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Application of NIR (near-infrared) emitting transition metal complexes in biomedicine is a rapidly developing area of research. Emission of this class of compounds in the “optical transparency windows” of biological tissues and the intrinsic sensitivity of their phosphorescence to oxygen resulted in the preparation of several commercial oxygen sensors capable of deep (up to whole-body) and quantitative mapping of oxygen gradients suitable for in vivo experimental studies. In addition to this achievement, the last decade has also witnessed the increased growth of successful alternative applications of NIR phosphors that include i) site-specific in vitro and in vivo visualization of sophisticated biological models ranging from 3D cell cultures to intact animals; ii) sensing of various biologically relevant analytes, such as pH, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, RedOx agents, etc.; iii) several therapeutic applications such as photodynamic (PDT), photothermal (PTT), and photoactivated cancer (PACT) therapies as well as their combinations with other therapeutic and imaging modalities to yield new variants of combined therapies and theranostics. Nevertheless, emerging applications of these compounds in experimental biomedicine and their implementation as therapeutic agents practically applicable in PDT, PTT, and PACT face the challenges related to critically important improvement of their photophysical and physico-chemical characteristics. This review outlines the current state of the art, achievements of the last decade and stresses the most promising trends, major prospectives, and challenges in the design of NIR phosphors suitable for biomedical applications.

Single crystals of sodium chloride (NaCl) of dimension 1 × 1 cm2 have been successfully grown from various solution growth methods like slow evaporation, fast evaporation, and slow cooling techniques. The crystalline qualities of the samples grown from the above methods were assessed using X-ray rocking curve and 2θ scan measurements. The grown crystals were also characterized for its optical transmission in IR region. Infact the crystal possesses ~ 76% optical transparency in the IR regime and it approaches the transparency value of the commercially available crystal. The cost estimation of laboratory grown crystal and as well as the standard NaCl optical window wafer (Commercial sample) has been compared, so as to ensure the feasibility of growing NaCl wafers at an affordable price. The obtained results have been discussed in detail.

Optically transparent organic-inorganic terpolymers based on poly (titanium oxide), hydroxyethyl methacrylate and organic monomers of the vinyl and (meth) acrylic series (acrylonitrile, butyl methacrylate, vinyl butyl ether, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate) were obained as a coating on silicate glass, polycarbonate, touch-up paint and metal. Materials’ light transmittance in the visible spectral range is 87 - 92% depending on the composition. The adhesion of terpolymers’ thin layers to substrates of various natures was investigated under shear deformations and by the lattice notch method according to ISO 15140. It was found that it is necessary to selectively excerpt composition of terpolymers in accordance with the nature of the substrate for creation adhesive durable coatings. The most durable coatings are formed on glass, polycarbonate and automotive enamel. It was revealed that the nature of the substrate and the composition of organic-inorganic terpolymers affect the hydrophobicity of the coatings and their ability to hydrophilize under the influence of UV-irradiation. The contact wetting angle of coatings with water, on average, reversibly varied within ~ 90 ° ↔ ~ 30 °.

An elastic film with water repellency is of great interest for application to waterproof and antifouling surface treatment of stretchable devices such as wearable electronics or functional textiles...

Colloidal photonic crystals show structural colors yet are generally opaque due to multiple scattering. To address this problem, composite colloidal crystals with a low index mismatch were prepared...

A novel epoxy cyclohexane-based polyurethane material was synthesized from a self-made epoxy cyclohexane-tetrahydrofuran (CHO-THF) co-polyether. Due to the special rigid six-membered ring skeleton in the polyether molecular chain, the polyurethane materials have excellent mechanical properties, good optical transparency and weather resistance. In this paper, the synthesis process of the epoxy cyclohexane-based polyurethane material was studied and the properties of the material were tested. The results showed that curing parameters R value had effects on the mechanical properties and optical transparency of the material.

