Search

Bioelectrode is critical to many biomedical researches. However, traditional materials (typically noble metals) and manufacturing techniques limit the large‐scale production of bioelectrodes. Herein, a fast electrochemical approach is proposed to deposit versatile MXene/polydopamine (PDA) composites on a metalized substrate. PDA coating can improve the adhesion between MXene and the substrate, while MXene provides rough surfaces with unique micro/nanostructure and outstanding electrical/optical/thermal performance. The impedance of the as‐prepared bioelectrode at 1 kHz is down to 8.48 Ω cm2. The corresponding cathodic charge storage capacity (CSCc) and charge injection capacity (CIC) are up to ≈250 and 6.59 mC cm−2 respectively, much superior to that of bare Pt and other conventional material‐based electrodes. The MXene/PDA composites also demonstrate robust stability under continuous electrostimulation for 1 × 108 pulse cycles and 1000 CV cycles. Moreover, MXene/PDA composites show a high and rapid photothermal response. Photoelectrochemical activity is also observed with high photocurrent, ≈40 folds larger than that of bare Pt. The utility of this new electrode in ascorbic acid sensing is demonstrated. Excellent biocompatibility is verified via neuron adhesion test and viability assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Precise exfoliation and modification of nano-Tellurium was realized by adopting a room-temperature ionic liquid as the electrolyte. Nano-Tellurium with high-entropy morphology can offer greater solar absorption and more kinds of surface chemical groups, giving rise to superior photothermal properties. Nano-Tellurium-poly(vinyl alcohol)-based photothermal foam hydrogels, with high compressibility, excellent water transport rate and low evaporation enthalpy of water, combined with a new heat-supply model, achieve an evaporation rate of 4.11 kg m−2 h−1 with energy efficiencies up to 128% under 1 sun irradiation, which are the highest values for semiconductor-based nanocomposites reported so far. The development of tellurium (Te)-based semiconductor nanomaterials for efficient light-to-heat conversion may offer an effective means of harvesting sunlight to address global energy concerns. However, the nanosized Te (nano-Te) materials reported to date suffer from a series of drawbacks, including limited light absorption and a lack of surface structures. Herein, we report the preparation of nano-Te by electrochemical exfoliation using an electrolyzable room-temperature ionic liquid. Anions, cations, and their corresponding electrolytic products acting as chemical scissors can precisely intercalate and functionalize bulk Te. The resulting nano-Te has high morphological entropy, rich surface functional groups, and broad light absorption. We also constructed foam hydrogels based on poly (vinyl alcohol)/nano-Te, which achieved an evaporation rate and energy efficiency of 4.11 kg m−2 h−1 and 128%, respectively, under 1 sun irradiation. Furthermore, the evaporation rate was maintained in the range 2.5–3.0 kg m−2 h−1 outdoors under 0.5–1.0 sun, providing highly efficient evaporation under low light conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) mainly consists of two stages: infiltration and solidification, which have a significant influence on the properties of MMCs. The present study is primarily focused on the simulation of the solidification process and the effect of the active cooling of fibers with and without nickel coating for making the continuous carbon fiber-reinforced aluminum matrix composites. The thermomechanical finite element model was established to investigate the effects of different cooling conditions on the temperature profile and thermal stress distributions based on the simplified physical model. The predicted results of the temperature distribution agree well with the results of the references. Additionally, a three-dimensional cellular automata (CA) finite element (FE) model is used to simulate the microstructure evolution of the solidification process by using ProCAST software. The results show that adding a nickel coating can make the heat flux smaller in the melt, which is favorable for preventing debonding at the coating/fiber and alloy interface and obtaining a finer microstructure. In the presence of the nickel coating, the number of grains increases significantly, and the average grain size decreases, which can improve the properties of the resultant composite materials. Meanwhile, the predicting results also show that the interfaces of fiber–coating, fiber–melt, and coating–melt experience higher temperature gradients and thermal stresses. These results will lead to the phenomenon of stress concentration and interface failure. Thus, it was demonstrated that these simulation methods could be helpful for studying the solidification of fiber-reinforced MMCs and reducing the number of trial-and-error experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review offers reader a fairly complete perspective on correlation between structure regulation of 2D composites and enhanced