Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) have been considered promising energy storage systems due to their low cost, high safety and environmental friendliness. Manganese dioxide (MnO₂) is a practically desirable cathode material for AZIBs; however, it is challenged by poor structural stability and unsatisfactory storage reversibility. Given the distinct advantages and limitations of single-phase MnO₂, Herein, constructing a dual-crystal-phases structure is proposed an effective strategy to comprehensively improve the storage capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability of AZIBs. NH⁺₄ cations are ingeniously introduced to the hydrothermal reaction system to precisely regulate crystalline phases of MnO₂. An optimal NH⁺₄ concentration endows the coexistence of α/δ-MnO₂ crystal phases with abundant heterogenous phase interfaces. The mismatch of the heterogenous crystal lattices results in abundant active structural defects at the dual-crystal-phases interfaces for efficient ionic storage and fast electronic/ionic transport. The heterogenous interfaces further enable structural stability of the MnO₂ cathode without structural deformation during cycling, thus enhancing the cycling performance of AZIBs. Electrochemical tests show that the α/δ-MnO₂ cathode provides a remarkable specific capacity of 297.6 mAh/g at 1 C, excellent rate performance (210.1 mAh/g at 3 C), and superior cycling stability (93.7% capacity retention after 600 cycles at 1 C). Moreover, flexible AZIBs based on the α/δ-MnO₂ cathode remain stable operation under bending conditions, demonstrating the practical potential of the α/δ-MnO₂ architecture. This study presents an innovative material design strategy for high-performance AZIB cathodes via dual-crystal-phase engineering, which can be extended to other electrode materials beyond AZIBs.

Engineering active sites in a controllable manner plays a critical role in developing catalysts with desired catalytic performance. A reliable and tunable molecular engineering strategy is presented to boost the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance of single-atom catalysts (SACs) by manipulating the steric hindrance effect of metalloporphyrins. The results demonstrate that the metalloporphyrin molecules with four tert-butylphenyl groups as steric hindrance moieties can be used to prepare various SACs with targeted active sites on conductive carbon black (CB). It is found that the single iron catalyst on CB prepared using tert-butylphenyl iron-porphyrins as a precursor (denoted as t-Fe-800/CB) exhibits significantly enhanced ORR performance compared with the Fe-800/CB catalyst prepared from unsubstituted iron-porphyrin. Moreover, the t-Fe-800/CB catalyst exhibits superior ORR performance relative to t-Mn-800/CB and t-Co-800/CB with different metal centers, indicating that the intrinsic ORR activity originates from single Fe sites. The remarkable ORR properties are mainly attributed to the enhanced intrinsic activity and density of Fe active sites, as well as improved conductivity and mass transfer induced by the steric hindrance effect. The optimized t-Fe-800/CB catalyst also delivers impressive performance in both flexible and aqueous Zn–air batteries. This study offers a new perspective for the development of advanced SAC electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications.

A research team led by Prof. SUN Jianwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Director of the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Centre for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has achieved a groundbreaking advance in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. The team has developed an air-stable chiral phosphine-catalyzed enantioselective approach to synthesize enantioenriched S(IV)-stereogenic vinyl sulfinamides—an under-explored class of organosulfur compounds with promising antiviral activity.

Release Summary Text: In atomically thin semiconductors, enhancing the frequency-doubled light signal has come at the cost of losing polarization information tied to the valley degree of freedom. Researchers now show that silicon nanospheres can break this dilemma, providing design guidelines for next-generation valley photonic devices.

This research marks a pivotal step toward multifunctional integration in programmable metasurfaces. For the first time, dynamic beamforming communication and broadband self-stealth coexist on a single low-profile platform, resolving performance/power/integration trade-offs.

Ever wondered how ancient life forms developed the ability to modify proteins through glycosylation? A groundbreaking study published in Engineering reveals the surprising evolutionary origins of this crucial biological process, uncovering links between early cellular life and modern human biology. Dive in to explore the fascinating journey of glycosylation through time!

Feeding the global population currently requires clearing vast forests for soy plantations or heavily depleting the oceans for fish meal. What if the agricultural industry could bypass the farm and the sea entirely, opting instead to brew high-quality food from a problematic greenhouse gas? A rigorous new life-cycle assessment demonstrates that cultivating methane-consuming microbes is far more than an experimental concept—it is a highly lucrative, environmentally superior reality.

Driving this evaluation are corresponding authors Yanping Liu and Ziyi Yang from the Beijing University of Chemical Technology. Their latest work, appearing in the journal Carbon Research, stacks microbial protein directly against conventional agricultural staples. The verdict leans heavily in favor of the bioreactor over traditional harvesting.

The research team modeled three distinct supply chains: soybean meal, fish meal, and protein derived from methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB). The legacy methods carried expectedly heavy environmental baggage. Soy production was dominated by massive land footprints and agricultural chemical inputs. Meanwhile, the fish meal industry demanded extensive fuel consumption and inflicted severe stress on marine ecosystems.

In the complex world of soil and water chemistry, certain minerals act like microscopic sponges, soaking up pollutants and keeping our environment safe. Among the most dangerous of these pollutants is hexavalent chromium—Cr(VI)—a highly toxic and mobile substance often found at industrial and mining sites. Now, a groundbreaking study published in Carbon Research has identified the specific "superstar" minerals that are best at neutralizing this threat while simultaneously locking away organic carbon.

The research, led by Professor Bin Dong from Tongji University, focuses on the interaction between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and various iron (oxyhydr)oxides. The team discovered that low-crystallinity minerals, specifically ferrihydrite, are far more effective at managing chromium than their more "perfect" crystalline cousins like goethite and hematite. This work represents a major collaborative effort centered at the College of Environmental Science and Engineering at Tongji University and the Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, with support from the YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center and Guilin University of Technology. "Nature has a built-in filtration system, but not all minerals are created equal," says Professor Bin Dong. "By understanding the molecular handshake between organic matter and iron minerals, we can design smarter, nature-based solutions to clean up heavily contaminated mine soils while helping the planet store more carbon."