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A simple, yet efficient synthetic approach for the construction of vinylene-linked conjugated porous networks was developed. Based on the Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction, the condensation polymerization for the formation of an sp2 carbon-linkage can be achieved at room temperature. The resulting vinylene-linked frameworks exhibit a promising porous nature with the best surface area of up to 1373 m2 g−1. Their intrinsic conjugated architectures and semiconducting properties lead to photocatalytic evolution of hydrogen from water under visible light irradiation. This new synthesis method provides a facile means to prepare attractive sp2 carbon linked porous organic frameworks.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have been attracting considerable attention as a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage because of the abundance and low-cost of sodium resources. However, lack of appropriate anode materials impedes further applications. Herein, a novel self-template strategy is designed to synthesize uniform flowerlike N-doped hierarchical porous carbon networks (NHPCN) with high content of N (15.31 at.%) assembled by ultrathin nanosheets via a self-synthesized single precursor and subsequent thermal annealing. Relying on the synergetic coordination of benzimidazole and 2-methylimidazole with metal ions to produce a flowerlike network, a self-formed single precursor can be harvested. Due to the structural and compositional advantages, including the high N doping, the expanded interlayer spacing, the ultrathin two-dimensional nano-sized subunits, and the three-dimensional porous network structure, these unique NHPCN flowers deliver ultrahigh reversible capacities of 453.7 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 A·g−1 and 242.5 mAh·g−1 at 1 A·g−1 for 2,500 cycles with exceptional rate capability of 5 A·g−1 with reversible capacities of 201.2 mAh·g−1. The greatly improved sodium storage performance of NHPCN confirms the importance of reasonable engineering and synthesis of hierarchical carbon with unique structures.

Self-assembly of AgPF6 with a new C3-symmetric tridentate N-donor ligand gives rise to unusual pseudo-2D porous networks with open channels via the interpenetration of 1D zigzag ladders. The open-c...

ZrB2/SiBCN composites containing carbon fibers coated with BN were prepared using combination of sol-gel and spark plasma sintering (SPS) techniques. Thermal shock and ablation behavior of these composites were thoroughly analyzed. Sintered composites contained ZrB2, SiC and BN(C) crystalline phases. Thin BN layer passivated carbon fibers and prevented them from reacting with the matrix. With the addition of carbon fiber, diffusion coefficient decreased, and the thermal expansion coefficient increased in comparison to ZrB2/SiBCN composites without carbon fibers. Ablation tests showed no crack formation after carbon fibers were added to the composites. Ablation center exhibited loose and porous network structure. ZrSiO4 formed from ZrO2 and SiO2 reaction in the central ablation region. Presence of ZrSiO4 prevented samples from further ablation-related damages.

Tremendous efforts have been made to achieve the ordered porosity of solids. Nowadays, researchers are developing strategies for the preparation of uniformly porous carbons derived from sustainable precursors, such as biomass. Ordered and/or uniform interconnected porosity in carbons improves the mass transfer of various species in porous networks, which is especially favorable for adsorption, catalysis, and energy storage/conversion-related applications. This review presents advancements, challenges and prospects in the relatively new field of biomass-derived carbons with ordered porosity, which is an attractive topic for scientists and engineers studying materials science, chemical engineering, environmental science, and more. Particularly, it is addressed to researchers who are interested in the design and synthesis of nanomaterials for solving the challenging energy and environmental issues.

A prominent characteristic of two-dimensional higher-order topological insulators (2D-HOTIs) is the topologically protected corner modes associated with gapped edge states. Opening the gap of bulk and edge states is a key to realizing 2D-HOTIs. In this paper, we theoretically propose that 2D-HOTIs can be realized on porous network models. We consider two porous network models, the graphenylenelike and the porous-honeycomb models, which respectively contain 12 and 18 atoms in supercells. These superstructures can open the bulk gap as well as the edge gap and induce HOTIs. Experimentally, graphene nanomesh, other 2D porous materials, and organic molecules naturally host supercells with regular nanoholes, which can be candidates to realizing HOTIs. Our studies reveal that 2D-HOTIs can be realized on some 2D porous network models and provide a promising route to explore HOTI states in real materials.

