Carbon materials with low density often exhibit such a low mass that they surpass many of the lightest natural substances. This exceptionally low density is typically achieved when the carbon material possesses specific structural properties, such as high porosity, a 3D surface morphology, and a large surface area. Additionally, these materials often take on forms like foam, spongy, or tubular shapes, which leads significantly to their reduced density. The lightweight properties associated with these structural characteristics also confer several other important traits, including high chemical stability, low thermal conductivity, and high electrical conductivity, etc., which make them suitable for a large variety of applications, including those in environmental remediation, energy storage and conversion, and the production of lightweight compressible materials, thermal insulating materials, and also electromagnetic shielding material. Biomass-derived carbon materials offer several intrinsic advantages, including sustainability, porous structures, high conductivity, hydrophobicity, ease of modification, and diverse chemical composition. Many biomass precursors, whether plant- or animal-based, are naturally lightweight and contribute significantly to the development of carbon materials with tailored architectures and properties. Thus, nature inspires materials scientists to adopt strategic approaches in designing lightweight carbon materials. Lightweight biomass enables the efficient synthesis of lightweight carbon materials, making it an ideal choice for reducing density while maintaining excellent structural performance. This article presents a comprehensive review covering biomass precursors for carbon preparation, key properties that reduce carbon density and make it exceptionally lightweight, and the various synthesis routes used to produce such carbon materials. Recent progress in the versatile applications of biomass-derived lightweight carbon materials, based on their morphologies and physicochemical properties, is also reviewed. The perspectives on future challenges and research opportunities in lightweight carbon materials are outlined.
The rational use of carbohydrate polymers as functional matrices for integrating inorganic and organic components remains a key challenge in developing sustainable multifunctional materials. Here, a process-oriented, bio-inspired strategy for fabricating a chitosan-centred multifunctional composite coating is presented. This approach uniquely combines plasma-assisted activation of the silk surface, chitosan immobilisation, and subsequent controlled in situ generation of TiO2 nanoparticles in the presence of curcumin, a naturally derived polyphenolic compound. The resulting chitosan/TiO2/curcumin composite system simultaneously imparts antibacterial, UV-shielding, and photocatalytic self-cleaning functions to the silk. Chitosan provides strong antimicrobial activity, maintaining robust bio-barrier antibacterial protection in the composite system and achieving over 99.5% inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli growth. Curcumin acts as a TiO2 photosensitiser and charge-transfer mediator, suppressing electron-hole recombination and enabling efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity, as confirmed by accelerated Rhodamine B dye degradation and effective coffee stain removal. Complementary UV absorption by TiO2 (UV-B) and curcumin (UV-A) delivers broad-spectrum UV protection with a UV protection factor of 32.1. Overall, this work demonstrates a distinct carbohydrate polymer-driven fabrication paradigm for engineering high-performance textiles with integrated multifunctional protective properties.
Forest overuse is widely recognized globally, yet in Japan, the underuse of secondary forests is increasingly degrading satoyama ecosystems. At the same time, electrochemical energy technologies remain strongly dependent on mined graphite and trace or precious metals. In this Personal Account, I examine whether sustainably managed satoyama biomass can serve as a locally available carbon feedstock for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Rather than surveying biomass utilization in general, I focus on the structure-property-performance relationships of wood-derived and satoyama-relevant carbons in batteries, supercapacitors, electrocatalysis, and bioelectrochemical systems. The available evidence indicates that this proposition is feasible, provided that its scope is clearly defined: underused satoyama biomass can already function effectively as activated carbons, hard carbons, graphitized carbons, and catalyst supports, although important bottlenecks remain in feedstock variability, volumetric performance, process standardization, and scale-up. By linking coppicing and thinning cycles with carbonization and device fabrication, this framework may reduce mining dependence, support biodiversity-oriented forest stewardship, and retain value within regional material cycles.
Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), also known as spent mushroom compost, is the material that is left over after a mushroom crop has been harvested. They typically contain materials like straw, sawdust, or manure, and are rich in mycelium and leftover nutrients. SMS represents a reliable as well as sustainable lignocellulosic feedstock to produce biofuels, hydrochars and value-added products. Evidently, as an abundant waste in the agricultural field, SMS contains high levels of organic matter, making it a promising candidate for conversion into biofuels such as bioethanol, biogas and biochar by different thermochemical and biochemical processes. Hydrothermal carbonization can convert SMS into hydrochars, which can be then used for various applications including but not limited to carbon-based materials and adsorbents. In biofuel production, SMS has shown that it is valuable in fermentation into bioethanol with enzyme action. Due to its lignocellulosic nature, SMS can be further processed into durable materials with exceptional adsorptive properties, can be used in water treatment, pollution control, and soil remediation. Furthermore, the conversion of SMS into biofuels and materials offers a well-round solution for waste management, reducing environmental pollution, promoting circular economies, and supporting the development of renewable energy systems. This review examines the diverse uses of SMS, focusing on its potential as a biochar, biofuel and material precursor, and highlights the technological challenges and opportunities for optimizing the conversion processes.
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are layered materials of increasing interest for environmental applications due to their tunable chemical composition, structure, and adjustable physicochemical properties. This review presents a critical synthesis of recent advances in LDH-based materials, highlighting the close links between synthesis methods, structural characteristics, and key properties controlling their environmental performance. The main synthesis strategies are discussed in relation to their influence on crystallinity, morphology, specific surface area, metal cation distribution, and the nature of structural defects. Particular attention is paid to the effect of cationic composition, interlayer anions, and structural modifications (doping, exfoliation, composite formation) on adsorption, ion exchange, redox activity, and heterogeneous photocatalysis mechanisms. Environmental applications of LDHs are systematically examined, including the adsorption of inorganic and organic pollutants, the photodegradation of emerging contaminants under UV and visible irradiation, and water treatment. LDH-derived materials, particularly mixed metal oxides and LDH/semiconductor composites, are also discussed due to their improved photocatalytic performance and increased stability. Finally, current challenges and future prospects are addressed, with a particular focus on the recyclability, durability, and scaling up of LDH-based materials for advanced environmental applications.
As the most abundant natural carbohydrate in nature, polysaccharides have emerged as core carriers and key raw materials for developing fluorescent materials (FMs) with green attributes and excellent fluorescence performance, owing to their biocompatibility, modifiability, structural diversity, and environmental friendliness. They play a decisive role in advancing the green and functional development of FMs. This review clearly defines polysaccharide-based FMs as fluorescent systems constructed with natural polysaccharides as core raw materials, and systematically analyzes the pivotal role of polysaccharides in fluorescence generation. These materials can either generate intrinsic fluorescence through cluster-triggered emission (CTE) mechanisms or serve as carriers, enhancers, and soft templates to introduce fluorescent components and regulate fluorescence properties via physical, chemical, in situ synthesis, or hybrid methods. Subsequently, the preparation methods of polysaccharide-based FMs with different morphological dimensions are summarized, and their application potential in fields such as environmental monitoring, biomedicine, information anti-counterfeiting, and intelligent textiles is discussed. Finally, the current challenges and future development trends of polysaccharide-based FMs are analyzed, aiming to highlight the core value of polysaccharides in the field of FMs and provide theoretical references and practical guidance for promoting the sustainable progress of green FMs.
Soft electronic devices require durability to endure their inherent exposure to diverse mechanical deformations, including scratches, punctures, and repeated bending. Without intrinsic damage recovery mechanisms, such deformations inevitably compromise mechanical integrity and limit device lifetime. To address this issue, the strategic incorporation of reversible dynamic bonds enables autonomous self-healing while simultaneously achieving high mechanical toughness through energy dissipation during bond rupture. To this end, optimizing the glass transition temperature and bond exchange kinetics is essential to ensure sufficient chain mobility for rapid interfacial diffusion and autonomous mechanical recovery. Building on the reversible bond nature, this review presents emerging self-healable and tough soft electronics applications in three major areas: (1) Multimodal electronic skins capable of comprehensive physiological signal sensing; (2) modularly reconfigurable systems with adhesive-free interlayer bonding that enable user-on-demand device assembly; (3) optoelectronic devices that seamlessly integrate light-emitting and pressure-sensing capabilities. These applications demonstrate that dynamic bond engineering enables elastomeric devices to simultaneously achieve mechanical robustness, functional adaptability, and autonomous self-healing. Such advancements position them as durable platforms with extended operational lifetimes, paving the way for next-generation wearable and implantable bioelectronics in real-world applications.
