CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2022
·
IF 16.744
Ruyuan Dai,Guoqiang Li,Lin Xiao,Yaoxia Li,Zehang Cui,Long Jia,Maolin Zhou,Yuegan Song,Yi Yang,Yong Cai,Changfeng Chen,Kai Yin
Self-propelled autonomous devices have great significance in energy, environment, and biomedical engineering, and thus vast achievements have been made in recent years. However, conventional propulsion often requires special chemicals or external energy, limiting their practical applications due to environmental pollution and energy waste. In this work, inspired by the character of a water strider on the water surface, a novel droplet-driven micro-surfboard (DDMS) is developed via femtosecond laser micro/nano fabrication, which can be driven in a green and controllable way. The DDMS is composed of a superhydrophobic sheet with superhydrophilic wedgy grooves. The droplet is put on superhydrophilic wedgy grooves to enter the water and form a jet, which further facilitates the directional motion of the DDMS. Also, a type of actuator with three superhydrophilic wedgy grooves is designed successively to achieve turn direction, which completes the programable motion by adding droplets to the three channels. Finally, an actuator with circular water storage area and a symmetrical vane-like rotating device with two superhydrophilic channels are developed, realizing long-distance and rotational motions. This work provides new insights into pollution-free autonomous devices and shows the great potential of droplet-driven autonomous devices in the fields of micromechanics and intelligent systems.
研究领域:
微纳米技术
·
生物医学工程
·
环境工程
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
·
2023
·
IF 6.6
Xiongbin Yang,Shuyi Cao,Zongke He,Ce Xu,Hongyu Wang,Guihua Liu
The development of rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries is hampered by Li dendrite growth and large volume changes in the anode. To tackle these issues, a novel double gradient anode host material consists of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) embedded ZnO and Co 3 O 4 is developed. In this ZnO Co 3 O 4 /CNF composite, the decorated ZnO and Co 3 O 4 forms lithiophilic and Li nucleation overpotential double gradient, which is beneficial for the uniform Li deposition and suppressing the irregular growth of Li dendrites. The 3D network structure of the CNFs substrate improves the electrical conductivity and buffering the stress of volume changes as well. Owing to these features, the ZnO Co 3 O 4 /CNF electrode exhibits stable voltage during the 400 h plating/stripping process at current density of 5 mA cm −2 and delivers an area capacity of 5 mAh cm −2 . The Li@ZnO Co 3 O 4 /CNF||S/CNT battery maintains excellent stability with capacity decay rate of 0.036 % per cycle after 500 cycles at 1 C. The design of gradient anode hosts constructed from bimetallic oxides offers a promising alternative strategy for suppressing the irregular growth of Li dendrites, thereby increasing the cycle life of the batteries.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
能源存储技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2024
·
IF 13.3
Changcheng Bai,Xingxing Yang,Desheng Liu,Jiayu Wu,Yixian Wang,Yaozhong Lu,Tao Wu,Pan Jiang,Xiaolong Wang
Artificial cellular materials with various mechanical functions are attracting increasing attentions from aerospace, transportation, and industrialization. However, many artificial cellular materials, despite of the hierarchically ordered structures and even unique performance to some, still lag behind many natural ones in amplification of mechanical functions owing to the limitations in intrinsic mechanical performance and sophisticated structural design. Herein, inspired with lightweight and high strength of sunflower piths, we proposed a dual-gradient structure consisting of pore size gradient and wall thickness gradient to engineer cellular architectures with desirable mechanical performance by harnessing vat photopolymerization 3D printing of double crosslinking networks polyurethane elastomer. The double-gradient cellular polyurethane architecture displays more exceptional capability in load-bearing and energy