Harvard scientists developed a multifunctional fiber sheet that provides protection in extreme environments. They use a dry-jet wet spinning method to create a porous network of thin, continuous fibers that overcomes the traditional trade-off between thermal insulation and mechanical strength.

International audience; The smectite content is a key parameter to be determined for various applications of clays and clay-rich rocks. The quantity of interlayer water characteristic of swelling domains can be used to assess the smectite content in clays. We propose in this study to use a simple approach to determine water distribution in clays (mainly between pores and interlayers) by means of thermoporometry and thermogravimetric analysis. Provided the interlayer water does not freeze at low temperature upon thermoporometry experiments, the difference between water quantities determined by the two techniques is assigned to interlayer water. Single-phase model clays and complex natural clay rocks and their composites in water-saturated state are characterized by this approach. The open question is the application of available thermoporometry models developed for simple pore geometry to characterize the complex pore network of clays. Depending on the approach used, different pore sizes were obtained highlighting the limit of a simplified model to describe the complex porous network. The results are more coherent when quantifying the amount of interlayer water, further used for smectite content estimation. Good agreement was obtained between smectite fraction contents deduced from the results of thermal analysis and those measured by conventional mineralogical techniques.

The extracellular matrix (ECM)-inspired electrospinning scaffolds have a good cytocompatibility. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the main components in the bladder ECM, but it is hard to be made by electrospinning alone. In this study, it is shown that coaxial electrospinning can fabricate poly(l-lactide)/poly(e-caprolactone) (PLCL)/HA nanofibers with the core-shell structure. The HA coating nanofibers have more hydrophilicity, which can promote cell proliferation and migration by filopodial outgrowth. We also fabricated domed PLCL/HA nanofiber scaffolds used in bladder regeneration by improving bladder capacity and facilitating smooth muscle proliferation.

The morphology and crystallographic surface can influence the catalytic HER activity of electrocatalyst. With sufficient active sites and surface area, nanoporous materials with three-dimensional interconnected porous networks have shown the promising application in electrocatalyst. In this work, we report a simple method that can synthesize the self-supported nanoporous cobalt phosphosulfate (CoP|S) electrocatalyst. Theoretical calculation shows that the phosphorus substitution by sulfur can control the electronic structures of the active sites and accelerate charge transfer of CoP, therefore improving HER activity. The experimental study shows that nanoporous CoP|S electrodes present the improved HER performance compared with CoP in alkaline media and acidic media, respectively.

In this study, porous network-like α-Fe2O3 and α/γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by auto-combustion method and their photocatalytic performance was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as a dye model. Calcination of the synthesized nanoparticles resulted in α/γ-Fe2O3 heterophase magnetite material at 450°С and pure α-Fe2O3 at 700 and 800°С. The magnetic property of α/γ-Fe2O3 makes the photocatalyst to be easily collected from the photocatalytic system and increases its potential in industrial applications. The α/γ-Fe2O3 heterophase material showed a photocatalytic performance almost similar to that of the α-Fe2O3 NPs calcined at 800°С, but higher than that of the α-Fe2O3 NPs calcined at 700°С. The cliff-like band structure between α-Fe2O3 and γ-Fe2O3 reduced recombination of photoelectrons and photoholes, thereby improving photocatalytic performance of the α/γ-Fe2O3 heterophase material.

The self-assembly of 3,10-dibromo-perylo[1,12-b,c,d]thiophene on Ag(111) leads to three types of ordered porous networks: honeycomb PN1, Kagome PN2, and hybrid PN3. Detailed experimental and theore...

Slippery lubricant-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS), which typically rely on surface structure and chemical properties to store and maintain the lubricant, usually lack fast self-replenishing ability due to the limited storage capacity of the lubricant or structure obstruction to fluid flow. Here, a practical and dexterous strategy for creating a lubricant-infused fibrous porous surface (LIFPS) which combines ultra-large capacity with fast self-replenishment is reported. This capability stems from the well-designed internal and surface hierarchical microstructures. Regularly arranged cavities designed to store the lubricant, similar to the nectaries of Nepenthes, are embedded inside the material and interconnected by a 3D fibrous porous network to promote rapid circulation of the lubricant. The internal pore structure and surface are interconnected by a 3D network of fibrous fine pores, and thereby form the surface microstructure, which effectively controls the leakage of the internal lubricant and maintains the stability of the surface lubricant film. Surface damage test shows that it is suitable for rapid healing of surface properties. This novel structural design, preparation method and the resulting surfaces are critical for designing advanced and fast self-replenishing slippery surfaces and driving their application.

