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Electron Lever‐Assisted d‐Band Center Engineering in Intermetallic Alloy Nanozymes for Efficient Marine Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion Inhibition

Advanced Materials Linlin Yang, Bin Yu, Yizhe Dong et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74692

ABSTRACT Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) remains a persistent global challenge, with traditional inhibition strategies often constrained by limited efficiency, poor durability, and ecological toxicity. Herein, we propose a rational design that utilizes a heteroatom as an electronic lever to circumvent these constraints. By integrating heteroatom Ag into an FePt matrix, the d‐band center of the Pt active sites is upshifted, optimizing the adsorption energy of substrates and ensuring superior catalytic performance even in H 2 O 2 ‐limited marine environments. The resulting FePtAg ( L ‐FPA) nanozymes exhibited enhanced triple‐enzyme activities (haloperoxidase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase, and peroxidase), triggering a localized burst of reactive chlorine and oxygen species. This synergistic action effectively disintegrated the extracellular polymeric substance barrier and induced metabolic disruption, achieving an exceptional 99.9% biofilm inhibition rate and 99.3% MIC inhibition efficiency against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Furthermore, the intermetallic structure promoted by heteroatom Ag provided outstanding durability of nanozymes, with their antibiofilm efficiency decreasing by only 3% for over 120 days. This work not only elucidates the intrinsic correlation between electronic modulation and inhibition efficiency in MIC inhibitors but also offers a rational framework for designing nanozymes tailored to challenging and hostile environments.

Suppressing Sodium Dendrites Through Protein‐Mediated Tip Adsorption Effect

Advanced Materials Yue Li, Haocheng Yuan, Hongji Pan et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74672

ABSTRACT Dendrite growth and interfacial side reactions severely limit the cycle life of sodium batteries. While electrolyte additives represent the simplest mitigation strategy, conventional additives rely on single chemical driving mechanisms, and pose environmental concerns. Here, we propose a bio‐adaptive approach based on the protein tip adsorption effect, demonstrating at the “amino acid–peptide–protein” scale that this mechanism regulates electric field distribution around sodium bud tips to induce uniform sodium deposition and stripping. Concurrently, it promotes formation of a robust solid electrolyte interphase, rearranging the sodium metal anode into a smoother surface. Electrolytes engineered via this tip adsorption effect deliver enhanced cycling and stripping performance in sodium symmetric cells across 1, 5, and 10 mA cm −2 , with a maximum tolerable current density exceeding 25 mA cm − 2 . Remarkably, NVP||Na cells achieve 20,000 cycles at 10 C and 16,000 cycles at an ultrahigh 50 C rate. The electrolyte also shows broad anode compatibility: NVP||Al@C cells with a high NVP loading of 10.32 mg cm − 2 sustain 1,000 cycles at 5 C. Guided by sustainable development principles, this work may inspire exploration of natural, eco‐friendly materials for battery modification.

A Low‐Cost, Scalable, and Integrated Hydrogen Electrode Toward Industrial‐Grade Hydrogen Batteries

Advanced Materials Shunxin Tan, Peiyan Tong, Xuzhi Zhang et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74499

ABSTRACT Aqueous hydrogen batteries are promising candidates for large‐scale energy storage because of their high reliability and long lifespan. However, their practical application remains hindered by hydrogen electrodes that suffer from insufficient catalytic activity, high cost, and limited scalability. Here, we develop an integrated hydrogen electrode (iHE) by rationally integrating a catalyst with a meter‐scale, ultrathin hydrogen diffusion layer. A Ni‐based catalyst is incorporated as a representative into the hydrogen diffusion layer composed of an ultrathin, porous, and hydrophobic nickel‐plated membrane, yielding an electrode cost of only $3.6 m −2 , approximately 5% that of a conventional hydrogen electrode based on Pt catalyst supported on a commercial gas diffusion layer (Pt@GDL). The iHE exhibits a low polarization of 26 mV at 5 mA cm −2 and stable operation over 1600 h. The Ni‐H 2 (iHE) battery delivers a long cycle life of 3300 h with ~98% capacity retention and a negligible Coulombic efficiency decay rate of 0.033% h −1 . Furthermore, the Ni‐H 2 (iHE) full cell achieves an energy cost of only one‐sixth that of the Ni‐H 2 (Pt@GDL) counterpart,   together with an energy density of 179.5 Wh kg −1 . These results highlight the advantages of the iHE in activity, stability, scalability, and cost, demonstrating its potential for grid‐scale energy storage.

