Researchers have developed a high-vacuum annealing strategy to regulate the oxygen vacancy (O_v) concentration in RuO₂, thereby enabling the precise modulation of the atomic coordination structures of RuO₂. The optimized RuO_2-x catalyst exhibits exceptional oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance, attributed to the synergistic effects between the metallic Ru-Ru and Ru-O moieties.

Sulfide-based all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) are promising for high-energy-density and safe energy storage. But the poor compatibility of sulfide electrolytes with both high-voltage cathodes and lithium metal anodes hinders their practical application. Here, Professor Xie Jia's group from Huazhong University of Science and Technology discloses a fluorine-nitrogen synergistic interfacial engineering strategy by modifying Li5.5PS4.5Cl1.5 (LPSC) with lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI). The modified LPSC electrolyte shows a high ionic conductivity of 2.88 mS/cm. Moreover, LiTFSI induced dual-functional interphases, a fluorine-rich CEI (LiF/LixPOyFz) and a fluorine-nitrogen composite SEI (Li3N/LiF/LixPOyFz), contributing to high oxidation stability (LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2//LiIn battery retains 107% capacity retention after 13000 cycles at 15 C) and excellent lithium dendrite inhibition ability (Li//Li: CCD 3.4 mA/cm2, stably cycling 2600 h at 0.5 mA/cm2). As a result, the LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2//Li cell with modified electrolyte demonstrates 1000 stable cycles at a high cut-off voltage of 4.5 V and wide-temperature adaptability (-20~50 ℃). This work shows a facile and effective method for constructing long-life high-energy-density sulfide based ASSLMBs.

This study proposes a mechanism-data dual-driven framework to address the challenge of balancing water conservation, carbon emission reduction, and aquatic ecosystem preservation in China's industrial sector at minimal cost. It involves developing hybrid models for water-use and treatment processes and establishing a superstructure optimization model. This model identifies the optimal pathway for simultaneous water saving and carbon mitigation, supporting cost-effective decisions for industrial park water network optimization. Case studies confirm the framework's effectiveness in balancing economic and environmental benefits.

Dr. Jongkil Park and his team of the Semiconductor Technology Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have presented a new approach that mimics the brain's learning principles. The team engineered the principle of spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), in which the brain adjusts the strength of connections based on the order of signal firing between neurons. This allows them to learn the connectivity in a brain's neural network in real-time without having to store the activity of all the neurons.

In a groundbreaking exploration of the environmental impacts of fires, researchers are shedding light on how gaseous smoke pollutants affect both air and soil quality. This critical study, titled "Impact of Gaseous Smoke Pollutants from Modelled Fires on Air and Soil Quality," is spearheaded by Mikhail Nizhelskiy from the Academy of Biology and Biotechnology Named After D.I. Ivanovskiy at Southern Federal University in Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation. His work offers a deeper understanding of the often-overlooked consequences of fires on our environment.

Paper packaging is a sustainable alternative to plastic. However, as it is permeable to air, food packaged in paper loses its flavour over time, and undesirable substances such as solvents can penetrate the packaging. Up to now, extensive tests were necessary for each type of paper to determine to what extent and how quickly this happens. A research team led by Karin Zojer from the Institute of Solid State Physics at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) has now developed an AI-based prediction system that calculates how permeable different types of paper are to volatile organic substances. This significantly speeds up the development of new packaging materials. The prediction tool, which was developed as part of the CD Laboratory for Mass Transport through Paper, is already being used by a paper manufacturer.