Chemical Research in Chinese Universities

Chemical Research in Chinese Universities Vol.41 No.6 December 2025

2025, 41(6): 0-0.

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Advances in Organic Circularly Polarized Luminescent Materials

LIU Wei, CHEN Yi, WANG Tiantian, LIANG Yimeng, LIU Duo, WANG Tianyang

2025, 41(6): 1242-1260. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5165-y

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Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials have garnered significant attention due to their diverse applications in fields, such as information encryption, three-dimensional displays, biological imaging, and optoelectronic devices. A crucial challenge in this domain is achieving a high luminescence asymmetry factor (|g_lum|), which quantifies the polarization efficiency of emitted light. This review systematically examines the latest developments in the CPL activity of small organic molecules, supramolecular assemblies, liquid crystals, and organic-inorganic perovskites. It introduces key strategies to enhance |g_lum| through macro-control measures, such as chiral nano-templates, energy transfer, hierarchical self-assembly, and external stimuli, as well as innovative molecular design approaches, including boron/nitrogen-doped frameworks and axial chiral frameworks. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the correlation between material structure and polarization luminescence properties. The purpose is to enable readers to understand circular polarization and methods to increase the |g_lum|.

Stretchable Polymer Solar Cells Beyond 15% Efficiency: Strategies, Achievements, and Outlook

LV Shuiwang, KE Huizhen, ZHAO Wenchao, YE Long

2025, 41(6): 1261-1277. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5200-z

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Stretchable polymer solar cells (S-PSCs) have recently achieved a landmark efficiency exceeding 15%, marking a critical step toward their integration into next-generation wearable, portable, and conformable energy systems. This review highlights the key strategies that enabled this breakthrough, including molecular design of stretchable photovoltaic polymers, rubber-toughening approaches to stabilize microstructures under strain, and the development of multifunctional interlayers and eletrodes that balance mechanical resilience with electronic performance. We summarize the major achievements that have propelled S-PSCs from early proof-of-concept devices with modest efficiency to state-of-the-art systems rivaling their rigid counterparts. Beyond the efficiency milestone, we discuss the unique advantages of S-PSCs, such as their ability to offer power output gains under extreme deformation, which is essential for advanced deployments. This strain-induced power output enhancement mechanism provides new pathways for high-performance wearable devices. Finally, we provide an outlook on emerging trends, remaining challenges, and application scenarios, underscoring the opportunities for S-PSCs to play a pivotal role in the future of flexible and wearable optoelectronics.

Artificial Intelligence as a Materials-integrated Brain: Revolutionizing Organic Semiconductor Design and Aptamer-OFET Biosensing in the Post-silicon Era

Muhammad MAJID, CHENG Shanshan

2025, 41(6): 1278-1293. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5203-9

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The post-silicon era demands biosensors, where intelligence is built into the material itself. This review delves into how artificial intelligence (AI), specifically machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), is reshaping aptamer-based organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) by predicting molecular interactions, optimizing semiconductor properties, and designing novel aptamers in-silico. Generative-AI, reinforcement learning (RL), and digital twins are coming together to co-design extremely efficient and accurate self-learning adaptive biosensors. Moreover, architectures combined with AI are opening the way for closed-loop systems, neuromorphic sensing, and multi-modal platforms able to perform smart signal correction, baseline adaptability, and environmental responsiveness. This review presents AI as a catalyst for the design revolution rather than just a computational tool, laying out a new multidisciplinary roadmap, where materials science, bioengineering, and AI work together to define the future of biosensing and discuss challenges, such as data scarcity, experimental validation and the ethical, explainable use of AI in diagnostics. In the end, our work establishes a new age of AI-biosensor symbiosis where the material itself generates sensing intelligence.

