Enhanced N2 Adsorption and Activation by Combining Re Clusters and In Vacancies as Dual Sites for Efficient and Selective Electrochemical NH3 Synthesis.

The electrochemical N2 reduction reaction (NRR) is a green and energy-saving sustainable technology for NH3 production. However, high activity and high selectivity can hardly be achieved in the same catalyst, which severely restricts the development of the electrochemical NRR. In2Se3 with partially occupied p-orbitals can suppress the H2 evolution reaction (HER), which shows excellent selectivity in the electrochemical NRR. The presence of VIn can simultaneously provide active sites and confine Re clusters through strong charge transfer. Additionally, well-isolated Re clusters stabilized on In2Se3 by the confinement effect of VIn result in Re-VIn active sites with maximum availability. By combining Re clusters and VIn as dual sites for spontaneous N2 adsorption and activation, the electrochemical NRR performance is enhanced significantly. As a result, the Re-In2Se3-VIn/CC catalyst delivers a high NH3 yield rate (26.63 µg h-1 cm-2) and high FEs (30.8%) at -0.5 V vs RHE.

Multiscale Synergetic Bandgap/Structure Engineering in Semiconductor Nanofibrous Aerogels for Enhanced Solar Evaporation.

Solar-driven interface evaporation has been identified as a sustainable seawater desalination and water purification technology. Nonetheless, the evaporation performance is still restricted by salt deposition and heat loss owing to weak solar spectrum absorption, tortuous channels, and limited plane area of conventional photothermal material. Herein, the semiconductor nanofibrous aerogels with a narrow bandgap, vertically aligned channels, and a conical architecture are constructed by the multiscale synergetic engineering strategy, encompassing bandgap engineering at the atomic scale and structure engineering at the nano-micro scale. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a Co-doped MoS2 nanofibrous aerogel is synthesized, which exhibits the entire solar absorption, superhydrophilic, and excellent thermal insulation, achieving a net evaporation rate of 1.62 kg m-2 h-1 under 1 sun irradiation, as well as a synergistically efficient dye ion adsorption function. This work opens up new possibilities for the development of solar evaporators for practical applications in clean water production.

Complementary Design in Multicomponent Electrocatalysts for Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction: Beyond the Leverage in Activity and Selectivity.

Electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) is promising in place of the Haber-Bosch process for artificial N2 fixation. However, the high activity and selectivity of eNRR are challenging to achieve simultaneously due to the scaling relations. Such "leverage" between activity and selectivity has severely restricted eNRR. To overcome this bottleneck, the complementary design of electronic structures in multicomponent electrocatalysts has been recently pursued, aiming to maximize the advantages of each component and optimize the multistep reactions, which has stood at the cutting edge in this aspect. Here, we present a minireview of the design, performance, and mechanism of multicomponent electrocatalysts with complementary electronic structures. We particularly emphasize the interactions between N2 and elements from d-, p-, and s-blocks, which are essential for understanding how these electrocatalysts are beyond the "leverage" between activity and selectivity.

Coordination-Driven Hierarchical Assembly of Hybrid Nanostructures Based on 2D Materials.

2D materials have received tremendous scientific and engineering interests due to their remarkable properties and broad-ranging applications such as energy storage and conversion, catalysis, biomedicine, electronics, and so forth. To further enhance their performance and endow them with new functions, 2D materials are proposed to hybridize with other nanostructured building blocks, resulting in hybrid nanostructures with various morphologies and structures. The properties and functions of these hybrid nanostructures depend strongly on the interfacial interactions between 2D materials and other building blocks. Covalent and coordination bonds are two strong interactions that hold high potential in constructing these robust hybrid nanostructures based on 2D materials. However, most 2D materials are chemically inert, posing problems for the covalent assembly with other building blocks. There are usually coordination atoms in most of 2D materials and their derivatives, thus coordination interaction as a strong interfacial interaction has attracted much attention. In this review, recent progress on the coordination-driven hierarchical assembly based on 2D materials is summarized, focusing on the synthesis approaches, various architectures, and structure-property relationship. Furthermore, insights into the present challenges and future research directions are also presented.

Promoted Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation in Fe-Ni Layered Double Hydroxide Arrays Coupled to Carbon Nanofibers: The Role of Phosphorus Doping.

