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Antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) has attracted extensive attention due to its excellent photoelectric characteristics, including a high absorption coefficient (α > 104 cm−1) and a suitable bandgap (≈1.7 eV). However, due to its Q1D (quasi‐1D) structure, numerous deep‐level defects are identified in the Sb2S3 film, limiting the device's performance, and necessitating more efforts to overcome this situation. In this context, an ethanol solvent‐assisted chemical bath deposition (S‐CBD) strategy, a novel high‐quality thin film manufacturing technique is presented that modifies the supersaturation of the precursor solution by varying the boiling point and solvent polarity. This approach enables the effective regulation of the correlation between the crystal nucleation and growth rates, resulting in Sb2S3 films with large grains (≈4.25 µm, 37.5% ethanol), excellent crystallinity, well‐oriented structures (TC(211)/TC(020) = 2.39), low defect density, and prolonged carrier lifetimes (τAve ≈ 12.1 ns). Consequently, the final Sb2S3‐based solar device (FTO/CdS/Sb2S3/Spiro‐OMeTAD/Au) shows significant improvements in both FF (61.63%) and JSC (17.61 mA cm−2), yielding an excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.84%. This research gives particular insights into the growth mechanism of high‐quality Sb2S3 thin films by CBD method as well as a potential route for enhancing Sb2S3 solar cell performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of thin films with flat, compact morphology and fewer defects is the key to the efficiency of solar cells. For antimony selenosulfide (Sb2(S,Se)3), developing flexible preparation methods that can regulate the structure of the films is crucial for the defect control and performance of the devices. Herein, an effective strategy is developed of intervening in the intermediate deposition process of Sb2(S,Se)3 film to regulate its growth on the titanium dioxide (TiO2) electron transport layer (ETL). Thioacetamide (TA) is introduced as an additive and sulfur source during the chemical bath deposition. By reacting with (SbO)OH, it not only eliminates the Sb2O3 phase, but also in‐situ patches the pinholes in the Sb2(S,Se)3 film. In addition, it is found that the increase in sulfur content promotes the transformation of SbS defect to VS defect, while a lower S/Se atomic ratio can simultaneously reduce the formation of SbS and VS defects. As a result, a PCE of 8.52% is obtained, which is the champion efficiency for the solution‐processed TiO2/Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells. This work provides a guidance for synthesizing high‐quality metal chalcogenide films on oxide substrates in terms of morphology and defect control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy cost is a long‐neglected but crucial issue for electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reactions (CO2RRs). So far, achieving efficient CO2RR at a low energy cost is a major unresolved challenge. Herein, energy‐efficient CO2‐to‐CH3OH conversion by synergistically increasing the amount of favorable intermediates and depressing H2 generation is reported. The designed precursor electrocatalyst undergoes in situ reduction, forming Cu−C60 and ZnO−Cu dual interfaces. Cu−C60 induces an *H‐rich surface, decreasing the hydrogenation barrier and lowering the required voltage. *H‐modified ZnO‐Cu alters the mechanism of electron transfer and improves the conversion selectivity. As a result, at an applied potential as low as −0.63 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode, a cathodic energy efficiency of 50.5% and a faradaic efficiency of 78.3% for CH3OH is obtained. This work unlocks an unconventional route for improving the catalytic performance and energy efficiency of electrocatalysts, addressing the concern of energy costs for electrocatalyzed CO2RR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid advances in robotics have placed urgent demands on more intelligent human‐machine interaction technologies. Specifically, the way of establishing dual‐way intuitive communication with a consistent sensory system can greatly enhance efficiency and reliability. Here, a bi‐directional human‐machine interface (HMI) is designed by applying starch‐based hydrogel sensors. The whole system consists of a multi‐modal wearable sensory exoskeleton with a haptic feedback module and sensory robotic hand. The sensory exoskeleton with strain‐sensing glove and rotation‐sensing arm can capture and project the motion of the entire upper limb. The system offers object recognition functions by utilizing a sensing array on the robotic hands and machine learning algorithms, which can identify the shape and hardness information. The recognized results can be delivered back to the operator via vision and vibrational haptic feedback, respectively. This dual‐way intelligent sensory system shows potential application in many key fields such as the Internet of Things, teleoperation, and medical robotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) show great prospects in large‐scale energy storage applications, whereas this technology suffers from the lack of cathode materials with high capacity and stability. Here, a cathode material of SbO2 nanoparticles decorated onto the surface of K0.43V6O13 nanobelt is presented. The SbO2 is disclosed as proton‐phile and zinc‐phobic, which thus favors H+ intercalation. In consequence, the increase of H+ intercalation can offset the lattice shrinkage caused by Zn2+ intercalation, and contribute to excellent cyclic stability of the battery. Finally, SbO2/K0.43V6O13 