Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2026.101177
Honghong Liang , Hongliang Xie , Hao Yu , Zexu Wang , Wandi Wahyudi , Pushpendra Kumar , Qian Li , Zheng Ma , Jun Ming
Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are promising energy-storage technologies for current unmanned aerial vehicles, but their safety issues (e.g., catching fire and explosion), particularly when operated in extreme conditions, can destroy high-value-added equipment directly. Herein, we develop a novel fluorinated ester electrolyte by incorporating fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) carbonate (TFEC) into methyl acetate (MA)-based electrolyte, in which the dual salts of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) and lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF4) are deliberately introduced. The newly designed electrolyte not only has non-flammable features but also enables LMBs to achieve stable cycling performance across a wide temperature range and superior rate capabilities up to 5.0 C at high voltage beyond 4.3 V (vs. Li/Li+) when using a LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622) cathode. Moreover, the constructed 50 μm@Li||NCM622 full-cell retains 81.76 % of its capacity beyond 180 cycles at the low temperature of −20°C. The unique role of intermolecular interactions is identified between the solvent molecules, which are capable of tuning the electrolyte solvation structure, in turn significantly improving the compatibility with the lithium metal anode, accelerating the Li+ desolvation kinetics, and enhancing the antioxidation capability of the electrolyte. This work provides crucial insights into designing electrolytes to address the critical challenges of LMBs’ extreme operations.
锂金属电池（lmb）是目前无人驾驶飞行器中很有前途的储能技术，但其安全问题（例如起火和爆炸），特别是在极端条件下运行时，可能会直接破坏高附加值设备。本文将氟乙烯碳酸酯（FEC）和二（2,2,2-三氟乙基）碳酸酯（TFEC）掺入醋酸甲酯（MA）基电解质中，有意引入六氟磷酸锂（LiPF6）和四氟硼酸锂（LiBF4）双盐，研制了一种新型氟酯电解质。新设计的电解质不仅具有不易燃的特点，而且在使用LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 （NCM622）阴极时，使lmb在宽温度范围内实现稳定的循环性能，并且在超过4.3 V （vs. Li/Li+）的高压下具有高达5.0 C的优越倍率能力。此外，构建的50 μm@Li||NCM622全电池在- 20°C低温下超过180次循环，其容量保持81.76 %。溶剂分子之间的分子间相互作用具有独特的作用，能够调节电解质的溶剂化结构，从而显著改善与锂金属阳极的相容性，加速Li+的脱溶动力学，增强电解质的抗氧化能力。这项工作为设计电解质以解决lmb极端操作的关键挑战提供了重要见解。
{"title":"High-voltage and wide-temperature lithium metal batteries with high-safety enabled by non-flammable electrolytes","authors":"Honghong Liang , Hongliang Xie , Hao Yu , Zexu Wang , Wandi Wahyudi , Pushpendra Kumar , Qian Li , Zheng Ma , Jun Ming","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2026.101177","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2026.101177","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are promising energy-storage technologies for current unmanned aerial vehicles, but their safety issues (e.g., catching fire and explosion), particularly when operated in extreme conditions, can destroy high-value-added equipment directly. Herein, we develop a novel fluorinated ester electrolyte by incorporating fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) carbonate (TFEC) into methyl acetate (MA)-based electrolyte, in which the dual salts of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF<sub>6</sub>) and lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF<sub>4</sub>) are deliberately introduced. The newly designed electrolyte not only has non-flammable features but also enables LMBs to achieve stable cycling performance across a wide temperature range and superior rate capabilities up to 5.0 C at high voltage beyond 4.3 V (vs. Li/Li<sup>+</sup>) when using a LiNi<sub>0.6</sub>Co<sub>0.2</sub>Mn<sub>0.2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (NCM622) cathode. Moreover, the constructed 50 μm@Li||NCM622 full-cell retains 81.76 % of its capacity beyond 180 cycles at the low temperature of −20°C. The unique role of intermolecular interactions is identified between the solvent molecules, which are capable of tuning the electrolyte solvation structure, in turn significantly improving the compatibility with the lithium metal anode, accelerating the Li<sup>+</sup> desolvation kinetics, and enhancing the antioxidation capability of the electrolyte. This work provides crucial insights into designing electrolytes to address the critical challenges of LMBs’ extreme operations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 101177"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145898092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2026.101176
Jiahe Chen , Jiajia Huang , Haoran Ma , Hongbo Wu , Yihong Tong , Yenchen Lin , Gui Chen , Xingyu Liu , Chenchen Li , Zhijun Wu , Jingwei Zhao , Min Zhu , Jun Liu
