Interdisciplinary Materials最新文献

Our feet are often subjected to moist and warm environments, which can promote the growth of harmful bacteria and the development of severe infection in wounds located in the foot. As a result, there is a need for new and innovative strategies to safely sterilize feet, when shoes are worn, to prevent any potential foot-related diseases. In this paper, we have produced a non-destructive, biocompatible and convenient-to-use insole by embedding a BaTiO₃ (BT) ferroelectric material into a conventional polydimethylsilane (PDMS) insole material to exploit a ferroelectric catalytic effect to promote the antibacterial and healing of infected wounds via the ferroelectric charges generated during walking. The formation of reactive oxygen species generated through a ferroelectric catalytic effect in the PDMS-BT composite is shown to increase the oxidative stress on bacteria and decrease both the activity of bacteria and the rate of formation of bacterial biofilms. In addition, the ferroelectric field generated by the PDMS-BT insole can enhance the level of transforming growth factor-beta and CD31 by influencing the endogenous electric field of a wound, thereby promoting the proliferation, differentiation of fibroblasts and angiogenesis. This work therefore provides a new route for antimicrobial and tissue reconstruction by integrating a ferroelectric biomaterial into a shoe insole, with significant potential for health-related applications.

Long-term biopotential monitoring requires high-performance biocompatible wearable dry electrodes. But currently, it is challenging to establish a form-preserving fit with the skin, resulting in high interface impedance and motion artifacts. This research aims to present an innovative solution using an all-green organic dry electrode that eliminates the aforementioned challenges. The dry electrode is prepared by introducing biocompatible maltitol into the chosen conductive polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate). Thanks to the secondary doping and plasticizer effect of maltitol, the dry electrode exhibits good stretchability (62%), strong self-adhesion (0.46 N/cm), high conductivity (102 S/cm), and low Young's modulus (7 MPa). It can always form a conformal contact with the skin even during body movements. Together with good electrical properties, the electrode enables a lower skin contact impedance compared to the current standard Ag/AgCl gel electrode. Consequently, the application of this dry electrode in bioelectrical signal measurement (electromyography, electrocardiography, electroencephalography) and long-term biopotential monitoring was successfully demonstrated.

Due to tissue lineage variances and the anisotropic physiological characteristics, regenerating complex osteochondral tissues (cartilage and subchondral bone) remains a great challenge, which is primarily due to the distinct requirements for cartilage and subchondral bone regeneration. For cartilage regeneration, a significant amount of newly generated chondrocytes is required while maintaining their phenotype. Conversely, bone regeneration necessitates inducing stem cells to differentiate into osteoblasts. Additionally, the construction of the osteochondral interface is crucial. In this study, we fabricated a biphasic multicellular bioprinted scaffold mimicking natural osteochondral tissue employing three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology. Briefly, gelatin-methacryloyl (GelMA) loaded with articular chondrocytes and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (ACs/BMSCs), serving as the cartilage layer, preserved the phenotype of ACs and promoted the differentiation of BMSCs into chondrocytes through the interaction between ACs and BMSCs, thereby facilitating cartilage regeneration. GelMA/strontium-substituted xonotlite (Sr-CSH) loaded with BMSCs, serving as the subchondral bone layer, regulated the differentiation of BMSCs into osteoblasts and enhanced the secretion of cartilage matrix by ACs in the cartilage layer through the slow release of bioactive ions from Sr-CSH. Additionally, GelMA, serving as the matrix material, contributed to the reconstruction of the osteochondral interface. Ultimately, this biphasic multicellular bioprinted scaffold demonstrated satisfactory simultaneous regeneration of osteochondral defects. In this study, a promising strategy for the application of 3D bioprinting technology in complex tissue regeneration was proposed.

Symbolic regression (SR), exploring mathematical expressions from a given data set to construct an interpretable model, emerges as a powerful computational technique with the potential to transform the “black box” machining learning methods into physical and chemistry interpretable expressions in material science research. In this review, the current advancements in SR are investigated, focusing on the underlying theories, fundamental flowcharts, various techniques, implemented codes, and application fields. More predominantly, the challenging issues and future opportunities in SR that should be overcome to unlock the full potential of SR in material design and research, including graphics processing unit acceleration and transfer learning algorithms, the trade-off between expression accuracy and complexity, physical or chemistry interpretable SR with generative large language models, and multimodal SR methods, are discussed.

