Themed collection Celebrating 25 years of the Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials at Henan University

Feng Bai, Gang Cheng, Zuliang Du and Guohua Jia introduce this themed collection celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials at Henan University.

The properties of nanoparticles, such as size, shape, surface properties, etc., can strongly affect their delivery efficacy. Here, the design and synthesis of nanoparticles with well-designed transformable physicochemical properties are reviewed.

The design principles and structure–property relationship of isomeric covalent organic frameworks are summarized and recommended to accelerate their further development.

The transformation mechanism and role of high-valence metal sites in OERs are summarized and emphasized. The design of OER catalysts based on the efficient transformation of high-valence sites is an effective way to achieve high-efficiency OERs.

Three strategies for achieving multicolor based on inorganic electrochromic materials: intrinsic color, structural color, and stacked color.

Failure mechanisms of Na anodes are highlighted in this review, along with the novel strategies offered by the structural/interfacial engineering for regulating Na electroplating/stripping behavior.

As self-powered sensors, triboelectric nanogenerators can be used to monitor different kinds of biometric characteristics, including sliding behavior, handwriting behavior, keystroke dynamics, gait characteristics, and voice characteristics.

This review summarizes recent progress in carbon-based single-atom catalysts toward the ORR in the regulation of the central metal atoms, coordination atoms, defects and neighboring metal monomers.

Functional organic materials with structural designability and sustainability offer an attractive solution to promote the interfacial engineering on metal anodes, including SEI modification, 3D skeleton construction, and gel/solid-state electrolytes.

This review distinguished POM-based frameworks into three types PMOFs, PCOFs, and PSFs and summarized the application of recently developed POM-based frameworks in photocatalysis and photothermal catalysis.

Solution-processed kesterite absorbers using different solvents are summarized, and the critical insights toward high-efficiency CZTSSe solar cells are presented.

Wet-chemistry synthesis of two-dimensional Pt- and Pd-based intermetallic electrocatalysts for a wide range of applications in fuel cells.

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction offers a promising strategy to achieve carbon neutrality. Here we review the latest important advances of metal-functionalized 2D nanomaterials for electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR).

As the emitters of quantum dot light-emitting diodes, quantum dots, which are responsible for the charge injection, charge transportation, and especially exciton recombination, play a significant role in quantum dot light-emitting diodes.

Low-crystalline FeCo catalysts can be used for efficient hydrogen production via water electrolysis, with extremely low synthesis cost and a simple synthesis method.

In order to develop and optimize nano drug delivery systems (NDDSs), it is crucial to understand their in vivo fate.

Using vertically stacked monolayer-MoS₂/GaN-film heterostructures as a model system, we examine the piezoelectricity-modulated carrier recombination dynamics.

To obtain a high-performance gas sensor, it is essential to ingeniously design sensing materials containing the features of high catalytic performance, abundant oxygen vacancies, and splendid grain dispersibility through a simple method.

Providing insight into the specific tuneable effect of different N doping configurations and N doping ratio on the field emission properties of graphene.

A universal design strategy based on a co-host system and a cascaded exciton transfer configuration is proposed to realize highly efficient all fluorescence white organic light-emitting diodes with high color rendering index.

Mn-doped Zn–Cu–In–Se@ZnS quantum dots with intrinsic NIR emission, paramagnetism, and photo/chemodynamic activity have been successfully achieved through a straightforward aqueous phase approach.

Due to the synergistic effect of heterojunction design and carbon framework encapsulation, the as-prepared MnS/CoS@C heterostructure anode can deliver superior specific capacity and rate capability for sodium-ion storage.

Ag-EMT nanozeolites-based in situ CO detection by oxidation of CO to CO₂.

A coprecipitation method is used to form a crystalline Li₃PO₄ coating onto a LiCoO₂ surface that enables balancing of the ionic conductivity and chemical stability, thus enhancing the electrochemical performance in lithium-ion batteries.

Copper-based ternary halide composites have attracted great attention due to their superior chemical stability and optical properties.