Lithium and Scattered Metals from Liquid Ores: A Roadmap for Future Extraction Technologies

MA Xinyi, FU Yuan, LIU Jia

2025, 41(6): 1294-1313. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5204-8

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Driven by the dual-carbon strategy and the artificial intelligence revolution, rare scattered metals, such as lithium, rubidium, and cesium have become critical strategic resources supporting new energy and high-tech industries. However, China’s high external dependency on these resources poses risks to supply security and geopolitical stability. Liquid mineral resources, such as salt lake brines, characterized by vast reserves, low extraction costs, and environmental friendliness, represent a crucial direction for future resource security. This review systematically summarizes mainstream and emerging technologies for extracting lithium and rare scattered metals from brines, including precipitation, solvent extraction, adsorption, membrane separation, and electrochemical methods. It focuses on analyzing the principles, application status, and research progress of related materials for each method. Among them, adsorption, membrane separation and electrochemical methods are widely studied due to their green and efficient characteristics. By comparing their advantages and limitations in terms of selectivity, energy consumption, environmental impact, and industrialization potential, the study outlines future trends in green, efficient, and low-energy consumption extraction technologies, providing technical support for China’s autonomous supply of strategic metal resources.

Rational Insights into Metal-Organic Molecular Electrocatalysts: Functional Groups, Synthesis Strategies, and Emerging Applications

REN Yingli, ZHU Shengli, CUI Zhenduo, LI Zhaoyang, WU Shuilin, XU Wence, GAO Zhonghui, LIANG Yanqin, JIANG Hui

2025, 41(6): 1314-1333. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5212-8

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Metal-organic small-molecule electrocatalysts, owing to their well-defined structures, tunable electronic properties, and traceable reaction mechanisms, have emerged as a pivotal platform bridging homogeneous molecular chemistry and solid-state catalytic materials. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in their applications to key electrochemical reactions, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR). Particular emphasis is placed on the differentiated roles of N-, O-, S-, and P-containing functional groups in modulating electronic structures and reaction pathways, as well as their complementary advantages in activity, stability, and selectivity. In addition, key synthetic strategies, including substituent modification, metal doping, bimetallic cooperation, and interfacial engineering are highlighted. The complementing strategies are operando spectroscopic techniques and theoretical modeling, which offer vital insights for identifying real active sites and clarifying catalytic mechanisms. Thereby, the integration of molecular design, in situ characterization, and multiscale synergy is expected to accelerate the practical deployment of these catalysts in clean energy conversion and carbon cycle utilization.

Electron Deficient Building Blocks for n-Type Conjugated Polymers

PANG Pengfei, DENG Yunfeng

2025, 41(6): 1334-1347. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5219-1

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Electron-deficient building blocks are fundamental components in the construction of n-type conjugated polymers, which play a pivotal role in a broad range of organic optoelectronic devices. Over the past decades, considerable efforts have been devoted to the design and synthesis of novel electron-withdrawing units to expand the structural diversity and enhance the performance of conjugated polymers. This review systematically summarizes recent developments in electron-deficient moieties, including fused-imide cores, amide-based cores and quinoids. In addition, representative synthetic strategies and electronic structures are discussed. Particular attention is paid to molecular design principles, such as backbone planarity, intramolecular interactions, and side-chain engineering that contribute to the n-type performance in organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) and organic thermoelectrics (OTE). The review summarizes with a perspective on future directions in the development of n-type conjugated polymers through innovative building block design.

Tailoring Molecular Architecture: Charge-transfer Cocrystals Based on TCNQ in Advanced Electrical, Magnetic, and Photo-thermal Applications

ZIKAR E ISLAM Muhammad, DU Shaolin, LI Tingting, SUN Shiyue, KE Yunzhe, JIA Bao, SUN Lingjie, ZHANG Xiaotao, DING Shuaishuai

2025, 41(6): 1348-1374. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5220-8

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The discovery of the first TCNQ-based charge-transfer (CT) cocrystal, which is composed of a tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) donor and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) acceptor (TTF-TCNQ), sparked a thorough investigation into the fabrication of novel CT cocrystals by combining TCNQ and its derivatives with different donor molecules. Due to the strong intermolecular interactions and tunable stacking modes, TCNQ-based cocrystals display unique properties, including ambipolar transport, low-temperature ferromagnetism, and red-shifted optical absorption. However, to achieve precise control of cocrystal growth, morphology, and electronic functionality remains a big challenge. In this review, we mainly focus on fundamental concepts of TCNQ-based CT cocrystals, such as types of interactions, stacking modes, methods for tuning properties, and techniques for growing high-quality crystals. Furthermore, their applications in electronics, magnetism, and emerging photothermal technologies, such as imaging, therapy, and desalination are highlighted.

