Hexagonal Boron Nitride and Graphite Oxide Reinforced Multifunctional Porous Cement Composites

The synthesis and characterization of multifunctional cement and concrete composites filled with hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) and graphite oxide (GO), is reported and their superior mechanical strength and oil adsorption properties compared to composites devoid of fillers are illustrated. GO is utilized to bridge the cement surfaces while h‐BN is used to mechanically reinforce the composites and adsorb the oil. Introduction of these fillers even at low filler weight fractions increases the compressive strength and toughness properties of pristine cement and of porous concrete significantly, while the porous composite concrete illustrates excellent ability for water separation and crude oil adsorption. Experimental results along with theoretical calculations show that such nanoengineered forms of cement based composites would enable the development of novel forms of multifunctional structural materials with a range of environmental applications.     

Promising Trade‐Offs Between Energy Storage and Load Bearing in Carbon Nanofibers as Structural Energy Storage Devices

Structural energy storage materials refer to a broad category of multifunctional materials which can simultaneously provide load bearing and energy storage to achieve weight reduction in weight‐sensitive applications. Reliable and satisfactory performance in each function, load bearing or energy storage, requires peculiar material design with potential trade‐offs between them. Here, the trade‐offs between functionalities in an emerging class of nanomaterials, carbon nanofibers (CNFs), are unraveled. The CNFs are fabricated by emulsion and coaxial electrospinning and activated by KOH at different activation conditions. The effect of activation on supercapacitor performance is analyzed using two electrode test cells with aqueous electrolyte. Porous CNFs show promising energy storage capacity (191.3 F g^?1 and excellent cyclic stability) and load‐bearing capability (σ_f > 0.55 ± 0.15 GPa and E > 27.4 ± 2.6 GPa). While activation enhances surface area and capacitance, it introduces flaws in the material, such as nanopores, reducing mechanical properties. It is found that moderate activation can lead to dramatic improvement in capacitance (by >300%), at a rather moderate loss in strength (<17%). The gain in specific surface area and capacitance in CNFs is many times those observed in bulk carbon structures, such as carbon fibers, indicating that activation is mainly effective near the free surfaces and for low‐dimensional materials.     

Programmable Liquid Metal Microstructures for Multifunctional Soft Thermal Composites

Soft, elastically deformable composites can enable new generations of multifunctional materials for electronics, robotics, and reconfigurable structures. Liquid metal (LM) droplets dispersed in elastomer matrices represent an emerging material architecture that has shown unique combinations of soft mechanical response with exceptional electrical and thermal functionalities. These properties are strongly dependent on the material composition and microstructure. However, approaches to control LM microdroplet morphology to program mechanical and functional properties are lacking. Here, this limitation is overcome by thermo‐mechanically shaping LM droplets in soft composites to create programmable microstructures in stress‐free materials. This enables LM loadings up to 70% by volume with prescribed particle aspect ratios and orientation, enabling control of microstructure throughout the bulk of the material. Through this microstructural control in soft composites, a material which simultaneously achieves a thermal conductivity as high as 13.0 W m^?1 K^?1 (>70 × increase over polymer matrix) with low modulus (<1.0 MPa) and high stretchability (>750% strain) is demonstrated in stress‐free conditions. Such properties are required in applications that demand extreme mechanical flexibility with high thermal conductivity, which is demonstrated in soft electronics, wearable robotics, and electronics integrated into 3D printed materials.     

Structural Orientation and Anisotropy in Biological Materials: Functional Designs and Mechanics

Biological materials exhibit anisotropic characteristics because of the anisometric nature of their constituents and their preferred alignment within interfacial matrices. The regulation of structural orientations is the basis for material designs in nature and may offer inspiration for man‐made materials. Here, how structural orientation and anisotropy are designed into biological materials to achieve diverse functionalities is revisited. The orientation dependencies of differing mechanical properties are introduced based on a 2D composite model with wood and bone as examples; as such, anisotropic architectures and their roles in property optimization in biological systems are elucidated. Biological structural orientations are designed to achieve extrinsic toughening via complicated cracking paths, robust and releasable adhesion from anisotropic contact, programmable dynamic response by controlled expansion, enhanced contact damage resistance from varying orientations, and simultaneous optimization of multiple properties by adaptive structural reorientation. The underlying mechanics and material‐design principles that could be reproduced in man‐made systems are highlighted. Finally, the potential and challenges in developing a better understanding to implement such natural designs of structural orientation and anisotropy are discussed in light of current advances. The translation of these biological design principles can promote the creation of new synthetic materials with unprecedented properties and functionalities.     

