Search Results (464)

The biological fate of lipid-based nanocarriers (LBNs) is shaped at the interface. Whereas core architecture governs cargo loading, protection, and baseline release, surface architecture mediates the carrier’s initial interactions with proteins, cells, extracellular matrices, and tissue barriers, thereby influencing colloidal stability, immune recognition, targeting, biodistribution, barrier transport, and release initiation. Layer-by-layer (LbL) engineering provides a modular strategy for programming this interface through sequentially assembled coatings in which functional components are spatially separated yet mechanistically coordinated. By integrating polymers, biomolecules—including peptides and nucleic acids—and stimuli-responsive materials, LbL systems can decouple functions that are difficult to regulate independently within conventional single-layer or compositionally mixed surface architectures. This review examines recent advances in LbL-engineered LBNs (LbL-LBNs), focusing on how multilayer surface architecture reshapes physicochemical properties, cargo localization and release, biological identity, cellular interactions, and transport across physiological barriers. Particular attention is given to the multilayer interface as a dynamic biointerfacial bridge between a cargo-specific core architecture and the surrounding biological environment, including its capacity for stimuli-responsive switching in pathological microenvironments. The discussion further extends to biomimetic hybrid interfaces and establishes a framework for translating hierarchical surface architectures into reproducible, clinically tractable platforms for precision therapeutic delivery. Full article

Exogenous application of bio-based nanomaterials provides a targeted strategy to modulate plant physiological and biochemical responses. This review synthesizes recent advancements in the foliar application of nanocellulose (NC), in particular, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and cellulose nanofibers (CNF), to enhance plant fitness. CNC-formed films provide physical and biochemical barriers that increase plant drought and cold stress tolerance. Topically applied CNC reduce non-stomatal transpiration and serve as insulators, allowing the flowering buds to successfully survive chilling, avoid freezing, and maintain cell membrane integrity. Simultaneously, CNC- and CNF-formed coatings are porous enough not to block the natural gas exchange essential for plants. CNC trigger internal antioxidant defense systems, upregulating reactive oxygen species-scavenging enzymes and modulating molecular signaling cascades. NC foliar treatment suppresses the growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi, interferes with their adhesion and plant tissue penetration, and prevents biofilm formation. Thus, topical NC application could be regarded as a multi-functional tool for precision crop management and protection. Full article

Nanomedicine has yielded clinically useful platforms, including liposomes, albumin-bound nanoparticles, and lipid nanoparticles; yet, many systems translate poorly because of nonspecific biodistribution, limited target-site accumulation, inefficient cellular uptake and intracellular delivery, immune clearance, and off-target toxicity. These bottlenecks are often shaped at cell membrane interfaces, where therapeutic materials are recognized, retained, internalized, or cleared and may elicit unsafe responses. Here, we frame cell membrane biophysics as a therapeutic interface for nanomedicine. We examine how lipid organization and fluidity, mechanics, electrochemical state, glycocalyx architecture, and membrane protein identity shape recognition, adhesion, endocytosis, fusion, trafficking, immune responses, and drug release. We assess how disease-associated membrane remodeling can create candidate therapeutic entry points and delivery barriers across cancer, neurodegeneration, inflammation, infection, and vascular disease. We then analyze receptor-mediated targeting, lipid-domain-associated uptake, membrane-coated nanocarriers, engineered extracellular vesicles, and hybrid platforms, with explicit context-of-use definitions and design boundaries. Finally, we propose translational qualification through function-linked critical quality attributes, mechanism-relevant potency assays, context-matched models, in vivo pharmacology and immune safety, scalable manufacturing, and regulatory evaluation. Progress will depend less on descriptive membrane mimicry than on measurable, reproducible, and qualified membrane-dependent functions. Full article

