Themed collection Popular Advances

Agricultural health is one of the most important aspects of improving crop productivity, which can significantly decrease demand for food. MN-based sensing technology offers newer insight into agriculture health by continuously monitoring plant health, including nutritional values and pathogens.

This paper discusses the scale-up feasibility and industrial adoption of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), emphasizing the need to link PHA development with recycling technologies and highlighting strategies for designing PHAs for closed-loop recycling.

Alterations in the tumor microenvironment not only modulate cancer cell progression and invasiveness but also affect the viscoelastic properties of immune cells therein.

Designing sorbents for iodine capture in different conditions requires selection and optimization of a large and diverse range of variables.

This review elaborates on the electrochemical characterization methods essential for the advancement sulfide-based solid-state electrolytes for lithium metal batteries, with a focus on the integration of spectroscopic tools like Raman spectroscopy.

SPEEK suffers from loss of conductivity at high temperatures and high methanol permeability. Modification of SPEEK using various materials will improve its properties.

This review highlights recent advancements in cholesteric liquid crystal emulsions, focusing on their preparation, anti-counterfeiting applications, and future prospects. It also covers their role in information storage and encryption techniques.

We review recent advances in the utilization of lignin as a viable alternative to fossil-based feedstock in the synthesis of a wide range of vitrimeric materials targeted towards the achievement of a sustainable and circular economy.

The study on sulfur quantum dots for fluorescence sensing in biological and pharmaceutical samples classifies SQD fluorescent probes into two categories: sensing of biological samples and sensing of pharmaceutical samples.

Graphical abstract illustrates how ionic liquids protect metal surface from corrosion, highlights the factors affecting efficacy and associated chemical reactions with and without ionic liquids, highlighting their role in preventing rust formation.

We thoroughly discussed the practical applications of vPOPs in environmental remediation, encompassing various tasks such as removing organic/inorganic pollutants, adsorbing iodine/toxic gases, storing and converting energy etc.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) continue to pique the interest of researchers as sensors for sustainable development.

This review sheds light on the novel nanomaterials required for rapid and clear diagnosis of tuberculosis, and compiles and discusses their limitations and future prospects.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have gained significant attention in various fields, as they play a vital role in energy storage and conversion.

The bioengineering of phages to display ligands leads to specific targeting, reduced toxicity, enhanced cellular uptake of an incorporated drug/gene and, ultimately, increased therapeutic efficacy.

Metal- and metal oxide-carbohydrate polymers are considered a promising tool for electrochemical detection of biological analytes and water pollutants.

The future of renewable energy and sustainable transportation depends on advanced energy storage technologies.

Stable and transparent hydrogel films made by dual-cross-linking carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) with citric acid (CA) and multivalent Al cations open up opportunities for a number of unexplored applications.

The CO₂ release behavior, i.e., “post-gelation condition,” affects the degree of cross-linking, an essential parameter for determining hydrogel properties.

A defective nickel cobalt pentlandite/black phosphorus heterostructure achieves highly active and durable water electrolysis through interface and heteroatom dual-engineering.

A ring-fluorinated heptamethine cyanine dye was synthesised. The fluorine atoms on the aromatic ring of the dye not only improved the photostability but also showed vapochromism to low nucleophilic ammonia.

A screen-printed wearable sensor accurately monitored respiratory rate in 15 participants with a 0.055 bpm error, showing promise for point-of-care use in conditions like COPD and COVID-19.

For practical optoelectronic applications, photodetectors capable of detecting light across a wide wavelength range (200–1100 nm) are essential.

Silicon carbide and phosphorus-doped graphene reinforce aluminum composites with enhanced binding and fracture energies, preserving strength and conductivity crucial for aerospace applications.

We developed a precise nanopatterning method using thermal scanning probe lithography (t-SPL) to organize functionalised DNA origami into nanoarrays, achieving single-molecule control.

The fabricated sodium alginate-nanocellulose-based active nanocomposite film possesses high mechanical strength, excellent stability in edible oils, and effective antioxidant functionality thus ideal as packaging materials for edible oils.

We explored the surface chemistry in ALD of AlN from tris-dimethylamido aluminum (Al(NMe₂)₃) and ammonia using mass spectrometry. We suggest surface mechanisms involving β-hydride elimination and ligand decomposition, as well as ligand exchange.

Reducing crystal size in ZIF-7 MOFs leads to significantly increased framework flexibility with smaller crystals exhibiting more point defects and lower metal content. Such size-dependent behaviour may enable rational design of various materials.

In the pursuit of commercializing electronic and optoelectronic devices, researchers have turned their attention to non-toxic inorganic cubic metal halide perovskites.

This study delves into the investigation of the optical and gamma radiation shielding properties of glasses formulated with varying concentrations of by-pass (cement dust) combined with Na₂O, Fe₂O₃, Bi₂O₃, and P₂O₅.

Carbon dioxide is reversibly adsorbed and desorbed from ferroelectric (001) oriented, BaO-terminated barium titanate, as revealed in real time by high resolution ultrafast photoelectron spectroscopy and certified by low energy electron diffraction.

This study assesses the effect of key NiO properties, especially resistivity and surface energy, on the device's performance.

Rotaxane-bearing thiourea moieties selectively transport Cl⁻ anions across lipid bilayers in liposomes and show antibacterial activity against S. aureus.

Li₂MnCl₄: combining light elements to create a novel red-emitting scintillator for neutron detection.

Build orientation in PBF-L manipulates microstructures, thus tuning the mechanical and corrosion properties of duplex stainless steel before and after heat treatment.

