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Qianli Ma1*, Wei Wang1*, Paul K Chu2, Shenglin Mei1,2, Kun Ji3, Lei Jin4, Yumei Zhang11Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China; 2Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China; 3Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China; 4Stomatology Department, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: Titanium (Ti) implants are widely used clinically, but peri-implantitis remains one of the most common and serious complications. Healthy integration between gingival tissue and the implant surface is critical to long-term success in dental implant therapy. The objective of this study was to investigate how different concentrations of immobilized fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) on the titania nanotubular surface influence the response of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs).Methods: Pure Ti metal was anodized at 20 V to form a vertically organized titanium dioxide nanotube array on which three concentrations of FGF2 (250 ng/mL, 500 ng/mL, or 1000 ng/mL) were immobilized by repeated lyophilization. Surface topography was observed and FGF2 elution was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The bioactivity changes of dissolvable immobilized FGF2 were measured by methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium assay. Behavior of HGFs was evaluated using adhesion and methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium bromide assays.Results: The FGF2 remained for several days on the modified surface on which HGFs were cultured. Over 90% of the dissolvable immobilized FGF2 had been eluted by Day 9, whereas the FGF2 activity was found to diminish gradually from Day 1 to Day 9. The titania nanotubular surface with an optimal preparing concentration (500 ng/mL) of FGF2 immobilization exhibited improved HGF functions such as cellular attachment, proliferation, and extracellular matrix-related gene expression. Moreover, significant bidirectional as well as concentration- and time-dependent bioactivity was observed.Conclusion: Synergism of the FGF2-impregnated titanium dioxide nanotubular surface revealed good gingival-implant integration, indicating that these materials might have promising applications in dentistry and other biomedical devices.Keywords: dental implants, titanium dioxide nanotube, fibroblast growth factor 2, extracellular matrix, real-time polymerase chain reaction

The development of robust and efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has been the main focus of water electrolysis but remains a great challenge. Here, the synthesis of a highly active and ultra-stable Fe-CoOOH electrocatalyst is reported by steering raw cobalt foam via an in situ solution combustion method assisted by a galvanic replacement reaction and subsequent electrochemical reconstruction of the CoFeO x pre-catalyst. In/ex situ electrochemical analysis and physicochemical characterizations show that the CoFeO x undergoes quick chemical and slow morphological reconstruction to Fe-CoOOH nanosheets. The Fe-CoOOH possesses a semi-crystalline nature with distinct short-range ordering and outstanding OER activity with overpotentials as low as 271 and 291 mV at current densities of 500 and 1,000 mA cm -2 , respectively. The remarkable stability under 1,000 mA cm -2 for at least 700 h is achieved. Theoretical calculations confirm the crucial role of Fe doping in facilitating surface reconstruction, enhancing OER activity, and improving the stability of the Fe-CoOOH. Comparative analysis with other transition metals doping reveals the unique ability of Fe to adsorb onto the CoOOH surface, thereby modulating the electronic density and facilitating faster adsorption of reaction intermediates. This work represents valuable insights into the surface reconstruction and doping processes., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Zinc-ion capacitors (ZICs) have attracted great attention due to a series of advantages. However, the cathode materials are still the bottleneck for high-performance ZICs to be achieved. Therefore, ZIF-8-derived porous carbons are one of the most promising candidates but ZIF-8 nanoparticles with different sizes exhibited various electrochemical performances in ZICs. Herein, a series of monodispersed ZIF-8 nanoparticles are first prepared by a temperature-controlled process to fabricate the corresponding ZIF-8-based porous carbon nanoparticles with pre-designed sizes. The as-prepared materials have been tested as cathode materials in ZICs. Thus, their size effect allowed us to disclose its correlation with other factors such as ion transport/storage and capacitance. The results reveal that the optimal-sized porous carbon particles can effectively shorten the ion transport distance and accelerate the ion diffusion rate, resulting in lower electrical resistance, larger ion diffusion coefficients, and faster electron transport. The presented findings can facilitate the design of new advanced cathode materials paving the way for the development of high-performance cathode materials for ZICs in the future., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The physical killing of bacteria based on surface topography has attracted much attention due to the sustainable and safe prevention of biofilm formation. However, the antibacterial efficiency of biomedical implants derived solely from nanostructures or microstructures is insufficient to combat bacteria against common infections, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with thick cell walls. Herein, photothermal therapy is carried out in the presence of nanorod arrays to mitigate infection of biomedical implants. Different from traditional photothermal therapy relying on a photosensitizer, the photothermal effect is mediated by light traps rendered by the nanorod arrays, and consequently, the photosensitizer is not needed. Finite element simulations and experiments are performed to elucidate the light-to-thermal conversion mechanism. This photothermal platform, in conjunction with thermosensitive nitric oxide therapy, is applied to treat titanium implant infection. The nanostructure-mediated photothermal effect destroys bacterial cell walls by inhibiting peptidoglycan synthesis and increasing the membrane permeability by affecting fatty acid synthesis. Furthermore, the nanorods synergistically puncture the bacterial membrane easily as demonstrated by experiments and transcriptome analysis. The results provide insights into the development of efficient antibacterial treatment of implants by combining nanostructures and photothermal therapy., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Silicon (Si) is a promising anode material for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries, but the significant volume change of Si particles during alloying/dealloying with lithium (Li) undermines the mechanical integrity of Si anode, causing electrode fracture, delamination and rapid capacity decay. Herein, a robust triple crosslinked network (TCN) binder with high ionic conductivity and hierarchical stress dissipation is reported for Si anodes, which is prepared by in situ chemical crosslinking polyacrylic acid (PAA) and melamine (MA). The triple interactions of hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions, and covalent amide bonds enhance the adhesion of binder to Si and synergistically promote stress dissipation within Si anodes, thus strengthening the dynamic structural stability of Si anodes during cycling. Moreover, the rapid coupling/decoupling of Li + with the TCN binder enables an impressive Li + transference number of 0.63 and high ionic conductivity of 1.2 × 10 -4 S cm -1 . Consequently, the Si-TCN anode delivers specific capacity of 2268 mAh g -1 with a high mass loading of 2 mg cm -2 , high-rate performance of 1673 mAh g -1 at 5 A g -1 , and stable cycling for 250 cycles at 1 A g -1 , thus showing great prospects for high-energy-density Si-based batteries., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