Stimuli-responsive Supramolecular Room-temperature Phosphorescence Materials

LI Yan-Tao, WANG Hui-Juan, WANG Ming-Xuan, WANG Yu, WU Huang, HU Wenping

2025, 41(6): 1375-1386. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5222-6

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Recently, considerable effort has been devoted to the development of stimuli-responsive supramolecular room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials due to their potentials in information encryption, data storage, sensing and biological imaging. Compared to fluorescence, the construction of stimuli-responsive RTP materials faced greater challenges, as it requires both the stabilized triplet excitons and responsive sites. In this review, we categorize and summarize several types of stimuli-responsive RTP materials, aiming to elucidate the relationship between external stimuli and phosphorescence mechanisms. The common features and principles provide guidelines for the designing and construction of new smart RTP materials. Finally, certain limitations in the current design and mechanistic study of stimuli responsive RTP materials are discussed and the wide application prospects of stimuli-responsive RTP materials are highlighted.

Biofunctional Interfaces: The Role of Hydrogels in Organic Transistors

NIU Yunhan, HUANG Yinan, CHEN Xiaosong, SONG Jiajun, WANG Zhongwu, SUN Mengxiao, LI Liqiang

2025, 41(6): 1387-1404. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5224-4

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Over the past four decades, organic electronics has progressed from a specialized domain within polymer physics into a highly interdisciplinary research field, with organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) at its forefront. However, the widespread adoption of these devices in bioelectronics and wearable technologies has been hindered by the inherent rigidity, hydrophobicity, and limited biocompatibility of conventional interfacial materials. Hydrogels, three-dimensional hydrophilic polymer networks, offer a promising alternative, combining ionic conductivity, tissue-like mechanical softness, and excellent biocompatibility. This review systematically outlines recent advances in hydrogel-based organic electronics, encompassing the classification and essential characteristics of natural, synthetic, and hybrid hydrogels. It further elaborates on their roles in OECTs (as electrolytes and active channels) and OFETs (such as low-voltage gate dielectrics), clarifies operational mechanisms and performance enhancement strategies, and addresses key challenges, including dehydration and interfacial adhesion. Finally, the review prospects future applications in wearable bioelectronics and neuromorphic computing, aiming to serve as a foundational reference for cross-disciplinary studies.

Advances in Perovskite-based Catalysts for VOCs Oxidation: Catalyst Design and Mechanistic Insights

GAO Chao, DING Wenqing, TU Wuxuan, WANG Pengfei, WANG Ligang, ZHAN Sihui

2025, 41(6): 1405-1420. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5225-3

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Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major air pollutants that present significant long-term health risks in both indoor and outdoor environments. Among various VOC removal methods, catalytic combustion is widely regarded as one of the most effective methods due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, high efficiency, and industrial feasibility. Perovskite oxides have emerged as promising catalysts for VOC oxidation due to their tunable physicochemical properties, compositional flexibility, and excellent thermochemical stability. The catalytic performance of perovskite oxides is primarily influenced by factors, such as morphology, material composition, and both surface and bulk characteristics. By employing strategies, such as metal and non-metal doping, morphology optimization (e.g., nano-structuring, 3DOM), and hybrid constructions (e.g., perovskites supporting other active catalysts or vice versa), catalytic efficiency for VOC removal can be significantly enhanced. This review provides an in-depth analysis of recent advancements in perovskite-based catalysts for VOC oxidation, emphasizing the role of material design strategies and examining the reaction mechanisms through models, such as Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H), Eley-Rideal (E-R), and Mars-van Krevelen (MvK). These mechanisms underscore the importance of surface-adsorbed oxygen, lattice oxygen, and oxygen vacancies in enhancing catalytic performance and stability, offering crucial insights into optimizing perovskite catalysts for effective VOC removal.

