Long-term Stability Research Articles

Effect of the Hammett substituent constant of para-substituted benzoic acid on the perovskite/SnO2 interface passivation in perovskite solar cells.

It is critical to design bifunctional passivation molecules to simultaneously passivate the charge transport layer and perovskite layer at the charge transport layer/perovskite interface in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, we investigate the effect of para-substituted benzoic acid with different Hammett constants (σ) on the photovoltaic performance of PSCs. Two passivation molecules 4-aminomethylbenzoic acid (4-AMBA) and 4-sulfamoylbenzoic acid (4-SABA) are used to passivate the SnO2 surface with carboxylic acid and the perovskite with para-substituent electron-donating -CH2NH2 (σ = ca. -0.02) and electron-withdrawing -SO2NH2 (σ = ca. +0.60). Compared with non-passivated PSC, the passivation improves the power conversion efficiency (PCE) mainly due to the increased open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF), where the -SO2NH2 substituent is better in improving the photovoltaic performance than the -CH2NH2 one. The trap density is more reduced and the charge extraction ability is more improved by 4-SABA than by 4-AMBA, which indicates that the weak electron-withdrawing nature of a para-substituent such as -SO2NH2 is better for the passivation of the bottom perovskite than a weak electron-donating -CH2NH2 substituent. Consequently, the passivation with 4-SABA enhances the PCE from 22.27% to 23.64%, along with improved long-term stability. This work highlights for the first time the role of the Hammett constant in the surface passivation of PSCs.

Surface-Grafted Biocompatible Polymer Conductors for Stable and Compliant Electrodes for Brain Interfaces.

Durable and conductive interfaces that enable chronic and high-resolution recording of neural activity are essential for understanding and treating neurodegenerative disorders. These chronic implants require long-term stability and small contact areas. Consequently, they are often coated with a blend of conductive polymers and are crosslinked to enhance durability despite the potentially deleterious effect of crosslinking on the mechanical and electrical properties. Here the grafting of the poly(3,4 ethylenedioxythiophene) scaffold, poly(styrenesulfonate)-b-poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate block copolymer brush to gold, in a controlled and tunable manner, by surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) is described. This "block-brush" provides high volumetric capacitance (120 F cm─3), strong adhesion to the metal (4h ultrasonication), improved surface hydrophilicity, and stability against 10000 charge-discharge voltage sweeps on a multiarray neural electrode. In addition, the block-brush film showed 33% improved stability against current pulsing. This approach can open numerous avenues for exploring specialized polymer brushes for bioelectronics research and application.

Orthodontic and Surgical Management of Impacted Maxillary Canines: A Narrative Review

AbstractMaxillary canine impactions are a significant challenge for orthodontic and oral surgical practices. In this narrative review, we aim to evaluate surgical and orthodontic approaches for treating maxillary canine impactions, evaluate their effectiveness, and compare the two treatment modalities.We reviewed several studies on databases such as Google Scholar, PUBMED, and MEDLINE to update recent knowledge for canine impactions and their treatment. We reviewed and included studies that matched our research objectives, including orthodontic management, open and closed eruption techniques, and contact and tooth alignment surgery.Successful treatment results of canine impactions were reported increasingly in literature, and good clinical outcomes were observed in most cases. However, factors such as the severity of the impaction, patient age, and surgical experience were found to influence the choice of surgical technique and success rates. Complications associated with surgical management of maxillary canine impactions were also reported. These complications, which include tooth resorption, postoperative infection, ankylosis, and damage to adjacent structures, are generally rare but emphasize the importance of careful patient selection, surgical planning accuracy, and emphasis on diligent postoperative care.Findings highlight surgical procedures' effectiveness, outcomes, and challenges to help clinicians make informed decisions and improve patient care. The results underscore the importance of evidence-based decision-making and a multidisciplinary approach for successful clinical outcomes. Future research will focus on long-term stability, patient-reported outcomes, and exploring emerging techniques to further improve the management of maxillary canine impactions.

