Macroscopic Material Properties Research Articles

Effects of crosslinked rubber particles on rheological behaviors of ethylene-propylene-diene rubber/ polypropylene thermoplastic vulcanizates

A novel secondary vulcanization-dilution process was employed to prepare ethylene-propylene-diene rubber/polypropylene (EPDM/PP) thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) with uniform size, controllable crosslinking density, and content of rubber particles to assess their significant impact on rheological behavior using Fourier-rheology, shedding light on the interplay between microstructural features and macroscopic material properties. Through the application of the time-concentration superposition principle, a broad reinforcement spectrum is established, enhancing the understanding of TPV structure-property relationships. Also studied is the Mullins effect of the TPVs at two different temperatures, contributing to a deeper understanding of their deformation mechanisms. The results offer valuable insights for the formulation and processing of TPVs, emphasizing the importance of tailored particle characteristics for optimizing material performance.

Effect of steam curing regime on the mechanical properties, drying shrinkage, and microstructure of mortar in high-altitude areas with low air pressure

Low air pressure in plateau regions impacts the microstructure and macroscopic properties of cement-based materials by altering water transport. However, the efficiency of steam curing, a frequently-used curing approach, under these conditions has been inadequately studied. This work compares the effects of steam curing on the mechanical properties, drying shrinkage, and microstructure of cement-based materials at low air pressure. Results show that low air pressure decreases the compressive strength and increases the drying shrinkage of steam-cured mortar due to reduced hydration and increased total pore volume. Optimally, a steam curing temperature of 40°C to 60°C minimizes thermal damage, and a pre-curing time of 3 hours yields the best mechanical properties and drying shrinkage. Additionally, a field case confirms the effectiveness of the proposed steam curing regime; the demolding strength of precast beams meets engineering standards, and drying shrinkage fluctuates significantly with daily temperature changes. Notably, a 25.30 % difference in 90-day drying shrinkage between steam-cured and non-steam-cured specimens underscores the necessity of steam curing in high-altitude areas. These findings are crucial for optimizing steam curing practices in low-pressure environments.

Emergent Research Trends on the Structural Relaxation Dynamics of Molecular Clusters: From Structure-Property Relationship to New Function Prediction.

ConspectusMolecular clusters (MCs) are monodispersed, precisely defined ensembles of atom collections featured with shape-persistent architectures that can deliver certain functions independently. Their molecular compositions and surface functionalities can be tailored feasibly in a predefined manner, and they can be applied as basic structural units to be engineered into materials with desirable hierarchical structures and enriched functions. The chemical systems also offer great opportunities for the design and fabrication of soft structural materials without the chain topologies of polymers. The bulks of MC assemblies demonstrate viscoelasticity that is used to be considered as the unique feature of polymers, while the MC systems are distinct from polymers since their elasticities are resilient even at temperatures 100 K above their glass transition temperatures. The understanding of their anomalous viscoelasticity and the extended studies of general structure-property relationships are desired for the development of new chemical systems for emergent functions and the possibilities to resolve the intrinsic trade-offs of traditional materials.Meanwhile, general macroscopic functions or properties of materials are related to the transportation of mass, momentum, and/or energy, and they are basically realized or directed by the motions of structural units at different length scales. Structural relaxation dynamics research is critical in quantifying motions ranging from fast bond deformation, bond break/formation, and diffusion of ions and particles to the cooperative motions of structure units. Due to the advancement of measurement technology for relaxation dynamics (e.g., quasi-elastic scattering and broadband dielectric spectroscopy), the structural relaxation dynamics of MC materials have been probed for the first time, and their multiple relaxation modes across several temporal scales were systematically studied to bridge the correlation between molecular structures and macroscopic functions. The fingerprint information from dynamics studies, e.g., the temperature dependence of relaxation time and certain property, e.g., ion conductivity, was proposed to quantify the structure-property relationship, and the microscopic mechanism on the mechanical properties, ion conduction, and gas absorption and separation of MC materials can be fully understood.In this Account, to elucidate the uniqueness of MC materials, especially in comparison with polymers, four topics are mainly summarized: structural features, relaxation dynamics characterization techniques, relaxation dynamics characteristics, and quantified understanding of the structure-property relationship. The capability for new function prediction from relaxation dynamics studies is also introduced, and the typical example in impact resistant materials is provided. The Account aims to prove the significance of relaxation dynamics characterization for material innovation, while it also confirms the potential of MCs for functional material fabrications.

