搜索结果：Materials horizons

High-throughput computational tools and generative AI models aim to revolutionise materials discovery by enabling the rapid prediction of novel inorganic compounds. However, these tools face persistent challenges with modelling compounds where multiple elements occupy the same crystallographic site, often leading to misclassification of known disordered phases as new ordered compounds. Recently, Microsoft revealed MatterGen as a tool for predicting new materials. As a proof of concept, MatterGen was used to predict the novel compound TaCr2O6, which was subsequently synthesised in a disordered form as Ta1/3Cr2/3O2. However, detailed crystallographic analysis presented in this paper reveals that this is not a novel compound but is identical to the previously reported Ta1/2Cr1/2O2, first described in 1971 and included in MatterGen's training dataset. These findings underscore the necessity of rigorous human verification in AI-assisted materials research, limiting their use for rapid and large-scale prediction of new materials. While generative models hold great promise, their effectiveness is currently limited by unresolved issues with disorder prediction and dataset validation. Improved integration with crystallographic expertise is essential to realise their full potential.

Nanoparticle (NP)-based adhesives, an important class of adhesive materials, have been widely used in various fields. Through precisely engineering the surface-to-volume ratio and tailoring the surface chemistry of NPs, these NP-based adhesive materials can achieve remarkable adhesion strength, anisotropy, and responsiveness, which can adapt to a wide range of substrates and environments. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the recent progress of NP-based adhesive systems, including their design strategies, adhesion mechanisms, and applications. Firstly, we highlight the remarkable discoveries and advancements of NP-based adhesives over the past decades. Secondly, the representative interfacial interactions between NPs and substrates are summarized to elucidate the bonding mechanisms. We then systematically classify these systems into three main categories-unmodified NPs, NP-polymer composites, and NPs functionalized with polymer ligands-and review their corresponding applications. Finally, we discuss key challenges and prospect future opportunities for the development of NP-based adhesive materials.

Heart failure remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for effective alternatives to heart transplantation. While ventricular assist devices (VADs) have improved survival for patients with advanced heart failure, their long-term use is associated with blood-contact complications, thromboembolic risk, and the need for lifelong anticoagulation. These limitations have stimulated interest in non-blood-contact mechanical circulatory support strategies, particularly devices based on direct cardiac compression (DCC). Recent advances in soft robotics, compliant materials, and bioinspired actuation technologies have enabled the development of soft robotic cardiac sleeves that assist cardiac function by mechanically compressing the heart in synchrony with native myocardial contraction. By avoiding direct blood interaction, these systems aim to reduce thrombogenic risks while preserving physiological cardiac mechanics. This review provides an overview of emerging soft robotic cardiac compression devices, focusing on the materials, actuation mechanisms, and design strategies that enable effective epicardial assistance. Key engineering challenges, including conformal heart-device coupling, cyclic durability, and synchronisation with cardiac dynamics, are discussed. Finally, we outline translational considerations and future research directions required to advance these technologies toward clinical application.

Ion-protein coordination represents an underexploited design principle to assemble multiresponsive, soft, sustainable materials. Here, we harness sodium caseinate to construct programmable ionically crosslinked hydrogels in which multivalent cation selection governs the network architecture and enables a broad tunability of mechanical and other functional properties. A systematic study of cation types, including Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Mn2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, Al3+, and Zr4+, revealed pronounced ion-specific control over mechanical stiffness (1.5 kPa to 1.8 MPa), thermal stability, and hierarchical architecture. Multimodal characterization of their compositional, structural, morphological, thermal, spectroscopic, and mechanical properties enabled the tailoring of an empirical packing hierarchy for MX+-caseinate networks (MCas). Leveraging this tunability, we demonstrate proof-of-concept piezoresistive soft sensors in which ionic crosslinking of caseinate modulates the mechanical properties of caseinate-gelatin organohydrogel matrices. These matrices, crosslinked with Sr2+ and Zn2+, exhibit linear ΔR/R0 responses with gauge factors (1.84-2.20) competitive with state-of-the-art organohydrogel sensors. Real-time measurements further demonstrate their ability to detect bending angles and encode dynamic inputs, such as Morse code signals. These results position MCas as a sustainable, ion-tunable platform for the rational design of mechanically programmable protein hydrogels, opening opportunities in bioinspired materials for soft electronics and wearable sensing.

