Materials Horizons最新文献

Electric vehicles (EVs) experience substantial reductions in driving range under extreme weather conditions-primarily due to the energy demands of cabin climate control (up to ∼54%) and, to a lesser extent, battery inefficiencies (∼20%). To address this issue, we propose an auxiliary energy source termed as an e-thermal bank, designed to support onboard heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and battery thermal management (BTM). The e-thermal bank is a high-energy-density, microwave-driven, fast-charging thermochemical storage (TCS) system that simultaneously manages cabin climate and battery temperature. To meet the stringent performance requirements of this innovative system, its key component-an advanced sorbent material-is developed through confinement of a TCS salt into a micro- and macro-structured porous matrix. The resulting optimized sorbent exhibits a high sorption capacity of 3.96 g g^-1, a rapid sorption rate, and a record-high material-level energy density of 10 426 kJ g^-1 at 90% relative humidity (RH), all the while ensuring leak-proof operation. Thanks to its structural stability and scalability, this performance translates effectively into a prototype system achieving an ultra-high energy density of 2135 Wh kg^-1 and power densities of 2.96 kW kg^-1 for heating and 3.016 kW kg^-1 for cooling. Theoretical evaluations based on real-world datasets indicate that incorporating the e-thermal bank could extend EV driving range by approximately 30% in winter and 20% in summer across most global regions.

Wave diffraction is typically regarded as a limiting factor in the performance of acoustic noise barriers, enabling sound to bend over finite structures and reducing attenuation, particularly at low frequencies. In this work, we demonstrate that diffraction can instead be harnessed as a functional mechanism for sound suppression by designing metamaterial barriers that incorporate a vertical array of resonators along the barrier surface. The proposed structure changes the dispersion characteristics of edge-diffracted waves and acts as a boundary that transforms diffraction into surface-guided wave propagation. Our analysis reveals that the metabarrier achieves broadband sound attenuation through two distinct mechanisms: (i) the formation of strong standing wave modes due to surface-guided waves confined along the barrier face, and (ii) resonance-induced evanescence decay resulting in localized band gap formation. Together, these effects lead to a substantial enhancement in insertion loss over a broad frequency range. Furthermore, we show that performance can be tuned by implementing double-sided arrays. These findings introduce a new framework for acoustic wave control, in which diffraction is not merely mitigated but actively exploited as a design-enabling feature.

Yolk-shell-structured nanomaterials provide a versatile platform for encapsulating both solid and liquid substances, making them advanced alternatives to hollow materials. While most studies focus on spherical yolk-shell structures, this study pioneers the synthesis of rod-shaped alternatives. Uniform silica rods (SRs) were synthesized using silica nanoparticles as growth nuclei and employed as sacrificial templates to fabricate hollow mesoporous and yolk-shell-structured silica rods (HMSRs and YSSRs, respectively). Dual-fluorescent silica rods were developed by fluorescently labeling the silica shell and encapsulating fluorescent oil within the hollow core, demonstrating their potential as delivery carriers for lipophilic drugs. YSSRs were engineered by using magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) as growth seeds and by modifying the silica surface to attach gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) via electrostatic interactions. By integrating these approaches, multifunctional YSSRs encapsulating both Fe₃O₄ and AuNPs were fabricated. YSSRs exhibit unique functionalities, such as paramagnetism and photothermal effects, depending on the encapsulated nanoparticles. These universal synthesis strategies for HMSRs and YSSRs provide a robust platform for encapsulating diverse substances, paving the way for new application opportunities.

For electrochemical energy storage, increasing the electrode thickness is an effective approach to achieving higher energy density from a given material. However, this often compromises ion transport, leading to diminished performance. Here, we present a novel platform for fabricating complex 3D interpenetrating electrode structures via photo-polymerization 3D printing, integrated with computational structural optimization for energy storage. The platform employs an acrylate resin system infused with graphene oxide (GO), enabling high-fidelity printing of optimized porous structures and facilitating efficient electron and ion transport in ultra-thick electrodes. The optimized 3D layouts substantially enhance energy and power densities compared to conventional configurations, ensuring superior material utilization and minimal ohmic losses. Supercapacitors fabricated using this approach achieved an exceptional energy density of 4.7 Wh L^-1 at a power density of 1689.0 W L^-1, surpassing traditional designs. This work underscores the transformative role of structural optimization in advancing electrochemical performance and establishes a versatile pathway for developing next-generation energy storage systems with exceptional efficiency and functionality.

The increasing demand for sustainable and intelligent electronics calls for microwave absorption (MA) materials that are simultaneously renewable, mechanically compliant, and electrically reconfigurable-capabilities rarely achieved in current systems dominated by rigid and static absorbers. Here, we introduced a new design strategy that leveraged an ionic coacervate-engineered cellulose liquid crystal film (CLCF) to realize fully reversible, low-voltage, and structurally governed modulation of MA performance. The CLCF integrated a cholesteric cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) scaffold with a poly(ionic liquid) (PIL)/ionic liquid (IL) coacervate network, in which mobile ions, electrostatic interactions, and chiral helical ordering operated cooperatively. This hierarchical architecture preserved long-range cholesteric ordering while introducing ion-transport pathways and heterogeneous interfaces, enabling pronounced field-induced helical reorganization and synergistic conductive, dipolar, and interfacial polarization losses. As a result, the film exhibited voltage-dependent tuning in minimum reflection loss (RL_min), peak-frequency position, and effective absorption bandwidth (EAB). At 0 V, the CLCF displayed an RL_min of -41.74 dB at 11.5 GHz and an EAB of 2.96 GHz; increasing the voltage to 16 V triggered a low-frequency absorption peak and enhanced the performance to an RL_min of -49.02 dB at 8.4 GHz with an EAB of 4.0 GHz, fully covering the X-band. Meanwhile, the incorporation of PIL effectively mitigated the inherent brittleness of CNC assemblies, yielding a flexible, biodegradable, and processable film platform. This work establishes a sustainable and mechanistically distinct route for constructing electrically reconfigurable electromagnetic materials, offering a transferable strategy for next-generation adaptive and eco-friendly electronic systems.