A 3D-printed oxygen-vacancy-rich potassium ammonium vanadate/reduced graphene oxide (KNVO v /rGO) microlattice aerogel is designed for the cathode in high-performance K-ion batteries (KIBs). The 3D-printed KNVO v /rGO electrode with periodic submillimeter microchannels and interconnected printed filaments is composed of highly dispersed KNVO v nanobelts, wrinkled graphene nanoflakes, and abundant micropores. The well-defined 3D porous microlattice structure of the rGO backbone not only provides the interconnected conductive 3D network and the required mechanical robustness but also facilitates the penetration of the liquid electrolyte into inner active sites, consequently ensuring a stable electrochemical environment for K-ion intercalation/deintercalation within the KNVO v nanobelts. The 3D-printed KNVO v /rGO microlattice aerogel electrode has a high discharge capacity of 109.3 mAh g -1 with a capacity retention rate of 92.6% after 200 cycles at 50 mA g -1 and maintains a discharge capacity of 75.8 mAh g -1 after 2000 cycles at 500 mA g -1 . The flexible pouch-type KIB battery consisting of the 3D-printed KNVO v /rGO has good mechanical durability and retains a high specific capacity under different forms of deformation such as bending and folding. The results provide valuable insights into the integration of advanced 3D-printed electrode materials into K-ion batteries and the design of flexible and wearable energy storage devices., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Introduction: Emerging evidence suggests long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 is associated with osteoarthritis (OA) pathology. However, how H19 contributes to OA has not been reported. This study aims to investigate the biological function of H19 in OA subchondral bone remodeling and OA progression., Methods: Clinical joint samples and OA animal models induced by medial meniscus destabilization (DMM) surgery were used to verify the causal relationship between osteocyte H19 and OA subchondral bone and cartilage changes. MLO-Y4 osteocyte cells subjected to fluid shear stress were used to verify the mechanism underlying H19-mediated mechano-response. Finally, the antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) against H19 was delivered to mice knee joints by magnetic metal-organic framework (MMOF) nanoparticles in order to develop a site-specific delivery method for targeting osteocyte H19 for OA treatment., Results: Both clinical OA subchondral bone and wildtype mice with DMM-induced OA exhibit aberrant higher subchondral bone mass with more H19 expressing osteocytes. On the contrary, osteocyte-specific deletion of H19 mice is less vulnerable to DMM-induced OA phenotype. In MLO-Y4 cells, H19-mediated osteocyte mechano-response through PI3K/AKT/GSK3 signals activation by EZH2-induced H3K27me3 regulation on PP2A inhibition. Targeted inhibition of H19 (using ASO-loaded MMOF) substantially alleviates subchondral bone remodeling and OA phenotype., Discussion: In summary, our results provide new evidence that the elevated H19 expression in osteocytes may contribute to aberrant subchondral bone remodeling and OA progression. H19 appears to be required for the osteocyte response to mechanical stimulation, and targeting H19 represents a new promising approach for OA treatment., (This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.)

Lithium difluoro(oxalate) borate (LiDFOB) contributes actively to cathode-electrolyte interface (CEI) formation, particularly safeguarding high-voltage cathode materials. However, LiNi x Co z Mn y O 2 -based batteries benefit from the LiDFOB and its derived CEI only with appropriate electrolyte design while a comprehensive understanding of the underlying interfacial mechanisms remains limited, which makes the rational design challenging. By performing ab initio calculations, the CEI evolution on the LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 has been investigated. The findings demonstrate that LiDFOB readily adheres to the cathode via semidissociative configuration, which elevates the Li deintercalation voltage and remains stable in solvent. Electrochemical processes are responsible for the subsequent cleavage of B-F and B-O bonds, while the B-F bond cleavage leading to LiF formation is dominant in the presence of adequate Li + with a substantial Li intercalation energy. Thus, impregnation is established as an effective method to regulate the conversion channel for efficient CEI formation, which not only safeguards the cathode's structure but also counters electrolyte decomposition. Consequently, in comparison to utilizing LiDFOB as an electrolyte additive, employing LiDFOB impregnation in the NCM811/Li cell yields significantly improved cycling stability for over 2000 h.

The depressed directional separation of photogenerated carriers and weak CO 2 adsorption/activation activity are the main factors hampering the development of artificial photosynthesis. Herein, Na ions are embedded in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) to achieve directional migration of the photogenerated electrons to Na sites, while the electron-rich Na sites enhance CO 2 adsorption and activation. Na/g-C 3 N 4 (NaCN) shows improved photocatalytic reduction activity of CO 2 to CO and CH 4 , and under simulated sunlight irradiation, the CO yield of NaCN synthesized by embedding Na at 550°C (NaCN-550) is 371.2 μmol g -1  h -1 , which is 58.9 times more than that of the monomer g-C 3 N 4 . By means of theoretical calculations and experiments including in situ fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the mechanism is investigated. This strategy which improves carrier separation and reduces the energy barrier at the same time is important to the development of artificial photosynthesis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor composed of photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) is designed for the detection of low-concentration liquids. The excellent sensing properties are attributed to the sensitivity enhancement at the dispersion turning point (DTP) of the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes. The sensor consists of two identical and structurally simple D-shaped PCFs together with a plasmonic thin film coated on the polished surface in direct contact with the analyte. Changes in the refractive index (RI) result in the splitting of the degenerate plasma peaks, thus allowing the monitoring of the analyte concentration variations by measuring the peak separation. In the RI range between 1.328 RIU and 1.33 RIU, the sensor exhibits an ultra-high sensitivity of 129,800 nm/RIU, which is 37.22 times higher than that of the unsensitized single D-shaped structure. Compared to fiber grating sensors operating in the vicinity of the cladding mode DTP, the spliced dual D-shaped PCF still has a predictably high mechanical strength. In addition, the RI detection range of the sensor can be changed by adjusting the slit width. The average sensitivities are 4.38 nm/g·L -1 in the sodium chloride concentration range of 0 g/L to 100 g/L and 20.85 nm/g·L -1 in the hemoglobin concentration range of 0 g/L to 20 g/L. Our results reveal that this SPR sensor based on PCFs has large potential in a variety of applications, especially biochemistry, due to its exceptional sensitivity, structural simplicity, and adjustable detection range.

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a fledgling therapeutic technique for psoriasis treatment with noninvasiveness, but clinical adoption has been stifled by the insufficient production and delivery of plasma-generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Herein, patches of air-discharge plasma-activated ice microneedles (PA-IMNs) loaded with multiple RONS are designed for local transdermal delivery to treat psoriasis as an alternative to direct CAP irradiation treatment. By mixing two RONS generated by the air-discharge plasma in the NO x mode and O 3 mode, abundant high-valence RONS are produced and incorporated into PA-IMNs via complex gas-gas and gas-liquid reactions. The PA-IMNs abrogate keratinocyte overproliferation by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis of keratinocytes. The in vivo transdermal treatment confirms that PA-IMNs produce significant anti-inflammatory and therapeutic actions for imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis in mice by inhibiting the release of associated inflammatory factors while showing no evident systemic toxicity. Therefore, PA-IMNs have a large potential in transdermal delivery platforms as they overcome the limitations of using CAP directly in the clinical treatment of psoriasis.