solar/electric desalination performance. Focusing on materials science, the challenges and future regulation direction of 2D composites for solar/electric seawater desalination are prospected. [Display omitted] • 2D composite for solar/electric desalination via structure regulation is shown. • The determinants of 2D composites on the desalination performance is presented. • Regulating directions in facilitating mass/energy transfer is prospected. Solar and electric seawater desalination methods are two effective strategies due to their low cost, energy saving, and environmental friendliness. Two-dimensional (2D) material exhibits accelerated mass/energy transfer in solar and electric seawater desalination. However, the light reflection of material and the aggregation of 2D nanosheets results in insufficient photothermal conversion rate in solar desalination and/or poor electron transfer in electric desalination. Despite the achieved progress in tailoring 2D composites, more comprehensive and insightful reports on 2D composites for solar/electric desalination from structure regulation perspective were not retrieved. So, it is urgent to systematically summarize and elucidate the science essence of 2D composites to promote solar/electric desalination performance through structural regulation. In this review, focusing on material science, we discuss the relationship between structure (viz. intrinsic, interface, and macroscopic structure) of 2D composites and solar/electric desalination performance. Specifically, we discuss how to regulate the structure to reduce the light reflection, enhance the light absorption and promote the water transport in solar desalination, as well as to accelerate the electron/ion transfer in electric desalination. Additionally, the influence of the determinants of 2D composites on the desalination performance is highlighted. Finally, we summarize the challenges and provide our perspective about 2D composites for future solar/electric seawater desalination. This review offers a systematic reference and puts forward a potential regulating direction for 2D composites in facilitating mass/energy transfer during solar/electric desalination process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nonlayered materials are constructed with chemical covalent bonds in all three dimensions, distinct from layered materials, which contain evident structural differences in the horizontal and vertical directions. As a consequence, liquid‐phase exfoliation (LPE), a widely explored technique to obtain 2D layered nanoarchitectures, has not yet been fully characterized for the realization of 2D nonlayered nanostructures. Herein, by virtue of a typical chain‐like structure of crystalline bulk Te with strong TeTe covalent bonds in intrachains and weak Van der Waals forces in interchains, ultrathin 2D nonlayered Te nanosheets are realized by means of an LPE method. The resultant 2D Te nanosheets possess a broad lateral dimension ranging from 41.5 to 177.5 nm and a thickness ranging from 5.1 to 6.4 nm, and its photoresponse properties are evaluated using photoelectrochemical measurements. The 2D Te nanosheets exhibit excellent photoresponse behaviors from the UV to the visible regime in association with strong time and cycle stability for the on/off switching behaviors. The fabrication approach of 2D Te nanosheets would arouse interest in exfoliating other nonlayered 2D materials, which would expand the family of 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Investigations into 2D nanomaterials are of considerable significance from both an academic and industrial point of view. The present work addresses, for the first time, the fabrication of 2D nonlayered ultrathin selenium through a facile liquid‐phase exfoliation method. The results reveal that the as‐prepared 2D Se nanosheets are 40–120 nm in lateral dimension and 3–6 nm in thickness. The nanosheets exhibit a trigonal crystalline phase similar to their bulk counterpart, indicating the conservation of the crystalline features during the exfoliation procedure. The successful preparation of 2D Se nanosheets from nonlayered bulk Se can be ascribed to two kinds of anisotropy: (1) that of crystalline bulk Se with chain‐like structures, where strong intrachain SeSe covalent bonds coexist with weak interchain van der Waals forces, and (2) that of probe sonication in the vertical direction. The results also show that the 2D Se nanosheets possess a size‐dependent band gap (Eg), strong photoluminescence effect and robust, chemical stability under ambient conditions. Furthermore, a 2D Se‐nanosheet‐based optical modulation device is demonstrated that allows for excellent ultrashort pulse generation of an optical communication band. It is therefore anticipated that 2D Se nanosheets may find significant applications in both photoluminescence and ultrafast photonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Foam-based phase inversion induced polymer/nanofiller foam hydrogels are reported. • High porosity, high compressibility, high water uptake rate and reduced evaporation enthalpy of water are