Se-dopant Modulated Selective Co-Insertion of H+ and Zn2+ in MnO2 for High-Capacity and Durable Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries.

MnO2 is commonly used as the cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). The strong Coulombic interaction between Zn ions and the MnO2 lattice causes significant lattice distortion and, combined with the Jahn-Teller effect, results in Mn2+ dissolution and structural collapse. While proton intercalation can reduce lattice distortion, it changes the electrolyte pH, producing chemically inert byproducts. These issues greatly affect the reversibility of Zn2+ intercalation/extraction, leading to significant capacity degradation of MnO2. Herein, we propose a novel method to enhance the cycling stability of δ-MnO2 through selenium doping (Se-MnO2). Our work indicates that varying the selenium doping content can regulate the intercalation ratio of H+ in MnO2, thereby suppressing the formation of ZnMn2O4 by-products. Se doping mitigates the lattice strain of MnO2 during Zn2+ intercalation/deintercalation by reducing Mn-O octahedral distortion, modifying Mn-O bond length upon Zn2+ insertion, and alleviating Mn dissolution caused by the Jahn-Teller effect. The optimized Se-MnO2 (Se concentration of 0.8 at.%) deposited on carbon nanotube demonstrates a notable capacity of 386 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, with exceptional long-term cycle stability, retaining 102 mAh g-1 capacity after 5000 cycles at 3.0 A g-1.

Enhancing Efficiency and Durability of Perovskite Solar Cells with Chlorine-Functionalized Fully Conjugated Porous Aromatic Framework.

Non-radiative recombination, caused by trap states, significantly hampers the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The emerging porous organic polymers (POPs) show promise as a platform for designing novel defect passivation agents due to their rigid and porous structure. However, the POPs reported so far lack either sufficient stability or clear sites of interactions with the defects. Herein, two chlorine-functionalized, fully conjugated porous aromatic frameworks (PAFs) were constructed via a decarbonylation reaction. The chlorinated PAFs feature unique long-range conjugated networks bearing multiple chlorine atoms, significantly improving the photovoltaic performance and stability of doped solar cells. Combined experimental and theoretical analyses confirmed the strong passivation effects of conjugated structure to the defect through Cl sites. Specifically, PAF-159, bearing a triphenylamine moiety, demonstrated stronger Cl-Pb bonding and higher passivation efficiency due to the presence of π* anti-bonding orbitals, which elevate the HOMO energy level and facilitate Cl-Pb charge transfer. Consequently, we obtained high-performance PAF-159-doped devices with advanced PCE (24.3%), good storage stability (retaining 86% after 3000 hours), and good long-term operational stability (retaining 92% after 350 hours).

Long-term stability of acquired drug resistance and resistance associated mutations in the fungal pathogen Nakaseomyces glabratus (Candida glabrata)

The limited number of available antifungal drugs and the increasing number of fungal isolates that show drug or multidrug resistance pose a serious medical threat. Several yeast pathogens, such as Nakaseomyces glabratus (Candida glabrata), show a remarkable ability to develop drug resistance during treatment through the acquisition of genetic mutations. However, how stable this resistance and the underlying mutations are in non-selective conditions remains poorly characterized. The stability of acquired drug resistance has fundamental implications for our understanding of the appearance and spread of drug-resistant outbreaks and for defining efficient strategies to combat them. Here, we used an in vitro evolution approach to assess the stability under optimal growth conditions of resistance phenotypes and resistance-associated mutations that were previously acquired under exposure to antifungals. Our results reveal a remarkable stability of the resistant phenotype and the underlying mutations in a significant number of evolved populations, which conserved their phenotype for at least two months in the absence of drug-selective pressure. We observed a higher stability of anidulafungin resistance over fluconazole resistance, and of resistance-conferring point mutations as compared with aneuploidies. In addition, we detected accumulation of novel mutations in previously altered resistance-associated genes in non-selective conditions, which suggest a possible compensatory role. We conclude that acquired resistance, particularly to anidulafungin, is a long-lasting phenotype, which has important implications for the persistence and propagation of drug-resistant clinical outbreaks.

