Interconnected Macroporous Structure Research Articles

Tailoring of Physical Properties in Macroporous Poly(isocyanopeptide) Cryogels.

Over the years, synthetic hydrogels have proven remarkably useful as cell culture matrixes to elucidate the role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) on cell behavior. Yet, their lack of interconnected macropores undermines the widespread use of hydrogels in biomedical applications. To overcome this limitation, cryogels, a class of macroporous hydrogels, are rapidly emerging. Here, we introduce a new, highly elastic, and tunable synthetic cryogel, based on poly(isocyanopeptides) (PIC). Introduction of methacrylate groups on PIC facilitated cryopolymerization through free-radical polymerization and afforded cryogels with an interconnected macroporous structure. We investigated which cryogelation parameters can be used to tune the architectural and mechanical properties of the PIC cryogels by systematically altering cryopolymerization temperature, polymer concentration, and polymer molecular weight. We show that for decreasing cryopolymerization temperatures, there is a correlation between cryogel pore size and stiffness. More importantly, we demonstrate that by simply varying the polymer concentration, we can selectively tune the compressive strength of PIC cryogels without affecting their architecture. This unique feature is highly useful for biomedical applications, as it facilitates decoupling of stiffness from other variables such as pore size. As such, PIC cryogels provide an interesting new biomaterial for scientists to unravel the role of the ECM in cellular functions.

Multifunctional Super-Hydrophilic MXene/Biomass Composite Aerogel Evaporator for Efficient Solar-Driven Desalination and Wastewater Treatment.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is recognized as a sustainable and effective strategy for desalination to mitigate the freshwater scarcity issue. Nevertheless, the challenges of oil contamination, salt accumulation, and poor long-term stability of the solar desalination process limit its applications. Herein, a 3D biomass-based multifunctional solar aerogel evaporator is developed for water production with fabricated chitosan/lignin (CSL) aerogel as the skeleton, encapsulated with carbonized lignin (CL) particles and Ti3C2TiX (MXene) nanosheets as light-absorbing materials. Benefitting from its super-hydrophilic wettability, interconnected macropore structure, and high broadband light absorption (ca. 95.50%), the prepared CSL-C@MXene-20mg evaporator exhibited a high and stable water evaporation flux of 2.351kg m-2 h-1 with an energy conversion efficiency of 88.22% under 1 Sun (1kW m-2) illumination. The CSL-C@MXene-20mg evaporator performed excellent salt tolerance and long-term solar vapor generation in a 3.5wt.% NaCl solution. Also, its super-hydrophilicity and oleophobicity resulted in superior salt resistance and anti-fouling performance in high salinity brine (20wt.% NaCl) and oily wastewater. This work offers new insight into the manufacture of porous and eco-friendly biomass-based photothermal aerogels for advanced solar-powered seawater desalination and wastewater purification.

A macromolecular cross-linked alginate aerogel with excellent concentrating effect for rapid hemostasis

Alginate-based materials present promising potential for emergency hemostasis due to their excellent properties, such as procoagulant capability, biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and cost-effectiveness. However, the inherent deficiencies in water solubility and mechanical strength pose a threat to hemostatic efficiency. Here, we innovatively developed a macromolecular cross-linked alginate aerogel based on norbornene- and thiol-functionalized alginates through a combined thiol-ene cross-linking/freeze-drying process. The resulting aerogel features an interconnected macroporous structure with remarkable water-uptake capacity (approximately 9000 % in weight ratio), contributing to efficient blood absorption, while the enhanced mechanical strength of the aerogel ensures stability and durability during the hemostatic process. Comprehensive hemostasis-relevant assays demonstrated that the aerogel possessed outstanding coagulation capability, which is attributed to the synergistic impacts on concentrating effect, platelet enrichment, and intrinsic coagulation pathway. Upon application to in vivo uncontrolled hemorrhage models of tail amputation and hepatic injury, the aerogel demonstrated significantly superior performance compared to commercial alginate hemostatic agent, yielding reductions in clotting time and blood loss of up to 80 % and 85 %, respectively. Collectively, our work illustrated that the alginate porous aerogel overcomes the deficiencies of alginate materials while exhibiting exceptional performance in hemorrhage, rendering it an appealing candidate for rapid hemostasis.