Microwave (MW) therapy is an emerging therapy with high efficiency and deep penetration to combat the crisis of bacterial resistance. However, as the energy of MW is too low to induce electron transition, the mechanism of MW catalytic effect remains ambiguous. Herein, a cerium-based metal-organic framework (MOF) is fabricated and used in MW therapy. The MW-catalytic performance of CeTCPP is largely dependent on the ions in the liquid environment, and the electron transition is achieved through a "tribovoltaic effect" between water molecules and CeTCPP. By this way, CeTCPP can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in saline under pulsed MW irradiation, showing 99.9995 ± 0.0002% antibacterial ratio against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) upon two cycles of MW irradiation. Bacterial metabolomics further demonstrates that the diffusion of ROS into bacteria led to the bacterial metabolic disorders. The bacteria are finally killed due to "amino acid starvation". In order to improve the applicability of CeTCPP, It is incorporated into alginate-based hydrogel, which maintains good MW catalytic antibacterial efficiency and also good biocompatibility. Therefore, this work provides a comprehensive instruction of using CeTCPP in MW therapy, from mechanism to application. This work also provides new perspectives for the design of antibacterial composite hydrogel., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Atomic engineering of the basal plane active sites in MoS 2 holds great promise to boost the electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), yet the performance optimization and mechanism exploration are still not satisfactory. Herein, we proposed a dual-plasma engineering strategy to implant Ti and N heteroatoms into the basal plane of MoS 2 supported by Ni 3 S 2 nanorods on nickel foam (MSNF) for efficient electrocatalysis of HER. Owing to the low formation energy of Ti dopants in MoS 2 and the extra charge carriers introduced by N dopants, the optimally codoped samples N1.0@Ti500-MSNF demonstrate significant morphology changes from nanorods to urchin-like nanospheres with the surface active areas increased by seven-fold, as well as enhanced electrical conductivity in comparison with the nondoped counterparts. The HER performance of N1.0@Ti500-MSNF is comparable with the Pt-based catalyst: overpotential of 26 mV at 20 mA cm -2 , Tafel slope of 35.6 mV dec -1 , and long-term stability over 50 h. First-principles calculation reveals that N doping accelerates the dissociation of water molecules while Ti doping activates the adjacent S sites for hydrogen adsorption by lowering the Gibbs free energy, resulting in excellent HER activity. This work thus provides an effective strategy for basal plane engineering of MoS 2 heterostructures toward high-performance HER and sustainable energy supply at reasonable costs.

Two-dimensional (2D) structures composed of atomically thin materials with high carrier mobility have been studied as candidates for future transistors 1-4 . However, owing to the unavailability of suitable high-quality dielectrics, 2D field-effect transistors (FETs) cannot attain the full theoretical potential and advantages despite their superior physical and electrical properties 3,5,6 . Here we demonstrate the fabrication of atomically thin single-crystalline Al 2 O 3 (c-Al 2 O 3 ) as a high-quality top-gate dielectric in 2D FETs. By using intercalative oxidation techniques, a stable, stoichiometric and atomically thin c-Al 2 O 3 layer with a thickness of 1.25 nm is formed on the single-crystalline Al surface at room temperature. Owing to the favourable crystalline structure and well-defined interfaces, the gate leakage current, interface state density and dielectric strength of c-Al 2 O 3 meet the International Roadmap for Devices and Systems requirements 3,5,7 . Through a one-step transfer process consisting of the source, drain, dielectric materials and gate, we achieve top-gate MoS 2 FETs characterized by a steep subthreshold swing of 61 mV dec -1 , high on/off current ratio of 10 8 and very small hysteresis of 10 mV. This technique and material demonstrate the possibility of producing high-quality single-crystalline oxides suitable for integration into fully scalable advanced 2D FETs, including negative capacitance transistors and spin transistors., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Graphene is a promising candidate for the thermal management of downscaled microelectronic devices owing to its exceptional electrical and thermal properties. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of the intricate electrical and thermal interconversions at a nanoscale, particularly in field-effect transistors with prevalent gate operations, remains elusive. In this study, nanothermometric imaging is used to examine a current-carrying monolayer graphene channel sandwiched between hexagonal boron nitride dielectrics. It is revealed for the first time that beyond the expected Joule heating, the thermoelectric Peltier effect actively plays a significant role in generating hotspots beneath the gated region. With gate-controlled charge redistribution and a shift in the Dirac point position, an unprecedented systematic evolution of thermoelectric hotspots, underscoring their remarkable tenability is demonstrated. This study reveals the field-effect Peltier contribution in a single graphene-material channel of transistors, offering valuable insights into field-effect thermoelectrics and future on-chip energy management., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The quantum conductance (QC) behaviors in synaptic devices with stable and tunable conductance states are essential for high-density storage and brain-like neurocomputing (NC). In this work, inspired by the discontinuous transport of fluid in spider silk, a synaptic device composed of a silicon oxide nanowire network embedded with silicon quantum dots (Si-QDs@SiO x ) is designed. The tunable QC behaviors are achieved in both the SET and RESET processes, and the QC states exhibit stable retention time exceeding 10 4 s in the synaptic device and show stable reproducibility after an interval of two months. The synaptic plasticity, including long-term potentiation/depression and Pavlovian conditioning function, is simulated based on the tunable conductance. The mechanism of stable and tunable QC behaviors is analyzed and clarified by beading effect of spider silk in Si-QDs@SiO x nanowires structure. The digit recognition capability of the device is evaluated by simulation using an artificial neural network consisting of the Si-QDs@SiO x -based synaptic device. These results provide insights into the development of neurocomputing systems with high classification accuracy.

Surface engineering by doping and amorphization is receiving widespread attention from the perspective of the regulation of the electrocatalytic activities of electrocatalysts. However, the effective modulation of active sites on catalysts is still challenging. Herein, a straightforward and efficient method combining hydrothermal treatment with low-temperature plasma processing is presented to synthesize Ni-doped W 18 O 49 nanorod arrays on carbon cloth with abundant oxygen vacancies (CC/WO-Ni- x ). Mild plasma doping with Ni modifies the electronic structure of the W 18 O 49 nanorod arrays, resulting in the formation of an amorphous structure that significantly reduces the electron transfer resistance. Additionally, the coupling with high-valent W 6+ (derived from W 18 O 49 ) leads to the partial preoxidation of doped Ni to form active Ni 3+ species and oxygen vacancies. These features are collectively responsible for the remarkable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and urea oxidation reaction (UOR) properties of CC/WO-Ni-4, for example, 10 mA cm -2 current density, an overpotential of 265 mV required for the OER under 1.0 M KOH solution. The addition of 500 mM urea to the 1.0 M KOH solution decreases the overpotential required for the same current density from 265 to 93 mV. This study provides insights into the modification of surface structures and presents an effective strategy to optimize the electrocatalytic active sites and enhance the efficiency of multifunctional electrocatalysts.

