Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials最新文献

The advancement of biosensing devices based on field effect transistor (FET) has been rapid, largely due to the simplicity of their operational mechanism, rapid response, ease of miniaturization, and integration. The preparation of field effect transistors using inorganic nanomaterials as channel materials has been extensively employed in biosensing applications, including assessing food quality and safety, environmental monitoring, and diagnosing biological diseases. The detection of disease-causing microorganisms, antibiotics, heavy metals, and harmful gases in modern agricultural breeding environments also necessitates the utilization of sensors that are able to achieving label-free, miniaturized, rapid, and specific detection. Biosensing devices based on field effect transistors are able to rapidly and specifically detect, meeting the needs of modern agricultural breeding environments for low-cost, accurate, miniaturized, and portable devices.

The rise of Internet of Things (IoT) technology has driven a growing demand for the smart gas sensors capable of detecting trace-level hazardous gases with high accuracy, and rapid response at room temperature (RT) is crucial for environment and human health protection. In this study, we report the fabrication of an electrostatic self-assembly-assisted CuO@V₂C MXene-based hybrid van der Waals heterostructure (vdW-HS) coated on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor for ultrasensitive and low-ppb level H₂S detection at RT. The hybrid SAW sensor revealed excellent selectivity, notable sensitivity (~ 39.71 kHz), and faster response/recovery (54/76 s) times to H₂S gas (20 ppm), with low detection limit (~ 27.2 ppb), outperforming its pristine counterparts. Significantly, the hybrid SAW sensor demonstrated superior reversibility, satisfactory long-term stability, and enhanced sensitivity under various elevated temperatures (RT-200 °C) and relative humidity (0 to 80%) conditions. These substantial improvements in H₂S sensing performances of the hybrid SAW sensor can be accredited to the increased surface area, abundant surface terminal groups, defect states, oxygen vacancies, and the Schottky barrier modulation at CuO@V₂C MXene vdW-HS, which collectively enhance the charge transfer and higher H₂S gas adsorption. Furthermore, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the hybrid composite sensor has a higher adsorption energy for H₂S than pristine sensors, facilitating enhanced H₂S adsorption. The H₂S sensing mechanism is comprehensively elucidated using energy band theory. This study presents a robust framework for cost-effective, high-performance room-temperature smart gas sensors based on hybrid vdW-HS, enabling applications in environmental protection, healthcare and industrial monitoring.

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The incorporation of non-metal dopants can significantly enhance catalytic activity and improve stability. Furthermore, the creation of heterostructures is particularly advantageous to facilitate charge transfer and optimize electronic properties. This study presents an effective bifunctional mixed-valence Ruthenium heterostructure synthesized through a cascading process involving grinding with carbon nitride and subsequent thermal treatment. The catalyst exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic performance with remarkably low overpotentials of 197 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and 24.8 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), respectively, with the stability exceeding 24 h at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in acidic media. Additionally, when employed in an acidic oxygen water splitting (OWS) electrolyzer, the bifunctional catalyst demonstrates excellent activity, achieving an ultralow cell voltage of 1.53 V to sustain 10 mA cm⁻². Enhanced performance is attributed to efficient charge transfer and increased exposure of active sites, providing valuable insights for the development of effective acidic water-electrolysis catalysts for sustainable hydrogen production.

Dosage tolerance is one of the translational challenges of using metformin (Met) in brain therapeutics. This paper presents metal–organic framework (MOF)-74-Mg nanocarriers (NCs) for intranasal (IN) delivery of brain-specific agents with a prolonged release time. We confirmed their excellent biocompatibility (5 mg/mL) and intrinsic fluorescence properties (370/500 nm excitation/emission peak) in Neuro-2A cells. This NC exhibited a high Met loading rate (10% wt/wt) and a sustained and prolonged release pattern of Met (90% release in 16 h) in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium. We observed an optimal brain accumulation of Met-MOF (9% of the injected dosage) 8 h after IN injection. This percentage is at least 82 times higher than oral administration. Confocal imaging demonstrated significantly higher uptake of Met-MOF, 45 min after IN injection, by 79–85% neurons and 93–97% microglia than astrocytes and oligodendrocytes across 5xFAD mouse brain regions, including hippocampus and striatum. These results suggest MOF-74-Mg is a potential NC for high brain Met accumulation, real-time imaging, and prolonged and sustained release of Met and other neurotherapeutic agents that are challenging to deliver using traditional carriers and administration routes.

