Themed collection Recent Review Articles

Recent advances pertaining to bioinspired/biomimetic MXenes and MXene-centered structures are discussed, with a focus on important outcomes and future directions.

Charge transport (p-channel and/or ambipolar) in thin film and single crystal OFET devices and efficacious NLO response of tetrathis/oxa[22]porphyrin(2.1.2.1)s and/or their air stable, supramolecular donor-acceptor dyads, present new possibilities in organic electronics.

van der Waals epitaxy of TMDCs and their applications.

In this perspective, we presented our group’s journey to design biomaterials using LCEs and as inks for 3D printing. We addressed properties sought in a scaffold that address cells’ specific needs, and how we used the intrinsic properties of LCEs to influence on cell behavior.

A review on performance optimization and application of ferroelectric thin film materials.

This perspective article illustrates that the possible applications of chitin as a material have been widely extended through the use of ionic liquids, which are now identified as an important research field regarding chitin.

Over recent years metal nanoparticles have received increased attention for the treatment of viral diseases. In the presence of metal nanoparticles COVID-19 viral processes such as attachment and replication are reduced leading to insignificant viral production.

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.

COVID-19 infections and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have caused an unprecedented health crisis across the globe with numerous deaths, as well as causing a tremendous economic crash worldwide.

In recent years, all-inorganic perovskites have attracted extensive research interest in the field of electrochemical energy storage. Moreover, various modulation strategies can further enhance its potential for practical applications.

In this review, some important designs of stimuli responsive and chemically reactive multilayer coatings were presented to display the inherent ability of such interfaces in associating different relevant, functional and bio-inspired properties.

Signal amplification strategies via antibody conjugation and nanomaterials for the modification of transducers enable higher precision and sensitivity of electrochemical biosensors.

After reviewing the synthesis, characterization and applications of 150+ porous suspensions, we conclude that type III porous liquids are either suspensions of MOFs in ionic liquids and liquid polymers or of decorated MOFs in molecular solvents.

Routine fabrication and diverse applications of molecularly imprinted photocatalysts are summarized. Challenges and perspectives of molecularly imprinted photocatalysts are discussed.

Metal–organic frameworks are promising materials for ion-exchange membrane applications. This review paper examines their current status and potential to meet the rigorous ion-conductivity requirements, while identifying promising approaches for improvement.

This review elaborates on the importance of poling and its theories, parameters, techniques and d₃₃ values of lead-based and lead-free materials and its composites. The energy-harvesting performance, current challenges, and prospects are also discussed.

We place metamaterials in the context of underpinning physical phenomena, including negative refraction, bandgaps, wave focusing, and negative Poisson’s ratio. The designs, mechanisms, governing equations, and effective parameters are discussed.

Solar energy may cater current power demand and second generation with modified technologies could play important role. This review presents role of ZnTe as efficient interface to CdTe devices with future road map to improve device performance.

Metal oxide nanostructures are extremely fascinating smart and functional materials owing to their outstanding wide and tunable band gap, biocompatibility, high electrochemical coupling coefficient, photostability and excellent piezoelectric properties.

The review provides a concise report on various types of COFs, current trends, their application in CO₂ reduction via photochemical, electrochemical and photo coupled electrochemical pathways.

Vitrimers: one step towards a greener future for the composite industry?

The advent of nanotechnology has broadened the scope of technological advances in both medical and industrial applications.

Intelligent hydrogels behaviour concerning various external stimuli and their major in vitro applications are illustrated.

The unique chemical and physical features of selenium nanomaterials make them ideal for developing new and better sensing devices, particularly biosensors.

As one of the current research hotspots, drug release nanoplatforms have great potential in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases.

A focused review of recent designs to realize highly stretchable, self-healing, and nonvolatile gel electrolytes featuring ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents.

The possibility of control over crystal facet orientation and microstructure via electrodeposition parametric variation towards enhancement of applicability of nanocomposites.

A review on the structure–activity relationship and mechanism of antimicrobial CDs.

Cellulose-based wound dressings are increasingly in demand due to their biocompatibility and extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicking properties.

Role of MXene in wound dressing applications.

Clays have been used as early as 2500 BC in human civilization for medicinal purposes.

This review gives conceptual insights into stimuli-responsive one-dimensional photonic crystals regarding fabrication, materials, optical properties and sensing principles.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) show tremendous possibilities in the field of biomedicine, especially as therapeutic agents for use over a prolonged duration.

The application of the ion-irradiation technique for modifying and designing catalyst/electrode materials are of great importance in improving the performance of electrochemical energy devices for energy storage and conversion.

Solar beams contain solar energy, which releases a great deal of energy.

In this review, we summarize the bioactivities of bacterial outer membrane vesicles, including biogenesis, immunogenicity, and interactions, followed by a discussion on their functionalization as nanocarriers for bioimaging, diagnosis, and therapy.

