Search Results (1,641)

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of Ylang-Ylang (Cananga odorata) essential oil (YYEO), describing its botany, historical evolution, and global commercial significance. It systematically provides information on traditional extraction techniques such as hydrodistillation, steam distillation, and solvent extraction alongside innovative green technologies, including microwave-assisted distillation (MAD), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Conventional distillation methods are compared with greener technologies. The reviewed studies indicate that microwave-assisted processing can reduce YYEO extraction time from approximately 19 h for conventional hydrodistillation to about 40 min while improving the retention of light oxygenated compounds. In particular, light oxygenated compounds have been reported at approximately 81.23% in solvent-free microwave extracts, compared with 69.94% for hydrodistillation and 57.98% for steam distillation. It has also been reported that YYEO contains more than 50 volatile secondary metabolites, with linalool representing about 28% of the oxygenated fraction, while sesquiterpene-rich hydrocarbons can account for up to 63% of the essential oil. The reviewed studies further demonstrate insecticidal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neurobiological activities, supporting the potential use of YYEO in sustainable protective materials and health-related applications. Finally, emerging frontiers in protective smart textiles, living fabrics, and sustainable closed-loop manufacturing paradigms are discussed to outline future directions for bio-based material science. Full article

Introduction: The clinical translation of biomaterial-based strategies for ear reconstruction remains limited by several challenges, including scaffold design, selection of an optimal cell source, and stability of the new cartilage tissue. Most recent studies still rely on animal-derived cells and fail to demonstrate the long-term maintenance of the chondrogenic phenotype. Methods: In this study, we developed an off-the-shelf poly(lactide-b-ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) scaffold combined with clinical-grade alginate (Alg) and cellularized with human nasal chondrocytes for auricular cartilage engineering. Cellularized constructs were evaluated using histological and immunofluorescence analyses to assess extracellular matrix production and quality. In parallel, constructs retrieved after 12 weeks of in vivo implantation were mechanically characterized using a UniVert CellScale testing system to determine variations in compressive strength. Finally, the chondrogenic maturation of the new tissue was evaluated through bulk RNA transcriptomic profiling. Results: Histological, immunofluorescence, and transcriptomic analyses demonstrated robust cartilage matrix deposition with improved compressive properties and high expression of chondrogenic markers, such as ACAN, PRG4, and COL2A1. Furthermore, positive staining for the human-specific Ku80 antibody confirmed the presence of cells of human origin in the newly formed tissue after implantation. Conclusions: Overall, this study provides evidence that the combination of a PLA-PEG + Alg scaffold with human nasal septal chondrocytes represents a promising strategy for future reconstructive applications in auricular tissue engineering. Full article

Objectives: To evaluate the three-dimensional adaptation of prefabricated Bio-Root inlays fabricated from impressions of simulated immature permanent root canals using four techniques: direct intraoral scanning (A), a light-body rubber impression digitized with an intraoral scanner (B), cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based design (C), and a conventional indirect technique (D). Methods: Ten standardized simulated immature roots (extracted mandibular premolars prepared to a 1.5 mm apical diameter and 10 mm length) were used in a within-specimen comparative design, with each root receiving inlays fabricated by all four techniques. After fabrication and seating of the bioceramic inlays, the void percentage around each inlay was quantified by CBCT at the coronal, middle, and apical thirds relative to the baseline empty-canal volume. Data were analyzed using the Friedman, Wilcoxon signed-rank (Bonferroni-corrected), and linear mixed-model tests (α = 0.05). Results: Technique significantly affected void percentage (F(3,98) = 12.87, p < 0.001). Pooled across all canal thirds, Technique B had the lowest median void percentage (6.00 [7.00]), followed by A (8.00 [8.75]), C (12.00 [12.50]), and D (12.00 [19.00]). Independently of technique, the median void percentage increased from the coronal (6.00) to the middle (11.00) and apical (19.00) thirds. Differences among techniques were non-significant coronally (p = 0.437) but significant in the middle (p = 0.014) and apical (p < 0.001) thirds, with Technique B providing the best apical adaptation. Conclusions: The impression method significantly affected inlay adaptation. A light-body rubber impression digitized with an intraoral scanner yielded the best overall and apical fit, supporting digital workflows, particularly those using digitized physical impressions, for apexification. Adaptation deteriorated toward the apex regardless of technique. Full article

