Themed collection 2020 Materials Horizons most popular articles

We propose a timeline classifying self-healing polymers in generations based on the healing mechanism, and correlated with historical development.

A systematic comparison between electrochemical and organic bioelectronic sensors reveals a unified rational description for a transistor amplified detection.

In this review, the recent research progress in bio-inspired PC patterns is presented including preparation strategies, functionality evolution and various applications.

The recent surge of scientific interest for lead halide perovskite semiconductors and optoelectronic devices has seen a mix of materials science sub-fields converge on the same “magical” crystal structure.

The review focuses on recent developments in the synthetic methodologies of COFs and their applications in the field of organocatalysis, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. Future scope of COFs in the field are also described.

Dynamic intermolecular forces through hydrogen bonding between water and polymer chains are shown to enhance thermal transport in soft materials.

We highlight that machine-learning interatomic potentials trained over short AIMD trajectories enable first-principles multiscale modeling, bridging DFT level accuracy to the continuum level and empowering the study of complex/novel nanostructures.

A self-powered integrated strain sensor system which could be attached to the human body to detect human motion was developed.

Stretchable, self-healing, and fatigue resistant polyzwitterionic nanocomposite hydrogels with polydopamine robustly adhere to the heart and lungs for in situ monitoring of dynamic motions through wireless transmission.

Two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic semiconductors (FMSs) exhibit novel spin-dependent electronic and optical properties, opening up exciting opportunities for nanoscale spintronic devices.

This work reports the layer-by-layer motif synthesis of 3D interconnected nitrogen–iron-doped carbon tubes (3D-FeNC tubes) by using continuous polymeric fibers as templates with high capacitive deionization performance in oxygenated saline water.

Organic intercalation engineering of perovskites endows the as-constructed quasi-2D Dion–Jacobson α-CsPbI₃ with a linearly aligned bandgap and fundamentally enhanced stability.

A zwitterionic poly(ionic liquid) hydrogel with super-stretchability, self-healing ability, and high conductivity at −20 °C was fabricated and used for ionic skin for a soft robotic gripper.

Click-crosslinked microperiodic hydrogels scaffolds from polymer melts: soft but surprisingly robust.

For the first time, sulfonylated polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) are exploited for high-κ, high-temperature, and low-loss gate dielectric applications.

This study describes a straightforward and versatile approach for synthesizing poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) hydrogels with tunable properties by using a bifunctional macrocyclic pillar[5]arene host having two carboxylic acid groups as crosslinker.

A diode-like artificial ionic skin for strain and humidity sensing with controlled ion mobility, high toughness, stretchability, ambient stability and transparency.

With the advent of two-dimensional materials, it is now possible to realize p–n junctions at the ultimate thickness limit.

Due to the excellent electrical transport properties and optoelectronic performance, thin indium selenide (InSe) has recently attracted attention in the field of 2D semiconducting materials.

This study describes a rational approach to go beyond the current processability limits of vitrimer materials, with a demonstration of low-viscosity fast processing of highly crosslinked permanent networks.