This review concisely elaborates the advancement from stretchable toward autonomous self-healable semiconducting polymers owing to their long-term use and enhanced reliability, maintenance, and durability for modern thin-film transistor devices.

This review discusses how high-throughput experimentation and data-driven strategies, such as the use of machine learning models, are being used to enable rapid advances in colloidal quantum dot technologies.

This review describes the methods to prepare self-assembled silk fibroin hydrogels with a focus on gelation mechanisms and biomedical applications.

Recently, carbon dioxide electroreduction has become a hot spot to solve environmental and energy problems. The electrodeposition method as a simple and efficient preparation of catalysts is the top priority to achieve the industrialization.

Application of antimicrobial agents and antimicrobial hydrogels in wound dressings.

A myriad of polymers is being electrospun into functional bioelectronics. This method has been an effective way not only to fabricate newer devices but also to enhance the performance of the existing bioelecronics.

Recent advances in the development of LAPONITE® nanodisk-based platforms for tumor chemotherapy and phototherapy, imaging, and theranostics have been reviewed.

In this review, the research progress of MOF-based PC gas sensors from 1-D to 3-D PCs, which mainly include four aspects of sensing mechanism, material selection, structural optimization and sensing performances, is comprehensively summarized.

Random lasers are a particular class of optical devices where the optical feedback is provided by scattering media. In this review, we discuss recent progress and prospects of random lasers using advanced materials.

Amine functionalization methods in porous organic polymers for CO₂ capture applications. The figure was created by Michael J. Gipple.

Solid electrolytes for room-temperature sodium–sulfur batteries have gained acceptance considering the advantages of safety, mitigating the polysulfide shuttling, stable cycling and mechanical property, which suppresses dendrite proliferation.

This review summarizes the synthesis and anti-cancer phototherapy applications of tellurium nanomaterials, and puts forward some breakthrough ideas for subsequent applications.

This review article deeply focuses on the use of heteroatom-doped nanomaterials and core–shell nanostructures for various kinds of fuel cell and battery applications.

Fuel cell technology yields cleaner energy resources for diverse applications such as transport, power stationery, and portable devices.

Injectable bone substitutes (IBS) represent compelling options for bone regenerative medicine as they can be used to optimally fill a complex bone defect through minimally invasive intervention.

This review covers the mechanistic origin of luminescent mono- and bimetallic gold-based nanomaterials and their syntheses by the chemical reduction of metal precursors in the presence of surface capping agents.

Dyes have been found in industrial effluents, highlighting the need for effective treatment. CS and GMA derivatives have good water-purification properties, and they can be utilized to clean wastewater effectively.

Global warming is a great threat to the very survival of our planet.

Synthesis, modification, and application of black phosphorus.

Molybdenum dichalcogenides are an important class of TMD materials. This review article discusses their properties, synthesis and applications.

The fundamentals, standardization, innovative strategies, and future direction of low-temperature water electrolysis including alkaline (AWE), proton exchange membrane (PEMWE), and anion exchange membrane (AEMWE) water electrolyses are discussed.

Novel device architectures are opening a new frontier of flexible organic electronics with high integration density, data processability and optical responsivity.

Perovskite-based devices have achieved high efficiencies in the fields of photovoltaics and energy storage.

Chemical labeling and crosslinking of plant viruses via multiple diazonium reagents can be used for the preparation of new biomaterials including hydrogels.

Electrically conductive bone scaffolds composed of carbon-based conductive materials are proposed as promising biomaterials for bone tissue engineering solutions.

This review focusses on the fundamentals of NRR, factors influencing NRR kinetics and the advent and development of transition metal-based catalysts such as borides, carbides and nitrides due to their specific importance in reinforcing NRR.

A sustainable paradigm for syngas production via photocatalytic CO₂ reduction.

Recent developments in eco-friendly synthesis, cancer theranostic applications, and biocompatibility/cytotoxicity issues of CNTs are discussed, with emphasis on important challenges and future perspectives.

Dual application of Si–Ge alloy in thermoelectric and BICMOS in the semiconductor industry.

This review summarizes the latest data about electrospun curcumin-loaded polymer nanofibers: solution formulations, technological parameters, biological and antibacterial activity.

In the present review, the current trends of the research endeavours (2017–2022) based on emerging optical biosensing applications by various 0D nanomaterials have been comprehensively described towards the detection of targeted bio-analytes.

The development of self-powered systems applied in wearable electronics based on triboelectric nanogenerators introduces advances in the Internet of Things, wireless communication, and biomedical fields.

2D layered transition metal selenides grown in ambient pressure CVD for promising energy storage applications.

A holistic review detailing the recent advances and challenges of nanosheet-derived photocatalysts for the removal of pollutants using sunlight.