The escalating greenhouse gas emissions drive climate change, posing significant threats to global ecosystems and human societies. This article presents the molecular mechanisms and functions of chloroplasts, emphasizing their pivotal role in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing photosynthetic efficiency. A comprehensive examination of the biochemical processes occurring within chloroplasts, pigment function, and molecular regulation in challenging environmental conditions is provided. In particular, the research explores the potential of carboxysomes with minimal genetic footprints for C3 chloroplast transformation, highlighting their promise in improving photosynthetic efficiency in plants. Various strategies for regulating CO₂ and CH₄ emissions are explored. It was found that innovative biological fixation and CO₂ capture methodologies have the potential to reduce atmospheric CO₂ levels significantly. This encompasses afforestation/reforestation (AR) as well as methane conversion within natural and engineered systems. The examination involves the optimization of CO₂ and CH₄ absorption and conversion through physiological and molecular restructuring of the chloroplast, showcasing potential enhancements in photosynthetic efficiency and crop yields. Additionally, the study explores the design and implementation of artificial chloroplasts, focusing on the efficacy of light reactions in water splitting and electron transfer processes. Overall, this review contributes to the expanding knowledge of greenhouse gas regulation and photosynthesis optimization. By integrating insights from molecular biology, synthetic biology, and environmental science, innovative approaches to tackling global climate challenges are proposed, with potential implications for sustainable energy production, agricultural productivity, and environmental stewardship.  

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have gained recognition as safe, sustainable, and cost-effective alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Despite considerable progress in enhancing performance at room and low temperatures for large-scale applications, maintaining functionality at high temperatures remains a major challenge, restricting the use of safe, biocompatible, and body-adaptive AZIBs in small-scale wearable and implantable technologies. Exploring advanced materials to enhance high-temperature performance and ensure a long lifespan with a stable power supply is essential for enabling the practical use of wearable and biocompatible devices across diverse scenarios. This review begins with an overview of the failure mechanisms of AZIBs at elevated temperatures, followed by an exploration of material design strategies to address these challenges, focusing on electrode development, electrolyte optimization, and electrolyte optimization to date. Emphasis is placed on aligning material innovations with practical performance requirements in compact applications, particularly for wearable electronics and biocompatible batteries in medical devices, where elevated temperatures are often unavoidable and safety is paramount. Future research directions for small-scale wearable, biocompatible, and implantable AZIBs include precise device-level design and packaging, development of pilot-scale low-cost continuous material production protocols, and implementation of in situ visualization and analysis techniques to monitor battery and material failure to prevent side reactions and ensure battery long-term stability and practicability.

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Bone defects represent a prevalent and significant challenge in clinical practice. Given the inflammatory microenvironment at injury sites and the requirement for endogenous cell and tissue infiltration, there is an urgent need for an ideal biomaterial that can modulate inflammation and promote bone regeneration. We developed an innovative injectable hydrogel (CH@PUE&MSN) designed for immunomodulation and bone regeneration through in situ self-assembly, incorporating puerarin and chitosan with mesoporous silica nanoparticles. In vitro experiments demonstrated that this multifunctional injectable hydrogel promotes tissue cell regeneration, reduces inflammation, inhibits osteoclast formation, induces the migration and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and facilitates bone regeneration. Furthermore, we conducted an extensive in vivo evaluation using a bone defect model, employing advanced imaging and histological analyses. Our findings indicate that this multifunctional injectable hydrogel is a promising bioactive material for bone regeneration and presents a novel strategy for the clinical management of bone defects.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation, subchondral bone remodeling, and chronic inflammation. Current therapeutic strategies often fail to address the underlying mechanisms of OA. This study investigates the efficacy of ZIF-8 composite molybdenum (Mo) nanozymes coated by CaCO3 layer (CaCO₃@ZIF@Mo-TA) as a novel therapeutic approach for OA. The nanozymes were characterized using various techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In vivo studies demonstrated that administration of CaCO₃@ZIF-8@Mo-TA at a dose of 100 mg/kg significantly improved joint health, reduced inflammation, and enhanced cartilage preservation in an OA rat model. Mechanistic studies revealed that the nanozymes exerted antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by modulating key signaling pathways, including the NLRP3 inflammasome. These findings suggest that ZIF-8@Mo-TA nanozymes represent a promising therapeutic strategy for OA management.

Quantum-confined lead-halide perovskite nanocrystals (QPNCs) are a promising optoelectronic semiconductor owing to their exceptional fluorescence and the size- and dimension-tunable optical properties. QPNCs having low formation energy encounter challenges in accurately regulating the nucleation and crystal growth stages during injection-based syntheses using lead halide reagents. Here, we introduce a non-injection, one-pot synthetic approach based on bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (S_N2) and thermolysis reactions of the decoupled metal and halide precursors for the large-scale production of monodisperse CsPbX₃-QPNCs (X = Cl, Br, I). This approach facilitates a homogeneous supply of halide anions and metal cations, enabling the precise control over the nucleation and crystal growth stages in the isolated size-focused region. Monodisperse CsPbX₃-QPNCs achieve high color purity across the RGB color gamut by adjusting size, dimensionality, and halide composition, and can be produced on an ultra-large scale.