Yanjun Xie

Lightweight structural materials capable of simultaneously sustaining mechanical load‐bearing and dissipating extreme impact energy remain a long‐standing challenge, as conventional systems are constrained by the intrinsic trade‐off between stiffness and toughness under dynamic loading. In this work, we address this limitation by introducing a strain rate triggered network locking strategy that enables adaptive mechanical reconfiguration in poplar fibres (PFs) and shear stiffening gel (SSG) composites (PSCs). PSCs are constructed by integrating PFs networks with SSG, forming a hierarchical interpenetrating architecture in which interfacial interactions and dynamic bonding jointly govern the mechanical response. Under low strain rate loading, PSCs enabled efficient stress distribution, achieving a flexural strength of 58.88 MPa with a balanced toughness. Under high strain rate loading, PSCs reached an energy absorption per unit thickness of 2.04 J·mm ⁻¹ and a force per unit thickness of 377.80 N·mm ⁻¹ . Notably, a steel projectile impacting at 153.4 m·s ⁻¹ rebounded, further demonstrating its potential as a scalable biobased adaptive impact‐resistant panel. This strain‐rate adaptive design principle provides a general pathway for structural materials, enabling them to simultaneously achieve static load‐bearing capacity and dynamic impact protection, and offers a scalable route for the development of biobased adaptive impact‐resistant panels.

Development of sustainable, high‐performance structural materials capable of replacing traditional engineering plastics and lightweight alloys is critical to achieving carbon neutrality. However, engineering renewable wood into structural materials intrinsically relies on reconstitution and bonding, during which traditional polymer adhesives introduce compositionally and mechanically heterogeneous interfaces. These discontinuities produce stress concentrations under water‐induced swelling and shrinkage, undermining long‐term stability. Herein, we proposed a synergistic strategy integrating interfacial reconstruction and water‐induced regeneration to reconstruct heterogeneous interfaces into homogeneous ones with compositional and structural continuity. This approach enabled lap joints to achieve a high dry shear strength of 6.2 MPa, exceeding that of natural wood. Notably, this strategy utilized water to facilitate the regeneration and performance retention of the interface, allowing the material to retain 97% of its strength even after two boiling water cycles. Furthermore, the mechanical properties were optimized through pressure control, thereby yielding specific flexural strength (276.2 MPa cm ³ g ⁻¹ ) and specific flexural modulus (24 000 MPa cm ³ g ⁻¹ ) that were comparable or even superior to those of certain metals, construction materials, and engineering plastics. This work provides useful insights into the design of high‐performance, sustainable wood‐based structural materials suitable for outdoor environments.

Thermoelectric materials and devices enable to harvest heat energy from the environment, which offers a promising solution for addressing the critical issue of conventional fossil fuels for energy supply. However, sustainable development of low‐grade heat conversion to electricity is limited by materials and technologies. Herein, inspired by the conduction of water molecules and ions in trees, natural wood is chemically modified and synthesized to a nanostructured wood/metal‐organic framework (wood/MOF) gradient, in which it enables the driving of the ions movements through charged nanochannels for enhancing the generation of the thermally generated voltage. This has resulted in a 1200% increased differential thermal voltage of wood/MOF gradient compared to that of natural wood due to the thermophoretic mobility difference between the negative and positive ions. An electric double layer is formed among cellulose nanofibrils with a distance of approximately 4.8–7 nm enabling a favorable ionic regulation performance and a continuous output voltage of about 1.2 V, which has demonstrated its potential as a low‐grade heat and power harvesting system for heat‐to‐electricity conversion. Coupling with its long‐term durability and low environmental impact advantages, this research provides insights into an innovative “wood‐sunlight‐thermal energy” tripartite system for clean electricity generation, which enables large‐scale production from such sustainable materials.

Introducing a binary matrix of engineering and general‐purpose plastics is an effective strategy to synergistically enhance the mechanical performance and cost‐effectiveness of wood fiber‐reinforced composites by leveraging the complementary properties of different polymers. However, achieving such hybrid composite structures often suffers from processing differences and interfacial incompatibility among components. Herein, a straightforward and scalable high‐temperature compatibilization strategy is proposed to fabricate wood fiber/polyamide/polyethylene composites (WPAECs) with a triple‐crosslinked network interface, through reactive blending of the matrix followed by optimization of processing temperature. The WPAECs constructed from polyamide/polyethylene matrix and hydrothermally treated wood fibers can achieve mechanical strengthening by the uniform internal structure and triple cross‐linking interactions (physical interlocking, covalent bonds, and hydrogen bonds), resulting in high flexural strength of 72.33 MPa while maintaining a low density of 1.10 g cm ⁻³ . Moreover, the mechanical strength of WPAECs can be further enhanced by optimizing the wood fiber content. WPAECs also exhibit advantageous environmental stability, including low‐temperature toughness, low water absorption rate (below 2.33%), and good heat resistance. Coupled with abundant raw materials, ease of processing, and scalable and recyclable fabrication, WPAECs provide a promising pathway toward high‐performance and sustainable structural component applications.