The key to bringing the electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation from conception to application lies in the development of high-efficiency, cost-effective electrocatalysts. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), also known as hydrotalcites, are promising electrocatalysts for water splitting due to multiple metal centers and large surface areas. However, their activities in the electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation are unsatisfactory. Now, a simple and effective way of phosphorus doping is presented to regulate the charge distribution in LDHs, thus promoting the nitrogen adsorption and activation. The P-doped LDHs are further coupled to a self-supported, conductive matrix, that is, a carbon nanofibrous membrane, which prevents their aggregation as well as ensuring rapid charge transfer at the interface. By this strategy, decent ammonia yield (1.72×10-10  mol s-1 cm-2 ) and Faradaic efficiency (23 %) are delivered at -0.5 V vs. RHE in 0.1 m Na2 SO4 .

Conductive and Elastic TiO2 Nanofibrous Aerogels: A New Concept toward Self-Supported Electrocatalysts with Superior Activity and Durability.

Recently, various titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) nanostructures have received increasing attention in the fields of energy conversion and storage owing to their electrochemical properties. However, these particulate nanomaterials exclusively exist in the powder form, which may cause health risks and environmental hazards. Herein we report a novel, highly elastic bulk form of TiO2 for safe use and easy recycling. Specifically, TiO2 nanofibrous aerogels (NAs) consisting of resiliently bonded, flexible TiO2 nanofibers are constructed, which have an ultralow bulk density, ultrahigh porosity, and excellent elasticity. To promote charge transfer, they are subjected to lithium reduction to generate abundant oxygen vacancies, which can modulate the electronic structure of TiO2 , resulting in a conductivity up to 38.2 mS cm-1 . As a proof-of-concept demonstration, the conductive and elastic TiO2 NAs serve as a new type of self-supported electrocatalyst for ambient nitrogen fixation, achieving an ammonia yield of 4.19×10-10  mol s-1 cm-2 and a Faradaic efficiency of 20.3 %. The origin of the electrocatalytic activity is revealed by DFT calculations.

Stable Confinement of Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots on Black Tin Oxide Nanotubes: A Robust, Double-Active Electrocatalyst toward Efficient Nitrogen Fixation.

A conceptually new, metal-free electrocatalyst, black phosphorus (BP) is presented, which is further downsized to quantum dots (QDs) for larger surface areas, and thus, more active sites than the bulk form. However, BP QDs are prone to agglomeration, which inevitably results in the loss of active sites. Besides, their poor conductivity is not favorable for charge transport during electrolysis. To solve these problems, an electrochemically active, electrically conductive matrix, black tin oxide (SnO2-x ) nanotubes, is employed for the first time. Through facile self-assembly, BP QDs are stably confined on the SnO2-x nanotubes due to Sn-P coordination, resulting in a robust, double-active electrocatalyst. Benefiting from their synergistic superiority, the BP@SnO2-x nanotubes deliver impressively high ammonia yield and Faradaic efficiency, which represent a successful attempt toward advanced hybrid electrocatalysts for ambient nitrogen fixation.

Carbon-Nanoplated CoS@TiO2 Nanofibrous Membrane: An Interface-Engineered Heterojunction for High-Efficiency Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction.

Developing noble-metal-free electrocatalysts is important to industrially viable ammonia synthesis through the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). However, the present transition-metal electrocatalysts still suffer from low activity and Faradaic efficiency due to poor interfacial reaction kinetics. Herein, an interface-engineered heterojunction, composed of CoS nanosheets anchored on a TiO2 nanofibrous membrane, is developed. The TiO2 nanofibrous membrane can uniformly confine the CoS nanosheets against agglomeration, and contribute substantially to the NRR performance. The intimate coupling between CoS and TiO2 enables easy charge transfer, resulting in fast reaction kinetics at the heterointerface. The conductivity and structural integrity of the heterojunction are further enhanced by carbon nanoplating. The resulting C@CoS@TiO2 electrocatalyst achieves a high ammonia yield (8.09×10-10  mol s-1 cm-2 ) and Faradaic efficiency (28.6 %), as well as long-term durability.

Hybrid Architectures based on 2D MXenes and Low-Dimensional Inorganic Nanostructures: Methods, Synergies, and Energy-Related Applications.

