The exploration of material failure behavior not only involves defining its limits and underlying mechanisms but also entails devising strategies for improvement and protection in extreme conditions. We've pioneered an advanced multi-scale, high-speed ascending thermal shock testing platform capable of inducing unprecedented heat shocks at rates surpassing 10⁵ °C/s. Through meticulous examination of the thermal shock responses of carbon nanotube (CNT) films, we've achieved remarkable breakthroughs. By employing an innovative macro-scale synchronous tightening and relaxing approach, we've attained a critical temperature differential in CNT films that exceeds an exceptional 2500 °C—surpassing any previously reported metric for high-performance, thermal-shock-resistant materials. Notably, these samples have demonstrated exceptional resilience, retaining virtually unchanged strength even after enduring 10,000 thermal shock cycles at temperatures exceeding 1000 °C. Furthermore, our research has revealed a novel thermal shock/fatigue failure mechanism that fundamentally diverges from conventional theories centered on thermal stress.

Although ultrablack surfaces are urgently needed in wide applications owing to their extremely low reflectance over a broadband wavelength, obtaining simultaneously the ultrablackness and mechanical robustness by simple process technique is still a great challenge. Herein, by decoupling different light extinction effects to different layers of coating, we design an ultrablack coating that is all-sprayable in whole process. This coating presents low reflectance over visible–mid-infrared (VIS–MIR) wavelength (av. R ≈ 1% in VIS), low multi-angle scattering (bidirectional reflection distribution function (BRDF) = 10⁻²–10⁻³ sr⁻¹), together with good substrate adhesion grade and self-cleaning ability, which are superior to most reported sprayable ultrablack surfaces. The light extinction effects of each layer are discussed. This method is also applicable in other material systems.

As an essential component of flexible optoelectronic devices, transparent conductive films made of silver nanowire (AgNW) have attracted wide attention due to the extraordinary optical, electrical and mechanical properties. However, the application of AgNW coating still faces some challenges to be overcome including large contact resistance and poor durability. Here, we induce insulating graphene oxide over silver nanowire network through solution process to modify the electrical property and provide a protective layer. Strong interaction with substrates reducing the contact resistance of AgNW junctions and extra conductive channels of graphene oxide sheets contributes to the dramatic enhancement in electric property as well as durability. The resulting coating exhibits superior and uniform optoelectronic performances (sheet resistance of ∼ 38 Ω·sq^-1 with 91% transmittance at 550 nm), outstanding stability in harsh environments, strong adhesion, and excellent mechanical flexibility after 3, 000 bending cycles at a bending radius of 2.0 mm, which imply the promising application prospects in flexible optoelectronics.