Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-25DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.011
Antoine Cornet , Jie Shen , Alberto Ronca , Shubin Li , Nico Neuber , Maximilian Frey , Eloi Pineda , Thierry Deschamps , Christine Martinet , Sylvie Le Floch , Daniele Cangialosi , Yuriy Chushkin , Federico Zontone , Marco Cammarata , Gavin B.M. Vaughan , Marco di Michiel , Gaston Garbarino , Ralf Busch , Isabella Gallino , Celine Goujon , Beatrice Ruta
Glasses encode the memory of any thermo-mechanical treatment applied to them. This ability is associated to the existence of a myriad of metastable amorphous states which can be probed through different experimental pathways. It is usually assumed that this memory can be erased in the supercooled liquid, and that this process occurs on a time scale controlled by the α-relaxation. We find that this assumption does not apply for hydrostatically compressed glasses. Annealing under pressure a prototypical metallic glass can irreversibly modify its dynamics, thermodynamics and structure, reduce the atomic mobility and lead to structural modifications of the first coordination shells which reduce the thermal stability with respect to a glass annealed in absence of pressure. When heated above their glass transition temperature, these compressed glasses do not convert into the pristine supercooled liquid, implying the existence of an additional process, beyond the α-relaxation, contributing to the equilibrium recovery of the material. These results establish pressure as a powerful tool for engineering non-equilibrium glassy materials with tailored properties, while deepening our understanding of relaxation dynamics in disordered systems under extreme conditions.
{"title":"Break-down of the relationship between α-relaxation and equilibration in hydrostatically compressed metallic glasses","authors":"Antoine Cornet , Jie Shen , Alberto Ronca , Shubin Li , Nico Neuber , Maximilian Frey , Eloi Pineda , Thierry Deschamps , Christine Martinet , Sylvie Le Floch , Daniele Cangialosi , Yuriy Chushkin , Federico Zontone , Marco Cammarata , Gavin B.M. Vaughan , Marco di Michiel , Gaston Garbarino , Ralf Busch , Isabella Gallino , Celine Goujon , Beatrice Ruta","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glasses encode the memory of any thermo-mechanical treatment applied to them. This ability is associated to the existence of a myriad of metastable amorphous states which can be probed through different experimental pathways. It is usually assumed that this memory can be erased in the supercooled liquid, and that this process occurs on a time scale controlled by the <em>α</em>-relaxation. We find that this assumption does not apply for hydrostatically compressed glasses. Annealing under pressure a prototypical metallic glass can irreversibly modify its dynamics, thermodynamics and structure, reduce the atomic mobility and lead to structural modifications of the first coordination shells which reduce the thermal stability with respect to a glass annealed in absence of pressure. When heated above their glass transition temperature, these compressed glasses do not convert into the pristine supercooled liquid, implying the existence of an additional process, beyond the <em>α</em>-relaxation, contributing to the equilibrium recovery of the material. These results establish pressure as a powerful tool for engineering non-equilibrium glassy materials with tailored properties, while deepening our understanding of relaxation dynamics in disordered systems under extreme conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 304-314"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.010
Qun Liu , Haoyu Guo , Chengliang Wang
Conjugated organic/polymeric materials with multi-functional groups are superior in material reformation and diverse applications. However, the combination of conjugation and the functional groups bring inherent complexities, leading to different reaction modes from non-conjugated systems, uncontrolled reactions, doubtful performance and ambiguous structure–property relationships. As a typical example, tetraamino-p-benzoquinone (TABQ) is a recent star material due to its conjugated core and rich functional groups, which has been not only applied in various applications but also used to construct abundant novel materials including small molecules, oligomers, polymers, covalent-organic frameworks and metal–organic frameworks through synthesis control and topological construction. By delving into the possibilities from TABQ, this review aims to draw attention to the cautious molecular design of conjugated materials, avoid the misunderstandings originating from the unexpected reactions of the multi-functional groups, evoke patience on the insightful structure–property relationship, and inspire new opportunities for the creation of more functionalized material systems.
