Small Science最新文献

{"title":"Selective and Fast Cortisol Sensing in Human Saliva Using Graphene-Based On-Chip Field-Effect Transistors.","authors":"Bajramshahe Shkodra, Ksenija Arslanova, Eva Fellinger, Tanja Stimpel-Lindner, Sebastian Klenk, Sebastian Hauk, Kathrin C Knirsch, Andreas Hirsch, Kristiina Iljin, Tarja K Nevanen, Annette Schmidt, Georg S Duesberg","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70405","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70405","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Monitoring of biomarkers in body fluids is highly sought after for medical diagnostics and tracking health conditions. Conventional analytical methods require centralized facilities and complex protocols, limiting applicability for real-time or point-of-care use. In recent years, graphene-based transducers have shown high potential for miniaturized biosensing, however they have so far been hardly tested in real-case scenarios. In this work, electrolyte-gated graphene field-effect transistors (EG-GFETs) are developed for the detection of the primary stress hormone cortisol in human saliva. The sensor consists of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown graphene functionalized with perylene bisimide (PBI) linkers for immobilizing anticortisol (17) Fab fragments. Cortisol is detected over a dynamic range from 100 fM to 1 μM, covering physiologically relevant concentration ranges. The measurements show high correlation with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests performed in parallel on the same samples. The immediate, label-free sensing of biomarkers in human saliva represents a major advance in miniaturized biosensing and can potentially be extended to further analytes and integrated portable monitoring units.</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 10","pages":"e70405"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13618521/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149076057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lipid-Mediated DNA-Protein Coupling Reinforces the Mechanics of HP1α-DNA Condensates.","authors":"Masato Machida, Kohei Yokosawa, Shinya Tahara, Takakazu Nakabayashi, Shinji Kajimoto","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70410","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biomolecular condensates formed via liquid-liquid phase separation often contain multiple molecular components whose collective interactions determine their physical properties. However, how different molecular species cooperatively regulate condensate mechanics remains poorly understood. In this study, we integrated Raman-Brillouin imaging with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis to quantify the molecular composition, mobility, and high-frequency viscoelastic responses of multicomponent condensates composed of heterochromatin protein 1α (HP1α), DNA, and lipids. DNA incorporation rendered condensates morphologically distorted yet mechanically soft, while DNA within the condensates exhibited limited mobility, suggesting the formation of partially immobilized DNA-rich structures that shape the condensate morphology without rigidifying the interior. Subsequent lipid incorporation selectively confined HP1α mobility and increased condensate viscoelasticity without altering the DNA dynamics. These results reveal the opposing mechanical effects of DNA and lipids, arising from distinct DNA-protein coupling states within the condensates. DNA-rich structures exhibit dynamics decoupled from HP1α within the same condensates, whereas lipid incorporation enhances effective DNA-protein coupling, thereby reinforcing condensate mechanics. These findings establish lipid-mediated DNA-protein coupling as a key physicochemical mechanism regulating the mechanical properties of multicomponent biomolecular condensates.</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70410"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13618613/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149076135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking High-Voltage Aqueous LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ Cathodes Through Binder-Collector Interfacial Design.","authors":"Giorgio Montinaro, Daniele Versaci, Piera Di Prima, Julia Amici, Federico Bella, Silvia Bodoardo","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70406","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70406","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lithium-ion battery performance and sustainability increasingly depend on \"inactive\" components such as polymer binders and current collectors. Replacing conventional N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone/polyvinylidene fluoride processing with water-based manufacturing requires binders that combine mechanical cohesion, interfacial stability, and ionic transport, together with current collectors resistant to corrosion and high-voltage degradation. Here, two aqueous binder formulations-sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC)  +  SX8684(A)-64 and NaCMC  +  TRD202A-are investigated in LiNi₀ _. ₅Mn₁ _. ₅O₄ (LNMO) cathodes cast on bare and carbon-coated aluminum foils. Spectroscopic and thermogravimetric analyses identify SX8684(A)-64 as a single-phase polymethacrylate with minimal swelling (~2%-3% mass uptake), whereas TRD202A exhibits a hybrid acrylic/fluoropolymer architecture, multistage degradation, and pronounced gel-like swelling (>30%). Morphological analysis shows porosities of 67%-71% and tortuosities of 2.4-3.7, with TRD202A on carbon-coated aluminum producing the most open and least tortuous architecture. Intermittent current interruption measurements confirm that this configuration provides the lowest resistance, while delivering >100 mAh g^-1 at 5 C, >45  mAh  g^-1 at 15 C, and >80% capacity retention over 100 cycles. These results demonstrate the importance of co-designing binder