Wood becomes a high-strength conductor through metal-based eutectic gels

Deep eutectic solvent chemistry enables mechanically robust, environmentally stable, and conductive wood-based gels

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

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Deep eutectic solvent chemistry enables mechanically robust, environmentally stable, and conductive wood-based gels

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Credit: College of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China

Flexible conductive gels have attracted intense research interest as core components in wearable electronics, soft robotics, and human–machine interfaces. Their ability to convert mechanical deformation into electrical signals makes them ideal for motion detection and tactile sensing. However, conventional hydrogels and ionogels typically suffer from a trade-off between mechanical robustness, electrical conductivity, and environmental stability. Many synthetic gels fracture easily, lose performance due to dehydration or freezing, or rely on expensive and potentially hazardous ionic liquids.
A recent article published in Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts introduces a fundamentally different strategy by using natural wood as a structural scaffold for high-performance conductive eutectogels. Rather than treating wood as a passive substrate, the study exploits its intrinsic hierarchical architecture to construct a mechanically reinforced and ion-transport-efficient gel system.
In the reported approach, a wood skeleton was first extracted from natural basswood through a low-temperature alkali treatment that selectively removed lignin and hemicellulose while preserving the aligned cellulose nanofiber framework. This treatment generated a porous, anisotropic structure with continuous micro- and nanochannels. The wood skeleton was then infiltrated with a ternary metal-based deep eutectic solvent composed of zinc chloride, acrylic acid, and ethylene glycol. Subsequent ultraviolet irradiation triggered in situ polymerization of acrylic acid without the use of chemical initiators or crosslinkers.
The resulting eutectogel integrates multiple reinforcing mechanisms. Poly(acrylic acid) chains form dense hydrogen bonds with cellulose nanofibers, while Zn²⁺ ions create coordination crosslinks with carboxylate groups, producing a physically and chemically entangled network. This synergistic structure leads to a tensile strength of up to 41.5 MPa and a toughness of 8.4 MJ m⁻³—values that exceed those of most reported conductive gels and rival some structural polymer composites.
Electrical performance is equally notable. The inherent ionic conductivity of the metal-based deep eutectic solvent, combined with the aligned transport channels of the wood skeleton, enables efficient ion migration. The eutectogel achieves an ionic conductivity of 2.82 × 10⁻² S m⁻¹, higher than many conventional wood-based or hydrogel-based conductors. Importantly, conductivity is anisotropic, reflecting the directional architecture of the wood, and remains stable across a wide temperature range.
Environmental tolerance represents a key advance of the study. Differential scanning calorimetry and long-term aging tests show that the eutectogel resists freezing and dehydration, maintaining flexibility and conductivity from –60 to 100 °C. Even after thermal aging, mechanical strength retention exceeds 97%, highlighting the material’s suitability for real-world operating conditions where temperature fluctuations are unavoidable.
Leveraging this combination of properties, the researchers demonstrated the eutectogel as a flexible sensor capable of detecting diverse human motions, applied pressures, and temperature stimuli with stable and repeatable electrical responses. The material also enabled programmable signal transmission, illustrated by Morse code input based on pressure modulation, suggesting potential applications in information interfaces and smart sensing systems.
By integrating renewable wood resources with metal-based deep eutectic solvent chemistry, the study establishes a new paradigm for sustainable conductive materials. It shows that high strength, high conductivity, and environmental resilience need not be mutually exclusive, and that natural hierarchical materials can play an active role in next-generation flexible electronics.

 

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobab.2026.100237

Original Source URL

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2369969826000095

Journal

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

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Journal

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

DOI

10.1016/j.jobab.2026.100237 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

High-Strength and Environmentally Stable Wood Conductive Eutectogels Enabled by Metal-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents

 

Can manganese unlock affordable green hydrogen in acidic water electrolysis?

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.

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Multifunctional roles of manganese in acidic oxygen evolution catalysis. This schematic summarizes the diverse ways in which manganese (Mn) contributes to efficient and durable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis under acidic conditions. Drawing inspiration from biological water oxidation, Mn-based materials provide fundamental stability and redox flexibility, while in engineered catalysts Mn acts as a support, electronic structure regulator, reaction mechanism converter and reconstruction trigger. Specifically, through metal–support interactions, Mn oxide carriers stabilize single atoms or clusters; through electronic modulation, Mn tunes energy levels, conductivity, oxidation states, and electron spin configurations of active metals; and through surface reconstruction, it enables dynamic formation of active phases such as amorphous RuOₓ shells on Ru–Mn alloys. Mn also promotes alternative reaction pathways, reducing the lattice oxygen loss and improving catalyst durability. Collectively, these multifunctional roles enable Mn-containing catalysts to achieve high activity and long-term stability, advancing their practical application in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) for sustainable hydrogen production.

