Periodontitis requires both inflammation suppression and bone regeneration, yet temporal coordination remains challenging. A core-shell nanofibrous membrane (ICA-PCL@ASTA-PLGA) was fabricated by coaxial electrospinning, with an astaxanthin (ASTA)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) shell and an icariin (ICA)-loaded polycaprolactone (PCL) core for sequential drug delivery. Differential degradation enabled rapid initial ASTA release and sustained ICA release over 8 weeks, providing early anti-inflammation followed by osteogenesis. This sequential release drove macrophage polarization from M1 to M2, downregulating proinflammatory and upregulating reparative factors. ASTA inhibited inflammation, while ICA promoted osteogenic gene expression and matrix mineralization, with temporally controlled synergy. These outcomes align with ASTA modulating NF-κB and ICA activating MAPK pathways, as previously reported. In a rabbit periodontitis model, the membrane significantly improved the immune microenvironment and alveolar bone regeneration, outperforming single-drug-loaded scaffolds. This material-guided sequential delivery strategy integrates immunomodulation and osteogenesis, highlighting "material-guided temporal pharmacology" as a paradigm for treating inflammatory tissue defects.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a powerful tool for engineering membrane interfaces, but its application to chemically inert polymeric membranes remains limited by sparse nucleation sites, discontinuous oxide growth, and poor pore-wall coverage. Herein, we develop a carrageenan-assisted ALD strategy to improve TiO2 nucleation and promote TiO2-rich interfacial deposition on nonpolar polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) porous membranes. ι-Carrageenan (ιCAR) serves as a sulfate ester-containing interfacial sensitization layer, whose sulfate ester groups interact favorably with TiCl4 precursors and promote a denser and broader distribution of Ti-containing species along the membrane framework. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that, among the representative functional groups considered, the sulfate ester group has the strongest calculated interaction with TiCl4 compared with hydroxyl and ether groups. The resulting M@ιCAR@TiO2 membrane exhibits a hydrophilic TiO2-rich interface while retaining the interconnected pore architecture. By virtue of a hydrated, negatively charged, and hierarchically rough interface, the optimized membrane delivers underwater superoleophobicity, stable cross-flow emulsion filtration, >99% oil rejection, permeate total organic carbon below 10 ppm, and a permeance recovery ratio of approximately 94.0%. This work provides a sustainable carrageenan-assisted interfacial sensitization strategy for ALD modification of inert polymer membranes and antifouling emulsion separation.

Periodontitis requires both inflammation suppression and bone regeneration, yet temporal coordination remains challenging. A core-shell nanofibrous membrane (ICA-PCL@ASTA-PLGA) was fabricated by coaxial electrospinning, with an astaxanthin (ASTA)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) shell and an icariin (ICA)-loaded polycaprolactone (PCL) core for sequential drug delivery. Differential degradation enabled rapid initial ASTA release and sustained ICA release over 8 weeks, providing early anti-inflammation followed by osteogenesis. This sequential release drove macrophage polarization from M1 to M2, downregulating proinflammatory and upregulating reparative factors. ASTA inhibited inflammation, while ICA promoted osteogenic gene expression and matrix mineralization, with temporally controlled synergy. These outcomes align with ASTA modulating NF-kappa B and ICA activating MAPK pathways, as previously reported. In a rabbit periodontitis model, the membrane significantly improved the immune microenvironment and alveolar bone regeneration, outperforming single-drug-loaded scaffolds. This material-guided sequential delivery strategy integrates immunomodulation and osteogenesis, highlighting "material-guided temporal pharmacology" as a paradigm for treating inflammatory tissue defects.

Conventional separation membranes, in particular polymeric membranes, are typically constrained by permselectivity owing to their strong hydrophobicity, high fouling propensity, poor chemical stability, and broad pore size distribution. Traditional modification methods are substrate dependent, significantly featuring cumbersome operations, limited substrate compatibility, and low environmental benignity. This review focuses on six innovative substrate-independent membrane surface engineering techniques—plasma treatment, polydopamine (PDA) coating, polyphenol coating, aminomalononitrile (AMN) coating, atomic layer deposition (ALD), and protein coating—all of which feature universal substrate adaptability regardless of the chemical composition, physical state, or initial properties of the substrate. This study elucidates their distinct reaction mechanisms, such as plasma activation via high-energy particles and oxidative self-polymerization of monomers, links these mechanisms to enhanced membrane performance, compares their core merits and practical drawbacks, and highlights their applications in seawater desalination, oil–water separation, and wastewater purification. Future research should prioritize material–process coinnovation to develop low-cost, highly stable, smart-responsive coatings, thereby providing scalable green solutions for advancing high-performance membranes to address critical global water security challenges.

