Lead (Pb2+) pollution poses a severe threat to the ecological environment and human health due to its high toxicity, bioaccumulation, and refractory nature. Traditional treatment technologies for lead-contaminated wastewater, such as chemical precipitation, ion exchange, and membrane separation, often face limitations, including secondary pollution, high costs, and high energy consumption. In contrast, adsorption has emerged as a promising alternative technology with advantages such as a simple process, high efficiency at low concentrations, and renewability. Biomass-based hydrogels and their composite systems, as novel green adsorbent materials, combine the abundant functional groups of natural biomass with the structural stability, high porosity, and recoverability of hydrogels through a three-dimensional cross-linked network, offering unique advantages for lead ion adsorption. Depending on their composition, these systems range from fully biodegradable pure biopolymer networks to partly biodegradable or biomass-containing composites incorporating inorganic, carbon-based, or metal–organic framework (MOF) materials. This paper systematically reviews the latest research progress on cellulose, lignin, sodium alginate, chitosan, starch-based hydrogels, and their composite systems for lead (Pb2+) adsorption. First, the structural characteristics, cross-linking mechanisms, and functional modification strategies of various biomass hydrogels are introduced. Then, the adsorption mechanisms of Pb2+, including multiple modes of action such as coordination complexation, ion exchange, electrostatic interaction, and physical adsorption, are systematically analyzed. The adsorption performance of different material systems is compared in detail. The regeneration and recycling performance, as well as the potential practical applications, of the materials are evaluated. On this basis, the main challenges in current research are summarised: balancing adsorption capacity and mechanical strength, achieving selective adsorption in actual wastewater, improving regeneration efficiency, and optimizing costs. In addition, future development directions for biomass hydrogel adsorbent materials are discussed, including the design of multi-functional composite materials, the development of intelligent, responsive hydrogels, engineering-scale-up, and life-cycle assessment. This review aims to provide a theoretical framework and technical roadmap for the rational design of high-performance, sustainable hydrogel adsorbents and to promote their engineering application for the treatment of lead-contaminated wastewater.

Phenolic resins play a vital role in wood-based panels for construction materials, but their slow curing rate and limited toughness severely restrict processing efficiency and broader application. Herein, tannic acid (TA), a bioactive macromolecule with a polyphenolic structure, was employed to functionalize multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) through co-deposition with polyethyleneimine (PEI). The tannic acid-polyethyleneimine functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (TA-PEI@MWCNTs) were incorporated as reinforcing fillers into a phenolic resin (PF) matrix to enhance its mechanical properties and curing performance for wood-based panel applications. The resulting TA-PEI@MWCNTs/PF composite exhibited a wet shear strength of 1.5 MPa, reflecting a 24% increase compared to pure PF. This enhancement is attributed to improved interfacial interactions and an increased cross-linking density. Furthermore, the gel time decreased from 360 to 320 s, representing an 11.1% reduction, while the viscosity significantly increased, indicating an accelerated curing process. These improvements stem from chemical interactions among amino groups of PEI, the phenolic hydroxyl groups of TA, and the hydroxymethyl groups of PF, which promote condensation reactions. Micromorphology analysis revealed a tougher fracture surface in the cured TA-PEI@MWCNTs/PF resin, suggesting enhanced energy dissipation. Furthermore, the modified resin demonstrated excellent thermal stability. This study presents an effective approach for developing high-performance tannin-phenolic resin adhesives with strong potential for building composites.