{"title":"Material reformation and opportunities created by tetraamino-p-benzoquinone","authors":"Qun Liu , Haoyu Guo , Chengliang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conjugated organic/polymeric materials with multi-functional groups are superior in material reformation and diverse applications. However, the combination of conjugation and the functional groups bring inherent complexities, leading to different reaction modes from non-conjugated systems, uncontrolled reactions, doubtful performance and ambiguous structure–property relationships. As a typical example, tetraamino-p-benzoquinone (TABQ) is a recent star material due to its conjugated core and rich functional groups, which has been not only applied in various applications but also used to construct abundant novel materials including small molecules, oligomers, polymers, covalent-organic frameworks and metal–organic frameworks through synthesis control and topological construction. By delving into the possibilities from TABQ, this review aims to draw attention to the cautious molecular design of conjugated materials, avoid the misunderstandings originating from the unexpected reactions of the multi-functional groups, evoke patience on the insightful structure–property relationship, and inspire new opportunities for the creation of more functionalized material systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 751-764"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.036
B.L. Dargaville , T. Ayyachi , D.W. Hutmacher
Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a prominent analytical technique in materials science, offering detailed insights into the thermal properties and behavior of materials. DSC provides valuable information for understanding material composition, structure, and performance by measuring the heat flow associated with thermal events. Interpreting DSC curves is a complex process that requires substantial expertise, and misinterpretation can lead to inaccurate conclusions about material properties. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into DSC presents a transformative opportunity to significantly enhance the accuracy, precision, and reliability of thermal analysis. By employing advanced AI algorithms, researchers can analyze DSC data in real time, allowing immediate insights into thermal transitions, such as glass transition, crystallization, and melting. This review outlines how the convergence of DSC and AI can not only expedite the research process but also standardize data interpretation, minimize human error, and reduce reliance on specialized operator expertise, thereby empowering non-experts to interpret DSC data with greater confidence and accuracy. This integration enhances the accessibility, reproducibility, and credibility of thermal data derived from advanced thermal analysis techniques across various scientific and industrial sectors.
{"title":"Advancing analysis of differential scanning calorimetry data – Converging DSC and AI","authors":"B.L. Dargaville , T. Ayyachi , D.W. Hutmacher","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.036","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.036","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)<!--> <!-->is a prominent analytical technique in materials science, offering detailed insights into the thermal properties and behavior of materials. DSC provides valuable information for understanding material composition, structure, and performance by measuring the heat flow associated with thermal events. Interpreting DSC curves is a complex process that requires substantial expertise, and misinterpretation can lead to inaccurate conclusions about material properties. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into DSC presents a transformative opportunity to significantly enhance the accuracy, precision, and reliability of thermal analysis. By employing advanced AI algorithms, researchers can analyze DSC data in real time, allowing immediate insights into thermal transitions, such as glass transition, crystallization, and melting. This review outlines how the convergence of DSC and AI can not only expedite the research process but also standardize data interpretation, minimize human error, and reduce reliance on specialized operator expertise, thereby empowering non-experts to interpret DSC data with greater confidence and accuracy. This integration enhances the accessibility, reproducibility, and credibility of thermal data derived from advanced thermal analysis techniques across various scientific and industrial sectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 996-1007"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.003
Xizheng Wu , Zhenyu Xing , Jiangge Li , Zhiying Ding , Lingnuo Fan , Mao Wang , Tian Ma , Chong Cheng , Weifeng Zhao , Changsheng Zhao
The treatment of biofilm-associated drug-resistant bacterial infections remains a formidable clinical challenge, primarily due to the limited permeability of therapeutic agents through the dense extracellular matrix and the inherent drug resistance of biofilm-embedded microorganisms. Here, to overcome this challenge, we report the design of an atomic Fe-O-Mo/Fe-S-Mo homojunction photothermal nanosheet (Fe-HJPS) to synergize reactive oxygen species (ROS)-biocatalysis and biofilm penetration for eradicating drug-resistant bacterial infections. Spectroscopic and computational analyses reveal that the homojunction sites in the Fe-HJPS, comprising asymmetric Fe-S-Mo/Fe-O-Mo coordinations around Fe centers, downshift the high d-p hybrid orbital energy level compared to the original symmetric Fe-S-Mo coordination. This optimization enhances the adsorption affinity of oxygen intermediates and improves ROS-biocatalytic activities. Notably, under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, the Fe-HJPS generates localized heat and disturbs the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in biofilms to increase the permeability of bacterial membranes, thereby facilitating ROS influx into bacterial cells. This dual-action mechanism of ROS production and biofilm penetration enables effective biofilm eradication at ultralow concentration (40 μg·mL−1), demonstrating superior efficacy against drug-resistant infections in both in vitro and in vivo models. Our findings establish atomic-scale homojunction in photothermal artificial enzymes as a versatile strategy for designing non-antibiotic antimicrobial nanomaterials that overcome drug-resistant bacterial infections.
