Seawater splitting has emerged as a promising alternative to overall water splitting because it eliminates the kinetically sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which is a bottleneck in water splitting, and avoids the low economic value of O2. Moreover, in seawater splitting, H2 evolution coupled with the oxidation of chloride (Cl-) to value-added chlorine (Cl2) and/or hypochlorous acid (HOCl) can simultaneously benefit the energy and environmental sectors. Cl2 and HOCl are widely used for bleaching, disinfection, sanitisation and sterilisation in the medical sector and for purifying drinking water and water in swimming pools owing to their strong oxidising and antibacterial properties. Mainstream industrial production employs the chlor-alkali electrolysis of sodium chloride (NaCl), which requires significant energy input and releases enormous amounts of CO2. To achieve the sustainable production of Cl2 and HOCl while reducing energy consumption and environmental impacts, photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrochemical (PEC) technologies have been employed as green alternatives. Importantly, PC and PEC enable the on-site production of Cl2/HOCl in remote areas, which can circumvent their instability (decomposition), storage and transport issues. This article reviews the recent progress in the PC and PEC production of Cl2/HOCl, along with the catalytic materials used and their designs and photocatalytic performance. The applications of in situ HOCl production in anti-bacterial treatment, ammonia removal, the selective oxidation and conversion of organic compounds, and CO2 conversion are discussed. We also address the challenges in this area and highlight prospects for future research directions. Overall, we demonstrate that the PC and PEC production of Cl2/HOCl serves as a green and sustainable alternative to the chlor-alkali process. This research area is still in its infancy, and we hope that this review article will garner the attention of researchers to contribute to this area, leading to a step closer toward practical applications.
{"title":"Clean production of chlorine (Cl<sub>2</sub>) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) from photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical seawater splitting.","authors":"Rohul H Adnan, Yun Hau Ng","doi":"10.1039/d5mh01556a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5mh01556a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Seawater splitting has emerged as a promising alternative to overall water splitting because it eliminates the kinetically sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which is a bottleneck in water splitting, and avoids the low economic value of O<sub>2</sub>. Moreover, in seawater splitting, H<sub>2</sub> evolution coupled with the oxidation of chloride (Cl<sup>-</sup>) to value-added chlorine (Cl<sub>2</sub>) and/or hypochlorous acid (HOCl) can simultaneously benefit the energy and environmental sectors. Cl<sub>2</sub> and HOCl are widely used for bleaching, disinfection, sanitisation and sterilisation in the medical sector and for purifying drinking water and water in swimming pools owing to their strong oxidising and antibacterial properties. Mainstream industrial production employs the chlor-alkali electrolysis of sodium chloride (NaCl), which requires significant energy input and releases enormous amounts of CO<sub>2</sub>. To achieve the sustainable production of Cl<sub>2</sub> and HOCl while reducing energy consumption and environmental impacts, photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrochemical (PEC) technologies have been employed as green alternatives. Importantly, PC and PEC enable the on-site production of Cl<sub>2</sub>/HOCl in remote areas, which can circumvent their instability (decomposition), storage and transport issues. This article reviews the recent progress in the PC and PEC production of Cl<sub>2</sub>/HOCl, along with the catalytic materials used and their designs and photocatalytic performance. The applications of <i>in situ</i> HOCl production in anti-bacterial treatment, ammonia removal, the selective oxidation and conversion of organic compounds, and CO<sub>2</sub> conversion are discussed. We also address the challenges in this area and highlight prospects for future research directions. Overall, we demonstrate that the PC and PEC production of Cl<sub>2</sub>/HOCl serves as a green and sustainable alternative to the chlor-alkali process. This research area is still in its infancy, and we hope that this review article will garner the attention of researchers to contribute to this area, leading to a step closer toward practical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147281270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Freshwater harvesting is an important strategy to address water scarcity and provide a sustainable solution to such global challenges. In recent years, nanostructure-doped polymer hydrogels (NSPHs) have gained popularity as advanced materials with promising capabilities for effectively enhancing fog-harvesting performance due to their desirable structural, thermal, and surface features. Fog harvesting is an important technique for freshwater collection. This review discusses the progress in fog harvesting; including material innovations, structural design, mechanistic understanding, hydrogel principles, challenges, and advancements in NSPHs.The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive framework for novel applications in promising research areas, establishing nanoparticle-doped polymer hydrogels as next-generation sustainable fog-harvesting materials. Nanoparticles enhance surface wettability, nucleation sites, surface-to-volume ratios, flexibility, thermal conductivity, solar absorption, and directional water transport, enabling the application of these composites in sustainable agricultural practices, renewable energy production, and smart water management. The study concludes by identifying key research gaps in advanced material performance, scalability, and sustainability on a local scale; intelligent hydrogel-based nanocomposite systems will ultimately address the implications of global water scarcity through fog harvesting.
