Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has attracted great attention as an energy conversion technology, especially in the fields of new energy vehicles. The core component of PEMFC is membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which is consist of proton exchange membrane (PEM), gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer (CL). Notably, the catalyst layer serves as the center for electrochemical reactions that generate electricity. Besides the state-of-the-art materials, the catalyst ink properties and CL structure also have a great effect on performance, durability, and cost of PEMFC. However, it is not very clear how the interactions between different components of catalyst ink, the CL formation procedure as well as inhomogeneous CL structure affect the overall performance. This review, therefore, mainly focuses on recent advancements in catalyst ink dispersion methods, complex interactions between the ink materials and new processes to improve the stability of catalyst ink. In addition, this review will highlight advanced CL structure designs, their impact on the fuel cell performance, and introducing advanced techniques for a deeper analysis of the CL structure. Finally, this review emphasizes the challenges and perspectives in catalyst ink and CL studies, which are crucial for the regulation and development of high-performing PEMFCs.

Molecular-based ferroelectrics have received extensive attention from materials scientists in recent years due to their light weight, high flexibility, and environmental friendliness. However, the precise design of molecular-based ferroelectrics by using crown ether supramolecular systems remains a huge challenge. In this work, L-valine (L-Val) and 18-crown-6 were selected as the guest and host molecules, respectively, for constructing crown ether complexes: [L-Val]₂⁺(18-crown-6)₃(H₂O)₂[FeX₄]₂^- (X = Cl (1), Br (2)) by halogen modulation. The results indicated that compound 1 exhibits a reversible phase transition accompanied by symmetry evolution from P1 to I2/m at room temperature. The implementation of halogen substitution strategy resulted in compound 2 crystallizes in C2/m space group, and the phase transition temperature was changed by 30 K. Meanwhile, oscillations of supramolecular groups within the framework conferred significant coupled physical properties, including reversible dielectric anomalies, reversible magnetic transfers, spin crossovers (SCOs), the band gap value decreases, paraelectric–ferroelectric phase transitions, and a second-harmonic generation (SHG) response. In short, this work provides a brand new perspective on expanding the multifunctionality of crown ether supramolecular systems.

Rare-earth-doped fluorescent hydrogels, while effective for optical sensing, often have limited functionality due to weak physical crosslinking. Stretchable chemically crosslinked conductive hydrogel sensors, essential for adhering to the human body to monitor movements, typically hinder fluorescence. This is caused by the opacity of conductive components, and adhesion molecules like catechol may quench fluorescence. These constraints limit the multifunctional applications of hydrogels that combine both physical and chemical crosslinking. In this study, we blend and polymerize acrylamide (AM), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), and iminodiacetic acid (IDA)-modified carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC—Na) to form hydrogels, while introducing rare-earth elements to achieve synergistic benefits. This novel approach yields hydrogels with low hysteresis, high strain (1150%), ultra-fast response capability (50 ms), and high sensitivity (GF = 5.03), facilitated by the physical crosslinking of rare-earth ions. By adjusting the IDA content or the Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ ratio, we can precisely control the hydrogel’s brightness, achieving tunable red/yellow/green fluorescence variations through radiative transitions. Additionally, we have developed, for the first time, a fluorescence/conductivity dual-channel sensor that responds to pressure changes by displaying color shifts. This represents a new strategy for multifunctional rare-earth-doped hydrogels and flexible sensing applications.

The most notable structural features of polyoxometalates (POMs) are their large molecular size and relatively low effective surface charge density. These properties endow POMs with excellent Brønsted acidity and proton mobility, making them ideal materials for proton conductors. In this study, a series of homotrimeric complexes were successfully synthesized through Ln³⁺/Bi³⁺ induced assembly of a suitable organic ligand 1-hydroxyethylidene 1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP): H₉[La(Mo₂O₄)₆(H₂O)₆(HEDP)₆](LaO₉H₆)·18H₂O (complex 1), H₉[Nd(Mo₂O₄)₆(H₂O)₆(HEDP)₆](NdO₆H₁₂)·15H₂O (complex 2), and H₉[Bi(Mo₂O₄)₆(H₂O)₆(HEDP)₆] (complex 3). Notably, the presence of free rare earth ions in the asymmetric unit of complexes 1 and 2 is a structural feature that results in a tighter hydrogen-bonding network in their three-dimensional stacking structures, which in turn significantly enhances the proton conductivity. Complexes 1–3 exhibit excellent proton conductivity, with measured values of 3.35 × 10^–2, 3.81 × 10^–2, and 2.37 × 10^–2 S/cm under 98% relative humidity at 80 ℃. This study establishes a promising strategy for designing molybdate cluster-based materials with enhanced proton conduction properties.

Low-temperature energy storage technology plays a crucial role in sustaining energy supply for interstellar exploration, polar research stations, military facilities in extremely cold regions. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are regarded as potential candidates for large-scale energy storage systems under extreme low-temperature conditions due to their abundant sodium resources, low cost and superior temperature tolerance. As a critical component of SIBs, the electrolyte is closely related to the charge transfer kinetics within the battery and significantly influences its low-temperature electrochemical performance. Herein, we present a comprehensive review focusing on recent advances in organic liquid electrolytes for enhancing the low-temperature performance of SIBs. Firstly, the failure mechanisms of SIBs at low temperatures are systematically analyzed from the perspective of charge transfer kinetics. Subsequently, the electrolyte design strategies for low-temperature SIBs are introduced based on two evaluation dimensions: half cell and full cell systems. Finally, the future research directions for developing advanced electrolytes to improve the low-temperature performance of SIBs are proposed. This review provides valuable insights into electrolyte optimization strategies, which are expected to accelerate the development of high-performance SIBs for reliable energy storage in extreme cold environments.

The conjugation of metal-organic architectures with metal nanoparticles into a multicomponent system is an attractive route for designing myriad materials with structural complexity, integrated properties, and important applications. Herein, we report a single-crystal to single-crystal transition from the thiacalixarene-based octahedral coordination cage Co₂₄-Na to Co₂₄-Ag and the construction of nanohybrids (Co₂₄-Ag@Ag-NPs) by combining Co₂₄-Ag with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for photothermal conversion. The multicomponent Co₂₄-Ag@Ag-NPs not only combined and enhanced the light absorption effect of Co₂₄-Ag and the plasmon effect of Ag NPs but also offered the Mott-Schottky heterojunction. Benefiting from the improved photo-response ability and the protective effect of calixarene in preventing heat loss, Co₂₄-Ag@Ag-NPs exhibited significant visible light photothermal conversion performance.

