Themed collection Popular Advances

The connection of metal organic cages (MOCs) via coordination driven bonds, covalent bonds or mechanical bonds yields functional materials at the interface between solid and liquid states with potential applications in CO₂ remediation.

Chitosan/metal–organic frameworks (CS/MOFs) are versatile materials fabricated by conjugating the chitosan (CS) material with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). The CS/MOFs exhibit diverse applications in biomedical, energy and environmental applications due to higher porosity and surface area.

This paper summarizes the classification of respiratory diseases and gels, and focuses on the application of gels in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases.

A review discussing aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS), their utility, and many different approaches for stabilizing their water/water (w/w) emulsions.

Bridging the properties of MOFs and graphene and the development of MOF–graphene composite materials has the potential to extend their usage in supercapacitors and serve as a valuable resource for further investigation.

This review article covers the synthesis, properties, and applications of graphene quantum dots, with a particular emphasis on their use in water treatment research and potential future outcomes.

Silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) are of great interest because they are believed to be harmless to living organisms, mainly due to their low toxicity.

This review showcases how 2D nanomaterial-based aerogels can be integrated with PCMs, marking a milestone in interdisciplinary research. It covers the latest breakthroughs in aerogel fabrication and their potential applications in composite PCMs.

Calcium ion batteries have been increasingly explored as an alternative energy storage system as industry begins to manoeuvre towards an age of ‘Beyond lithium’ research and development.

The present review article sheds light on the fabrication of heterogeneous metal oxide-supported nanostructure-based catalysts for boosting industrially significant oxidation processes.

The emergence of light-responsive metal–organic frameworks represents an opportunity for stimuli responsive platform design for environmental applications.

Graphical representation of phage natural replication, molecular modification applications including CRISPR/Cas9, and delivery applications including hydrogels and liposome encapsulation for treatment of bacterial infections.

A comprehensive review about the state-of-the-art polymer-based radiative coolers, and our insights are outlined to advance their commercial progress.

The non-functional materials such as substrate materials and adhesive materials, and functional materials (piezoelectric composites, conductive composites and dielectric composites) used for flexible electronics are summarized in detail.

We provide a critical overview of recent advances in all-dielectric, strongly resonant and gradient metasurfaces, as their performance is pushed to the extreme in view of emerging flat-optics applications.

An Egyptian blue integrated luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) is reported.

A novel simple and inexpensive methodology based on electrodeposition of PEDOT is presented to improve the properties of tungsten microwires, making them a safe and accessible tool in electrophysiology studies.

This study focuses on both ecological and economic gains from food waste treatment.

Methyl ammonium lead halide (MAPbX₃) suffers from high toxicity of the Pb²⁺ cation leading to a major roadblock to its end-application. Replacement of Pb²⁺ MAPbX₃ with Mg²⁺ would lower its toxicity.

This study aims to perform biological assessments of an electroactive scaffold based on PCL/AgNPs that was fabricated using a green synthesis approach followed by a 3D printing method without toxic solvents, which has not been explored previously.

Gel electrolyte plays a vital role in the valve-regulated lead acid battery.

High-performance electrocatalysts is critical for enhancing the performance and commercial viability of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), which hold the potential to transform the way we power portable electronics and off-grid systems.

A novel N-rich (73.7%) energetic material, 2,4,6-tris(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-1,3,5-triazine, along with a series of its salts were synthesized and physically characterized revealing excellent thermal stability and intriguing detonation parameters.

The self-assembly of hierarchical porous structures was achieved by delicately controlling the surface energy. With this strategy, a PAI–TPU/m-SiO₂ superhydrophobic surface exhibited excellent mechanical robustness and durability.

This work experimentally implements a physical reservoir computing system using a back-end-of-line SiC thin film based memristor to achieve pattern recognition with high accuracy.

A fast-charging structural cathode comprised of a redox-active polymer PTMA–GMA coated on a rGO/BANF platform that exhibits an excellent specific power (∼4310 W kg⁻¹ at 25C-rate) and specific modulus (∼4.33 GPa cm³ g⁻¹).

Development of a bipolar redox active material for symmetrical full organic flow batteries (NAORFB) will enhance their stability and growth.

In spite of extensive studies on halide perovskites for advanced photovoltaic applications, little attention has been paid to fluoride perovskites so far.

A series of cerium-doped CoFe-layered double hydroxide (LDH) materials were synthesized using a co-precipitation method, and they were utilized for the oxygen evolution reaction.