Natural wood possesses a hierarchically porous and anisotropic structure, which provides a foundation for functional utilization, but its flammability and hygroscopicity limit its applications. Conventional bulk impregnation modification involves introducing functional agents throughout the entire pore system. This approach can enhance performance, but inevitably leads to lumen occlusion and increased density. To address this trade-off, researchers have recently developed micronano coating strategies based on interfacial decoration rather than bulk deposition within the lumina. These strategies confine functional components to cell wall surfaces while preserving the natural porous scaffold. Two fabrication routes have been developed, namely liquid-phase methods and gas-phase methods, which differ in coating precision, penetration depth, and interfacial bonding. In flame retardancy, interfacial coatings act as physical barriers and promote chemical charring. Inorganic layers suppress oxygen diffusion and heat transfer, while phosphorus or nitrogen components catalyze cellulose dehydration. In acoustics, conformal coatings regulate pore wall roughness and acoustic impedance, enhancing viscous and thermal dissipation without blocking channels. Challenges for practical application include mass transfer limitations in large logs, conflicts between high-precision processes and industrial economics, and interfacial durability under service conditions. This narrative review summarizes fabrication strategies, flame-retardant mechanisms, and acoustic regulation principles, providing guidance for coating strategy selection and process optimization. It is noted that this review focuses on wood species with open, permeable pore structures suitable for functional modification, rather than species whose pores are occluded by heartwood extractives. Full article

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have garnered extensive attention owing to their high theoretical capacity, cost-effectiveness, and intrinsic safety. However, the practical deployment of AZIBs is severely hindered by deleterious side reactions, including surface corrosion, hydrogen evolution, and uncontrollable dendrite growth on the metallic Zn anode. In this work, we propose a simple one-step immersion strategy to in situ construct a ZnMoO₄ (ZMO) protective coating on the Zn electrode. Mechanistically, the ZMO layer with polar surfaces exhibits a preferential adsorption affinity towards water molecules and Zn²⁺ ions. This synergistic adsorption behavior serves a dual function: it effectively excludes active water from the electrode surface to suppress hydrogen evolution, and simultaneously, the strong interaction with Zn²⁺ lowers the desolvation energy barrier, facilitating rapid Zn²⁺ desolvation at the interface. Furthermore, the resulting ZMO coating promotes a homogenized surface electric field and provides abundant nucleation sites, thereby guiding uniform Zn deposition and effectively mitigating dendrite formation. Consequently, the ZMO-modified Zn anode delivers significantly enhanced electrochemical reversibility and long-term cycling stability. This work provides a cost-effective and industrially viable surface engineering strategy to tackle the fundamental challenges of Zn anodes, paving the way for the commercialization of high-performance AZIBs. Full article

Titanium alloys are widely used for implants, yet corrosion, bacterial colonization and incomplete osseointegration remain important causes of interfacial failure. This review critically analyzes major biomedical functional coating fabrication techniques employed to enhance the surface properties of titanium alloys, including micro-arc oxidation, anodic oxidation, magnetron sputtering, electrochemical deposition, electrophoretic deposition, plasma spraying, physical vapor deposition, plasma immersion ion implantation, laser surface treatment, and hybrid (composite) approaches. For each method, key operational principles, structural and functional characteristics, performance advantages and limitations, and representative application domains are critically analyzed. Across these routes, biological performance depends on coating continuity, pore or nanotube geometry, interfacial bonding, phase composition and ion release. Calcium- and phosphorus-rich oxides and hydroxyapatite deposits generally promote cell adhesion, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralization and osteogenic differentiation. Dense oxide, nitride, tantalum and carbon-based films strengthen corrosion barriers, whereas Mn, Zn, Cu and Ag containing surfaces can inhibit bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Excessive ion release, however, may compromise cytocompatibility. Reported outcomes also vary with test medium, exposure time, bacterial strain and cell model. Standardized quantitative endpoints and longer-term corrosion, biofilm and osseointegration studies are required to guide clinically reliable multifunctional coatings. Full article

This study developed surface-functionalized polylactic acid (PLA) films by depositing electrospun gelatin/chitosan (GE/CH) nanofibrous coatings formulated with and without bioactive phenolic compounds (curcumin and anthocyanin). Evaluating various polymer blending ratios and operational parameters revealed that a GE:CH ratio of 7:3 (v/v), processed at an applied voltage of 25 kV and a collector speed of 300 rpm, provided the most stable electrospinning behavior among those tested, yielding a uniform nanoscale fibrillar network. The deposition of this selected GE/CH layer onto the PLA substrate significantly improved the composite bilayer film’s tensile strength and oxygen barrier properties, although it increased macroscopic opacity. Furthermore, active coatings containing 0.25% and 0.50% (w/w) curcumin or anthocyanin were successfully processed. This 0.50% level was the maximum concentration quantitatively evaluated in the present study, as preliminary observations suggested poorer processability at higher concentrations, which induced premature gelation and needle clogging. While interactions (mostly non-covalent physical interactions) associated with the phenolic compounds synergistically reinforced the mechanical rigidity and reduced the water vapor permeability of the bilayer films, the macroscopic bioactive functionality was limited. The low loading concentrations, coupled with severe optical masking and restricted aqueous extraction, resulted in moderate antioxidant activity (10.31–30.46% DPPH radical inhibition) and no visually detectable halochromic (pH-responsive) color changes. Overall, these findings highlight a significant functional trade-off in the design of active coatings, where structural and mass transport barrier enhancements are achieved, but macroscopic bioactive functionality is constrained, underscoring the necessity for advanced encapsulation strategies in future developments. Full article

