Ammonium-ion (NH₄⁺) supercapacitors are attractive for safe, low-cost energy storage, yet their progress is limited by modest rate capability and an incomplete picture of hydrogen-bond-mediated charge storage. Here, we report a carbon derived from zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) hosting ultrasmall Ni clusters (ZnC@Ni) that overcomes both hurdles. Relative to the corresponding Ni-free carbon (ZnC), ZnC@Ni exhibits a ~98.0% increase in specific capacitance, ~16.0% improvement in rate capability, and 93.4% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles in a three-electrode configuration. Symmetric devices assembled from ZnC@Ni deliver 81.9 Wh kg^-1 at 922.5 W kg^-1 and retain 92.7% of their initial capacitance after 10,000 cycles. Electrochemical comparisons support improved charge-transfer behavior following Ni incorporation, while ab initio calculations suggest more favorable NH₄⁺ adsorption on the modeled ZnC@Ni surface. The calculated NH₄⁺-water association also suggests that its affinity for water may favor hydration-shell recovery following desorption into the electrolyte. These findings establish Ni-cluster-carbon architectures as an effective route to activate hydrogen-bond-assisted charge storage in NH₄⁺ supercapacitors and provide a mechanistic framework for designing high-rate, durable aqueous supercapacitors.

Electrospun piezoelectric nanofibers offer flexibility and structural tunability for sensing and energy harvesting. This review links molecular, fiber, and network structures to the mechanisms governing device-level mechanoelectrical performance. It examines how crystalline phase and molecular conformation, fiber geometry and alignment, and interfacial coupling regulate polarization, stress transfer, and charge transport. Device architecture, charge collection, measurement conditions, and performance metrics are assessed to clarify the relationship between material properties and reported outputs and support meaningful comparison across studies. Applications in energy harvesting, wearable health monitoring, and human-machine interfaces illustrate progress from individual sensing elements toward intelligent systems. Challenges in scalable fabrication, standardized evaluation, long-term reliability, and system integration are discussed. The resulting analysis guides material selection, fiber-network design, and device evaluation for specific applications.

Current humanoid robots face persistent mechanical challenges in combining load-bearing capacity, dexterity, and compliance within compact structures, limiting their ability to perform versatile tasks and interact safely with humans. As the foundation of upper limb movement, the shoulder joint is critical to humanoid robots to perform manipulation, human-robot interaction, and other complex tasks. In this review, we outline the biological principle of human shoulder joints and critically review the research progress of robotic shoulder joints, with particular attention to their flexibility and stability. Based on the system architecture, we propose a clear taxonomy classifying robotic shoulder joints into drive-transmission integrated and drive-transmission separated systems, analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of different architectures. By comparing current robotic shoulder joints against the biological human shoulder joint, we ultimately identify core challenges and potential design trends for next-generation bionic shoulder joints intended for humanoid robots.

Flexible lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric sensing technology combines high electromechanical coupling with mechanical conformability, enabling high-sensitivity perception of dynamic mechanical stimuli across broad frequency ranges. By integrating high-performance PZT materials with flexible substrates and high-density sensor arrays, this technology supports wearable physiological monitoring, tactile and structural sensing, acoustic detection, ultrasonic imaging and multimodal perception. The central challenge lies in simultaneously optimizing piezoelectric response, signal fidelity, long-term reliability and integration feasibility. A key tension arises from the need to reconcile the intrinsically high piezoelectric coefficients and strong electromechanical coupling of PZT with the mechanical compliance and low-temperature processability required by flexible substrates. This trade-off ultimately governs device sensitivity, conformability and manufacturing scalability. Recent advances in material modification, interfacial engineering, strain-transfer enhancement and signal conditioning are improving sensing sensitivity, bandwidth, spatial resolution and dynamic-event recognition. This review systematically examines the electromechanical transduction mechanisms, flexible fabrication strategies, performance-enhancement approaches and cross-frequency-domain applications of flexible PZT sensors. Rather than focusing primarily on material properties or individual sensors, it further highlights co-optimization strategies involving materials, mechanical coupling and signal conditioning, providing a system-level roadmap for developing stable, broadband and intelligent flexible PZT sensing systems for complex dynamic environments.