{"title":"Sustainable advances in nanostructure-doped polymer hydrogels for fog harvesting: materials innovation, mechanistic insights and emerging applications.","authors":"Mishal Zahra, Zhiguang Guo, Muhammad Alfahad","doi":"10.1039/d5mh02096d","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5mh02096d","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Freshwater harvesting is an important strategy to address water scarcity and provide a sustainable solution to such global challenges. In recent years, nanostructure-doped polymer hydrogels (NSPHs) have gained popularity as advanced materials with promising capabilities for effectively enhancing fog-harvesting performance due to their desirable structural, thermal, and surface features. Fog harvesting is an important technique for freshwater collection. This review discusses the progress in fog harvesting; including material innovations, structural design, mechanistic understanding, hydrogel principles, challenges, and advancements in NSPHs.The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive framework for novel applications in promising research areas, establishing nanoparticle-doped polymer hydrogels as next-generation sustainable fog-harvesting materials. Nanoparticles enhance surface wettability, nucleation sites, surface-to-volume ratios, flexibility, thermal conductivity, solar absorption, and directional water transport, enabling the application of these composites in sustainable agricultural practices, renewable energy production, and smart water management. The study concludes by identifying key research gaps in advanced material performance, scalability, and sustainability on a local scale; intelligent hydrogel-based nanocomposite systems will ultimately address the implications of global water scarcity through fog harvesting.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147281224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The strategic engineering of B-site cations in Sillén-Aurivillius perovskite oxyhalides unlocks unprecedented control over electronic structure and polarization effects: yet their potential for mechano-driven catalysis remains unexplored. Herein, a novel double-layer perovskite oxyhalide, Bi5Ti2O11Cl, was theoretically predicted using density functional theory (DFT) and successfully synthesized for the first time using a molten-salt method. DFT analysis revealed a predominantly O-2p orbital character at the valence band maximum (VBM)-distinct from Br/I-analogs with halide-p contributions near the VBM. This distinctive electronic structure provides exceptional stability against hole-induced degradation while enabling remarkable charge separation efficiency. The material's asymmetric [BiTi2O7] perovskite architecture creates intense ferroelectric polarization through lattice distortion, generating a powerful built-in piezoelectric field that drives charge separation. These synergistic effects yield a record-breaking piezocatalytic H2O2 production rate of 15 041.41 µmol g-1 h-1 under visible light irradiation-a 210.84-fold improvement over conventional photocatalysis, achieved without sacrificial agents. These findings establish a new paradigm in ferroelectric material design, combining computational prediction, structural innovation, and exceptional catalytic performance for sustainable chemical production.
{"title":"Strategic B-site cation engineering in Sillén-Aurivillius perovskite oxyhalides for ultra-high efficiency piezocatalytic H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> production.","authors":"Yunxiang Zhang, Shishi Xu, Jikun Chen, Jiali Zhang, Zhichao Mu, Chenliang Zhou, Hazem Abdelsalam, Qinfang Zhang","doi":"10.1039/d6mh00204h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6mh00204h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The strategic engineering of B-site cations in Sillén-Aurivillius perovskite oxyhalides unlocks unprecedented control over electronic structure and polarization effects: yet their potential for mechano-driven catalysis remains unexplored. Herein, a novel double-layer perovskite oxyhalide, Bi<sub>5</sub>Ti<sub>2</sub>O<sub>11</sub>Cl, was theoretically predicted using density functional theory (DFT) and successfully synthesized for the first time using a molten-salt method. DFT analysis revealed a predominantly O-2p orbital character at the valence band maximum (VBM)-distinct from Br/I-analogs with halide-p contributions near the VBM. This distinctive electronic structure provides exceptional stability against hole-induced degradation while enabling remarkable charge separation efficiency. The material's asymmetric [BiTi<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub>] perovskite architecture creates intense ferroelectric polarization through lattice distortion, generating a powerful built-in piezoelectric field that drives charge separation. These synergistic effects yield a record-breaking piezocatalytic H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> production rate of 15 041.41 µmol g<sup>-1</sup> h<sup>-1</sup> under visible light irradiation-a 210.84-fold improvement over conventional photocatalysis, achieved without sacrificial agents. These findings establish a new paradigm in ferroelectric material design, combining computational prediction, structural innovation, and exceptional catalytic performance for sustainable chemical production.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147281306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Duzheng He, Yanping Zhao, Shen Wang, Kang Wang, Jiayi Wang, Weijie Li, Miao Fan, Yi Wei, Vasily Bautin, Chao Han
As a zero-carbon way to produce hydrogen, traditional water electrolysis is hindered by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which results in a high voltage input. Hybrid water electrolysis (HWE), which replaces the OER with economically viable electrooxidation reactions, could significantly lower the required voltage and, in turn, enhance energy conversion efficiency. Moreover, HWE could be integrated with certain existing industrial processes in principle; however, the feasibility and cost impact depend on substrate availability, product separation/purification, and long-term system durability. This review systematically categorizes three major types of alternative oxidation reactions based on their reaction mechanisms and products: conversion reactions (targeting the selective transformation of valuable substrates), degradation reactions (aimed at breaking down pollutants or hazardous compounds), and hydrogen carrier oxidation reactions (utilizing hydrogen-rich compounds such as ammonia to facilitate energy conversion). The economic feasibility, environmental benefits and relevant catalyst design strategies of these reactions are also explored. Finally, it summarizes the current research status of hybrid water electrolysis and discusses the challenges encountered, as well as prospects for development.
{"title":"Economic evaluation and catalyst design for hybrid water electrolysis systems.","authors":"Duzheng He, Yanping Zhao, Shen Wang, Kang Wang, Jiayi Wang, Weijie Li, Miao Fan, Yi Wei, Vasily Bautin, Chao Han","doi":"10.1039/d5mh01759a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5mh01759a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As a zero-carbon way to produce hydrogen, traditional water electrolysis is hindered by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which results in a high voltage input. Hybrid water electrolysis (HWE), which replaces the OER with economically viable electrooxidation reactions, could significantly lower the required voltage and, in turn, enhance energy conversion efficiency. Moreover, HWE could be integrated with certain existing industrial processes in principle; however, the feasibility and cost impact depend on substrate availability, product separation/purification, and long-term system durability. This review systematically categorizes three major types of alternative oxidation reactions based on their reaction mechanisms and products: conversion reactions (targeting the selective transformation of valuable substrates), degradation reactions (aimed at breaking down pollutants or hazardous compounds), and hydrogen carrier oxidation reactions (utilizing hydrogen-rich compounds such as ammonia to facilitate energy conversion). The economic feasibility, environmental benefits and relevant catalyst design strategies of these reactions are also explored. Finally, it summarizes the current research status of hybrid water electrolysis and discusses the challenges encountered, as well as prospects for development.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147281258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chaoran Liu, Di Sun, Ruisi Fan, Chengyi Liu, Honglin Qiu, Qijun Lu, Zengqi Xie, Linlin Liu
The design of charge-trapping sites is the basic and critical factor to explore organic photomultiplier phototransistors and synaptic transistors. There are few examples of charge trapping achieved directly by constructing dielectric materials, as the traditional view holds that their wide band gaps make charge trapping and release difficult. This work employs the liquid phase epitaxy method to construct a two-dimensional confined dielectric MOF-199 island-like film with a 20 nm diameter as the dielectric layer of bulk heterojunction-based photo/synaptic transistors. Diverse energy level structures of metal complex nanostructures integrated intrinsic charge-trapping sites with multi-channel electron and energy exchange to the active layer. The multi-channel exchange combines the response advantages of machines and the human brain, while the intrinsic charge trapping avoids interface charge quenching. It demonstrates simultaneous high photocurrent and good long-term plasticity, a high phototransistor performance of photo-responsivity R = 650.1 A W-1/specific detectivity Jones, and efficient photonic synaptic transistors with maximum paired-pulse facilitation index of 142% and single-pulse remaining ratio of 65%. All these results point to the organic phototransistors for emulating the functions of biological synapses, which indicate their potential as the building blocks of bionic electronic circuit systems.