Skeletal‐Muscle‐Inspired Superstrong Dynamic Covalent Liquid‐Crystal Elastomers With Exceptional Actuation Performance

Advanced Materials Chenxuan Zhang, Xiaokong Liu Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74679

ABSTRACT As an emerging actuator material for artificial muscles and soft robotics, dynamic covalent liquid‐crystal elastomers (DCv‐LCEs) enable network reorganization through dynamic bond exchange, allowing actuator reprogramming, actuation‐mode tuning, and material recycling. Despite these distinctive advantages, existing DCv‐LCEs still suffer from limited actuation performance for practical applications. Inspired by the critical role of noncovalent interactions in natural skeletal‐muscle actuation, we develop a superstrong DCv‐LCE (SS‐DCv‐LCE) by deliberately engineering a dynamic covalent liquid‐crystal network that simultaneously incorporates hydrogen‐bonding and metal‐coordination crosslinks. The dual noncovalent crosslinks synergistically reinforce SS‐DCv‐LCE, giving rise to a remarkably high Young's modulus (∼27.6 MPa) and a superhigh strength (∼30.7 MPa) at room temperature, while also imparting significantly enhanced mechanical robustness at elevated temperatures. As a result, SS‐DCv‐LCE delivers an actuation stress of up to 1.6 MPa and a work capacity of up to 486.1 kJ m −3 , which are ∼4.5‐ and ∼12.1‐fold higher than those of human skeletal muscle, respectively, and also far exceed those of existing state‐of‐the‐art elastomeric DCv‐LCEs. Moreover, SS‐DCv‐LCE exhibits reprogrammability and reprocessability, enabling reshaping and recycling into actuators with diverse geometries and actuation modes. This work establishes a new network‐architecture design for high‐actuation‐performance DCv‐LCEs, opening opportunities for practical applications in artificial muscles and soft robotics.

A Wearable Electrochemical Patch for Sustained Local Oxygen Therapy of Chronic Wounds

Advanced Materials Jichen Zhao, Xuewei Kan, Xin Tang et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74636

ABSTRACT Wearable bioelectronics are dominated by low‐power sensing, whereas effective therapy requires sustained molecular fluxes that conventional soft devices rarely support. A central challenge is simultaneously maintaining solid–solid charge transport, hydration‐dependent ionic conduction, and biofluid resistance within a lightweight, fixture‐free architecture. Here, we report a vapor‐fed electrochemical materials architecture for skin‐conformal oxygen delivery. The system integrates a mechanically interlocking 3D current collector/catalyst interface to stabilize electronic transport, femtosecond‐laser‐defined microchannels to reconstruct vapor‐phase mass transport within an all‐solid‐state membrane electrode assembly, and a phase‐selective porous barrier blocking exudate intrusion while preserving gas diffusion. This hierarchical design enables an ultralight (<4 g) patch to operate at high current densities (>100 mA cm −2 ), sustaining continuous operation for 735 h to deliver 16.8 L of high‐purity (>99%) O 2 . The architecture remains stable for >500 h in simulated exudates and supports efficient transdermal oxygen transport across porcine skin. In a rat pressure–ulcer model, short‐course treatment accelerates early wound closure 1.7‐fold at day 3, enhancing M2 macrophage polarization and vascular normalization. These results establish a materials framework for translating wearable bioelectronics from passive information interfaces to active molecular‐delivery systems.

