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Inkjet printing and 3D inkjet printing have found many applications in the fabrication of a great variety of devices, which have been developed with the aim to improve and simplify the design, fabrication, and performance of sensors and analytical platforms. Here, developments of these printing technologies reported during the last 10 years are reviewed and their versatile applicability for the fabrication of improved sensing platforms and analytical and diagnostic sensor systems is demonstrated. Illustrative examples are reviewed in the context of particular advantages provided by inkjet printing technologies. Next to aspects of device printing and fabrication strategies, the utilization of inkjet dispensing, which can be implemented into common analytical tools utilizing customized inkjet printing equipment as well as state-of-the-art consumer inkjet printing devices, is highlighted. This review aims to providing a comprehensive overview of examples integrating inkjet and 3D inkjet printing technologies into device layout fabrication, dosing, and analytical applications to demonstrate the versatile applicability of these technologies, and furthermore, to inspire the utilization of inkjet printing for future developments., (© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The ongoing digitalization is rapidly changing and will further revolutionize all parts of life. This statement is currently omnipresent in the media as well as in the scientific community; however, the exact consequences of the proceeding digitalization for the field of materials science in general and the way research will be performed in the future are still unclear. There are first promising examples featuring the potential to change discovery and development approaches toward new materials. Nevertheless, a wide range of open questions have to be solved in order to enable the so-called digital-supported material research. The current state-of-the-art, the present and future challenges, as well as the resulting perspectives for materials science are described., (© 2021 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A new shape-memory polymer is presented, in which both the stable phase as well as the switching unit consist of two different metal complexes. Suitable metal ions, which simultaneously form labile complexes with histidine and stable ones with terpyridine ligands, are identified via isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements. Different copolymers are synthesized, which contain butyl methacrylate as the main monomer and the metal-binding ligands in the side chains. Zn(TFMS) 2 and NiCl 2 are utilized for the dual crosslinking, resulting in the formation of metallopolymer networks. The switching temperature can simply be tuned by changing the composition as well as by the choice of the metal ion. Strain fixity rates (about 99%) and very high strain recovery rates (up to 95%) are achieved and the mechanism is revealed using different techniques such as Raman spectroscopy., (© 2021 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Batteries have become an integral part of everyday life-from small coin cells to batteries for mobile phones, as well as batteries for electric vehicles and an increasing number of stationary energy storage applications. There is a large variety of standardized battery sizes (e.g., the familiar AA-battery or AAA-battery). Interestingly, all these battery systems are based on a huge number of different cell chemistries depending on the application and the corresponding requirements. There is not one single battery type fulfilling all demands for all imaginable applications. One battery class that has been gaining significant interest in recent years is polymer-based batteries. These batteries utilize organic materials as the active parts within the electrodes without utilizing metals (and their compounds) as the redox-active materials. Such polymer-based batteries feature a number of interesting properties, like high power densities and flexible batteries fabrication, among many more., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

From the smallest ecological niche to global scale, communities of microbial life present a major factor in system regulation and stability. As long as laboratory studies remain restricted to single or few species assemblies, however, very little is known about the interaction patterns and exogenous factors controlling the dynamics of natural microbial communities. In combination with microfluidic technologies, progress in the manufacture of functional and stimuli-responsive materials makes artificial microbial arenas accessible. As habitats for natural or multispecies synthetic consortia, they are expected to not only enable detailed investigations, but also the training and the directed evolution of microbial communities in states of balance and disturbance, or under the effects of modulated stimuli and spontaneous response triggers. Here, a perspective on how materials research will play an essential role in generating answers to the most pertinent questions of microbial engineering is presented, and the concept of adaptive microbial arenas and possibilities for their construction from particulate microniches to 3D habitats is introduced. Materials as active and tunable components at the interface of living and nonliving matter offer exciting opportunities in this field. Beyond forming the physical horizon for microbial cultivates, they will enable dedicated intervention, training, and observation of microbial consortia., (© 2019 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

In order to elucidate mechanisms of nanoparticle (NP)-cell interactions, a detailed knowledge about membrane-particle interactions, intracellular distributions, and nucleus penetration capabilities, etc. becomes indispensable. The utilization of NPs as additives in many consumer products, as well as the increasing interest of tailor-made nanoobjects as novel therapeutic and diagnostic platforms, makes it essential to gain deeper insights about their biological effects. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) represents an outstanding method to study the uptake and intracellular fate of NPs, since this technique provides a resolution far better than the particle size. Additionally, its capability to highlight ultrastructural details of the cellular interior as well as membrane features is unmatched by other approaches. Here, a summary is provided on studies utilizing TEM to investigate the uptake and mode-of-action of tailor-made polymer nanoparticles in mammalian cells. For this purpose, the capabilities as well as limitations of TEM investigations are discussed to provide a detailed overview on uptake studies of common nanoparticle systems supported by TEM investigations. Furthermore, methodologies that can, in particular, address low-contrast materials in electron microscopy, i.e., polymeric and polymer-modified nanoparticles, are highlighted., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