3D Nickel–Manganese bimetallic electrocatalysts for an enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction performance in simulated seawater/alkaline natural seawater

In this paper, we report an inexpensive one-step synthesis of self-supported 3D nickel-manganese (NiMn) bimetallic coatings and their application for the hydrogen evolution reaction in simulated seawater (1 M KOH + 0.5 M NaCl) and alkaline natural seawater (1 M KOH + natural seawater). These binary coatings were electrodeposited on a titanium substrate using a facile electrochemical deposition method by a dynamic hydrogen bubble template technique. The as-deposited NiMn coatings with variable Mn amounts produce typical globular and unique porous architecture with abundant pores of different sizes. The activity of these fabricated catalysts towards the hydrogen evolution reaction was investigated by linear sweep voltammetry towards simulated seawater and alkaline natural seawater at different temperatures. The surface morphology and composition of the catalysts were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The as-prepared NiMn/Ti electrocatalyst, which was electrodeposited using a chemical bath containing Ni2+ and Mn2+ ions with a molar ratio of Ni2+:Mn2+ = 1:5, exhibits excellent hydrogen evolution activity in simulated seawater with an ultra-low overpotential of 64.2 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2. It is noteworthy that this NiMn/Ti electrocatalyst also achieves a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline natural seawater with a comparably low overpotential of 79.3 mV. The current densities increase by ca. 1.75–2.35 times with an increase in temperature from 25 °C to 75 °C for hydrogen evolution in both electrolytes. This bimetallic catalyst has shown excellent long-term stability at a constant potential of −0.23 V (vs. RHE) and a constant current density of 10 mA cm−2 for 10 h, which ensures higher durability and robustness for practical application of seawater splitting technology.

Potential effects of aerosol generation and transmission during bedside endoscope cleaning.

Airborne transmission is among the most frequent types of nosocomial infection. Recent years have witnessed frequent outbreaks of airborne diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with the latter being on the rampage since the end of 2019 and bringing the effect of aerosols on health back to the fore (Gralton et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2021). An increasing number of studies have shown that certain highly transmissible pathogens can maintain long-term stability and efficiently spread through aerosols (Leung, 2021; Lv et al., 2021). As reported previously, influenza viruses that can spread efficiently through aerosols remain stable for a longer period compared to those that cannot. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) play an important role in aerosol transmission in hospitals (Calderwood et al., 2021). AGPs, referring to medical procedures that produce aerosols, including dental procedures, endotracheal intubation, sputum aspiration, and laparoscopic surgeries, have been reported to be significantly associated with an increased risk of nosocomial infection among medical personnel (Hamilton, 2021).

Conjugation-Broken Dimer Acceptors Enable High-Efficiency, Stable, and Flexibility-Robust Organic Solar Cells.

Dimer acceptors in organic solar cells (OSCs) offer distinct advantages, including a well-defined molecular structure and excellent batch-to-batch reproducibility. Their high glass transition temperature (Tg) aids in achieving an optimal kinetic morphology, thereby enhancing device stability. Currently, most of dimer acceptor materials are linked with conjugated units in order to obtain high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). In this study, different from previous works on conjugation-linked dimer acceptors, a novel series of dimer acceptors are synthesized (named T1, T4, T6, and T12), each linked with different flexible alkyl linkers, and investigated their PCEs, device stability, and flexibility robustness. When blended with PM6, the T6-based device achieves a PCE of 17.09%, comparable to the fully conjugated T0-based device's PCE of 17.12%. The molecular dynamics simulations anddensity functional theorycalculations suggested that flexible conjugation-broken linkers (FCBLs) promote intermolecular electronic couplings, thereby maintaining good electron mobilities of dimer acceptors. Notably, the T6-based device exhibits impressive long-term stability with a T80 lifetime of 1427h, while in the T0-based device, T80 is only 350h. The present work has thus established the relationship between the length of flexible alkyl linkers in such dimer acceptors and the performance and stability of OSCs, which is important to further designing new materials for the fabrication of efficient and stable OSCs.

