Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials最新文献

With the rapid development of electronic communication technology, common absorbers for fixed-band communication or stealth are difficult to meet diversified requirements. Inspired by the willow branch structure in nature, we develop a hyperelastic composite aerogel using an exoskeleton enhancement strategy. By polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-encapsulating carbonized aramid nanofibers within the aerogel, 1000 cycles of compression and up to 109,900% improvement in compressive strength are achieved. Through adjusting the coating thickness of PDMS, a minimum reflection loss of − 46.22 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 6.88 GHz can be obtained. At the same time, the absorption band of the composite aerogel can be dynamically moved from C band to Ku band by adjusting the compressive strain, and the “On-Off” mode can be switched. In addition, its adjustable radar stealth performance is further demonstrated by using power loss density and radar cross section simulation. Particularly, this composite aerogel exhibits good thermal management and self-cleaning functions, which provide new insights for the development of intelligent electromagnetic equipment in the military field.

Ensuring food safety requires advanced hybrid materials capable of detecting trace antibiotics within complex plant matrices. We introduce a laser-induced molecular engineering (LIME) strategy to fabricate a selenium-integrated samarium hydroxide and graphene (Gr/Sm(OH)₃:Se) nanocomposite engineered for direct electrochemical detection of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in cultivated lettuce tissue. Unlike conventional laser processing techniques that primarily induce surface texturing, LIME enables molecular-level integration of functional elements, producing defect-rich interfaces with enhanced electron mobility and abundant active sites. Comprehensive characterization confirms that localized photothermal and photochemical effects promote the uniform incorporation of Se into the Sm(OH)₃ lattice and convert surface M–OH groups into M–O linkages, thereby generating holes in the O 2p valence band and improving both electron transfer kinetics and the selectivity toward SMX adsorption. The resulting sensor exhibits high sensitivity (1.83 µA (µg/g)⁻¹ cm^− 2), excellent selectivity, and long-term stability (> 30 days), enabling reliable trace-level detection without artificial sample spiking. Analysis of real samples further reveals higher SMX accumulation in lettuce irrigated with SMX-contaminated water. This study establishes LIME as a versatile and controllable approach for molecularly engineering electrode materials, thereby advancing the real-world monitoring of antibiotic residues in plants.

Poly (p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers have drawn considerable research interest owing to their exceptional physicochemical properties, which confer broad potential as reinforcement materials across diverse applications. However, the widespread adoption of PBO fibers and their composites is significantly hindered by challenges such as surface chemical inertness and inadequate UV resistance. In response, extensive research efforts have been directed toward addressing these limitations. Therefore, this review systematically summarizes recent strategies for enhancing the surface and interfacial characteristics of PBO fibers, with a focus on improving interfacial adhesion and UV durability. Additionally, potential application domains for PBO fibers are explored and discussed. Finally, future challenges in the development of PBO are outlined, aiming to provide new perspectives for designing next-generation advanced functional PBO materials and to facilitate the industrial progress of high-performance PBO and its composites.

Graphitic carbon nitride (CN) and Indium(III) oxide (In₂O₃) are appealing visible-light-driven semiconductor photocatalysts due to their low cost, facile synthesis, and stability. Its applications endured limitations by photocorrosion, an insignificant optical band gap for solar-light applications, and improper distinction between photogenerated electron-hole pairs. A unique ternary nanocomposite (CN/In₂O₃/MoO₃-0.2) was designed to enhance the efficiency of CN and In₂O₃ materials forphotocatalytic H₂ generation and organic contaminant degradation under visible light. The optimized composite showed an exceptional H₂ generation rate of 2706.5 µmol g^− 1 h^− 1, demonstrating substantial synergistic effects among all pristine and composite material. Besides energy generation, the material demonstrated outstanding performance in environmental cleanup, with a 91.4% degradation efficiency of malachite green (MG). The improved catalytic activity stems from the buildind of a Z-scheme heterojunction, which effectively promotes the separation and migration of electric charge carriers while reducing recombination losses. Density functional theory (DFT) confirm the formation of an intensified built-in electric field and Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism in the ternary heterostructure, providing a quantitative explanation for its excellent charge separation capability and photocatalytic activity. Stability experiments validated the reusbbility of photocatalysts, which maintained 77.8% degradation efficiency after five consecutive cycles. Radical scavenging tests showed, during the degradation process, that holes (h⁺) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH) are the main active species. This research provides important insights into the development of multifunctional photocatalysts for sustainable H₂ production and pollutants degradation performance.

