Conventional antibacterial materials face challenges in simultaneously integrating efficient antibacterial activity, rapid hemostasis, and high biocompatibility. Herein, we report a rationally designed composite sponge (TGSS) composed of a highly porous gelatin/sodium alginate (Gel/SA) matrix decorated with titanium diboride nanosheets (TiB2 NSs). The TiB2 NSs not only endow the TGSS with efficient near-infrared (NIR)-triggered photothermal conversion for localized thermal ablation of bacteria but also confer Fenton-like catalytic activity that converts endogenous H2O2 into cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH), enabling selective oxidative damage to microbial cells. Owing to photothermal-chemodynamic synergy, TGSS achieves exceptional antibacterial performance with 99.09% inhibition against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and 99.99% against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) under NIR irradiation. Concurrently, the highly porous Gel/SA scaffold promotes rapid blood coagulation via intrinsic pathway activation and physical adsorption, resulting in significantly reduced bleeding time and blood loss. Importantly, the polymeric matrix effectively immobilizes TiB2 nanosheets (TiB2 NSs), suppressing nanoparticle leaching and thereby mitigating potential nanotoxicity. Furthermore, TGSS demonstrated favorable biocompatibility, as evidenced by a hemolysis rate below 5% and cell viability maintained above 90% after 48 h in cytotoxicity assays. Collectively, TGSS effectively prevents bacterial infection and accelerates blood coagulation, showcasing significant potential as a multifunctional wound dressing.

Diabetic wounds are highly susceptible to bacterial infection and excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The presence of drug-resistant bacteria, heavy metal toxicity, and limitations of monotherapy significantly hampers the effectiveness of current treatments. To address this challenge, a multifunctional hydrogel (referred to as HPTM) with ROS scavenging and bacterial inhibition capabilities was prepared via the crosslinking of phenylboronic acid-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-PBA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), along with the incorporation of tannic acid (TA) and molybdenum diboride nanosheets (MoB2 NSs). The HPTM is stabilized by borate bonds and exhibits remarkable self-healing and intelligent self-degradation capabilities. Notably, the incorporation of MoB2 NSs endows the HA-PBA/PVA/TA hydrogel with multiple biological activities, including catalase (CAT)-like and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activities, as well as hydroxyl radical scavenging and photothermal performance (photothermal efficiency 37.53%). The antibacterial efficacy of HPTM against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) reached up to 99.9%. In vitro studies demonstrated that HPTM is biocompatible, promotes cell migration, and effectively reduces intracellular ROS levels. In vivo experiments simulating bacterial infection in diabetic wounds revealed that HPTM significantly enhances therapeutic outcomes. Specifically, it effectively eliminates bacteria, reduces inflammation, promotes collagen deposition and angiogenesis, thereby accelerating wound healing. This study provides an innovative strategy for the management of diabetic wounds complicated by bacterial infection, holding promising potential for future clinical applications.

Long-term preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables without cold chain support remains a critical bottleneck in ensuring food safety, primarily due to their high susceptibility to deterioration under ambient indoor storage conditions. Herein, a multifunctional Zn(II)-coordinated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) nanofibrous composite membranes (PAN-PEI-Zn) with efficient antimicrobial activity and breathability was rationally designed and fabricated via PEI grafting onto electrospun PAN nanofibrous scaffolds, followed by Zn(II) coordination modification. Compared with pristine commercial PAN films, the as-fabricated PAN-PEI-Zn membranes exhibited high antimicrobial rate (> 99.99%) against both Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Notably, in contrast to commercially available PE cling films, the PAN-PEI-Zn membranes demonstrated excellent hydrophilicity and favorable breathability. Furthermore, PAN-PEI-Zn membranes also possessed superior physical properties tailored for food packaging applications. Freshness preservation experiments confirmed that the PAN-PEI-Zn membranes could extend the shelf life of strawberries by 7 days, while significantly suppressing fruit rotting and water loss. This advanced PAN-based preservation membranes holds great promise for enhancing the quality of agricultural products, prolonging food shelf life, and reducing the reliance on energy-intensive cold chain transportation. This work offers a feasible strategy for PAN-based nanofibrous composite membranes in antibacterial and food preservation.

