Accounts of materials research最新文献

{"title":"Nano Flame Retardants for Polymer Composites: A 20-Year Journey from Fundamental Discoveries to Emerging Frontiers","authors":"Wei Cai, De-Yi Wang","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.5c00360","DOIUrl":"10.1021/accountsmr.5c00360","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Polymer-basedcommercial productshave been manufactured globallyat annual scales of hundreds of millions of tons, occupying an importantposition in people’s daily life and industrial progress, attributedto their light weight, workability, and excellent properties. However,due to their organic composition, polymer materials are sensitiveto high temperatures and are easily ignited, frequently leading toserious fire accidents. To address this huge challenge, nano flameretardants with high efficiency and multifunctionality have been regardedas an available approach. First, nano flame retardants significantlyincrease the melt strength of polymer materials by their extremelylarge specific surface area and strong interfacial interactions. Second,based on a well-dispersed state, nano flame retardants, especiallywith layered structures, establish a labyrinth effect to suppressthe convective delivery of heat and pyrolysis products. Third, metal-basednano flame retardants chelate with the lone-pair electrons of polymerchains to form a transitional ring structure, thus decreasing theenergy barrier to promote the carbonization process. Attracted bythese advantages, a large amount of research work has already beendedicated to developing nano flame retardants for enhancing the firesafety of polymer materials.</p><p>Herein, this Account not only introducesthe early discoveriesof nano flame retardants but also provides a comprehensive overviewof our recent advances in the development of nano flame retardants,the exploration of mechanisms, and applications in emerging frontiers.We first illustrate the initial discovery of nano flame retardantsby demonstrating the fundamental mechanisms, synergistic effect withtraditional flame retardants, and essential issues in nanocompositemanufacturing. In order to solve the low efficiency of nanomaterialsadded individually, our research attempts to design nanostructuredarchitectures that integrate multiple nanomaterials with specificmechanisms to produce synergistic effects under complex combustionconditions, thereby further enhancing the flame retardancy efficiency.To enhance sustainability and reduce complex experimental efforts,our research adopts biobased resources and machine learning approaches,respectively, to design novel nano flame retardants. Within the in-depthcondensed-phase mechanism, we propose multiple strategies, includingthe catalytic effect of transition metals and the interfacial charringstrategy, which preferentially promote the conversion of pyrolysisproducts into char layers rather than smoke particles. Building onthe intrinsic properties of nanomaterials, our studies further expandthe application of nano flame retardants into emerging frontiers suchas energy storage, thermal management, and electromagnetic interferenceshielding, thereby shifting the research perspective from traditionalpolymer systems toward real-world functional applications. Finally,we outline the future design direction of nano flam","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"563–575"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148682628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intense Pulsed Light-Driven Flash Thermal-Shock Synthesis: A Frontier Strategy for Ultrafast Nanomaterial Design","authors":"Euichul Shin, Dogyeong Jeon, Hamin Shin, Jun-Hwe Cha, Il-Doo Kim","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00058","DOIUrl":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00058","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ultrafastannealing represents a paradigm shiftin materials synthesis,compressing thermal processing into millisecond-to-subsecond timescales. This approach establishes a unique kinetic-control regimethat can enable metastable phases, defect-rich surfaces, engineeredinterfaces, and atomic-level catalyst functionalization while suppressingthermal degradation that often accompanies conventional furnace-basedtreatments under equilibrium conditions. Resistive Joule-heating approaches(e.g., carbothermal shock) require conductive supports, whereas laser-basedmethods often face limitations in uniformity and large-area scalability.Among various ultrafast techniques, light-based approaches offer significantadvantages in terms of material compatibility, enabling a broad rangeof applications. In particular, intense pulsed light (IPL)-drivenflash thermal-shock synthesis (FTS) is especially attractive because,unlike general photothermal annealing that typically relies on moremoderate optical heating, FTS uses high-intensity broadband xenon-flashpulses to induce a thermal shock within milliseconds. Operating viarapid photothermal conversion, FTS instantaneously achieves ultrahightemperatures (>2000 K) and rapid heating and cooling rates (10<sup>4</sup>–10<sup>6</sup> K s<sup>–1</sup>). Over thepast decade, this flash-processing concept has evolved into a versatilenanomaterials platform capable of converting precursors into functional,often metastable materials under strongly nonequilibrium conditions.