Li-rich layered oxide (LRLO) cathode materials are considered among the most promising candidates for next-generation high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), owing to the ultrahigh specific capacity (>250 mAh g−1), which significantly surpasses that of current commercial cathode materials. However, despite the standout advantage, the commercialization of LRLO cathodes has been hindered by several intrinsic challenges, including structural evolution, significant voltage decay, capacity loss during cycling, and poor rate capability. Extensive investigations have shown that these performance issues primarily stem from the complex interfacial chemistry and structural instability of LRLO cathodes at high charge voltages (> 4.6 V vs. Li/Li+). The review provides a systematic analysis of the structural characteristics and intrinsic advantage of LRLO cathodes, along with the mechanisms underlying the structural degradation, capacity and voltage decay, and electrolyte decomposition. The performance degradation is mainly attributed to the release of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) from LRLO cathodes, which triggers electrolyte decomposition, HF generation, and the formation of a thick cathode/electrolyte interface (CEI), leading to severe capacity fading, voltage decay, and poor rate performance. Consequently, the paper summarizes the designed and optimized electrolyte strategies in order to overcome these challenges and enhance the performance of LRLO cathodes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of LRLO/electrolyte interface challenges and solutions, offering valuable guidance for accelerating the commercialization of high-energy-density LRLO-based LIBs.
富锂层状氧化物（LRLO）正极材料被认为是下一代高能量密度锂离子电池（LIBs）最有前途的候选者之一，因为它具有超高的比容量（>250 mAh g - 1），大大超过了目前的商用正极材料。然而，尽管具有突出的优势，LRLO阴极的商业化一直受到一些内在挑战的阻碍，包括结构演变、显著的电压衰减、循环过程中的容量损失以及较差的倍率能力。广泛的研究表明，这些性能问题主要源于高充电电压下LRLO阴极复杂的界面化学和结构不稳定性（> 4.6 V vs. Li/Li+）。本文系统分析了LRLO阴极的结构特点和内在优势，以及结构降解、容量和电压衰减以及电解质分解的机理。性能下降主要是由于LRLO阴极释放活性氧（ROSs），引发电解液分解、HF生成，形成较厚的阴极/电解液界面（CEI），导致严重的容量衰减、电压衰减和速率性能下降。因此，本文总结了设计和优化的电解质策略，以克服这些挑战，提高LRLO阴极的性能。本文旨在全面概述LRLO/电解质界面面临的挑战和解决方案，为加速高能量密度LRLO基lib的商业化提供有价值的指导。
{"title":"Electrolyte engineering toward high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries with high-voltage Li-rich layered oxide cathodes","authors":"Jiahe Chen , Jiajia Huang , Haoran Ma , Hongbo Wu , Yihong Tong , Yenchen Lin , Gui Chen , Xingyu Liu , Chenchen Li , Zhijun Wu , Jingwei Zhao , Min Zhu , Jun Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2026.101176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2026.101176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Li-rich layered oxide (LRLO) cathode materials are considered among the most promising candidates for next-generation high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), owing to the ultrahigh specific capacity (>250 mAh g<sup>−1</sup>), which significantly surpasses that of current commercial cathode materials. However, despite the standout advantage, the commercialization of LRLO cathodes has been hindered by several intrinsic challenges, including structural evolution, significant voltage decay, capacity loss during cycling, and poor rate capability. Extensive investigations have shown that these performance issues primarily stem from the complex interfacial chemistry and structural instability of LRLO cathodes at high charge voltages (> 4.6 V vs. Li/Li<sup>+</sup>). The review provides a systematic analysis of the structural characteristics and intrinsic advantage of LRLO cathodes, along with the mechanisms underlying the structural degradation, capacity and voltage decay, and electrolyte decomposition. The performance degradation is mainly attributed to the release of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) from LRLO cathodes, which triggers electrolyte decomposition, HF generation, and the formation of a thick cathode/electrolyte interface (CEI), leading to severe capacity fading, voltage decay, and poor rate performance. Consequently, the paper summarizes the designed and optimized electrolyte strategies in order to overcome these challenges and enhance the performance of LRLO cathodes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of LRLO/electrolyte interface challenges and solutions, offering valuable guidance for accelerating the commercialization of high-energy-density LRLO-based LIBs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 101176"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145898091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-26DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2025.101171
Pengyan Zhang , Lei Liu , Dingqin Hu , Peihao Huang , Teng Gu , Xue Jiang , Gengsui Tian , Hongliang Lei , Shiwen Wu , Haiyan Chen , Wei Xie , Fuqing Zhao , Heng Liu , Chen Chen , Kaihuai Tu , Yao Chen , Zeyun Xiao
