Hao Zhang, Xinqiang Wang, Fan Gao, Wen-Gang Cui, Fulai Qi, Zichao Shen, Ke Wang, Yanxia Liu, Jindou Shi, Yuanchao Yang, Mingchang Zhang, Zhijun Wu, Yaxiong Yang, Hongge Pan
The rapid advancement of hydrogen energy and clean energy conversion technologies urgently requires the electrocatalysts to break through current performance limits. Oxophilic elements with strong affinity for oxygen-containing species have become the pivotal components in enhancing electrocatalytic activity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the application of oxophilic elements in hydrogen and oxygen electrocatalysis, particularly emphasizing the core mechanism by which oxophilic elements can optimize the reaction pathway by regulating the binding of electrocatalysts with key oxygen-containing species (e.g., H2O, OH, O, OOH), thereby overcoming the inherent scale relationship limitations and achieving performance breakthroughs. This review first introduces the design strategies across multiple scales, precise synthesis methodologies, and advanced characterization techniques of electrocatalysts with oxophilic elements. Subsequently, the mechanistic roles of oxophilic elements in hydrogen and oxygen electrocatalysis are explored in detail, and the representative examples in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are discussed. Finally, we critically assess current challenges and propose promising future research directions. In conclusion, this review highlights the central role of oxophilic elements, aiming to provide a foundational roadmap for the rational design of electrocatalysts.
{"title":"Oxophilic Elements in Hydrogen and Oxygen Electrocatalysis: Design, Mechanisms, and Prospects","authors":"Hao Zhang, Xinqiang Wang, Fan Gao, Wen-Gang Cui, Fulai Qi, Zichao Shen, Ke Wang, Yanxia Liu, Jindou Shi, Yuanchao Yang, Mingchang Zhang, Zhijun Wu, Yaxiong Yang, Hongge Pan","doi":"10.1002/smll.73123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.73123","url":null,"abstract":"The rapid advancement of hydrogen energy and clean energy conversion technologies urgently requires the electrocatalysts to break through current performance limits. Oxophilic elements with strong affinity for oxygen-containing species have become the pivotal components in enhancing electrocatalytic activity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the application of oxophilic elements in hydrogen and oxygen electrocatalysis, particularly emphasizing the core mechanism by which oxophilic elements can optimize the reaction pathway by regulating the binding of electrocatalysts with key oxygen-containing species (e.g., H<sub>2</sub>O, OH, O, OOH), thereby overcoming the inherent scale relationship limitations and achieving performance breakthroughs. This review first introduces the design strategies across multiple scales, precise synthesis methodologies, and advanced characterization techniques of electrocatalysts with oxophilic elements. Subsequently, the mechanistic roles of oxophilic elements in hydrogen and oxygen electrocatalysis are explored in detail, and the representative examples in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are discussed. Finally, we critically assess current challenges and propose promising future research directions. In conclusion, this review highlights the central role of oxophilic elements, aiming to provide a foundational roadmap for the rational design of electrocatalysts.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147466013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Although the development of highly controllable and low-cost three-terminal synaptic nano-devices is essential for advancing neuromorphic electronics, achieving precise alignment of single nanowire and stable electrical gating still remains severely challenging. Here, we propose and demonstrate a three-terminal artificial synaptic nano-device based on the GaN nanowire successfully, enabled by a dielectrophoretic-assisted assembly strategy that ensures controllable nanowire placement. Benefiting from this cost-efficient method and with an engineered gate-coupled interface, the nano-device exhibits robust and gate-tunable synaptic plasticity, including short-/long-term memory transition, paired-pulse facilitation, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity. By modulating optical spike parameters and gate voltages, the key cognitive behaviors such as learning–forgetting–relearning are effectively emulated, with negative gating significantly accelerating memory reinforcement. They are mainly attributed to the gate-regulated optoelectronic mechanisms, particularly carrier modulation and oxygen-vacancy-induced persistent photoconductivity. Thanks to the excellent regulatory capability of electrical gating, the postsynaptic current of nano-device can be enhanced over 1,000%. Furthermore, the recognition accuracy can surpass 95% accuracy by gating modulation when integrated into a spiking neural network. This work highlights the promise of three-terminal nano-synapses as effective and cost-efficient building blocks for next-generation neuromorphic systems.
