Materials Advances最新文献

As a solution to the environmental and energy crises, more safe and efficient energy storage technologies are extremely necessary. Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) bearing redox-active functional groups as well as nitrogen-rich moieties have received a lot of interest in energy conversion and storage applications. Herein, two novel redox-active pyrene-4,5,9,10-tetraone-based CMPs, BC-PT and TPA-PT, were successfully fabricated via Suzuki coupling of 2,7-dibromopyrene-4,5,9,10-tetraone (PT-2Br) with 3,3′,6,6′-tetrakis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)-9,9′-bicarbazole (BC-4BO) and N¹,N¹,N⁴,N⁴-tetrakis(4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)phenyl)benzene-1,4-diamine (TPA-4BO), respectively. Their chemical composition, porosity parameters, morphological structures, and thermal behavior were investigated. In three-electrode supercapacitors, the electrochemical behavior showed that BC-PT CMP exhibited the top specific capacitance of 373 F g⁻¹ in aqueous KOH (1.0 M) at a current density of 1.0 A g⁻¹. It also possessed a great cyclability maintaining 94.37% of primary capacitance at 10 A g⁻¹ current density even after 5000 GCD cycles. A two-electrode supercapacitor with the BC-PT CMP displayed a superb electrochemical capacitance of 107 F g⁻¹ at 1.2 A g⁻¹, a greater retention of 97.69% over 5000 GCD cycles at 10 A g⁻¹, and a better energy density of 14.86 W h kg⁻¹. The excellent efficiency of BC-PT CMP compared to that of TPA-PT CMP can be explained in terms of high specific surface area (478 m² g⁻¹), large pore volume (0.44 cm³ g⁻¹), great planarity, and better conductivity. Accordingly, BC-PT CMP is a prospective candidate for storing energy. Besides the novelty of our synthesized polymers, they exhibited outstanding electrochemical characteristics, both in three-electrode and two-electrode systems, which were comparable to those of many other polymers.

We report the synthesis and programmed self-assembly of m-phenylene vinylene (m-PPV) derivatives containing amino acid functional groups. These derivatives form highly fluorescent nanofibres through hydrogen bonding, rather than π–π stacking. Systematic investigation of tyrosine-based derivatives reveals the critical role of lateral and vertical hydrogen bonding sites in forming uniform, high-aspect-ratio nanofibres, as confirmed by cryo-TEM and SEM (diameters 2–3 nm, lengths > 20 μm). Chiral centres promoted helical nanofibres, while achiral oligomers formed straight fibres. Our study demonstrates the ability to form large-area, homogeneous straight and helical nanofibres with a high aspect ratio and increased melting point from 185 °C to 209.4 °C. Photophysical studies showed thickness-dependent fluorescence lifetimes, attributed to self-quenching. This work enhances the understanding of structure–property relationships in supramolecular assemblies and offers a new design strategy for biomimetic nanomaterials.

Piezoelectric materials are a critical component in many electronic devices from the nanoscale to the macroscale. Monolayer group IV monochalcogenides can provide particularly large piezoelectric coefficients. To investigate the origin of this strong piezoelectricity, we conduct an atomic-level analysis of the charge redistribution under mechanical strain. Our results show that it arises from charge transfer between strong and weak chemical bonds. We demonstrate that the piezoelectric coefficients can be substantially enhanced by mechanical strain and the presence of vacancies, for instance in the case of monolayer SnSe by up to 112% by 2% compression and by up to 433% by an Sn–Se vacancy density of 5.5%.