Given the widespread contamination of water bodies by diverse pollutants, particularly heavy metal ions and organic dyes, there is an urgent need to develop efficient and sustainable biomass adsorbents. Lignin is rich in active groups such as phenolic hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, making it a natural adsorbent. However, its application is still hindered by limitations, including restricted solubility and low reactivity. Converting lignin into three-dimensional porous hydrogels not only overcomes the inherent structural brittleness of lignin-based materials but also accelerates the diffusion kinetics of pollutants through well-developed pore structures, thereby fully exposing the active adsorption sites. This paper systematically reviews the latest progress in lignin-based hydrogels for water treatment and discusses in depth the underlying logic of "structure construction-micromorphology-adsorption performance." First, this review summarizes synthesis strategies ranging from molecular-level modification to morphology regulation, including nano-reinforcement, magnetic functionalization, and interpenetrating polymer networks. It then provides a pollutant-specific analysis of the adsorption mechanisms of lignin-based adsorbents. For heavy metal ions, such as Pb2+ and Cr(VI), removal is mainly associated with coordination/complexation, ion exchange, and redox reactions. For typical organic dyes, adsorption is primarily driven by π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic attraction. The effects of environmental factors, such as pH, are also systematically discussed. Finally, considering current challenges related to mechanical strength, regeneration performance, and practical application, this review outlines future research directions for the development of multifunctional, integrated, and stimuli-responsive lignin-based adsorbents.

As global efforts towards green development intensify, eco-friendly materials have become pivotal to achieving sustainability. Wood, a natural, renewable, and environmentally benign biomass, holds great promise for green material applications due to its abundance and ecological benefits. Recent advances in functional modification techniques—such as oxidation, grafting, and nanoparticle incorporation—have significantly enhanced wood’s physical and chemical properties while introducing new environmental functions. These developments have expanded its applications in pollution control, resource recovery, and environmental restoration. In particular, modified wood exhibits outstanding adsorption capacity for heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+), offering an efficient and sustainable approach to water pollution remediation. This paper reviews the fundamental structure and properties of wood, summarizes recent progress in the development of functionalized wood for heavy metal ion adsorption, and analyzes the influence of various modification methods on adsorption performance. Finally, it outlines future directions for optimizing wood functionalization technologies, providing theoretical foundations and practical guidance for advancing their applications in wastewater treatment and heavy metal pollution control.

Quinolone antibiotics have become prominent organic contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, significantly threatening the environment and human health. Efficient removal of these pollutants in an eco-friendly manner still remains a challenge. In this study, a simple and environmentally friendly bamboo-based magnetic biochar was prepared by KOH-activated magnetized hydrothermal method to remove the antibiotics norfloxacin (NOR) from water. The characterization results demonstrated that the KOH activation significantly increased the specific surface area of bamboo biochar, with KMDBC reaching 1253.66 m2·g−1. The adsorption process of NOR by KMDBC followed the Pseudo-second order kinetic model and Langmuir isothermal model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 458.43 mg·L−1. Based on the thermodynamic results, the adsorption process was exothermic, spontaneous, and involved chemisorption, likely through π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic repulsion. This study demonstrates that KMDBC is an effective and recyclable material for NOR removal, offering valuable insights into utilizing forest resources for environmental remediation.

High-performance microwave-absorbing materials (MAMs) should meet both impedance matching and attenuation performance. Commonly, it is hard to maintain excellent microwave absorption (MA) performance at an elevated temperature because the reliance on impedance matching and dielectric loss about temperature mutually restricts. In this work, the pomegranate-like antimony-doped tin dioxide (ATO)/ silica dioxide (SiO2) spheres were fabricated via a simple spray drying process. When the spheres were used as functional units and dispersed in the matrix, the corresponding composites exhibit an outstanding anti-reflection effect on microwaves. Moreover, the unique pomegranate-like structure of the ATO/SiO2 spheres provides both the effective local eddy current and abundant heterogeneous interface, which therefore contribute harvest enhanced dielectric relaxation and improved absorption performance when compared with that of the corresponding ATO/SiO2 composition. As a result, the maximum reflection loss of the ATO/SiO2 spheres composites can reach -47.8 dB at 9.7 GHz with a thickness of 1.8 mm, while the reflection loss could reach -47.3 dB at 573 K and the effective absorption bandwidth is 2.4 GHz. This work reveals the importance of local eddy current loss in optimizing the electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance and impedance matching, providing novel guidance on designing advanced high-temperature MAMs.& COPY; 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Transparent wood has excellent optical and thermal properties and has great potential utilization value in energy-saving building materials, optoelectronic devices, and decorative materials. In this work, transparent wood with soft-/hard-switchable and shape recovery capabilities was prepared by introducing an epoxy-based polymer with a glass transition temperature of about 0 °C into the delignified wood template. The epoxy resin was well filled in the pore structure of the delignified wood, and the as-prepared wood exhibited excellent transparency; the optical transmittance and haze of the transparent wood with a thickness of 2.0 mm were approximately 70% and 95%, respectively. Because the glass transition temperature of the epoxy-based polymer was about 0 °C, the prepared transparent wood was rigid below 0 °C and flexible above °C; meanwhile, the transparent wood exhibited shape change and shape recovery properties. Incorporating optical transparency and soft-/hard-switchable ability into the transparent wood opens a new avenue for developing advanced functional wood-based materials.

