Advanced Materials Technologies最新文献

Flexible capacitive pressure sensors offer low-power, skin-compatible detection for wearables and human–machine interfaces, yet combining high sensitivity, linearity, and wide range is challenging. In this paper, a graded dielectric is created by laminating low-k micro-dome arrays onto a compressible high-k porous foam, aligning permittivity and modulus gradients. This architecture steers the electric field from series to parallel as the applied force increases, preserving charge storage. The sensor delivers a sensitivity of 0.393 kPa⁻¹ with strict linearity (R² = 0.99) across 0–900 kPa. It resolves arterial pulses, breathing and joint motion while surviving impacts over 100 kPa, enabling “gentle-touch-to-heavy-grasp” monitoring. When mounted on a bidirectionally bending joint such as the wrist, the sensor generates opposite-signed signals during flexion and extension, enabling error-tolerant Morse-code inputs. A four-threshold mapping further enables proportional force feedback and multifinger grasp control in soft robotic hands. The robust, fast and repeatable gradient dielectric therefore furnishes a scalable platform for full-spectrum wearable sensing, secure communication and low-power haptic robotics.

High-density neural interfaces are pivotal for advancing visual brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), where decoding complex perceptual information necessitates large-scale and high-fidelity neural recordings. Conventional silicon-based probes, however, provoke chronic neuroinflammation and glial scarring, limiting their utility for longitudinal studies. To overcome these challenges, we design and fabricate a high-density flexible vision probe (HFVP) featuring 128 channels, reliable packaging (compact ball grid array), and ultrathin form factor (≈1.2 µm). The electrode sites are further modified with biocompatible iridium oxide (IrO_x) film to improve the electrochemical performance by an order of magnitude, facilitating high-fidelity neural signal acquisition. In vivo recordings of the mouse's primary visual cortex (V1) have demonstrated HFVP's capacity for large-scale neural recording and revealed that neurons with preferences for visual stimuli exhibit higher spike correlation. Moreover, the stability of the HFVP is assessed for over sixteen weeks without apparent degradation. The HFVP presented in this work provides a stable and effective tool for chronic neural recording in the visual cortex and prospective applications in vision reconstruction.

High spatially resolved defect engineering via local amorphization enables controlled processing of materials with enhanced electrical properties and catalytic sites, offering prospects for electronics and hydrogen evolution applications. The intriguing electrical properties of amorphous Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS₂) open opportunities for electrical and electrochemical devices. However, controlling electrical features in miniaturized devices with minimal carbon contamination under mild conditions remains challenging. Here, the obtention of ultra-large MoS₂ monolayers is reported, and fine-tune defect insertion in a single flake using focused ion beam at room temperature. By controlling defect density on electrochemically thinned samples, electrical conductivity increases by one order of magnitude. The width of the conductive amorphous channels can be tuned in a dose-dependent fashion down to ≈700 nm. Defect types, including amorphized areas, are identified by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Finally, insights into the origin of the higher conductivity in amorphous MoS₂ are obtained using density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations on structures with varying stoichiometry and vacancy types. These findings enable precise tuning of electrical properties under mild conditions using high-aspect ratio pristine MoS₂ layers.

Recent years have witnessed significant advancements in glucose sensor technology for diabetes management, driven by the escalating global prevalence of diabetes and growing demands for efficient monitoring solutions. Wearable glucose sensors employing noninvasive body fluid analysis have emerged as a promising approach, providing enhanced safety and user comfort in noninvasive continuous glucose monitoring. This comprehensive review systematically examines current applications and future directions of wearable glucose sensor technology. This work begins with an in-depth analysis of glucose metabolism pathways and their concentration variations across different biological fluids, establishing a theoretical foundation for understanding correlations between blood glucose levels and noninvasive measurements. Subsequently, this work provides a detailed evaluation of the core components and operational mechanisms underlying modern wearable glucose sensors. This review concludes by critically analyzing emerging applications in noninvasive body fluid-based sensing systems, highlighting their transformative potential and practical implications for diabetes care. Through this structured analysis, this work aims to identify key challenges and opportunities while guiding future research directions in this evolving field.

Bismuth oxyselenide (Bi₂O₂Se) is a 2D material characterized by high carrier mobility and remarkable stability, rendering it a highly promising candidate for photodetection applications. However, its practical utilization is limited by inherent challenges, including high dark current and slow photoresponse. To overcome these limitations, a Bi₂O₂Se/ZnPc heterojunction with type-II band alignment is fabricated through a self-assembly method. The 2D structure and strong light-absorbing properties of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) substantially improved the light absorption efficiency and photogain of Bi₂O₂Se. Consequently, the Bi₂O₂Se/ZnPc photodetector demonstrated a stable photoresponse across a broad spectral range spanning from 365 to 680 nm. Under 365 nm illumination, the device achieved a responsivity of 1.2 × 10³ A W⁻¹, a detectivity of 4.17 × 10¹¹ Jones, and rapid response and recovery times of 20 and 50 ms, respectively. Notably, Response up to 3.65 × 10³ A W⁻¹ at applied gate voltage, the self-assembled organic/inorganic van der Waals heterojunction effectively enhances photoresponse, responsivity, and tunability. This strategy holds substantial potential for advancing the optoelectronic performance of Bi₂O₂Se and other 2D materials, thereby enabling the development of next-generation photodetector applications.

