Nano-Micro Letters

Low-Temperature All-Solid-State Batteries

2026-07-30T04:08:53+00:00

Reliable battery operation in sub-zero environments is critical for polar exploration, military missions, and space applications. However, conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) face inherent limitations at low temperatures by intrinsic hurdle of poor ionic mobility in liquid electrolytes. All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), which replace liquid electrolytes with non-flammable and non-freezing solid electrolytes, are considered promising alternatives because these solid electrolytes provide high ionic conductivity at low temperatures, superior temperature stability, and exceptional safety. ASSBs still face practical limitations at extremely low temperatures due to degradation caused by interfacial side reactions and mechanical instabilities that increase resistance and polarization. Addressing these challenges is critical to realize the advantages of ASSBs and enable their practical deployment in low-temperature applications. This review provides an overview of historical developments, critical challenges, and recent progress in advancing the low-temperature performance of ASSBs. The key components of ASSBs, including solid electrolytes, cathodes, and anodes, are systematically investigated to develop strategies for improving ASSBs at low temperatures. By highlighting future perspectives, we emphasize both the potential and necessity of ASSBs to overcome the intrinsic limitations of LIBs and ensure reliable energy storage in harsh environments.

Highlights:
1 All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) overcome the intrinsic limitations of liquid electrolyte based lithium-ion batteries, such as electrolyte freezing and sluggish ion transport, by utilizing non-freezing solid electrolytes with relatively stable ionic conductivity at sub-zero temperatures.
2 Performance degradation in ASSBs under sub-zero conditions arises from interconnected factors, including suppressed Li-ion transport, increased interfacial resistance due to side reactions, and mechanical instability, such as contact loss and microcracking.
3 Achieving robust low-temperature performance demands the combined advancement of materials design and system-level engineering.

Strategies of Designing High-Efficiency Electrolyte Additives for Aqueous Magnesium Batteries: A Review

2026-07-30T03:33:30+00:00

With the development of next-generation energy storage systems focusing on green, safe, and sustainable devices, aqueous magnesium (Mg)–air batteries have emerged as promising candidates owing to the intrinsic merits of the Mg metal anode, including low cost, large volumetric capacity, a highly negative electrode potential, and excellent safety. However, the high self-discharge rate and formed discharge products substantially impair the practical discharge performance of Mg anodes with poor anode utilization efficiency and low cell voltage. While anode alloying and electrolyte additive strategies can help mitigate this issue, designing highly efficient electrolyte additives that are compatible with the established anode remains a challenge. This review summarizes recent progress toward understanding the role of electrolyte additives for aqueous Mg batteries, provides insights into the discharge mechanism of Mg-based anode materials in different types of additive-containing electrolytes, and offers strategies for designing high-efficiency mixtures of electrolyte additives. Moreover, a highly promising direction of AI-supported and robotic workflows for the future fast design of advanced electrolyte additives for aqueous Mg batteries is discussed.

Highlights:
1 This review provides a systematic summary of aqueous Mg–air electrolyte additives, offering structured data to support future machine learning screening, especially for binary additive systems.
2 This work emphasizes the significant influence of oxygen reduction reaction-induced oxygen corrosion on Mg anode utilization, particularly for clean Mg anodes in additive-containing electrolytes.
3 This article proposes a clear design concept for binary additives, enabling rational rather than empirical combinations and guiding the development of high-performance hybrid additives for aqueous Mg–air batteries.

Zwitterionic Ionogels Resolving the Trade-Off Between Mechanical Strength and Autonomous Self-Healing for Iontronics

2026-07-30T07:07:10+00:00

Simultaneously achieving mechanical robustness and autonomous self-healing in ionogels remains a fundamental challenge for durable, skin-like electronics. Conventional approaches often improve mechanical strength by introducing rigid or densely cross-linked polymer networks, but such strategies inevitably restrict polymer chain mobility and hinder dynamic bond reconfiguration required for healing. Here, a zwitterionic side-chain engineered tough ionogel (ZESTI) is developed to overcome this trade-off through molecular-level design. Hydrophilic zwitterions are covalently grafted onto a hydrophobic polyurethane backbone to preferentially interact with the ionic liquid through ion–dipole interactions and thereby regulate its distribution. This architecture simultaneously facilitates dipole–dipole interactions for mechanical reinforcement and ion–dipole coordination for efficient self-healing under ambient conditions. As a result, ZESTI exhibits an exceptional combination of tensile strength (10.40 MPa), stretchability (1606%), toughness (56.03 MJ m⁻³), and ambient self-healing efficiency exceeding 83%, while maintaining high ionic conductivity via enhanced ion hopping. When constructed as a self-reporting packaging interface, ZESTI provides stable protection and state perception under sharp contact and restores signal output after mechanical damage through self-healing. This work offers a generalizable design strategy that reconciles mechanical toughness with dynamic functionality in ionogels, establishing a general design paradigm for next-generation self-sustaining iontronic devices.

