Layered oxides have attracted significant attention as cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their compositional versatility and tuneable electrochemical performance. However, these materials still face challenges such as structural phase transitions, Na⁺/vacancy ordering, and Jahn–Teller distortion effect, resulting in severe capacity decay and sluggish ion kinetics. We develop a novel Cu/Y dual-doping strategy that leads to the formation of "Na–Y" interlayer aggregates, which act as structural pillars within alkali metal layers, enhancing structural stability and disrupting the ordered arrangement of Na⁺/vacancies. This disruption leads to a unique coexistence of ordered and disordered Na⁺/vacancy states with near-zero strain, which significantly improves Na⁺ diffusion kinetics. This structural innovation not only mitigates the unfavorable P2–O2 phase transition but also facilitates rapid ion transport. As a result, the doped material demonstrates exceptional electrochemical performance, including an ultra-long cycle life of 3000 cycles at 10 C and an outstanding high-rate capability of ~70 mAh g⁻¹ at 50 C. The discovery of this novel interlayer pillar, along with its role in modulating Na⁺/vacancy arrangements, provides a fresh perspective on engineering layered oxides. It opens up promising new pathways for the structural design of advanced cathode materials toward efficient, stable, and high-rate SIBs.

In a study published in Robot Learning journal, researchers propose a new learning-based path planning framework that allows mobile robots to navigate safely and efficiently using a Transformer model. By learning from Improved RRT* with Reduced Random Map Size path-planning algorithms and combining this knowledge with a modified right-of-way rule, the system enables reliable navigation and replanning in dynamic multi-robot environments.

As an innovative subtype of invasive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), the Endovascular Brain-Computer Interface (EBCI) enables electrode delivery to target brain regions via endovascular intervention without craniotomy, combining high signal acquisition precision with minimally invasive safety.

In the lush landscapes of tropical agriculture, two waste products—oyster shells from the sea and coconut shells from the trees—are being combined to solve a major headache for farmers: how to turn animal manure into high-quality compost faster and more effectively. A study recently published in Carbon Research reveals that a unique "Ca-modified biochar" can act as a powerful catalyst for the composting process. Developed by a research team at Hainan University, this new material helps transform pig manure and rice straw into stable, nutrient-rich humus, significantly boosting the quality of the final fertilizer.

Professor Zhen Zhang's research group at the State Key Laboratory of Bionic Interface Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, proposed and constructed a neuromorphic computing system based on a cascaded van der Waals heterostructure two-dimensional nanofluidic membrane, achieving light-driven electron-ion coupling to simulate neural signal transmission and neuromorphic visual information processing. The article was published as an open access Research Article in CCS Chemistry, the flagship journal of the Chinese Chemical Society.