Progress in Materials Science最新文献

Aligning anisotropic nanoparticles using external fields is one of the major obstacles to unlocking their enormous potential for novel applications. The most famous such example is graphene, a 2D family of nanomaterials that has received enormous attention since its discovery. Using graphene to enhance mechanical, thermal, electric or gas barrier properties, imparting antibacterial properties etc., relies to a great extent on the ability to control their orientation inside a matrix material, i.e., polymers. Here we summarize the latest advances on graphene orientation using magnetic fields. The review covers the underlying physics for graphene interaction with magnetic fields, theoretical continuum mechanics framework for inducing orientation, typical magnetic field orientation setups, and a summary of latest advances in their use to enhance the performance of materials. Current trends, limitations of current alignment techniques are highlighted and major challenges in the field are identified.

The continuing wave of technological breakthroughs and advances is critical for engineering well-defined materials, particularly biomaterials, with tailored microstructure and properties. Over the last few decades, controlled radical polymerization (CRP) has become a very promising option for the synthesis of precise polymeric materials with an unprecedented degree of control over molecular architecture. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), one of the most robust and efficient CRPs, has been at the forefront of the synthesis of well-defined polymers with controlled/predetermined molecular weights, polydispersity, topology, composition, and site-specific functionality. ATRP has been leveraged to prepare a wide range of polymers with properties tailored for a number of biomedical applications. Furthermore, ATRP can also be utilized to introduce stimuli-responsive properties into the chemical structure of polymers. Moreover, the degradation behavior of ATRP-derived polymers can be tailored by incorporating chemical bonds susceptible to hydrolysis or proteolysis. This strategy allows the design of degradable polymers for in vivo applications. This review summarizes the recent advances in ATRP for the design of functional materials and techniques implemented to advance the biomedical field, such as surface modification and functionalization. Additionally, the latest applications and progress of ATRP-derived materials in various biomedical arenas such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, bioimaging, and biosensing are reported. Lastly, the current limitations and future perspectives of ATRP-derived biomaterials are carefully discussed to support further improvement of their properties and performance for translatability into the clinic. Moving forward, there is a need for further development of ATRP to align with green chemistry principles. This entails exploring the use of renewable monomers, environmentally friendly and nontoxic solvents, as well as metal-free and biocompatible catalysts. Additionally, researchers should thoroughly investigate the bioactivity, biodegradation behavior, and in vivo fate of ATRP-derived polymers and polymer conjugates before considering their translation into clinical applications.

A comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the structure (electron/bulk/surface structures) and redox chemistry in the cathodes was discussed in this Review. First, the attention is given to the comparison of different layered Li-Co-Ni-Mn oxide cathodes, especially the bulk atomic configuration (Section 2.1). Second, corresponding to the distinct layered structure, the electronic structures, Fermi level energies of different redox couples are introduced (Section 2.2). The structural failures induced by the redox chemistry at the deep lithiation state, including bulk phase transition, surface structure degradation, as well as the resulting cracking, cation mixing, oxygen release, dissolution of metal cations, voltage fading and low initial Coulombic efficiency, are discussed (3.1 Co-rich cathode LiCoO, 3.1.1 Bulk phase transition, 3.1.2 Surface degradation, 3.2 Ni-rich LiNi, 3.2.1 Cation mixing, 3.2.2 Microcracks, 3.2.3 Reversible/irreversible oxygen redox, 3.3 Li-Mn-rich). Correspondingly, the strategies for stabilizing the structural stability by regulating the redox activity, including bulk atomic doping design, surface engineering, cations mixing, particle morphology, oxygen vacancy and oxygen stacking type, are summarized (4.1 Co-rich LiCoO, 4.1.1 Bulk doping elements, 4.1.2 Surface engineering, 4.2 Ni-rich LiNi, 4.2.1 Suppressing Li/Ni cations mixing, 4.2.2 Suppressing microcracking, 4.2.3 Single crystal, 4.2.4 Oxygen redox chemistry, 4.3 Li-Mn-rich). The advanced characterization techniques, such as X-ray, electron, neutron and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques, are summarized for detecting the cationic/anionic charge state (5.1 X-ray techniques, 5.2 Electron microscopy, 5.3 Neutron scattering, 5.4 Nuclear magnetic resonance). In the last section (Section 6), the promising strategies and future perspectives are highlighted to propel significant breakthroughs in developing high-energy-density LIBs.

