Themed collection 2025 Nanoscale HOT Article Collection

This review focuses on retinal prostheses using energy-conversion nano/micromaterials (photovoltaic, piezoelectric, upconversion, and photothermal), which enable wireless/self-powered operation with advantages like high sensitivity and resolution.

This review summarizes the research progress of LATP-based polymer composite solid electrolytes (CSEs), providing a reference for future research directions.

The emerging intercalation ferroelectricity may provide significant scientific and technological opportunities.

This work systematically compares solid–solid and solid–liquid–solid conversion mechanisms in aqueous batteries and provides new insights into designing high-performance aqueous energy storage systems.

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) ferroelectric (FE) materials have recently emerged as promising candidates for advanced synaptic devices in brain-inspired neuromorphic computing systems.

Three aspects that piezoelectric materials promote wound healing are as follows: (A) electrical stimulation promotes tissue repair, (B) piezoelectric catalytic antibacterial action, and (C) drug-loaded piezoelectric dressings.

This review highlights the therapeutic potential of metal-based and metal oxide nanoparticles in IVDD by leveraging their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and microenvironment-modulating properties to enhance tissue repair. The ToC was created in BioRender. Zhang, L. (2025) https://BioRender.com/6fzdcqv.

The ion-selective transport property of biological systems has inspired the development of biomimetic ion channels. This mini-review highlights the mechanisms, recent fabrication strategies and applications of biomimetic ion channels.

Multifunctional coupling and signal decoupling achieved through nanostructure and supramolecule design, enable multimodal mechanoluminescent materials to play an increasingly important role in interdisciplinary applications and cutting-edge fields.

Nucleic acid nanotechnology-based artificial transcriptional components (aTCs) can be integrated into synthetic transcriptional circuits to recognize external signals, process information, and execute decision-based functions.

The five nanoparticles target the tumor acidic microenvironment through the mechanism of (1) ionizable groups and (2) pH-sensitive chemical bonds.

We present a comprehensive review on the principles, construction, performance optimization, and diverse applications of aerogel-based triboelectric nanogenerators. Reproduced with permission (see main article for details).

This review comprehensively introduces the preparation, performance, mechanism and application of BN memristors, making up for the lack of content in this field.

Hydrogels, due to their biocompatibility, tunability, and stimulus responsiveness, are promising materials for flexible health monitoring.

Restoring physicochemical homeostasis in tumor tissues with functional clay nanomaterials can convert the ‘cold’ immune microenvironment into a ‘hot’ one for enhanced immunotherapy of solid tumors.

This review highlights the design and modification of porous organic cages to meet the requirements of pollution removal and analysis and their applications in the adsorption, separation and sensing of contaminants. Images reproduced with permission, full details in article.

AI surrogates are displacing brute-force simulations in meta-optics; we review strategies from CNNs to LLMs that speed design, capture coupling, and yield fabrication-friendly, multifunctional devices.

Element doping can endow MXenes with enhanced electrochemical properties, catalytic performance, and structural characteristics. This review focuses on the doping mechanism, doping methods and applications of MXenes in the field of energy storage.

In this review, mass-sensing humidity sensors are comprehensively summarized from the aspects of humidity sensing mechanisms, humidity sensing materials, and emerging applications. Images reproduced with permission, see Figure 1 for details.

Humans are exposed to PEG and have ample opportunities to create anti-PEG antibodies.

This work breaks new ground by linking catalyst design with engineering needs for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers, providing a roadmap for non-precious catalysts in acid conditions.

By mimicking enzymatic activities, nanozymes emerge as versatile platforms to reprogram immune responses, paving the way for next-generation immunotherapy.

Graphene oxide and graphdiyne enable solar evaporation through 3D mastery: broadband light harvesting, anisotropic heat confinement, and ion-selective water transport, reshaping optimization strategies for next-gen solar water-energy systems.

2D materials-based infrared (IR) photodetectors are essential for a wide range of applications, including optical communication, night vision, and environmental monitoring; graphical images reproduced with permission; full details in paper.

This review summarizes the unique role of novel gallium-based nano-liquid metals in antibacterial applications, focusing on their distinctive activities and underlying antibacterial mechanisms. The graphical abstract was created in BioRender. R, z. (2025) https://BioRender.com/v96z429.

This review presents a systematic framework outlining the construction strategies for adhesion layers in plant wearable devices, drawing inspiration from plant-based adhesion interfaces.

Through bridging the gap between 2D material and single-atom material, 2D monolayer materials exhibit great potential in CO₂RR due to their unique structural/electronic properties, high atom utilization and low mass transfer resistance.

mRNA-based therapeutics have entered the mainstream with seemingly limitless possibilities to treat neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumors.

This review summarizes recent advancements in in situ microscopy techniques applied to the study of mechanical and electromechanical properties of 2D materials. The latest results, corresponding challenges and future opportunities are discussed.

Review of synthesis strategies for circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) inorganic quantum dots, influencing factors, theoretical insight into CPL mechanisms, and future applications/prospects. Images reproduced with permission, details in article.

This study breaks the long-standing trade-off between catalyst lifetime and carbon nanotube growth rate by combining support design with control over the catalyst formation process.

Integrating electrospinning with post-calcination-mediated interfacial engineering has been developed to construct SnO₂/NiO n–p junction hollow nanotube heterostructures, enabling efficient OER electrocatalysis in alkaline environments.

This study employs nano-impact electrochemistry (NIE) to investigate the size-dependent electrocatalytic activity of single IrO₂ nanoparticles, leveraging the technique's high mass transport and in situ analysis capabilities.

Structural distortions in Ag/Bi quasi-2D double perovskites are responsible for the unexpected trend in the exciton binding energies.