Soft nanomaterials enable technologies spanning biomedicine, energy conversion, catalysis and soft electronics, yet scalable conversion of bulk soft matter into nanoparticles remains constrained by chemistry-specific routes, surfactant residues and limited throughput. Here we present ice-assisted cryogenic embrittlement grinding (ICE-grinding), a general top-down approach that transforms hydrated or solvent-swollen soft matrices into colloidally stable, surfactant-free nanoparticles while retaining their native composition. In ICE-grinding, matrices are infused with defined amounts of water or solvent, rapidly vitrified at 77 K with solid additives, and fragmented by impact and shear under cryogenic conditions. The resulting glassy or finely crystalline ice shifts the brittle-ductile transition, enabling controlled fracture into nanometre-scale fragments without disrupting the polymer network. We establish processing windows across diverse hydrogel chemistries and show that additive identity and loading govern low-temperature brittleness and tune particle size. ICE-grinding generates high-loading nanogels encapsulating DNA, siRNA and hydrophobic drugs, supporting efficient in vitro delivery. Paclitaxel nanogels form stable dispersions with drug loading up to 54.5% while maintaining cytotoxic potency. We further demonstrate multifunctional alginate composite nanogels for burn dressings that rapidly absorb exudate, ionically crosslink in situ in physiological fluids, adhere strongly to tissue, reduce bacterial burden and accelerate re-epithelialization in murine wounds.

Addiction and substance use disorders (SUDs) represent intricate conditions shaped by a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychosocial influences. The promise of personalized medicine in addressing these disorders is not only encouraging but also transformative, potentially revolutionary, as it provides customized interventions that consider individual genetic, neurobiological, and psychosocial characteristics. This methodology primarily seeks to optimize treatment effectiveness, decrease relapse rates, and improve overall recovery results. This research is centered around findings spanning the 1996-2026 time span, to underscore the essential pathways and innovations through which personalized or precision medicine can significantly enhance, and possibly revolutionize, the treatment of addiction disorders, particularly SUDs, in addition to the novel complexities such innovations entail. Genetic and biomarker-guided treatments, the definition of genetic risk factors for addiction, neuroimaging and neurobiological profiling are key components of personalized medicine SUDs research, and they are poised to revolutionize such a crucial area of research. To that end, however, it is crucial to recognize both the new opportunities and clinical potentials and the persistent challenges that must be addressed before these innovative strategies can be fully utilized for the benefit of potentially millions of patients and the collective welfare of society, considering the detrimental effects of addiction and SUDs not only on individual users but also on the broader community. Personalized medicine can revolutionize addiction treatment by enhancing precision, effectiveness, and patient-centered interventions. Further research and policy-/law-making updates are crucial to fully realize its clinical capabilities.

Rapid underwater repair using durable materials capable of withstanding extreme cold and saline marine conditions remains a significant unresolved challenge with broad implications for the maintenance and restoration of marine infrastructure. In this work, we developed a new class of functional materials, aluminosilicate-epoxy composites with self-initiated, frontal curing and seawater resistance, to address this challenge. A catalyzed stoichiometric frontal polymerization strategy was employed to overcome the fundamental chemical incompatibility between the frontal curing of epoxy and the alkali-activated geopolymerization of aluminosilicate. Distinct from traditional external photo- or thermal stimuli, calcium oxide hydration was used to trigger frontal curing in seawater, thereby eliminating external energy input during both initiation and curing. The underwater front-cured aluminosilicate-epoxy composite exhibits a compressive strength of 48.3 MPa and an adhesive strength of 5.57 MPa on steel within one hour. The key property indicator (KPI), defined as the ratio of minimal operational compressive strength to the required curing time, outperforms state-of-the-art performance by 87.4-fold. Moreover, the composites exhibit high ultraviolet resistance (92% strength retention) and seawater resistance (96.25% strength retention with 0.26% mass loss) after 720 hours of UV exposure and 7 days of seawater immersion. The frontal curing of seawater-resistant hybrid materials represents a paradigm shift in underwater repair, with substantial potential to transform marine infrastructure restoration.