A simple, facile and sensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) bioassay protocol for metronidazole (MNZ) detection in common oral medicine samples has been proposed under visible-light irradiation, where novel hierarchical coral-like g-C3N4 nanoarchitectures (cg-C3N4) have been first explored as PEC sensing platform. Featured with the unique nanostructures (e.g., interlaced porous network architecture, and open boundaries), the as-formed cg-C3N4 nanoarchitectures not only efficiently inhibit the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole but also enable the immobilization of capture antibodies as well as the antibody-antigen binding efficiency fluently, thus amplifying the photocurrent response. This newly constructed PEC immunoassay displays excellent performance for MNZ determination with high sensitivity and selectivity. Under the optimal condition, this bioassay protocol exhibits a linear range of 0.01–100 µM with a detection limit of 0.005 µM at signal to noise ratio of 3. The resulting PEC immunoassay has been proved to be applicable for sensing MNZ in common oral medicine samples.

Porous carbons are promising materials for supercapacitor electrodes owing to their excellent electrical conductivity, high surface area, unique porous networks, and superior chemical inertness. This article summarizes the recent development of block copolymer-based porous carbons for supercapacitor electrodes. We first introduce the fundamentals of supercapacitors and block copolymers, followed by representative examples to highlight the use of block copolymers for fabricating porous carbons that have morphologies unattainable by other strategies. Instead of a comprehensive review, the article surveys papers published within the past five years. We discuss block copolymer-based porous carbons in the formats of zero-dimensional powders, one-dimensional fibers, two-dimensional films, and three-dimensional monoliths. In the end, the article presents a few challenges and opportunities associated with the application of block copolymers for supercapacitors.

Superhydrophobic films that are simple, inexpensive, corrosion-resistant and multifunctional are in high demand for industrial applications. We propose a simple and economical phase separation method for fabricating superhydrophobic films using polylactic acid (PLA), nano-SiO2 and a mixture of good and poor solvents to construct a rough surface with a nano/microstructured morphology. The phase separation-induced superhydrophobic PLA/SiO2 composite film with a porous network structure has a water contact angle greater than 164°. This method can be applied to a variety of surfaces or used in large-scale industrial production. The fabricated superhydrophobic films may be applied in biological fields because PLA is a good biodegradable material.

Electron microscopy evolved over the past eight decades as a revolutionary imaging technique for scientists and engineers and represents today a key technology for the characterization of materials across a wide range of applications. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used in materials science for in-depth characterization, quality control, and failure analysis providing topographical, morphological, and compositional information about the surface of different materials. Hydrogels are cross-linked three-dimensional (3D) networks made from hydrophilic polymeric chains which are capable to absorb large amounts of water or biological fluids. Since water is the greatest component of the human body, hydrogels display an undeniable potential as prime candidates for biomedical purposes, in fields like drug delivery, self-healing materials, and carriers or matrices for tissue engineering. These remarkable materials include several benefits, such as increased biocompatibility, tunable biodegradability, tailorable porous architectures, proper mechanical strength, and a degree of flexibility close to natural tissues. This chapter highlights the important role of SEM in the study of morphological structure of hydrogels obtained from three of the most abundant biopolymers on earth: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The construction of the 3D porous network is one of the essential factors which influence the final properties, from swelling and mechanical properties to transport kinetics and release of active principles. While much of the research on hydrogels is centred on identification of advanced pathways to create novel materials of superior quality, there will always be a primary need to obtain detailed and complex information about the porous architecture, supramolecular organization and morphology of these materials. SEM is able to provide solid and realistic information related to the appearance, integrity, organization, quality, and degree of uniformity of hydrogels. The obtained data are multiple and allow the construction on several hierarchical levels of a true image of the porous assembly, in a wide dimensional range.

