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[Display omitted] • PCL-EO@SF-BAs membrane is developed for food freshness monitoring and retaining. • BAs endow the membrane colorimetric response and antioxidant activity. • Antibacterial activity of the membrane is from the control released EO. • Directional water transport is generated from the bilayer asymmetric wettability. • Synergistic effect of directional water transport occurs on food shelf-life extending. Currently, designing smart membranes with multifunctional effectiveness is crucial to food freshness monitoring and retention. Herein, an active colorimetric Janus bilayer membrane with directional water transport (DWT) performance is constructed by electrospinning, which comprises a hydrophilic layer of silk fibroin-bayberry anthocyanins (SF-BAs) and a hydrophobic layer of polycaprolactone-eucalyptus oil (PCL-EO). The entities of BAs and EO are well dispersed in the fiber matrix by hydrogen bonds and physical interactions, respectively. BAs endow the membrane colorimetric response and antioxidant activity, and EO contributes to the antibacterial activity while DWT performance is generated from the asymmetric wettability of the two layers. The bilayer membrane has an accumulative one-way transport index of 1077%, an overall moisture management capacity of 0.76 and a water evaporation rate of 0.48 g h−1. Moreover, the release of BAs and EO was predominantly controlled by Fickian diffusion. As a pH-sensing indicator, PCL-EO@SF-BAs is highly sensitive to external pH stimuli and the response is reversible. In addition to freshness monitoring, PCL-EO@SF-BAs can extend the shelf-life of pork beyond 100% at 4 °C. Also, it can extend the shelf life of shrimp by approximately 70% at 25 °C with the synergistic effect of antibacterial activity and the DWT performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Searching for advanced anode materials with exceptional electrochemical performance is essential for next-generation rechargeable batteries. The selection and structural design of anode materials are pivotal in the development of high-performance batteries. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of uniform NiCo 2 O 4 nanotubes via a simple and cost-effective electrospinning technique followed by calcination in the air. Impressively, the advantages and importance of NiCo 2 O 4 nanotubes as an anode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is demonstrated, which surpass their respective monometallic oxides in terms of electrochemical performance. Encouragingly, the as-obtained NiCo 2 O 4 nanotubes as an anode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) exhibit appealing electrochemical performance, such as high initial discharge capacity (879 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1), good rate capability, and excellent cycling stability. Moreover, a reversible capacity of 420 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 can be maintained even after 100 cycles, corresponding to around 72% of the second cycle discharge capacity (584 mAh g−1). It is worth noting that this facile technique may provide a feasible way for the preparation of other functional materials with tube-like architectures for application in energy-storage device. Graphical abstract An advanced NiCo 2 O 4 nanotubes anode has been successfully prepared through a simple and cost-effective electrospinning technique followed by calcination in air. The as-obtained NiCo 2 O 4 nanotubes exhibits appealing electrochemical performance, such as high initial discharge capacity, good rate capability, and excellent cycling stability. Image 1 Highlights • NiCo 2 O 4 nanotubes are prepared through an electrospinning technique. • The NiCo 2 O 4 nanotubes surpass their respective monometallic oxides in terms of electrochemical performance in LIBs. • The NiCo 2 O 4 nanotubes as anode for SIBs present excellent electrochemical properties. • The electrospinning technique can be extended to prepare other functional materials in energy-storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, Janus membranes have attracted growing attention in oil-water separation due to the unique asymmetric wettability on opposite two surfaces. Nevertheless, it is still challengeable to achieve the superhydrophilicity and superhydrophobicity of the two opposite sides. Inspired by the lotus leaf and orange structure, the Janus membrane of polyacrylonitrile/poly (vinylidene fluoride)@poly (vinylidene fluoride)-methyltriethoxysilane (PAN/PVDF@PVDF-MTES) is developed by electrospinning and electrospraying technique for oil-water separation. In Janus membrane structure, each layer is physically combined, and the Janus-PAN side is superhydrophilic with water contact angle (WCA) of ∼0°, while the Janus-PVDF-MTES side is superhydrophobic with WCA of ∼170.2 ± 2.4°. These characteristics