The inherent trade-off between strength and toughness in structural materials remains a critical challenge. Inspired by the hierarchical architecture of fish scales, this study proposes a novel overlapping helical composite structure. Multi-material three dimensional (3D) printing technology was employed to fabricate single-edge notched bending specimens. Quasi-static three-point bending experiment was conducted to investigate the mechanical performance of a fish scale-inspired structure. The results show that compared to the stiff bulk structure, the bio-inspired design exhibits a 60.4% enhancement in apparent fracture toughness and a 157.5% increase in energy absorption despite a reduction in flexural modulus and strength. The significant improvement may be attributed to the synergistic effects of crack deflection, which transform the fracture mode from catastrophic brittle failure to progressive damage with a stable post-peak deformation stage. Furthermore, parametric studies reveal that both the linear helical angle and its nonlinear gradient distribution critically govern the toughening efficiency. An optimal linear angle of 19° provides the best overall performance, while a nonlinear gradient (e = 1.75) further shifts energy dissipation towards the post-peak deformation stage, achieving a higher toughening efficiency. This work establishes a fundamental understanding of an overlapping helical coupling toughening strategy and provides a promising design route for high-damage-tolerance composite structures. Full article

As a crucial intersection of flexible electronics and embodied intelligent robotics, electronic skin is evolving from single flexible sensors toward a skin-like intelligent system integrating flexible support, signal sensing, environmental protection, signal transmission, and intelligent feedback. With expanding application scenarios, materials must simultaneously meet requirements for softness, stretchability, high strength, self-healing, wear resistance, and long-term stability. Bio-based self-healing polyurethane, leveraging tunable soft–hard segment structures, a wide range of mechanical properties, facile dynamic bond formation, and renewable raw materials, offers a novel material design pathway for highly reliable electronic skin. This review examines the structural and performance modulation of bio-based components—such as castor oil, nanocellulose, lignin, chitosan, tannic acid, and vanillin—in polyurethane coatings, analyzes the mechanisms of non-covalent interactions, dynamic covalent bonds, and multi-dynamic networks in segment motion, energy dissipation, damage repair, and interface reconstruction, and further discusses their adaptation strategies in encapsulation layers, sensing layers, circuit layers, and base layers. Particular attention is paid to polyurethane coatings as protective and functional interface layers, where coating structure, adhesion, mechanical durability, and damage recovery determine the long-term reliability of electronic skin devices. Finally, this review summarizes current challenges in multi-performance synergy, conductive network stability, bio-based component consistency, long-term service, and large-scale fabrication, while envisioning future directions such as intelligent encapsulation, multi-layer synergy, and data-driven material design. Full article

Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites fabricated with bio-based epoxy resins represent a promising approach for sustainable lightweight structures produced by out-of-autoclave (OoA) technologies. The curing schedule influences the state of the epoxy matrix and, consequently, can affect the fiber–matrix interaction and laminate performance. This study investigates the effect of practical curing conditions on 2 × 2 twill woven carbon fiber laminates fabricated by vacuum infusion using a commercially available bio-based epoxy resin IB2. The manufacturer’s recommended room-temperature conditions (25 °C for 24 h) were compared with accelerated mold heating schedules at 40, 50, 60, and 70 °C for 12 h. The laminates were characterized by three-point tensile and flexural tests, heat deflection temperature (HDT) measurements, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and SEM fractography. The tensile response showed limited sensitivity to the investigated curing conditions, with mean tensile strengths ranging from 634.01 to 672.95 MPa; T60 exhibited the highest mean numerical tensile strength (672.95 ± 53.60 MPa) and tensile modulus (53.39 ± 11.53 GPa), although the differences were small relative to the experimental spread. In contrast, the flexural response was more sensitive to the processing conditions. T70 exhibited the highest average flexural strength (980.60 ± 129.03 MPa), strain at maximum flexural stress, and strain energy density to maximum stress (8.75 ± 1.89 MJ/m³). The heat deflection temperature (HDT) systematically increased from 65.20 °C for T25 to 85.83 °C for T70. DSC revealed clear differences in the calorimetric response after curing during the first heating cycle, while the glass transition temperatures at the middle of the second heating occupied a relatively narrow range of 80.9–85.6 °C. SEM fractography revealed mixed tensile failure mechanisms related to fibers, matrix, and interface under all curing conditions. Overall, the results demonstrate that accelerated 12 h heated mold programs can reduce cure time while maintaining tensile performance generally comparable to the 24 h room-temperature IB2 reference condition and providing higher average flexural performance and thermal deformation resistance under load. These findings establish processing–property relationships relevant to the development of biomass-based CFRP OoA laminates for lightweight aerospace applications. Full article