Synthesis of oxygen vacancy-engineered Fe2O3 nanospheres on three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide for ultra-energy density performance of asymmetric supercapacitors

The synthesis of oxygen vacancy (VO) -engineered Fe2O3 (Fe2O3-x) nanospheres on three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (3D rGO/Fe2O3-x) is proposed via a gentle and high-efficiency hydrothermal approach under reducing conditions for a high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors. The smooth and rounded 3D rGO/Fe2O3-x hydrogel appears to be intact, which possesses extremely light weight and excellent strength. The micromorphology of 3D rGO/Fe2O3-x presents a 3D interconnected macroporous network structure, and the Fe2O3-x nanospheres are distributed on the surface of 3D rGO. The specific capacity of the 3D rGO/Fe2O3-x is up to 273.2 mAh/g. An asymmetric supercapacitor 3D rGO/Fe2O3-x||3D rGO exhibits an ultrahigh energy density of 114 Wh/kg at a power density of 140 W/kg. Over 20000 cycles, the capacitance retention fading and the coulombic efficiency are 6.18% and ∼100%, respectively. Outstanding supercapacitor performances of the 3D rGO/Fe2O3-x||3D rGO are attributed to the formation of the VOs in Fe2O3 crystal structure and the distribution of Fe2O3-x nanospheres on the 3D rGO. The 3D rGO/Fe2O3-x displays great potential for utilization as high-performance supercapacitors.

Nanoengineered Supramolecular Adhesive Sponge for Rapid Hemostasis and Abdominal Wall Wound Healing.

Multifunctional dressing biomaterials that can promote tissue adhesion, hemostasis, and soft-tissue wound healing are of great clinical significance. Here, we report a nanocomposite supramolecular sponge constructed by an air-in-water emulsion template composed of methacrylated gelatin (GelMA), Laponite nanoclay, and branched supramolecular polymer (PAMU). The sponge has an interconnected macroporous structure and exhibits tunable mechanical properties with varying Laponite concentration. The nanoengineered sponge is endowed with tissue adhesion by intermolecular hydrogen bonds and ionic interactions contributed by the supramolecular polymer and the Laponite nanoclay. The biocompatible sponge facilitates cell proliferation and blood coagulation in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In addition, the results of the rat external abdominal wall defect model show that the sponge can promote angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and granulation tissue formation to accelerate wound repair. These findings suggest that the unique air-in-water templated sponge is a promising candidate for applications in hemostasis and wound healing.

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Three‐dimensionally ordered macro/mesoporous carbon material is a new material with interconnected macroporous structure and rich meso/micropores. The interconnected macroporous structure can effectively reduce mass transfer resistance and improve the contact efficiency between reactants and active sites during the catalytic process. More details are discussed in the article by Sun et al. on page 164—170. image

Fabricating of poly(vinyl alcohol)/halloysite nanotubes/gelatin composite sponges with enhanced mechanical properties and rapid water absorption speed

AbstractIn the biomedical field, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sponge has been widely used. In particular, it is considered a potential implant material for repairing soft tissues. However, its insufficient water absorption and mechanical properties limit its application. In this work, a novel PVA/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs)/gelatin ternary composite sponge was prepared by water solution mixing and casting techniques. HNTs and gelatin/PVA solution were mixed at different weight ratios. The structure of the ternary composite sponges was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy. The physical properties of the ternary composite sponges were characterized. The maximum water absorption reached 1783.5% with a rapid water absorption speed at a weight ratio of HNTs/gelatin of 1:8. Owing to its interconnected macroporous structure and good interfacial interaction, its highest compression strength and tensile strength reached 8.22, 1.51 MPa, respectively. In addition, its thermal stability was enhanced as well, which demonstrated that the prepared composite sponge had better performance than the pure PVA sponge by constructing a ternary system. Therefore, the results suggest that the PVA/HNTs/gelatin ternary composite sponge shows a wider application value as a potential material for repairing soft tissue.Highlights A composite PVA sponge with promising applications in tissue engineering. Simple preparation method, water solution mixing and casting techniques. Pioneering a PVA/HNTs/gelatin ternary system sponge. Improved water absorption ability and mechanical properties.