This research work investigates a 7-day interaction of bioactive glass in the form of grit with simulated body fluid with addition of HEPES buffer (SBF+H). The standard fluid buffered by TRIS (SBF+T) and unbuffered (SBF-Ø) were used for comparison. To understand the process more precisely, the material and the leachates were analyzed at hourly (1H, 2H, 4H) and daily (1D, 2D, 3D, 4D, 7D) intervals. During the static in vitro test the weight and specific surface area of the materials were measured and the surface and volume changes of the material character/composition were monitored by SEM/EDS and XRD. Samples of solution leachates were collected at regular intervals to determine concentrations of calcium, silicon and (PO₄)³⁻ and to measure pH. After exposure in SBF+T and SBF+H a new crystalline layer of hydroxyapatite formed on the material surface. The material exposed to SBF+H dissolved less than the one exposed to SBF+T but the hydroxyapatite layer on its surface grew faster. The material exposed only to SBF-Ø without any buffer dissolved much less, while the ions released into the solution very rapidly re-precipitated on the surface. As a result, three amorphous layers containing Si, Ca and P with different thicknesses were gradually formed on the surface. Results of material and solution analyses have clearly shown that both HEPES and TRIS buffers have a significant effect on the formation of hydroxyapatite on the surface of bioactive glass. The behavior of the HEPES buffer with highly bioactive bioglass is very similar to that of the TRIS buffer.

Indium selenide (InSe), a layered chalcogenide material, has gained substantial scientific interest as a thermoelectric material due to its intrinsic low thermal conductivity. However, its intrinsic carrier concentration is notably minimal (∼10¹⁴ cm⁻³) due to a significant bandgap of 1.3 eV limiting its thermoelectric efficiency. Therefore, to optimize InSe-based materials for thermoelectric applications, it is essential to increase the carrier concentration through precise doping methodologies. In this study, co-doping at both the anion and cation sites of InSe was achieved by introducing Bi to the In site and Te to the Se site. The impact of this co-doping on the thermoelectric performance of InSe-based materials was thoroughly investigated. The increase in carrier concentration due to the electron-donating nature of Bi significantly enhanced the electrical transport properties and the Seebeck coefficient (S) experienced a minor reduction, and the incorporation of Bi atoms resulted in a substantial improvement in the power factor (PF) across the temperature range. Among all the samples studied, In_0.96Bi_0.04Se_0.97Te_0.03 exhibited the highest PF throughout the temperature range. The dopants Bi/Te acted as an effective phonon scattering center, reducing lattice thermal conductivity. The synergistic effect of cation–anion co-doping resulted in a maximum ZT of ∼0.13 at 630 K in the In_0.96Bi_0.04Se_0.97Te_0.03 sample, which is nearly 11 times higher compared to the pristine sample. Considering these findings, Bi–Te co-doped InSe emerged as a highly promising material for thermoelectric applications.

Cells respond dynamically to multiple cues in complex microenvironments, which influence their behaviour, function, and molecular pathways. Despite recent advances, understanding cell interactions in such environments remains challenging. While biophysical cues are recognized for interacting with mechano-transduction proteins like YAP/TAZ, their role under glioblastoma electrotaxis is unclear. Our study investigates the functional role of mechano-transduction proteins under a physiological electric field (EF) with different rigidities. EF exposure highlights rigidity-dependent responses involving focal adhesion, cytoskeletal remodelling and YAP/TAZ coactivators relocation, showing to induce a shuttling in a rigidity-dependent manner. Further inhibition of PI3K/Akt and pharmacologically disrupting YAP/TAZ-TEAD interaction was shown to induce marked cytoskeletal remodelling under EFs. Our work characterises the therapeutic opportunities and limitations of EFs and uncovers the intricate interplay of physical cues and molecular signalling pathways in glioblastoma, offering potential insights for the development of therapeutic interventions in the future.

Hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen production stand at the forefront of efforts to achieve net-zero emissions. Among these technologies, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and electrolysers (SOEs) are distinguished as particularly promising for broad practical application, offering superior efficiency, robust stability, cost-effectiveness, and inherent safety. Lowering the operating temperature can significantly facilitate their commercialization by improving the stability and reducing the costs associated with electrodes and the fabrication process. Furthermore, reducing the operating temperature to 600 °C enables the utilization of heat sources from industrial processes, such as steel production or various combustion systems, effectively enhancing energy recycling efficiency. At low and intermediate temperatures, SOFCs and SOECs' performance heavily relies on electrolyte conductivity. Therefore, rationally improving electrolyte conductivity under a relatively low temperature plays an important role in facilitating the widespread application of SOFCs and SOECs on a large scale. Aimed at practical application, this work delivers an extensive review of cutting-edge modification strategies intended to enhance the conductivity of several promising electrolytes and outlines the characterisation methods utilised to assess their properties. It further investigates novel synthesis techniques aimed at reducing the sintering temperature. Moreover, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of electrolytes tailored for large-scale implementation in SOFCs and SOECs.