Yttrium‐Doped MoS <sub>2</sub> With Optimized Interface Charge Injection and Hydrogen Binding for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution

Advanced Materials Shen'ao Xue, Lan Luo, Hao Huang et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74673

ABSTRACT On‐chip electrocatalytic microdevices (OCEMs) are versatile platforms for probing the intrinsic kinetics of individual nanomaterials. However, their applications in evaluating 2D van der Waals materials often suffer from substantial interfacial contact resistance at the electrode/catalyst junction and sluggish catalytic reaction kinetics at the catalyst/electrolyte interface. Herein, we develop an yttrium‐doping strategy for monolayer MoS 2 (Y‐MoS 2 ) that simultaneously optimizes charge injection across the solid–solid (electrode/catalyst) interface and hydrogen binding on the basal plane of MoS 2 . The Y doping downshifts the conduction band minimum of MoS 2 , lowering the Schottky barrier from 0.47 to 0.23 eV and enhancing electron injection across the electrode/catalyst interface. The matching spatial orbital symmetry of Y and Mo 4 d xz/yz induces strong d‐d electronic coupling, driving the formation of a favorable bridge hydrogen intermediate () with an optimized binding energy of 0.36 eV for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the catalyst/electrolyte interface. Benefiting from this synergistic optimization of band alignment and hydrogen binding, Y‐MoS 2 exhibits superior HER performance, delivering an overpotential of 187 mV at 10 mA cm −2 , competitive with recent 2D MoS 2 ‐based electrocatalysts. This work establishes an optimized OCEM platform for decoupled mechanistic analysis and an orbital‐level tuning strategy for efficient electrocatalyst design.

Neuron‐Inspired Orbital‐Interface Engineering of FeS <sub>2</sub> Anodes for Ultrafast and Durable Potassium Storage

Advanced Materials Lizhong Liu, Qixin Zhang, Linwei Yao et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74460

ABSTRACT The sluggish kinetics, severe structural degradation, and ambiguous reaction pathways of conversion‐type anodes remain formidable bottlenecks for potassium‐ion batteries. Herein, a neuron‐inspired orbital‐interface engineering strategy is proposed to construct a hierarchical Co‐FeS 2 /C@C composite via a novel in situ FeS 2 ‐to‐MOF reconstruction, where porous Co‐FeS 2 nanoparticles are intertwined with an internal carbon network and encapsulated within a robust carbon shell. Functionally, synergistic orbital (co‐doping) and interface (carbon network) engineering are rationally tailored to boost the intrinsic conductivity and promote ion diffusion of FeS 2 , while the hierarchical porosity and outer shell buffer volume fluctuations, thereby concurrently enhancing reaction kinetics and structural stability. To validate this, in situ XRD first demonstrates the highly reversible successive conversion mechanism of FeS 2 . Furthermore, comprehensive experimental and theoretical results verify optimized electronic states, lowered K + migration barriers, and robust structural integrity. Consequently, the Co‐FeS 2 /C@C anode delivers an exceptional rate capability (268 mA h g −1 at 20 A g −1 ) alongside long‐term cycling durability, outperforming most reported metal sulfide‐based anodes. Moreover, as‐assembled full cells exhibit outstanding battery performance even under severe mechanical deformation, reliably powering diverse high‐demand electronics and wearable sensor systems. Ultimately, this biomimetic paradigm offers a compelling strategy to develop high‐power and durable electrodes for next‐generation energy storage systems.

Engineering Cartilage‐Like PVA Hydrogels: Dual‐Stage Crystallization Kinetics Regulations Overcome the Strength–Water Content Trade‐Off

Advanced Materials Jun Li, Xi Deng, Chuang Zhang et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74656

ABSTRACT The development of PVA hydrogels for cartilage repair is limited by the challenge of simultaneously combining high mechanical strength with high water content. To address this, a “Dual‐Stage Temperature‐Controlled Crystallization Quenching Method” is proposed. The approach precisely regulates crystallization kinetics, enabling meticulous control over the gel network topology. The obtained hydrogel achieves a water content of 83.41% ± 0.51%, a tensile strength of 2.68 ± 0.14 MPa, and a compressive modulus of 0.53 ± 0.02 MPa, exceeding machine learning‐predicted thresholds for each property by over 300%. This performance is attributed to a uniform, isotropic network of refined crystallites, as revealed by multiscale analysis, which facilitates homogeneous stress distribution and efficient energy dissipation. Furthermore, the hydrogel possesses a low friction coefficient, biomimetic porosity, and excellent chondrocyte compatibility. This work provides an advanced cartilage repair material and establishes a novel thermodynamic paradigm for polymer gel design through crystallization kinetics regulation.

