Ran Niu

Interfacial solar steam generation integrated with electricity production has emerged as a cutting‐edge and efficient technology for the concurrent mitigation of freshwater shortage and energy scarcity. However, critical bottlenecks persist in optimizing system performance and elucidating the intrinsic synergistic mechanism underlying freshwater and electricity co‐generation. Herein, we rationally design bicomponent CAU‐23/graphene (CAU‐23/G) evaporators that effectively achieve freshwater and electricity co‐generation. By constructing a multiscale porous architecture that synergistically integrates the nanoconfined ionic channels of CAU‐23 with the superior photothermal conversion of graphene, the CAU‐23/G evaporator resolves the inherent trade‐off between macroscopic water transport and microscopic ion selectivity. Featuring satisfactory water transport kinetics, outstanding broadband sunlight absorption (> 99%), and low evaporation enthalpy, the bifunctional evaporator delivers an outstanding evaporation rate of 2.71 kg m ⁻² h ⁻¹ with the photothermal conversion efficiency of 99.6% under 1‐Sun illumination. Simultaneously, it generates the stable open‐circuit voltage of 0.53 V and short‐circuit current of 9 μA during seawater evaporation, outperforming the state‐of‐the‐art bifunctional evaporators or generators. Molecular dynamics simulations further reveal that the differential interaction of functional groups (e.g., μ‐OH) in the CAU‐23 framework with Na ⁺ and Cl ⁻ governs the formation of evaporation‐induced streaming potential, providing clear mechanistic insights into the power generation process. This work paves a novel pathway for sustainable solar‐driven freshwater and electricity cogeneration using modularly designed functional evaporator devices, presenting a green and feasible solution to the pressing global challenges of freshwater and energy deficits.

The extensive utilization and inadequate handling of personal protective equipment waste have emerged as important contributors to microplastic contamination worldwide. Consequently, there is a growing demand for advanced and efficient remediation technologies. This study presents the development of a magnetically boosted photoactive BiOCl/BiOI/Fe ₃ O ₄ (BBF) micromotor for active navigation, attachment, and accelerated degradation of polypropylene (PP) microfibers derived from medical masks. By integrating a visible‐light‐responsive BiOCl/BiOI heterojunction with superparamagnetic Fe ₃ O ₄ , the micromotor not only exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity for generating reactive oxygen species but also achieves controlled locomotion and collective “schooling‐like” behavior under a programmed rotating magnetic field. Results indicate that the magnetic enhancement significantly improves the attachment capability and interfacial interaction of the micromotor within PP microfiber networks. Subsequent light irradiation not only promotes autonomous attachment of the micromotor to the fibers but also generates concentrated oxidants that accelerate the degradation of PP films. After 30 h of solar irradiation, a marked increase in oxidative functional groups and formation of holes were observed in the PP microfibers, confirming enhanced photo‐oxidative degradation. Furthermore, the micromotor demonstrates excellent antibacterial performance under visible light and allows for magnetic recovery, offering a promising microrobotic solution for addressing aquatic microfiber pollution and fibrous plastic waste.

The spatially heterogeneous and dynamically evolving pathological microenvironment of diabetic wounds, including excessive oxidative/inflammatory stress, deep-tissue hypoxia and irregularly shaped wounds, remains a major delivery challenge for topical nanotherapeutics, as passive diffusion limits effective coverage of irregular wound regions and penetration into deeper tissue. Here, we report a dual-driven nanozyme nanomotor, Fe3O4@CeO2@PDA@L-Arg (FCPA), designed for active tissue penetration and ROS-responsive NO/O2 delivery to regulate the microenvironment of diabetic wounds. In this system, the nanomotor can respond to the heterogeneous ROS distribution and the external magnetic actuation to enhance effective coverage on the wound surface and controlled penetration into deep wound tissues. In vitro, FCPA markedly reduced intracellular ROS levels, increased NO/O2 levels, modulated macrophage polarization, and restored oxidative stress-impaired proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis-related functions partially through the PPARγ/eNOS pathway. In a diabetic full-thickness wound model, magnetically actuated FCPA achieved 95.7% wound closure by 14 days, with reduced inflammation and ROS levels, enhanced angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and re-epithelialization. Overall, this work demonstrates a nanotherapeutic strategy that integrates ROS-responsive surface distribution, magnetically controlled deep penetration, and gas-mediated microenvironment regulation, providing a promising therapeutic platform for diabetic wound repair.

