Themed collection Nanoscale 2022 Lunar New Year Collection

Recently emerged metal phenolic networks (MPNs) show promise as molecularly designable heterogeneous electrocatalysts for various electrochemical reactions owing to their unique features.

Here, we reviewed the electrochromic behaviour and underlying mechanisms of plasmonic metal nanoparticles in the visible spectral range, and discussed the recent key progresses in understanding, controlling and utilizing plasmonic electrochromism.

Hierarchically constructed metal–organic frameworks and covalent organic frameworks toward emergent electrochemical applications.

The primitive and advanced approaches for the synthesis of various Bi₂O₃ polymorphs for photocatalytic applications are reviewed. The temperature-dependent phase transformation, morphology, and phase junction in Bi₂O₃ phases are presented.

Carbon shell encapsulated metal nanoparticles (M@C) are key materials for fuel cell and water electrolysis applications. This review highlights the current challenges and future prospects of M@C electrocatalysts.

Current popular transition metal-based electrocatalysts developed for HER/OER in water splitting at high current density are critically reviewed and discussed.

As a new type of crystalline porous material, the imidazole zeolite framework (ZIF) has attracted widespread attention due to its ultra-high surface area, large pore volume, and unique advantage of easy functionalization.

In recent years, bioanalytical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has blossomed into a fast-growing research area. We present here a review on SERS-based assays with focus on early bacterial infection detection and chronic disease diagnosis.

The successful fabrication of WS₂/MoS₂ heterostructures provides more possibilities for optoelectronic and thermoelectric applications than graphene because of their direct bandgap characteristics.

2D MOF-based materials with unique characteristics have great potential in various electrocatalytic, photocatalytic and thermocatalytic applications.

This review covers recent advances in femtosecond laser-structured Janus membranes with asymmetric surface wettability.

Exosome encapsulation protects and delivers AAV vectors for gene therapy.

In this review, the recent advancements of SERS for biomedical, food and agricultural applications in the past 6 years are discussed. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges in the field while highlighting the technological gaps.

By employing the “two-in-one” molecular design strategy, two new 2D COFs featuring a Kagome (kgm) lattice or a rhombic square (sql) structure can be selectively formed by varying the solvents and/or by adjusting the monomer concentrations.

The oligopeptide structure impacts the intracellular stability of mRNA to prolong protein expression, solving a major issue of mRNA nanomedicine.

The present doping technique demonstrates the highly efficient electron doping of monolayer MoS₂ with high stability under ambient conditions using KOH/benzo-18-crown-6 as the dopant.

Organic long-persistent luminescence (OLPL) was achieved through photo-induced charge separation, charge accumulation, and emission from charge recombination. The presence of thermal activation processes in the OLPL system was confirmed.

Visible light-responsive biodegradable mesoporous silica nanoparticles (bMSNs-AZO/CD-PMPC) were developed for osteoarthritis treatment, which simultaneously achieved lubrication enhancement and anti-inflammation.

Flexible and rollable MoS₂/Si photodetector reveals excellent high flexibility, rollability as well as durability under harsh bending conditions.

The correlation between the coordination environment and the activity/selectivity of B/C/N co-coordinated Ni single atom catalysts towards CO₂ electroreduction was systematically studied by theory.

Marrying highly luminescent Au nanoclusters (NCs) to TiO₂ achieves long-lasting yet visible-light-driven antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

FeS nanoparticles were self-assembled by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, and the biosynthesis yield and rate can be regulated by regulating the precursor content. The resulting Bio-FeS nanoparticles exhibit excellent in vivo therapeutic performance.

The oxidation process of a Pt₅Ce alloy that leads to self-assembled Pt/CeO₂ nanocomposites with an epitaxial heterointerface was elucidated by atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

We report for the first time porous ionic crystals comprising Nb or Ta substituted polyoxometalates as recyclable solid base catalysts.

A schematic of the drug release electronic suture system (DRESS) with a conductive fiber strain sensor core and a thermoresponsive polymer shell containing drugs.

The structural flexibility of interacting units significantly impacts phase separation behaviors.

One dual-site NRR electrocatalyst composed of the O_v-enriched MnO₂ nanosheets (MnO₂-O_v) and Pd is developed, in which MnO₂-O_v adsorbs, immobilizes and activates the NO₃⁻ and N-intermediates, while the Pd supplies the O_v with adsorbed hydrogen for NRR and O_v refreshment.

