Review of Mesoscopic Modeling of Liquids in Materials Science

Mesoscopic theories can be used in the field of materials science to derive local average properties of relevance to the engineer such as flux, pressure, average density or composition. In the following density functional theory will be described and applied to different systems of interest and in particular, to materials formed from complex liquids as characterized by atomic structure and the type of interaction between the individual particles. The calculation of the solid to liquid transition will be explained in detail as a prototype for other order disorder transitions. The theory of polymers in solution will be revisited and used to calculate phase separation in mixtures. An extension of the theory to include the orientation of rodlike, long molecules will be applied to liquid crystals. In the presence of an interface, the system properties depend strongly on position in space and can be predicted from parameters obtained in the bulk in a square gradient approximation for sufficiently smooth and small deviations from the uniform distribution. A phase transition is often used to prepare heterogeneous materials by nucleation and growth. It will be shown how the equilibrium theory can be extended to study the dynamics of nonequilibrium phenomena.     

Shade Provision for UV Minimization: A Review

Minimizing exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an essential component of skin cancer prevention. Providing and using natural and built shade is an effective protection measure against harmful UV. This article describes the factors that must be addressed to ensure quality, effective, well‐designed shade and recommends best practice approaches to improving the protection factor (PF) of shade structures. It identifies examples of interventions to increase shade availability and use, and examples of effective shade based on measured protection factors or measured reductions in UV exposures. Finally, this article considers examples of best practice for undertaking shade audits. The article is based on refereed articles and reviews, reports, conference papers and shade practice and policies from reports and on web sites. Articles for the Australian setting are considered first, followed by those in an international setting.     

Advances in Fibrin-Based Materials in Wound Repair: A Review

The first bioprocess that occurs in response to wounding is the deterrence of local hemorrhage. This is accomplished by platelet aggregation and initiation of the hemostasis cascade. The resulting blood clot immediately enables the cessation of bleeding and then functions as a provisional matrix for wound healing, which begins a few days after injury. Here, fibrinogen and fibrin fibers are the key players, because they literally serve as scaffolds for tissue regeneration and promote the migration of cells, as well as the ingrowth of tissues. Fibrin is also an important modulator of healing and a host defense system against microbes that effectively maintains incoming leukocytes and acts as reservoir for growth factors. This review presents recent advances in the understanding and applications of fibrin and fibrin-fiber-incorporated biomedical materials applied to wound healing and subsequent tissue repair. It also discusses how fibrin-based materials function through several wound healing stages including physical barrier formation, the entrapment of bacteria, drug and cell delivery, and eventual degradation. Pure fibrin is not mechanically strong and stable enough to act as a singular wound repair material. To alleviate this problem, this paper will demonstrate recent advances in the modification of fibrin with next-generation materials exhibiting enhanced stability and medical efficacy, along with a detailed look at the mechanical properties of fibrin and fibrin-laden materials. Specifically, fibrin-based nanocomposites and their role in wound repair, sustained drug release, cell delivery to wound sites, skin reconstruction, and biomedical applications of drug-loaded fibrin-based materials will be demonstrated and discussed.     

石墨烯材料生物降解的策略研究

自2004年被发现以来,前沿新材料石墨烯及其衍生物由于其独特的电学、光学和力学性能被广泛关注,在许多领域都展露了光彩,包括新型电池、传感器、新能源和生物医学等领域,尤其在生物医药领域发展迅速.石墨烯及其衍生物良好的生物相容性使其在生物领域中具有重要的应用前景.为了实现石墨烯材料的体内应用,材料的可降解性是值得深入研究的焦点,研究其生物降解行为有助于提高其对环境、生命系统的安全性.到目前为止,石墨烯的生物降解研究主要集中在材料的生物酶促降解,利用一系列方法如异质原子掺杂、表面功能化修饰等对石墨烯材料进行改性,可以调控石墨烯材料的降解.综述了近年来石墨烯材料及其衍生物在生物应用上的降解的研究进展,重点介绍石墨烯的酶促降解和其在生物医学领域的应用前景,为进一步促进石墨烯材料的体内研究提供重要的研究基础和指导意义.     