The development of oral drug delivery systems with colon-targeted release and high biocompatibility is of critical importance for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), considering the chronic nature of the disease and the genetic susceptibility of patients. Herein, we report a composite delivery system (UA@PB/Gel) based on Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) materials, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and inulin, designed for colon-specific delivery of ursolic acid (UA). In this system, butyrate-conjugated PVA nanoparticles efficiently encapsulate UA and respond to colonic esterase, enabling the localized release of both UA and butyrate. Embedding these nanoparticles within an inulin hydrogel further enhances colonic retention and provides a sustained release. The composite system demonstrates efficient colon-targeting delivery, prolonged retention, and potent anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo. In a dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis mouse model, UA@PB/Gel effectively alleviates colonic inflammation, restores epithelial barrier integrity, reduces proinflammatory cytokine expression, and modulates gut short-chain fatty acid levels, with minimal systemic toxicity. These results highlight the potential of the GRAS materials-based nanoparticle-hydrogel composite as a safe and effective therapeutic platform for UC.
Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is one of the most studied two-dimensional materials. While the thermodynamically stable and well-investigated state of monolayer MoS2 is the semiconducting 1H phase, it can also exist in the 1T' phase, which exhibits semimetallic characteristics and topologically protected properties. However, scalable postsynthetic methods to achieve and stabilize the 1T' phase remain elusive, as monolayer MoS2 selectively reverts to the 1H phase under thermal equilibrium. In this study, we present a strategy to induce, stabilize, and spatially define the 1T' phase in monolayer MoS2 synthesized via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). By employing a sequential oxidation process followed by polymer enwrapment, we successfully converted CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 from the 1H phase to the 1T' phase. Transport measurements reveal a weak gate dependence, consistent with the semimetallic nature of the 1T' phase. Our results further demonstrate that interfacial interactions with the polymer play a critical role in both facilitating the conversion and stabilization of the 1T' monolayer MoS2. The phase conversion from 1H to 1T' induces significant structural rearrangements, leading to the formation of nanoscale wrinkles in the monolayer flake. The lateral size of the 1T' domains is estimated to be approximately 100-200 nm, suggesting that an in-plane strain of approximately 1% is introduced during the oxidation process. This strain is effectively stabilized by the polymer interface. The entire treatment is carried out under ambient conditions at room temperature, providing a simple and scalable approach to phase engineering in two-dimensional materials.
Enzymatic polymerisation of sucrose creates nature-identical polysaccharides, such as poly α-1,3-glucan, offering a scalable approach to introduce biopolymers into industrial applications. In this study, we explored the solubility, diffusivity, and permeability of various fluids (CO2, O2, liquid and vapour water) in films of α-1,3-glucan and its long-chain acid esters, specifically two glucan palmitates (GP) and one glucan laurate acetate (GLA) with varying degrees of substitution (DoS), highlighting the potential of glucan derivatives in packaging and membrane separation applications. Additionally, we evaluated films' wettability through contact angle measurements and examined dimethyl carbonate as an alternative to chloroform for film production. GP2, the ester with the highest degree of substitution studied here, reached water uptake of ~2 g mm/m2 day at 100% RH, which is 400 times lower compared to the unmodified glucan. CO2 and O2 permeability exhibited patterns seen in cellulose esters, with GPs showing CO2 permeability levels higher than 100 Barrer (3.34 × 10-14 mol m/(m2 s Pa)), promising for CO2 separation in membrane processes. A quantitative correlation between water uptake in glucan- and cellulose-based materials and their structure is provided as a first tool to assess applicability of these materials in processes where water transport is a key factor.