Multiband-regulating electrochromic smart windows (MRESWs) extend electrochromic control across the visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared regions, enabling coordinated control of daylight, solar heat gain, and thermal radiation. Recent advances in materials, device architectures, and spectral regulation have demonstrated their considerable potential for building energy management. However, translating these laboratory achievements into practical window products remains challenging, particularly in material and device design, large-area manufacturing, long-term reliability, and building-level economic viability. This perspective discusses these key barriers and proposes a chemical product engineering strategy for the future development of MRESWs. In this framework, building requirements are first translated into product specifications, which subsequently guide material selection, device architecture, manufacturing, and reliability design, while building performance and economic evaluation provide feedback for further optimization. Integrating these considerations throughout the development process may accelerate the transition of MRESWs from advanced spectral regulation toward scalable and practical building products.

Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) combine the multi-response informational properties of optics and the high porosity, and tunability properties of framework materials. They exhibit behavior similar to that of neuronal olfactory receptors (ORs) in terms of their structure and signal response properties, therefore making them a promising candidate materials for the construction of bionic olfactory systems. The sensitive and diverse responses of LMOFs to the composition and concentration of gaseous environments originate from their ordered porous structures, tunable and diverse luminescent sensing pathways, and host-guest interaction behaviors, enabling their widespread application in the construction of bionic olfactory systems for environmental and industrial monitoring, breath and biomarker detection, the food industry, and high-risk environments. This paper adopts a bottom-up perspective to systematically review design strategies for bionic ORs from the standpoint of functional group sensitivity in odor molecules. These strategies include methods for the preparation and modulation of LMOFs, signal transduction mechanisms, and luminescent sensing pathways, as well as the diverse design and material selection of ORs. This perspective not only offers new insights into the design and selection of odor-sensing materials but also provides a reference and basis for the design of bionic olfactory systems through the intrinsic connection between microscopic luminescent sensing mechanisms and signal transduction mechanisms. This paper provides a review and discusses the prospects for the design of bionic olfactory ORs, promoting the development of this field from basic research on sensor materials toward application-oriented bionic olfactory systems, and extending the transition from artificial intelligence to embodied intelligence to the field of olfaction.

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is moving from laboratory demonstrations toward network deployment, and integrated photonic chips provide a hardware route for compact, stable and scalable systems. This review summarizes progress in integrated photonic chips for QKD from protocol requirements to deployable systems. It first examines how decoy-state BB84, measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD), twin-field QKD (TF-QKD), continuous-variable QKD (CV-QKD) and device-independent QKD (DI-QKD) constrain chip metrics such as loss, modulation accuracy, state indistinguishability, phase stability, synchronization and security monitoring. It then compares planar lightwave circuit (PLC), silicon photonics, silicon nitride, thin-film lithium niobate, indium phosphide (InP) and heterogeneous platforms in terms of routing loss, modulation speed, stable interference, source integration and detector interfaces. Transmitter and receiver architectures, coherent detection, single-photon detection interfaces and on-chip monitoring are discussed as system-level building blocks. The review further analyses phase stability, packaging coupling, thermal management, polarization control, network coexistence and reliability, emphasizing that deployable QKD chips must remain calibratable and compatible with security models under realistic operation. Finally, system demonstrations, network deployment and practical security are discussed within a unified evaluation framework. Throughout, we argue that integration benefits QKD only when compact routing, stable interference, calibration access and manufacturable packaging jointly keep the device inside the assumptions of its security proof; accordingly, chip performance should be judged by mapped, calibratable security parameters rather than by integration density alone.