delivers a reversible capacity of 414.2 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 1000 cycles with a retention of 103%, and 223.5 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1 after 20 000 cycles with a retention of 89.3%, showing long cycling life at both low current and high current densities. This study provides new insights into the effecting factors for the performance of AZIBs cathode and an effective strategy to improve its stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony selenosulfide, Sb2(S,Se)3, has been considered as new‐generation light‐harvesting material for high‐efficiency photovoltaic applications due to its adjustable bandgap, high absorption coefficient, and excellent stability. In terms of device operation, the electron transfer from the electron transporting layer to Sb2(S,Se)3 layer plays a critical role in improving the photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency of solar devices. Intricately manipulating the surface and interface properties has been a great challenge in solar cell fabrications. Herein, an effective approach toward the reconstruction of the CdS interfacial layer, and the following Sb2(S,Se)3 absorber film by utilizing polar ethylenediamine (EDA) solvent annealing at room temperature is developed. It is found that the presence of nitrogen‐containing functional groups of EDA on the CdS surface not only promotes the grain growth and crystallization of CdS, but also induces optimized deposition of Sb2(S,Se)3 films in terms of interfacial contact and defect formation. Finally, the Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cell based on EDA–CdS achieves a top efficiency of 10.10%. This study provides an efficient method and a new understanding of chemically healing inorganic thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information leakage and counterfeiting are serious worldwide issues that tremendously impact legitimate businesses and human life. Inspired by the Noctiluca scintillans, a new fluorescence‐afterglow dual‐modal information encryption enabled by precisely coordination‐modulated ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) is presented. Strikingly, the optical properties including fluorescence, lifetime and intensity of UOP can be precisely modulated on‐demand through energy transfer by lanthanide (LnIII) coordination, which enables information camouflage by similar LnIII luminescence to provide misleading information along with data decryption in the form of mutual afterglow. Moreover, the important data can be encrypted in a spatial‐time‐resolved way by programmatically coding information with afterglow gradients, yielding greatly improved security for verifying the authenticity. This study provides a new avenue to precisely modulate the optical properties of UOP materials and broadens the scope of optical materials for innovative information encryption and anticounterfeiting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony selenosulfide (Sb2(S,Se)3) solar cells bear great potential for sustainable photovoltaic technology, attributed to their excellent semiconductor properties. Despite the encouraging breakthroughs, the efficiency of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells still leaves much room for improvement due to the large open‐circuit voltage (VOC) deficit (the radiative VOC limit minus the high VOC). Herein, ammonium sulfide ((NH4)2S) solution is utilized to treat Sb2(S,Se)3 films to tailor their surface properties. The disappearance of the hole defect (H1) and the decrease of the defect concentration of hole defect (H2) confirm that non‐radiative recombination is suppressed greatly. Photovoltage decay lifetime is greatly increases from 67.9 to 297.9 µs. The upshifted valence band maximum optimizes the energy level alignment between the p–n heterojunction, enhancing the carrier transport. Remarkably, this treatment yields a record lowest VOC deficit of 0.49 V by now, and the best device with 10.41% efficiency, ca. 25% improvement over the control device (8.35%). This study provides valuable insight into reducing the VOC deficit in solar cells and related photoelectronic devices by minimizing non‐radiative recombination, and also presents a great potential strategy to achieve the lowest VOC deficit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) belongs to the most promising class of materials with unique properties and widespread applications. Coupling with carbon materials allows further enhancement of the specific performance of TMCs by mitigating their intrinsic deficiencies. However, the synthesis of a wide variety of TMCs/carbon composites with a universal strategy especially in a scalable manner remains challenging. In this work, by utilizing the gas‐liquid interfaces in viscous gel precursors, an "all‐in‐one" blowing strategy is proposed to achieve the synchronous growth of TMCs and carbon nanosheets, obviating the additional chalcogenization process. The generality of the proposed blowing strategy is validated by the fabrication of 32 different TMCs/carbon composites, including 24 binary TMCs, 4 ternary TMCs and 4 high‐entropy sulfides. In‐depth mechanistic study is accomplished by investigating the physical evolution of blowing process and accompanying chemical reactions systematically. Also, the structure of the resulting foam is adjustable by controlling the heating rate and viscosity of the precursors is demonstrated. As an illustrative example for the application of energy storage, MoS2xSe2(1‐x)@CNS exhibits great Li+ storage capacity and cycling stability. Overall, this methodology serves as an effective general strategy for the rational