Being conductive and flexible, MXenes, including transition metal carbides and nitrides, are expected to compete with, or even outperform graphene as 2D substrates serving in versatile applications. On the other hand, the extraordinary electrochemical activities of MXenes make them promising candidates as electrode materials in rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors, or as electrocatalysts in water splitting. However, MXenes are inclined to self-restack due to hydrogen bonding or van der Waals interactions, which may lead to substantial loss of electroactive area as well as inaccessibility of ions and electrolytes. In this sense, hybridizing 2D MXenes and low-dimensional inorganic nanostructures in elaborately designed architectures is of utmost significance, and provides a chance to integrate their unique properties in a complementary way. As such, this review is dedicated to highlighting recent progress in this regime, putting emphasis on the methods, structural and functional synergies, and energy-related applications. Moreover, the present challenges and the future development directions are also discussed in depth.

Ultrathin MXene Nanosheets Decorated with TiO2 Quantum Dots as an Efficient Sulfur Host toward Fast and Stable Li-S Batteries.

Being conductive and flexible, 2D transition metal nitrides and carbides (MXenes) can serve in Li-S batteries as sulfur hosts to increase the conductivity and alleviate the volume expansion. However, the surface functional groups, such as OH and F, weaken the ability of bare MXenes in the chemisorption of polysulfides. Besides, they create numerous hydrogen bonds which make MXenes liable to restack, resulting in substantial loss of active area and, thus, inaccessibility of ions and electrolyte. Herein, a facile, one-step strategy is developed for the growth of TiO2 quantum dots (QDs) on ultrathin MXene (Ti3 C2 Tx ) nanosheets by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-assisted solvothermal synthesis. These QDs act as spacers to isolate the MXene nanosheets from restacking, and preserve their 2D geometry which guarantees larger electrode-electrolyte contact area and higher sulfur loading. The stronger adsorption energy of polysulfides with TiO2 (than with Ti3 C2 Tx ), as proven by density functional theory calculations, is essential for better on-site polysulfide retention. The ultrathin nature and protected conductivity ensure rapid ion and electron diffusion, and the excellent flexibility maintains high mechanical integrity. In result, the TiO2 QDs@MXene/S cathode exhibits significantly improved long-term cyclability and rate capability, disclosing a new opportunity toward fast and stable Li-S batteries.

Facile and Green Production of Impurity-Free Aqueous Solutions of WS2 Nanosheets by Direct Exfoliation in Water.

To obtain 2D materials with large quantity, low cost, and little pollution, liquid-phase exfoliation of their bulk form in water is a particularly fascinating concept. However, the current strategies for water-borne exfoliation exclusively employ stabilizers, such as surfactants, polymers, or inorganic salts, to minimize the extremely high surface energy of these nanosheets and stabilize them by steric repulsion. It is worth noting, however, that the remaining impurities inevitably bring about adverse effects to the ultimate performances of 2D materials. Here, a facile and green route to large-scale production of impurity-free aqueous solutions of WS2 nanosheets is reported by direct exfoliation in water. Crucial parameters such as initial concentration, sonication time, centrifugation speed, and centrifugation time are systematically evaluated to screen out an optimized condition for scaling up. Statistics based on morphological characterization prove that substantial fraction (66%) of the obtained WS2 nanosheets are one to five layers. X-ray diffraction and Raman characterizations reveal a high quality with few, if any, structural distortions. The water-borne exfoliation route opens up new opportunities for easy, clean processing of WS2 -based film devices that may shine in the fields of, e.g., energy storage and functional nanocomposites owing to their excellent electrochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties.

Dually cross-linked single network poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels with superior mechanical properties and water absorbency.

Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogels with superior mechanical properties, based on a single network structure with dual cross-linking, are prepared by one-pot free radical polymerization. The network structure of the PAA hydrogels is composed of dual cross-linking: a dynamic and reversible ionic cross-linking among the PAA chains enabled by Fe(3+) ions, and a sparse covalent cross-linking enabled by a covalent cross-linker (Bis). Under deformation, the covalently cross-linked PAA chains remain intact to maintain their original configuration, while the Fe(3+)-enabled ionic cross-linking among the PAA chains is broken to dissipate energy and then recombined. It is found that the mechanical properties of the PAA hydrogels are significantly influenced by the contents of covalent cross-linkers, Fe(3+) ions and water, which can be adjusted within a substantial range and thus broaden the applications of the hydrogels. Meanwhile, the PAA hydrogels have excellent recoverability based on the dynamic and reversible ionic cross-linking enabled by Fe(3+) ions. Moreover, the swelling capacity of the PAA hydrogels is as high as 1800 times in deionized water due to the synergistic effects of ionic and covalent cross-linkings. The combination of balanced mechanical properties, efficient recoverability, high swelling capacity and facile preparation provides a new method to obtain high-performance hydrogels.

Multiphase Symbiotic Engineered Elastic Ceramic-Carbon Aerogels with Advanced Thermal Protection in Extreme Oxidative Environments.

Elastic aerogels can dissipate aerodynamic forces and thermal stresses by reversible slipping or deforming to avoid sudden failure caused by stress concentration, making them the most promising candidates for thermal protection in aerospace applications. However, existing elastic aerogels face difficulties achieving reliable protection above 1500 °C in aerobic environments due to their poor thermomechanical stability and significantly increased thermal conductivity at elevated temperatures. Here, a multiphase sequence and multiscale structural engineering strategy is proposed to synthesize mullite-carbon hybrid nanofibrous aerogels. The heterogeneous symbiotic effect between components simultaneously inhibits ceramic crystalline coarsening and carbon thermal etching, thus ensuring the thermal stability of the nanofiber building blocks. Efficient load transfer and high interfacial thermal resistance at crystalline-amorphous phase boundaries on the microscopic scale, coupled with mesoscale lamellar cellular and locally closed-pore structures, achieve rapid stress dissipation and thermal energy attenuation in aerogels. This robust thermal protection material system is compatible with ultralight density (30 mg cm-3), reversible compression strain of 60%, extraordinary thermomechanical stability (up to 1600 °C in oxidative environments), and ultralow thermal conductivity (50.58 mW m-1 K-1 at 300 °C), offering new options and possibilities to cope with the harsh operating environments faced by space exploration.

Ceramic Meta-Aerogel with Thermal Superinsulation up to 1700 °C Constructed by Self-Crosslinked Nanofibrous Network via Reaction Electrospinning.

Thermal insulation under extreme conditions requires the materials to be capable of withstanding complex thermo-mechanical stress, significant gradient temperature transition, and high-frequency thermal shock. The excellent structural and functional properties of ceramic aerogels make them attractive for thermal insulation. However, in extremely high-temperature environments (above 1500 °C), they typically exhibit limited insulation capacity and thermo-mechanical stability, which may lead to catastrophic accidents, and this problem is never effectively addressed. Here, a novel ceramic meta-aerogel constructed from a crosslinked nanofiber network using a reaction electrospinning strategy, which ensures excellent thermo-mechanical stability and superinsulation under extreme conditions, is designed. The ceramic meta-aerogel has an ultralow thermal conductivity of 0.027 W m-1 k-1, and the cold surface temperature is only 303 °C in a 1700 °C high-temperature environment. After undergoing a significant gradient temperature transition from liquid nitrogen to 1700 °C flame burning, the ceramic meta-aerogel can still withstand thousands of shears, flexures, compressions, and other complex forms of mechanical action without structural collapse. This work provides a new insight for developing ceramic aerogels that can be used for a long period in extremely high-temperature environments.

Building-Envelope-Inspired, Thermomechanically Robust All-Fiber Ceramic Meta-Aerogel for Temperature-Controlled Dominant Infrared Camouflage.

The unsatisfactory properties of ceramic aerogels when subjected to thermal shock, such as strength degradation and structural collapse, render them unsuitable for use at large thermal gradients or prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures. Here, a building-envelope-inspired design for fabricating a thermomechanically robust all-fiber ceramic meta-aerogel with interlocked fibrous interfaces and an interwoven cellular structure in the orthogonal directions is presented, which is achieved through a two-stage physical and chemical process. Inspired by the reinforced concrete building envelope, a solid foundation composed of fibrous frames is constructed and enhanced through supramolecular in situ self-assembly to achieve high compressibility, retaining over 90% of maximum stress under a considerable compressive strain of 50% for 10 000 cycles, and showing temperature-invariance when compressed at 60% strain within the range of -100 to 500 °C. As a result of its distinct response to oscillation tolerance coupled with elastic recovery, the all-fiber ceramic meta-aerogel exhibits exceptional suitability for thermal shock resistance and infrared camouflage performance in cold (-196 °C) and hot (1300 °C) fields. This study provides an opportunity for developing ceramic aerogels for effective thermal management under extreme conditions.