Some silicate- and phosphate-based bioactive ceramics exhibit excellent biocompatibility and undergo biodegradation to different extents, thereby attracting extensive attention and showing application in the field of bone tissue engineering. Moreover, functional ion doping is a versatile strategy for optimizing the performance of bioceramics. Herein, we developed a series of core–shell bio-ceramic granules, with zinc-doped wollastonite (CSi–Zn) as the core and tricalcium phosphate (TCP) or sodium-doped tricalcium phosphate (TCP–Na) as the shell, using a coaxial dual-nozzle system. The thickness ratio of the core and shell layers was finely controlled as 2 : 1 or 1 : 1. An in vitro immersion test demonstrated that the core–shell structure and functional ion doping could tailor the ion release behavior and granule dissolution in tris buffer, and the CSi component readily induced biomimetic re-mineralization in simulated body fluids. Critical size femoral bone defect repair experiments indicated that when the core–shell thickness ratio was 1 : 1, CSi–Zn@TCP granules exhibited superior bone repair performance at 18 weeks of post-implantation. This advantage was also particularly significant in the early stages (8 weeks) of post-implantation. Altogether, the tunable composition and structure of granule biomaterials offer excellent flexibility and feasibility, with the potential for the development of a series of derivative and variant products to address various clinical requirements.

The ability of NH₂-UiO-66 to remove the cationic dye rhodamine B (RhB) and the anionic dyes indigo carmine (IC) and orange 2 (O2) was evaluated. XRD, SEM/EDX, FTIR, N₂ sorption and TG/DTG analytical techniques were used to evaluate the physicochemical properties of NH₂-UiO-66 produced by the solvothermal method. For IC and O2 dyes, the NH₂-UiO-66 material showed an adsorption capacity of 265.8 mg g⁻¹ and 229.8 mg g⁻¹, respectively, while for RhB it was 91.6 mg g⁻¹. The most accurate model was Toth's isothermal model with R² > 0.90. The Elovich kinetic model provided the most accurate fit, with an R² > 0.95 for all dyes, suggesting a competition between physisorption and chemisorption. The HOMOs are significantly delocalised on the nitrogen atom, while the LUMOs are delocalised around the aromatic nucleus, according to DFT and Monte Carlo simulation studies. The chemical reactivity of the dyes IC, RhB and O2 interacting at the adsorbent surface was demonstrated by calculating quantum parameters such as E_HOMO, E_LUMO and gap energy (E_gap). The adsorption mechanism found was favorable, suggesting electrostatic attractions as well as pi–pi interactions between the benzene rings of the dye and the H₂N-H₂BDC linker. NH₂-UiO-66 showed high stability after 5 adsorption cycles.

Reflectins are unique cephalopod proteins found in specialized cells. They form fast triggerable nanostructures in vivo that play a crucial role in light reflection and camouflage. We investigated the rapid kinetics of in vitro reversible self-assembly of two recombinant reflectin sequences (R1b and R6) using pH variations as a trigger. By employing experimental and theoretical approaches across scales, we demonstrated that R6 exhibits superior reversibility and faster assembly kinetics. R6 maintained reversible assembly for up to 7 rapid pH cycles, with changes occurring in less than 20 minutes. This enhanced performance is attributed to R6's higher content of pH-sensitive residues and favorable charge distribution. Our findings impact the design of reflectin-inspired artificial biophotonic systems, offering potential applications in sensors, adaptive optics, and dynamic display technologies.