Self-Adhesive Polydimethylsiloxane Foam Materials Decorated with MXene/Cellulose Nanofiber Interconnected Network for Versatile Functionalities

Polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) foam as one of next-generation polymer foam materials shows poor surface adhesion and limited functionality, which greatly restricts its potential applications. Fabrication of advanced PDMS foam materials with multiple functionalities remains a critical challenge. In this study, unprecedented self-adhesive PDMS foam materials are reported with worm-like rough structure and reactive groups for fabricating multifunctional PDMS foam nanocomposites decorated with MXene/cellulose nanofiber (MXene/CNF) interconnected network by a facile silicone foaming and dip-coating strategy followed by silane surface modification. Interestingly, such self-adhesive PDMS foam produces strong interfacial adhesion with the hybrid MXene/CNF nano-coatings. Consequently, the optimized PDMS foam nanocomposites have excellent surface super-hydrophobicity (water contact angle of ≈159^o), tunable electrical conductivity (from 10⁻⁸ to 10 S m⁻¹), stable compressive cyclic reliability in both wide-temperature range (from −20 to 200 ^oC) and complex environments (acid, sodium, and alkali conditions), outstanding flame resistance (LOI value of >27% and low smoke production rate), good thermal insulating performance and reliable strain sensing in various stress modes and complex environmental conditions. It provides a new route for the rational design and development of advanced PDMS foam nanocomposites with versatile multifunctionalities for various promising applications such as intelligent healthcare monitoring and fire-safe thermal insulation.     

Bioinspired Superwettability Micro/Nanoarchitectures: Fabrications and Applications

Biological systems have evolved over billions of years to develop wetting strategies for advantageous structure–property–performance relations that are crucial for their survival. The discovery of these intriguing relationships has inspired tremendous efforts to investigate the micro/nanoscale features of naturally occurring structures with superwettability. Researchers have since developed new methods and techniques to construct artificial materials that mimic natural structures and functionalities. Here, a brief review of natural hierarchical architectures with liquid repellent properties is presented, and the critical underlying mechanism is summarized with an emphasis on the micro/nanoscopic architectures. The state‐of‐the‐art micro/nanofabrication techniques for creating bioinspired hierarchical superwettability structures that are categorized by random and exquisite features are also reviewed, followed by an overview of their emerging applications, with special attention to biomedical‐related fields. The development of fabrication techniques enhances capabilities relative to those of living systems, paving the way toward advanced structural materials with superior functions and unprecedented characteristics for potential applications.     

Stack-and-Draw Applied to the Engineering of Multi-Material Fibers with Non-Cylindrical Profiles

Here, it is demonstrated that the stack-and-draw approach can be expanded to unusual materials association and profile geometries to generate fiber assemblies with unprecedented functionalities. This approach relies on the stacking of flat oxide glass slides into a preform, which is then thermally elongated into tens-of-meters-long ribbon fibers with preserved cross-section ratio. Fabrication methodology is introduced. In order to illustrate the versatility of the method, a panel of fibers with diverse geometries and functions is exposed, including glass-only exposed-core fibers for chemical sensing and, upon the insertion of metal electrodes, H-shaped multi-cavity structures and compact, glass-metal fiber optical detectors applied to a gas analysis by means of fiber-tip plasma spectroscopy. It is believed this new approach will offer an attractive, straightforward solution for designing innovative, complex multimaterial fiber platforms with enhanced functionalities.     

Advanced Catalysts Derived from Composition‐Segregated Platinum–Nickel Nanostructures: New Opportunities and Challenges

Composition segregation, resulting from the rearrangement of atom positions and different enrichment behaviors of different atoms in alloys, has been linked to their enhanced performances in catalytic applications due to the strong electronic effect and largely improved number of available active sites. Hence, composition‐segregated metallic nanostructures have been actively pursued to prepare better‐performing nanocatalysts. Moreover, they also act as an emerging platform to develop unusual nanostructures with desirable functionalities. An overview about the recent advances in preparing unusual nanostructures with desirable functionalities such as highly open 3D structures (concave, frame, porous, etc.) and composites with suitable interfaces (metal–metal, metal–oxide, metal–sulfide, metal–boride, metal–organic, metal–hydroxide interfaces, etc.) based on composition‐segregated metallic nanostructures which can boost heterogeneous catalytic reactions with superior performances is provided here. The different strategies developed so far for the synthesis of composition‐segregated metallic nanostructures are also discussed. Finally, the challenges of the composition‐segregated nanostructure and their functionalized materials are discussed, as well as some perspectives are highlighted on the fine regulation and multifunctionalities of nanostructures, which provide a powerful material foundation for the potential electrocatalysis, organic catalysis, and energy conversion of multicomponent metal nanostructures.     