Chitosan based Janus cryogel with anisotropic wettability, antibacterial activity, and rapid shape memory for effective hemostasis

Excessive bleeding and bacterial infection leading to death is a major concern worldwide, particularly in cases of deep and narrow noncompressible hemorrhage. Herein, a novel Janus cryogel with anisotropic surface wettability, antibacterial activity, and rapid shape recovery was designed by constructing a hydrophilic porous cryogel using chitosan (CS), acacia gum (AG), and quaternized mesoporous bioglass (QMBG), with subsequent surface hydrophobic modification using octadecanol. The asymmetric hydrophobic surface modification of octadecanal endowed OCAQ with outstanding antiblood and antibacterial permeability, effectively preventing blood outflow and the invasion of bacteria to the wound. The hydrophilic parts with interconnected macroporous structure give the cryogel with ultra-high water uptake (5167 ± 182 %) and rapid water-trigged shape recover ability (≈2.1 s). The presence of active CS, AG, and QMBG in cryogel contributes to its exceptional blood clotting ability. Janus cryogel presents outstanding hemostatic performance (0.14 ± 0.03 g) in rat's liver injury model. Moreover, Janus cryogel exhibits excellent antibacterial properties due to the combination of its hydrophobic surface and antimicrobial quaternary amine groups. Meanwhile, the Janus cryogel has favorable hemocompatibility and biocompatibility. A Therefore, the Janus cryogel will become a candidate with great potential for clinical application of noncompressible wound as a multifunctional dressing.

Ultra-high flux catalytic membrane reactors based on coagulation-flocculation mechanism for selective catalytic

Catalytic membrane reactors (CMRs), combination of catalytic industry and membrane technology, facilitates manufacture efficiency in massive practical and industrial applications. However, the balance of membrane flux and catalytic performance represents enormous challenges. Herin, we propose the coagulation-flocculation strategy for piloting the Zeta potential on CMR with the flow-reaction channel by modulating the filler within the mixed matrix membrane. Comprehensive characterizations demonstrate that the modulation of zeta potential in the CMR triggers the regulation of channel environment (interconnected macro-pore network structure) with the formation of more catalytic sites. Both the experimental outcomes and reaction mechanism explicitly validate the facilitating role of channel environment in boosting the enrichment of reactants and selectivity for reactants, thereby substantially stimulating the reactants activation for the subsequent catalytic procedure more feasibly. The CMR presents superior performance in the catalytic discoloration of contaminations (the flux record-value of 8664 L m−2 h−1, catalytic efficiency: 98.5 %, and robust stability: 15 cycles in Methylene Blue (MB) tests, and brilliant selectivity for various reactants with charge selectivity and size selectivity). This controllable adjustment of the membrane structure based on the coagulation-flocculation mechanism shines tactic for design high-flux, high-efficiency CMR for industrial preparation.

Bioactive Glasses-Based Nanozymes Composite Macroporous Cryogel with Antioxidative, Antibacterial, and Pro-Healing Properties for Diabetic Infected Wound Repair.

The treatment for diabetic ulcers still remains a big clinic challenge owing to the adverse repair microenvironment. Bioactive glasses (BGs) play an important role in the late stages of healing due to their ability to promote vascularization and collagen fiber deposition, but fail to improve infection and oxidative stress in the early stage.Therefore, it is critical to develop a material involved in regulating the whole healing phases. In this work, BGs-based nanozymes (MnO2 @PDA-BGs) with antioxidation, antibacterial and pro-healing abilities are synthesized by the redox deposition of MnO2 on mesoporous BGs. Afterward, cryogel with the interconnected macropore structure is fabricated by the polymerization of methacrylate anhydride gelatin (GelMA) at -20 °C. MnO2 @PDA-BGs are loaded into the cryogel to obtain nanocomposite cryogel (MnO2 @PDA-BGs/Gel) with multiple enzymes-like- activities to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Besides, MnO2 @PDA-BGs/Gel has intensive peroxidase-like activity under acidic condition and near infrared photothermal responsiveness to achieve excellent antibacterial performance. Cells experiments demonstrate that MnO2 @PDA-BGs/Gel recruits L929s and promotes their proliferation. Furthermore, MnO2 @PDA-BGs/Gel eliminates intracellular overexpressed ROSand maintains the viability of L929s. Animal experiments confirm that MnO2 @PDA-BGs/Gel promotes wound healing and avoided scarring by killing bacteria, reversing inflammation, promoting vascularization, and improving the deposition of collagen III.