Optimizing peri-implant health: The crucial role of soft tissue condition in bone regenerative procedures

Peri-implant health is paramount for the long-term success of dental implants. While bone regeneration techniques have been extensively studied and employed to ensure implant stability, the significance of soft tissue condition in this context is increasingly recognized. This review article explores the intricate interplay between soft tissue dynamics and bone regenerative procedures in the pursuit of optimal peri-implant health. Soft tissue condition around dental implants plays a multifaceted role in supporting long-term stability and functionality. Adequate soft tissue thickness, contour, and attachment are crucial for maintaining a healthy peri-implant environment and preventing complications such as peri-implantitis and mucosal recession. Furthermore, soft tissue quality influences the outcomes of bone regeneration procedures by affecting vascularization, wound healing, and tissue integration. Various strategies have been proposed to enhance soft tissue condition in conjunction with bone regenerative techniques. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, this article aims to elucidate the pivotal role of soft tissue condition in bone regenerative procedures and its implications for long-term peri-implant health. Insights gained from this review will inform clinicians and researchers in devising effective strategies to enhance soft tissue quality and ensure the success and longevity of dental implant therapy.

Simultaneous production of syngas and carbon nanotubes from CO2/CH4 mixture over high-performance NiMo/MgO catalyst

Direct conversion of biogas via the integrative process of dry reforming of methane (DRM) and catalytic methane decomposition (CDM) has received a great attention as a promising green catalytic process for simultaneous production of syngas and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In this work, the effects of reaction temperature of 700–1100 °C and CH4/CO2 ratio of biogas were investigated over NiMo/MgO catalyst in a fixed bed reactor under industrial feed condition of pure biogas. The reaction at 700 °C showed a rapid catalyst deactivation within 3 h due to the formation of amorphous carbon on catalyst surface. At higher temperature of 800–900 °C, the catalyst can perform the excellent performance for producing syngas and carbon nanotubes. Interestingly, the smallest diameter and the highest graphitization of CNTs was obtained at high temperature of 1000 °C, while elevating temperature to 1100 °C leads to agglomeration of Ni particles, resulting in a larger size of CNTs. The reaction temperature exhibits optimum at 800 °C, providing the highest CNTs yield with high graphitization, high syngas purity up to 90.04% with H2/CO ratio of 1.1, and high biogas conversion (XCH4 = 86.44%, XCO2 = 95.62%) with stable performance over 3 h. The typical composition biogas (CH4/CO2 = 1.5) is favorable for the integration process, while the CO2 rich biogas caused a larger grain size of catalyst and a formation of molybdenum oxide nanorods (MoO3). The long-term stability of NiMo/MgO catalyst at 800 °C showed a stable trend (> 20 h). The experimental findings confirm that NiMo/MgO can perform the excellent activity and high stability at the optimum condition, allowing the process to be more promising for practical applications.

Scaling the polymerization of polyaldehydes through continuous flow synthesis

AbstractA plug flow reactor was constructed to scale the synthesis of metastable, phthalaldehyde-based polymers to achieve production rates of 1–2 kg per day. The flow-induced mixing and in-line polymerization quench and precipitation sequences resulted in improved polymer purity and long-term stability compared to the same materials made from a conventional batch process. Cryogenic rheology was used to probe the complex fluid dynamics encountered during the polymerization of PPA homopolymers. It is envisioned that this continuous flow manufacturing approach could be extended to other low ceiling temperature or aldehyde monomer systems to help implement and support a plastic circular economy. Graphical abstract

Optical tuning of copolymer-in-oil tissue-mimicking materials for multispectral photoacoustic imaging

