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The urgent need for consistent, reliable, ecofriendly, and stable power sources drives the development of new green energy materials. Thermoelectric (TE) materials receive increasing attention due to their unique capability of realizing the direct energy conversion between heat and electricity, showing diverse applications in harvesting waste heat and low‐grade heat. Carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene have experienced a rapid development as TE materials because of their intrinsic ultrahigh electrical conductivity and light weight. Besides, polymer‐based carbon composites are particularly fascinating as the combination of the merits of polymers and filler materials leads to high TE performance and superior flexibility. Herein, the recent TE advances are systematically summarized in the studied popularity of carbon materials (ie, CNTs and graphene) and the category of polymers. The conducting polymer‐based carbon materials are particularly highlighted. Finally, the remaining challenges and some tentative suggestions possibly guiding future developments are proposed, which may pave a way for a bright future of carbon and carbon composites in the energy market. The urgent need for consistent, reliable, ecofriendly, and stable power sources drives the development of thermoelectric (TE) materials due to their unique capability to directly convert temperature gradient into electricity. Particularly, carbon and carbon composites have experienced rapid development as TE materials. This review summarized their recent advances, and proposed some the remaining challenges and some tentative suggestions possibly guiding future developments in this topic.

HighlightsA redox couple is employed to fulfill the dual-function of both heat-to-electricity conversion and ionic crosslinking.High thermoelectrochemical performance can be achieved at optimized redox concentration, and dual-crosslinked network ensures remarkable mechanical flexibility and robustness.The hydrogel-based quasi-solid-state thermocell can provide stable energy output under harsh mechanical stress and deformations.The design of power supply systems for wearable applications requires both flexibility and durability. Thermoelectrochemical cells (TECs) with large Seebeck coefficient can efficiently convert low-grade heat into electricity, thus having attracted considerable attention in recent years. Utilizing hydrogel electrolyte essentially addresses the electrolyte leakage and complicated packaging issues existing in conventional liquid-based TECs, which well satisfies the need for flexibility. Whereas, the concern of mechanical robustness to ensure stable energy output remains yet to be addressed. Herein, a flexible quasi-solid-state TEC is proposed based on the rational design of a hydrogel electrolyte, of which the thermogalvanic effect and mechanical robustness are simultaneously regulated via the multivalent ions of a redox couple. The introduced redox ions not only endow the hydrogel with excellent heat-to-electricity conversion capability, but also act as ionic crosslinks to afford a dual-crosslinked structure, resulting in reversible bonds for effective energy dissipation. The optimized TEC exhibits a high Seebeck coefficient of 1.43 mV K−1 and a significantly improved fracture toughness of 3555 J m−2, thereby can maintain a stable thermoelectrochemical performance against various harsh mechanical stimuli. This study reveals the high potential of the quasi-solid-state TEC as a flexible and durable energy supply system for wearable applications.

HighlightsA thermoelectric aerogel of highly elastic, flame-retardant and high-temperature-resistant PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT composite is fabricated.The assembled thermoelectric generator generates a maximum output power of 400 μW at a temperature difference of 300 K.The self-powered wearable sensing glove can achieve wide-range temperature detection, complex hand motion recognition and high-temperature warning.The intelligent fire warning system enables highly sensitive and repeatable monitoring and alarm capabilities for high-temperature fire sources.Despite notable progress in thermoelectric (TE) materials and devices, developing TE aerogels with high-temperature resistance, superior TE performance and excellent elasticity to enable self-powered high-temperature monitoring/warning in industrial and wearable applications remains a great challenge. Herein, a highly elastic, flame-retardant and high-temperature-resistant TE aerogel, made of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/single-walled carbon nanotube (PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT) composites, has been fabricated, displaying attractive compression-induced power factor enhancement. The as-fabricated sensors with the aerogel can achieve accurately pressure stimuli detection and wide temperature range monitoring. Subsequently, a flexible TE generator is assembled, consisting of 25 aerogels connected in series, capable of delivering a maximum output power of 400 μW when subjected to a temperature difference of 300 K. This demonstrates its outstanding high-temperature heat harvesting capability and promising application prospects for real-time temperature monitoring on industrial high-temperature pipelines. Moreover, the designed self-powered wearable sensing glove can realize precise wide-range temperature detection, high-temperature warning and accurate recognition of human hand gestures. The aerogel-based intelligent wearable sensing system developed for firefighters demonstrates the desired self-powered and highly sensitive high-temperature fire warning capability. Benefitting from these desirable properties, the elastic and high-temperature-resistant aerogels present various promising applications including self-powered high-temperature monitoring, industrial overheat warning, waste heat energy recycling and even wearable healthcare.

