Themed collection Celebrating International Women’s Day 2026: Women in Materials Advances

Bio–NC systems cyanidin–Ag₃, Ag₂₅SG₁₈, and Ag₃–DNA deposited on a TiO₂ semiconductor surface represent novel non-traditional photosensitizers for solar cell applications.

Memristors have emerged as a promising technology for next-generation memory and neuromorphic computing. Anodization offers an attractive alternative fabrication method with a wide range of tunable parameters and easy production setups.

The schematic visually summarize the scope and structure of the review, highlighting the key features in graphene-based supercapacitors.

Comprehensive overview of nitrogen-doped carbon dots, linking synthesis strategies, structure–property relationships, and electrochemical applications for advanced energy storage systems.

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a potent greenhouse gas and a significant contributor to stratospheric ozone depletion.

State-of-the-art review on additive manufacturing of metal–matrix composites for bone scaffolds with tailored architecture, mechanics, degradability, and bioactivity, highlighting their development as next-generation orthopedic implants.

Antibiotic resistance reduces drug effectiveness, driving the need for new solutions. This review explores MOFs, nanoparticles, PDT, and peptides, highlighting their mechanisms, benefits, and potential to combat the global resistance crisis.

The growing global demand for sustainable energy solutions necessitates advancements in energy storage and conversion technologies, aligning with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.

TMO-decorated hydrogels enable targeted delivery of anti-inflammatory drugs to bone defects, easing diabetic pain while promoting conductivity for bone regeneration and foot ulcer healing.

Croconic acid-based compounds: synthesis, structure, chemico-physical properties and applications of an intriguing class of functional organic materials.

Textile finishing is on the cusp of transformative change with the integration of the nanoencapsulation technique.

This review explores the potential of copper-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), particularly HKUST-1 (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology-1), as an innovative solution for advanced wound healing.

This review deals with synthesis and modifications of novel three-dimensional ZnO tetrapods as well as tailoring of their properties for potential photocatalytic applications in the field of energy and environment.

This review shows that flexible polyurethane foam is a promising material for triboelectric devices across a wide range of applications due to several advantages, such as its high porosity, deformability, light weight, and recyclability.

Improving the dispersion of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) within organic semiconductor (OSC) matrices remains critical for advancing hybrid nanocomposite optoelectronic technologies.

A light-responsive tyrosine-derived hydrogelator forms a thixotropic supramolecular hydrogel that encapsulates vitamin B₁₂. It enables light-triggered vitamin release, offering a promising platform for controlled vitamin delivery.

An alkali-free hydrothermal method using amino acids as precipitant and stabilizer enabled one-step synthesis of delaminated LDH nanosheets, improving stability and oxygen evolution for sustainable energy applications.

Green-synthesized CQD/AgNPs nanocomposites derived from guava leaves exhibit enhanced antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant ESKAPEE pathogens.

We developed a CoSb₂O₆/rGO composite electrode for energy storage. Electrochemical tests show improved charge-storage performance, excellent stability, and high-power density, showcasing its potential for advanced supercapacitors.

PdAsNPs synthesized via galvanic replacement of AsNPs enabled immunogenic cell death in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Image has been created using Biorender.com.

Arecanut waste–polymer blend adsorbents were fabricated for the efficient adsorption of Pb(II) from water.

Programmable nanogrooves on commercial Kapton films offer a novel, accessible method to induce (a) planar, (b) twisted, and (c) flipped twisted liquid crystal elastomer alignments, exhibiting distinct thermal actuations at 120 °C.

Al-driven disordering of cements & concrete – dynamic structuring and porosity in hydrated C(A)SH cementitious nano-particles, with explicit-solvent particles.

Chemically functionalized MoSe₂ with HB-donating groups (–CONH₂, –CO₂H, and –SO₃H) shows stronger adsorption, bandgap tuning, and dual optical–electrical sensitivity to nitroaromatic pollutants, highlighting its strong potential as a sensing platform.

Marine chito-protein sorbents remove anionic dyes with 99% reusable efficiency. SEM, FTIR, XRD and BET analyses confirm their strong, eco-friendly performance, advancing sustainable water-treatment solutions.

Perovskite manganites, due to their strong interplay between crystal structure, electronic states, and magnetic ordering, are highly tunable via chemical substitution.

Four different MOFs were synthesized at room temperature in water and tested for H₂ and CO₂ storage. Fe-MIL-100 exhibited highest surface area and gas uptake, demonstrating the potential of sustainably synthesized MOFs for gas storage applications.

Covalent grafting of an N₂O₂-coordinating ligand and respective zinc(II) complex featuring aggregation-induced emission results in substrate-dependent emission quenching.

Development of customizable and biodegradable 3D-printed conductive nerve guides for irreversible peripheral nerve defects.

Computational and infrared spectroscopy investigations of CytroCell in solution unveil important structural details of this family of nanocelluloses reproducibly sourced from citrus biowaste, soon employed in advanced industrial products and devices.

An innovative electrochemical (EC) nanosensor utilizing SPCE functionalised with Ti₃C₂T_X MXene and carbon dots for ultrasensitive detection of creatinine in phosphate-buffered saline and human serum samples.

Fe-based MOFs (Fe-MIL-53 and Fe-MIL-88B) were prepared using industrial waste via unconventional synthesis procedures. Carbonization was employed to improve the textural properties of these MOF materials, leading to enhanced H₂ and CO₂ uptake.

Improving energy transfer efficiency is critical to advancing technologies for a more sustainable future.