The discovery of bound states in the continuum (BIC) of optical nanostructures has garnered significant research interest and found widespread application in the field of optics, leading to an attractive approach to achieve high-Q (Quality factor) Fano resonance. Herein, an all-dielectric metasurface consisting of four gallium phosphide (Gap) cylinders on the MgF 2 substrate is designed and analyzed by the finite element method (FEM). By breaking the symmetry of the plane, specifically by moving the two cylinders to one side, it is possible to achieve a transition from the symmetry-protected BIC to quasi-BIC. This transition enables the excitation of sharp dual-band Fano resonance at wavelengths of 1,045.4 nm and 1,139.6 nm, with the maximum Q factors reaching 1.47 × 10 4 and 1.28 × 10 4 , respectively. The multipole decomposition and near-field distributions show that these two QBICs are dominated by the electric quadrupole (EQ) and magnetic quadrupole (MQ). Furthermore, bidirectional optical switching can be accomplished by changing the polarization direction of the incident light. As a result, the maximum sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM) are 488.9 nm/RIU and 2.51 × 10 5 RIU -1 , respectively. The results enrich our knowledge about BIC and reveal a platform for the development of high-performance photonics devices such as optical switches and sensors.

Dual-functional nanomaterial electrodes have the capability to satisfy the requirements for both sweat analysis and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), thereby enabling the integration of electrochemical sensing and hydrogen production. In this study, ZIF-67 cubes are synthesized on nickel foam (NF), while TiO 2 is obtained through an annealing process. Subsequently, the ZIF-67@TiO 2 /MoS 2 nanocomposite is fabricated on nickel foam via a hydrothermal method. This composite material exhibits exceptional photocatalytic properties and is also suitable for the detection of glucose in sweat. The glucose detection range spans from 10 nM to 10 mM with a sensitivity of 7.24 μA mM -1  cm - 2 for a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 and a detection limit of 0.43 μM. Moreover, when utilized as a hydrogen evolution electrode, this material demonstrates a current density of 10 mA cm -2 at an overpotential of 118 mV, with a Tafel slope of 73 mV/dec. The synthesis process is both straightforward and economical. This research introduces a novel concept for the design of multifunctional chemical sensors., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

VN usually has poor rate performance and cycle stability. In this work, porous VN nanosheet arrays were prepared on carbon nanofibers embedded with Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets by electrospinning and chemical vapor deposition. The 3D network accelerates the transfer of electrons and electrolyte ions, prevents the aggregation of VN and the self-stacking of MXene, and enhances cycle stability. The solid-state flexible device comprising Co 3 O 4 , MXCF@VN, and KOH/PVA exhibits exceptional energy densities of 83.95 W h kg -1 and robust cycling stability (82.8% retention after 20 000 cycles).

Violet phosphorus (VP) has attracted a lot of attention for its unique physicochemical properties and emerging potential in photoelectronic applications. Although VP has a van der Waals (vdW) structure similar to that of other 2D semiconductors, direct synthesis of VP on a substrate is still challenging. Moreover, optoelectronic devices composed of transfer-free VP flakes have not been demonstrated. Herein, a bismuth-assisted vapor phase transport technique is designed to grow uniform single-crystal VP flakes on the SiO 2 /Si substrate directly. The size of the crystalline VP flakes is an order of magnitude larger than that of previous liquid-exfoliated samples. The photodetector fabricated with the VP flakes shows a high responsivity of 12.5 A W -1 and response/recovery time of 3.82/3.03 ms upon exposure to 532 nm light. Furthermore, the photodetector shows a small dark current (<1 pA) that is beneficial to high-sensitivity photodetection. As a result, the detectivity is 1.38 × 10 13 Jones that is comparable with that of the vdW p-n heterojunction detector. The results reveal the great potential of VP in optoelectronic devices as well as the CVT technique for the growth of single-crystal semiconductor thin films., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Enhancing the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) is essential for generating more reactive oxygen species in advanced oxidation process (AOPs). Nevertheless, improving PMS adsorption and expediting interfacial electron transfer to enhance reaction kinetics pose significant challenges. Herein, we construct confined W 18 O 49 nanowires with asymmetric active centers containing Co-Vo-W (Vo: oxygen vacancy). The design incorporates surface-rich Vo and single-atom Co, and the resulting material is employed for PMS activation in water purification. By coupling unsaturated coordinated electrons in Vo with low-valence Co single atoms to construct an the "electron fountainhead", the adsorption and activation of PMS are enhanced. This results in the generation of more active free radicals (SO 4 •- , •OH, •O 2 - ) and non-free radicals ( 1 O 2 ) for the decomposition of micropollutants. Thereinto, the degradation rate of bisphenol A (BPA) by Co-W 18 O 49 is 32.6 times faster that of W 18 O 49 monomer, which is also much higher than those of other transition-metal-doped W 18 O 49 composites. This work is expected to help to elucidate the rational design and efficient PMS activation of catalysts with asymmetric active centers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The poor efficiency of US-responsive coatings on implants restricts their practical application. Immunotherapy that stimulates immune cells to enhance their antibacterial activity is expected to synergize with sonodynamic therapy for treating implant infection effectively and safely. Herein, US-responsive hybrid coatings composed of the oxygen-deficient BaTiO 3 nanorod arrays and l-arginine (BaTiO 3-x /LA) are designed and prepared on titanium implants for sonocatalytic therapy-cooperated immunotherapy to treat Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. BaTiO 3-x /LA can generate more oxidizing reactive oxygen species (ROS, hydroxyl radical (·OH)) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS, peroxynitrite anion (ONOO - )). The construction of nanorod arrays and oxygen defects balances the piezoelectric properties and sonocatalytic capability during US treatment. The generated piezoelectric electric field provides a sufficient driving force to separate electrons and holes, and the oxygen defects attenuate the electron-hole recombination efficiency, consequently increasing the yield of ROS during the US treatment. Moreover, nitric oxide (NO) released by l-arginine reacts with the superoxide radical (·O 2 - ) to produce ONOO - . Since, this radical chain reaction improves the oxidizing ability between bacteria and radicals, the cell membrane (argB, secA2) and DNA (dnaBGXN) are destroyed. The bacterial self-repair mechanism indirectly accelerates bacterial death based on the transcriptome analysis. In addition to participating in the radical chain reaction, NO positively affects macrophage M1 polarization to yield potent phagocytosis to MRSA. As a result, without introducing an extra sonosensitizer, BaTiO 3-x /LA exhibits excellent antibacterial activity against MRSA after the US treatment for 15 min. Furthermore, BaTiO 3-x /LA facilitates macrophage M2 polarization after implantation and improves osteogenic differentiation. The combined effects of sonodynamic therapy and immunoregulation lead to an effective and safe treatment method for implant-associated infections., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled, “Ultrasound-Driven Radical Chain Reaction and Immunoregulation of Piezoelectric-Based Hybrid Coating for Treating Implant Infection”., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPI) with an asymmetric tapered structure and air microbubble with an ultrathin wall is designed for high-sensitivity strain measurement. The sensor contains an air microbubble formed by two single-mode fibers (SMF) prepared by fusion splicer arc discharge, and a taper is applied to one side of the air microbubble with a wall thickness of 3.6 µm. In this unique asymmetric structure, the microbubble is more easily deformed under stress, and the strain sensitivity of the sensor is up to 15.89 pm/µɛ as evidenced by experiments.The temperature sensitivity and cross-sensitivity of the sensor are 1.09 pm/°C and 0.069 µɛ/°C in the temperature range of 25-200°C, respectively, thus reducing the measurement error arising from temperature variations. The sensor has notable virtues such as high strain sensitivity, low-temperature sensitivity, low-temperature cross-sensitivity, simple and safe process preparation, and low cost. Experiments confirm that the sensor has good stability and repeatability, and it has high commercial potential, especially strain measurements in complex environments.