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries are a promising next-generation energy storage device due to their low cost, high energy density (1274 Wh kg⁻¹), and environmental friendliness. However, RT Na-S batteries face a series of vital challenges from sulfur cathode and sodium anode: (i) sluggish reaction kinetics of S and Na₂S/Na₂S₂; (ii) severe shuttle effect from the dissolved intermediate sodium polysulfides (NaPSs); (iii) huge volume expansion induced by the change from S to Na₂S; (iv) continuous growth of sodium metal dendrites, leading to short-circuiting of the battery; (v) huge volume expansion/contraction of sodium anode upon sodium plating/stripping, causing uncontrollable solid-state electrolyte interphase growth and “dead sodium” formation. Various strategies have been proposed to address these issues, including physical/chemical adsorption of NaPSs, catalysts to facilitate the rapid conversion of NaPSs, high-conductive materials to promote ion/electron transfer, good sodiophilic Na anode hetero-interface homogenized Na ions flux and three-dimensional porous anode host to buffer the volume expansion of sodium. Heterostructure materials can combine these merits into one material to realize multifunctionality. Herein, the recent development of heterostructure as the host for sulfur cathode and Na anode has been reviewed. First of all, the electrochemical mechanisms of sulfur cathode/sodium anode and principles of heterostructures reinforced Na-S batteries are described. Then, the application of heterostructures in Na-S batteries is comprehensively examined. Finally, the current primary avenues of employing heterostructures in Na-S batteries are summarized. Opinions and prospects are put forward regarding the existing problems in current research, aiming to inspire the design of advanced and improved next-generation Na-S batteries.

The shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and their sluggish kinetic processes lead to rapid capacity fading and poor cycling stability in lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, limiting their commercial viability. This study proposes a functionalized separator with adsorption and synergistic catalysis ability for Li–S batteries. The modified separator comprises Ti₃C₂T_x sheets, CoO, and MoO₃. Experimental and theoretical calculations demonstrate that Ti₃C₂T_x/CoO/MoO₃ composite not only effectively inhibits the shuttle effect of LiPSs, ensuring efficient utilization of active materials, but also enhances reversibility and reaction kinetics among LiPSs. The full exposure of active sites in the Ti₃C₂T_x/CoO/MoO₃ composite and the synergistic action of different catalysts enable efficient capture and conversion of LiPSs molecules at the material surface. Besides, the lithium–sulfur batteries with Ti₃C₂T_x/CoO/MoO₃@PP separator exhibited only a 0.042% capacity decay per cycle at 0.5 C (800 cycles). Moreover, a high areal capacity of 6.85 mAh cm⁻² was achieved at high sulfur loading (7.9 mg cm⁻²) and low electrolyte-to-sulfur ratio (10 μL mg⁻¹).

Outside Back Cover: Surface defects have been considerable issues for the perovskite quantum dots light-emitting diodes (PeQLEDs). In the work of doi:10.1002/idm2.12164, Tong et al. report an in-situ surface passivation to PeQDs by introducing the metal cations competitive lattice occupancy assisted with acid-etching, achieving an external quantum efficiency of 8.42% for pure blue PeQLEDs.

Outside Front Cover: In the study documented in doi:10.1002/idm2.12160, a pioneering S-type UiO-66-NH2/ZnS(en)_0.5 heterostructure photocatalyst is engineered to enhance charge separation and oxygen activation. As depicted in the image, when subjected to solar light, the catalyst efficiently transforms gaseous NO pollutants into nitrates via a superoxidemediated pathway. This advancement represents a significant stride towards rejuvenating environmental well-being, instilling optimism for a more pristine and sustainable earth for all.

Inside Front Cover: The cover image depicts a close-up view of a wrinkle morphology 3D substrate-based conducting polymer hydrogel elastomer. This novel design, detailed in the article with doi:10.1002/idm2.12161, addresses the limitations of traditional conducting polymer hydrogels, particularly their brittleness and viscoelasticity. By utilizing digital light processing (DLP) technology and in-situ polymerization, an interconnection network hydrogel is formed, resulting in a material with reduced viscoelasticity, quick response time, low hysteresis, and stable cyclic performance. The wrinkle morphology effectively enhances the elastomer's flexibility and geometric freedom, while the 3D gradient structure boosts its sensitivity, positioning this material as a promising candidate for flexible sensor applications.

Inside Back Cover: In the review of doi:10.1002/idm2.12162, twisted van der Waals layered materials form regular moiré superlattice patterns at their interfaces. The interfacial physical and mechanical behavior is significantly influenced by the in-plane and out-of-plane deformation fields dependent on moiré superlattices.