discovery of TMCs/carbon composites and inorganic solid foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐based batteries have garnered considerable interest as promising energy storage devices due to the low cost, remarkable energy density, high safety, and eco‐friendliness. However, the mutual challenges of cathode dissolution, electrolyte parasitic reactions, disordered zinc dendrite growth, and easily punctured separator have significantly impeded the widespread commercialization of aqueous zinc‐based batteries. Realizing high‐performance zinc‐based batteries becomes imperative yet remains extremely challenging. To address these concerns, great efforts have recently been made to design high‐performance zinc‐based batteries. Here the state‐of‐the‐art in organic materials is critically reviewed for aqueous zinc‐based batteries, covering main components of a battery. This review provides a comprehensive overview on the design strategies of organic materials for zinc‐based batteries, encompassing cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator. Furthermore, the challenges and prospective research directions are also discussed to provide a guideline for further development of highly stable zinc‐based batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony selenosulfide (Sb2(S,Se)3) is considered as a promising light-harvesting material and has been widely used in solar cells. For high-efficiency Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells, the most commonly used electron-transporting layer of cadmium sulfide (CdS) is generally prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD) approach. However, the hazardous waste liquid from the chemical bath and the sensitivity of the deposition process to the environment are challenges to practical applications. Herein, a molecular beam epitaxy deposition is reported to prepare CdS films, overcoming the drawbacks of CBD process. Furthermore, through introducing oxygen during the deposition of CdS, the sulfur vacancy defects generated in the vacuum deposition process are suppressed. The performance of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells is accordingly improved significantly. This improvement is attributed to the following aspects: i) the improved optical transmittance of CdS films. ii) The enhanced [M1] orientation ofSb2(S,Se)3 absorber layer. iii) The improved heterojunction quality and suppressed carrier recombination. As a result, a power conversion efficiency of 8.59% for Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells is achieved. This study provides a novel strategy for preparing electron-transporting layers for efficient chalcogenide thin-film solar cells and sheds new light on large-area solar cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In robotic‐assisted minimally invasive surgery (RMIS), non‐sentient surgical instruments make it impossible for surgeons to perceive operational force during the procedure. To facilitate surgeons with force telepresence during surgery, a highly integrated MEMS‐based piezoresistive 3D force sensing module, which is composed of a MEMS‐based piezoresistive sensor chip, an encapsulation cap with miniature pyramids, and a top elastic layer, is demonstrated. This innovative combined construction allows for rapid replacement of elastic layers with different thicknesses and different Young's modulus, so as to realize an adjustable sensitivity and measurement range for different surgeries. By replacing the elastic layer, the same amount of change in resistance can be achieved for external force of 3 and 10 N in the Z‐axis; the sensitivity in X‐ and Y‐axes can be increased by a maximum of eight and seven times, respectively. Meanwhile, miniature size enables it to be integrated into various surgical instruments' tip. Experimental demonstrations involving palpation simulated nodule detection of kidney, ex vivo puncture, and threading forces estimation of tissue‐mimicking are conducted to validate the effectiveness of adjusting sensitivity and range. This sensing module is potentially a promising solution for low‐cost and versatility to surgical instruments, which can facilitate unification of force‐sensing/intelligent surgical instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vivo H2O2 visualization is crucial for disease diagnosis. Catalytic reaction‐based probes show potential in H2O2 detection, yet their in vivo application remains challenging because catalysts always require a specific pH to function and cellular glutathione (GSH) may suppress signaling by depletion of hydroxyl radicals and oxidized substrates. Here, a microenvironment‐tailored catalytic nanoprobe (MTCN) comprising Fe2+, citric acid (CA), 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), and downconversion nanoparticles in the liposomal cavity as well as a reference dye in the lipid membrane is reported, which utilizes the selective permeability of the liposomal membrane to offer a favorable pH for Fe2+ catalyst with the aid of CA and to avoid GSH‐triggered signal loss by preventing entry of GSH into the cavity. The MTCN displays a large NIR‐II fluorescence (FL) ratio between 1550 and 1080 nm (FL1550Em,808Ex/FL1080Em,980Ex), but a small photoacoustic (PA) ratio between 808 and 1048 nm (PA808/PA1048). Upon exposure of MTCN to H2O2, catalytic conversion of ABTS into its oxidized form ABTS·+ with 808 nm absorption causes a noticeable increment in PA808/PA1048 accompanied by an apparent decrement in FL1550Em,808Ex/FL1080Em,980Ex, enabling bimodal ratiometric imaging of H2O2 in the tumor and lymphatic metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) is a kind of emerging candidate for