生物膜相关耐药细菌感染的治疗仍然是一项艰巨的临床挑战，主要是由于治疗剂通过致密的细胞外基质的渗透性有限以及生物膜内微生物固有的耐药性。为了克服这一挑战，我们设计了一种原子Fe-O-Mo/Fe-S-Mo同质结光热纳米片（Fe-HJPS），以协同活性氧（ROS）生物催化和生物膜渗透，消除耐药细菌感染。光谱分析和计算分析表明，Fe- hjps中由Fe中心周围的不对称Fe- s - mo /Fe- o - mo配位组成的同结位与原来对称的Fe- s - mo配位相比，降低了高d-p杂化轨道的能级。该优化提高了氧中间体的吸附亲和力，提高了活性氧生物催化活性。值得注意的是，在近红外（NIR）照射下，Fe-HJPS产生局部热，扰乱生物膜中的胞外聚合物（EPS），增加细菌膜的通透性，从而促进ROS流入细菌细胞。这种ROS生成和穿透生物膜的双重作用机制能够在超低浓度（40 μg·mL−1）下有效清除生物膜，在体外和体内模型中均显示出对耐药感染的卓越疗效。我们的研究结果建立了光热人工酶的原子尺度同质结，作为设计克服耐药细菌感染的非抗生素抗菌纳米材料的通用策略。
{"title":"Synergizing ROS-biocatalysis and biofilm penetration via photothermal artificial enzymes with atomic homojunction sites to eradicate drug-resistant bacterial infections","authors":"Xizheng Wu , Zhenyu Xing , Jiangge Li , Zhiying Ding , Lingnuo Fan , Mao Wang , Tian Ma , Chong Cheng , Weifeng Zhao , Changsheng Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The treatment of biofilm-associated drug-resistant bacterial infections remains a formidable clinical challenge, primarily due to the limited permeability of therapeutic agents through the dense extracellular matrix and the inherent drug resistance of biofilm-embedded microorganisms. Here, to overcome this challenge, we report the design of an atomic Fe-O-Mo/Fe-S-Mo homojunction photothermal nanosheet (Fe-HJPS) to synergize reactive oxygen species (ROS)-biocatalysis and biofilm penetration for eradicating drug-resistant bacterial infections. Spectroscopic and computational analyses reveal that the homojunction sites in the Fe-HJPS, comprising asymmetric Fe-S-Mo/Fe-O-Mo coordinations around Fe centers, downshift the high <em>d-p</em> hybrid orbital energy level compared to the original symmetric Fe-S-Mo coordination. This optimization enhances the adsorption affinity of oxygen intermediates and improves ROS-biocatalytic activities. Notably, under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, the Fe-HJPS generates localized heat and disturbs the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in biofilms to increase the permeability of bacterial membranes, thereby facilitating ROS influx into bacterial cells. This dual-action mechanism of ROS production and biofilm penetration enables effective biofilm eradication at ultralow concentration (40 μg·mL<sup>−1</sup>), demonstrating superior efficacy against drug-resistant infections in both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> models. Our findings establish atomic-scale homojunction in photothermal artificial enzymes as a versatile strategy for designing non-antibiotic antimicrobial nanomaterials that overcome drug-resistant bacterial infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 226-240"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146016594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.005
Hao Nan Qiu , Chuan Wei Zhang , Lixin Dai , Yichen Yan , Ping He , Ruoyi Ke , Xiaobing Zuo , Hua Zhou , Ximin He
Tough hydrogels based on physical crosslinking have attracted tremendous attention due to their excellent mechanical properties achieved through controlled polymer chain aggregation via various processing methods. However, the reversible nature of these physical interactions leads to severe mechanical degradation in aqueous environments, where water molecules competitively disrupt hydrogen bonds and dissolve aggregated structures, fundamentally limiting their practical applications. Herein, we propose a strategy to construct protective domains around physical crosslinks that effectively stabilize the network while preserving energy dissipation capabilities. Using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a model system, we implement this design through sequential dehydration-induced crystallization and homogeneous free-radical crosslinking (FRC). The resulting protective domains—chemically-crosslinked loose aggregates surrounding crystallites—serve dual functions: shielding physical crosslinks from solvent-induced disruption and storing hidden chain length that enhances extensibility during deformation. Compared to unprotected physically crosslinked hydrogels, this strategy achieves 2.4-fold enhancement in elastic modulus, 2.1-fold increase in breaking strain, and 4.8-fold improvement in toughness, while dramatically improving environmental stability--the mechanical strength retention increases from ∼ 20 % to > 80 % after aqueous immersion, with volume expansion reduced from typical 20–30 % to less than 5 %. Microstructural characterization confirms the coexistence of protected crystallites and loose aggregates. The hydrogel is successfully employed as an electrolyte to construct zinc-ion batteries that feature superior cycling performance, enabled by the exceptional environmental stability and strong structural endurance of the hydrogel. This strategy proves generalizable to various physically crosslinked systems, offering a universal design principle for creating mechanically robust and environmentally stable hydrogels.