Gas Sensors Based on Organic Field-effect Transistors: Mechanisms, Advances, and Challenges

WANG Weiyu, NIU Jingyu, ZHANG Xiaoying, YANG Huiqi, WANG Wenjun, YANG Hui, YE Xin

2025, 41(6): 1421-1446. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5227-1

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The growing demand for high-performance gas sensors in applications, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), smart healthcare, and environmental monitoring has highlighted the limitations of conventional technologies, including high operating temperatures, rigidity, and limited selectivity. Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have emerged as a promising platform for next-generation gas sensing, offering intrinsic flexibility, room-temperature operation, solution processability, and multi-parameter response capabilities. This review systematically outlines the working mechanisms and performance metrics of OFET-based gas sensors, with a focus on recent advances in material design and interface engineering aimed at enhancing sensing performance. Key strategies discussed include the development of ultrathin, porous, and blended organic semiconductor films, as well as the functionalization of the critical semiconductor/dielectric interface. The applications of OFET sensors in detecting both reducing and oxidizing gases are comprehensively summarized. Finally, current challenges and future research directions are presented to guide the development of high-performance, practical OFET gas sensors for use in flexible and wearable electronics.

Multilevel Memory: Multiple Conductance Switch and Construction Method

SONG Yaru, WU Guoling, LEI Shengbin, HU Wenping

2025, 41(6): 1447-1468. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5230-6

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With the exponential growth of digital information, it is essential to move beyond single storage states and develop multilevel storage for high-density memory devices. However, systematic strategies for constructing multilevel memories remain underexplored. This review summarizes key approaches from both intrinsic material design (e.g., coupling multiple memory mechanisms, introducing electronic defects, functional group modification, charge-trapping engineering, and redox center design) and extrinsic regulation (e.g., tuning testing parameters, applying light/irradiation/magnetic fields, doping, and size effects). Furthermore, diverse functional materials have been employed, including inorganic compounds, organic and polymeric materials, low-dimensional systems, and functional materials, such as magnetoelectric, biomaterials, and composites. We suggest that continued attention to multilevel memory applications will accelerate progress and inspire further advances in this field.

DNA Nanostructures-based Delivery of RNA Drugs for Cancer Therapy

WANG Jing, WU Shuo, YANG Dayong, YAO Chi

2025, 41(6): 1469-1484. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5231-5

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The emergence of RNA therapeutics, including antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering RNA, microRNA, messenger RNA and CRISPR-based systems, has revolutionized targeted cancer treatment by enabling precise gene regulation. However, their clinical translation is significantly hampered by inherent instability, inefficient cellular uptake, and potential immunogenicity. DNA-based nanostructures have recently emerged as highly programmable and biocompatible platforms for the efficient delivery of RNA therapeutics. This review comprehensively summarizes the recent advancements in DNA nanostructure-based delivery systems (e.g., DNA origami, tetrahedral frameworks) for RNA drugs, with a specific focus on cancer applications. We highlight the fundamental design principles of various DNA nanostructures and examine strategies for efficiently loading RNA payloads and achieving controlled, stimuli-responsive release (e.g., pH, ATP, enzymes) within the tumor microenvironment. The applications of these delivery systems in cancer gene therapy, immunotherapy, and combination regimens are extensively discussed. Finally, we address current challenges and future perspectives in the clinical translation of RNA drug delivery systems based on DNA nanostructures, emphasizing the need for improved stability, targeting specificity, and scalable preparation.

Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction Promoted by Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters

ZHANG Min, YANG Fan, ZHU Moshuqi, YAO Qiaofeng

2025, 41(6): 1485-1503. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5232-4