Light-Driven, Reversible Spatiotemporal Control of Dynamic Covalent Polymers.

Dynamic covalent polymer networks exhibit a cross-linked structure like conventional thermosets and elastomers, although their topology can be reorganized through externally triggered bond exchange reactions. This characteristic enables a unique combination of repairability, recyclability and dimensional stability, crucial for a sustainable industrial economy. Herein the application of a photoswitchable nitrogen superbase is reported for the spatially resolved and reversible control over dynamic bond exchange within a thiol-ene photopolymer. By the exposure to UV or visible light, the associative exchange between thioester links and thiol groups is successfully gained control over, and thereby the macroscopic mechanical material properties, in a locally controlled manner. Consequently, the resulting reorganization of the global network topology enables to utilize this material for previously unrealizable advanced applications such as spatially resolved, reversible reshaping as well as micro-imprinting over multiple steps. Finally, the presented concept contributes fundamentally to the evolution of dynamic polymers and provides universal applicability in covalent adaptable networks relying on a base-catalyzed exchange mechanism.

Effects of Varying Nano-Montmorillonoid Content on the Epoxy Dielectric Conductivity

This study investigates the correlation between the interface structure and macroscopic dielectric properties of polymer-based nanocomposite materials. Utilizing bisphenol-A (BPA) epoxy resin (EP) as the polymer matrix and the commonly employed layered phyllosilicate montmorillonoid (MMT) as the nanometer-scale dispersive phase, nano-MMT/EP composites were synthesized using composite technology. The microstructure of the composite samples was characterized through XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. Changes in the morphology of the nanocomposite interface were observed with varying MMT content, subsequently impacting dielectric polarization and loss. Experimental measurements of the dielectric spectrum of the nano-MMT/EP were conducted, and the influence of the material interface, at different nano-MMT contents, on the dielectric relaxation was analyzed. The study delves into the effect of the nanocomposite interface structure on ion dissociation and migration barriers, exploring the ionic conductivity of nano-MMT/EP. Lastly, an analysis of the impact of different nano-MMT contents on the dielectric conductivity is presented. From the experimental results, the arranging regularity of polymer molecules in the interface area raises. In the matrix, the ion migration barriers decrease significantly. The higher the MMT content in the interface, the lower the migration barrier is. Until the MMT content exceeds the threshold, the agglomerated micro-particles form, which decreases the polymers’ space distribution regularity, and the ions migration barrier raises. According to the changes in the rule of the ions migration barrier with the composite interface structure content, the reason for dielectric conductivity changes can be judged.

Thermodynamic potential construction and biaxial stress analysis of K0.4Na0.6NbO3 single crystals

The macroscopic properties of piezoelectric materials can be profoundly influenced by stress. In this research, thermodynamic potential parameters of K0.4Na0.6NbO3 (KNN) single crystals have been experimentally quantified to assess the effects of stress. Leveraging the Landau thermodynamic potential theory, it has been identified that the application of biaxial tensile stress causes a significant elevation in both the piezoelectric property and phase transition temperature in KNN crystals. This transition remarkably extends their working range and improves the material's applicated potential. The coherence between these computational outcomes and experimental data—from the strategic growth of KNN single crystals with internal stress—underscores the reliability of our findings (dielectric constant from 213 to 1274, TO-T from 180 to 234 °C). Additionally, theoretical calculation predicts a potential enhancement in the piezoelectric capabilities of KNN single crystals. This study provides valuable insights for the growth of high-quality piezoelectric crystals and further promotes the application of lead-free piezoelectric materials.

An interpretable formula for lattice thermal conductivity of crystals

Lattice thermal conductivity (κL) is a crucial physical property of crystals with applications in thermal management, such as heat dissipation, insulation, and thermoelectric energy conversion. However, accurately and rapidly determining κL poses a considerable challenge. In this study, we introduce a formula that achieves high precision (mean relative error = 8.97 %) and provides fast predictions, taking less than 1 min, for κL across a wide range of inorganic binary and ternary materials. Our interpretable, dimensionally aligned and physical grounded formula forecasts κL values for 4601 binary and 6995 ternary materials in the Materials Project database. Notably, we predict undiscovered high κL values for AlBN2 (κL = 101 W m−1 K−1) and the undetected low κL Cs2Se (κL = 0.98 W m−1 K−1) at room temperature. This method for determining κL streamlines the traditionally time-consuming process associated with complex phonon physics. It provides insights into microscopic heat transport and facilitates the design and screening of materials with targeted and extreme κL values through the application of phonon engineering. Our findings offer opportunities for controlling and optimizing macroscopic transport properties of materials by engineering their bulk modulus, shear modulus, and Grüneisen parameter.

