Journal of Materials Science

Sudhakaran, Ashwin; Jadhav, Arvind H.

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10980-wpmid: N/A

One of the most pressing challenges of our time is carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction; though effective, traditional methods such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and chemical absorption face significant scalability, cost, and energy efficiency limitations. Electrospun nanofibers (ENF) offer a promising alternative for effective CO2 conversion due to their high specific surface area, material versatility, and other tunable properties, enabling efficient CO2 conversion into value-added products such as methane, ethylene, and alcohol. This mini-review first presents the ENF overview and the advantages of CO2 reduction over traditional methods. Secondly, it presents case studies demonstrating the enhanced catalytic performance of electrospun materials, particularly nitrogen-doped carbon and hybrid metal oxide–carbon nanofibers, which have shown superior Faradaic efficiency and stability in CO2 reduction reactions. This mini-review also explores the limitations and challenges associated with scaling production, optimizing catalytic efficiency, and ensuring the durability of nanofibers in industrial applications. Finally, future opportunities for integrating electrospun materials with renewable energy systems and using artificial intelligence to optimize material design are discussed. Electrospun materials could play a pivotal role in advancing sustainable CO2 reduction technologies by addressing these challenges.Graphical Abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Lian, Zhongxu; Chen, Xiaoyu; Ren, Wanfei; Xu, Jinkai; Tian, Yanling; Yu, Huadong

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10892-9pmid: N/A

Transparent materials are vital in the construction, automotive, electronics, and medical industries. However, the fogging phenomenon of these materials in certain environments not only causes inconvenience in daily life, but also may lead to safety issues. Currently, anti-fogging coatings have become a popular research topic. Recently, one way to prevent fogging has been to use the photothermal effect to reduce the likelihood of water vapor nucleation and provide anti-fogging effects. To this end, this review comprehensively analyzes the latest research advances in photothermal anti-fogging coatings. First, the photothermal effect and its energy conversion mechanism are discussed in depth, the photothermal and anti-fogging mechanisms are elucidated, and standard methods for performance testing and evaluation are provided, laying the foundation for photothermal anti-fogging. Next, a variety of methods for preparing photothermal anti-fogging coatings are described in detail, and the diversity and innovativeness of these methods provide more options for enhancing photothermal performance and expanding the range of applications. In addition, trends in the application of photothermal anti-fogging coatings in a number of fields are outlined, highlighting the significant benefits of these coatings in terms of improved field-of-view clarity and user experience. Finally, we summarize the challenges faced in this area. Photothermal anti-fogging coatings demonstrate promise for numerous applications, and the further research and development are essential to drive their commercialization and practical application.

Gotte, Mahesh; Rama Sreekanth, P. S.

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10912-8pmid: N/A

The newest developments in smart energy harvesting technologies are examined in this study, with a particular emphasis on the mutually beneficial link between artificial intelligence (AI) and piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs). PENGs are gaining popularity in a variety of applications due to their exceptional capacity to transform mechanical strain into electrical energy, a property of piezoelectric materials. PENGs experience a revolutionary evolution with the integration of AI approaches, augmenting their functionality with features like autonomous control, optimization, and real-time monitoring. Innovative techniques that smoothly integrate PENGs with AI have been made possible by interdisciplinary research encompassing materials science, electrical engineering, and computer science. This allows for adaptive energy harvesting tactics and autonomous operation. This study presents a thorough review of the latest developments in artificial intelligence augmented PENGs, demonstrating how machine learning algorithms maximize electrical outputs in a variety of fields, including as object identification, robotics, medical devices, sound sensors and security systems. Moreover, the application of artificial neural network (ANN)-based approaches for deep learning (DL) and machine learning (ML) improves the security of energy harvesting and makes nanofiber diameter estimation easier, both of which advance production procedures. The potential of AI- driven piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) to improve smart infrastructure and sustainable energy projects is explained in this article. It carefully examines related issues and potential opportunities by delving deeply into the details of system integration, materials engineering, and device production. Additionally, it investigates a number of application sectors, including as self-powered sensors, wearable electronics, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Li, Chong; Yang, Shaobin; Zheng, Haoyuan; Zhang, Yong; Wu, Lailei; Xue, Weihua; Shen, Ding; Lu, Wenwen; Ni, Zhien; Liu, Meilin; He, Lin

