Search

Summary: Excellent biocompatibility of liquid metals is the basis for developing biomedical applications, such as implantable devices, drug delivery, and tumor therapy. Especially, a systematic study to reveal the influence of gallium-based liquid metals on the composition of blood while they are used in the human body is vital but missing. Here, the compatibility of three kinds of frequently used gallium-based liquid metals with human blood and serum was explored systematically. The results show that treating blood and serum with gallium-based liquid metals did not cause hemolysis, suggesting red blood cells are not damaged or ruptured, and treatment had a negligible effect on the components in the blood. Additionally, the serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, and liver function molecules showed no change after adding liquid metals. These findings suggest that liquid metals have high compatibility with human blood and serum and are conductive to be applied in the fields of biomedical engineering.

Summary: Plasmas under atmospheric pressure offer a high-temperature environment for material synthesis, but electrode ablation compromises purity. Here, we introduce an atmospheric-pressure microwave plasma (AMP) operated without electrodes to overcome the existing limitations in pure material synthesis. The distribution of the electrostatic field intensity inside a waveguide during AMP excitation was examined via electrostatic field simulations. The lateral and radial gas temperature distributions were also studied using optical emission spectroscopy. The AMP exhibited a uniform ultrahigh temperature (9,000 K), a large volume (102–104 cm3), and a response time on the millisecond level. AMP efficiently synthesized silicon nanoparticles, graphene, and graphene@Si–Fe core-shell nanoparticles within tens of milliseconds, ensuring purity and size control. We propose the “heat impulse” metric for evaluating the plasma characteristics (na, Tg, and t) in material synthesis, extended to other high-temperature plasmas. AMP is compact, cost-effective, and easy to assemble, promising for eco-friendly mass production of pure materials.

Summary: Atmospheric water harvesting has emerged as an efficient strategy for addressing the global challenge of freshwater scarcity. However, the in being energy-consuming water-collecting process has obstructed its practicality. In this work, a soft drain bed, which was composed of hydrophilic cloth and hygroscopic gel, has been demonstrated to capture atmospheric water effectively, followed by converting it into liquid water spontaneously and sustainably, under all-weather humidity conditions. Under the optimal working condition of 30°C with a relative humidity level of 75%, the bed can provide a spontaneous water oozing ability of 1.25 g (liquid water)/hour within the 8 h of working time. More importantly, after 5 working cycles, 80% of the oozing ability can be reserved, suggesting the high potential for practical freshwater supply application. The proposed design strategy is expected to provide new hints for the development of future energy-saving decentralized freshwater supply systems.

The elasticities of double-stranded (ds) DNA and RNA, which are critical to their biological functions and applications in materials science, can be significantly modulated by solution conditions such as ions and temperature. However, there is still a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the role of solvents in the elasticities of dsRNA and dsDNA in a comparative way. In this work, we explored the effect of ethanol solvent on the elasticities of dsRNA and dsDNA by magnetic tweezers and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the bending persistence lengths and contour lengths of dsRNA and dsDNA decrease monotonically with the increase in ethanol concentration. Furthermore, the addition of ethanol weakens the positive twist–stretch coupling of dsRNA, while promotes the negative twist–stretch coupling of dsDNA. Counter-intuitively, the lower dielectric environment of ethanol causes a significant re-distribution of counterions and enhanced ion neutralization, which overwhelms the enhanced repulsion along dsRNA/dsDNA, ultimately leading to the softening in bending for dsRNA and dsDNA. Moreover, for dsRNA, ethanol causes slight ion-clamping across the major groove, which weakens the major groove-mediated twist–stretch coupling, while for dsDNA, ethanol promotes the stretch–radius correlation due to enhanced ion binding and consequently enhances the helical radius-mediated twist–stretch coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Among various electrocatalysts, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have gained significant attention for their unique properties and excellent catalytic activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, the precise synthesis of HEA catalysts in small sizes remains challenging, which limits further improvement in their catalytic performance. In this study, boron- and nitrogen-doped HEA porous carbon nanofibers (HE-BN/PCNF) with an in situ–grown dendritic structure were successfully prepared, inspired by the germination and growth of tree branches. Furthermore, the dendritic fibers constrained the growth of HEA particles, leading to the synthesis of quantum dot-sized (1.67 nm) HEA particles, which also provide a pathway for designing HEA quantum dots in the future. This work provides design ideas and guiding suggestions for the preparation of borated HEA fibers with different elemental combinations and for the application of dendritic nanofibers in various fields.

