Browse Articles

3D Printing‐Assisted Interpenetrating‐Phase Composite Implant Materials Integrating Structural‐Functional Properties

Abstract Implant materials play a pivotal role in bone repair; however, existing materials face considerable challenges in simultaneously achieving adequate mechanical properties and biological functions. In this perspective, drawing inspiration from nature and leveraging 3D printing technologies, we propose a new strategy to achieve structural‐functional integration through the development of bicontinuous interpenetrating‐phase composite implant materials. These materials are fabricated by infiltrating one constituent into 3D‐printed porous scaffolds of another, and demonstrate two potential degradation pathways after implantation – selectively partial degradation and sequentially complete degradation – depending on the types of constituents and their combinations. We elucidate the associated degradation behaviors, regulatory strategies, and the resulting biological functions, and analyze their underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Moreover, targeted functional integration and delivery can be realized by infiltrating hydrogels loaded with functional agents into 3D‐printed scaffolds. The mechanical and functional properties of these materials can be deliberately modulated by selecting appropriate constituents and by designing and regulating the interpenetrating‐phase structures. We further examine the challenges faced by these materials and outline prospective directions for future research. Distinct from conventional single‐component materials, 3D printing‐assisted composite implant materials hold significant promise for achieving structural‐functional integration, thereby offering new opportunities to enhance bone repair efficacy.

Constructing Highly Durable Fuel Cell Catalysts Through Integrating Graphitic Shell‐Protected Composite Carbon Support with Gaseous Co Deposition‐Driven PtCo Intermetallics

Abstract Metal dissolution, nanoparticle agglomeration, and carbon support corrosion cause significant performance degradation of current PtCo catalysts under acidic and oxidative oxygen reduction reaction. Here, an integrated strategy is presented to design high‐performance Pt 3 Co intermetallic catalysts by regulating gaseous Co deposition‐driven diffusion into Pt nanoparticles supported on a composite carbon. The composite carbon is derived from ZIF‐8/polyaniline, consisting of a high‐surface‐area (HSC) core and a protective graphitic shell (GS), which is employed to design 40 wt.% Pt/HSC@GS catalyst. The corresponding membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) can maintain 1.09 A cm −2 at 0.7 V (20. 7% loss) after 10 000 cycles (1.0–1.5 V for carbon stability) and 1.15 A cm −2 (16.1% loss) after 150 000 cycles (0.60–0.95 V for catalyst stability). A ordered Pt 3 Co intermetallic is synthesized via a gaseous Co‐deposition process, which yields a homogeneous Co‐rich layer onto the Pt nanoparticles on the composite support, thereby facilitating Co diffusion into Pt crystal during subsequent ordering annealing to form the ordered intermetallic structure. This gaseous deposition leads to a thin carbon layer on PtCo nanoparticles, inhibiting particle growth during the annealing and mitigating Co dissolution under dynamic electrochemical conditions. The PtCo catalyst achieves impressive MEA performance and long‐term durability (1.45 A cm −2 at 0.7 V after 120 000 cycles) under heavy‐duty conditions.

Threonyl-tRNA synthetase activates STAT3 by a nontranslational mechanism

Triangular‐Tessellated Charge Transfer Cocrystals Derived from Melamine with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance

ABSTRACT Charge transfer (CT) cocrystals hold great promise for advanced functional materials, yet controlling their CT interactions in terms of both structural design and precise synthesis remains challenging. Herein, a tessellation‐based strategy to modulate CT strength in melamine‐derived cocrystals is demonstrated, specifically in MMC‐12 (melem:melamine = 1:2) and MMC‐31 (3:1). Transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy and theoretical simulations reveal that MMC‐31 exhibits enhanced CT interactions, facilitating rapid electron transfer from melamine to melem and forming weakly bound CT excitons. These excitons dissociate readily into free carriers, leading to an 18‐fold enhancement in H 2 O 2 production and a 12‐fold enhancement in H 2 evolution compared to pristine melem. This work underscores the potential of geometric tessellation as a general design principle for high‐performance organic semiconductors and photocatalysts.

