Search Results (1,589)

Cellulose-based functional materials have attracted increasing attention for portable environmental monitoring and pollutant management; however, achieving a robust integration of functional components with cellulose substrates remains challenging due to weak interfacial adhesion and instability of conventional coating strategies. Herein, a binder-free liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) strategy was developed to construct lanthanide metal–organic framework (Ln-MOF) coatings directly on unmodified cellulose fibers, yielding a stable and multifunctional Ln-MOF/cellulose composite material. The LPE process enabled uniform growth of Ln-MOF layers on cellulose paper, resulting in homogeneous luminescence with relative standard deviations below 2% and stable fluorescence performance over a wide pH range of 3–11. By regulating the Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ ratio, the obtained composite paper exhibited tunable dual-emission characteristics and enabled smartphone-assisted ratiometric visualization of dipicolinic acid (DPA), a representative biomarker of bacterial spores, with a linear response range of 0–2000 μM and a detection limit of 10 μM. Furthermore, the anionic Ln-MOF coating endowed the cellulose material with charge-selective adsorption capability, allowing efficient removal of cationic dyes while maintaining structural integrity after four regeneration cycles. The applicability of the LPE strategy was further demonstrated using different lanthanide–organic linker systems. This work provides a versatile approach for fabricating stable cellulose/MOF composite materials and highlights their potential applications in portable chemical sensing and selective water purification. Full article

Accurate measurement of vibro-acoustic transfer functions is essential for ship noise control. Because direct testing requires high-power excitation sources that are difficult and costly to deploy, the reciprocity method has attracted increasing attention. Its application to full-scale ships, however, has long been hindered by an unresolved theoretical question: whether hull-mounted acoustic coatings compromise force–sound reciprocity. To answer this question, this study combines theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and anechoic water-tank experiments to investigate a typical horn-type cavity acoustic coating. Theoretical analysis shows that, because its complex stiffness tensor remains symmetric, a linear viscoelastic coating with geometrically asymmetric cavities still preserves reciprocity. Numerical simulations of a stiffened double-layer cylindrical shell covered with the coating show that the forward and reciprocal transfer functions coincide to well within 1 dB over the entire computed band. Anechoic water-tank experiments on a scaled model show that applying the coating raises the band-averaged reciprocity error by only 0.2 dB, from 1.4–1.5 dB to 1.6–1.7 dB in the 2–5 kHz band. These results provide evidence that, for the tested coating and structural configuration under anechoic conditions, the horn-cavity coating introduces no significant principle-based error into reciprocity testing—a first quantitative step towards removing the long-standing theoretical obstacle to applying reciprocity methods to coated, full-scale ships. Full article

The planktonic dispersal of Limnoperna fortunei larvae and the byssal attachment of juveniles and adults make this species a major invasive biofouling species in water-conveyance infrastructure, while artificial hydraulic connectivity further facilitates its spread. Dense colonization can reduce conveyance capacity, increase energy consumption, accelerate structural deterioration, and impair water quality, thereby posing multiple risks to infrastructure operation. This narrative and critical review synthesizes evidence from 110 publications retained after screening 537 records retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection up to 30 June 2026. The review characterizes the stage-specific progression of L. fortunei biofouling from propagule input and early settlement to mature fouling and post-treatment residual risks. It compares the applicability of eDNA/qPCR assays, conventional field surveys, and remotely operated vehicle (ROV)-based image inspection, and evaluates the effectiveness and operational limitations of physical, chemical, coating-based, and biological control measures across different risk stages. Current management often targets individual stages, with limited linkage between monitoring results and subsequent intervention. Accordingly, we propose a risk-oriented decision pathway that integrates early warning, settlement confirmation, fouling-load assessment, targeted removal, and post-treatment verification while accounting for hydraulic safety, water-quality constraints, and asset accessibility. By aligning management actions with biofouling stage and asset condition, this framework provides a basis for more sustainable operation and maintenance of water-conveyance systems. Full article