Objective. The availability of tissue-mimicking materials (TMMs) for manufacturing high-quality phantoms is crucial for standardization, evaluating novel quantitative approaches, and clinically translating new imaging modalities, such as photoacoustic imaging (PAI). Recently, a gel comprising the copolymer styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) in mineral oil has shown significant potential as TMM due to its optical and acoustic properties akin to soft tissue. We propose using artists’ oil-based inks dissolved and diluted in balsam turpentine to tune the optical properties. Approach. A TMM was fabricated by mixing a SEBS copolymer and mineral oil, supplemented with additives to tune its optical absorption and scattering properties independently. A systematic investigation of the tuning accuracies and relationships between concentrations of oil-based pigments and optical absorption properties of the TMM across visible and near-infrared wavelengths using collimated transmission spectroscopy was conducted. The photoacoustic spectrum of various oil-based inks was studied to analyze the effect of increasing concentration and depth. Main results. Artists’ oil-based inks dissolved in turpentine proved effective as additives to tune the optical absorption properties of mineral oil SEBS-gel with high accuracy. The TMMs demonstrated long-term stability and suitability for producing phantoms with desired optical absorption properties for PAI studies. Significance. The findings, including tuning of optical absorption and spectral shape, suggest that this TMM facilitates the development of more sophisticated phantoms of arbitrary shapes. This approach holds promise for advancing the development of PAI, including investigation of the spectral coloring effect. In addition, it can potentially aid in the development and clinical translation of ultrasound optical tomography.

Geophysics elucidate long-term socio-ecological dynamics of foraging, pastoralism, and mixed subsistence strategies on SW Madagascar

The environmental impacts of human societies are generally assumed to correlate with factors such as population size, whether they are industrialized, and the intensity of their landscape modifications (e.g., agriculture, urban development). As a result, small-scale communities with subsistence economies are often not the focus of long-term studies of environmental impact. However, comparing human-environment dynamics and their lasting ecological legacies across societies of different scales and forms of organization and production is important for understanding landscape change at regional to global scales. On Madagascar, ecological and cultural diversity, coupled with climatic variability, provide an important case study to examine the role of smaller-scale socioeconomic practices (e.g., fishing, foraging, and herding) on long-term ecological stability. Here, we use multispectral satellite imagery to compare long-term ecological impacts of different human livelihood strategies in SW Madagascar. Our results indicate that the nature of human-environmental dynamics between different socioeconomic communities are similar. Although some activities leave more subtle traces than others, geophysics highlight similar signatures across a landscape inhabited by communities practicing a range of subsistence strategies. Our results further demonstrate how Indigenous land stewardship is integrated into the very fabric of ecological systems in SW Madagascar with implications for conservation and sustainability.

Hydrophilic coating of membrane by UV-induced radical and cationic curing of photosensitive resins: Lower shrinkage, smoother surface and better anti-fouling performance

Hydrophilic coating is frequently used to enhance the anti-fouling performance of membrane. However, traditional strategies often suffer from defects of cumbersome steps, high energy consumption, and unstable coating. Herein, radical and cationic photopolymerization are used for hydrophilic coating of membranes. Two photosensitive resins were first synthesized either by direct radical copolymerization of 3-ethyl-3-(methacryloyloxy) methyloxetane and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (Poly(HEA-EMO)) or through post-polymerization modification of poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) with vinyl groups (Poly(HEA-MA)). Subsequently, hydrophilic coating was conducted on the membrane surface by UV-induced curing of different photosensitive resins, either through radical photopolymerization of vinyl-functional Poly(HEA-MA) or cationic photopolymerization of Poly(EMO-HEA) with pendent oxetane groups. The modified membranes showed enhanced hydrophilicity and underwater oleophobicity than the original membrane. Moreover, the coating (PAN / HEA(C5)) by cationic photopolymerization exhibited lower shrinkage, smoother surface, and more excellent antifouling performance than that by radical photopolymerization. After bovine albumin fouling-cleaning cycles, the flux recovery rate (FRR) of the original membrane was only 68.6 %, while the FRR of PAN / HEA(C5) was as high as 98.0 %. Furthermore, it showed superior long-term operational stability, proving the stability of the coating formed by cationic photopolymerization.

