Nü Wang

Pd ₁ /PCNF exhibits excellent performance in the selective hydrogenation of phenylacetylene due to the synergy of structural, electronic, and photothermal effects.

Electrospun nanofiber wound dressings have broad clinical application prospects. By adjusting the function design of nanofiber, innovative functions, such as drug release, wound exudate removal, and smart response, can be achieved.

Facing escalating water scarcity, solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) has emerged as a sustainable desalination paradigm. However, practical deployment is hindered by the trade-off between thermal localization, water transport, and salt resistance in conventional materials. Herein, we report a hollow-porous carbon nanofiber membrane loaded with CuS nanoparticles (CuS@HPCNFs) fabricated via coaxial electrospinning. The through-porous architecture reduces thermal conductivity, while the plasmonic CuS nanoparticles enable broadband absorption, achieving a surface temperature of 92.8 °C under 1 sun illumination. Consequently, CuS@HPCNFs delivers an evaporation rate of 2.39 kg·m^-2·h^-1 with a solar-to-vapor efficiency of 83.5%, calculated via energy balance accounting for conduction, convection, and radiation losses. The hydrated CuS surface disrupts the hydrogen-bond network of interfacial water, reducing the evaporation enthalpy to 1816 J·g^-1. The material exhibits stable performance in 15 wt % NaCl brine for 10 h and significantly reduces metal ion concentrations in seawater under outdoor conditions. This work provides a structural-functional coupling paradigm for developing scalable SDIE materials.

Dendrite growth and interfacial side reactions severely impair the stability of lithium negative electrodes. A deeper understanding of the structure-performance relationship between current collectors (CCs) and lithium deposition is crucial for addressing these challenges. In this study, a "random-to-aligned hierarchical porous carbon nanofibers" (r/a-HPCNFs) CC strategy was proposed to realize uniform bottom-up lithium-ion (Li⁺) deposition by analyzing the ion transport within aligned CNF channels. By constructing a top-random/bottom-aligned interface with different charge centers, the dielectric constant can be effectively adjusted, thereby promoting a polarization transformation of the intrinsic electric field and strengthening the driving force for Li⁺ migration toward the bottom of the CC. The symmetric cell assembled with Li-predeposited r/a-HPCNFs operates stably for over 6500 h at 5 mA cm^-2. With less Li predeposition (∼3 mAh, N/P = 2), r/a-HPCNF-based full cells (LiFePO₄, LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂, and sulfur) deliver >80% capacity over 400, 260, and 200 cycles at 3, 2, and 0.5 C, respectively. These results highlight the key role of the random-aligned hierarchical architecture in intrinsic field regulation, enabling dendrite suppression and stable cycling.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are regarded as promising candidates for large‐scale energy storage due to their intrinsic safety, environmental friendliness, and high energy density. However, their practical deployment is hindered by several challenges, including dendrite growth on the anode, dissolution and structural degradation of cathode materials, and the limitations of conventional separators. To address these issues, various materials have been explored. Among them, electrospun nanofibers have emerged as a particularly attractive solution owing to their controllable nanostructures, large specific surface area, and tunable porosity. Although the application of electrospun nanofibers in AZIBs has expanded rapidly in recent years, a systematic review focusing on this topic remains lacking. To fill this gap, this review comprehensively summarizes the recent progress in leveraging electrospun nanofibers to overcome key limitations in AZIBs. Beginning with the fundamentals and structural design strategies of electrospinning, it highlights advances in their integration into cathodes, anode, and separators. Special emphasis is placed on elucidating the working mechanisms of the nanofibers and the structure–performance correlations between their microstructure and electrochemical properties. Finally, the review outlines future directions and remaining challenges in this field, aiming to offer valuable insights for the rational design of electrospun nanofiber architectures toward more efficient AZIBs.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) has emerged as a promising technology for addressing global water scarcity by utilizing solar-thermal conversion and evaporation at the air/material/water interface. The exceptional performance of these systems has attracted significant interest; it is imperative to establish rigorous and scientific standards for evaluating effectiveness, optimizing system design, and ensuring efficient practical applications. In this Review, we propose consensus criteria for accurately assessing system performance and guiding future advancements. We then explore the fundamental mechanisms driving system synergy, emphasizing how material compositions, microscopic hierarchical material structures, and macroscopic three-dimensional spatial architecture designs enhance solar absorption and photothermal conversion; balance heat confinement with water pathway optimization; manage salt resistance; and regulate enthalpy during vaporization. These matched coordination strategies are crucial for maximizing the target SDIE efficiency. Additionally, we investigate the practical applications of SDIE technologies, focusing on cutting-edge progress and versatile water purification, combined with atmospheric water harvesting, salt collection, electric generation, and photothermal deicing. Finally, we highlight the challenges and exciting opportunities for advancing research, emphasizing future efforts to integrate fundamental principles, system-level collaboration, and application-driven approaches to boost sustainable and highly efficient water and energy technologies. By linking system performance evaluation with optimization strategies for influencing factors, we offer a comprehensive overview of the field and a future outlook that promotes highly efficient clean water production and synergistic applications.