Cryopreservation technologies have important applications in healthcare, biodiversity, and food sustainability, but post-rewarming viability in preserved biosystems is limited by ice-induced damage and cryoprotective agent toxicity. Vitrification, also known as ‘ice-free’ cryopreservation, suppresses ice formation and offers significant promise, but typically requires rapid heat transfer, high cryoprotective agent concentrations, or both. Recent success using a “cryomesh” approach can cryopreserve both organisms and organoids in a vitrified state through improved heat transfer. This perspective presents a materials-centered framework for designing next-generation cryomesh to further improve cryopreservation efficacy. Building on established mechanisms, cryomesh performance and post-rewarming viability could be further improved through material selection, hierarchical microstructures, and surface engineering. Proposed strategies include thermally conductive materials, wettable coatings, and stimuli-responsive materials for controlled, automated sample recovery. We emphasize the critical importance of device-level validation under relevant conditions rather than evaluation by thermal conductivity or function alone. By integrating heat transfer, interfacial phenomena, and sample handling, this perspective outlines design priorities for scalable, high-throughput cryopreservation.

Reversible electrodeposition (RED) electrochromic technology offers a promising approach to achieving deep privacy states with visible-light transmittance below 0.1% by electrically controlling the reversible formation and dissolution of electrodeposited layers. However, when dark-state transmittance approaches zero, dense and continuous metallic layers may reflect part of the blocked visible light back into the external environment because of their strong specular reflection, potentially leading to glare and light pollution. Therefore, the future development of RED smart windows should shift from simply minimizing dark-state transmittance toward coordinated management of transmission, reflection, and absorption, with particular emphasis on suppressing specular reflection while maintaining deep light blocking. In this Perspective, we discuss future directions for low-reflection light management in next-generation RED smart windows. Three possible strategies are proposed: controlling deposit morphology through morphology engineering and deposition kinetics to enhance light absorption and scattering while maintaining high surface coverage; introducing absorbing electrodeposition materials and multicomponent synergy to strengthen optical absorption; and using multilayer structures to spatially distribute optical functions along the light-propagation direction. These strategies are expected to enable ultralow transmittance while reducing specular reflection, thereby improving glare control in RED smart windows.

Civil infrastructure is continuously exposed to low-frequency mechanical excitations from vehicles, pedestrians, wind vibration, and water flow during service, making in situ mechanical energy harvesting a promising route for self-powered structural health monitoring and cathodic protection. However, conventional cement-based triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are limited by intrinsic brittleness, poor cycling stability, and inefficient charge transfer, which restrict their practical application in civil engineering environments. Herein, a carbon black (CB)-modified engineered cementitious composite (ECC) triboelectric nanogenerator, denoted as CBECC-TENGs, is developed by incorporating conductive CB into a highly ductile cement-based matrix. The optimized CB content synergistically regulates the surface roughness, pore structure, and electrical conductivity of ECC, thereby enhancing interfacial contact electrification, charge transport, and triboelectric output. COMSOL simulations reveal the potential evolution and charge transfer behavior during the contact-separation process. The CBECC-TENGs retain approximately 90% of their initial output after 5,000 cycles, indicating promising preliminary cycling stability. Moreover, the self-powered cathodic protection system shifts the open-circuit potential of carbon steel in chloride solution from -0.28 to -0.33 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and effectively suppresses rust formation. This work provides a feasible strategy for developing ductile, durable, and energy-harvesting cement-based TENGs for smart civil infrastructure.

Janus and core-shell structures are among the most fundamental dual-chamber architectures for advanced functional materials. However, compared to electrospun core-shell nanofibers, electrospun Janus nanofibers have been extremely limited over the past three decades. This commentary examines the evolution of side-by-side electrospinning and Janus nanofibers. This limitation stems from the electrostatic repulsion between working fluids, posing a significant challenge to the formation of integrated Janus nanofibers. As increasing efforts have been devoted to this issue, new insights have emerged for resolving it through rational spinneret design and modifications to electrospinning processes. To bridge this gap in Janus-nanofiber-based devices and products, several key directions are proposed: (i) designing novel spinneret structures as templates for Janus nanofibers; (ii) scaled-up production via the newly developed "needle-in-hole" electrospinning technique; (iii) strategies for large-scale manufacturing of potential commercial products; and (iv) novel complex tri-chamber architectures.