Steric effects play a crucial role in determining molecular configuration and orientation, significantly impacting interfacial properties and enabling precise control of surface functionality. A major challenge lies in balancing these effects to prevent excessive distortion or disruption of π-conjugation, while still promoting optimal solid state packing and efficient charge transport. Overcoming this trade-off requires careful molecular design combined with advanced computational modelling, as well as comprehensive interface and device engineering. In this work, two new interfacial molecules, namely Ph-DIACz and Ph-DIBCz, with adjacent group restrictions are designed and systematically studied in organic solar cells (OSCs). Among them, the sterically hindered Ph-DIACz exhibits higher absorption energy, improved surface coverage, and stronger non-covalent interactions. These attributes synergistically enhance electrical conductivity and charge extraction, and the self-assembled monolayers/multilayers (SAMs) surface thereby templates a more ordered active layer morphology. This interfacial and active layer synergy facilitates suppressed recombination throughout the device. As a result, OSC devices employing Ph-DIACz achieve a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.14 % in the PM6:BTP-eC9 binary system, with a significantly elevated fill factor (FF) and short-circuit current density (JSC) compared to PEDOT:PSS and Ph-DIBCz-based devices (PCE 18.39 % and 18.70 %, respectively). Notably, Ph-DIACz demonstrates universal applicability in other systems, such as PM6:Y6 and PM6:L8-BO active layer. This work establishes a steric hindrance-induced configuration-locking strategy as a powerful interfacial engineering approach, paving a new way for the development of highly efficient OSCs.
{"title":"Steric hindrance-induced configuration-locking in self-assembled interfacial layer enables higher surface coverage and 20.14 % efficiency binary organic solar cells","authors":"Pengyan Zhang , Lei Liu , Dingqin Hu , Peihao Huang , Teng Gu , Xue Jiang , Gengsui Tian , Hongliang Lei , Shiwen Wu , Haiyan Chen , Wei Xie , Fuqing Zhao , Heng Liu , Chen Chen , Kaihuai Tu , Yao Chen , Zeyun Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101171","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101171","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Steric effects play a crucial role in determining molecular configuration and orientation, significantly impacting interfacial properties and enabling precise control of surface functionality. A major challenge lies in balancing these effects to prevent excessive distortion or disruption of π-conjugation, while still promoting optimal solid state packing and efficient charge transport. Overcoming this trade-off requires careful molecular design combined with advanced computational modelling, as well as comprehensive interface and device engineering. In this work, two new interfacial molecules, namely <strong>Ph-DIACz</strong> and <strong>Ph-DIBCz</strong>, with adjacent group restrictions are designed and systematically studied in organic solar cells (OSCs). Among them, the sterically hindered <strong>Ph-DIACz</strong> exhibits higher absorption energy, improved surface coverage, and stronger non-covalent interactions. These attributes synergistically enhance electrical conductivity and charge extraction, and the self-assembled monolayers/multilayers (SAMs) surface thereby templates a more ordered active layer morphology. This interfacial and active layer synergy facilitates suppressed recombination throughout the device. As a result, OSC devices employing <strong>Ph-DIACz</strong> achieve a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.14 % in the PM6:BTP-eC9 binary system, with a significantly elevated fill factor (FF) and short-circuit current density (<em>J</em><sub>SC</sub>) compared to PEDOT:PSS and <strong>Ph-DIBCz</strong>-based devices (PCE 18.39 % and 18.70 %, respectively). Notably, <strong>Ph-DIACz</strong> demonstrates universal applicability in other systems, such as PM6:Y6 and PM6:L8-BO active layer. This work establishes a steric hindrance-induced configuration-locking strategy as a powerful interfacial engineering approach, paving a new way for the development of highly efficient OSCs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 101171"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2025.101172
Mingyang Liu , Zhiwei Sun , Ying Zhang , Shenguang Ge , Haina Huang , Lin Han , Xiaoyan Liu , Weijia Zhou , Hong Liu