High entropy ceramics (HECs) are a novel class of ceramics that exhibit high melting point, excellent high-temperature mechanical performance, and superb corrosion resistance, making them promising candidates for advanced nuclear reactors. Notably, encouraging irradiation tolerance has been found in a few HECs based on the scattered reports in the current literature. In this article, we systematically review the recent progress in the irradiation response of HECs, including high entropy carbides, high entropy pyrochlore oxides, high entropy MAX phases, and high entropy nitride films. The influence of chemical complexity on the irradiation properties of HECs is examined by comparing them with their corresponding single-component ceramic counterparts. Besides, the similarities and differences between HECs and widely-studied high entropy alloys are discussed regarding their irradiation responses. In the end, we envisage prospects for the future development of irradiation-tolerant HECs.

The development of optical theranostics has brought new requirements for the diagnostic and therapeutic properties of optical theranostics agents (OTAs) in recent years. Inorganic persistent luminescence materials (IPLMs) have garnered considerable attention owing to their unique persistent luminescence (PersL). IPLMs offer unique advantages in diagnosis and treatment because of this PersL property, making them ideal candidates for optical theranostic applications. For example, using PersL for bioimaging and biosensing can avoid autofluorescence interference and provide extremely high detection sensitivity. PersL can be used as in vivo nanolights to continuously activate the photosensitizer for prolonged treatment. In addition, the theranostic applications of IPLMs have been substantially expanded by combining advanced features such as specific targeting, multimodal imaging, and drug delivery. In this review, we first introduce the current development in OTAs, basic concept of IPLMs, and IPLMs’ characteristics as OTAs. Subsequently, we summarize the recent research progress in the design, synthesis, and surface engineering of IPLMs from the perspective of theranostic applications. Next, we describe the research on the application of IPLMs in bioimaging, therapy, and biosensing, and discuss the current status of toxicological studies on IPLMs. Finally, we provide our perspective on the prospects and challenges in this rapidly developing field.

Effective wound management is important, as millions of people suffer traumatic injuries and surgical operations annually. Proper wound closure is essential for the structural and functional restoration of damaged tissues. In addition to conventional sutures, various advanced surgical materials with multiple functions have been developed for more reliable and improved wound healing performance in the past few years. Here, polymeric surgical materials for soft tissue wound closure are comprehensively reviewed, including both commercially available materials and newly developed materials. These materials, based on natural, synthetic or composite polymers, are classified and discussed as invasive and non-invasive surgical materials. Their properties (antibacterial, hemostatic, stimuli-responsive, drug delivery, or a combination thereof) are critically analysed in the context of improving wound healing. Moreover, how to tune these properties (e.g., chemical grafting of antibacterial moieties, nano-enabled regulation of hemostasis, dual stimuli-responsive design, etc.) are clearly discussed. Finally, challenges in the field and potential solutions to tackle them are also proposed. This review should inspire more research efforts to develop the next generation of promising surgical polymeric materials for clinical applications.

The CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, Br, or I) perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have become attractive luminescent materials in the field of optoelectronics due to their special optical properties, such as high quantum yield and color purity. However, the stability of PQDs hindered their practical applications. Here, the stability problems and degradation mechanism of PQDs were introduced in detail. Furthermore, several methods to enhance the intrinsic and extrinsic stability of PQDs would be mentioned. Among these strategies, the glass matrix encapsulation could provide the best protection for the PQDs inside. Here, various fabrication methods of CsPbX₃ PQDs embedded with glass (PQDs@glass) were discussed. Furthermore, the difference between various kinds of glass matrix and the effect of the microstructural modulation of glass structure on the optical properties and stability of PQDs have been discussed completely. Ultimately, the potential applications of PQDs@glass in white light-emitting diodes and backlight liquid crystal displays have been discussed in detail. The comprehensive discussion in PQDs@glass may assist researchers in enhancing the stability of PQDs@glass and applying them to optoelectronic devices.

High entropy alloys (HEAs) represent a class of multicomponent alloys that have garnered significant attention within materials community over the past two decades, largely due to their potential for high-temperature applications. It is essential to comprehend the diffusion behavior within these systems as it forms the foundational basis for designing and developing materials for specific uses, especially in high-temperature applications where the sluggish diffusion effect plays a pivotal role in enhancing material properties. Nevertheless, the existence and extent of the sluggish diffusion effect in these materials have been vigorously debated. Our understanding of this effect in HEAs remains limited, primarily because practical techniques for determining multicomponent diffusion behavior are lacking. This is also the reason that the data on diffusion in quaternary and higher-order systems are scarce in the literature. This review provides an overview of the present state-of-the-art in diffusion studies within the context of HEAs and explores the potential methodologies. Although the existence of sluggish diffusion in HEAs has been a topic of intense debate, there is currently insufficient experimental evidence to support its presence. Consequently, the review explores potential future research directions that aim to fill the gaps in our understanding of this area.