The rational design of medium-entropy alloy aerogels (MEAA) with tailored electronic structures efficiently addresses the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Here, we report a scalable synthesis of an all-non-precious metal NiFeCuCo MEAA featuring a three-dimensional interconnected “pearl-like” structure and a high BET-specific surface area (106.41 m²·g^− 1). NiFeCuCo MEAA is dominated by FeNi alloys with embedded Cu and Co atoms, inducing significant lattice distortions and atomic disorder. This entropy-driven engineering optimizes the electronic structure and enhances intrinsic catalytic activity. The scalable synthesis achieves a yield of 7.2 ± 0.3 g per batch, highlighting its industrial scalability. The NiFeCuCo MEAA demonstrates exceptional OER performance with a 200 mV overpotential at 10 mA·cm^− 2, and a Tafel slope of 48.86 mV·dec^− 1. In-situ Raman spectroscopy reveals surface self-reconstruction to NiOOH during operation, which enhances catalytic performance and protects the internal structure against corrosion, ensuring high durability. Density functional theory calculations confirm that Ni-site–dominated electronic structure optimization reduces the binding energy of *O, which improves the OER activity. When NiFeCuCo MEAA is integrated at the anode in an anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer, the current density is up to 1.35 A·cm^− 2, with a cell efficiency of 79.8% and a stable operation of 100 h.

The challenges of environmental pollution, especially pollution of aquatic environments, are accelerating human research on methods to reduce or eliminate these pollutants from water resources. The weakness of purification processes has led to the development of more efficient strategies in the field of water purification. One of the emerging strategies that is effective in water and wastewater purification applications is the photocatalytic membrane. The photocatalytic membrane is the result of the synergy between the photocatalytic degradation process and membrane technology. In addition to the weaknesses of each technique that have been overcome in the photocatalytic membrane, unfortunately, the reduction of photocatalytic power has emerged as a weakness in the photocatalytic membrane. In this regard, a group of emerging photocatalysts possessing distinctive physicochemical characteristics such as a large specific surface area, nanoscale dimensions, adjustable optical behavior, modifiable surface composition, and favorable wettability has been introduced into membranes as quantum dots (QDs) with a size below 10 nm. This review offers an overview of QDs, including their classification, preparation methods, and designs of quantum dot-based heterostructures. It also summarizes membrane classification and fabrication methods for photocatalytic membranes, along with a comparative table of studies on these membranes that incorporate carbon quantum dot (CQDs) and non-carbon quantum dot (NCQDs)-based heterostructures for water purification and wastewater remediation. The present review addresses the limitations of low light harvesting and high rates of electron-hole recombination observed in photocatalytic membranes that have been modified solely with nanoparticles, carbon, or quantum dot structures, as documented in previous studies. It suggests that quantum dot-based photocatalytic heterostructures may effectively overcome these challenges, thanks to their distinctive properties. The incorporation of quantum dot-based heterostructures can significantly enhance the efficiency of photocatalytic membranes, achieving up to 99% removal of pollutants. Finally, this review analyzes the constraints affecting the evolution of photocatalytic membranes and suggests prospective directions for continued research.

Transparent wood has emerged as a sustainable alternative to glass, yet its limited surface hardness and wear resistance have hindered broader adoption. Here we report a wood-based composite (WG) with glass-like durability and plastic-like flexibility, achieved through an organic–inorganic dual-crosslinked network. Delignified poplar wood is infiltrated with cycloaliphatic epoxy-functionalized oligosiloxane, a cage-type polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane precursor, followed by UV-induced cationic polymerization. This forms covalent interfacial bonds and a nanoscale interpenetrating siloxane–cellulose network. The resulting WG exhibits high optical transmittance (~ 92%), tunable haze (~ 40% for privacy), intrinsic blue photoluminescence enabling full UVB shielding, and superior thermal stability. Mechanically, it achieves pencil hardness of 9 H, matching chemically strengthened glass, nanoindentation hardness of 1.7 GPa (sixfold higher than prior transparent woods), ductile impact resistance without shattering, and robust flexibility. The composites demonstrate a tensile strength of 51.2 MPa. These synergistic properties position WG as a multifunctional material for energy-efficient architecture, flexible optoelectronics, and anti-glare building facades, advancing sustainable transparent composites beyond conventional glass and plastics.