Artificial Spider Silk Materials: From Molecular Design, Mesoscopic Assembly, to Macroscopic Performances

AbstractSpider silk is one of the strongest and toughest fibrous materials available in nature. Its superior properties make it a good candidate for applications in various fields ranging from protective body armor to scaffolds for medical implants. However, harvesting a substantial amount of natural spider silk remains challenging because spiders cannot be easily bred. With the development of synthetic biology and its integration with materials science, considerable research has been directed toward engineering and production of synthetic spider silk materials. Here the study overviews general strategies on molecular design, mesoscopic assembly, and macroscopic regulation of artificial spider silk materials. The insights into the correlation between silk protein sequences, mesoscopic assemblies, and macroscopic material properties are provided for guiding de novo design and engineering of next‐generation spider silk materials. This review also emphasizes the challenges and future perspectives for advancing the translational research on these designer functional materials for diverse applications.

Structural evolution and mechanical response of multiple Al Σ5(210) grain boundaries with segregation of solute atoms: First-principles study

Grain boundary (GB) segregation of solute atoms is a key factor affecting the microstructure and macroscopic properties of materials. In this study, first-principles calculations were carried out to investigate the effect of solute atoms (Mg and Cu) segregation on the structural evolution and mechanical response of Al ground-state Σ5(210) GB (GB-Ⅰ) and metastable Σ5(210) GBs (GB-Ⅱ and GB-Ⅲ). The GB energy, segregation energy, and the theoretical tensile strength of the multiple Σ5(210) GBs were calculated. The results show that both Mg and Cu atoms tend to segregate in the boundary plane, thus reducing GB energy and improving GB stability. The segregation of Cu atoms reduced the GB energy more significantly than that of Mg atoms. The segregation of solute atoms can change the symmetric GB structure into an asymmetric one or induce GB phase transformation. The theoretical strength of GB-I is weaker than that of the metastable GB-II with higher GB energy, suggesting that grain boundaries with higher energy are not necessarily unstable. In addition, the effect of solute atom segregation on the GB strength depends not only on the type of element but also on the specific GB structure. The weakening effect of Mg segregation in GB-I and GB-II is due to the weak MgAl bond which enlarges the low charge density region of GB and increases the free volume of GB. The strengthening of GB-I and GB-II by Cu segregation mainly depends on the stronger AlCu bond than AlAl bond along the GB fracture path. The enhanced strength of GB-III with Mg and Cu segregation is attributed to the GB structural phase transformation caused by the segregation of solute atoms. The calculation results further elucidate the relationship between element segregation and grain boundary characteristics.

Chemical environment effects on the size of mono-vacancy in CrFeCoNi alloy

Atomic studies of mono-vacancy are crucial for comprehending the mechanisms governing the related macroscopic properties of materials. High-entropy alloys (HEAs) manifest unique properties arising from a complex, localized, disordered chemical environment and distinctive site lattice distortions. In this study, the effects of chemical environment on the size of vacancy point defects in equiatomic CrFeCoNi alloy are investigated using Density Functional Theory through positron annihilation lifetime (PL) calculations. To better understand the nature of local lattice distortion, a similar atomic environment method is employed for supercell construction. Our findings reveal a significant inverse relationship between the PL of single-vacancy in CrFeCoNi HEA and the number of its first nearest neighbor Cr atoms. The underlying mechanisms in the perspective of local atomic mismatch and electronic structures are discussed.

The study on the micromechanical mechanism of PP/EPDM blends and PP/SEBS blends using atomic force microscopy-based nanomechanics

Using atomic force microscope-based nanomechanics to measure the micromechanical properties of different polymer blends, we found that the miscibility of the blend system affects the phase structure and micromechanical properties at the nanoscale, which further affects macroscopic mechanical properties of materials. In the immiscible polypropylene/ethylene propylene diene rubber blends, the microscopic phase structure is connected to the macroscopic mechanical properties of the material, since the microscopic modulus of elasticity of the phases remains constant even if the blend ratio is changed. On the other hand, in the partially miscible polypropylene/styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer blends, the macroscopic mechanical properties of the material are determined by the combination of the microscopic phase structure and the microscopic elastic modulus, because the microscopic elastic modulus of each phase changes with the blending ratio.