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The massive discharge of nitrate (NO₃^-) represents a major challenge to the sustainability of both human society and ecosystems. Electrochemical reduction of NO₃^- to NH₃ offers a “turning waste into treasure” solution, enabling the conversion of renewable electricity into chemical energy stored in NH₃. In recent years, atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs) have attracted extensive research interest. Their protein-like hierarchical structures, from the metal core to the protecting layers, allow for multi-level design and synthesis, which not only offers a good means to tailor cluster structure at the atomic level for effective NO₃^- reduction, but also affords a paradigm for correlating cluster structure and catalytic performance. In this review, we summarize recent advances in atomically precise synthesis and electrocatalytic applications of metal NCs in NO₃^- reduction reactions. We first outline plausible mechanisms for the electrocatalytic NO₃^- reduction reactions, and then discuss the application of NCs in NO₃^- reduction based on their hierarchical architecture. We decipher design and synthesis strategies for metal NCs from four perspectives: metal core size, heteroatom doping, ligand engineering, and support engineering. Regarding the electrocatalytic applications of metal NCs, we aim to reveal the fundamentals governing the catalytic activity and selectivity for conversion of NO₃^- to NH₃. The fundamental and methodological advances systemized in this review should add to the acceptance of metal NCs in the electrocatalytic reduction of NO₃^-.

Polymer Materials for Stretchable Electronics Encapsulation

WEI Zixiang, YUAN Yuan, WANG Yi-Xuan

2025, 41(6): 1504-1521. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5234-2

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Stretchable encapsulation has evolved from a passive protective layer to an active, multifunctional interface with the advancement of flexible electronics, wearable devices, and bio-integrated systems, and it is critical for ensuring device performance, long-term stability, and biological safety in dynamic, humid, and bioactive environments. Addressing the core "mechanical performance-barrier performance" trade-off in stretchable polymers, this review focuses on seven polymer families (silicones, polyolefins, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyesters, fluoropolymers, hydrogels). It analyzes how molecular architecture, cross-link density, and filler/interface engineering synergistically define key material attributes, and employs representative sensing display, and energy storage devices to illustrate encapsulation failure mechanisms under cyclic strain, humidity, and body fluids. Finally, it outlines design principles for achieving stretchability, high reliability, and environmental compatibility stretchable encapsulation materials, offering a foundational reference to advance their integration into flexible and bioelectronic technologies.

Advances in Organic Two-dimensional Materials for X-Ray Detection and Their Applications in Flexible Electronics

YANG Tinghan, TAN Hongyu, REN Yiwen, WU Xianshuo, HU Suhao, DU Yuhan, SUN Lingjie, YANG Fangxu, HU Wenping

2025, 41(6): 1522-1542. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5238-y

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X-Ray detection and imaging are pivotal for medical diagnostics, non-destructive testing, and aerospace exploration. However, conventional inorganic detectors face intrinsic constraints in flexibility, scalability, and cost-effective manufacturing. Organic two-dimensional (2D) materials, featuring molecular tunability, mechanical softness, and solution processability, have emerged as promising alternatives for next-generation flexible X-ray detectors. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the interaction mechanisms between X-rays and organic systems, highlighting how photoelectric absorption and Compton scattering jointly determine the detection efficiency. It further delineates the critical parameters governing detector performance, including absorption cross-section, exciton dissociation, carrier transport, and defect regulation. Representative classes of organic 2D materials, such as covalent organic frameworks, conjugated polymers, small-molecule single crystals, and organic-inorganic hybrids, are analyzed in terms of their structural design, processing strategies, and synergistic optimization of absorption and transport. Various device architectures, encompassing photodiode, organic field-effect transistor (OFET), and self-powered configurations, are discussed with respect to sensitivity, radiation stability, and mechanical endurance. Finally, the review identifies persisting challenges, low X-ray absorption, ion migration, toxicity, and scalable fabrication, and explores prospective strategies involving high-Z doping, heterojunction engineering, and AI-assisted process optimization. By bridging material innovation and device integration, organic 2D systems offer a versatile and sustainable platform for developing lightweight, flexible, and high-performance X-ray detectors, paving the way toward wearable medical imaging and intelligent portable diagnostics.

Circularly Polarized Luminescent Materials Based on Macrocyclic Assemblies

ZHU Taowei, LI Jianqiu, WU Huang, WANG Yu, HU Wenping

2025, 41(6): 1543-1556. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5239-x

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Macrocycles, known for their tunable cavities, structural stability, and supramolecular assembly capabilities, have shown great potential in the field of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). Rational control over supramolecular assembly enables efficient chirality transfer and luminescence enhancement in these macrocycle-based systems, yielding high dissymmetry factor (glum) values and improved photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY). Moreover, by leveraging noncovalent interactions, the CPL properties can be dynamically modulated by external stimuli, such as temperature, metal ions, and pH. This review comprehensively surveys recent advances in macrocycle-based chiroptical materials, focusing on the development of multi-stimuli-responsive CPL systems and the investigations into their long-term stability and reversibility, thereby highlighting their unique characteristics and prospective applications.

