A three-decade study in southern China reveals that the physical arrangement of soil particles has a greater influence on the biochemical nature of stored carbon than the type of fertilizer applied.

A long-term agricultural experiment has revealed that the physical structure of soil is more important than the type of fertilizer used in determining the chemical makeup of stored organic carbon. After 32 years of consistent fertilization treatments, researchers from Tianjin Normal University and partner institutions discovered that the size of soil particles where organic matter is stored has the primary influence on its biochemical properties, a finding with significant implications for soil management and carbon sequestration strategies.

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) have emerged as a leading platform for next-generation display technologies, gaining substantial research attention in recent years. Among various patterning strategies, direct photolithography offers distinct advantages through its high resolution, throughput, and process simplicity. However, current direct photolithography approaches face critical limitations in resolution and device performance, primarily arising from surface defect generation and photodamage of quantum dots (QDs) caused by deep-ultraviolet exposure and photochemical byproducts. To overcome these challenges, Xiang, Zhang, and Gu et al.  present a novel benzophenone-derived photosensitive crosslinker featuring a byproduct-free C–H insertion mechanism with native ligands of QDs. Through precise structure design, the photo-absorption of the crosslinker extends to 365 nm, allowing the long-awaited QD patterning under standard i-line photolithography conditions. The developed crosslinker achieves unprecedented patterning resolution (pixel size ≈500 nm) with preserved photoluminescent characteristics. Corresponding QLED devices demonstrate remarkable performance enhancements, including a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 16.48% and a T₉₅ operational lifetime of 2258.3 hours (approximately 2.1 times longer than pristine devices). These advancements establish a promising pathway toward high-resolution and high-performance QLEDs, thereby accelerating the commercialization of high-end optoelectronic devices.

A multidisciplinary research team has developed a solar-powered photothermal-photocatalytic synergistic platform (SPSP) capable of simultaneously producing fresh water from seawater and degrading antibiotic pollutants. Published in Nano Research on August 21, 2025, the designed SPSP system demonstrates high efficiency in both water evaporation and contaminant removal, thus providing a sustainable, low-carbon solution for integrated water purification and agricultural irrigation.

Researchers from the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Harbin Institute of Technology, led by Professor Jiao's team, report a photoelectrochemical photodetector that integrates α-Ga₂O₃ nanorod arrays with CdS quantum dots. By exploiting the pyro-phototronic effect, the device operates at zero-bias, and exhibits a broadband spectral response from 220 to 700 nm with responsivities of 0.99 mA W⁻¹ at 254 nm and 1.48 mA W⁻¹ at 450 nm. The rise and fall times are 30 ms and 24 ms, respectively. Furthermore, the detector executes “AND”, “OR”, and “NOT” logic functions and successfully transmits the optical message “HIT”. These results provide a route toward broadband, fast-response, and low-power optoelectronic modules for optical communication and sensing.

A team of researchers has developed chiral plasmonic nanocatalysts that significantly enhance the efficiency and selectivity of converting CO₂ into methane using circularly polarized light. The catalysts, featuring helical gold-silver nanorods coated with mesoporous silica, achieve 95.8% electron selectivity for methane production—a 3.1-fold improvement over conventional catalysts—while suppressing competing hydrogen evolution. This breakthrough demonstrates the potential of polarization-controlled photocatalysis for sustainable fuel synthesis and CO₂ valorization.

A new study reveals a GaTe/PdSe₂ van der Waals heterostructure with unique type-II band alignment and reverse rectification. This device achieves remarkably low dark current, high reverse rectification ratio, and exceptional responsivity across an ultra-broad spectrum from ultraviolet to near-infrared (365–940 nm). It also demonstrates high polarization sensitivity, making it a versatile platform for next-generation advanced photodetection and optical communication applications.