Crystallisation Dynamics in Large-Scale Extrusion Additive Manufacturing: An Analysis with and without Temperature Modification.

Large-Scale Material Extrusion (LS-MEX) is increasingly being used in small-scale production and prototyping due to its ability to create components in new temporal and spatial dimensions. However, the use of this manufacturing process poses microscopic and macroscopic challenges not encountered in previous small-scale production systems. These challenges arise primarily from the prolonged retention of heat in the material, which leads to insufficient strength in the extruded strands at the macrostructural level. As a result, the component can collapse, a phenomenon known as 'slumping'. Thermal energy also influences microstructural changes, such as crystallisation kinetics, which affect properties such as the strength and stiffness of the final product. The duration and dynamics of thermal energy are influenced by manufacturing parameters and the possible use of additional peripheral equipment, which affects component quality. In this study, the influence of thermal energy on structural processes through simulations of polyamide 6 with 40% carbon fibres (PA6 wt.%40 CF) is investigated. The results show that by adjusting the process parameters and using modification units, the thermal profile of the material can be accurately controlled, which allows the microstructural processes to be precisely controlled. This leads to the targeted modification of the macroscopic material properties. The focus of this work is on the combination of numerical simulations of the LS-MEX process with semi-empirical methods for the analysis of crystallisation processes. The application of the Nakamura model, which is used throughout similar investigations, allows a detailed description and prediction of the crystallisation kinetics during the manufacturing process. The study shows that the absolute degree of crystallisation can be determined with simplified assumptions using a combination of thermal simulations and semi-empirical approaches. It was found that the absolute degree of crystallisation increases from the outer interface of the strand to the print bed across the cross-section. This can be attributed to the specific thermal boundary conditions and the resulting temperature profiles at different points.

Adaptive residual convolutional neural network for compressive strength prediction of energetic materials using SEM images

The microstructure of materials has a great influence on the macroscopic mechanical properties of materials, and the relationship between them is of great significance to the design of materials. With the development of artificial intelligence and deep learning, many researchers have used convolutional neural networks (CNN) to correlate microscopic images with material properties, and achieved good results. However, for different types of material performance prediction tasks and datasets of different sizes, researchers need to design a special CNN network structure, and the adjustment steps of network structure parameters are cumbersome and time consuming. In this paper, an adaptive residual convolutional neural network with variable depth and width is proposed. We take the prediction error of the test dataset of the specific material performance prediction task as the evaluation index, and adaptively adjusts the network structure based on simulated annealing algorithm to find the best network structure. Finally, it is verified on the dataset composed of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and compressive strength of polymer explosive materials. Mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of our model is 1.3% and the goodness of fit (R2 ) is 0.943. Further, we use Grad-CAM to explore the correlation between material microstructure and material properties.

Design and Preparation Technology of Green Multiple Solid Waste Cementitious Materials.

For solid waste-based cementitious materials, most scholars focus their research on the hydration reaction of cementitious materials, but there is still a lack of solid waste design that comprehensively considers mechanical properties and durability. Therefore, this article focuses on exploring the mix of design and the microscopic and macroscopic properties of multi solid waste cementitious materials (MSWCMs), namely steel slag (SS), slag powder (SP), desulfurization gypsum (DG), fly ash (FA), and ordinary Portland cement (OPC). According to the orthogonal experimental results, the compressive strength of MSWCMs is optimal when the OPC content is 50% and the SS, SP, DG, and FA contents are 10%, 20%, 5%, and 15%, respectively. The MSWCMs group with an OPC content of 50% and SS, SP, DG, and FA contents of 5%, 15%, 5%, and 25% was selected as the control group. The pure OPC group was used as the blank group, and the optimal MSWCMs ratio group had a 28-day compressive strength of 50.7 megapascals, which was 14% and 7.6% higher than the control group and blank group, respectively. The drying shrinkage rate and resistance to chloride ions were also significantly improved, with maximum increases of 22.9%, 22.6%, and 8.9%, 9.8%, respectively. According to XRD, TG-DTG, and NMR testing, the improvement in macroscopic performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between various solid wastes. This synergistic effect produces more ettringite (AFt) and C-(A)-S-H gel. This study provides a good theoretical basis for improving the comprehensive performance of MSWCMs and is conducive to reducing the use of cement, with significant economic and environmental benefits.