Bioinspired Hydrogen‐Bond Traps Enabling Ultrasensitive Temperature Sensing

Advanced Materials Zhimin Lu, Yuhang Song, Changming Wu et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74571

ABSTRACT The development of flexible temperature sensors is hindered by the intrinsically low thermal sensitivity of soft ionic conductors, which arises from averaged energy landscapes and competing transport mechanisms. Inspired by the gating mechanism of biological transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels, we propose a hydrogen‐bond trap regulation strategy. By constructing localized hydrogen‐bond traps with heterogeneous energy distributions within a deep eutectic solvent (DES) gel network, continuous ion transport is transformed into a confined, thermally activated hopping process. This approach yields an ultrahigh temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of 178% °C −1 and a high B value of 7880 K. A miniature flexible probe (Ø1.0 mm × 1.0 mm) demonstrates practical potential in organ temperature monitoring and wireless respiratory tracking. The tailored hydrogen‐bond traps also effectively suppress multimodal crosstalk, enabling the fabrication of a decoupled trimodal sensing system that independently resolves proximity, pressure, and temperature signals for human–robot interaction. This work establishes a versatile materials strategy for achieving thermal perception in soft electronics and provides a general platform for tuning ion transport in polymer networks.

Thermosensitive Liposome‐Loaded Hydrogels Enable Mechano‐Chemical Cascade Therapy for Promoting Angiogenesis

Advanced Materials Meng Lei, Zhaoxinru Liu, Yizhou Xie et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74671

ABSTRACT Pharmacological activation of selective biophysical or chemical signaling pathways is known to regulate angiogenesis; however, whether these cues can be modulated in a temporally coordinated, cascade‐like manner to generate stable and functional vascular networks remains unclear, particularly in the ischemic microenvironment. Here, we demonstrate a mechanochemical cascade in which TRPV4 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 4)‐mediated mechanosensing initiates endothelial activation, followed by platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB (PDGF‐BB) signaling that drives vascular formation and maturation. Specifically, we engineered a thermosensitive liposome‐loaded hydrogel that responds to endogenous temperature changes to achieve precise, temporally ordered release of angiogenic initiators and stabilizing factors. In a murine critical limb ischemia model, early release of the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A initiated angiogenic activation, accompanied by gradual local temperature recovery during ischemic repair, which provided the expected thermal window for delayed PDGF‐BB release to support nascent vessel maturation. The thermo‐adaptive cascade release achieved 91.5% restoration of limb perfusion, coupled with a substantial surge in mature vessel density, yielding superior functional recovery that outperforms simultaneous therapy. Our findings not only illuminate the transformative potential of mechano‐chemical synergistic therapies for ischemic diseases but also unveil the pivotal role of temporally orchestrated pro‐angiogenic and stabilizing signals in driving robust, self‐regulated vascular regeneration.

Synergistic Molecular Modulation via Coordination and Hydrogen Bonding for Efficient Perovskite and Tandem Solar Cells

Advanced Materials Tao Zhang, Zehang Liu, Yonggui Sun et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74639