Neural electrodes are used for acquiring neuron signals in brain-machine interfaces, and they are crucial for next-generation neuron engineering and related medical applications. Thus, developing flexible, stable and high-resolution neural electrodes will play an important role in stimulation, acquisition, recording and analysis of signals. Compared with traditional metallic electrodes, electrodes based on graphene and other two-dimensional materials have attracted wide attention in electrophysiological recording and stimulation due to their excellent physical properties such as unique flexibility, low resistance, and high optical transparency. In this review, we have reviewed the recent progress of electrodes based on graphene, graphene/polymer compounds and graphene-related materials for neuron signal recording, stimulation, and related optical signal coupling technology, which provides an outlook on the role of electrodes in the nanotechnology-neuron interface as well as medical diagnosis.

The recent discovery of the one‐atom‐thick, two‐dimensional graphene layers with exciting properties including superb optical transparency and high mechanical robustness has stimulated extensive research interest for use as an alternative nanowires (NWs) growth platform for applications in next generation, flexible, stretchable, and printable electronic and optoelectronic devices. When combined with the exceptional capabilities of semiconductor NWs including improved light absorption, reduced optical reflectance, enhanced carrier collection, and fast response, the performance of optoelectronic devices could be significantly improved in novel high‐performance, flexible nanodevices. However, the growth of semiconductor NWs on 2D graphene layers is highly challenging owing to the absence of surface dangling bonds on graphene. Intriguingly, the last decade has witnessed a flurry of research activity on the growth of III‐V semiconductor NWs on graphene. In this review, we highlight the significant advancements that have been made in circumventing this challenge to realize the growth of III‐V semiconductor NWs on graphene. We then summarize the recent progress made in the development of graphene‐based NWs devices including photodetectors and solar cells. Finally, a brief conclusion and outlook of the way forward in the growth of semiconductor NWs on graphene is presented.

Biocompatible and biodegradable silk fibroin films show promise as an eco-friendly biomaterial with excellent mechanical, thermal, and optical transparency properties. In contrast, polyimide (PI) f...

We report the development of transparent high-thermal-conductivity nanofluids for enhanced flow cooling of solid-state laser crystal rods. The transparent nanofluids were prepared by dispersing cit...

We propose a plasma-activated direct bonding process at low temperatures (≤200 °C) to form heterostructures between single-crystalline SiC and conventional Si-based substrates (SiO2, Si, and glass) without any interlayers. Surface activation was performed via an inductively coupled O2 plasma for 60 s with a lower bombardment damage position. The SiC surfaces were much more hydrophilic after activation, and the generation of defect states was suppressed. Consequently, void-free and robust bonding interfaces of SiC/SiO2, SiC/Si and SiC/glass were successfully achieved. There were no carbon-enriched layers across the bonding interfaces, which could improve the electrical properties of SiC-based devices. Additionally, the bonding interface of SiC/glass exhibited excellent optical transparency, and interfacial corrosion resistance was confirmed via immersion tests in biological solutions. This bonding method provides a feasible route towards industry-compatible heterogeneous integration of single-crystalline bulk SiC onto Si-based platforms for electronic, optical, mechanical, and biomedical applications.

Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) was fluorinated using nonafluoro-tert-butanol (pKa = 5.2), and the content of incorporated nonafluoro-tert-butyl (NFtB) groups was controlle...

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is the predominant material used for organ-on-a-chip devices and microphysiological systems (MPSs) due to its ease-of-use, elasticity, optical transparency, and inexpensive microfabrication. However, the absorption of small hydrophobic molecules by PDMS and the limited capacity for high-throughput manufacturing of PDMS-laden devices severely limit the application of these systems in personalized medicine, drug discovery, in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling, and the investigation of cellular responses to drugs. Consequently, the relatively young field of organ-on-a-chip devices and MPSs is gradually beginning to make the transition to alternative, nonabsorptive materials for these crucial applications. This review examines some of the first steps that have been made in the development of organ-on-a-chip devices and MPSs composed of such alternative materials, including elastomers, hydrogels, thermoplastic polymers, and inorganic materials. It also provides an outlook on where PDMS-alternative devices are trending and the obstacles that must be overcome in the development of versatile devices based on alternative materials to PDMS.

