Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are a safer, more cost-effective energy storage option than lithium-ion batteries, but cathode material limitations hinder the practicality of the technology. A team of researchers recently produced ball-milled manufactured electrolytic manganese dioxide (MnO₂), which introduces oxygen vacancies that improve material performance as an AZIB cathode, bringing the technology closer to reality.

SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are suitable for hot-section components of gas turbine blades, but in combustion environments containing water vapor and molten salt impurities, CMCs suffer from severe recession and corrosion; therefore, environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) are applied to isolate CMCs from aggressive environments and improve stability and service life. The study designed and synthesized six non-equimolar monoclinic-prime (m') RETaO₄ HECs to clarify composition-structure-property relationships. HE-3 exhibited the lowest TECs of 6.2 × 10^-6 K^-1 at 1500 °C, closer to SiC-based CMCs than the other compositions, and the lowest thermal conductivity reached 1.52-2.68 W·m^-1·K^-1 at 25-900 °C, indicating its potential as candidate EBCs.

Ceramics combine high strength, thermal stability and corrosion resistance, yet usually fracture before they can deform at room temperature. A new review in Journal of Advanced Ceramics synthesizes evidence that selected or engineered ceramics can undergo irreversible deformation through six fundamental pathways. The authors distinguish plasticity from toughness and tensile ductility, compare material systems and testing methods, and outline a roadmap toward bulk, reproducible and damage-tolerant ceramics for aerospace, electronics, energy and biomedical technologies.

 Carbon nanotube films feature scalable fabrication and facile molding, making them suitable for impact protection applications. A bioinspired nanonetwork strategy combining directional stretching and p‑phenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) infiltration is adopted to construct dense interlocking structures and enhance the mechanical strength and toughness of films. This work offers a new route to optimize the dynamic properties of carbon-based protective films. 

Near-infrared photodetectors are key components for imaging, sensing, and wearable electronics, but toxic lead-based quantum dots and high dark current have limited their practical use. Now, researchers report a lead-free, eco-friendly AgBiS₂ quantum dot photodetector using a ZnO/MXene bilayer electron transport layer, which achieves record-low dark current, high sensitivity, and excellent near-infrared imaging capability, offering a promising strategy for next-generation environmental-friendly image sensors.