Improved rate capability and energy density of high-mass hybrid supercapacitor realized through long-term cycling stability testing and selective electrode design

To render supercapacitors (SCs) more practical, they must exhibit high cycling stability of at least ten thousand cycles with commercial-level mass loadings, which differentiates them from batteries. Metal-organic framework (MOF)-based electrode materials are promising for use in energy storage systems owing to their excellent electrochemical performance. In this study, we report the electroactivities of bimetallic MOFs (Co, Ni, and Co–Ni) using a single-step, facile, and cost-effective hydro/solvothermal method. To optimize their performances, we develop a general strategy for analyzing various binder-free MOFs. Additionally, the effects of the reaction time, reaction temperature, solvents, and elements (Ni, Co, and H2BDC) on the surface morphology and electrochemical performance are investigated. Based on an analysis of the electrochemical properties of all the synthesized electrode materials, the optimal electrode delivers an ultrahigh areal capacity of 2621 µAh cm−2 (297.1 mAh g−1) at 7 mA cm−2, with a high-rate capability of 82.5 % even at 40 mA cm−2. The optimized Co–Ni MOF electrode is employed as a positive electrode to fabricate an aqueous hybrid SC (HSC) with an activated carbon-coated nickel foam electrode as a negative electrode. The as-fabricated HSC exhibits excellent electrochemical properties with exceptional cycling stability (120k cycles) and improved rate capability (60 %). Additionally, we identify factors that contribute to improved redox reactions in the Co–Ni MOF-based HSC, such as the role of Co–Ni MOFs in the redox reaction and the influences of other structural parameters on charge storage and transfer processes. Our aim is to further understand the underlying mechanisms of the improved redox reactions and thus obtain new insights into the design and optimization of Co–Ni MOF-based HSCs. Finally, the energy storage properties of the HSC are validated by using it to power different electronic devices. The promising outcomes obtained in this work can serve as a basis for the future practical implementation of high-energy-density HSCs with high mass loadings and charging rates. SynopsisTo render the practicability of hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) with enhanced energy storage properties, we investigate the electroactivities of bimetallic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) (Co, Ni, and Co–Ni) using a single-step, facile, and cost-effective hydro/solvothermal method. To optimize their performances, a general strategy is developed for analyzing various binder-free MOFs. Additionally, the effects of the reaction time, reaction temperature, solvents, and elements (Ni, Co, and H2BDC) on the surface morphology and electrochemical performance are studied. In addition, we validate the energy storage properties of the HSC by using it to power different electronic devices. The promising outcomes obtained in this study can serve as a basis for the future practical implementation of high-energy-density HSCs with high mass loadings and charging rates.

Band alignment engineering of 2D/3D halide perovskite lateral heterostructures.

Two-dimensional (2D)/three-dimensional (3D) halide perovskite heterostructures have been extensively studied for their ability to combine the outstanding long-term stability of 2D perovskites with the superb optoelectronic properties of 3D perovskites. While current studies mostly focus on vertically stacked 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures, a theoretical understanding regarding the optoelectronic properties of 2D/3D perovskite lateral heterostructures is still lacking. Herein, we construct a series of 2D/3D perovskite lateral heterostructures to study their optoelectronic properties and interfacial charge transfer using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We find that the band alignments of 2D/3D heterostructures can be regulated by varying the quantum-well thickness of 2D perovskites. Moreover, decreasing the 2D component ratio in 2D/3D heterostructures can be favorable to form type-I band alignment, whereas a large component ratio of 2D perovskites tends to form type-II band alignment. We can improve the amount of charge transfer at the 2D/3D perovskite interfaces and the light absorption of 2D perovskites by increasing quantum-well thickness. These present findings can provide a clear designing principle for achieving 3D/2D perovskite lateral heterostructures with tunable optoelectronic properties.