Summary: It is still a great challenge for the flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors to simultaneously achieve wide linearity and high sensitivity. Herein, we propose a high-performance textile pressure sensor based on chitosan (CTS)/MXene fiber. The hierarchical “point to line” architecture enables the pressure sensor with high sensitivity of 1.16 kPa−1 over an ultrawide linear range of 1.5 MPa. Furthermore, the CTS/MXene pressure sensor possesses a low fatigue over 1000 loading/unloading cycles under 1.5 MPa pressure load, attributed to the strong chemical bonding between CTS fiber and MXene and excellent mechanical stability. Besides, the proposed sensor shows good antibacterial effect benefiting from the strong interaction between polycationic structure of CTS/MXene and the predominantly anionic components of bacteria surface. The sensor is also applied to detect real-time human action, an overall classification accuracy of 98.61% based on deep neural network-convolutional neural network (CNN) for six human actions is realized.

Catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of biomass-derived furfural (FAL) to furfuryl alcohol is recognized as one of the most versatile techniques for biomass valorization. However, the irreversible sintering of metal sites under the high-temperature reaction or during the coke removal regeneration process poses a serious concern. Herein, we present a silicalite-1-confined ultrasmall CuO structure (CuO@silicalite-1) and then compared its catalytic efficiency against conventional surface-supported CuO structure (CuO/silicalite-1) toward CTF of FAL with alcohols. Characterization results revealed that CuO nanoparticles encapsulated within the silicalite-1 matrix are ∼1.3 nm in size in CuO@silicalite-1, exhibiting better dispersion as compared to that in the CuO/silicalite-1. The CuO@silicalite-1, as a result, exhibited nearly 100-fold higher Cu-mass-based activity than the CuO/silicalite-1 counterpart. More importantly, the activity of the CuO@silicalite-1 catalyst can be regenerated via facile calcination to remove the surface-bound carbon deposits, unlike the CuO/silicalite-1 that suffered severe deactivation after use and cannot be effectively regenerated.

Summary: Electromagnetic waves have caused great harm to military safety, high-frequency electronic components, and precision instruments, and so forth, which urgently requires the development of lightweight, high-efficiency, broadband electromagnetic waves (EMW) absorbing materials for protection. As the basic fibrous materials, carbon fibers (CFs) and SiC fibers (SiCf) have been widely applied in EMW absorption due to their intrinsic characteristics of low density, high mechanical properties, high conductivity, and dielectric loss mechanism. Nevertheless, it has remained a great challenge to develop lightweight EMW-absorbing fibrous materials with strong absorption capability and broad frequency range. In this review, the fundamental electromagnetic attenuation mechanisms are firstly introduced. Furthermore, the preparation, structure, morphology, and absorbing performance of CFs and SiCf-based EMW absorbing composites are summarized. In addition, prospective research opportunities are highlighted toward the development of fibrous absorbing materials with the excellent absorption performance.