{"title":"Controllable and Cost-Efficient Three-Terminal GaN Nano-Synapse for Brain-Inspired Computing","authors":"Xiushuo Gu, Zhiyang Liu, Jianya Zhang, Xing Huang, Yukun Zhao, Lifeng Bian","doi":"10.1002/smll.202514447","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202514447","url":null,"abstract":"Although the development of highly controllable and low-cost three-terminal synaptic nano-devices is essential for advancing neuromorphic electronics, achieving precise alignment of single nanowire and stable electrical gating still remains severely challenging. Here, we propose and demonstrate a three-terminal artificial synaptic nano-device based on the GaN nanowire successfully, enabled by a dielectrophoretic-assisted assembly strategy that ensures controllable nanowire placement. Benefiting from this cost-efficient method and with an engineered gate-coupled interface, the nano-device exhibits robust and gate-tunable synaptic plasticity, including short-/long-term memory transition, paired-pulse facilitation, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity. By modulating optical spike parameters and gate voltages, the key cognitive behaviors such as learning–forgetting–relearning are effectively emulated, with negative gating significantly accelerating memory reinforcement. They are mainly attributed to the gate-regulated optoelectronic mechanisms, particularly carrier modulation and oxygen-vacancy-induced persistent photoconductivity. Thanks to the excellent regulatory capability of electrical gating, the postsynaptic current of nano-device can be enhanced over 1,000%. Furthermore, the recognition accuracy can surpass 95% accuracy by gating modulation when integrated into a spiking neural network. This work highlights the promise of three-terminal nano-synapses as effective and cost-efficient building blocks for next-generation neuromorphic systems.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"87 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147466009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sophia Uemura, Celeste Elkort, Kaitlyn Than, Sydney Rapier, Yuto Katsuyama, Joanne Hui, Zhiyin Yang, Hung-Yi Huang, Chi-Chang Hu, Maher F. El-Kady, Richard B. Kaner
The rising demand for sustainable and scalable energy storage systems has accelerated the development of aqueous zinc-based technologies. However, conventional slurry-cast planar electrodes underperform at high mass loading, causing low areal capacitance and sluggish rate performance. Herein, we introduce a 3D printed freestanding, binder-free conductive carbon lattice electrode integrated with vanadium oxide (VOx). The 3D framework facilitates homogeneous dispersion of VOx, increasing the electroactive surface area, enhancing the ion transport ability, and maintaining structural integrity under high current density. Enabled by this architecture and a high mass loading of 38 mg cm−2, the electrode achieves areal capacitance of 7129 mF cm−2 at 3 mA cm−2, areal power and energy densities of 44 mW cm−2 and 1 mWh cm−2, along with robust cycling performance, with a capacity retention of 82% after 1500 cycles. To ensure rigorous and reproducible evaluation, we introduce a sealed, 3D-printed test cell that fixes the inter-electrode spacing and suppresses electrolyte evaporation. Compared with open beaker setups commonly used for three-electrode measurements, the printed cell yields more consistent capacitance and resistance. It also maintains 98% capacity retention after 1400 cycles. This synergy of 3D engineered electrodes and cells provides a reproducible pathway to practical, high-energy, and power-density zinc-ion supercapacitors.
