Preparation and Characterization of Microcapsules for Self-healing Materials

The urea-formaldehyde（UF） capsules filled with a healing agent, a mixture of epoxy resins（epoxy 711 and E-51） as core material, were produced by means of one step in-situ polymerization. The characteristics of these microcapsules were studied via scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, particle size analysis, FTIR and DSC/TGA. The results show that the dispersed and integrated microcapsules of 5 μm in shell thickness were synthesized successfully. The capsules were produced with diameters ranging from 10 to 250 μm via controlling agitation rate. Young＇s modulus of the capsule was a little lower than those of the epoxy resins, but the microcapsules having such a shell thickness were robust enough to survive handling during manufacturing self-healing composites. When damage occurred in the epoxy matrix, the crack could rupture the microcapsule to make the repairing agent release.

High‑Entropy Electrode Materials:Synthesis,Properties and Outlook

High-entropy materials represent a new category of high-performance materials,first proposed in 2004 and extensively investigated by researchers over the past two decades.The definition of high-entropy materials has continuously evolved.In the last ten years,the discovery of an increasing number of high-entropy materials has led to significant advancements in their utilization in energy storage,electrocatalysis,and related domains,accompanied by a rise in techniques for fabricating high-entropy electrode materials.Recently,the research emphasis has shifted from solely improving the performance of high-entropy materials toward exploring their reaction mechanisms and adopting cleaner preparation approaches.However,the current definition of high-entropy materials remains relatively vague,and the preparation method of high-entropy materials is based on the preparation method of single metal/low-or medium-entropy materials.It should be noted that not all methods applicable to single metal/low-or medium-entropy materials can be directly applied to high-entropy materials.In this review,the definition and development of high-entropy materials are briefly reviewed.Subsequently,the classification of high-entropy electrode materials is presented,followed by a discussion of their applications in energy storage and catalysis from the perspective of synthesis methods.Finally,an evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of various synthesis methods in the production process of different high-entropy materials is provided,along with a proposal for potential future development directions for high-entropy materials.

Research status and prospects of the fractal analysis of metal material surfaces and interfaces

As a mathematical analysis method,fractal analysis can be used to quantitatively describe irregular shapes with self-similar or self-affine properties.Fractal analysis has been used to characterize the shapes of metal materials at various scales and dimensions.Conventional methods make it difficult to quantitatively describe the relationship between the regular characteristics and properties of metal material surfaces and interfaces.However,fractal analysis can be used to quantitatively describe the shape characteristics of metal materials and to establish the quantitative relationships between the shape characteristics and various properties of metal materials.From the perspective of two-dimensional planes and three-dimensional curved surfaces,this paper reviews the current research status of the fractal analysis of metal precipitate interfaces,metal grain boundary interfaces,metal-deposited film surfaces,metal fracture surfaces,metal machined surfaces,and metal wear surfaces.The relationship between the fractal dimensions and properties of metal material surfaces and interfaces is summarized.Starting from three perspectives of fractal analysis,namely,research scope,image acquisition methods,and calculation methods,this paper identifies the direction of research on fractal analysis of metal material surfaces and interfaces that need to be developed.It is believed that revealing the deep influence mechanism between the fractal dimensions and properties of metal material surfaces and interfaces will be the key research direction of the fractal analysis of metal materials in the future.

Advanced Functional Electromagnetic Shielding Materials:A Review Based on Micro‑Nano Structure Interface Control of Biomass Cell Walls

Research efforts on electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding materials have begun to converge on green and sustainable biomass materials.These materials offer numerous advantages such as being lightweight,porous,and hierarchical.Due to their porous nature,interfacial compatibility,and electrical conductivity,biomass materials hold significant potential as EMI shielding materials.Despite concerted efforts on the EMI shielding of biomass materials have been reported,this research area is still relatively new compared to traditional EMI shielding materials.In particular,a more comprehensive study and summary of the factors influencing biomass EMI shielding materials including the pore structure adjustment,preparation process,and micro-control would be valuable.The preparation methods and characteristics of wood,bamboo,cellulose and lignin in EMI shielding field are critically discussed in this paper,and similar biomass EMI materials are summarized and analyzed.The composite methods and fillers of various biomass materials were reviewed.this paper also highlights the mechanism of EMI shielding as well as existing prospects and challenges for development trends in this field.

Defect Engineering:Can it Mitigate Strong Coulomb Effect of Mg^(2+)in Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries?

Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs)have been considered a promising“post lithium-ion battery”system to meet the rapidly increasing demand of the emerging electric vehicle and grid energy storage market.However,the sluggish diffusion kinetics of bivalent Mg^(2+)in the host material,related to the strong Coulomb effect between Mg^(2+)and host anion lattices,hinders their further development toward practical applications.Defect engineering,regarded as an effective strategy to break through the slow migration puzzle,has been validated in various cathode materials for RMBs.In this review,we first thoroughly understand the intrinsic mechanism of Mg^(2+)diffusion in cathode materials,from which the key factors affecting ion diffusion are further presented.Then,the positive effects of purposely introduced defects,including vacancy and doping,and the corresponding strategies for introducing various defects are discussed.The applications of defect engineering in cathode materials for RMBs with advanced electrochemical properties are also summarized.Finally,the existing challenges and future perspectives of defect engineering in cathode materials for the overall high-performance RMBs are described.

Self-Healable and Stretchable PAAc/XG/Bi_(2)Se_(0.3)Te_(2.7) Hybrid Hydrogel Thermoelectric Materials

Thermoelectric power generators have attracted increasing interest in recent years owing to their great potential in wearable electronics power supply.It is noted that thermoelectric power generators are easy to damage in the dynamic service process,resulting in the formation of microcracks and performance degradation.Herein,we prepare a new hybrid hydrogel thermoelectric material PAAc/XG/Bi_(2)Se_(0.3)Te_(2.7)by an in situ polymerization method,which shows a high stretchable and self-healable performance,as well as a good thermoelectric performance.For the sample with Bi_(2)Se_(0.3)Te_(2.7)content of 1.5 wt%(i.e.,PAAc/XG/Bi2Se0.3Te27(1.5 wt%)),which has a room temperature Seebeck coefficient of-0.45 mV K^(-1),and exhibits an open-circuit voltage of-17.91 mV and output power of 38.1 nW at a temperature difference of 40 K.After being completely cut off,the hybrid thermoelectric hydrogel automatically recovers its electrical characteristics within a response time of 2.0 s,and the healed hydrogel remains more than 99%of its initial power output.Such stretchable and self-healable hybrid hydrogel thermoelectric materials show promising potential for application in dynamic service conditions,such as wearable electronics.

Self-healing Action of Permeable Crystalline Coating on Pores and Cracks in Cement-based Materials

The self-healing action of a permeable crystalline coating on the po rous mortar was investigated by two times impermeability test. Moreover, the sel f-healing mechanism of cement-based materials with the permeable crystalline c oating was studied by SEM. The results indicate that the permeable crystalline c oating not only seals the pores and cracks in mortar during its curing process, but also heals the permeable pathway caused by first impermeability test or crac ks produced by freeze-thaw cycles. Therefore, cement-based materials can be im proved by the permeable crystalline coating for the self-healing function. SEM images prove that the self-healing function is realized by generating a great q uantity of non-soluble dendritic crystalline within the pores and cracks, which prevents the penetration of water and other liquids.

Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical process in buffer material and self-healing effects with joints

Within the multi-barrier system for high-level waste disposal,the technological gap formed by combined buffer material block becomes the weak part of buffer layer.In this paper,Gaomiaozi bentonite buffer material with technological gap was studied,the heat transfer induced by liquid water flow and water vapor was embedded into the energy conservation equation.Based on the Barcelona basic model,the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model of unsaturated bentonite was established by analyzing the swelling process of bentonite block and the compression process of joint material.The China-Mock-up test was adopted to compare the numerical calculation results with the test results so as to verify the rationality of the proposed model.On this basis,the effect of joint self-healing on dry density,thermal conductivity and permeability coefficient of buffer material was further analyzed.The results show that,with bentonite hydrating and swelling,the joint material gradually increases in dry density,and exhibits comparatively uniform hydraulic and thermal conductivity properties as compacted bentonite block.As a result,the buffer material gradually shifts to homogenization due to the coordinated deformation.

Improvising the Self-Healing Capabilities of Concrete Using Different Pozzolanic Materials and Crystalline Admixtures

To analyse the self-healing capacities in terms of mechanical performance of the pozzolanic materials,such as,fly ash,metakaolin and silica fume and crystalline admixtures.Pre-cracked concrete cubes with about 0.05 mm width were exposed to four different environmental conditions at different exposure times in order to determine the effect of temperature and water availability on the self-healing potential.After the exposure,the control and tested concrete cubes were evaluated for regained strength,void reduction,corrosion inhibition,damp proofing,relative impermeability and durability.The samples with SF10CA have better cementitious filling and low percentage of voids and water absorption.

