Entropy engineering has emerged as a promising paradigm for tailoring the electronic and photoelectric properties of materials. Although high-entropy transition metal sulfides have been achieved, entropy engineering in 2D tellurides remains challenging. In this work, we report the successful synthesis of a 1T' monolayer heptanary medium-entropy (ME) alloy (Mo_aW_bFe_cCo_dS_xSe_yTe_z) via a one-step chemical vapor deposition method. Advanced characterizations, including scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy confirm the uniform atomic-level distribution of the seven constituent elements within the alloy. The 1T' ME alloy device exhibits a high drain current of ~ 6.5 mA, which is 216 times higher than the ~ 30 μA observed in pristine 1T' MoTe₂. Furthermore, the 1T' ME alloy photodetector exhibits responsivities of 27.92 A/W at 1064 nm and 63.74 A/W at 1550 nm, outperforming those of the pristine 1T' MoTe₂ by more than two orders of magnitude. This remarkable enhancement is attributed to the reduced Schottky barrier (15.9 meV) at the 1T' ME alloy/electrode interface, along with the enhanced conductance (0.43 S) and reduced thermal activation energy (4.1 meV) in the 1T' ME alloy, collectively facilitating more efficient carrier injection and transport. Our work provides a distinct pathway for tailoring the properties of transition metal dichalcogenides through entropy engineering and offers valuable insights for the design of high-performance infrared photodetectors.

Dielectric ceramic capacitors are essential for modern pulse-power and electronic systems due to their ultrahigh power density and rapid charge-discharge capability. However, a long-standing challenge has been the simultaneous achievement of high recoverable energy storage density (W_rec) and high efficiency (η) under moderate electric fields-a key requirement for practical applications in automotive electronics, renewable energy systems, and pulsed power platforms.

Piezoelectric ceramics convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and are widely used in sensors, transducers and actuators. However, the field has long been constrained by a classic trade-off, often described as the impossibility of having “both fish and bear’s paw”. In practice, it is desirable for piezoelectric ceramics to simultaneously exhibit a high piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃), a high Curie temperature (T_c), a large electromechanical coupling coefficient (k_p) and a low dielectric loss (tanδ). Unfortunately, these key properties are intrinsically interdependent such that improvement in one often comes at the expense of another. Breaking this trade-off to enable the concurrent enhancement of multiple properties remains one of the central challenges in the field.

Hydrogels have been highlighted as effective wound dressings for tissue regeneration, while microbeads serve as versatile carriers for controlled drug release and targeted delivery, allowing customization for specific therapeutic needs. Ahmed, Guo and Huang et al. from Taiyuan University of Technology provide a comprehensive review published by Frontiers of Materials Science on microbeads-assisted antibacterial hydrogels for wound healing.

AI is rapidly entering classrooms worldwide, but current education governance models are not designed to manage its systemic impact. A new study argues that AI should be understood not merely as a teaching tool, but as a governance actor that reshapes authority, accountability, and professional autonomy in education systems. The article proposes a reconfigured hybrid governance framework to help education systems harness AI’s benefits while protecting democratic values, learner autonomy, and professional judgment.