Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU), founded in 1896 as Nanyang Public School and relocated to Xi'an in 1956, has developed into one of China's leading research universities with a strong global reputation in science and engineering. As a key participant in the “985” and “211” initiatives and a Category A university under the “Double First-Class” Initiative, XJTU has established a comprehensive research ecosystem spanning fundamental science, engineering innovation, and interdisciplinary integration. Located in the historic city of Xi'an, a major hub of the Belt and Road Initiative, XJTU benefits from a unique combination of cultural heritage, industrial foundation, and emerging innovation infrastructure. In particular, the Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbour (iHarbour) provides a state-of-the-art platform for collaborative research and technology translation (Figure 1). Materials science and engineering constitute one of XJTU's core research strengths, covering areas such as recyclable and catalytic materials, energy storage materials, artificial intelligence for materials design, materials for artificial intelligence, ferroic materials, advanced materials processing, and advanced structural materials. To celebrate its 130th anniversary, XJTU presents this special issue of Advanced Materials, which brings together 34 invited review articles that highlight recent advances and emerging directions in materials research across these interconnected domains. In the field of recyclable and catalytic materials, Prof. Liqun Zhang and co-authors further provide a systematic overview of recycling and upcycling strategies for polyurethane thermosets, highlighting sustainable pathways from polymer recovery to value-added conversion (adma.202515809). Prof. Jun Liu and co-authors present a comprehensive review on high-performance and reprocessable elastomers, emphasizing the interplay between microphase separation and dynamic covalent chemistry in achieving both mechanical robustness and recyclability (adma.202515432). Prof. Peng-peng Wang and co-authors review chiral inorganic nanomaterials, demonstrating how symmetry breaking enables new catalytic functionalities in photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and enantioselective transformations (adma.202515236). Prof. Mingshang Jin and co-authors summarize strain-engineered noble metal nanocatalysts, identifying lattice strain as a key parameter for tuning catalytic activity and stability across electrochemical reactions (adma.202516277). Prof. Shaohua Shen and co-authors investigate interfacial engineering in Z-scheme heterojunctions for photocatalytic water splitting, focusing on charge-transfer mechanisms at complex interfaces (adma.202515717). Prof. Feng Xu and co-authors present a review on mechanomedicine-enabled hydrogel vaccines, illustrating how mechanical properties of hydrogels can regulate immune responses (adma.202513783). Prof. Baolin Guo and co-authors further summarize self-adaptive wound dressings, highlighting materials that dynamically respond to evolving physiological environments (adma.202515854). In the area of energy storage materials, Prof. Qunping Fan and co-authors review flexible organic solar cells, focusing on material design, mechanical compliance, and device stability for flexible energy systems (adma.202515878). In another review, Prof. Wenfeng Liu and co-authors discuss the materials design principles for capacitive energy storage under extreme conditions, with a focus on high-temperature dielectric polymers (adma.202513978). Prof. Xuesong Mei and co-authors summarize laser processing strategies for three-dimensional battery electrodes, demonstrating how structural design enhances electrochemical performance (adma.202519582). In another contribution, Prof. Wei Tang and co-authors examine non-equilibrium processes in rapid manufacturing of all-solid-state batteries, revealing the role of transient processing conditions in structure evolution (adma.202515467). In a comprehensive review, Prof. Weijiang Xue and co-authors outline key physicochemical properties, electrolyte design strategies, and performance optimization for sodium-ion battery electrolytes (adma.202519965). Prof. Shujiang Ding and co-authors review aqueous zinc-halogen batteries, identifying key challenges and integrated design strategies for high-energy and safe battery systems (adma.202515759). In a further review, Prof. Jiangxuan Song and co-authors explore viologen-based aqueous organic redox flow batteries, addressing stability challenges and practical deployment considerations (adma.202514004). In the emerging field of AI-driven materials science, Prof. Turab Lookman and co-authors provide a comprehensive perspective on materials informatics, discussing how artificial intelligence accelerates materials discovery through data-driven approaches (adma.202515941). Prof. Xiangdong Ding and co-authors review acoustic emission combined with machine learning for monitoring failure mechanisms in metallic materials, enabling real-time diagnosis and predictive maintenance (adma.202520368). Prof. Hongxiang Zong and co-authors present a review on AI-based decoding of material dynamics, highlighting machine learning potentials, interpretable models, and generative approaches for multiscale processes (adma.202514626). In another contribution, Prof. Yumei Zhou and co-authors explore generative AI for alloy design, demonstrating how advanced algorithms can optimize composition, processing, and microstructure simultaneously (adma.202520478). In the field of materials for artificial intelligence, Prof. Wei Ma and co-authors review organic electrochemical random access memory devices, focusing on materials design and neuromorphic computing applications (adma.202515843). Prof. Zhen Zhang and co-authors summarize resistive-switching complex oxides for brain-inspired computing, highlighting their role in memory and learning functionalities (adma.202517373). Prof. Tao Li and co-authors present a perspective on spintronic materials and devices for intelligent systems, emphasizing spin-based information processing (adma.202518570). In another contribution, Prof. Jian Zhou and co-authors review the bulk photovoltaic effect in quantum materials, demonstrating its potential for next-generation optoelectronic and intelligent systems (adma.202517783). In ferroic materials research, Prof. Hong Wang and co-authors discuss multiscale design strategies for dielectric energy storage materials, linking structural hierarchy to enhanced performance (adma.202517514). In a further work, Prof. Dong Wang and co-authors present a review on phase-field-guided design of nanoscale ferroic domains, highlighting simulation-driven materials optimization (adma.202515831). One contribution by Prof. Ming Liu and co-authors examines the mechanical behavior of oxide materials, challenging conventional views of oxide brittleness and revealing mechanisms for enhanced deformability (adma.202515834). In another review, Prof. Fei Li and co-authors summarize advanced piezoelectric materials and energy-harvesting technologies for self-powered systems (adma.202512672). In an additional review, Prof. Haijun Wu and co-authors explore structural defect engineering in thermoelectric materials, demonstrating how defect manipulation improves energy conversion efficiency (adma.202520643). In advanced materials processing, Prof. Jingqi Zhang and co-workers review process and material design strategies to mitigate microstructural heterogeneities and achieve uniform mechanical properties in laser additive manufacturing (adma.202600018). In another review, Prof. Kai Chen and co-authors examine additive manufacturing of Ni-based superalloys, addressing challenges such as cracking suppression, grain control, and precipitate regulation (adma.202517003). Prof. Jiankang He and co-authors review micro/nanoscale 3D printing technologies, demonstrating how high-resolution fabrication enables precise control of cellular behaviors in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (adma.202515400). In advanced structural materials, Prof. Jun Sun and co-authors examine refractory alloys for extreme environments, highlighting strengthening mechanisms and oxidation resistance (adma.202515947). Another review by Prof. Gang Liu and co-authors discusses microalloying strategies in high-performance aluminum alloys, focusing on atomic-scale optimization of precipitates and thermal stability (adma.202515856). Prof. En Ma explores the structural origin of the extraordinary properties of amorphous alloys, revisiting the classic structure–property paradigm for glassy systems (adma.202515726). Finally, in another contribution, Prof. Ge Wu and co-authors review crystal-glass nano-dual-phase alloys, demonstrating how combining crystalline and amorphous phases enables both ultrahigh strength and large plasticity (adma.202517926). The contributions in this special issue collectively demonstrate the breadth, depth, and interdisciplinary nature of materials research at Xi'an Jiaotong University. By integrating fundamental science with advanced engineering and emerging artificial intelligence technologies, XJTU continues to address critical challenges in energy, sustainability, intelligent systems, and advanced manufacturing. Looking forward, the convergence of materials science with artificial intelligence, advanced processing, and system-level applications will further accelerate innovation. With its strong academic foundation, global collaborations, and commitment to excellence, XJTU is well-positioned to play a leading role in shaping the future of materials research. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study
Zhang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: