EcoMat最新文献

Natural wood is an excellent lightweight and renewable structural material, and recent studies have also demonstrated its potential as an electrode matrix for energy storage owing to its inherently porous structure. However, most existing wood-based electrochemical storage devices overlook the load-bearing capability of wood. In this work, we construct an all-wood-based structural supercapacitor, realizing the synergistic integration of wood as both a structural material and an energy storage device. The device is fabricated using delignified wood as a three-dimensional scaffold, with its pore walls uniformly coated with carbon nanotubes and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), thereby imparting both energy storage capability and electronic conductivity. Combined with a high-strength bicontinuous phase electrolyte, the result is an integrated structural supercapacitor with both excellent mechanical load-bearing performance and efficient energy storage capability. Benefiting from the intrinsic mechanical robustness of wood and the strength of the electrolyte, the supercapacitor demonstrates outstanding mechanical properties, including a bending modulus of up to 467.1 MPa and a bending strength of 14.1 MPa. Meanwhile, the well-preserved porous architecture of the wood matrix and uniform distribution of electroactive materials impart high electrochemical performance, achieving an areal specific capacitance of 112.0 mF cm⁻², a maximum energy density of 0.011 mWh cm⁻², and a maximum power density of 0.029 mW cm⁻². This all-wood-based supercapacitor not only broadens the application scope of wood but also provides a new strategy for structural-functional integration, enhanced energy storage efficiency, and sustainable material utilization.

Flexible, eco-friendly, wearable pressure sensors are crucial for human monitoring and smart home applications. Cellulose paper, a sustainable and flexible material, is promising for these applications but faces challenges, that is low sensitivity and poor durability. Inspired by cicada wings, the thin, yet resilient, papersheet was produced through commercially refining and wet-end upgrading (i.e., treating with alkyl ketene dimer and polyamide epoxy chloropropane), and the nano- and micro-scale of fibrillated cellulose fibers formed multi-level hierarchy branches, which significantly increased the paper's physical strength (tensile index of 84.2 kN·m/kg) and resilient properties (folding endurance over 1000 times). Taking advantage of the high strength paper, a sandwich structure of dual-layer paper sensor was assembled, that is the inner two pieces of ultra-thin insulation layer (5 g/m²), and the outer two sensing paper layers (30 g/m²) coated with Carboxylated Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH) as a conductive network. The resulting paper-based sensor exhibited excellent performance, such as ultra-wide detection range (0–4.13 MPa), ultra-high sensitivity (1.513 × 10⁵ kPa⁻¹ in the 0–16.5 kPa range), low detection limit (~8.1 Pa), rapid response/recovery times (44/21 ms), and excellent cyclic stability (over 12 000 cycles). It was successfully used to monitor pulse, respiration, voice, and joint motion, and could also be integrated into furniture such as floors, cushions, and mattresses for smart home and elderly care health monitoring. The humidity resistance (98% RH) and high-temperature tolerance (up to 80°C) further expand its application potential. In short, a reliable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly paper-based sensor was developed for wearable and smart home applications.

With rapid industrialization, municipal solid waste (MSW) production has increased, necessitating effective recycling solutions. However, material sorting and chemical post-treatment processes reduce user convenience and contribute to environmental pollution. To solve this problem, this study introduces a fully recycled, multi-material crumpled-ball triboelectric nanogenerator (FRMC-TENG). This device is composed entirely of recycled materials by applying a unique and effective crumpled ball design. Among fully recycled material-based TENGs, the FRMC-TENG showed excellent electrical performance by adopting an electrostatic discharge generation mechanism and exhibited a high peak current output of 1.76 A. Output performance was improved by using a multi-ball mixing structure, and the optimal structure was determined through various experiments. The effect of kitchen contaminants on the device was assessed. Even after exposure to contaminants, its electrical performance quickly recovered with a simple wipe. The FRMC-TENG can be fabricated in less than 1 min using recycled materials, lit up 1000 LEDs, and maintained the performance for over 30 min of hand operation. Its contamination resistance and diverse applicability suggest an effective and novel strategy for waste-to-energy.

