In a study published (DOI: 10.1016/j.esci.2026.100626) online on 20 July 2026 in eScience, researchers at Nankai University and the Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations in Tianjin, China, developed a room-temperature free-radical polymerization route for QSEs. The team used high-ESP_max (maximum molecular surface electrostatic potential) activators to activate acrylate monomers and enable uniform gelation inside batteries. Their Li-LRMO pouch cell with a high-areal-capacity cathode delivered 656.6 Wh kg⁻¹, demonstrating a practical path toward energy-dense solid-state lithium batteries and a general design rule for activators and monomers.

A team led by researchers at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, in collaboration with Panzhihua University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other institutions, reports the development of high-performance, eco-friendly quantum dots for red light-emitting diodes. The findings were published (DOI: 10.1016/j.esci.2026.100536) on September, 2026, in the journal eScience (Volume 6, Issue 5, Article 100536). The work demonstrates that interfacial engineering—inserting a tailored zinc indium sulfide layer between the quantum dot core and outer shell—can effectively resolve the trade-off between brightness and color purity that has hindered copper chalcogenide quantum dots for display applications.

This narrative review synthesizes current understanding of urban water ecological resilience and identifies three complementary enhancement pathways—technological, ecological, and governance—that are most effective when coordinated as an integrated social–ecological–technological transition. Led by Hua Zheng from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the study highlights a persistent "definition-to-decision gap" in which resilience concepts outpace measurable indicators and operational planning tools, calling for validated metrics, sustained monitoring, and adaptive governance to transform urban water management.

Researchers found that Fe₃AlC_0.5 carbide precipitates formed during twin-wire directed energy deposition-arc (TW-DED-arc) help restrict grain growth in an iron-aluminum alloy. As deposition current increased from 105 to 125 A, the precipitates became larger and more continuously distributed along grain boundaries, while average grain size changed relatively little. Tensile strength was highest at 115 A, whereas 125 A reduced the difference in tensile properties between the horizontal and vertical directions.

Just a few bottles of river water can reveal which fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and even mammals live nearby — according to a new study published in Water Biology and Security by researchers at the University of Florence and the University of Pisa.

This review summarizes composite interfacial strategies for organic solar cells. Composite interlayers improve energy-level matching, suppress interface defects, boosting device efficiency and stability. It offers guidance for developing low-cost, printable solar-cell materials toward future industrial use.