Controllable doping in a perovskite semiconductor enables ultra-bright LEDsSemiconductors are at the heart of the modern electronic industry. The ability of controlling the polarity and concentration of electric charges in semiconductors have led to revolutionary inventions including diodes, transistors, solar cells, detectors, LEDs and semiconductor lasers. For typical semiconductors, the control of the electrical properties is achieved by “doping”, the inclusion of impurity elements into the...

As the world transitions from fossil fuels to green renewable energy, solar photovoltaics have emerged as a leading clean energy technology. Among these, perovskite solar cells have captured immense attention due to their superior photoelectric conversion efficiency and cost-effectiveness. However, their stability remains a major hurdle, with prolonged use leading to degradation and failure to meet industrial reliability standards.In a groundbreaking study, a research team led by XUE Jingjing fr...

Forests act as absorbers and reservoirs for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). As CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere rise in the future, will terrestrial forest ecosystems produce additional carbon sequestration? Can humans continuously increase carbon sequestration through afforestation? The conventional answer has been “YES.” However, based on six years of field monitoring, scientists have refuted this mainstream view with robust data analysis.On the strength of the first comprehensive fore...

A breakthrough in electrolyte design has enabled battery charging at very low temperatures and at unprecedented speed.A new electrolyte designed by Zhejiang University researchers enables lithium-ion batteries to be charged at temperatures between –70 °C to 60 °C, and reach up to 80% capacity within 10 minutes at room temperature. Their findings were published in Nature1 in February. Lithium-ion pouch battery in researchLithium-ion batteries, which power electric vehicles and most of...

At the first sight of several square, gelatinous “cubes,” you might find it hard to visualize them as a new type of underwater robot. Professor ZHOU Jing and her colleagues from College of Electrical Engineering, Zhejiang University ingeniously designed a set of neatly shaped and functionally diverse cubes. They can be quickly and flexibly assembled underwater to create an array of robot shapes and types, enabling efficient and effortless underwater operations. An article titled “Cu...

Precipitation plays a pivotal role in shaping global climate patterns and ecosystems. Yet, amidst the complexities of climate models, uncertainties loom over the projected changes in the hydrological cycle under global warming. These uncertainties pose formidable challenges to disaster-related risk management and policy formulation. DAI Panxi, an associate professor from the School of Earth Sciences at Zhejiang University, teamed up with other researchers to conduct a groundbreaking study in thi...

Given warming-induced decoupling between growth timing and annual woody growth, the subtle responses of wood formation (e.g., xylem phenology) to multiple facets of global warming should be quantified to improve our understanding of forest growth dynamics; however, this task remains challenging. One of the largest uncertainties in the responses of wood formation to global warming is the inferences derived solely from mean annual temperatures.Given the immediate threats posed by worldwide increas...

On January 9, the research team led by Prof. YE Guanqiong at the Ocean College of Zhejiang University made a significant contribution to the field of climate policy through their publication in the journal Nature. Their article, titled “Climate policy must integrate blue energy with food security” proposes that to address climate change, ensure food security, and enhance the well-being of mankind, stakeholders should take into consideration the integration of blue energy and food security...

Nitrogen-based fertilizers have hugely increased agricultural output, but rain washes them into rivers and oceans with dire consequences. Zhejiang University researchers are searching for a middle ground.Every summer, vast quantities of algae and zooplankton flourish in coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. These algal blooms gobble up oxygen, leaving a ‘dead zone’ in the ocean that covers around 10,000 square kilometres, and is largely devoid of life. The oxygen-zapping algae and zooplankton ...

Lignin, Earth’s most abundant natural aromatic polymer, constitutes nearly one-third of the carbon reserves in the natural world and serves as one of the major components of plant cell walls. In the biomass refinery sector, lignin is commonly discharged as a waste product in the biorefining system. On the other hand, micronutrient deficiencies in staple crops contribute to widespread micronutrient malnutrition, known as hidden hunger, affecting approximately one third of the global population. ...