Electromagnetic waves are extensively utilized in many fields such as communication and medicine. Excessive electromagnetic waves will cause electromagnetic pollution. Electromagnetic pollution may lead to electromagnetic interference (EMI), which will interfere sensitive electronic devices. Furthermore, electromagnetic pollution is harmful to human health and may potentially cause information leakage. The development of lightweight and flexible EMI shielding materials with high mechanical strength and excellent flame retardant properties is currently a hot and difficult research topic.

A team of researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has published a comprehensive review in Science China Chemistry, highlighting the latest breakthroughs in "top-down" synthesis strategies for single-atom catalysts (SACs). Led by Prof. Huang Zhou and Prof. Yuen Wu from USTC’s Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry and Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, the review systematically summarizes a decade of progress in the field, offering valuable insights for advancing SACs’ practical application.

In a paper published in SCIENCE CHINA Chemistry, a research team led by Prof. Hao Sun at Shanghai Jiao Tong University discussed the material designs and process optimization of dry-coating electrode fabrication toward sustainable battery production. The review identifies the key challenge of uneven component dispersion in solvent-free systems and introduces emerging strategies designed to effectively address this issue, including the use of composite binders, functional additives, and thermal-assisted processing. These advances enable the fabrication of electrodes that combine structural integrity with enhanced electrochemical performance, while simultaneously reducing manufacturing costs and energy consumption. By elucidating fundamental design principles and presenting practical pathways, this review contributes to the development of more efficient and environmentally sustainable battery technologies.

Existing swirling combustion technology, which relies on faulty coal, is unable to meet deep peak shaving demands without auxiliary methods. This paper developed a deep peak regulation burner (DPRB) to achieve stable combustion at 15%–30% of the boiler’s rated load without auxiliary support. Gas-particle tests, industrial trials, and transient numerical simulations were conducted to evaluate the burner’s performance. At full rated load, the DPRB formed a central recirculation zone (RZ) with a length of 1.5d and a diameter of 0.58d (where d represents the outlet diameter). At 40%, 20%, and 15% rated loads, the RZ became annular, with diameters of 0.30d, 0.40d, and 0.39d, respectively, with a length of 1.0d. At 20% and 15% rated loads, the recirculation peak and the range of particle volume flux were comparable to those at 40% rated load. The prototype burner demonstrated that, without oil support, the gas temperature within 0 to 1.8 m from the primary air outlet remained below 609 °C, insufficient to ignite faulty coal. As the load rate increased from 20% to 30%, the prototype’s central region temperature remained low, with a maximum of 750 °C between 0 and 2.0 m. In contrast, the DPRB’s central region temperature reached 750 °C at around 0.65–0.70 m. At a 3%·min−1 load-up rate, when the load increased from 20% to 30%, the prototype burner extinguished after 30 s. However, the DPRB maintained stable combustion throughout the process.

Research finds soil inorganic carbon rise offsets organic carbon loss, masking ecosystem degradation beneath stable total carbon pools.

The global transition to a hydrogen-based clean energy economy faces a critical bottleneck: current proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and water electrolyzers rely almost exclusively on scarce platinum group metals (PGMs) like platinum and iridium oxide.

A study demonstrates how a renewable material as simple as wood can help transform biomass into valuable chemicals while simultaneously producing clean hydrogen fuel, offering a promising pathway toward sustainable chemical manufacturing.

A study has demonstrated that discarded Jamun tree leaves can be transformed into a highly effective material for cleaning dye-contaminated water, offering a low-cost and environmentally friendly solution to a growing pollution challenge.

In the increasingly digital world, the demand for faster, more efficient and miniaturised optical devices is ever-growing. From high-speed internet and secure quantum communications to advanced medical imaging and precision manufacturing, the backbone of these technologies is light, specifically how we can control and manipulate it at the nanoscale. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as a game-changer in this arena, offering unique properties that can be harnessed for ultrafast photonics and nonlinear optical applications.