Recently, the research team led by Xiang Ma and Fan Gu from East China University of Science and Technology developed a luminescent soft material by doping coronene into an epoxy-based shape memory polymer, demonstrating both actuation capability and tunable ultralong afterglow property at high temperature. This strategy enabled real-time visual monitoring of dynamic material deformation at temperatures up to 200 °C, opening up new avenues for intelligent equipment monitoring, information encryption and circuit protection in extreme environments.

Hydrogel electrolytes have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional aqueous electrolytes in zinc-ion batteries owing to their high ionic conductivity and mechanical robustness. However, hydrogel electrolytes still suffer from stability challenges under wide-temperature conditions. At low temperatures, the freezing of water and the ordering of hydrogen-bond networks restrict ion transport and strengthen the hydrated structure of Zn²⁺. At high temperatures, water evaporation and intensified parasitic reactions can destroy the electrode–electrolyte interface and induce structural degradation. These coupled thermodynamic and kinetic effects indicate that achieving stable wide-temperature operation requires coordinated regulation of ion transport, solvation thermodynamics and interfacial dynamics. To address this challenge, the coordination–entropy (C-E) regulation framework is proposed as a unified design concept. Within this framework, coordination regulation reconstructs Zn²⁺ solvation environments and lowers desolvation barriers, while entropy regulation increases the diversity of accessible ionic configurations and transport states across multiple structural scales. Their intrinsic coupling enables stable ion transport and interfacial chemistry under temperature variation. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in polymer, salt, cosolvent and filler regulation strategies directed by the C-E framework, aiming to establish a unified physicochemical framework for wide-temperature hydrogel electrolytes and guide the development of durable, high-energy–density zinc-ion batteries.

Circadian rhythms play a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes. A recent review highlights the critical role of circadian rhythms in muscle health and aging, emphasizing how circadian disruption contributes to sarcopenia. Researchers propose circadian-aligned lifestyle interventions and pharmacological treatments as potential strategies to combat age-related muscle loss, offering new avenues for sarcopenia management in the elderly.

A research team has developed an iron-copper bimetallic activated hydrochar capable of removing methylene blue dye and treating wastewater from potato processing. 

A research paper by scientists from Imperial College London introduced a bionic multichannel whisker system, as an additional sensing modality for endoluminal interventions.

The new research paper, published on Aug. 05 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, provided proof‑of‑concept validation for a compact sensor add‑on that can discriminate surface texture, reconstruct local geometry, and estimate radial contact forces–three tactile primitives that are difficult to access through vision alone.