Environmentally friendly, aldehyde-free adhesive designs are in high demand in the wood industry, helping to reduce environmental impact and human health concerns. Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) is a low-carbon inorganic gel material that can improve the utilization rate of potassium fertilizer and is a potential substitute for aldehyde-based adhesives. However, in practical applications, it is often limited by its poor water resistance and compatibility with wood, resulting in poor bonding performance. In this paper, an organic–inorganic hybrid method is proposed. Sodium hexametaphosphate/soluble polysaccharide (SHP/SP) was introduced to develop a MOC inorganic adhesive with high adhesion, mechanical strength, and water resistance. The abundant functional groups in SHP/SP formed multiple interactions with Mg2+, thus creating an internal network with excellent cohesion strength. The addition of SHP/SP enabled stable infiltration of MOC into the wood through electrostatic adsorption and metal chelation. The results showed that the softening coefficient, compressive strength, and wet shear strength of MOC/SHP/SP adhesive were 0.98, 121.14 MPa, and 2.28 MPa, respectively, representing 81.48

Biomass waste, which is biodegradable and vastly underutilized, is generated in huge quantities worldwide. Forestry and agricultural biomass wastes are notable for their wide availability, high yield, biodegradability, and recyclability. The accumulation of these wastes not only occupies valuable land but causes serious environmental pollution, which can ultimately harm human health. Therefore, leveraging scientific technology to convert forestry and agricultural bio-waste into bioenergy and other valuable products is crucial. In this paper, common forestry and agricultural bio-waste such as straw, rice husks, livestock manure, tree branches, sawdust, and bioenergy (bioethanol, biogas, biodiesel, biohydrogen) were selected as keywords, with the theme of green and efficient utilization. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the sources of biomass waste, existing recycling technologies, and the potential of forestry and agricultural bio-waste as material additives and for conversion to biomass energy and other derivatives, along with future recycling prospects.

In light of the three primary challenges faced by transparent conductive coatings, namely poor conductivity, elevated filler content, and insufficient visible light transmittance, chain-like conductive fillers due to the unique morphology and structure have been developed to address these concerns simultaneously. A straightforward synthesis of antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanochains was accomplished through a simple two-step coprecipitation and hydrothermal methods. Firstly, an antimony-doped stannic hydroxide hydrogel precursor was generated through coprecipitation. Secondly, by adjusting the pH value in the hydrothermal reaction, one-dimensional chain ATO nanocrystals were obtained without the need for additional materials. The synthesized ATO, with a chain-like morphology, comprises particles of approximately 3-5 nm in diameter and 2-5 µm in length. Throughout the reaction, ammonium hydroxide, used as a pH regulator, played a vital role as a reducing agent in forming ATO nanochains without the need for further post-treatment. Moreover, chain-like ATO compounded with SiO2 transparent conductive coatings exhibited exceptional transparent conductive properties, with a visible-light transmittance of approximately 84.7% at the wavelength of 550 nm and a block resistance of 0.5 kΩ/□ upon spin-coating deposition on glass. This remarkable performance can be attributed to the generation of a continuous conductive network, induced by the distinctive chain-like morphology. The approach for the preparation of ATO nanochains was simple and easy to scale up, hopefully, to provide an enormous potential and broad prospect for the application of chain-like ATO in antistatic property.