Solar energy harvesting using photothermal nanofluids (NFs) depends greatly on how well light interacts with the suspended particles and how stable those particles remain in the base fluid. This work presents a geometrically engineered hierarchical design of hollow-core copper sulfide (H-Cu₂S) nanostructures (NSs) dispersed in ethylene glycol (EG) to enhance photothermal performance. The tailored shell morphology with hollow-core facilitates multiple light scattering and extended photon trapping, significantly enhancing solar absorption, particularly in the near-infrared region. This morphology-driven approach addresses limitations of conventional polymer or surfactant coatings, which, while improving colloidal stability, often compromise light accessibility and thermal conversion efficiency. The synthesized H-Cu₂S/EG NF demonstrated exceptional colloidal stability, negligible sedimentation, low viscosity enhancement, and robust thermal cycling, even at ultra-low loading of 0.01 wt%. Compared to 2D Cu₂S counterparts, this enhanced photon trapping, combined with the material's intrinsic semiconductor properties, yields an exceptional photothermal conversion efficiency of 86.8%, representing a 64.72% increase over EG as the base fluid. These features are achieved without the need for surface modification, benefiting from the intrinsically low density and optimized geometry of the NS. The resulting NFs exhibit significantly enhanced solar absorption and efficient light-to-heat conversion, establishing H-Cu₂S/EG NFs as promising candidates for next-generation solar thermal technologies.

COF@MXene composites are an emerging class of hybrid materials that integrate excellent electrical conductivity and chemical activity of MXenes with the structural tunability and porosity of covalent organic frameworks (COFs). This review outlines their synthesis strategies, structural features, and diverse applications in energy storage, environmental remediation, catalysis, and water treatment. The synergistic integration of COF@MXene enhances ion transport, active site exposure, and stability, enabling improved performance in lithium-sulfur batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen production, and pollutant removal. These hybrids also offer promising design flexibility for tailored applications. Key challenges related to fabrication, scalability, and interface control are discussed, along with potential pathways for industrial adoption. COF@MXene composites represent a significant step forward in developing multifunctional materials for next-generation sustainable technologies.

Flexible pressure sensors hold transformative potential in personalized healthcare and motion-aware electronics. However, constrained by a single conduction mechanism, current sensors still face significant challenges in simultaneously achieving high sensitivity, wide range, and robust stability. Herein, a gradient doping hierarchical microstructure flexible piezoresistive sensor with multi-path conduction mechanisms is developed. The synergistic combination of micro-engineered surfaces and spatially graded doping enables significant resistance variation at low pressures, yielding a high sensitivity of 101.1 kPa⁻¹. Multi-path conduction mechanisms (including surface resistance, interlayer electrode resistance, interlayer contact resistance, interlayer tunneling resistance, and bulk resistance) enable tunable resistivity under high loads, extending the sensing range from 0.32 Pa to 3.6 MPa (a span of seven orders of magnitude). Moreover, the integrated full-carbon nanotubes/polydimethylsiloxane design shows high stability, durability (over 5000 cycles), and fast response/recovery time (10/58 ms). As a proof of concept, the sensor's application for broad-range biomechanical monitoring has been validated, spanning from subtle pulse waveform detection to high-intensity plantar pressure monitoring. This work advances next-generation wearables for simultaneous high-fidelity physiological tracking and extreme-force kinematic analysis.