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) exhibits great potential in the field of organic pollutant remediation due to its strong reducibility, high specific surface area and unique core–shell structure. However, pristine nZVI has inherent drawbacks including severe particle aggregation, surface passivation and poor electron selectivity, which greatly restrict its practical remediation performance. To improve the reactivity of nZVI, researchers have developed multiple modification approaches that significantly improve the dispersibility, stability and reactivity of nZVI. This review summarizes the main nZVI modification strategies, including metal modification, surface coating, carrier loading, sulfidation modification and biological integration. The advantages and limitations of each modification method are compared. Furthermore, the underlying removal mechanisms of modified nZVI toward typical organic pollutants are elaborated, covering direct reduction, advanced oxidation and synergistic degradation pathways. Key factors governing the degradation efficiency of modified nZVI are subsequently analyzed. Finally, existing bottlenecks for practical implementation and future research perspectives are proposed. Full article

To improve the hydrophilicity and antibiotic retention of conventional polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes, a PVA/TiO₂ composite hydrogel-modified PES membrane was prepared by hydrogel coating and in situ TiO₂ embedding. Its removal of common antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), as well as fouling behavior, was evaluated under different environmental conditions. The modified membrane formed an approximately 5 μm gel layer, showed reduced surface roughness, and increased pure-water flux by about 5.0%. It removed four antibiotics more effectively than the pristine membrane, with the greatest improvement for ofloxacin. Environmental conditions strongly affected antibiotic removal but had limited effects on ARG reduction. Low pH favored sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, and ofloxacin removal, while 5 μm particles increased sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline removal by 27.0% and 22.0%, respectively. Hermia model fitting suggested predominantly standard blocking-type hydraulic behavior under the tested pH conditions and complete blocking-type behavior in the presence of HA or particles. These results show that PVA/TiO₂ modification improves PES membrane hydrophilicity and antibiotic removal, although fouling under complex conditions remains important. Full article

Background: Nanotechnology-based surface coatings show promise in enhancing the antibacterial activity and mechanical performance of orthodontic materials. Although numerous in vitro studies suggest some benefits, the clinical relevance of these effects in vivo remains uncertain. Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to assess whether nanocoated orthodontic materials improve clinical and clinically derived laboratory outcomes in in vivo human studies, including microbial adhesion, enamel mineralization, surface characteristics and other treatment-related parameters. Materials and Methods: An electronic literature search was conducted up to 31 July 2025, yielding 15,330 records after duplicate removal. Only in vivo studies using nanocoated materials in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment were included. Study selection, data extraction, risk-of-bias assessment and certainty-of-evidence assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE. Results: A total of 13 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. The comparative appliances were coated and uncoated brackets, tubes, archwires, miniscrews and modules. Most studies primarily assessed microbial outcomes. Overall, nanocoated orthodontic appliances showed promising antimicrobial properties and lower bacterial adhesion in several studies. Other studies assessed enamel demineralization, surface characteristics, bond failure, orthodontic miniscrew success rate and rate of canine retraction. Conclusions: Although the included studies indicate promising results, confidence is limited by heterogeneity in nanoparticle types, coating protocols and outcome measures. Safety outcomes, including coating degradation and long-term local or systemic effects, were not adequately assessed. Further well-designed randomized trials with standardized and clinically meaningful outcomes are needed before routine clinical implementation can be supported. Full article

Surface wettability is a critical factor influencing the biological performance of orthopedic Ti implants. The native TiO₂ film on Ti undergoes changes in wettability under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. However, the limited tissue penetration of UV light compared with near-infrared (NIR) light restricts its potential clinical application. In this study, a black TiO₂ (b-TiO₂) coating with NIR-responsive wettability was fabricated directly on a Ti substrate using a one-step atmospheric plasma spraying process. Under 808 nm NIR irradiation, the water contact angle of the b-TiO₂ coating increased from 0° to 154.4 ± 4.0°, indicating a transition from a superhydrophilic to a stable superhydrophobic state. FTIR and XPS analyses showed that NIR-induced photothermal heating promoted the removal of surface hydroxyl groups and the passivation of oxygen-deficient sites, thereby driving the wettability transition. Among TiO₂ coatings with hydrophilic, intermediate-wettability, and hydrophobic surfaces, the hydrophobic coating effectively directed macrophage polarization toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype and delivered slightly superior osteoblast activity. It also markedly inhibited Staphylococcus aureus adhesion, achieving an anti-adhesion efficiency of 98.61%. These findings demonstrate that NIR irradiation can regulate the wettability of plasma-sprayed b-TiO₂ coatings and provide concurrent immunomodulatory and antibacterial effects. This approach may support the development of light-responsive surfaces for orthopedic implants. Full article