absorption compared with non– and single gradient structures. Besides, the specific compressive strength and energy absorption of the dual-gradient cellular architectures are 4 times higher than those of traditional mechanical metamaterial structures such as octet-truss lattice, gyroid lattice, and porous structure prepared with the same material. Potential mechanisms such as dual-gradient cellular structures to obtain selective flexural deformation behaviour increasing their energy absorption and dissipation capacity are fully elucidated. As the potential paradigms, we demonstrated the mechanical functions of biomimetic mechanical cellular architectures for efficient impact protection and noise isolation, which offered a promising perspective toward developing soft metamaterials with excellent mechanical functions for potential soft machines and engineering applications.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
仿生学
·
工程学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
·
2025
·
IF 19
Xinyu Li,Haoyue Zhao,Xunlong Zhang,Can Ge,Zhan Qu,Ning Qi,Zhe Sun,Yong Du,Jian Fang
Flexible Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) have been regarded as a promising energy storage solution for flexible electronics. However, the challenges of dendrite growth due to uneven current density distribution and limited anode flexibility have impeded their practical application. Herein, a flexible 3D zinc anode with a dual gradient in porosity and conductivity is presented. This dual-gradient nanofibrous anode exhibits exceptional flexibility and durability, showing less than a 10% change in resistance after 15 000 bending cycles. The vertical gradient distribution in conductivity promotes preferential zinc deposition at the bottom section, while the gradient in porosity facilitates Zn 2 ⁺ ion migration and ensures timely replenishment of the inner space of the membrane. The combination of the 3D structure and dual-gradient design fosters bottom-up zinc deposition, effectively preventing dendrite formation. Symmetric cells with this dual-gradient anode demonstrate outstanding cycling stability, maintaining more than 410 h of operation at a current density of 1 mA cm −2 for 1 mA h cm −2 , surpassing reference samples and most previously reported 3D zinc anodes. The quasi-solid-state ZIBs assembled with this dual-gradient anode exhibit excellent stability under various mechanical deformations. These 3D nanofibrous anodes with dual-gradient designs hold great promise for advancing the practical application of flexible Zn-ion batteries.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
能源存储技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
·
2024
·
IF 18.5
Zhiqiang Zhou,Di Wang,Tianle You,Zhengyuan Pan,Guilong Xu,Yun Liang,Min Tang
Exposure to bioaerosols can result in severe infection and even death, prompting the development of numerous air filters to capture and inactivate bioaerosols. Although the wettability of filter media determines its bioaerosol-capture efficiency, the dynamic collision behavior of multiscale aqueous bioaerosols on most filter media is poorly understood. A double-gradient Janus paper (Janus paper) with a pore-size gradient, asymmetric wettability, and biocidal and bioadhesion properties is fabricated in this study using an industrially available papermaking process. The dynamic collision behavior at the micrometer and millimeter scales indicates that the Janus paper enables the full-scale blocking and/or capture of aqueous aerosols by a two-step mechanism where the water-repellent top layer blocks large-size aqueous aerosols, while the hydrophilic bottom layer permits the adherence of small-size aerosols to its fibers. The Janus paper exhibits a higher capture and inactivation capacity (inactivation efficiency: 98.3%), better dust-holding capacity (> 21 g m −2 ), and a longer lifetime than commercial filter media. Commercial air purifiers comprising the Janus paper exhibit high potential for large-scale commercial applications owing to the facile, low-cost, and scalable fabrication method. This study enables future research on efficient and practicable Janus-paper filter media.