{"title":"Locking aggregation states in tough hydrogels through protective domain formation","authors":"Hao Nan Qiu , Chuan Wei Zhang , Lixin Dai , Yichen Yan , Ping He , Ruoyi Ke , Xiaobing Zuo , Hua Zhou , Ximin He","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tough hydrogels based on physical crosslinking have attracted tremendous attention due to their excellent mechanical properties achieved through controlled polymer chain aggregation via various processing methods. However, the reversible nature of these physical interactions leads to severe mechanical degradation in aqueous environments, where water molecules competitively disrupt hydrogen bonds and dissolve aggregated structures, fundamentally limiting their practical applications. Herein, we propose a strategy to construct protective domains around physical crosslinks that effectively stabilize the network while preserving energy dissipation capabilities. Using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a model system, we implement this design through sequential dehydration-induced crystallization and homogeneous free-radical crosslinking (FRC). The resulting protective domains—chemically-crosslinked loose aggregates surrounding crystallites—serve dual functions: shielding physical crosslinks from solvent-induced disruption and storing hidden chain length that enhances extensibility during deformation. Compared to unprotected physically crosslinked hydrogels, this strategy achieves 2.4-fold enhancement in elastic modulus, 2.1-fold increase in breaking strain, and 4.8-fold improvement in toughness, while dramatically improving environmental stability--the mechanical strength retention increases from ∼ 20 % to > 80 % after aqueous immersion, with volume expansion reduced from typical 20–30 % to less than 5 %. Microstructural characterization confirms the coexistence of protected crystallites and loose aggregates. The hydrogel is successfully employed as an electrolyte to construct zinc-ion batteries that feature superior cycling performance, enabled by the exceptional environmental stability and strong structural endurance of the hydrogel. This strategy proves generalizable to various physically crosslinked systems, offering a universal design principle for creating mechanically robust and environmentally stable hydrogels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 241-252"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2026.01.002
Hyeongmin Yu , Incheol Jeong , Sang Won Lee , Hansu Chang , Seeun Oh , Tae Ho Shin , Kang Taek Lee
Solid oxide electrochemical cells (SOCs) represent a transformative platform for the efficient and sustainable interconversion between chemical and electrical energy, enabling green hydrogen production and high-efficiency power generation. However, their widespread deployment is constrained by high operating temperatures, as performance degrades sharply at reduced temperatures especially due to increased polarization and ohmic resistances at the oxygen electrode/electrolyte interface. Herein, we present a rationally engineered, defect-rich thin-film ceria interlayer designed to enhance interfacial oxygen exchange kinetics and shorten ion transport pathways, effectively mitigating both polarization and bulk ohmic losses. Density functional theory calculations reveal that excess Gd doping weakens the cation-oxygen bonding and introduces tensile lattice strain, which synergistically lower the oxygen vacancy formation energy and promote vacancy clustering at the surface. These effects enhance both oxygen storage/release capacity and the kinetics of oxygen incorporation and evolution. When incorporated into SOCs, the developed defect-rich ceria interlayer enables exceptional electrochemical performance, achieving a peak power density of 3.00 W/cm2 in fuel cell mode and a current density of 1.85 A/cm2 in electrolysis mode at 700°C, significantly outperforming conventional ceria-based interlayers. This work provides new design principles for interlayer engineering in SOCs, and offers a promising pathway toward next-generation energy conversion technologies.