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Credit: Jun Chen, et al

Producing green hydrogen efficiently and affordably remains a major challenge for the global energy transition, particularly in acidic water electrolysis systems where catalyst stability is critical. Recent research highlights manganese-containing electrocatalysts as a promising pathway to address this challenge. Benefiting from low cost, natural abundance, and exceptional resistance to corrosion, manganese-based materials offer an alternative strategy to reduce dependence on scarce precious metals. The study synthesizes current understanding of how manganese contributes to oxygen evolution reactions under acidic conditions, outlining its potential not only as an active component but also as a stabilizing and performance-enhancing element in next-generation hydrogen production technologies.

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis is widely regarded as a key technology for large-scale green hydrogen production due to its high efficiency and rapid response to intermittent renewable power. However, its widespread deployment is constrained by the reliance on expensive and scarce iridium- and ruthenium-based catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction. The harsh acidic operating conditions further narrow the range of viable catalyst materials, as many transition metals rapidly dissolve or deactivate. Manganese, an earth-abundant element in natural photosynthetic water oxidation, has emerged as a potential solution, yet its moderate intrinsic activity and complex reaction behavior require deeper investigation.

Researchers from Nankai University report new insights into manganese-containing electrocatalysts for acidic oxygen evolution in a comprehensive review published (DOI: 10.1016/j.esci.2025.100427) online in 2025 in the journal eScience. The work systematically analyzes the origin of the activity and the stability of manganese oxides and elucidates the modulating roles of manganese in composite catalysts for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis, including the support effect, electronic structure regulation, reaction mechanism alteration, and surface reconstruction. By analyzing recent experimental and theoretical advances, the authors identify key strategies through which manganese can enhance performance and reduce reliance on precious metals, offering a clearer roadmap for developing sustainable catalysts for acidic water splitting.

First, this review delves into the natural inspiration for manganese-based catalysts: the manganese-calcium-oxo cluster in Photosystem II, which is highly efficient for oxidizing water in nature. Manganese oxides exhibit diverse crystal structures that directly influence their catalytic behavior, with Mn3+ species identified as a key factor for catalytic activity. Notably, manganese oxides demonstrate exceptional long-term stability thanks to a unique self-healing mechanism that redeposits dissolved Mn ions during operation.Although manganese oxides show modest OER activity, their structural stability makes them excellent catalyst carriers. When combined with noble metals such as iridium or ruthenium, manganese oxides can induce beneficial lattice strain, create oxygen vacancies, and enhance electron transfer at interfaces. These interactions improve both the activity and durability of supported catalysts.

Beyond acting as a catalyst carrier, manganese plays multiple roles in acidic oxygen evolution catalysis. It can modify the electronic structure of active metals through electron reservoir effects and spin polarization. Importantly, manganese also steers reaction mechanisms toward pathways that reduce lattice oxygen loss, thereby enhancing catalyst stability. In some systems, manganese even promotes beneficial surface reconstruction and self-healing behavior, leading to the in-situ formation of highly active and stable surface phases. Together, these findings position manganese as a versatile design element rather than a simple substitute for precious metals.

According to the authors, manganese offers a combination of abundance, chemical flexibility, and electrochemical stability that is particularly well suited for acidic water electrolysis. They emphasize that manganese should not be viewed solely as a low-cost replacement for noble metals, but as a functional component capable of regulating electronic structure, reaction mechanism, and surface reconstruction. By leveraging these properties, future catalyst designs can achieve higher efficiency and longer lifetimes with reduced precious-metal content, a critical step toward scalable and economically viable hydrogen production technologies.

The insights from this work have direct implications for the development of next-generation electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. Incorporating manganese into catalyst architectures could significantly lower material costs while improving operational durability under harsh acidic conditions. This approach may accelerate the commercialization of green hydrogen by alleviating supply-chain constraints associated with iridium and ruthenium. Beyond hydrogen production, the design principles outlined for manganese-enabled electronic regulation and self-healing behavior could inform broader applications in electrocatalysis and energy conversion technologies. As renewable energy deployment expands globally, manganese-containing catalyst strategies may play a key role in enabling sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective electrochemical systems.

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Media contact

Name: Editorial Office of eScience

Email: eScience@nankai.edu.cn

eScience – a Diamond Open Access journal cooperated with KeAi and published online at ScienceDirect. eScience is founded by Nankai University (China) in 2021 and aims to publish high quality academic papers on the latest and finest scientific and technological research in interdisciplinary fields related to energy, electrochemistry, electronics, and environment. eScience provides insights, innovation and imagination for these fields by built consecutive discovery and invention. Now eScience has been indexed by SCIE, CAS, Scopus and DOAJ. Its impact factor is 36.6, which is ranked first in the field of electrochemistry.

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Journal

eScience

DOI

10.1016/j.esci.2025.100427 

Article Title

Manganese-containing electrocatalysts for sustainable acidic oxygen evolution

 

Why lithium metal batteries fail—and how mechanics may hold the key

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.

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Electro-Chemo-Mechanical Origins of Lithium Dendrite Growth. Schematic illustration of lithium dendrite formation governed by coupled electrochemical, chemical, and mechanical processes. In liquid electrolytes (left), nonuniform lithium plating beneath the solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) is driven by factors such as current density, overpotential, temperature, and ion transport, leading to dendritic growth. In solid electrolytes (right), lithium deposition is further influenced by mechanical stress, interfacial defects, and crack propagation, enabling dendrites to penetrate the electrolyte. The diagram highlights how interphase properties, ionic/electronic conductivity, and mechanical strength collectively determine lithium stability in both battery systems.