Reversible and switchable wrinkling surfaces in response to various external stimuli have extensive potential applications. In this Letter, we prepared the reversible wrinkling on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) surfaces, responsive to the solvents, by ultraviolet-ozone (UVO) treatment with/without mechanical prestrain. Based on the solvent-responsive wrinkling, three types of optical transparency dynamics were achieved easily in a single and simple film-substrate system, including (I) completely reversible transparency with controlled relaxation time and isotropic light scattering; (II) completely reversible transparency with anisotropic light scattering and tunable diffusion degree; and (III) incompletely reversible transparency. The reversibility and stability of wrinkles can be controlled by tailoring the solvent type, UVO exposure time, and mechanical prestrain. The underlying mechanisms for the three wrinkling dynamics have been clearly elucidated. The extremely simple material system and the facile but efficient technique pave a novel way for realizing versatile optical dynamics for smart displays.

The optical transparency of palladium layers is studied in the wavelength range of 0.5–1.1 μm in air and gas mixtures containing hydrogen in concentrations from 0.1 to 100 vol %. The layers were deposited on glass substrates by thermal evaporation in vacuum. The Bouguer law is fulfilled for layers with thicknesses of the order of 450 A. The layers with thicknesses exceeding 1200 A disintegrate in 100% hydrogen. An abrupt increase in the transparency of palladium layers typical for first-order phase transitions was observed at a hydrogen concentration between 1 and 10%. The rate of the hydrogen-induced change in the transparency of layers linearly increases with increasing hydrogen concentration in the gas mixture.

The development of transparent, high thermal conductive materials is essential for future advancement of high-performance ultrahigh-brightness light-emitting diodes (LEDs), electronic devices, and ...

International journal of ceramic engineering & science 2(2), 76 - 82 (2020). doi:10.1002/ces2.10036, Transparent nanoceramics, synthesized at extreme conditions of high pressure and temperature, are new classes of materials highly attractive for photonic applications, such as optical windows, which require additional increased hardness and toughness. In this study, mechanical properties of transparent polycrystalline nanoceramics consisting of triclinic Al$_2$SiO$_5$ kyanite (~91.4 vol%) and trigonal Al$_2$O$_3$ corundum (~8.6 vol%) fabricated at high pressure (10 GPa) and temperature (1200‐1400°C) were investigated. It is already known that the optical transparency of kyanite‐based nanoceramics increases with decreasing average grain size. The present study shows that the hardness of these ceramics increases with decreasing grain sizes down to ~70 nm according to the Hall‐Petch strengthening. This grain size seems to mark a transition range where an inverse Hall‐Petch effect is indicated due to signs of a moderate hardness decrease at a smaller grain size of ~35 nm. The observed hardness‐grain size relation can fairly be described by an existing composite model, which considers the crystals to be harder than the noncrystalline grain boundaries. Within the range of average grain sizes examined, the kyanite habit changes from more equant to more columnar. This behavior is associated with the observed strong crack deflection by the columnar kyanite grains with aspect (length to diameter) ratios ranging from ~2 to 10 and may positively affect the fracture toughness., Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ

We discuss the transparent conducting mechanism of LiTi2O4. In the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS) framework, achieving a high superconducting transition temperature (Tc) requires high carrier dens...

Silica aerogels have received much attention due to their unique nanoporous networks, which consist of nanoscale connective silica particles and high-volume nanoscale pores. This lightweight superinsulation solid materials are synthesized by a ‘sol–gel’ process involving precursor preparation, gelation, aging and drying. By controlling their synthesis and processing, silica aerogels demonstrate good thermal and acoustic insulation, mechanical strength and optical transparency. In recent years, incorporating transparent and thermal insulation silica aerogels in energy-saving windows is of great interest for both scientific and technological applications. This review introduces the basic principles of thermal and optical properties of silica aerogels and highlights their tunability via synthetic and processing control. In addition, the use of silica aerogels in transparent thermal insulation windows is discussed.