Summary: Incorporating graphite/graphene into a Mg alloy matrix is a promising approach for developing lightweight heat dissipation materials. However, carbon material is inherently incompatible with Mg because of their distinctly different surface characteristics, resulting in the challenge of composite fabricating and interface controlling. Herein, a new strategy of in situ interfacial modification was proposed to achieve excellent thermal conductivity and mechanical properties in graphite/Mg composites. A super-nano CaCO3 interfacial layer was reported in this paper. The detailed interfacial structure, reaction thermodynamics and kinetics, and interface strengthening mechanisms were analyzed and discussed. Several preferential epitaxial relationships of the Mg/CaCO3 interface were revealed, which are conducive to minimize the interfacial energy, stabilize and strengthen the interface. Moreover, strong ionic bond of graphite/CaCO3 interface was demonstrated. The strong chemical interface bonding of graphite-Mg via in situ interface modification facilitates both the interfacial cohesion and interfacial thermal conduction, which endows the graphite/Mg composites with superior strength–thermal conductivity synergy.

Summary: Au-DNA self-assembled nanomachines can perform intelligent tasks such as sensing biomarkers and delivery of drug molecules through rational customization and programming. By virtue of their efficient signal amplification and flexible scalability, Au-DNA nanomachines have developed into one of the most promising nanodevices. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in Au-DNA self-assembled nanomachines for biosensing applications. First, the functional modules for building Au-DNA nanomachines are introduced. Subsequently, we summarize the biosensing applications of Au-DNA nanomachines with electrochemical or fluorescent signals as the output, respectively. Finally, we discuss the challenges and potential opportunities for Au-DNA nanomachines in biomedical applications.