Solar evaporation is an ecofriendly and practical method for seawater desalination. The photothermal layer, which absorbs solar energy and converts it to thermal energy, plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of the evaporator. However, structural design methods for photothermal layers are often complex and energy-intensive. This work reports a simple and efficient strategy for fabricating a necklace-like beaded nanofiber self-organized honeycomb-structured photothermal material. The honeycomb-like cavities form numerous microscale thermal traps, achieving thermal localization while maintaining high energy utilization efficiency, which not only increases light absorption but also facilitates the diffusion and escape of steam. Besides, the hydrophobic honeycomb layer separates the photothermal layer and the interface water, which reduces considerable heat conduction loss and achieves an effective antisalting performance. These functional features endow the evaporator with an evaporation efficiency of 92.9%, and the evaporation rate reaches 2.11 kg m^-2 h^-1 at 1 sun irradiance, demonstrating its great potential for practical solar-driven seawater desalination under natural sunlight.

The catalytic activity and stability of Pd nanoparticles on nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers for the semi-hydrogenation of phenylacetylene.

Drawing inspiration from dynamic biological ion channels, researchers have developed various artificial membranes featuring responsive nanochannels. Typically, these membranes modify mass transport behaviors by manipulating the responsive layer on the inner surfaces of the intrinsic layer. In this study, we build two-dimensional lamellar membranes composed of titanium carbide MXene and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), endowed with dual-level regulatable nanochannels, achieved through adjustments of nanochannel microenvironments. The size of these two-dimensional nanochannels can be altered by both the thermoresponsive polymer layer and the intrinsic MXene layer that could undergo spontaneous oxidation. The multilevel regulation strategy substantially enhances the molecular selectivity of MXene separation membranes, which is further applied for precise gradient separation toward multiple molecules. This advancement showcases the versatility and transformative capabilities of responsive nanochannel technology, setting the stage for innovative developments in diverse fields.

Smart textiles capable of both energy harvesting and multifunctional sensing are highly desirable for next-generation portable electronics. However, there are still challenges that need to be conquered, such as the innovation of an energy-harvesting model and the optimization of interface bonding between fibers and active materials. Herein, inspired by the spiral structure of natural vines, a highly stretchable triboelectric helical yarn (TEHY) was manufactured by twisting the carbon nanotube/polyurethane nanofiber (CNT/PU NF) Janus membrane. The TEHY had a zebra-stripe-like design that was composed of black interval conductive CNTs and white insulative PU NFs. Due to the different electron affinity, the zebra-patterned TEHY realized a self-frictional triboelectric effect because the numerous microscopic CNT/PU triboelectric interfaces generated an alternating current in the external conductive circuit without extra external friction layers. The helical geometry combined with the elastic PU matrix endowed TEHY with superelastic stretchability and outstanding output stability after 1000 cycles of the stretch-release test. By virtue of the robust mechanical and electrical stability, the TEHY can not only be used as a high-entropy mechanical energy harvester but also serve as a self-powered sensor to monitor the stretching or deforming stimuli and human physiological activities in real time. These merits manifested the versatile applications of TEHY in smart fabrics, wearable power supplies, and human-machine interactions.