chemistry and current-collector surfaces for scalable, sustainable aqueous LNMO cathodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70406"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13618630/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149076126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advances in Wearable Thermoelectric Devices: Strategies for Enhancing Wearability and Performance.","authors":"Yurim Lee, Hyein Ham, Siyeon Park, Hanbit Jang, Seungwan Hong, Jungmok Seo","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70402","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70402","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thermoelectric devices (TEDs) offer a compelling solution by enabling solid-state, electrically driven thermal regulation directly on the human body. At the same time, they can function as power sources for small electronic devices by utilizing the temperature difference between the body and the surrounding environment. However, the inherently rigid components used in TEDs limit their ability to conform seamlessly to the curved and dynamic surfaces of the human body. This mismatch often results in interfacial gaps and mechanical delamination during motion, significantly degrading thermal and electrical performance. To overcome these limitations, extensive research efforts have been directed toward structural and material design strategies that enhance the mechanical wearability of TEDs for reliable on-body operation. Here, we review recent advances in wearable TEDs (w-TEDs), highlighting emerging strategies to reconcile mechanical wearability with high device performance. Structural and material innovations that enable mechanical compliance and conformal skin integration are first reviewed, followed by approaches that improve device performance through electrical contact and optimized thermal transport design. We further examine emerging applications in personal thermal management, energy harvesting, and sensing and discuss the remaining challenges and future opportunities for next-generation w-TEDs that simultaneously achieve wearability and high performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70402"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13618461/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149076085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Catalytic Nitric Oxide-Generating Selenium Nanoparticle-Loaded Hydrogels With Anti-Inflammatory and Pro-Wound-Healing Properties.","authors":"Shu Geng, Kang Lin, Qingqing Fan, Yulong Sun, Federico Mazur, Rona Chandrawati","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70409","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nitric oxide's (NO) crucial role in various physiological processes, such as vascular regulation, inflammation, and wound healing, has led to the development of various NO delivery platforms. However, delivering NO in a controlled and sustained manner is challenging due to its short half-life of less than 5 s. To address this challenge, we synthesized polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels loaded with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) or polydopamine-coated selenium nanoparticles (Se@PDA NPs), which can catalytically generate NO from both endogenous and exogenous NO donors. Structural characterization confirmed that nanoparticle loading did not alter the intrinsic properties of the PAAm-gel. By adjusting the concentration of NPs loaded within the hydrogels, tunable NO generation was achieved. Both Se-gel and Se@PDA-gel exhibited sustained NO generation, with Se@PDA-gel demonstrating superior recyclability and stability, even after long-term storage under various conditions. The hydrogels exhibited excellent biocompatibility, and their biological activity was validated by elevated interleukin-10 (IL-10) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, indicating anti-inflammatory effects and potential for wound healing, respectively. These findings establish Se@PDA-gel as a promising platform for controlled and sustained NO delivery, offering therapeutic potential in wound healing and anti-inflammatory therapies, particularly for cardiovascular and infectious diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70409"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13618612/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149076089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gate-Tunable Remnant Anomalous Hall Effect in Dual-‍Proximity Graphene Heterostructures.","authors":"Sayooj Satheesh, Alexandre Bernard, Thomas Naimer, Ernst Knöckl, Takashi Taniguchi, Kenji Watanabe, Jaroslav Fabian, Alexander Holleitner, Christoph Kastl, Marko Burghard","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70404","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70404","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Monolayer graphene offers long spin coherence but lacks the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and magnetic exchange required to access anomalous Hall and topological transport. Simultaneously proximitizing graphene with a ferromagnet and a spin-orbit-coupled semiconductor can, in principle, unlock responses inaccessible to either single-proximity system, but an experimental demonstration has been missing. Here, we report a gate-tunable, remnant anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in dual-proximity Cr₂Ge₂Te₆/graphene/WSe₂ van der Waals heterostructures. Near charge neutrality, the trilayer exhibits a hysteretic transverse resistance with a remnant offset of up to Δ<i>R</i> _<i>xy</i>  ≈ 250 Ω and a characteristic transport reversal field of ~20 mT, corresponding to an anomalous Hall conductivity of order e²/h that changes sign multiple times within a narrow energy window. The hysteresis vanishes above <i>T</i> ≈ 50 K, tracking the Curie temperature of Cr₂Ge₂Te₆, and is absent in Cr₂Ge₂Te₆/graphene bilayer controls. Scaling analysis of <i>σ</i> _{<i>x</i> <i>y</i>} ^AHE versus <i>σ</i> _{<i>x</i> <i>x</i>} rules out extrinsic skew-scattering and side-jump mechanisms near the Dirac point, while low-energy model calculations reproduce the observed sign structure through Berry-curvature hot spots that emerge only when exchange and SOC act together. Our results establish dual-proximity engineering as a route toward gate-tunable topological phases in graphene.