电荷俘获位的设计是探索有机光电倍增管和突触晶体管的基础和关键因素。由于传统观点认为介电材料的宽带隙使得电荷捕获和释放困难,直接通过构建介电材料实现电荷捕获的例子很少。本文采用液相外延的方法,构建了一个直径为20nm的二维受限介质MOF-199岛状薄膜作为体异质结型光/突触晶体管的介电层。不同能级结构的金属复合纳米结构将具有多通道电子和能量交换的内在电荷捕获位点集成到活性层中。多通道交换结合了机器和人脑的响应优势,而固有电荷捕获避免了界面电荷猝灭。它同时具有高的光电流和良好的长期可塑性,具有高的光电晶体管性能,光响应率R = 650.1 a W-1/比探测率Jones,以及最大成对脉冲易化指数142%,单脉冲剩余率65%的高效光子突触晶体管。所有这些结果表明,有机光电晶体管可以模拟生物突触的功能,这表明它们有潜力成为仿生电子电路系统的基石。
{"title":"Integrating intrinsic charge-trapping sites in an insulated MOF nanoparticle-based dielectric layer for effective photo/synaptic transistors.","authors":"Chaoran Liu, Di Sun, Ruisi Fan, Chengyi Liu, Honglin Qiu, Qijun Lu, Zengqi Xie, Linlin Liu","doi":"10.1039/d5mh02148k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5mh02148k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The design of charge-trapping sites is the basic and critical factor to explore organic photomultiplier phototransistors and synaptic transistors. There are few examples of charge trapping achieved directly by constructing dielectric materials, as the traditional view holds that their wide band gaps make charge trapping and release difficult. This work employs the liquid phase epitaxy method to construct a two-dimensional confined dielectric MOF-199 island-like film with a 20 nm diameter as the dielectric layer of bulk heterojunction-based photo/synaptic transistors. Diverse energy level structures of metal complex nanostructures integrated intrinsic charge-trapping sites with multi-channel electron and energy exchange to the active layer. The multi-channel exchange combines the response advantages of machines and the human brain, while the intrinsic charge trapping avoids interface charge quenching. It demonstrates simultaneous high photocurrent and good long-term plasticity, a high phototransistor performance of photo-responsivity <i>R</i> = 650.1 A W<sup>-1</sup>/specific detectivity Jones, and efficient photonic synaptic transistors with maximum paired-pulse facilitation index of 142% and single-pulse remaining ratio of 65%. All these results point to the organic phototransistors for emulating the functions of biological synapses, which indicate their potential as the building blocks of bionic electronic circuit systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147281289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
With the growing demand for miniaturizing nonlinear on-chip integrated devices, enhancing the nonlinear optical responses of two-dimensional (2D) materials is essential. However, due to their atomic scale, nonlinear optical processes such as second-harmonic generation (SHG) and Raman scattering are generally weak. To enhance these nonlinear signals and improve inspection accuracy, we developed an air-gap-suspended nanocavity structure. This design effectively enhances the nonlinear optical response while minimizing substrate disturbance, facilitating the precise characterization of 2D materials. We achieved significant broadband electric field enhancement by employing optical thin-film theory and three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (3D-FDTD) simulations to optimize the interference and cavity effects of the nanocavity. As a result, SHG and Raman signals of 2D materials were dramatically enhanced. Specifically, the SHG signals of distinct 2D materials suspended on a nanocavity were enhanced over 13 000 times, while the Raman signals were enhanced over 580 times. Moreover, polarization-resolved SHG measurements revealed a significant depolarization effect in the 2D materials after varying laser treatment durations. This observation suggests that the degree of SHG polarization anisotropy can serve as a practical indicator for assessing the quality of 2D materials. The air-gap-suspended nanocavity structure not only provides substantial signal enhancement but also serves as an excellent platform for studying the intrinsic properties of distinct 2D materials.
