Stimuli-responsive, methyl cellulose-based, interpenetrating network hydrogels: Non-covalent design, injectability, and controlled release.

This paper demonstrates the molecular design of stimuli-responsive, methyl cellulose-based, injectable hydrogels consisting of two orthogonal supramolecular networks. Rapidly injectable hydrogels that undergo autonomous gelation without permanent cross-links are crucial for biomedical applications due to minimal invasiveness, adaptability to irregular target sites, and precise spatiotemporal control. However, they often lack sufficient mechanical strength, physicochemical stability, and high biocompatibility.

Enhanced Positive Charge Performance in Triboelectric Series: Molecular Engineering of Conjugated Mesoporous Fibers for Machine Learning-Based Wearable Sensors.

With the increasing focus on triboelectric-based sensors, research on synthesizing dielectric layers from specific substances is gradually emerging. Despite numerous negatively-charged triboelectric materials, there is a scarcity of synthesizable positively-charged materials, creating a research gap. This study demonstrates the molecular design of a conjugated, mesoporous, self-assembled sheet via bottom-up synthesis.

Radiopaque, Self-Immolative Poly(benzyl ether) as a Functional X-ray Contrast Agent: Synthesis, Prolonged Visibility, and Controlled Degradation.

A self-immolative radiocontrast polymer agent has been newly designed for this study. The polymer agent is composed of a degradable poly(benzyl ether)-based backbone that enables complete and spontaneous depolymerization upon exposure to a specific stimulus, with iodophenyl pendant groups that confer a radiodensity comparable to that of commercial agents. In particular, when incorporated into a biodegradable polycaprolactone matrix, the agent not only reinforces the matrix and provides prolonged radiopacity without leaching but also governs the overall degradation kinetics of the composite under basic aqueous conditions, allowing for X-ray tracking and exhibiting a predictable degradation until the end of its lifespan.

Covalent and non-covalent approaches to suppress plasticization of polymer membranes for gas separation.

Polymer membranes represent an attractive platform for energy-efficient gas separation, but they are known to suffer from plasticization during continuous gas-separation processes. This phenomenon is caused by the spontaneous relaxation of individual polymer chains arising from the swelling effect induced by high-pressure highly soluble gases such as CO, and it weakens the stability of the membrane, leading to a significant loss of selectivity during the separation of mixed gases. Thus, minimizing the disadvantages of polymer membranes is essential to ensure reliable gas-separation performance for practical applications.

Magnetically controlled reversible shape-morphing microrobots with real-time X-ray imaging for stomach cancer applications.

Stomach cancer is a global health concern as millions of cases are reported each year. In the present study, we developed a pH-responsive microrobot with good biocompatibility, magnetic-field controlled movements, and the ability to be visualized X-ray imaging. The microrobot consisted of composite resin and a pH-responsive layer.

Controllable Physical Synergized Triboelectricity, Shape Memory, Self-Healing, and Optical Sensing with Rollable Form Factor by Zn cluster.

To build devices offering users comfortable experience, it is important to focus on form factor and multifunctionality. In this study, for the first time, multifunctional Zn clusters with shape memory, self-healing, triboelectricity, and optical sensing synergized with rollable form factor are designed and fabricated by coordinating COO and Zn . As pore forming agent, Zn clusters produce hierarchical porous structure depending on Zn amount.

Recent Progress on Molecular Photoacoustic Imaging with Carbon-Based Nanocomposites.

For biomedical imaging, the interest in noninvasive imaging methods is ever increasing. Among many modalities, photoacoustic imaging (PAI), which is a combination of optical and ultrasound imaging techniques, has received attention because of its unique advantages such as high spatial resolution, deep penetration, and safety. Incorporation of exogenous imaging agents further amplifies the effective value of PAI, since they can deliver other specified functions in addition to imaging.

MoS-Embedded, Interpenetrating Network Composite Hydrogels that Show Controlled Release of Dyes and Tunable Strength.

This paper describes a conceptual design of hierarchical composite hydrogels. The hydrogel materials comprise MoS flakes and interpenetrating polymer networks, and further exhibit controlled release and tunable strength that are caused by the synergistic combination of select components. In terms of design, MoS flakes initiate radical polymerization of chosen monomers and simultaneously provide physical cross-linking points, both of which afford a primary composite network.

Hierarchical Design of Functional, Fibrous, and Microporous Polymer Monoliths for the Molecular Recognition of Diethylstilbestrol.

This paper demonstrates the hierarchical design of functional, fibrous polymer monoliths. The monoliths are composed of conjugated microporous polymers that not only are embedded with heteroatoms but also feature fibrous yet compressible structures due to the in situ self-assembly process that occurs during the polymerization process. Therefore, the doped nitrogen atoms can allow the growth of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) nanocrystals, which causes the homogeneous encapsulation of individual fibers.