Ion-Gating Engineering of Organic Semiconductors toward Multifunctional Devices

Ion-gating engineering provides a new way to bridge electronics and ionics, and more importantly, bringing unprecedented opportunities for organic semiconductors (OSCs) based bioelectronics and solid-sate physics. Compared with conventional-dielectric gating, ion gating shows unique features in an extremely large electric field, high transconductance, low operating frequency, and ultrahigh carrier concentration. It therefore boosts the rapid development of different organic devices, including neuromorphic devices and amplifying transducers, and offers a powerful strategy to probe the charge transport, thermoelectric and even superconducting properties of organic materials at different scales. In this review, first, the fundamental mechanism of ion gating is discussed to enable multifunctional devices. The electrolyte materials and organic semiconductors are also summarized that are widely used in ion-gated devices and their associated properties are examined. Moreover, key concepts of manipulating ion–electron coupling are highlighted for opening up new frontiers in organic multifunctional electronics. Finally, the challenges and perspectives on the ion gating of OSCs are proposed to highlight the directions that deserve attention in this emerging interdisciplinary field.     

Multifunctional Triboelectric Nanogenerator-Enabled Structural Elements for Next Generation Civil Infrastructure Monitoring Systems

There is a critical shortage in research needed to explore a new class of multifunctional structural components that respond to their environment, empower themselves and self-monitor their condition. Here, the novel concept of triboelectric nanogenerator-enabled structural elements (TENG-SEs) is proposed to build the foundation for the next generation civil infrastructure systems with intrinsic sensing and energy harvesting functionalities. In order to validate the proposed concept, proof-of-concept multifunctional composite rebars with built-in TENG mechanisms are developed. The developed prototypes function as structural reinforcements, nanogenerators, and distributed sensing mediums under external mechanical vibrations. Experiential and theoretical studies are performed to verify the electrical and mechanical performance of the developed self-powering and self-sensing composite structural components. The capability of the embedded structural elements to detect damage patterns in concrete beams at multiscale is demonstrated. Finally, it is discussed how this new class of TENG-SEs can revolutionize the large-scale distributed monitoring practices in civil infrastructure and construction fields.     

Flexible Plasmonic Metasurfaces with User‐Designed Patterns for Molecular Sensing and Cryptography

Flexible plasmonic metasurfaces have garnered considerable attention because the material's mechanical flexibility enables new functionalities and integrated applications. Here, by adopting low‐cost materials and simple techniques, we demonstrate a method of fabricating large flexible metasurfaces with arbitrary user‐designed iridescent patterns. These naked‐eye recognizable patterns together with their excellent plasmonic activities have yielded new functionalities and novel applications. Demonstrations include plasmonic sensing, reflective displays, developing new encryption strategies and integrated devices, etc. Moreover, the low fabrication cost (?2) would enable the practical use of the material. The metasurface can even be fashioned into an innovative, multifunctional medical ID bracelet. We believe our flexible plasmonic metafilm will inspire the fabrication of many novel applications and open up new horizons in various fields.     

Van der Waals Heterostructure Devices with Dynamically Controlled Conduction Polarity and Multifunctionality

Controlling the conduction behavior of 2D materials is an important prerequisite to achieve their electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, most of the reported approaches are aware of the shortcomings of inflexibility and complexity, which limits the possibility of multifunctional integration. Here, taking advantage of van der Waals heterostructure engineering, a simple method to achieve a dynamically controlled binary channel in a semivertical MoTe₂/MoS₂ field effect transistor is proposed. It is enabled by the high switchability between tunneling and thermal transports through simply changing the sign of voltage bias. In addition, the proposed system allows for multifunctional integration of transistor with on/off ratio >10⁷ and diode with rectification ratio >10⁶. Moreover, the devices show screen capability to negative photoresponse effect that is widely observed in ambipolar materials, hence improving the photodetection reliability and sensitivity. This study broadens the functionalities of van der Waals heterostructures and opens up more possibilities to realize multifunctional devices.     