固体氧化物电化学电池（soc）代表了化学和电能之间高效和可持续相互转换的变革性平台，实现了绿色制氢和高效发电。然而，由于氧电极/电解质界面的极化和欧姆电阻增加，其性能在低温下急剧下降，因此它们的广泛部署受到高温的限制。在此，我们提出了一种合理设计的，富含缺陷的薄膜铈中间层，旨在增强界面氧交换动力学和缩短离子传输途径，有效地减轻极化和体欧姆损失。密度泛函理论计算表明，过量的Gd掺杂削弱了阳离子-氧键并引入了拉伸晶格应变，从而协同降低了氧空位形成能，促进了空位在表面聚集。这些作用增强了氧的储存/释放能力以及氧的结合和演化动力学。当集成到soc中时，所开发的富含缺陷的二氧化铈中间层具有卓越的电化学性能，在燃料电池模式下可实现3.00 W/cm2的峰值功率密度，在700°C电解模式下可实现1.85 a /cm2的电流密度，显著优于传统的二氧化铈中间层。这项工作为soc的层间工程提供了新的设计原则，并为下一代能量转换技术提供了一条有希望的途径。
{"title":"Strategic defect engineering in ceria interlayer for high-performing solid oxide electrochemical cells","authors":"Hyeongmin Yu , Incheol Jeong , Sang Won Lee , Hansu Chang , Seeun Oh , Tae Ho Shin , Kang Taek Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2026.01.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2026.01.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solid oxide electrochemical cells (SOCs) represent a transformative platform for the efficient and sustainable interconversion between chemical and electrical energy, enabling green hydrogen production and high-efficiency power generation. However, their widespread deployment is constrained by high operating temperatures, as performance degrades sharply at reduced temperatures especially due to increased polarization and ohmic resistances at the oxygen electrode/electrolyte interface. Herein, we present a rationally engineered, defect-rich thin-film ceria interlayer designed to enhance interfacial oxygen exchange kinetics and shorten ion transport pathways, effectively mitigating both polarization and bulk ohmic losses. Density functional theory calculations reveal that excess Gd doping weakens the cation-oxygen bonding and introduces tensile lattice strain, which synergistically lower the oxygen vacancy formation energy and promote vacancy clustering at the surface. These effects enhance both oxygen storage/release capacity and the kinetics of oxygen incorporation and evolution. When incorporated into SOCs, the developed defect-rich ceria interlayer enables exceptional electrochemical performance, achieving a peak power density of 3.00 W/cm<sup>2</sup> in fuel cell mode and a current density of 1.85 A/cm<sup>2</sup> in electrolysis mode at 700°C, significantly outperforming conventional ceria-based interlayers. This work provides new design principles for interlayer engineering in SOCs, and offers a promising pathway toward next-generation energy conversion technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 473-481"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2026.01.004
Lu Shi , Kexin Su , Lixin Lin , Xinxin Yan , Xinyue Zhang , Shun He , Xudong Fu , Xin Sheng , Na Kong , Shuai Liu
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) represent the most clinically advanced delivery platform for mRNA therapeutics and vaccines, yet currently approved formulations may not be broadly applicable for next-generation utility due to the double-edged sword of immunogenicity. While prior studies have primarily evaluated the contribution of ionizable lipids to immune stimulation, the effects of other components remain underappreciated. Here, we investigate the role of phospholipids in modulating LNP physicochemical characteristics, delivery efficiency, and immunogenicity. Among seven commonly used phospholipids, unsaturated and zwitterionic phospholipids exhibit moderate membrane fluidity and enhanced cellular uptake compared to the saturated counterparts. Notably, LNPs formulated with 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) demonstrate significantly enhanced mRNA delivery efficiency following intravenous administration in vivo. In contrast, intramuscular delivery results in relatively consistent mRNA expression across different phospholipids, particularly in lymph nodes. Furthermore, DOPE-containing LNPs mediate relatively low immunogenicity in vivo, endowing non-immunogenic therapy potential. While incorporation of the immunostimulatory phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) amplifies immune responses by promoting cytokine and chemokine secretion as well as immune cell infiltration, highlighting its promise for mRNA vaccine applications. Our findings demonstrate that the immunogenic profile of LNPs can be finely tuned through rational phospholipid optimization, underscoring the importance of tailoring LNP formulations to optimize performance across diverse therapeutic applications.