对可持续和可扩展的储能系统不断增长的需求加速了水锌基技术的发展。然而，传统的浆料浇铸平面电极在高质量负载下表现不佳，导致面电容低和速率性能缓慢。在此，我们介绍了一种3D打印的独立式、无粘结剂的导电碳晶格电极，该电极集成了氧化钒（VOx）。3D框架有利于VOx的均匀分散，增加电活性表面积，增强离子传输能力，并在高电流密度下保持结构完整性。在这种结构和38 mg cm - 2的高质量负载的支持下，电极在3 mA cm - 2时的面电容为7129 mF cm - 2，面功率和能量密度为44 mW cm - 2和1 mWh cm - 2，并且具有强大的循环性能，在1500次循环后容量保持率为82%。为了确保严格和可重复的评估，我们引入了一个密封的3d打印测试单元，固定电极间距并抑制电解质蒸发。与通常用于三电极测量的开口烧杯设置相比，印刷电池产生更一致的电容和电阻。在1400次循环后，它还保持98%的容量保留。这种3D工程电极和电池的协同作用为实用、高能量和功率密度的锌离子超级电容器提供了可重复的途径。
{"title":"High Mass-Loading Vanadium Oxide on 3D Printed Carbon Lattices for Zinc-Ion Supercapacitors","authors":"Sophia Uemura, Celeste Elkort, Kaitlyn Than, Sydney Rapier, Yuto Katsuyama, Joanne Hui, Zhiyin Yang, Hung-Yi Huang, Chi-Chang Hu, Maher F. El-Kady, Richard B. Kaner","doi":"10.1002/smll.202514911","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202514911","url":null,"abstract":"The rising demand for sustainable and scalable energy storage systems has accelerated the development of aqueous zinc-based technologies. However, conventional slurry-cast planar electrodes underperform at high mass loading, causing low areal capacitance and sluggish rate performance. Herein, we introduce a 3D printed freestanding, binder-free conductive carbon lattice electrode integrated with vanadium oxide (VO<sub>x</sub>). The 3D framework facilitates homogeneous dispersion of VO<sub>x</sub>, increasing the electroactive surface area, enhancing the ion transport ability, and maintaining structural integrity under high current density. Enabled by this architecture and a high mass loading of 38 mg cm<sup>−2</sup>, the electrode achieves areal capacitance of 7129 mF cm<sup>−2</sup> at 3 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>, areal power and energy densities of 44 mW cm<sup>−2</sup> and 1 mWh cm<sup>−2</sup>, along with robust cycling performance, with a capacity retention of 82% after 1500 cycles. To ensure rigorous and reproducible evaluation, we introduce a sealed, 3D-printed test cell that fixes the inter-electrode spacing and suppresses electrolyte evaporation. Compared with open beaker setups commonly used for three-electrode measurements, the printed cell yields more consistent capacitance and resistance. It also maintains 98% capacity retention after 1400 cycles. This synergy of 3D engineered electrodes and cells provides a reproducible pathway to practical, high-energy, and power-density zinc-ion supercapacitors.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147466011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Propane dehydrogenation has been a key technology with great industrial promise for meeting the growing global demand for propylene. Although much effort has been devoted to developing ideal catalysts that demonstrate high catalytic activity, selectivity, and durability at the same time, there have been few reports on the achievement of this goal due to a persistent tradeoff between activity and selectivity/stability. Herein, we report that subnanometric Pt─Ge alloy clusters encapsulated in pure silica MFI zeolite can break the activity–stability tradeoff in propane dehydrogenation. We also discovered that MnOx could act as an efficient co-catalyst to reach the full potential of Pt─Ge alloy clusters by preventing hydrogen poisoning. The MnOx-PtGe@MFI catalyst exhibited exceptionally high catalytic activity, selectivity, and durability in the absence of co-fed hydrogen (for stabilization) at 600°C, exceeding those of other reported catalysts. Mechanistic study revealed that the combination of subnano-downsizing, alloying Pt clusters with Ge, and hydrogen release by MnOx was the origin of the exceptional performance.
{"title":"Subnanometric Platinum–Germanium Clusters for Efficient Propane Dehydrogenation Catalysis","authors":"Yuki Nakaya, Ken-ichi Shimizu, Shinya Furukawa","doi":"10.1002/smll.73115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.73115","url":null,"abstract":"Propane dehydrogenation has been a key technology with great industrial promise for meeting the growing global demand for propylene. Although much effort has been devoted to developing ideal catalysts that demonstrate high catalytic activity, selectivity, and durability at the same time, there have been few reports on the achievement of this goal due to a persistent tradeoff between activity and selectivity/stability. Herein, we report that subnanometric Pt─Ge alloy clusters encapsulated in pure silica MFI zeolite can break the activity–stability tradeoff in propane dehydrogenation. We also discovered that MnO<i><sub>x</sub></i> could act as an efficient co-catalyst to reach the full potential of Pt─Ge alloy clusters by preventing hydrogen poisoning. The MnO<i><sub>x</sub></i>-PtGe@MFI catalyst exhibited exceptionally high catalytic activity, selectivity, and durability in the absence of co-fed hydrogen (for stabilization) at 600°C, exceeding those of other reported catalysts. Mechanistic study revealed that the combination of subnano-downsizing, alloying Pt clusters with Ge, and hydrogen release by MnO<i><sub>x</sub></i> was the origin of the exceptional performance.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147466010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yiyan Yang, Linjun Zhang, Jianhua Zhang, Rong Zhang, Hengjie Zhang, Maoyun Li, Zhipeng Gu, Yiwen Li, Lei Yang
The physical eradication of bacterial biofilms is fundamentally limited by rapid post‐treatment regeneration. A strategy that integrates physical destruction with biological suppression is therefore highly coveted. Herein, we introduce a strategy to chemically reprogram magnetic liquid metals (LMs) into intelligent antibiofilm nanocomposites. Through a one‐step metal‐phenolic coordination, we coat the LM with a natural polyphenol (baicalin, BA), creating a nanoplatform (MBA) that executes a synergistic “destroy‐and‐pacify” mission. This design establishes a self‐reinforcing loop: magnetic actuation provides the mechanical force to breach the biofilm matrix, enhancing the penetration of the BA coating. Concurrently, the BA‐mediated inhibition of quorum sensing and EPS synthesis pre‐weakens the biofilm, making it more susceptible to physical ablation. This reciprocal potentiation leads to exceptional efficacy, more than doubling the clearance efficiency of mature P. aeruginosa biofilms on implants in a murine model and achieving a level of eradication unattainable by monotherapies. This work establishes a new paradigm for designing smart theranostic microrobots, paving the way for programmable platforms to tackle complex biological barriers.