In the rapidly advancing field of materials informatics, nonlinear machine learning models have demonstrated exceptional predictive capabilities for material properties. However, their black-box nature limits interpretability, and they may incorporate features that do not contribute to-or even deteriorate-model performance. This study employs explainable ML (XML) techniques, including permutation feature importance and the SHapley Additive exPlanation, applied to a pristine support vector regression model designed to predict band gaps at the GW level using 18 input features. Guided by XML-derived individual feature importance, a simple framework is proposed to construct reduced-feature predictive models. Model evaluations indicate that an XML-guided compact model, consisting of the top five features, achieves comparable accuracy to the pristine model on in-domain datasets (0.254 vs. 0.247 eV) while showing improved generalization with lower prediction errors on out-of-domain data (0.348 vs. 0.460 eV). Additionally, the study underscores the necessity for eliminating strongly correlated features (correlation coefficient greater than 0.8) to prevent misinterpretation and overestimation of feature importance before applying XML. This study highlights XML's effectiveness in developing simplified yet highly accurate machine learning models by clarifying feature roles, thereby reducing computational costs for feature acquisition and enhancing model trustworthiness for materials discovery.
Shear-thickening suspensions-materials that abruptly become more viscous or jam under stress-are widespread in nature and industry. Yet their dynamics in gravity-driven flows remain poorly understood. Here, we show that such suspensions spread by forming a sharp, vertical front-a liquid dam-that advances at a constant speed, independent of released volume, flow height, and slope. This counterintuitive behavior arises from a jammed, frictional front that localizes dissipation and decouples flow dynamics from geometry. A simple gravito-rheological model predicts the observed constant-speed regime, with a velocity scale set by the suspension rheology. The same scaling governs spreading and wave propagation across diverse flow configurations, revealing how shear thickening can critically shape gravity-driven flows in both natural and industrial settings.
Nitric oxide (NO) delivery from diazeniumdiolate donors is widely explored in biomaterial design for wound healing and regenerative medicine. However, accurate quantification of NO release remains challenging due to its gaseous nature, short half-life, and high reactivity. The hemoglobin assay provides a direct, stoichiometric method for NO detection but is typically limited in throughput and temporal resolution. Here, we adapt this assay to a microscale, multiwell spectrophotometric format to monitor NO release from electrospun methacrylated alginate hydrogels, with and without mesoporous silica nanoparticles. The miniaturized assay enabled continuous, parallel monitoring of NO release over 24 h while reducing reagent consumption. Four diazeniumdiolate donors (commercial and in-house synthesized) were evaluated at 0.05 and 0.1 mg/ml, yielding cumulative NO concentrations of approximately 2-7 μM. Nonlinear exponential modeling (C(t) = A·(1 - e^(-kt)) revealed donor-specific release kinetics consistent with known diazeniumdiolate decomposition behavior. Unprotected donors exhibited rapid initial release (k ≈ 0.2-0.5 1/h), whereas sterically protected analogs showed slower, more sustained release (k < 0.1 1/h). Incorporation of mesoporous silica nanoparticles modulated release behavior in a donor-dependent manner. Statistical analysis identified donor chemistry as the primary determinant of release kinetics, while concentration acted mainly as a scaling factor. This microscale hemoglobin assay provides a resource-efficient platform for parallel, time-resolved quantification of NO release from biomaterials. It enables comparison of donor chemistry and matrix effects under standardized conditions, facilitating the evaluation of NO-releasing systems for biomedical applications.
