A research team led by Prof. KANG Yanbiao from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has developed a supercapacitor (SC)-assisted electrophotocatalysis for the efficient defluorination of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) at low temperatures. They incorporated the strength of both electrochemical and photochemical energy, providing more possibilities for solving environmental problems caused by PTFE and PFASs. The study was published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

With the rapid development of the space industry, enhancing the stealth and survivability of spacecraft has become a critical challenge. Professor Qiang Li’s team at Zhejiang University has developed an innovative multilayer thin-film camouflage device, enabling invisibility across H, K, MWIR, and LWIR bands while efficiently radiating heat to address thermal control issues in space. This technology achieves precise management of solar and thermal radiation, offering significant support for future space exploration.

Complex light modulation—controlling light’s amplitude and phase—is key to many laser applications such as optical tweezers and holographic displays. To achieve such modulation at high speeds, amplitude-based electronic modulators use multi-pixel clusters called ‘superpixels’. Now, binary phase-engraved superpixels implemented with a Texas Instruments phase light modulator are reported, showing significant improvements over previous methods. The new approach demonstrates accurate high-speed complex light modulation, paving the way for applications to beam shaping and augmented reality display.

The wearable smart photonic wristband proposed in this work achieves precise assessment of cardiorespiratory function and effective biometric identification. It not only excels in response speed, long-term stability, and durability but also maintains high-precision monitoring across various application scenarios and individual differences, demonstrating its practicality and adaptability. Additionally, the demonstration of biometric identification capabilities opens up new possibilities for personal health services. This research finding holds broad application prospects in the prevention, treatment, and daily health management of cardiorespiratory diseases, and is expected to have a positive impact on people's healthy lives.

A novel PbTiO₃-based perovskite system, (1-x)PbTiO₃-xBiYbO₃, has been synthesized using a distinctive high-pressure and high-temperature technique. The system exhibits an unusual enhanced tetragonalities compared to pristine PbTiO₃ (c/a = 1.064). Consequently, NTE over an extended temperature range has been realized in 0.95PbTiO₃-0.05BiYbO₃ ( = -2.18 ´ 10^-5/K, 300 - 820 K) and 0.90PbTiO₃-0.10BiYbO₃ ( = -1.85 ´ 10^-5/K, 300 - 850 K), respectively, when compared to that of pristine PbTiO₃ ( = -1.99 ´ 10^-5/K, 300 - 763 K). Our experimental and theoretical studies indicate that the improved tetragonalities and expanded NTE temperature range result from stronger Pb/Bi-O and Ti/Yb-O bond strengths, and an asymmetrically distributed charge density. The present study presents a new instance of NTE across a broad temperature range, highlighting its potential as an effective thermal expansion compensator.

Monolithic multi-surface optical elements play significant roles in advanced optical systems, requiring precise form quality and surface positioning. Towards this goal, Scientist in China invented an integrated form-position measurement solution based on Bayesian multi-sensor fusion, which proposes a new full-probability deflectometric measurement method. They constructed a complete uncertainty propagation model, which tightly fuses multi-sensor data through propagating uncertainties while incorporating calibration priors into the measurement model, thereby enhancing measurement accuracy and determinacy.