Three-dimensional porous N-doped graphitic carbon framework with embedded CoO for ultrahigh and stable lithium storage

A three-dimensional porous N-doped graphite carbon framework embedded with cobalt oxide (CoO@N-GCs) was prepared using a simple polymer heat treatment method. This material is utilized as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The experimental results demonstrate that the CoO@N-GC-400 shows outstanding performance. The first capacity is 1628 mAh g−1 (0.05 A g−1) and exhibits excellent cycle characteristics, maintaining a capacity of 352.72 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at 1 A g−1. During pyrolysis, the interconnected macroporous structure is mostly preserved, and the formation of the macropores happens perpendicular to the surface. This occurrence is mainly due to the high-temperature carbonization of PVP and the significant pore formation resulting from the breakdown of Co(NO3)3. The pore wall undergoes a solid-to-hollow transformation due to the formation of CoO nanoparticles within the walls. This provides a useful approach for designing the anode structure of high-performance LIBs.

Embedded 3D Printing of Cryogel-Based Scaffolds.

Cryogel-based scaffolds have attracted great attention in tissue engineering due to their interconnected macroporous structures. However, three-dimensional (3D) printing of cryogels with a high degree of precision and complexity is a challenge, since the synthesis of cryogels occurs under cryogenic conditions. In this study, we demonstrated the fabrication of cryogel-based scaffolds for the first time by using an embedded printing technique. A photo-cross-linkable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)-based ink composition, including alginate and photoinitiator, was printed into a nanoclay-based support bath. The layer-by-layer extruded ink was held in complex and overhanging structures with the help of pre-cross-linking of alginate with Ca2+ present in the support bath. The printed 3D structures in the support bath were frozen, and then GelMA was cross-linked at a subzero temperature under UV light. The printed and cross-linked structures were successfully recovered from the support bath with an integrated shape complexity. SEM images showed the formation of a 3D printed scaffold where porous GelMA cryogel was integrated between the cross-linked alginate hydrogels. In addition, they showed excellent shape recovery under uniaxial compression cycles of up to 80% strain. In vitro studies showed that the human fibroblast cells attached to the 3D printed scaffold and displayed spread morphology with a high proliferation rate. The results revealed that the embedded 3D printing technique enables the fabrication of cytocompatible cryogel based scaffolds with desired morphology and mechanical behavior using photo-cross-linkable bioink composition. The properties of the cryogels can be modified by varying the GelMA concentration, whereby various shapes of scaffolds can be fabricated to meet the specific requirements of tissue engineering applications.

Magnesium Gradient‐Based Hierarchical Scaffold for Dual‐Lineage Regeneration of Osteochondral Defect

AbstractOsteochondral regeneration remains a great challenge due to the limited self‐healing ability and the complexity of its hierarchical structure and composition. Mg2+ and hypoxia are two effective modulators in boosting chondrogenesis. To this end, a double‐layered scaffold (D) consisting of a hydrogel layer on a porous cryogel is fabricated to mimic the hierarchical structure of osteochondral tissue. An Mg2+ gradient is incorporated into the double‐layered scaffold with hypoxia‐mimicking deferoxamine (DFO) embedded in the hydrogel (D‐Mg‐DFO), which remarkably augments the dual‐lineage regeneration of both cartilage and subchondral bone. The higher Mg2+ supplementation from the upper hydrogel, associated with its hypoxia‐mimicking situation and small pore size, exhibits promotive effects on chondrogenic differentiation. The lower Mg2+ supplementation from the bottom cryogel, associated with its interconnected macroporous structure, achieves multiple contributions in stem cell migration from bone marrow cavity, matrix mineralization, and osteogenesis. Furthermore, rabbits’ trochlea osteochondral defects are established to evaluate the regenerative outcome. Compared to control scaffolds containing only Mg2+ or DFO, the D‐Mg‐DFO scaffold presents the best regenerative effect under the synergistic contribution of multiple factors. Overall, this work provides a new design of scaffold toward an effective repair of cartilage defect.