Broad-spectrum-driven high-performance artificial photosynthesis is quite challenging. Herein, atomically ultrathin bismuthene with semimetallic properties is designed and demonstrated for broad-spectrum (ultraviolet-visible-near infrared light) (UV-vis-NIR)-driven photocatalytic CO 2 hydrogenation. The trap states in the bandgap produced by edge dangling bonds prolong the lifetime of the photogenerated electrons from 90 ps in bulk Bi to 1650 ps in bismuthine, and excited-state electrons are enriched at the edge of bismuthine. The edge dangling bonds of bismuthene as the active sites for adsorption/activation of CO 2 increase the hybridization ability of the Bi 6p orbital and O 2p orbital to significantly reduce the catalytic reaction energy barrier and promote the formation of C─H bonds until the generation of CH 4 . Under λ ≥ 400 nm and λ ≥ 550 nm irradiation, the utilization ratios of photogenerated electron reduction CO 2 hydrogenation to CO and CH 4 for bismuthene are 58.24 and 300.50 times higher than those of bulk Bi, respectively. Moreover, bismuthene can extend the CO 2 hydrogenation reaction to the near-infrared region (λ ≥ 700 nm). This pioneering work employs the single semimetal element as an artificial photosynthetic catalyst to produce a broad spectral response., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Increasing modal variations of stimulus-responsive materials ensure the high capacity and confidentiality of information storage and encryption systems that are crucial to information security. Herein, thermochromic perovskite microcapsules (TPMs) with dual-variable and quadruple-modal reversible properties are designed and prepared on the original oil-in-fluorine (O/F) emulsion system. The TPMs respond to the orthogonal variations of external UV and thermal stimuli in four reversible switchable modes and exhibit excellent thermal, air, and water stability due to the protection of perovskites by the core-shell structure. Benefiting from the high-density information storage TPMs, multiple information encryptions and decryptions are demonstrated. Moreover, a set of devices are assembled for a multilevel information encryption system. By taking advantage of TPMs as a "private key" for decryption, the signal can be identified as the corresponding binary ASCII code and converted to the real message. The results demonstrate a breakthrough in high-density information storage materials as well as a multilevel information encryption system based on switchable quadruple-modal TPMs.

An ultra-high sensitivity weak magnetic field detecting magnetic fluid surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on a single-hole fiber (SHF) is proposed for detecting weak magnetic fields. The sensor is constructed with a single-hole fiber in which an exclusive air hole in the cladding is embedded with a metal wire and filled with a magnetic fluid (MF) to enhance the magnetic field sensitivity. The effects of the structural parameters, embedded metals, and refractive index difference between the core and cladding on the magnetic field sensitivity and peak loss are investigated and optimized. The sensitivity, resolution, figure of merit (FOM), and other characteristics of the sensor are analyzed systematically. The numerical results reveal a maximum magnetic field sensitivity of 451,000 pm/mT and FOM of 15.03 mT -1 . The ultra-high magnetic field sensitivity renders the sensor capable of detecting weak magnetic fields at the pT level for the first time, in addition to a detection range from 3.5 mT to 17 mT. The SHF-SPR magnetic field sensor featuring high accuracy, simple structure, and ease of filling has immense potential in applications such as mineral resource exploration as well as geological and environmental assessment.

Transition metal boride TM 2 B 3 is widely studied in the field of physics and materials science. However, Mn 2 B 3 has not been found in Mn-B systems so far. Mn 2 B 3 undergoes phase transitions from Cmcm (0-28 GPa) to C 2/ m (28-80 GPa) and finally to C 2/ c (80-200 GPa) under pressure. Among these stable phases, Cmcm - and C 2/ m -Mn 2 B 3 s comprise six-membered boron rings and C 2/ c -Mn 2 B 3 has wavy boron chains. They all have good mechanical properties and can become potential multifunctional materials. The strong B-B covalent bonding is mainly responsible for the structural stability and hardness. Comparison of the hardness of the five TM 2 B 3 s with different bonding strengths of TM-B and B-B bonds reveals a nonlinear change in the hardness. According to the Stoner model, these structures possess ferromagnetism, and the corresponding magnetic moments are almost the same as those of GGA and GGA + U ( U = 3.9 eV, J = 1 eV).