Cyclic trinuclear complexes (CTCs) are coordination compounds composed of three metal atoms arranged in a cyclic structure, which imparts them with significant potential for catalytic applications. However, their practical use is often hindered by issues of low chemical stability and poor dispersity. In this work, we present an efficient strategy for stabilizing trinuclear copper complexes [tris(µ₂–4-carboxaldehyde-pyrazolato-N,N’)-tri-copper(Ⅰ) monohydrate, Cu₃(PyCA)₃·H₂O] by chemically incorporating them into the core of diblock copolymer aggregates. Specifically, we utilize reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization to synthesize poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride)₅₀-block-poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)₅₂ (A₅₀-G₅₂) diblock copolymers. The subsequent reaction between primary amine groups of the A₅₀ block and aldehyde groups of the Cu₃(PyCA)₃·H₂O leads to the formation of A₅₀-G₅₂-Cu₃(PyCA)₃ hybrid nanoparticles, in which the G₅₂ blocks serve as steric coronas, while the Cu₃(PyCA)₃·H₂O are incorporated within the core domain. Notably, these hybrid nanoparticles exhibit enhanced stability and improved catalytic performance in the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction in air. Through the precise design of reactive block copolymers, this study presents a novel strategy for the particleization of CTCs, thereby enabling the practical and scalable preparation of a diverse range of CTCs-based functional materials with enhanced properties.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP)-based solid polymer electrolytes show great potential for high energy lithium metal batteries, however, the residual solvent and related severe side reactions limit its development. Herein, a PVDF-HFP-based solid polymer electrolyte modified by fluorobenzene (FB) co-solvent is designed to address these problems. The introduced FB with weak solvation interaction regulates the coordination environment and induces anions to enter the solvation structure, generating more contact ion pairs (CIPs) and aggregates (AGGs). In addition, the anions-derived LiF-rich interphases help to improve the interface stability against Li metal. As a result, the FB-PVDF-HFP achieves high ionic conductivity (4.1 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm) and low activation energy (0.125 eV) at room temperature. In addition, Li||Li symmetric cells using FB-PVDF-HFP electrolyte can achieve uniform and dendrite-free lithium deposition/stripping in the long-term cycling over 2300 h. The assembled solid-state Li|FB-PVDF-HFP|LFP full cell shows improved rate performance and cycling performance (600 cycles at 0.5 C and 450 cycles at 3 C) at room temperature. This work verifies the feasibility of fluorinated terminated solid polymer electrolytes on its lithium-ion transport and interfacial stability in lithium metal batteries.

Solid-state electrolytes composed of earth-abundant elements offer significant cost advantages for large-scale energy storage applications. However, their widespread adoption is hindered by inherently low ionic conductivity. In this study, we report a low-cost solid-state electrolyte, Li_xAlCl_3-xO_x (0.6 ≤ x ≤ 1.1), with dramatically enhanced ionic conductivity achieved through the construction of fast ion-conducting channels via an innovative anion mixing strategy. First-principles calculations and experimental characterizations reveal that the Cl⁻/O²⁻ anion mixing expands the distribution of Li⁺ ions within the lattice while reducing the distance between adjacent sites. This structural optimization results in a low Li⁺ migration activation energy of 0.3 eV and elevates the ionic conductivity from 10⁻³ mS/cm to 1.5 mS/cm. Furthermore, the Cl^-/O^2- mixing synergistically combines the advantages of both anions, endowing the Li_xAlCl_3-xO_x electrolyte with high-voltage stability (up to 3.96 V vs. Li⁺/Li), robust interfacial compatibility, and air stability. When integrated into all-solid-state batteries with a LiCoO₂Li_0.8AlCl_2.2O_0.8Li₆PS₅ClLi-Si configuration, it delivers an initial capacity of 127 mAh/g and retains 94.4% of its discharge capacity after 180 cycles at 0.3 C.

Piezoelectric materials have wide commercial applications involving our everyday lives. The common categorized "soft" and "hard" piezoelectric materials have distinct even contradictory performance parameters typically exemplified by piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ and mechanical quality factor Q_m. However, for some special devices operated in resonant mode, simultaneously high or at least balanced performance parameters are needed. Here, we show the transition from "soft" to "hard" performance in 2 mol% Sm doped (0.36-x)Pb(Ni_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-xPb(Mn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–0.28PbZrO₃–0.36PbTiO₃ quaternary solid solution piezoceramics, for which the d₃₃ and planar electromechanical coupling factor k_p decrease, while Q_m and Curie temperature T_c increase monotonously with increasing x value. As the results, balanced performance with moderate d₃₃ = 446 pC/N, k_p = 0.49, Q_m = 425, and T_c = 170 ℃ are achieved around x = 0.03. This work not only shows the feasibility for combining "soft" and "hard" performance by forming appropriate solid solutions, but also provides a suitable material basis for further simultaneously optimizing piezoelectric parameters.

Charge transfer cocrystals offer an opportunity to construct high performance organic photothermal materials and hold great promise toward various applications, including photothermal imaging, photothermal therapy, seawater desalination. However, the photothermal cocrystal materials are still in infancy and it is necessary to further explore them and develop more novel applications. Herein, a charge transfer cocrystal of anthracene and 7,7′,8,8′-tetracyanoquinodimethane was constructed and has a strong D−A interactions and a small HOMO−LUMO gap (1.46 eV) and thus displays a broad absorption over 300–821 nm range. The near-infrared photothermal conversion performance was evaluated under 808 nm laser illumination and the conversion efficiency reaches 58.3%, with the temperature increases to 72.1 ℃ in 145 s. The cocrystal was successfully employed as a versatile photothermal material for imaging and functional electrical device control, paving the way for the development of emerging applications in related fields.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER), as the rate-determining step in water electrolysis, demands efficient non-precious catalysts to replace conventional Ru/Ir-based materials. While transition metal sulfides (TMS) show promise application prospect, but is limited by sulfur leaching-induced degradation. We address this challenge through a cyanide-mediated stabilization strategy, developing a Ni-CN/Ni₃S₂ catalyst where sacrificial C≡N groups transform into C═O moieties during OER. This structural evolution effectively suppresses sulfur leaching while enabling the formation of highly active Ni-SO₄-OH species rather than conventional NiOOH. The optimized catalyst demonstrates exceptional performance with a 209 mV overpotential at 10 mA/cm², outperforming both RuO₂ (241 mV) and pristine Ni₃S₂ (311 mV), and maintains 200 h stability at 100 mA/cm². When integrated into an anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer, the catalyst achieves 1 A/cm² at 1.71 V with 200 h durability (35 µV/h voltage decay). Combined experimental and theoretical analyses reveal that the sulfur-anchored structure enables exceptional stability through controlled surface reconstruction and suppressed element dissolution. This work provides critical insights into designing durable, high-performance OER electrocatalysts through dynamic interface engineering.

Metal-oxo clusters (MOCs), particularly those with renowned Keggin-type architecture, have been extensively studied for their facile synthesis, robust stability, and diverse applications. However, the isolation of thorium-oxo clusters with novel structural motifs remains elusive due to the distinctive hydrolytic behaviour of Th⁴⁺ ions. Herein, we report nine electropositive α-Keggin-type thorium-oxo clusters, M@Th₁₂@L₈ (where M is fully or co-occupied by Al³⁺, W⁶⁺, Mo⁶⁺, V⁵⁺, Cr³⁺, or Mn⁴⁺; L = Al or Ga), synthesized via aluminate-regulated Th⁴⁺ hydrolysis. Unlike Th₆(O/OH)₈-based structures for most reported thorium-oxo clusters, M@Th₁₂@L₈ features an unprecedented triple-layered Platonic architecture: a central MO₆ octahedron, a Th₁₂ icosahedron, and an outer cube of eight LO₅ ligands. Structural rigidity maintains invariant M–O bond lengths despite variable MO₆ and LO₅ units, while the central M ion dictates solution pH during cluster formation, crystallization kinetics, crystal yield, and tunable optical properties. Time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and ²⁷Al magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) unveil the partial decomposition of aluminate precursors and the synchronized self-assembly of M@Th₁₂@L₈. This work advances our understanding of thorium hydrolysis in heterometallic systems and establishes a modular strategy to prepare MOCs with tailored architectures and functionalities.