Re-introduction or recycling of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) aerogel back into the production process of MTMS aerogels allows the avoidance of cracking during preparation, and thereby enables large scale monoliths to be prepared.

Multifunctionality of vanadate garnet phosphors in latent fingerprint detection, security inks, and dual-mode temperature sensing.

The as-prepared Cs₃Cu₂I₅/⁶LiF/PMMA composite scintillators show a high light yield, with thermal neutron signals and gamma signals effectively separated.

3D printed SrNbO₂N photocatalyst, its reconstructed XRD-CT image, band structure and photo-oxidation process.

π-Conjugated polymer films electrically polymerized in cholesteric liquid crystals under a magnetic field form a helical interchain stacking structure and exhibit uniaxial orientation. The polymers with phenoxy radical show paramagnetic behavior.

Synthesis of chalcone nanoparticles as staining agents and photodynamic therapy.

A copolymer donor PBDTTPTP based on a tetracyclic bislactone unit achieved a high light utilization efficiency of 4.38% in semitransparent organic photovoltaics.

Glycolyzed PET was esterified then vulcanized to produce composites with strength exceeding that of mineral cement. The process may allow replacing environmentally-damaging materials while recycling plastic waste.

Graft polymers with a conjugated backbone were synthesized and fabricated into nanoparticles demonstrating improved photoluminescence through reduced aggregation.

A maximum adsorption capacity of 811.7 mg g⁻¹ was achieved for RhB onto BUT-8(Cr).

Herein, we present the fabrication of an N′,N′′,N′′′,N′′′′-tetra(salicylidene)-amino benzene-modified multi-walled carbon nanotube electrode (TSAB/MWCNT) for the voltammetric determination of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺.

A feasible, green and scalable approach for the synthesis of hierarchical ZnAl-LDH with well adsorption capacity to Cr(VI).

The ordered–disordered transition temperature is reduced significantly with increasing cationic sizes. A possible principle for creating better ion-conducting materials is to have smaller cations in a larger unit cell.

Lithiated Nb, Al, or Ti metal oxide interlayers improve the LiCoO₂/LLZO interface, whereby the Li–Nb–O interlayer exhibits the highest performance.

Precise molecular tailoring was applied to obtain high performance liquid crystal materials for the broad temperature adaptability of LCoS devices in AR displays.

In this work, we developed a zinc titanate nanocellulose composite as an efficient photocatalyst in the photodegradation of emerging contaminant tetracycline.

Enabling the carbonation reaction of Limestone waste by using CaZrO₃ nanoadditives.

We investigate the effect of metal cation substition on the excitonic structure and dynamics in a prototypical Ruddlesden–Popper metal halide.

SiO has been extensively studied as a high-capacity negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

Redox active, insoluble pyrene tetraone based dendritic porous polymers were synthesized by using different catalyst loadings and work-up procedures.

The high surface area of porous carbon microspheres is exploited to prepare surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) gold substrates and sensitive detection of malachite green is observed for optically trapped individual composite particles.

Debonding-on-demand adhesives were designed by fabricating photochemical reversible bonds and using dynamic polymer cleavage and flow generation mechanisms.

Considering the importance of tungsten oxide (WO₃) in fabricating acetone sensors for the non-invasive diagnosis of diabetes, we have tried to understand the sensing behaviour of this interesting material in detail.

Hydrophobic alkyl side chains steer water toward the charge-ion pair, giving rise to large interconnected water clusters that promote ion conduction.

A green and effective cotton process from herbal plant of F. Artemisiae argyi as a source of natural dye and bio-agent.

The fullerene concentration in semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) decreases the photoluminescent (PL) and increases the photothermal (PT) effects due to enhanced non-radioative recombination of charge transfer (CT) excitons.

The commonly used polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder should be replaced with renewable and abundant binder materials to enable a sustainable aqueous processing route for LIB cathodes, by eliminating the energy-intensive N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) recovery step.

Lignin-derivable non-isocyanate polyurethane thermosets are highlighted as potential alternatives to petroleum-derived analogues with significant enhancement in toughness without compromising other application-specific thermomechanical properties.

Achiral silver nanoparticles are modified with amino acids to make the overall chiral nano-assembly. Electrical measurements are performed, and XOR logic gate is implemented.

W thin films doped with nitrogen impurities display superconductivity with T_c close to 5 K when the microstructure shows coexistence of amorphous nitrides.