Coordinatively Unsaturated IrC ₃ Single‐Atom Catalysts for Efficient Methanol Oxidation Reaction

ABSTRACT Methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) plays a crucial role in renewable energy conversion and storage, where the key steps involve dehydrogenation and subsequent * CO electrooxidation. However, * CO oxidation remains challenging due to its strong adsorption and insufficient * OH species at active sites, severely limiting reaction kinetics. Here, the single Ir atom catalyst with abundant coordinatively unsaturated IrC 3 sites is developed to electrocatalysis MOR under elevated temperature, the IrC 3 sites with stronger CH 3 OH adsorption and weaker * CO adsorption, which break the scaling relationship between methanol and * CO adsorption energy. Moreover, the IrC 3 could accelerate the electrochemical water dissociation with assistance of protophilic IrC 4 to form adsorbed * OH. The balanced adsorption energy and the appearance of ample * OH would efficiently decrease the reaction energy barriers, and further accelerate the methanol dehydrogenation and * CO oxidation. By assemble the high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzer (HT‐PEME) with IrC 3 sites at 180°C, it shows an excellent MOR efficiency with onset potential about 0.05 V and H 2 generation rate with 8694 mol H2  mol Ir −1  h −1 at cathode, which is much higher than that of Ir‐C SACs parent catalyst and Pt/C catalysts. This finding provides an avenue to conquer the formidably sluggish kinetics of MOR for hydrogen utilization.

Small molecule intervention of actin-binding protein profilin1 reduces tumor angiogenesis in renal cell carcinoma

Geometry‐Engineered Bipolar Photodetectors for Multivalued Logic‐Gate Encrypted Optical Communication

ABSTRACT Bipolar photodetectors, with positive‐negative photocurrent responses and coupling‐enabled multifunctionality, show great promise for logic‐gate‐encrypted optical communication, where precise photocurrent balancing is essential to minimize polarity‐induced logic errors and ensure transmission accuracy. Here, a parallel‐structured, self‐powered photoelectrochemical photodetector (PEC‐PD) based on fully amorphous p‐NiO X and n‐GaO X thin films is developed, exhibiting dual‐band (254 nm/365 nm) bipolar photoresponses. To address the intrinsic photocurrent asymmetry, we first employ thermal annealing to mitigate the imbalance. More significantly, leveraging the unique parallel architecture, we propose a universal geometry‐engineered strategy to accurately balance positive and negative photocurrents by simply adjusting the area ratio of the two photoactive materials. This approach enables robust photocurrent symmetry across diverse wavelength combinations, ensuring broad adaptability to complex optical environments. Based on this tunability, reconfigurable binary and ternary exclusive OR (XOR and TXOR) logic gates are demonstrated as encryption frameworks in optical communication systems. The ternary encryption scheme enhances information throughput by ∼1.585 × and expands the key space by 89% compared to binary systems. This work presents a universal strategy for implementing balanced bipolar photodetectors, facilitating their application in secure, high‐throughput underwater optical communication.

Nuclear myosin VI cooperates with actin to promote transcriptional cluster formation at androgen receptors

Tunable Hetero‐Intercalated 2D Superlattice for Frustrated Kondo Triangles

ABSTRACT With the successes of van der Waals heterostructures in unveiling exotic quantum states and enabling applications, direct fabrication of 2D superlattices beyond bulk limits is appealing. We realize an unprecedented 2D Kondo superlattice, Ta‐NbS 2 , consisting of two coupled metallic 1H‐NbS 2 monolayers intercalated with growth‐controlled periodic Ta sublattices. One‐step CVD enables tunable periodicities, yielding three Ta‐moment motifs: bulk‐like simple triangular geometry of a× a (Type I), 2D spin‐frustrated 4a×4a (Type II), and 2D saturated a× a (Type III). Beyond the logarithmic resistance upturn at Kondo temperature ( T K ), we observe anomalous Hall effect evolution from single‐impurity to coherent Kondo regimes, reflecting collective Ta‐Kondo sublattice interactions. Carrier density modulation tunes the balance between Kondo screening and RKKY interactions, establishing 2D bilayer Ta‐NbS 2 as an ultra‐tunable 2D Kondo superlattice for correlated quantum phenomena, with potential applications in spintronics and quantum devices.

