Themed collection A selection of 2019 articles

Structural color materials with bioinspired functions are being introduced into real-life applications.

In-depth discussion on recent progress of fundamental understanding of AIE mechanisms, identifying the existing challenges and opportunities for future developments.

Stimuli-responsive polymers uniquely undergo physical/chemical changes in response to changes in their environment. Here, there use for sensing and actuation is reviewed.

This review focuses on the research progress of the efficient iodine capture in porous POP and MOF materials.

A comprehensive review on designs and mechanisms of semiconducting metal oxides with various nanostructures for room-temperature gas sensor applications.

An intriguing mechanics-induced triple-mode anticounterfeiting device and a moving tactile sensor were developed by simultaneously utilizing transient and persistent mechanoluminescence.

Ice-templating soft self-assembled lipid hydrogels with different morphologies (fibrous vs. lamellar) of comparable elastic properties result in macroporous solids with extremely different mechanical properties.

To combat the growing global healthcare threat from drug-resistant pathogens, we demonstrate that midblock-sulfonated block polymers can kill 99.9999% of “superbugs,” including bacteria and viruses, in just 5 minutes due to an abrupt pH reduction.

Using a multiscale molecular modeling protocol, we proposed a design strategy of fluorescent probes to selectively target the cell membrane or mitochondria.

A V_oc-increased approach with ITCT as the higher-LUMO-level acceptor guest supplies 16.1%-efficiency fullerene-free ternary solar cells with both V_oc and FF simultaneously increased.

The liquid layer generators enable excellent dynamic anti-icing performance and show great potential at temperature of −60 °C.

Solid-state interfacial dealloying creates bi-continuous nanostructured thin films with 3D interconnected morphology, revealed by multimodal characterization, offering potential applications in catalysis, biomedical sensing and energy storage.

The direction-control of anisotropic electronic behaviors can be achieved via ferroelastic switching.

Theoretical and experimental investigations of diacetylene-linked COFs with remarkable charge-transport properties.

Nanostructured superclear, superomniphobic glass fabricated by a statistical machine learning procedure.

Functional tissues with complex geometries can be engineered by 3D bioprinting individual cell-only bioinks into a photocrosslinkable microgel support bath, which permits structural control over cellular condensation formation and long-term culture.

Metal–organic framework/polypyrrole hybrids are synthesized and directly used in capacitive deionization for the first time.

Wireless piezoelectric microrobots are biomedical devices with a potential use in high-precision minimally invasive therapies.

We quantify activation energy, concentration, and diffusion coefficient of mobile ions in MAPbI₃ perovskite solar cells using transient ion-drift measurements.

We harnessed buckling which was once considered the epitome of design failure to develop mechanical metamaterials for soft robotic applications.

Serotonin-conjugated hyaluronic acid hydrogel inspired by platelet coagulation provides a multifunctional hemostatic adhesive mediating highly effective hemostasis and preventing abnormal tissue adhesion.

Splitting energy (Δε)-controlled thermally activated reversed phase transformation from the low-lying dark state to the high-lying transition-allowed state of H-aggregation plays a key role in the organic ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence.

Digital 3D printing with a shape memory polymer is utilized to create mechanical metamaterials exhibiting dramatic and reversible changes in stiffness, geometry, and functions.

A simple strategy tailors perfusable and permeable hierarchical microchannel networks from diverse materials.

A cephalopod-inspired mechanoluminescence material with skin-like self-healing and sensing properties was developed by the construction of a unique strain-dependent microcrack-structured conductive UV-shielding layer upon a self-healable supramolecular fluorescent elastomer with synergistic dynamic crosslinking network design.

DLP 3D printed ionic hydrogels are designed as sensitivity-improved electrodes in a skin-like sensor.

Novel 3D-printable hydrogels with host–guest non-covalent interactions and covalently crosslinked networks show robust mechanical strength, self-healing performance and excellent biocompatibility.

We introduce and present the fundamentals of stress-localization concept to minimize adhesion of ice or other contaminants on a surface.

A facile solvent-exchange strategy is devised to fabricate anti-drying, self-healing and transparent organohydrogels for stretchable humidity sensing applications.

Nature-inspired ionic conductors based on supramolecular nanofibril are developed for flexible and stretchable strain/pressure sensors.