Although organic and composite thermoelectric (TE) materials have witnessed explosive developments in the past five years, the research of flexible TE devices is rather limited. In particular, their assembly strategies and device performance reported in the literature cannot be directly compared, due to a variety of deviances including p‐ and n‐type component materials, shape and dimensions of p‐n flexible films, and applied temperature gradient (ΔT). Here, three types of assembly strategies for flexible TE devices, that is, serial, folding, and stacking, are compared by fixing the corresponding experimental parameters. Furthermore, a convenient and general method to evaluate the flexible device performance (FDP) is put forward, that is, FDP  =  PmaxmΔTN, where the maximum output power (Pmax) is divided by product mass (m), ΔT, and pair number of p‐n couples (N). The FDPs for the present serial, folding, and stacking devices are 11.13, 8.87, and 0.05 nW g−1 K−1, respectively, confirming that the serial configuration is the best among the three strategies for flexible device fabrication. The preliminary evaluation method proposed herein will pave the way for a design strategy of flexible TE devices and speed up their applications in waste‐heat harvesting, e‐skin, wearable electronics, etc. Three assembly strategies to fabricate flexible thermoelectric devices, including serial, folding and stacking, are compared. Furthermore, a convenient and general method to evaluate device performance FDP  =  PmaxmΔTN is proposed. The FDP for serial, folding and stacking devices are 11.13, 8.87 and 0.05 nW g−1 K−1, respectively, confirming that the thermoelectric capability follows the sequence of serial > folding ≫ stacking.

Highlights Covering the most cutting-edge advances in cement-based thermoelectric materials. The first systematic summary of the preparation, performance and functional applications of cement-based thermoelectric devices. The challenges and strategies for materials, devices and applications are fully discussed. Cement stands as a dominant contributor to global energy consumption and carbon emissions in the construction industry. With the upgrading of infrastructure and the improvement of building standards, traditional cement fails to reconcile ecological responsibility with advanced functional performance. By incorporating tailored fillers into cement matrices, the resulting composites achieve enhanced thermoelectric (TE) conversion capabilities. These materials can harness solar radiation from building envelopes and recover waste heat from indoor thermal gradients, facilitating bidirectional energy conversion. This review offers a comprehensive and timely overview of cement-based thermoelectric materials (CTEMs), integrating material design, device fabrication, and diverse applications into a holistic perspective. It summarizes recent advancements in TE performance enhancement, encompassing fillers optimization and matrices innovation. Additionally, the review consolidates fabrication strategies and performance evaluations of cement-based thermoelectric devices (CTEDs), providing detailed discussions on their roles in monitoring and protection, energy harvesting, and smart building. We also address sustainability, durability, and lifecycle considerations of CTEMs, which are essential for real-world deployment. Finally, we outline future research directions in materials design, device engineering, and scalable manufacturing to foster the practical application of CTEMs in sustainable and intelligent infrastructure.

Aqueous copper-based batteries have many favourable properties and have thus attracted considerable attention, but their application is limited by their low operating voltage originating from the high potential of copper negative electrode (0.34 V vs. standard hydrogen electrode). Herein, we propose a coordination strategy for reducing the intrinsic negative electrode redox potential in aqueous copper-based batteries and thus improving their operating voltage. This is achieved by establishing an appropriate coordination environment through the electrolyte tailoring via Cl − ions. When coordinated with chlorine, the intermediate Cu + ions in aqueous electrolytes are successfully stabilized and the electrochemical process is decoupled into two separate redox reactions involving Cu 2+ /Cu + and Cu + /Cu 0 ; Cu + /Cu 0 results in a redox potential approximately 0.3 V lower than that for Cu 2+ /Cu 0 . Compared to the coordination with water, the coordination with chlorine also results in higher copper utilization, more rapid redox kinetics, and superior cycle stability. An aqueous copper-chlorine battery, harnessing Cl − /Cl 0 redox reaction at the positive electrode, is discovered to have a high discharge voltage of 1.3 V, and retains 77.4% of initial capacity after 10,000 cycles. This work may open up an avenue to boosting the voltage and energy of aqueous copper batteries. Aqueous copper-based batteries suffer from low voltage due to the high copper negative electrode potential. Here, utilizing the coordination of chloride with copper ions, authors lower copper’s redox potential by 0.3 V, resulting in a high-voltage aqueous copper-chlorine battery.