Two nm Atomic Thickness Amorphous Red Phosphorus Enables Ultrafast and Ultrastable Sodium‐Ion Storage

ABSTRACT Red phosphorus (RP) has shown great potential as anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs), but its development is hindered by sluggish Na + storage kinetics, poor intrinsic conductivity and terrible volume changes. This work focuses on the pivotal role of atomic thickness ultrasmall amorphous RP, the ultrathin amorphous RP with an atomic‐thickness of 0.9 nm exhibits a stronger Na + binding capability and this advantage becomes particularly pronounced as the RP approaches size of around 2 nm. Moreover, the developed RP anode shows exceptional expansion tolerance due to the ultrathin structure. Subsequently, the RP are integrated with highly conductive MXene, owing to the ultrasmall amorphous features of RP, the built‐in electric field at the RP/MXene heterointerface are enhanced, which significantly promotes Na + transfer and adsorption. As a result, the resulting RP‐based composites shows superior rate performance. A high capacity of 835 mAh g −1 can be maintained at high current density of 10 A g −1 . Moreover, the composites electrode delivers a reversible capacity of 1447 mA h g −1 at current density of 5 A g −1 after 1000 cycles. This study demonstrates the construction of ultrathin amorphous materials with ultra‐small size as a powerful strategy to develop fast‐charging SIBs with stable and high capacity.

Correction: P3 site-directed mutagenesis: An efficient method based on primer pairs with 3′-overhangs

NIR‐II‐Excited Type‐I Conjugated Polymer Photosensitizer for Cancer Photodynamic Therapy

ABSTRACT Type‐I photodynamic therapy (PDT) is highly effective against hypoxic tumors, with its efficacy further enhanced by near‐infrared‐II (NIR‐II, 1000–1700 nm) excitation, which offers deeper tissue penetration than conventional NIR‐I (700–1000 nm). However, most reported organic NIR‐II photosensitizers (PSs) are only NIR‐II emissive but remain NIR‐I‐excited. NIR‐II‐excited type‐I PSs are rare and generally limited by low ROS yields, often requiring high‐power irradiation with photothermal co‐treatment to achieve meaningful therapeutic outcomes. Thus, rationally designing efficient organic type‐I PSs directly activated by NIR‐II light remains a challenge. Herein, we report a general strategy for designing efficient NIR‐II‐excited organic Type‐I PSs (PNT‐PFT NPs) based on linked donor‐acceptor through‐space charge transfer (CT) for PDT of hypoxic solid tumors. The through‐space CT based on linked donor‐acceptor pairs redshifts and amplifies the NIR‐II absorption of the PNT–PFT NPs. Additionally, the donor‐acceptor energy alignment facilitates directional flow of electrons, increasing free‐electron yield for O 2 ‐to‐ROS conversion. As a result, PNT–PFT NPs efficiently generated ROS and achieved 89.3% tumor inhibition in 4T1 models under low‐power 1064 nm irradiation. This study not only offers a general guideline for tailoring NIR‐II‐excited Type‐I PSs via through‐space CT in linked donor‐acceptor pairs but also provides mechanistic insights into Type‐I PS design.