For disease diagnosis and physical abnormality monitoring, detection devices are required to exhibit high sensitivity, stability and operational convenience. Surface reaction-based biosensors featuring customizable reaction units present a highly promising solution to meet these requirements. Surface patterning is a key step in manufacturing surface reaction-based biosensors, and the fabricated reaction platforms have strategically arranged substrate materials, which is beneficial for utilizing spatially controlled modifications to stabilize molecular interactions and improve the detection sensitivity and stability. Given the immense potential of surface patterning technologies in constructing biosensing platforms, there is an urgent need to review the recent advances of these technologies in bioanalysis applications. In this paper, micro/nano fabrication, deposition and self-assembly technologies were introduced, with particular emphasis on their processing accuracy, material compatibility, as well as the applicability and limitations for constructing biosensors. Then, bioanalysis applications for nucleic acids, proteins, cells, ions, glucose, hormones and volatile organic compounds were focused on. Furthermore, emerging trends in sensing interface construction, patterned material protection, diagnostic device manufacturing and detection procedure automated control were discussed. The development of patterned surface-based biosensors is providing a new approach for the innovation of diagnostic technologies.
{"title":"Patterning technologies in bioanalysis: From sensing surface construction to detection applications","authors":"Mingyang Liu , Zhiwei Sun , Ying Zhang , Shenguang Ge , Haina Huang , Lin Han , Xiaoyan Liu , Weijia Zhou , Hong Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For disease diagnosis and physical abnormality monitoring, detection devices are required to exhibit high sensitivity, stability and operational convenience. Surface reaction-based biosensors featuring customizable reaction units present a highly promising solution to meet these requirements. Surface patterning is a key step in manufacturing surface reaction-based biosensors, and the fabricated reaction platforms have strategically arranged substrate materials, which is beneficial for utilizing spatially controlled modifications to stabilize molecular interactions and improve the detection sensitivity and stability. Given the immense potential of surface patterning technologies in constructing biosensing platforms, there is an urgent need to review the recent advances of these technologies in bioanalysis applications. In this paper, micro/nano fabrication, deposition and self-assembly technologies were introduced, with particular emphasis on their processing accuracy, material compatibility, as well as the applicability and limitations for constructing biosensors. Then, bioanalysis applications for nucleic acids, proteins, cells, ions, glucose, hormones and volatile organic compounds were focused on. Furthermore, emerging trends in sensing interface construction, patterned material protection, diagnostic device manufacturing and detection procedure automated control were discussed. The development of patterned surface-based biosensors is providing a new approach for the innovation of diagnostic technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 101172"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2025.101174
Mohammad Reza Gholizadeh , Hossein Roghani-Mamaqani , Vahid Haddadi-Asl
One of the most critical challenges facing human societies is environmental pollution resulting from the excessive use of polymeric materials and the adherence of their consumption patterns to the linear economy model. To address these challenges, sustainable polymers have garnered significant attention because they can be recycled, composted, or biodegraded at the end of their life cycle, while also demonstrating reduced environmental impact throughout their lifespan. Self-immolative polymers, degradable polymers, and reprocessable polymers are different types of sustainable polymers that have emerged as particularly promising candidates owing to the presence of reversible and dynamic bonds in their structures. Accordingly, this review begins by exploring polymer recycling methods and then discusses sustainable polymers, with a particular focus on the incorporation of reversible and dynamic chemistry into these materials. Reversible covalent bonds are broken and formed by induction of different stimuli or different states of one stimulus. Dynamic chemistry provides powerful molecular tools for designing constitutionally dynamic materials capable of self-healing, adaptation, reprocessing, and recycling. Dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs) are divided into five groups (pH-, redox-, photo-, thermal-, and mechano-responsive linkages) based on their responsiveness to external stimuli and are discussed in detail. Additionally, this review highlights emerging technologies, such as light-based 3D printing, printable vitrimers, and sustainable foams, rubbers, and adhesives, that incorporate reversible or dynamic covalent chemistries into integrated systems, opening new avenues across diverse scientific fields. Finally, the review addresses current challenges and future opportunities, emphasizing the transformative potential of reversible or dynamic covalent polymers in advancing a more sustainable polymer industry.
