Applied Surface Science Advances最新文献

{"title":"Tailoring coherent charge transport in graphene via nanoscale electronic structuring","authors":"Nicola Melchioni,&nbsp;Federico Paolucci,&nbsp;Paolo Marconcini,&nbsp;Massimo Macucci,&nbsp;Stefano Roddaro,&nbsp;Alessandro Tredicucci,&nbsp;Federica Bianco","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101075","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101075","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The wave-nature of charge carriers in solid state devices can be harnessed in coherent phenomena analogous to optics. While light wave manipulation is well established, recent efforts have focused on identifying suitable equivalents in electronics. However, the nanoscale dimension of the electronic wavelength in solids hinders the fabrication of complex gating architectures through standard nano-fabrication processes, limiting the range of realizable structures. Here, we present innovative coherent electronic devices in graphene achieved by deterministically nano-engineering the crystal’s structural properties to control the wave-like dynamics of charge carriers. This approach relies on the direct electron-beam nanopatterning of the graphene surface. This creates potential barriers with lateral resolution limited only by the beam focus, effectively overcoming the limitation of conventional metal electrodes. As first implementation, we fabricate multiple Fabry–Pérot cavities in graphene field-effect transistors by creating periodically alternating electron-irradiated (acting as partially reflecting mirrors) and pristine nano-stripes. The resonant modes manifest experimentally as sheet resistance oscillations, as also confirmed by Landauer–Büttiker simulations. These coherent phenomena persist up to 30 K for both carriers’ polarities, contrary to traditional electrostatically-created Fabry–Pérot interferometers. Our study establishes electron-irradiated graphene as an innovative platform for coherent electronics, with potential applications in sensing, optoelectronics, nano and quantum technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101075"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155707","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":"Adhesion mechanisms in metal-plated plastics: mechanical interlocking vs chemical adhesion","authors":"Ruslan Melentiev","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101077","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101077","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For nearly a century, coating adhesion has been framed as a chemistry problem. This perspective assembles quantitative evidence showing this framing is largely wrong for metal-plated plastics: mechanical interlocking contributes an overwhelming nine-tenths of total adhesion strength, while chemistry mainly enables wetting and continuous coating formation. Although chemical adhesion indeed scales with true interfacial area, it is far too weak to provide the adhesion levels demanded by practical applications. Consequently, the field’s routine fixation on surface free energy and superhydrophilic water contact angles is often a distraction largely irrelevant to ultimate adhesion. The route to stronger adhesion is different – engineering interfacial geometry can double or even triple the coating quality beyond industrial benchmarks. The dominance of mechanical interlocking is generalizable across metal-plated systems and demand a shift from chemistry-first narratives to mechanics-first design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101077"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155719","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":"Recent progress in signal amplification strategies for electrochemical aptasensors in pesticide detection: a review","authors":"Juthamas Hongoeb,&nbsp;Kamonrat Phopin,&nbsp;Waralee Ruankham,&nbsp;Tanawut Tantimongcolwat,&nbsp;Subhas Chandra Mukhopadhyay","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101068","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101068","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The detrimental health impacts associated with pesticide exposure have become a global concern over the past decade, posing serious risks to both human well-being and environmental safety. Accordingly, electrochemical aptasensors have been considered as promising alternatives for pesticides monitoring, owing to their operational simplicity, shorter analysis time, and cost-effectiveness relative to conventional techniques such as high-performance chromatographic-based techniques. To enhance their analytical performance, particularly for trace-level detection, various signal amplification strategies have been leveraged. This review focuses primarily on recent developments in electrochemical signal enhancement techniques, with an emphasis on reporter-free architectures, utilizing metal, carbon, and c-DNA scaffolds for aptamer immobilization, and the auxiliary mediators-assisted systems, including redox molecules tagging and DNA recycling cascades. Additionally, aptamer selection criteria alongside the limitations and challenges are also mentioned. Ultimately, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current progress and to outline potential directions for future studies and real-world applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101068"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155720","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":"Functional surface modification of zirconia dental implants: A systematic review of biological and preclinical evidence","authors":"Bárbara S․ Baptista,&nbsp;Kai Zheng,&nbsp;Yu Zhang,&nbsp;Mariana B․ Oliveira,&nbsp;Joana