Way to a Library of Ti-Series Oxide Nanofiber Sponges that are Highly Stretchable, Compressible, and Bendable.

Ti-series oxide ceramics in the form of aerogels, such as TiO2, SrTiO3, BaTiO3, and CaCu3Ti4O12, hold tremendous potential as functional materials owing to their excellent optical, dielectric, and catalytic properties. Unfortunately, these inorganic aerogels are usually brittle and prone to pulverization owing to weak inter-particulate interactions, resulting in restricted application performance and serious health risks. Herein, a novel strategy is reported to synthesize an elastic form of an aerogel-like, highly porous structure, in which activity-switchable Ti-series oxide sols transform from the metastable state to the active state during electrospinning, resulting in condensation and solidification at the whipping stage to obtain curled nanofibers. These curled nanofibers are further entangled when flying in the air to form a physically interlocked, elastic network mimicking the microstructure of high-elasticity hydrogels. This strategy provides a library of Ti-series oxide nanofiber sponges with unprecedented stretchability, compressibility, and bendability, possessing extensive opportunities for greener, safer, and broader applications as integrated or wearable functional devices. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a new, elastic form of TiO2, composed of both "white" and "black" TiO2 nanofiber sponges, is constructed as spontaneous air-conditioning textiles in smart clothing, buildings, and vehicles, with unique bidirectional regulation of radiative cooling in summer and solar heating in winter.

Multiscale Interpenetrated/Interconnected Network Design Confers All-Carbon Aerogels with Unprecedented Thermomechanical Properties for Thermal Insulation under Extreme Environments.

With ultralight weight, low thermal conductivity, and extraordinary high-temperature resistance, carbon aerogels hold tremendous potential against severe thermal threats encountered by hypersonic vehicles during the in-orbit operation and re-entry process. However, current 3D aerogels are plagued by irreconcilable contradictions between adiabatic and mechanical performance due to monotonicity of the building blocks or uncontrollable assembly behavior. Herein, a spatially confined assembly strategy of multiscale low-dimensional nanocarbons is reported to decouple the stress and heat transfer. The nanofiber framework, a basis for transferring the loading strain, is covered by a continuous thin-film-like layer formed by the aggregation of nanoparticles, which in combination serve as the fundamental structural units for generating an elastic behavior while yielding compartments in aerogels to suppress the gaseous fluid thermal diffusion within distinct partitions. The resulting all-carbon aerogels with a hierarchical cellular structure and quasi-closed cell walls achieve the best thermomechanical and insulation trade-off, exhibiting flyweight density (24 mg cm-3 ), temperature-constant compressibility (-196-1600 °C), and a low thermal conductivity of 0.04 829 W m-1 K-1 at 300 °C. This strategy provides a remarkable thermal protection material in hostile environments for future aerospace exploration.