An amphiphilic Ru-containing block copolymer is used as a photoactivated polymetallodrug for anticancer phototherapy. The block copolymer self-assembles into nanoparticles, which can accumulate at tumor sites in a mouse model. Red light irradiation of the block copolymer nanoparticles releases anticancer Ru complexes and generates cytotoxic 1 O 2 , both of which can inhibit tumor growth., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The combination of a polymer-based 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-N-oxyl (TEMPO) catholyte and a zinc anode, together with a cost-efficient size-exclusion membrane, builds a new type of semi-organic, "green," hybrid-flow battery, which features a high potential range of up to 2 V, high efficiencies, and a long life time., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Microwave-assisted synthesis and processing represents a growing field in materials research and successfully entered the field of carbon nanomaterials during the last decade. Due to the strong interaction of carbon materials with microwave radiation, fast heating rates and localized heating can be achieved. These features enable the acceleration of reaction processes, as well as the formation of nanostructures with special morphologies. A comprehensive overview is provided here on the possibilities and achievements in the field of carbon-nanomaterial research when using microwave-based heating approaches. This includes the synthesis and processing of carbon nanotubes and fibers, graphene materials, carbon nanoparticles, and capsules, as well as porous carbon materials. Additionally, the principles of microwave-heating, in particular of carbon materials, are introduced and important issues, i.e., safety and reproducibility, are discussed., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Self-healing coating based on metallopolymers are prepared and fully characterized. Iron bisterpyridine complexes are incorporated into a polymer network based on methacrylates, resulting in self-healing properties of these materials. Moreover, the influence of the comonomers on the thermal properties is studied in detail., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The movement of individual block copolymer micelles in free-standing films of ionic liquids is investigated by transmission electron microscopy with the aim of providing an easily accessible high-resolution imaging tool for the in situ observation of particle movement in a liquid environment. A proof of concept and first studies on the behavior of individual particles in the fluid are demonstrated., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Our society's dependency on portable electric energy, i.e., rechargeable batteries, which permit power consumption at any place and in any time, will eventually culminate in resource wars on limited commodities like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth metals. The substitution of conventional metals as means of electric charge storage by organic and polymeric materials, which may ultimately be derived from renewable resources, appears to be the only feasible way out. In this context, the novel class of organic radical batteries (ORBs) excelling in rate capability (i.e., charging speed) and cycling stability (>1000 cycles) sets new standards in battery research. This review examines stable nitroxide radical bearing polymers, their processing to battery systems, and their promising performance., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A combination of plasma and microwave flash sintering is used to sinter an inkjet-printed and tailored silver nanoparticle formulation. By using two sintering techniques sequentially, the obtained conductivity is 60%, while keeping the processing temperature well below the glass transition temperature (T(g)) of the used polymer substrate. This approach leads to highly conductive features on cost-effective polymer substrates in relatively short times, which are compatible with roll-to-roll (R2R) production. An electroluminescence device is prepared as an example., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Electropolymerization represents a suitable and well-established approach for the assembly of polymer structures, in particular with regard to the formation of thin, insoluble films. Utilization of monomers that are functionalized with metal complex units allows the combination of structural and functional benefits of polymers and metal moieties. Since a broad range of both electropolymerizable monomers and metal complexes are available, various structures and, thus, applications are possible. Recent developments in the field of synthesis and potential applications of metal-functionalized polymers obtained via electropolymerization are presented, highlighting the significant advances in this field of research., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The utilization of supramolecular chemistry, i.e., metal-to-ligand coordination, in the field of nanotechnology is evaluated with respect to 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine, as tridentate metal binding site. Stabilization as well as directed self-assembly of nanometer-sized materials into ordered arrays are the most widely studied targets of current research. Moreover, energy- and/or electron-transfer processes are enabled when redox-active terpyridine complexes are bound to (semi)conducting species (e.g., fullerenes, polyoxometalates)-thus, applications in nanoelectronics and catalysis are currently arising from these hybrid materials. Progress made in these fields, resulting from the marriage of terpyridines (as well as their metal complexes) and nanostructures, is summarized in this Review Article., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Terpyridines represent versatile functional supramolecular building blocks that are easily integrated in numerous devices and can readily modify surfaces. In particular, redox-active complexes with terpyridine ligands have been attached to surfaces, either by covalent or non-covalent interactions, and form highly ordered mono- or multilayer systems, since electronic and charge transport properties are major topics of interest. Their applications in nanoelectronics are a driving force for understanding and enabling the utilization of the supramolecular properties of terpyridines for surface modification. This area of research has received increasing attention during the last decade leading into the supramacromolecular regime. This Progress Report presents an overview of the state-of-the-art of surface modifications utilizing terpyridine systems and highlights main results, as well as modern trends, in this research area., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have developed into a standard material used as a building block for nanotechnological developments. Based on the unique properties that make CNTs useful for many different applications in nanotechnology, optics, electronics, and material science, there has been a rapid development of this research area and many different applications have emerged in the past few years. Frequently, the alignment and immobilization of CNTs play an important role for many applications and different strategies, in particular post-synthesis approaches, can be applied. Recent developments of different techniques to immobilize and align carbon nanotubes are discussed and classified into three main categories: chemical immobilization and alignment, physical immobilization and alignment, and the use of external fields for these purposes. Many of the techniques involve multiple steps and may also cross these rather crudely defined boundaries. As such, the techniques are classified according to their most important or unique step., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Self-healing materials are able to partially or completely heal damage inflicted on them, e.g., crack formation; it is anticipated that the original functionality can be restored. This article covers the design and generic principles of self-healing materials through a wide range of different material classes including metals, ceramics, concrete, and polymers. Recent key developments and future challenges in the field of self-healing materials are summarised, and generic, fundamental material-independent principles and mechanism are discussed and evaluated.