the application in low‐cost and high‐efficiency thin film solar cells owing to its non‐toxicity, earth‐abundance, and unique quasi‐1D crystal structure. In this photovoltaic material, quasi‐vertically oriented Sb2Se3 thin films can transfer photocarriers efficiently along the [hk1]‐orientation. However, the crystal orientation control in thin films is still the main obstacle to improve the efficiency of Sb2Se3 solar cells. Herein, an interfacial engineering method is developed by antimony chloride (SbCl3) on CdS films with post‐annealing treatment to improve the quality of both interface and absorber thin film. It is found that the SbCl3 treatment resulted in 1) transformation of the CdS/Sb2Se3 interface from "cliff" to "spike" like energy band alignments; 2) improved surface morphology of CdS surface, and 3) suppressed cubic structure of CdS structure and thus generating improved [hk1]‐oriented Sb2Se3 film on the high‐purity hexagonal CdS. As a result, the Sb2Se3 solar cell treated with SbCl3 achieves a top efficiency of 6.89% in superstrate planar heterojunction Sb2Se3 solar cell. This study provides a new interfacial post‐treatment method for the preparation of high‐performance Sb2Se3 planar heterojunction solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) with high working voltages, power density, and long cyclic life have attracted widespread interest. Along with their rapid charge process, the ASCs also exhibit fast self‐discharge behavior, which remains a big challenge. Unfortunately, very limited studies have been focused on this crucial issue. Here, a flexible asymmetric supercapacitor with excellent electrochemical performance and ultra‐long self‐discharge time is reported, which is enabled by designing a bilayer heterogeneous polymer electrolyte (HPE) of polyanions/polycations between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The developed HPE‐based ASCs exhibit comparable electrochemical performance with those of ASCs by using homogeneous polymer electrolytes. The existing repulsive force between the charged polyelectrolytes and the movable ions can efficiently restrict the diffusion and the redistribution of the small ions, which gives the fully charged HPE‐based ASC an extremely long self‐discharge time of 110 h as the open‐circuit voltage decreases to half of its original value, over ten times longer than the devices based on homogeneous polymer electrolytes. This work indicates that the self‐discharge rate of ASCs can be efficiently suppressed by using the heterogeneous polymer electrolyte, which is helpful in the context of broadening their applications in the field of flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue‐like intrinsically stretchable electronics have attracted ever‐increasing study attention in recent years as they can form intimate interfaces with skin, endowing devices monitoring tactile and physiological signals with the negligibly constraining movement of the human body. However, harsh mechanical deformation inevitably leads to degradation of or even destroys the electronic properties of the devices. Strain‐insensitive self‐powered triboelectric tactile sensor arrays based on wafer‐scale patterned and intrinsically stretchable nanoscale thin conformal wrinkled graphene‐elastomer composite material are demonstrated here. By regulating the wrinkle structure of the composite, the stretchability performance of the material can be optimized. The fabrication process of the composite can be readily incorporated into photolithography and shadow mask techniques without high temperature, annealing, etching, or organic solvents operating. An intrinsically stretchable semitransparent pressure sensor array is created, which can be stretched to 100% strain without visible signals output degradation. The theoretical modeling points out that the unique conformal wrinkle structure is the key element that attributes to the strain‐insensitive property of the device. This work offers an alternative approach for the design of novel graphene‐based strain‐insensitive stretchable soft electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many living creatures have evolved to show diverse appearance color changes in response to multiple environmental stimuli for attraction, warning, or disguise in their environments. However, it is challenging to construct artificial soft polymer hydrogels with similar multi‐responsive multicolor tunable behaviors, but such materials can serve as soft biomimetic skins to dramatically enhance the function of certain machines. Herein, a specially designed material structure to present an innovative class of supramolecular fluorescent polymeric hydrogels with the integrated properties of wide multi‐color tunability, multi‐responsiveness, self‐healing, and remolding capacities is proposed. A key feature of this rational hydrogel design is that multiple fluorophores (blue (B) aggregation‐induced emissive and red/green (R/G) lanthanide coordinated ones) are organized separately into different polymer chains of one single supramolecular polymer network. Consequently, the B and R/G fluorophores are engineered to be orthogonally responsive, and the fluorescence intensity of each fluorophore can be controlled independently by different external stimuli, which contribute to multi‐responsive multicolor fluorescence response. Besides, the hydrogels also have satisfying self‐healing and remolding capacities. All of these promising advantages together further enabled the construction of soft biomimetic color‐changing skins that can help the existing robots achieve the desirable camouflaging function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]