{"title":"Dramatic enhancement of nonlinear optical signals in distinct two-dimensional materials.","authors":"Shu-Hsien Chen, Wei-Hsuan Kung, Yu-Chen Chen, Yu-Ming Chang, Wei-Liang Chen, Hsuen-Li Chen","doi":"10.1039/d5mh02150b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5mh02150b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With the growing demand for miniaturizing nonlinear on-chip integrated devices, enhancing the nonlinear optical responses of two-dimensional (2D) materials is essential. However, due to their atomic scale, nonlinear optical processes such as second-harmonic generation (SHG) and Raman scattering are generally weak. To enhance these nonlinear signals and improve inspection accuracy, we developed an air-gap-suspended nanocavity structure. This design effectively enhances the nonlinear optical response while minimizing substrate disturbance, facilitating the precise characterization of 2D materials. We achieved significant broadband electric field enhancement by employing optical thin-film theory and three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (3D-FDTD) simulations to optimize the interference and cavity effects of the nanocavity. As a result, SHG and Raman signals of 2D materials were dramatically enhanced. Specifically, the SHG signals of distinct 2D materials suspended on a nanocavity were enhanced over 13 000 times, while the Raman signals were enhanced over 580 times. Moreover, polarization-resolved SHG measurements revealed a significant depolarization effect in the 2D materials after varying laser treatment durations. This observation suggests that the degree of SHG polarization anisotropy can serve as a practical indicator for assessing the quality of 2D materials. The air-gap-suspended nanocavity structure not only provides substantial signal enhancement but also serves as an excellent platform for studying the intrinsic properties of distinct 2D materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147275266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tae Hoon Lee, Byung Kwan Lee, Young Hoon Cho, Hyo Won Kim, Sang Hoon Han, Seong Yong Ha, Ho Bum Park
Membrane-based CO2 separation is emerging as a central technology for achieving carbon neutrality, yet its widespread deployment remains constrained by longstanding trade-offs among permeability, selectivity, long-term stability, and scalability. This review provides the conceptual foundations, materials evolution, and market drivers shaping the next generation of polymeric CO2 separation membranes. We first revisit the fundamentals of mass transport through dense polymer films and highlight how trade-offs arise from the interplay among solubility, diffusivity, and free-volume architecture. Building on this framework, we examine three major materials platforms that have redefined performance boundaries: thermally rearranged (TR) polymers that generate controlled microporosity through in situ cyclization; polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) that embody rigid, contorted backbones with permanent ultramicroporosity; and ether-rich CO2-philic polymers that achieve high solubility selectivity and excellent processability. By integrating molecular-level insights with thin-film engineering considerations, we evaluate each material family's potential and limitations in realistic process environments. At the system level, we analyze global markets, including natural gas sweetening, post-combustion CO2 capture, blue hydrogen purification, and biogas upgrading, where polymeric membranes are poised for rapid growth. Finally, we identify future research directions centered on stabilizing free volume, suppressing plasticization, enhancing thin-film robustness, and accelerating materials-to-module translation through digital design and advanced fabrication. Together, these strategies delineate a pathway for polymeric membranes to become scalable, energy-efficient tools for industrial CO2 management in the coming decade.
