Journal of Materials Chemistry B最新文献

Graphene oxide (GO) has evolved from a laboratory curiosity into a practical and multifunctional material against viral threats. Owing to its large surface area, adjustable surface chemistry, sharp-edged 2D morphology, and intrinsic conductivity, GO finds utility throughout the pandemic response pipeline including fast diagnostics, direct virion inactivation, antiviral coatings, and vaccine delivery. This review compiles and critically evaluates evidence of how GO captures and ruptures viruses, how GO-enabled biosensors deliver rapid, low-volume, label-free detection, how GO composites add self-disinfecting and washable functionality to textiles, and how GO scaffolds present antigens and boost mucosal and systemic immunity. By connecting molecular mechanisms with real-world implementations, this review underscores how GO can serve as a platform technology bridging diagnostics, protection, and vaccination for future pandemic preparedness.

Rice husk ash (RHA), an abundant agricultural and industrial waste, was upcycled into functional mesostructured silica encapsulating cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), an FDA-approved antiseptic. Sodium silicate was efficiently extracted from RHA and leveraged as a biosourced silica precursor for the aqueous sol–gel synthesis of mesostructured hybrid silica at 30 °C. Micelles of CPC simultaneously acted as structure-directing agents and as integrated antimicrobial cargo, enabling the direct formation of ordered hybrids in one-pot. The condensation pH influenced the synthesis yield, the bonding configuration of silicon, the encapsulation of CPC and the nanostructure of the hybrids. An optimal condensation pH of 11 with a 10 : 1 Si : CPC ratio enabled highly ordered mesostructured hybrids comprising around 40 wt% of CPC and a large proportion of silanolate sites promoting electrostatic interactions. Calcination of these materials unveiled mesoporous silica with well-ordered 2D hexagonal mesophases of cylindrical pores (∼2.3 nm in diameter) and high surface areas up to 520 m² g⁻¹. Increasing the CPC content of the hybrid materials was possible by adjusting the Si : CPC ratio. The mesostructured hybrids exhibited limited CPC release (4–5%) under physiological pH conditions, highlighting their potential for slow and burst-free release. Consequently, they exhibited potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy with a CPC dose-dependent effect (evaluated by inhibition zones, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)) against a representative panel of pathogens: aerobic (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis) and anaerobic (Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis) bacteria, as well as the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Notably, the mesostructured hybrids exerted antiseptic effects not only through direct contact with microorganisms but also via CPC diffusion. These results established RHA-derived CPC-loaded mesoporous silica as a sustainable, high-value platform for next-generation antimicrobial applications, contributing to circular economy efforts, healthcare, and environmental sectors.

This study introduces C-Clear, a novel artificial cornea based on a HEMA/MMA-based copolymer, developed through continuous polymerisation and moulding. C-Clear comprises a transparent optical core and porous support skirt, specifically designed to enhance tissue integration and minimise inflammatory responses. In vitro evaluations demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, characterised by high levels of cell adhesion and proliferation, while in vivo assessments using a rat subcutaneous model confirmed successful integration and biocompatibility. Furthermore, a 24-week corneal implantation study in rabbits validated the stability, safety, and functional potential of C-Clear. Serial ophthalmic examinations during this study period showed no significant progression of neovascularisation or inflammation. Histological analyses revealed exceptional optical clarity, robust integration with surrounding tissues, and an absence of notable foreign body responses. The implant achieved a retention rate of 75% over the 24 weeks, further highlighting its reliability. The custom-designed mould and continuous polymerisation process enabled the fabrication of C-Clear with superior structural stability, biocompatibility, and therapeutic efficacy. These findings highlight C-Clear as a significant advancement in artificial corneal development, addressing the global shortage of donor corneas and offering a promising solution for treating corneal blindness.