</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70404"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13588017/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149008978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the Mechanisms of Photocatalytic CO₂ Reduction Reaction in Semiconductor/Metal Complex Hybrid Photocatalyst.","authors":"Dasom Kim, Gayoung Ham, Jonghwan Lee, Yeseul Jo, Jeongu You, Seung Kyu Min, Hyojung Cha, Youn Jeong Jang","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70407","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70407","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hybrid catalysts combining semiconductors with molecular metal complexes have emerged as a promising strategy for efficient solar-to-chemical conversion under mild conditions; however, the mechanistic origin of their catalytic selectivity remains poorly understood. Here, we report a TiO₂/[Co(bpy)₃]²⁺ hybrid photocatalyst that exhibits significantly enhanced activity and selectivity for CO₂-to-CO conversion compared with pristine TiO₂. By combining electrochemical analysis, DFT, and TAS, we address consecutive elementary steps of the photocatalytic cycle: electrochemical analysis establishes the conditions for catalyst activation, DFT identifies the thermodynamic origin of CO₂ coordination selectivity at the activated center, and TAS provides supporting evidence for interfacial electron transfer dynamics under photocatalytic conditions. Specifically, DFT calculations show that CO₂ coordination is thermodynamically favored over proton adsorption, providing a basis for the suppressed hydrogen evolution. TAS observations are consistent with fast electron injection from TiO₂ to the Co-bpy complex and the formation of a long-lived transient species under CO₂ conditions, supporting the involvement of stabilized reduced intermediates in the proposed catalytic pathway. This interplay between interfacial charge transfer and CO₂-specific intermediate formation is consistent with the high selectivity toward CO production. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the roles of the semiconductor and molecular catalyst in hybrid photocatalysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70407"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13588002/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149009064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interfacial Engineering of Dual-Layer Au-Shelled Ag Nanowires: Decoupling Chemical Stability From Ultrasensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Activity.","authors":"Yuyang Li, Ario Jafari, Dongqing Lin, Justinas Palisaitis, Yangpeiqi Yi, Jonas Oshaug Pedersen, Yulong Duan, Per O Å Persson, Magnus P Jonsson, Thomas Ederth, Klas Tybrandt","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70401","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70401","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>One-dimensional (1D) silver nanowires are promising surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates, yet their plasmonic hotspots are spatially confined to sharp tips or junctions, leaving the extensive body optically inactive. Additionally, realizing high-performance Ag-based substrates faces a fundamental trade-off between chemical stability and surface activity. To simultaneously resolve these geometric and chemical limitations, we present a stepwise interfacial engineering strategy to synthesize 3D hierarchical dual-layer porous@smooth Au-shelled Ag nanowires. This architecture decouples functional requirements: A hermetic smooth Au inner shell passivates the Ag core for long-term stability, while the nanowire body serves as a structural scaffold for a porous Au outer shell. This design activates the entire 1D surface, creating a volumetric distribution of high-density hotspots localized at the interparticle gaps. Consequently, the hierarchical nanowires exhibit exceptional sensitivity for model analytes, including malachite green, crystal violet, and methylene blue, with detection limits ranging from 10^-11 down to 10^-14 M. Notably, for malachite green the sensitivity approaches the single-molecule regime. Finally, leveraging their high aspect ratio and mechanical flexibility, the nanowires demonstrate versatile utility in two distinct applications: enabling both stretchable SERS substrates for conformal sensing and colloidal dispersions for the rapid \"mix-and-measure\" fingerprinting of microplastics (PE, PP, PS, and PET).</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70401"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13587937/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149008987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Advanced Lithium Batteries: Decoupling Ion Transport, Engineering Interfaces, and Enabling Sustainable Manufacturing.","authors":"Mohan Raj Krishnan, Chandra Sekhar Bongu, Edreese Alsharaeh","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70403","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70403","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are promising materials for next-generation lithium batteries owing to their inherent safety, mechanical flexibility, and compatibility with advanced cell architectures. However, their practical implementation remains constrained by low room-temperature ionic conductivity, solid-solid interfacial resistance, and limited manufacturing scalability. This review critically examines recent advances in