Biofilm accumulation on orthodontic appliances is a recognized risk factor for white spot lesion formation and caries during treatment. Antibacterial surface modifications and coating strategies have been proposed as appliance-level preventive approaches. Studied interventions in the literature span true thin-film surface coatings, plasma-based and ion-implantation surface modifications, and bulk-incorporated antibacterial agents in appliance matrix materials. Yet the extent to which in vitro efficacy translates to clinically meaningful protection remains unresolved. This PRISMA-ScR-compliant scoping review searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, identifying 109 eligible studies: 96 in vitro, 8 in vivo animal studies and 5 clinical trials, covering brackets, archwires, clear aligners, bands, miniscrews, elastomeric ligatures, and removable appliances, some articles studied multiple types of appliances. In vitro studies consistently demonstrated significant reductions in bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation across all appliance types, with silver-based coatings and nitrogen-doped TiO₂ showing the broadest evidence base; combination systems (Ag/ZnO, CuO-ZnO) outperformed individual agents. The 13 in vivo and clinical studies provided limited but directionally supportive evidence: silver nanoparticle-incorporated acrylic retainers reduced S. mutans counts in a double-blind RCT, and silver-infiltrated tungsten material-maintained biofilm reduction after simulated two-year abrasion. Coating durability emerged as an important determinant of potential clinical translation. Surface-deposited thin-film coatings degraded substantially within one month of intraoral use, whereas substrate-integrated approaches showed greater longevity. This scoping review maps the current evidence landscape, identifies coating durability and clinical endpoint validation as critical gaps, and prioritizes silver-based and nitrogen-doped TiO₂ coatings for future randomized clinical trials. Full article

The relentless miniaturization of integrated circuits demands chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technologies that achieve both high material removal rates (MRR) and atomic-scale surface quality. Herein, we synthesize sub-100 nm SiO₂@ZrO₂ core–shell composite abrasives (amorphous SiO₂ core ~70 nm, tetragonal ZrO₂ shell ~6 nm) via a facile sol–gel method. Electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy strongly indicated uniform core–shell architecture and Si–O–Zr covalent bonding essential for stable coating. Polishing tests show that the abrasives deliver an MRR of 353.54 nm/min—approximately 2.8 times that of pure SiO₂—and reduce surface roughness to Ra = 0.105 ± 0.015 nm, approaching atomic-scale planarization. The superior performance stems from the rigid ZrO₂ shell, which suppresses elastic deformation and preserves spherical contact morphology. This mechanical effect simultaneously increases shear stress by reducing contact area and minimizes scratches by limiting indentation depth. Overall, this work offers a simple, controllable strategy for designing high-efficiency CMP abrasives and demonstrates the considerable potential of SiO₂@ZrO₂ core–shell materials for damage-free, atomic-scale surface finishing. Full article

Nanofiltration membranes have emerged as a crucial class of pressure-driven separation materials, positioned between ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis in terms of selectivity, permeance, operating pressure, and energy consumption. Their ability to remove fine contaminants—including multivalent ions, organic micropollutants, dyes, and macromolecules—has made them essential in water and wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical processing, and various industrial applications. In spite of their growing relevance, the performance of polymeric nanofiltration membranes, such as polyamide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride, and polyimide, is still constrained by weak hydrophilicity and a strong susceptibility to fouling, which collectively decrease permeance, increase operational costs, and shorten membrane lifespan. In recent years, substantial research efforts have focused on designing and engineering the surface chemistry and structural characteristics of nanofiltration membranes to improve water permeance, reduce foulant adhesion, and improve long-term stability. This review provides a comprehensive and comparative assessment of the most recent modification techniques applied to polymer-based nanofiltration membranes. Strategies such as polymer blending, nanoparticle incorporation, physical surface coating, plasma treatment, chemical attachment, layer-by-layer assembly, and interfacial polymerization are critically examined with respect to their effectiveness and practical limitations supported by recent research examples. Special attention is given to how these modification methods affect membrane morphology, hydrophilicity, permeance, and antifouling properties. Eventually, the review highlights emerging ideas and forward-looking design directions that may guide the next generation of nanofiltration membranes toward higher efficiency, improved durability, and broader industrial applicability. Full article