{"title":"Sustainable polymers: Recycling and reprocessing mechanisms using reversible and dynamic covalent bonds","authors":"Mohammad Reza Gholizadeh , Hossein Roghani-Mamaqani , Vahid Haddadi-Asl","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101174","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101174","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One of the most critical challenges facing human societies is environmental pollution resulting from the excessive use of polymeric materials and the adherence of their consumption patterns to the linear economy model. To address these challenges, sustainable polymers have garnered significant attention because they can be recycled, composted, or biodegraded at the end of their life cycle, while also demonstrating reduced environmental impact throughout their lifespan. Self-immolative polymers, degradable polymers, and reprocessable polymers are different types of sustainable polymers that have emerged as particularly promising candidates owing to the presence of reversible and dynamic bonds in their structures. Accordingly, this review begins by exploring polymer recycling methods and then discusses sustainable polymers, with a particular focus on the incorporation of reversible and dynamic chemistry into these materials. Reversible covalent bonds are broken and formed by induction of different stimuli or different states of one stimulus. Dynamic chemistry provides powerful molecular tools for designing constitutionally dynamic materials capable of self-healing, adaptation, reprocessing, and recycling. Dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs) are divided into five groups (pH-, redox-, photo-, thermal-, and mechano-responsive linkages) based on their responsiveness to external stimuli and are discussed in detail. Additionally, this review highlights emerging technologies, such as light-based 3D printing, printable vitrimers, and sustainable foams, rubbers, and adhesives, that incorporate reversible or dynamic covalent chemistries into integrated systems, opening new avenues across diverse scientific fields. Finally, the review addresses current challenges and future opportunities, emphasizing the transformative potential of reversible or dynamic covalent polymers in advancing a more sustainable polymer industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 101174"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-22DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2025.101173
Peiyu Luo , Xin Zhang , Yihe Yue , Zhuohang Wang , Changsong Shi , Zhiyang Lyu
Aerogels are a class of lightweight, porous materials with high porosity and large specific surface area, making them promising candidates for applications in thermal insulation, energy storage, environmental remediation, catalysis, and biomedical engineering. However, conventional aerogels exhibit isotropic pore structure, limited mechanical robustness, and poor control over multiscale structures, which constrain their broader development and applications. Directional freeze-casting (DFC) has emerged as an efficient strategy to address these challenges by regulating ice crystal growth to form directionally aligned micro/nanostructures. When applied to aerogel fabrication, this technique can impart anisotropic features and significantly enhance overall performance. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the fabrication of aerogels using various DFC approaches, including unidirectional, bidirectional, radial, and physical field-assisted techniques. It further highlights how these approaches enable precise structural control, performance enhancement, and functional optimization across diverse material platforms, including carbon-, ceramic-, polymer-, MXene-, and metal-based aerogels. Finally, current challenges and future research directions are discussed, providing new insights for the continued development of uniquely structured and high-performance aerogels.