ABSTRACT Molecular additives offer a powerful route to control crystallization kinetics and homogenize component distribution in perovskite semiconductors. However, additives that integrate Pb‐related coordination and hydrogen‐bonding functionalities within a single molecular framework to jointly regulate crystallization evolution and defect chemistry remain largely underexplored. Herein, we introduce 4,4’‐(phenylphosphoryl)dibenzoic acid (PPDBA) as a multifunctional molecular modulator that combines P═O and ─COOH groups within a single framework. Compared with P═O‐only reference molecule triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO), PPDBA expands the interaction scope by coupling Pb‐related coordination involving P═O/─COOH functionalities with additional ─COOH‐assisted hydrogen bonding toward organic cations. These cooperative interactions facilitate intermediate‐phase evolution modulation, crystallization retardation, and the formation of uniform perovskite films with reduced residual PbI 2 . In addition, PPDBA preferentially enriches near the perovskite surface, where it contributes to defect passivation and improved carrier extraction. Consequently, PPDBA‐treated 1.55 eV PSCs achieve a power conversion efficiency of 26.31% with exceptional stability. The universality of the strategy is further demonstrated by high efficiencies of 23.50% and 19.13% PCEs for 1.68 and 1.84 eV wide‐bandgap PSCs, respectively. Beyond single‐junctions, PPDBA enables high‐performance tandems, delivering 33.05% (certified 32.65%) in perovskite/silicon and 26.11% in perovskite/organic architectures. This work provides a molecular design blueprint for high‐performance, durable perovskite‐based photovoltaics.

Tailoring a Solar‐Blind Ultraviolet Ferroelectric for Nonlinear Optics Through a Local Symmetry‐Breaking Cascaded Strategy

Advanced Materials Hongyuan Sha, Bingxuan Li, Xiaoming Yang et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74665

ABSTRACT Solar‐blind ultraviolet ferroelectrics are emerging as promising nonlinear optical candidates based on the quasi‐phase matching principle. However, their development is hindered by the stringent symmetry requirements and the intrinsic coupling between polarization mechanisms and electronic structures. In this study, we propose a local symmetry‐breaking cascaded strategy, in which molecular‐level asymmetry is transmitted and amplified within a coordination framework to generate macroscopic ferroelectric polarization. Guided by this strategy, a new ferroelectric crystal, NH 3 CH 2 COO∙Li 2 SeO 4 , is obtained with the intrinsic asymmetry of glycine transmitted and amplified by high‐symmetry tetrahedral groups and small‐radius cations. This crystal exhibits a short ultraviolet cutoff edge (216 nm) and typical ferroelectricity (remanent polarization ∼ 8.4 µC/cm 2 , coercive field ∼ 18.8 kV/cm). Importantly, it further achieves the 266 nm output, validating its potential for solar‐blind ultraviolet nonlinear optical applications. Structural analysis and ferroelectric characterization reveal that the macroscopic polarization originates from local symmetry breaking of glycine units, which is transmitted and amplified through the Li–SeO 4 coordination network. This mechanism provides a generalizable design principle for discovering ultraviolet ferroelectrics, opening a promising avenue toward high‐performance solar‐blind ultraviolet nonlinear optical materials.

Cisplatin‐Doped Black Phosphorus Nanomedicines Overcome Platinum‐Based Anticancer Drug Resistance via Piezoelectric‐Mediated Adaptive Homeostasis Disruption

Advanced Materials Yijie Fan, Jingning Zhang, Cong Liu et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202523163

ABSTRACT The clinical efficacy of platinum‐based chemotherapeutics is frequently diminished by the emergence of resistance during prolonged treatment. Cisplatin (DDP)‐resistant tumors adapt to chemotherapeutic stress by establishing a new state of adaptive homeostasis that sustains cellular survival under drug pressure, albeit at the expense of high metabolic burden and acquired vulnerability. Exploiting this intrinsic weakness, we designed a DDP‐doped black phosphorus (BP) nanomedicine protected by polydopamine coating (DDP‐BP@PDA) that synergistically delivered DDP and piezoelectric BP to precisely disrupt resistance homeostasis and thereby reverse DDP resistance. DDP‐BP@PDA altered the intracellular uptake pathway of DDP and disrupted the redox balance of resistant cells via piezocatalysis. Concurrently, piezoelectric polarization enhanced the peroxidase‐like activity via electron injection, leading to the generation of substantial reactive oxygen species (ROS). This ROS burst compromised the integrity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane and exacerbated the protein‐folding burden, thereby amplifying ER stress. Mechanism study reveals that excessive ER stress downregulated the expression of DNA repair proteins, making resistant cells highly sensitive to DDP‐induced DNA damage. Through these synergistic effects, DDP‐BP@PDA disrupted the adaptive homeostasis of DDP‐resistant cells, thereby significantly inhibiting the progression of DDP‐resistant tumors. This study establishes a promising therapeutic strategy to combat DDP‐resistance via piezoelectric‐driven disruption of adaptive homeostasis.

