{"title":"Sulfated Cellulose Nanocrystals into Piezoelectricity- Introducing a New Material into Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting and Smart Strain Sensing for Health Monitoring Applications","authors":"Sujith Lal, Omkar Y. Pawar, Anja Lund, Ergang Wang, Sooman Lim, Byungil Hwang","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01819-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01819-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The development of multifunctional, flexible, and sustainable wearable electronics is critical for the advancement of next-generation smart systems. In this paper, a dual-functional, self-powered device capable of both piezoelectric energy harvesting and high-sensitivity strain sensing is reported. This device was fabricated using sulfated cellulose nanocrystals (SCNCs) derived from waste tissue. These SCNCs were integrated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and supported on biodegradable mulberry paper (MP). It was found that sulfation enhanced the surface charge density, crystallinity, and dipole alignment of the CNCs, thereby significantly improving the piezoelectric performance confirmed with theoretical simulation such as DFT, COMSOL Multiphysics simulation, piezobased dielectric studies and characterization experiments. Based on the experimental demonstration, the optimized composite device exhibited an open-circuit voltage of 6–8 V and short-circuit current of 120–150 nA under mechanical deformation. Furthermore, it demonstrated a rapid response (0.5–2 s) and high sensitivity of more than 80% in detecting physiological motions, such as the human pulse, finger bending, and neck movements. In addition to energy harvesting, the device exhibited reliable strain-sensing capabilities when mounted on various body parts. Practical demonstrations included integration with Arduino-based circuits for real-time applications, such as smart doorbell systems and safety line-crossing detection, wherein electrical signals are converted into wireless alerts. This combination of sustainability, flexibility, mechanical robustness, and dual functionality highlights the potential of the developed SCNC-based platform for use in self-powered wearable electronics with promising implications for health monitoring, interactive interfaces, and eco-friendly smart devices.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01819-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147796486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comment on: advances in nanomaterial-based therapeutic research for spinal cord injuries: an overview","authors":"DuJiang Yang, Jiexiang Yang, GuoYou Wang","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01686-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01686-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In response to the comprehensive review by Zhang et al. on nanomaterials for spinal cord injury (SCI) repair, this commentary provides a critical perspective on the formidable translational challenges that must be addressed. While the potential of nano-scaffolds and targeted delivery systems is evident, we argue that the field is hampered by an overreliance on acute rodent models which poorly recapitulate complex chronic human SCI pathology. Significant concerns regarding long-term biocompatibility, degradation kinetics, and potential immunogenicity remain inadequately explored. Furthermore, the complexity of combinatorial strategies introduces substantial manufacturing and regulatory hurdles. We contend that future progress requires a paradigm shift towards a more integrated development philosophy. This entails adopting a staged, complementary preclinical model strategy, designing next-generation “smart” systems with regulatory feasibility as a core principle from inception, and incorporating rigorous safety and manufacturing sciences. Only through such a balanced, interdisciplinary approach can nanomaterial-based therapies hope to achieve meaningful clinical translation for SCI.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01686-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147738715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction to: Poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fiber: properties, applications, and advances in surface modification for improved interfacial and UV resistance","authors":"Chunyan Wang, Mingqiang Wang, Yulan Chen, Li Liu, Chuanli Qin, Yudong Huang","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01766-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01766-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01766-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147737474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tobias Karlsson, Patrick Janus, Per Hallander, Malin Åkermo
{"title":"Sensing of transverse pressure in structural composite by impedance spectroscopy on embedded carbon nanotube sensing structures","authors":"Tobias Karlsson, Patrick Janus, Per Hallander, Malin Åkermo","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01767-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01767-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Next-generation aerospace composite structures are expected to evolve from purely mechanical systems into multifunctional structures by integrating additional functionalities through the embedment of functional filler materials. One promising approach is the incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to add sensing capabilities. In this paper, two CNT-based sensing structures are evaluated for transverse pressure sensing up to 20 MPa when embedded in an aerospace-grade glass fibre/epoxy laminate. In pursuit of higher sensing sensitivity, a shift from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) based sensing is implemented, enabling the exploration of frequency-dependent sensing behaviour. With this transition, a characterisation and measurement procedure is presented and justified, determining resistive and polarisation effects present in the sensing configurations and evaluating their susceptibility to stray capacitance prior to pressure sensing. The first sensing structure, using embedded Vertically Aligned CNT (VACNT) forests, exhibits pressure sensitivity with the resistive sensitivity increasing at frequencies above the critical frequency of the system, justifying the shift from DC to AC. The reactance shows similar pressure sensitivity except for in a region near 1 MHz, where it becomes pressure insensitive. The second sensing structure, consisting of two embedded VACNT forests separated by a Kapton film, emulates a capacitor. Its impedance shows a Kapton-dominated frequency range and a CNT-dominated range, with a transition region in between. Consequently, the pressure response becomes frequency-dependent, as the two constituents not only dominate different frequency ranges but also exhibit different sensitivities to pressure.