electrochemical kinetics. The intercalated organic molecules increased the interlayer spacing. Among them, the 0.028EDTA · 0.28NH₄ ⁺ · V₂O₅ · 0.069H₂O was employed as the cathode with a high specific capacity (464.6 mAh g^-1 at 0.5 A g^-1) and excellent rate performance (324.4 mAh g^-1 at 10 A g^-1). Even at a current density of 20 A g^-1, the specific capacity after 2000 charge/discharge cycles was 215.2 mAh g^-1 (capacity retention of 78%). The results of this study demonstrate that modulation of the electrostatic repulsion and interlayer spacing through the intercalation of organic ligands can enhance the properties of vanadium-based materials.

Ever-increasing demand for efficient optoelectronic devices with a small-footprinted on-chip light emitting diode has driven their expansion in self-emissive displays, from micro-electronic displays to large video walls. InGaN nanowires, with features like high electron mobility, tunable emission wavelengths, durability under high current densities, compact size, self-emission, long lifespan, low-power consumption, fast response, and impressive brightness, are emerging as the choice of micro-light emitting diodes (µLEDs). However, challenges persist in achieving high crystal quality and lattice-matching heterostructures due to composition tuning and bandgap issues on substrates with differing crystal structures and high lattice mismatches. Consequently, research is increasingly focused on scalable InGaN nanowire µLEDs representing a transformative advancement in display technology, particularly for next-generation applications such as virtual/augmented reality and high-speed optical interconnects. This study presents recent progress and critical challenges in the development of InGaN nanowire µLEDs, highlighting their performance and potential as the next-generation displays in consumer electronics.

High-efficiency electrocatalysis could serve as the bridge that connects renewable energy technologies, hydrogen economy and carbon capture/utilization, promising a sustainable future for humankind. It is therefore of paramount significance to explore feasible strategies to modulate the relevant electrocatalytic reactions and optimize device performances so as to promote their large-scale practical applications. Microenvironment regulation at the catalytic interface has been demonstrated to be capable of effectively enhancing the reaction rates and improving the selectivities for specific products. In this review we summarize the latest advances in microenvironment regulation in typical electrocatalytic processes (including water electrolysis, hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells, and carbon dioxide reduction) and the related in situ/operando characterization techniques and theoretical simulation methods. At the end of this article, we present an outlook on development trends and possible future directions.

Spin chemistry has emerged as an interdisciplinary field that focuses on electron spins in molecules and related applications in physics, chemistry, biology, materials science and information science. It will play a crucial role in technological innovations. The chemistry of spins is deeply related to the essence of chemical bonds, chemical catalysis, enzyme catalysis, optical and electromagnetic properties, quantum computation and quantum precision measurements. The related research is intersectional, cutting-edge and has a wide range of application prospects. National Science Review (NSR) recently interviewed Prof. Song Gao to discuss spin chemistry. Prof. Gao is a renowned inorganic chemist and an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is the president of Sun Yat-sen University and the founder of the Spin-X Institute of South China University of Technology. He is recognized as a leader in coordination chemistry and molecular magnetism, and has strong academic influence. Since 2008, he has served on the International Advisory Committee of International Conference on Molecule-Based Magnets, and organized and chaired its 2010 conference. Prof. Gao's primary research topics include molecular nanomagnets; the relationship between geometric structures, electronic structures and magnetism of molecules; and the spin states and reactivity of molecules.