Highlights:
1 Zwitterionic side-chain engineered tough ionogel (ZESTI) resolves the trade-off between mechanical toughness and autonomous self-healing through zwitterionic side-chain engineering.
2 Synergistic dynamic ion–dipole and dipole–dipole interactions enable robust mechanical reinforcement, efficient ion transport, and room-temperature self-healing.
3 ZESTI-based iontronic devices exhibit reliable sensing performance and functional recovery after mechanical damage.

From Screening to Site Control: Phytic-Acid Mediated P-Tuning of M–N Coordination to Balance Iodine Adsorption and Stability in Zn–I2 Batteries

2026-07-30T06:49:15+00:00

Aqueous zinc-iodine batteries (AZIBs) show promise for grid-scale energy storage, but they are hampered by polyiodide shuttling, sluggish iodine redox kinetics, and irreversible active-site poisoning caused by uncontrolled adsorption. We provide a comprehensive screening of M₁ (M₁ = P, S, B) heteroatom dopants, and P is identified as the best candidate for achieving coordination-tuned, moderate adsorption that balances adsorption and catalytic activity while mitigating site poisoning. Using phytic acid as both the P source and an etchant, we create a universal in situ approach to core–shell single-atom catalysts (M₂-P-CSNC, M₂ = Fe, Co, Ni). The unique core–shell structure achieves stable confinement of polyiodides, rapid ion transport, and protection of active sites, while in situ P doping precisely regulates the local electronic environment and d-band center of the Fe–N_x active centers. In situ characterization confirms that Fe–P-CSNC has a strong reversible anchoring ability for polyiodides, which can significantly accelerate redox kinetics. The optimized Fe–P-CSNC/I₂ exhibits almost no capacity decay after 20,000 cycles at a current density of 2 A g⁻¹. This work’s facile heteroatom doping strategy for electronic modulation offers a reference for high-performance catalyst design in conversion-type energy storage systems.

Highlights:
1 Systematic B/S/P heteroatom screening identifies P doping as the optimal strategy to realize coordination-tuned moderate iodine adsorption, addressing the critical adsorption-catalysis imbalance in Zn-I₂ batteries.
2 A universal phytic acid-assisted one-step strategy is developed to fabricate core-shell single-atom catalysts, with synchronous P doping, cavity construction and metal site atomic dispersion.

Biomimetic PD-1-Functionalized Immunostimulatory Nanomedicine Enables STING Activation and Durable Antitumor Immunity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2026-07-30T06:35:41+00:00

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) responds poorly to immune checkpoint blockade, largely because of an immunologically cold tumor microenvironment (TME) characterized by deficient antigen presentation and impaired cytotoxic T cell responses. Analysis of numerous HCC clinical cohorts, including our institutional datasets, reveals that stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway activity is positively correlated with patient survival, enhanced antigen presentation capacity, and an immune-activated TME. However, achieving effective and controllable STING activation in immune-cold HCC tumors remains challenging. Here, we develop a biomimetic nanomedicine that integrates photothermal therapy (PTT), STING pathway activation, and immune checkpoint blockade to treat refractory HCC. A coordination nanomedicine MCI-NP is engineered by co-encapsulating the STING agonist MSA-2 and indocyanine green (ICG) via Cu²⁺-mediated chelation, enabling stabilized PTT-induced immunogenic cell death together with robust STING-driven innate immune activation. Further cloaked with PD-1-overexpressing cell membranes, MCI-NP@mPD-1 achieves an approximately fivefold increase in tumor accumulation compared with uncoated MCI-NP and enables localized PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade. Following a single treatment, MCI-NP@mPD-1-based photothermal immunotherapy effectively suppresses primary tumor growth and significantly prolongs survival by remodeling the TME toward an immune-active state, while inducing durable systemic immune memory that effectively limited postoperative lung metastasis. Without introducing additional nanocarriers or excipients, MCI-NP@mPD-1 offers a promising therapeutic paradigm for photothermal immunotherapy of immune-cold HCC.