Polymer-based room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials have witnessed notable advancements, owing to their favorable biocompatibility, structural tailorability, and ease of functionalization. However, most of these materials exhibit inherent rigidity and brittleness, which limit their practical applications. Herein, we doped dibenzothiophene derivatives into a binary polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) matrix, successfully endowing a series of films with long-lived multicolor RTP emission (from blue to yellow-green) and robust mechanical properties. Furthermore, we achieved a red afterglow based on the triplet to singlet Förster resonance energy transfer (TS-FRET) strategy by introducing Rhodamine B (RhB) into the TPPTS@PVP@SBR system. Interestingly, these RTP elastomers exhibit stable afterglow emission even when stretched to several times their original length or subjected to multiple stretching cycles, demonstrating great potential for applications in displays, dynamic information anti-counterfeiting, and encryption. This study successfully illustrates a strategy for fabricating long-lived multicolor RTP elastomers through the rational integration of two complementary polymers, thereby offering a feasible approach to enhance the deformability of conventionally rigid RTP polymer systems.

The reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction provides a sustainable route for CO₂ valorization by producing CO, a key intermediate for various industrial applications. Its endothermic nature and the competition with Sabatier reaction impose a practical challenge on the design of low and medium temperature RWGS catalysts thus hampering its integration with downstream units. In this study, we investigate the design and optimization of Cu-based materials for low-temperature RWGS. A series of Cu/TiO₂ catalysts were synthesized and characterized using operando UV-vis, DRIFTS, and NAP-XPS spectroscopies. These studies allow us to prioritize the most promising catalyst and to derive key insights into surface intermediates, such as the formation of acrolein as a major coke precursor. These insights enable us to optimize the catalyst and mitigate deactivation through coking. Pt doping is shown to be particularly effective in reducing coke deposition, thus enhancing the long-term stability and overall catalyst's performance. Our multicomponent PtCuK@ catalyst demonstrated superior activity, selectivity, and regenerability under extended operation, opening new horizons for advanced RWGS catalysts targeting industrial CO₂ utilization. This work also provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing catalyst durability and anti-coking strategies in sustainable CO₂ valorization processes.

Inorganic semiconductors exhibit photoplasticity, where light exposure alters dislocation-mediated plastic flow based on the material's bonding character and carrier-defect interactions. In ionic II-VI compounds (e.g. ZnS and ZnO), above-band-gap illumination generates electron-hole pairs that are readily trapped at dislocation cores. This increases the Peierls stress (the effective barrier to glide), causing photoplastic hardening or a positive photoplastic effect. In contrast, covalent semiconductors (e.g. GaP, GaAs, Ge, and Si) demonstrate softening under illumination (negative photoplasticity) since photoexcited carriers often facilitate dislocation glide and reduce flow stress. This review summarizes recent experimental and theoretical progress on photoplasticity in inorganic semiconductors and integrates these results into a unified microscopic framework. Here, we discuss how modern techniques, density functional theory (DFT), constrained DFT, machine learning interatomic potentials, and large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) directly connect electronic excitation to changes in generalized stacking-fault energy surfaces, dislocation core reconstruction, and mobilities. On the experimental side, we review in situ mechanical tests under controlled illumination-from bulk compression to photo-nanoindentation and transmission electron microscopy-that directly show how light modulates dislocation activity. By systematically comparing ionic II-VI and covalent III-V/group-IV systems, we identify the key mechanisms that control the sign and magnitude of photoplasticity and outline design principles for semiconductors whose mechanical properties can be actively tuned by light illumination.

Flexible pressure sensors are the cornerstone of tactile perception for embodied intelligence, serving as critical components in next-generation technologies such as soft robotics, personalized healthcare, and immersive human-machine interfaces. Microstructure engineering has emerged as a pivotal strategy for dramatically enhancing key sensor performance metrics, including sensitivity, detection limit, linear range, and response time. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advancements of high-performance flexible intelligent pressure sensors employing microstructural designs. It systematically explores the design strategies and fabrication techniques of various microstructures, including pyramids, hemispheres, micropillars, porous networks, and their hybrids, and elucidates their role in optimizing sensor performance. Furthermore, cutting-edge applications across wearable electronics, electronic skin, and virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) systems are highlighted, where embodied intelligence is enabled through real-time tactile feedback. Finally, the review presents a forward-looking perspective on prevailing challenges and future research directions, focusing on scalable manufacturing, seamless system integration, and the development of intelligent sensing systems for real-world artificial intelligence.

Controlling light-matter interactions is emerging as a powerful strategy to enhance the performance of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). By embedding the emissive layer in planar microcavities or other modified optical environments, excitons can couple to photonic modes, enabling new regimes of device operation. In the weak-coupling regime, the Purcell effect can accelerate radiative decay, while in the strong-coupling regime, excitons and photons hybridize to form entirely new energy eigenstates with altered dynamics. These effects offer potential solutions to key challenges in OLEDs, such as triplet accumulation and efficiency roll-off, yet demonstrations in the strong-coupling case remain sparse and modest. To systematically understand and optimize photodynamics across the different coupling regimes, we develop a unified quantum master equation model for microcavity OLEDs. Applying the model, we identify the conditions under which each coupling regime performs optimally. Strikingly, we find that maximizing the coupling strength does not necessarily maximize internal quantum efficiency. Instead, the efficiency depends on a delicate balance between material and cavity parameters.