A stretchable and self-powered strain sensor with elastomeric electret

Abstract Stretchable deformation sensors play an important role in the perception and autonomy of soft robots. While various sensors have been reported, the mechanical sensor with self-powered capability and stretchability to suit extreme environment is urgently required. In this study, a stretchable, self-powered, sensitivity adjustable, and long-term stability strain sensor based on the stretchable electret is researched for deformation monitoring. This stretchable and self-powered sensor is composed of the dielectric elastomer with designed elastic modulus gradient and the stretchable electret with elastomeric and Nano-particles. The electro-mechanical capability of this designed sensor is researched and optimized by multi-objective optimization approach. The sensor exhibits self-powered capability, stretchability (tensile strain from 0% to 20%), tunable sensitivity (optimized from 5.7 pC/mm to 5.9 pC/mm), and stability, where electromechanical performance remains stable after 1200 stretching cycles. The feasibility of its autonomous sensing which promotes a wide range of potential application in soft robotics is demonstrated. This elastic modulus gradient-induced and net charge design significantly broadened the potential applications with large deformation and low-attached stiffness.

Top-down and bottom-up microbiome engineering approaches to enable biomanufacturing from waste biomass.

Growing environmental concerns and the need to adopt a circular economy have highlighted the importance of waste valorization for resource recovery. Microbial consortia-enabled biotechnologies have made significant developments in the biomanufacturing of valuable resources from waste biomass that serve as suitable alternatives to petrochemical-derived products. These microbial consortia are designed following a top-down or bottom-up engineering approach. The top-down approach is a classical method that uses environmental variables to selectively steer an existing microbial consortium to achieve a target function. While high-throughput sequencing has enabled microbial community characterization, the major challenge is to disentangle complex microbial interactions and manipulate the structure and function accordingly. Microbial consortia design through a bottom-up approach uses prior knowledge of the metabolic pathway and possible interactions among consortium partners to design and engineer synthetic microbial consortia. This strategy offers some control over the composition and function of the consortium for targeted bioprocesses, but challenges remain in optimal assembly methods and long-term stability. In this review, we present the recent advancements, challenges, and opportunities for further improvement using top-down and bottom-up approaches for microbiome engineering. As the bottom-up approach is relatively a new concept for waste valorization, this review explores the assembly and design of synthetic microbial consortia, ecological engineering principles to optimize microbial consortia, and metabolic engineering approaches for efficient conversion. Integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches along with developments in metabolic modeling to predict and optimize consortia function are also highlighted.

High performance flexible green triboelectric nanogenerator with polyethylene oxide/mica tribo-positive composite material

Innovating novel, green, biodegradable, and recyclable polymers are critical for the development of environmentally sustainable solutions, eliminating concerns of pollution and microplastic accumulation. Herin, this study presents remarkably enhanced tribo-positive polyethylene oxide (PEO) polarity, by incorporating for the first time, a clay inorganic filler, creating a novel biodegradable composite triboelectric material. The low-cost composite comprised a biodegradable polymeric PEO matrix, an abundant naturally sourced muscovite mica micro-platelet filler, and integrated simple material fabrication methods. A 4 cm2 PEO/Mica film was paired with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), generating a peak-to-peak voltage, current density, and transferred charge density of respectfully, 296 V, 24.2 mA m−2, and 110.3 µC m−2. Reducing the film thickness to 40 µm dramatically enhanced the electrical output, resulting in a peak-to-peak voltage and instantaneous power density of respectfully, 424 V and 12.1 W m−2. The addition of mica greatly improved the dielectric permittivity, promoting the outstanding triboelectric performance. The composite material's long-term stability and flexibility demonstrated significant advantages for self-powering small electronic systems. Furthermore, PEOs facile water solubility allowed mica separation, recovery, recyclability, and integration within new PEO/Mica films, resulted in preserved triboelectric outputs. The PEO/Mica composite delivers exceptional sustainable, recyclable, and tribo-positive attributes, serving as an excellent energy harvesting solution.