New Methodological Research Progress in Uranium Extraction from Seawater

CUI Chenyu, WU Jianjin, YU Xinyang, ZHANG Shouting

2025, 41(6): 1557-1571. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5241-3

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Exploring clean and sustainable energy resources stands as one of the primary challenges facing the world in the 21st century. Nuclear energy, as a scalable low-carbon energy source, plays a pivotal role in the global energy transition. Uranium serves as a crucial fuel for nuclear reactions; however, terrestrial uranium resources are finite, projected to sustain demand for only the coming decades. The oceans harbor approximately 4.5 billion tons of uranium resources, far exceeding terrestrial reserves. However, uranium concentrations in seawater are extremely low (around 3.3 μg/L), and the presence of numerous competing ions (such as Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺) and biological contamination makes efficient uranium extraction highly challenging. This paper systematically reviews various advanced strategies for uranium extraction from seawater, including photonic trapping, hydrogel adsorption, and porous adsorbents. It summarizes the adsorption capacity, selectivity, efficiency, and applicable scenarios of each method. Overall, while significant progress has been made in enhancing uranium extraction capabilities and optimizing material performance, challenges remain in addressing the complexity of the seawater environment, material stability, cost control, and large-scale application.

Recent Research Progress on Organic Ultraviolet Photodetection

WAN Jiayi, Rabia, ZHAO Lingxu, JIAO Fei, LI Jie

2025, 41(6): 1572-1585. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5242-2

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Ultraviolet (UV) detection has found extensive applications across multiple domains, including stellar observation, astrophysical analysis, flame sensing, gas detection, as well as biomedical fields for disease research and diagnostics. Significant advancements in organic semiconductor materials and in-depth research on organic optoelectronic devices have propelled the development of organic semiconductor-based UV photodetectors (OUVPDs) and substantial progress has been witnessed, including extended versatility of photoresponsive materials, enhanced detection sensitivity, accelerated response rates, and improved operational stability. Therefore, it is important to make an interim summary of recent research progress of OUVPDs to offer several suggestions for researchers in this field. In this review, we firstly briefly introduce the working principles, the device structures, and the performance parameters of photodetectors; then, we will give the detailed summary of the recent advances in OUVPDs focusing on various organic active components; finally, emerging applications based on OUVPDs will be discussed.

Chiral Covalent Organic Frameworks for Circularly Polarized-light Detection: A Review

YU Junhao, ZHU Rongjiao, LI Rongjin

2025, 41(6): 1586-1606. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5243-1

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Chiral covalent organic frameworks (CCOFs) integrate programmable chiral backbones, ordered π-conjugated networks, and defined pores, combining chiral optical selectivity with efficient charge transport. These features enable direct electrical readout of circularly polarized light (CPL) without external optics. This review summarizes recent advances in CCOF-based CPL detection, covering unified performance metrics including the asymmetry factor g, responsivity R, specific detectivity D^*, and bandwidth f_-3Db and three major synthetic strategies: post-synthetic modification (PSM), direct chiral synthesis (DCS), and chiral induction synthesis (CIS). We discuss the representative device architectures and emerging applications. Finally, we outline future directions for scalable low-energy synthesis, oriented film fabrication, and array-level integration. Multiscale cooperation among chemistry, photonics, and device physics is essential to transition CCOF-based CPL detection from proof-of-concept toward practical implementation.

