Themed collection Honorary collection in memory of Professor Dr Helmut Ringsdorf

HPMA nanomedicine: targeting cancer with precision
Polymer nanotherapeutics have gained prominent attention in drug delivery systems.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TB02341B
Next-generation biopolymer gels: innovations in drug delivery and theranostics
Theranostic use of smart gels for precise treatment and drug delivery.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 3222-3244
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TB02068E
Perylene bisimide J-aggregates in a polymer matrix: controlling self-assembly and fluorescence properties
The self-assembly process of tetraphenoxy-substituted perylene bisimide dyes into J-aggregates via hydrogen bonds is investigated in three different polymer matrices resulting in solid-state materials with fluorescence quantum yields up to 28%.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 5981-5987
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC00409H

Halogen-bonded ionic liquid crystals: supramolecular organization and ionic transport
We present a new family of halogen-bonded pyridinium salts where both ionic partners participate in halogen bonding, leading to self-assembled smectic phases with nanosegregated ionic channels and high ionic conductivity.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 14657-14664
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01507C

Multi-stimuli-responsive degradable boronic ester-crosslinked e-spun nanofiber wound dressings
Development PVA e-spun nanofibers with boronic ester crosslinks through the synthesis of a new phenyldiboronic acid crosslinker with an ethylene spacer, degradable in response to multiple stimuli found in wounds for smart wound dressings.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 8419-8433
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TB00738K

Role of Flexible Amide Spacers on the Self-assembly of Star-shaped Triphenylbenzenes with Photoactive Triphenylamine Units: Stimuli-responsive Liquid Crystals and Gels
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025, Accepted Manuscript
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01929J
1,2,4-Tris(5-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazolyl)-benzenes: novel λ-shaped fluorescent liquid crystals
Novel electron deficient and fluorescent mesogens with intermediate shape between calamitic and discotic liquid crystals are reported.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC02093J

Immunomodulatory green nanomedicine production, tumor cellular targeting, in vivo biodistributions and preclinical therapeutic efficacy investigations of resveratrol-functionalized gold and theranostic 198gold nanoparticles
Green-synthesized RESV–198AuNP enable sustainable immunomodulation, selective prostate tumor cellular targeting, and favorable in vivo biodistribution. β (0.96 MeV) emission reprograms M2 to M1 macrophages and induces potent tumor volume reduction.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 8038-8050
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TB00815H
Low clearing asymmetric BTBT mesogens with perfect ambipolar charge transport
A perfectly ambipolar balanced charge carrier mobility has been found for a cyano-substituted BTBT mesogen.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 14044-14054
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01598G

Polarity from the bottom up: a computational framework for predicting spontaneous polar order
The spontaneous long-range mutual orientation of their electric dipole moments that gives rise to polar liquid crystals is shown to result from subtle intermolecular interactions.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 13367-13375
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01641J

Tuning the liquid crystal behavior of subphthalocyanines: effects of substitution, chirality, and hydrogen bonding
We demonstrate that the liquid crystal behavior of subphthalocyanine bowl-shaped aromatics is governed by their chirality and the number and nature of peripheral substituents.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 13184-13189
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01417D
Plant-derived cellulose nanocrystals as a pre-alignment layer for ferroelectric mesogens in display applications
An environment benign pre-alignment layer based on cellulose nano crystals have been developed for ferroelectric liquid crystal displays.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC00259A
Programmable chiroptical multilayer films assembled from self-healing stretchable elastomers for information encryption
Programmable chiroptical films with ultrahigh ellipticity and dissymmetry factors were achieved via stretchable elastomer–plasmonic composites for optical encryption.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01653C
Chromogenic ecdysis of Au@Ag nanorods assembled in a hydrogel for selective detection of ammonia vapors in food
A chromogenic hydrogel sensor containing Au-Bead@Ag nanorods incorporated inside agarose gel for visual detection of ammonia released from spoiled food.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 7428-7436
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TB00636H

Heliconical smectic phases with transversal polar order
Helicity and polar order in bent-core liquid crystals. Fundamental insights into the synergistic roles of electrostatic energy, transient molecular helicity, and phase structure in controlling heliconical twist of achiral bent-core molecules.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 12513-12532
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01109D

The effect of templating on the mechanical properties of smectic liquid crystal elastomers
In this work, the effect of phase templating on the mechanical properties of smectic liquid crystal elastomers is examined. Samples polymerised in the nematic phase show markedly different properties to those polymerised in the smectic phase.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 12365-12375
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01484K