Noble metal-based nanomaterials have been a hot research topic during the past few decades. Particularly, self-assembled porous architectures have triggered tremendous interest. At the forefront of porous nanostructures, there exists a research endeavor of noble metal aerogels (NMAs), which are unique in terms of macroscopic assembly systems and three-dimensional (3D) porous network nanostructures. Combining excellent features of noble metals and the unique structural traits of porous nanostructures, NMAs are of high interest in diverse fields, such as catalysis, sensors, and self-propulsion devices. Regardless of these achievements, it is still challenging to rationally design well-tailored NMAs in terms of ligament sizes, morphologies, and compositions and profoundly investigate the underlying gelation mechanisms. Herein, an elaborate overview of the recent progress on NMAs is given. First, a simple description of typical synthetic methods and some advanced design engineering are provided, and then, the gelation mechanism models of NMAs are discussed in detail. Furthermore, promising applications particularly focusing on electrocatalysis and biosensors are highlighted. In the final section, brief conclusions and an outlook on the existing challenges and future chances of NMAs are also proposed.

Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs) have recently been intensively investigated because of promising potential in various applications that require water repellency. However, the use of SLIPS is limited by its unsatisfactory oil-storage and -replacement capabilities. Here we designed network surface structures with interconnected microchannels and cross-linked nanosheets, which acted as natural oil reservoirs and vessels. A lubricant can be firmly locked and stored into the networks, leading to an efficient water repellency as well as improved mechanical durability and stability. We further show the surface structures can be applied to anti-icing/deicing, demonstrated by its improved icing-delaying, anti-icing, and deicing properties even after multiple cycles, compared to those on superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) and the conventional SLIPSs. We envision that this unique design of the slippery liquid-infused porous network surface (SLIPNS) with robust stability and durability may expand its application in extreme environments.

Dynamically switchable porous networks offer exciting potential in functionalizing surfaces. The structure and morphology of the networks can be controlled by applying external stimuli. Here, a dynamic supramolecular template assembled by 1,3,5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (BTB) is successfully achieved at the liquid-solid interface by applying two external stimuli simultaneously. Upon varying the concentration of BTB solution together with switching the polarity of the sample bias, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) undergo phase transitions twice: an immediate transition from a compact structure to a macroporous (honeycomb) structure as a response to the change in the electric field and a fast-changing transition from the macroporous to a microporous (oblique) structure. With saturated BTB solution, however, the initial compact structure can only transform into the oblique structure after switching the polarity of the sample bias without the appearance of a honeycomb structure. The different phase transitions suggest that the dynamic supramolecular template can only survive at a specific concentration range and is obtainable by performing multiple stimuli simultaneously. Interestingly, introducing a guest molecule to the system can adjust the phase transition process and effectively stabilize the honeycomb structure of BTB. The flexibility associated with the porous networks renders it a dynamic supramolecular template for guest binding.

Block copolymer–based porous carbon fibers show ultrahigh capacity and rate for capacitive deionization., Capacitive deionization (CDI) is energetically favorable for desalinating low-salinity water. The bottlenecks of current carbon-based CDI materials are their limited desalination capacities and time-consuming cycles, caused by insufficient ion-accessible surfaces and retarded electron/ion transport. Here, we demonstrate porous carbon fibers (PCFs) derived from microphase-separated poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-polyacrylonitrile (PMMA-b-PAN) as an effective CDI material. PCF has abundant and uniform mesopores that are interconnected with micropores. This hierarchical porous structure renders PCF a large ion-accessible surface area and a high desalination capacity. In addition, the continuous carbon fibers and interconnected porous network enable fast electron/ion transport, and hence a high desalination rate. PCF shows desalination capacity of 30 mgNaCl g−1PCF and maximal time-average desalination rate of 38.0 mgNaCl g−1PCF min−1, which are about 3 and 40 times, respectively, those of typical porous carbons. Our work underlines the promise of block copolymer–based PCF for mutually high-capacity and high-rate CDI.