Ruthenium(II) coordination complexes have many appealing properties as prodrugs, but can suffer from poor aqueous solubility and short circulation times, drastically decreasing efficiency in vivo. Nanoformulations using a variety of carriers, such as inclusion in polymers/lipids or adsorption on inorganic nanoparticles have been applied to overcome this limitation, but unfortunately, these approaches raise additional concerns regarding the fate of the carriers, with potential long-term toxicity and accumulation in vital organs. Here, we present an alternative delivery strategy with formation of pure and polymer-supported supramolecular self-assemblies of Ru(II) complexes acting as “reservoirs”. A facile preparation of size-controlled particles was achieved using a controlled precipitation method, and the approach was validate using [Ru(bpy)₃](PF₆)₂ (bpy: 2,2′-bipyridine) and [Ru(bpy)₂(dmbpy)](PF₆)₂ (dmbpy: 6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) as agents for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT). Negatively-charged particles ranging from tens of nanometers to micron scale were obtained by controlling just temperature and precipitation in the presence of confining polymers. Dissolution rate, biological activity, cellular uptake, and localization were evaluated in vitro in the dark or after light activation and revealed the progressive dissolution of the particles, associated with a gradual and sustained cellular uptake compared to the soluble molecule form. Leveraging the ability of the [Ru(bpy)₃] to act as a ¹O₂ photocatalyst for deposition of an osmiophilic polymer, electron microscopy was performed and illustrated the delivery of the dissolved complex inside the nucleus of cells. These results open new possibilities for the pure micro- or polymer-supported nano- formulation of Ru-based compounds, and provide a strategy for evaluation of subcellular localization using electron microscopy.

The rapid and personalized management of wound infections remains a significant clinical challenge. This study addresses this need by developing a smart, dual-nozzle 3D-printed theranostic hydrogel pad for on-demand wound care. The platform is based on a tailor-made Pluronic F127-dimethacrylate (PF127-DMA) hydrogel, synthesized to provide optimal printability and dual-functionality. This enables the simultaneous extrusion of two distinct bioinks: a diagnostic ink containing bromocresol purple for pH sensing and a therapeutic ink loaded with graphene oxide (GO) and the antibiotic levofloxacin. The fabricated construct acts as an intelligent wound dressing, providing a distinct visual colorimetric response to differentiate healthy skin pH (4.0–6.0) from pathogenic, alkaline infection conditions (pH 7.4–8.0). Simultaneously, the system provides pH-responsive controlled drug release, with a significantly enhanced cumulative levofloxacin release of 171.68 ± 1.59 µg at pH 8.0 compared to 134.34 ± 1.46 µg at pH 7.4, demonstrating its ability for infection-triggered therapy. The incorporation of graphene oxide was found to critically improve drug release kinetics and promote intramatrix accumulation. Furthermore, in vitro MTT assays confirmed the high biocompatibility of the hydrogel platform. By integrating real-time visual monitoring with controlled antimicrobial release, this 3D-printed theranostic system presents a promising and scalable strategy for advanced wound management.

Correction for ‘3D bioprinting of biomimetic self-assembling peptides and neural stem cells for nervous tissue engineering’ by Hugues Mondésert et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025, 13, 14386–14402, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TB00279F.

There is a lack of functional neural tissue regeneration following spinal cord injuries (SCIs) due to the resulting hostile microenvironment, necessitating interventional strategies such as tissue engineering scaffold implantation to promote neuronal regrowth within the lesion cavity. However, even in the presence of cells and/or bioactive molecules, the resulting neuronal regrowth has not necessarily led to functional recovery. This study leverages digital light processing (DLP) 3D-printing to create microchannel-containing hydrogel scaffolds towards imparting precise topographical cues for spinal cord tissue regeneration, focusing on facilitating unidirectional axonal bridging across lesion sites. Here, we optimized a gelatin methacryloyl and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (GelMA–PEGDA) composite hydrogel scaffold for printability and mechanical properties, aligning with native spinal cord characteristics whilst maintaining structural integrity during degradation. In vitro primary cell assays confirmed the scaffold's cytocompatibility and support for neuronal regeneration. In vivo assessments using a rat spinal cord complete transection model showed that, in the absence of cells or bioactive molecules, the microchannel-containing scaffolds enabled neurite ingrowth and promoted functional recovery of the hindlimbs over the 3-month implantation period. While the formation of cystic cavities was evident at the longer timepoints, the scaffolds did not induce strong glial scarring or inflammation. These findings provide strong preliminary data that suggests the 3D-printed GelMA–PEGDA scaffolds possessed suitable topographical cues, mechanical and biological properties that can support neuron infiltration into the lesion gap and trigger functional recovery. Together, these results show microchannel-containing hydrogel scaffolds have potential as a platform for neural regeneration post-spinal cord injury. More importantly, we provide evidence that with the appropriate materials and topographical cues alone, neural tissue regeneration and functional recovery can be induced without the need for cells or bioactive molecules.