Great progress has been recently made in flexible and stretchable electronics. However, realizing the conformal contact between sensors and human skin as well as the visualization of human–machine interfaces is still a challenging task. Here, self-adhesive hydrogels with high transparency are successfully fabricated by a facile one-pot radical polymerization of acrylamide (AAm) and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) in the presence of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) as a model nucleotide. The addition of a nucleotide makes the hydrogels promising conductors with robust adhesiveness, excellent mechanical behavior, and high optical transparency (transmittance of 94%). Remarkably, the hydrogels can conformally adhere to human skin and adapt its dynamic motions, which can work as skin-attachable wearable strain sensors for accurately monitoring human joint motions, breathing and voice signals. And the hydrogels are capable of perceiving pressure variations for the detection of human movement states, including walking, jogging, and jumping. Besides, the hydrogels featuring high transparency allow creating visual human–machine interfaces for clearly observing the skin condition in real time. This work proposes an innovative and facile strategy for the design of promising soft materials for sophisticated human–machine interfaces.

We use indium tin oxide (ITO), one of the representative resistive materials, for the implementation of a metamaterial electromagnetic (EM) absorber with a high absorbance in a wide frequency range. Highly symmetrical split ring resonators made of ITO film are deposited on the polyethylene terephthalate with transparent and flexible features, and such a configuration causes the proposed absorber to be insensitive to polarization and incidence angles. The proposed absorber, with a profile of only 0.171λ, exhibits a wideband absorbance of 7.2 GHz to 27 GHz, with a 90% absorption criterion. A prototype is built, and all the computed expectations from the full-wave EM simulations in this work are verified experimentally.

In this article, an optically transparent antenna, integrated in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), is proposed for sub-6 GHz 5G applications. The concept of the mesh geometry is applied to obtain high optical transparency. To validate this technique, the transparent antenna is compared with the non-transparent in terms of electrical, optical and radiation parameters. These antennas are designed on a transparent glass substrate with dimensions of 30 × 35 mm2 and using copper films. The two antennas cover the 3.5 GHz band for 5G applications. The peak gain of the transparent antenna integrated in OLEDs light sources is 5.53 dB at 3.57 GHz. The gain value, improved after the integration, can be justified by the effect of OLEDs layers.

Conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is widely used for practical applications such as energy conversion and storage devices owing to its good flexibility, processability, high electrical conductivity, and superior optical transparency, among others. However, its hygroscopic character, short durability, and poor thermoelectric performance compared to inorganic counterparts has greatly limited its high-tech applications. In this work, PEDOT:PSS/SnO2 nanocomposites have been prepared via a simple, low cost, environmentally friendly method without the use of organic solvents or compatibilizing agents. Their morphology, thermal, thermoelectrical, optical, and mechanical properties have been characterized. Electron microscopy analysis revealed a uniform dispersion of the SnO2 nanoparticles, and the Raman spectra revealed the existence of very strong SnO2-PEDOT:PSS interactions. The stiffness and strength of the matrix gradually increased with increasing SnO2 content, up to 120% and 65%, respectively. Moreover, the nanocomposites showed superior thermal stability (as far as 70 degrees C), improved electrical conductivity (up to 140%), and higher Seebeck coefficient (about 80% increase) than neat PEDOT:PSS. On the other hand, hardly any change in optical transparency was observed. These sustainable nanocomposites show considerably improved performance compared to commercial PEDOT:PSS, and can be highly useful for applications in energy storage, flexible electronics, thermoelectric devices, and related fields., Comunidad de Madrid