{"title":"Directional freeze-casting of aerogels: Structure, properties, and applications","authors":"Peiyu Luo , Xin Zhang , Yihe Yue , Zhuohang Wang , Changsong Shi , Zhiyang Lyu","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101173","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101173","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aerogels are a class of lightweight, porous materials with high porosity and large specific surface area, making them promising candidates for applications in thermal insulation, energy storage, environmental remediation, catalysis, and biomedical engineering. However, conventional aerogels exhibit isotropic pore structure, limited mechanical robustness, and poor control over multiscale structures, which constrain their broader development and applications. Directional freeze-casting (DFC) has emerged as an efficient strategy to address these challenges by regulating ice crystal growth to form directionally aligned micro/nanostructures. When applied to aerogel fabrication, this technique can impart anisotropic features and significantly enhance overall performance. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the fabrication of aerogels using various DFC approaches, including unidirectional, bidirectional, radial, and physical field-assisted techniques. It further highlights how these approaches enable precise structural control, performance enhancement, and functional optimization across diverse material platforms, including carbon-, ceramic-, polymer-, MXene-, and metal-based aerogels. Finally, current challenges and future research directions are discussed, providing new insights for the continued development of uniquely structured and high-performance aerogels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 101173"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-22DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2025.101152
Donald J. Erb, Nikhil Gotawala, Hang Z. Yu
We report a solid-state additive manufacturing route for producing shape-memory ceramic (Zr0.88Ce0.12O2) reinforced metal matrix composites. Using additive friction stir deposition, we implement two feedstock engineering strategies: (i) pre-mixing of powders using a Cu matrix and (ii) hole-pattern drilling using an Al-Mg-Si matrix, where the specific matrix materials are chosen for their distinct shear flow behaviors. The process yields fully dense composites with uniform particle dispersion (20 vol%) and dynamically recrystallized metal matrices. The severe thermomechanical processing conditions also reduce the ceramic particle size, resulting in unique composite microstructures unattainable by alternative processing routes. The as-printed composites can withstand high compressive loads without cracking and retain functionality enabled by thermally and mechanically triggered martensitic transformations. Notably, for the first time, stress-induced martensitic transformation (tetragonal to monoclinic) is observed in bulk-scale composites—but it is only present in the Cu matrix composite, not the Al-Mg-Si counterpart. Micromechanics modeling attributes this contrast to differences in the load transfer and strain hardening capabilities. Complementary to global transformation characterization, Raman mapping reveals that transformation typically initiates at the particle-matrix interface. Together, these results establish a potential pathway for scalable manufacturing of multi-functional metal–shape memory ceramic composites with tunable microstructures and transformation responses.
{"title":"Solid-state additive manufacturing of shape-memory ceramic reinforced composites","authors":"Donald J. Erb, Nikhil Gotawala, Hang Z. Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101152","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101152","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report a solid-state additive manufacturing route for producing shape-memory ceramic (Zr<sub>0.88</sub>Ce<sub>0.12</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) reinforced metal matrix composites. Using additive friction stir deposition, we implement two feedstock engineering strategies: (i) pre-mixing of powders using a Cu matrix and (ii) hole-pattern drilling using an Al-Mg-Si matrix, where the specific matrix materials are chosen for their distinct shear flow behaviors. The process yields fully dense composites with uniform particle dispersion (20 vol%) and dynamically recrystallized metal matrices. The severe thermomechanical processing conditions also reduce the ceramic particle size, resulting in unique composite microstructures unattainable by alternative processing routes. The as-printed composites can withstand high compressive loads without cracking and retain functionality enabled by thermally and mechanically triggered martensitic transformations. Notably, for the first time, stress-induced martensitic transformation (tetragonal to monoclinic) is observed in bulk-scale composites—but it is only present in the Cu matrix composite, not the Al-Mg-Si counterpart. Micromechanics modeling attributes this contrast to differences in the load transfer and strain hardening capabilities. Complementary to global transformation characterization, Raman mapping reveals that transformation typically initiates at the particle-matrix interface. Together, these results establish a potential pathway for scalable manufacturing of multi-functional metal–shape memory ceramic composites with tunable microstructures and transformation responses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 101152"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2025.101170
Jechan Lee , Seonguk Heo , Doeun Choi , Ki-Hyun Kim
Thermochemical upcycling has emerged as a promising industrial pathway for selectively converting waste plastics into high-value fuels, monomers, hydrogen, and carbon nanotubes, with some processes already achieving commercial deployment beyond the laboratory scale. However, a comprehensive review synthesizing recent advances in catalyst design, reactor engineering, and mechanistic insights into key thermochemical pathways remains critically lacking. To address this gap, this study aims to expedite the commercialization of thermochemical upcycling. It supports this objective by highlighting global industrial trends, emphasizing how major industrial leaders (like BASF, Dow, LG Chem, and SABIC) are pursuing their circular economy goals. Relevant policy landscapes, including carbon taxes and emissions trading, are discussed in relation to process viability. Various reactor configurations are also compared for product yield, energy efficiency, and heat integration, along with mechanistic insights into the structure–activity relationships and catalytic surface interactions. This study quantifies carbon emissions and tax implications using a lifecycle analysis, while commercial potential is assessed via experimental and simulation data. The adoption of coupled reactor systems and their subsequent integration with renewable energy should make significant advances toward next-generation processes that can address the complexity of mixed-plastic streams. Overall, this review offers a forward-looking roadmap for realizing scalable, low-carbon thermochemical systems to address plastic waste challenges.