Understanding charge-carrier injection, transport, recombination, and resonant energy transfer in a host:guest system is crucial for achieving solution-processed OLEDs close to their theoretical efficiency limit.

Absorption spectra show the photobleaching of acceptor copolymer PF5-Y5. The replacement of BDT-T by thiophene strongly improves the photostability.

The new field of conformed metal–organic frameworks made without high pressures or additives is extended to multivariate systems. Hierarchical linker thermolysis is used to vary porosity and excellent water vapour uptake is reported.

Production of a non-noble transition metal phosphide-based catalyst containing Fe, Y, P, and O for bifunctional water-splitting applications.

Conductive hydrogels were fabricated by loading MXene nanosheets into proteinaceous curli fiber hydrogels. The nanocomposites synergistically combine the properties of MXene and curli, forming mechanically and electrically tunable soft electronics.

Fast nanoscale fluctuations blur out in most imaging methods. A new approach, CIDI, uses the visibility of interferometric fringes to separate the stochastic and deterministic contributions to a diffraction patterns in coherent X-ray imaging.

Ag_xMnO₂ nanowires offer a potential solution to improve conductivity and stability of supercapacitor electrode.

Bi-doped CsPbBr₃ photodetector device response with X-ray and gamma-ray detection and visible range photodetection.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) based on flexible polyurethane foam (FPU) offer an attractive approach for energy harvesting for self-powered devices.

Novel bimetallic MIL-100(Fe,Sn) MOFs and MIL-100(Fe,Ir) MOFs were synthesized and then utilized for efficient treatment of tetracycline-contaminated wastewater.

Alumina priming, typically used for vapor-phase infiltration (VPI) of weakly reactive precursors, increases both ZnO VPI fidelity and its electrical conductivity, as demonstrated in the ZnO nanostructures derived from self-assembled block copolymers.

We employed a solvent-free mechanochemical post-treatment on a fluorophosphate electrode for sodium-ion batteries. Electrochemical analysis showed enhanced kinetic properties and improved ionic mobility while maintaining crystal structure.

Exploring the possibility of using various silsesquioxane precursors such as (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES), methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) to produce silica-bacterial cellulose nanofibre (bCNF) aerogel.

The color tuning of benzobisoxazole-based OLEDs to achieve white emission with high brightness is reported.

The global demand for photovoltaic (PV) cooling is projected to increase over the coming years, driven by the growing adoption of solar energy and the need to improve the efficiency and performance of PV systems.

A series of thiochromenocarbazole imide (TCI) photosensitizers featuring carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAi) was designed to alleviate the consequences of PDT-induced hypoxia by merging the advantages of hCA IX knockdowns with PDT.

This work highlights lignin-derivable, thermoplastic, non-isocyanate polyurethanes as potential alternatives to petroleum-derived analogues with increased toughness and processability due to the functionality of lignin-aromatics (methoxy groups).

Intricate submillimetre scale AlSi10Mg hollow-strut lattices can be fabricated by LPBF, and observe yield strength superior to metal solid-strut lattices.

Designing hydrogels with hierarchically ordered structures is of significance for biomimetic applications through simulating natural biological soft tissues.

Sunflower oil was used as a templating agent for the development of sustainable, novel porous, titanosilicate microspheres. They are highly effective in removal of organic pollutants from water via adsorption and photocatalysis, and have potential applications in advanced tertiary water-treatment.

Dirutile-type CoTeO₄ exhibits a bandgap of ∼2.42 eV as determined by optical absorption spectroscopy.

The use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) continues to grow to overcome environmental challenges, and spinel LiMn₂O₄ is employed as a high-performance and safe electrode material in this context.

1T-MoS₂-metallic Ni composite as cathode and NiS as anode material showed efficient electrocatalytic performance towards total water splitting under alkaline conditions.

Graphene oxide 3D entrapped in Ni-based nanoparticles establishes a new class of catalytic materials highly promising towards enhanced alkaline water electrolysis as NiGraf can be used to mediate both H₂ and O₂ evolution reactions at room temperature.

The remarkable stability of gel-coated SWCNT dispersions enables length sorting using size exclusion chromatography. Length-sorted, gel-coated SWCNTs show photoluminescence in near IR and are ready to use for various applications including near IR imaging.

A simple electrochemical surfactant-free top-down methodology for the synthesis of nanowires with non-stoichiometric Magnéli phase Ti₉O₁₇ is presented.

We report a series of fluorescent “push–pull” helicenes based on aza-[7]helicenes denoted as AZA-FLU, AZA-NPC, AZA-TPA, and AZA-2OMe for the control of the excited-state dynamics and circular dichroism properties of parent aza-[7]helicene.

Time-multiplexed chiroptical information was systematically produced by the multi-layered luminescence-based CP convertors comprising two LPL films with different PL spectral profiles and different PL lifetimes.

In CdS photoanodes, the decoration of surface sulfur vacancies by CTAB passivates the electron trapping process, resulting in improved photoelectrochemical water oxidation performance.

Original analysis methods of the electron spin resonance revealed that nearly three-dimensional Dirac fermions coexistent with standard fermions in an organic charge-transfer complex with each temperature-dependence and rotation symmetry.

Many Schiff-base complexes of metal ions display enhanced catalytic activities toward redox reactions of many organic compounds; accordingly, its application in electrocatalysis is a crucial issue.

Carbonaceous materials are ideal as an anode for potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) because of their low cost, tunable physiochemical properties, and excellent reversible intercalation of potassium-ions (K⁺).

A carboxylic acid moiety realizes the transition of carbon dots from yellow to red emission.

Making polyurethanes (PUs) from castor oil (CO) is severely constrained because they cannot be recycled due to the irreversibly cross-linked structure.