Bio‐Inspired Phase‐Transition Logic Gates for Autonomous Thermal Management

Advanced Materials Yabi Yang, Wanpeng Liu, Bao Yu Xia et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74685

ABSTRACT Conventional thermal management strategies rely predominantly on passive heat dissipation or open‐loop external control, struggling to address the transient and heterogeneous thermal loads of modern micro/nanodevices. Inspired by the sense‐perceive‐act closed‐loop feedback of biological perspiration, we propose an autonomous thermal management strategy that encodes a first‐order solid–liquid phase transition as a molecular logic gate. Within this phase‐change‐gated polymer network (Perspire X), the melting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) acts as a physical threshold. Surpassing this critical temperature triggers a macroscopic network arrangement, directly translating thermal sensing into an accelerated on‐demand water release. We define a logic‐gating figure of merit (LG‐FOM) of 2.62 to quantify this behavior, demonstrating the discretized and switchable regulation of coupled mass and heat transport channels. Consequently, the material exhibits non‐linear cooling amplification, achieving a 20.8‐fold extension in effective cooling duration and a 13.5°C temperature drop compared with traditional phase‐transition cooling materials. Furthermore, it demonstrates robust mechanical integrity alongside an exceptional thermal buffering capacity that effectively buffers the simulated pulsed thermal fluctuations under the tested conditions. Transcending traditional passive heat sinks, this phase‐transition‐gated transport mechanism outlines a scalable, materials‐level thermodynamic programming strategy for next‐generation electronics and intelligent energy systems.

Efficient Hydroxyl Diffusion Triggers Surface Hydronium Enrichment and Bulk Proton Participation to Boost Alkaline Hydrogen‐Evolving Reaction

Advanced Materials Daqin Guan, Hengyue Xu, Xiao Sun et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74662

ABSTRACT Deciphering the diffusion, induction, and reaction processes of key chemical species in the catalyst lattice is critical for solution‐phase electrochemical applications, yet remains underexplored. Taking the alkaline hydrogen‐evolving reaction (HER) in an anion‐exchange‐membrane (AEM) electrolyzer as an example, prior efforts were devoted to optimizing water dissociation and proton recombination steps on catalyst surfaces, neglecting the important role of bulk electrochemistry induced by abundant OH − in the electrolyte. As a proof‐of‐concept, we design oxygen‐vacancy‐ordered and oxygen‐vacancy‐disordered model oxides to explore the bulk electrochemistry triggered by OH − diffusion. Combined systematic experiments and computations reveal that the ordered and high‐concentration features of oxygen vacancies improve the mobility and flux of OH − diffusion into the bulk lattice, respectively. Multiple operando characterizations demonstrate that efficient bulk OH − diffusion lowers surface OH − concentration and thus drives the water ionization equilibrium toward products (2H 2 O ↔ H 3 O + + OH − ) following Le Chatelier's principle, contributing to enriched surface H 3 O + and enhanced surface HER kinetics. Interestingly, due to the electrostatic interactions, bulk OH − diffusion behavior triggers surface‐to‐bulk proton migration and participation, extending HER regions from the surface to the bulk and thus boosting HER activity. The high OH − diffusion capability of the cathode also greatly improves the AEM‐electrolyzer performance. Our work offers new insights into the long‐overlooked bulk electrochemistry.