Separation membranes with inherent low-carbon properties are crucial for energy‒water sustainability but suffer from fouling issue and performance deficiency. Herein, a lotus-leaf-mimetic catalytic membrane is synthesized via 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene (HHTP)-Co metal-organic intermediate layer-mediated MnO₂ mineralization, transforming hydrophobic polymeric membranes into unique self-cleaning membranes. The derivative abundant oxygen vacancies during hetero-phase mineralization boost their catalytic capability. The lotus leaf-mimicking nano/micro-water pockets at the interface enable the membrane operando flux recovery to reach 99.9%. Most interestingly, the membrane exhibited 24.8-fold greater antifouling ability and 10.6-fold greater recovery compared with the unmineralized membrane, significantly outperforming state-of-the-art membranes. The exceptional performance for water treatment is attributed to active catalytic antifouling coupled with hierarchical antifouling barriers. The computational simulations reveal electron-rich bell-like structures with electron-deficient metal cores. This work paves a way for the fabrication of biomimetic materials for efficient water treatment and beyond.

High-transmittance polyester films are critical for advanced display technologies, yet the relationship between catalyst design and optical performance remains poorly understood. This work investigates seven metal-based catalysts and develops an economical and efficient composite catalyst accordingly. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies of these catalysts are calculated using density functional theory (DFT) method. Results demonstrate that catalysts with lower LUMO energy levels can significantly promote nucleophilic attack during polycondensation, consequently exhibiting superior catalytic efficiency. Subsequently, we prepare a composite catalyst composed of cobalt(II) acetate tetrahydrate and germanium(IV) oxide. By employing the composite catalyst, the synthesized PET films achieved promising transmittance of 91.43 % and luminosity of 92.82 %. This study provides a DFT-driven strategy for designing optical polyesters, offering a scalable approach for advanced display applications.

As an emerging technology, catalytic cleaning membranes combine catalytic degradation functions with specific separation capabilities for removing contaminants from various water sources. Theoretically, catalytic cleaning membranes can effectively alleviate the clogging issues associated with conventional membranes while enhancing the quality of the treated water for practical applications. This review focuses primarily on the catalytic cleaning mechanisms of such membranes and their classification on the basis of these mechanisms, as well as their preparation strategies. This review also covers the contemporary applications of advanced catalytic cleaning membranes in water treatment, including the removal of fouling contaminants, the degradation of dyes, and the breakdown of novel contaminants. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the prospects and exciting directions in the field of designing next-generation catalytic cleaning functional membranes, which can spur the rapid development of diverse advanced membranes and functional materials for environmental remediation and beyond.

Designing multi-component coupled hybrid electrode materials serves as an effective strategy to enhance the energy density of supercapacitors, while simultaneously addressing the issues of insufficient interface activity and ion transport. Herein, we present a three-dimensional porous cross-linked MXene/MoO3 hybrid aerogel (TM-50) synthesized through an electrostatic self-assembly strategy. The porous structure enhances ion transport efficiency, while the incorporation of MXene improves the conductivity of MoO3. Additionally, the randomly interconnected MoO3 effectively suppresses the self-stacking of MXene nanosheets. Benefiting from these synergistic effects, the TM-50 hybrid aerogel achieves a specific capacitance of 418.2 C g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 in 3 M H2SO4, with 92.7% retention after 10000 cycles. Additionally, the asymmetric supercapacitor assembled from TM-50 and activated carbon achieves an energy density of 20.9 Wh kg-1 at 491.5 W kg-1, retaining 90.3% capacitance after 5000 cycles. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further confirm that the MXene/ MoO3 hybrid exhibits lower H+ adsorption energy and a higher electronic state density near the Fermi level, enhancing its interfacial activity. This controllable approach to developing hybrid aerogels is promising for other MXene-based functional materials in diverse applications.

Separation membranes with high antifouling and self-cleaning capabilities are vital for long-term operation during practical high-viscosity fluid purification. Herein, we report an oil-rebound catalytic self-cleaning membrane constructed via a synergistic in situ reduction-coordination synthesis strategy. A hydrogen-bonded hydrogel of tea polyphenol/polyvinylpyrrolidone reduces and coordinates silver ions into an ultrathin hydrated Ag nanocoating at the membrane interface, providing a facile and robust route for directional nanoparticle loading. The membrane exhibited ultrahigh permeance for isooctane-in-water emulsion (>8800 L·m-2·h-1·bar-1) and remarkable antifouling stability (>99.9 % rejection over multiple cycles). When processing challenging emulsified high-viscosity oily wastewater, the engineered superwetting interface prevents oil adhesion due to a unique oil-rebound antifouling mechanism, maintaining consistently high permeance (>1000 L·m-2·h-1·bar-1 over 1 h). Notably, even under severe fouling conditions, the membrane maintains excellent regenerability, achieving 99.8 % permeance recovery through efficient peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-activated catalytic cleaning towards various contaminants. This work demonstrates a facile biomimetic design strategy for advanced membranes in challenging separation scenarios.