SPEs, with particular emphasis on fundamental Li⁺ transport mechanisms and the molecular factors governing ionic mobility, as well as strategies for decoupling ion transport from polymer segmental dynamics. Emerging design strategies, including architecture-engineered polymers, single-ion conductors, self-healing networks, and polymer-ceramic composites, are evaluated in terms of their ability to balance ionic conductivity, mechanical integrity, and interfacial stability. Particular attention is devoted to interfacial phenomena and mesoscale structural regulation that govern practical electrochemical performance. Recent progress in sustainable electrolytes, including fluorine-free salts, bio-derived polymers, and recyclable dynamic networks, is also highlighted. Finally, remaining challenges and future opportunities are discussed, emphasizing integrated molecular and interfacial design, standardized performance evaluation, and scalable manufacturing toward safe, sustainable, and high-performance solid-state batteries.</p>","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70403"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13588041/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149009027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disentangling Multiscale Cation-Anion Dynamics in Li₄(BH₄)(NH₂)₃ Using Quasielastic Neutron Scattering.","authors":"Mohsin Abbas, Fahim Karimi, Nicolas De Souza, Dehong Yu, Peter Fouquet, Thomas Klassen, Claudio Pistidda","doi":"10.1002/smsc.70408","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smsc.70408","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Elucidating the interplay between anion dynamics and cation transport is essential for the rational design of solid-state ionic conductors. Here, we investigate the relationship between local anion motion and long-range &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;Li&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; transport in &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;Li&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msub&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mo&gt;(&lt;/mo&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;BH&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msub&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mo&gt;)&lt;/mo&gt; &lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;(&lt;/mo&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;NH&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msub&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mo&gt;)&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;3&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msub&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; by combining quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) and neutron spin-echo (NSE) spectroscopy with complementary thermal, structural, and electrochemical investigations. Time-of-flight QENS analysis reveals ultrafast reorientational motion of &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt; &lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;BH&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msub&gt; &lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;-&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; units within the crystalline lattice, characterized by a low rotational activation barrier of ∼0.16 eV. This barrier is substantially lower than the &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;Li&lt;/mi&gt; &lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; transport activation energy (∼0.26 eV), demonstrating that thermally activated &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt; &lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;BH&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msub&gt; &lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;-&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; reorientation provides a dynamic pathway that promotes &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;Li&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; hopping through the lattice. In contrast, &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt; &lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;NH&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msub&gt; &lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;-&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; anions exhibit limited quasielastic broadening, indicating more restricted dynamics. Upon melting, the emergence of &lt;i&gt;Q&lt;/i&gt;-dependent quasielastic broadening reveals translational diffusion of &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt; &lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;BH&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msub&gt; &lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;-&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; species, yielding a diffusion coefficient of ∼. This value closely agrees with the &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;Li&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; diffusion coefficient obtained from ionic conductivity measurements, evidencing a transition from rotation-assisted &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;Li&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/msup&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/mrow&gt; &lt;/math&gt; migration in the solid state to coupled cation-anion diffusion in the molten phase. Complementary NSE measurements directly capture long-range &lt;math&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;mrow&gt; &lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;","PeriodicalId":29791,"journal":{"name":"Small Science","volume":"6 9","pages":"e70408"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13588060/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149009049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}