The treatment of bacterially infected wounds requires advanced dressings capable of delivering therapeutic interventions on demand. In this study, we developed a multifunctional chitosan/gelatin (CG) sponge incorporating boron nanosheet-based nanocomposites (BZC) loaded with curcumin and zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), which acts as a pH/near-infrared (NIR) dual-responsive nanoplatform for synergistic photothermal-chemotherapy targeting of infected wounds. The CG/BZC composite sponge was fabricated by solution blending, freeze-drying and subsequent alkali-induced crosslinking, resulting in a highly porous structure that combines excellent water absorption with mechanical toughness. The boron nanosheet (B NS) core serves as an efficient photothermal agent, while curcumin (Cur) acts as a bioactive component with antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Crucially, upon exposure to near-infrared light, the B NS-mediated photothermal effect not only generates localized heat to kill bacteria but also accelerates the release of Cur by disrupting the ZIF-8 framework, thereby enabling precise, on-demand combined photothermal-chemotherapy. This synergistic strategy allows for the controlled generation of high heat at the wound site. In vivo studies using an infected wound model demonstrated that the CG/BZC sponge significantly promotes tissue regeneration and accelerates wound healing. This study provides a promising and versatile approach for designing smart responsive dressings for advanced wound care.

Titanium-based materials hold great biomedical potential owing to excellent biocompatibility. But titanium diboride (TiB2), an emerging metal boride, is rarely explored for antitumor use, and developing multifunctional TiB2-based nanoplatforms with enhanced catalytic activity is urgently needed. Herein, we constructed a nanoplatform (TiB2-PEG-DOX) by modifying TiB2 nanosheets (TiB2 NSs) with amino polyethylene glycol (NH2-PEG-NH2) and loading doxorubicin (DOX) via electrostatic interaction. We first clarified the boron (B)-mediated Ti valence cycle: B regulates Ti electron transfer, promotes Ti4+ reduction to Ti2+, enhancing H2O2-rich tumor microenvironment Fenton-like reaction to generate cytotoxic •OH for chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Meanwhile, TiB2-PEG-DOX shows 53.53% photothermal conversion efficiency under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation for efficient photothermal therapy (PTT), and NIR further triggers on-demand DOX release. DOX accumulates at tumor sites via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect to exert chemotherapy (CT). In vitro, it eliminates 86.32% of HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells via CDT/PTT/CT synergy; in vivo, it achieves nearly complete tumor ablation in mice with excellent biocompatibility. This work provides a high-performance synergistic antitumor platform and establishes a B-modulated metal valence cycling paradigm, paving the way for titanium-based nanomedicines.

Ciprofloxacin (CIP), a widely utilized fluoroquinolone antibiotic, has become a persistent environmental contaminant, contributing to the escalating issue of antimicrobial resistance in aquatic ecosystems. The development of efficient materials for the removal of CIP from contaminated water is therefore imperative. In this study, magnesium oxide (MgO) particles with a structure of hexagonal sheet were synthesized on hierarchically porous biochar (BC) derived from wheat straw via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The BC-MgO composites were subsequently encapsulated in chitosan to form BC-MgO hydrogel beads (BC-MgO-CS), which were engineered for both adsorption and sonocatalytic degradation of CIP. The BC-MgO-CS exhibited an exceptional CIP adsorption capacity of 1678.9 mg center dot g-1. The adsorption mechanism involved a combination of electrostatic interactions, it-it stacking, hydrogen bonding, complexation, and pore-filling effects. Kinetic analyses indicated that the adsorption process followed both pseudo-second-order and pseudo-first-order models, while the Freundlich isotherm provided the best fit for equilibrium data. In addition to their exceptional adsorption capacity, the BC-MgO-CS demonstrated enhanced sonocatalytic degradation of CIP under ultrasonic irradiation, increasing the removal efficiency from 73.20 % to 81.53 % at a CIP concentration of 200 mg center dot L- 1 with 0.1 g center dot L- 1 BC-MgO-CS. Furthermore, the hydrogel beads retained 93.22 % of its removal efficiency after five consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles, and exhibited excellent performance in removing CIP from actual wastewater. These findings underscore the dual functionality of BC-MgO-CS in achieving both high adsorption capacity and effective degradation, positioning them as a promising material for the treatment of CIP-contaminated wastewater.