Highlights:
1 Clinical cohort analyses identify stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling as a key determinant of immune responsiveness in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), providing a data-driven rationale for nanomedicine design.
2 A carrier-free coordination nanomedicine co-assembles MSA-2 and indocyanine green to couple photothermal-induced immunogenic cell death with STING activation, while PD-1 membrane camouflage enables ~fivefold tumor accumulation and localized checkpoint blockade.
3 This integrated strategy converts immune-cold HCC into an immune-active state, achieving durable tumor control and systemic immune memory against metastasis.

Bolstered Interfacial Field Chemistry for Deep Fast-Charging Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries

2026-07-30T06:25:00+00:00

Deep fast-charging capability has become the core pursuit for practical applications of aqueous zinc metal batteries, yet it is critically impeded by unfavorable interfacial field evolution at the electrode/electrolyte interface under high-current–density conditions. The coexistence of sluggish Zn²⁺ desolvation, competitive H₂O reduction corrosion, uneven electric field, and concentration field collectively leads to poor rate performance. To tackle these issues, a bolstered interfacial field chemistry strategy was developed via sulfosuccinic acid to precisely regulate the physicochemical and electrochemical properties within the inner Helmholtz plane. The tuned interfacial field comprises a homogeneous distribution of interfacial ions and electric fields, promoting fast desolvation and interfacial electron transfer. Consequently, the modified Zn||Cu asymmetric cells deliver an outstanding average Coulombic efficiency of 99.48% over 1600 cycles at 2 mA cm⁻² and 1 mAh cm⁻². Furthermore, the modified Zn||Zn symmetric cells demonstrate exceptional stability under challenging conditions of 5 mA cm⁻², 2 mAh cm⁻² (over 1600 h), and 10 mA cm⁻², 10 mAh cm⁻² (over 675 h, depth of discharge = 17.08%). Impressively, a substantial cumulative capacity of 3500 mAh cm⁻² is attained at 10 mAh cm⁻² and a 56.93% Zn utilization rate. Besides, the enhanced Zn (10 µm) ||I₂ (10.87 mg cm⁻²) full cell sustains over 1490 cycles at 1 A g⁻¹ with 77.13% capacity retention and a harsh N/P ratio of 2.31. Remarkably, the Zn (10 µm) ||I₂ pouch cell achieves over 680 cycles with an ultralow N/P ratio of 2.04.

Highlights:
1 A sulfosuccinic acid-enabled interfacial field chemistry strategy is developed to regulate the inner Helmholtz plane, which homogenized ion/electric distribution, thus accelerating Zn²⁺ desolvation and charge transfer under high current density.
2 This strategy enables superior reversibility and ultralong stability in Zn||Zn cells, simultaneously meeting the requirements of high current density and deep discharge.
3 The optimized Zn (10 µm) ||I₂ full cells deliver over 1490 cycles (N/P = 2.31) and 680 cycles in pouch cells (N/P = 2.04), respectively.

Dual-Ion Co-Storage via Solvation Structure Tuning Toward Ultrafast and Durable Zinc-Organic Batteries

2026-07-30T06:13:08+00:00

Aqueous Zn-organic batteries are promising due to the sustainability and tunability of organic cathodes. However, the critical challenge in their practical application lies in dissolution, degradation, and sluggish kinetics, ultimately degrading the cycling stability and rate capability. Herein, we demonstrate a simple effective electrolyte engineering strategy by introducing potassium chloride (KCl) as a co-solute into the ZnCl₂ electrolyte to achieve high-performance Zn batteries utilizing 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) as the cathode. Experimental studies and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that KCl addition not only enhances electrolyte conductivity but also modulates Zn²⁺ solvation environment to form [Zn(H₂O)₂Cl₄]²⁻, significantly improving ion diffusion kinetics. Consequently, the Zn//PTCDA in the ZnCl₂-KCl electrolyte exhibits a remarkable capacity of 124.7 mAh g⁻¹ with an average voltage of 0.65 V, exceptional rate performance (56% capacity retention at 30 A g⁻¹), and prolonged cycling performance (90.9% retention after 10,000 cycles). Experimental and density functional theory mechanistic studies unveil a new reversible Zn²⁺/K⁺ co-storage mechanism in the PTCDA cathode, where K⁺ acts as a charge shield and structural pillar, synergistically decreasing the ion migration energy barrier, enhancing reaction kinetics, and stabilizing the cathode structure. This work elucidates dual-ion storage chemistry and highlights rational electrolyte design for durable, high-power metal–organic batteries.

