With the widespread adoption of 5G communication and smart devices, electromagnetic radiation and interference have become critical issues affecting electronic equipment operation and human health. A research team led by Professor Guanglei Wu and Associate Professor Zirui Jia from Qingdao University has developed a novel CoS₂/NiS₂@HCNFs composite material. By employing an innovative strategy that combines bimetallic sulfide heterointerfaces with sulfur vacancies, they have successfully resolved the core challenge of balancing impedance matching and loss capability in traditional electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials. This material achieves an ultra-wide absorption bandwidth of 10.08 GHz at a minimal thickness of 2.6 mm, representing a 61% performance improvement over single-metal systems. It offers a lightweight, high-efficiency solution for electromagnetic protection, stealth technology, and 5G device shielding.

Straintronics exploits the optical and electrical properties of layered materials through mechanical deformation, offering a facile and efficient approach for device optimization. Layered ZrSe₃, an in-plane anisotropic two-dimensional material, exhibits large strain response on the band structure, has emerged as an ideal candidate next-generation Straintronics.

High-nickel batteries with manganese-rich protective shells are emerging as a cheaper and more sustainable alternative for electric vehicles. However, a study at Hanyang University reveals that exposing battery precursor materials to air alters manganese chemistry, creating reactive surface defects that accelerate electrolyte breakdown and cause battery degradation. A simple adjustment in lithium content during synthesis can suppress these defects and restore stability, helping manufacturers develop longer-lasting, high-energy batteries for future electric vehicles.

Researchers at The University of Manchester have revealed how intense electronic excitation can trigger rapid structural changes in metals – without heating the atomic lattice – offering new insight into ultrafast materials behaviour.

Nanocarbons are molecular-scale carbon structures considered to be the building blocks for next-generation materials. Until now, scientists have built them by fusing small, flat carbon molecules together at their edges. Modifying the inside of a molecule was considered challenging because inner bonds are locked into flat, rigid structures that resist change.

Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have shown that a chemical process focused on the interior of a molecular structure can create chiral nanocarbons. Like our hands, these molecules exist in mirror-image left- and right-handed forms. The method, known as skeletal editing, allowed the research team to cut and reform bonds inside common flat carbon molecules, such as small pieces of graphene. They could then build new chiral nanocarbons in various shapes, including molecules with 10-carbon rings and a double helix. 

These new molecules do surprising things. They all glow with light that spirals as it travels. Two can hold multiple electrical charges without breaking. One of them also keeps its handed shape even at 280 degrees Celsius. Another assembles into a porous crystal that can trap and release carbon dioxide, a property that could be useful for gas storage materials. The findings were published in Nature Communications.

Researchers from Sun Yat-sen University and UNSW Sydney have developed a dual-side electrosynthesis system that simultaneously converts plastic waste and biowaste into Succinic Acid, a key building block for biodegradable plastics, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemicals. By directing both the anodic and cathodic reactions toward the same target product, the system achieves an unprecedented succinic acid yield of 169.1%, surpassing the conventional single-electrode limit. The process combines the electrooxidation of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)-derived 1,4-butanediol and the electroreduction of biomass-derived maleic acid, demonstrating a profitable and scalable pathway for circular chemical manufacturing.