A 0.8-nm-thick CoFe ultrathin film was deposited on a MgO tunneling barrier by means of cryogenic temperature sputtering. The cryogenic temperature sputtering at 100 K effectively suppressed island-like initial growth of CoFe without hampering grain-to-grain epitaxy, while CoFe deposited at 300 K exhibited rough and mixed interfaces. The flat and sharp interfaces in CoFe ultrathin films deposited at 100 K resulted in improved properties such as low magnetic damping, high tunneling magnetoresistance, and clear perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Furthermore, the clear interfaces were maintained even after annealing at 673 K, indicating high thermal stability.

Intrinsically soft electronics marry high-conductivity metallic nanomaterials and liquid metals with elastomeric/hydrogel matrices to deliver stretchable, durable, and biocompatible devices. This review synthesizes design principles from percolation-guided nanocomposites (0D/1D/2D fillers), liquid-metal patterning, and unconventional fabrication (printing, soft/photolithography, laser) to overcome fatigue and resolution limits of geometry-engineered rigid systems. We highlight applications spanning low-impedance electrodes and sensors, strain-invariant interconnects and circuits, optoelectronics, wireless components, energy storage/harvesting, and stretchable memory. Remaining challenges—long-term stability, scalable manufacturing, and safe biointegration—are outlined with prospects for closed-loop, AI-enabled systems and fully integrated soft platforms.

This work reports a self-gelating alginate sponge (Alg-BA@PDA) engineered by introducing 3-Aminobenzeneboronic acid groups and polydopamine nanoparticles. Hydroxyl groups on alginate chains dynamically crosslink with BA to form boronate ester networks, enabling rapid in situ gelation and conformal wound coverage. PDA-NPs endows the sponge with photothermal activity, antibacterial function, and ROS scavenging capacity, while also mitigating nanoparticle cytotoxicity through controlled release. Together, these features suppress inflammation, enhance angiogenesis, and promote collagen deposition. In vivo, the multifunctional Alg-BA@PDA sponge markedly accelerates full-thickness skin wound healing, highlighting its promise as a next-generation wound dressing.

This work demonstrates super colossal barocaloric effect in one of the “simplest” materials—H₂O, with a reversible entropy change as much as 728 J·kg^-1·K^-1 under a small pressure 0.1 GPa by adding a little amount of GdCl₃. Neutron combined with molecular dynamics simulations revealed the mechanism and inferred that H-bond engineering can be an attractive approach for designing novel caloric materials.

We developed impact-resistant, haze-free poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by photopolymerization-induced microphase separation. Upon irradiation, a polymerization mixture transforms into a transparent monolithic solid. A nanoscopic bicontinuous morphology of glassy PMMA with rubbery and cross-linked polymer domains retains transparency and dimension stability even at high temperatures. 3D printing via direct ink writing demonstrates the potential of the developed material for advanced optical and structural applications.

Broadband optical spectroscopy is used to obtain optical spectra of RCd₃P₃ (R: Ce or La), which exhibit a Fermi-liquid behavior with a very low charge carrier density. Notably, our first-principles calculations suggest that subtle displacements of Cd1 and P1 atoms within the unit cell can induce a semiconductor-to-metal transition, emphasizing the sensitivity of electronic structures to atomic positioning. The temperature-dependent anomalies of infrared-active phonons suggest a structural phase transition in these compounds. Our findings will offer a fundamental understanding of structural distortions leading to electronic transitions, which may be relevant for broader applications in correlated electron systems.

The speed of current-induced magnetic domain-wall motion in a synthetic antiferromagnet reaches a few hundred m/s, and by implementing it into memory devices, it is expected to realize higher-density memory with SRAM-level operation speeds. Two main hurdles are (1) ensuring that the initial spin states on both ends of the device are anti-parallel and (2) minimizing the property degradation during the etching process. Here, we present a new simple scheme of anti-parallel initialization and recovery process from the damage by post-annealing. Our report proves that these two obstacles can be solved, yielding a device with better performance than SOT-MRAM.

This study developed an electrochemical sensor based on a nitrogen-doped hollow carbon sphere @ZIF-8 composite material (NC@ZIF-8), designed to efficiently detect the natural flavonoid luteolin. The composite material combines the high conductivity of hollow carbon spheres with the large specific surface area of ZIF-8. By optimizing the synthesis process and electrode modification conditions, the sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor were significantly enhanced. Experimental results show that the sensor exhibits excellent detection performance over a wide linear range (0.05–30 μM), with a detection limit as low as 0.011 μM. It also demonstrates good interference resistance and stability. The recovery rates for actual samples (Honeysuckle extract and watermelon juice) ranged from 95.41% to 101.20%, confirming its practical value in food safety and drug analysis.

Microneedles (MNs) are an innovative and minimally invasive approach to ocular drug delivery. Unlike traditional methods such as eye drops or injections, MNs can directly target specific eye tissues, including the cornea and retina, allowing for more effective treatment and improved patient comfort. This review highlights recent advances in MN technology, including 3D printing for customized geometries and the use of smart materials for sustained and controlled drug release. These innovations underscore the potential of MNs to transform treatment strategies for chronic eye diseases.