integrated into the foam hydrogels. • The PVA/MXene foam-hydrogel-based solar evaporators achieve high evaporation rate and high energy efficiency. Innovative materials are required to promote the development of solar-powered interfacial desalination and purification technologies to address global freshwater scarcities. To this end, evaporators using polymeric hydrogels have been widely studied. However, these systems are slow, energy-intensive, complex, and difficult to operate. New strategies are in urgent need. The present work employs polymeric phase inversion to develop poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based foam hydrogels, wherein the air bubble phase served as the matrix and cross-linked PVA hydrogel acted as the dispersed phase. In addition, we utilize Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets-based MXene as the photothermal agent to facilitate the fabrication of hierarchical pore-in-pore structures. The prepared PVA/MXene foam hydrogels exhibit > 95% porosity, as well as high compressibility (>7000 cycles) and very rapid water transport. Importantly, these materials also exhibit remarkably low water evaporation enthalpies. Combined with a new heat supply model, those foam hydrogels achieve an evaporation rate of 4.1 ± 0.1 kg m−2h−1 with energy efficiency up to 128.8% ± 2.0% under 1 sun irradiation, which is the highest value for MXene-based nanocomposites reported so far. This study demonstrates a significant advancement in solar desalination system by combining phase inversion to make innovative foam materials with optimal external heat management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured polymeric dielectric composites, based on poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), graphene oxide (GO), and an ionic liquid (IL), 1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([VEIM] [BF 4 ]), denoted as Nano-PVDF/IL/GO, were fabricated through casting method, electron beam (EB) irradiation and microphase separation processes. Through the strategy, GO nanosheets were dispersed homogeneously in PVDF matrix and the organic nanoclusters formed by microphase separation of IL grafted PVDF (PVDF- g -IL) chain segments tended to adhere onto the surface of GO nanosheets. The Nano-PVDF/IL/GO composites displayed a drastic reduction in dc conductivity compared with PVDF/GO and PVDF/IL/GO composites because of impeding the direct contact between GO nanosheets by the nanoclusters. Furthermore, the mircocapacitors between the adjacent GO nanosheets and nanoclusters contributed the increase of dielectric constant. At the same time, the dielectric loss from the current leakage of GO nanosheets was almost fully eliminated due to the strong interfacial bonding between polymer matrix and fillers which restrained the formation of conductive network. Therefore, we proposed an effective strategy for using the organic nanoclusters to modify the inorganic conductive fillers and impeding the formation of conductive network in the dielectric materials, which paves new possibility to prepare polymer nanocomposites with both high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-based nanostructures can be generally created by self-assembly of block copolymers that are commonly synthesized by living radical polymerization. In this study, a new strategy is proposed to fabricate block-like copolymers by using the template of binary phase structure of semicrystalline polymers. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is thermodynamically miscible with an unsaturated ionic liquid (IL) (1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) in the melt and IL molecules are expelled out from the crystalline parts during the crystallization of PVDF. Therefore, the IL molecules are only located at the amorphous region of PVDF crystals. The electron beam irradiation of the IL incorporated PVDF leads to the local grafting of IL molecules onto the PVDF molecular chains in the amorphous region, so block-like grafting polymer chains of crystalline PVDF- b-(amorphous PVDF- g-IL)- b-crystalline PVDF can be achieved. The subsequent heating of the irradiated sample induces the microphase separation of PVDF- g-IL from the ungrafted PVDF chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent polymeric materials withhigh ductility and antistaticproperties have attracted much attention. A room temperature ionicliquid (IL), tributyl(methyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonylimide([tbmam+][Tf2N–]), was integratedinto polycarbonate (PC), to fabricate optically transparent antielectrostaticcomposites by melt processing. The morphology and physical propertiesof the composites were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetryand dynamic mechanical analysis indicated the depression of the glasstransition temperatures of the PC/IL composites, compared with thatof neat PC. This indicated the interaction between PC and the IL.Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the IL was highlycompatible with PC, at low IL loadings. This resulted in enhancedantielectrostatic properties, and significantly improved elongationat break of the PC/IL composites. The PC/IL composites maintainedthe high transmittance of PC. In addition, the PC/IL composites withhigh clearance and antielectrostatic properties could be achievedby large-scale continuous melt extrusion, indicating that the methodto fabricate both optically transparent and antielectrostatic compositeis feasible for industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poly(l-lactic acid)/poly(oxymethylene)(PLLA/POM)blends have been prepared by simply melt blending. The phase diagram,miscibility, glass transition temperatures, and physical propertieshave been investigated systematically. The PLLA/POM blends exhibittypical lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behaviors. PLLAand POM are miscible in the melt state at low temperature and becomephase-separated at elevated temperatures. It was found that the weakinteractions between the carboxyl groups of PLLA and methylene groupsof POM (weak C–H...O hydrogen bonding) account forthe miscibility of the two components. Although the PLLA/POM blendsare homogeneous at the melt state in the miscible temperature region,two distinct glass transition temperatures are observed for the allblends when quenched from the homogeneous state. More surprisingly,both POM and PLLA exhibit the apparent glass transition temperature(Tg) depression in the blends, comparedwith Tgs of the neat polymers. The behaviorsare totally different from other reported miscible or partially misciblepolymer blends, in which Tgs shift toeach other or merge into one glass transition temperature. The investigationindicates that the crystallization of POM in the blend induces thephase separation of PLLA/POM blends and forms novel morphologies withthe interpenetrated (cocontinuous) PLLA and POM phases. The doubleglass transition temperature depression of both PLLA and POM in theblends originates from the mismatch thermal shrinkage during coolingdown from the high temperature. Moreover, we observed the improvedductility of the PLLA/POM blends as compared with the neat PLLA andPOM, which has been attributed to higher molecular mobility due tothe glass transition temperature depression for both PLLA and POMin the blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The eco-friendly poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC)/cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) blends were prepared by melt-blending in a batch mixer for the first time. PPC and CAB were partially miscible because of the drastically shifted glass transition temperatures of both PPC and CAB, which originated from the specific interactions between carbonyl groups and hydroxyl groups. The incorporation of CAB into PPC matrix enhanced not only tensile strength and modulus of PPC dramatically, but also improved heat resistance and thermal stability of PPC significantly. The tensile strength and the modulus of PPC/CAB=50/50 blend are 27.7MPa and 1.24GPa, which are 21 times and 28 times higher than those of the unmodified PPC, respectively. Moreover, the elongation at break of PPC/CAB=50/50 blend is as high as 117%. In addition, the obtained blends exhibited good transparency, which is very important for the package materials. The results in this work pave new possibility for the massive application of eco-friendly polymer materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The impact of pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs),anionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate[BMIM][PF6], and the ionic liquid-modified MWCNTs (IL-MWCNTs)on the crystallization behavior of melt-crystallized poly(vinylidenefluoride) (PVDF) has been investigated. Pristine MWCNTs accelerate crystallization of PVDF as an efficient nucleation agent, while theformed crystals are mainly nonpolar α crystal form with fewpolar β crystals. Incorporation of only ionic liquid resultsin depression of the PVDF melt crystallization rate due to the miscibilityof IL with PVDF but leads to a higher content of polar crystals (βand γ forms) than MWCNTs. The ionic liquid and MWCNTs show significantsynergetic effects on both the nucleation and the formation of polarcrystals for PVDF by melt crystallization. Addition of IL-MWCNTsnot only improves the MWCNTs dispersion in PVDF matrix but also increasesthe overall crystallization rate of PVDF drastically. More important,the melt-crystallized PVDF nanocomposites with IL-MWCNTs show 100%polar polymorphs but no α crystal forms. To the best of ourknowledge, this is the first report on the achievements of full polarcrystal form in the melt-crystallized PVDF without mechanical deformationor electric field. The IL to MWCNTs ratio and the IL-MWCNTs loadingcontent effects on the crystallization behavior of PVDF in the nanocompositeswere also studied. It is considered that the specific interactionsbetween >CF2with the planar cationic imidazolium ringwrapped on the MWCNTs surface lead to the full zigzag conformationsof PVDF; thus, nucleation in polar crystals (β and γforms) lattice is achieved and full polar crystals are obtained by subsequent