Redox-active ligands, metal complexes, and larger coordination frameworks are chemically precise, responsive building blocks for smart materials, molecular electronics, energy storage, and neuromorphic device concepts. However, their redox behavior depends strongly on the experimental regime in which it is probed. Bulk electrochemistry, confined nanodroplet methods, electrochemical scanning probe microscopy, tunneling spectroscopy, and synchrotron-coupled nanospectroscopy often probe the same molecular event through fundamentally different physical observables. In this mini-review, we use polyoxometalates as a guiding molecular class to compare redox behavior across three length-scale regimes: bulk ensembles, confined nanoscale assemblies, and single-molecule or few-molecule junctions. We discuss cyclic voltammetry, scanning electrochemical probe methods, electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy, scanning tunneling spectroscopy, electron-spin-resonance scanning tunneling microscopy (ESR-STM), scattering-type near-field optical microscopy, and synchrotron nanospectroscopic methods. We argue that advanced scanning probe microscopy provides the missing conceptual and experimental bridge between classical electrochemical redox potentials and nanoscale electronic charge and spin structure, enabling a regime-aware design language for redox-programmable molecular materials.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a versatile class of porous nanomaterials for cancer therapy owing to their programmable compositions, ordered architectures, and multifunctional properties. Among them, meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP)-based MOFs have attracted particular attention because the porphyrinic ligand serves not only as a structural building block but also as an intrinsic photosensitizer and sonosensitizer, while framework metal nodes provide catalytic, imaging, and radiosensitizing functions. The synergistic integration of these components enables TCPP-based MOFs to function as multifunctional theranostic platforms rather than conventional drug carriers. In this Perspective, we organize recent advances around a structure–active center–mechanism–therapeutic outcome framework for interpreting TCPP-based MOFs in cancer theranostics. We first discuss the coordination chemistry of TCPP, representative framework topologies, and the distinct roles of metalloporphyrin centers and framework metal nodes in regulating reactive oxygen species generation, catalytic activity, ferroptosis, and multimodal imaging. We then use this framework to examine their applications in photodynamic, chemodynamic, sonodynamic, radiotherapy/radiosensitization, and radiodynamic strategies, as well as drug-delivery-enabled combination therapy and image-guided theranostics. Finally, we highlight current challenges associated with biosafety, degradation, scalable synthesis, and biological barriers, and outline future opportunities for developing structurally programmable, stimulus-responsive, and clinically translatable TCPP-based MOFs for precision oncology.

Electrochromic (EC) glazing can regulate solar heat gain, but the control signal affects the balance between cooling and heating energy use. This study compares the Load strategy, which uses predicted sensible load, with the fixed temperature-based T24 strategy, which uses a 24 °C upper switching threshold. Both strategies were implemented through the EnergyPlus Energy Management System (EMS) under identical building, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC), thermostat, weather, and EC glazing conditions across 384 worldwide EnergyPlus Weather (EPW) records. EC (Load) reduced cooling electricity across most climates but increased heating gas use, with larger penalties in colder regions. The resulting annual energy-use intensity (EUI) was 146.54 kWh m^-2 year^-1 for EC (Load) and 145.23 kWh m^-2 year^-1 for EC (T24), while the carbon-equivalent response varied geographically because of the competing electricity and heating effects. These results indicate that the Load strategy primarily redistributes energy use between cooling and heating rather than providing a universal annual-energy advantage, thereby demonstrating the climate-dependent energy trade-offs associated with this strategy.

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is regarded as a practical hydrogen production method due to its advantages such as smaller resistance loss, higher current density, and higher hydrogen purity. However, the efficiency of PEMWE technology is severely hindered by the slow kinetics and the high reaction barrier of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Therefore, developing cost-effective, efficient, and stable OER electrocatalysts is urgently needed. The RuO₂-based electrocatalysts have been proven to be promising alternatives to Ir-based catalysts due to their excellent electrocatalytic activity and high adaptability in acidic environments. This review comprehensively summarizes and discusses the morphological control strategies, advanced modification strategies, and structural synergy of RuO₂ catalysts. Furthermore, the composition and industrial development status of PEMWE are elaborated, along with the current research progress of RuO₂ as an anode in electrolysis. Finally, relevant suggestions for RuO₂ research and practical applications are presented, the challenges facing practical deployment are analyzed, and future research directions are outlined.