A flexible, fabric-integrated PAAm–LiCl hydrogel pressure sensor offers high sensitivity, durability, and wearability, providing significant potential in wearable electronics, soft robotics, healthcare monitoring, and human–machine interfaces.

Aliphatic photoinitiators based on α-ketoester moieties generate highly reactive and non-toxic radicals and can be used to initiate photopolymerization of (meth)acrylate and hydrogel resins for biomedical applications, outperforming commercial.

0.25 and 0.1 M TiO₂/CP exhibited highest degradation efficiency of 92.3% and highest removal efficiency of 88.5% of CV dye under UV and solar radiations. Fe⁰–TiO₂/CP generates ˙OH and ˙O₂⁻ radicals and ˙O₂⁻ boosting degradation efficiency.

We compare nine carbazole-based phosphonic acid self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to reveal the impact of molecular substitutions on performance of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

Synthesis of a novel anthracene-based Schiff base probe (P1) with anticancer activity for selective arginine sensing, and insights from DFT, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations.

We explore the interplay between fibril formation and liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) in aqueous solution for tryptophan–arginine repeat peptides (WR)_n with n = 2–5.

First-principles calculations reveal that Cr- and Mo-doped GaBiCl₂ monolayers host ferromagnetic topological phases, with Mo-doped GaBiCl₂ showing potential to be a room-temperature magnetic topological insulator featuring a 41.3 meV band gap.

The Ugi reaction offers a rapid and versatile approach for one-step multifunctionalization of protein nanocages, enabling the development of comprehensive therapeutic nanoplatforms while simplifying conventional multi-step synthesis.

Demonstration of carbamylated polylysines exhibiting amyloidogenicity, allowing for the development of biocompatible nanostructures to be harnessed across numerous applications.

Topography modification of smooth titanium surfaces was realized with Navicula pelliculosa to promote the growth and osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs.

PDA NPs with tunable size and oxidation state, were synthesized and characterized, revealing structure–property relationship influencing their photothermal behavior.

A guanidine-modified GO/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite was synthesized and used as a magnetic, reusable catalyst to produce polyhydroquinolines through the unsymmetrical Hantzsch reaction.

Asymmetric tadpole-shaped Janus particles with micrometer-sized flexible SiO₂ tails can distort the surrounding LC field into butterfly-shaped defects and create metastable cavities by balancing capillary, elastic, and viscous forces.

Traveling and standing acoustic wave-based approaches enable the rapid in-Petri-dish fabrication of anisotropic collagen hydrogels.

CuBTC–clay composites with tunable ratios demonstrate high tetracycline removal efficiency through efficient adsorption, exhibiting excellent stability, reusability, and favorable isotherm–kinetic behavior.

Ti⁴⁺ doping enhances the rate kinetics of tunnel-type Li_0.44MnO₂ and enables high-capacity retention at fast cycling rates through structural stabilization and improved Li⁺ transport.

Li⁺ co-doped ZnMoO₄:Eu³⁺ phosphor exhibits enhanced red emission, high thermal stability, selective nitrophenol sensing via inner filter effect, and optical thermometry, making it ideal for lighting and sensing applications.

We combine XAS, XES, LFMT and DFT to probe bonding in vanadium-based V₂GaC, V₂GaN and V₂GaC_1−xN_x MAX phases, identifying V formal oxidation state, metal–ligand covalency and C/N ratios in the (carbo)nitrite phase.

Photothermal conversion of gold nanorods and nanospheres in agarose hydrogels are compared under NIR laser irradiation ensuring equal optical absorbances at the excitation wavelengths.

This research focuses on utilizing ceramic technology and traditional methods to create electronic components with high energy storage density in compact sizes.

Cr-doped and electron beam-irradiated WO₃ films, synthesized by spray pyrolysis, exhibit ultra-sensitive NO₂ detection (<1 ppm), with a 3.2x response enhancement and fast response/recovery times (<30 s), due to oxygen vacancy modulation.

Schematic diagram illustrating the proposed mechanism for higher efficacy of combination therapy via a dual approach in managing drug-susceptible and MDR TB, contrasting with conventional drug therapy.

L-Tryptophan-capped copper nanoclusters demonstrated superior performance as a nano-drug carrier, selectively delivering doxorubicin to cancer cells and effectively killing them.

A strategy combining a thermoplastic matrix (PCL) and a π-conjugated compound has been developed to facilitate hot-melt extrusion of P3HT.

A robust sheet-shaped chelate of diclofenac-derived silver^I-hydrazide in comparison to the zinc^II analogue, for treating inflammation and cancer and for producing Ag⁰ colloids and thin reflective films, is presented.

The photothermal conversion properties of two charge-transfer organic cocrystals are linked to their dynamic behavior.

Although the forward current–voltage characteristics and breakdown voltage performance of GaN/Ga₂O₃ p–n diodes have been extensively studied, there have been no reports on their reverse recovery characteristics.

The synthesis and characterization of a series of novel, high molecular weight poly(lactic acid)-b-poly(ethylene azelate) (PLA-b-PEAz) blocky copolyesters are reported for the first time.

Quercetin, a bioactive flavonoid with limited bioavailability, was investigated using BSA-coated MnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles as a novel delivery system.

By systematically modifying a Ln-MOF with commercially available linkers and lanthanide metal centers, we generated hypothetical Ln-MOFs with improved CO₂/N₂ separation performance.

Trichoderma virens-synthesized TiO₂–CuO@GO nanocomposite exhibits potent antibacterial activity and efficiently degrades Congo red via PMS activation.

This study introduces a green and cost-effective synthesis method for CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles using Greek yogurt, showcasing significant advancements in surface and interface science.