The trace endogenous Fe species within natural halloysite nanotubes have been engineered into a single-atom Fe₁–P cocatalyst with high H₂ evolution activity and stability in both dye-sensitized and semiconductor-based systems.

We demonstrate the colloidal synthesis of luminescent titanium nitride (TiN) quantum dots with multicolor emission and tunable band gaps, providing safer alternatives to metal chalcogenides and halide perovskites for solar cells and LEDs.

Designed a pseudocapacitive KZMF(3-1)@rGO anode material, explored its conversion/alloying/insertion hybrid mechanism by electrochemical analysis and ex situ characterization techniques, and constructed NICs and Na-DIBs devices.

Two atomically-precise {AsW₉O₃₃}-mediated silver alkynyl clusters have been synthesized by adjusting mixed reaction solvents, showing efficient photothermal performance and catalytic activities towards the detoxification of 4-nitrophenol.

25 nm Octopod Mn–Fe oxide nanoparticles reduce crystal anisotropy, leading to faster relaxation times, a narrower MPI point spread function (PSF), and consequently improved spatial resolution.

Low-symmetry, bugle-like gold nanocrystals fabricated by rolling Au nanosheets exhibit strong near-infrared absorption and outstanding photothermal therapeutic efficacy under 808 nm laser irradiation.

Thiol concentration governs the oxidative etching pathways of Au nanoclusters, switching between ligand-initiated and oxygen-initiated mechanisms, both leading to Au(I)-thiolate complexes via distinct intermediate steps.

The spatial charge region is rationally designed by constructing a Mott–Schottky heterostructure in the Cu-WN catalyst, achieving accurate activation of NO₃⁻ and HCO₃⁻ to accelerate the targeted electrochemical C–N coupling reaction.

A novel Lorentz-force-assisted electrodeposition method is introduced to fabricate Romanesco-like Ni–Fe nano-cone arrays with enhanced stability and efficient bubble release for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under high current densities.

Magnon–phonon coupling and spin-phonon interaction are interplays between phonons and magnetism, offering new approaches to manipulate phonons related to magnetism.

A facile dual injection synthesis protocol enabling precise phase control in the production of mixed metal chalcohalide anisotropic crystals. Sequential transformation of seeds drives formation of the quaternary chalcohalide.

The combined mesoporous confinement and dual-cation engineering establish a universal strategy to develop CPL-active perovskites with tunable emission, near-unity PLQY, high FM, and excellent stability.

Constructing integrated TC and absorption-dominant EMI shielding networks via in situ growth of FeCo nanoparticles on VACF arrays. A through-plane TC of 42.03 W (mK)⁻¹ and an SE_T of 41.6 dB were achieved, while the SE_R was only 1.5 dB.

Solvothermal oxidation–aldol condensation of primary alcohols enables the controlled formation of carbonized polymer dots with chain-length-tunable optical properties and high sensitivity and selectivity toward Fe³⁺ and p-nitrophenol.

CNT-modified asphalt nanocomposites exhibit superior pullout performance compared to those reinforced with DNTs, primarily due to π–π stacking interactions that facilitate the wrapping of asphalt molecules around the CNT surfaces.

The PVDF–CP separator enables long-life AZIBs (2810 h Zn∥Zn, 99.0% CE) by combining Zn²⁺ channels and a hydrophobic shield at the anode interface.

The Se@C material exhibits superior electrochemical performance.

Intercalation of Eu into the h-BN/Ni(111) interface restores the dispersion of the h-BN π-band and causes doping effects, while the energy shift of the π-band at the Γ point is very sensitive to the interface structure.

Aligned PBTTT-C₁₄ nanowires fabricated via PDMS-guided edge-accumulation show enhanced molecular order, improved electrolyte interaction, and markedly boosted OECT and synaptic device performance.

Interfacial solar steam generation for brine treatment using advanced bi-layer biochar-alginate foam.

A novel conjugated polyelectrolyte, PFTPE-NMI⁺Br⁻, is non-covalently bonded to the GO surface to give a PFTPE-NMI⁺Br⁻:GO composite material. The as-fabricated electronic device, with a configuration of Al/PFTPE-NMI⁺Br⁻:GO/ITO, demonstrates a non-volatile ternary rewritable memory effect.

Sub-5 nm homogeneous CMOS devices with ultra-high ON-state current of 4533 μA μm⁻¹ can be achieved by SnNX (X = Cl, Br) monolayers.

The b-AsP/In₂Se₃ heterostructure phototransistor device exhibits excellent performance in solar-blind ultraviolet detection with a high photoresponsivity of 4129.3 A W⁻¹ and a polarization dichroic ratio of ∼2.12.

This novel hole-mesh electrode with crack-guiding notches disperses and releases localized stress controllably, maintaining structural and electrical integrity under 26.7% stretch and stable conductivity over 170 cycles at 20% strain.

Electrochemical ammonia synthesis is expected to complement the conventional Haber–Bosch method due to its low carbon emissions and stable operation under ambient conditions.

A single-atom iron nanozyme with high oxidase-like activity was successfully developed and applied in the colorimetric detection and discrimination of different polyphenols.

Stable, biocompatible SLSar-based vesicles enable efficient DOX loading, pH-triggered release, and strong anticancer activity at nanomolar levels.Graphical abstract created, in part, with BioRender. Machado, R. (2025) https://BioRender.com/xherjw3.

Multifunctional composite aerogel for high-efficiency solar-powered water purification. The graphical abstract was created using 3ds Max.

We present a computational investigation of entanglement-based quantum information applications implemented on an electrically defined quantum dot structure in silicon.