</p><p>In this Account, we first introduce the fundamental photothermalmechanisms and time–temperature characteristics governing FTS.We outline key considerations for material selection─focusingon the strong light-absorption capabilities of carbonaceous materials,defect-engineered metal oxides, and plasmonic metals─alongsidethe critical metrological challenges of millisecond-scale transienttemperature measurement via high-speed infrared pyrometry. We thensurvey representative nanoengineering strategies enabled by FTS acrossfour major categories. First, atomic-level engineering emphasizeslow-thermal-budget heteroatom incorporation (e.g., rapid boron dopinginto graphene without combustion in ambient air) and the robust stabilizationof high-density single-atom catalysts. The ultrafast quenching effectivelytraps isolated metal atoms at defect sites before diffusion-drivenclustering can occur. Second, nanoparticle functionalization coversthe transition from monometallic decoration to complex multimetallicand high-entropy alloy (HEA) systems. By leveraging high temperaturesto overcome conventional miscibility barriers and rapidly freezingthe resulting highly distorted atomic configurations, FTS producesuniformly dispersed HEAs and core(HEA)@shell heterostructures. Third,surface and defect engineering highlight the FTS ability to activatenanomaterial surfaces through rapid reduction, oxygen-vacancy generation,and local modulation of the coordination environment, the","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"624–635"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148672624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interface-Confined Metal Oxide Nanolayers: From Metal Substrate to Oxide Substrate","authors":"Rongtan Li,&nbsp;Jinhu Dong,&nbsp;Qiang Fu,&nbsp;Xinhe Bao","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00009","DOIUrl":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00009","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The evolution of metal oxides,a cornerstone class in heterogeneouscatalysis, has progressed from bulk materials to low-dimensional structuresdesigned to maximize active site exposure. Among them, two-dimensional(2D) metal oxide nanolayers supported on metal or oxide surfaces areparticularly distinctive, as their unique geometric and electronicstructures endow them with enhanced activity and controllable selectivityin catalytic reactions. Their properties are further shaped by theinterface with the substrate, which can induce unusual structuralcharacteristics such as non-stoichiometry, metastable state, structuralflexibility, and charge redistribution. While extensive research haselucidated the role of the oxide–metal interface in modulatingcatalytic behavior, the mechanistic understanding of the oxide–oxideinterface still lags far behind that of the oxide–metal interface.</p><p>In this Account, we begin by outlining the construction of 2D metaloxide nanolayers with lessons learned from oxide–metal systemsextending to oxide–oxide systems, while highlighting innovativeconstruction approaches we have recently developed, including melting–wetting,reduction–wetting, and reduction–evaporation–anchoringmethods. We then delve into the fundamental characteristics of metaloxide nanolayers on oxide substrate, namely, their self-limited two-dimensionality,unsaturated coordination, and metastable nature and how these propertiesare linked to their enhanced catalytic performance. The central objectiveof this Account is to establish a unified conceptual framework forthe “interface confinement effect”, demonstrating itsbroad applicability from oxide–metal to emergent oxide–oxidesystems and the unique confinement effect in the oxide–oxidesystems. We reveal that this universal effect originates from a sharedfundamental principle: the metal–metal (M–M′)bonding at the oxide–metal interface finds its counterpartin the metal–oxygen–metal (M–O–M′)bonding at the oxide–oxide interface. A quantitative understandingof this underexplored effect in oxide–oxide systems is achievedthrough a structural descriptor that leverages the nature of surfaceoxygen on the oxide substrate. Finally, we outline the key challengesand opportunities in this emerging field, particularly the dynamicconfinement effect, including the pushing effect from the reactionand the pulling effect from the interfacial microenvironment, andits implications for rational catalyst design.</p>","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"576–587"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147732316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Particle Crust Engineering of Cathode Materials for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries","authors":"Si-Qi Lu,&nbsp;Si-Jie Guo,&nbsp;Wen-Bo Ma,&nbsp;Jin-Xiang Fan,&nbsp;An-Min Cao,&nbsp;Li-Jun Wan","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00020","DOIUrl":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00020","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;The rapid expansion of the greenelectric vehiclemarket has spurredthe development of next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) withenergy densities approaching 500 Wh/kg and beyond. Achieving theseambitious energy targets requires the advancement of high-capacitycathode materials such as nickel-rich layered oxides. However, thepractical deployment of these cathodes is often hindered by insufficientstability and reliability, primarily due to accelerated degradationat the cathode–electrolyte interface. Under high-voltage conditions,which are critical for maximizing specific capacity, these interfacesbecome hotspots for parasitic reactions, including transition metaldissolution, electrolyte decomposition, oxygen release, and phasetransformations. Such reactions not only lead to rapid capacity fadingbut also raise significant safety concerns. Consequently, enhancingthe stability of the cathode–electrolyte interface has emergedas a crucial challenge, attracting considerable attention from bothacademic researchers and industry stakeholders.