The art of origami has emerged as an engineering tool with ever increasing potential, but the technique is typically limited to soft and deformable materials. Glass is indispensable in many applications, but its processing options are limited by its brittle nature and the requirement to achieve optical transparency. We report a strategy that allows making three dimensional transparent glass with origami techniques. Our process starts from a dynamic covalent polymer matrix with homogeneously dispersed silica nanoparticles. Particle cavitation and dynamic bond exchange offer two complementary plasticity mechanisms that allow the nanocomposite to be permanently folded into designable geometries. Further pyrolysis and sintering convert it into transparent three dimensional glass. Our method expands the scope of glass shaping and potentially opens up its utilities in unexplored territories., Glass is indispensable but its processing options are limited. Here the authors extend origami techniques to shaping three-dimensional transparent glass by introducing physical cavitation and chemical dynamic bond exchange in the pre-glass polymer-silica nanocomposites.

A transparent clay manufactured using Carbopol® UltrezTM 10 (simplified as U10) was introduced, and its manufacturing processes were briefly described. Both relative transparency (RT) and modulation transfer function (MTF) methods were used to quantify the optical character variation via soil thickness. The transparency of this new transparent clay was analyzed and compared with four traditional transparent materials. The thixotropic properties of this synthetic transparent clay were measured in detail through the laboratory vane test. An exponential function was used to describe the thixotropy and sensitivity of the clay. The results showed that the new transparent clay has a relatively higher optical transparency than the majority of previous materials. Good-fitting results showed a similar development trend in thixotropy for the synthetic transparent clay and the natural ones. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the transparent clay was low to medium, which can simulate marine soil. With higher optical transparency than and similar thixotropy and sensitivity as natural clays, Carbopol® UltrezTM 10 shows great potential as a substitute for natural clay and is expected to be widely used in model tests.

The authors of the published title paper (Bull. Mater. Sci. 2020 43 17) claim to have grown a resorcinol-doped potassium hydrogen phthalate (RKHP) crystal by a slow evaporation method. It was reported that the organic dopant enhances the second harmonic generation efficiency (SHG) of potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP). In this letter to Editor, many points of criticism concerning the crystal growth and the characterization of the so-called RKHP crystal are discussed to prove that the published original paper is erroneous.

Authors developed novel stretchable films based on epoxy resins, which showed excellent printability for various conductive or dielectric inks without any surface treatments, excellent optical transparency, and low retardations. This film is expected to be used as substrates for various printed electronics applications e.g. foldable displays or lighting devices, stretchable/wearable sensors, etc.

Authors developed novel plastic films based by epoxy resins, having very high durability against repeated folding, excellent printability for various conductive or dielectric inks without any surface treatments, excellent optical transparency and very low retardations. These films are especially recommendable as substrates to various printed electronics applications e.g. foldable displays and versatile printed electronics applications such as lighting devices, sensors, etc.

Optically transparent electromagnetic applications, such as EMC windows, require high optical transparency (OT) while maintaining good electrical performance which is difficult to achieve with conventional transparent electrodes (TEs). In this paper, we proposed a novel planar saltwater as a solution to overcome the difficulty. The electrical and optical characterizations of the planar saltwater are experimentally investigated with good agreement to theoretical prediction. The saltwater has a high average OT of 91.8% which is highest among conventional TEs. Moreover, the planar saltwater shows a shielding effectiveness (SE) above 22 dB with only 3 mm of thickness in the C-band. The SE can be significantly improved by an increase in the thickness of planar saltwater. Along with other advantages of cheap, safe, easy access, and flexible performance, the saltwater can be considered as a potential candidate for transparent electromagnetic shielding applications.