Self-healing materials enable free-standing seamless large-scale 3D printing

Three-dimensional(3 D)printing has had a large impact on various fields,with fused deposition modeling(FDM)being the most versatile and cost-effective 3 D printing technology.However,FDM often requires sacrificial support structures,which significantly complicates the processing and increases the cost.Furthermore,poor layer-to-layer adhesion greatly affects the mechanical stability of 3D-printed objects.Here,we present a new Print-Healing strategy to address the aforementioned challenges.A polymer ink(Cu-DOU-CPU)with synergetic triple dynamic bonds was developed to have excellent printability and room-temperature self-healing ability.Objects with various shapes were printed using a simple compact 3D printer,and readily assembled into large sophisticated architectures via self-healing.Triple dynamic bonds induce strong binding between layers.Additionally,damaged printed objects can spontaneously heal,which significantly elongates their service life.This work paves a simple and powerful way to solve the key bottlenecks in FDM 3D printing,and will have diverse applications.

The Crack Self-healing Properties of Cement-based Material with EVA Heat-melt Adhesive

An experimental program was carried out to investigate whether EVA （ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer） heat-melt adhesive can potentially act as a self-healing agent in cement-based material. The effects of incorporation of EVA and heating on the properties of mortar were studied. Self-healing capacity of EVA specimens was also verified. The experimental results show that the addition of EVA would not greatly affect original characteristics of the matrix when EVA content was less than 5%; the interface between EVA and cement matrix was well improved after heating, which allows a significant improvement in flexural strength and toughness of specimen; pre-damaged specimens in various degrees （30%, 50% and 70%） were effectively repaired by EVA and the repair efficiency all exceeded 100%.

Epoxy microcapsules for high-performance self-healing materials using a novel method via integrating electrospraying and interfacial polymerization

The high-efficiency fabrication of high-quality microcapsules containing epoxy is crucial to the further development of the potential practical self-healing epoxy systems based on microencapsulated two-part epoxy-amine chemistry.Herein,a novel microencapsulation technique based on non-equilibrium droplets via integrating electrospraying and interfacial polymerization(ES-IP)was established to efficiently microencapsulate epoxy monomers.The ES-IP technique,consisting of three continuous steps,i.e.electrospraying to massively generate droplets,enwrapping every single droplet through instant interfacial polymerization,and thickening shell at an elevated temperature,has great flexibility to regulate the microencapsulation process and the microcapsule quality.The fabricated core-shell structured epoxy microcapsules(Ep-MCs)were comprehensively characterized for their properties,showing that they have high cleanness with rare impurities,controllable and tunable size,good thermal stability and tightness,and high effective core fraction.The high-quality Ep-MCs were adopted to formulate a self-healing epoxy based on the microencapsulated epoxy-amine chemistry.The highest healing efficiency,in terms of the recovered mode I fracture toughness,of 110±17%was achieved after being healed at room temperature(~25℃)for 48 h.While the developed ES-IP technique facilitates the microencapsulation technique based on non-equilibrium droplets,the fabricated high-quality Ep-MCs greatly promote the further developments of the practical self-healing materials.

Multifunctional, Sustainable, and Biological Non-Ureolytic Self-Healing Systems for Cement-Based Materials

Microbially induced calcium carbonate(CaCO_(3))precipitation(MICP)has been investigated as a sustain-able alternative to conventional concrete remediation methods for improving the mechanical properties and durability of concrete structures.To date,urea-dependent MICP is the most widely employed MICP pathway in biological self-healing concrete research as its use has resulted in efficient CaCO_(3) precipita-tion rates.NH_(3) is a byproduct of ureolysis,and can be hazardous to cementitious structures and the health of various species.Accordingly,non-ureolytic bacterial concrete self-healing systems have been developed as eco-friendly alternatives to urea-dependent self-healing systems.Non-ureolytic pathways can improve the physical properties of concrete samples and incorporate the use of waste materials;they have the potential to be cost-effective and sustainable.Moreover,they can be applied in terrestrial and marine environments.To date,research on non-ureolytic concrete self-healing systems has been scarce compared to that on ureolytic systems.This article discusses the advances and challenges in non-ureolytic bacterial concrete self-healing studies and highlights the directions for future research.