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Constructingprotective coating layers on cathode particles isone of the most straightforward strategies for stabilizing the cathode–electrolyteinterface, yet these artificially engineered coatings often introducenew challenges, such as impaired interfacial charge transport andthe risk of delamination during cycling. These limitations highlightthe necessity of fundamentally tailoring the surface chemistry ofcathode materials to design more ideal and intrinsically stable interfacesfor next-generation LIBs, which require advanced interfacial controlto create well-defined model systems that can serve as reliable platformsfor performance evaluation and mechanistic studies. However, reliablemethods for constructing uniform and conformal coatings with nanometerprecision are currently limited. While dry coating processes are commonlyemployed in industry, achieving a homogeneous and continuous ultrathinfilm over complex cathode particle morphologies remains challenging.Chemical vapor deposition techniques can produce high-quality nanofilms,yet their practical adoption is often hindered by a limited rangeof achievable coating materials and concerns regarding economic viability,including low throughput and technical complexity. In contrast, wet-chemistrymethods provide a promising alternative, enabling the cost-effectiveand scalable fabrication of a diverse array of conformal nanoscalelayers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This Account summarizes our systematic efforts to advanceparticlecrust engineering as a transformative strategy for stabilizing high-energycathode materials. Here, “particle crust engineering”is defined as the precise design of the cathode surface into an integratedshell. We begin by detailing wet-chemical synthesis strategies thatfacilitate the formation of uniform coatings with nanometer-scaleprecision. By carefully controlling precipitation kinetics throughmethods including gradual release of precipitants, coordinatio","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"588–600"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148656427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functionalized Organic/Polymeric Materials for Perovskite and Organic Solar Cells","authors":"Haiyang Chen,&nbsp;Yege Jing,&nbsp;Juan Zhu,&nbsp;Yaowen Li","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.5c00344","DOIUrl":"10.1021/accountsmr.5c00344","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Perovskite solar cells (pero-SCs)and organic solar cells (OSCs),owing to their solution processability, lightweight form factors,and exceptional mechanical flexibility, have emerged as leading contendersto complement silicon photovoltaics in distributed energy systems.In recent years, rapid progress has pushed the power conversion efficienciesof rigid laboratory-scale pero-SCs beyond 27% and OSCs above 21%.Yet, translating these achievements into practical deployment requiressimultaneous advances in flexibility, large-area manufacturability,and long-term operational stability. The chemically programmable natureof organic and polymeric materials provides a powerful platform foraddressing these challenges. Their tunable molecular structures enablethe rational design of functional motifs tailored to the specificneeds of different thin-film layers, offering “function-on-demand”capabilities. Such functionalized materials can be engineered to serveas key components in printed flexible transparent electrodes, charge-transportlayers, and active layers. By introducing well-defined redox-activeunits, dynamically cross-linkable groups, self-assembling cores, andmoieties that modulate solution viscosity and aggregation behavior,researchers can simultaneously improve mechanical robustness, filmuniformity, interfacial energetics, and environmental stability. Inthis Account, we highlight recent advances in achieving stable, flexible,and large-area pero-SCs and OSCs through use of functionalized organicand polymeric materials, with emphasis on key contributions from ourgroup. We summarize the underlying design principles, elucidate structure–property–performancecorrelations in representative material systems, and illustrate howfunctionally tailored molecules can bridge the gap between molecular-leveldesign and device-level performance. Finally, we offer our perspectiveon remaining challenges and future research directions toward practicalimplementation of flexible and scalable perovskite and organic photovoltaics.