As the most widely used greenhouse film material in the world, the fogging problem of polyethylene film seriously affects light transmittance and the healthy growth of crops. In this work, different-crystallinity pseudoboehmites were synthesized by hydrothermal method and used to prepare anti-fogging coatings on polyethylene films by blending with a surfactant (polyether). The crystallinity of rises with increasing hydrothermal temperature (from 80 degrees C to 180 degrees C). As the crystallinity of pseudoboehmite increases, so does the number of hydroxyl groups in pseudoboehmite. As the amount of hydroxyl groups increases, the pseudoboehmite crosslinks with polyether more tightly and firmly. All the pseudoboehmite/polyether coatings exhibit superhydrophilicity, excellent anti-fogging durability and wear resistance. The pseudoboehmite/polyether coating prepared from 180 degrees C hydrothermal pseudoboehmite shows the best anti-fogging performance. The thermal-fog persistence (60 degrees C) of this coating is more than 30 days. Meanwhile, the friction test shows that this coating is basically undamaged after 20 friction tests.

Ammonia (NH3) production from electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) is anticipated as a promising route to achieve both sustainable NH3 generation and nitrate water pollution removal. Herein, the molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) nanoclusters embedded in boron, nitrogen co-doped hollow carbon fibers (Mo2C@BNHCFs) electrocatalyst is fabricated for NO3RR by coaxial electrospinning and pyrolysis method. The uniformly dispersed Mo2C nanoclusters and the B, N doped-carbon layer provide more adsorption sites for nitrate reduction, effectively improving the activity and long-term stability of Mo2C@BNHCFs. Mo2C@BNHCFs-2 achieves a maximum NH3 yield of 6487.43 μg h-1 mgcat. -1 and Faradaic efficiency of 74.5% at -1.1 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode). Electrochemical in situ characterizations identify the formation of intermediates and products during the electrocatalytic NO3 - reduction process. Meanwhile, theoretical calculations indicate that electrons transfer from Mo2C nanoclusters to carbon supports can induce the creation of electron-deficient Mo2C, thus effectively activating the NO3 - and facilitating the electrochemistry process.

The adsorption properties of MgO are predominantly determined by its structure and morphology. A porous structure endows MgO with high specific surface area and porosity, thereby enhancing mass diffusion and adsorption. However, conventional synthesis methods for porous MgO are usually expensive, noxious, or time-consuming, and typically lack precise modulation over the porous structure. Consequently, developing a facile and cost-effective approach for fabricating porous MgO is of critical importance. In this study, porous flower-like (F-MgO) and hexagonal flake MgO (NP MgO) were synthesized via a simple and efficient microwave-assisted hydrothermal method using cheap inorganic reagents for adsorbing CO2 and ciprofloxacin (CIP). Meanwhile, MgO structures were precisely regulated and analyzed through various characterization methods. Compared with NP MgO, F-MgO exhibited a higher specific surface area, smaller crystallite size, and more abundant active sites, thus showing a higher CO2 capture capacity and CIP removal efficiency. Moreover, F-MgO showed a CO2/N2 selectivity exceeding NP MgO and featured a high cycling stability. The adsorption of CO2 capture and CIP by F-MgO and NP MgO followed pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order kinetic models and the Freundlich isotherm model. The existence states of CO2 and CIP on MgO were confirmed by in situ and conventional Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, suggesting that the adsorption of CO2 and CIP on both MgO structures was mainly dominated by chemisorption, supplemented by physisorption. This study provides a strategy for designing and preparing cost-effective and efficient porous MgO adsorbents, offering significant advantages for practical environmental remediation.

The electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) is a promising technique for both removal of harmful nitrates and sustainable NH3 production. As yet, developing an electrocatalyst with high activity and stability remains a significant challenge. Herein, a novel electrocatalyst consisting of Cu nanoparticles dispersed on boron (B) and nitrogen (N) co-doped hollow carbon fibers (Cu/BNHCFs) was successfully fabricated. This was achieved through the stereoselective assembly of a Cu-containing zeolitic imidazolate framework onto electrospun fiber films, followed by pyrolysis. The optimized Cu/BNHCFs catalyst achieves a remarkable faradaic efficiency of 94.2% for NH3 with a yield rate of 32.35 mg h-1 mgcat-1 at -0.7 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Electrochemical in situ characterization reveals that the reaction pathway on Cu/BNHCFs proceeds from *NO to *NH2OH. Theoretical calculations further indicate that the B, N co-doped carbon support modulates the D-band center of Cu, effectively optimizing the adsorption/desorption processes of key nitrogen-containing intermediates and thus leading to the excellent catalytic performance. This work provides a design strategy for modifying the electronic structure of transition metal catalysts to achieve efficient nitrate reduction to ammonia.

PEO is one of the common composite polymer electrolyte vehicles; however, the presence of crystalline phase at room temperature, high interface impedance, and low oxidation resistance (<4.0 V) limit its application in stable all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. Herein, we designed a PEO-based solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) by adding boehmite nanoparticles to address the above-mentioned issues. Different-grain-sized boehmite nanoparticles were synthesized by adjusting the hydrothermal temperature. Moreover, the impacts of these distinct grain-sized boehmite nanoparticles used to fabricate boehmite/PEO polymer electrolytes (BPEs) on the performance of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries were investigated. It was found that with the increase in boehmite's grain size, BPEs show better performance. The best BPE exhibited an improved Li+ transference number (0.59), high ionic conductivity (1.25 x 10(-4) S m(-1)), and wide electrochemical window (similar to 4.5 V) at 60 degrees C. The assembled lithium symmetric battery can stably undergo 500 hours of lithium plating/stripping at 0.1 mA cm(-2). At the same time, the LiFePO4/BPE/Li battery exhibits excellent cycling stability after 100 cycles at 0.5C. This reasonable design strategy with a superior capacity retention rate (86%) demonstrates great potential in achieving high ionic conductivity and good interface stability for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries simultaneously.

For enhancing the CO2 uptake performance of MgO-based materials, hierarchically porous MgO/biochar composites were prepared using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The CO2 adsorption properties was investigated in detail and the adsorption mechanism was revealed by considering structure - function relationships and performing density functional theory calculations. The MgO/biochar-1 had hierarchical pore structure and high specific surface area (1453 m(2)g(-1)) with abundant narrow micropores (<1.0 nm), facilitating the adsorption of CO2. The results demonstrated that MgO/biochar-1 exhibited the highest CO2 capture capacity of 6.65 mol & sdot;kg(-1) (273 K, 1 bar) and excellent selectivity for CO2/N-2 (96.70 at CO2/N-2 = 15:85, v/v). After 3 cycles, the adsorption capacity of MgO/biochar-1 still remained at 5.70 mol & sdot;kg(-1) (273 K, 1 bar), suggesting the well cycling performance. The results of density functional theory calculation indicated that the oxygen-containing functional groups and MgO particles substantially enhanced the CO2 capture performance due to the enhanced interactions between MgO/biochar and CO2. This study provides novel insights for the construction of efficient and cheap solid adsorbents for CO2 capture.