Dry electrode processing has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional slurry-based fabrication for lithium-ion battery cathodes. However, applying dry processes to anodes remains particularly challenging, as the fibrillated PTFE binder tends to decompose under low potentials, leading to severe capacity loss. By eliminating toxic solvents and drying steps, this method offers environmental and economic advantages while enabling the development of thick, high-loading electrodes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in solvent-free cathode fabrication, including material selection, mechanical densification strategies, and scalable manufacturing techniques. The structural, electrochemical, and process-related aspects of dry electrodes through categorized discussions and representative studies is analyzed. Key challenges related to material compatibility, high-throughput production, and full-cell integration are discussed alongside future directions. This review aims to guide ongoing research and industrial development of sustainable and high-performance battery electrodes through dry processing technology.

Artificial skin with tactile capabilities can greatly improve robotic interaction and task performance. Traditional touch sensors, which detect touch positions through changes in resistance or capacitance, are unsuitable for artificial skin for large deformations and fail to accurately detect force magnitudes. A more effective approach is monitoring the strain field induced by touch on a surface. While complete strain field data would enable easy touch detection, the real challenge lies in achieving this with limited data. In this study, a machine learning approach is introduced that predicts touch positions and magnitudes using sparse strain data. This approach has been validated both numerically and experimentally, demonstrating accurate prediction of single and multiple touch points on a flat surface. Additionally, the machine learning model is extended to predict touch on a flexible, shape-changing surface under bending and torsion. The proposed machine learning-based touch prediction technique has promising applications in flexible touch screens, robotic smart skin, and micro-scale touch sensors.

Bionic mushroom-like microstructures inspired by springtails cuticle have great research value for advanced superhydrophobic applications. While various fabrication approaches for reentrant micropillars are developed, including etching and 3D print techniques, these methods remain constrained by critical challenges: low-throughput manufacturing, compromised structural integrity during demolding, limited material compatibility, and insufficient reconfigurability for dynamic wettability control. Herein, a novel swelling-assisted socket molding (SASM) strategy is presented that enables precise fabrication of tunable mushroom-like microstructures surface. This approach leverages controlled polymer swelling to achieve damage-free demolding and greatly reduces the risk of damage to the microstructures during the demolding. The SASM strategy exhibits excellent reconfigurability, enabling the fabrication of different concave cap shapes with various anisotropies, precise control of repulsion in any region, and active switching of surface repellency by magnetic fields. The surface shows excellent robustness, scalability and shape adaptability, which provides an important reference for efficiently fabricating durable and multifunctional mushroom-like microstructures surfaces.

Early and accurate detection of enteric pathogens is critical for addressing global health challenges, including timely diagnosis of infections, prevention of zoonotic disease transmission, and mitigation of widespread foodborne outbreaks. However, many pathogens can evade immune detection by entering a dormant state in the small intestine and may only reactivate under immune-compromised conditions. This latent behavior, particularly in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, necessitates targeted sampling from the small intestine to enable timely intervention and administration of appropriate prophylaxis. Conventional stool-based diagnostics often fall short in this regard, as they do not accurately reflect microbial communities in upstream regions, where microbiota profiles differ substantially from fecal samples. To address this gap, a smart, noninvasive capsule platform capable of site-specific microbial sampling from the small intestine is developed and evaluated. The capsule comprises a superabsorbent hydrogel enclosed in a nonbiodegradable 3D-printed casing, with a pH-responsive enteric coating on its aperture. This coating selectively dissolves under small intestinal pH conditions, allowing luminal fluid containing microbial content to enter the capsule. The hydrogel then swells, capturing the sample and simultaneously sealing the capsule to prevent contamination as it transits downstream. As a proof-of-concept, systematic in vitro and in vivo experiments are conducted to evaluate the capsule's ability to sample and detect Listeria monocytogenes, a model enteric pathogen, in the small intestine. Postsampling analyses assess the stability of the microbial composition and its viability within the capsule. Results demonstrate that the capsule preserved microbial viability (p < 0.05) and genetic integrity (UniFrac similarity: 89%) for up to three days after sampling. Additionally, in vivo studies in pig models confirm the capsule's safe passage through the GI tract without causing obstruction or irritation. Importantly, L. monocytogenes is successfully detected in capsule-retrieved samples using both 16S rRNA sequencing and standard culturing methods, whereas it is frequently undetectable in matched fecal samples. This study highlights a new, minimally invasive strategy for detecting low-abundance, spatially localized pathogens in the upper GI tract and provides a foundational step toward developing more precise diagnostic tools, personalized antibiotic regimens, and early-stage prophylactic interventions.

High-temperature annealing remains the primary technique for mitigating radiation damage in electronic devices. In this study, a novel alternative is demonstrated that is capable of operating at room temperature within minutes, specifically targeting GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs). These devices inherently possess defects introduced during fabrication, largely due to lattice and thermal mismatches. It is hypothesized that such defects serve as nucleation sites for radiation-induced damage. To address this, two strategies are introduced for rapid, room-temperature annealing based on the Electron Wind Force (EWF). The first, preemptive annealing, reduces native defects in pristine devices prior to irradiation. The second, restorative annealing, repairs devices following radiation exposure. DC and pulsed characterization results show that preemptively annealed HEMTs exhibit enhanced post-irradiation performance—surpassing even unirradiated counterparts—while restorative EWF treatment rejuvenates damaged devices, often restoring electrical characteristics beyond their original state. In contrast, conventional thermal annealing at 400 °C for over 8 h not only fails to recover device performance but further degrades it, likely due to thermo-elastic stress. These findings position EWF annealing as a faster, more effective, and thermally efficient solution for defect mitigation and radiation damage recovery in GaN HEMTs.