</p>","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"549–562"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147696121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toward Cost-Effective Stable Zn Battery Anodes: Design Concepts for Scalable Electrochemical Energy Storage","authors":"Shuo Jin,&nbsp;Shifeng Hong,&nbsp;Lynden A. Archer","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/accountsmr.6c00024","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Zinc (Zn) metal batteries areamong the most extensively studiedand practically deployed electrochemical energy storage systems, owingto their low cost, intrinsic safety, environmental benignity, andnatural compatibility with aqueous electrolytes. These attributesrender Zn-based batteries attractive for large-scale stationary storage,wearable and flexible electronics, and emerging applications thatrequire high operational safety and mechanical robustness. Despitethese advantages, the widespread adoption of Zn metal batteries islimited by their relatively low energy density and poor cycling stability,which originate primarily from the complex, dynamic, and typicallyunstable electrochemical behavior of the Zn metal anode during repeatedplating and stripping. Addressing these challenges requires a mechanisticunderstanding of Zn electrodeposition and interfacial processes acrossmultiple length and time scales, spanning atomistic ion transportand interfacial reactions, mesoscale morphology evolution, and macroscopicnno-planargrowth of the deposits to ultimately compromise cell performance.In this Account, we summarize our recent efforts to elucidate andengineer Zn metal anodes for reversible and stable operation underboth conventional and extreme electrochemical conditions, with thegoal of bridging fundamental insights into Zn deposition dynamicswith practical strategies for enhancing battery durability and performance.We begin by establishing the fundamental principles governing Zn electrodeposition,with a particular focus on the crystallographic control of Zn growth.By inducing preferentially textured (002) Zn anodes, we demonstratethat dendritic and mossy Zn growth can be effectively suppressed inmildly acidic or neutral electrolytes, enabling smoother and morereversible Zn plating/stripping. These results provide a frameworkthat links microscopic deposition dynamics to macroscopic electrochemicalperformance metrics, including Coulombic efficiency, cycling stability,and rate capability. Building on this foundation, we investigate theformation and functional roles of salt-induced solid–electrolyteinterphases (SEIs) and artificially engineered interphases on Zn metalsubstrates. Through electrolyte engineering and interfacial designstrategies, including initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD),we show that tailored interphases can regulate Zn&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; transport,homogenize interfacial ion flux, suppress parasitic side reactions,and stabilize the Zn/electrolyte interface over prolonged cycling.These interphases function not merely as passive protective layers,but as active regulators of interfacial electrochemistry that enablesustained Zn metal reversibility under demanding conditions. Importantly,we further explore Zn metal cycling under extreme environments, includinghighly alkaline electrolytes and electrochemical regimes characterizedby hydrodynamic instability. Although such conditions are conventionallyregarded as detrimental to Zn stabil","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"613–623"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148666651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent Advances in Angle-Resolved Polarized Raman Spectroscopy for van der Waals Materials","authors":"Jia-Liang Xie,&nbsp;Miao-Ling Lin,&nbsp;Ping-Heng Tan","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/accountsmr.6c00015","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;van der Waals (vdW) materials,covering bothindividual monolayersand multilayer stacks with strong in-plane bonding and weak interlayerinteractions, if any, offer a versatile platform for investigatingnovel quantum phenomena and designing atomic-scale heterostructures.The growing diversity of this material family, ranging from isotropicgraphene to anisotropic black phosphorus and emerging magnetic layers,requires advanced characterization tools to probe their lattice structureand lattice vibration information. In this scenario, Raman spectroscopyhas established itself as a key nondestructive method for analyzinglattice vibrations and material properties. Recently, angle-resolvedpolarized Raman (ARPR) spectroscopy has evolved from a tool for basicsymmetry identification into a powerful quantitative technique forelucidating multidimensional light–matter interactions withinvdW systems and their artificial stacks by disentangling intrinsicphonon properties from extrinsic optical effects. In condensed matterphysics, this technique provides a vital, noninvasive bridge betweenmicroscopic lattice behavior and macroscopic optical response, enablingthe rational design of materials with tailored vibrational, electronic,and optical functionalities. Its ability to operate under diverseconditions, including in situ, under strain, or in applied externalfields, makes ARPR spectroscopy an indispensable tool in the advancingtoolkit for vdW material research.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this Account, we detailthe transition of the significant advancesin ARPR spectroscopy from a qualitative symmetry probe to a quantitativeplatform for investigating vdW systems. We begin with a conceptualintroduction to polarized Raman scattering, explaining how to describeand further probe phonon symmetry with the involvement of the Ramantensor and the Raman selection rule. A central theme is the distinctiveconcepts of the intrinsic Raman tensor &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;sup&gt;int&lt;/sup&gt;, which captures the inherent electron–phonon/photoninteractions of materials, and the effective Raman tensor &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;sup&gt;eff&lt;/sup&gt;, which additionally incorporatesthe complicated dependence on the optical properties of the sampleand underlying substrates. Technically, we