研究领域:
环境科学
·
材料科学
·
生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2024
·
IF 13.3
Guiyun Huang,Jia Liu,Hanxiao Zhang,Wei Zhang,Yong Deng,Jiulong Sha
Moisture-electric generators (MEGs), which convert moisture potential into electrical energy, provide a promising alternative for energy generation due to the widespread and abundant distribution of air humidity in the surrounding environment. However, the low and intermittent electric output of MEGs presents challenges for their direct use in practical applications. In this study, an efficient hydrogel-based MEG integrated with hydrophilicity and ion concentration gradients based on a rational combination of polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose nanofibers, phytic acid, lithium bromide, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes was developed for the first time. The assembled MEG demonstrates outstanding power generation performance, with a single unit providing an output voltage of 1.0 V and a power density of 26.5 μW cm −2 (53.0 μW cm −3 ), enabled by the synergistic effect of its double-gradient structure. Notably, an increased current (4.0 mA) and voltage (45.3 V) were achieved using parallel and series integration of MEG banks, respectively. Scalable MEGs can directly power commercial electronic devices without the need for rectifiers or capacitors. This study provides new insights into MEGs design, contributing to the future development of sustainable power sources.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
能源技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
Energy & Environmental Science
·
2023
·Vol. 16
·期 8
·3600-3611
·
IF 32.5
Xuezhong Zhang,Zijian Dai,Jie Chen,Xin Chen,Xiong Lin,Shuang Yang,Kai Wu,Qiang Fu,Hua Deng
Currently, the introduction of a gradient structure in moisture-electricity generators (MEGs) has been shown to significantly improve their output performance. However, due to the limitations of material systems and methodologies, it is impossible to combine the gradients of ion density and hydrophilicity in one system, which is necessary to realize high-power and long-duration MEGs. Herein, aerogel-based MEGs with double-gradient structures were prepared via self-assembly and freeze-drying using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and polymer dendritic colloids. The biomimetic ‘core–shell’ structure with SWNTs on the outer surface of the polymer dendritic colloids enhanced the direct contact and interaction between water and SWNTs. The ultra-high ion density gradient (from −30.2 to +27.6 mV) formed by abundant SWNTs before and after surface modification drove the diffusion of carriers and improved the power of MEGs. Moreover, a hydrophilic gradient of the water contact angle from 32.1° to 110.8° was formed in the aerogel due to the different solubilities of various materials in dilute hydrochloric acid, ensuring the long-term stable transport of water and carriers. Based on the above-mentioned design, MEGs illustrated an industry-leading energy density (165.23 μW h cm−2), power density (32.59 μW cm−2), and duration (120 h) by adjusting their working environment. Density functional theory simulation and Kelvin probe force microscopy demonstrated the charge generation mechanism of MEGs. Besides, MEGs also illustrated potential applications in humidity sensing, low-power device power supply and seawater desalination, providing an inspiring approach for energy harvesting.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
能源技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
·
2020
·
IF 8.758
Jincai Yin,Delin Zhang,Zihan Xu,Wenxin Fan,Yanzhi Xia,Kunyan Sui
Self-shaping hydrogel actuators have promising applications in various fields. However, one hydrogel actuator can generally access only one specifically predefined deformation and output force, which are determined by its thermodynamic equilibrium swelling state under external stimuli. Here, we present a simple yet versatile strategy for precisely programming the output force/energy of dual-gradient hydrogel actuators. The strategy is based on thermodynamic nonequilibrium snapping deformations occurring during the recovery process of predeformed dual-gradient hydrogel actuators in low-temperature water. The output force/energy of such thermodynamic nonequilibrium snapping deformation is highly associated with predeformation conditions of the hydrogel actuators, which increases with the increase of the predeformation temperature or time. In consequence, just by adjusting the predeformation conditions of the dual-gradient hydrogel actuators, their output force, energy, and power can be modulated precisely and continuously during the snapping deformation. The as-prepared hydrogel actuators can not only be used as smart lifters and grippers with ultrahigh accuracy of weight identification but also act as smart switches in the timing circuits with precisely adjustable operating time, paving the way for the design of a new generation of actuation materials.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
软体机器人
·
生物医学工程
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
·
2025
·
IF 9
Shuang Ben,Siqi Wang,Zixuan Zhang,Chunjie Wang,Xiangyu Tang,Jiashuo Zhang,Han Ma,Yuzhen Ning,Zhihong Zhao,Kesong Liu
The scarcity of water resources has intensified interest in fog collection technologies. Drawing inspiration from natural organisms, Janus-structured materials have garnered considerable attention due to their high-efficiency fog water collection capabilities. However, the current Janus materials used for fog collection typically possess only single wettability, resulting in suboptimal efficiency. Spontaneous multidimensional unidirectional fluid transport in porous materials is achievable with specific structural designs and environmental conditions. Herein, we present a soft Janus membrane fabricated using a simple mechanical drilling technique combined with asymmetric surface modification. Its conical micropores combine both geometric and internal wettability gradients, creating a dual‐gradient architecture. Synergistic surface‐energy differentials and Laplace pressure within the conical pores drive spontaneous, unidirectional droplet penetration and storage. Compared to traditional Janus materials with a single asymmetric structure, the dual-gradient structure significantly enhances fog collection performance and water storage capacity. This innovative automatic fog collecting membrane offers a promising avenue for efficient fog collection systems to address the freshwater crisis. Furthermore, it provides a fresh perspective for the exploration and advancement of oil–water separation technologies and other purification methods.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
环境科学
·
生物仿生学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
·
2024
·
IF 8.1
Ge Bai,Chunhua Niu,Lixia Lang,Xuexue Liang,Wanjun Gu,Zhong Wei,Kai Chen,Klemen Bohinc,Xuhong Guo
The explosive release of antibiotics caused by drug delivery hydrogels can potentially cause cell damage. To balance the antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of drug-loaded hydrogels, we present a double gradient hydrogel (PCHH) using microfluidic mixing co-extrusion technology. The gradient structure of the hydrogel can be controlled by adjusting the distribution of sodium alginate and amikacin. This allows for different swelling and drug release behaviors which can maintain a wet environment and optimize drug release behaviors. Amikacin is released at a rate of 50 % within 24 h and achieves sustained and uniform drug release in the later stages. The antibacterial properties displays that the synergistic antibacterial activity between amikacin and carbon dots reduces the dosage of amikacin and decreases bacterial resistance. This design principle offers new opportunities for hydrogels engineered with microfluidic chemistry, which can be applied in tissue engineering, soft robotics, and active medical implants.
