In recent years, research on self-healing polymers for diverse biomedical applications has surged due to their resemblance to the native extracellular matrix. Here, we introduce a novel self-healing hydrogel scaffold made from collagen (Col) and nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) via a one-pot-synthesis approach under the influence of heating in less than 10 min. Process parameters, including the quantities of Col, guar gum, solvent, nHA, borax, and glycerol in the system were optimized for the minimization of the self-healing time. The synthesized hydrogel and polymers underwent characterization via FTIR, SEM, EDS, TGA, and 13C-NMR. Additionally, the hydrogel showed hemocompatibility with only 6.76% hemolysis at 10 µg·mL−1, while the scaffold maintained cellular metabolic activity at all concentrations for 24 h, with the optimal viability at 1 and 2.5 µg·mL−1, sustaining 93.5% and 90% viability, respectively. Moreover, the hydrogel scaffold exhibited rapid self-healing within 30 s of damage, alongside a tough and flexible nature, as indicated by its swelling rate, biodegradation under various biological pH solutions, and tensile strength of 0.75 MPa. Hence, the innovative Col and nHA self-healing hydrogel scaffold emerges as an ideal, non-toxic, cost-effective, and easily synthesized material with promising potential in cartilage repair applications.
In metal-based additive manufacturing processes, such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), the powder utilization is often less than 50%. Considering the cost efficiency, powder reuse is needed for an economical and sustainable LPBF process. As intermetallic compounds, LPBF-fabricated NiTi alloys are characterized with phase transformation behaviors, mechanical properties and functions that are very sensitive to possible changes in powder characteristics caused through reuse, but the exact effects are still poorly understood. Here, the LPBF process has been repeated ten times using the virgin powder supplement method. Results show that the oxygen content of NiTi powders rises from 370 to 752.3 ppm with the enhancement of the reuse cycle number. Powder oxidation enhances the laser absorptivity of the powder bed, leading to an increase in surface roughness and porosity of NiTi parts. Compared to the specimens made from virgin powders, the mechanical property and shape memory function of specimens made from reused powders are degraded, mainly attributed to the oxygen impurity and deteriorated forming quality. This study allows making better decisions with regard to powder reuse in the development of performance-critical NiTi parts fabricated through LPBF.
Traditional lanthanide fluorides lack therapeutic efficacy against tumors, thus limiting their applications in biomedicine. In this study, we introduce a groundbreaking lanthanide-based nanomaterial known as ligand-free Ba1.4Mn0.6LuF7: Yb3+/Er3+/Ho3+ (abbreviated as BMLF). This innovative material allows for the simultaneous tuning of upconversion luminescence emissions and Fenton-like reactions through the controlled release of Mn ions within the tumor microenvironment. BMLF exhibits dual functionality through integrating ratiometric fluorescence imaging for diagnosis and nanozyme-based catalytic therapy. These capabilities are successfully harnessed for tumor theranostics in vivo. This research presents a novel approach to leveraging lanthanide fluoride nanomaterials, transforming them into fluorescent nanoenzymes with theranostic potential.
Novel advanced nanocomposites formed by associating graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets with other nanomaterials such as titanium dioxide nanoparticles, cellulose nanofibers, cellulose nanocrystals, and carbon nanotubes were incorporated in nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for wastewater treatment and desalination. GO-based nanocomposite has promising potential in membrane technology due to its high hydrophilicity, absorption capacity, good dispersibility in water and organic solvents, anti-biofouling properties, and negative charge. Moreover, additional properties can be obtained depending on the nanohybrid formed. This review paper highlights the recent breakthrough in membranes functionalized with GO-based nanohybrids, focusing on membrane performance in terms of permeability, selectivity, and antifouling properties. Although GO-based nanohybrids have made significant progress in membrane technology, improvements are still needed, especially regarding trade-off effects. Furthermore, the studies presented here are limited to laboratory scale, which leads to suggestions for new studies evaluating the possibility of commercial application and the potential environmental impact caused by nanocomposites.