This study presents the synthesis and characterisation of ZnFe₂O₄ and ZrO_x-modified ZnFe₂O₄ (1–3 wt%) nanocomposites via co-precipitation and wet impregnation for visible-light-driven, H₂O₂-assisted photo-Fenton degradation of antibiotics. Structural analysis confirmed a cubic spinel phase, while ZrO_x incorporation induced a hierarchical sea urchin-like morphology, enhancing surface area, charge carrier separation, and electron mobility. Among the prepared materials, the 2 wt% ZrO_x/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposite exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance, achieving 93.4% and 97.6% removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), respectively, within 140 and 120 min. Radical scavenging experiments identified hydroxyl (•OH) and superoxide (•O₂⁻) species as the dominant reactive oxygen species (ROS), supporting a photo-Fenton mechanism. Electrochemical analyses revealed n-type semiconducting behaviour and a conduction band potential of − 0.513 V vs. NHE, favouring redox reactions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided insight into band structure modifications and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) transitions, correlating with improved charge transfer. The photocatalyst demonstrated excellent recyclability (~ 90% activity retention) and low cytotoxicity (> 92% HEK-293 cell viability), underscoring its environmental and biological safety. These findings highlight the structure–function relationship and interfacial synergy in ZrO_x/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposites, demonstrating their potential as sustainable materials for antibiotic removal from water.

Conventional methods for preparing phenolic aerogels often suffer from poor mechanical properties, high production costs, and complex fabrication processes. Herein, this study reports the preparation of an ultra-high strength carbon fiber needled felt-reinforced phenolic aerogel (NCF/PRA) composite via a low-temperature (< 100 °C) hydrothermal synthesis combined with ambient pressure drying. Using the silane coupling agent KH-560 as a curing agent, the interfacial bonding strength of the material was enhanced through crosslinking reactions during polymerization. Simultaneously, a physico-chemically dual-crosslinked polymer network was formed, endowing the PRA with high mechanical strength. The as-prepared NCF/PRA composite exhibits ultra-light weight, efficient thermal insulation, good load-bearing capacity, and allows for the fabrication of large-sized samples. It achieves a specific strength as high as 110.61 MPa/(g/cm³). The outstanding thermal insulating capability of the 30 mm thick NCF/PRA composite was directly demonstrated by a mere 57.83 °C on the backside, recorded under severe ablation testing (3.62 MW/m², 2300 °C, 30 s). By presenting a unique method to engineer robust, cost-efficient, and environmentally benign PR aerogel composites, this research underscores their promising candidacy for future thermal protection systems.

Tetracycline (TCH), a widely used antibiotic, persists in aquatic and terrestrial environments, posing ecological risks and accelerating antibiotic resistance. To address this, we report a hollow-structured NiTiO₃/C–Ag/Ag₃PO₄ (NT/C–AAP) photocatalyst—the first hollow-type nickel titanate—synthesized via a self-template solvothermal route followed by photodeposition. The catalyst integrates key design strategies—hollow architecture, oxygen vacancies, carbon coating, and an S-scheme heterojunction—to optimize photocatalytic performance. The hollow structure enhances light harvesting via internal scattering, oxygen vacancies facilitate O₂ adsorption and superoxide (O₂^•⁻) generation, and the S-scheme heterojunction effectively suppresses electron–hole recombination while preserving strong redox potential. NT/C–AAP achieved 96% TCH degradation within 1 h and 82% mineralization in 3 h under solar light, far exceeding core–shell (18%) and aggregated (47%) NiTiO₃-based catalysts. Complete removal was realized within 40 min under 400 W visible light. The catalyst maintained 96% activity after five cycles, confirming excellent durability. Compared with previously reported NiTiO₃ photocatalysts, NT/C–AAP delivered a 50–400% performance enhancement arising from its engineered hollow structure and improved electronic properties. Mechanistic studies identified O₂^•⁻ and ^•OH radicals as dominant species, validating the role of morphology and interface engineering in directing charge separation and redox activity. Additionally, a catalyst performance index was proposed to facilitate comparison across diverse conditions. Overall, this work introduces a novel, durable photocatalyst that links structural design to functional performance and demonstrates strong potential for practical environmental remediation.