A Bottom-up Strategy to Prepare New Carbon Rich Materials

Energy is the key to our future.Whether to the production,storage or use of energy,carbon materials could provide a good solution.They are closely related to people’s daily life and regarded as one of the most promising candidates for the flexible electrodes in energy storage devices.Recently,a research team from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology,Chinese Academy of Sciences prepared a

Emerging material engineering strategies for amplifying photothermal heterogeneous CO_(2)catalysis

Closing the carbon loop,through CO_(2)capture and utilization,is a promising route to mitigate climate change.Solar energy is a sustainable energy source which can be exploited to drive catalytic reactions for utilizing CO_(2),including converting the CO_(2)into useful products.Solar energy can be harnessed through a range of different pathways to valorize CO_(2).Whilst using solar energy to drive CO_(2)reduction has vast potential to promote catalytic CO_(2)conversions,the progress is limited due to the lack of understanding of property-performance relations as well as feasible material engineering approaches.Herein,we outline the various driving forces involved in photothermal CO_(2)catalysis.The heat from solar energy can be utilized to induce CO_(2)catalytic reduction reactions via the photothermal effect.Further,solar energy can act to modify reaction pathways through light-matter interactions.Light-induced chemical functions have demonstrated the ability to regulate intermediary reaction steps,and thus control the reaction selectivity.Photothermal catalyst structures and specific catalyst design strategies are discussed in this context.This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the heat-light synergy and guidance for rational photothermal catalyst design for CO_(2)utilization.

The Stabilizing Role of Material Structure in Scientific Practice

Knowledge of the environment is essential for the survival of organisms; but those organisms have to have the capacity to stabilize such knowledge. The aim of this article is to analyze the various strategies for stabilizing human knowledge, with a special focus on its material anchors and their interactions with other stabilization means. In particular, I consider how such stabilization is reflected in scientific activity and practice, and what its repercussions are for the models of science that have dominated the philosophical landscape of the 20th century. My starting hypothesis will be that the role of material anchors in stabilizing conceptual blends is analogous to that of technology in grounding scientific knowledge. The framework I adopt with regard to conceptualization is that of Fauconnier and Turner （2002） on conceptual blends. Just as technology intervenes in scientific practice in conjunction with conceptual elements, so do material anchors, which conjoin other non-material strategies of knowledge stabilization. Endowing knowledge with a material basis may be understood firstly as an element （sometimes a key element） for representing knowledge and offering an explanation, and secondly as a way of providing a scientific hypothesis with empirical grounding. It is this second sense that connects with scientific experimentation and the use of instruments and technology.

Advances in hydrogel materials applied to pancreatic-related diseases

The pancreas is a glandular organ that maintains internal homeostasis through its endocrine and exocrine functions.These functions are vital for overall well-being.However,environmental and lifestyle changes have led to an increasing incidence of pancreatic diseases,including pancreatic cancer,pancreatitis,and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.These conditions profoundly impact the health and quality of life of affected individuals.The existing diagnostic and treatment approaches for pancreatic diseases exhibit limitations and shortcomings,necessitating exploring novel strategies.In recent years,advancements in medicine and bioengineering have fostered multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary innovations,introducing fresh avenues for diagnosing and treating pancreatic diseases.Hydrogels,emerging as a biomaterial,represent highly hydrated cross-linked hydrophilic polymer networks.Their exceptional biodegradability and biocompatibility have rendered them instrumental in various medical applications.Hydrogels,with their macromolecular porous structures,are efficient carriers for drug delivery and controlled release.Hydrogel materials have garnered substantial attention for their unique properties and diverse applications in the context of pancreatic diseases.This article aims to provide an overview of the current limitations in diagnosing and treating pancreatic diseases while highlighting the latest trends and advancements in developing hydrogel carrier materials tailored for these conditions,primarily focusing on strategies for pancreatitis,pancreatic cancer,and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.The article endeavors to give researchers and clinicians a comprehensive grasp of this field,offering valuable insights into prospective research directions and emerging trends.

Materials Engineering toward Durable Ru-Based Electrocatalysts for Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis(PEMWE)is considered one of the most promising pathways for producing green hydrogen(H2).However,the sluggish kinetic of the anodic oxygen evolution reaction(OER)hinders the overall efficiency of PEMWE.In the past few decades,ruthenium(Ru)-based materials have been developed as highly active and cost-effective OER catalysts while faced with significant durability challenges.To this end,addressing the durability issues of Ru catalysts is imperative for their practical employment in PEMWE.In this review,state-of-the-art advances in understanding the degradation mechanisms of Ru catalysts in acidic conditions are comprehensively discussed.Then,materials engineering strategies to mitigate degradation through the rational design of stable Ru-catalysts are highlighted.Finally,some prospects are provided in terms of exploring the long-term stability of Ru-based catalysts.This review is anticipated to foster a better understanding of Ru-based catalysts in acidic OER and work on novel strategies for the design of stable Ru-based materials.