Sheng Wang

Micro‐ and nanomotors (MNMs) promise impact in the areas of environmental remediation and biomedicine, but reliable three‐dimensional (3D) control remains challenging. Conventional bubble‐propelled MNMs can move in 3D, yet their trajectories are stochastic and energy‐inefficient. Here we introduce a buoyancy‐regulated strategy inspired by cyanobacteria‐like microvesicles. We engineer sodium‐alginate (SA)hydrogel magnetic micromotors (SA/Cu‐TiO ₂ /Fe ₃ O ₄ ), in which Cu‐TiO ₂ is derived from the Ti‐based metal–organic framework MIL‐125(Ti _v ), yielding a porous and defect‐rich photocatalyst with uniformly distributed Cu sites for enhanced H ₂ O ₂ decomposition and photocatalytic activity compared with pristine TiO ₂ . Upon illumination, Cu‐TiO ₂ catalyzes H ₂ O ₂ decomposition to generate O ₂ pockets that are retained within the elastic, semipermeable alginate matrix, enabling programmable flotation and precise control of vertical ( Z ‐axis) position as part of full 3D navigation. We analyze the energetics and cross‐scale mass‐transport mechanisms governing this buoyancy control, and we demonstrate guided 3D motion through a maze via magnetic steering. In model turbid water, the micromotors achieve high removal performance across diverse organic contaminants. This bioinspired platform provides a prototype and motion‐control paradigm for 3D‐motile MNMs, advancing practical remediation in aquatic environments.

Bismuth‐based metal–organic frameworks (Bi‐MOFs) are emerging as a distinctive class of functional porous materials that combine structural tunability, biocompatibility, and unique physicochemical characteristics of Bi(III). In contrast to conventional transition‐metal‐based MOFs, however, their assembly is strongly governed by the stereochemically active 6s ² lone pair, variable coordination environments, and the pronounced hydrolytic tendency of Bi(III), which together complicate the realization of predictable structures, permanent porosity, and operational stability. This review provides a systematic analysis of the structure–property relationships of Bi‐MOFs, focusing on how Bi(III) coordination chemistry governs framework design, topology evolution, and stability. The influence of major ligand families, including carboxylates, phosphonates, and phenolates, is critically discussed, and the representative strategies for transforming Bi‐MOFs into functional derivatives, such as porous carbons, oxides, sulfides, and phosphides, are summarized. Their applications in photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, energy storage, biomedicine, and environmental remediation are also highlighted, with particular attention to the relationship between precursor structure and functional performance. Key challenges, including green synthesis, rigorous evaluation of porosity and stability, and the development of multivariate and application‐oriented systems, are further discussed. Rather than viewing Bi‐MOFs as universal substitutes for established MOFs, this review identifies them as specialized functional platforms and provides a critical perspective for the rational development of next‐generation Bi‐MOF‐based materials.

Highly reactive zinc (Zn) surfaces are intrinsically incompatible with the surface-mediated Glaser coupling that underpins the growth of graphdiyne-based networks, which has largely confined such coatings to copper substrates. Overcoming this substrate incompatibility is therefore a critical yet unresolved step toward deploying graphdiyne-derived functional coatings on technologically important Zn-based components. Here, we develop an interfacial galvanic engineering strategy that reconstructs the Zn surface into a catalytically active and adhesion-promoting transition interface, thereby decoupling graphdiyne-like network growth from the intrinsic limitations of the substrate. Specifically, an in situ electrochemical displacement reaction spontaneously generates a nanoscale Cu-modified Zn (Cu-Zn) interface, which simultaneously provides the catalytic activity required for Glaser coupling and a robust anchoring layer for the emerging carbon framework. As a result, an ultrathin (440-677 nm), mechanically resilient nanoporous poly(1,3,5-triethynylbenzene) (PTEB) coating with strong interfacial adhesion is obtained on zinc substrates with diverse geometries. Subsequent fluorination of the PTEB framework and infusion of a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricant transform the porous coating into a molecularly smooth slippery surface. The resulting fluorinated PTEB-based slippery surface exhibits an exceptionally low sliding angle (∼1.19°) and delivers outstanding corrosion protection in artificial seawater, achieving an inhibition efficiency (η_j) of up to 99.56%, while effectively suppressing protein and algal adhesion. Benefiting from the synergistic integration of the galvanically engineered interface, the chemically robust graphdiyne-like scaffold, and the stabilized lubricant layer, the coating maintains its structural integrity and functional performance under prolonged immersion and mechanical deformation. This work establishes an interfacial paradigm for overcoming substrate incompatibility in graphdiyne-based coatings and creates opportunities for long-term protection of highly reactive metal components in aggressive marine environments.