High solar evaporation efficiency combined with enhanced desalination and antifouling performance is key in the application of the solar-driven interfacial water evaporation (SIWE) technology. In this study, we have designed a dual-crosslinked and dual-networked hydrogel (CSH) for interfacial solar vapor generation (ISVG). Through adjusting the proportions of matrix components and balancing the degree of crosslinking between cellulose and epichlorohydrin, it is feasible to obtain the hybrid hydrogel with elastic behaviors. The resulted hydrogel has a porous structure enabling the transport of water molecules, while the doped component of iron-based metal–organic frameworks provides this hydrogel with strong light absorbance, achieving an evaporation rate of 2.52 kg·m−2·h−1 under 1 kW·m−2 solar irradiation and an evaporation efficiency of 89.32%. The porosity also creates salt resistance through capillary forces. Practical applications of such CSH hydrogels in the field of seawater desalination and wastewater purification are conducted under outdoor light conditions, and the concentrations of metal ions are revealed to be reduced by orders of magnitude below the WHO threshold ones, while pigments are found to be absent from the condensate contained in the treated wastewater.
The utilization of photocatalytic nitrogen fixation, a process celebrated for its environmental friendliness and sustainability, has emerged as a promising avenue for ammonia synthesis. The rational design of photocatalysts containing single atoms and heterojunctions has been a long-standing challenge for achieving efficient nitrogen fixation. This study innovatively constructs composite catalysts integrating single-atom copper within metal–organic frameworks (Fe-MOF, NH2-MIL-101) and carbon nitride nanosheet (CNNS). The nitrogen fixation efficiency of the Cu@MIL-CNNS heterojunction was 8 and 12 times those of the original MOF and CNNSs, respectively. Through detailed characterization, we unveil a unique charge transfer pathway facilitated by the synergy between single-atom copper and heterojunctions, highlighting the critical function of copper centers as potent active sites. Our findings underscore the transformative potential of single atomic sites in amplifying charge transfer efficiency, propelling advancements in the photocatalyst design.
Electrospinning has been widely used in the field of biomedical materials characterized with high porosity and good breathability as well as similarity to the natural extracellular matrix. This study employs the microsol-electrospinning technology combined with the self-induced crystallization method to fabricate the functionalized bilayer poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibrous membrane with a shish-kebab (SK) structure. The outer layer consists of the antibacterial SK-structured fibrous membrane showing favorable mechanical properties and notable inhibitory effects on the growth of E. coli and S. aureus, while salvianic acid A sodium (SAS) is encapsulated in the inner core‒shell and SK-structured PCL fibrous membrane, achieving the controlled and sustained release of SAS. Moreover, good biocompatibility and enhanced cell adhesion of this membrane are also revealed. This antibacterial and drug-loaded bilayer PCL fibrous membrane with a SK structure demonstrates superior mechanical characteristics, exceptional antibacterial properties, and notable biocompatibility, suggesting its favorable outlook for future development in the area of tissue engineering.
Copper has good electrical conductivity but poor mechanical and wear-resistant properties. To enhance the mechanical and wear-resistant properties of the copper matrix, a strategy of in-situ generation of graphene was adopted. Through ball-milling processes, a carbon source and submicron spherical copper were uniformly dispersed in a dendritic copper. Then, a uniform and continuous graphene network was generated in-situ in the copper matrix during the vacuum hot-pressing sintering process to improve the performance of composites. The graphene product exhibited lubrication effect and provided channels for electrons to move through the interface, improving the wear resistance and the electrical conductivity of composites. When the graphene content in the composite material was 0.100 wt.%, the friction coefficient and the wear rate were 0.36 and 6.36 × 10−6 mm3·N−1·m−1, diminished by 52% and reduced 5.11 times those of pure copper, respectively, while the electrical conductivity rose to 94.57% IACS and the hardness was enhanced by 47.8%. Therefore, this method provides a new approach for the preparation of highly conductive and wear-resistant copper matrix composite materials.
Although Prussian blue (PB) has been widely investigated as a biocompatible photothermal agent with significant potential in cancer treatment, its further application is still hindered by low photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) and poor stability. In this study, a biomimetic mineralization approach is employed to improve properties of PB by binding it with manganese phosphate through manganese ions, resulting in the formation of nanocomposite manganese phosphate mineralized Prussian blue (MnP&PB). Compared to PB alone, MnP&PB can significantly enhance the PCE, increasing it to 44.46%, which is attributed to the manganese-induced redshift absorption and the bandgap narrowing in the near-infrared (NIR) region. Meanwhile, MnP&PB demonstrates a significant increase in temperature compared to that of either MnP or PB alone, further enhancing the inhibition effect against cancer under the NIR irradiation. It is revealed that the incorporation of manganese phosphate into PB via biomimetic mineralization lead to the enhancement of both PCE and therapeutic efficacy, thus presenting a promising alternative approach for the improvement of cancer photothermal therapy.