脂质纳米颗粒（LNPs）是临床上最先进的mRNA治疗药物和疫苗递送平台，但由于免疫原性的双刃剑，目前批准的配方可能无法广泛应用于下一代。虽然先前的研究主要评估了可电离脂质对免疫刺激的贡献，但其他成分的作用仍未得到充分认识。在这里，我们研究磷脂在调节LNP的物理化学特性、传递效率和免疫原性中的作用。在七种常用的磷脂中，与饱和磷脂相比，不饱和磷脂和两性离子磷脂表现出适度的膜流动性和增强的细胞摄取。值得注意的是，在体内静脉给药后，由1,2-二油基- asn -甘油-3-磷酸乙醇胺（DOPE）配制的LNPs显着提高了mRNA的递送效率。相反，肌内递送导致不同磷脂相对一致的mRNA表达，特别是在淋巴结中。此外，含有dope的LNPs在体内介导的免疫原性相对较低，具有非免疫原性治疗的潜力。而结合免疫刺激磷脂1,2-二甘油酯- syn -甘油-3-磷脂胆碱（DOPC）通过促进细胞因子和趋化因子的分泌以及免疫细胞浸润来放大免疫反应，突出了其在mRNA疫苗应用中的前景。我们的研究结果表明，LNP的免疫原性可以通过合理的磷脂优化来精细调节，强调了定制LNP配方以优化不同治疗应用性能的重要性。
{"title":"Phospholipids tailor mRNA lipid nanoparticle delivery efficacy and immunogenicity","authors":"Lu Shi , Kexin Su , Lixin Lin , Xinxin Yan , Xinyue Zhang , Shun He , Xudong Fu , Xin Sheng , Na Kong , Shuai Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2026.01.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2026.01.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) represent the most clinically advanced delivery platform for mRNA therapeutics and vaccines, yet currently approved formulations may not be broadly applicable for next-generation utility due to the double-edged sword of immunogenicity. While prior studies have primarily evaluated the contribution of ionizable lipids to immune stimulation, the effects of other components remain underappreciated. Here, we investigate the role of phospholipids in modulating LNP physicochemical characteristics, delivery efficiency, and immunogenicity. Among seven commonly used phospholipids, unsaturated and zwitterionic phospholipids exhibit moderate membrane fluidity and enhanced cellular uptake compared to the saturated counterparts. Notably, LNPs formulated with 1,2-dioleoyl-<em>sn</em>-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) demonstrate significantly enhanced mRNA delivery efficiency following intravenous administration <em>in vivo</em>. In contrast, intramuscular delivery results in relatively consistent mRNA expression across different phospholipids, particularly in lymph nodes. Furthermore, DOPE-containing LNPs mediate relatively low immunogenicity <em>in vivo</em>, endowing non-immunogenic therapy potential. While incorporation of the immunostimulatory phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-<em>sn</em>-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) amplifies immune responses by promoting cytokine and chemokine secretion as well as immune cell infiltration, highlighting its promise for mRNA vaccine applications. Our findings demonstrate that the immunogenic profile of LNPs can be finely tuned through rational phospholipid optimization, underscoring the importance of tailoring LNP formulations to optimize performance across diverse therapeutic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 490-498"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-25DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.016
Jie Deng , Ming Ren , Lizhong Dong , Wanfei Li , Jiangtao Di
Electrochemical artificial muscle fibers are a class of smart materials that rely on ion migration between the artificial muscle and electrolyte to produce reversible deformation, and are regarded as a new type of fiber-shaped actuators. Electrochemical artificial muscle fibers have attracted widespread attention due to their low driving voltage, negligible thermal effects, and ease of control. They hold great potential to significantly advance the development of fields such as wearable systems, assistive medicine, soft robotics, and intelligent interaction. After nearly two decades of progress, electrochemical artificial muscle fibers have achieved many exciting breakthroughs. In this paper, we systematically summarize the materials, fabrication, characterization, actuation mechanisms, and ion injection mechanisms of electrochemical artificial muscle fibers. Then we introduce the recent development regarding structure regulation, multifunctional integration, and application of electrochemical artificial muscle fibers. Finally, the challenges and prospects of electrochemical artificial muscle fibers are discussed. This review will guide the preparation of high-performance electrochemical artificial muscle fibers.