A study of mechanical and optical properties of samples of transparent plastic Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) manufactured by additive technology Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) was carried out. PETG plastic is used in medicine, particularly in dentistry due to its unique set of properties: strength, elasticity, resistance to aggressive environments, transparency. Preserving the complex of properties of PETG plastic, including transparency, during 3D-printing is an important technical task. In order to solve this task a set of studies of PETG laboratory samples was carried out. The optimum modes of 3D printing were determined to provide PETG samples with increased strength properties, preservation of elastic properties and optical transparency of the material. The increase in the optical transparency of the material is provided by an additional post-treatment of the printed samples surface with a chemical reagent. The influence of technological parameters of the post- treatment mode on the mechanical and optical properties of the printed samples has been investigated. The novelty of the work consists in a comprehensive study of the modes of manufacturing products from PETG by technology FFF with subsequent post-treatment, allowing to preserve the transparency of the polymeric material.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Thin fims in the Zr−B−N system possessing optical transparency have been studied. It is established that increase in the volume fraction of nitrogen in the gas mixture and, hence, in the concentration of nitrogen in the coatings leads to an increase in their optical transmission due to the formation of a BN phase.

A new aromatic diamine, 10,10-bis[4-(4-amino-3-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]-9( 10H)-anthrone (BATFPA), has been synthesized from anthrone via three-step procedure. Low-temperature polycondensation of BATFPA with various aromatic dicarboxylic acid chlorides produced novel fluorinated polyamides with moderate to high inherent viscosities of 0.75–1.03 dL/g while the weight-average molecular weight and number-average molecular weight were in the range of 66,000–74,000 and 37,000–41,000, respectively. Nearly, all the polymers were readily soluble in polar solvents, such as N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, pyridine, and tetrahydrofuran, and afforded transparent, light-colored, and flexible films upon casting from DMAc solvent. These polymers had glass transition temperatures of 249–309°C, 10% weight loss temperatures of 486–517°C, and char yields of 53–61% at 800°C under nitrogen. All polymers were amorphous and their films exhibited tensile strengths of 64–86 MPa, tensile moduli of 1.8–2.2 GPa, and elongation at break of 10–18%. These polymers had dielectric constants ranging from 3.25 to 3.76 (100 Hz), low moisture uptake in the range of 0.72–1.18%, and high transparency with an ultraviolet–visible absorption cutoff wavelength in the 360–378 nm range.

The optically transparent organic-inorganic terpolymers were obtained on the basis of poly (titanium oxide) and organic monomers of the vinyl series, characterized by the reversible wettability of the surface. The poly (titanium oxide) inside the material had a structure close to anatase and was uniformly distributed over the surface of the sample as it was determined by X-ray phase analysis and electron microscopy. A single-electron transition Ti4++ e ̅ → Ti3+ occurred in the samples under UV-irradiation accompanied by a breaking of the Ti-O bond and a decreasing of the terpolymers transparency from 90% to 20%; the process was reversible in time. The reversible of the samples surfaces from hydrophobic to hydrophilic were observed. The water wetting angle varied within 80 °↔ 5 ° range.

An electronic "smart" contact lens device with high gas permeability and optical transparency, as well as mechanical compliance and robustness, offers daily wear capability in eye interfacing and can have broad applications ranging from ocular diagnosis to augmented reality. Most existing contact lens electronics utilize gas-impermeable substrates, electronic components, and interfacial adhesion layers, which impedes them from applications requiring continuous daily wear. Here we report on the design and fabrication of an eye interfacing device with a commercial ocular contact lens as the substrate, metal-coated nanofiber mesh as the conductor, and

The discovery of a general strategy for organizing functional proteins into stable nanostructures with the desired dimension, shape, and function is an important focus in developing protein-based self-assembled materials, but the scalable synthesis of such materials and transfer to other substrates remain great challenges. We herein tackle this issue by creating a two-dimensional metal-protein hybrid nanofilm that is flexible and cost-effective with reliable self-recovery, stability, and multifunctionality. As it differs from traditional metal ions, we discover the capability of Sn2+ to initiate fast amyloid-like protein assembly (occurring in seconds) by effectively reducing the disulfide bonds of native globular proteins. The Sn2+-initiated lysozyme aggregation at the air/water interface leads to droplet flattening, a result never before reported in a protein system, which finally affords a multifunctional 2D Sn-doped hybrid lysozyme nanofilm with an ultralarge area (e.g., 0.2 m2) within a few minutes. The hybrid film is distinctive in its ease of coating on versatile material surfaces with endurable chemical and mechanical stability, optical transparency, and diverse end uses in antimicrobial and photo-/electrocatalytic scaffolds. Our approach provides not only insights into the effect of tin ions on macroscopic self-assembly of proteins but also a controllable and scalable synthesis of a potential biomimic framework for biomedical and biocatalytic applications.