{"title":"Advanced polymeric membranes for CO<sub>2</sub> separation: fundamentals, materials, and practical challenges.","authors":"Tae Hoon Lee, Byung Kwan Lee, Young Hoon Cho, Hyo Won Kim, Sang Hoon Han, Seong Yong Ha, Ho Bum Park","doi":"10.1039/d5mh02360b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5mh02360b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Membrane-based CO<sub>2</sub> separation is emerging as a central technology for achieving carbon neutrality, yet its widespread deployment remains constrained by longstanding trade-offs among permeability, selectivity, long-term stability, and scalability. This review provides the conceptual foundations, materials evolution, and market drivers shaping the next generation of polymeric CO<sub>2</sub> separation membranes. We first revisit the fundamentals of mass transport through dense polymer films and highlight how trade-offs arise from the interplay among solubility, diffusivity, and free-volume architecture. Building on this framework, we examine three major materials platforms that have redefined performance boundaries: thermally rearranged (TR) polymers that generate controlled microporosity through <i>in situ</i> cyclization; polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) that embody rigid, contorted backbones with permanent ultramicroporosity; and ether-rich CO<sub>2</sub>-philic polymers that achieve high solubility selectivity and excellent processability. By integrating molecular-level insights with thin-film engineering considerations, we evaluate each material family's potential and limitations in realistic process environments. At the system level, we analyze global markets, including natural gas sweetening, post-combustion CO<sub>2</sub> capture, blue hydrogen purification, and biogas upgrading, where polymeric membranes are poised for rapid growth. Finally, we identify future research directions centered on stabilizing free volume, suppressing plasticization, enhancing thin-film robustness, and accelerating materials-to-module translation through digital design and advanced fabrication. Together, these strategies delineate a pathway for polymeric membranes to become scalable, energy-efficient tools for industrial CO<sub>2</sub> management in the coming decade.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147275234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hooralain Bushnaq, Hari Kalathil Balakrishnan, Tom Burton, Julio Carrera Montoya, Julio Rodriguez-Andres, Jason Mackenzie, Giovanni Palmisano, James Mcelhinney, Srinivas Mettu, Ludovic F Dumée
3D printing is emerging as a transformative approach in functional materials fabrication, enabling precise control over structural parameters, offering opportunities to custom-design permeability, selectivity, and fouling resistance of membrane materials. The ability to fabricate membranes with near-isoporous pore size distribution further enhances their potential for advanced separation applications. The development of formulation and engineering solutions to support the formation of nanoporous nanocomposites with extremely accurate control over the nano-additives distribution is demonstrated in this study with the incorporation of Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), a visible-light-responsive photosensitizer, to offer reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated photodynamic inactivation. This study introduces the development of 3D-printed microfiltration membranes, integrating engineered pore structures with photodynamically active surfaces to enhance filtration and antimicrobial performance. Morphological characterization revealed a structural evolution from globular to sheet-like and rod-like formations, significantly influencing pore size, wettability, and surface charge. Photodynamic assessments validated efficient ROS generation, enhancing methylene blue degradation and E. coli inactivation under irradiation. Filtration trials confirmed ZnPc-enhanced bacterial rejection and biofouling resistance, with the 2 wt% ZnPc membrane achieving 99.5% E. coli rejection under irradiation. Furthermore, virus filtration experiments confirmed the efficacy of 1 wt% ZnPc membrane, achieving a 2.56-log, or 99.72%, reduction in Influenza A virus (IAV) recovery. These findings demonstrate that 3D-printed ZnPc-functionalized membranes offer a dual-function approach, combining precise structural control with photodynamic antimicrobial activity, making them promising candidates for next-generation, light-assisted water treatment systems.
{"title":"3D printed photo-sensitized microfiltration membranes for simultaneous water filtration and pathogen management.","authors":"Hooralain Bushnaq, Hari Kalathil Balakrishnan, Tom Burton, Julio Carrera Montoya, Julio Rodriguez-Andres, Jason Mackenzie, Giovanni Palmisano, James Mcelhinney, Srinivas Mettu, Ludovic F Dumée","doi":"10.1039/d5mh01431j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5mh01431j","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>3D printing is emerging as a transformative approach in functional materials fabrication, enabling precise control over structural parameters, offering opportunities to custom-design permeability, selectivity, and fouling resistance of membrane materials. The ability to fabricate membranes with near-isoporous pore size distribution further enhances their potential for advanced separation applications. The development of formulation and engineering solutions to support the formation of nanoporous nanocomposites with extremely accurate control over the nano-additives distribution is demonstrated in this study with the incorporation of Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), a visible-light-responsive photosensitizer, to offer reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated photodynamic inactivation. This study introduces the development of 3D-printed microfiltration membranes, integrating engineered pore structures with photodynamically active surfaces to enhance filtration and antimicrobial performance. Morphological characterization revealed a structural evolution from globular to sheet-like and rod-like formations, significantly influencing pore size, wettability, and surface charge. Photodynamic assessments validated efficient ROS generation, enhancing methylene blue degradation and <i>E. coli</i> inactivation under irradiation. Filtration trials confirmed ZnPc-enhanced bacterial rejection and biofouling resistance, with the 2 wt% ZnPc membrane achieving 99.5% <i>E. coli</i> rejection under irradiation. Furthermore, virus filtration experiments confirmed the efficacy of 1 wt% ZnPc membrane, achieving a 2.56-log, or 99.72%, reduction in Influenza A virus (IAV) recovery. These findings demonstrate that 3D-printed ZnPc-functionalized membranes offer a dual-function approach, combining precise structural control with photodynamic antimicrobial activity, making them promising candidates for next-generation, light-assisted water treatment systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147281299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Our Emerging Investigator Series features exceptional work by early-career researchers working in the field of materials science.