Metal‐organic framework (MOF) has been regarded as a promising electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, synthesizing stable, cost‐effective MOF electrocatalysts remains challenging, and the role of functionalized ligands, particularly their interplay with metal hydroxylation, remains unclear. Herein, a mechanochemistry‐driven synthesis & functionalization collaborative (MSFC) strategy is developed to directly upcycle waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) into hydroxyl‐functionalized MIL‐88B(Fe)‐OH. First, in situ generated hydroxyl radicals (·OH) from homolytic cleavage of crystal water enable kilogram‐scale production from recycled PET. Such MSFC strategy owns merits of organic solvent‐free, atmospheric temperature and pressure, and low‐cost, of which the material cost is ca. 1/34 of traditional solvothermal/hydrothermal methods. Second, MIL‐88B(Fe)‐OH exhibits a low overpotential of 176 mV at 10 mA cm ^{– 2} and operates stably for 500 h at 100 mA cm ⁻² , ranking as one of the most efficient MOF electrocatalysts. The coordination and electronic microenvironment of Fe sites are regulated via p–π interactions between –OH and the aromatic ring. Specifically, β ‐FeOOH forms selectively while the framework is preserved via Fe–O···H–O hydrogen bonding. Such electronic modulation optimizes oxygen intermediate adsorption and lowers the OER kinetic barrier. This work offers a scalable platform for producing low‐cost, high‐performance functionalized MOF electrocatalysts.

The surging global demand for lithium underscores the critical need for sustainable extraction technologies, particularly from salt‐lake brines, which hold the majority of global lithium reserves. However, conventional solar‐driven evaporation systems suffer from salt deposition, limited selectivity, and poor stability. Here, inspired by the salt management mechanism of Avicennia marina , an innovative solar evaporation system with spatially decoupled salt adsorption‐secretion architecture is developed, which enables highly selective lithium adsorption from salt‐lake brines. The core of this system is a spherical photothermal evaporator with multi‐channel water pathways, designed to spatially separate lithium capture on the evaporator surface from the crystallization of competing salts at remote sites. Driven by solar evaporation, this unique design achieves an excellent lithium uptake capacity of 29.4 mg g ⁻¹ and maintains stable operation in high‐salinity brine (300 g L ⁻¹ ). Field tests demonstrate exceptional lithium selectivity ( S _Li/Mg of 272.8, S _Li/Na of 236.2), substantially surpassing conventional evaporators ( S _Li/Mg of 10–150, S _Li/Na of 20–120). The system directly produced battery‐grade Li ₂ CO ₃ (>99.7% purity) from natural brines and exhibited outstanding reusability, retaining 92.9% resource recovery efficiency over 40 operational cycles. This work offers a scalable and sustainable solar‐powered strategy for lithium extraction.

Motile microorganisms, like bacteria and algae, unify abilities like self-propulsion, autonomous navigation, and decision-making on the micron scale. While recent breakthroughs have led to the creation of synthetic microswimmers and nanoagents that can also self-propel, they still lack the functionality and sophistication of their biological counterparts. This study pioneers a mechanism enabling synthetic agents to autonomously navigate and make decisions, allowing them to solve mazes and transport cargo through complex environments without requiring external cues or guidance. The mechanism exploits chemo-hydrodynamic signals, produced by agents like active droplets or colloids, to remotely sense and respond to their environment—similar to echolocation. Our research paves the way for endowing autonomous, motile synthetic agents with functionalities that have been so far exclusive to biological organisms.

Motile microorganisms, like bacteria and algae, unify abilities like self-propulsion, autonomous navigation, and decision-making on the micron scale. While recent breakthroughs have led to the creation of synthetic microswimmers and nanoagents that can also self-propel, they still lack the functionality and sophistication of their biological counterparts. This study pioneers a mechanism enabling synthetic agents to autonomously navigate and make decisions, allowing them to solve mazes and transport cargo through complex environments without requiring external cues or guidance. The mechanism exploits chemo-hydrodynamic signals, produced by agents like active droplets or colloids, to remotely sense and respond to their environment - similar to echolocation. Our research paves the way for endowing autonomous, motile synthetic agents with functionalities that have been so far exclusive to biological organisms.

We report the facile construction of porous carbon nanoparticle (PCN)-based dual-functional evaporators using waste PET as a precursor to realize high-performance freshwater and electricity co-generation.