Browse Articles

High-order 3D nanotube arrays (NTAs) arranged from mesoporous 2D N, B, P co-doped carbon network (NBP-CNW) were synthesize by a facile, well-controllable, eco-friendly and sustainable strategy using task-specific ionic liquids as precursors. NBP-CNW-NTAs modified flexible microelectrode was embed in microfluidic electrochemical biosensor chip for real-time tracking H₂O₂ secreted from different cancer cells (i.e., breast cancer cells, hepatoma cells and cervical cancer cells) with or without radiotherapy treatment. Furthermore, the functional microelectrode has been integrated into an implantable probe for in situ minimally invasive detection of surgically resected human breast specimens to identify the tumor tissues from the normal one.

In this work, we developed a novel fabrication strategy to construct elastic carbon framework electrocatalysts using nanocellulose fibers (CNFs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by directional freeze casting and interfacial assembly to prepare self-supporting flexible air electrodes. The obtained carbon framework has a directional porous structure, and N and S heteroatoms are uniformly doped in the carbon skeleton, showing excellent mechanical flexibility and excellent ORR performance. Moreover, we assembled an all-solid-state flexible zinc-air battery (FZAB), offering a smaller charge/discharge voltage gap and excellent cycling stability. These results demonstrate the potential of flexible carbon frameworks for the utilization and modification of flexible energy storage devices.

A high-performance bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotubes conductive fiber is developed through the in-situ biosynthesis. Through mimicking the structure of muscle fascicles, the composite fiber integrates high strength, high stiffness, high fatigue resistance, and stable electrical performance into one material. Based on those excellent properties, the muscle-inspired fiber is competitive to play a key role in the fields of intelligent fiber-based composites and devices.

The exquisite structures of biological ion channels provide inspiration for designing and constructing artificial ion channels to achieve analogous functions. Hierarchically engineered heterogeneous nanochannels with excellent ion rectification, selectivity, and gating properties have attracted more and more attention. In this review, we briefly review the recent advances of hierarchically engineered nanochannel systems in terms of pore-on-pore and pore-in-pore structures, with an emphasis on the promising applications, including ion-selective transport, osmotic energy harvesting, separation, and biosensing.

Nanoarchitectonics concept is essential to bridge the gaps between biology and materials chemistry. Based on this fundamental principle, this review article provides pore-engineered nanoarchitectonics for cancer therapy by integrating basic descriptions and exemplifying therapy applications. This review paper briefly summarizes pore-engineered nanoarchitectonics basics according to classification based on material porosity and composition. We discuss how to design mesoporous material and highlight the appealing points of the progress in the clinical translation of mesoporous materials for cancer treatment. Nanoarchitectonics could be an important key concept for future advanced life technologies as well as currently required cancer therapy.

MOFs uniquely combine metal-atom centers and developed organic-based structures. Both features are attractive for catalysis. However, their isolating nature prevents them from effective use in electrocatalysis processes. Modifying the chemical structure to gain electric conductivity often harms its natural advantages. In this study, Borenstein et al. present a new approach to overcoming the non-conductivity of MOF b growing MOF nanoparticles in a conductive carbon host. The host’s porosity controls the MOF nanoparticles’ size and their electric properties while preserving their structure. As a result, the composition efficiently electro-catalyzes carbon dioxide into formic acid at low overpotentials.

Gyroid-structured nanoporous chitosan is successfully fabricated by templated crosslinking reaction using nanoporous polymer as a template. A multiple pore-filling process is developed for templated synthesis to give well-ordered nanoporous chitosan. Bio-mimicking from the structural coloration of butterfly wing structure, the nanoporous chitosan with gyroid texture is highly appealing in the application of high reflective materials for UV optical devices.

Developing a new technique/method and/or mechanism for separating ionic charges is critical to the fabrication of a high-performance nanogenerator. Here, we demonstrate that the magnetic force can be used to drive the movement and separation of charges within metal nanoparticles film when these nanoparticles are functionalize with charged magnetic ligands. Placing the magnetic field induces the gradient distribution of magnetic counterions which subsequently transforms into the electric potential and outputs electrical energy.

Although van der Waals (vdW) antiferromagnets are expected to reveal spin-based functional properties, the feasibility of spintronic applications at room temperature is limited owing to the lack of suitable materials. Here we use torque magnetometry and a uniaxial spin model to understand the room-temperature magnetic anisotropy of the vdW antiferromagnet, Co-doped Fe₅GeTe₂. We visualized detailed spin configurations using the spin model and demonstrated that the spin states are directly related to magnetic phases characterized by progressive reversal of the angle-dependent torque across spin-flop transition. The flexibility of the anisotropic spin Hamiltonian approach has broad applicability to other antiferromagnetic materials.