[Feasibility of volume perfusion CT (VPCT) imaging in antiangiogenic treatment of rabbit VX2 soft-tissue tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of volume perfusion CT imaging to dynamically monitor and evaluate the response of rabbit VX2 soft-tissue tumor to antiangiogenic treatment. METHODS: To establish an experimental animal model of VX2 soft tissue tumor on 20 New Zealand white rabbits. Twenty rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups. The therapy group was treated with recombinant human endostatin (3 mg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹) for 7 days, and the control group received saline in the same dose only. Four times of CT volume perfusion scan were performed before treatment and on the second, forth, seventh days of treatment, respectively. The value of blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), and permeability (PMB) in the VX2 tumors were measured after scanning. The microvessel density (MVD) and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the tumors were determined using immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The tumor volume of the therapy group was (1.36 ± 0.73) cm³ on the forth day of treatment and (1.69 ± 0.68) cm³ on the seventh day of the treatment. The tumor volume of the control group was (2.35 ± 0.62) cm³ on the fourth day of treatment and (3.87 ± 0.93) cm³ on the seventh day of the treatment (P < 0.05). On the seventh day of treatment, tumor necrosis ratio of the therapy group and the control group was (25.58 ± 5.51)% and (42.93 ± 4.34)%, respectively (P < 0.05). Comparing the perfusion parameters between the two groups on the same day, and the second, forth, seventh days of treatment, the value of PMB of the therapy group was (70.36 ± 23.46) ml·100 ml⁻¹·min⁻¹, (79.64 ± 13.68) ml·100 ml⁻¹·min⁻¹ and (84.76 ± 3.55) ml·100 ml⁻¹·min⁻¹, respectively, and that in the control group was (26.61 ± 6.47) ml·100 ml⁻¹·min⁻¹, (33.74 ± 16.47) ml·100 ml⁻¹·min⁻¹ and (30.47 ± 10.64) ml·100 ml⁻¹·min⁻¹, respectively (P < 0.05). The value of BF in the therapy group and control group was (71.19 ± 12.21) ml·100 ml⁻¹·min⁻¹ and (43.56 ± 12.21) ml·100 ml⁻¹·min⁻¹, respectively, on the seventh day of treatment (P < 0.05). The parameters on different days in the same group were compared. In the control group, the value of BF on the seventh day of treatment was significantly lower than that before and on the second and forth days of treatment (P < 0.05). However, in the therapy group, the value of PMB on the second, forth, and seventh days of treatment was significantly higher than that before treatment (P < 0.05). MVD of tumor in the control group was increased gradually, whereas increased on the first day and then decreased more in the therapy group. The VEGF expressions did not differ significantly between the experimental and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Volume perfusion CT is helpful to quantify the tumor perfusion and evaluate the functional changes of tumor vasculature, and then evaluate the early therapeutic effect of antiangiogenic treatment.

Inhibited Grain Growth Through Phase Transition Modulation Enables Excellent Mechanical Properties in Oxide Ceramic Nanofibers up to 1700 °C.

Oxide ceramics are widely used as thermal protection materials due to their excellent structural properties and earth abundance. However, in extremely high-temperature environments (above 1500 °C), the explosive growth of grain size causes irreversible damage to the microstructure of oxide ceramics, thus exhibiting poor thermomechanical stability. This problem, which may lead to catastrophic accidents, remains a great challenge for oxide ceramic materials. Here, a novel strategy of phase transition modulation is proposed to control the grain growth at high temperatures in oxide ceramic nanofibers, realizing effective regulation of the crystalline forms as well as the size uniformity of primary grains, and thus suppressing the malignant growth of the grains. The resulting oxide ceramic nanofibers have excellent mechanical strength and flexibility, delivering an average tensile strength as high as 1.02 GPa after being exposed to 1700 °C for 30 min, and can withstand thousands of flexural cycles without obvious damage. This work may provide new insight into the development of advanced oxide ceramic materials that can serve in extremely high-temperature environments with long-term durability.

High Toughness Combined with High Strength in Oxide Ceramic Nanofibers.

Traditional oxide ceramics are inherently brittle and highly sensitive to defects, making them vulnerable to failure under external stress. As such, endowing these materials with high strength and high toughness simultaneously is crucial to improve their performance in most safety-critical applications. Fibrillation of the ceramic materials and further refinement of the fiber diameter, as realized by electrospinning, are expected to achieve the transformation from brittleness to flexibility owing to the structural uniqueness. Currently, the synthesis of electrospun oxide ceramic nanofibers must rely on an organic polymer template to regulate the spinnability of the inorganic sol, whose thermal decomposition during ceramization will inevitably lead to pore defects, and seriously weaken the mechanical properties of the final nanofibers. Here, a self-templated electrospinning strategy is proposed for the formation of oxide ceramic nanofibers without adding any organic polymer template. An example is given to show that individual silica nanofibers have an ideally homogeneous, dense, and defect-free structure, with tensile strength as high as 1.41 GPa and toughness up to 34.29 MJ m-3 , both of which are far superior to the counterparts prepared by polymer-templated electrospinning. This work provides a new strategy to develop oxide ceramic materials that are strong and tough.