Blood clots are pivotal for haemostasis and regeneration1, but they are mechanically weak and form slowly2, posing risks for life-threatening haemorrhage and limiting broader applications3-5. These limitations are attributed to complex coagulation cascades, abundant mechanically ineffective cells and little structural polymers. Strategies that strengthen polymer networks are inapplicable to these highly cellularized materials. Here we report a strategy that rapidly crosslinks red blood cells into tough cytogels and integrates them within blood clots. The resulting engineered blood clots (EBCs) form within seconds and exhibit a 13-fold increase in fracture toughness, and a 4-fold improvement in adhesion energy compared with native clots. Experiments and modelling identify the rupture of mechanically integrated cells as a key toughening mechanism. In vivo studies demonstrate that EBCs can rapidly halt haemorrhage, promote tissue regeneration, mitigate inflammation and foreign body reactions, and prevent postoperative adhesion. The safety and efficacy of both autologous and allogeneic EBCs were also validated. Our strategy is applicable to a range of cells and polymers. This work may motivate the development and translation of highly cellularized materials for bleeding control, wound management, tissue repair and regenerative medicine.
Two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are often subjected to mechanical loading in their applications, and the in-plane elastic modulus E‖ is a critical material property needed to understand and predict the mechanical behaviors of 2D MOFs for improved mechanical reliability and strain engineering of their functional properties. However, the E‖ values of 2D MOFs are largely unknown, even for those with widely used coordination linkers like 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (BDC), because of the challenges in in-plane mechanical testing imposed by both the extreme dimensionality and the high sensitivity of 2D MOFs to external factors (e.g., e-beams) due to their hybrid organic-inorganic nature. Here we employed atomic force microscopy (AFM) stretching of suspended thin membranes to measure the E‖ of three structurally related, BDC-coordinated MOFs. The 2D Zn3(BDC)3(H2O)2·4(DMF) (DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide) has an E‖ value of 11.2 ± 2.5 GPa, much lower than that of its 3D analog, (DMA)2[Zn3(BDC)4·1.5H2O] (DMA = dimethylammonium) (E‖ = 25.9 ± 6.3 GPa), owing to the absence of interlayer covalent bonding. However, a 2D Mn analog, Mn3(BDC)3·4(DMF), exhibits enhanced in-plane stiffness (E‖ = 25.5 ± 4.9 GPa), likely originating from the strengthened coordination at the nodes. We further compared 2D MOFs to other 2D materials and widely used engineering material systems using a density vs. E‖ Ashby plot. Our results provide indispensable insights into the structure-mechanical property relationship of 2D MOFs to guide material engineering and selection.
With the intensifying effects of global warming and the growing demand for cooling, passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) has emerged as a promising and sustainable solution, in which PDRC reflects solar radiation and dissipates heat through the 8-13 µm atmospheric window without energy consumption, offering a viable approach to reducing electricity usage for cooling. A key factor in enhancing PDRC performance is the use of bioinspired light-scattering structures, which effectively regulate solar reflection and long-wave infrared emission. This review systematically outlines the design principles and regulation strategies of scattering structures in radiative cooling materials, focusing on two primary systems: scattering particles and porous architecture. It examines their individual contributions and synergistic effects in improving both solar reflectivity and infrared emissivity. Special emphasis is placed on bioinspired structural designs, exploring how nature-inspired patterns can enhance spectral selectivity and scattering efficiency. The review also summarizes representative applications in building energy conservation, photovoltaic thermal management, wearable electronics, and agricultural environments regulation. Finally, it discusses current technical challenges and offers perspectives on future developments in structural design and scalable fabrication methods, aiming to provide both theoretical insights and practical guidance for the advancement of radiative cooling technologies.