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the primary pathogenic agent responsible for epidermal wound infection and suppuration, seriously threatening the life and health of human beings. To address this fundamental challenge, we propose a heterojunction nanocomposite (Ca-CN/MnS) comprised of Ca-doped g-C 3 N 4 and MnS for the therapy of MRSA-accompanied wounds. The Ca doping leads to a reduction in both the bandgap and the singlet state S 1 -triplet state T 2 energy gap (ΔE ST ). The Ca doping also facilitates the two-photon excitation, thus remarkably promoting the separation and transfer of 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered electron-hole pairs together with the built-in electric field. Thereby, the production of reactive oxygen species and heat are substantially augmented nearby the nanocomposite under 808 nm NIR light irradiation. Consequently, an impressive photocatalytic MRSA bactericidal efficiency of 99.98 ± 0.02 % is achieved following exposure to NIR light for 20 min. The introduction of biologically functional elements (Ca and Mn) can up-regulate proteins such as pyruvate kinase (PKM), L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA), and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CAMKII), trigger the glycolysis and calcium signaling pathway, promote cell proliferation, cellular metabolism, and angiogenesis, thereby expediting the wound-healing process. This heterojunction nanocomposite, with its precise charge-transfer pathway, represents a highly effective bactericidal and bioactive system for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and accelerating tissue repair. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Due to the bacterial resistance, developing an antibiotic-free and highly effective bactericidal strategy to treat bacteria-infected wounds is critical. We have designed a heterojunction consisting of calcium doped g-C 3 N 4 and MnS (Ca-CN/MnS) that can rapidly kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) without damaging normal tissue through a synergistic effect of two-photon stimulated photothermal and photodynamic therapy. In addition, the release of trace amounts of biofunctional elements Mn and Ca triggers glycolysis and calcium signaling pathways that promote cellular metabolism and cell proliferation, contributing to tissue repair and wound healing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Controlled synthesis of lead-halide perovskite crystals is challenging yet attractive because of the pivotal role played by the crystal structure and growth conditions in regulating their properties. This study introduces data-driven strategies for the controlled synthesis of oriented quasi-spherical CsPbBr 3 , alongside an investigation into the synthesis mechanism. High-throughput rapid characterization of absorption spectra and color under ultraviolet illumination was conducted using 23 possible ligands for the synthesis of CsPbBr 3 crystals. The links between the absorption spectra slope (difference in the absorbance at 400 nm and 450 nm divided by a wavelength interval of 50 nm) and crystal size were determined through statistical analysis of more than 100 related publications. Big data analysis and machine learning were employed to investigate a total of 688 absorption spectra and 652 color values, revealing correlations between synthesis parameters and properties. Ex situ characterization confirmed successful synthesis of oriented quasi-spherical CsPbBr 3 perovskites using polyvinylpyrrolidone and Acacia. Density functional theory calculations highlighted strong adsorption of Acacia on the (110) facet of CsPbBr 3 . Optical properties of the oriented quasi-spherical perovskites prepared with these data-driven strategies were significantly improved. This study demonstrates that data-driven controlled synthesis facilitates morphology-controlled perovskites with excellent optical properties., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A dual U-shaped photonic crystal fiber (PCF) biochemical sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is designed for the simultaneous detection of gas and liquid analytes, and the properties are analyzed by the full vector finite element method (FEM). SPR is excited by placing gold nanowires on the inner surface of the U-shaped device. In this technique, the traditional metal deposition process can be replaced, subsequently reducing the difficulty and complexity of actual production and improving the phase matching between the basic mode and plasmonic modes. To improve the detection properties, the structural parameters of the sensor including the air hole diameter, spacing, gold nanowire diameter, and polishing depth are optimized, and to better evaluate and analyze the sensing properties, the wavelength and amplitude modulation inquiry method is adopted. The results show that the maximum wavelength sensitivity (WS), amplitude sensitivity (AS), minimum resolution (R), and optimal FOM are 35,000 nm/RIU, 438.08 R I U -1 , 2.86×10 -6 R I U , and 165.16 R I U -1 , respectively. In addition, the sensor can detect analyte RIs between 1.00 and 1.36 for gas and liquid analytes simultaneously. Owing to the simple structure, low cost, and ambient-condition monitoring, the sensor has large potential in a myriad of applications including sewage treatment, food safety, humoral regulation, environmental and biological monitoring, and medical diagnosis.

Self-healing coatings improve the durability of magnesium (Mg) implants, but rapid corrosion still poses a challenge in the healing stage. Moreover, Mg-based materials with acceptable bacteria killing, osteogenic and angiogenic properties are challenging in biomedical applications. Herein, the self-healing polymeric coatings are fabricated on Mg alloys using the spin-assisted layer-by-layer (SLbL) assembly of hyaluronic acid (HA) and branched polyethyleneimine (bPEI) followed by chemical crosslinking treatment. The self-healing coatings show excellent adhesion strength and structure stability. The corrosion resistance is improved due to the physical barrier of polymer coatings, which also promotes the formation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) during degradation for further protection of Mg substrate. Owing to the dynamic reversible hydrogen bonds existing between HA and bPEI, the crosslinked multilayered coatings possess fast, substantial, and cyclic self-healing capabilities leading to restoration of the original structure and functions. In vitro investigations reveal that the self-healing coatings have multiple functionalities pertaining to bacteria killing, cytocompatibility, osteogenesis, as well as angiogenesis. In addition, the self-healing coatings stimulate alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP), extracellular matrix (ECM) mineralization, and the expression of osteogenesis-related genes of mBMSCs and HUVECs. This study reveals a feasible strategy to design and prepare versatile self-healing coatings on Mg implants for biomedical applications., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The discovery of antibiotics has saved millions of lives, but the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become another problem in modern medicine. To avoid or reduce the overuse of antibiotics in antibacterial treatments, stimuli-responsive materials, pathogen-targeting nanoparticles, immunogenic nano-toxoids, and biomimetic materials are being developed to make sterilization better and smarter than conventional therapies. The common goal of smart antibacterial materials (SAMs) is to increase the antibiotic efficacy or function via an antibacterial mechanism different from that of antibiotics in order to increase the antibacterial and biological properties while reducing the risk of drug resistance. The research and development of SAMs are increasingly interdisciplinary because new designs require the knowledge of different fields and input/collaboration from scientists in different fields. A good understanding of energy conversion in materials, physiological characteristics in cells and bacteria, and bactericidal structures and components in nature are expected to promote the development of SAMs. In this review, the importance of multidisciplinary insights for SAMs is emphasized, and the latest advances in SAMs are categorized and discussed according to the pertinent disciplines including materials science, physiology, and biomimicry., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Multi-drug resistant bacterial infections pose a significant threat to human health. Thus, the development of effective bactericidal strategies is a pressing concern. In this study, a ternary heterostructure (Zn-CN/P-GO/BiS) comprised of Zn-doped graphite phase carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ), phosphorous-doped graphene oxide (GO) and bismuth sulphide (Bi 2 S 3 ) is constructed for efficiently treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-infected wound. Zn doping-induced defect sites in g-C 3 N 4 results in a reduced band gap (Δ E ) and a smaller energy gap (Δ E ST ) between the singlet state S 1 and triplet state T 1 , which favours two-photon excitation and accelerates electron transfer. Furthermore, the formation of an internal electric field at the ternary heterogeneous interface optimizes the charge transfer pathway, inhibits the recombination of electron-hole pairs, improves the photodynamic effect of g-C 3 N 4 , and enhances its catalytic performance. Therefore, the Zn-CN/P-GO/BiS significantly augments the production of reactive oxygen species and heat under 808 nm NIR (0.67 W cm -2 ) irradiation, leading to the elimination of 99.60% ± 0.07% MRSA within 20 min. Additionally, the release of essential trace elements (Zn and P) promotes wound healing by activating hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) signaling pathways. This work provides unique insight into the rapid antibacterial applications of trace element doping and two-photon excitation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Failure to reconstruct the Lactobacillus microbiota is the major reason for the recurrence of vaginal infection. However, most empiric therapies focus on the efficacy of pathogen elimination but do not sufficiently consider the viability of Lactobacillus. Herein, cotton fibers with a lactic acid-like surface (LC) are fabricated by NaIO 4 oxidation and L-isoserine grafting. The lactic acid analog chain ends and imine structure of LC can penetrate cell walls to cause protein cleavage in Escherichia coli and Candida albicans and inhibit vaginal pathogens. Meanwhile, the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus is unaffected by the LC treatment, thus revealing a selective way to suppress pathogens as well as provide a positive route to re-establish protective microbiota in the vaginal tract. Moreover, LC has excellent properties such as good biosafety, antiadhesion, water absorption, and weight retention. The strategy proposed here not only is practical, but also provides insights into the treatment of vaginal infections., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The support vector regression (SVR) algorithm is presented to demodulate the torsion angle of an optical fiber torsion sensor based on the Sagnac interferometer with the panda fiber. Experimental results demonstrate that with the aid of SVR algorithm, the information in the transmission spectrum of the sensor can be used fully to realize the regression prediction of the directional torsion angle. The full torsion angle ranges from -360° to 360° can be predicted with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.24° and determination coefficient (R 2 ) of 0.9996. The impact of the angle sampling interval and wavelength resolution of the spectrometer on the prediction accuracy of the directional torsion angle and the suitability of the SVR algorithm for compact optical fiber sensor and other optical fiber torsion sensors based on the Sagnac interferometer are discussed. Moreover, the multi-objective SVR algorithm is used to eliminate the interference of strain during torsion angle measurement. The SVR algorithm can efficiently enlarge the measurement range of the torsion angle and break through the challenge of demodulating sensing signal for compact fiber torsion sensor. Compared to the prediction accuracy of common machine learning algorithms of artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm, random forest (RF) algorithm, and K-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm, the SVR algorithm has the advantages of higher measurement accuracy and shorter testing time.

