Science China Materials最新文献

The simultaneous achievement of wide band gap and strong nonlinear optical (NLO) effect poses a challenging task in the development of infrared (IR) NLO materials. The coupling strategy of polyhedral building blocks has been demonstrated to be one of the effective approaches for constructing superior optical materials with well-balanced performance. Here, a new family of IR NLO materials A^I₂Mg₃Ga₁₂S₂₂ (A^I = K, Rb) that first contain [MgS₆] octahedra and T2-type supertetrahedra was designed and synthesized. K₂Mg₃Ga₁₂S₂₂ exhibits a wide band gap of 3.34 eV, and a moderate second-harmonic generation response intensity of 0.4 times that of AgGaS₂ under 2 µm Q-switched laser radiation. Furthermore, the birefringence of K₂Mg₃Ga₁₂S₂₂ is calculated to be 0.028@1064 nm, resulting in favorable phase-matching behavior in IR region. These characteristics suggest that K₂Mg₃Ga₁₂S₂₂ could be a promising material for nonlinear frequency conversion applications and it provides new ideas into the design of novel compounds with outstanding IR NLO performances.

In recent years, fluorescent materials centered on the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window have emerged as a new research area of interest for prospective biomedical applications. Among the latest generation of NIR-II probes, rare earth nanocrystals (RE NCs) have distinguished themselves by their remarkable optical properties, such as high stability, large Stokes/anti-Stokes shift, a broad excitation spectral bandwidth, and a prolonged fluorescence lifetime. Particularly, via ingenious design and meticulous manipulation of the structure and composition, the energy transfer and photon transition during the luminescence process can be precisely regulated, thereby achieving substantial optimization of optical performance. In this review, we will briefly outline the NIR-II emission mechanism of RE NCs and focus on the luminescence enhancement strategies of the latest advancements, with the intention of furnishing valuable references for research in related fields.

Due to the influence of quantum confinement effect, two-dimensional (2D) materials like graphene exhibit unique and exceptional properties, highlighting the significance of low-dimensional materials in fundamental research and practical applications. This has led to high expectations for one-dimensional (1D) atomic chain materials with even lower dimensions. Compared with 2D materials, single 1D atomic chains reach their physical limits in both dimensions, resulting in a more pronounced quantum confinement effect that gives rise to unexpected physical phenomena and will establish a new field for exploration. Herein, we review the emerging field concerning 1D van der Waals (vdW) atomic chains. We first summarize the various types and structures of their bulk of the 1D vdW materials. Subsequently, we discuss the methods employed for their preparation and characterization. Finally, we analyze the challenges faced during the development of 1D atomic chains and provide prospects for their future development.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) using gel polymer electrolytes with satisfactory theoretical capacity and low cost hold great promise for high energy density storage systems. However, the inherently unwanted polarizations and uncontrolled lithium dendrites resulting from inferior Li-ion transporting efficiency hinder the practical application of conventional gel electrolytes. Herein, a highly conductive composite gel polymer electrolyte with effective Li-ion conducting channels is designed via swelling nanofibrous membrane, where the single-ion conducting polymer of lithium sulfonate-based polyether (DEBS-Li) used as the Li-ion accelerator is combined with poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) P(VDF-HFP) matrix by the electrospinning technology. The DEBS-Li having rich sulfonic groups can promote lithium salts dissociation via electrostatic interaction, thus expediting the ionic migration and enabling the as-developed gel electrolyte with high ionic conductivity (∼1.58× 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹) and lithium transference number (0.62) at 25°C. Such optimization of ionic transfer kinetics can highly delay the nucleation time of lithium dendrite and significantly inhibit dendritic formation, which leads to a stable Li plating/stripping in the symmetrical battery over 250 h at 1.5 mA cm⁻². Benefiting from these advantages, the Li∥LiFe-PO4 cell using the electrolyte realizes ultralong stable cycling over 500 cycles at a high rate of 10 C with ∼90% capacity retention. We believe this novel lithium sulfonate-based polyether gel polymer electrolyte has profound potential for practical applications in high-performance LMBs.

Achieving an in-depth understanding of the nexus between temperature and phase transitions is paramount for advancing the electrochemical efficiency of aqueous zinc ion batteries. Yet, the intricacies of electrochemical interactions, particularly those associated with the structural evolution over extended periods, remain enigmatic. In this research, we leverage V₂O₅ as an initial structural model of crystals to demystify the kinetics of electrode reactions and the decay mechanism of global electrochemical degradation by meticulously controlling the crystal defects via applying different mechanical grounding intensities. It is noted that the grounding V₂O₅ (GVO) can exhibit a stable crystal structure that suppresses the dissolution/shuttling of vanadium and mitigates Zn anodes by-products caused by electrochemical processes. Thus, the GVO is utilized as the cathode material, achieving excellent Zn storage capacity at both room temperature and low temperatures, e.g., 380 and 246 mA h g⁻¹ at room temperature and −20°C, respectively. Remarkably, the GVO cathode retains a specific capacity of 160 mA h g⁻¹ with a capacity retention rate of 99% after 1500 cycles at −20°C and 1 A g⁻¹. This work provides a novel insight into the electrochemical crosstalk behavior of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) in a wide range of temperatures.

High-resolution organic arrays with diverse pixel types hold significant promise for various applications, such as full-color displays and photonic crystals. The direct growth of such arrays (e.g., high-resolution multi-color patterns) cannot be achieved in a single step with conventional strategies. Here, we present a viable approach integrating a bottom-up solution strategy with phase-change materials (PCMs), specifically aggregation-induced emission (AIE) materials. Through intentional self-assembly, color-programmable organic micro-patterns featuring distinct phases or colors were created. Notably, manipulating the amount of involved substance for nucleation/crystallization was achieved by adjusting the sizes of pre-defined nucleation sites. This precise control resulted in varied phases and colors for each pixel. Thus, high-resolution organic micro-arrays with transfer-free multi-color pixels were directly achieved. These may open avenues for seamless, transfer-free growth of multifunctional micro-patterns using PCMs, holding immense potential for applications in high-resolution full-color imaging/displays, photonic crystals, information storage, and encryption, etc.

The sensing capabilities of a soft arm are of paramount importance to its overall performance as they allow precise control of the soft arm and enhance its interaction with the surrounding environment. However, the actuation and sensing of a soft arm are not typically integrated into a monolithic structure, which would impede the arm’s movement and restrict its performance and application scope. To address this limitation, this study proposes an innovative method for the integrated design of actuator structures and sensing. The proposed method combines the art of kirigami with soft robotics technology. In the proposed method, sensors are embedded in the form of kirigami structures into actuators using laser cutting technology, achieving seamless integration with a soft arm. Compared to the traditional amanogawa kirigami and fractal-cut kirigami structures, the proposed middle-cut kirigami (MCK) structure does not buckle during stretching and exhibits superior tensile performance. Based on the MCK structure, an advanced interdigitated capacitive sensor with a high degree of linearity, which can significantly outperform traditional kirigami sensors, is developed. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed soft arm design in actual logistics sorting tasks, demonstrating that it is capable of accurately sorting objects based on sensor signals. In addition, the results indicate that the developed continuum soft arm and its embedded kirigami sensors have great potential in the field of logistics automation sorting. This work provides a promising solution for high-precision closed-loop feedback control and environmental interaction of soft arms.