研究领域:
生物材料学
·
组织工程学
·
医学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
·
2024
·
IF 9.4
Hongwei Zhang,Jiazhe Cheng,Kaiyu Liu,Shou-xiang Jiang,Jichao Zhang,Qian Wang,Chuntao Lan,Hao Jia,Zhaoling Li
The challenge of achieving high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding films, which focuses on electromagnetic waves absorption while maintaining thin thickness, is a crucial endeavor in contemporary electronic device advancement. In this study, we have successfully engineered hybrid films based on MXene nanosheets and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, featuring intricate electric–magnetic dual-gradient structures. Through the collaborative influence of a unique dual-gradient structure equipped with transition and reflection layers, these hybrid films demonstrate favorable impedance matching, abundant loss mechanisms (Ohmic loss, interfacial polarization and magnetic loss), and an “absorb-reflect-reabsorb” process to achieve absorption-dominated EMI shielding capability. Compared with the single conductive gradient structure, the dual-gradient structure effectively enhances the absorption intensity per unit thickness, and thus reduces the thickness of the film. The optimized film demonstrates a remarkable EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 49.98 dB alongside an enhanced absorption coefficient (A) of 0.51 with a thickness of only 180 μm. The thin films with a dual-gradient structure hold promise for crafting absorption-dominated electromagnetic shielding materials, highlighting the potential for advanced electromagnetic protection solutions.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
电子工程
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
·
2024
·
IF 8.3
Ying Zhou,Bai Xue,Lingjun Zeng,Lan Xie,Qiang Zheng
The structural design strategies of MXene-based nanocomposites have demonstrated critical significance for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. Herein, novel asymmetric multilayered cellulose nanofiber/multiwalled carbon nanotube@ferroferric oxide/MXene (CNF/MWCNT@Fe 3 O 4 /MXene) composite membranes with electrical-magnetic dual-gradient structures were prepared via layered-by-layered self-assembly strategy. Briefly, CNF/MWCNT@Fe 3 O 4 layers are designed as the negative gradient absorption layers which provide dielectric/magnetic double loss. Meanwhile, MXene layers serve as the positive gradient reflection layers which generate multiple reflections and conduct loss. Thus, gradient multilayered CNF/MWCNT@Fe 3 O 4 /MXene composite membranes exhibit a total electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE T ) of 73.20 dB at the thickness of 180 μm and R-value of 0.99934 in the X-band. Furthermore, the asymmetric gradient multilayer composite membrane reveals a superior EMI shielding performance in comparison with that of homogeneous multilayered composite membranes. When electromagnetic waves (EMWs) pass through the gradient multilayered CNF/MWCNT@Fe 3 O 4 /MXene composite membrane, the rational asymmetric gradient multilayered structures contribute to a “gradually decreasing absorption-gradually increasing reflection” shielding mechanism. Thereby, the design strategy of asymmetric electrical-magnetic dual-gradient structures is advantageous in enhancing the EMI shielding ability of polymeric composites .
研究领域:
材料科学
·
电磁学
·
纳米技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）