In light of the three primary challenges faced by transparent conductive coatings, namely poor conductivity, elevated the active substance content, and insufficient visible light transmittance, net-like conductive agents due to the unique morphology and structure have been developed to address these concerns simultaneously. A straightforward synthesis of antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanonets was accomplished through a simple two-step coprecipitation and hydrothermal methods. Firstly, an antimony-doped stannic hydroxide hydrogel precursor was generated through coprecipitation. Secondly, by adjusting the pH value in the hydrothermal reaction, ATO nanocrystals network were obtained without the need for additional materials. The synthesized ATO, with a net-like morphology, comprises particles of approximately 3-5 nm in diameter. Throughout the reaction, ammonium hydroxide, used as a pH regulator, played a vital role as a reducing agent in forming ATO nanonets without the need for further post-treatment. Moreover, net-like ATO compounded with SiO2 transparent conductive coatings exhibited exceptional transparent conductive properties, with a visible-light transmittance of approximately 84.7% at the wavelength of 550 nm and a square resistance of 0.5 kΩ/sq upon spin-coating deposition on glass. This remarkable performance can be attributed to the generation of a continuous conductive network. In comparison to granular ATO, the network structure ATO nanocrystal showcases a significant improvement in resistivity, demonstrating its exemplary transparent conductivity. The approach for the preparation of ATO nanonets was simple and easy to scale up to provide an enormous potential and broad prospect for the application of net-like ATO in transparent conductive coating.

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors, where aggregation structure and corresponding transport pathway for ions can determine the rate capability, as well as surface functionalities and corresponding surface wettability will influence the specific capacitance. Inspired by the cation-n interaction and hard templating of water-soluble-salt, a facile NaCl-assisted spray drying and thermal reduction strategy is proposed for simultaneously tuning the aggregation structure and chemical composition of RGO microspheres, resulting in a remarkably enhanced capacitive performance. Aggregation structure of the RGO microspheres can be finely controlled by regulating the strength of cation-n interaction and the amount of NaCl templates. Meanwhile, surface oxygen groups could also be reserved after reduction through the strong interaction and the powerful protection from NaCl. The RGO microsphere presents low aggregation degree, spherical morphology, efficient porosity and high surface oxygen content. When assembled into a symmetric supercapacitor, it gives superior gravimetric capacitance of 234 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, marvelous rate performance of 74.4 % at 100 A g-1 and impressive power density of 29.6 kW kg-1. Additionally, the presence of NaCl can significantly improve yield of the RGO materials during spray drying, which is very important for the practical industrial process.

Supplementary Figure 2 from Frequent Truncating Mutation of TFAM Induces Mitochondrial DNA Depletion and Apoptotic Resistance in Microsatellite-Unstable Colorectal Cancer

Benefitting from stable chemical and physical properties, and high hardness and acid/alkali resistance, titanium nitride (TiN) is used as a high-performance functional ceramic material. Recently, it has been found that the unique conductivity and dielectric characters of TiN-based materials have a significant effect on the versatile electromagnetic wave absorption (EMWA) properties in the visible-infrared (Vis-IR) and microwave frequencies bands. This review summarizes the multispectral EMWA characters of TiN-based materials and the corresponding selective absorption performances in the Vis-IR bands, which are unique advantages with a wide temperature range in the field of microwave absorption. Finally, the improvement strategies of EMWA properties for TiN-based materials are prospected.

Spatial conformation of condensed state graphene is fundamentally important for its material properties, while its rational design or control is of great challenge. Herein, reduced graphene oxides with diverse crumple con-formations are synthesized facilely and effectively by using electrostatic force from cation-oxidized functional group and cation-pi interactions through NaCl/MgCl2/AlCl3 assisted hydrothermal reduction. A phase map for crumple conformation and gel configuration transitions of the reduced graphene oxides is established, where intramolecular effect of mono-valent cation and intermolecular effect of di-/tri-valent cations are captured and utilized to tune the crumple degree or gelation process. Desired material features, including specific surface area and surface functional groups, can be finely modulated via crumple conformation or cation interaction, and enable the reduced graphene oxides to present an outstanding rate capability of 68.8% and unparalleled areal capacitance of 98.0 mu F/cm2 at 100 A/g in symmetric aqueous supercapacitors. This study broadens the topo-logical behavior spectrum and stimulates the conformation engineering methodology of reduced graphene ox-ides, facilitating the development of novel graphene-based materials.