Facile synthesis of nanoscale tantalum powder by electro-deoxidation of Ta2O5

We report a facile approach for the synthesis of nanoscale tantalum powder through the electro-deoxidation of Ta2O5 cathode in molten Na3AlF6-K3AlF6-AlF3. The cathodic process begins with a solid-liquid reaction between Ta2O5 and the electrolyte, resulting in the formation of MxTaO2+xF1-x (M = Na, K) intermediates, which are then electrochemically reduced to tantalum directly. We developed a Ta2O5 cathode with a new porous structure, which contains interconnected microporous, mesoporous and macroporous structures, possessing properties such as high surface area, high pore volume ratios, and excellent accessibility to active sites. This novel cathodic pore structure material enabled the formation of uniform-sized MxTaO2+xF1-x particles with a regular cubic morphology by providing abundant nucleation sites and promoting uniform growth of intermediate. The electrochemical decomposition of these particles and the nucleation, growth mechanisms of tantalum product were also investigated. Our study demonstrates the rational design and synthesis of hierarchically porous cathode materials can facilitate the controllable synthesis of nanoscale metal powders by the FFC process, and may open up new opportunities for the development of other materials with desired morphology and particle size.

Enhancing Top-Down Characterization of Membrane Proteoforms with C8-Functional Amine-Bridged Hybrid Monoliths.

Comprehensive characterization of membrane proteins at the level of proteoforms in complex biological samples by top-down mass spectrometry (MS) is of vital importance in revealing their precise functions. However, severe peak broadening in the separation of hydrophobic membrane proteins, caused by resistance to mass transfer and strong adsorption on separation materials, leads to MS spectra overlap and signal suppression, which makes against the in-depth research on membrane proteoforms. Herein, C8-functional amine-bridged hybrid monoliths with an interconnected macroporous structure were developed by the in situ one-step sol-gel reaction of triethoxy(octyl)silane and bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine in capillaries. Due to the unique macroporous structure and bridged secondary amino groups in the framework, the monolith possessed reduced resistance to mass transfer, low nonspecific adsorption, and electrostatic repulsion to membrane proteins. These features tremendously alleviated peak broadening in the separation of membrane proteins, thus outperforming traditional reversed-phase columns in top-down characterization of membrane proteoforms. With this monolith, a total of 3100 membrane proteoforms were identified in the mouse hippocampus, representing the largest membrane proteoform database obtained by top-down analysis so far. The identified membrane proteoforms revealed abundant information, including combinatorial post-translational modifications (PTMs), truncation, and transmembrane domains. Furthermore, the proteoform information was integrated into the interaction network of membrane protein complexes involved in oxidative phosphorylation processing, opening up new opportunities to uncover more detailed molecular basis and interaction in the biological processes.

Utilizing 3-aminophenol formaldehyde resins microspheres for the synthesis of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous oxides

Constructing three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) materials with well-defined structures and fascinating properties has attracted extensive attention in broad research fields. Innovations and breakthroughs are, thus, highly required for the control synthesis. Herein, we have successfully developed a novel strategy with 3-aminophenol formaldehyde resins microspheres as a template for the control synthesis of 3DOM TiO2. The as-prepared 3DOM TiO2 materials exhibit a periodic and interconnected macroporous structure with a large, well-open surface area of up to 208 m2/g. By rationally controlling the synthesis parameters, e.g. modulating the microsphere size of aminophenol formaldehyde resinsand the pyrolysis time, the average macroporous size of 3DOM TiO2 can be tunable in the range of 77–177 nm together with adjustable crystallinity of TiO2 obtained, and a different extent of the carbon residue decorated inside the macroporous can be also controlled. Given its generality and efficiency, we hope that the provided method can be a practical, economical viable approach for the rational design of various 3DOM materials, which provide great potentials for different application, including various aspects of catalysis and beyond.

Self-assembly of cell-embedding reduced graphene oxide/ polypyrrole hydrogel as efficient anode for high-performance microbial fuel cell

A three-dimensional (3D) macroporous reduced graphene oxide/polypyrrole (rGO/Ppy) hydrogel assembled by bacterial cells was fabricated and applied for microbial fuel cells. By taking the advantage of electroactive cell-induced bioreduction of graphene oxide and in-situ polymerization of Ppy, a facile self-assembly by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1and in-situ polymerization approach for 3D rGO/Ppy hydrogel preparation was developed. This facile one-step self-assembly process enabled the embedding of living electroactive cells inside the hydrogel electrode, which showed an interconnected 3D macroporous structures with high conductivity and biocompatibility. Electrochemical analysis indicated that the self-assembly of cell-embedding rGO/Ppy hydrogel enhanced the electrochemical activity of the bioelectrode and reduced the electron charge transfer resistance between the cells and the electrode. Impressively, extremely high power output of 3366 ± 42 mW m−2 was achieved from the MFC with cell-embedding rGO/Ppy hydrogel rGO/Ppy, which was 8.6 times of that delivered from the MFC with bare electrode. Further analysis indicated that the increased cell loading by the hydrogel and improved electrochemical activity by the rGO/Ppy composite would be the underlying mechanism for this performance improvement. This study provided a facile approach to fabricate the biocompatible and electrochemical active 3D nanocomposites for MFC, which would also be promising for performance optimization of various bioelectrochemical systems.

Preparation and Properties of Self‐Setting Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds: Effect of Pore Architecture

Self-setting calcium phosphate cement (CPC) scaffold with interconnected macropores is hard to prepare without compromising its hydration reaction. Herein, an indirect 3D printing method is using to prepare CPC scaffolds. Detailedly, polycaprolactone (PCL)-sacrificed models with different strut sizes are first printed by 3D plotting technique, and then the CPC pastes are perfused into the PCL models and then self-setting. After the removal of the PCL models, the CPC scaffolds with different pore sizes are obtained. It is showed in the results that the prepared CPC scaffolds had uniform shape and 3D interconnected macropore structure. Meanwhile, the compressive strength of CPC scaffolds all meets the requirements of repairing cancellous bone. More interestingly, the CPC scaffold with about 300 μm in macropore size is more conducive to the ingrowth and osteogenesis differentiation of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. As a whole, the indirect 3D printing method is a promising strategy for preparing CPC scaffolds, which are hard to form directly by 3D printing technique.

Injectable macro-porous chitosan/polyethylene glycol-silicotungstic acid double-network hydrogels based on “smashed gels recombination” strategy for cartilage tissue engineering

The lack of interconnected macro-porous structure of most injectable hydrogels lead to poor cell and tissue infiltration. Herein, we present the fabrication of injectable macro-porous hydrogels based on “smashed gels recombination” strategy. Chitosan/polyethylene glycol-silicotungstic acid (CS/PEG-SiW) double-network hydrogels were prepared via dual dynamic interactions. The bulk CS/PEG-SiW hydrogels were then smashed into micro-hydrogels with average sizes ranging from 47.6 to 63.8 μm by mechanical fragmentation. The CS/PEG-SiW micro-hydrogels could be continuously injected and rapidly recombined into a stable porous hydrogel based on the dual dynamic interactions between micro-hydrogels. The average pore size of the recombined porous CS/PEG-SiW hydrogels ranged from 52 to 184 μm. The storage modulus, compress modulus and maximum compressive strain of the recombined porous CS/PEG-SiW1.0 hydrogels reached about 47.2 %, 28.2 % and 127.6 % of the values for their corresponding bulk hydrogels, respectively. The recombined porous hydrogels were cytocompatible and could effectively support proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). In a rat cartilage defect model, recombined porous CS/PEG-SiW hydrogels could promote cartilage regeneration. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Safranin-O/Fast green and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and type II collagen (Col II) in regenerated cartilage.

A "turn-on" inverse opal photonic crystal fluorescent sensing film for detection of cysteine and its bioimaging of living cells.

A "turn-on" inverse opal photonic crystal fluorescent sensing film infiltrated with a coumarin derivative is reported for the reliable and accurate detection of cysteine in human serum and fluorescence imaging of living cells. The coumarin derivative containing allyl ester specifically reacts with cysteine by ammonolysis to generate a fluorescent product whose emission wavelength is at ~ 535nm, providing a selective fluorescence detection for cysteine. The emitted fluorescence is significantly enhanced due to the slow photon effect derived from the photonic crystal film. This is because the emission wavelength is overlapped with the blue-band edge of the photonic stopband of the selected inverse opal film. The fluorescence enhancement effect endows the prepared inverse opal film with highly sensitive detection with a limit of detection of 3.23 × 10-9mol/L and a wide linear detection range of 1 × 10-7 - 1 × 10-3mol/L. A fast response within 30s toward cysteine is also achieved due to the three-dimensional interconnected macroporous structure with a high-specific surface area of the inverse opal film. The prepared inverse opal fluorescent sensing film has been successfully applied to the detection of cysteine in human serum and bioimaging of living cells. In the diluted human serum, the recoveries for the detection of cysteine were 97.92 - 107.20%, and the relative standard deviations were 2.61-9.04%, demonstrating the potential applicability of the inverse opal fluorescent sensing film to real sample analysis. The method may provide a universal strategy for constructing various photonic crystal fluorescent sensing films by using different fluorescent probes.