Highlights:
1 Introducing KCl into ZnCl₂ electrolyte induces salting-out and suppresses 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) dissolution.
2 The reversible Zn²⁺/K⁺ co-storage mechanism of the PTCDA cathode was unveil.
3 The assembled Zn//PTCDA battery exhibits superior electrochemical performance.
4 A high capacity of 124.7 mAh g⁻¹ (91.7% of the theoretical capacity) at 1 A g⁻¹ is achieved.

Correction: Copper-Based Targeted Nanocatalytic Therapeutics for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

2026-07-30T05:59:24+00:00

Conventional treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) suffer from low remission rates, high drug resistance, and severe adverse effects. To leverage the therapeutic potential of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nanocatalytic medicine utilizes nanomaterials to generate ROS specifically within tumor sites, enabling efficient and targeted cancer treatment. In this study, hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified copper (Cu) and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) assembled nanoparticles (Cu-DMSA-HA NPs) are developed with tumor-targeting capability and efficiently catalyze ROS production via coordination chemistry. Targeted delivery is facilitated by HA surface modification through recognition of overexpressed cluster of differentiation 44 receptors on cancer cells, which enhances nanoparticle uptake. Once internalized, intracellular glutathione is depleted by the NPs, followed by a Fenton-like reaction that sustains ROS production. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that this catalytic strategy effectively inhibits DNA replication, prevents cell cycle progression, downregulates glutathione peroxidase 4 expression, induces ferroptosis, and ultimately suppresses NSCLC progression. Overall, the readily prepared Cu-DMSA-HA NPs exhibit robust catalytic activity and tumor specificity, highlighting their strong potential for clinical translation in nanocatalytic cancer therapy.

Highlights:
1 Developed a novel type of nanoparticles (NPs)—hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified copper (Cu) and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)-assembled NPs copper (Cu) and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA).
2 The constructed NPs were surface-modified with HA to selectively target overexpressed cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) receptors on cancer cells and catalytically generate highly efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) via coordination chemistry.
3 Such efficient ROS generation induced intracellular ROS accumulation, mitochondrial disruption, glutathione (GSH) depletion, and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) downregulation, ultimately triggering ferroptosis in cancer cells.

Ultramicropore-Confined Solvation and Interphase Regulation Unlock High-Performance Hard Carbon Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

2026-07-30T05:40:53+00:00

Hard carbon (HC) anodes are promising for sodium-ion batteries, yet achieving high initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), large plateau contribution, and fast charge-transfer kinetics remains challenging due to insufficient control of micro–nanostructure and interphase chemistry. Here, we present a precursor-level molecular engineering strategy that simultaneously regulates sodium desolvation and interphase chemistry in HC. An iodine-mediated oxidative cross-linking process converts starch into spherical HC with uniformly distributed ultramicropores and carbonyl-rich surfaces. These nanoconfined pores are proposed to act as molecular sieves, preferentially excluding bulky solvent molecules while allowing PF₆⁻-coordinated Na⁺ access, thereby favoring anion-enriched electrolyte structures under confinement. Surface carbonyls exhibit strong PF₆⁻ affinity, which may promote fluorine-rich inorganic interphases on pore surfaces. The synergistic effects of anion-selective adsorption and confined desolvation are suggested to favor thin and robust NaF-rich interphases at external surfaces and within nanoconfined pore regions, contributing to reversible interfacial reactions and rapid Na⁺ storage kinetics. Consequently, the HC delivers an ICE of 88.4%, a reversible capacity of 352.9 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1C, excellent rate capability (288.9 mAh g⁻¹ at 5C), and 95.6% capacity retention over 200 cycles. This work offers a molecular-level design paradigm integrating efficiency, capacity, and kinetics in HC anodes.