{"title":"Thermochemical upcycling of plastic waste: A comprehensive view from technology to commercialization","authors":"Jechan Lee , Seonguk Heo , Doeun Choi , Ki-Hyun Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101170","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101170","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermochemical upcycling has emerged as a promising industrial pathway for selectively converting waste plastics into high-value fuels, monomers, hydrogen, and carbon nanotubes, with some processes already achieving commercial deployment beyond the laboratory scale. However, a comprehensive review synthesizing recent advances in catalyst design, reactor engineering, and mechanistic insights into key thermochemical pathways remains critically lacking. To address this gap, this study aims to expedite the commercialization of thermochemical upcycling. It supports this objective by highlighting global industrial trends, emphasizing how major industrial leaders (like BASF, Dow, LG Chem, and SABIC) are pursuing their circular economy goals. Relevant policy landscapes, including carbon taxes and emissions trading, are discussed in relation to process viability. Various reactor configurations are also compared for product yield, energy efficiency, and heat integration, along with mechanistic insights into the structure–activity relationships and catalytic surface interactions. This study quantifies carbon emissions and tax implications using a lifecycle analysis, while commercial potential is assessed via experimental and simulation data. The adoption of coupled reactor systems and their subsequent integration with renewable energy should make significant advances toward next-generation processes that can address the complexity of mixed-plastic streams. Overall, this review offers a forward-looking roadmap for realizing scalable, low-carbon thermochemical systems to address plastic waste challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 101170"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145796935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2025.101169
Hyun Kyu Seo , Won Hee Jeong , Jaeho Jung , Min Hyuk Park , Gun Hwan Kim , Min Kyu Yang
Emerging memory technologies are critical to enhancing the memory hierarchy for high-performance computing. Among them, storage class memory (SCM) aims to bridge the latency gap between working and storage memories and support efficient neuromorphic processing of unstructured data. Despite progress in resistive memory technologies, challenges remain for large-scale commercialization due to limited performance reliability, process compatibility, and high-density integration issues. In this study, we report a selector-only-memory (SOM) device based on a threshold-switching chalcogenide material, which uniquely enables both memory and selector functionalities within a single layer. The device exhibits volatile current switching yet nonvolatile modulation of threshold voltage (Vth), governed by electronic trap dynamics and confirmed through Poole–Frenkel conduction analysis and material characterization. We further develop a pulse-based programming algorithm for reliable multilevel Vth control and demonstrate stable 3-bit operation with low adjacent-state overlap and excellent thermal retention. Finally, we integrate the SOM device into a 4k crossbar array and verify > 95 % functional yield and robust random accessibility. This work highlights the potential of selector-class materials for enabling high-density, selector-free memory architectures, and opens new opportunities for analog computing and compute-in-memory (CIM) applications. Our findings suggest a promising pathway toward compact, energy-efficient, and scalable nonvolatile memory solutions.