Synthetic polymers have been widely investigated due to their diverse triboelectric properties and strong ability to accumulate high surface charge densities. However, the development of bio-derived triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) has been constrained by the limited availability of biopolymer pairs with sufficiently contrasting triboelectric behaviors. As a result, the performance of biopolymer-based TENGs generally remains an order of magnitude lower than that of systems constructed from synthetic materials. In this work, we propose an approach to overcome this challenge by tailoring the triboelectric characteristics of UV-crosslinked, vegetable-oil-derived polymers. By employing simple formulation modifications combined with engineered surface microstructures, we realize a marked improvement in triboelectric output-achieving a power density of 65 mW m-2 and a 25-fold increase in voltage generation up to 250 V, relative to materials possessing comparable mechanical and interfacial properties. Furthermore, the resulting polymers demonstrate controlled degradability via alkaline hydrolysis, ensuring an environmentally responsible disposal pathway. This scalable and sustainable materials strategy not only enhances the performance of degradable TENGs but also expands their applicability in eco-conscious energy harvesting, representing a meaningful advancement toward sustainable energy technologies.

Heterojunction photodetectors based on two-dimensional (2D) materials are leading the development of a new generation of high-performance smart optoelectronic systems by virtue of their tunable band structures, diverse photoresponse mechanisms, and excellent integration. Herein, we summarize the research progress of 2D heterojunction photodetectors from the basic response mechanisms to multi-field synergistic modulation and application integration. 2D semiconductor materials achieve efficient generation and separation of photogenerated carriers through multiple physical mechanisms, such as bandgap modulation, excitonic effects, etc. Furthermore, heterojunctions exhibit unique advantages in terms of band alignment, interfacial barrier modulation, and built-in electric field design, and combine nonlinear photovoltaic effects with multiphysics-field synergies to dramatically enhance their photoresponse efficiency and environmental stability. Furthermore, they are used in polarization imaging, infrared detection, low-light imaging, flexible wearable sensing, etc., and show broad prospects in self-powered detection, intelligent sensing, and neuromorphic optoelectronic fusion. Herein, we summarize the key breakthroughs and challenges of 2D heterojunctions in multimodal integration and intelligent optoelectronic detection, highlighting their potential advantages in low-power, highly integrated, and reconfigurable optoelectronic systems. With the continuous progress in materials and device design, 2D heterojunctions are expected to become the core foundation for future multifunctional optoelectronic information platforms and intelligent vision systems.

The rising levels of electronic waste, projected to surpass 82 million metric tons annually by 2030, highlight the need for sustainable materials in electronics. Continued reliance on non-decomposable substrates (glass, FR4-epoxy laminates, plastic foils, etc.) and scarce transparent conductors as electrodes will only intensify pollution and high-emission manufacturing. A decomposable platform compatible with reflow soldering and thin-film device fabrication could address these gaps. Here, the emerging field of "Leaftronics" offers a solution by extracting quasi-fractal lignocellulosic venation from leaves to form robust scaffolds that integrate solution-processed biopolymers into high-performance substrates or, when metallized, transparent electrodes for optoelectronics. We discuss how leaf-derived structures help to fabricate flexible, transparent substrates with <1&#xa0;nm surface roughness, support reflow-soldered circuits, vapor-deposited devices, printed transistors, and batteries. The approach demonstrates full decomposability, component recovery, and >90% reduced carbon footprint (cradle-to-gate) versus conventional approaches. Recent advances in fractal metallization for superior transparent electrodes are reviewed, suggesting leaf venation as a model for enhancing bio-composites using natural hierarchies. Pathways to translation and future research horizons are outlined. By merging evolutionary designs with biopolymers, "Leaftronics" paves a scalable path to low-waste electronics, inspiring interdisciplinary investigations in biomimetic materials and sustainable device architectures.