The integration of enzyme-loaded polymeric matrices with carbon-based nanomaterials and metallic nanoparticles into wearable multisensing patches, coupled with miniaturized portable detection devices, enables real-time, highly sensitive, and simultaneous monitoring of key clinical biomarkers (e.g., glucose, lactate, and H₂O₂) in clinical and point-of-care applications. Multiplex biosensors were fabricated by modifying screen-printed carbon paste electrodes (SPEs) with different composite nanomaterials based on carbon nanomaterials such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), or fullerenol (FL), the redox mediator Prussian Blue, and platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). Chitosan and sol–gel polymer matrices were used to immobilize the enzymes glucose oxidase (GOx) and lactate oxidase (LOx), thus ensuring not only increased sensitivity and operational stability, but also high specificity for biomarker detection (glucose and lactate). Among the nanomaterials used for the development of multiplex biosensors, the SWCNT-PtNP composite was highlighted by electrochemical studies as having a significantly superior electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of H₂O₂. This reaction occurs at a low applied potential of only −0.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl, achieving a specific sensitivity of 224.6 mA·M⁻¹·cm⁻², over a concentration range of 0.07 to 28.26 mM, and a detection limit of 3.2 μM. When functionalized with enzymes, SWCNT-PtNP-based biosensors exhibit improved conductivity, allowing the detection of glucose and lactate at a potential of −0.05 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The specific sensitivities obtained are 20.25 mA·M⁻¹·cm⁻² for glucose and 94.76 mA·M⁻¹·cm⁻² for lactate, and the corresponding detection limits are 23.6 μM and 5.0 μM, respectively. Finally, a wearable patch integrating the multiplex (bio)sensor with a portable potentiostat enabled simultaneous, sensitive, and selective detection of glucose, lactate, and H₂O₂ in sweat samples. Full article

The construction industry is increasingly pressured to reduce its environmental footprint through the adoption of sustainable materials and digital innovation. This literature review examines the convergence of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and related digital technologies with bio-based and sustainable construction materials, aiming to enhance environmental, economic, and social sustainability performance. A descriptive search of Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore databases yielded 94 peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and April 2026. The analysis identifies three principal integration pathways: (i) material quantification and environmental accounting through BIM−LCA integration, (ii) parametric design exploration and multi-objective optimization, and (iii) life cycle coordination via digital twins and automated fabrication. BIM was identified in 62 of 94 publications (66%), making it the dominant technology, followed by LCA (35 publications, 37%) and digital twins (25 publications, 27%). Findings indicate that BIM functions as a central enabling platform, improving material traceability, design accuracy, and decision-making quality particularly by managing the inherent variability of bio-based materials through moisture-dependent parameters, sourcing data, and performance monitoring. While environmental sustainability—particularly embodied carbon reduction—dominates the literature, economic and social dimensions remain underexplored, appearing in less than 1.1% of reviewed studies. The review also highlights persistent barriers, including data interoperability issues, high upfront costs, limited material databases, and skill gaps. Drawing on socio-technical systems theory, a conceptual framework is proposed to illustrate the interdependencies between digital capabilities, bio-based material strategies, and sustainability outcomes. A three-stage implementation roadmap is outlined to support practitioners in adopting BIM-enabled bio-based workflows. The review concludes that the synergy between digital technologies and renewable materials offers a promising trajectory toward circular, low-carbon construction, but calls for more longitudinal empirical research, standardized sustainability metrics, and integrated assessment frameworks that encompass social and economic considerations alongside environmental performance. Full article

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is an evolving biofabrication approach in regenerative medicine with the potential to overcome many limitations of conventional reconstructive techniques, including donor-site morbidity, limited tissue availability, and suboptimal restoration of form and function. Recent advances in biofabrication have accelerated the development of patient-specific living constructs for reconstructive applications. This narrative review synthesizes contemporary evidence on the use of 3D bioprinting in reconstructive surgery, emphasizing developments most relevant to plastic surgery. The current literature on bioprinting technologies, bioinks, tissue-specific applications, translational studies, and regulatory considerations was critically reviewed. Significant progress has been achieved in the bioprinting of skin, cartilage, bone, osteochondral tissues, vascularized constructs, and composite craniofacial tissues. Advances in extrusion-, inkjet-, laser-, and stereolithography-based printing, together with increasingly sophisticated natural and synthetic bioinks, have improved construct fidelity, cellular viability, and tissue-specific functionality. In situ bioprinting, patient-specific computer-aided design, and hybrid biomaterial strategies have further expanded the clinical potential of bioprinted tissues. Despite these advances, major barriers remain, including inadequate vascularization of large constructs, limited mechanical maturation of load-bearing tissues, manufacturing standardization, regulatory uncertainty, and the absence of robust long-term clinical outcomes. Three-dimensional bioprinting is enabling increasingly personalized tissue fabrication, although most applications remain preclinical. Clinical translation will require further advances in biomaterials, vascular engineering, manufacturing standardization, and regulatory science. Full article