The recent advances realized in the syntheses and characterizations of both morphological- and molecular-level one-dimensional (1D) metal-halide perovskites with tunable structures, compositions, and properties, as well as optoelectronic applications are comprehensively reviewed. Furthermore, the challenges, prospects, and promising research directions are discussed, which we believe will help to accelerate the explorations of 1D metal-halide perovskites in the future.

We developed ultralong nanobelts comprising hydrated Na-intercalated oxygen-deficient potassium manganese oxide (H-Na-D-KMO), in which the Na⁺ ions were preintercalated and synchronously induced generation of oxygen vacancies. Results showed that the introduction of Na⁺ ions provided more paths to facilitate Mg²⁺ migration and induced more strain to create more active sites and the formation of oxygen vacancies improved the electrical properties. Consequently, the Mg-ion supercapacitors assembled with H-Na-D-KMO exhibited an unprecedented ultrahigh energy density of 108.4 Wh kg^–1 at 1100 W kg^–1 and good mechanical flexibility.

A hybrid surface electrode array was developed, which exhibits superior signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and outstanding conformality with the cortex surface. It was used to detect the brain signals in awake, free-moving rat models with high-throughput spatiotemporal resolution. In addition, the pilocarpine-induced epileptic discharges and behavior were considerably suppressed upon the usage of this electrode-array system. These findings pave the way for the integration of graphene into bio-medical device platforms, and their use in cranial neuropathy treatment.

Superconducting (SC) gap of elemental yttrium under extreme pressure conditions was directly probed via the point-contact spectroscopy (PCS) in a diamond anvil cell. Strong enhancement in the differential conductance near the zero-biased voltage is observed owing to Andreev reflection, a hallmark of superconductivity. Taken together with the large initial slope of the upper critical field, the large SC gap-to-T_c ratio suggests that Y belongs to a family of the strongly coupled BCS superconductors.

In this work, we demonstrated the critical roles of oxygen vacancies and substituted transition-metal atoms in determining the leakage current of epitaxial all-perovskite oxide capacitor, and established a strategy for reducing the leakage current via interface engineering.

Natural/synthetic hybrid double-network (DN) hydrogels with hierarchical anisotropy and high toughness characteristics are prepared by directly using a squid mantle as an anisotropic soft bioproduct for the primary network and polyacrylamide (PAAm) as a synthetic polymer for the secondary network. The obtained squid/PAAm DN gel maintains the complex orientation of the muscle fibers of the squid mantle and exhibits anisotropic, enhanced mechanical properties and excellent fracture resistance due to its unique composite structure. This hybrid strategy provides a general method for preparing hydrogels with elaborated anisotropy and determining functions derived from the anisotropy.

Illustration of cellular fate and responses of macrophages to ferritin NPs. With potential theranostic applications of organic NPs targeting macrophages, in-depth study of internalization and cellular responses of a model organic NP (Archaeoglobus fulgidus derived ferritin) is carried out. Multiple pathways for ferritin NP internalization are observed resulting in endosomal/lysosomal localization and intracellular Fe accumulation. Upregulation of endogenous ferritin and iron export protein are noted in response to lysosomal ferritin degradation and release of free Fe ions. Iron-dependent impacts on physiological immune markers and ROS are measured.

In this work, we prepared a composite hydrogel system of PDA-HA hydrogel-loaded CaO₂-ICG@LA@MnO₂ nanoparticles that showed excellent photothermal performance under NIR irradiation and realized the on-off release of oxygen and ROS. Controllable and sustainable oxygen release can promote the regeneration and repair of damaged tissue, and the generated ROS can effectively inhibit the outbreak of inflammation at the initial stage of wound healing. A full-thickness skin defect repair test was carried out in rats with the prepared hydrogel wound dressings and the results showed that hydrogel + NIR group had the most wound healing effective.

We optimized the RL-QN15 peptide to obtain the cyclic heptapeptide (Cy_RL-QN15) with excellent therapeutic potency against skin wounds. Then, a multifunctional HPDAlCy_RL-QN15/ZA hydrogel was prepared and characterized, which significantly enhanced the pro-healing potency of Cy_RL-QN15. This non-toxic hydrogel accelerated the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of skin cells, regulated the secretion of cytokines, directly scavenged free radicals, and decreased reactive oxygen species. Moreover, the HPDAlCy_RL-QN15/ZA hydrogel accelerated the healing of skin wounds in type 2 diabetic mice and diabetic patient skin cultured ex vivo by promoting the polarization of macrophages to reduce inflammation, re-epithelialization, deposition of collagen, and angiogenesis.

Natural polyphenols reduce metal ions into metal nanoclusters in water followed by subsequent self-assembly into metal-ornamented polyphenol supramolecular (MOPS) assemblies. MOPS assemblies, which integrate the merits of both the natural polyphenols and metal nanoclusters, possess excellent solubility, stability, and free radical scavenging capacity in aqueous solutions and enable further functional material engineering via polyphenol chemistry.