Exchange bias is a characteristic with wide technological utility; however, the underlying mechanism of planar exchange bias in thin films remains elusive. Herein, a series of ferrimagnetic CoFe2O4 (CFO) thin films with different thicknesses are deposited by DC magnetron sputtering. A giant exchange bias field of approximately 11.1 kOe, accompanied by a high coercivity of approximately 25.1 kOe, is observed at 5 K. The evident branching behavior in the magnetization curves and the magnetic relaxation characteristics both indicate a glassy transition in the system. Importantly, we observe a correlation between the freezing temperature of the spin glass-like phase and the temperature at which the exchange bias disappears. This suggests that the exchange bias in the films is caused by unidirectional anisotropy, which arises from the coupling between the FIM and spin glass-like phases. In addition, CFO thin films show a rapid photoresponse in the visible light range, making them multifunctional materials with self-powered properties. These findings offer novel perspectives and important insights into the intrinsic mechanisms of exchange bias in ferrimagnetic materials, highlighting the potential of CFO thin films in spintronic-optoelectronic integrated applications.

Basalt fiber fabric (BFF) has gained extensive application in industrial, military, and aerospace fields due to its lightweight nature, chemical inertness, and mechanical durability. However, the inherent surface inertness and electrical insulation of BFs restrict their utilization in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. In this work, we propose an innovative gradient functionalization strategy based on "plasma activation-ALD bridging-chemical plating-post annealing treatments" to fabricate polychromatic BFs with exceptional EMI and thermal shielding performance. Plasma pretreatment synergizes with ALD TiO2 to enrich hydroxyl groups, serving as atomic-scale "bridges" for anchoring dense Ni coatings. This process establishes interconnected conductive networks to reflect EM waves, while post annealing induces interfacial reconstruction, enhancing EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) through synergistic magnetic loss and interfacial polarization mechanisms. The optimized BFF demonstrates an outstanding EMI SE of 53.47 dB and maintains stable performance under high-temperature and cryogenic conditions. Additionally, vivid and uniform structural colors derived from thin-film interference were achieved on the fiber surface by modulating annealing temperatures. Notably, the high refractive index characteristics of TiO2, Ni, and NiO layers, coupled with their multiple refractive synergistic effects, lead to pronounced interfacial reflection of infrared radiation, which effectively reduces the radiation flux penetrating BFFs and significantly enhances overall shielding performance, underscoring their potential in thermal camouflage applications. This study establishes a groundbreaking strategy for designing multi-color BFFs with EM and thermal shielding capabilities, and provides novel insights for developing multifunctional shielding materials while expanding BFF's application horizons in chromatic engineering and radiation protection domains.

The piezoelectric effect, essential for sensing and energy harvesting, has driven the search for high-performance materials beyond toxic ceramics and low-output polymers. In recent years, chiral molecular crystals have emerged as promising candidates due to their structural tunability and solution processability. However, their piezoelectric coefficients typically remain below 10 pC N-1, limited by weak or poorly aligned molecular dipoles. Here, we show that chiral 4-bromo &#x3b1;-methylbenzylammonium chloride (R/S-4-BrPEAC) forms large single crystals via simple evaporation. The structure comprises a compliant 2D hydrogen-bonded network in which cations with large intrinsic dipoles align uniformly along the b-axis. This ordered packing enables efficient dipole reorientation under stress, yielding a high piezoelectric coefficient of 49 pC N-1, which ranks among the best reported for chiral molecular piezoelectrics. This work highlights simple, metal-free chiral organic salts as high-performance piezoelectric materials for flexible and biocompatible electromechanical applications.

Circularly polarized room-temperature phosphorescence (CP-RTP) materials are highly sought after for 3D displays and information encryption, yet achieving high-performance blue emission remains a formidable challenge due to the intrinsic trade-off between triplet energy (ET) and spin-orbit coupling (SOC) efficiency. Conventional molecular designs incorporating heteroatoms into conjugated systems to enhance SOC often lead to stabilized excited states and red-shifted emission. Herein, we propose a "structural decoupling" strategy by employing a non-conjugated methylene (-CH2-) bridge between chiral n-electron units and the &#x3c0;-conjugated backbone. This design effectively interrupts electronic conjugation, shifting the dominant excited-state character from low-energy n &#x2192; &#x3c0;* to high-energy &#x3c0; &#x2192; &#x3c0;*, thereby preserving high ET for blue emission while maintaining efficient SOC via spatial proximity. Using D/L-4,4'-biphenylalanine (D/L-BPAla) as a model, we demonstrate that the structural decoupling strategy preserves the high ET of the biphenyl unit. D/L-BPAla-doped PVA films exhibit blue CP-RTP (475 nm) with an exceptional lifetime of 2.91 s, a phosphorescence quantum yield of 9.10%, and an asymmetry factor (glum) of 3.75 &#xd7; 10-3. This work provides a generic blueprint for developing high-energy, long-lived organic chiroptical materials by surmounting the ET-SOC trade-off.