Current polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) bone cements face significant trade-offs between radiopacity, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility when incorporating conventional additives like barium sulfate. This study introduces bismuth chalcogenides (Bi₂X₃, X = O, S, Se) as advanced multifunctional radiopacifiers for PMMA bone cement, identifying Bi₂S₃ as a breakthrough candidate. At 20 wt% loading, Bi₂S₃–PMMA achieves a compressive strength of 82.4 ± 3.1 MPa—exceeding the clinical threshold (70 MPa)—while matching the radiopacity of commercial 30% BaSO₄–PMMA. The composite exhibits exceptional biocompatibility, maintaining >95% cell viability and reducing Bi³⁺ ion leaching to 0.424 ppm, significantly lower than levels observed with Bi₂O₃ (9.495 ppm) and Bi₂Se₃ (0.607 ppm). Notably, Bi₂S₃–PMMA significantly enhances osteogenesis, inducing a 2.3-fold increase in alkaline phosphatase activity in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells compared to unmodified PMMA. Radiographic analyses confirm superior visibility across clinical X-ray energies (80.9–140.9 kV), and three-point bending tests reveal a 25% increase in fracture toughness (work of fracture, WOF = 1.8 kJ m⁻²) over BaSO₄–PMMA. These results establish Bi₂S₃–PMMA as a next-generation bone cement that resolves the longstanding compromise between mechanical integrity, imaging capability, and bioactivity. Owing to its balanced performance, this material holds transformative potential for vertebroplasty, spinal surgeries, and load-bearing orthopedic applications.

Additively manufactured Ti6Al4V scaffolds, characterized by interconnected porosity and high specific surface area, are gradually replacing solid implants in orthopedic surgery. However, the complete removal of residual Ti6Al4V particles from both the internal and external surfaces of the scaffolds and the improvement of the uniformity in biological performance remain significant challenges. The proposed combined method of flowing acid etching and anodic oxidation effectively removed residual Ti6Al4V particles from all surfaces of the scaffold and enabled the formation of TiO₂ nanotubes on both its inner and outer surfaces. This process facilitated the construction of a micro-/nano-composite structure that uniformly covers the entire scaffold. Importantly, the post-treatment process did not compromise the designed mechanical properties of the scaffolds. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that the removal of residual Ti6Al4V particles, combined with the construction of micro-/nano-composite structures on all scaffold surfaces, significantly enhanced osteogenic activity. This strategy can be broadly applied to the post-processing of additively manufactured Ti6Al4V scaffolds to achieve simultaneous particle removal and osteogenic surface modification while preserving the mechanical integrity dictated by the design.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) remains the gold standard in molecular diagnostics. However, under highly multiplexed conditions, PCR often suffers from poor amplification uniformity, which limits its high-throughput potential and clinical applicability. To address this limitation, we developed a novel nanocomposite—carbon nanotube-dendrimer-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (CNT-G3-Au), synthesized by covalently conjugating third-generation dendrimer-coated gold nanoparticles to carboxylated carbon nanotubes (CNT–COOH) via EDC·HCl/NHS coupling chemistry. The resulting point–line–surface nanostructure integrates the high thermal conductivity of CNT–COOH and gold nanoparticles with the electrostatic DNA enrichment capability of dendrimer assemblies, enabling efficient heat transfer and electrostatic enrichment of DNA during amplification. When applied to 120-plex ultra-high multiplex PCR and 40-plex methylation-specific PCR systems, CNT-G3-Au significantly enhanced amplification uniformity. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed cycle threshold variation of less than 4 among amplicons, while high-throughput sequencing revealed a read uniformity of 83.6%, along with increased mapping rates and improved genomic coverage depth. Mechanistic studies, including zeta potential analysis, thermal conductivity testing and finite element modeling, confirmed the synergistic effects of thermal conduction (1.503 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹) and electrostatic enrichment. Furthermore, CNT-G3-Au exhibited excellent specificity, structural stability and compatibility under highly multiplexed conditions. These results highlight CNT-G3-Au as a promising and broadly applicable PCR enhancer, offering a new strategy for improving amplification performance in complex systems and enabling more robust and accurate nucleic acid detection in both clinical and research settings.