Perovskite oxide SrVO3 (SVO) is a transparent conductor with excellent optical and electrical properties. Most of the previous works have focused on (001)-oriented SVO thin films. As an alternative to tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), the other orientations of SVO thin films are important to be considered as well. In the present work, the optical and electrical properties of (111)-oriented SVO epitaxial films have been investigated. Excellent electrical conductivity (2.92 × 104 S cm−1) and optical transparency (56.6%) have been demonstrated, which are comparable to those of ITO and expand the applications of epitaxial SVO thin films in other orientations as transparent conducting oxide.

Silica aerogels with high optical transparency and ultra-low thermal conductivity are ideal candidates for energy-saving windows. Often such applications require rather exquisite control of microstructure (i.e., cluster size and cluster packing geometry). In this research, a series of silica aerogels with the same composition and density but different microstructures and properties are prepared by varying the content of the Tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) added in batches. It was found that the mean pore size and thermal conductivity of the silica aerogels initially decrease with the decrease in the content of the pre-added TMOS before bottoming out and eventually increasing again, while the specific surface area, pore volume and light transmittance show the reverse change trend. Compared with the conventionally initial addition of total TMOS, the specific surface area and transparency ratio of the silica aerogels prepared under the optimum level of the pre-added TMOS increase from 845 to 1060 m2/g and from 71% (550 nm) to 88% (550 nm), respectively. Meanwhile, the thermal conductivity of the silica aerogels decreases from 24.6 to 20.2 mW/(m∙K) with the mean pore size decreases from 20.7 to 16.6 nm. This method provides a new approach to design structure and properties of silica aerogels.

In this study, SiN x/BN periodical nanolayered coatings (PNCs) are developed. PNCs were deposited at the room temperature on plastic and glass substrates. They demonstrate the excellent mechanical durability of inorganic materials and optical transparency and flexibility of organic ones. The 150 nm thick PNC shows optical transparency, sapphire-like hardness, high wear protection, and flexibility. Such a coating with a superior combination of optical and mechanical properties has not been reported previously.

Multifunctional electronics featuring optical transparency, portability, mechanical flexibility, light-weight and environment-friendly are of great demands for next-generation smart electronics. Memristor represents one of the important chains in next-generation devices as the information computing and storage component. Here, we design the transparent flexible structure based on van der Waals heteroepitaxial AZO/NiO/AZO/muscovite (ANA/muscovite) for a memristor application. The (ANA/muscovite) memristor satisfies all the hardest requirements of a transparent soft device such as optical transparency over 80% in visible light and high performance with a ON/OFF resistance ratio > 105, stable endurance to 103 cycles and long retention time of 105 s. In addition, the ANA/muscovite memristor can work at various bending radii down to 5 mm, a mechanical bending after 1000 cycles at a curvature with a radius of 6.5 mm and a high temperature up to 185 °C, which deliver a pathway for future applications in flexible transparent smart electronics.

In this work, three dendrimers with different peripheral functional groups were successfully prepared through a powerful “click chemistry” reaction. Thanks to their spherical topological structure, the NLO performance is superior to that of the corresponding conical dendrimers. Among them, Janus dendrimer J1 with phenyl and pentafluorophenyl groups at the periphery demonstrated the highest NLO effect of 118.0 pm V−1. Also, thanks to the Ar–ArF self-assembly effect, its optical transparency and thermal stability were also improved, with degradation temperatures higher than 260 °C.

A functional bioadhesive has been developed to possess properties such as mechanical compliance, electrical conductivity and optical transparency, and is utilized for bonding electronic devices to various organs in the body for up to several months.