Achieving efficient and stable formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI₃) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) requires integrated control of crystallization kinetics and defect suppression. While ionic liquids (IL) have shown promise as multifunctional additives, their rational design remains challenging. Here, we develop an attention-focus graph neural network (GNN) framework that combines the molecular features of IL with device-level characteristics of FAPbI₃ PSCs. Our model identifies N-methyl-N-butylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([MBPY][TFSI]) as an ideal dual-functional passivator. The [MBPY]⁺, acting as a Lewis base, passivates undercoordinated Pb²⁺ via Pb-N coordination bonds, whereas the [TFSI]⁻ anion mitigates interfacial defects via hydrogen bonding with FA⁺. It is found that the [MBPY]⁺ cation not only suppresses non-radiative recombination but also enhances the moisture resistance of the perovskite layer due to its hydrophobic alkyl chains. With the synergetic effect of [MBPY]⁺ and [TFSI]⁻ additives, the PSCs achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.03% with an open circuit voltage of 1.182 V, and retain 90.5% of their initial PCE after 1200 h storage at room temperature in air atmosphere (35% relative humidity). This work contributes to ongoing computational and experimental efforts in accelerating the exploration and prediction of potential ionic liquid passivation materials for perovskite solar cells.

Dynamic covalent epoxy resins integrate the merits of thermoplastics and thermosets, enabling reprocessability while maintaining covalent crosslinking. However, achieving simultaneous shape memory, intrinsic flame retardancy, and antibacterial properties in biomass-derived epoxy resins remains a significant challenge. Inspired by mussel byssus, we developed a supramolecular strategy to construct cardanol-based epoxy resins incorporating adaptive phosphate networks and robust dynamic noncovalent interactions. The synergistic effects of supramolecular interactions and entropy-driven dynamics enabled by functional group engineering endowed the material with shape memory (R_f = 99%, R_r = 80%), self-healing, and reprocessability. The conjugated π-bond system of benzene rings, phenolic hydroxyl radical scavenging, and dynamic phosphate ester carbonization collectively enhanced flame retardancy. The resins achieved a limiting oxygen index of 30.3% and V0 rating under UL-94 standards. Furthermore, the synergistic antibacterial activity of phenolic polyphenols and phosphate esters resulted in 100% antibacterial efficiency against Staphylococcus aureus. This mussel-inspired supramolecular design establishes a sustainable platform for next-generation epoxy resins, offering multifunctional performance critical for medical and food packaging applications under stringent flame retardancy and antibacterial requirements.

The convergence of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials and additive manufacturing has emerged as a transformative frontier in materials science and advanced fabrication techniques. This review systematically examines the integration of 2D materials, such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, and MXenes, with 3D printing technologies, highlighting their synergistic potential in functional applications. We assessed the structural, electronic, optical, and mechanical properties of 2D materials that render them ideal for engineered inks, along with key three-dimensional (3D) printing approaches (inkjet, extrusion, and stereolithography) optimized for processing these nanomaterials. Critical challenges in ink design, including rheological control, interfacial engineering, and parameter optimization, were analyzed to bridge synthesis strategies with scalable fabrication. State-of-the-art applications in energy storage, flexible electronics, sensing, and high-performance composites have demonstrated the versatility of 3D-printed 2D architectures. Emerging opportunities in multimaterial printing, algorithmic-driven manufacturing, and sustainable production are outlined to address the current limitations in resolution, scalability, and functional integration. By integrating the progress and prospects across disciplines, this review provides a roadmap for the advancement of 2D material-enabled 3D printing in next-generation technologies.

This comprehensive review provides an in-depth examination of recent advances in thermoelectric (TE) materials based on conjugated polymers (CPs), emphasizing strategies aimed at enhancing their performance for energy harvesting applications. CP-based TE materials have garnered significant interest due to their inherently low thermal conductivity, mechanical flexibility, lightweight nature, and the easy tunability of molecular structures. Despite these advantages, their commercialization remains limited by challenges such as modest TE performance and insufficient long-term stability. This review explores key progress in molecular design, structural engineering, and doping strategies that have led to notable improvements in critical parameters such as electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and power factor, collectively enhancing the TE figure of merit (ZT). In addition, the article traces the historical development of CP-based flexible TE generators for wearable and portable electronics, underscoring the importance of bridging the gap between material TE properties, mechanical properties, and device realization.