R‐Vine Copulas for Data‐Driven Quantification of Descriptor Relationships in Porous Materials

AbstractLocal variations in the 3D microstructure can control the macroscopic behavior of heterogeneous porous materials. For example, the permittivity through porous sheets or membranes is governed by local high‐volume pathways or bottlenecks. Due to local variations, unfeasibly large amounts of microstructure data may be needed to reliably predict such material properties directly from image data. Here it is demonstrated that a vine copula approach provides parametric models for local microstructure descriptors that compactly capture the 3D microstructure including its local variations and efficiently probe it with respect to selected, measurable properties. In contrast to common methods of complexity reduction, the proposed approach creates parametric models for the multivariate probability distribution of high‐dimensional descriptor vectors that inherently contain the complex, nonlinear dependencies between these descriptors. Therein, material properties are offered in physically motivated distributions of microstructure descriptors rather than as normally distributed data. Applied to porous fiber networks (paper) before and after unidirectional compression, it is shown that the copula‐based models reveal material‐characteristic relationships between two or more microstructure descriptors. In this way, the presented modeling approach can provide deeper insight into the microscopic origin of effective macroscopic properties of heterogeneous porous materials.

Tuning grain boundary cation segregation with oxygen deficiency and atomic structure in a perovskite compositionally complex oxide thin film

Compositionally complex oxides (CCOs) are an emerging class of materials encompassing high entropy and entropy stabilized oxides. These promising advanced materials leverage tunable chemical bond structure, lattice distortion, and chemical disorder for unprecedented properties. Grain boundary (GB) and point defect segregation to GBs are relatively understudied in CCOs even though they can govern macroscopic material properties. For example, GB segregation can govern local chemical (dis)order and point defect distribution, playing a critical role in electrochemical reaction kinetics, and charge and mass transport in solid electrolytes. However, compared with conventional oxides, GBs in multi-cation CCO systems are expected to exhibit more complex segregation phenomena and, thus, prove more difficult to tune through GB design strategies. Here, GB segregation was studied in a model perovskite CCO LaFe0.7Ni0.1Co0.1Cu0.05Pd0.05O3−x textured thin film by (sub-)atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging and spectroscopy. It is found that GB segregation is correlated with cation reducibility—predicted by an Ellingham diagram—as Pd and Cu segregate to GBs rich in oxygen vacancies (VO··). Furthermore, Pd and Cu segregation is highly sensitive to the concentration and spatial distribution of VO·· along the GB plane, as well as fluctuations in atomic structure and elastic strain induced by GB local disorder, such as dislocations. This work offers a perspective of controlling segregation concentration of CCO cations to GBs by tuning reducibility of CCO cations and oxygen deficiency, which is expected to guide GB design in CCOs.

An extended continuum-mechanics standard linear solid rheology for fluid-saturated porous rock

SUMMARY In a large body of rock-physics research, seismic wave velocity dispersion and attenuation in fluid-saturated porous rock are studied by constructing analytical or numerical models for time- or frequency-dependent dynamic (effective, or viscoelastic) moduli. A key and broadly used model of such kind is the Zener's, or the standard linear solid (SLS). This model is qualitatively successful in explaining many field and laboratory observations and serves as the key element of many generalizations such as the Burgers model for plastic deformations or the generalized SLS explaining band-limited or near-constant seismic attenuation. However, as a physical model of fluid-saturated porous rock, the SLS has several major limitations: disregard of inertial effects, absence of secondary wave modes and lack of key physical parameters such as porosity and Skempton coefficients. Grainy and porous rock is an unconsolidated material in which the effective density is frequency-dependent, and its effects on wave velocities may exceed those of the dynamic modulus. To overcome these limitations of the empirical SLS, we propose a rigorous rheologic model based on classical continuum mechanics and called the extended SLS, or eSLS. This rheology explains the available attenuation and dispersion observations equally well, but it is also close to Biot's model, honours all poroelastic relations, includes inertial effects, and reveals several new physical properties of the material. Detailed comparison of the eSLS and Biot's models gives a physical-mechanism-based classification of wave-induced fluid flow (WIFF) phenomena. In this classification, the so-called ‘global-scale’ flows occur in Biot's type structures within the material, whereas the ‘local-scale’ WIFF occurs in eSLS-type structures. Combining Biot's and eSLS models gives a broad class of rheologies for linear anelastic phenomena within rock with a single type of porosity. The model can be readily generalized to multiple porosities and different types of internal variables, such as describing squirt flows, wetting or thermoelastic effects. Modelling is conducted with relatively little effort, using a single matrix equation similar to a mechanical form of the standard SLS. By combining the eSLS and Biot's models, observations of dynamic-modulus dispersion and attenuation can be inverted for macroscopic mechanical properties of porous materials.