Spontaneous bone regeneration is heavily restricted because of bone defects, and external mediation is required to enhance repair and regeneration. Bone tissue engineering (BTE) is a multidisciplinary field that offers promising substitutes to traditional methods-namely, autografts, allografts, and xenografts. Amidst the various scaffolds for BTE applications, it has been demonstrated that hydrogels are promising templates for bone regeneration owing to their similarities to the natural extracellular matrix. Regardless of the development of a variety of biomaterials, chitosan (CS) as a natural biopolymer has drawn tremendous attention in recent years for its use as a valuable graft material to form thermo/pH-responsive injectable hydrogels. Formulations of CS-based injectable hydrogels are advantageous in terms of their high-water imbibing capability, minimal invasiveness, porous networks, and ability to mold perfectly into an irregular defect. In this review, the physicochemical properties and applications of thermo/pH-responsive CS-based hydrogels and their future perspectives in BTE are briefly outlined.

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 to value-added chemicals is a promising strategy for making use of excess CO2. Here, we synthesized a porous network zinc catalyst by electrodeposition of Zn(NO3)2 on Zn foil. The material exhibited excellent catalytic activity, being able to reduce CO2 to CO with ~80% Faradaic efficiency (FECO) at −1.1 V vs RHE. Control experiments suggested that the high activity of the Zn porous network can be attributed to its unique nanostructured surface with a large active surface area. Keywords: Electrochemical reduction of CO2, Selectivity, Porous network Zn catalyst, CO production

We report a simple and efficient surfactant-free method to prepare 3D porous PtCu networks with ultrathin jagged nanowires and controllable composition. The morphological evolution and the influential effects of the important experimental parameters on the PtCu networks have been systematically studied. Relative to commercial Pt/C and Pt black catalysts, these porous PtCu networks exhibit much better activity and remarkably improved durability towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The excellent ORR performance could be attributed to their structural features, including the core-shell nanostructures with a Pt-skin, the 3D porous networks with high surface area, and the ultrathin (3.6 nm) jagged nanowires with plentiful edge/corner atoms. Notably, this method can be facilely extended to obtain PtCuAu trimetallic nanowire networks with high porosity, which exhibits its robustness for preparing novel 3D porous nanostructures with great potential in various catalytic applications.

It is widely admitted that metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are water sensitive and that high temperatures accelerate the hydrolysis phenomena and the collapse of the porous network. We have investigated here the resistance of the prototypical HKUST-1 MOF under steam flow at temperatures ranging from RT to 200 °C. Surprisingly, the porous framework is not degraded at 200 °C, whereas temperatures close to 100 °C lead to the total destruction of the MOF. This unexpected behavior is assigned to the extended interaction of water with the porous framework at temperature about 100 °C, whereas above 150 °C the transient interactions between gaseous water and the HKUST-1 framework limit the decomposition process.

Aerogels of cellulose exhibit remarkable mechanical properties as a function of density. Modifying the pore volume in classical cellulose aerogels using sacrificial template methods provide scaffold like microstructure. In the present study, we have developed aerogels of cellulose scaffolds having almost same density values but differ in microstructure and analysed the influence on the mechanical properties of bulk materials. This study can give an insight into the materials design for advanced engineering materials. Employing four surfactants having difference in hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB), namely polyoxyethylene tert-octylphenyl ether (PT), polyoxyethylene (20) oleyl ether (PO), polyoxyethylene (40) nonylphenyl ether (PN) and polyoxyethylene (100) stearyl ether (PS), the cellulose scaffolds with hierarchical porous structures were developed. The mechanical properties of cellulose scaffolds were compared with classical pure cellulose aerogels. The results indicate that the solid fraction of cellulose nanofibers per unit volume of cell walls of scaffolds plays an important role in determining the elastic properties and strength. As the nanofibrils support the cell walls of scaffolds, Young’s modulus can be improved if the concentration of cellulose nanofibers is high at the cell walls or cell wall thickness is larger. The scaffold materials of this kind could be used as supporting materials with desired properties for filter, catalysis and biomedicine.