Mesquita-Guimarães","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101063","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101063","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The longevity and success of dental implants depend on osseointegration and the cellular response to implant surfaces. Zirconia, a biocompatible and aesthetically appealing alternative to titanium, is increasingly used in dental implants. However, its inherent bioinertness requires surface functionalisation to enhance biological performance. This systematic review critically evaluates recent advances (2019-2026) in zirconia surface modification techniques, including laser texturing and functional coatings, and their influence on cellular responses. A literature search was performed using Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science databases up to 25&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; August 2026, using keyword strings related to zirconia, coatings, and surface modification. Of 655 initially identified records, 82 studies met the eligibility criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE RoB tool for &lt;em&gt;in vivo&lt;/em&gt; studies and a Modified &lt;em&gt;In Vitro&lt;/em&gt; Dental Biomaterials Quality Checklist, revealing an overall moderate risk of bias across the included studies, with &lt;em&gt;in vivo&lt;/em&gt; studies showing higher risk due to lack of blinding and randomisation, while &lt;em&gt;in vitro&lt;/em&gt; studies demonstrated more consistent reporting of key methodological domains.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Overall, the analysed results revealed a general tendency for increased surface roughness and controlled laser texturing to enhance cellular adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation, although the magnitude of these effects varied among studies. Femtosecond and Nd:YAG lasers generally produced the most consistent textured surface results. Across individual studies, microgroove patterns with 30-50 μm spacing and 10- 20 μm depths were associated with up to 90% greater expression of osteogenic markers, including &lt;em&gt;&lt;em&gt;RUNX2&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;ALP&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;OPN&lt;/em&gt;, together with 25 to 40% increases in cell proliferation, and 50-65% higher alkaline phosphatase activity.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;A similar overall trend was observed for bioactive ceramic coatings, particularly hydroxyapatite and bioactive glass, and multifunctional polymeric systems such as polydopamine-strontium complexes, which produced 2 to 5-fold improvements in biological activity. These coatings generally outperformed bioinert nanoporous surfaces, with mineralisation levels reaching 3.2 to 4.7 times those of flat controls. &lt;em&gt;In vivo&lt;/em&gt; studies reported bone-implant contact ratios of 62 - 82%, compared with 8 - 10% for controls, and push-out forces exceeding 58 N. Clinical studies of commercial implant systems reported 5- to 8-year survival rates of 83 to 100%.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;This review highlights laser surface texturing and functional coatings as promising strategies to enhance zirconia implant bioactivation, with preclinical evidence indicating improved cellular responses and osseointegration-related outcomes that warrant further investigation. However, substantial heterogeneity in processing parameters and surface-characterisatio","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101063"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155722","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":"Formic acid adsorption on K2O(110): A density functional theory study","authors":"A.J. González Fá,&nbsp;P. Bechthold,&nbsp;A. Juan,&nbsp;I. López-Corral,&nbsp;J.M. Marchetti","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101070","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101070","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The deactivation of basic heterogeneous catalysts by free fatty acids (FFAs) remains a critical limitation in biodiesel production, particularly due to adsorption–induced surface degradation and the eventual loss of active species. In this work, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations are employed to investigate the adsorption of formic acid, as a model FFA, on the K₂O(110) surface and its role in initiating catalyst degradation. Both molecular and dissociative adsorption configurations are identified, with the latter exhibiting strong chemisorption (E_ads up to −3.85 eV). Dissociative adsorption leads to the formation of a surface hydroxyl group and a strongly bound formate species, accompanied by significant structural distortions. In particular, pronounced displacement of surface K⁺ ions and severe weakening of K–O bonds are observed, reaching bond order reductions of up to 95%, consistent with substantial destabilization of the surface K–O framework. Electronic structure analysis, including projected density of states and Bader charge calculations, reveals charge transfer from the surface to the adsorbate and strong hybridization between molecular and surface states. These findings highlight the critical role of dissociative FFA adsorption in inducing localized structural and electronic modifications of the K₂O surface. Overall, the observed bond weakening provides atomistic insight into the adsorption–induced structural and electronic modifications that destabilize the K₂O surface at the atomic scale. These findings contribute to a mechanistic understanding of the initial stages of catalyst degradation and provide atomistic design principles for the