Natural plant fibers are hierarchical structures with multi-level microstructures. With advances in composite material science, these fibers have been widely used in various polymer products. Therefore, it is crucial to quantitatively understand the relationship between their microstructures and mechanical behavior. This paper utilizes the Mori-Tanaka micromechanics model, viscoelasticity theory, and Zakian's inversion method to study the impact of plant fiber microstructure on the viscoelastic behavior of multiscale structures. At the microscopic scale, the macromolecular polymer (matrix) and cellulose (fiber) are first homogenized. The second homogenization involves the cell wall microstructure, and the third homogenization considers the porosity of the cell wall and lumen to predict the effective modulus of fiber bundles. By applying the principle of elasticviscoelastic correspondence, the viscoelastic mechanical parameters of plant fibers are calculated. The study examines the effects of cellulose crystallinity and lumen porosity on the structural stiffness and viscoelastic properties of fibers, identifying these factors as key influences on the mechanical behavior of plant fibers. Given their significant economic potential, the feasibility of using tobacco plant fibers as bio-based materials is also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their remarkable features of lightweight, high strength, stiffness, high‐temperature resistance, and corrosion resistance, carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are extensively used in sports equipment, vehicles, aircraft, windmill blades, and other sectors. The urging need to develop a resource‐saving and environmentally responsible society requires the recycling of CFRPs. Traditional CFRPs, on the other hand, are difficult to recycle due to the permanent covalent crosslinking of polymer matrices. The combination of covalent adaptable networks (CANs) with carbon fibers (CFs) marks a new development path for closed‐loop recyclable CFRPs and polymer resins. In this review, we summarize the most recent developments of closed‐loop recyclable CFRPs from the unique paradigm of dynamic crosslinking polymers, CANs. These sophisticated materials with diverse functions, oriented towards CFs recycling and resin sustainability, are further categorized into several active domains of dynamic covalent bonds, including ester bonds, imine bonds, disulfide bonds, boronic ester bonds, and acetal linkages, etc. Finally, the possible strategies for the future design of recyclable CFPRs by combining dynamic covalent chemistry innovation with materials interface science are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐atom catalysts have emerged as cutting‐edge hotspots in the field of material science owing to their excellent catalytic performance brought about by well‐defined metal single‐atom sites (M SASs). However, huge challenges still lie in achieving the rational design and precise synthesis of M SASs. Herein, we report a novel synthesis strategy based on the hetero‐charge coupling effect (HCCE) to prepare M SASs loaded on N and S co‐doped porous carbon (M1/NSC). The proposed strategy was widely applied to prepare 17 types of M1/NSC composed of single or multi‐metal with the integrated regulation of the coordination environment and electronic structure, exhibiting good universality and flexible adjustability. Furthermore, this strategy provided a low‐cost method of efficiently synthesizing M1/NSC with high yields, that can produce more than 50 g catalyst at one time, which is key to large‐scale production. Among various as‐prepared unary M1/NSC (M can be Fe, Co, Ni, V, Cr, Mn, Mo, Pd, W, Re, Ir, Pt, or Bi) catalysts, Fe1/NSC delivered excellent performance for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to NH3 with high NH3 Faradaic efficiency of 86.6 % and high NH3 yield rate of 1.50 mg h−1 mgcat.−1 at −0.6 V vs. RHE. Even using Fe1/NSC as a cathode in a Zn‐nitrate battery, it exhibited a high open circuit voltage of 1.756 V and high energy density of 4.42 mW cm−2 with good cycling stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper utilisation of non-destructive testing (NDT) methods is crucial for ensuring the engineering safety of composites. Ultrasonic testing (UT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) are two commonly used NDT methods for inspecting glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites, each with its unique advantages and limitations. In a previous study, the authors found that UT has lower resolution in detecting delamination and inclusion defects compared to X-ray CT, which has a lower contrast. Both methods also lack the ability to perform automated quantitative testing. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes a fusion algorithm that combines data from UT and X-my CT imaging to detect hidden delamination and inclusion defects in GFRP composites. The proposed fusion method based on significant region enhancement and block fusion combines the strengths of UT and X-ray CT to enhance the precision and efficiency of material detection. By further utilising image segmentation methods, defects can be automatically quantified. This method not only aids scholars in characterising composite materials more comprehensively but also has the potential to facilitate the development and application of novel composite materials. It serves as a valuable supplement to traditional inspection techniques and has the capability to promote the advancement of materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of material science and increasing awareness of ecological environmental protection, liquid biodegradable mulch films (LBDMs) have garnered significant public interest. In this research, new LBDMs were developed using hydrophobically modified polymer materials, surfactants, and photosensitive catalysts. Characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed good material compatibility. LBDMs exhibited excellent wettability and degradability, effectively covering soil surfaces and enhancing soil moisture conservation, with a degradation rate of 76.09% after 80 days of burial. The field performance experiment was conducted over two consecutive years, 2021 and 2022, to assess differences in soil temperature and moisture, peanut agronomic traits, pod traits, and yield under four treatments: non-mulching (CK), LBDMs, clear polyethylene mulch films (CPEMs), and black polyethylene mulch films (BPEMs). LBDMs increased soil temperature by 0.56 °C and soil moisture by 19.25%, accelerated the seedling stage by 4-to-6 days, and improved the average emergence rate by 15.91%. Furthermore, LBDMs significantly promoted peanut growth, and it increased yield by 14.34% compared to CK. LBDMs performed comparably to the two types of PE films in maintaining soil conditions and different crop phenotype traits, including plant height, branch number, yield, and quality, and they even outperformed PE films in productivity per plant and 100-kernel weight. These findings suggest that LBDMs are a promising eco-friendly alternative to traditional PE films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: MXene, 2D material, can be synthesized as single flake with 1 nm thickness by using phase change material, polymer and graphene oxide. Meanwhile, the MXene and its composite derivative materials have been applied widely in electro-to-thermal conversion, photo-to-thermal conversion, thermal energy storage, and 3D printing ink aspects. Furthermore, the forward-looking utilization of the MXene nanomaterials in hydrogen energy storage, radio frequency field application, CO2 capture and remediation of environmental pollution, is explored. This article reveals that the efficiencies of the photo-to-thermal and electro-to-thermal energy conversions with the MXene nanomaterials could reach about 80–90%. In parallel, it is demonstrated that the MXene printed ink has the excellent rheological property and high viscosity and stability of liquid, which contribute to arranging the multi-dimensional architectures with functional materials and controlling the flow rate of the MXene ink in the range of 0.03–0.15 mL/min for speedily printing and various printing structures.