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01767-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147737446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Constructing interfacial charge-transfer complexes to suppress charge injection and bulk transport for boosting high-temperature energy storage in cyclo-olefin copolymers","authors":"Jiaqi Zhang, Hanyue Xing, Tongqin Zhang, Yue Zhang, Tiandong Zhang, Yongquan Zhang, Zhaotong Meng, Mengjia Feng, Qingguo Chi","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01768-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01768-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Developing high-performance polymer dielectrics is the core pathway to drive technological breakthroughs in high-power electrostatic energy storage capacitors. Cyclo-olefin Copolymer (COC) is recognized as an ideal high-temperature-resistant polymer dielectric material. However, the energy storage properties of COC is constrained by the exponential surge in conductive losses under extremes conditions. To address this problem, this study proposes a simple and efficient modification strategy aimed at enhancing dielectric properties and energy storage density of COC films at high-temperature. Through binary graft copolymerization to construct interfacial charge-transfer complexes, an energy barrier layer is constructed on the film surface while deep level surface charge traps are simultaneously introduced, dually suppressing charge injection behavior at electrode interfaces and bulk charge migration processes. The modified film exhibits a 96.96% reduction in leakage current density and a 34.7% increase in breakdown strength, reaching 5.41 × 10<sup>− 10</sup> A/cm<sup>2</sup> and 644.1 kV/mm at 125 ℃, respectively. Furthermore, the discharge energy density of the modified film significantly improves, achieving a 4.87 J/cm<sup>3</sup> at 125 ℃. After 50,000 charge-discharge cycles, both discharge energy density and charge-discharge efficiency maintain stable reliability. This study provides new insights for polymer interfacial structure design and establishes novel approaches for developing high-property polymer dielectric materials.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01768-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tongtong Kou, Qilin Wei, Xinxin Han, Tong Chang, Shiguo Han, Liang Wang, William W. Yu
{"title":"Host-induced Mn2+ coordination for multicolor emission and high-resolution X-ray detection in metal halide perovskites","authors":"Tongtong Kou, Qilin Wei, Xinxin Han, Tong Chang, Shiguo Han, Liang Wang, William W. Yu","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01744-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01744-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Mn<sup>2+</sup> doping provides an effective approach to modulate the photoluminescence (PL)and X-ray scintillation properties of metal halide perovskites (MHPs); however, strategies to achieve customizable luminescence through structural design remain challenging. Here, 1D CsCdBr<sub>3</sub>, 1D/0D Cs<sub>7</sub>Cd<sub>3</sub>Br<sub>13</sub>, and 0D Cs<sub>3</sub>CdBr<sub>5</sub> hosts were precisely synthesized via reactant ratio control. The different host structures were designed to induce distinct Mn<sup>2+</sup> coordination environments, resulting in structure-dependent red, yellow, and green emission. The effects of Mn<sup>2+</sup> incorporation on the photoluminescence and X-ray scintillation of different hosts were systematically studied through combined experimental and theoretical approaches. Warm white light-emitting diode (LED) fabricated from a mixture of the three compounds exhibited high color rendering (Ra = 91.4), a correlated color temperature of 4201 K, and CIE coordinates of (0.37, 0.38), demonstrating high-performance solid-state lighting. Flexible scintillator films embedded in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix showed excellent radioluminescence stability and high spatial resolution under X-ray irradiation. Notably, CsCdBr<sub>3</sub>:Mn displayed superior X-ray imaging performance (23.6 lp/mm) due to its high atomic packing factor and density. This work establishes a host structure guided strategy for constructing specific Mn polyhedra, offering a promising approach to developing multifunctional, high-performance solid-state lighting and flexible X-ray scintillator materials.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01744-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ionic liquid crystal-induced boron nitride/carbon nanotube dough with shapeability and redispersibility for efficient thermal management","authors":"Rui Tian, Xiaohua Jia, Caiyue Huang, Jiayi Guo, Xintong Jiang, Fangmin Wang, Zemin He, Haojie Song","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01758-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01758-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite hybrid materials have garnered significant attention in the field of thermal management. However, conventional approaches for fabricating BNNS/CNT hybrids often result in structural defects, limited solid content, and poor redispersibility, thereby restricting scalable processing and practical applications. In this study, we propose a simple, non-destructive and scalable assembly strategy using ionic liquid crystals (ILC) to construct BNNS/CNT hybrid fillers with strong interfacial bonding. The BNNS-ILC-CNT composite hybrid undergoes the transformation from a dispersion, slurry, or gel to dough through multiple noncovalent interactions, including cation-π interactions, electrostatic attraction, and hydrogen bonding. When the BNNS-ILC-CNT hybrid is incorporated into the aramid nanofiber network, this composite filler significantly enhances the thermal conductivity (13.2 ± 0.9 W m<sup>−1</sup>K<sup>− 1</sup>) of the composite paper, enabling rapid and stable Joule heating effects while exhibiting photothermal response characteristics. In addition, the BNNS-ILC-CNT composite dough exhibits excellent storage stability, remaining uniformly dispersible in water even after 100 days of storage. This study offers a novel perspective for preparing high-concentration BNNS/CNT composite fillers and provides a highly promising strategy for developing multifunctional polymer composites suitable for advanced thermal management applications.