Developing durable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for acidic media is vital for advancing proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWE). This study reveals that the stability of spinel oxide Co₃O₄ is profoundly dictated by the anchoring sites of iridium single atoms. By directly comparing iridium atoms at surface three-fold hollow sites versus lattice sites, the researchers found that lattice-embedded iridium dramatically suppresses cobalt and oxygen migration, enhances metal–oxygen covalency, and preserves structural integrity under harsh acidic conditions. These findings highlight a site-specific stabilization mechanism and provide an effective atom-level strategy for designing durable and low precious-metal OER catalysts.

A new study introduces a simple molecular-engineering strategy that dramatically improves the reversibility of zinc plating and stripping in aqueous zinc batteries. By using methylurea as a low-cost electrolyte additive, researchers achieved in situ formation of a robust solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) that stabilizes the zinc surface and suppresses parasitic reactions. This engineered SEI enables Coulombic efficiencies approaching 100%, dendrite-free deposition, and unprecedented cycling life across multiple battery configurations. The work demonstrates that a carefully designed interphase can overcome long-standing limitations of aqueous zinc systems and provides a pathway toward practical, cost-effective anode-free zinc batteries with ultrahigh energy efficiency and durability.

In an innovative study, researchers apply cross-modal interaction and selection mechanisms to robotic visual–inertial trajectory localization. This approach not only improves localization accuracy for robots under GNSS-denied conditions but also effectively enhances the robustness of the algorithm in complex environments.

Beijing’s metro could quietly carry freight during off-peak hours without new tunnels, a joint timetable–rolling-stock model shows. Flexible train compositions and selective skip-stop patterns cut operating costs by up to 25% while keeping passenger delays minimal.

Discover how human adipose tissue can be transformed into functional organoids representing all three germ layers—mesoderm, endoderm, and ectoderm—using a novel, streamlined method. This new study published in Engineering highlights the potential of adipose tissue for regenerative medicine, offering a scalable and clinically relevant alternative to traditional organoid generation techniques.