Summary: Although perovskite/two-dimensional (2D) materials heterojunctions have been employed to improve the optoelectronic performance of perovskite photodetectors and solar cells, effects of the intrinsic potential difference (ΔVin) of asymmetrical 2D materials, like Janus TMDs (J-TMDs), were not revealed yet. Herein, by investigating the optoelectronic properties of CsPbI3/J-TMDs heterojunctions, we find a reversible type-II band alignment related to the intensity and direction of ΔVin, suggesting that carrier transport paths can be reversed by modulating the contact configuration of J-TMDs in the heterojunctions. Meanwhile, the band offset, carrier transfer efficiency and optical properties of those heterojunctions are directly determined by the intensity and direction of ΔVin. Overall, CsPbI3/MoSSe heterojunction is suggested in this work with a tunneling probability of 79.65%. Our work unveils the role of ΔVin in asymmetrical 2D materials on the optoelectronic performances of lead halide perovskite devices, and provides a guideline to design high performance perovskite optoelectronic devices.

The article examines the catalytic production of sustainable fuels and derivatives, emphasizing the critical role of advanced catalytic processes in addressing climate change challenges. Topics discussed include optimizing catalyst efficiency and selectivity for renewable resource conversion, utilizing sustainable feedstocks like biomass and carbon dioxide (CO2), and integrating catalytic processes into industrial frameworks while considering economic and environmental impacts.

The formation of carbon‐fluorine (C−F) bonds is an important research field in organic synthesis because inserting a fluorine atom into an organic compound can alter its physicochemical properties, such as metabolic stability and permeability. Due to this unique property, organic fluorinated compounds, especially aryl fluorides, have a wide range of applications in various fields, including agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and materials science. Therefore, numerous metal‐ or metal‐free‐mediated fluorination reactions have been developed to synthesize aryl fluorides. In this mini‐review, we summarize recent ten years' advances in fluorination reactions for the synthesis of aryl fluorides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimized multi-head graph attention network (OPNet) uses the multi-head graph attention network to predict both the thermal decomposition temperature with a 5% mass loss (Td5%) and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of polymers as a machine learning model. The OPNet model provides reliable performance predictions for the Td5% and Tg datasets. The OPNet regression evaluation metrics R2 of Td5% is 0.76, which is the best, and the regression evaluation metrics R2 of Tg is 0.91, which is better than the current existing method models (the best model R2 ≈ 0.90). The OPNet model is an end-to-end network model, eliminating the need for manual data filtering or feature extraction. By analyzing the feature weights of the OPNet model, it is found that structures such as benzene rings play a more important role. At the same time, we have confirmed through other literature that such structures do have better stability and a higher thermal decomposition temperature and glass transition temperature. Therefore, the OPNet model exhibits interpretability and holds significant reference value for the field of materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-based superalloys are widely used in aerospace applications. However, traditional constitutive equations often lack the necessary accuracy to predict their high-temperature behavior. A novel constitutive model, utilizing Taylor series expansions and partial derivatives, is proposed to predict the high-temperature flow behavior of a nickel-based superalloy. Hot compression tests were conducted at various strain rates (0.01 s−1, 0.1 s−1, 1 s−1, and 10 s−1) and temperatures (850 °C to 1200 °C) to gather comprehensive experimental data. The performance of the new model was evaluated against classical models, specifically the Arrhenius and Hensel–Spittel (HS) models, using metrics such as the correlation coefficient (R), root mean square error (RMSE), sum of squared errors (SSE), and sum of absolute errors (SAE). The key findings reveal that the new model achieves superior prediction accuracy with an R value of 0.9948 and significantly lower RMSE (22.5), SSE (16,356), and SAE (5561 MPa) compared to the Arrhenius and HS models. Additionally, the stability of the first-order partial derivative of logarithmic stress with respect to temperature ( ∂ l n σ / ∂ T ) indicates that the logarithmic stress–temperature relationship can be approximated by a linear function with minimal curvature, which is effectively described by a second-degree polynomial. Furthermore, the relationship between logarithmic stress and logarithmic strain rate ( ∂ l n σ / ∂ l n ε ˙ ) is more precisely captured using a third-degree polynomial. The accuracy of the new model provides an analytical basis for finite element simulation software. This helps better control and optimize processes, thus improving manufacturing efficiency and product quality. This study enables the optimization of high-temperature forming processes for current superalloy products, especially in aerospace engineering and materials science. It also provides a reference for future research on constitutive models and high-temperature material behavior in various industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University is a user facility that supports a global community of scientists in studying rare isotopes. It offers opportunities in nuclear structure and reactions, astrophysics, and physics beyond the standard model. FRIB also provides research quantities of rare isotopes for medical diagnostics and material science. The facility has a range of scientific instruments and is expanding its capabilities with the addition of the High Rigidity Spectrometer (HRS) and an energy upgrade to the linac. The article highlights various instruments and technologies used at FRIB, as well as the development of new technologies that have potential applications in other industries. [Extracted from the article]

