Pub Date : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102630
Ke Ma , Wenpei Lin , Zhiyu Liu , Lei Chen , Yongsheng Jie , Rui Zheng , Keiji Numata , Xin Chen , Zhengzhong Shao , Xiong Shu , Juan Guan , Hongbo Guo , Robert O. Ritchie
Given limited meniscus self-repair capacity, an ideal implant fulfilling biomechanical and biological needs remains unmet. Inspired by natural meniscus microstructure, we developed a biomimetic scaffold using three-dimensional (3D)-printed polycaprolactone (PCL) reinforced with continuous silk fibers via in situ impregnation. The continuous-silk-reinforced composites (CSRC) scaffold replicates meniscus anisotropy and viscoelasticity, outperforming PCL in mechanical reinforcement. Preliminary tests confirmed cytocompatibility and in vivo biocompatibility, highlighting silk’s regenerative potential. Mechanistically, the CSRC scaffold synergizes rapid stress relaxation with silk bioactivity to activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) pathway in synovial mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs) under mechanical stimulation. This activation enhances SMSC survival/differentiation and accelerates tissue remodeling. Our strategy offers a promising meniscus tissue engineering solution and broadens applications of fiber composites in biomedical engineering.
{"title":"3D-printed continuous-silk-reinforced scaffolds with biomimetic mechanics for meniscus repair","authors":"Ke Ma , Wenpei Lin , Zhiyu Liu , Lei Chen , Yongsheng Jie , Rui Zheng , Keiji Numata , Xin Chen , Zhengzhong Shao , Xiong Shu , Juan Guan , Hongbo Guo , Robert O. Ritchie","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102630","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102630","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given limited meniscus self-repair capacity, an ideal implant fulfilling biomechanical and biological needs remains unmet. Inspired by natural meniscus microstructure, we developed a biomimetic scaffold using three-dimensional (3D)-printed polycaprolactone (PCL) reinforced with continuous silk fibers via <em>in situ</em> impregnation. The continuous-silk-reinforced composites (CSRC) scaffold replicates meniscus anisotropy and viscoelasticity, outperforming PCL in mechanical reinforcement. Preliminary tests confirmed cytocompatibility and <em>in vivo</em> biocompatibility, highlighting silk’s regenerative potential. Mechanistically, the CSRC scaffold synergizes rapid stress relaxation with silk bioactivity to activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) pathway in synovial mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs) under mechanical stimulation. This activation enhances SMSC survival/differentiation and accelerates tissue remodeling. Our strategy offers a promising meniscus tissue engineering solution and broadens applications of fiber composites in biomedical engineering.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102630"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146231384","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2026-02-18DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102609
Hezhang Li , Rui Zhang , Jinfeng Dong , Bowen Wang , Yilin Jiang , Jincheng Yu , Zhihang Shan , Jun Pei , Md All Amin Newton , Yi Niu , Jing Jiang , Zhicheng Huang , Yongqing Cai , Chao Wang , Bo-Ping Zhang , Jing-Feng Li
This study demonstrates that copper iodide (CuI) doping synergistically enhances the thermoelectric performance of GeTe by concurrently optimizing its electrical and thermal transport properties. The incorporation of CuI effectively suppresses native Ge vacancies through the formation of VGe-Cui complexes, which reduces carrier scattering and enhances carrier mobility, leading to superior electrical performance when combined with intrinsic valence band convergence. Simultaneously, the introduced Cu-rich layer defects and secondary phases provide strong phonon scattering, maintaining low thermal conductivity despite the reduction in vacancy-related scattering. Building on this CuI-mediated defect and microstructure engineering, Bi-Sb co-doping was further employed to achieve a peak ZT of 1.9 and a high average ZT > 1.2. The practical viability was confirmed by a segmented GeTe/(Bi,Sb)2Te3 single-leg device achieving a high output power of 74 mW and a conversion efficiency of 10.4%, validating CuI doping as a highly effective strategy for advancing GeTe-based thermoelectrics, with broader implications for other semiconductor materials.