{"title":"Chemically Reprogramming Liquid Metals With Polyphenols for a Self‐Reinforcing Assault on Biofilms","authors":"Yiyan Yang, Linjun Zhang, Jianhua Zhang, Rong Zhang, Hengjie Zhang, Maoyun Li, Zhipeng Gu, Yiwen Li, Lei Yang","doi":"10.1002/smll.202514977","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202514977","url":null,"abstract":"The physical eradication of bacterial biofilms is fundamentally limited by rapid post‐treatment regeneration. A strategy that integrates physical destruction with biological suppression is therefore highly coveted. Herein, we introduce a strategy to chemically reprogram magnetic liquid metals (LMs) into intelligent antibiofilm nanocomposites. Through a one‐step metal‐phenolic coordination, we coat the LM with a natural polyphenol (baicalin, BA), creating a nanoplatform (MBA) that executes a synergistic “destroy‐and‐pacify” mission. This design establishes a self‐reinforcing loop: magnetic actuation provides the mechanical force to breach the biofilm matrix, enhancing the penetration of the BA coating. Concurrently, the BA‐mediated inhibition of quorum sensing and EPS synthesis pre‐weakens the biofilm, making it more susceptible to physical ablation. This reciprocal potentiation leads to exceptional efficacy, more than doubling the clearance efficiency of mature <jats:italic>P. aeruginosa</jats:italic> biofilms on implants in a murine model and achieving a level of eradication unattainable by monotherapies. This work establishes a new paradigm for designing smart theranostic microrobots, paving the way for programmable platforms to tackle complex biological barriers.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147471414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiangbangrui Chu, Xiaofan Xu, Yurui Xu, Kefan Hu, Hon Fai Chan, Weiwei Chen, King‐ho Cheung, Xinghai Ning, Ken Kin Lam Yung
Obesity is increasingly recognized as a chronic immunometabolic disorder driven by dysregulated gut‐adipose communication and microbiota imbalance. Here, we present bioengineered pH‐responsive probiotic‐prebiotic hierarchical microspheres (MicroSym) that coordinate localized microbial restoration with systemic immune reprogramming to treat obesity‐related disorders. MicroSym is fabricated via microfluidic‐assisted phase separation coupled with electrostatic spraying, embedding probiotic bacteria within a lotus‐derived prebiotic matrix to form a protective yet responsive microenvironment that preserves viability during gastric transit. At intestinal pH, the hierarchical architecture selectively disassembles to release probiotics and prebiotic substrates, fostering beneficial colonization and metabolite production. This symbiotic modulation reshapes the gut immune landscape, suppresses proinflammatory macrophage polarization, and restores adipose tissue homeostasis. In diet‐induced obese mice, oral treatment with MicroSym remodels the gut microbiota, improves glucose tolerance, reduces lipid accumulation, and normalizes cytokine profiles without overt toxicity. Transcriptomic profiling and microbiome analyses further validate comprehensive systemic immunometabolic benefits. Collectively, this work establishes a biofabricated symbiotic microsphere platform for controlling microbiota‐immune‐metabolic crosstalk and offers a translatable therapeutic strategy for obesity‐associated immunometabolic disease.