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10913-7pmid: N/A

Finite element analysis (FEA) is widely used to analyze the physical and mechanical properties of materials. However, its mathematical precision makes it challenging to handle uncertainties and noise within the data, making it difficult to deduce system inputs from the outputs, which limits its applicability in inverse analysis. Moreover, FEA simulations for complex material problems often require substantial time and computational resources. Machine learning (ML), by learning input–output mappings from training data, can effectively address inverse problems with non-unique solutions. Additionally, it can reduce computational time and costs. Therefore, the integration of ML with FEA can complement their respective strengths and better address real-world challenges in materials engineering. This review systematically explores the applications of ML combined with FEA in areas such as parameter inversion, computational process acceleration and optimization, material property prediction, and material design and optimization. Finally, future directions for the development of the integration of ML and FEA are discussed.Graphical abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Ekram, Basma

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10931-5pmid: N/A

The problem of impaired wound healing poses significant challenges in clinical practice. Factors such as chronic diseases and aging can adversely impact the healing process, leading to delayed wound healing. Additionally, the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a threat by increasing the risk of wound infections. As a result, advanced wound dressings, tissue engineering, and bioactive molecules incorporation are being actively used to address these challenges and improve wound-healing outcomes. Biopolymer-based electrospun nanofibers have emerged as a promising approach in the field of wound healing. These nanofibers, composed of biocompatible and biodegradable materials, possess unique properties that mimic the extracellular matrix which make them suitable for promoting effective tissue regeneration. By incorporating various functional groups and bioactive molecules into the biopolymer matrix, the nanofibers can be tailored to exhibit specific properties such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and cell-adhesive properties. Furthermore, the controlled release of therapeutics from the functionalized nanofibers provides localized treatment, promoting efficient healing and minimizing potential side effects. Overall, functionalized biopolymer-based electrospun nanofibers hold great promise as advanced wound dressings, offering a versatile platform for accelerating wound healing and improving patient outcomes. This review is briefly representing the different types of electrospun biopolymers and their different manufacturing techniques in addition to the different ways of functionalization to be used in wound healing.

Hou, Runze; Jiang, Wei

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10945-zpmid: N/A

The emergence of two-dimensional transition metal carbides/nitrides (MXene) has attracted extensive research interest. With a unique two-dimensional layered structure, MXene has a large specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, high mechanical strength and good stability, which make it highly promising in hydrogen storage and catalysis. It acts as a promising hydrogen storage material and improves the hydrogen storage capacity of metallic substrates, thus advancing the development of efficient and safe hydrogen storage systems. This review focuses on the structural features of MXene and clarifies their effects on hydrogen storage and catalytic performance. The preparation methods of MXene and its applications in hydrogen storage are also discussed. Moreover, the future prospects for MXene-based hydrogen storage materials are outlined, and the current bottlenecks and challenges in the development of MXene for hydrogen storage are explored. The insights from this review highlight the potential of MXene to address critical issues in hydrogen storage, such as low capacity and poor cycling stability, and provide guidance for future research to optimize synthesis processes and enhance the performance of MXene-based materials for practical applications.

