Advanced Materials Interfaces最新文献

Droplet Evaporation Dynamics on Micropillars

This cover illustrates sessile droplets evaporating on micropillar substrates engineered with distinct height-variation patterns, each producing unique wetting and evaporation dynamics. The study shows that micropillar-height modulation can alter wetting states, contact angle behavior, and effective diffusion during evaporation, changing vapor transport and reshaping evaporation dynamics. Such control enables surfaces that tune both mass-transfer processes and wetting-driven deposition behaviors. More details can be found in the Research Article by Prabuddha De Saram, Nam-Trung Nguyen, and Navid Kashaninejad (DOI: 10.1002/admi.202500577).

Phyllosilicates

Phyllosilicates, abundant layered clay minerals, are reimagined as scalable and cost-effective candidates for advanced membrane technologies. This work highlights their tunable interlayer properties, enabling molecular-scale separations for applications in water purification, resource recovery, and energy systems. The cover illustrates the dynamic interplay of natural materials and engineered structures, symbolizing the transformative potential of phyllosilicate membranes. More details can be found in the Review Article by Seth B. Darling and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/admi.202500510).

DNA Nanotechnology

In the Research Article (DOI: 10.1002/admi.202500619), Soo Hyeon Kim and co-workers present a novel strategy using DNA Y-motif nanostar hydrogels and DNA-functionalized antibodies for precise live-cell manipulation. Target cells are labeled with DNA sticky ends that hybridize with DNA Y-motifs, enabling their incorporation and capture within the hydrogel during self-assembly. This method allows parallel isolation, enrichment, and release of target cell types, demonstrated by selective manipulation of cancer cells.

Slippery Superhydrophobic Surfaces

Linear polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) incorporated into an epoxy-silicone matrix create durable superhydrophobic coatings with enhanced water repellency and droplet rebound, surpassing conventional alkyl functionalization. Electro- and photothermal actions can restore water repellency and mitigate icing. More details can be found in the Research Article by Jia Min Chin and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/admi.202500706).

The development of materials with improved performance and stability relies on the analysis of local compositional inhomogeneities, which may occur at various stages from synthesis to application. This type of analysis benefits from rapid methods that provide high lateral and depth resolution, alongside broad elemental sensitivity. The latter is of paramount importance when considering devices such as lithium-ion batteries and solid oxide cells, whose operating principle depends on the transfer and accumulation of light elements. In this work, we validate glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) as an alternative to state-of-the-art techniques for the chemical analysis of complex oxides. We consider several systems of technological interest for materials used in energy storage and conversion-related applications, namely highly complex perovskite oxide thin films with formula ABO₃ (A = La, Sr, and B = Fe, Co, Mn) and single-phase SrFeO_3-δ (SFO). Quantitative, depth-resolved elemental maps of B-site cations in combinatorial films are generated and benchmarked against state-of-the-art methods. Additionally, an oxygen quantification was achieved on films subjected to different post-annealing treatments. This work demonstrates the potential of GDOES for fast analysis of complex oxide films and heterostructures, enabling both laterally and nanoscale depth-resolved elemental analysis, including difficult-to-quantify light elements.

A scalable method for fabricating multilayer polymer waveguides consisting of up to three layers two of which are prepared using a floating film transfer technique is presented. As an exemplary polymer material, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is selected, a widely used material in polymer waveguide technology. To ensure clean delamination of the PMMA films from the carrier substrate, a surface treatment using a PDAC monolayer that significantly reduces interfacial adhesion, allowing fast and reproducible film transfer is utilized. Key parameters such as immersion angle, speed, and mechanical strain are optimized to prevent transfer defects like wrinkling or cracking of the films. Optical waveguides composed of laminated PMMA layers are then characterized via angular-resolved transmission spectroscopy and the results are compared to Rigorous Coupled-Wave Analysis (RCWA) simulations. The stacked waveguides exhibited low extra loss caused by the lamination. Moreover, we demonstrate the fabrication of high-index-contrast OrmoStamp/air grating structures integrated within PMMA waveguides. RCWA simulations and spectroscopic measurements show strong agreement. Therefore, this work establishes floating film transfer as a robust, solvent-free approach for assembling multilayer polymer films, offering design flexibility, compatibility with a wide set of polymer materials, and minimal optical loss.

A Ti-Eu thin film combinatorial library with a composition ranging from 3 to 17 at.% Eu is fabricated by co-sputtering and followed by anodic oxidation. Systematic screening of the electrical behaviour of the resulting anodic memristors revealed forming-free, analogue switching behaviour, with higher Eu content alloys (7–17 at.% Eu) demonstrating enhanced endurance and multi-level switching. The best performing alloy composition in terms of memristive behaviour is identified as Ti-15 at.% Eu, with a high-to-low resistance ratio of 10⁵ and three levels of intermediate switching. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed the resistive switching as being interfacial, based on ion migration intermediated by intrinsically defined nanoscale crystallites. This is further confirmed by current conduction analysis, demonstrating that the conduction is governed by field-assisted filling and depletion of trap states. The defect engineered, volatile and self-rectifying anodic memristors show promise in neuromorphic computing for mimicking synaptic functions.

Halide Perovskites

The illustration depicts charge carriers preserving their quantum phase coherence as they traverse grain boundaries in halide perovskite thin films, revealing a striking grain-size-independent behavior. Subsequent investigations uncover that phase coherence is not limited by microstructural features but dictated largely by crystal structure (or strain). More details can be found in the Research Article by Jose L. Mendoza-Cortes, Johannes Pollanen, Richard R. Lunt, William J. Gannon, and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/admi.202500567).

Functionally Graded Printable Wood Biomass

Ramus cellulose-mediated blends form large-scale, ambient conditions additively manufactured, and biodegradable composites able to mediate their structural capacity from micro- to macro-scale. A stiff truss turns into a strong beam and into a flexible curtain in a functionally-graded half-a-meter construct. More details can be found in the Research Article by Laia Mogas-Soldevila and -co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/admi.202500513).