{"title":"Recent progress and challenges of electrochemical artificial muscle fiber","authors":"Jie Deng , Ming Ren , Lizhong Dong , Wanfei Li , Jiangtao Di","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrochemical artificial muscle fibers are a class of smart materials that rely on ion migration between the artificial muscle and electrolyte to produce reversible deformation, and are regarded as a new type of fiber-shaped actuators. Electrochemical artificial muscle fibers have attracted widespread attention due to their low driving voltage, negligible thermal effects, and ease of control. They hold great potential to significantly advance the development of fields such as wearable systems, assistive medicine, soft robotics, and intelligent interaction. After nearly two decades of progress, electrochemical artificial muscle fibers have achieved many exciting breakthroughs. In this paper, we systematically summarize the materials, fabrication, characterization, actuation mechanisms, and ion injection mechanisms of electrochemical artificial muscle fibers. Then we introduce the recent development regarding structure regulation, multifunctional integration, and application of electrochemical artificial muscle fibers. Finally, the challenges and prospects of electrochemical artificial muscle fibers are discussed. This review will guide the preparation of high-performance electrochemical artificial muscle fibers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 780-800"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-24DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2025.11.024
Dan Meng , Jean Noel Yankwa Djobo , Isabel Pol Segura , Rodrigue Cyriaque Kaze , Carsten Kuenzel , Navid Ranjbar
Intensive research on alternative cements targets Portland cement’s environmental impact, with clays emerging as prime candidates due to global abundance and compatibility with performant low-carbon binders such as geopolymers and limestone calcined clay cement. However, diverse clay minerals exist and the most widely available clays remain poorly understood, with fragmented data and a lack of integrated knowledge; this hinders their optimal utilisation. This review offers clay activation fundamentals and their key role in developing sustainable cementitious binders. It go through four major pillars: I) Fundamentals of phyllosilicates and common clay impurities, before activation; II) Cutting-edge characterisation techniques for quantifying clay reactivity, spanning micro- and nano-scale experimental methods to standardised protocols, with a critical evaluation of their limitations and potential; III) State-of-the-art clay activation techniques, analysing the evolution of various clay minerals under diverse thermal, mechanical, chemical, and combined treatments from mechanistic and microstructural perspectives; and IV) Current clay activation infrastructures and their performance efficiency. This critical review systematically revisits current knowledge by comparative analyses, identifying key gaps in the field, and examining challenges in scaling activation techniques for industrial adoption, providing a framework for future research and technological advancement.
{"title":"Clay activation: A review","authors":"Dan Meng , Jean Noel Yankwa Djobo , Isabel Pol Segura , Rodrigue Cyriaque Kaze , Carsten Kuenzel , Navid Ranjbar","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.11.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.11.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intensive research on alternative cements targets Portland cement’s environmental impact, with clays emerging as prime candidates due to global abundance and compatibility with performant low-carbon binders such as geopolymers and limestone calcined clay cement. However, diverse clay minerals exist and the most widely available clays remain poorly understood, with fragmented data and a lack of integrated knowledge; this hinders their optimal utilisation. This review offers clay activation fundamentals and their key role in developing sustainable cementitious binders. It go through four major pillars: <em>I)</em> Fundamentals of phyllosilicates and common clay impurities, before activation; <em>II)</em> Cutting-edge characterisation techniques for quantifying clay reactivity, spanning micro- and nano-scale experimental methods to standardised protocols, with a critical evaluation of their limitations and potential; <em>III)</em> State-of-the-art clay activation techniques, analysing the evolution of various clay minerals under diverse thermal, mechanical, chemical, and combined treatments from mechanistic and microstructural perspectives; and <em>IV)</em> Current clay activation infrastructures and their performance efficiency. This critical review systematically revisits current knowledge by comparative analyses, identifying key gaps in the field, and examining challenges in scaling activation techniques for industrial adoption, providing a framework for future research and technological advancement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 519-551"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-25DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.025