Ionized amine group (R-NH2) and carboxyl group (R-COOH) within the active layer of polyamide (PA) nanofiltration membranes result in the formation of positive (R-
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) whiskers modified with octadecyltrimethoxysilane were incorporated into the coating solution through a solution blending method. The superhydrophobic coating was designed and fabricated using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyperfluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) as the main constituents, while silane-modified TiO2 whiskers as the fillers. The results demonstrated that after a 360-h scaling test, the mass of CaCO3 on the surface of the resulted silane-modified superhydrophobic TiO2‒PVDF‒FEP coating was only 1.90 mg·cm−2, decreased by 37.1% and 16.7% compared with those on the PVDF‒FEP coating and the TiO2‒PVDF‒FEP coating, respectively. The synergistic effects of the air film, silane-modified TiO2 whiskers, and superhydrophobicity ensure that this superhydrophobic TiO2‒PVDF‒FEP coating has excellent scale inhibition performance. This study presents a novel approach for advancing the development of superhydrophobic coatings, offering promising prospects for industrial-scale applications in preventive measures.
Due to high theoretical capacity and low lithium-storage potential, silicon (Si)-based anode materials are considered as one kind of the most promising options for lithium-ion batteries. However, their practical applications are still limited because of significant volume expansion and poor conductivity during cycling. In this study, we prepared a double core‒shell nanostructure through coating commercial Si nanoparticles with both amorphous titanium dioxide (a-TiO2) and amorphous carbon (a-C) via a facile sol‒gel method combined with chemical vapor deposition. Elastic behaviors of a-TiO2 shells allowed for the release of strain, maintaining the integrity of Si cores during charge‒discharge processes. Additionally, outer layers of a-C provided numerous pore channels facilitating the transport of both Li+ ions and electrons. Using the distribution of relaxation time analysis, we provided a precise kinetic explanation for the observed electrochemical behaviors. Furthermore, the structural evolution of the anode was explored during cycling processes. The Si@a-TiO2@a-C-6 anode was revealed to exhibit excellent electrochemical properties, achieving a capacity retention rate of 86.7% (877.1 mA·h·g−1 after 500 cycles at a 1 A·g−1). This result offers valuable insights for the design of high-performance and cyclically stable Si-based anode materials.
Cathodoluminescence (CL) characterization technology refers to a technical approach for evaluating the luminescent properties of samples by collecting photon signals generated under electron beam excitation. By detecting the intensity and wavelength of the emitted light, the energy band structure and forbidden bandwidth of a sample can be identified. After a CL spectrometer is mounted on a scanning electron microscope (SEM), functions are integrated, such as high spatial resolution, morphological observation, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to analyze samples, offering unique and irreplaceable advantages for the microstructural analysis of certain materials. This paper reviews the applications of SEM-CL systems in the characterization of material microstructures in recent years, illustrating the utility of the SEM-CL system in various materials including geological minerals, perovskite materials, semiconductor materials, non-metallic inclusions, and functional ceramics through typical case studies.
TC11, with a nominal composition of Ti–6.5Al–3.5Mo–1.5Zr–0.3Si, is the preferred material for engine blisk due to its high-performance dual-phase titanium alloy, effectively enhancing engine aerodynamic efficiency and service reliability. However, in laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) of TC11, challenges such as inadequate defect control, inconsistent part quality, and limited optimization of key processing parameters hinder the process reliability and scalability. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to simulate the L-PBF process, while design of experiments (DoE) was applied to analyze the effect of process parameters and determine the optimal process settings. Laser power was found to have the greatest impact on porosity. The optimal process parameters are 170 W laser power, 1100 mm·s−1 scanning speed, and 0.1 mm hatch spacing. Stripe, line, and chessboard scanning strategies were implemented using the optimal process parameters. The stripe scanning strategy has ~33% (~400 MPa) greater tensile strength over the line scanning strategy and ~12% (~170 MPa) over the chessboard scanning strategy. This research provides technical support for obtaining high-performance TC11 blisks.
