Latest News
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2025 CAS-MPG Summer School on Biodiversity and Biogeochemical Cycle Successfully Held at the Chinese Academy of Sciences
From August 7 to 20, 2025, the "2025 CAS-MPG Summer School—Biodiversity and Biogeochemical Cycle," jointly organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Max Planck Society (MPG) of Germany, was successfully held at the Yanqi Lake Campus of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS). The event brought together 37 scholars and 52 young students from China, Germany, Spain, the United States, and other countries to discuss biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles. The program featured lectures and discussions on cutting-edge topics such as global climate change and biogeochemical cycle dynamics, as well as the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Professor Susan Trumbore, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, member of the German National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, along with Professor Helge Bruelheide from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, shared their experiences in Sino-German scientific collaboration over the years and expressed deep expectations for the exchange and cooperation between the next generation of scientists from both sides.
This CAS-MPG Summer School was divided into two phases, offering a comprehensive and in-depth curriculum totaling 54 class hours. The first phase focused on fundamental theories and methodologies, covering core topics such as forest species interactions and drought responses, diversity interaction model construction, and scientific paper writing. The second phase delved into advanced subjects, including biogeochemical cycles, carbon cycle modeling, and plant-soil carbon processes. Additionally, field trips were organized to the Beijing Yanshan Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station and the National Herbarium and Botanical Garden of the Institute of Botany, CAS. Young students from the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Leipzig University, University of Göttingen, as well as UCAS, the Institute of Botany of CAS, the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of CAS, and Hebei University presented their learning outcomes in areas such as carbon cycle modeling and arid zone ecosystem management through flash talks. Beyond academic activities, the summer school also featured cultural and sports exchanges, fostering interaction and friendship among students from different countries.
This summer school not only helped broaden the international perspectives and interdisciplinary collaboration awareness of young students, but also accumulated valuable experience for fostering future talent and education in the fields of biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles.
Group Photo of CAS-MPG Summer School Faculty and Students at UCAS
CAS-MPG Summer School Faculty and Students Visited Beijing Yanshan Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station of UCAS
CAS-MPG Summer School Faculty and Students Visited National Herbarium and Botanical Garden of the Institute of Botany, CAS
Editor: GAO Yuan
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Research News
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Scientists Develop Hybrid Interlayer Enabling 21% Efficiency in Organic Solar Cells
Researchers from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) and their collaborators reported an inorganic/organic hybrid cathode interfacial layer (CIL), which enabled a high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.0%, with a certified efficiency of 20.8%, representing the highest values recorded for organic solar cells (OSCs) to date. The study was published in Nature Materials on July 18.
OSCs have attracted growing interest due to their lightweight, flexibility, and compatibility with scalable solution processing. However, their commercial potential remains limited by lower PCE compared to inorganic and perovskite solar cells. This gap is largely attributed to unbalanced charge transport and severe recombination losses at the interfaces, which reduce both the open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) of the devices.
To address this bottleneck, the team proposed a dual-component synergy strategy for designing a novel hybrid CIL, AZnO-F3N, by integrating organic material PNDIT-F3N with two-dimensional amorphous zinc oxide (2D A-ZnO). This strategy leverages the synergistic interactions between 2D A-ZnO and PNDIT-F3N, resulting in reduced interfacial defect, enhanced conductivity, and improved film uniformity. OSCs incorporating the AZnO-F3N CIL exhibit more efficient charge extraction and transport, along with reduced recombination.
The hybrid interlayer exhibits broad compatibility with different active layers, thick-film architectures, and flexible devices, while significantly enhancing photostability and mechanical durability. This approach is also applicable to other organic CIL materials such as PDIN and PDINN, offering a general strategy for advancing high-performance and stable OSCs.
This research was led by corresponding authors Associate Professor CAI Yunhao (UCAS), Professor GUO Lin (Beihang University), and Professor HUANG Hui (UCAS/ Tianjin University), with Ms. LI Congqi (Ph.D. candidate at UCAS) as first author. This work was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the UCAS, Beihang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and other institutions.
Full article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-025-02305-8
a-c High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy images and b-e schematic diagrams of the morphology of 2D A-ZnO, PNDIT-F3N and AZnO-F3N CILs on the active layer.
(Credit: LI Congqi, CAI Yunhao, HUANG Hui)
Author: Congqi Li, Yunhao Cai, Hui Huang (College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology，UCAS)
Editor: GAO Yuan
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