Composite solid electrolytes are the most promising candidates for next-generation commercial electrolytes in Li metal batteries. However, the inevitable layered-structure caused by the agglomeration or sedimentation severely impairs the stability and ion conductivity. In this work, by using the phase-inversion within 20 s, we successfully uniformly dispersed Li_6.5La₃Zr_1.5Ta_0.5O₁₂ (LLZTO) nano-powders into cellulose acetate, generating a highly conductive and stable 3D composite skeleton film with the thickness of 50 µm. Due to the high heating/cooling rate of 10⁴ ℃/min, the ultrafast high-temperature sintering (UHS) enables the LLZTO powders with high crystallinity and a size of ~500 nm. Filling the PEGDA polymer, the resulting composite electrolyte films exhibit an ion conductivity of 1.2 mS/cm, nearly 6 times that of the electrolyte film without LLZTO. The composite electrolyte films exhibit excellent stability with Li metal, resulting in a reversible cycling over 2200 h at 0.2 mA/cm². Using LiFePO₄ and Li metal, the full cell shows a high capacity retention of 99.6% after 200 cycles and a high rate performance of 1 C. Pairing with NCM811, the cell stable cycles over 110 cycles with a Coulombic efficiency of 99.2%. This work provides a novel strategy for designing high-performance composite solid electrolytes and paves the way for developing practical SSLMBs with enhanced safety, high energy density, and long cycle life.

Olivine-type LiMn_xFe_1-xPO₄ (LMFP) cathode materials with high energy density (≈700 Wh/kg) and high discharge platform (4.1 V vs. Li⁺/Li), have attracted considerable interest and prominence in the realm of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Nevertheless, the cycling stability of LMFP highly associated with electrolyte compatibility, which suffers from the subsistent transition-metal dissolution under hydrofluoric acid (HF) corrosion and unstable interface formation, posing significant challenges. Herein, we demonstrate that a multifunctional electrolyte additive, (Trimethylsilyl)methyl acetate (TMSA), possesses the good compatibility with LiMn_0.60Fe_0.40PO₄ cathode material. Its features are embodied in the HF elimination, proton coordination and hierarchic cathode electrolyte interface (CEI) formation to prevent electrolyte decomposition and swelling of conductive carbon layer inside materials. Therefore, the LiMn_0.60Fe_0.40PO₄ǁLi batteries can sustain the significantly enhanced capacity retentions of 67.5% after 500 cycles at room temperature (25 ℃) and 74.4% after 400 cycles at high temperature of 55 ℃, even contributing to an improved specific capacity of 113.8 mAh/g at 15 C rate (vs. 88.1 mAh/g in the counterpart). Impressively, LiMn_0.60Fe_0.40PO₄ǁgraphite pouch cell retains a 93.76% capacity after 300 cycles. These much better electrochemical performances from the facile yet available design of electrolyte additive shows the great importance and potential for the developments of LiMn_0.60Fe_0.40PO₄-based LIBs.

The orbital differentiation of transition metal ions demonstrates a critical role in modulating the structure and properties of two-dimensional π-d conjugated metal-organic frameworks (2D c-MOFs), which is possible to achieve the high-capacity and high-voltage features in rechargeable metal-ion batteries. Herein, we propose and demonstrate the strategy of coordination chemistry with different transition metal ions to construct metal phthalocyanine-based 2D c-MOFs (NiPc-8O-Cu, NiPc-8O-Ni and CuPc-8O-Cu) with different central and peripheral metal-coordination redox-active sites, which were discussed for the first time as the advanced cathode materials for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). Benefiting from the low-spin state and the closed-shell d-orbital of central metal, NiPc-8O-Cu has higher electron/ion conductivity and stronger electron delocalization, demonstrating fascinating electrochemical performance, including a high reversible specific capacity (194 mAh/g at 0.2 A/g) and a well long-term cycling performance (over 3000 cycles at 5.0 A/g). It is worth noting that NiPc-8O-Cu can also showcase the good cycle performance at wide-temperature (−20~60 ℃). These findings provide a general guideline for the development of high-performance 2D c-MOFs as electrode materials for metal-ion batteries by engineering "inside and outside" active-site strategy.

Solid polymer electrolytes present transformative potential for all-solid-state sodium metal batteries (ASSMBs) owing to their molecular tailorability, cost-effectiveness and ease of processability, yet face critical challenges including sluggish Na⁺ diffusion kinetics at room temperature, high-voltage oxidation tendency, and uncontrolled Na dendrite growth. To address these limitations, we propose an anion-regulation strategy through a hierarchically engineered composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) that strategically integrates (1) a high-concentration NaTFSI⁻ optimized polyethylene oxide (PEO) matrix (EO: Na⁺ = 6:1) and (2) a mechanically reinforced polyacrylonitrile (PAN) scaffold embedded with uniformly dispersed UIO-66 metal–organic framework nanoparticles (UIO-66@PAN). High-concentration TFSI⁻ dissociation activates mobile anion-Na⁺ cluster species that form dynamic percolation networks, establishing low-energy-barrier pathways for accelerated Na⁺ migration (1.01 mS/cm at 30 ℃). Meanwhile, the UIO-66@PAN scaffold delivers exceptional tensile resilience (3.46 MPa) for the CPE membrane, meanwhile sub-nanometer precision of porous architecture (7.5–8.1 Å in UIO-66 vs. 7.9 Å for TFSI⁻) enables steric-electronic dual-anchoring effects for TFSI⁻ immobilization, achieving a high Na⁺ transference number (t_Na⁺ = 0.76). In a solvent-free, layer-stacked ASSMB assembly with sodium vanadium phosphate (NVP) cathode (1 mAh/cm²), 25 µm CPE and the Na foil, the prototype achieves 91.3% capacity retention over 200 cycles at room temperature, rate behavior up to 1 C as well as robust cyclability across a wide temperature range (25–80 ℃). This molecular-scale engineering of anion behavior in the CPE design thus establishes a new paradigm for the practical ASSMB prototyping.

A facile ammonium salt-mediated double-deck stacking strategy is first put forward to fabricate Li₃YCl₆ (LYC) halide solid electrolyte (HSE), which capitalizes on the dual functionality of NH₄Cl in terms of dehydration and chlorination. It is worth mentioning that the obtained LYC features nanoparticles (< 400 nm) and demonstrates an excellent ionic conductivity of 2.33 × 10^–4 S/cm at 25 ℃. In addition, the integration of LYC into all-solid-state cell with LiCoO₂ cathode and Li anode delivers a high initial discharge specific capacity of 139.5 mAh/g at 0.1 C with a capacity retention ratio of 87.7% after 50 cycles. Encouragingly, the well-designed strategy not only enables the adoption of low-cost metal oxides and hydrates as raw materials, but also realizes the regeneration of damp LYC HSE. Hence, these encouraging results manifest that the proposed synthesis strategy delivers extremely economic benefits and valuable insights for developing HSEs.

In response to the increasing societal demand for efficient power and energy storage solutions, the development of novel battery technologies to complement existing lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has emerged as a pivotal area of research. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), owing to the similarities in the physicochemical properties of sodium and lithium, have interpreted as promising candidates for next-generation secondary batteries. However, current research predominantly concentrates on the optimization of cathode and anode materials, as well as electrolytes, with insufficient attention paid to the critical role of inactive materials, such as binders, conductive agents, and separators. While electrode and electrolyte materials are undeniably crucial in determining the electrochemical behavior of batteries, the presence of these inactive components exerts a significant influence on factors including cost, performance and safety. This review aims to offer a comprehensive overview of the development, classification, and challenges associated with these key inactive components, with particular focus on cross-material synergies on battery performance. It is anticipated that this review will provide valuable insights to facilitate the enhancement of SIB performance and contribute to the optimization of battery systems as a whole.

