Themed collection Recent Review Articles

This article highlights recent advances in the rational design of uniform afterglow SiO₂ microparticles, facilitated by pseudomorphic transformation-assisted doping, identifies key challenges, and explores opportunities in this field.

Polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) based materials could provide a sustainable alternative to conventional materials, especially for separation applications.

State-of-the-art review of magnetic hybrid organic–inorganic transition metal halide perovskites, focusing on chemical design, the origin and tunability of magnetism, and potential applications in magneto-optics, sensors, and spin filters.

This review focuses on the synthesis of quantum dots, film deposition techniques, and their application across various functional layers in perovskite solar cells, elucidating the mechanisms by which quantum dots enhance photovoltaic performance.

A review on the modification methods, types of modifiers, and performance improvement of wood–inorganic composites.

This review systematically examines the structural features, fabrication techniques, and applications of porous polymers, as well as their interrelationships, to serve as a guide for researchers.

This review emphasizes memory-based intelligence, enabling artificial muscles to execute a range of pre-programmed movements and refresh stored actuation states in response to changing conditions, as well as sensory-based intelligence.

TCPP MOFs, characterized by diverse nanostructured morphologies, can be integrated into various membranes, performing advanced separation applications.

Overview of photo-crosslinkable organic components—insulators, semiconductors, and conductors—and their integration into flexible and stretchable electronics such as physical sensors, OFETs, and OSCs via photo-crosslinking method.

Gas sensors are essential tools for safeguarding public health and safety because they allow the detection of hazardous gases.

This review presents conductive composites, fabrication processes, integration strategies, and therapeutic applications in the nervous system of fiber-based neural interfaces.

This review focuses on Kagome magnets, highlighting their lattice, rich electronic states and emergent quantum effects. It explores the synergy of topology, magnetism and correlations, and outlines future research directions in solid-state chemistry.

Cooperation of OSDAs could lead to a certain topology, reduce the synthesis cost, fasten the synthesis, or alter the Al distribution/siting, while the competition of OSDAs may cause phase selectivity issues or intergrowth of different structures.

An overview of the application of machine learning in single nanomaterials and nanocomposites is provided. We highlight a closed-loop relationship between the synthesis and properties by machine learning models with optimization and prediction tasks.

This paper illustrates future research directions for neuromorphic e-skin devices and their applications.

Epitaxially combining oxide layers can create new functionalities surpassing those of separate parent materials. This review highlights the unique structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of γ-Al₂O₃/SrTiO₃, revealing the underlying mechanisms.

This review highlights the functions of layered double hydroxide-modified bismuth vanadate photoanodes in solar water splitting. Future outlook on the photoanode is also summarized.

Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) is a breakthrough technology in biomedicine.

The growing plastic pollution crisis demands novel approaches, with innovative materials that mimic robotic behaviors emerging as a promising solution.

Supercapacitors boost wearable/implantable devices with high power & long life. Novel materials aim for better energy density & miniaturization, powering bioelectronics & medical implants with reliable, safe energy.

With broad usage of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electronic devices and electric vehicles (EVs), a large number of decommissioned LIBs will be generated, which cause serious environmental pollution and waste of resources.

This review discusses advances in self-powered electrochemical systems for fuel production. Critical evaluations of the electrochemistry are highlighted to estimate the obstacles still hindering large-scale application in this field.

An overview of the MENP biological applications discussed in this paper, which have the potential to form theranostic systems in the treatment of various diseases.

This review discusses commonly used semiconductor photocatalytic antibacterial materials, methods for improving their photocatalysis performance and their application for bone infection treatment.

Molecular composites, such as bone and nacre, are everywhere in nature and play crucial roles, ranging from self-defense to carbon sequestration.

This review explores the evolution of indoor perovskite solar cells driven by recent advances in material optimization and machine learning, fostering sustainable indoor energy solutions for interconnected smart technologies.

This review explores recent advances in mimicking biological sensory systems—receptors, neurons, and synapses—using memristors. It also outlines methods to attain the necessary device traits and implement systems effectively.

Exploring the potential of polyimide–carbon nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical strength, self-healing ability, dust repellence, fire resistance and protection against atomic oxygen for next-generation spacesuits.

Noble metal-based oxide electrocatalysts are essential for the development of H₂ production technology by water electrolysis, and this review summarises the recent research progress of noble metal oxides in the field of water electrolysis.

NRCAs: an effective substitute for metal-based MRI contrast agents.

This paper reviews the historical development of MAX-phase materials, fabrication techniques for MAX-phase coatings, their protective performance and functional characteristics, and provides an outlook on future trends of MAX-phase coatings.

This review introduces area selective deposition and highlights recent contributions toward understanding and developing robust ASD processes.