Immunomodulatory and tumor-targeting palladium nanoparticles functionalized with resveratrol via green nanotechnology: synthesis, mechanisms, and in vivo therapeutic evaluation
Resveratrol functionalized palladium nanoparticles (Res-PdNPs) inhibit NF-κB, reprogram tumor-associated macrophages from the M2 to the M1 phenotype, and enhance in vivo anti-tumor activity.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TB00620A
Capturing the sol and gel states of thermoresponsive poly(2-oxazoline)/-(2-oxazine) hydrogels by ambient and subambient solid-state NMR
Two variants of pMeOx-b-pPheOzi-b-pMeOx with methyl or methoxy substituents were synthesized and used to test different NMR techniques for their characterization. Sample freezing provided new insights into the structure and different types of water.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 6727-6741
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TB00005J
Phenoxazine-based ambipolar luminescent room-temperature liquid crystals capable of being used in bioimaging applications
A new class of phenoxazine-based luminescent liquid crystal molecules exhibiting room temperature liquid crystallinity, ambipolar charge carrier mobility which also can be used for bioimaging were synthesized.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 6351-6365
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TB00207A

Systematic investigation on unsymmetrical mesogenic cyanobiphenyl dimers towards optical storage devices: synthesis, mesomorphic, photo switching and DFT studies
This research presents the synthesis and analysis of a novel series of mesogenic dimers comprising cyanobiphenyl and azonaphthyl units.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 10700-10713
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC00421G
The balance between paraelectricity and ferroelectricity in non-chiral smectic homologs
Minimal structural modifications in non-chiral liquid crystals impact ferroelectricity, revealing key structure–property relationships. The findings highlight the potential for developing ferroelectric mixtures with broad application relevance.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 9545-9553
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC00701A

Self-assembly and ambipolar charge transport in columnar phases of polynuclear gold isocyano–triphenylene complexes
An uncommon approach to the synthesis of ambipolar semiconductors based on di- and tri-nuclear gold isocyano–triphenylene complexes of the formula [(AuX)n(CN–C6H4–O–(CH2)6)n–TriPh] (n = 2, 3; X = Cl, CC–Ph) is described.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 8563-8570
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC00575B

Glycosylated polyplex micelles from oppositely charged block copolymers
We present a novel glycosylated polyplex micelle system derived from charged glycosylated block copolymers. This approach offers a promising pathway toward the design of more intricate glycosylated nanoparticles.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 4855-4863
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TB02760D
Circularly polarized luminescence with large dissymmetry factors based on perovskite and cholesteric liquid crystal polymer network films
Based on perovskite and CLCN films, colour tuning, large |glum| values, and handedness inversion of circularly polarized luminescence were achieved.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 7544-7549
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TC05268D
Cellulose-based bioactive material and turmeric-impregnated flexible and biocompatible scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications
Cellulose-based cotton fabric impregnated with a bioactive material and turmeric acts as a flexible, biocompatible, eco-friendly, and cost-effective material for bone regeneration applications.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 4570-4581
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TB02028F
Development of a novel polyelectrolyte complex nanocomposite of modified chitosan and karaya gum for co-delivery of 5-fluorouracil and curcumin for cancer therapy
A pH-responsive polyelectrolyte complex of trimethylchitosan and carboxymethylkaraya gum containing silver nanoparticles has been developed as a matrix material for co-delivery of the drugs, 5-fluorouracil and curcumin.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 3602-3617
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TB02354D
Extremely durable supercapacitor enabled by disordered porous carbon with a capacity retention up to 60 000 cycles
Porous carbon materials have been prepared through a salt template method. The as-fabricated supercapacitors show an excellent cycling stability. These supercapacitors hold great potential for application in the field of energy storage.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 4429-4434
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TC04734F
Reversible photomechanical actuators with liquid crystal polymer graphene oxide nanocomposites
This study quantifies the photomechanical actuation in LC242 nanocomposites doped with azo dye and graphene oxide. Optimized doping and UV curing achieve a 35° photo-induced bend with rapid response, advancing applications in smart materials.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 2198-2209
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TC04063E
Nitrogen doped carbon quantum dots: a multifaceted carbon nanomaterial that interferes in an amyloid-forming trajectory
LAdN-CQDs have been used to inhibit fibril formation, display biocompatibility, reduce reactive oxygen species, and safeguard against apoptosis, indicating promise in neuroprotection.
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025,13, 1403-1411
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TB02104E

Modifying the liquid crystalline chessboard tiling – soft reticular self-assembly of side-chain fluorinated polyphiles
Combining side-chain fluorination with core-fluorination provides access to new liquid crystalline honeycombs due to nano-segregation and competing tilt modes, either within or out of the crystallographic plane.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2025,13, 37-53
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TC04076G
About this collection
Professor Dr Helmut Ringsdorf (30 July 1929 to 20 March 2023) was a prominent German chemist who departed on 20 March 2023 at the age of 93. During his entire scientific career, Professor Ringsdorf made significant contributions to the scientific community in the scientific domains of supramolecular chemistry, polymer science, materials science, and biocompatible materials. Professor Dr Helmut Ringsdorf's contributions have had a lasting impact on both fundamental science and practical applications, making him a highly respected figure in the scientific community. In gratitude for his scientific services, we present this honorary collection.
This collection is guest edited by Dr Dharmendra Pratap Singh (Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale (ULCO), France), Professor Dr Matthias Lehmann (University of Würzburg, Germany), Professor A.S. Achalkumar (IIT Guwahati, India), Professor Sandeep Kumar (Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, India).