Hydrogel bio-adhesives have gained great attention in wound healing and tissue regeneration applications because conventional wound closures are often hindered by insufficient adhesion and poor biocompatibility. Considering that dynamic covalent interactions facilitate robust wet adhesion in hydrogels, we fabricated a Schiff base hydrogel bio-adhesive based on oxidized chondroitin sulfate (OCS) and polyethylenimine (PEI), and employed different degrees of OCS oxidation to regulate the physicochemical properties of the bio-adhesives. In this system, aldehyde groups of OCS react with amino groups of PEI to form covalent imine crosslinks, while physical hydrogen bonds also contribute as supplementary interactions. The fabricated hydrogel bio-adhesives demonstrated a three-dimensional interconnected microstructure and regulated equilibrium swelling ratios. The rheological tests also confirmed the typical viscoelasticity of the hydrogels and their shear-thinning behavior. The obtained hydrogel bio-adhesives demonstrated rapid and autonomous self-healing ability and strong adhesion to the surfaces of various matrices and wet organs, including wood, glass, metal, plastic, rubber, and heart, liver, spleen, stomach, and lung tissue. Furthermore, an ABTS radical scavenging assay confirmed their potent antioxidant activity. The hydrogels possessed effective antibacterial activities against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. The hydrogels exhibited good hemocompatibility, effective intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity, favorable cytocompatibility, and promoted cell proliferation. These results confirmed the fabricated hydrogels via Schiff base connections for biomedical applications and provided a facile design for biomedical hydrogel bio-adhesives. Full article

The growing interest in bio-based and bioactive materials, as well as sustainable production techniques, has driven the development of multifunctional hybrid systems. This study reports the fabrication of novel microcapsules with a double-layer alginate–PEG–chitosan shell, with or without a core, via coaxial electrospraying, followed by ionotropic gelation and polyelectrolyte complexation. PEG1000 and PEG1500 were incorporated into the shell as phase change materials, and thyme oil–oleic acid served as a hydrophobic bioactive core. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared analyses confirmed the structural integrity and effective shell–core integration. Thermogravimetric analyses showed enhanced thermal stability in double-layer alginate–PEG–chitosan biopolymer network shell and thyme oil included core system, with a delayed degradation up to 370.0 °C and reduced mass loss compared to the alginate–chitosan control sample. Differential scanning calorimetry over ten heating–cooling cycles demonstrated significant phase transition enthalpies (70.5–91.8 J·g⁻¹ at 37.6–48.5 °C), confirming efficient thermal energy storage and release governed by the PEG content. Aqueous suspensions prepared from microcapsules exhibited reversible temperature-dependent swelling–deswelling behavior between 20.0 and 55.0 °C, governed by hydrogel properties of the alginate–chitosan shell interactions. The microcapsules exhibited pronounced pH-dependent swelling (enhanced at pH 7.0), high water solubility, and good antioxidant activity. These findings highlight the broad application potential of bio-based shell–core microcapsules, e.g., active food packaging, biomedical dressings, protective coatings, pharmaceutical and biomedical delivery systems and functional textiles. Full article

Agarose is a thermoreversible, highly biocompatible polysaccharide increasingly used in tissue engineering (TE). Its molecular architecture, optical clarity, tunable mechanics, and chemical inertness make agarose hydrogels attractive scaffolds for generating bioartificial tissues by TE. This review summarizes current knowledge on agarose extraction, purification, structural variants, and physicochemical properties regarding gelation behavior, stiffness, porosity, and bioactivity. We discuss how agarose type and concentration critically determine hydrogel biomechanical and optical performance, influencing cell behavior and in vivo suitability. Although biologically inert, agarose can be functionalized or combined with fibrin, collagen, chitosan, and other biomaterials to enhance cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Diverse biofabrication approaches—including micromolding, bead production, 3D bioprinting, and de novo assembly of cells, biomaterials and bioactive factors—have enabled the generation of microtissues, organoids, and complex multilayered constructs. Agarose-based biomaterials allowed for the successful generation of bioartificial substitutes of cartilage, bone, adipose tissue, skin, cornea, oral mucosa, and the peripheral nerve, with several fibrin-agarose advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) already reaching clinical application, including the skin substitute UGRSKIN, the artificial cornea NANOULCOR and the palate mucosa BIOCLEFT. Together, current evidence positions agarose as a versatile and translationally relevant biomaterial for next-generation TE, warranting further exploration of its potential in additional therapeutic contexts. Full article

