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Since Cu2+ ions play a pivotal role in both ecosystems and human health, the development of a rapid and sensitive method for Cu2+ detection holds significant importance. Fluorescent mesoporous silica materials (FMSMs) have garnered considerable attention in the realm of chemical sensing, biosensing, and bioimaging due to their distinctive structure and easily functionalized surfaces. As a result, numerous Cu2+ sensors based on FMSMs have been devised and extensively applied in environmental and biological Cu2+ detection over the past few decades. This review centers on the recent advancements in the methodologies for preparing FMSMs, the mechanisms underlying sensing, and the applications of FMSMs‐based sensors for Cu2+ detection. Lastly, we present and elucidate pertinent perspectives concerning FMSMs‐based Cu2+ sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid increase in energy demands and environmental issues have attracted tremendous attention in the development of new functional materials for sustainable energy technology. As an emerging materials class, mesoporous carbon‐based films show unique properties, and have been regarded as a promising candidate in efficient energy storage and conversion applications. Interfacial assembly strategies are usually employed to construct such films and devices. In this review, the recent development in the synthesis of mesoporous carbon‐based films and devices is illustrated through interfacial assembly strategies. For mesoporous carbon‐based materials, template methods and template‐free methods are the two common approaches to obtain these unique structures. More specifically, five primary interfacial assembly methods for film preparation, including flow‐directed assembly, solvent casting assembly, electrospinning assembly, substrate‐based assembly, and evaporation‐induced self‐assembly, are also discussed with detailed synthesis processes and mechanisms. Besides, the applications of mesoporous carbon‐based film devices for electrochemical energy systems including batteries and electrocatalysis are reviewed, as well as their mechanisms to enhance the performance of these systems. Finally, the remaining challenges and outlook are proposed to inspire future development and contribution of this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functionalized mesoporous silica materials (MSMs) are extensively investigated in sensing science due to their diverse structural and optical properties including tunable pore size, modifiable surface properties, and excellent accessibility to active sites. In the last few years, great efforts have been devoted to developing modification methods for MSMs for sensing applications with augmented sensitivity, super selectivity, as well as targeting capability, and multimodal capabilities. The functional group, structure, morphology, and component levels in the assembly of heterostructures of MSMs are a key for high sensing performance. As the development of mesoporous silica‐based sensing materials progresses, diverse functional units and materials are rationally implemented into the mesoporous structures. These heterostructures can maintain the excellent structural features of mesoporous silica and the optical properties of the functional units simultaneously, which shows the advantages of photostability, design flexibility, and multifunctionality. Here, an up‐to‐date overview of the fabrication strategies, the properties, and the sensing mechanisms of optical heterostructures based on MSMs is provided. A number of crucial sensing domains, including ionic, molecules, temperature, and biological species are highlighted. Finally, the prospects and potential sensing applications of mesoporous silica‐based optical heterostructures are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface engineering on various functional nanomaterials has enabled the creation of diverse nanocomposites that possess pre-designed architectures with improved and complementary properties. Magnetic porous materials with core-shell structures have recently received great attentions due to the combination of the respective properties of cores and shells that achieves cooperatively boosted performance. Core-shell magnetic nanoparticles are well-known for their outstanding properties of enhanced stability, being able to protect the active species from harsh environments, improved physical, chemical and photoelectric properties, and easiness of surface functionalization, etc . All of their exciting synergistic properties are heavily depending on the controllable and ingenious design towards cores and shells, and precise regulation of the interaction between them. In this paper, different surface engineering strategies, based on sol-gel chemistry and confined interfacial coating, for the construction of iron oxide-mesoporous core-shell materials have been reviewed. Attentions are paid not only on the selection of promising candidates for cores or porous shells and the creation of different shapes, but also more importantly on the synthetic principles and mechanisms for interfacial control in achieving perfectly adjustment of porous shells with various compositions, different pore sizes, pore structures and functionalities. Following the methods and principles presented in the review, it is very easy even for new beginners to synthesize various magnetic porous materials with well-defined core-shell structure and integrated functionalities for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-layered two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin mesoporous polymer/carbon films are grown by self-assembly of monomicelles at the interfaces of various substrates, which is a general and common modification strategy. These unconventional 2D mesoporous films possess only a single layer of mesopores, while the size of the thin films can grow up to inch size in the plane. Free-standing transparent mesoporous carbon ultrathin films, together with the ordered mesoporous structure on the substrates of different compositions (e.g. metal oxides, carbon) and morphologies (e.g. nanocubes, nanodiscs, flexible and patterned substrates) have been obtained. This strategy not only affords controllable hierarchical porous nanostructures, but also appends the easily modified and multifunctional properties of carbon to the primary substrate. By using this method, we have fabricated Fe2O3-mesoporous carbon photoelectrochemical biosensors, which show excellent sensitivity and selectivity for glutathione. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While electrochemical water splitting is one of the most promising methods to store light/electrical energy in chemical bonds, a key challenge remains in the realization of an efficient oxygen evolution reaction catalyst with large surface area, good electrical conductivity, high catalytic properties, and low fabrication cost. Here, a facile solution reduction method is demonstrated for mesoporous Co3O4 nanowires treated with NaBH4. The high-surface-area mesopore feature leads to efficient surface reduction in solution at room temperature, which allows for retention of the nanowire morphology and 1D charge transport behavior, while at the same time substantially increasing the oxygen vacancies on the nanowire surface. Compared to pristine Co3O4 nanowires, the reduced Co3O4 nanowires exhibit a much larger current of 13.1 mA cm-2 at 1.65 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a much lower onset potential of 1.52 V vs RHE. Electrochemical supercapacitors based on the reduced Co3O4 nanowires also show a much improved capacitance of 978 F g-1 and reduced charge transfer resistance. Density-functional theory calculations reveal that the existence of oxygen vacancies leads to the formation of new gap states in which the electrons previously associated with the Co-O bonds tend to be delocalized, resulting in the much higher electrical conductivity and electrocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monodispersed mesoporous phenolic polymer nanospheres with uniform diameters were prepared and used as the core for the further growth of core-shell mesoporous nanorattles. The hierarchical mesoporous nanospheres have a uniform diameter of 200 nm and dual-ordered mesopores of 3.1 and 5.8 nm. The hierarchical mesostructure and amphiphilicity of the hydrophobic carbon cores and hydrophilic silica shells lead to distinct benefits in multidrug combination therapy with cisplatin and paclitaxel for the treatment of human ovarian cancer, even drug-resistant strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile approach for the synthesis of ultralight iron oxide hierarchical structures with tailorable macro- and mesoporosity is reported. This method entails the growth of porous Prussian blue (PB) single crystals on the surface of a polyurethane sponge, followed by in situ thermal conversion of PB crystals into three-dimensional mesoporous iron oxide (3DMI) architectures. Compared to previously reported ultralight materials, the 3DMI architectures possess hierarchical macro- and mesoporous frameworks with multiple advantageous features, including high surface area (ca. 117 m2 g−1) and ultralow density (6-11 mg cm−3). Furthermore, they can be synthesized on a kilogram scale. More importantly, these 3DMI structures exhibit superparamagnetism and tunable hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, thus allowing for efficient multiphase interfacial adsorption and fast multiphase catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous Silica Materials: Interfacial Assembly of Mesoporous Silica-Based Optical Heterostructures for Sensing Applications (Adv. Funct. In article number 1906950, Dongyuan Zhao, Biao Kong, and co-workers provide a comprehensive overview of the fabrication strategies and properties and the sensing mechanism of optical heterostructures in mesoporous silica materials. In addition, the advantages of and pioneering studies on mesoporous silica materials in terms of sensing applications are described. [Extracted from the article]

Constructing two‐dimensional mesoporous frameworks from mesoscale subunits is in its infancy. In their Communication on page 8425 ff., G. F. Zheng, D. Y. Zhao, et al. present a new approach for the synthesis of single‐layered mesoporous carbon films on substrates with different surface compositions and morphologies. Their strategy is used to construct controllable hierarchical porous nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioinspired artificial nanochannels have emerged as promising candidates for developing smart nanofluidic sensors due to their highly controllable size and surface functionality. However, little attention has been paid to the role of the outer surface of the nanochannels in enhancing the detection sensitivity. Herein, an asymmetric nanochannel-based responsive detection platform with ultrathin tannic acid modified mesoporous silica (TA-MS) layer and alumina oxide (AAO) thin film is prepared through super-assembly strategy. The functional TA-MS outer surface layer provides abundant phenolic groups on the nanochannels for ions and molecules transport, which paves the way for the development of heterochannels for label-free, reversible and highly sensitive dopamine (DA) detection based off of cation displacement effect. Notably, by engineering optimal thickness of the TA-MS, the sensing performance can be further improved. After optimization, the linear response ranges for DA detection are 0.001–1 μM, 1–10 μM and 10–200 μM with the detection limit of 0.1 nM. The prepared sensor exhibits stable reversibility after several detection cycles. In addition, this method was successfully applied for DA detection in fetal bovine serum sample. Theoretical calculations further prove the detection mechanism. This work opens a new horizon of using mesoporous materials to construct nanofluidic sensors for ultrasensitive small molecule detection and recognition. A functional nanofluidic channels-based sensor based on mesoporous thin film is developed for label-free, sensitive and reversible detection of dopamine (DA). Based on a metal ion displacement reaction, the asymmetric nanochannels can be activated from "closed" to "open" state for ion transport in response to DA, which provides the response of the ionic current against DA concentrations. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]