In this study, Zr active species were implanted into a ZSM-5 zeolite framework to form a solid acid catalyst through steam treatment and the liquid-solid isomorphous substitution process. The as-synthesized Zr-ZSM-5-st catalyst ensured excellent esterification of trimethylolpropane and fatty acids (FAs) to achieve a polyol ester production yield of 94.41%. Combined with N₂ physisorption, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, NH₃ temperature-programmed desorption, and inductively coupled mass plasma spectroscopy were conducted. The results revealed that the excellent performance of Zr-ZSM-5-st catalyst could be attributed to the enhanced acidity and the developed surface area and pore structure.

Tribological properties of five anti-wear additives for a steel-copper contact were investigated. It was found that the tribological performances are closely related to the molecular structure of additives. The protic ionic liquid anti-wear additive AW316 exhibits the best tribological performance with the lowest mean friction coefficient of 0.082, and the smallest wear volume, which is more than one order of magnitude smaller than base oil. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) tests reveal that a 10–15 nm thickness uniform boundary lubrication film composed of oxides, phosphates, and cuprous oxide was formed on the copper disc, which was responsible for its outstanding tribological performances.

Tin dioxide (SnO₂) stands as a premier electron transport layer in n-i-p perovskite solar cells (PSCs), yet interfacial defect-induced carrier recombination and energy-level misalignment impede its commercialization. Herein, we engineer a multifunctional polymeric interlayer by introducing polymerizable dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (DADMAC) at the SnO₂/perovskite interface. The densely cross-linked P-DADMAC network reinforces mechanical interlocking, enhancing interfacial adhesion and stress dissipation. Concurrently, chloride ions (Cl⁻) from P-DADMAC synergistically passivate defects at both the perovskite buried interface and SnO₂ surface, inducing a graded n⁺-type band bending. This energy-band engineering reduces the heterojunction energy-level offset by 0.24 eV, thereby facilitating efficient charge extraction and minimizing non-radiative losses. Consequently, n-i-p devices achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.34% with a fill factor (FF) of 85.84% (certified: 26.27%), while a 25 cm² module (active area: 14 cm²) attains 22.03% PCE (FF > 80%). This work establishes a paradigm for interfacial multifunctionalization in high-performance photovoltaics.

To address the detrimental effects of the residue of catalysts on the tribological performances of ester lubricants, a novel and efficient bi-functional ionic liquid 1-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)-3-methylimidazole di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate ([(BHT-1)MIM][DEHP]) was prepared. The catalyst not only facilitates the synthesis of pentaerythritol tetra-hexanoate (PETH) through the catalytic esterification reaction—achieving up to 96% conversion with a 94% yield—but also enhances the tribological performance of ester oil PETH when used as a lubricant additive. The tribological property has been improved remarkably: the mean friction coefficient for PETH + [(BHT-1)MIM][DEHP] is notably lower, at 0.110, compared to the PETH, which has a coefficient of 0.180. Meanwhile, the wear scar diameter of the steel ball, when lubricated with PETH + [(BHT-1)MIM][DEHP], is notably smaller than that of a steel ball lubricated solely with PETH. Especially, the reduction in the wear volume at 100 °C is up to 81.46% compared with the base oil PETH. [(BHT-1)MIM][DEHP], PETH + [(BHT-1)MIM][DEHP], and the worn track of the upper running ball and lower disc were systematically characterized by using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra, a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FT-IR), a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Thermal gravity analysis (TG), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and an optical microscope (OM). The wear mechanism of the tailored lubricant oil was discussed in terms of the chemical composition of the worn surface.