{"title":"CuI-enhanced thermoelectric performance in GeTe by synchronous modulation of hole concentration and thermal conductivity","authors":"Hezhang Li , Rui Zhang , Jinfeng Dong , Bowen Wang , Yilin Jiang , Jincheng Yu , Zhihang Shan , Jun Pei , Md All Amin Newton , Yi Niu , Jing Jiang , Zhicheng Huang , Yongqing Cai , Chao Wang , Bo-Ping Zhang , Jing-Feng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102609","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102609","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study demonstrates that copper iodide (CuI) doping synergistically enhances the thermoelectric performance of GeTe by concurrently optimizing its electrical and thermal transport properties. The incorporation of CuI effectively suppresses native Ge vacancies through the formation of <em>V</em><sub>Ge</sub>-Cu<sub>i</sub> complexes, which reduces carrier scattering and enhances carrier mobility, leading to superior electrical performance when combined with intrinsic valence band convergence. Simultaneously, the introduced Cu-rich layer defects and secondary phases provide strong phonon scattering, maintaining low thermal conductivity despite the reduction in vacancy-related scattering. Building on this CuI-mediated defect and microstructure engineering, Bi-Sb co-doping was further employed to achieve a peak ZT of 1.9 and a high average ZT > 1.2. The practical viability was confirmed by a segmented GeTe/(Bi,Sb)<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub> single-leg device achieving a high output power of 74 mW and a conversion efficiency of 10.4%, validating CuI doping as a highly effective strategy for advancing GeTe-based thermoelectrics, with broader implications for other semiconductor materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102609"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146261131","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2025-12-08DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102555
Kaleolani S. Ogura , Sirisak Singsen , Dmitri Leo Mesoza Cordova , Jinyu Liu , Griffin M. Milligan , Diana Lopez , Tyler A. Kerr , Joseph W. Ziller , Rahul Rao , Luis A. Jauregui , Elizabeth M.Y. Lee , Maxx Q. Arguilla
The coexistence of structural anisotropy with building units approaching the atomic scale endows materials with unusual properties. Recently, the class of Chevrel-type chalcogenides consisting of quasi-one-dimensional (q-1D) [Mo3Q3]n– (Q = chalcogen) chains intercalated with A+ (A = alkali or main group) cations garnered renewed interest for their potential to manifest metallicity, superconductivity, and q-1D Dirac fermionic states. However, understanding their structure and properties is challenging due to their propensity to form polycrystals. Here, we demonstrate the vapor-phase-assisted synthesis of sizable crystals of a q-1D Chevrel-like crystal, In2–δMo6Te6, facilitating detailed investigations of its crystal structure and electronic properties. We found from structural characterization and first-principles calculations that the distinct structure, radius ratios, and composition in In2–δMo6Te6 impose thermodynamically favored fractional vacancy in approximately one-eighth of In sites. In2–δMo6Te6 shows signatures of 1D anisotropy and persistent metallicity down to 1.7 K, despite prevailing notions that q-1D metals undergo Peierls distortion.
{"title":"Persistent metallicity and systematic vacancies in tellurium-based quasi-one-dimensional Chevrel-type single crystals","authors":"Kaleolani S. Ogura , Sirisak Singsen , Dmitri Leo Mesoza Cordova , Jinyu Liu , Griffin M. Milligan , Diana Lopez , Tyler A. Kerr , Joseph W. Ziller , Rahul Rao , Luis A. Jauregui , Elizabeth M.Y. Lee , Maxx Q. Arguilla","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102555","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102555","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coexistence of structural anisotropy with building units approaching the atomic scale endows materials with unusual properties. Recently, the class of Chevrel-type chalcogenides consisting of quasi-one-dimensional (q-1D) [Mo<sub>3</sub>Q<sub>3</sub>]<sub><em>n</em></sub><sup>–</sup> (Q = chalcogen) chains intercalated with A<sup>+</sup> (A = alkali or main group) cations garnered renewed interest for their potential to manifest metallicity, superconductivity, and q-1D Dirac fermionic states. However, understanding their structure and properties is challenging due to their propensity to form polycrystals. Here, we demonstrate the vapor-phase-assisted synthesis of sizable crystals of a q-1D Chevrel-like crystal, In<sub>2–δ</sub>Mo<sub>6</sub>Te<sub>6</sub>, facilitating detailed investigations of its crystal structure and electronic properties. We found from structural characterization and first-principles calculations that the distinct structure, radius ratios, and composition in In<sub>2–δ</sub>Mo<sub>6</sub>Te<sub>6</sub> impose thermodynamically favored fractional vacancy in approximately one-eighth of In sites. In<sub>2–δ</sub>Mo<sub>6</sub>Te<sub>6</sub> shows signatures of 1D anisotropy and persistent metallicity down to 1.7 K, despite prevailing notions that q-1D metals undergo Peierls distortion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102555"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147417763","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2026-02-04DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102576
Xiaogang Niu , Chengye Lin , Linlin Wang , Nan Li , Hongliang Li , Jianxin Kang , Yifan Chen , Yuening Wang , Jianghao Wu , Xiao Ji , Lin Guo , Yujie Zhu
Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) employing hard carbon (HC) anodes are often hampered by low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), primarily resulting from irreversible electrolyte degradation and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Conventional strategies have largely focused on tuning surface properties, while the key role of carbon hybridization in interfacial electrochemistry remains underexplored. In this work, we demonstrate that precise control over carbon hybridization via regulated pyrolysis can significantly mitigate side reactions. By creating a tunable structural gradient, we achieve an optimized HC material with a high ICE of 90.6% and a reversible capacity of 284.7 mAh g−1. Multidisciplinary analyses decipher the underlying mechanism for the enhanced ICE and charge storage chemistry. The practical applicability of this material is confirmed in full-cell configurations, delivering 296.2 Wh kg−1 specific energy and sustaining 75.3% capacity retention over 2,000 cycles. This study offers new directions for rational design of HC-based anodes in PIBs.
采用硬碳（HC）阳极的钾离子电池（PIBs）经常受到初始库仑效率（ICE）低的阻碍，这主要是由于不可逆的电解质降解和不稳定的固体电解质间相（SEI）形成。传统的策略主要集中在调整表面性质上，而碳杂化在界面电化学中的关键作用仍未得到充分的探索。在这项工作中，我们证明了通过调节热解对碳杂化的精确控制可以显著减轻副反应。通过创建可调的结构梯度，我们获得了具有90.6%高ICE和284.7 mAh g−1可逆容量的优化HC材料。多学科分析揭示了ICE和电荷存储化学增强的潜在机制。这种材料的实用性在全电池配置中得到了证实，提供296.2 Wh kg−1的比能量，在2000次循环中保持75.3%的容量保持。本研究为合理设计hc基PIBs阳极提供了新的方向。
{"title":"Interphase stabilization via carbon hybridization control unlocks stable potassium-ion batteries","authors":"Xiaogang Niu , Chengye Lin , Linlin Wang , Nan Li , Hongliang Li , Jianxin Kang , Yifan Chen , Yuening Wang , Jianghao Wu , Xiao Ji , Lin Guo , Yujie Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) employing hard carbon (HC) anodes are often hampered by low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), primarily resulting from irreversible electrolyte degradation and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Conventional strategies have largely focused on tuning surface properties, while the key role of carbon hybridization in interfacial electrochemistry remains underexplored. In this work, we demonstrate that precise control over carbon hybridization via regulated pyrolysis can significantly mitigate side reactions. By creating a tunable structural gradient, we achieve an optimized HC material with a high ICE of 90.6% and a reversible capacity of 284.7 mAh g<sup>−1</sup>. Multidisciplinary analyses decipher the underlying mechanism for the enhanced ICE and charge storage chemistry. The practical applicability of this material is confirmed in full-cell configurations, delivering 296.2 Wh kg<sup>−1</sup> specific energy and sustaining 75.3% capacity retention over 2,000 cycles. This study offers new directions for rational design of HC-based anodes in PIBs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102576"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147417907","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102606
Hang Liu , Xiao Liu , Yuxin Gao , Yi Yu , Zhang Liu , Pengmin Wang , Bin Shan , Rong Chen
Conventional methods to mitigate surface active sites dissolution in Pt-based fuel cell catalysts (Pt/C) often lead to loss of electrochemically active surface areas or dealloying. Here, we report a strategy via atomic layer deposition to precisely introduce a nonmetallic single-atom electron pump into unstable Pt subsurface, regulating oxygen adsorption and inhibiting inward diffusion. Boron single atoms significantly enhance Pt dissolution resistance, resulting in an initial peak power density of 1.76 W cm−2 for Pt/C, only 16.8% mass activity loss after 30,000 cycles test (projected lifetime >30,000 h, exceeding DOE 2025 targets), and ultrahigh stability over 200 h rated operation with negligible current declines. In situ characterizations and DFT calculations reveal that subsurface-doped-boron-induced asymmetric strain weakens oxygen species adsorption, blocks oxygen penetration, and continually pumps electrons to surface unsaturated Pt sites to suppress oxidation dissolution. This work provides a generalizable and scalable approach for stabilizing Pt-based catalysts through atomic-level subsurface engineering.