Electrochromic devices (ECDs), featuring passive optical modulation, backlight-free operation, and bistable low-power characteristics, are promising candidates for energy-efficient display applications. However, wide-gamut color modulation in electrochromic displays is hampered by both the narrow spectral tunability of conventional materials and the fabrication complexity of existing wide‑gamut devices. Herein, we develop an approach to achieving reversible wide-gamut color switching by depositing ellipsoidal metallic nanoparticles and an electrochromic WO₃ layer in series. Specifically, the dielectric environment surrounding the metallic nanoparticles is dynamically altered by electrochemically modulating the refractive index of the WO₃ layer, enabling precise tuning of the localized surface plasmon resonance absorption peak. As a result, a broad collective color gamut spanning the visible spectrum is achieved through Ag NP dimension engineering. In addition, the Ag nanoparticles (NPs)/WO₃ working electrode exhibits a low electrode-level average coloration power density of 4 W m^-2. We believe the results demonstrated in this work provide a new strategy for electrochromic display devices.

Zeolite materials, featuring well-defined pore architectures, tunable framework structures, ion-exchange capability, and favorable thermal stability, have been widely utilized in catalysis, adsorption, and separation processes. Recent advances in synthetic strategies and functional modification have further extended their utility into a diverse range of emerging interdisciplinary fields. This review systematically surveys recent progress in zeolite synthesis and applications, with particular emphasis on elucidating the relationships among synthetic strategies, structural modulation, and resultant performance. Representative synthetic approaches, including hydrothermal, sonochemical, microwave-assisted, mechanochemical, dry-gel conversion, and molten-salt synthesis, are discussed in terms of their effects on crystal size, morphology, pore hierarchy, and framework composition. The emerging applications of zeolite materials in biomedicine, energy storage and conversion, and intelligent sensing are subsequently examined. In biomedical contexts, zeolite materials have shown promise in drug delivery, bone regeneration, diagnostic imaging, and wound hemostasis, attributable to their controllable loading behavior, favorable ion-release properties, and biocompatibility. As for energy-related applications, they have been employed in electrochemical energy storage, separator modification, hydrogen storage, and thermal energy storage, achieved through precise pore structure regulation and interface engineering. In the realm of intelligent sensing, zeolite materials have evolved from passive sieving media into active functional components with enhanced selectivity and signal responsiveness. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the synthesis and functional applications of zeolites and discusses their prospects across a broad range of emerging interdisciplinary fields.

Organic anti-corrosion coatings are extensively used to protect metallic structures, but conventional coatings mainly serve as passive barriers and offer limited information on concealed interfacial degradation. Once corrosive media pass through pores, cracks, or local delamination, under-coating corrosion may begin before visible rusting or coating blistering becomes evident. Early, in situ, and real-time monitoring of coating degradation is therefore necessary for assessing coating performance, clarifying failure mechanisms, and supporting timely maintenance. This review presents recent advances in corrosion monitoring technologies for anti-corrosion coatings. Electrochemical sensing methods, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, electrochemical noise monitoring, and galvanic corrosion sensors, are examined with respect to their signal mechanisms, sensor configurations, and suitability for service-state assessment. Optical and electromagnetic sensing techniques are subsequently reviewed for nondestructive and spatially resolved detection of under-coating corrosion. Special attention is given to corrosion-sensing coatings that introduce responsive molecules or micro/nanocontainers into coating matrices to realize pH- or metal ion-triggered fluorescent and colorimetric warning. Finally, the major remaining challenges and future research directions are discussed, including high-sensitivity detection, long-term signal stability, multi-signal coupling, quantitative interpretation, and engineering implementation of intelligent coating systems.

Joint disorders, such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), significantly impair patients’ quality of life and pose persistent challenges for current clinical management. The articular cavity presents a uniquely challenging therapeutic environment characterized by dense avascular cartilage, stringent synovial barriers, rapid synovial fluid clearance, and complex dynamic mechanical loading. Conventional therapeutic strategies, ranging from systemic pharmacological administration and intra-articular (IA) injections to invasive surgical approaches, are severely constrained by poor local bioavailability, rapid drug clearance, off-target toxicity, and the inherent passivity of static scaffold designs. Consequently, there is an urgent need for intelligent platforms capable of responsively adapting to pathological microenvironments to orchestrate concurrent biochemical regulation and tissue reconstruction. This review summarizes recent advances in smart devices for joint tissue intervention and repair, focusing on multi-scale therapeutic strategies specifically for the management of arthritis and related joint disorders, encompassing microneedle (MN)-based systems and 3D-printed structural scaffolds. Finally, the primary translational bottlenecks and future perspectives of these technologies are outlined to guide next-generation joint therapeutics.

