Cover
Volume 6, Issue 4 (2026) – 27 articles
Cover Picture: Single-phase optimization is increasingly insufficient to simultaneously satisfy the demands of rechargeable batteries for high energy density, fast rate capability, and long-term cycling stability. Growing evidence indicates that electrochemical performance is governed not only by chemical composition, but also by the spatial organization and dynamic evolution of multiple coexisting phases. Inspired by gene editing, this review introduces the concept of phase programming, in which crystalline phases, defect-ordered states, and interfacial phases are regarded as editable functional modules. By deliberately inserting, suppressing, reorganizing and spatially reprogramming these phases, electrode properties can be tuned in a programmable manner. Using energy density, rate performance, and cycling stability as guiding metrics, we reinterpret the interactions among functional modules under different modification strategies and their impacts on electrochemical behavior. On this basis, a phase programming design map is constructed, unifying gradient, core-shell, and multiphase architectures within a common physical framework. This framework establishes phase programming as a potentially transferable materials design language for next-generation battery electrodes.
Back Cover
Volume 6, Issue 4 (2026) – 27 articles
Back Cover Picture: Melanoma remains challenging due to pronounced heterogeneity, early metastasis, and dynamic treatment resistance. Conventional tissue biopsy and imaging provide essential information but are limited by invasiveness, sampling bias, and an inability to capture longitudinal tumor-immune evolution. As endogenous bio-nanomaterials, small extracellular vesicles/exosomes circulate stably in body fluids and carry multi-omic cargo (DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids), enabling minimally invasive liquid biopsy and real-time disease monitoring. Beyond diagnostics, engineered exosomal nanomaterials can be functionalized and loaded with therapeutic payloads to improve targeted delivery and support combination regimens, including immunotherapy. This review highlights mechanistic roles of exosomes in melanoma progression, summarizes key liquid-biopsy biomarkers (e.g., exosomal PD-L1 and EV-miRNA/protein signatures), and discusses translational barriers such as standardization, scalable manufacturing, safety, and clinical validation.