传统的减轻Pt基燃料电池催化剂（Pt/C）表面活性位点溶解的方法通常会导致电化学活性表面积的损失或合金化。在这里，我们报道了一种通过原子层沉积的策略，精确地将非金属单原子电子泵引入不稳定的铂亚表面，调节氧的吸附和抑制向内扩散。硼单原子显著提高了Pt的耐溶解性，使Pt/C的初始峰值功率密度达到1.76 W cm−2，经过30,000次循环测试（预计寿命为30,000 h，超过DOE 2025目标），质量活度损失仅为16.8%，并且在额定运行200 h时具有超高的稳定性，电流下降可以忽略不计。原位表征和DFT计算表明，地下掺杂硼诱导的不对称应变削弱了氧的吸附，阻碍了氧的渗透，并不断将电子泵向表面不饱和Pt位点以抑制氧化溶解。这项工作为通过原子水平的地下工程稳定pt基催化剂提供了一种可推广和可扩展的方法。
{"title":"Precisely constructing subsurface electron pump stabilizes Pt catalysts against oxygen-induced degradation in fuel cells","authors":"Hang Liu , Xiao Liu , Yuxin Gao , Yi Yu , Zhang Liu , Pengmin Wang , Bin Shan , Rong Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102606","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102606","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conventional methods to mitigate surface active sites dissolution in Pt-based fuel cell catalysts (Pt/C) often lead to loss of electrochemically active surface areas or dealloying. Here, we report a strategy via atomic layer deposition to precisely introduce a nonmetallic single-atom electron pump into unstable Pt subsurface, regulating oxygen adsorption and inhibiting inward diffusion. Boron single atoms significantly enhance Pt dissolution resistance, resulting in an initial peak power density of 1.76 W cm<sup>−2</sup> for Pt/C, only 16.8% mass activity loss after 30,000 cycles test (projected lifetime >30,000 h, exceeding DOE 2025 targets), and ultrahigh stability over 200 h rated operation with negligible current declines. <em>In situ</em> characterizations and DFT calculations reveal that subsurface-doped-boron-induced asymmetric strain weakens oxygen species adsorption, blocks oxygen penetration, and continually pumps electrons to surface unsaturated Pt sites to suppress oxidation dissolution. This work provides a generalizable and scalable approach for stabilizing Pt-based catalysts through atomic-level subsurface engineering.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102606"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147417911","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102564
Shuai Wang , Pardis Pourhaji , Dalton Vassallo , Sara Heidarnezhad , Suzanne Scarlata , Nima Rahbar
The low-energy production of strong, carbon-negative construction materials is among the most challenging problems in materials science and a crucial step in addressing the climate crisis. Although incorporating biomaterials reduces carbon emissions, these products are not water resistant and require a protective layer. Herein, we describe an enzymatic structural material (ESM) that employs a capillary suspension technique combined with an enzyme mixture to integrate precipitated calcium minerals into a sand and carbon matrix. ESM exhibits high water stability with a minimal strength decrease compared to other biologically inspired construction materials, like hydrogel-based scaffolds, and its mechanical strength is close to the compressive strength of structural concrete. Importantly, ESM production consumes 6.1 kg CO2/m3, in contrast to traditional concrete production, which emits approximately 330 kg CO2/m3, thus aligning with the need for low-carbon building solutions. The physical characterization of ESM confirms its potential as a structural material for advancing sustainable construction technologies.
{"title":"Durable, high-strength carbon-negative enzymatic structural materials via a capillary suspension technique","authors":"Shuai Wang , Pardis Pourhaji , Dalton Vassallo , Sara Heidarnezhad , Suzanne Scarlata , Nima Rahbar","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102564","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102564","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The low-energy production of strong, carbon-negative construction materials is among the most challenging problems in materials science and a crucial step in addressing the climate crisis. Although incorporating biomaterials reduces carbon emissions, these products are not water resistant and require a protective layer. Herein, we describe an enzymatic structural material (ESM) that employs a capillary suspension technique combined with an enzyme mixture to integrate precipitated calcium minerals into a sand and carbon matrix. ESM exhibits high water stability with a minimal strength decrease compared to other biologically inspired construction materials, like hydrogel-based scaffolds, and its mechanical strength is close to the compressive strength of structural concrete. Importantly, ESM production consumes 6.1 kg CO<sub>2</sub>/m<sup>3</sup>, in contrast to traditional concrete production, which emits approximately 330 kg CO<sub>2</sub>/m<sup>3</sup>, thus aligning with the need for low-carbon building solutions. The physical characterization of ESM confirms its potential as a structural material for advancing sustainable construction technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102564"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145658218","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102568
Heejung W. Chung , Pjotrs Žguns , Ju Li , Bilge Yildiz
Discovery of fast proton conductors is important for advancing clean energy technologies. This requires a better understanding of proton migration mechanisms. While structural and chemical traits of ternary metal oxides have been related to proton migration barriers, lattice dynamical effects have not been resolved quantitatively. In this work, we introduce a phonon-based dynamic descriptor, termed “thermal O…O fluctuation,” quantifying the flexibility of donor-acceptor oxide-ion pairs. This enables direct comparison of O-sublattice flexibility across diverse metal oxides. Using regression models, we ranked physical descriptors as predictors of proton mobility, finding that H-bond length and thermal O…O fluctuation were the strongest descriptors. Further analysis revealed a critical O…O spacing of 2.4 Å at the transition state, which is easier to reach by more flexible donor-acceptor pairs, enabling facile proton transfer. Our results demonstrate oxygen sublattice flexibility as a dynamic descriptor and provide guiding principles for enhancing proton mobility in ternary metal oxides.
{"title":"Flexibility of oxygen sublattice and hydrogen bond length predict proton mobility in ternary metal oxides","authors":"Heejung W. Chung , Pjotrs Žguns , Ju Li , Bilge Yildiz","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Discovery of fast proton conductors is important for advancing clean energy technologies. This requires a better understanding of proton migration mechanisms. While structural and chemical traits of ternary metal oxides have been related to proton migration barriers, lattice dynamical effects have not been resolved quantitatively. In this work, we introduce a phonon-based dynamic descriptor, termed “thermal O…O fluctuation,” quantifying the flexibility of donor-acceptor oxide-ion pairs. This enables direct comparison of O-sublattice flexibility across diverse metal oxides. Using regression models, we ranked physical descriptors as predictors of proton mobility, finding that H-bond length and thermal O…O fluctuation were the strongest descriptors. Further analysis revealed a critical O…O spacing of 2.4 Å at the transition state, which is easier to reach by more flexible donor-acceptor pairs, enabling facile proton transfer. Our results demonstrate oxygen sublattice flexibility as a dynamic descriptor and provide guiding principles for enhancing proton mobility in ternary metal oxides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102568"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145760293","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2025-12-18DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102562
Mingchao Liu , Weining Mao , Yiqiu Zhao , Qin Xu , Yixiang Gan , Yifan Wang , K. Jimmy Hsia
Jammed granular matter exhibits diverse rate-dependent behaviors that govern its mechanical response. We examine jammed assemblies under confining pressure and identify rate-strengthening, rate-independent, and rate-softening behaviors. Remarkably, we discover a pronounced rate-softening effect in rice particles, where increasing loading rate significantly reduces yield stress due to a sharp drop in surface friction, weakening the granular force-chain network. Through systematic experiments and simulations, we reveal that this behavior is tunable by modifying surface friction or confining pressure, unlocking design possibilities. To demonstrate its functional significance, we develop a bi-beam metamaterial that switches buckling direction with loading speed; extending to a dual-unit design yields a programmable response—contact reinforcement at slow rates, separation at fast—amplifying the rate dependence. These findings establish a new paradigm for tunable metamaterials, harnessing rate dependence of granular matter to create adaptive and programmable mechanical systems with potential applications in soft robotics, energy absorption, and wearable protection.
{"title":"Rate dependence in granular matter with application to tunable metamaterials","authors":"Mingchao Liu , Weining Mao , Yiqiu Zhao , Qin Xu , Yixiang Gan , Yifan Wang , K. Jimmy Hsia","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102562","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Jammed granular matter exhibits diverse rate-dependent behaviors that govern its mechanical response. We examine jammed assemblies under confining pressure and identify rate-strengthening, rate-independent, and rate-softening behaviors. Remarkably, we discover a <em>pronounced rate-softening effect</em> in rice particles, where increasing loading rate significantly reduces yield stress due to a sharp drop in surface friction, weakening the granular force-chain network. Through systematic experiments and simulations, we reveal that this behavior is tunable by modifying surface friction or confining pressure, unlocking design possibilities. To demonstrate its functional significance, we develop a bi-beam metamaterial that switches buckling direction with loading speed; extending to a dual-unit design yields a programmable response—contact reinforcement at slow rates, separation at fast—amplifying the rate dependence. These findings establish a new paradigm for tunable metamaterials, harnessing rate dependence of granular matter to create adaptive and programmable mechanical systems with potential applications in soft robotics, energy absorption, and wearable protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102562"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145771206","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102620
Shima Jafarzadeh , Moon Paul , Nazila Oladzad-abbasabadi , Peng Wu , Colin J. Barrow , Minoo Naebe , Wendy Timms
In this study, carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized from avocado peel waste via a hydrothermal process and incorporated into a starch blend of stale bread and sago to develop sustainable, active bioplastic films. This circular strategy upcycles food waste into value-added packaging materials with enhanced performance. CDs exhibited nanoscale size, surface functionality, and fluorescence. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed uniform CD dispersion, improving film compactness and mechanical integrity. At 3 wt % CDs, Young’s modulus increased by ∼29%, while air permeability and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) decreased by ∼62% and ∼86%, respectively. The films also showed strong antioxidant activity (60.24% 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] scavenging at 5 wt % CDs) and antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, CD-reinforced starch films offer a scalable, eco-friendly approach for multifunctional biopolymers aligned with circular economy and sustainable packaging principles.
