Yuxuan Zhang

Endowing artificial skins with adaptation and sensory memory is essential for intelligent tactile perception. However, conventional transistor‐based neuromorphic systems rely on energy‐intensive, decoupled architectures that fundamentally constrain their structural flexibility and energy efficiency. In this study, we report a monolithic, bias‐free piezoionic tactile synapse that exhibits adaptive plasticity driven solely by mechanical stimuli. Learning and memory arise from stress‐induced piezoelectric polarization at the dynamic interface, which drives rapid ion separation, coupled with supramolecular confinement within the viscoelastic polymer network that retards cation backflow. This kinematic asymmetry induces pronounced ion transport hysteresis, directly translating mechanical inputs into cumulative postsynaptic potentials. Furthermore, the supramolecular network inherently affords autonomous self‐healing and conformal adhesion. Leveraging these features, we demonstrate a self‐powered electronic skin for the in situ quantification of neuromuscular coordination and biomechanical endurance. By unifying mechanotransduction and memory at the material level, this work establishes a novel paradigm for energy‐efficient biological‐machine interfaces.

Photothermoelectric (PTE) detectors offer broad‐spectrum response and high sensitivity, but their performance and applications are fundamentally limited by the difficulty of simultaneously controlling photon absorption, phonon propagation, and charge‐carrier dynamics. Here, we report silver selenide/silver secondary phases (Ag ₂ Se/Ag‐SPs) nanocomposite films comprising vertically aligned Ag‐SPs within a (00 l )‐oriented Ag ₂ Se matrix, fabricated via oriented growth and confined phase separation. This customized architecture suppresses lattice thermal transport through interfacial phonon scattering and regulates carrier transport via shallow‐barrier Ag/Ag ₂ Se interfaces, collectively optimizing the thermo‐electric conversion process. Moreover, plasmonic waveguiding within Ag‐SPs domains improves broadband light absorption, thereby promoting photothermal heat generation, enabling a high PTE responsivity of 126 V W ⁻¹ at 1550 nm. When integrated with machine‐learning‐based transient signal classification, this detector achieves 100% sensitivity in flame recognition, allowing sub‐second differentiation of combustion events from innocuous thermal sources. This photon–phonon–electron synergistic enhancement mechanism establishes a scalable paradigm for efficient PTE conversion, offering transformative potential for intelligent fire‐warning systems.

Local geometric constraints have a substantial influence on electronic structure renormalization, offering a promising approach to enhance single-atom catalysts (SACs) beyond traditional limits. Conventional SACs typically feature planar-confined sites, but three-dimensional configurations remain underexplored. This study introduces a “curvature-programming” strategy to drive electrochemical nitrate reduction by assembling FeCu dual single-atom protrusions on molybdenum carbide quantum dots (FeCu/MoC _x -5 QDs). The high-curvature QDs and protruding geometries mimic active vertex sites, enhancing electric fields to polarize N─O bonds. This delivers nearly 100% NH ₃ Faradaic efficiency over a wide potential window (−0.1 to −0.4 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode), with an ultralow overpotential (300 mV) and energy consumption (7.52 Wh g _NH3 ⁻¹ mg _cat ⁻¹ ). FeCu/MoC _x -5 effectively reduces nitrate levels in wastewater, producing scalable (NH ₄ ) ₂ SO ₄ , thus integrating environmental remediation with renewable energy storage. This work provides a promising strategy for developing SACs for broader energy applications.

Beyond conventional ferroelectric compounds, the realization of single-element ferroelectricity expands the scope of ferroelectric materials and diversifies polarization mechanisms. However, strategies for manipulating ferroelectric dipoles in elemental ferroelectrics remain underexplored, limiting their broader applications. Here, we introduce a universal flexoelectric manipulation strategy to tune the ferroelectric and piezoelectric polarization of one-dimensional self-strained tellurium (Te) ferroelectrics. A substantial flexoelectric field of 9.55 microcoulombs per square centimeter was observed in self-strained Te, inducing a polarization rotation of 18°, comparable to the typical 15° rotation in ferroelectric PbTiO ₃ compounds. This substantial polarization rotation enhances ferroelectric coercivity by 165% and piezoelectric responses by 75% compared to unstrained Te. Moreover, the flexoelectric manipulation of ferroelectric polarization demonstrated improved energy harvesting performance at the device level, surpassing most existing counterparts. Our findings highlight the crucial role of flexoelectricity-ferroelectricity coupling in developing high-performance single-element electromechanical devices and ferroelectronics.