This document is an editorial for a special issue of the journal Micromachines on laser additive manufacturing. Laser-based additive manufacturing (LAM) is a transformative technology that combines digital design with material layering processes to create engineered solutions. LAM offers advantages in terms of innovation, sustainability, and efficiency, and has applications in various industries such as aerospace, biomedicine, and energy. The special issue covers topics such as design, materials, processes, and applications of laser additive manufacturing, and includes original research articles and a review paper. The document provides a brief overview of some of the articles included in the special issue, highlighting their contributions to the field. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: There has been growing interest in water-processable conjugated polymers for biocompatible devices. However, some broadly used conjugated polymers like poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) are hydrophobic and they cannot be processed in water. We herein report a facile yet highly efficient assembly method to prepare water-dispersible pyridine-containing P3HT (Py-P3HT) nanoparticles (NPs) with a high yield (>80%) and a fine size below 100 nm. It is based on the fast nanoprecipitation of Py-P3HT stabilized by hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). Py-P3HT can form spherical NPs at a concentration up to 0.2 mg/mL with a diameter of ∼75 nm at a very low concentration of PAA, e.g., 0.01–0.1 mg/mL, as surface ligands. Those negatively charged Py-P3HT NPs can bind with metal cations and further support the growth of noble metal NPs like Ag and Au. Our self-assembly methodology potentially opens new doors to process and directly use hydrophobic conjugated polymers in a much broader context.

Summary: Recently, as an elementary material, tellurium (Te) has received widespread attention for its high carrier mobility, intriguing topological properties, and excellent environmental stability. However, it is difficult to obtain two-dimensional (2D) Te with high crystalline quality owing to its intrinsic helical chain structure. Herein, a facile strategy for controllable synthesis of high-quality 2D Te nanoflakes through chemical vapor transport in one step is reported. With carefully tuning the growth kinetics determined mainly by temperature, tellurium nanoflakes in lateral size of up to ∼40 μm with high crystallinity can be achieved. We also investigated the second harmonic generation of Te nanoflakes, which demonstrates that it can be used as frequency doubling crystals and has potential applications in nonlinear optical devices. In addition, field effect transistor devices based on the 2D Te nanoflakes were fabricated and exhibited excellent electrical properties with high mobility of 379 cm2 V−1 s−1.

