A new series of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), donated as USC-CP-5-R, have been constructed using 14-connected metal-organic polyhedra as super-molecular building blocks (SBBs), exhibiting ultrahigh water stability. Functionalized with variable hydrophilic groups enables systematic tuning of the water adsorption performances, including uptake capacity and inflection point (a). These frameworks can efficiently capture atmospheric moisture, even in arid environments and can release collected water using low-grade solar thermal energy, highlighting their potential as a sustainable solution for freshwater production in water-scarce regions.

The team of Yanjun Jiang from Hebei University of Technology has constructed an efficient asymmetric reduction system for the synthesis of chiral alcohols by coupling electrochemical coenzyme regeneration with immobilized enzymes.

In this study, a novel facile and versatile solid phase seed-mediated confined strategy is reported for the synthesis of atomically ordered non-precious Ni₃Ga₁ intermetallic nanocubes encapsulated in N-doped carbon layer. The resulting confined nanocubes demonstrate exceptional activity and exclusive selectivity in the 1,4-hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds while maintaining high stability over multiple reaction cycles without performance degradation.

Inspired by dragonfly eyes, researchers at Fudan University have developed a self-driven polarization-sensitive ferroelectric photomemristor that dramatically improves the recognition of low-contrast images. The developed devices combine anisotropic rhenium diselenide with ferroelectric single-crystalline DIPAB, enabling real-time, in-sensor image enhancement and achieving up to 85.9% recognition accuracy—nearly double that of traditional photomemristors.

Researchers have reviewed recent advances in electrocaloric (EC) cooling devices, highlighting their potential as compact, energy-efficient alternatives to conventional refrigeration technologies. The study, published in the open-access journal Thermo-X, summarizes the latest developments in device architectures, thermodynamic cycles, and performance evaluation methods for electrocaloric cooling systems.

As the world searches for cleaner ways to store and convert energy, scientists are turning to an unlikely source of high-performance materials: biomass. A review published in Biochar examines how biomass-derived materials, especially biomass-derived carbon materials, are being developed for energy storage devices and electrocatalytic energy conversion systems, including supercapacitors, fuel cells, water electrolysis, and carbon dioxide reduction.

With the development of quantum chips, quantum communication is becoming essential for quantum computing and quantum networks. Flying Qubits, quantum information carried by photons, play a vital role in transferring data between nodes. Prof. Guofeng ZHANG, Professor of Department of Applied Mathematics of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is dedicated to developing precise control methods for flying qubits, aiming to significantly improve the reliability and fidelity of quantum information transfer in future technologies.

Electrochemical oxidation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) offers a sustainable route to produce value-added chemicals, yet its efficiency is often limited by sluggish charge transfer and interfacial reaction kinetics. In this work, a CeO₂/β-Ni(OH)₂ heterojunction electrode was constructed via an in situ electrodeposition strategy. The built-in electric field formed at the heterointerface promotes directional charge transfer and accelerates the formation of active NiOOH species, while the introduction of CeO₂ significantly enhances surface hydrophilicity and substrate affinity. The synergistic regulation of interfacial electric field and wettability enables efficient electron–proton transfer, resulting in markedly improved HMF electrooxidation performance. This study highlights an effective interface-engineering strategy for boosting biomass electrocatalysis.

For a century, light’s wave-particle duality has reshaped physics, yet spectrometers have long relied solely on light’s wave nature—resulting in unavoidable tradeoffs between resolution, spectral range, and device size. A team from Tsinghua University presents a comprehensive review, featured on the cover of Nano Research, that, for the first time, systematically explores the evolution of spectrometer designs through the lens of wave-particle duality, contrasting traditional wave-based methods with innovative particle-based approaches that enhance performance while minimizing device size. By examining the principles and advancements in both paradigms, the review provides valuable insights into the future of compact and high-performance spectral detection technologies.