Advanced separation membranes are crucial for water-energy sustainability, but the synthesis of highly efficient membranes with excellent durability and antifouling ability remains highly challenging. Inspired by the natural mineralization processing of biominerals, ultrarobust and antifouling mineralized membranes were synthesized via heterophase interface engineering. At the heterophase interface, phosphate ions and tannic acid (TA) in the coagulation bath (nonsolvent phase) encounter the metal ions in the casting solution (solvent phase) for biomimetic mineralized membrane growth. Metal ions, as sites of mineralization nucleation, combine with phosphoric acid to form minerals, and TA regulates the mineralization process by chelating with metal ions. The mineralized membrane exhibited an exceptional permeance recovery rate (up to 99%) and modulus (4.1-fold higher than that of the control membrane), which were recorded for pressure-driven filtration tolerance. This study paves the way for the in situ synthesis of advanced membranes and materials for water treatment, catalysis, and solar evaporation.

Polymeric membranes have been widely studied and used in the field of water treatment because of their great chemical tolerance and ability to perform energetic separations. However, the inherent hydrophobicity of these materials has resulted in fouling issues that have hindered their development. It is critical to design hydrophilic antifouling membranes with micro/nano-structure through tailorable interface functionalization. Herein, a composite membrane with antifouling properties was prepared comprising of a hydrophilic tannic acid/polyvinylpyrrolidone (TA/PVP) composite layer and TiO2 minerals. The interfacial segregation process of TA was modulated to maximize exposed reaction sites for triggering subsequent interface mineralization. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the molecular mechanism of TA/PVP inducing titanium dioxide nucleation. The optimal polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane showed high pure water flux (587 L m-2 h 1), superior bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection (99.1 %) and a high flux recovery rate (91.9 %). The TA regulated interface mineralization strategy promises fabrication of multifunctional engineered materials towards water treatment, environmental remediation, and beyond.

Water-energy sustainability will depend upon the rapid development of advanced pressure- driven separation membranes. Although energy- efficient, water- treatment membranes are constrained by ubiquitous fouling, which may be alleviated by engineering self- cleaning membrane interfaces. In this study, a metal- polyphenol network was designed to direct the armorization of catalytic nanofilms (ca. 18 nm) on inert polymeric membranes. The chelation- directed mineralized coating exhibits high polarity, superhydrophilicity, and ultralow adhesion to crude oil, enabling cyclable crude oil- in- water emulsion separation. The in- place flux recovery rate exceeded 99.9%, alleviating the need for traditional ex situ cleaning. The chelation- directed nanoarmored membrane exhibited 48- fold and 6.8- fold figures of merit for in- place self- cleaning regeneration compared to the control membrane and simple hydraulic cleaning, respectively. Precursor interaction mechanisms were identified by density functional theory calculations. Chelation- directed armorization offers promise for sustainable applications in catalysis, biomedicine, environmental remediation, and beyond.

Zwitterionic polymers, characterized by their possession of both cationic and anionic groups, are overall electrically neutral and capable of forming hydration layers on surfaces through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. In aqueous environments, these polymers stabilize water molecules with their hydrophilic headgroups, whereas their hydrophobic components assist in repelling oil molecules. Zwitterionic polymers dynamically adjust their charge distribution and intermolecular interactions in response to environmental changes such as pH and salinity variations, thereby maintaining their anti-fouling and oleophobic properties. Thus, modifying material surfaces with zwitterionic polymers is considered a particularly promising strategy for combating material fouling. This article focuses on the methods and mechanisms of membrane modification based on zwitterionic polymers, as well as their applications in anti-fouling and other domains. The focus of the discussion is on the modification techniques and mechanistic features of membranes based on zwitterionic polymers, including preformation surface modification and postformation surface enhancement. The topics under discussion include applications in oil–water separation, dye separation, seawater desalination, and antibiofouling. This important review also explores potential strategies and applications for addressing the unresolved challenges associated with zwitterionic polymer-modified membranes.

Antifouling performance is significant for practical membrane separation, determining the membrane permselectivity, lifespan and maintenance cost. Integrating multi-component antifouling materials at the membrane interface is a promising solution for maximizing the membrane antifouling potential. Herein, a gel-mineral hybrid interface was constructed on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane via MnO2 mineralization induced by the tannic acid (TA)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) intermediate hydrogel layer. The resultant membrane exhibited superhydrophilicity and resulted in excellent enhancement in permeability and antifouling performance. The modified ultrafiltration membrane exhibited enhanced water flux, rejection of pollutants, and flux recovery rate (FRR) for organic solutions. The pure water flux of the optimal membrane is 40 % higher than that of PVDF. Most importantly, this hydrogel/mineral hybrid interface collectively resists the adhesion of pollutants and catalytic cleaning to remove pollutants. This integrated interface tailoring strategy paves a way for multi-scale antifouling separation membranes.