Summary: Catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of biomass-derived furfural (FAL) to furfuryl alcohol is recognized as one of the most versatile techniques for biomass valorization. However, the irreversible sintering of metal sites under the high-temperature reaction or during the coke removal regeneration process poses a serious concern. Herein, we present a silicalite-1-confined ultrasmall CuO structure (CuO@silicalite-1) and then compared its catalytic efficiency against conventional surface-supported CuO structure (CuO/silicalite-1) toward CTF of FAL with alcohols. Characterization results revealed that CuO nanoparticles encapsulated within the silicalite-1 matrix are ∼1.3 nm in size in CuO@silicalite-1, exhibiting better dispersion as compared to that in the CuO/silicalite-1. The CuO@silicalite-1, as a result, exhibited nearly 100-fold higher Cu-mass-based activity than the CuO/silicalite-1 counterpart. More importantly, the activity of the CuO@silicalite-1 catalyst can be regenerated via facile calcination to remove the surface-bound carbon deposits, unlike the CuO/silicalite-1 that suffered severe deactivation after use and cannot be effectively regenerated.

The derivatization of pillar[n]arenes is a prerequisite for endowing them with functions, as well as enriching the application of pillar[n]arene materials in advanced material science. Herein, we report the self‐assembly of amphiphilic rim‐differentiated pillar[5]arene (H1). One side of the pillar[5]arene is composed of hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) chains, benzene and azobenzene groups connected with ether bonds, and the other side is composed of ethoxy groups. In CHCl3 solvent, the amphiphile H1 self‐assembled into spherical micelles, while in H2O/THF mixed solvent H1 self‐assembled into nanorod‐like assemblies. Interestingly, addition of a guest molecule composed of tetraphenylethene and hexanenitrile groups (G1) to the CHCl3 solution of H1 produces large sheet aggregates via the strong π–π stacking of rod segments. The reversible transformation between the nanosheet assemblies of host–guest complexes and nanoparticles is achieved by addition of the guest molecule 1,4‐butylamine (G2) and pillar[5]arene with ethoxy groups as competitive molecules. Notably, worm‐like and nanorod micelles of H1 were constructed in H2O/THF solution triggered by light irradiation, which assemblies can be used as photosensitive erasable writing materials. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic cascade transformations of simple starting materials into highly functionalized molecules bearing a stereochemically defined multisubstituted alkene, which are important in medicinal chemistry, natural product synthesis, and material science, are in high demand for organic synthesis. The development of multiple reaction pathways accurately controlled by catalysts derived from different ligands is a critical goal in the field of catalysis. Here we report a cobalt-catalyzed strategy for the direct coupling of inexpensive 1,3-enynes with two molecules of acrylates to construct a high diversity of functionalized 1,3-dienes containing a trisubstituted or tetrasubstituted olefin. Such cascade reactions can proceed through three different pathways initiated by oxidative cyclization to achieve multiple bond formation in high chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity precisely controlled by ligands, providing a platform for the development of tandem carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions. The development of divergent reaction pathways controlled by different ligands is a critical goal. Here the authors describe a cobalt-catalyzed strategy for cascade coupling of 1,3-enynes with two molecules of acrylates through three reaction modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater superhydrophobic surfaces stand as a promising frontier in materials science, holding immense potential for applications in underwater infrastructure, vehicles, pipelines, robots, and sensors. Despite this potential, widespread commercial adoption of these surfaces faces limitations, primarily rooted in challenges related to material durability and the stability of the air plastron during prolonged submersion. Factors such as pressure, flow, and temperature further complicate the operational viability of underwater superhydrophobic technology. This comprehensive review navigates the evolving landscape of underwater superhydrophobic technology, providing a deep dive into the introduction, advancements, and innovations in design, fabrication, and testing techniques. Recent breakthroughs in nanotechnology, magnetic‐responsive coatings, additive manufacturing, and machine learning are highlighted, showcasing the diverse avenues of progress. Notable research endeavors concentrate on enhancing the longevity of plastrons, the fundamental element governing superhydrophobic behavior. The review explores the multifaceted applications of superhydrophobic coatings in the underwater environment, encompassing areas such as drag reduction, anti‐biofouling, and corrosion resistance. A critical examination of commercial offerings in the superhydrophobic coating landscape offers a current perspective on available solutions. In conclusion, the review provides valuable insights and forward‐looking recommendations to propel the field of underwater superhydrophobicity toward new dimensions of innovation and practical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]