We developed a digital SERS platform using the arrays of 3D nanolaminate plasmonic crystals coupled with Au nanoparticles and digital (on/off) signal analysis for the accurate quantitative detection of low-abundance dopamine molecules.

Adjusting the orientation of the sapphire substrate to align the gas flow direction in the NaCl-assisted CVD process can improve the stability of monolayer WS₂.

TME-responsive FZGM hybrid as a nanozyme to the trigger cascade catalytic reaction for cancer therapy.

First-principles calculations predict that rotating one layer by 180° over the other layer can switch the interlayer magnetic order in bilayer CrI₃, demonstrating stacking rotation as an effective strategy to manipulate the magnetism in 2D magnets.

A ROS-responsive polydopamine-based nanocarrier has been developed which undergoes intracellular degradation to release and activate the immobilised doxorubicin and phthalocyanine-based photosensitiser for synergistic chemo and photodynamic therapy.

Three-dimensional (3D) hybrid networks consisting of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets interconnected by Co₃O₄ nanowires (rGO/Co₃O₄), followed by the decoration of Fe₂O₃ nanospheres (NSs), were demonstrated by a facile hydrothermal method.

This work established a simple method for the size-selective synthesis of a series of ligand-protected platinum nanoclusters with superior oxygen reduction reactivity.

A simple overgrowth step on Au nanoparticles provides high-energy facets as dominant surfaces, which result in a large enhancement of mass and specific activities with 98% faradaic efficiency of CO production for electrochemical CO₂ reduction.

Dielectric properties are improved by fabrication of a Ferroelectric Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂/Antiferroelectric ZrO₂ nanolaminate structure. The new design increases the density of morphotropic phase boundary, which consequently enhances the dielectric constant.

MOFs with high tunability are considered ideal candidates as microwave-absorbing materials.

The commercial application of Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) is impeded by the shuttle effect. We report zinc (Zn) and nitrogen (N) co-doped ZIF-8 derived hollow carbon (ZHC) as a promising separator coating for LSBs to control the shuttle effect.

Tetrahexagonal boron nitride as a suitable substrate for tetrahexcarbon possesses robust stability, exotic mechanical behaviors such as sign-tunable Poisson's ratio, and remarkable electronic properties such as indirect-to-direct band gap transition.

A method to enhance the electrical outputs of the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is proposed and theoretically/experimentally analyzed. The non-/contact surfaces of the air-gap embedded TENG are polished by the optimum grit number of sandpapers.

High-quality CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ hybrid perovskite single crystal growth and outstanding optoelectronic application using the complete dissolution at low temperatures based on low temperature solubility, which has been demonstrated for the first time.

Ballistic phonon transport was observed in Si films containing Ge nanodots. In SiGe films containing Ge nanodots, thermal conductivity was drastically reduced close to that of amorphous materials due to alloy phonon scattering and nanodot scattering.

MR imaging-guided a synergistic ferroptosis-photodynamic therapy strategy can enhance antitumor effects by accumulating intracellular ROS through the utilization of iron-based nanoparticles.

A MOF-on-MOF process affords novel hollow nanocrystals composed of CoP₂ yolk and Fe_xCo_1−xP₂ exhibiting excellent electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction.

Hydrogel microspheres sensitive to temperature as new potential signal enhancers and magnetic fluorescent nanoparticles as internal standards were used to establish a new CLIA method for the accurate diagnosis of cTnI in the human body.

3D conductive networks constructed by decorating petal-like Ni-based MOFs on the surface of graphene nanosheets exhibit superior microwave absorption properties.

An asymmetric sandwich film containing cellulose fiber skin layers and independent Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and silver nanowire core layers with multifunctional EMI shielding, and thermal conductive and solar-thermal energy conversion capacities.

A mixed-dimensional photodetector was constructed to convert the harmful surface states of low-dimensional materials into their constructive interface states.

Nanosulin – a highly stable multilayer insulin-coated nanoliposome, enhanced insulin permeation across the intestinal epithelium and maintained bioactivity via oral administration in vivo.

Transition metal oxides used as electrode materials for flexible supercapacitors have attracted huge attention due to their high specific capacitance and surface-to-volume ratio, specifically for cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄) nanoparticles.