Developing efficient and structurally robust adsorbents for U(VI) removal remains challenging, particularly when balancing high capacity, rapid kinetics, and structural stability. A key bottleneck in constructing SiO2-supported MgAl-LDH architectures is the highly heterogeneous nucleation on calcined SiO2 surfaces, which often leads to patchy deposition, disordered stacking, or even negligible LDH coverage. Herein, we report a simple interfacial activation strategy that converts calcined silica substrates into controllable nucleation interfaces, enabling uniform and vertically aligned growth of MgAl-LDH nanosheets. A mild acid pretreatment homogenizes surface charge states and enriches silanol groups, thereby promoting controlled heterogeneous nucleation during hydrothermal synthesis and forming well-defined core–shell structures. Subsequent template removal and optimized calcination yield hierarchical hollow MgAl layered double oxide nanotubes (MA-LDO-NTs) with preserved reconstruction capability. Benefiting from the orientation-controlled architecture and regulated phase evolution, MA-LDO-NTs exhibit rapid U(VI) uptake (equilibrium within ~10 min) and a high equilibrium adsorption capacity of 458.7 mg g-1 under the tested conditions, together with good tolerance toward coexisting ions and stable recyclability. This work establishes interfacial activation as an effective strategy for constructing vertically oriented LDH/LDO architectures on calcined oxide substrates.

Due to a positive standard reaction Gibbs free energy (Δ _r G _m ^θ ) of 237.1 kJ mol ⁻¹ , electric energy input is indispensable for hydrogen production by conventional electrochemical water splitting. This energy requirement can be reduced by replacing the anodic oxygen evolution reaction to thermodynamic favorable small‐molecules oxidation reactions. In this work, anodic formaldehyde oxidation reaction (FOR) in alkaline media was paired with cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media to establish a thermodynamically downhill system. The utilization of electrochemical neutralization energy in a hybrid alkaline‐acidic electrolyte configuration enables a further decrease in Δ _r G _m ^θ . Therefore, the resulting hybrid alkaline‐acidic formaldehyde‐proton fuel cell (FPFC) exhibits a significantly reduced Δ _r G _m ^θ of −101.5 kJ mol ⁻¹ . A bifunctional Ru‐doped Cu catalyst (Ru─Cu NTs@CM) was designed and synthesized to simultaneously promote the kinetics of acidic HER and alkaline FOR, demonstrating superior catalytic activity and durability to pristine Cu and Ru catalysts. This catalyst enabled concurrent bipolar H ₂ production and electricity generation from the assembled FPFC, reaching a peak power density of 18.3 mW cm ⁻² at 53.4 mA cm ⁻² . A combination of (quasi) in situ characterizations and theoretical calculations unveiled the important mechanistic role of Ru‐doping in enhancing the Cu catalyst's activity and stability.

Hierarchically microstructured supraparticles (HMSPs) are engineered through a scalable and environmentally benign electrospraying strategy to construct liquid marbles (LMs) with exceptional structural stability and multifunctionality. Fabricated directly from colloidal silica sol precursors without additional solvents or surfactants, the HMSPs exhibit submicron dimensions and hierarchical porosity, which endow them with superior liquid repellency and robust mechanical integrity. By correlating particle size of the colloidal silica sols, evaporation dynamics, and surface roughness with LMs performance, design principles are established that maximize LMs stability under impact and compression. Beyond mechanical stability, the LMs exhibit remarkable multifunctional capabilities, including controllable non‐spherical morphologies, multi‐droplet encapsulation, suction/infusion‐driven shape transformations, segmentation–reassembly behaviors, and the formation of stable air–liquid biphasic heterostructures. Leveraging this platform, an integrated LMs‐based water‐splitting system capable of continuous hydrogen and oxygen generation, transport, and stoichiometric gas collection is further demonstrated. This work highlights electrospraying as a green and versatile method for supraparticle fabrication and provides a rational framework for designing next‐generation LMs platforms for encapsulation, adaptive microfluidics, and microscale electrochemical applications.

To address the persistent challenge of low solar‐to‐hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency, it is presented a hierarchical active site engineering strategy via multiscale spatial confinement, implemented in multicore–shell nTiO ₂ @SiO ₂ nanoreactors. This architecture integrates structural confinement and atomic‐level Pt speciation to form a unified, multiscale catalytic system. Unlike conventional single‐core yolk–shell architectures, the interconnected multicore framework enhances light harvesting through internal multiple light‐scattering and effectively suppresses nanocore aggregation. Simultaneously, Pt single atoms and atomic clusters (Pt _SA+C ) are confined within the nanoreactors, forming atomically defined heterointerfaces with the TiO ₂ nanocores. This dual‐scale confinement significantly promotes charge separation and accelerates the hydrogen evolution reaction. As a result, the optimized 0.25 wt.%Pt _SA+C /nT@S catalyst achieves a hydrogen evolution rate of 73.8 mmol g ⁻¹ h ⁻¹ under simulated sunlight—a tenfold increase over Pt _NP /TiO ₂ —and delivers an apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 21.1% at 380 nm. This work establishes a generalizable cross‐scale confinement strategy that bridges nanostructure engineering with single‐atom catalysis, offering a robust platform for efficient solar hydrogen production and plastic photoreforming.

We developed a robust double-network cross-linked polymer foam (DN-CPF) integrating rigid sp ² C-CPPs and flexible chains, achieving 1.53 kg m ⁻² h ⁻¹ evaporation rate with excellent stability in high-salinity and harsh chemical environments.