S‐Nitrosothiols as Thiol‐Protecting Groups for Controlled Thiol‐Maleimide Crosslinking of Homogeneous Soft Hydrogels

Advanced Materials Julian A. Serna, Michelle J. Iwohn, Maximilian Seifermann et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74627

ABSTRACT The thiol‐maleimide Michael‐type addition is used in bioconjugation and hydrogel crosslinking for its chemoselectivity and rapid kinetics under physiological conditions. However, this same reactivity limits its use for soft hydrogels, as gelation often proceeds faster than precursor mixing, leading to spatially heterogeneous networks. Here, S‐nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are introduced as thiol‐protecting groups that suppress premature thiol‐maleimide coupling and enable homogeneous mixing of polymer precursors prior to on‐demand crosslinking. Despite common assumptions about RSNO instability, RSNO‐modified 4‐arm polyethylene glycol (PEGSNO) is stable in aqueous solution for months at 4°C protected from light. The nucleophiles sodium ascorbate or sodium thiosulfate (STS) trigger thiol regeneration and controlled crosslinking with maleimide‐modified PEG. The resulting hydrogels are homogeneous with Young's moduli tunable across a physiologically relevant range by independently varying nucleophile identity, concentration, or polymer content. In a cell‐adhesive system based on maleimide‐modified cold water fish skin gelatin, STS‐triggered gelation supports 3D cell encapsulation, with cytocompatibility depending on formulation and cell type, while matrix stiffness is tuned through polymer content and STS concentration. This work establishes RSNO chemistry as a previously unexplored strategy for controlled thiol‐maleimide crosslinking, enabling reproducible, homogeneous network formation, with potential for dual‐function materials coupling network formation with local reactive nitrogen species delivery.

Realization of Air‐Stable Two‐Dimensional Superconductor Nb <sub>2</sub> Pd <sub>3</sub> Te <sub>5</sub> With Quasi‐One‐Dimensional Pair Density Modulation

Advanced Materials Jiayi Wang, Hui Guo, Hao Zhang et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74711

ABSTRACT Two‐dimensional (2D) superconductors provide a fertile platform for exploring reduced‐dimensional superconductivity and emergent quantum phenomena. Incorporating quasi‐one‐dimensional (quasi‐1D) structural motifs into 2D superconductors offers a powerful route to engineer strong electronic anisotropy, enabling unconventional superconducting states and anisotropic superconducting transport functionalities. However, such systems remain rarely realized. Here we report the realization of a 2D superconductor Nb 2 Pd 3 Te 5 , exhibiting an intrinsic quasi‐1D pair density modulation. Monolayer and bilayer Nb 2 Pd 3 Te 5 is synthesized via van‐der‐Waals epitaxy. Using ultralow‐temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, we observe the quasi‐1D crystal structure and superconductivity below ∼0.6 K with a pronounced quasi‐1D pair density modulation. Remarkably, both monolayer and bilayer Nb 2 Pd 3 Te 5 show strong air stability. Our findings establish atomically 2D Nb 2 Pd 3 Te 5 as a robust and promising platform for exploring novel low‐dimensional quantum phenomena and anisotropy‐enabled superconducting devices.

Photothermal‐Photoelectric Synergistic Management in High‐Entropy Alloys for Full‐Spectrum Solar CO <sub>2</sub> ‐to‐CH <sub>4</sub> Conversion

Advanced Materials Guofu Wang, Wenjie Zhang, Qingqing Guan et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74690