{"title":"Bioengineered Probiotic‐Prebiotic Hierarchical Microspheres With pH‐Responsive Architecture Reprogram Immunometabolism in Obesity‐Related Disorders","authors":"Jiangbangrui Chu, Xiaofan Xu, Yurui Xu, Kefan Hu, Hon Fai Chan, Weiwei Chen, King‐ho Cheung, Xinghai Ning, Ken Kin Lam Yung","doi":"10.1002/smll.202514910","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202514910","url":null,"abstract":"Obesity is increasingly recognized as a chronic immunometabolic disorder driven by dysregulated gut‐adipose communication and microbiota imbalance. Here, we present bioengineered pH‐responsive probiotic‐prebiotic hierarchical microspheres (MicroSym) that coordinate localized microbial restoration with systemic immune reprogramming to treat obesity‐related disorders. MicroSym is fabricated via microfluidic‐assisted phase separation coupled with electrostatic spraying, embedding probiotic bacteria within a lotus‐derived prebiotic matrix to form a protective yet responsive microenvironment that preserves viability during gastric transit. At intestinal pH, the hierarchical architecture selectively disassembles to release probiotics and prebiotic substrates, fostering beneficial colonization and metabolite production. This symbiotic modulation reshapes the gut immune landscape, suppresses proinflammatory macrophage polarization, and restores adipose tissue homeostasis. In diet‐induced obese mice, oral treatment with MicroSym remodels the gut microbiota, improves glucose tolerance, reduces lipid accumulation, and normalizes cytokine profiles without overt toxicity. Transcriptomic profiling and microbiome analyses further validate comprehensive systemic immunometabolic benefits. Collectively, this work establishes a biofabricated symbiotic microsphere platform for controlling microbiota‐immune‐metabolic crosstalk and offers a translatable therapeutic strategy for obesity‐associated immunometabolic disease.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147471411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study reports a series of nanoporous Zero-valent metals (ZVMs) with bicontinuous ligament-channel structures and demonstrates their application in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of phenolic pollutants. Among them, zero-valent cobalt (ZVCo) exhibits exceptional PMS activation performance, achieving complete degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) and phenol within 4 and 8 min, respectively, surpassing most reported Co-based catalysts, which is attributed to the highly reactive metallic Co0 sites and the high Co2+/Co3+ ratio. ZVCo maintains rapid PMS activation across a broad pH range (3–11) and in real water matrices containing various inorganic ions, demonstrating strong practical application potential. By combining experimental techniques, in situ Raman spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the activation process of PMS on the ZVMs surface (including reaction free energies, electron density changes, bond length evolution, etc.), radical (SO4•− and •OH) and non-radical (1O2) pathways, along with the BPA degradation process, were systematically elucidated. Theoretical calculations established a volcano relationship between the adsorption energy of PMS on various surfaces of ZVMs and ΔGOH*/ΔGH*, providing theoretical insights into understanding the PMS activation efficiency of different ZVMs. This work offers atomic-level insights into the PMS activation mechanisms of ZVMs and provides valuable guidance for designing high-performance catalysts for pollutant degradation.