我们的新兴研究者系列以材料科学领域的早期职业研究人员的杰出工作为特色。
{"title":"Materials Horizons Emerging Investigator Series: Dr Gloria Zhang, New Mexico State University, United States","authors":"None","doi":"10.1039/D6MH90021F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D6MH90021F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Our Emerging Investigator Series features exceptional work by early-career researchers working in the field of materials science.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" 5","pages":" 2086-2086"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146217743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiangning Hu, Boyuan Zhang, Jia Li, Jin Wen, Changhuai Ye, Meifang Zhu
Achieving aerogel fibers that combine high porosity with mechanical robustness under ambient drying remains a long-standing challenge. Here, we present a proton-donor-assisted solvent-exchange strategy to fabricate hierarchically porous aramid nanofiber (ANF) aerogel fibers with 85.2% porosity and ultrahigh toughness (>9.3 MJ m-3). A suite of characterization and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that restoring hydrogen bonding between ANFs requires both reprotonation of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) and a nonpolar solvent environment to promote close chain packing. Introducing trace proton donors (e.g., water or citric acid) during solvent exchange is therefore essential to strengthen hydrogen bonding and stabilize ANF networks against capillary collapse. Furthermore, spatial heterogeneity in solvent composition, arising from proton-donor-induced solvent-solvent phase separation, creates a hierarchical pore architecture that enables multimodal mechanical energy dissipation, yielding simultaneously high tensile strength (>19.7 MPa) and unprecedented stretchability (>82%). The aerogel fiber-based textiles exhibit outstanding thermal insulation and resilience across cryogenic to high temperatures, offering a scalable pathway toward next-generation thermal-protective and impact-resistant aerogel textiles.
{"title":"Scalable ambient-dried aramid aerogel fibers with hierarchical networks for ultrahigh toughness and thermal insulation.","authors":"Xiangning Hu, Boyuan Zhang, Jia Li, Jin Wen, Changhuai Ye, Meifang Zhu","doi":"10.1039/d5mh02198g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5mh02198g","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Achieving aerogel fibers that combine high porosity with mechanical robustness under ambient drying remains a long-standing challenge. Here, we present a proton-donor-assisted solvent-exchange strategy to fabricate hierarchically porous aramid nanofiber (ANF) aerogel fibers with 85.2% porosity and ultrahigh toughness (>9.3 MJ m<sup>-3</sup>). A suite of characterization and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that restoring hydrogen bonding between ANFs requires both reprotonation of poly(<i>p</i>-phenylene terephthalamide) and a nonpolar solvent environment to promote close chain packing. Introducing trace proton donors (<i>e.g.</i>, water or citric acid) during solvent exchange is therefore essential to strengthen hydrogen bonding and stabilize ANF networks against capillary collapse. Furthermore, spatial heterogeneity in solvent composition, arising from proton-donor-induced solvent-solvent phase separation, creates a hierarchical pore architecture that enables multimodal mechanical energy dissipation, yielding simultaneously high tensile strength (>19.7 MPa) and unprecedented stretchability (>82%). The aerogel fiber-based textiles exhibit outstanding thermal insulation and resilience across cryogenic to high temperatures, offering a scalable pathway toward next-generation thermal-protective and impact-resistant aerogel textiles.</p>","PeriodicalId":87,"journal":{"name":"Materials Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146225044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}