development of more durable basic catalysts by highlighting the importance of strengthening surface metal–oxygen interactions while preserving adequate basicity for catalytic activity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101070"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155718","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":"MxWO3/g-C3N4/BP (M = K, Rb, NH4) nanocomposites: Synergistic near-infrared shielding and photocatalytic purification","authors":"Vinda Puspasari,&nbsp;Qiuyu Jin,&nbsp;Angga Hermawan,&nbsp;Lei Miao,&nbsp;Ayahisa Okawa,&nbsp;Takuya Hasegawa,&nbsp;Hisaya Hama,&nbsp;Shu Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101071","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101071","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Selecting alkali ions in tungsten bronze is crucial to study their optical and photocatalytic properties. A series of new M<em>_x</em>WO₃/g-C₃N₄/Black Phosphorus (BP), (M = K, Rb, NH₄) nanocomposites with dual functionality of NIR shielding and photodegradation ability were successfully prepared by the solvothermal method. In this work, the g-C₃N₄ content was maintained at 45 wt.% in M<em>_x</em>WO₃/g-C₃N₄ (M = K, Rb, NH₄), while an additional composite with 5 wt.% BP was fabricated for comparison. The Rb_xWO₃/g-C₃N₄/BP showed the best NIR shielding and visible transparency at 76.7% and 80.1%, respectively. Furthermore, BP incorporation enhanced the visible light photodegradation towards Rhodamine B (RhB) and Nitrogen Oxides (NO_x). The Rb_xWO₃/g-C₃N₄/BP also showed the highest photodegradation of RhB at 99.5% and NO<em>_x</em> at 55.0%, while it was only 39.2% and 12.0% for pure Rb_xWO₃, respectively. The excellent dual function of NIR shielding and photocatalytic activity suggests that M<em>_x</em>WO₃/g-C₃N₄/BP (M = K, Rb, NH₄) nanocomposites have strong potential for self-cleaning and energy-saving windows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101071"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155716","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":"Systematic insights into carbon deficiency induced structural characteristics, microstructural evolution and mechanical response in sputter-deposited TiCx films","authors":"Jinyu Shi,&nbsp;Yupeng Zou,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Zhang,&nbsp;Yiming Lei,&nbsp;Jie Zhang,&nbsp;Jingyang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101073","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101073","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Titanium carbide (TiCₓ) is essential for extreme environments, owing to its exceptional properties that are inherently coupled to its carbon stoichiometry. This study systematically investigates the effect of carbon deficiency on the phase constitution, structural characteristics, microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of magnetron-sputtered TiCₓ films (x = 0.64–0.97). All TiC_x films retained the NaCl-type structure with carbon contents ranging from 39 at.% to 49 at.%. Carbon vacancies activate Raman-active modes, and the acoustic and optical phonons shifted systematically to higher wavenumbers as the C/Ti increases. Meanwhile, all films exhibited a columnar grain structure that gradually refines with increasing carbon content. The regulatory role of carbon content in these growth mechanisms is schematically illustrated and discussed. Among the studied compositions, the maximum value of hardness and modulus is determined to be 19 GPa and 369 GPa for TiC_0.93. This work establishes carbon vacancy engineering as an effective approach to tailor microstructure and mechanical performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101073"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155708","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":"A photovoltage-gated membrane microreactor for electron-directed nitrate reduction","authors":"Atheer Sadoon Abdalali,&nbsp;Mahmoud Roushani,&nbsp;Somayeh Mirsadeghi","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101081","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101081","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photocatalytic nitrate reduction is limited not simply by photon absorption, but by whether the reaction interface can store electrons, polarize nitrate, and sustain proton-coupled N-O bond cleavage against competing oxygen reduction. To address this limitation, a recoverable photovoltage-gated membrane microreactor is constructed from a cesium tungsten bronze/silver vanadate heterojunction confined in a polyacrylonitrile nanofiber scaffold and gated by a thin polyaniline interphase. The membrane preserves a surface-accessible oxide junction while creating a hydrated, near-neutral, anion-permissive reaction microenvironment. Multiscale photophysical measurements show that polyaniline converts the oxide/polymer boundary into an electron-buffering interface, thereby lowering charge-transfer resistance, amplifying the surface photovoltage, increasing the extracted photocurrent, and extending photoinduced-state persistence in complementary nanosecond TRPL/TAS and microsecond TRMC measurements. Under visible light, the optimized membrane reduces 20.0 mg L^-1 <span><math><mrow><mi>N</mi><msubsup><mi>O</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>−</mo></msubsup></mrow></math></span>-N by 97.8% within 180 min, reaching 0.44 mg L^-1 residual <span><math><mrow><mi>N</mi><msubsup><mi>O</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>−</mo></msubsup></mrow></math></span>-N and an apparent rate constant of 0.0198 min^-1, while real-water tests retain 88.6% removal. Product-resolved ¹⁵N analysis directly identifies N₂ as the dominant nitrogen