Achieving optimal reactive oxygen species (ROS) production requires carefully balancing these interactions to maximize therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we have successfully developed a nanosystem through defect substitution using CuCoFe-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as a template, followed by Pt reduction on the layer, the resulting nanoalloy, denoted as CuPt alloy@LDHs, demonstrating remarkable ROS production activity. This superior ROS production was attributed to its low Gibbs free energy barrier for generating hydroxyl radical (^·OH), as confirmed by both characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Additionally, the nanoalloy exhibits good (NO_x)-like activity, effectively disrupting the intracellular NADH/NAD⁺ cycling balance and enabling self-cycling of endogenous H₂O₂. This work highlights that CuPt alloy@LDHs can effectively disrupt the redox homeostasis in tumor regions, significantly improving therapeutic efficacy and overcoming the limitations of current nanoalloy catalytic therapies.

The development of high-performance nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals for the short-wave ultraviolet (UV) region remains a significant challenge. In this work, four novel organic-inorganic metal halides, (3-QUO)₂MX₄ (3-QUO = 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-3-one; M = Zn, Cd; X = Br, I), were developed. Our initial efforts with the iodide compounds, (3-QUO)₂ZnI₄ and (3-QUO)₂CdI₄, yielded materials with modest second-harmonic generation (SHG) responses and, critically, they were non-phase-matchable. To overcome this, we employed a halogen-substitution strategy, replacing iodine with bromine, guided by the principle of bandgap widening. This approach successfully yielded (3-QUO)₂ZnBr₄ and (3-QUO)₂CdBr₄, which exhibit superior short-wave UV transparency and achieve phase-matchable SHG. Specifically, (3-QUO)₂ZnBr₄ shows a wide bandgap of 5.10 eV (UV cutoff: 220 nm) and a phase-matchable SHG response of 1.5 times that of KH₂PO₄ (KDP). Similarly, (3-QUO)₂CdBr₄ possesses a bandgap of 4.55 eV (UV cutoff: 245 nm) and an SHG response of 1.8 × KDP. Furthermore, these materials exhibit yellowish-white fluorescence under blue light excitation. This work demonstrates an effective approach to simultaneously tune bandgap, SHG response, and phase-matching capabilities for short-wave UV NLO applications.

Environmental remediation demands efficient strategies for antibiotic degradation. Herein, we report the successful selective loading of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) into the lumen of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) via vacuum-assisted infusion and thermal reduction (denoted as nZVI@HNTs). This confined nanoreactor architecture simultaneously acts as a robust reductant and a Fenton-like catalyst. The tubular structure of HNTs enhanced nZVI dispersion and stability while leveraging its nanoconfinement effect to concentrate pollutants and suppress parasitic reactions between nZVI and H₂O₂. For tetracycline (TC) degradation, the nZVI@HNTs+H₂O₂ system achieved ​​86.61% removal​​ within 90 min (20 mg/L TC, pH 5.5), outperforming surface-loaded controls by >19%. Crucially, the HNT lumen provides dual protection: Spatial isolation suppresses non-target nZVI consumption by O₂/H₂O, while constrained diffusion delays H₂O₂ contact, prioritizing contaminant reduction before controlled Fe²⁺-activated oxidation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including ·OH, ·O₂⁻, and ¹O₂, synergistically drove TC degradation through radical and nonradical pathways. LC-MS analysis identified intermediates formed via demethylation, ring opening, and hydroxylation, with toxicity assessments confirming reduced acute toxicity, mutagenicity, and developmental toxicity of byproducts. Notably, nZVI@HNTs retained 64.03% efficiency after five cycles, demonstrating superior reusability. This work provides a novel strategy to enhance nZVI’s environmental applicability by combining confinement engineering with redox-coupled processes, offering broad prospects for sustainable water purification.

Aqueous polysulfide/iodide redox flow batteries (SIRFBs) have been identified as a promising solution for scalable energy storage, exhibiting high energy density and cost-effectiveness, attracting considerable attention. Nonetheless, their practical applicability hindered by the suboptimal redox reaction kinetics, leading to constrained energy efficiency (EE) and power density. Herein, this study proposes a novel approach for coupling of graphene oxide with abundant sulfur vacancies in MoS₂ nanosheets (V_S-MoS₂@GO). The bifunctional catalysts enhancing the transformation of S²⁻/S_x²⁻ and I⁻/I₃⁻ redox couples while concomitantly improving the reaction kinetics. The experimental and theoretical calculation analyses elucidate that the GO bond with V_S-MoS₂ induces C-O-Mo and results in generating abundant sites, which attribute to the enhanced adsorption of crucial reaction intermediates and improved charge transfer. Consequently, the SIRFB derived notable EEs of 95.4%, 90.2%, and 75.6% at 10, 20, and 50 mA/cm² with 50% state of charge, respectively. Furthermore, these batteries exhibit remarkable power density (93.2 mW/cm²), ultralow overpotential (100 mV), and an extended cycling life that exceeds 500 cycles. This work presents an innovative perspective to design high-active electrode materials that have potential for broad application in sundry flow battery chemistry, which would facilitate technological breakthroughs and advancements in the field of RFB.

Biomass-derived hard carbons (HCs) have emerged as highly promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), owing to their high reversible capacities as well as low cost. However, the complex internal structure of biomass precursors presents significant challenges for precise control of microstructure as well as energy storage performance of the final HC products. To address this issue, in this study, three anthraquinone (AQ)-based organic small molecules, namely AQ, 2,6-dihydroxyanthraquinone (DQ) and 2,6-diaminoanthraquinone (DAAQ), are selected as crosslinking agents of bamboo biomass, to reveal the unique role of functional groups in these molecules for the precise regulation of microstructure of the bamboo-derived HCs. The results demonstrate that, under the same aromatic carbon skeleton, hydroxyl and amino groups have significant influence on the pore structure, graphitization degree, and electrochemical performance of HCs. Among them, DAAQ with amino functional groups exhibits the best crosslinking efficiency, resulting in a more ordered carbon structure along with successful N-heteroatom doping. Consequently, the HC prepared from DAAQ-crosslinked bamboo achieves a remarkable reversible capacity of 351 mAh/g and a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 86.4% at 20 mA/g. This work demonstrates the significant potential of functionalized AQ-based molecules as efficient crosslinkers in regulating the microstructure of biomass-derived HCs.

Lithium metal batteries are widely recognized as a promising candidate for next-generation energy storage systems due to their exceptional theoretical energy density. However, the uncontrollable dendritic growth of lithium metal anodes remains a critical safety hazard, significantly impeding their practical implementation. The unique open-channel structures and functional moieties within metal-organic framework (MOF)-based solid-state electrolytes enable precise regulation of lithium-ion transport, offering a novel approach to address the lithium dendrite issue. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in MOF-based solid-state electrolytes that are categorized into three representative systems: pristine MOF-based electrolytes, MOF/ionic-liquid hybrid electrolytes, and MOF/polymer composite electrolytes. The discussion focuses on design principles and ion conduction mechanisms of MOF-based solid-state electrolytes, emphasizing the correlation between structural features and electrochemical performance. Furthermore, prospects for MOF-based electrolytes are discussed, highlighting future research directions towards high-performance MOF-based electrolytes for lithium metal batteries with high safety and high energy density.

Spin crossover (SCO) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit significant potential for applications in data storage, displays, switches, actuators and sensors. However, designing novel SCO MOFs with new framework topologies remains a considerable challenge. Herein, the self-assembly of FeBr₂ and Fe(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O with K[Ag(CN)₂] and N¹,N¹,N³,N³-tetra(pyridin-4-yl)benzene-1,3-diamine (i-TPBA) resulted in two distinct MOFs: [Fe^Ⅱ₃{Ag₈Br₈(CN)₆}(i-TPBA)₃]·4DEF (1, DEF = N,N-diethylformamide) and [Fe^Ⅱ{Ag(CN)₂}(i-TPBA)]ClO₄·2H₂O·0.5DEF (2). In 1, the hexatopic cluster anions [Ag₈Br₈(CN)₆]⁶⁻, tetratopic ligands i-TPBA and hexatopic Fe(Ⅱ) ions are linked to form a cluster-based MOF with the urk topology. In contrast, the [Ag(CN)₂]⁻ units in 2 axially bridge the Fe(Ⅱ) ions, constructing one-dimensional right-handed 3₁ helical chains, which are further linked by tetratopic i-TPBA connectors to generate a three-dimensional chiral framework with a previously unreported topology, designated as sco1. Moreover, the SCO behavior can be effectively modulated by thiophene guest molecules, leading to the observation of a rare scan rate-dependent hysteretic SCO behavior in 2_thio. Thus, this study demonstrates that multidentate ligands can be employed to construct SCO MOFs with new topologies, offering a versatile platform for the advancement of multifunctional SCO materials

The large-scale deployment of proton-exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is plagued by the exclusively rely on Ir for anode water oxidation. Platinum (Pt), as one of the few acid stable elements, has long been ignored as a possible alternative due to its surface oxidation and passivation. In this study, we incorporate boron (B) and strontium (Sr) into Pt to achieve notable promotion in catalytic activity and long-term anti-passivation feature. While B serves as an electron reservoir by donating charge to Pt sites, Sr induces compressive strain to suppress lattice oxygen formation. The synergistic effects of B and Sr effectively modulate Pt-O orbital coupling from oxidative passivation and confer the best water oxidation activity and stability. Notably, the B,Sr-Pt catalyst achieves a low overpotential of 308 mV at 10 mA/cm² in 0.5 mol/L H₂SO₄, approaching those of the Ir based catalysts. In PEMWE devices, B,Sr-Pt exhibits an operating voltage of 2.061V at 1 A/cm² and operate stably for 240h at 1 A/cm². These findings offer a promising strategy for enhancing the OER efficiency and durability of Pt-based catalysts by effectively addressing Pt site passivation.

Advancing low-cost and efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media is essential for sustainable hydrogen production, particularly in the context of anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis systems. Among various candidates, cobalt-based phosphides, particularly CoP, have drawn significant attention as cost-effective alternatives to platinum-based HER electrocatalysts due to their excellent catalytic performance. However, improving both water dissociation kinetics and hydrogen adsorption free energies remains a challenge. In this study, we introduce lead (Pb), a non-transition metal with higher electronegativity and a similar ionic radius to Co, to modify the electronic structure of CoP at both Co and P sites. Pb doping significantly optimizes both water dissociation and adsorption free energy in the alkaline HER process. The optimized Pb-CoP/CC electrocatalyst reduces the overpotential from 100 mV to 53 mV and achieves a Tafel slope of 57 mV/dec in alkaline electrolyte. Additionally, it exhibits excellent durability, maintaining stable performance for over 120 h. The improved HER performance of Pb-CoP/CC can be ascribed to the synergistic interactions between its components: accelerated water dissociation on Co sites, optimized hydrogen intermediate adsorption on P sites, and improved charge transfer abilities. These findings are supported by experimental data and DFT calculations. When used as the cathode in an AEM electrolyzer, Pb-CoP/CC achieves a current density of 500 mA/cm² at 1.95 V, demonstrating excellent stability. This work highlights the efficacy of metal ion doping with higher electronegativity in improving HER performance and establishes a versatile strategy for other non-precious metal-based transition metal compounds, paving the way for high-performance AEM electrolyzers.

Argyrodite sulfide solid electrolytes are highly favored by the researchers in the field of all-solid-state lithium metal battery due to their high ionic conductivity, relatively stable electrochemical window, and excellent processability. However, argyrodite sulfide solid electrolytes still face some technical difficulties that urgently need to be overcome, such as poor air stability and interface compatibility. This work reports a novel Li_6+2xP_1–xGa_xS_5–1.5xO_1.5xCl (i.e., LPSC-xGa₂O₃) electrolyte via modifying Li₆PS₅Cl electrolyte with Ga₂O₃. The experimental results show that the prepared solid electrolyte has the highest ionic conductivity when the doping content of Ga₂O₃ reaches to x = 0.05. In addition, LPSC-0.05Ga₂O₃ has been proven to have good ability to suppress Li dendrites and improve cathode and anode interface compatibilities. The assembled all-solid-state lithium metal battery using LPSC-0.05Ga₂O₃ can maintain long-term stability for >200 cycles at 0.5 C. This work has laid the vital foundation for designing a high-performance solid-state electrolyte and promoting development of power battery industry.

Hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) is highly thermodynamically favorable, but typically kinetically slow with a significant overpotential at most electrodes. Developing and illustrating a generic methodology for reducing the overpotential is of great significance but challenging. Here we designed a Fe-tannic acid (Fe-TA) buffering coating for carbon-hybridized Fe₃O₄ (C-Fe₃O₄) particles to reduce the overpotential of the multiple-proton-involved HzOR, which was further applied to highly efficient hydrazine-assisted hydrogen production and electrochemical hydrazine detection. A series of comparative experiments confirmed that the Fe-TA coating significantly reduces the isoelectric point, enhances the wettability, increases the electric double-layer capacitance, and decreases the charge transfer resistance, thereby lowering the resistance overpotential. Notably, C-Fe₃O₄@Fe-TA exhibited an excellent buffering effect that effectively decreases the concentration overpotential for electrochemical HzOR, which can be attributed to the reversible transformations among the mono-, bis-, and tris-complexes of Fe(Ⅲ) with tannic acid. Correspondingly, C-Fe₃O₄@Fe-TA achieved current density of 10 mA/cm² at 23 mV (vs. RHE) in the electrolyte containing 1.0 mol/L KOH and 0.3 mol/L hydrazine. Coupled with HzOR, the C-Fe₃O₄@Fe-TA║Pt wire electrolysis system required a low working voltage of only 0.22 V at 10 mA/cm² for synchronous hydrogen production, which was significantly lower than that of a traditional overall water splitting system (1.23 V). Moreover, C-Fe₃O₄@Fe-TA showed good performance in electrochemical hydrazine detection, simultaneously exhibiting high sensitivity (1478 µA L mmol⁻¹ cm⁻²), a low detection limit (0.15 µmol/L), high selectivity, excellent stability, and high reliability for the analysis of real samples. This study reveals that the Fe-TA buffering coating can effectively decrease both the concentration and resistance overpotentials in electrochemical HzOR, demonstrating its potential as a general methodology for reducing the overpotential in this class of multiple-proton-involved reactions.