In real crude-oil pipelines, the formed wax deposits could be heterogeneous along the radial or axial directions. However, studies on this aspect are scarce. In this paper, the effect of the polyoctadecyl acrylate (POA) wax inhibitor on the wax deposition of 10 wt % model waxy oil was investigated with the aid of an in-house wax deposition device, differential scanning calorimetry test, high-temperature gas chromatography–Fourier transform infrared analysis, and microscopic observation. The results showed that adding POA in the model waxy oil greatly modifies the morphology of precipitated wax crystals, thus greatly changing the wax deposition behavior of the oil. For oil sample 1 (without POA), the precipitated wax crystals (needle-like) more easily form porous network structures, causing the formation of a thick and porous wax deposit with relatively low WAT, wax conten,t and critical carbon number (CCN). With the increase of POA concentration (oil samples 2–5), the precipitated wax crystals become more...

A novel strategy for producing three-dimensional (3D) porous Ti3C2Tx(MXene) networks by alkali-induced crumpling of Ti3C2Txnanosheets is presented. These networks display high capacity and good rate performance as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.

Nano-functional materials with 3D porous architectures have gained increasing importance due to their potential applications deriving from outstanding physical and chemical reaction properties. It is still a long-standing challenge to assemble organic energetic molecules and their composites into functional macroscale architectures with porous networks for practical applications. Herein, we introduce a general approach for constructing 3D architectures (sizes in dozens of millimeters) with a porous network of energetic molecules through the two-step self-assembly of energetic nanoparticles, which involves electrostatic interactions and micro-crystallization on interfaces of nanoparticles driven by an ice-template process. 3D porous architectures of several typical energetic molecules were successfully prepared to further illustrate the effectiveness of this approach. The significantly enhanced chemical reactivity induced by thermal and shock stimuli contributed to 3D architectures with hierarchical pore network. This study demonstrates the potential of the controlled preparation of organic energetic materials with 3D porous architecture, which meets a wide range of applications on optimization of physical and chemical properties.

Porous bioglass (BG) scaffolds are of great importance in tissue engineering because of their excellent osteogenic properties for bone regeneration. Herein, we reported for the first time the use of amino-modified bacterial cellulose (NBC) as a template to prepare a three-dimensional (3D) nanofibrous BG scaffold by a facile modified sol–gel approach under ultrasonic treatment. The results suggested that the amino groups on the BC template could effectively promote the absorption of the deposited CaO and SiO2 precursors, and the as-obtained BG scaffold showed a 3D interconnected porous network structure consisting of nanofibers with a diameter of about 20 nm. Furthermore, the as-obtained BG scaffold showed very good bioactivity after being immersed in SBF for 7 days. This research provides a facile and efficient way to prepare a nanofibrous BG scaffold with 3D porous structure, which can be used as a promising candidate for biomedical applications.

From the interplay between high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy imaging/manipulations and density functional theory calculations, we display the hierarchical formation of supramolecular networks by codeposition of 9eG molecules and Fe atoms on Au(111) based on the flexible coordination bonds (the adaptability and versatility in the coordination modes). In the first step, homochiral islands composed of homochiral G4Fe2 motifs are formed; and then in the second step, thermal treatment results in the transformation into the porous networks composed of heterochiral G4Fe2 motifs with the ratio of the components being constant. In situ STM manipulations and the coexistence of some other heterochiral G4Fe2 motifs and clusters also show the flexibility of the coordination bonds involved. These studies may provide a fundamental understanding of the regulations of multilevel supramolecular structures and shed light on the formation of designed supramolecular nanostructures.

The use of porous structures is an ancient wisdom, people found its importance ever since we began to understand nature. The evolution of porous structure gives rise to multi-scale (combined nano-, micro-, and macro-) porous networks. Traditional manufacturing technologies have challenges in creating shape-complex and conformable porous structures for real-world applications. Additive manufacturing (AM) with the capability of assembling various materials with complex and customized architectures is rapidly developing. With the advancement of material development, the integration of AM and porous structure offers unparalleled and emerging opportunities for concept-to-design-to-fabrication of multi-scale porous networks, enabling the multi-functionalities of the 3D printed specimen and broadening its applications. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art ink-based AM techniques for 3D printing porous structures. The ink design principle, ink composition, and printability are thoroughly discussed. The methodologies of various AM technologies for porous structures are analyzed. Readers can find a clear experimental guidance toward 3D printing multi-scale porous structures. The synergistic and collective merits of additive manufacturing and porous structure are highlighted and systematically discussed in this review. The challenges and promises of this field for future research are also outlined.