This scoping review aimed to comprehensively map the available evidence on the migration of fixation hardware and skeletal growth aberrations caused by craniomaxillofacial (CMF) osteosynthesis in the paediatric population. A systematic search was made in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Search terms were tailored to captures studies addressing growth restriction and hardware migration associated with CMF fixation in children. A total of 762 articles were identified. 10 clinical studies and 23 animal studies were eligible. Due to the nature of the studies found, only a descriptive analysis was performed. Out of 183 children, 76% of them (mean age 10.6 months) underwent CMF fixation for management of craniosynostosis. 24.6% of these patients experienced hardware migration, exclusively in the calvaria. The temporal, parietal & frontal regions were the most frequent sites for migration, with the majority of fixation being titanium plates and screws (54.1%). Most transcranial migrations were asymptomatic (77.8%) and surgical intervention was performed in 28.8% of these affected children. Amongst the animal studies, intracranial hardware migration was reported in only 2 studies. Growth restriction was observed when CMF fixation involved cranial sutures or midfacial sites (16 studies), whereas mandibular growth remained unaffected (5 studies). Overall, the evidence regarding the long-term impact of titanium-based fixation on paediatric CMF growth and transcranial migration of hardware remains limited. This is largely attributed to the retrospective nature of available clinical studies and heterogeneity of animal models. Well-designed longitudinal studies are needed to provide more robust evidence to inform clinical practice. Nevertheless, this review consolidates current findings, highlights existing knowledge gaps and underscores the need for the development of bioresorbable fixation systems in paediatric CMF surgery.
Density functional tight binding (DFTB) offers a computationally efficient alternative to ab initio methods, bridging the accuracy of density functional theory (DFT) and the speed of semiempirical models. The approximate nature of DFTB makes its reliability highly dependent on parameter quality. While recent advancements have significantly improved the parametrization of the so-called repulsive potential, the parametrization of the electronic part of the DFTB interaction remains relatively simplistic and underdeveloped. We present DFTB Slater-Koster Optimizer (DSKO), a novel framework that aims at producing accurate and transferable electronic parameter sets under rigorous physical constraints. Incorporating robust optimization algorithms and physics-informed loss functions, DSKO generates DFTB electronic parameters that yield electronic properties, such as density of states and band structures, closely matching DFT reference data. The versatility of DSKO facilitates the wide application of DFTB to materials science challenges, paving the way for routine high-fidelity semiempirical simulations.
The increasing demand for sustainable materials capable of addressing both water and air pollution has stimulated the search for multifunctional MOFs with integrated properties. Herein, we report the solvothermal synthesis of a novel Zn(II) MOF PCP-35 constructed from a cyclotriphosphazene-based hexacarboxylic acid ligand (H6L) and a bisterpyridine (bisterp.) N-donor. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a robust three-dimensional (3D) framework, in which Zn-O bonds from the phosphazene-derived hexacarboxylate units and Zn-N bonds from the bisterp. ligands generate interconnected porous channels, while pronounced π-π stacking interactions between the bisterp. ligands further stabilize the architecture, reflecting a rational ligand-design strategy. The material was thoroughly characterized by PXRD, FTIR, TGA, UV-vis DRS, SEM, and solid-state photoluminescence spectroscopy. The multifunctional nature of this Zn(II)-based framework is reflected in its dual performance: under visible-light irradiation, it efficiently catalyzes the degradation of methylene blue, methyl orange and rhodamine B, achieving over 90% degradation within one hour and maintaining stability across multiple cycles; in addition, its strong luminescence response allows for selective sensing of volatile organic compounds, particularly aldehydes, through distinct fluorescence quenching and enhancement behaviors. This dual functionality, arising from the synergistic interplay of the robust phosphazene scaffold and the conjugated bisterp. pillar, highlights the potential of Zn(II) MOFs as versatile platforms for environmental remediation and chemical sensing.
Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have proven to be of therapeutic potential against cancer. The feature of the surface coating can affect important properties of IONPs; it is therefore critical for further understanding how these materials react to physiological conditions, which is still needed to fully exploit the potential of IONPs for their theranostic applications. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of rutin and nisin conjugated IONPs as anticancer agents. One important hallmark of many cancers is the overexpression of the endoplasmic reticulum-resident chaperone, GRP78, and its translocation to many cellular compartments, including the cell membrane. We explored the potential binding affinity of rutin and nisin against the substrate-binding domain β (SBDβ) of GRP78. The results show promising results for both nisin and rutin, with more enhanced binding capability of the former due to its extended structure (peptide in nature), forming more non-bonded interactions with the GRP78 surface. Our findings pave the way for the use of these coating agents against the cell-exposed chaperone, GRP78, to alleviate its chemoresistance characteristics in cancer.