A new self-healing polymer electrolyte that repairs itself within 30 minutes under mild heating, enabling lithium-metal batteries to achieve excellent electrochemical performance. The self-healing polymer electrolyte restores more than 98% of its original ionic conductivity after damage, offering a promising solution to the long-standing interface instability and dendrite growth problems in solid-state batteries.

Azo compounds are widely used in many applications, and photoelectrochemical synthesis provides a promising green route for producing them under mild conditions. Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China reported that Cs⁺-induced surface reconstruction of BiVO₄ photoanodes can stabilize the electrode interface, accelerate charge transfer, and promote efficient photoelectrochemical synthesis of azobenzene under illumination.

A new study published in the Chinese Journal of Aeronautics （https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cja.2025.103943） tries to break this deadlock. Researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University and Tsinghua University have developed a novel modeling framework called differential equation model long-short term memory neural network (DEM-LSTM). This hybrid approach integrates the theoretical rigor of differential equations with the nonlinear mapping capabilities of LSTM neural network, offering a solution that is both accurate and physically interpretable.

This special issue, Advanced Lightweight Materials and Structures, invited by Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, aims to bring together cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that address the data-driven development and evaluation of advanced lightweight materials (e.g. metals and alloys, composites and nanocomposites, coatings and cellular materials) and structures for airframes, aeroengines, helicopters, drones, etc.

A new framework for cross-scale Raman thermometry enables precise temperature mapping from the micrometer to the single-molecule scale. By mastering non-equilibrium energy statistics and decoupling probe interference, this work paves the way for the intelligent thermal design of next-generation semiconductors at their ultimate physical limits.

A new retrospective cohort study conducted at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf has revealed that hypoxic liver injury (HLI) is a frequent and highly consequential complication among critically ill patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The findings highlight HLI as a significant prognostic marker associated with markedly increased mortality in this vulnerable population. 

A new study has developed a novel framework to classify breast cancer based on the intricate steps of the cancer-immunity cycle (CIC), potentially revolutionizing how patient response to immunotherapy is predicted. 

Since Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895, X-ray imaging has become an indispensable tool in modern medical diagnosis, industrial non-destructive testing, security screening, and even cultural heritage preservation. In X-ray imaging systems, detection methods fall into two main categories: direct and indirect. Direct detection uses semiconductor materials to convert X-ray photons directly into electrical signals, offering fast response and high spatial resolution, but it is often expensive and complex to manufacture. Indirect detection employs a “scintillator + photodetector” structure: X-rays are first absorbed by a scintillator material and converted into visible or ultraviolet light, which is then captured by a photodiode or CCD/CMOS sensor and transformed into electrical signals. Indirect detection dominates the current X-ray imaging market because of its mature technology, controllable cost, and excellent compatibility with existing sensors.