Complex hollow metallic microstructures are essential for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), lab-on-a-chip microfluidics, and bio-integrated devices, yet their fabrication remains challenging because geometric complexity, microscale precision, and high aspect ratios must be satisfied simultaneously. This study proposes filament-guided electrolyte–column electrodeposition (FG-ECD), which couples a removable filament template with a nozzle-confined electrolyte column to define internal channels in situ during localized metal growth, thereby avoiding the collapse risks associated with conventional template removal routes. A two-dimensional axisymmetric multiphysics model reveals that the embedded filament reorganizes the electrolyte into a stable annular flow and shifts the cathodic current density maximum from the substrate toward the advancing dome front, establishing a self-consistent, quasi-stable localized reaction zone, while a parametric sweep shows that the total current scales the current density magnitude without altering its spatial profile. Experiments demonstrate that a current of 3.6 mA produces smooth dome front growth at approximately 20 μm/min, whereas 5.5 mA triggers sustained hydrogen evolution and a transition to cellular deposition. Under optimized conditions, straight, 540° spiral, and R-shaped dual-channel hollow nickel microstructures were fabricated with continuous, collapse-free internal channels of 50 ± 5 μm, aspect ratios exceeding 10:1, and dimensional accuracy within ±35 μm. FG-ECD provides a low-temperature processing route for complex hollow metallic architectures and offers process regulation principles based on co-regulation of the flow field and current density for electrochemical microfabrication. Full article

Wallpaper has been used for centuries to enhance the appearance of internal walls in traditional buildings. While there is evidence that wallpaper can influence the moisture performance of wall assemblies, particularly by delaying drying, limited experimental work has characterised the hygric properties of wallpaper and its role in this process. This paper investigates the vapour permeability and drying behaviour of lime plaster, wallpaper paste, and five wallpaper types to assess their impact on moisture dynamics within wall assemblies. Hygrothermal modelling using the measured material parameters is undertaken, enabling detailed analysis of moisture transport and drying behaviour across the full wall thickness. The findings indicate that the bio-based wallpaper paste and many traditional and non-woven wallpapers do not significantly affect vapour permeability or drying. However, the vinyl-coated wallpaper showed a measurable impact on moisture behaviour, reducing both vapour permeability and drying. Hygrothermal modelling shows that wallpapers with low vapour permeability (high s_d value) can increase relative humidity within wall assemblies. This effect is more pronounced in walls with higher baseline moisture content, whether due to substrate properties or environmental exposure, making such walls more vulnerable to potential fabric decay. Full article

Engineering volumetric three-dimensional tissues requires the rapid establishment of dense, capillary-like microchannels to ensure adequate oxygen and nutrient supply while preventing hypoxic cell necrosis. Sacrificial microfiber templating approaches using lower critical solution temperature (LCST) polymers cannot employ type I collagen hydrogels—a biologically ideal extracellular matrix—because LCST fiber dissolution in cold collagen solutions precedes matrix gelation owing to thermodynamic mismatch. Here, we present a proof-of-concept strategy to rapidly fabricate capillary-sized microchannels within collagen hydrogels using thermoresponsive, physically crosslinked gelatin microfibers as sacrificial templates. Three-dimensional gelatin microfibers with capillary-sized diameters (approximately 10 μm) were fabricated via wet spinning and embedded in a type I collagen aqueous solution (4 °C). Open microchannels throughout the collagen matrix were successfully generated within 1 h of sequential thermal incubation (20 °C for collagen gelation and subsequently 37 °C for gelatin thermal dissolution), without cytotoxic chemicals. Active particle flow confirmed channel patency and fluidic continuity. Additionally, heparinized rat blood readily perfused through the channels, and scanning electron microscopy revealed open microchannel cross-sections (diameter: approximately 10 μm). This simple, thermally controlled approach resolves the limited temperature compatibility between collagen matrices and sacrificial microfibers, serving as a promising biofabrication foundation for engineering tissue constructs. Full article