Photocatalytic water splitting for H₂ evolution is expected to be a feasible strategy to alleviate environmental and energy pressure. A defect-engineered TiO₂-Ov/Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S S-scheme heterojunction is designed and constructed by in situ growing Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S nanoparticles on flower-like TiO₂ microspheres with oxygen vacancies. The defect-engineered S-scheme heterojunction with dual charge transfer pathways endows excellent light absorption ability, effective spatial separation and transfer of photo-induced charge, and superior redox capacity, thus achieving high-efficiency photocatalytic H₂ evolution.

A novel “induced-homojunction” concept proposed here is of great significance to alleviate the severe shuttling effects and poor rate-capability behavior, where the sandwiched p-n Mo₂C homojunction/carbon composite is constructed by the co-implantation design of Fe and Mo-vacancy (v₆Fe–Mo₂C/C), enabling heterogeneous variation in n/p-type characteristics among adjacent crystal structure. Encouringly, the p-n homojunction formation with continuous band bending favors the rapid carrier transmission across the interface to endow reactive sites with high activity and strengthen polysulfides capture, hence promoting original S–S bonds cleavage, which is regarded as the critical step to suppress the shuttling-behavior and trigger conversion reactions occurrence. Crucially, high-speed ions/electrons transport effectively driven by the formed large-range internal-electric-field during the energy band alignment, ensures they timely reach the above-mentioned highly active sites and react fully, enabling the ultrafast conversion kinetics process. A conspicuous sulfur utilization (1508 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹) and especially the superior rate performance (1337 mAh g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹) are presented by the battery with v₆Fe–Mo₂C/C@S cathode. And the battery delivers a stable discharge capacity independently from the charging rate (even at 5 A g⁻¹). This “induced-homojunction” concept achieves the significant reaction kinetics advantage to provide new insight for the exploitation of fast-charging Na–S batteries.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles are widely incorporated into sunscreens, cosmetics, and topical formulations, yet their biological effects may change under microbe-rich skin conditions. This study shows that co-exposure to ZnO nanoparticles and Staphylococcus aureus markedly aggravates injury in HaCaT keratinocytes. ZnO-induced reactive oxygen species disrupt barrier integrity, impair mitochondrial function, activate apoptotic signaling, and promote inflammatory responses. The presence of S. aureus further amplifies these effects, partly through MAPK pathway activation. These findings highlight the need to evaluate nanomaterial safety in realistic skin microenvironment settings, especially for inflamed or barrier-impaired skin and products intended for daily use.

Fe-N-C interfacial engineering on commercial Pt/C catalysts, via unique 5d-3d/2p orbital hybridization, enables a breakthrough in fuel cell durability and performance. The engineered PtFe/C@Fe-N-C catalyst maintains 97.3% of its activity after 30,000 accelerated stress cycles. This exceptional stability and its high mass activity decisively surpass both the performance of pristine Pt/C and the U.S. Department of Energy's 2025 technical targets.

In a review published in Immunity & Inflammation, Prof. Chen-Yu Zhang from the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Nanjing University has synthesized two decades of progress in extracellular RNA biology. Their article, titled “EV-encapsulated extracellular microRNAs as orchestrators of systemic communication in immunity and inflammation,” traces the remarkable evolution of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) from stable biomarkers in biofluids to active orchestrators of long-range immune regulation and inter-organ crosstalk. The review positions EV-encapsulated miRNAs as a sophisticated “molecular postal system” and “hidden language” that coordinates systemic communication in metabolism, tissue repair, and immune homeostasis.

Wastewater treatment protects rivers, cities, and public health, but it also carries a hidden climate cost. 

Inspired by insect compound eyes, Prof. Ji Chen’s team from Southeast University proposes a bioinspired motion detector based on planar metalens arrays. It realizes an ultra-wide 135° field of view and achieves high-precision perception of moving targets’ velocity and direction. The design effectively detects tiny and slow-moving objects in complex backgrounds and enables intelligent motion trajectory prediction. Featuring high integration and lightweight structure, it provides solid technical support for autonomous perception, industrial early warning and unmanned intelligent systems.

A new study shows that hydrochar, a carbon-rich material made from wet biomass, can improve soil structure and help soils store more carbon more effectively than several common organic amendments.

A new study published in Biochar reports a sustainable membrane technology that converts microalgae-derived biochar into an advanced material for municipal wastewater treatment, offering a promising route to cleaner water and waste valorization.