Cu-Zn solid solutions are investigated as advanced current collector materials for anode-free Li metal batteries (AFLMBs), addressing the limited lithiophilicity and slow Li⁺ diffusion kinetics inherent to conventional Cu foil. Benefiting from the uniform distribution of lithiophilic Zn, Cu-Zn solid solutions demonstrated enhanced lithiophilicity and accelerated Li⁺ diffusion, which effectively facilitated uniform and reversible lithium deposition. First-principles calculations confirmed that Cu-Zn solid solutions, particularly Cu₆₂Zn₃₈, exhibited stronger Li adsorption and reduced diffusion barriers compared to Cu. Unlike alloy-prone metal coatings (e.g., Cu@Zn and thermally processed Cu@Zn) that sacrifice interfacial stability for lithiophilicity, Cu-Zn solid solution maintains robust electrode-electrolyte interfaces due to its alloying inertness. Ex-situ SEM and COMSOL simulations revealed dendrite-suppressed and homogeneous Li deposition on Cu₆₂Zn₃₈. In anode-free full cells, Cu₆₂Zn₃₈ achieves a capacity retention of 55.1% after 150 cycles, far exceeding Cu foil (13.8%). This work establishes Cu-Zn solid solutions current collectors as a scalable solution for high-energy-density AFLMBs.

Acaualblides A–E (1–5), five architecturally unprecedented macrolides, were isolated from fungus Acaulium album 429 and comprehensively characterized. Their structures were elucidated by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), extensive spectroscopic analyses, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1–3 possess unusual fourteen-membered macrolide frameworks bearing pyridine or thiophene moieties. Compound 4 represents the first heterodimer featuring a macrolide unit covalently linked to an aflatoxin B₁ moiety through a C–C bond, while compound 5 is a unique homodimeric macrolide in which two identical units are connected by both a C-9/C-9′ carbon-carbon bond and a C-8/C-8′ thioether bridge. Plausible biosynthetic pathways for compounds 1–5 are proposed. Notably, compound 1 displayed significant immunosuppressive activity by inhibiting B-cell proliferation and activation through modulation of the B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway.

The nose-to-brain drug delivery system has emerged as a transformative strategy for central nervous system (CNS) diseases therapy by leveraging the olfactory pathway to circumvent the blood-brain barrier. However, its clinical translation remains impeded by suboptimal olfactory deposition efficiency. A critical but poorly understood challenge lies in rational formulation design, particularly regarding how key physicochemical properties like viscosity govern the nasal drug delivery processes. Using rizatriptan nasal sprays as a viscosity-regulated model system (2–250 mPa s), we dissected how formulation viscosity governs olfactory deposition through synchronized macro-micro spray characteristics. A module 3D-printed human nasal cast was utilized to assess the olfactory deposition efficiency. Additionally, the spray pattern, plume geometry and real-time droplet size distribution were examined using laser diffraction analysis. The results demonstrate a non-monotonic olfactory deposition dependence on viscosity, peaking at 40 mPa s with 31.64% efficiency (31-fold enhancement vs. 2 mPa s). Furthermore, the increase of viscosity led to a reduction in plume angle and spray area, while simultaneously decreasing the stabilization stage fraction of droplets. Mechanistic analysis revealed two competing viscosity-mediated effects: (1) Macroscale plume narrowing that minimized anterior nasal losses; (2) Microscale destabilization of droplets that impaired turbinate transportation. This study elucidates that the viscosity-regulated precision olfactory deposition results from the equilibrium between macroscopic spray geometry and microscopic droplet dynamic, challenging the conventional single-parameter optimization paradigm. Our findings advance nose-to-brain drug delivery by deciphering the viscosity-regulated deposition mechanism, thereby paving the way for rationally designed nasal sprays with enhanced targeting efficiency for CNS diseases.

Precise gene therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains challenging due to the lack of tumor-selective activation and biosafety concerns of conventional DNAzyme systems. Herein, we report a logic-gated, triple-responsive nanoplatform that enables spatiotemporal control of DNAzyme activation exclusively within the tumor microenvironment. The DNAzyme is rendered catalytically inactive through boronate caging and is loaded into an N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-functionalized zinc metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) for HCC-targeted delivery. The system integrates three tumor-associated stimuli, acidic pH, Zn²⁺ release, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, as a cascaded logic gate to ensure sequential and tumor-specific activation. Acidic pH triggers Zn-MOF degradation, releasing both Zn²⁺ and the caged DNAzyme. Zn²⁺ catalyzes ROS generation, which decages the DNAzyme and enables its Zn²⁺-dependent cleavage of oncogenic early growth response protein 1 (EGR-1) mRNA. This logic-gated activation strategy ensures high specificity, minimal off-target effects, and synergistic antitumor efficacy by combining chemodynamic therapy and gene silencing. The proposed nanoplatform offers a robust blueprint for highly selective and safe DNAzyme-based cancer therapies.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues are widely used polypeptide therapeutics whose clinical utility is limited by pseudo-allergic reactions mediated through histamine release. This study systematically investigated the correlation between GnRH analogue-induced histamine release and the mast cell receptor Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2)-a key mediator of drug-induced pseudo-allergic reactions-sing integrated, in vivo, and structural analyses. In vitro experiments demonstrated that GnRH analogues trigger MRGPRX2-dependent Ca²⁺ mobilization and mast cell degranulation, resulting in dose-dependent increases in β-hexosaminidase, histamine, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) release. Among the analogues tested, nafarelin exhibited the highest potency, whereas buserelin exhibited the lowest. In vivo, these analogues induced mast cell degranulation and capillary dilation in mouse paw skin, leading to localized pseudo-allergic symptoms (edema and extravasation) that were confirmed to be MRGPRX2-mediated. Molecular docking revealed that the cationic amino acid at position eight of the GnRH analogues bound complementarily to the negatively charged center within the MRGPRX2 ligand-binding pocket, suggesting a mechanistic basis for receptor activation. Functional validation via Arg8-to-Glu substitution in triptorelin significantly attenuated MRGPRX2 activation. Collectively, this work elucidates the MRGPRX2-dependent molecular mechanism underlying GnRH analogue-induced histamine release and provides a foundation for designing safer analogues with reduced adverse effects.

Elucidating drug mechanisms of action and evaluating therapeutic efficacy require advanced techniques for real-time, dynamic monitoring of drug-target interactions in living systems. Recent advances in optical molecular probes have yielded powerful tools to visualize drug targets, quantify pharmacodynamic profiles, and track drug metabolism. In this review, we first summarize the major categories of optical imaging targets for chemotherapy assessment, followed by a systematic discussion of optical probe design strategies tailored to these targets. We then comprehensively review probe applications in drug screening, target validation, efficacy assessment, adverse effect evaluation, biodistribution analysis, and metabolic pathway tracking. Finally, we discuss the prospects and challenges of molecular optical imaging in precision medicine and clinical applications, while proposing potential breakthroughs and future directions. This review serves as a valuable reference for advancing optical probe design and application in drug development.

Realizing biologically authentic tactile–pain sensing in flexible electronic skins (e-skins) requires materials that combine linear touch encoding with strain-gated pain signaling, while also offering spatially resolved stimulus mapping and sustainable recyclability. Here, we present a recyclable neurothreshold-mimetic eutectogel (NeuroThres-Gel) based on a strain-induced percolation threshold modulation strategy. The prepared eutectogel demonstrated shear-thinning rheology, thermoplastic reprocessability, and environmental stability in wide temperature window. Under uniaxial strain, the conductive network remains intact and reversible up to a programmable critical strain (ε_t) of 80%. Beyond this threshold, geometric percolation collapse occurs, resulting in a sharp, nonvolatile resistive transition that mimics neuronal action potential firing and enables strain-gated pain-like signaling. Direct-ink-writing (DIW) of NeuroThres-Gel yielded microstructured sensor arrays with volumetrically distributed receptive fields, achieving spatially resolved, vectorial pain mapping. Critically, after five melt-recycle cycles, the NeuroThres-Gel sensors retained excellent spatial nociceptive perception and stable mechanical strength, highlighting the closed-loop recyclability enabled by the dynamic cross-linked network. Collectively, NeuroThres-Gel integrated programmable tactile-to-pain conversion, directional nociceptive sensing, and sustainable recyclability into a single platform, charting a pathway toward next-generation adaptive prosthetic feedback systems and human–machine interfaces.

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a pivotal endogenous gaseous signalling molecule involved in various physiological processes. Although H₂S exhibits significant anti-inflammatory effects at physiological concentrations, its clinical utility is hindered by the challenges associated with its high activity and difficulties in controlled release. We designed three photoactivatable H₂S donors, HSDs (HSD1, HSD2, and HSD3), by integrating an H₂S-releasing 1,4,2-dioxazole-5-thione scaffold with three fluorophores spanning the ultraviolet to red spectral range. Upon photo-irradiation, each donor induces a pronounced turn-on fluorescence (> 58-fold), accompanied by efficient H₂S release (over 30%) without the formation of electrophilic by-products. Moreover, HSDs enable real-time quantitatively photo-triggered H₂S-release in both live cells and murine models, and present anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in vivo. In a full-thickness cutaneous wound model, HSDs markedly accelerated wound healing, highlighting their potential as precision therapeutic agents for wound management. Collectively, we provide a translatable strategy to overcome the limitations of conventional H₂S delivery systems and highlight the therapeutic promise of controlled H₂S release in clinical application.

Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) have emerged as a promising platform for a wide range of biomedical applications due to their unique structural stability, ease of synthesis, and excellent biocompatibility. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the various modification strategies for tFNAs, including vertex modification, edge functional loading, internal encapsulation, and surface coating. These modifications enable precise control over their biological activity, facilitating advancements in drug delivery, gene therapy, tissue engineering, and diagnostic imaging. Additionally, the structural engineering of tFNAs has enabled their integration into theranostic platforms, offering significant potential for personalized medicine. The review also discusses the challenges involved in the clinical translation of tFNAs, such as scalability, pharmacokinetic optimization, and regulatory approval, and presents a forward-looking perspective on the emerging trends that could further broaden the scope of tFNAs in clinical applications. Finally, we conclude by outlining the future prospects of tFNAs in next-generation therapeutic and diagnostic systems, highlighting their transformative potential in the biomedical field.

Nano-carriers are crucial for photosensitizer targeted delivery to overcome the poor selectivity of conventional photosensitizers. Recently, aptamer-guided DNA tetrahedron has become a potential carrier due to its great biocompatibility and target identification ability. However, the in vivo photodynamic therapy (PDT) of DNA tetrahedron-based photosensitizer delivery system remains a charming yet challenging mission. This work aims to construct a high-targeted photosensitizer delivery system for enhanced PDT treatment, relying on the combination of aptamer-guided DNA tetrahedron, graphene-oxide and photosensitizer. Three aptamers are linked to a DNA tetrahedron to build an aptamer-guided nano-carrier for targeting liver tumor cells. Aggregation-induced emission-active photosensitizer, TTVP, was loaded into the nano-carriers through intercalation and hydrophobic interaction, leading to the improvement of their PDT effect. Subsequently, TTVP-loaded nano-carriers were adsorbed on the graphene-oxide surface via hydrogen bonds and π-stacking interactions to elevate their target identification ability. Consequently, a photosensitizer delivery system was obtained. It selectively aggregated on the liver tumor tissues and presented potent therapeutic efficacy via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. This system provides a fresh pathway for in vivo high-targeted and enhanced PDT treatment based on DNA nano-carriers.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a pressing clinical issue currently lacking effective therapeutic approaches. Here we conducted a screening on the natural compounds from traditional Chinese medicine to identify a potent lead, shikonin (SHK), applying a necroptosis cell model. The potency for treating UC was confirmed in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mouse model. Leveraging a photo-affinity labeling approach, heat shock protein family A member 8 (HSPA8), a key negative regulator of necroptosis, was identified as the direct target of SHK. The in vivo protection of SHK were validated through targeting HSPA8 based on necroptosis pathway. As a result, targeting HSPA8 by SHK or activate HSPA8 significantly impairs necroptosis signaling and mitigates UC. Our findings not only define HSPA8 as a novel therapeutic target for UC but also highlight SHK as a promising lead for treatment of this symptom.

Flexible wearable sensors require conductive elastomers that combine sustainability, durability, and reliable low-temperature performance. However, conventional hydrogels suffer from dehydration and freezing, while ionogels face challenges of leakage, high cost, and poor recyclability. Here, we introduce a novel polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (PDES) system based on natural lipoic acid and imidazolium derivatives, which serves as the foundation for constructing recyclable polymeric dynamic eutectic gels (PDDEGs). The PDES not only provides high ionic mobility and antifreeze capacity but also enables covalent crosslinking to form a robust yet dynamic polymeric network. Through synergistic hydrogen bonding, ionic conduction, and reversible zirconium coordination, PDDEGs achieve high stretchability, toughness, and strong adhesion. More importantly, they exhibit remarkable recyclability, efficient self-healing, and thermal remoldability, allowing solvent-free reprocessing, structural repair, and adaptive reshaping without performance loss. The gels remain flexible and conductive at −20 ℃ and function as reliable strain sensors with high sensitivity, fast response, and long-term durability in monitoring complex human motions. By combining a new class of polymerizable eutectic solvents with dynamic crosslinking, this work establishes a sustainable platform for next-generation wearable electronics capable of operating in extreme environments.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe neurological disorder often leading to long-term motor dysfunction and permanent disability. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation has been explored to promote SCI recovery; however, the survival and efficacy of transplanted BMSCs are severely compromised by the excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) present at the injury site. In this study, we developed a peptide hydrogel (MnO₂-Gel) with excellent ROS-scavenging capacity and good biocompatibility. In vitro experiments demonstrated that MnO₂-Gel significantly enhanced BMSC survival under oxidative stress conditions. In a rat model of SCI, co-injection of MnO₂-Gel and BMSCs into the lesion site markedly improved locomotor recovery, indicating the potential of this combination strategy for treating SCI.

Hydrogel-encapsulated islet cell transplantation is an effective strategy to overcome immune rejection in type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, current research primarily focuses on the immune isolation function of hydrogels about islet cell, while the influence of their mechanical properties on islet cells is often overlooked. To address this oversight, a series of alginate-gelatin (Alg-Gel) hydrogels with different mechanical strengths were prepared by adjusting the molecular weight of sodium alginate and combining it with gelatin, designated as low- (LHG, 1.98 kPa), medium- (MHG, 4.21 kPa), and high-stiffness (HHG, 22.98 kPa) hydrogels. Among them, the medium-stiffness hydrogel (MHG) exhibited stress-relaxing properties, which can mimic the mechanical properties of native islets. Furthermore, it activated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt)/Wnt signaling pathway, providing a favorable three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment for insulin-producing INS-1 cells. When further loaded with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), the resulting MHG@PRP construct then leverages calcium-dependent activation of the growth factor-PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) axis to enhance cellular physiological performance. It was demonstrated in vitro that MHG@PRP significantly improves islet cell viability and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Furthermore, in vivo experiments using a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mouse model confirmed that the MHG@PRP/cells construct effectively restores glycemic regulation. This hydrogel design, which synergistically combines biomechanical and biochemical cues, is expected to provide a novel and transformative paradigm for advanced islet cell therapy.