Highlights:
1 An iodine-mediated oxidative cross-linking strategy enables the synthesis of spherical hard carbon with uniformly distributed ultramicropores (< 0.9 nm) and carbonyl-rich surfaces from starch precursors.
2 Ultramicropore-confined solvation favors anion-enriched electrolyte structures, while carbonyl groups promote NaF-rich inorganic interphases, enabling synergistic interfacial regulation.
3 The optimized hard carbon delivers high initial Coulombic efficiency (88.4%), large plateau contribution (64.1%), excellent rate capability (288.9 mAh g⁻¹ at 5C), and stable cycling (95.6% retention after 200 cycles).

IrMn-Cluster-Based Artificial Metalloenzymes with Radiosensitized Systemic Antitumor Responses to Prevent Malignant Tumor Metastasis and Recurrence

2026-07-30T05:15:21+00:00

Developing radiosensitizing agents to amplify tumor-eradicating effects on primary, regional recurrence, and distant metastases plays a transformative role in modern cancer care. Here, we report the de novo design of biocatalytic artificial metalloenzymes with an IrMn-cluster-based redox center (IMM) to achieve radiosensitized systemic antitumor responses for preventing malignant tumor metastasis and recurrence. Notably, our findings indicate that Mn-organic ligands substantially enrich the electron density of Ir clusters, thereby optimizing their interaction with oxygen species and markedly enhancing the production of both reactive oxygen species and molecular oxygen. When combined with radiotherapy, the IMM effectively amplifies DNA damage and induces pronounced apoptosis by alleviating intratumoral hypoxia. This shift reprograms the tumor microenvironment, enhancing radiosensitivity and facilitating the infiltration and activation of intratumoral CD8⁺ T cells and dendritic cells. Moreover, when integrated with anti-PD-1 therapy, this coordinated therapeutic regimen elicits potent systemic immune responses and durable antitumor memory, effectively suppressing tumor recurrence and metastasis while markedly improving therapeutic efficacy and long-term survival. We anticipate that this conceptual design could offer a promising and translationally relevant nanomedicine platform for radiotherapies.

Highlights:
1 The bioinspired design of IrMn-based redox centers (IMM) with rapid electron transfer can promote the formation of electron-rich IMM, thereby guaranteeing superior radio-enhanced reactive oxygen species biocatalysis and O₂ generation.
2 The tumor-adaptive and biocompatible IMM can induce mitochondrial dysfunction and hinder DNA repair, resulting in robust immunogenic cell death.
3 An IMM-based biocatalyst can activate systemic antitumor responses and reverse a suppressive tumor microenvironment, thereby boosting tumoricidal effects and preventing metastasis and recurrence by synergizing with checkpoint blockade therapy.

Elucidating the Respective Roles of Photochemical and Photothermal Effects in Photocatalytic Methanol Decomposition

2026-07-30T03:53:10+00:00

Photocatalytic reactions can be driven by both photochemical and photothermal processes. However, their individual contributions and synergistic effect remain to be clarified. Herein, we investigated the respective roles of these effects using a Cu–TiO₂/Ti model catalyst that integrated photochemical and photothermal functionalities within a single photocatalytic system. Employing photocatalytic methanol decomposition as a model reaction, the Cu–TiO₂/Ti catalyst achieved a high H₂ yield rate of 0.511 mmol h⁻¹ with selectivity of 96.6% toward HCHO among oxidation products, attributed to the cooperative action of photochemical and photothermal processes. In situ resonant Auger electron spectroscopy (RAS), together with in situ Cu K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure and excited-state density functional theory calculations, revealed the accumulation of photogenerated electrons at Cu sites from TiO₂, suggests the possible formation of an electron transfer pathway from TiO₂ to Cu, which promotes stepwise methanol dehydrogenation to HCHO and H₂. Simultaneously, the photothermal contribution from Ti enhanced catalytic activity by accelerating reaction kinetics and promoting the desorption of HCHO, thereby suppressing its overoxidation to CO.

Highlights:
1 A rationally engineered Cu-TiO₂/Ti model catalyst enables the distinction of photochemical and photothermal effects, revealing their distinct roles in enhancing CH3OH dehydrogenation and suppressing HCHO overoxidation, thus achieving high H₂ production, excellent HCHO selectivity, and long-term stability in a non-noble metal system.
2 The integration of in situ resonant Auger electron spectroscopy with in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, in situ Synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations enable direct visualization of charge transfer pathways and elucidates how the photothermal effect promotes HCHO desorption while preventing overoxidation.