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene with macrostructure has attracted extensive research interests due to its interconnected network and remaining extraordinary properties of the graphene. Currently, several methods have been reported to prepare 3D structural graphene. However, the prepared 3D graphene by the current methods suffers from insufficient ability to be free-standing or poor flexibility. Therefore, in this paper, a facile and mild method was developed to prepare 3D functionalized graphene by template-assisted hydrothermal carbonization reaction based on the renewable glucose as the raw material. The merit of the method is that the whole process is simple and environmental-friendly. More importantly, the as-prepared 3D functionalized graphene possesses monolithic and porous network structure, which exhibits outstanding flexibility and ultralight properties.

Nanoporous metals with their distinct three-dimensional interconnected porous networks are promising materials as electrocatalysts for fundamental studies and practical applications because they have highly conductive self-supporting porous structures with large electrochemical surface areas. This Perspective provides an overview of the recent developments and state-of-the-art nanoporous metals as electrocatalysts for various important electrochemical systems. Potential strategies and opportunities for utilizing the unique characteristics of nanoporous metals to overcome typical problems faced in electrocatalysis are presented. Lastly, challenges regarding the synthesis of nanoporous metals with controlled porous structure and targeted surface catalytic sites are also discussed to stimulate new ideas and interests for nanoporous metallic electrocatalysts.

Composite scaffolds were prepared from the mixture of chitosan (C), gelatin (G) and nanodiopside (nDP) in different inorganic/organic weight ratios using the freeze-drying method. The prepared nDP and composite scaffolds were investigated using BET, FT-IR, SEM and XRD techniques. The composite scaffolds had 70–81% porosities with interlinked porous networks. Moreover, investigation of the cell proliferation, adhesion and viability using MTT test and mouse preosteoblast cell proved the cytocompatible nature of the composite scaffolds with improved cell attachment and proliferation. All these results essentially illustrated that this composite could have a potential ability for the tissue engineering applications.

Microspheres have long been used in drug delivery applications because of their controlled release capabilities. They have increasingly served as the fundamental building block for fabricating scaffolds for regenerative engineering because of their ability to provide a porous network, offer high-resolution control over spatial organization, and deliver growth factors/drugs and/or nanophase materials. Because they provide physicochemical gradients via spatiotemporal release of bioactive factors and nanophase ceramics, microspheres are a desirable tool for engineering complex tissues and biological interfaces. In this review we describe various methods for microsphere fabrication and sintering, and elucidate how these methods influence both micro- and macroscopic scaffold properties, with a special focus on the nature of sintering. Furthermore, we review key applications of microsphere-based scaffolds in regenerating various tissues. We hope to inspire researchers to join a growing community of investigators using microspheres as tissue engineering scaffolds so that their full potential in regenerative engineering may be realized.

When a cementitious material is in contact with ambient air, CO2 enters the material by the porous network and through the cracks, reacts with the CSH hydrates and Ca (OH)2. These carbonation react...

Bioactive glasses and related bioactive glass-ceramics have been used for over three decades in biomedical applications such as bulk, particulate, or coatings materials. More recently, highly porous bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds for bone-tissue engineering have also been developed from selected compositions of bioactive glasses. Current bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds are characterized by an open porous network, high bioactivity, and mechanical properties similar to those of trabecular bone. This article reviews the latest achievements in the development of porous bioactive glass-ceramics intended for bone-tissue engineering applications, highlighting the fabrication technologies and scaffold properties. Improvements in the mechanical properties of bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds exhibiting high bioactivity have been achieved by different approaches in the last 10 years. Relevant long-term in vivo studies are required to confirm the suitability of such bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds in clinical applications.

We report internally porous Au-embedded hematite on FTO using CTAB. Incorporation of Au and CTAB synergistically improved the photocurrent of hematite by 63% at 1.23 VRHE in 1 M NaOH under standard illumination conditions. The performance enhancement is due to the increased donor density and optical properties of internally porous networks and plasmonic absorption of hematite.