Advanced Materials Technologies最新文献

The geometric appearance of weld is very important for the evaluations of welded joint performance and weld quality during oscillating laser welding (OLW). To represent the characteristics of weld appearance more accurately, the surface reconstruction method is often adopted to obtain the complete geometric appearance of weld. The efficiency of surface reconstruction method is crucial for practical application, especially for processing large-scale point cloud. An improved octree-based surface reconstruction method is proposed to enhance the computational efficiency for complex weld appearance based on the point cloud. The large-scale point cloud of weld which is transformed from numerical simulation of OLW is preprocessed by octree structure to reduce the number of points and the Poisson surface reconstruction (PSR) method is utilized to reconstruct the three-dimensional profile of weld appearance. The reconstruction accuracy is quantified by contrasting the cloud-to-mesh distances between the raw point cloud and the reconstructed mesh model. Furthermore, the reconstruction efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method are compared with those of PSR method and the reconstruction quality of proposed method with octree structure is compared with those of methods with other sampling strategies. The results demonstrate that the reconstruction efficiency of the proposed method is significantly increased with excellent reconstruction accuracy. The improved octree-based surface reconstruction method is of great importance for analyzing weld appearance characteristics and evaluating weld quality.

Nanocomposite-Based Pressure Sensors

In their Research Article (10.1002/admt.202501316), Hamed Arami, Layla Khalifehzadeh, and co-workers report an ultrasensitive wireless capacitive pressure sensor for health monitoring. Using ZnO nanocomposite microstructures, the device achieves a 4.3-fold sensitivity enhancement. A novel wireless setup enables long-range pressure monitoring. In vivo studies demonstrate reliable detection of subtle brain pressure variations.

To eliminate the thermal impact on oxide semiconductor channels during the device integration, a novel stacking strategy is explored for 3D integration of oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs). In this configuration, lower-layer planar-channel TFT (PTFT) and upper-layer vertical-channel TFTs (VTFTs) are designed in a vertical-stacking arrangement with an inter-electrode dielectric (IED) and a single active layer. This novel configuration is termed single-active-stacked TFT (SAS-TFT). The choice of IED is identified as an important factor for the operational functionality of the bottom PTFT. The PTFT using an Al₂O₃ IED demonstrates superior device performance in comparison to that using an SiO₂ IED. The disparities in process conditions between two IEDs are responsible for more severe process damage to the back-channel interface and source/drain electrodes of the PTFT using an SiO₂ IED, attributable to the creation of additional defect states in the channel and the increase in contact resistance. Alternatively, the top VTFTs arranged in the SAS-TFT employing an Al₂O₃ IED exhibit sound device operations without any marked device-stacking process damage. The top VTFT demonstrates a high current drivability of 26.8 µA µm^‒1 and an on/off current ratio of 10¹⁰. The SAS-TFT is a successful innovation achieved through the exploration of optimal process conditions.

Electromagnetic Wave Absorbing Structures

This cover illustrates a bioinspired metamaterial absorber based on porous silicon carbide. By adjusting the interlayer angle and other structural parameters, the absorber enables enhanced electromagnetic wave attenuation through improved impedance matching and energy dissipation. The design offers reconfigurable absorption characteristics, making it suitable for broadband and adaptive electromagnetic absorption applications. More details can be found in the Research Article by Lu Feng, Wanchong Li, Jinsong Zhang, and co-workers (10.1002/admt.202500831).

Optofluidic Oscillators

In their Research article (10.1002/admt.202500910), Jing Zeng, Wen Fan, and co-workers utilize smartphone-assisted high-speed microscopy (up to 7680 fps) to visualize the self-sustained oscillations of EGaIn microdroplets partially immersed in HCl. The asymmetric cycles involve rapid oxidation-driven contractions followed by slower recovery mediated by acid-induced oxide dissolution. Janus EGaIn–HCl droplets autonomously modulate laser reflections and interference patterns, enabling programmable optofluidics and adaptive photonics.

Accurate ocean flow velocity monitoring is crucial for marine engineering and environmental sensing but faces challenges under low-flow conditions due to limited energy, power integration difficulties, and reduced sensor sensitivity. To overcome these, this work introduces a novel underwater cylinder-enhanced flag-shaped triboelectric nanogenerator (UCF-TENG). It utilizes vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) from an upstream bluff body for efficient flow detection. Based on a quantified Strouhal number relationship, the UCF-TENG provides a direct, linear mapping between flow velocity and output signal frequency. Experimental results demonstrate that the UCF-TENG achieves a startup flow velocity as low as 0.211 m·s⁻¹ and a peak output voltage of 1.81 V. Across the tested velocity range, the output signal frequency maintains a strong linear correlation with flow velocity (R² = 0.9893), indicating excellent sensitivity under low-flow conditions. Furthermore, fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations conducted in ANSYS Fluent validate the underlying VIV-driven signal generation mechanism and provide theoretical support consistent with experimental observations. This work offers a compelling solution for real-time, energy-autonomous flow sensing in resource-constrained marine environments and holds application prospects in intelligent marine systems.