Microphase‐Separated Hydrogel Electrolytes with Selective Ion Transportation Pathways for Flexible Zinc‐Ion Batteries

Abstract Flexible aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising candidates for next‐generation wearable electronics and soft robotics, yet their development is hindered by the non‐selective ion transport of conventional hydrogel electrolytes, which induces concentration polarization, uneven Zn 2+ flux, and dendrite formation, ultimately causing battery failure. Here, a microphase‐separated single‐zinc‐ion conducting hydrogel electrolyte (SIHE) constructed via polymer chain disentanglement within a polyanionic zinc‐alginate (ZA) matrix is reported. Due to the pronounced steric disparity between Zn 2+ and the alginate chains, ZA holds intrinsic potential for ion‐selective transport. However, spontaneous chain entanglement within the alginate network under the applied electric field severely impedes the formation of continuous ion transport pathways, limiting Zn 2+ conduction. By incorporating Nafion, well‐defined hydrophilic/hydrophobic domains are induced that simultaneously relax the entangled polymer network and establish continuous Zn 2+ ‐conducting pathways. This microstructural engineering enables a high Zn 2+ transference number of 0.967 and ionic conductivity of 25.5 mS cm −1 , resolving the long‐standing trade‐off between ion selectivity and transport kinetics. The zinc‐alginate/Nafion (ZA/N) electrolyte enables dendrite‐free cycling for over 4600 h. The ZA/N‐based flexible ZIB retains 90% capacity after 5000 cycles at 10 A g −1 . This work presents a general strategy to engineer high‐performance SIHEs for safe and durable flexible zinc‐ion batteries.

A protective cGAMP-mediated anti-tumor immune response can proceed without LRRC8/VRAC channels

Optimizing the Comprehensive Ion Effects in Glass‐Forming Aqueous Inorganic Salt Electrolytes for Supercapacitor Applications at Extremely Low Temperatures

ABSTRACT Inorganic salt electrolytes have been explored for developing cold‐resistant aqueous energy storage devices. Current research on anti‐freezing inorganic salt solutions mainly focuses on the H‐bond regulation effects of individual cations or anions. The overall ionic effects (e.g., ion type, concentrations, cation hydration numbers, ion interactions, and ionic associations, etc.) on the anti‐freezing properties lack a comprehensive understanding. In addition, crystallization of the salt electrolyte below the solidification point can lead to an abrupt performance failure of the energy storage device. In this work, we study the overall ionic effects of glass‐forming aqueous electrolytes for enhancing their anti‐freezing properties. It is found that ion pairs with more positive cationic potentials and less negative anionic potentials, cations with large coordination numbers, and anions with large ionic size and multiple H‐bond sites are crucial for achieving glass‐forming aqueous electrolytes with exceptional anti‐freezing performance. Notably, the Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 eutectic electrolyte exhibits a pure glass transition at −122°C and maintains a visible liquid state at −85°C. A supercapacitor cell with a Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 electrolyte is operational at temperatures as low as −80°C. This study provides insightful understandings for designing glass‐forming anti‐freezing electrolytes with improved adaptability of aqueous energy storage devices under extremely cold conditions.

Plasma Design of Alloy‐Based Gradient Solid Electrolyte Interphase on Lithium Metal Anodes for Energy Storage

ABSTRACT Design and optimization of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is extremely important for the construction of advanced lithium metal anodes. Herein, we pioneer a novel SnCl 4 /trifluorotoluene hybrid plasma technology to construct a Li‐Sn alloy‐based gradient SEI on lithium metal anodes to synergistically regulate reaction kinetics, structure, and crystal orientation of lithium deposition. Notably, the designed SEI displays a gradient layered structure, with a Li‐Sn alloy constituting the bottom layer, LiF occupying the middle layer, and a composite layer of LiCl and organic lithium compounds forming the top layer. The formation mechanism is primarily attributed to the differential acceleration effects exerted by the plasma shell's electric field on different plasma ions. The gradient SEI exhibits multifunctionality, featuring not only high Young's modulus (13.9 GPa) and enhanced interfacial structural stability, but also enabling the Li‐Sn alloy component within the SEI to facilitate the preferential growth of the (110) crystal plane with a low migration barrier, thereby achieving the uniform deposition of Li without dendrite growth. Consequently, the modified Li anode exhibits a low overpotential and high coulombic efficiency, and the corresponding pouch cell shows improved cycling stability. This research provides a pioneering interfacial modification strategy for the fabrication of high‐performance lithium metal anodes.

Advanced Design and Characterization of Polyether‐Based Solid‐State Electrolytes for High‐Energy‐Density Lithium Batteries

Abstract Polyether‐based solid‐state electrolytes have shown great potential in lithium batteries due to their excellent interfacial flexibility and high solvation ability for lithium salts. However, the problems of limited ion transport and insufficient interfacial stability have restricted the application of polyether‐based electrolytes in high‐energy‐density lithium batteries. To tackle these problems, researchers have explored a variety of strategies, such as multi‐component compounding and structural regulation, and developed a vast array of solid‐state electrolytes. Therefore, this review first summarizes the key modification strategies and representative examples of electrolytes from a systematic design perspective, aiming at the two aforementioned major issues. Meanwhile, to precisely implement the above strategies and to design more effective modification strategies, latent yet valuable structure–property relationships should be further uncovered. Thus, multiscale characterizations are rationally integrated through representative case studies. Finally, it summarizes the reported performance of representative polyether‐based solid‐state pouch cells, emphasizes scale‐up and batch‐to‐batch consistency, and outlines future research directions for translating these electrolytes into high‐energy, market‐ready batteries.

TIM-3 inhibition enhances breast tumor progression and metastasis: A paradoxical immune checkpoint response

A Solid State Zwitterionic Plastic Crystal With High Static Dielectric Constant

ABSTRACT Solid materials with a high dielectric constant have a wide range of applications in the energy storage field. In this research, an imidazolium‐based zwitterion is designed, synthesized, and confirmed to have a plastic crystal phase based on the following experimental and computational evidence: (i) the presence of long‐range order with weak intermolecular forces and competing attractive‐repulsive interactions along different crystallographic directions; (ii) the observation of more than one endotherm on heating including a solid‐solid phase transition at T s‐s = −26 °C and melting of the plastic crystal at T m = 72°C; (iii) a low entropy of fusion at melting (2.1 JK −1 mol −1 ); (iv) a strongly anisotropic morphology; (v) relatively fast dynamics originating from short‐range degrees of freedom. Furthermore, it exhibits a very high dielectric constant in the plastic crystal solid state (147 at −10°C and 103 at 70°C) due to the rotational degrees of freedom of plastic crystals that arise from weak net intermolecular interactions of zwitterions due to only having two carbons between the anion and cation. This material conveniently remains in the plastic crystal phase within 50 K of ambient temperature. This discovery opens new opportunities in the search for solid‐state high dielectric constant materials.

Ferroelectric‐Configured In‐Sensor Dynamic Computing with 2D Perovskites for Dim Object Recognition

ABSTRACT Machine vision systems face significant challenges in accurately extracting critical features from dim objects under complex scenarios. Here, we demonstrate a ferroelectric‐configured weight‐reconfigurable photovoltaic device array for in‐sensor dynamic computing, enabling robust recognition of dim objects. A series of 2D perovskite ferroelectric nanoplates with controllable size, high crystallinity, and excellent yield are directly synthesized. Reconfigurable and nonvolatile photovoltaics in a graphene/ferroelectric/graphene heterostructure are modulated through switchable ferroelectric polarization. Leveraging the ferroelectric‐configured photoresponsivity, a convolution kernel optoelectronic sensor array with dynamic correlation of adjacent units is designed for in‐sensor dynamic computing. Compared with traditional static optoelectronic convolution processing, our approach selectively amplifies subtle differences of local image pixels, enabling effective edge feature extraction even in low‐contrast scenes. Integrated with a convolutional neural network, the system significantly enhances the robustness and accuracy of dim object detection, offering a promising platform for advanced machine vision applications.