{"title":"Selector-only-memory device using chalcogenide thin film in a 4k crossbar array","authors":"Hyun Kyu Seo , Won Hee Jeong , Jaeho Jung , Min Hyuk Park , Gun Hwan Kim , Min Kyu Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101169","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101169","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emerging memory technologies are critical to enhancing the memory hierarchy for high-performance computing. Among them, storage class memory (SCM) aims to bridge the latency gap between working and storage memories and support efficient neuromorphic processing of unstructured data. Despite progress in resistive memory technologies, challenges remain for large-scale commercialization due to limited performance reliability, process compatibility, and high-density integration issues. In this study, we report a selector-only-memory (SOM) device based on a threshold-switching chalcogenide material, which uniquely enables both memory and selector functionalities within a single layer. The device exhibits volatile current switching yet nonvolatile modulation of threshold voltage (V<sub>th</sub>), governed by electronic trap dynamics and confirmed through Poole–Frenkel conduction analysis and material characterization. We further develop a pulse-based programming algorithm for reliable multilevel V<sub>th</sub> control and demonstrate stable 3-bit operation with low adjacent-state overlap and excellent thermal retention. Finally, we integrate the SOM device into a 4k crossbar array and verify > 95 % functional yield and robust random accessibility. This work highlights the potential of selector-class materials for enabling high-density, selector-free memory architectures, and opens new opportunities for analog computing and compute-in-memory (CIM) applications. Our findings suggest a promising pathway toward compact, energy-efficient, and scalable nonvolatile memory solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 101169"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145796936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.mser.2025.101168
Minghui Zhu , Zhongyue Ge , Zhuying Xu , Xiaofang Liang , Lei Yan , Yulin Sun , Yijun Zhong , Yong Hu
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a crucial chemical with broad applications in environmental protection, chemical synthesis, and industrial processes. While traditionally produced via the energy-intensive anthraquinone oxidation process, emerging electrocatalytic methods based on two-electron oxygen reduction (2e− ORR) and water oxidation (2e− WOR) reactions offer a sustainable, decentralized, and on-demand alternative for H2O2 generation. This review systematically examines the mechanistic pathways and evaluation strategies of both 2e− ORR and 2e− WOR, focusing on three critical aspects: 1) Catalyst design strategies to enhance active site exposure and selectively drive the 2e− pathway while suppressing the competing 4e− pathway. 2) Regulation of the reaction microenvironment, including electrolyte composition and three-phase interface (TPI) engineering, to optimize oxygen transport and interfacial dynamics. 3) Innovations in scalable electrocatalytic systems, highlighting integrated co-electrolysis platforms capable of simultaneously producing H2O2 and other value-added products. By combining molecular-level catalyst design with system-level device engineering, this review outlines challenges and provides forward-looking insights for guiding the development of green and efficient H2O2 production.
{"title":"Electrochemical production of H2O2 via 2e− ORR and WOR: Catalyst design, interface regulation, and scalable device engineering","authors":"Minghui Zhu , Zhongyue Ge , Zhuying Xu , Xiaofang Liang , Lei Yan , Yulin Sun , Yijun Zhong , Yong Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101168","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.101168","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) is a crucial chemical with broad applications in environmental protection, chemical synthesis, and industrial processes. While traditionally produced via the energy-intensive anthraquinone oxidation process, emerging electrocatalytic methods based on two-electron oxygen reduction (2e<sup>−</sup> ORR) and water oxidation (2e<sup>−</sup> WOR) reactions offer a sustainable, decentralized, and on-demand alternative for H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> generation. This review systematically examines the mechanistic pathways and evaluation strategies of both 2e<sup>−</sup> ORR and 2e<sup>−</sup> WOR, focusing on three critical aspects: 1) Catalyst design strategies to enhance active site exposure and selectively drive the 2e<sup>−</sup> pathway while suppressing the competing 4e<sup>−</sup> pathway. 2) Regulation of the reaction microenvironment, including electrolyte composition and three-phase interface (TPI) engineering, to optimize oxygen transport and interfacial dynamics. 3) Innovations in scalable electrocatalytic systems, highlighting integrated co-electrolysis platforms capable of simultaneously producing H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and other value-added products. By combining molecular-level catalyst design with system-level device engineering, this review outlines challenges and provides forward-looking insights for guiding the development of green and efficient H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 101168"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145746891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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