crystal growth from the nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a core–shell tellurium–selenium (Te–Se) nanomaterial with polymer‐tailed and lateral heterojunction structures is developed as a photothermal absorber in a bionic solar‐evaporation system. It is further revealed that the amorphous Se shell surrounds the crystalline Te core, which not only protects the Te phase from oxidation but also serves as a natural barrier to life entities. The core (Te)–shell (Se) configuration thus exhibits robust stability enhanced by 0.05 eV per Se atom and excellent biocompatibility. Furthermore, high energy efficiencies of 90.71 ± 0.37% and 86.14 ± 1.02% and evaporation rates of 12.88 ± 0.052 and 1.323 ± 0.015 kg m−2 h−1 are obtained under 10 and 1 sun for simulated seawater, respectively. Importantly, no salting out is observed in salt solutions, and the collected water under natural light irradiation possesses extremely low ion concentrations of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ relative to real seawater. Considering the tunable electronic structures, biocompatibilities, and modifiable broadband absorption of the solar spectrum of lateral heterojunction nanomaterials of Te–Se, the way is paved to engineering 2D semiconductor materials with supporting 3D porous hydrophilic materials for application in solar desalination, wastewater treatment, and biomedical ventures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power supply is playing an increasingly important role in the rapidly developing era of the Internet of Things. Achieving a sustainable and clean power supply for electronic devices is an urgent and challenging task. In this study, we present a heat-triggered triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and develop a self-powered fire alarm system to achieve an early warning without an external power supply. A TENG comprises a gear system that can utilize the elastic potential energy of a spring. A wax block was used as a heat trigger. When melted at high temperatures, the TENG will be triggered to work and generate considerable electric energy. Within a single operation cycle of approximately 6 s, a 22 μ F capacitor can be charged up to 3.7 V. Such electrical energy is sufficient to drive a wireless transmission module through an automatic switching circuit. Overall, this study provides a feasible approach for a self-powered wireless warning system in power-shortage areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front Cover: Block‐like ionic grafting poly(vinylidene fluoride) copolymers are synthesized by the local grafting of ionic liquids located at the amorphous region onto the molecular chains using electron beam irradiation. Further details can be found in the article by C. Xing, J. Li, C. Yang, and Y. Li* on page 1559. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoantigens derived from mutant proteins in tumour cells could elicit potent personalized anti‐tumour immunity. Nevertheless, the layout of vaccine vehicle and synthesis of neoantigen are pivotal for stimulating robust response. The power of synthetic biology enables genetic programming bacteria to produce therapeutic agents under contol of the gene circuits. Herein, we genetically engineered bacteria to synthesize fusion neoantigens, and prepared bacteria derived vesicles (BDVs) presenting the neoantigens (BDVs‐Neo) as personalized therapeutic vaccine to drive systemic antitumour response. BDVs‐Neo and granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) were inoculated subcutaneously within hydrogel (Gel), whereas sustaining release of BDVs‐Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and GM‐CSF recruited the dendritic cells (DCs). Virtually, Gel‐BDVs‐Neo combined with the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) antibody intensively enhanced proliferation and activation of tumour‐infiltrated T cells, as well as memory T cell clone expansion. Consequently, BDVs‐Neo combining with checkpoint blockade therapy effectively prevented tumour relapse and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to improve the energy harvesting efficiency under low wind speed, we propose a dual auxiliary beam galloping triboelectric nanogenerator (GTENG) in this work. The structural design of a single main beam and a pair of auxiliary beams enables the device to work under a higher vibration frequency when triggered by wind. A stable and improved working frequency of about 4.6 Hz was observed at various wind speeds. The device started to vibrate at a wind speed of 1.7 m/s and generated an output voltage of about 100 V. The outputs of this GTENG approach to saturation at a wind speed of around 5 m/s. The output voltage and short-circuit current reached 260 V and 20 μA, respectively. A maximum power of about 1 mW was obtained under a wind speed of 5.7 m/s with a load of 33 MΩ. Moreover, the effectivity and long-term stability of the device were demonstrated under low wind speeds. A digital watch is powered for 45 s after charging a 47 μF capacitor for 120 s at a wind speed of 3.1 