endow the membrane with outstanding separation efficiencies and good reusability. The separation mechanism is elucidated on the basis of the asymmetric wettability. The kinetics behavior of the oils in Janus membrane follows the models of pseudo-first-order and intra-particle diffusion. The oil flux of the Janus membrane is associated with the types of oil and the diffusion is not the only influence factor in oil adsorption. The application trial results indicate the potential of PAN/PVDF@PVDF-MTES membrane in the separation of the oil/water mixtures and surfactant-stabilized emulsions. [Display omitted] • A stragety of bionic Janus membrane of lotus leaf and orange structure is proposed. • Janus-PAN side is superhydrophilic with water contact angle of ∼0°. • Janus-PVDF-MTES side is superhydrophobic with water contact angle of ∼170.2 ± 2.4°. • Kinetics behavior of oils follows pseudo-first-order and intra-particle diffusion. • Janus membrane is highly efficient with good reusability for oil-water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The as-prepared binder-free Co 1−x S/MCF anode exhibits the desirable electrochemical performance for LIBs and SIBs, which can be attributed to the unique hierarchical nanostructure which provides enough active sites and internal space for volume expansion. [Display omitted] • The flexible Co 1−x S/MCF electrode is prepared via the electrospinning technique. • The Co 1−x S/MCF presents hierarchically hollow and multichannel structures. • The Co 1−x S/MCF electrode can effectively ease the huge volume expansion. • The Co 1−x S/MCF electrode shows high electrochemical performance for LIBs and SIBs. The exploration of prospective electrode materials represents great challenges for remarkable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, we report a reliable synthetic approach for the in-situ growth of the Co-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) on electrospun nanofibers, followed by carbonization and sulfurization with the formation of free-standing Co 1−x S hollow polyhedrons anchored on multichannel carbon nanofibers (Co 1−x S/MCF) for LIBs and SIBs. The Co 1−x S/MCF electrode displays a high reversible capacity (813 mAh g−1 over 180 cycles at 0.1 A g−1), and stable cycle performance (559 mAh g−1 for 300 cycles at 1 A g−1) in LIBs. For SIBs, Co 1−x S/MCF electrode exhibits a favorable Na-storage capacity (433 mAh g−1 over 120 cycles at 0.1 A g−1). The as-prepared binder-free Co 1−x S/MCF anode demonstrates the advanced electrochemical properties for LIBs and SIBs. It is attributed to the particular multichannel nanostructure and the Co 1−x S hollow polyhedrons (Co 1−x S HPs), which provide enough active sites, and the internal void space effectively reduces the structural strain and eases the volume expansion to maintain structural integrity. This work gives insights to design a unique structure for promising LIBs and SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The as-prepared binder-free Co 1−x S/MCF anode exhibits the desirable electrochemical performance for LIBs and SIBs, which can be attributed to the unique hierarchical nanostructure which provides enough active sites and internal space for volume expansion. [Display omitted] • The flexible Co 1−x S/MCF electrode is prepared via the electrospinning technique. • The Co 1−x S/MCF presents hierarchically hollow and multichannel structures. • The Co 1−x S/MCF electrode can effectively ease the huge volume expansion. • The Co 1−x S/MCF electrode shows high electrochemical performance for LIBs and SIBs. The exploration of prospective electrode materials represents great challenges for remarkable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, we report a reliable synthetic approach for the in-situ growth of the Co-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) on electrospun nanofibers, followed by carbonization and sulfurization with the formation of free-standing Co 1−x S hollow polyhedrons anchored on multichannel carbon nanofibers (Co 1−x S/MCF) for LIBs and SIBs. The Co 1−x S/MCF electrode displays a high reversible capacity (813 mAh g−1 over 180 cycles at 0.1 A g−1), and stable cycle performance (559 mAh g−1 for 300 cycles at 1 A g−1) in LIBs. For SIBs, Co 1−x S/MCF electrode exhibits a favorable Na-storage capacity (433 mAh g−1 over 120 cycles at 0.1 A g−1). The as-prepared binder-free Co 1−x S/MCF anode demonstrates the advanced electrochemical properties for LIBs and SIBs. It is attributed to the particular multichannel nanostructure and the Co 1−x S hollow polyhedrons (Co 1−x S HPs), which provide enough active sites, and the internal void space effectively reduces the structural strain and eases the volume expansion to maintain structural integrity. This work gives insights to design a unique structure for promising LIBs and SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]