Smart windows are expected to improve building energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality, yet material-level optical modulation alone does not directly predict room-level optical and thermal responses. This study investigates the scenario-dependent performance of commercial stimuli-responsive smart windows through controlled chamber tests, outdoor chamber tests, full-scale office measurements, and a large-area skylight field case. Thermochromic windows (TCWs), electrochromic windows (ECWs), and polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) dimming films were evaluated in terms of spectral modulation, illuminance response, temperature variation, and spatial distribution. Controlled chamber tests showed that TCW transition depended jointly on transition temperature and radiation intensity, while ECW coloration was governed by driving voltage and radiation-induced surface heating. Outdoor chamber tests further revealed that side-window modulation and skylight transmittance jointly shaped indoor daylight and heat gain. In the two tested south-facing office rooms, the passively operated TCW room exhibited longer daylight availability and a more spatially distributed illuminance profile through diffuse transmission, together with higher indoor temperatures. The ECW room, maintained at the fixed T2 state, showed lower indoor temperatures but limited daylight during most occupied periods. The large-area skylight case showed that PDLC visual dimming reduced illuminance but provided limited thermal regulation because near-infrared transmittance remained high. These results show that the measured optical and temperature responses were jointly shaped by material response, building configuration, solar exposure, and operation strategy. Scenario-specific spectral design and adaptive control are important for aligning optical and thermal responses in building-envelope applications.

Smart electrochromic devices based on reversible electrodeposition/dissolution have attracted increasing attention owing to their large optical modulation, simplified device configuration, and potential multifunctionality. Different from conventional electrochromic systems relying on ion insertion/extraction in pre-deposited films, these devices offer dynamic optical regulation through reversible electrochemical deposition and dissolution at the electrode/electrolyte interface. In this review, recent progress in reversible electrodeposition-based electrochromic devices is summarized with emphasis on three representative families: reversible metal, iodine, and MnO₂ electrodeposition. For metal-based devices, deposition morphology, alloy composition, electrolyte regulation, and electrode surface modification are key factors determining optical contrast, color tunability, and cycling stability. For iodine systems, the suppression of the polyiodide shuttle and dead iodine formation is central to achieving stable neutral-color modulation. For MnO₂ systems, reversible Mn²⁺/MnO₂ conversion enables wide ultraviolet (UV)-visible modulation and multicolor states, while dead manganese residues and non-uniform deposition remain major challenges. Finally, the common design principles and system-specific trade-offs are compared and discussed, followed by an outlook on practical reliability, large-area fabrication, adaptive thermal regulation, and multifunctional integration. This review aims at inspiring future endeavors towards implementation of reversible (non-)metal electrodeposition-based smart electrochromic devices.

Photothermal phase change materials (PCMs) are emerging as one kind of multifunctional wearable energy materials that integrate latent-heat storage with solar-to-thermal conversion, electrothermal heating, radiative regulation, and intelligent sensing. Unlike conventional PCMs, wearable photothermal PCMs should simultaneously satisfy thermal performance, flexibility, breathability, leakage resistance, cycling stability, and skin compatibility. We summarize recent progress in photothermal PCMs for wearable thermal management and intelligent healthcare, focusing on material systems, energy-conversion mechanisms, and application scenarios. Shape-stabilized solid-liquid composites, intrinsically flexible solid-solid/polymeric PCMs, photothermal-filler-enhanced composites, and phase-change azobenzene (PC-Azo) molecular solar thermal (MOST) systems are discussed. Their applications in personal thermal management (PTM), solar-thermal/optically switched heat release, wearable thermotherapy, intelligent healthcare, wearable electronics, and self-powered systems are highlighted. Finally, key challenges and future opportunities are proposed, including human-centered evaluation standards, multimodal thermal regulation, epidermal phase-change hydrogels, phase-change solar thermal textiles, and AI-guided material design.