Ionic Liquid/Water Binary Solvent Hydrogel for Flexible Strain Sensor

ZHANG Xiaoying, WANG Chen, NIU Jingyu, WANG Yuzhen, WANG Weiyu, YANG Huiqi, YE Xin, YANG Hui

2025, 41(6): 1607-1619. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5138-1

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Wearable electronics, particularly flexible strain sensors, have emerged as pivotal technologies for their capability to accurately detect mechanical deformations and convert them into measurable electrical signals, with promising applications in health monitoring and human-machine interfaces. However, hydrogels commonly used in these sensors are limited by their high-water content, which freezes at sub-zero temperatures, restricting their applications in extreme environments. This study addresses this limitation by developing an antifreeze, stretchable, and adhesive hydrogel using a binary solvent system composed of ionic liquid ([EMIM][BF₄]) and water, along with zwitterionic polymers and conductive PEDOT:PSS through a one-pot method. The introduction of ionic liquids significantly enhances antifreeze properties, mechanical flexibility, electrical conductivity, and adhesion. Comprehensive evaluations showed that the hydrogel exhibits robust mechanical stability, excellent conductivity, and reliable strain-sensing performance across a wide temperature range. Demonstrations on human joints further confirmed its potential for practical application in flexible, wearable sensors suitable for low-temperature environments.

Li_1.3Al_0.3Ti_1.7(PO₄)₃-coated Ternary Cathode Materials for High Performance Lithium-ion Batteries

CAI Changbin, FAN Zehui, XU Yunhua

2025, 41(6): 1620-1627. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5209-3

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Ternary transition metal oxide cathode materials have been widely utilized in high-performance power applications due to their high energy density. However, their poor thermal stability and limited cycle life pose significant challenges to broader commercialization. To address these issues, a surface modification strategy was developed by coating the cathode materials with the fast ionic conductor Li_1.3Al_0.3Ti_1.7(PO₄)₃ (LATP). The LATP-coated cathode materials are synthesized via a kilogram-scale process, enabling large-scale and cost-effective manufacturing. The LATP-coated cathodes demonstrate enhanced reaction kinetics, thermal decomposition temperatures, and surface stability, leading to higher reversible capacity, rate performance, and cycling stability. Furthermore, 60 A·h pouch cells are fabricated with the coated cathodes and demonstrate exceptional cycling performance, retaining 96.2% of their capacity after 700 cycles at 1 C, and maintaining high capacity at 3 C. This work offers a scalable and effective strategy for advancing high-performance ternary cathode materials, accelerating their deployment in next-generation power battery systems.

Ultrafast Synthesis of Oxygen Vacancy Rich Pt-Doped La_0.6Sr_0.4CoO₃ with Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Activities

WANG Hekang, HUANG Xiaoran, GONG Cairong, XUE Gang

2025, 41(6): 1628-1636. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5223-5

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Perovskite oxide catalysts have been verified to prominently enhance the efficiency of electrolytic water splitting reactions. The synthesis of a 0.03Pt-La_0.6Sr_0.4CoO₃ material, accomplished via the high-temperature shock (HTS) approach, constitutes a crucial advancement presented herein. The catalytic properties of Pt-doped perovskite materials for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) were investigated under optimal experimental circumstances. The discoveries disclose that the platinum-doped sample manifests a remarkable reduction in OER catalytic overpotential by 78 mV in contrast to the non-doped counterpart. Advanced characterization techniques, encompassing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and in situ Raman spectroscopy, were utilized to explore the performance of the catalyst. The outcomes suggest that the enhanced performance is ascribable to the integration of platinum atoms into the perovskite lattice, which gives rise to an expansion of the lattice and a subsequent optimization of the electronic structure. This research offers a novel perspective for the development of electrocatalysts intended for the oxygen evolution reaction, potentially laying the foundation for more efficient and effective energy conversion technologies.

Symmetry-induced Growth of Two-dimensional Ferromagnetic γ-Fe₂O₃

ZHANG Ruijie, LI Lin, ZHANG Qing, WANG Yongshuai, WANG Mengchen, GENG Dechao

2025, 41(6): 1637-1644. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5226-2