{"title":"Nanoporous Zero-Valent Transition Metals for Enhanced Peroxymonosulfate Activation toward Phenolic Pollutants Degradation: Performance, Pathways, and DFT Mechanism Study","authors":"Xinyu Zhang, Tingting Shi, Zhongya Li, Guiqin Li, Xiujun Han, Shunwei Chen, Conghui Si, Mingzhi Wei","doi":"10.1002/smll.202514503","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202514503","url":null,"abstract":"This study reports a series of nanoporous Zero-valent metals (ZVMs) with bicontinuous ligament-channel structures and demonstrates their application in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of phenolic pollutants. Among them, zero-valent cobalt (ZVCo) exhibits exceptional PMS activation performance, achieving complete degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) and phenol within 4 and 8 min, respectively, surpassing most reported Co-based catalysts, which is attributed to the highly reactive metallic Co<sup>0</sup> sites and the high Co<sup>2+</sup>/Co<sup>3+</sup> ratio. ZVCo maintains rapid PMS activation across a broad pH range (3–11) and in real water matrices containing various inorganic ions, demonstrating strong practical application potential. By combining experimental techniques, in situ Raman spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the activation process of PMS on the ZVMs surface (including reaction free energies, electron density changes, bond length evolution, etc.), radical (SO<sub>4</sub><sup>•−</sup> and •OH) and non-radical (<sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>) pathways, along with the BPA degradation process, were systematically elucidated. Theoretical calculations established a volcano relationship between the adsorption energy of PMS on various surfaces of ZVMs and ΔG<sub>OH*</sub>/ΔG<sub>H*</sub>, providing theoretical insights into understanding the PMS activation efficiency of different ZVMs. This work offers atomic-level insights into the PMS activation mechanisms of ZVMs and provides valuable guidance for designing high-performance catalysts for pollutant degradation.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147466031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Droplet manipulation plays a crucial role in various applications, for example, microfluidics and water harvesting. Among various driving mechanisms, electrowetting-on-dielectrics (EWOD) is one of the most promising technologies due to its high flexibility and programmability. Until now, discrete electrodes on the substrate have been used to generate an asymmetric electrowetting force by selectively activating electrodes and then activating droplets individually. However, EWOD with fixed electrode geometry by definition limits the reconfigurability and thereby the flexibility of actuating drops along arbitrary paths. Here, we report a continuous droplet-driving method based on gradient electrowetting (GEW) on a photoactive semiconductor surface. The asymmetric electrowetting force drives droplets due to the continuous electric potential gradient in an amorphous silicon (α-Si) layer, which is established when a current is imposed through the chip. The distribution of the electrostatic potential within the photoconductive α-Si film can be manipulated by illuminating the sample with suitable optical patterns using a commercial projector. This leads to a freely programmable driving force without the need for pre-defined electrode patterns. GEW enables continuous droplet driving and merging, demonstrating a simplified approach to droplet manipulation that avoids complex control circuitry. It provides a complementary method to simplify the EWOD system architecture.
{"title":"Droplet Actuation on Gradient Electrowetting Surface","authors":"Enqing Liu, Gaifang Chen, Junyan Tian, Jia Zhou, Frieder Mugele","doi":"10.1002/smll.202513004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202513004","url":null,"abstract":"Droplet manipulation plays a crucial role in various applications, for example, microfluidics and water harvesting. Among various driving mechanisms, electrowetting-on-dielectrics (EWOD) is one of the most promising technologies due to its high flexibility and programmability. Until now, discrete electrodes on the substrate have been used to generate an asymmetric electrowetting force by selectively activating electrodes and then activating droplets individually. However, EWOD with fixed electrode geometry by definition limits the reconfigurability and thereby the flexibility of actuating drops along arbitrary paths. Here, we report a continuous droplet-driving method based on gradient electrowetting (GEW) on a photoactive semiconductor surface. The asymmetric electrowetting force drives droplets due to the continuous electric potential gradient in an amorphous silicon (α-Si) layer, which is established when a current is imposed through the chip. The distribution of the electrostatic potential within the photoconductive α-Si film can be manipulated by illuminating the sample with suitable optical patterns using a commercial projector. This leads to a freely programmable driving force without the need for pre-defined electrode patterns. GEW enables continuous droplet driving and merging, demonstrating a simplified approach to droplet manipulation that avoids complex control circuitry. It provides a complementary method to simplify the EWOD system architecture.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"130 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147461867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Geng Li,Xue-Ting Jin,Cheng Xue,Si-Wei Sun,Min Liu,Yang-Hui Luo
Freshwater scarcity has become a critical global issue, driving growing attention toward atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technologies for their energy efficiency and sustainability. In this work, novel adsorption-based double-network composite hydrogel is successfully prepared through solution blending-freeze molding-vacuum freeze-drying approach. Using cross-linked network of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) as the structural matrix and super hygroscopic material (SHM) as functional filler, the hydrogel demonstrates substantially improved mechanical strength and moisture capture capability. It is found that the PVA/HPC double-network hydrogel shows 121% increase in compressive strength and 36% improvement in toughness compared to pure PVA hydrogel. Moisture capture capacity of the PVA/HPC@SHM hydrogel is 54% higher than that of the PVA/HPC hydrogel at 25°C and 80% relative humidity (RH). Even under complex and variable outdoor conditions, the PVA/HPC@SHM hydrogel maintains better moisture capture capability. These results provide the new pathway for designing efficient, energy-free, and sustainable AWH materials.
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