Combined photothermal therapy and nitric oxide (NO)-mediated gas therapy has shown great potential as a cancer treatment. However, the on-demand release of NO at a high concentration presents a challenge owing to the lack of an ideal bio-transducer with a high loading capacity of NO donors and sufficient energy to induce NO release. Here, we present a new 2D BiTiS 3 nanosheet that is synthesized, loaded with the NO donor (BNN6), and conjugated with PEG-iRGD to produce a multifunctional bio-transducer (BNN6-BiTiS 3 -iRGD) for the on-demand production of NO. The BiTiS 3 nanosheets not only have a high loading capacity of NO donors (750%), but also exhibit a high photothermal conversion efficiency (59.5%) after irradiation by a 1064-nm laser at 0.5 W/cm 2 . As a result of the above advantages, the temporal-controllable generation of NO within a large dynamic range (from 0 to 344 μM) is achieved by adjusting power densities, which is among the highest efficiency values reported for NO generators so far. Moreover, the targeted accumulation of BNN6-BiTiS 3 -iRGD at tumor sites leads to spatial-controllable NO release. In vitro and in vivo assessments demonstrate synergistic NO gas therapy with mild photothermal therapy based on BNN6-BiTiS 3 -iRGD. Our work provides insights into the design and application of other 2D nanomaterial-based therapeutic platforms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Na 4 Fe 3 (PO 4 ) 2 (P 2 O 7 ) (NFPP) is regarded as a promising cathode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) owing to its low cost, easy manufacture, environmental purity, high structural stability, unique three-dimensional Na-ion diffusion channels, and appropriate working voltage. However, for NFPP, the low conductivity of electrons and ions limits their capacity and power density. The generation of NaFeP 2 O 7 and NaFePO 4 inhibits the diffusion of sodium ions and reduces reversible capacity and rate performance during the manufacturing process in synthesis methods. Herein, we report an entropy-driven approach to enhance the electronic conductivity and, concurrently, phase purity of NFPP as the superior cathode in sodium-ion batteries. This approach was realized via Ti ions substituting different ratios of Fe-occupied sites in the NFPP lattice (denoted as NTFPP-X, T is the Ti in the lattice, X is the ratio of Ti-substitution) with the configurational entropic increment of the lattice structures from 0.68 R to 0.79 R. Specifically, 5% Ti-substituted lattice (NTFPP-0.05) inducing entropic augmentation not only improves the electronic conductivity from 7.1 × 10 -2 S/m to 8.6 × 10 -2 S/m but also generates the pure-phase of NFPP (suppressing the impure phases of the NaFeP 2 O 7 and NaFePO 4 ) of the lattice structure, which is validated by a series of characterizations, including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory (DFT). Benefiting from the Ti replacement in the lattice, the optimal NTFPP-0.05 composite shows a high first discharge capacity (118.5 mAh g -1 at 0.1 C), superior rate performance (70.5 mAh g -1 at 10 C), and excellent long cycling life (1200 cycles at 10 C with capacity retention of 86.9%). This research proposes a new entropy-driven approach to improve the electrochemical performance of NFPP and reports a low-cost, ultrastable, and high-rate cathode material of NTFPP-0.05 for SIBs.

Emerging aqueous ammonium-ion batteries (AIBs) are considered inexpensive, highly safe, ecofriendly, and sustainable energy storage systems. Although some high-performance electrode materials have been reported for AIBs, a comprehensive understanding of the origin of the high ammonium-ion storage performance is still lacking. Herein, the percolating network of anionic vacancies is determined to be the origin of the superior ammonium-ion storage properties of the Prussian blue analogues based on ab initio molecular dynamics simulation and electrochemical kinetic analyses. Fe[Fe(CN) 6 ] with a percolating anionic vacancy network delivers an outstanding rate of 64.7 mAh g -1 at 2000 mA g -1 in addition to a capacity retention of 94.5% after 10 000 cycles. The low-strain intercalation ammonium-ion storage mechanism of highly deficient Fe Prussian blue with Fe as the redox center is revealed by in situ X-ray diffraction and ex situ X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. The results provide insights into the mechanism of ammonium-ion storage in Prussian blue analogues and guidance in the development of aqueous AIBs.

The fast development of flexible and wearable electronics increases the demand for flexible secondary batteries, and the emerging high-performance K-ion batteries (KIBs) have shown immense promise for the flexible electronics due to the abundant and cost-effective potassium resources. However, the implementation of flexible cathodes for KIBs is hampered by the critical issues of low capacity, rapid capacity decay with cycles, and limited initial Coulombic efficiency. To address these pressing issues, a freestanding K-rich iron hexacyanoferrate/carbon cloth (KFeHCF/CC) electrode is designed and fabricated by cathodic deposition. This innovative binder-free and self-supporting KFeHCF/CC electrode not only provides continuous conductive channels for electrons, but also accelerates the diffusion of potassium ions through the active electrode-electrolyte interface. Moreover, the nanosized potassium iron hexacyanoferrate particles limit particle fracture and pulverization to preserve the structure and stability during cycling. As a result, the K-rich KFeHCF/CC electrode shows a reversible discharging capacity of 110.1 mAh g -1 at 50 mA g -1 after 100 cycles in conjunction with capacity retention of 92.3% after 1000 cycles at 500 mA g -1 . To demonstrate the commercial feasibility, a flexible tubular KIB is assembled with the K-rich KFeHCF/CC electrode, and excellent flexibility, capacity, and stability are observed., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A simple twin-core D-shape photonic crystal fiber sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is designed for the measurement of refractive indices (RI). The twin-core D-shape structure enhances the SPR effect, and the M g F 2 -Au dual-layer film narrows the linewidth in the loss spectrum, consequently improving both the sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM). The properties of the sensor are analyzed by the finite element method. In the RI range of 1.32-1.42, the maximum wavelength sensitivity, FOM, and resolution are 62,000 nm/RIU, 1281 R I U -1 , and 1.61×10 -6 , respectively.