Conventional LiPF ₆ ‐based carbonate electrolytes undergo severe oxidative decomposition above 4.3 V, triggering uncontrolled interphase growth, transition‐metal dissolution, and accelerated capacity decay—challenges further compounded under fast‐charging and elevated‐temperature conditions. Herein, we propose a reactive‐cluster‐guided solvation reorganization strategy to reconstruct the Li ⁺ solvation structure and interfacial reaction pathways, thereby enabling dual‐interface stabilization. Highly polar MMDS spontaneously anchors PF ₆ ⁻ via ion–dipole interactions, forming reactive (PF ₆ ⁻ )–MMDS clusters, which redirect cathode‐side interfacial decomposition toward sulfur‐containing inorganic‐rich CEI formation, while LiDFOB reconstructs the primary Li ⁺ solvation sheath to enhance desolvation kinetics. Their coupled action yields thin, dense, and inorganic‐rich CEI/SEI layers, jointly suppressing parasitic reactions, transition‐metal dissolution, and rock‐salt surface reconstruction. With ultra‐low additive loading, LE‐HV@GPE delivers an ionic conductivity of 2.64 mS cm ^{− 1} and a Li ⁺ transference number of 0.57. Gr‖NCM811 pouch cells achieve outstanding durability under high‐voltage (4.6 V), fast‐charging (3C), and elevated‐temperature (45°C) conditions, with full compatibility with existing manufacturing operations. This work establishes a solvation‐engineering paradigm for dual‐interface‐stabilized gel polymer electrolytes under harsh operating conditions.

Conventional LiPF ₆ ‐based carbonate electrolytes undergo severe oxidative decomposition above 4.3 V, triggering uncontrolled interphase growth, transition‐metal dissolution, and accelerated capacity decay—challenges further compounded under fast‐charging and elevated‐temperature conditions. Herein, we propose a reactive‐cluster‐guided solvation reorganization strategy to reconstruct the Li ⁺ solvation structure and interfacial reaction pathways, thereby enabling dual‐interface stabilization. Highly polar MMDS spontaneously anchors PF ₆ ⁻ via ion–dipole interactions, forming reactive (PF ₆ ⁻ )–MMDS clusters, which redirect cathode‐side interfacial decomposition toward sulfur‐containing inorganic‐rich CEI formation, while LiDFOB reconstructs the primary Li ⁺ solvation sheath to enhance desolvation kinetics. Their coupled action yields thin, dense, and inorganic‐rich CEI/SEI layers, jointly suppressing parasitic reactions, transition‐metal dissolution, and rock‐salt surface reconstruction. With ultra‐low additive loading, LE‐HV@GPE delivers an ionic conductivity of 2.64 mS cm ^{− 1} and a Li ⁺ transference number of 0.57. Gr‖NCM811 pouch cells achieve outstanding durability under high‐voltage (4.6 V), fast‐charging (3C), and elevated‐temperature (45°C) conditions, with full compatibility with existing manufacturing operations. This work establishes a solvation‐engineering paradigm for dual‐interface‐stabilized gel polymer electrolytes under harsh operating conditions.

Plant fiber-based paper is renewable and biodegradable but suffers from poor water resistance and weak wet mechanical properties. To overcome these challenges, a CPML-Fe coating system was developed, which comprises a composite coating made from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDE), and maleic anhydride-modified lignin (ML), integrated with Fe3+ ions through post-treatment. This coating formed a multi-crosslinked network on the paper surface and within the fiber interstices via β-hydroxy ester bonds, Fe3+–O coordination bonds, and hydrogen bonds, effectively overcoming the inherent drawbacks of paper. The wet tensile strength of the CPML-Fe coated paper increased from 2.21 MPa to over 39 MPa, while the wet strength retention rate improved from 4.21% to more than 72%. In a 72 h water immersion test, the tensile strength consistently remained above 37.88 MPa, demonstrating exceptional long-term water stability. Notably, the CPML-Fe coating exhibits pH-responsive behavior, allowing it to be de-crosslinked through pH adjustments and separated from the paper fibers, thereby enabling fiber recovery and reuse. The CPML-Fe coating significantly enhances water resistance and mechanical properties while preserving the paper’s inherent environmental friendliness, providing a novel approach toward eco-friendly paper-based alternatives to plastics.