{"title":"Bioactive bioplastic films incorporating waste-derived carbon dots and starch for sustainable packaging","authors":"Shima Jafarzadeh , Moon Paul , Nazila Oladzad-abbasabadi , Peng Wu , Colin J. Barrow , Minoo Naebe , Wendy Timms","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102620","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102620","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized from avocado peel waste via a hydrothermal process and incorporated into a starch blend of stale bread and sago to develop sustainable, active bioplastic films. This circular strategy upcycles food waste into value-added packaging materials with enhanced performance. CDs exhibited nanoscale size, surface functionality, and fluorescence. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed uniform CD dispersion, improving film compactness and mechanical integrity. At 3 wt % CDs, Young’s modulus increased by ∼29%, while air permeability and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) decreased by ∼62% and ∼86%, respectively. The films also showed strong antioxidant activity (60.24% 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] scavenging at 5 wt % CDs) and antibacterial effects against <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>. Overall, CD-reinforced starch films offer a scalable, eco-friendly approach for multifunctional biopolymers aligned with circular economy and sustainable packaging principles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102620"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145995093","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 : 2026-03-04Epub Date: 2026-02-03DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102575
Leeann Sun , Siqi Zou , Gangbin Yan , Yu Han , Adarsh Suresh , Mrinal Bera , Matthew V. Tirrell , Chong Liu
Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) have demonstrated remarkable capability for facile, reversible, and selective ion transport. However, many details behind the mechanisms underlying their ion selectivity are unclear, hindering rational design of their composition and structure. Ion selectivity is determined by the thermodynamic binding energy and transport kinetic barriers; therefore, elucidation of ion transport pathways and storage sites is critical to uncovering the origins of a material’s ion selectivity. Here, using the model PBA copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCFe) with percolating vacancies, we investigate the intercalation of eight technologically and naturally prominent ions and determine an overall sequence of selectivity. We reveal strong correlation between the redox center, ion storage site, and intercalating ion identity, owing to the positioning and symmetry of vacancies in the material. Based on the selectivity property, we demonstrate Li purification with CuHCFe. Our findings offer deeper understanding for identifying and harnessing chemical “handles” to enhance separation performance.
{"title":"Selectivity mechanisms of ion intercalation in Prussian blue analogs","authors":"Leeann Sun , Siqi Zou , Gangbin Yan , Yu Han , Adarsh Suresh , Mrinal Bera , Matthew V. Tirrell , Chong Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102575","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matt.2025.102575","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) have demonstrated remarkable capability for facile, reversible, and selective ion transport. However, many details behind the mechanisms underlying their ion selectivity are unclear, hindering rational design of their composition and structure. Ion selectivity is determined by the thermodynamic binding energy and transport kinetic barriers; therefore, elucidation of ion transport pathways and storage sites is critical to uncovering the origins of a material’s ion selectivity. Here, using the model PBA copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCFe) with percolating vacancies, we investigate the intercalation of eight technologically and naturally prominent ions and determine an overall sequence of selectivity. We reveal strong correlation between the redox center, ion storage site, and intercalating ion identity, owing to the positioning and symmetry of vacancies in the material. Based on the selectivity property, we demonstrate Li purification with CuHCFe. Our findings offer deeper understanding for identifying and harnessing chemical “handles” to enhance separation performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":388,"journal":{"name":"Matter","volume":"9 3","pages":"Article 102575"},"PeriodicalIF":17.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146101891","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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