Realization of advanced bio-interactive electronic devices requires mechanically compliant sensors with the ability to detect extremely large strain. Here, we design a new multifunctional carbon nanotube (CNT) based capacitive strain sensors which can detect strains up to 300% with excellent durability even after thousands of cycles. The CNT-based strain gauge devices exhibit deterministic and linear capacitive response throughout the whole strain range with a gauge factor very close to the predicted value (strictly 1), representing the highest sensitivity value. The strain tests reveal the presented strain gauge with excellent dynamic sensing ability without overshoot or relaxation, and ultrafast response at sub-second scale. Coupling these superior sensing capabilities to the high transparency, physical robustness and flexibility, we believe the designed stretchable multifunctional CNT-based strain gauge may have various potential applications in human friendly and wearable smart electronics, subsequently demonstrated by our prototypical data glove and respiration monitor.

Photovoltaics are an important source of renewable energy, but due to the intermittent nature of insolation, solar cells usually need to be connected to rechargeable batteries, electrochemical capacitors or other energy storage devices, which adds to the complexity and cost of these systems. In this work, a cathode design for photo‐rechargeable zinc‐ion batteries (photo‐ZIBs) is reported, that is inherently capable of harvesting sunlight to recharge without the need for external solar cells. The proposed photocathodes, comprising a composite of vanadium dioxide nanorods and reduced graphene oxide, are engineered to provide the necessary charge separation and storage for photocharging under illumination. The photo‐ZIBs achieve capacities of ≈282 mAh g⁻¹ in the dark and ≈315 mAh g⁻¹ under illumination, at 200 mA g⁻¹, demonstrating the use of light not only to charge the devices, but additionally to enhance their capacity. The photo‐ZIBs also demonstrate enhanced high‐rate capabilities under illumination, as well as a capacity retention of ≈90% over 1000 cycles. The proposed photo‐ZIBs are considered a promising new technology for addressing energy poverty, due to their high performance and inherent cost‐efficiency and safety.

Structural control of single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with uniform properties is critical not only for their property modulation and functional design but also for applications in electronics, optics, and optoelectronics. To achieve this goal, various separation techniques have been developed in the past 20 years through which separation of high‐purity semiconducting/metallic SWCNTs, single‐chirality species, and even their enantiomers have been achieved. This progress has promoted the property modulation of SWCNTs and the development of SWCNT‐based optoelectronic devices. Here, the recent advances in the structure separation of SWCNTs are reviewed, from metallic/semiconducting SWCNTs, to single‐chirality species, and to enantiomers by several typical separation techniques and the application of the corresponding sorted SWCNTs. Based on the separation procedure, efficiency, and scalability, as well as, the separable SWCNT species, purity, and quantity, the advantages and disadvantages of various separation techniques are compared. Combined with the requirements of SWCNT application, the challenges, prospects, and development direction of structure separation are further discussed.

Although individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are superior to polymer chains, the mechanical and thermal properties of CNT fibers (CNTFs) remain inferior to synthetic fibers because of the failure of embedding CNTs effectively in superstructures. Conventional techniques resulted in a mild improvement of target properties while degrading others. Here, a double-drawing technique is developed to rearrange the constituent CNTs. Consequently, the mechanical and thermal properties of the resulting CNTFs can simultaneously reach their highest performances with specific strength ~3.30 N tex ⁻¹ (4.60 GPa), work of rupture ~70 J g ⁻¹ , and thermal conductivity ~354 W m ⁻¹ K ⁻¹ despite starting from low-crystallinity materials ( I _G : I _D ~ 5). The processed CNTFs are more versatile than comparable carbon fiber, Zylon and Dyneema. On the basis of evidence of load transfer efficiency on individual CNTs measured with in situ stretching Raman, we find that the main contributors to property enhancements are the increasing of the effective tube contribution.