Seawater electrolysis is a promising route for sustainable hydrogen production, yet its practical deployment is severely restricted by the chloride-rich electrolyte environment, which imposes more stringent demands on anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts than conventional purified water electrolysis. Chloride ions not only trigger competing chlorine-related reactions but also accelerate catalyst corrosion, surface reconstruction, active-site degradation, and interfacial reaction complexity, making the rational design of active and durable chloride-resistant catalysts a central challenge in this field. In this context, synchrotron radiation (SR)-based spectroscopies have emerged as indispensable tools for bridging catalyst design and mechanistic understanding under operating conditions. In particular, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) enables direct probing of the oxidation state, electronic structure, and local coordination environment of catalytic centers, providing atomic-scale insights into chloride-induced structural evolution, active-site reconstruction, and stability regulation. SR-based infrared spectroscopy (SR-IR) offers molecular-level information on adsorbed intermediates, surface functional groups, and interfacial water structure, thereby revealing how chloride perturbs reaction pathways and interfacial chemistry during seawater electrolysis with large-scale applications in the future. This review first summarizes the fundamental challenges of seawater electrolysis, with emphasis on the critical role of chloride in governing catalyst selectivity and durability; it then introduces the basic principles and unique advantages of XAS and IR, highlighting their irreplaceable value in studying working electrocatalytic systems; subsequently, recent progress in applying these techniques to chloride-resistant catalyst design and reaction mechanism studies is discussed; finally, future opportunities are outlined, which are expected to substantially deepen the understanding of chloride-related processes and guide the rational development of efficient, robust, and low-cost catalysts for seawater electrolysis.

P2-type layered manganese-based oxides are promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) but suffer from structural instability and irreversible phase transitions. This study demonstrates that iron doping in P2-Na_2/3Li_1/6Fe_1/6Mn_2/3O₂ (NLFM) effectively reconfigures the structural and redox chemistry. Structural and electrochemical analyses reveal that Fe³⁺ incorporation expands the Na⁺ interlayer spacing, enhances reversible cationic (Fe³⁺/Fe⁴⁺) and anionic redox activity, and promotes a dominant surface-controlled charge storage mechanism. Consequently, the NLFM cathode delivers a high initial capacity of 225 mAh·g^-1 at 0.1 C, an impressive initial Coulombic efficiency of 110.21%, and superior cycling stability (73.6% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 1 C). Furthermore, Fe doping effectively mitigates the Jahn-Teller distortion and the reversible P2 to O2 phase transition at high voltages. This work highlights the multi-functional role of iron doping in stabilizing the structure and optimizing the redox chemistry of P2-type cathodes, providing an effective strategy for developing high-energy and durable SIBs cathodes.

In the past decades, multi-functional materials have attracted significant attention for applications in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, thermal management, and intelligent sensing. Extensive efforts have focused on developing conductive composites with enhanced functional performance. Increasing evidence indicates that the structural characteristics of conductive networks play a decisive role in determining material properties. Among various structural engineering strategies, oriented conductive networks have emerged as a highly effective platform for optimizing charge transport, heat transfer, and electromagnetic wave attenuation through the deliberate alignment of functional fillers. Unlike isotropic networks, oriented architectures provide new opportunities for achieving high performance with reduced filler loading by forming anisotropic transport pathways. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in multi-functional materials based on oriented conductive networks, with particular emphasis on the underlying structure–property relationships governing sensing, EMI shielding, and thermal management performances. The effects of filler characteristics, orientation degree, and structural features on functional properties are critically analyzed. More importantly, this review highlights oriented conductive networks as a universal structural design strategy for multifunctional materials and discusses emerging opportunities associated with advanced fabrication technologies, AI-assisted materials design, and integrated material–structure engineering. Finally, the remaining challenges and future perspectives regarding scalability, structural precision, reliability, and multifunctional integration are discussed to guide the future development of next-generation multifunctional composites.