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Two-dimensional (2D) iron oxide has aroused particular interest for its important roles in exploring fundamental physics and emerging spintronics. As a unique 2D ferromagnetic material with a nonlayered structure, γ-Fe₂O₃ exhibits many intriguing magnetic properties. However, since γ-Fe₂O₃ is metastable and tends to transform into α-Fe₂O₃, producing high-quality pure γ-Fe₂O₃ remains a challenge. Herein, we have successfully synthesized 2D γ-Fe₂O₃ nanotriangles with pure phase and high Curie temperature via a substrate symmetry-induced strategy. Since the atoms in the top layer of the sapphire substrate generally have six-fold symmetry, γ-Fe₂O₃ nanotriangles exhibit two orientations, including 0° and 60° antialigned domains. Furthermore, we observe a pronounced incidence of merged growth both among 0°-0° and 0°-60° nanotriangles. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) reveals that the individual nanotriangle γ-Fe₂O₃ exhibits the typical ferromagnetic vortex state, whereas the domain is prominently suppressed in merged nanotriangles. This work provides novel insights into 2D ferromagnetic materials, marking a pivotal step toward their practical deployment in high-performance spintronic and quantum devices.

High-performance n-Type Polymers Based on Multiple Electron-withdrawing Groups Decorated (E)-1,2-Di(thiophen-2-yl)ethene Building Blocks

MA Jianeng, CHEN Yongsheng, CHEN Jiawei, TANG Jie, LI Yanru, LI Ruiping, YU Liyang, FEI Zhuping

2025, 41(6): 1645-1652. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5229-z

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The performance of n-type conjugated polymers lags far behind that of p-type polymers, which significantly restricts the development of organic electronics. The (E)-1,2-di(thiophen-2-yl)ethene (TVT) unit, owing to its unique advantages, has been widely applied in the design of p-type polymer semiconductors. Previous studies have demonstrated that introducing electron-withdrawing groups can lower the frontier orbital energy levels of polymers and enhance electron injection/transporting capabilities. Based on this, we proposed incorporating multiple electron-withdrawing groups, such as amide groups, fluorine atoms, and cyano groups, into the polymer backbones of TVT-based polymer to facilitate the electron transport. We successfully designed and synthesized the polymers TVTDA-4FTVT and TVTDA-2F2CNTVT. Both polymers exhibited low frontier orbital energy levels. Due to its significantly higher crystallization tendency and favorable intermolecular packing structure, the organic field-effect transistor (OFET) device based on TVTDA-4FTVT demonstrated an electron mobility one order of magnitude higher than that of TVTDA-2F2CNTVT. TVTDA-4FTVT showed the highest electron mobility of 0.87 cm²·V^-1·s^-1, while TVTDA-2F2CNTVT exhibited the highest electron mobility of 0.049 cm²·V^-1·s^-1. Owing to its deeper lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level, the OFET devices based on TVTDA-2F2CNTVT showed good air stability after being placed in a natural environment for 15 d.

NIR-II Organic Cocrystals for Photothermal Therapy

HE Junxia, ZHANG Tian, ZHANG Dong, ZHANG Xiaotao, HU Wenping

2025, 41(6): 1653-1662. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5240-4

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Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising alternative strategy to traditional cancer therapy. Photothermal agents (PTAs) in the second near-infrared (NIR) window (1000—1350 nm) hold excellent potential for enhanced PTT treatment of deep tumors compared with the first NIR window (780—1000 nm). Therefore, by regulating intermolecular charge transfer interactions, we employed coprecipitation method to synthesize two photothermal cocrystals nanoparticles (NPs) named 3,3':4',3''-terthiophene-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (3TTQ) NPs and 3,3':4',3''-terthiophene-2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyano- quinodimethane (3TFQ) NPs, which exhibited excellent absorption properties, with their absorption range red-shifted to 1150 and 1350 nm, respectively. Under 808 and 1064 nm laser irradiation, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) reached 67.3% and 69%, simultaneously, exhibiting concentration and power density dependence. Additionally, 3TFQ NPs not only exhibited excellent biocompatibility, but also demonstrated photothermal therapeutic efficacy in vitro under 1064 nm laser irradiation, achieving a 70% death rate in 4T1 cancer cells at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. This study contributes to the advancement of developing NIR-II organic cocrystals PTAs.

Curved Fe/N-C Catalysts for High-performing Proton-exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

GUO Shaojun

2025, 41(6): 1663-1664. doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5233-3

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