MXene-polymer nanocomposite hydrogels have emerged as a transformative platform for next-generation wearable sensors, offering an exceptional combination of mechanical robustness, high electrical conductivity, and responsiveness to diverse external stimuli. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the design strategies for MXene-polymer networks, focusing on surface-specific interactions such as hydrogen bonding in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-MXene like systems, and π–π stacking in composites like poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT: PSS)-MXene. These tailored interactions contribute to exceptional self-healing capabilities and high sensitivity to pressure variations. Further a comparative framework of MXene is presented against traditional nanomaterials (graphene, carbon nanotubes, metal oxides), highlighting its superior surface functionality and solution processability. MXene-based hydrogels demonstrate outstanding real-world sensing performance. These capabilities have been validated in vivo studies, including continuous glucose monitoring. Innovative applications span epidermal electronics and implantable sensors. A performance matrix benchmarks MXene hydrogels against state-of-the-art materials, addressing unresolved challenges such as MXene restacking, signal drift. This review provides a forward-looking roadmap for deploying MXene hydrogels in personalized healthcare, human-machine interfaces, and flexible wearable electronics.

Additive manufacturing techniques (AMTs) are transforming bone tissue engineering (BTE) by aiding the creation of intricate, personalized scaffolds for repairing damaged bone caused by various factors. The gold standard of using autologous bones has the limitations of painful harvesting and limited supply, which have spurred the development of patient-specific scaffolds with distinctive properties that mimic natural microenvironments. This comprehensive review presents recent advancements and limitations in 3D printing (3DP), 4D printing (4DP), and combined techniques with biomaterials such as polymeric, metallic, ceramic, and smart materials for improved surface engineering of nanotopographic structural properties, namely mechanical strength, stiffness, and porosity. These structures must be biologically compatible and promote osteogenesis (conductive and inductive), vascularization, and innervation to ensure proper functionality and bone regeneration. Although AMTs have demonstrated outstanding potential in the fabrication of complex 3D systems, further research is necessary to fully comprehend their capabilities since clinical implementations are still premature for accurate evaluation. In the BTE field, the increasing emphasis on scaffold materials, nanotechnology, and AMTs has opened endless possibilities for scaffold chemistry and cell interaction, resulting in an unprecedented level of development speed, flexibility, and control.

Flexible multimode sensors have become key components in intelligent sensing due to their flexibility, multifunctionality, and adaptability, with broad applications in wearables, healthcare, and robotics. This review summarizes recent advances in their structural design, sensing mechanisms, and signal processing strategies, and highlights applications in industrial automation, smart agriculture, and wearable systems. Compared to previous reviews, this work uniquely classifies multimode sensors into three structural types—homogeneous, heterogeneous, and array-based—and comprehensively compares their design principles and use cases. To address multimodal signal coupling, three decoupling strategies—material-, structure-, and algorithm-driven—providing a holistic perspective rarely integrated in earlier literature is highlighted. Representative case studies demonstrate practical value, while current challenges such as signal crosstalk and manufacturing complexity are outlined. Finally, future directions including biomimetic materials, edge computing, and green manufacturing are proposed to guide further development.

Capillary blood sampling plays a crucial role in diagnostic decentralization, yet most microsampling devices remain expensive, limiting their use mainly to developed countries. To improve accessibility, a cost-effective silicone device capable of extracting small volumes of capillary blood in vivo was previoulsy developed by our group. However, the use of non-degradable materials poses limitations, especially in resource-limited settings with inadequate waste disposal infrastructure. Herein, a nearly fully degradable microsampling prototype is reported. The device body is fabricated using digital light processing 3D printing with tailored poly(ɛ-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide). This device yields negative pressure and adhesion strength comparable to the original prototype, although it requires greater manual compression. In vitro, it collects ≈670 µL of porcine whole blood, matching the volume drawn by the silicone counterpart. The device is equipped with magnesium microneedle blades coated with poly(ɛ-caprolactone) to enhance blood stability. Degradation studies show complete disintegration of poly(ɛ-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide) under composting conditions within 60 days, and near-complete degradation of magnesium blades in aqueous buffer within 40 days. Preliminary hemolysis assays confirm blood compatibility of both the 3D-printed device and coated microneedles, with sample quality preserved for up to 3 h. Altogether, these findings highlight the potential of this degradable prototype as a sustainable alternative for capillary blood collection.