Owing to advantageous properties such as high mechanical strength and wear and hydrolysis resistance, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based materials have been widely used to fabricate membranes utilizing in anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) for wastewater treatment. Though AnMBRs can be regarded as high-rate bioreactors, membrane fouling caused by organic, inorganic, and biological contaminants remains an inevitable challenge. In order to alleviate this issue, this review systematically summarizes modification methods including crosslinking, surface coating, and assembly for the loading of functional materials and inorganic nanoparticles onto the membrane surface. Additionally, this review indicates that modified PVDF-based membranes with enhanced conductive or antifouling properties can be effectively applied in AnMBRs, and better chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency can be achieved compared with those utilizing pristine PVDF membranes. Different from previous reviews, this review proposes technology intensification strategies utilizing pristine PVDF membranes including electrochemical AnMBR (electro-AnMBR) and anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (AFMBR). Both of them have demonstrated enormous potential for mitigating membrane fouling relative to conventional AnMBR configurations. Spontaneously, this review underscores the critical need to integrate these intensification strategies with modified PVDF-based membranes as relative studies in this combined area. Therefore, this review provides comprehensive guidance on modification methods of PVDF membranes and technology intensification strategies utilizing modified PVDF-based membranes. Full article

This study presents an electrothermal coating approach for synthesizing cell-imprinted polymers (CIPs) on metallic microwires through localized resistive heating-induced polymerization. Imprinted polymers (IPs) are robust, cost-effective synthetic affinity materials widely used in sensing applications. However, conventional fabrication methods, including bulk and suspension polymerization, often lack spatial control, producing non-specific polymerization, heterogeneous coatings, and reduced sensor reproducibility. Electrochemical polymerization provides improved spatial control but requires specialized instrumentation and restricts monomer selection. Here, applying direct current (DC) to metallic microwires immersed in a prepolymer solution generated localized Joule heating, enabling controlled in situ polymerization and uniform coatings while minimizing undesired bulk polymerization. By optimizing the applied current and polymerization time, CIP coatings with tunable thicknesses were fabricated on gold-coated microwires. Under optimized conditions, ~6 µm thick coatings were imprinted using Salmonella templates. Scanning electron microscopy revealed bacteria-shaped cavities consistent with template removal and the formation of imprinted cavities. Rebinding experiments demonstrated enhanced bacterial capture, with CIP-coated microwires achieving ~70% capture efficiency, compared to 22% for bare microwires and 33% for non-imprinted polymer (NIP) controls. These results support the effectiveness of the proposed method for localized polymerization and demonstrate the enhanced capture of the template species by CIP-coated microwires relative to bare microwires and NIP-coated controls. Full article

Upgrading biogas to pipeline-quality methane requires the efficient removal of CO₂, yet conventional physicochemical routes remain energy-intensive. Coupling a CO₂-selective membrane with microalgal photosynthetic fixation offers a green alternative, but is constrained by the low CO₂/CH₄ selectivity of common membranes and the poor adhesion of microalgae to hydrophobic membrane surfaces. Here, a dual-functional composite membrane was developed that simultaneously provides CO₂/CH₄ sieving and a biocompatible interface for microalgal attachment, and was integrated into a microalgae membrane bioreactor (MMBR). A cellulose acetate mixed-matrix membrane incorporating polyethyleneimine-grafted ZIF-8 (CA/PZIF-8(15)) achieved a mixed-gas CO₂ permeability of 122.3 Barrer and a CO₂/CH₄ selectivity of 41.17. An ionic-liquid-modified chitosan (CS/IL) coating, first optimized on a commercial flat-sheet polyethersulfone (PES) membrane used as a model surface for the adhesion study, reversed the surface charge from −30.8 to +3.75 mV, lowered the water contact angle to 51.2°, and increased the day-7 adhesion of Scenedesmus obliquus by ~108%. Transferring the coating onto CA/PZIF-8(15) further raised the permeability to 138 Barrer and the selectivity to 57.31, placing the composite above the 2008 Robeson upper bound. In the MMBR, CH₄ purity reached 95.13% after 48 h; a mass balance on the recirculating gas volume indicated that essentially all of the CO₂ removed from the gas phase permeated the membrane, of which an estimated 2% was fixed into microalgal biomass while the remainder was retained in the liquid phase. This work offers a membrane-design strategy that bridges gas-separation functionality and microalgal carbon fixation for sustainable biogas upgrading. Full article

Raw Chinese lacquer, tapped from the sap of Toxicodendron vernicifluum, is a natural water-in-oil microemulsion containing urushiol, polysaccharides, proteins, and laccase. Because this reactive system continues to oxidize and polymerize after harvesting, handling conditions directly determine water content, viscosity, and later film-forming performance. This review analyzes potential in situ stabilization routes that couple purification, low-temperature vacuum dehydration, and quality conditioning at, or near, the collection site. Emphasis is placed on how laccase retention, oxygen exposure, and urushiol polymerization are controlled together to limit transport losses and premature crusting. Portable filtration devices, reported centrifugal filtration systems, and proposed vacuum dehydration strategies are compared in terms of throughput, field compatibility, and process control. Physical and bio-based conditioning strategies, including shear adjustment, oxygen management, and natural film-forming aids, are further considered for on-site regulation. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and portable spectroscopic devices are examined as feedback tools for parameter adjustment under field temperatures, humidity, and storage variation; however, these signals are treated as decision-support indicators that still require lacquer-specific calibration after tapping. The central task is to define a field-compatible process window for water removal, laccase retention, viscosity control, drying behavior, and storage stability before downstream coating preparation. The remaining challenges involve miniaturized equipment, standardized evaluation, evidence-level classification, and dynamic control of coupled variables. Full article

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)–bentonite composite coatings combine a hydrophilic polymer with a naturally abundant clay mineral, offering potential advantages for modifying the physicochemical and film-forming characteristics of polymer–clay coatings. However, the combined influence of PVA–bentonite composition and total solids content on drying behavior and film evolution remains insufficiently explored. This study investigates the particle size, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), surface morphology, rheology, thixotropy, zeta potential, drying behavior, solvent transport, and film evolution of PVA–bentonite coatings prepared at total solids contents of 5 and 10 wt.% with different PVA to bentonite ratios. The drying profiles exhibited an initial relatively rapid solvent-removal stage followed by a slower stage associated with progressively restricted solvent transport during film consolidation. A lower total solids content (5 wt.%) generally accelerated drying but was associated with greater microcracking, whereas a higher total solids content (10 wt.%) produced more consolidated and comparatively uniform films with reduced solvent mobility. The combined physicochemical, rheological, drying, and morphological results demonstrate that both PVA–bentonite composition and total solids content substantially influence the structural organization and drying behavior of the coatings. Pure PVA formed a relatively uniform film but exhibited prolonged drying, while pure bentonite required the longest drying time (1083 min). Among the investigated formulations, the 50:50 PVA–bentonite coating demonstrated the shortest drying time, reaching equilibrium in approximately 480 min, while also exhibiting comparatively good film uniformity. During drying, its thickness decreased from approximately 1745 to 440 µm, corresponding to a reduction of about 1305 µm. Overall, under the investigated laboratory conditions, the 50:50 PVA–bentonite formulation provided the most favorable balance of drying behavior, film formation, and rheological characteristics among the compositions studied. These findings provide composition–structure–drying relationships that can guide further development of PVA–bentonite coating systems. At the same time, additional evaluation of mechanical, adhesion, barrier, durability, and economic performance is required to establish broader practical applicability. Full article