Aim: Epcoritamab, the first subcutaneous (SC) bispecific approved for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R-DLBCL), offers potential advantages in terms of healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) associated with its SC administration. This study aimed to estimate HCRU and associated costs of R/R-DLBCL treatments, to inform health technology assessment agencies, institutional decision makers and healthcare professionals (HCP) from both a Canadian and Quebec perspective. Secondary objectives included using a societal perspective and estimating chair time and HCP time involved in administering treatments. Materials & methods: A 1-year costing analysis was developed comparing epcoritamab to other R/R-DLBCL treatments, including glofitamab, CAR-T cell therapies, chemotherapy, Pola-BR and Tafa-Len. HCRU and associated costs included pretreatment, administration, monitoring, and adverse event management. Acquisition costs of active treatments were excluded. Multiple time horizons were assessed. Model inputs were retrieved from product labels and validated by clinical experts to reflect practice. Results: From the Canadian and Quebec healthcare system perspective, total 1-year HCRU costs ranged from $11,009 to $54,946 and $10,041 to $54,362, respectively. Epcoritamab ranked as the second least costly comparator after chemotherapy, with notable HCRU savings driven by low administration costs of SC injections and adverse event management costs. Epcoritamab ranked similarly from a societal perspective and scenario analysis evaluating a 2-year time-horizon. Epcoritamab had the lowest annual chair time and HCP time, freeing up resources and HCP availability. Conclusion: Considering the highly constrained Canadian healthcare system, SC epcoritamab offers substantial HCRU-related cost saving, chair time savings and HCP time savings when compared with other available treatments, making it an effective, efficient and patient-centric treatment option for R/R-DLBCL in Canada. What is this article about? Treatments for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R-DLBCL) include a wide array of therapies, each with their own dosing schedules, methods of administration, adverse event rates and monitoring requirements. Epcoritamab, the first subcutaneous (SC) treatment for R/R-DLBCL, has recently received marketing authorization from Health Canada. However, to date, no study has assessed the healthcare resources utilization and associated costs of a novel therapy like epcoritamab versus other R/R-DLBCL treatments. Given the crisis surrounding Canada's healthcare system and workforce, it is imperative to optimize treatment management to alleviate the strain on the healthcare system. Therefore, we performed this research to assess the healthcare resources utilization and associated costs of epcoritamab versus other R/R-DLBCL treatments, to better understand the impact of these treatments on the healthcare system. What were the results? From both the Canadian and Quebec healthcare system perspective, epcoritamab was found to be the second least costly treatment option compared with other current and novel treatments for R/R-DLBCL. Epcoritamab was also assessed as the treatment with the least total chair time and healthcare personnel time, due to its SC mode of administration. What do the results mean? The healthcare resources saved with SC epcoritamab compared with other treatments in R/R-DLBCL could help alleviate the strain on the Canadian healthcare system. This could allow resources to be redirected to other institutional priorities, and thereby enhance the accessibility and standard of healthcare services provided to Canadian patients.

