Researchers have shown that nonaqueous solvent molecules can serve as active interfacial ligands rather than passive transport media. At a layered cyano-bridged metal framework, outer-layer ligands accelerate lithium-ion solvation renewal, while interlayer ligands stabilize a low-curvature surface that strengthens anion anchoring. The cooperative interface raises lithium-ion conductivity and selectivity, and a molecular descriptor based on ligand polarity symmetry provides a route toward predictive solvent selection.

Underwater gliders can cruise for months and cover thousands of kilometres, but one glider can sample only a small slice of the ocean. A review in Ocean maps how researchers have turned these platforms into coordinated fleets for observing ocean phenomena and detecting underwater targets. It also charts the control, communication, and planning methods that could make such fleets self-healing and energy-aware.

Low-quality brines represent an abundant and valuable resource for sustainable lithium supply, but their high Mg²⁺ concentrations and high Mg²⁺/Li⁺ ratios make the separation of Mg²⁺ and Li⁺ particularly challenging. A research team at Tsinghua University has developed a polyelectrolyte-intercalated graphene oxide membrane with tunable interlayer spacing, in which the effective interlayer gallery width was controlled through counter-ion adsorption, enabling efficient Mg²⁺/Li⁺ separation under high Mg²⁺ concentrations and high Mg²⁺/Li⁺ ratios through practical pressure-driven filtration.

Stable quantum dot (QD) inks are critical yet challenging for advancing the efficiency and scalability of solution-processed optoelectronic devices. PbS-PbI₂ QDs are attractive for their superior passivation and inter-dot coupling, but require strongly-coordinating alkylamine solvents which continuously etch the QDs and lead to rapid ink degradation. Research teams from Northeast Normal University in China and Jeonbuk National University in Korea reported a vapor-assisted pre-solvation strategy, extending the storage-lifetime of PbS-PbI₂ QDs over 60 days, ensuring outstanding thermal robustness and demonstrating scalable manufacturing potential of QDs.

Cu-doped Er₂O₃ catalysts (Cu-Er₂O₃-x) are synthesized to overcome kinetic, selectivity and proton supply issues of CO₂RR to CH₄. Cu doping creates a strong built-in electric field (BIEF) via charge redistribution, shortening *H-catalyst distance, boosting water dissociation and optimizing *CHO adsorption. The best Cu-Er₂O₃-6 reaches 60.79% CH₄ Faradaic efficiency with stable performance over 24 h. Characterizations and DFT verify BIEF accelerates proton transfer and lowers the barrier of the rate-determining *CHO→*CH₂O step. This work proposes a BIEF regulation strategy to design high-selectivity CH₄ electrocatalysts for carbon neutrality.