Taotao Meng , Dejian Dong , Long Zhu , Hannah Kriney , Dylan Stone , Wei Liu , Tashfiqul Islam , Chen Zhang , Emils Gustav Benjamin Jurcik , Damena Agonafer , Mohammad Daud , Jongmin Shim , Jason Armstrong , Chunsheng Wang , Shenqiang Ren
Porous silica materials are highly valued for their thermal management potential, with their high porosity and large surface area making them ideal for insulation. However, challenges persist in their practical manufacturing and in establishing clear relationships between their structure and insulation performance. Here, we report a rapid 10-minute gelation process under ambient temperature and pressure conditions to enable scalable manufacturing of tunable SiO2 hollow spheres. By systematically investigating the effects of synthetic conditions, the resulting SiO2 hollow spheres demonstrate a thermal conductivity as low as 15 mW m−1 K−1 and porosity exceeding 98 %. We found through simulations that a higher contact area between hollow silica particles leads to increased thermal conductivity. Additionally, we incorporated hollow silica into ceramic fibers, which presents additional advantages for thermal protection against transient high-temperature loads by effectively delaying heat propagation through heat absorption and self-extinguishing behavior in the presence of fire. Notably, the production process features a carbon footprint of 17.07 kg CO2/kg and a production yield of up to 40 %, striking a balance between performance and sustainability. This study marks a key step in advancing SiO2 hollow spheres as effective thermal management materials.
多孔硅材料因其热管理潜力而受到高度重视，其高孔隙率和大表面积使其成为理想的绝缘材料。然而，在它们的实际制造和在它们的结构和绝缘性能之间建立明确的关系方面，挑战仍然存在。在这里，我们报告了在环境温度和压力条件下10分钟的快速凝胶化过程，以实现可调SiO2空心球体的可扩展制造。通过系统研究合成条件的影响，得到的SiO2空心球导热系数低至15 mW m−1 K−1，孔隙率超过98%。我们通过模拟发现，中空二氧化硅颗粒之间的接触面积越大，导热系数越高。此外，我们在陶瓷纤维中加入了空心二氧化硅，通过吸热有效地延迟热传播，并在火灾中具有自熄行为，从而为抵御瞬态高温负荷提供了额外的热保护优势。值得注意的是，生产过程的碳足迹为17.07 kg CO2/kg，产量高达40%，在性能和可持续性之间取得了平衡。该研究标志着SiO2空心球作为有效热管理材料向前迈进了关键一步。
{"title":"Hierarchical hollow silica shells for scalable and passive superinsulation","authors":"Taotao Meng , Dejian Dong , Long Zhu , Hannah Kriney , Dylan Stone , Wei Liu , Tashfiqul Islam , Chen Zhang , Emils Gustav Benjamin Jurcik , Damena Agonafer , Mohammad Daud , Jongmin Shim , Jason Armstrong , Chunsheng Wang , Shenqiang Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mattod.2025.12.025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Porous silica materials are highly valued for their thermal management potential, with their high porosity and large surface area making them ideal for insulation. However, challenges persist in their practical manufacturing and in establishing clear relationships between their structure and insulation performance. Here, we report a rapid 10-minute gelation process under ambient temperature and pressure conditions to enable scalable manufacturing of tunable SiO<sub>2</sub> hollow spheres. By systematically investigating the effects of synthetic conditions, the resulting SiO<sub>2</sub> hollow spheres demonstrate a thermal conductivity as low as 15 mW m<sup>−1</sup> K<sup>−1</sup> and porosity exceeding 98 %. We found through simulations that a higher contact area between hollow silica particles leads to increased thermal conductivity. Additionally, we incorporated hollow silica into ceramic fibers, which presents additional advantages for thermal protection against transient high-temperature loads by effectively delaying heat propagation through heat absorption and self-extinguishing behavior in the presence of fire. Notably, the production process features a carbon footprint of 17.07 kg CO<sub>2</sub>/kg and a production yield of up to 40 %, striking a balance between performance and sustainability. This study marks a key step in advancing SiO<sub>2</sub> hollow spheres as effective thermal management materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":387,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 406-415"},"PeriodicalIF":22.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146016579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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