Researchers now report an yttrium-based MOF, Y-ebdc, featuring cage-type structures that accommodate protonated dimethylamine (DMA) as both counter cations and molecular sieving gates. Subsequent optimization of the adsorption separation performance for propylene/propane (C₃H₆/C₃H₈) was achieved through regulation of DMA’s thermal decomposition. With approximately 70% of DMA removed, the expanded aperture window and increased pore volume remarkably enhance dynamic C₃H₆ uptake while simultaneously facilitating the direct production of polymer-grade (>99.5%) C₃H₆ in a single adsorption–desorption cycle.

Large-area and free-standing photonic crystal polymer films exhibit highly saturated iridescence and robust structural colors, making them promising for applications in the field of display, anti-counterfeiting, and camouflage. However, their practical utilization has been hindered by challenges in achieving both vivid coloration and reusability. Professor Suli Wu's team at Dalian University of Technology has developed a sandwich-structured PC film that overcomes this limitation. Fabricated through colloidal self-assembly on porous paper substrates and polymer encapsulation, the film features a PC core protected by two polymer layers, exhibiting a synergistic effect that ensures excellent color fastness (withstanding 100 rubbing cycles), bright iridescence, flexibility, and reusability. By replacing the bottom layer with adhesive, a versatile PC sticker adaptable to various surfaces can be created, offering a new approach to functional iridescent polymer films.

Diabetic wounds are complicated to heal due to factors such as infection, excessive inflammation, and impaired angiogenesis. Now, a groundbreaking, innovative hydrogel dressing has emerged, synthesized from the decellularized extracellular matrix of deer antler and a therapeutic metal-phenolic network. This multifunctional material opens up new prospects for chronic wound management by synergistically exerting antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects while promoting robust angiogenesis and tissue regeneration.

A novel catalyst featuring a unique Ni−O−Si interface, engineered through a dual-polymer modification, enables efficient urea production from carbon dioxide and nitrate waste. This breakthrough offers a sustainable, energy-saving alternative to the traditional, energy-intensive industrial process, achieving high yield, selectivity, and long-term stability under ambient conditions.

Beryllium is valued for its light weight, strength, and heat resistance, making it important in aerospace, alloys, optics, and other advanced industries. But when beryllium enters wastewater during mining and processing, it can pose serious risks to ecosystems and human health. Long-term exposure to beryllium can damage the lungs and other organs, while beryllium-containing waste may threaten soil and water environments.

Biochar is often promoted as a promising tool for climate-smart agriculture, thanks to its ability to store carbon in soils and, in many cases, reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas. But a study published in Biochar shows that the climate benefit of biochar is not guaranteed. The way biochar is produced, and the chemical groups present on its surface, can determine whether it helps reduce nitrous oxide or unexpectedly increases it.

In recent years, the explosive growth of electronic devices and wireless communication technologies has intensified electromagnetic pollution, creating an urgent demand for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption (EMA) materials. Such materials must simultaneously achieve lightweight design, broad bandwidth, and strong attenuation capability. While low-dimensional nanomaterials like MXene and graphene are widely employed due to their exceptional dielectric loss properties, limitations at the microscopic scale hinder the formation of effective conductive networks, restricting electromagnetic energy conversion efficiency.

Hierarchical conductive network structures—such as fibrous felts—offer a breakthrough solution by significantly enhancing absorption performance through interfacial coupling, eddy current loss, and optimized porous architectures. However, the high intrinsic conductivity of MXene necessitates low filling contents to achieve impedance matching, paradoxically constraining conductive network development. Thus, the core challenge lies in designing tunable impedance structures while optimizing MXene distribution to overcome current technological bottlenecks.

The study unveiled a novel regulation strategy that exhibits exceptional performance in gas sensing applications. This advanced material demonstrates outstanding selectivity, rapid response, and ultrahigh sensitivity, particularly in detecting ammonia (NH₃) molecules. The research, led by a team from East China University of Science and Technology, provides new insights into the gas sensing mechanisms of MXenes and introduces a synergistic strategy to optimize their performance.

The inherent structural instability and insufficient catalytic efficiency of enzymes may affect the reliability and sensitivity of enzyme-based immunosensors, especially in ultra-trace analysis. While covalent organic frameworks (COFs) offer excellent immobilization support due to their structural tunability and stability, conventional physical adsorption risks enzyme leakage, and their dense shells hinder mass transfer. Recent advances in defect engineering allow precise modulation of COF-enzyme interactions, enabling optimized enzyme conformation and activity, providing a promising platform for high-performance biosensors.