Conventional computer systems based on the Von Neumann architecture rely on silicon transistors with binary states for information representation and processing. However, exploiting emerging materials’ intrinsic physical properties and dynamic behaviors offers a promising pathway for developing next-generation brain-inspired neuromorphic hardware. Here, we introduce a stable and controllable photoelectricity-induced halide-ion segregation effect in epitaxially grown mixed-halide perovskite CsPbBr_1.5I_1.5 microwire networks on mica, as confirmed by various in-situ measurements. The dynamic segregation and recovery processes show the reconfigurable, self-powered photoresponse, enabling non-volatile light information storage and precise modulation of optoelectronic properties. Furthermore, our microwire array successfully addressed a typical graphical neural network problem and an image restoration task without external circuits, underscoring the potential of in-material dynamics to achieve highly parallel and energy-efficient physical computing in the post-Moore era.

Boron arsenide has recently attracted significant attention for its thermal and electronic properties. However, its lengthy growth process and bulk structure limit its application in advanced semiconductor systems. In this study, we introduce a method for synthesizing ultrathin crystalline hexagonal boron arsenide (h-BAs) nanosheets in large quantities via an in-situ chemical reaction of sodium borohydride with elemental arsenic in a low-pressure hydrogen atmosphere. We successfully fabricated h-BAs-based memory devices with ON/OFF current ratios up to 10⁹, low energy consumption of less than 4.65 pJ, and commendable stability. Furthermore, we have developed flexible h-BAs-based memristors with good stability and robustness. This research not only provides a promising avenue for synthesizing h-BAs nanosheets, but also underscores their potential in the development of next-generation electronic devices.

Maximizing metal-substrate interactions by self-reconstruction of coadjutant metastable phases can be a delicate strategy to obtain robust and efficient high-density single-atom catalysts. Here, we prepare high-density iridium atoms embedded ultrathin CoCeOOH nanosheets (CoCe-O-Ir_SA) by the electrochemistry-initiated synchronous evolution between metastable iridium intermediates and symmetry-breaking CoCe(OH)₂ substrates. The CoCe-O-Ir_SA delivers an overpotential of 187 mV at 100 mA cm⁻² and a steady lifespan of 1000 h at 500 mA cm⁻² for oxygen evolution reaction. Furthermore, the CoCe-O-Ir_SA is applied as a robust anode in an anion-exchange-membrane water electrolysis cell for seawater splitting at 500 mA cm⁻² for 150 h. Operando experimental and theoretical calculation results demonstrate that the reconstructed thermodynamically stable iridium single atoms act as highly active sites by regulating charge redistribution with strongly p-d-f orbital couplings, enabling electron transfer facilitated, the adsorption energies of intermediates optimized, and the surface reactivity of Co/Ce sites activated, leading to high oxygen evolution performance. These results open up an approach for engineering metastable phases to realize stable single-atom systems under ambient conditions toward efficient energy-conversion applications.

High synthesis temperatures and specific growth substrates are typically required to obtain crystalline or oriented inorganic functional thin films, posing a significant challenge for their utilization in large-scale, low-cost (opto-)electronic applications on conventional flexible substrates. Here, we explore a pulse irradiation synthesis (PIS) to prepare thermoelectric metal chalcogenide (e.g., Bi₂Se₃, SnSe₂, and Bi₂Te₃) films on multiple polymeric substrates. The self-propagating combustion process enables PIS to achieve a synthesis temperature as low as 150 °C, with an ultrafast reaction completed within one second. Beyond the photothermoelectric (PTE) property, the thermal coupling between polymeric substrates and bismuth selenide films is also examined to enhance the PTE performance, resulting in a responsivity of 71.9 V/W and a response time of less than 50 ms at 1550 nm, surpassing most of its counterparts. This PIS platform offers a promising route for realizing flexible PTE or thermoelectric devices in an energy-, time-, and cost-efficient manner.