光敏热显成像材料概述

本文综述了近十多年来国际感光界关注热点之一的光敏热显成像材料(Photothermographic materials,简称PTG)的研究情况.重点介绍了羧酸银、卤化银、调色剂、防灰雾剂与稳定剂、光谱增感剂以及粘合剂等PTG材料的主要组分,并对PTG材料成像机理的研究情况进行了评述.     

Aggregation-Induced Emission: A Rising Star in Chemistry and Materials Science

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) refers to a photophysical effect that the luminescence of aggregates is stronger than that of the dispersed state.Since the c...     

Electrospun Polymer Materials with Fungicidal Activity: A Review

In recent years, there has been special interest in innovative technologies such as polymer melt or solution electrospinning, electrospraying, centrifugal electrospinning, coaxial electrospinning, and others. Applying these electrokinetic methods, micro- or nanofibrous materials with high specific surface area, high porosity, and various designs for diverse applications could be created. By using these techniques it is possible to obtain fibrous materials from both synthetic and natural biocompatible and biodegradable polymers, harmless to the environment. Incorporation of low-molecular substances with biological activity (e.g., antimicrobial, antifungal) is easily feasible. Moreover, biocontrol agents, able to suppress the development and growth of plant pathogens, have been embedded in the fibrous materials as well. The application of such nanotechnologies for the creation of plant protection products is an extremely promising new direction. This review emphasizes the recent progress in the development of electrospun fungicidal dressings and their potential to be applied in modern agriculture.     

镁离子电池正极材料研究进展

镁离子电池(MIBs)因镁资源储量丰富、体积能量密度大、金属镁空气中相对稳定等优势,被认为是具有大规模储能应用潜力的电池体系。然而,镁离子较高的电荷密度和较强的溶剂化作用导致其在正极材料中的可逆脱嵌和固-液界面上的离子扩散相当缓慢,严重影响了MIBs的电化学性能。近年来,人们针对MIBs正极材料开展了大量工作,取得了一定进展,但是还存在不少问题。本文先从MIBs体系的特点出发,阐述其优势和目前所面临的主要挑战,然后从无机正极材料和有机正极材料两方面展开,梳理并总结了各类正极材料的局限性及其解决策略,对优化方法和材料性能间的相关性进行归纳和讨论,为今后进一步发展具有优异电化学性能的MIBs正极材料提供可能的参考。     

Organic Positive Materials for Magnesium Batteries: A Review

Magnesium batteries, like lithium-ion batteries, with higher abundance and similar efficiency, have drawn great interest for large-scale applications such as electric vehicles, grid energy storage and many more. On the other hand, the use of organic electrode materials allows high energy-performance, metal-free, environmentally friendly, versatile, lightweight, and economically efficient magnesium storage devices. In particular, the structural diversity and the simple activity of organic molecules make redox properties, and hence battery efficiency, easy to monitor. While organic magnesium batteries still in their infancy, this field becomes more and more promising because significant results were reported. To summarize the achievements in studies on organic cathodes for magnesium systems, their synthesis is discussed, combined with electrode design to provide the basis for controlling the electrochemical properties. Moreover, the techniques to synthesize organic materials with high-yield are mentioned. Finally, potential problems and prospects are explored to further improve organic cathodes.     

海水电解面临的挑战与机遇：含氯电化学中先进材料研究进展

氢气是一种清洁高效的能源载体,通过海水电解规模化制备氢气能够为应对全球能源挑战提供新的机遇。然而,缺乏高活性、高选择性和高稳定性的理想电极材料是在腐蚀性海水中连续电解过程的一个巨大挑战。为了缓解这一困境,需要从基础理论和实际应用两方面对材料进行深入研究。近年来,人们围绕电极材料的催化活性、选择性和耐腐蚀性进行了大量的探索。本文重点总结了高选择性和强耐腐蚀性材料的设计合成与作用机制。其中详细介绍了多种电极材料(如多金属氧化物、Ni/Fe/Co基复合材料、氧化锰包覆异质结构等)对氧气生成选择性的研究进展;系统论述了各种材料的抗腐蚀工程研究成果,主要讨论了本征抗腐蚀材料、外防护涂层和原位产生抗腐蚀物种三种情况。此外,提出了海水电解过程中存在的挑战和潜在的机遇。先进纳米材料的设计有望为解决海水电解中的氯化学问题提供新思路。     