product (79.6% selectivity), with minor <span><math><mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mn>2</mn></msub><mi>O</mi></mrow></math></span> formation (2.7%) and nitrate-derived <span><math><mrow><mi>N</mi><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup></mrow></math></span> (15.7%), while the combined gas/liquid inventory closes the endpoint nitrogen balance to approximately 100%. In situ Raman and photochromic spectroscopy track surface nitrate consumption, formation of the NO_X intermediate, and reversible W⁵⁺ electron storage during the reaction. DFT predicts a multi-contact W/Ag/PANI nitrate-binding motif that is consistent with the experimentally observed surface-bound nitrate conversion and interfacial electron enrichment, and further indicates charge transfer to adsorbed nitrate, <img> N-O bond elongation, weaker O₂ competition, and a lower thermodynamic free-energy requirement for the NO → NOH step. These results demonstrate interfacial photovoltage gating within the present membrane architecture and define a testable design framework for evaluating electron-directed nitrate-conversion interfaces in other material systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101081"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149212245","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":"Sulfobetaine interfaces on titanium through stepwise surface engineering: a strategy to reduce bacterial biofilm formation","authors":"C. Celesti,&nbsp;V. Zammuto,&nbsp;A. Macrì,&nbsp;E. Piperopoulos,&nbsp;S. Scalese,&nbsp;C. Milone,&nbsp;P. Nava,&nbsp;D. Iannazzo","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101080","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101080","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Titanium is extensively employed in implantable medical devices owing to its excellent mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Nevertheless, its native oxide layer does not prevent bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation, making implant-associated infections a persistent clinical challenge. Herein, we report a stepwise covalent surface engineering strategy to generate sulfobetaine-based zwitterionic interfaces on titanium as a covalent approach to mitigate bacterial colonization. Surface modification was achieved through sequential hydroxylation, APTES silanization, sulfonation with 1,3-propane sultone, and final quaternization, yielding permanently charged zwitterionic moieties covalently anchored to the titanium substrate. The evolution of surface chemistry and morphology was investigated by ATR-FTIR, SEM–EDX, profilometry, and wettability analyses. Spectroscopic and elemental mapping results confirmed the successful formation of sulfonate and quaternary ammonium functionalities, while contact angle measurements substantial changes in surface wettability throughout the functionalization sequence. The zwitterionic surface reduced the growth of <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> ATCC 29213 by 70%, while no significant effect was observed for <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa.</em> The biofilm formation of <em>P. aeruginosa</em> and <em>S. aureus</em> was greatly reduced by sulfonated surfaces and zwitterionic surfaces suggesting that the presence of charged chemical group and hydration effectively interfere to bacterial adhesion. These findings support the potential of surface-functionalized titanium as a strategy to reduce bacterial biofilm formation on titanium-based biomaterials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101080"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155714","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":"Edge-selective nitrogen engineering of carbon nanofibers by dye-induced self-etching for enhanced polysulfide adsorption and conversion in Li–S batteries","authors":"Seongwook Chae,&nbsp;Jeong-Seok Lee,&nbsp;Jin Hong Lee,&nbsp;Seung Geol Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101074","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101074","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are regarded as candidates for next-generation batteries attributed to low cost of sulfur resources and high energy density. Despite these advantages, their practical implementation is hampered by intrinsically insulating sulfur property, slow redox kinetics, and migration of dissolved lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), inducing rapid capacity fading. Herein, we report edge-N-enriched carbon nanofibers (EN-CNFs) enabled by a dye-induced selective etching strategy. The use of tartrazine enables in-situ chemical etching during thermal treatment, generating abundant defect and edge sites that promote selective formation of pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen while suppressing graphitic nitrogen. Notably, this approach allows decoupling of surface chemistry from bulk structural evolution, enabling selective enrichment of edge-type nitrogen without significantly altering the overall carbon framework. Spectroscopic analyses provide mechanistic insight into edge-nitrogen formation behavior, while theoretical calculations support the stronger interaction of edge-type nitrogen with LiPSs. As a result, EN-CNFs exhibit efficient LiPSs confinement and enhanced Li–S batteries performance. This study suggests a viable approach for selectively enriching active edge-type nitrogen and provides design principles for controlling nitrogen configuration in carbon-based sulfur hosts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 101074"},"PeriodicalIF":10.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149155717","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}