Hydrogel is an ideal material for oily sewage treatment due to its strong hydration ability, low-adhesive and antifouling properties. Advanced hydrogel separation membranes with harsh-environment-tolerant (such as strong acidic environments) superoleophobicity are of significance but rarely reported. Herein, a supramolecular nanofibrous hydrogel membrane was designed via one-step coaxial electrospinning method with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as the reinforced core material. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) regulates hydrogen bond cross-linking between tannic acid (TA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). With the evaporation of DMSO, the water-insoluble supramolecular shell was formed between PVP and TA, which was tightly wrapped around the PVDF core. The pore size and wettability of the resulting membrane could be tuned by the core/shell velocity ratio. The stable superwetting properties and interspatial connectivity endow the fibrous hydrogel membranes with high separation performance for various oil-in-water emulsions and even for strong acidic oil-water emulsion. The separation permeance can reach 22,293 L m-2 h-1 bar- 1 for SDS stabilized acidic oil-water emulsion (pH = 1) and maintain at approximately 17,834 L m- 2 h-1 bar- 1 after 3 h continuous separation, exhibiting significant applicability for large-scale filtration.

Here, we present a proactive fouling prevention mechanism that endows superhydrophilic membranes with antifouling capability against migratory viscous crude oil fouling. By simulating the hierarchical architecture/chemical composition of a dahlia leaf, a membrane surface is decorated with wrinkled-pattern microparticles, exhibiting a unique proactive fouling prevention mechanism based on a synergistic hydration layer/steric hindrance. The density functional theory and physicochemical characterizations demonstrate that the main chains of the microparticles are bent towards Fe3+ through coordination interactions to create nanoscale wrinkled patterns on smooth microparticle surfaces. Nanoscale wrinkled patterns reduce the surface roughness and increase the contact area between the membrane surface and water molecules, expanding the steric hindrance between the oil molecules and membrane surface. Molecular dynamic simulations reveal that the water-molecule densities and strengths of the hydrogen bonds are higher near the resultant membrane surface. With this concept, we can successfully inhibit the initial adhesion, migration, and deposition of oil, regardless of the viscosity, on the membrane surface and achieve migratory viscous crude oil antifouling. This research on the PFP mechanism opens pathways to realize superwettable materials for diverse applications in fields related to the environment, energy, health, and beyond.

Membrane technologies demonstrate great promise for treating salt lake brines with high Mg/Li mass ratios. However, current coupled membrane processes suffer from many obstacles, including poor membrane separation performance, high energy consumption, noncontinuous processes, large space occupation, and process complexity. Herein, we designed the multi-stage selective electrodialysis (S-ED) process with high-performance monovalent cation exchange membranes (MCEMs) to treat simulated penetration water from a one-stage nanofiltration (NF) process. The mussel-inspired gallic acid/polyethyleneimine assembled membrane (M-GA/ PEI) with specific architecture and charge properties demonstrated better separation performance than CSO (a commercial MCEM) during the multi-stage S-ED process. The first-stage and second-stage S-ED processes with high-performance M-GA/PEI showed lower energy consumption (0.029-0.039 kWh.mol(-1)Li and 0.011-0.014 kWh.mol(-1)Li, respectively) than those with CSO and other processes with commercial MCEMs for lithium extraction (0.040-3.795 kWh.mol(-1)Li). This indicated that M-GA/PEI could be deployed as a substitute for commercial MCEMs to reduce the operation costs. This study provides new insights into the design of a multi-stage coupled membrane process (one-stage NF + first-stage S-ED + second-stage S-ED) based on high-performance materials for energy-efficient lithium extraction from salt lake brines towards a sustainable energy-water nexus.

Metal-phenolic network (MPN) is a kind of supramolecular material formed by the complexation of metal ions and organic ligands, and is widely used due to its extensive adhesive properties and simple operation methods. At present, MPN has been successfully applied in the surface modification of separation membrane materials, but there is still a lack of comprehensive reviews of separation membranes constructed by MPN, including construction methods and different applications. This paper emphasizes the formation mechanism and characteristics of MPN and MPN-based engineering strategies for the fabrication of multifunctional MPN-engineered membranes. The application of MPN-engineered membranes in water treatment is mainly introduced, including separation (molecular sieving and oil-water separation), catalysis (degradation of organic pollutants), and adsorption (dye adsorption and heavy metal adsorption). Given the limitations of current MPN functional membranes, the prospects for developing ultra-thin and durable MPN-engineered functional membranes are presented. This review has reference significance for the fields of water treatment and other energy and environment-related applications.