During meiosis, chromosomes exhibit dramatic changes in morphology and intranuclear positioning. How these changes influence homolog pairing, alignment, and recombination remain elusive. Using Hi-C, we systematically mapped 3D genome architecture throughout all meiotic prophase substages during mouse spermatogenesis. Our data uncover two major chromosome organizational features varying along the chromosome axis during early meiotic prophase, when homolog alignment occurs. First, transcriptionally active and inactive genomic regions form alternating domains consisting of shorter and longer chromatin loops, respectively. Second, the force-transmitting LINC complex promotes the alignment of ends of different chromosomes over a range of up to 20% of chromosome length. Both features correlate with the pattern of homolog interactions and the distribution of recombination events. Collectively, our data reveal the influences of transcription and force on meiotic chromosome structure and suggest chromosome organization may provide an infrastructure for the modulation of meiotic recombination in higher eukaryotes. During meiosis, chromosomes undergo dramatic changes in morphology and intranuclear positioning. Here the authors mapped the 3D genome architecture throughout mouse spermatogenesis by Hi-C of sorted cells to reveal the contributions of transcriptional activity and mechanical force in modulating homolog alignment and recombination.

HighlightsThe flexible single-walled carbon nanotube/titanium carbide composite films exhibit excellent thermoelectric (TE), high-temperature stable and flame-retardant properties.The assembled TE device achieves an ultrafast fire warning response time of ~ 0.1 s with a threshold voltage of 1 mV.The fire warning device demonstrates exceptional repeatability and long-term stability.The designed intelligent system is promising for next-generation self-powered remote IoT fire warning applications.Fire warning is vital to human life, economy and ecology. However, the development of effective warning systems faces great challenges of fast response, adjustable threshold and remote detecting. Here, we propose an intelligent self-powered remote IoT fire warning system, by employing single-walled carbon nanotube/titanium carbide thermoelectric composite films. The flexible films, prepared by a convenient solution mixing, display p-type characteristic with excellent high-temperature stability, flame retardancy and TE (power factor of 239.7 ± 15.8 μW m−1 K−2) performances. The comprehensive morphology and structural analyses shed light on the underlying mechanisms. And the assembled TE devices (TEDs) exhibit fast fire warning with adjustable warning threshold voltages (1–10 mV). Excitingly, an ultrafast fire warning response time of ~ 0.1 s at 1 mV threshold voltage is achieved, rivaling many state-of-the-art systems. Furthermore, TE fire warning systems reveal outstanding stability after 50 repeated cycles and desired durability even undergoing 180 days of air exposure. Finally, a TED-based wireless intelligent fire warning system has been developed by coupling an amplifier, analog-to-digital converter and Bluetooth module. By combining TE characteristics, high-temperature stability and flame retardancy with wireless IoT signal transmission, TE-based hybrid system developed here is promising for next-generation self-powered remote IoT fire warning applications.

Highlights A novel photobase generator is specifically designed for the fabrication of high-resolution sensing devices. Similarities in pain perception mechanism between thermoelectric-based artificial thermoreceptor and biological nociceptor. Emulation common nociceptive behaviors and pain response under excessive temperature stimuli. The development of bionic sensing devices with advanced physiological functionalities has attracted significant attention in flexible electronics. In this study, we innovatively develop an air-stable photo-induced n -type dopant and a sophisticated photo-induced patterning technology to construct high-resolution joint-free p – n integrated thermoelectric devices. The exceptional stability of the photo-induced n -type dopant, combined with our meticulously engineered joint-free device architecture, results in extremely low temporal and spatial variations. These minimized variations, coupled with superior linearity, position our devices as viable candidates for artificial thermoreceptors capable of sensing external thermal noxious stimuli. By integrating them into a robotic arm with a pain perception system, we demonstrate accurate pain responses to external thermal stimuli. The system accurately discerns pain levels and initiates appropriate protective actions across varying intensities. Our findings present a novel strategy for constructing high-resolution thermoelectric sensing devices toward precise biomimetic thermoreceptors.

Steep rock slopes are vulnerable to failure under complex geological and environmental conditions, posing serious risks to infrastructure and human safety. Conventional numerical techniques of slope stability, including the limit equilibrium method (LEM), the finite element method (FEM), and the discrete element method (DEM). They often struggle to simulate progressive failure involving the rock transition from a continuous to a discontinuous state. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes an integrated finite–discrete element method combined with the gravity increase method (FDEM-GIM). Unlike conventional approaches, this framework automatically identifies the critical failure surface and calculates the corresponding factor of safety (FoS), while explicitly simulating the full progressive failure process. In a case study from the upper Lancang River region, the simulations showed a clear progressive failure sequence characterized by slope toe cracking, upward crack propagation, tensile deformation, and eventual global instability and rock mass accumulation. Comparisons with LEM and DEM produced similar FoS values, but only the FDEM–GIM framework reproduced the full spatial and temporal evolution of damage and movement. Overall, this research indicates that the FDEM–GIM framework is effective for long-term stability assessment of steep rock slopes in complex geological settings and can support reinforcement design and safety management.