This study aims to develop advanced phototheranostic agent to address the critical challenge of multi-modal therapy and immune microenvironment remodeling in immuno-phototherapy (IPT). Here we utilized a near infrared (NIR) o-IDTBR, and then assembled with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino(polyethylene glycol)] (DSPE-PEG-NH₂) to prepare o-IDTBR nanoparticles (NPs). Theoretical calculations suggest that in the aggregated state, the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), and the energy gap between the excited singlet and triplet states are reduced, as compared to the monomolecular state, leading to red-shifting absorption/emission wavelengths and enhancing the photothermal conversion and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and thus improve the efficacy of photodynamic and photothermal therapies. These NIR laser-activated NPs effectively induced pyroptosis/apoptosis/necroptosis (PANoptosis) and promoted immunogenic cell death through mechanisms such as calreticulin (CRT) exposure, ATP secretion, and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) release. Notably, immune profiling revealed a reprogrammed tumor microenvironment in NPs and laser irradiation treated group. This phenotypic shift activated systemic antitumor immunity. Our work constructs an advanced phototheranostic agent with aggregation-induced red-shifting absorption and fluorescence wavelengths, and enhancing photothermal conversion and ROS generation capabilities, and establishes a synergistic paradigm of "imaging guidance, inducing local multi-modal cell death, systemic immune activation".

Chronic diabetic wounds are characterized by persistent inflammation and impaired angiogenesis, presenting a major therapeutic challenge. Here, we report a three-dimensional (3D)-printed polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold integrating shikonin (SK), a bioactive compound derived from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, to achieve controlled drug release and multifunctional wound repair. The PCL/SK scaffold exhibited a porous, breathable architecture with high mechanical integrity and biocompatibility, enabling sustained SK release over 72 h. In a diabetic mouse wound model, the PCL/SK scaffold significantly accelerated wound closure, enhanced collagen deposition, and increased the density of anti-inflammatory CD206⁺ macrophages compared to free SK or PCL controls. Transcriptomic and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that PCL/SK treatment upregulated angiogenesis-related genes, including vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegf), platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (Pecam1) and TEK receptor tyrosine kinase (Tek), meanwhile elevated CD31⁺ and VEGF⁺ endothelial markers, concomitant with improved blood perfusion. Mechanistically, this effect was attributed to synergistic anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic modulation by sustained SK delivery and the supportive PCL microenvironment. These findings establish a bioactive drug-biomaterial hybrid platform that leverages controlled release to coordinate immune resolution and vascular regeneration, offering a promising strategy for chronic diabetic wound management and broader regenerative applications.

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are a class of chronic, relapsing disorders characterized by dysregulated immune activation and persistent inflammation. These conditions affect multiple organs, severely compromising patients' quality of life and increasing the global healthcare burden. Conventional treatments, such as glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, and biologics, face limitations including low delivery efficiency, off-target effects, and poor patient adherence, whether administered topically or systemically. With the growing recognition of IMID pathogenesis as a multitargeted process, precision-based strategies and localized, patient-friendly drug delivery systems are increasingly needed. Microneedle (MN) technology has emerged as a promising transdermal and transmucosal platform for minimally invasive, site-specific therapeutic delivery in IMID treatment. By precisely targeting immune cells in the skin, oral mucosa, and eyes, MNs offer a novel approach to precision immunotherapy. This review explores recent advances in MN-based therapies for IMIDs, emphasizing their potential to transform the management of allergic conditions, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory skin disorders, infection-related chronic inflammation, oral disorders, and ocular disorders. Furthermore, the challenges hindering the clinical translation of MNs are discussed, along with perspectives on their future development. We anticipate that this review will provide innovative insights into precision immunotherapy for IMIDs.

Lanthanide complexes attract significant attention for their narrow-band emission with nearly constant wavelengths; however, developing high-efficiency lanthanide-complex organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices and methodologies remains a primary research focus. We selected neutral ligands [1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-f][1,10]phenanthroline (TDZP) and its selenium (Se)-containing counterpart, [1,2,5]selenadiazolo[3,4-f][1,10]phenanthroline (SDZP), to form complexes with dibenzoylmethane (Hdbm). Detailed investigations combining theoretical calculations and experimental data reveal synergistic effects between excited-state lifetimes and charge carrier mobility in enhancing quantum efficiency. All the devices demonstrated characteristic lanthanide ion emission, with the Eu(dbm)₃SDZP-based OLED achieving remarkable electroluminescent performance: a maximum quantum efficiency (EQE_max) of 6.7%, ranking among the highest reported values for Eu-based complex OLEDs. This integrated computational-experimental approach establishes a viable strategy for developing high-efficiency lanthanide-complex OLEDs.

Bioluminescence imaging has emerged as a vital tool for studying molecular dynamics in living organisms, owing to its high sensitivity, absence of background fluorescence, and independence from external excitation light sources, demonstrating significant potential for propelling self-illuminated theranostic applications. Among bioluminescent systems, NanoLuc luciferase (NLuc) demonstrates significant advantages over traditional luciferases due to its exceptional catalytic efficiency, small molecular size (19 kDa), stability, and ATP independence. However, its short emission wavelength (ca. 460 nm) is susceptible to tissue attenuation, which hinders deep-tissue applications, severely impeding its application in deep-tissue imaging and theranostics. Fortunately, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) technology, combined with fluorescent protein fusions, protein tag techniques, and site-specific labeling with fluorescent dyes, effectively extends emission wavelengths, greatly enriching the toolkit for bioluminescence-based integrated theranostics. This review, for the first time, systematically summarizes groundbreaking strategies for engineered NLuc in “self-illuminating” theranostic applications. By elucidating its structure-function relationships, we focus on developments in NLuc engineering, substrate optimization, and the construction of BRET systems. The review critically assesses progress in deep-tissue imaging and spatiotemporally controlled phototherapy, providing a forward-looking roadmap for clinical translation in diagnostics and precision medicine.

Liver disease remains one of the most prevalent health concerns, attracting significant attention for its treatment options. As an emerging technology, messenger RNA (mRNA) technology has shown remarkable potential in the biomedical field, with RNA drugs offering distinct advantages such as rapid onset, safety, multiple target options, and ease of clinical translation. However, the inherent instability and susceptibility to degradation of mRNA molecules pose significant challenges for efficient and targeted delivery. Nanotechnology offers innovative solutions to these challenges, not only overcoming physiological barriers but also significantly enhancing the efficacy of mRNA drugs. As an ideal strategy for treating liver diseases, lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA can activate regenerative pathways in hepatocytes within a short time frame, facilitating the treatment of liver injuries from various causes. This review highlights recent advancements in LNP-based mRNA delivery systems for treating different liver diseases. It begins with an introduction to mRNA drugs and their delivery systems, followed by a discussion on the targeting capabilities of LNP. It also emphasizes the application of LNP-based mRNA delivery systems in treating liver diseases. Finally, It outlines the current challenges faced by LNP-based mRNA delivery systems in liver disease treatment and anticipates future applications in addressing liver-related disorders. It is hoped that these insights presented here will help to further improve the application of mRNA-LNP technology in disease treatment. This review aims to provide a reference for researchers and clinicians in related fields and promotes the further development of this technology.