Permeability modeling of self-healing due to calcium carbonate precipitation in cement-based materials with mineral additives

The permeability modeling of self-healing due to calcium carbonate precipitation in cement-based materials with mineral additives was studied in this work. The parameters of calcium carbonate precipitation during self-healing were simulated. A permeability modeling of self-healing, combined with numerical simulation of calcium carbonate formation, was proposed based on the modified Poiseuille flow model. Moreover, the percentage of calcium carbonate in healing products was measured by TG-DTA. The simulated results show that self-healing can be dramatically promoted with the increase of pH and Ca2+ concentration. The calculated result of permeability is consistent with that measured for cracks appearing in middle or later stages of self-healing, it indicates that this model can be used to predict the self-healing rate to some extent. In addition, TG-DTA results show that the percentage of calcium carbonate in healing products is higher for mortar with only chemical expansion additives or cracks appearing in the later stage, which can more accurately predict the self-healing rate for the model.

The Roadmap of 2D Materials and Devices Toward Chips

Due to the constraints imposed by physical effects and performance degra certain limitations in sustaining the advancement of Moore’s law.Two-dimensional(2D)materials have emerged as highly promising candidates for the post-Moore era,offering significant potential in domains such as integrated circuits and next-generation computing.Here,in this review,the progress of 2D semiconductors in process engineering and various electronic applications are summarized.A careful introduction of material synthesis,transistor engineering focused on device configuration,dielectric engineering,contact engineering,and material integration are given first.Then 2D transistors for certain electronic applications including digital and analog circuits,heterogeneous integration chips,and sensing circuits are discussed.Moreover,several promising applications(artificial intelligence chips and quantum chips)based on specific mechanism devices are introduced.Finally,the challenges for 2D materials encountered in achieving circuit-level or system-level applications are analyzed,and potential development pathways or roadmaps are further speculated and outlooked.

Mechanical reliable,NIR light-induced rapid self-healing hydrogel electrolyte towards flexible zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors with low-temperature adaptability and long service life

Hydrogel electrolytes hold great potential in flexible zinc ion supercapacitors(ZICs)due to their high conductivity,good safety,and flexibility.However,freezing of electrolytes at low temperature(subzero)leads to drastic reduction in ionic conductivity and mechanical properties that deteriorates the performance of flexible ZICs.Besides,the mechanical fracture during arbitrary deformations significantly prunes out the lifespan of the flexible device.Herein,a Zn^(2+)and Li^(+)co-doped,polypyrrole-dopamine decorated Sb_(2)S_(3)incorporated,and polyvinyl alcohol/poly(N-(2-hydroxyethyl)acrylamide)double-network hydrogel electrolyte is constructed with favorable mechanical reliability,anti-freezing,and self-healing ability.In addition,it delivers ultra-high ionic conductivity of 8.6 and 3.7 S m^(-1)at 20 and−30°C,respectively,and displays excellent mechanical properties to withstand tensile stress of 1.85 MPa with tensile elongation of 760%,together with fracture energy of 5.14 MJ m^(-3).Notably,the fractured hydrogel electrolyte can recover itself after only 90 s of infrared illumination,while regaining 83%of its tensile strain and almost 100%of its ionic conductivity during−30–60°C.Moreover,ZICs coupled with this hydrogel electrolyte not only show a wide voltage window(up to 2 V),but also provide high energy density of 230 Wh kg^(-1)at power density of 500 W kg^(-1)with a capacity retention of 86.7%after 20,000 cycles under 20°C.Furthermore,the ZICs are able to retain excellent capacity even under various mechanical deformation at−30°C.This contribution will open up new insights into design of advanced wearable flexible electronics with environmental adaptability and long-life span.

High performance photodegradation resistant PVA@TiO_(2)/carboxyl-PES self-healing reactive ultrafiltration membrane