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Credit: Quan Wu, et al

Lithium metal batteries promise dramatically higher energy density than today's lithium-ion systems, yet their widespread use remains limited by unstable lithium deposition, dendrite growth, and rapid capacity loss. New research synthesizes emerging evidence that these failures cannot be explained by electrochemistry alone. Instead, lithium plating and stripping are governed by tightly coupled electrochemical, chemical, and mechanical processes that evolve dynamically during battery operation. By integrating insights across interfacial reactions, stress accumulation, ion transport, and structural deformation, the study reveals how lithium metal behavior is shaped by multiphysics interactions. Understanding these electro-chemo-mechanical mechanisms offers a unified framework for diagnosing failure and designing safer, longer-lasting lithium metal batteries.

The demand for higher-capacity energy storage is accelerating with the growth of electric vehicles, grid-scale storage, and emerging applications such as electric aviation. Lithium metal is considered as an ideal anode material due to its exceptionally high theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential. However, during repeated charging and discharging, lithium tends to deposit unevenly, forming dendrites, inactive “dead lithium,” and unstable interfacial layers. These phenomena trigger safety risks, reduce efficiency, and shorten battery lifespan. Traditional approaches focusing only on electrolyte chemistry or electrochemical kinetics have proven insufficient. Based on these challenges, it is necessary to conduct in-depth studies on the coupled electro-chemo-mechanical processes governing lithium metal anodes.

Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, and the Wallenberg Wood Science Center reported (DOI: 10.1016/j.esci.2025.100429) their views in January 2026 in eScience. The study provides a comprehensive review of lithium metal anode behavior by framing lithium plating and stripping as a coupled electro-chemo-mechanical process. Covering both liquid-state and solid-state battery systems, the work systematically analyzes how electrochemical reactions, mechanical stress, and interfacial chemistry jointly dictate lithium morphology, stability, and failure mechanisms.

The study shows that lithium metal deposition begins with ion desolvation and nucleation, followed by growth processes strongly influenced by current density, overpotential, temperature, pressure, and substrate properties. Low overpotential and controlled current densities favor lateral lithium growth, forming dense, moss-like structures that are more reversible during cycling. In contrast, high overpotentials promote vertical growth and dendrite formation.

A central focus is the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), which acts as both a chemical barrier and a mechanical constraint. The authors highlight that an ideal SEI must combine high lithium-ion conductivity, low electronic conductivity, mechanical robustness, and structural uniformity. Fragile or heterogeneous SEIs crack under stress, exposing fresh lithium and accelerating parasitic reactions, while mechanically stable SEIs can suppress dendritic growth.

In solid-state batteries, the challenges intensify. Mechanical mismatch between lithium metal and solid-state electrolytes leads to void formation, crack propagation, and lithium filament penetration. The review emphasizes that neither high mechanical stiffness nor electrolyte stability alone is sufficient; instead, interfacial stress evolution, defect distribution, and ion transport pathways must be considered simultaneously. Advanced imaging and multiphysics modeling are identified as critical tools for visualizing and predicting these coupled processes.

“The behavior of lithium metal cannot be understood through electrochemistry alone,” the authors note. “Mechanical stress, interfacial chemistry, and ion transport are inseparably linked during battery operation.” They emphasize that lithium deposition is inherently a multiphysics phenomenon, where local stress concentrations can redirect ion flux and trigger failure. According to the researchers, adopting an electro-chemo-mechanical perspective enables more rational battery design strategies, moving beyond trial-and-error approaches toward predictive control of lithium metal stability.

By clarifying the fundamental mechanisms behind lithium metal instability, this work provides a roadmap for next-generation battery design. The findings support strategies such as stress-engineered interfaces, mechanically optimized SEI layers, pressure-controlled cycling protocols, and electrolyte formulations tailored to regulate ion transport and stress distribution. These insights are especially relevant for high-energy solid-state batteries, where safety and longevity remain critical barriers. More broadly, the electro-chemo-mechanical framework outlined in this study may accelerate the transition of lithium metal batteries from laboratory prototypes to practical energy storage solutions.

###

Media contact

Name: Editorial Office of eScience

Email: eScience@nankai.edu.cn

eScience – a Diamond Open Access journal cooperated with KeAi and published online at ScienceDirect. eScience is founded by Nankai University (China) in 2021 and aims to publish high quality academic papers on the latest and finest scientific and technological research in interdisciplinary fields related to energy, electrochemistry, electronics, and environment. eScience provides insights, innovation and imagination for these fields by built consecutive discovery and invention. Now eScience has been indexed by SCIE, CAS, Scopus and DOAJ. Its  impact factor is 36.6, which is ranked first in the field of electrochemistry.

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Journal

eScience

DOI

10.1016/j.esci.2025.100429 

Article Title

Understanding the electro-chemo-mechanics of lithium metal anodes