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Reviews & Analysis

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  • Recent advances in AI present opportunities to transform industries by meeting demands for efficiency and sustainability. Here, the authors propose a framework for AI-driven infrastructures in materials discovery and manufacturing, highlighting open-source tools and scalable architectures to democratize access, enhance collaboration, and align with global sustainability goals.

    • Mariangeles Salas
    • Anand Singh
    • Lokendra Pal
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • Silk fibroin’s exceptional biocompatibility and biodegradability make it a promising biomaterial for drug delivery systems. Here, the authors review silk fibroin nanoparticles’ extraction, fabrication, and applications, highlighting challenges in large-scale production and proposing strategies to bridge the gap between laboratory research and clinical development, potentially advancing biomedical applications.

    • Shengfei Bao
    • Xiao Yang
    • Lian Duan
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • This review highlights recent advances in silk-based biomaterial scaffolds, and explores shortcomings in developing them as ideal dental

    biomaterials for therapeutic delivery and regeneration.

    • Sumanta Ghosh
    • Simran Gupta
    • Subhas C. Kundu
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • This Review surveys progress in the development of carbon nanotubes as single-photon sources for emerging quantum technologies, with a focus on chemical synthesis and quantum defect engineering, computational studies of structure-property relationships, and experimental investigations of quantum optical properties.

    • Yih-Ren Chang
    • Jacob Fortner
    • YuHuang Wang
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • Phase-shift engineering of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is a strategy for modulating the phase shifts of electrical output from multiple TENG units to achieve continuous constant voltage/current output. This Review summarizes the principles of phase shift engineered TENGs, and how it might further boost energy utilization efficiency and practicality.

    • Xinyuan Li
    • Lijiang Yin
    • Jie Wang
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • This Review explores recent advances in MXene-based stimuli-responsive materials that respond to light, heat, mechanical deformation, chemical environment, magnetic fields, and biological cues. Opportunities for translating these intelligent materials into practical technologies by exploiting their multimodal responsiveness is also discussed

    • Arash Adhami
    • Mohammad Mozafari
    • Masoud Soroush
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • This Review explores the role of fundamental physical properties, such as size, charge, elasticity, curvature, fluidity, and asymmetry, on optimizing lipid-based drug delivery systems. Knowledge gaps and guidance for the future development of lipid-based nanocarriers are also discussed.

    • Julian Menge
    • Chenjing Yang
    • Kevin Jahnke
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • Ion-selective membranes are essential for tackling water scarcity, environmental security, and energy challenges, yet conventional designs face a trade-off between permeability and selectivity. In this Review, the authors explore covalent organic frameworks as promising membrane materials, highlighting their structural advantages and proposing future research directions for enhanced ion separation and scalability.

    • Fangmeng Sheng
    • Liang Ge
    • Tongwen Xu
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • Solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries promise high energy density, long-term performance, and enhanced safety, but face challenges with interfacial issues due to poor solid–solid contact. Here, the authors review the benefits and challenges of in situ polymerization, discussing its potential to enhance electrode-electrolyte integration and improve battery performance, and proposing future prospects for multifunctional polymer solid-state electrolytes.

    • Shengxuan Lin
    • Zibo Zhang
    • Yan Lu
    PerspectiveOpen Access
  • Spider silks are a diverse family of protein-based fibers with exceptional strength, extensibility, and toughness. This Review discusses aciniform silk, which exhibits the highest toughness of all spider silks yet is relatively underexplored.

    • Kevin Chalek
    • Gregory P. Holland
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • Catalysis in lithium-sulfur batteries can address issues related to limited capacity and cycle durability. This Perspective discusses the mechanisms behind the role catalysts play in LiPS adsorption, ion and electron transport, conversion of intermediate species, and decomposition of discharge products.

    • Saheed Lateef
    • Golareh Jalilvand
    PerspectiveOpen Access
  • Lithium-sulfur batteries offer high theoretical energy density and cost advantages, but typically suffer from the lithium polysulfide shuttle effect. This Review explores the use of sparingly solvating electrolytes as a way to address this, providing an assessment of the different classes of material, including the need for assessment under real operating conditions.

    • Sergi Gadea
    • Asier Soria-Fernández
    • Julen Castillo
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • While silicon is widely used in photovoltaic devices, its use in applications that require photoelectrochemical reactions is constrained. This Review discusses the use of silicon for light-induced production of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and for biomass valorization, with a focus on nanostructures and tuning optoelectronic and surface properties.

    • Simon Joyson Galbao
    • Dhruv Aggarwal
    • Dharmapura H. K. Murthy
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • Halid perovskite nanocrystals are of interest for use in lighting displays due to their attractive luminescent properties. This Review discusses recent progress and outstanding challenges, with a focus on the pixelation process.

    • Yue Zhao
    • Bo-Hyun Choi
    • Tae-Woo Lee
    Review ArticleOpen Access
  • Solid-state electrolytes are key to the successful implementation of high-performance all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries. This Review discusses the different classes of materials that can be used for electrolytes, focusing on sulfides, halides, oxides, and borohydrides.

    • Gordon Jarrold
    • Arumugam Manthiram
    PerspectiveOpen Access

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