The design and fabrication of advanced interlayer materials are pivotal for the diffusion bonding (DB) of precision and slip-structure turbine components in aero-engines. Here, we developed a chemically complex intermetallic alloy (CCIMA) interlayer exhibiting exceptional mechanical properties at both room and elevated temperatures. Acting as the core of a tailored "BNi-2/CCIMA/BNi-2" sandwich interlayer, the CCIMA plays a critical role in joining powder metallurgy superalloys via the multi-interlayer composite bonding (MICB) strategy. This innovative approach leads to the formation of a robust hetero-structured joint architecture comprising alternating diffusion-affected zones (DAZs), isothermally solidified zones (ISZs), and a central CCIMA region. The CCIMA core, featuring recrystallized L12-ordered grains, critically promotes the extensive precipitation of cuboidal L12-structured nanoparticles within the ISZs. Under the optimized bonding conditions (1150 &#xb0;C, 2 h), detrimental Nb-Ta-rich borides in the CCIMA region are completely suppressed, while a high-density (&#x223c;57 vol%, &#x223c;367 nm diameter) of L12 precipitates forms in the ISZ. The resulting joints achieve an ultimate tensile strength of &#x223c;1325.7 MPa (>93% of the base metal (BM) strength) and elongation of &#x223c;27.7%, which is comparable to the BM's ductility. This outstanding performance is attributed to hierarchical strengthening and toughening mechanisms induced by the CCIMA interlayer, including macroscale strain delocalization enabled by the hetero-structured architecture, microscale dislocation pinning via grain boundaries/serrated bonded interfaces and L12 precipitates, and atomic-level bonding enhancement through tailored diffusion control. This study highlights the critical role of CCIMA as a functional interlayer material, establishing a new paradigm for manufacturing/repairing high-performance turbine components in next-generation aero-engines.

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) supramolecular networks with hybrid hard segments composed of 1,4-benzoquinone dioxime (BQDO) and/or ureidopyrimidinone (UPy) (TPU-Q, TPU-U or TPU-QU) have been successfully achieved through pre-polymerization and subsequent chain extension. The composition of hard segments can be tuned by adjusting the feed ratio of BQDO to UPy, due to the high conversion of chain extenders. Triple reversible networks are constructed through the synergistic effects of various interactions in hard segments including abundant quadruple hydrogen bonds, ordered &#x3c0;-&#x3c0; stacking and oxime-urethane bonds. The BQDO structural units serve as both robust sites for ensuring network integrity and photothermal sites for accelerating network reorganization, and UPy structural units act as cooperated sites to enhance the network strength and hysteresis. The synergistic effects in hard segments increase the network strength and network reversibility simultaneously, leading to a high tensile strength of 24.1 MPa, a high dissociation point of 116.5 &#xb0;C, a low activation energy for network reorganization of 43.6 kJ mol-1 and a wide damping range at low temperature. Robust self-healing of TPU-QU supramolecular networks has been achieved in the presence of NIR irradiation, leading to a high self-healing efficiency of 99.2% at NIR intensity of 200 mW cm-2 within 10 min. The accelerated self-healing is caused by strong and stable photothermal conversion achieved under 808 nm irradiation, since the aggregated BQDO structural units in HSs exhibit a narrow energy gap and thus a high photothermal temperature of 180 &#xb0;C at NIR intensity of 500 mW cm-2. These TPU-QU elastomers would have potential applications in soft devices and photosensitive self-healing materials.

Peptide self-assembly is a promising strategy for developing bioactive nanomaterials with improved drug delivery and therapeutic performance. However, artificial design approaches may not fully incorporate natural paradigms and typically avoid cysteine-rich sequences due to their inherent instability. Challenging this convention, we established a natural medicine-inspired discovery pipeline to identify self-assembling thiol-rich peptides. From pangolin scales, we identified a novel natural peptide, Ac-KCSQLNVNCKG, containing two free cysteine thiols that spontaneously self-assembles into chiral supramolecular nanostructures. Structural studies confirm &#x3b2;-sheet stacking that shields thiols from atmospheric oxidation, thereby conferring relative stability under ambient conditions. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the assemblies exert systemic antioxidant activity by activating endogenous pathways, including the upregulation of key antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px). Gradually released monomers further enhance intracellular antioxidant activity and show notable &#x3b1;-glucosidase inhibitory effects. This work presents a rarely reported natural peptide-based assembly that integrates antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, and membrane-penetrating functions into a single biocompatible, sustained-release platform, highlighting its potential for further biomedical investigation. Notably, the supramolecular gel undergoes ROS-triggered disassembly to a sol state under physiological conditions (e.g., H2O2), representing a rarely reported form of ROS responsiveness mediated by the oxidation of natural cysteine thiol groups. Overall, this study introduces a natural, multifunctional antioxidant supramolecular system that shows strong potential for addressing complex oxidative stress-related conditions, with inherent biosafety supported by its all-L-amino-acid composition and hierarchically propagated chiral architecture.