The Influence of Quartz Powder on the Mechanical–Thermal–Chemical–Durability Properties of Cement-Based Materials

Using industrial by-products to replace cement is an important way to reduce carbon emissions in the cement industry. The purpose of this article is to understand the effect of quartz powder on the properties of cement-based materials. Experimental studies were conducted on the macroscopic and microscopic properties of cement-based materials mixed with quartz powder to evaluate their feasibility as a replacement for cement. The substitution rates of quartz powder were 0% (Qu0), 7.5% (Qu7.5), and 15% (Qu15). The test time was from 1 day to 28 days, and the main results are as follows: In the early stage of the hydration reaction, as the amount of quartz powder substitution increases, the cumulative hydration heat increases. This is mainly because the nucleation effect of quartz powder accelerates the hydration reaction of cement. In the later stage of the hydration reaction, as the amount of quartz powder substitution increases, the cumulative heat of hydration decreases. This is mainly due to the diluting effect of quartz powder. For Qu0, Qu7.5, and Qu15, the decrease in compressive strength after 1 day is not obvious. The decrease in compressive strength at 28 days is more obvious. Overall, there are exponential relationships between the UPV measurement or surface resistivity results and the compressive strength measurement results at 1, 3, 7, and 28 days. The XRD test results show that the main products of the reaction are AFt, CH, Hc, and Mc. From Day 1 to Day 28, the content of Mc becomes evident. The test results for TG showed that, as the amount of quartz powder substitution increases, the mass loss decreases. For different specimens of Qu0, Qu7.5, and Qu15 at different test times (3 and 28 days), there is an exponential function relationship between chemically bound water and strength. A numerical hydration model is proposed for cement–quartz binary blends. The parameters of the hydration model are determined based on the hydration heat normalized by the cement mass. Moreover, the hydration heat at 28 days is calculated using the proposed model. The strength development of all specimens and all test ages can be expressed as an exponential function of hydration heat.

High-Precision 3D reconstruction and quantitative structure description: Linking microstructure to macroscopic heat transfer of aerogels

The intricate interplay between microstructure and macroscopic transfer processes in porous materials has long been recognized, yet achieving a definitive link between them remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we propose an effective approach to address this challenge by introducing a high-precision 3D reconstruction and structure descriptor database analysis method of nanoporous aerogels, which enables deeper understanding and accurate predictions of structure-directed properties. By employing focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) technique supplemented with image preprocessing and image segmentation, we successfully built a 3D reconstruction model that exhibits high consistency with experimental results. Then, a structure descriptor database from the view of original porous structure, structure connectivity, and topological information is established, and 10 descriptors are preliminarily filtered relevance with thermal conductivity. Consequently, the quantitative relationship between descriptor and thermal conductivity is evaluated via a back propagation (BP) neural network, and three categories structure descriptors which have the most significant impact are determined as (i) the description of gaseous heat transfer pathways, (ii) the description of three-dimensional connectivity, and (iii) the description of interface complexity. With the profound understanding of structure descriptor, the present work offers a novel, structure-focused strategy that closely link the microstructure to macroscopic properties of porous materials.

Nano Revolution: Smart Therapeutics Unleash with Nanomaterials

Nanotechnology explores substances and technologies organized at the nanoscale level, measuring one billionth of a meter in at least one dimension. This field of study encompasses both science and engineering1. At these scales, the individual molecules and interacting groups of molecules play a crucial role in determining the bulk macroscopic properties of materials or devices. The ability to manage the fundamental molecular structure grants control over the macroscopic chemical and physical properties2. In the realms of physiology and medicine, there are intriguing applications involving substances and tools designed to precisely interact with the body at subcellular or molecular dimensions. These advancements hold promise for targeted interventions and therapies, ushering in a new era of precision medicine. This may result in tailored, tissue- and cell-specific clinical applications that aim to maximize therapeutic benefits while minimizing adverse consequences. The scientific and technological dimensions of nanotechnology, are accompanied by an exploration of potential therapeutic applications. It is essential to recognize that nanotechnology does not exist in isolation; rather, it emerges from the synergistic convergence of established disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, and materials science. This interdisciplinary approach provides the foundational knowledge necessary for advancing these cutting-edge technologies.