The occurrence of ultrafiltration(UF)membrane fouling frequently hampers the sustainable advancement of UF technology.Reactive self-cleaning UF membranes can effectively alleviate the problem of membrane fouling.Nevertheless,the self-cleaning process may accelerate membrane aging.Addressing these concerns,we present an innovative design concept for composite self-healing materials based on self-cleaning UF membranes.To begin,TiO_(2)nanoparticles were incorporated into the polymer molecular structure via molecular design,resulting in the synthesis of TiO_(2)/carboxyl-polyether sulfone(PES)hybrid materials.Subsequently,the nonsolvent-induced phase inversion technique was employed to prepare a novel of UF membrane.Lastly,a polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)hydrogel coating was applied to the hybrid UF membrane surface to create PVA@TiO_(2)/carboxyl-PES self-healing reactive UF membranes.By establishing a covalent bond,the TiO_(2)nanoparticles were effectively and uniformly dispersed within the UF membrane,leading to exceptional self-cleaning properties.Furthermore,the water-absorbing and swelling properties of PVA hydrogel,along with its capacity to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules,resulted in UF membranes with improved hydrophilicity and active self-healing abilities.The results demonstrated that the water contact angle of PVA@5%TiO_(2)/carboxyl-PES UF membrane was 43.1°.Following a 1-h exposure to simulated solar exposure,the water flux recovery ratio increased from 48.16%to 81.03%.Moreover,even after undergoing five cycles of 12-h simulated sunlight exposure,the UF membranes exhibited a consistent retention rate of over 97%,thus fully demonstrating their exceptional self-cleaning,antifouling,and selfhealing capabilities.We anticipate that the self-healing reactive UF membrane system will serve as a pioneering and comprehensive solution for the self-cleaning antifouling challenges encountered in UF membranes while also effectively mitigating the aging effects of reactive UF membranes.

Structural Engineering of Anode Materials for Low-Temperature Lithium-Ion Batteries:Mechanisms,Strategies,and Prospects

The severe degradation of electrochemical performance for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)at low temperatures poses a significant challenge to their practical applications.Consequently,extensive efforts have been contributed to explore novel anode materials with high electronic conductivity and rapid Li^(+)diffusion kinetics for achieving favorable low-temperature performance of LIBs.Herein,we try to review the recent reports on the synthesis and characterizations of low-temperature anode materials.First,we summarize the underlying mechanisms responsible for the performance degradation of anode materials at subzero temperatures.Second,detailed discussions concerning the key pathways(boosting electronic conductivity,enhancing Li^(+)diffusion kinetics,and inhibiting lithium dendrite)for improving the low-temperature performance of anode materials are presented.Third,several commonly used low-temperature anode materials are briefly introduced.Fourth,recent progress in the engineering of these low-temperature anode materials is summarized in terms of structural design,morphology control,surface&interface modifications,and multiphase materials.Finally,the challenges that remain to be solved in the field of low-temperature anode materials are discussed.This review was organized to offer valuable insights and guidance for next-generation LIBs with excellent low-temperature electrochemical performance.

Porous framework materials for energy&environment relevant applications:A systematic review

Carbon peaking and carbon neutralization trigger a technical revolution in energy&environment related fields.Development of new technologies for green energy production and storage,industrial energy saving and efficiency reinforcement,carbon capture,and pollutant gas treatment is in highly imperious demand.The emerging porous framework materials such as metal–organic frameworks(MOFs),covalent organic frameworks(COFs)and hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks(HOFs),owing to the permanent porosity,tremendous specific surface area,designable structure and customizable functionality,have shown great potential in major energy-consuming industrial processes,including sustainable energy gas catalytic conversion,energy-efficient industrial gas separation and storage.Herein,this manuscript presents a systematic review of porous framework materials for global and comprehensive energy&environment related applications,from a macroscopic and application perspective.

Valorization of Camellia oleifera oil processing byproducts to value-added chemicals and biobased materials: A critical review

The C.oleifera oil processing industry generates large amounts of solid wastes,including C.oleifera shell(COS)and C.oleifera cake(COC).Distinct from generally acknowledged lignocellulosic biomass(corn stover,bamboo,birch,etc.),Camellia wastes contain diverse bioactive substances in addition to the abundant lignocellulosic components,and thus,the biorefinery utilization of C.oleifera processing byproducts involves complicated processing technologies.This reviewfirst summarizes various technologies for extracting and converting the main components in C.oleifera oil processing byproducts into value-added chemicals and biobased materials,as well as their potential applications.Microwave,ultrasound,and Soxhlet extractions are compared for the extraction of functional bioactive components(tannin,flavonoid,saponin,etc.),while solvothermal conversion and pyrolysis are discussed for the conversion of lignocellulosic components into value-added chemicals.The application areas of these chemicals according to their properties are introduced in detail,including utilizing antioxidant and anti-in-flammatory properties of the bioactive substances for the specific application,as well as drop-in chemicals for the substitution of unrenewable fossil fuel-derived products.In addition to chemical production,biochar fabricated from COS and its applications in thefields of adsorption,supercapacitor,soil remediation and wood composites are comprehensively reviewed and discussed.Finally,based on the compositions and structural characteristics of C.oleifera byproducts,the development of full-component valorization strategies and the expansion of the appli-cationfields are proposed.