Fu, Qiang; Zhao, Yin; Niu, Ditao

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10948-wpmid: N/A

Chloride salt attack and carbonation are the main processes leading to the corrosion of steel bars in concrete. This paper extensively examines the study on corrosion of steel bars in concrete under the combined effect of chloride salt attack and carbonation, discussing current challenges and future perspectives. First, the corrosion law of steel bars under the combined effect of chloride salt attack and carbonation is studied. Generally, the corrosion rate and the thickness of the rust layer on steel bars increase significantly as the chloride ion concentration and the degree of carbonation increase, and the rust layer gradually divided into two layers: dense and loose. The dense inner rust layer protects the steel bars to a certain extent, while the loose and porous outer rust layer promotes the penetration and diffusion of the corrosive medium. Additionally, the effects of chloride salt attack and carbonation on the corrosion products of steel bars were discussed in detail. The findings reveal that this combined effect leads to the formation of complex and variable components in the corrosion products, including Fe3O4, α-FeOOH, β-FeOOH, γ-FeOOH, etc. As corrosion intensifies, corrosion products are distributed at the steel/concrete interface and in the pores of concrete, which not only accelerates the expansion of concrete cracks, but also the water-soluble rust products promote the circulation of the solution and maintain the continuation of the corrosion process, while the morphology of the corrosion products did not differ much from that under the action of a single factor. Finally, the analysis found that due to the complexity of the corrosion process and the limitations of the analysis techniques, there is still no agreement on the accelerated mechanism of steel bar corrosion by chloride salt attack and carbonation and the formation mechanism of corrosion products such as β-FeOOH.Graphical Abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Li, Xin; Liu, Zhen; Yan, Keping

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10981-9pmid: N/A

Despite the exceptional properties of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), their large-scale and controlled synthesis remains a significant challenge, limiting broader research and applications. This review systematically examines advanced synthesis methods for ultrafine BNNTs (< 20 nm), emphasizing techniques enabling precise structural control. These include traditional arc discharge, high-yield inductively coupled plasma (ICP), laser-based approaches for generating BNNTs fibrils at scale, and selective low-temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) strategies. Additionally, the review evaluates conventional and emerging surface modification strategies for BNNTs, highlighting their roles in enhancing solubility, stability, and interfacial compatibility. By integrating recent advancements in synthesis and functionalization, this work identifies critical gaps in current methodologies and proposes forward-looking perspectives to address challenges in scalable production, morphology-specific synthesis, and eco-compatible surface engineering. These insights aim to guide future research toward unlocking the full potential of BNNTs in advanced materials and nanotechnology.Graphical abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Sun, Xu; Liu, Zeng; Song, Hongbing; Shi, Liang; Qu, Xiaofei

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10936-0pmid: N/A

The design of S-scheme heterostructures is a crucial approach to enhancing the separation and transport of photogenerated carriers in photocatalysts. Herein, a S-scheme SV-ZnIn2S4/Bi4NbO8Cl heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully prepared with enhanced internal electric field effect by using facile in situ growth strategy. Systematic research studies have shown that the S vacancies in ZnIn2S4 can enhance Fermi energy level, and increased Fermi energy level difference between ZnIn2S4 and Bi4NbO8Cl leads to the formation of a more robust interfacial electric field. The enhanced interfacial electric field accelerates the directional transport of photogenerated carriers in the S-scheme. Moreover, theoretical simulations verified the introduction of S vacancies and the construction of heterojunctions can significantly modulate the electronic structure of the catalyst surface. It significantly reduces the adsorption energy of H, from − 0.96 eV (pristine ZnIn2S4) to − 0.28 eV (SV-ZnIn2S4/Bi4NbO8Cl). The rapid proton desorption promotes the release of H2 molecules. Thus, the optimized photocatalyst SV-ZnIn2S4/Bi4NbO8Cl exhibited a high hydrogen evolution rate of 1084.9 μmol·g−1 h−1, about 2.2 and 19.8 times that of the original ZnIn2S4 and Bi4NbO8Cl. This study reveals the mechanism of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution in SV-ZnIn2S4/Bi4NbO8Cl by modulating the internal electric field and H adsorption energy within the S-scheme heterojunction.Graphical abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Zou, Junhui; Huang, Ying; Xie, Yangyang; Du, Xianping; Chen, Chen; Zhou, Jianghong; Bi, Zhao; Xuan, Xiaodie; Guo, Yuchen; Tang, Yi; Zhang, Aibo; Yang, Chenhui

doi: 10.1007/s10853-025-10711-1