ABSTRACT Current photothermocatalysts, characterized by inadequate photogenerated electrons for accelerating reaction kinetics as well as excessive demand for high light intensity, face major obstacles to practical application. In this study, a heteroarchitectured photothermocatalyst is presented by integrating the FeCoNiCuCr (FCNCuCr) high‐entropy alloys (HEAs) photothermal layer, the Al doped ZnO (AZO) photoelectric layer, and the thermal radiation blocking component of chromium‐plated glass (Cg). The obtained Cg/FCNCuCr/AZO photothermocatalyst exhibits an unprecedented CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 conversion performance, with CH 4 yield reaching 5082.9 µmol g −1 h −1 , which is 14 and 4 times that obtained from pristine FCNCuCr HEAs and Cg/FCNCuCr, respectively, surpassing the state‐of‐the‐art photothermocatalysts and photocatalysts for gas‐solid atmospheric pressure CO 2 conversion with H 2 O supplied as proton source. Thanks to effective photothermal management, the Cg/FCNCuCr/AZO heteroarchitectured photothermocatalyst achieves full‐spectrum solar absorption by minimizing thermal radiation, thereby realizing excellent photothermal conversion capability. Meanwhile, the sputtered AZO photoelectric layer is integrated to establish an interfacial Schottky barrier, harnessing the photoelectric synergy, and further reducing the reaction barrier for CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 conversion. The present photothermal‐photoelectric synergistic management strategy enlightens the design of high‐performance photothermocatalysts for solar driven CO 2 conversion.

Structure‐Engineered Nanoporous Vanadium Oxide Memristors for Reconfigurable Synapse–Neuron Integration and Synergistic Robotic Motion

Advanced Materials Gwanyeong Park, Si‐Hwan Heo, Young Ran Park et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74670

ABSTRACT Neuromorphic sensory‐to‐motor interfaces require compact devices that can combine nonvolatile synaptic weight storage with volatile neuronal firing, yet these functions typically rely on distinct material and circuit mechanisms. Here, we report a structure‐engineered VO y /nanoporous VO x heterostructure that enables electrically selectable nonvolatile and volatile switching within a vanadium oxide memristor platform. Annealing‐induced interfacial diffusion and oxidation produce an asymmetric stack comprising a crystalline VO y layer that supports threshold insulator‐to‐metal transition dynamics and an oxygen‐vacancy‐rich nanoporous VO x region that promotes filamentary conductance modulation. In a 16 × 16 crossbar array, identically fabricated cells are reconfigured either as artificial synapses exhibiting multilevel retention and analog long‐term potentiation/depression or as artificial neurons producing relaxation‐oscillator spiking and diverse neuronal response features. By pairing two cells as a one‐synapse–one‐neuron unit, the programmed synaptic conductance modulates the neuronal firing frequency and measured current‐spike amplitude, thereby linking analog weight storage with spike‐based signal generation. Using measured device characteristics, a hardware‐informed spiking neural network recognizes rock–paper–scissors images with high accuracy, and its output commands are coupled to a memristive synergistic motor system that drives a robotic hand to generate counter‐gestures. These results suggest that structure‐engineered nanoporous vanadium oxide memristors can serve as reconfigurable building blocks for neuromorphic sensory‐to‐motor interfaces.

Synergistic Bidirectional Crystallization for High‐Performance Perovskite Solar Cells

Advanced Materials Shuaijun Yan, Qingqing Li, Wenbo Liu et al. Aug 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/adma.74653

ABSTRACT Traditional n‐i‐p perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved remarkable power conversion efficiencies exceeding 26%, yet their performance and stability remain critically bottlenecked by interfacial voids and detrimental trap states at the buried interface. These structural anomalies fundamentally originate from the conventional top‐down crystallization process, where a rapidly formed top crust induces a solvent blockade effect, trapping residual solvents that subsequently evaporate to leave detrimental buried voids. Here, we overcome this kinetic limitation via a synergistic bidirectional crystallization strategy, enabled by a dual‐functional molecular linker, diethyl phosphoramidate (DAPE). By strongly anchoring to the SnO 2 substrate and chemically bridging perovskite precursors, DAPE induces a synchronous bottom‐up growth front that complements the anti‐solvent‐induced top‐down crystallization. This kinetically reconstructed process maintains open solvent‐evasion channels, effectively eliminating the solvent blockade to yield a dense, void‐free interface. Consequently, the optimized devices exhibit relaxed residual stress and minimized non‐radiative recombination, achieving a champion power conversion efficiency of 26.25% with superior operational stability. Our work underscores the vital role of regulating crystallization kinetics to eliminate physical interfacial anomalies, offering useful insights for the further development of efficient n‐i‐p PSCs.