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01758-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hanling Guo, Junhua Zhou, Enhui Zhang, Shixiao Wang, Fengxian Gao, Xiang Lin, Min Gong, Liang Zhang, Zijian Zheng, Dongrui Wang
{"title":"Separator engineering for energy-dense and long-life rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries: A review","authors":"Hanling Guo, Junhua Zhou, Enhui Zhang, Shixiao Wang, Fengxian Gao, Xiang Lin, Min Gong, Liang Zhang, Zijian Zheng, Dongrui Wang","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01748-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01748-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries (RAZMBs) have emerged as a compelling alternative for grid-scale energy storage owing to their intrinsic safety, cost-effectiveness, and environmental benignity. However, the practical deployment of RAZMBs is currently hindered by the gap between theoretical potential and realized energy density, a discrepancy largely attributable to the reliance on thick, highly absorbent separators in laboratory settings. The separator is not merely a physical barrier but a pivotal component that governs ion transport kinetics, dendrite suppression, and, critically, the electrolyte-to-capacity (E/C) ratio of the cell. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of separator engineering for RAZMBs, moving beyond material synthesis to focus on the structural design principles required for high-energy-density and scalable devices. We systematically categorize recent advances in commercial, cellulose-based, synthetic polymer-based, and composite separators, evaluating them against engineering metrics such as thickness, wettability, mechanical strength, and roll-to-roll (R2R) processability. Particular emphasis is placed on modification strategies, including surface coatings and functional composites, that balance interfacial stability with industrial manufacturability. Finally, we provide a forward-looking perspective on overcoming the “lab-to-fab” bottlenecks, advocating for thin (< 20 μm), cost-effective (< 2 USD m<sup>− 2</sup>), and mechanically robust separators to unlock the full commercial potential of aqueous zinc batteries.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01748-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147643184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yu-Jin Kim, Seong-Jin Shin, Ye-Sung Lee, Ye-Jin Yang, Yu-Jin Lee, Soo-Kyung Jun, Hae-Hyoung Lee, Han-Sem Kim, Ueon Sang Shin, Jung-Hwan Lee
{"title":"pH-gated antimicrobial hydrogel with conformational adaptation for precision therapeutic release","authors":"Yu-Jin Kim, Seong-Jin Shin, Ye-Sung Lee, Ye-Jin Yang, Yu-Jin Lee, Soo-Kyung Jun, Hae-Hyoung Lee, Han-Sem Kim, Ueon Sang Shin, Jung-Hwan Lee","doi":"10.1007/s42114-026-01754-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42114-026-01754-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Precision antimicrobial delivery at infection sites is limited by uncontrolled drug leakage under physiological conditions and mechanical fragility under repeated loading. These limitations undermine therapeutic efficacy while imposing off-target toxicity. Here, we introduce a pH-gated antimicrobial hydrogel engineered to autonomously gate antimicrobial release through conformational switching at constant physiological temperature. By incorporating 1-vinyl imidazole (VIm) as a pH-sensitive comonomer into a mechanically reinforced N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm)–1,4-divinyloxybutane (DVB) network, the resulting NIPAAm–DVB–VIm (NDV) hydrogel adopts a collapsed, low-permeability state at neutral pH that suppresses baseline silver fluoride (AgF) leakage, then undergoes protonation-driven network expansion under pathological acidification to accelerate drug transport without external stimulation. This molecular gating mechanism maintains cytocompatibility in human gingival fibroblasts while achieving pronounced log-scale bacterial reductions against <i>S. mutans</i> and <i>S. aureus</i> compared with non-responsive controls. We systematically evaluated microbiome shifts from dysbiosis toward a more balanced community state in a dental caries model established with patient-derived oral biofilms, where metagenomic profiling revealed that acidic eluates preferentially depleted cariogenic taxa while preserving health-associated commensals, thereby supporting microbiome rebalancing. We extended this microbiome-conscious infection-control strategy to methicillin-resistant <i>S. aureus</i> (<i>MRSA</i>)-infected full-thickness skin wounds, where topical application of the hydrogel accelerated wound closure, reduced bacterial burden, dampened pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and partially recovered microbial diversity toward a more balanced ecological state. By coupling pH-autonomous control with mechanical durability, this pH-gated NDV hydrogel provides a strategy for selective, microbiome-conscious infection management across oral and cutaneous pathologies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7220,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials","volume":"9 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42114-026-01754-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}