Passive radiative cooling (PRC) represents a pivotal zero-energy solution for addressing global cooling demands, the energy crisis, and carbon emission challenges. While traditional Mg₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈ ceramics possess significant theoretical potential owing to their wide bandgap and abundant phonon modes, their practical performance is severely constrained by phonon-polariton resonance, which compromises infrared emissivity. To surmount this bottleneck, a novel strategy combining phonon engineering and bandgap engineering is proposed. A series of Y³⁺-doped Mg₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈ ceramics were rationally designed and synthesized to effectively suppress phonon-polariton resonance and widen the bandgap, thereby significantly enhancing both atmospheric window emissivity and solar reflectivity. The optimized material exhibits exceptional daytime cooling performance, achieving a maximum temperature reduction of 16.5 °C and an average net cooling power of 113.1 W·m^-2. This study presents a low-cost, eco-friendly, and highly stable inorganic ceramic solution for large-scale PRC applications, paving a new avenue for the development of next-generation sustainable cooling materials.

A new review explores the counterintuitive phenomenon of negative thermal expansion (NTE) in two-dimensional (2D) materials, where heating causes them to shrink instead of expand. The work, published in a peer-reviewed journal, synthesizes recent advances in understanding and controlling this behavior in materials like graphene and boron nitride. By leveraging mechanisms such as specific atomic vibrations and magnetic interactions, researchers are developing strategies to engineer materials with zero or custom-tailored thermal expansion, which is crucial for preventing heat-induced damage and performance drift in high-precision nanoelectronics, aerospace components, and quantum devices.

A novel catalyst developed by the research team offers a powerful solution for combating hard-to-degrade organic pollutants. By skillfully combining metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the team created a cobalt-based catalyst that efficiently activates peroxymonosulfate (PMS) through a highly selective non-radical pathway. This innovative approach ensures effective pollutant degradation across a wide pH range with strong anti-interference ability, marking a significant advance in green and sustainable water treatment technology.