m/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size and structural control of particulate carriers for imaging agents and therapeutics are constant themes in designing smart delivery systems. This is motivated by the causal relationship between geometric parameters and functionalities of delivery vehicles. Here, both in vitro and in vivo, the controlling factors for cytotoxicity, photothermal, and anti‐tumor effects of biodegradable magnesium@poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid (Mg@PLGA) particulate carriers with different sizes and shell thicknesses are investigated. Mg@PLGA microspheres fabricated by microfluidic emulsification are shown to have higher Mg encapsulation efficiency, 87%, than nanospheres by ultrasonic homogenization, 50%. The photothermal and anti‐tumor effects of Mg@PLGA spheres are found to be dictated by their Mg content, irrelevant to size and structural features, as demonstrated in both in vitro cell assays and in vivo mice models. These results also provide important implications for designing and fabricating stimuli‐responsive drug delivery vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage is one of the most concerning global challenges in the 21st century. Solar‐inspired vaporization employing photothermal nanomaterials is considered to be a feasible and green technology for addressing the water challenge by virtue of abundant and clean solar energy. 2D nanomaterials aroused considerable attention in photothermal evaporation‐induced water production owing to their large absorption surface, strong absorption in broadband solar spectrum, and efficient photothermal conversion. Herein, the recent progress of 2D nanomaterials‐based photothermal evaporation, mainly including emerging Xenes (phosphorene, antimonene, tellurene, and borophene) and binary‐enes (MXenes and transition metal dichalcogenides), is reviewed. Then, the optimization strategies for higher evaporation performance are summarized in terms of modulation of the intrinsic photothermal performance of 2D nanomaterials and design of the complete evaporation system. Finally, the challenges and prospective of various kinds of 2D photothermal nanomaterials are discussed in terms of the photothermal performance, stability, environmental influence, and cost. One important principle is that solutions for water challenges should not introduce new environmental and social problems. This Review aims to highlight the role of 2D photothermal nanomaterials in solving water challenges and provides a viable scheme toward the practical use in photothermal materials selection, design, and evaporation systems building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the freshwater shortage, a self-floating solar-driven desalination and wastewater purification evaporator (ArG-Ag) with rapid photothermal conversion and efficient evaporation was designed via a green synthesis method of in situ reduction polymerization. ArG-Ag has a connected water transport channel, effective energy confinement, and ionic retention properties. And the catalytic degradation of organic pollutants and effective antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties of the ArG-Ag enable multifunctional applications of the evaporator. [Display omitted] • Simultaneous cross-linking polymerization of hydrogel and reduction of GO and Ag+ by one-step irradiation method. • ArG-Ag exhibits an excellent photothermal evaporation rate (3.089 kg m-2h−1) and superior evaporation efficiency (122.7 %). • ArG-Ag has high evaporation efficiency, salt resistance, antimicrobial, and antifouling properties. The increasing shortage of freshwater resources needs to be addressed urgently. Solar-driven desalination and wastewater purification are efficient and green methods to obtain freshwater resources. However, it is still a challenge to obtain efficient, stable, salt-resistant, antimicrobial, and antifouling evaporators. To address this challenge, in this study, polyacrylamide-based reduced graphene oxide hydrogels with a porous structure were synthesized in situ by a one-step radiative reduction method, and silver nanoparticles were introduced on this basis. Graphene/silver composite hydrogel (ArG-Ag) exhibits fast water transport, thermal localization, and low enthalpy of water evaporation, achieving an excellent evaporation rate of 3.089 kg m-2h−1 (one sun) and an evaporation efficiency of 122.7 %, as well as good mechanical stability, salt resistance, and salt ion purification after 8 cycles of evaporation. The ArG-Ag evaporator exhibits 99 % 24 h bacterial inhibition against E. coli and 210-day long-term mold resistance, effectively resisting biological contamination of seawater. In this study, multifunctional evaporators with integrated high efficiency evaporation performance, salt resistance, antimicrobial, antifungal, antifouling, and catalytic properties are proposed, which are expected to be used for seawater desalination and wastewater purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Basal-like breast cancer exhibits a triple-negative phenotype and has a poor prognosis, even with traditional chemical and anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) treatments. However, the high mutation rate of this obstinate cancer type renders it suitable for immunotherapy. Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a high-efficiency method for inducing tumor neoantigen release in situ , which has great potential for use in cancer immunotherapy. Here, we prepared a biomimetic black phosphorus quantum dot (BPQDs) formulation to induce breast cancer cell apoptosis in situ by near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation to mobilize the immune system to eliminate the residual and metastatic cancer cells. Erythrocyte membranes (RMs) were used to coat the BPQDs, forming a BPQD-RM nanovesicle (BPQD-RMNV) biomimetic formulation that exhibited a long circulation time and tumor accumulation in vivo. The basal-like 4T1 breast tumor underwent apoptosis and necrosis with the irradiation and recruited dendritic cells (DCs) to capture the tumor antigens in vivo. Furthermore, programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody (aPD-1) was employed to prevent the CD8+ T cells from exhaustion. Notably, BPQD-RMNV-mediated PTT combined with aPD-1 treatment significantly delayed residual and metastatic tumor growth in vivo. Hence, BPQD-RMNV-mediated PTT combined with immune checkpoint blockade antibody increased the infiltration and activity of CD8+ T cells in the tumor, which directly restrained basal-like breast tumor growth in vivo. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hydrogen bond induced flexible hybrid film endows high loading of 0D lithium-ion sieve nanoparticles (HMO) nanoconfined in a 2D MXene/1D spider-web-like CNF hybrid matrix (HMO@MC) for lithium extraction. The HMO@MC film can self-intercept interference ions by steric hindrance of the surface functional groups during lithium capture, achieving a good adsorption efficiency and an excellent selectivity for Li recovery. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen-bond induced flexible lithium-ion sieve-based hybrid film is fabricated. • 0D HMO nanoparticles is confined in a flexible hybrid film consisting of 2D MXene and 1D cellulose nanofiber. • The flexible film achieves a high Li adsorption efficiency and an excellent selectivity by self-intercepting interference. Supported lithium-ion sieve (LIS) adsorbents have received widespread attention due to their excellent inherent adsorption potential toward lithium (Li) in the liquid Li source. However, LIS-based adsorbents still suffer from slow Li extraction rate and reduced Li selectivity caused by the embedding of the active sites and the adverse effects of high level of competing ions from the seawater/brine. Here, relying on the hydrogen bond (O Mn O···H O) interaction, a LIS-based sandwich heterostructure is designed by the confinement of 0D MnO 2 ·0.3H 2 O (HMO) nanoparticles into the interlayer of a flexible 2D MXene/1D cellulose nanofiber (MC) hybrid film (HMO@MC). Benefiting from the strong hydrogen bond interaction, the HMO@MC hybrid film achieves an excellent LIS utilization (up to 96 %) and a maximum Li adsorption capacity of 21.39 mg g−1, outperforming most LIS-based adsorbents. More impressively, the HMO@MC heavily reduces the Li migration barrier by self-intercepting interference through the steric hindrance effect of surface functional groups, thereby obtaining a fast Li adsorption rate (18.23 mg g−1 HMO, 12 h) and a super-high Li selectivity (e.g., Li/Na of 29231.8 and Li/Mg of 3605.9). This work offers a new adsorbent designing idea for Li extraction from liquid lithium source and will inspire more efforts in constructing LIS-based adsorbents for Li recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new member of the IV–V compounds, germanium–phosphorus (Ge–P) compounds, has been shown in experiment and theory to have a tunable bandgap (Eg), excellent chemical stability, strong in‐plane anisotropy, and wide‐range optical absorption, all indicating a promising future in electronic and optoelectronic applications. In this work, the application potential of Ge–P compounds as nonlinear optical (NLO) materials in ultrafast photonics is studied for the first time. The strong light–matter interaction, broad and tunable Ep, and broadband and strong optical response make GeP a likely NLO material for photonics, especially in infrared photonic devices. In addition, 2D GeP nanosheets are mixed with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to obtain a GeP@PVDF composite film, which further improves the stability of the GeP and, for the development of organic photonic devices, helps to slow its degradation. From Z‐scan data and fitting results, it is found that GeP has an excellent broadband NLO response. Moreover, using the GeP@PVDF composite film as a saturable absorber, a high‐stability femtosecond laser with a 722 fs pulse width is obtained in the telecommunications band. Preliminarily, Ge–P compounds display excellent optical properties suggesting that they may be used as NLO materials in advanced photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]