We develop a simple thermal shrinkage strategy to construct multi-heteroatom-doped polymeric carbon nitride (K, P, O-CN_x), which not only improves the charge separation efficiency, but also improves the adsorption/activation capacity of O₂.

Bifunctional engineering leads to passivation of surface defects in ZnO NPs as well as elevation of the conduction band level of ZnO to promote charge balance. State-of-the-art blue QLEDs with an EQE of 16.31% and a T₅₀@100 cd m⁻² of 1685 h are achieved.

The sequence of sulfidation and NaOH etching plays an important role in the morphological structure of CoFeAl LDH evolved catalysts and thus results in a completely different water splitting activity in an alkaline solution.

Layered composite gels with nacre-like brick-and-mortar architecture featuring structural colors, load-bearing stability, high-stress visualization, and resistance to harsh environments.

The photocatalytic hydrogenation of CO₂ by Cu-deposited ZnO (Cu/ZnO) polar surfaces is investigated through density functional theory (DFT) calculations combined with experimental work.

One type of layer-stacked NiO nanowire/nanosheet homostructure for electrochromic smart windows is fabricated by a one-pot hydrothermal method. This unique structure endows the NiO film and device with ultra-large optical modulation.

The interplay between PD and QLED units is revealed by regulating the thickness of the PbS layer and illumination intensity.

Raman Reporter-embedded magnetic/plasmonic nanostirrers are developed as capture carrier of microfluidic SERS sensor, where reliable SERS nanoprobe signals could be filtered out by using SERS signals from nanostirrers as microenvironment beacons.

The graphical abstract illustrates the mechanism of action of cobalt ferrites with oxygen-rich vacancies on PAH contaminants.

A synchronous strategy is proposed to fabricate high-quality CZGSe films and achieves a 3.69% ground-breaking efficiency for electrodeposited CZGSe-based devices.

Efficient removal of air pollution caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM) through distributed energy collected from the environment is an effective strategy to achieve both energy conservation and better air quality.

2, 2’-bpy-5, 5’-dialdehyde copolymerized with urea to fulfill 2, 2’-bpy imbedded into the skeleton of g-CN and then chelated with Co²⁺ to fabricate the single-site photocatalyst g-CN-bpy-Co with excellent catalytic performance towards CO₂ reduction.

KLu₃F₁₀:Tb crystals were used to realize excitation-dependent multicolor emissions. Green emissions were observed under 254 nm UV excitation, while blue emission peaking at 442 nm appeared in addition to Tb³⁺ emissions under 365 nm excitation.

Homogeneous ZnTPyP/WO₃ nanorod-on-nanorod Z-scheme photocatalysts are prepared for an enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen generation. This study offers valuable information for preparing organic–inorganic direct Z-scheme photocatalysts.

A self-assembled dipole interface monolayer is a possible strategy to obtain efficient and bright green InP quantum dot light-emitting diodes.

A fractal switched-capacitor-converter combined with a TENG can greatly improve the output charge/current without reverse starting. The TENG can be integrated with a yoga mat for harvesting human-body motion energy to power portable electronics.

The structure of bridged NWs effectively blocks the Joule heat dissipation/conduction from the (tip) bridged NWs to the (bottom) substrate and offers high utilization efficiency of Joule heat compared with film NWs device, resulting in low power use.

The 4.2 nm α-CsPbI₃ quantum dots - polymer composite films with 630 nm emission and high stability have been achieved, which are used for LED displays with color gamut to 96% of the Rec. 2020 standard.

In the synthesized pitaya-like P-SnO₂/C@NC core–shell structure SnO₂ ultrasmall nanoparticles are uniformly embedded in the porous carbon matrix and further coated with a continuous N-doped carbon coating layer outside the matrix.

We proposed a strategy for Cd gradient doping near front interface. The formed Cd gradient significantly reduced Cu_Zn defect and related defect clusters near front interface, thus suppressed interface recombination and improved device performance.