Complex morphologies in nature often arise from the assembly of elemental building blocks, leading to diverse and intricate structures. Understanding the mechanisms that govern the formation of these complex morphologies remains a significant challenge. In particular, the edge-base plate growth of biogenic crystals plays a crucial role in directing the development of intricate bioskeleton morphologies. However, the factors and regulatory processes that govern edge-base plate growth remain insufficiently understood. Inspired by biological skeletons and based on the soluble property of boric acid (BA) in both water and alcohols, we obtained a series of novel BA morphologies, including coccolith, and anemone biological skeletons. Here, we unveil the "inscribed circle effect", a concise mathematical model that reveals the underlying causative factors and regulatory mechanisms driving edge-base plate growth. Our findings illuminate how variations in solvent environments can exert control over the edge-base plate growth pathways, thereby resulting in the formation of diverse and complex morphologies. This understanding holds significant potential for guiding the chemical synthesis of bioskeleton materials.

Surface coating is a vital approach for addressing the aging of cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. In this study, we synthesized various-phase alumina nanoparticles by subjecting boehmite to different temperatures and investigated the impact of these distinct alumina phases when used as a coating layer on the performance of nickel-rich cathode materials. Our findings demonstrate that any-phase Al2O3-coated cathode material shows enhanced electrochemical performance at a high operating voltage (4.5 V). These Al2O3 coatings effectively inhibit the side reactions resulting from direct contact between the active material and electrolyte, reduce the dissolution of transition metal ions, and facilitate the formation of a uniform solid electrolyte interface (SEI). Notably, the sub-stable-phase Al2O3-coated cathode materials exhibit better rate performance at low currents. The stable-phase alumina (alpha-Al2O3)-coated cathode material shows the best cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 85.1% after 100 cycles at 5C under 45 degrees C. And the alpha/theta-mixed-phase Al2O3-coated Nickel-rich cathodes (NCM) achieves excellent rate performance and cycling stability.

The demand for face masks is increasing exponentially,especiallywhen the coronavirus pandemic and particulate matter (PM) pollutionhave become serious concerns to public health. However, a lot of pressureis caused by the frequent replacement of traditional masks due tothe easy dissipation of electrostatic charge and the accumulationof pathogenic microorganisms. Herein, nanofibrous membranes with efficientinhibition of bacteria, potent air filtration, and reusability performance,consisting of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers coated with chitosanquaternary ammonium salt (HACC), were successfully manufactured bysimple impregnation method and coaxial electrospinning, respectively.The bactericidal rate of the nanofibrous membranes to the attachedbacteria was as high as 99.9% due to the excellent bactericidal activityof the quaternary ammonium groups, which could also be proven by themicroscopic appearance of the bacterial cell membrane rupture. Thepermanent dipole charges provided by PAN nanofibers endowed as-preparednanofibrous membranes the capability to stably capture PM even whenthe static electricity disappeared. Moreover, the filtration capacityof nanofibrous membranes could still be close to the initial valueafter a simple washing, which was even unattainable by commercialfilters. These nanofibrous membranes are expected to replace traditionaldisposable filters to achieve long-life and reusability expectations.

The treatment of chronic diabetic wounds is a major challenge due to oxidative stress, persistent hyperglycemia, and susceptibility to bacterial infection. In this study, multifunctional sandwich-structured nanofiber dressings (SNDs) are prepared via electrospinning. The SNDs consisted of an outer layer of hydrophobic polylactic acid (PLA) fibers encapsulating MgB2 nanosheets (MgB2 NSs), a middle layer of PLA and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) fibers encapsulating the MgB(2 )NSs and metformin hydrochloride complex (MgB2-Met), and an inner layer of water-soluble PVP fibers encapsulating MgB2-Met. Because of their special sandwich structure, SNDs have high photothermal conversion efficiency (24.13%) and photothermal cycle performance. SNDs also exhibit a photothermal effect, bacteria-targeting effect of MgB2, electrostatic attraction ability of metformin hydrochloride (Met), and strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). SNDs can eliminate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by regulating the hydrogen release from MgB2. In addition, SNDs have good biocompatibility, can effectively inhibit the inflammatory factor Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and promote granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition, and diabetic wound healing. These findings offer a promising approach for clinical treatment of diabetic wounds.