highlight key experimentaladvances, such as in situ polarization control for high-quality ARPRacquisition and Zenith-ARPR configurations that extend phonon characterizationto the out-of-plane dimension. We next demonstrate some fundamentalsymmetry analysis based on Raman spectroscopy in isotropic crystals,finally clarify the anomalous ARPR response in anisotropic materials,and further demonstrate how our recently developed quantitative frameworkresolves the puzzling thickness-, wavelength-, and substrate-dependentARPR anomalies that have long hindered interpretation. Taking blackphosphorus as a representative, we show that an intrinsic &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;sup&gt;int&lt;/sup&gt; can predict ARPR responses acrossdiverse sample struct","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"601–612"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148682588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging Direct Air Capture and CO2 Conversion through Redox-Active Systems","authors":"Abhijit Hazra,&nbsp;Maryam Abdinejad","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00075","DOIUrl":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00075","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"536–540"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147736013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Matching Recycling Technologies to Polymer Type, Waste Stream, and Quality Requirement for Closed-Loop Engineering Plastics","authors":"Bernhard von Vacano,&nbsp;Hannah Mangold,&nbsp;Martin Scheuble,&nbsp;Oliver Geiger,&nbsp;Raman Chaudhari,&nbsp;Jens Hamprecht","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00096","DOIUrl":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00096","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"541–548"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148666652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scalable Manufacturing Methods of Large-Area Metasurfaces for Real-World Applications","authors":"Joohoon Kim,&nbsp;Junsuk Rho","doi":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00051","DOIUrl":"10.1021/accountsmr.6c00051","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Metasurfaces, two-dimensionalarrays of subwavelength nanostructures,have emerged as a transformative paradigm in photonics, offering unprecedentedcontrol over the phase, amplitude, and polarization of light. By replacingbulky refractive elements with ultracompact, flat optical components,metasurfaces promise to revolutionize a wide array of applications,from augmented reality to high-resolution imaging. However, despitethese profound capabilities, a significant gap remains between proof-of-conceptlaboratory prototypes and industrial-scale commercialization. Theprimary bottleneck is rooted in the fabrication limits of traditionalnanofabrication; the requirement for subwavelength resolution typicallynecessitates slow, high-cost direct-writing methods such as electron-beamlithography (EBL). This constraint has historically limited metasurfacesto footprints of less than 1 mm, rendering them insufficient for real-worldoptical systems.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this Account, we review our systematic effortsto bridge thisgap by developing a fabrication process designed for high-throughput,low-cost manufacturing. We first introduce high-speed EBL as a criticaltool for rapid prototyping, leveraging high-brightness electron sourcesand high-beam currents to realize centimeter-scale metasurfaces thatwere previously unattainable. While high-speed EBL facilitates thedesign of large-area devices, it remains a serial process. To transitiontoward mass production, we describe a strategy for wafer-scale expansionthat utilizes these high-fidelity EBL patterns as photomasks for photolithography.By employing deep-ultraviolet (DUV) sources, specifically ArF photolithography,we demonstrate the successful replication of high-performance visibleand near-infrared (NIR) metasurfaces on 8-in. and 12-in. wafers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To achieve a manufacturing cost-to-performance ratio competitivewith conventional optics, we further explore nanoimprint lithography(NIL) as the definitive solution for industrial scaling. We detailthe evolution of NIL from manual plate-to-plate (P2P) systems to semiautomaticroll-to-plate (R2P) and fully continuous roll-to-roll (R2R) systems,the latter of which achieves a processing speed of only 3 s per wafer.A central focus of our review is the development of functional, high-refractive-indexprintable materials, including particle-embedded resins (PERs), hybriddielectric shells, and sol–gel materials, which enable thefabrication of high-efficiency metasurfaces in a single step, bypassingcostly secondary etching processes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, we showcase thepractical applications of these mass-producedmetasurfaces and discuss the remaining challenges for ubiquitous adoption,such as the design of achromatic systems, environmental durabilitythrough specialized packaging, and the integration of these devicesinto consumer electronics. By providing a comprehensive overview ofthe transition from lab-scale research to industrial manufacturing,this Account highlights that metasurfaces ar","PeriodicalId":72040,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of materials research","volume":"7 6","pages":"636–645"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148650996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}