Themed collection Materials Horizons most popular articles 2024

This comprehensive review explores anode-free post-Li metal batteries (Na, K, Mg, Zn, Al), emphasizing metal-philicity, current collector functionalization strategies, insights from computational studies, and advancements in electrolyte formulations.

This review encompasses advances made in the development of cerium oxide nanoparticles, their structure, properties, and translation in catalysis, chemical mechanical planarization, sensing, environmental remediation and biomedicine.

Micromotors based on biotemplates: nature meets controlled motion. Cutting edge advances and recent developments are described.

Fluorescent covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising candidates for imaging living cells due to their unique properties. Herein, we critically reviewed the progress and structure–activity relations of COFs for the effective bioimaging.

The design and structure of recent supramolecular hydrogels are discussed. The applications of supramolecular hydrogels in hemostasis and wound repair are highlighted. The future development of supramolecular hydrogel dressings is predicted.

Schematic summary of various smart stimuli-responsive strategies applied for titanium implant functionalization.

The meticulous adaptation of the selective binding sites into COFs enables the creation of effective adsorbent demonstrate ultrafast sequestration of bromine. The optimized COF adsorbent exhibited selective separation of bromine over iodine.

Unveiling a trinuclear Pd(II)₃ complex comprising of three ligand-centered radicals and its applicability as a memristor for low power neuromorphic computation and the artificial neural network (ANN) simulated efficient pattern recognition.

A fully bio-based and water-resistant wood surface protection system inspired by the natural barrier function of tree bark.

This work proposes a method to produce zinc oxide-based pressure sensors. It combines flexographic printing for seed layer deposition and patterning with microwave-assisted growth of 1D structures to develop stable sensors with high output voltages.

We propose an OECT model for steady-state behavior based on thermodynamic and electrochemical principles. It shows that it is possible to establish the origin of the relationship between the choice of channel-electrolyte and device performance.

A self-rectifying ferroelectric tunnel junction that employs a HfO₂/ZrO₂/HfO₂ superlattice (HZH SL) combined with Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ layers is proposed.

Optimized polyethylene glycol decoration of n-type conducting polymer PBFDO enabled well-balanced electron transport and ion accessibility, boosting the performance of organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and complementary circuits.

Peptide nucleic acid-clicked Ti₃C₂T_x MXene offers a highly efficient transducing material for enzyme-free attomolar-level electrochemical detection of microRNA biomarkers, unlocking the potential for next-generation point-of-care biosensors.

mRNA-based nanocarriers are made of amine-derived cationic materials. Here, we showed the potential of cationic tirphenylphosphonium (TPP) for developing nanocarriers with improved mRNA delivery efficiency.

Perovskite oxynitrides are promising electrocatalysts and photoabsorbers; their heteroanionic structures present an interesting case study in crystal symmetry. Novel CaW(O,N)₃ is analyzed with X-ray and neutron diffraction and computational models.

Conductive materials obtained from blends of polyurethane, PEDOT:PSS and PEG show exceptional stretchability, toughness, and self-healing properties. Moreover, these materials can be recycled, retaining their mechanical and electrical properties.

We demonstrate the new concept of using unit cell volume coefficient of variation to approximate the enthalpic penalty of high-entropy alloy (HEA) candidates, and use it along with configurational entropy to map promising HEA halide perovskites.

Due to the combination of interfacial polarization and depolarization, the energy density of BCZT-based lead-free ferroelectric reached 8.03 J cm⁻³ at only 425 kV cm⁻¹. High energy density with extremely low energy consumption was achieved.

A 2D redox-active pyrazine-based COF was solvent-free anchored on graphene for heterointerface regulation, displaying exciting energy storage and desalination performances.

An n-type organic photoelectrochemical transistor produces large and reversible current changes in response to light-intensity variations in aqueous electrolytes. A long exciton lifetime of the n-type gate ensures a high photovoltage response.

A novel core–shell microneedle system was developed based on GelMA and P_mL_nDMA to achieve a fast release of mangiferin and prolonged release of hMSC derived exosomes, ultimately leading to fast and scarless wound healing.

Pyridinium-templated one-dimensional (1D) halide perovskites are studied as crossbar memristive materials for artificial neural networks with higher on–off ratios, enhanced endurance, and superior retention characteristics.

This work explores the correlations with geometrical parameters (cell length, volume fraction, multilayer) and electromagnetic response of lightweight and load-bearing mechanical metamaterials when used as a broadband absorber.

We present a new type of core–shell copper nanocluster, [Cu₂₉(S^tBu)₁₃Cl₅(PPh₃)₄H₁₀]^tBuSO₃, that has multiple active sites on its surface. This nanocluster serves as a versatile heterogeneous catalyst for various C-heteroatom (C–O, C–N and C–S) bond-forming reactions.

We propose a brand-new pressure sensing principle of human-skin’s piezo-thermic transduction, and develop a multisensory pulse sensor, thereby offering a human-skin transducer concept for wearable blood pressure monitoring with generalizability.

Black phosphorus (BP) field-effect transistors with ultrathin channels exhibit unipolar p-type electrical conduction over a wide range of temperatures and pressures.

A dual strategy of mild C–F scissoring fluorination and local high-concentration electrolyte is proposed to enable highly reversible Li–Fe–F conversion batteries with a high reversible capacity of 335 mA h g⁻¹ after 130 cycles.

A new facile and scalable interfacial locking engineering strategy is exploited to endow reversible microcages with infinite chemical recyclability to starting monomers, exceptional durability, high flame-retardant efficiency, and extensive applicability across diverse polymers.

A sub-nano interfacial catalytic structure is orchestrated by tailor-designing a hollow bowl-like porous carbon-confined Ru–MgO hetero-structured nanopair as a high-performance catalyst for ammonia borane hydrolysis.

The obtained bimetallic sulfide catalyst can be reconstituted as FeCoOOH, which has high efficacy for water splitting. The activation energy barrier of key reaction steps can be effectively reduced by dual-metal cooperation.

We report the development of strong and robust myco-composites compatible with additive manufacturing. We exemplify unique applications of this hybrid-living materials platform with fabrication of bio-welded containers and flexible mycelium textiles.

Dual network DNA-SF hydrogels with controllable surface rigidity for regulating chondrogenic differentiation to repair cartilage defects.

2D tin halide perovskites are promising semiconductors for FETs owing to their fascinating electronic properties. The charge transport properties of 2D tin halide perovskites are systematically investigated using linear alkyl ammonium cations with different carbon chain lengths.

Fully printed memristors based on silver and water-based 2D material inks were demonstrated on rigid and flexible substrates. The Ag filaments formation depends on the annealing process and can be inhibited by integrating CVD graphene in the device.

Conductive hydrogels have attracted much attention for their wide application in the field of flexible wearable sensors due to their outstanding flexibility, conductivity and sensing properties.

PAL 2.0 provides an efficient discovery tool for advanced functional materials, ameliorating a major bottleneck to enabling advances in next-generation energy, health, and sustainability technologies.

A high-dimensional in-sensor reservoir computing system with optoelectronic memristors is demonstrated utilizing optical and electrical masks. Handwritten digit classification and human action recognition are successfully achieved with high accuracy.

This work presents a one-step molten salt synthesis approach to achieve a tunable isotype heterojunction in N-rich crystalline C₃N₅. The crystalline C₃N₅ successfully improved solar-driven hydrogen, benzaldehyde and H₂O₂ production.

Ionic conductive cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers with dynamic color-changing and electrical sensing functions were developed through the integration of cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers with polymer ionic liquid networks.