In order to reduce the possible harm caused by air pollution, including particulate matters (PM), harmful gases and airborne pathogens, high-efficiency air filtration materials are attracting more and more attention. Therefore, multifunctional materials that can filter these pollutants and kill pathogenic bacteria simultaneously are urgently desired. Herein, a copper-coordinated nanofibrous membrane, named PAN-P-Cu, was successfully prepared based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers grafted polyethyleneimine (PEI) by electrospinning and coordination assembly method. The PAN-P-Cu showed high filtration efficiency (99.9%) towards PM0.3 under an airflow velocity of 5.3 cm s−1 and high filtration efficiency (99.94%) towards PM10, respectively. Importantly, used membrane could be regenerated by a simple washing process. Moreover, PAN-P-Cu possessed removal property of 60 mg g−1 for hydrogen sulfide through the occurrence of chemical reactions. Furthermore, the PAN-P-Cu also exhibited excellent antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (>99.99%). This work may provide new insights on designing high-performance and multi-functional air filtration materials for public health protection in complicated environments.

Core-shell Fe3O4 @UiO-66-NH2 nanospheres with superior photocatalytic activity and photo-Fenton performance were synthesized using a layer-by-layer growth strategy. The synthesis involved the use of FeCl3, trisodium citrate, sodium acetate, ZrCl4, and 2-aminoterephthalic acid as raw materials, with mercaptoacetic acid serving as a modifier. Fe3O4 @UiO-66-NH2 demonstrated improved visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance in the oxidation degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in the presence of trace amounts of H2O2 under visible light irradiation. The Fe(II)/Fe(III) cycle was accelerated by the transfer of the photogenerated electrons (e-) from UiO-66-NH2 to Fe3O4, which in turn encouraged the Fenton reaction to produce hydroxyl radicals (center dot OH). With only 10 mmol/L H2O2, the removal rate of RhB approached 94% in 120 min. Furthermore, when exposed to visible light, Fe3O4 @UiO-66-NH2 exhibited 99% efficacious antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, the as-prepared Fe3O4 @UiO-66-NH2 core-shell nanospheres show promise for practical applications as photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants and the inactivation of bacteria in wastewater.

Phototherapy and sonotherapy are recognized by scientific medicine as effective strategies for treating certain cancers. However, these strategies have limitations such as an inability to penetrate deeper tissues and overcome the antioxidant tumor microenvironment. In this study, a novel “BH” interfacial‐confined coordination strategy to synthesize hyaluronic acid‐functionalized single copper atoms dispersed over boron imidazolate framework‐derived nanocubes (HA‐NC_Cu) to achieve sonothermal–catalytic synergistic therapy is reported. Notably, HA‐NC_Cu demonstrates exceptional sonothermal conversion performance under low‐intensity ultrasound irradiation, attained through intermolecular lattice vibrations. In addition, it shows promise as an efficient biocatalyst, able to generate high‐toxicity hydroxyl radicals in response to tumor‐endogenous hydrogen peroxide and glutathione. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the superior parallel catalytic performance of HA‐NC_Cu originates from the CuN 4 C/B active sites. Both in vitro and in vivo evaluations consistently demonstrate that the sonothermal–catalytic synergistic strategy significantly improves tumor inhibition rate (86.9%) and long‐term survival rate (100%). In combination with low‐intensity ultrasound irradiation, HA‐NC_Cu triggers a dual death pathway of apoptosis and ferroptosis in MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cells, comprehensively limiting primary triple‐negative breast cancer. This study highlights the applications of single‐atom‐coordinated nanotherapeutics in sonothermal–catalytic synergistic therapy, which may create new opportunities in biomedical research.