Supplementary Figure 1 from Frequent Truncating Mutation of TFAM Induces Mitochondrial DNA Depletion and Apoptotic Resistance in Microsatellite-Unstable Colorectal Cancer

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors. Inspired by the cation-π interaction and hard templating of water-soluble-salt, a facile NaCl assisted spray drying and thermal reduction strategy is proposed for simultaneously tuning the aggregation structure and chemical composition of RGO microspheres, resulting in a remarkable enhanced capacitive performance. Aggregation structure of the RGO microspheres can be finely controlled by regulating the strength of cation-π interaction and the amount of NaCl templates. Meanwhile, surface oxygen groups could also be reserved after reduction through the strong interaction and the powerful protection from NaCl. The RGO microsphere presents low aggregation degree, spherical morphology, efficient porosity and high surface oxygen content. When assembled into symmetric supercapacitor, it gives superior gravimetric capacitance of 234 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, marvelous rate performance of 74.4 % at 100 A g−1 and impressive power density of 29.6 kW kg−1.

Supplementary Table from A Recurrent ADPRHL1 Germline Mutation Activates PARP1 and Confers Prostate Cancer Risk in African American Families

Monoclinic vanadium dioxide (VO2) is a new type of thermally induced phase-transition material that undergoes a significant change in infrared transmittance during its phase transition, which makes it an excellent material for potential applications in the field of passive thermochromic smart windows. Improving the optical modulation capabilities and the durability of VO2 are crucial objectives for smart window applications. In this paper, three kinds of ethanol dispersion solutions were prepared by a nanogrinding machine using the following nanoparticles: monoclinic VO2, tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide (WVO) and silicon dioxide-coated tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide (WVO@SiO2). Polyvinyl butyral was selected as the film-forming agent, and the VO2 composite functional films were prepared by a scraping method. The ability of the prepared composite functional films to modulate light during alternating heating and cooling cycles and to resist a reduction in activity were evaluated preliminarily by an ultraviolet light irradiation method. The results show that, compared with a pure-phase VO2 film, tungsten-doped films can significantly enhance light modulation and the durability of the composite films. In addition, surface encapsulation by SiO2 in combination with introducing antioxidants also contributes to significantly improved optical properties and stability of the composite films. For example, the prepared composite films retained an infrared modulation efficiency of 49.7% at 1500 nm with a visible light transmittance of more than 60% after 65 cycles of high- and low-temperature treatments, showing excellent smart thermochromic performance, cyclic stability and promising application potential. This study is expected to provide a theoretical basis and experimental data for the preparation of stable VO2 nanomaterials and their applications to smart window films.

Inherent drawbacks (e.g., loose structures, dimensional instabilities, and poor mechanical performances) restrict the applications of fast-growing wood species. In this study, a thermal compression treatment was carried out to densify acetylated spruce wood. The aim of acetylation was to improve the plasticity and water resistance of spruce wood. The water absorption, set-recovery, surface hardness, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, and microstructure of the resulting wood were analyzed. The results show that acetylation can improve the plasticity of wood and reduce the interaction between wood and water, significantly reducing the set recovery of the compressed wood. When the water immersion time reaches 168 h, the water absorption rate of wood is reduced by 37% after acetylation, and the densification can further reduce the water absorption (55% for AD-40 and 70% for AD-60). The hardness of the densified wood is significantly higher than that of control wood and increases with the increase of the compression ratio. The cell wall of acetylated wood is thicker than that of control wood, which could increase the compression density of the wood. As a result, the hardness and MOR of acetylated densified wood are remarkably higher than that of unacetylated densified wood. However, a high compression ratio (60%) could lead to structural damage and, thus, reduce the mechanical properties.