Bioinspired nanofluidic iontronics for brain-like computing

The human brain performs computations via a highly interconnected network of neurons.Taking inspiration from the information delivery and processing mechanism of the human brain in central nervous systems,bioinspired nanofluidic iontronics has been proposed and gradually engineered to overcome the limitations of the conventional electron-based von Neumann architecture,which shows the promising potential to enable efficient brain-like computing.Anomalous and tunable nanofluidic ion transport behaviors and spatial confinement show promising controllability of charge carriers,and a wide range of structural and chemical modification paves new ways for realizing brain-like functions.Herein,a comprehensive framework of mechanisms and design strategy is summarized to enable the rational design of nanofluidic systems and facilitate the further development of bioinspired nanofluidic iontronics.This review provides recent advances and prospects of the bioinspired nanofluidic iontronics,including ion-based brain computing,comprehension of intrinsic mechanisms,design of artificial nanochannels,and the latest artificial neuromorphic functions devices.Furthermore,the challenges and opportunities of bioinspired nanofluidic iontronics in the pioneering and interdisciplinary research fields are proposed,including brain–computer interfaces and artificial neurons.

Thermally responsive ionic transport system reinforced by aligned functional carbon nanotubes backbone

Ion transport plays an important role in energy conversion, biosensors, and a variety of biological processes. Carbon nanotubes, especially for the carbon nanotubes arrays with controlled vertically aligned structures, have displayed great potential as a promising material for regulating ion transport behaviors in the applications of the nanofluidic devices and osmotic energy conversion. Herein, we demonstrate the thermo-controlled ion transport system through the vertically aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes arrays membrane modified by the thermo-responsive hydrogel in a simple and reliable way. The functional carbon nanotubes backbone with the inherent surface charge and interstitial channels structure renders the system improved ion transport behaviors and well controlled switching property by thermo. Based on the integrated properties, the energy output from osmotic power in this system could be regulated by the reversible temperature switches. Moreover, it can realize a higher osmotic energy conversion property regulated by the thermos, which may extend the practical application in the future. The system that combines intelligent response with controlled ion transport behaviors and potential osmotic energy utilizations presents a valuable paradigm for the use of carbon nanotubes and hydrogel composite materials and provides a promising way for applications of nanofluidic devices.

仿生多孔膜材料研究进展

近些年来,仿生多孔膜材料已经成为膜材料领域研究热点之一.与传统多孔膜材料相比,受生物膜独特孔道结构和分离特性启发的仿生多孔膜具有优异选择分离性、智能门控性和智能响应性等优点,实现了多孔膜材料性能的突破并拓展其应用领域.首先,本文从生物膜的多尺度孔道结构出发,讨论生物膜的孔道结构与其选择分离性、门控性和响应性的关系,并系统介绍受生物膜启发的仿生纳/微尺度多孔膜材料的构建思路、结构及性能.其次,介绍仿生多孔膜在水处理、能源、生物医学及物质检测等主要应用领域的最新研究进展.最后,讨论了仿生多孔膜材料在发展过程中所面临的挑战,并展望了其发展趋势.

Aza-BODIPY-based phototheranostic nanoagent for tissue oxygen auto-adaptive photodynamic/photothermal complementary therapy

Tumor oxygen spatial heterogeneity is a critical challenge for the photodynamic inhibition of solid tumors.Development of an intelligent nanoagent to initiate optimal therapeutics according to the localized oxygen levels is an effective settlement.Herein,we report an activatable nanoagent(BDP-Oxide nanoparticles(NPs))to enable the oxygen auto-adaptive photodynamic/photothermal complementaly treatment.Upon the nanoagent accumulated in the tumor region,the low extracellular pH could trigger the disassociation of the nanoagent to release the phototheranostic agent,BDP-Oxide,which will subsequently afford the fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic oxidation after it gets into the outer oxygen-rich tumors.Along with the penetration deepening in the solid tumor,furthermore,BDP-Oxide could be reduced into BDP by the cytochrome P450(CYP450)enzymes activated in the low oxygen tension regions of inner hypoxic tumors,which will switch on the photothermal and photoacoustic effects.Overall,the BDP-Oxide NPs-enabled photodynamic/photothermal complementary therapy significantly suppressed the solid tumor growth(inhibition rate of 94.8%).This work proposes an intelligent platform to address the oxygen partial pressure for the optimization of cancer phototherapeutics.