Challenges in Materials for Health Care Applications

Important issues face the use of advanced materials in medical applications. It is now possible to replace or augment many tissues and parts of the body by implanted devices, but there are still severe limitations to functions they are able to perform and problems associated with their compatibility with the tissues. Biomaterials of the future need to simulate more closely the tissues they are replacing and both the current position and future outlook are reviewed in this light.     

Effects of Natural Polyphenols on Skin and Hair Health: A Review

The skin is the largest organ of the body and plays multiple essential roles, ranging from regulating temperature, preventing infections, to ultimately affecting human health. A hair follicle is a complex cutaneous appendage. Skin diseases and hair loss have a significant effect on the quality of life and psychosocial adjustment of individuals. However, the available traditional drugs for treating skin and hair diseases may have some insufficiencies; therefore, a growing number of researchers are interested in natural materials that could achieve satisfactory results and minimize adverse effects. Natural polyphenols, named for the multiple phenolic hydroxyl groups in their structures, are promising candidates and continue to be of scientific interest due to their multifunctional biological properties and safety. Polyphenols have a wide range of pharmacological effects. In addition to the most common effect, antioxidation, polyphenols have anti-inflammatory, bacteriostatic, antitumor, and other biological effects associated with reduced risk of a number of chronic diseases. Various polyphenols have also shown efficacy against different types of skin and hair diseases, both in vitro and in vivo, via different mechanisms. Thus, this paper reviews the research progress in natural polyphenols for the protection of skin and hair health, especially focusing on their potential therapeutic mechanisms against skin and hair disorders. A deep understanding of natural polyphenols provides a new perspective for the safe treatment of skin diseases and hair loss.     

二维材料“遇见”生物大分子:机遇与挑战

二维材料的超薄原子层结构使其具有独特的力学性能、导热导电性以及巨大的比表面积,在能源存储、催化、传感和生物医学等领域引起了国内外学者的广泛关注。将二维材料与具有生物活性的生物大分子相结合可以为开发具有优异电学、力学和生物学功能的特种功能材料提供新的方法和途径。近年来,科研工作者针对这一方向展开了广泛的研究,取得了一系列重要的成果,使二维材料与生物大分子的结合与应用成为了新的研究热点。本文综述了近年来二维材料和生物大分子之间的相互作用及应用的研究进展,重点介绍了二维材料与生物大分子在分子水平上的相互作用机理,还总结了基于二维材料与生物大分子之间的相互作用在工程、疾病治疗和抗菌中的应用,并对其未来的研究趋势提出了展望。     

Molecular Simulations in Materials Science

正Molecular simulation finds application in a wide range of research fields based on life and materials sciences.It helps comprehend and predict the chemical and physical properties of substances;thus,it is useful in directing RD and industrial production.In this special issue,we focus on molecular simulations in material sciences.     

Stacking of Exfoliated Two‐Dimensional Materials: A Review

In recent years, two‐dimensional (2D) atomic crystals represented by graphene have opened up new fields of 2D physics. Layered materials with atomic layer thickness are self‐assembled into van der Waals heterostructures by weak van der Waals forces without considering lattice matching. Van der Waals heterostructures can not only enhance the performance of its constituent materials but also show new characteristics. High‐quality heterostructures require mechanically cleaved intrinsic 2D materials and flexible 2D material stacking techniques. Here, we summarize in detail the reliable exfoliation methods for large‐area single‐layer 2D materials and the dry and wet stacking techniques with high success rates. The twisted bilayer graphene is used as an example to briefly introduce the single‐crystal tearing method, which is currently the most practical method for preparing isotropic twisted heterostructures with high‐precision rotation angles. We hope to provide a valuable reference for researchers of 2D materials.