A Review of Acoustic Devices Based on Suspended 2D Materials and Their Composites

Acoustic devices play an increasingly important role in modern society for information technology and intelligent systems, and recently significant progress has been made in the development of communication, sensing, and energy transduction applications. However, conventional material systems, such as polymers, metals and silicon, show limitations to fulfill the evolving requirements for high-performance acoustic devices of small size, low power consumption, and multifunctional capabilities. 2D materials hold the promise in overcoming the development bottleneck of acoustic devices aforementioned, given their atomic-thin thickness, extensive surface area, superior physical properties, and remarkable layer-stacking tunability. By suspending the 2D materials, mechanical and thermal disruption from substrate will be eliminated, which will enable the development of new classes of acoustic devices with unprecedented sensitivity and accuracy. In this review, the recent progress of acoustic devices based on suspended 2D materials and their composites, especially applications in the audio frequency, static pressure, and ultrasonic frequency range, is briefly summarized, emphasizing the advantageous properties of suspended 2D materials and related outstanding device performance. Together with the development of 2D membrane synthesis, transfer, as well as microelectromechanical fabrication process, suspended 2D materials will shed light on the next-generation high-performance acoustic devices.     

Skin-Inspired Nanofluid-Filled Surfaces with Tunable Icephobic,Photothermal, and Energy Absorption Properties

Ice buildup can significantly and negatively impact system performance in various industrial sectors, and has remained a persistent challenge for decades. Many compliant materials exhibit excellent de-icing performance but are easily eroded by impacts from supercooled water droplets, sand, dust, and debris. A composite panel inspired by animal skin, consisting of a facesheet protecting a nanofluid layer beneath, which exhibits durable anti-icing and tunable photothermal properties is proposed. The viscous liquid layer beneath the facesheet increases flexural rigidity, preventing large deflections and increasing deformation resistance, which alters ice's adhesion to the surface. The non-uniform fluid pressure exerted by the viscous nanofluid-filled composite panels facilitates ice detachment, resulting in ice adhesion strengths as low as τ_ice ≈ 10 kPa. Further, by altering the fluid properties, different additional functionalities can be endowed to the system. Incorporating fumed silica in a fluid-filled composite panel results in rheopectic behavior, and this doubles their impact resistance when the shear thickening properties are properly tuned. Additionally, the combination of a transparent facesheet and a solar light absorbent nanofluid allows for tunable photothermal properties, further enhancing the anti-icing performance of the system. This durable and tunable nanofluid-filled composite panel shows great promise as a multifunctional de-icing material.     

Multifunctional Electrode Design Consisting of 3D Porous Separator Modulated with Patterned Anode for High‐Performance Dual‐Ion Batteries

Searching for low‐cost and high‐capacity electrode materials such as metal anodes is of important significance for the development of new generation rechargeable batteries. However, metal anodes always suffer from severe volume expansion/contraction during a repeated electrochemical alloying/dealloying process. In this study, a novel concept about modifying metal‐anodes‐based battery construction with a multifunctional electrode (ME) design is provided. The ME consists of a 3D porous separator that is modulated with a patterned aluminum anode, which simultaneously works as a current collector, anode material, and separator in a dual‐ion battery (DIB). The 3D porous separator not only enables the ME to possess significantly improved electrolyte uptake and retention capabilities, but also acts as a protecting layer to restrict the surface pulverization of the Al anode. The ME‐DIB displays remarkably enhanced cell performances, including excellent cycling stability with 92.4% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at a current density of 2 C, and superior rate performance with 80.7% capacity retention at 10 C.     

Shape‐Reconfigurable Aluminum–Air Batteries

The battery shape is a critical limiting factor affecting foreseeable energy storage applications. In particular, deformable metal–air battery systems can offer low cost, low flammability, and high capacity, but the fabrication of such metal–air batteries remains challenging. Here, it is shown that a shape‐reconfigurable‐material approach, in which the deformable components composed of micro‐ and nanoscale composites are assembled, is suitable for constructing polymorphic metal–air batteries. By employing an aluminum foil and an adhesive carbon composite placed on a cellulose scaffold as a substrate, an aluminum–air battery that can be deformed to an unprecedented high level, e.g., via expanding, folding, stacking, and crumpling, can be realized. This significant deformability results in a specific capacity of 128 mA h g^?1 (496 mA h g^?1 per cell; based on the mass of consumed aluminum) and a high output voltage (10.3 V) with 16 unit battery cells connected in series. The resulting battery can endure significant geometrical distortions such as 3D expanding and twisting, while the electrochemical performance is preserved. This work represents an advancement in deformable aluminum–air batteries using the shape‐reconfigurable‐material concept, thus establishing a paradigm for shape‐reconfigurable batteries with exceptional mechanical functionalities.     