Conventional Ti-based implants are vulnerable to postsurgical infection and improving the antibacterial efficiency without compromising the osteogenic ability is one of the key issues in bone implant design. Although zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods grown on Ti substrates hydrothermally can improve the antibacterial properties, but cannot meet the stringent requirements of bone implants, as rapid degradation of ZnO and uncontrolled leaching of Zn 2+ are detrimental to peri-implant cells and tissues. To solve these problems, a lattice-damage-free method is adopted to modify the ZnO nanorods with thin calcium phosphate (CaP) shells. The Ca and P ions from the CaP shells diffuse thermally into the ZnO lattice to prevent the ZnO nanorods from rapid degradation and ensure the sustained release of Zn 2+ ions as well. Furthermore, the designed heterostructural nanorods not only induce the osteogenic performances of MC3T3-E1 cells but also exhibit excellent antibacterial ability against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria via physical penetration. In vivo studies also reveal that hybrid Ti-ZnO@CaP5 can not only eradicates bacteria in contact, but also provides sufficient biocompatibility without causing excessive inflammation response. Our study provides insights into the design of multifunctional biomaterials for bone implants. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: • A lattice-damage-free method is adopted to modify the ZnO nanorods with thin calcium phosphate (CaP) shells. • The dynamic process of Ca and P diffusion into the ZnO lattice is analyzed by experimental verification and theoretical calculation. • The degradation rate of ZnO nanorods is significantly decreased after CaP deposition. • The ZnO nanorods after CaP deposition can not only sterilize bacteria in contact via physical penetration, but also provide sufficient biocompatibility and osteogenic capability without causing excessive inflammation response.., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Since the initial discovery of Ti 3 C 2 a decade ago, there has been a significant surge of interest in 2D MXenes and MXene-based composites. This can be attributed to the remarkable intrinsic properties exhibited by MXenes, including metallic conductivity, abundant functional groups, unique layered microstructure, and the ability to control interlayer spacing. These properties contribute to the exceptional electrical and mechanical performance of MXenes, rendering them highly suitable for implementation as candidate materials in flexible and wearable energy storage devices. Recently, a substantial number of novel research has been dedicated to exploring MXene-based flexible materials with diverse functionalities and specifically designed structures, aiming to enhance the efficiency of energy storage systems. In this review, a comprehensive overview of the synthesis and fabrication strategies employed in the development of these diverse MXene-based materials is provided. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of the energy storage applications exhibited by these innovative flexible materials, encompassing supercapacitors, Li-ion batteries, Li-S batteries, and other potential avenues, is conducted. In addition to presenting the current state of the field, the challenges encountered in the implementation of MXene-based flexible materials are also highlighted and insights are provided into future research directions and prospects., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Extensins (EXTs), a class of hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein with multiple Ser-Pro3-5 motifs, are known to play roles in cell wall reinforcement and environmental responses. EXTs with repetitive Tyr-X-Tyr (YXY) motifs for crosslinking are referred as crosslinking EXTs. Our comprehensive study spanned 194 algal and plant species, categorizing EXTs into seven subfamilies: classical extensins (EXT I and II), arabinogalactan-protein extensins (AGP-EXTs), proline-rich extensin-like receptor kinases (PERKs), leucine-rich repeat extensins (LRX I and II), formin homology (FH) domain-containing extensins (FH-EXTs), proline-rich, arabinogalactan proteins, conserved cysteines (PAC) domain-containing extensins (PAC I and II), and eight-cysteine motif (8CM)-containing extensins (8CM-EXTs). In the examined dataset, EXTs were detected ubiquitously in plants but infrequently in algae, except for one Coccomyxa and four Chlamydomonadales species. No crosslinking EXTs were found in Poales or certain Zingiberales species. Notably, the previously uncharacterized EXT II, PAC II, and liverwort-specific 8CM-EXTs were found to be crosslinking EXTs. EXT II, featuring repetitive YY motifs instead of the conventional YXY motif, was exclusively identified in Solanaceae. Furthermore, tandem genes encoding distinctive 8CM-EXTs specifically expressed in the germinating spores of Marchantia polymorpha. This updated classification of EXT types allows us to propose a plausible evolutionary history of EXT genes during the course of plant evolution., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Inspired by the bifunctional phototherapy agents (PTAs), constructing compact PTAs with efficient photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) effects in the near-infrared (NIR-II) biowindow is crucial for high therapeutic efficacy. Herein, none-layered germanium (Ge) is transformed to layered Ge/germanium phosphide (Ge/GeP) structure, and a novel two-dimensional sheet-like compact S-scheme Ge/GeP in-plane heterostructure with a large extinction coefficient of 15.66 L/g cm -1 at 1,064 nm is designed and demonstrated. In addition to the outstanding photothermal effects, biocompatibility and degradability, type I and type II PDT effects are activated by a single laser. Furthermore, enhanced reactive oxygen species generation under longer wavelength NIR laser irradiation is achieved, and production of singlet oxygen and superoxide radical upon 1,064 nm laser irradiation is more than double that under 660 nm laser irradiation. The S-scheme charge transfer mechanism between Ge and GeP, is demonstrated by photo-irradiated Kelvin probe force microscopy and electron spin resonance analysis. Thus, the obtained S-scheme Ge/GeP in-plane heterostructure shows synergistic therapeutic effects of PTT/PDT both in vitro and in vivo in the NIR-II biowindow and the novel nanoplatform with excellent properties has large clinical potential., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Flexible electrodes for energy storage and conversion require a micro-nanomorphology and stable structure. Herein, MXene fibers (MX-CNF) are fabricated by electrospinning, and Co-MOF nanoarrays are prepared on the fibers to form Co-MOF@MX-CNF. Hydrolysis and etching of Co-MOF@MX-CNF in the Ni 2+ solution produce cobalt-nickel layered double hydroxide (CoNi-LDH). The CoNi-LDH nanoarrays on the MX-CNF substrate have a large specific surface area and abundant electrochemical active sites, thus ensuring effective exposure of the CoNi-LDH active materials to the electrolyte and efficient pseudocapacitive energy storage and fast reversible redox kinetics for enhanced charging-discharging characteristics. The CoNi-LDH@MX-CNF electrode exhibits a discharge capacity of 996 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1 as well as 78.62% capacitance retention after 3,000 cycles at 10 A g -1 . The asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) comprising the CoNi-LDH@MX-CNF positive electrode and negative activated carbon electrode shows an energy density of 48.4 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 499 W kg -1 and a capacity retention of 78.9% after 3,000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g -1 . Density-functional theory calculations reveal the charge density difference and partial density of states of CoNi-LDH@MX-CNF confirming the large potential of the CoNi-LDH@MX-CNF electrode in energy storage applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)