This review explores mechanisms of endosomal escape in polymeric nanoparticles and highlights emerging quantification methods. A critical discussion on current challenges and future strategies for optimizing intracellular delivery is provided.

The principles, enhancement strategies, progress of different semiconductor types, challenges/perspectives, and guidance for commercial applications are systematic reviewed for the semiconductor radiosensitizers.

Thermally tailoring dielectric genes are proposed for tuning electromagnetic properties of graphene hybrids. Dielectric genetic engineering is utilized to design diversified graphene hybrids, which can be tuned in extreme temperature environments.

Oligonucleotide-based targeted therapy has emerged as a breakthrough in medicine, offering treatments for various diseases. We review the hybridisation-dependent off-target effects of therapeutic oligonucleotides, and the DNA nanotechnology-based strategies designed to mitigate these interactions.

Olfactory memory forms the basis for biological perception and environmental adaptation.

Significant advancements have been made in biochemical sensing, particularly in the design, development, and utilization of metallic nanoclusters and metal–organic frameworks as separate functional materials.

This paper reviews droplet manipulation on bioinspired slippery surfaces. It also classifies methods into active and passive based on external stimuli like heat and light and emphasizes their significance for applications in multiple fields.

This review provides insight into the development of advanced metal single-atom catalysts for ammonia electrosynthesis.

Solid polymer electrolytes have been considered one of the most promising candidates for solid-state batteries, while the Li coordination structure, interfaces and interphases and related cycling performance still remain challenge.

Photocatalysis has emerged as a crucial technology for utilizing solar energy to combat global warming and energy shortages.

Acquiring robust 2D material-based thin films entails root analysis of the multiple parameters affecting their mechanical performance. This work reviews the different factors impacting the mechanical properties of thin films composed of 2D materials.

This review analyzes the latest advances in the field of design of single atom catalysts (SACs) for various industrially relevant organic transformation reactions along with the challenges in the field and their possible counter measures.

Non-collinear chiral antiferromagnets display strong magneto-transport signatures, while their octupole moment can be controlled and read fully electrically, making them useful in classical, neuromorphic, and quantum information processing domains.

This review explores recent advancements in inorganic medicinal nanoarchitectonics, emphasizing their pivotal role in drug delivery, bioimaging, targeted therapy, diagnostics, and the potential for future innovations in these domains.

This review highlights the potential of solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SIE) technology to simultaneously produce clean water and extract valuable ions from water, addressing both water scarcity and resource recovery challenges.

This review explores the potential of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) as a solution to mitigate the voltage deficits in tin perovskite solar cells (TPSCs).

This review highlights the advancements in flexible silicon-based photovoltaics, photodetectors, and bio-interfaced electronics, identifying key design principles through control of geometry, morphology, and composition.

This article provides an overview of the advancements in atmospheric water collection driven by solar energy. The roles of materials, surfaces, equipment, and systems in enhancing water collection efficiency are discussed.

This review includes synthetic methods, characterization techniques, electronic structure-regulating strategies, and electromagnetic wave absorption applications of high-entropy materials.

This review provides a summary of the latest advancements in sulfide solid-state electrolytes for all-solid-state sodium batteries. It emphasizes the various preparation methods, modification strategies, and enhancements in interfacial stability.

Polarization-sensitive photodetectors based on two-dimensional (2D) materials have garnered significant research attention owing to their distinctive architectures and exceptional photophysical properties.

The applications and performance enhancement strategies of Ni_xP_y with different crystal phases in the field of electrocatalysis are discussed.

This review provides a systematic review and perspective of the challenges and opportunities in scaling memristive hardware for spiking neural networks (SNNs), focusing on device innovations, system integration, and algorithm-hardware co-design.

This review summarized lignin/lignocellulose materials for various 3D printing techniques and their related applications, where lignin is used in an isolated state, as part of lignocellulose biomass or chemically modified to better bind with a matrix.

This review elucidates the use of carbon-based nanomaterials of varying dimensions in the diagnosis and therapy of Alzheimer's disease, grounded on several pathogenic theories of AD, while also outlining present problems and future potential.

Functional catalytic materials play an important role in environmental, biological, energy, and other fields, wherein unique properties can be endowed through various synthesis strategies.

Various muscle-like hydrogels that emerged in recent years exhibit rapid and isochoric deformations upon stimulations. This minireview summarizes the development of muscle-like hydrogels, their unique mechanisms, and applications as soft robots.

Nanointerfacial bioengineering of titanium-based implants with synthetic technologies could improve their osseointegration, showing promise to enhance interfacial osteogenesis, preventing peri-implant infection and overcome osteodegenerative stress.

The supramolecular self-assembly of peptides offers a promising avenue for both materials science and biological applications.