A Novel Approach for Achieving High‐Efficiency Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation in InGaN Nanorods Grown on Si System: MXene Nanosheets as Multifunctional Interfacial Modifier

MXene nanosheets with attractive electrical conductivity and tunable work function have been adopted as multifunctional interfacial modifier between InGaN nanorods and Si for photoelectrochemical water oxidation for the first time. Compared to bare InGaN/Si systems, MXene interfacial layers give rise to an ultralow onset potential of 75 mV versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which is the highest ever reported for InGaN‐ or Si‐based photoanodes by interfacial modification. Furthermore, the modified photoanode exhibits a significantly enhanced photocurrent density (7.27 mA cm^?2) at 1.23 V versus RHE, which is about 10 times higher than that achieved with the InGaN/Si photoanode. The detailed mechanism demonstrates that the formed type‐II band alignment in InGaN/MXene heterojunction and an Ohmic junction at the MXene/Si interface make MXene an ideal electron‐migration channel to enhance charge separation and transfer process. This synergetic effect of MXene can significantly decrease the charge resistance at semiconductor/Si and semiconductor/electrolyte hetero‐interfaces, eventually resulting in the fast hole injection efficiency of 82% and superior stability against photocorrosion. This work not only provides valuable guidance for designing high‐efficiency photoelectrodes through the integration of multiscale and multifunctional materials, but also presents a novel strategy for achieving high‐performance artificial photosynthesis by introducing interfacial modifier.     

2D MXenes as a Promising Candidate for Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy: State of the Art,Recent Trends,and Future Prospects

Surface-enhanced enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a powerful analytical technique for ultrasensitive and label-free detection of chemical species, with numerous applications in various fields. Recently, 2D MXenes, have evoked substantial intrigue as promising substrates for SERS. Hence, a comprehensive understanding of the developments in the Raman effect and the mechanisms involved in SERS is highly crucial. The review reflects the advances, working principle, and dual mechanisms, including SERS's electromagnetic and chemical mechanisms. Noble metal nanostructures are highly prioritized as SERS substrates owing to their excellent sensitivity. However, due to certain disadvantages that they pose, metal-free SERS substrates with exceptional tunable properties are extensively researched in the current days. The combination of 2D MXenes and nanostructures can be effective in producing enhanced SERS signals. SERS performance of different MXene-based materials is emphasized. The performance of this combination is credited to their large surface-to-volume ratio, good electrical conductivity, and surface-terminated functionalities. The recent advancements in MXenes and MXenes-based heterostructures driven SERS sensing concerning the structural design of the material, its performance, and the mechanisms are studied. Finally, a detailed conclusion is provided with the challenges and future perspectives for designing 2D materials for efficient SERS sensors.     

Modular Multifunctional Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels for Stem Cell Differentiation

Synthetic polymers are employed to create highly defined microenvironments with controlled biochemical and biophysical properties for cell culture and tissue engineering. Chemical modification is required to input biological or chemical ligands, which often changes the fundamental structural properties of the material. Here, a simple modular biomaterial design strategy is reported that employs functional cyclodextrin nanobeads threaded onto poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymer necklaces to form multifunctional hydrogels. Nanobeads with desired chemical or biological functionalities can be simply threaded onto the PEG chains to form hydrogels, creating an accessible platform for users. The design and synthesis of these multifunctional hydrogels are described, structure‐property relationships are elucidated, and applications ranging from stem cell culture and differentiation to tissue engineering are demonstrated.     

Recent Advances in Carbon Material-Based Multifunctional Sensors and Their Applications in Electronic Skin Systems

Electronic skin (e-skin) is driving significant advances in flexible electronics as it holds great promise in health monitoring, human–machine interfaces, soft robotics, and so on. Flexible sensors that can detect various stimuli or have multiple properties play an indispensable role in e-skin. Despite tremendous research efforts devoted to flexible sensors with excellent performance regarding a certain sensing mode or property, emerging e-skin demands multifunctional flexible sensors to be endowed with the skin-like capability and beyond. Considering outstanding superiorities of electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and ease of functionalization, carbon materials are adopted to implement multifunctional flexible sensors. In this review, the latest advances of carbon-based multifunctional flexible sensors with regard to the types of detection modes and abundant properties are introduced. The corresponding preparation process, device structure, sensing mechanism, obtained performance, and intriguing applications are highlighted. Furthermore, diverse e-skin systems by integrating current cutting-edge technologies (e.g., data acquisition and transmission, neuromorphic technology, and artificial intelligence) with carbon-based multifunctional flexible sensors are systematically investigated in detail. Finally, the existing problems and future developing directions are also proposed.