Pure Fe soft magnetic composites (SMCs) hold a prominent position in cost-sensitive 10–100 kHz medium-to-low-frequency power devices owing to their low raw-material expenditure and high saturation magnetisation. Nevertheless, the inherently poor interparticle electrical resistivity permits the formation of contiguous conduction paths under alternating magnetic fields, giving rise to marked eddy-current dissipation and localised thermal accumulation. To surmount this limitation, the present work introduces γ-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (KH580)-functionalised silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) nanosheets as a multifunctional interfacial regulating layer that simultaneously establishes an electrically insulating barrier and a thermally conductive network on the surface of Fe particles. The structural integrity, surface chemical speciation and deposition behaviour of Si₃N₄-s nanosheets on Fe particles were systematically examined, and correlations among lamellar coverage completeness, interfacial bonding robustness and the coupled electrical–magnetic–thermal response were elucidated. The findings reveal that KH580 silanisation introduces a surface functional layer while preserving the parent α-Si₃N₄ crystal structure, and XPS analysis suggests possible local N–Fe and Fe–S interfacial interactions between Si₃N₄-s and the Fe surface. At a loading of 4 wt.% Si₃N₄-s, a comparatively continuous and uniform lamellar coating develops on the Fe particle surfaces. The corresponding Fe/Si₃N₄ SMCs exhibit the highest volume resistivity and a peak thermal conductivity of approximately 12.1 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, while maintaining a core loss of approximately 600.2 kW·m⁻³ at 50 mT and 100 kHz. These results indicate that the 4 wt.% specimen provides the most favourable overall balance among electrical insulation, magnetic response, core-loss suppression and thermal transport within the investigated composition range, furnishing a functionalised lamellar interfacial engineering strategy for performance advancement of low-cost Fe-based SMCs. Full article

Aiming at the rapid corrosion of degradable magnesium alloys in physiological environments and the insufficient long-term protection of single plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings, Mg-Mn-Fe layered double hydroxide (LDH) and baicalin (BA)-loaded LDH/BA composite coatings were prepared in situ on PEO-pretreated ZE21C magnesium alloy substrates. BA was stably anchored on the LDH surface via coordination bonds between its oxygen-containing functional groups and laminate metal sites. Benefiting from the physical barrier of the LDH lamellar structure and the corrosion inhibition effect of baicalin, the LDH/BA coating significantly improved the corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy matrix. The composite coating exhibited peroxidase-like catalytic activity for reactive oxygen species generation, which could be enhanced by near-infrared irradiation. It also possessed stable photothermal conversion performance and pH-responsive drug release behavior under acidic conditions. Biological characterization demonstrated that BA-loaded LDH composite coatings exert potent inhibitory effects on 143B cell proliferation. This work integrates long-term corrosion resistance, controlled drug release, and photoresponsive catalytic functions onto magnesium alloy surfaces, providing an effective strategy for developing high-performance biodegradable magnesium alloys. Full article

Recently, gel coatings have been studied as a promising method that can provide electrochemical corrosion protection. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of advanced gels such as sol–gel coatings, hybrid organic–inorganic, self-healing, and crack repair gels. These gels employ different mechanisms for corrosion protection, from passive barrier formation to active self-healing and corrosion inhibition. Their performance can be influenced by gel chemistry, microstructure, and the incorporation of functional additives. Recent studies have shown that gel coatings can achieve promising corrosion resistance. This high efficiency can be attributed to the formation of dense barrier layers that restrict the mobility of attacking ions. The incorporation of functional additives such as silica nanoparticles can enhance mechanical characteristics for gels. In the field of crack-repair, bio-gels based on microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation show acceptable sealing capability. Additionally, the evolution of polarization resistance and corrosion current suggests the sustained protective performance of these gels. Multifunctional gels extend this concept by combining crack sealing, alkalinity restoration, and steel re-passivation. Gel coatings are transitioning from simple barrier coatings to multifunctional smart inhibition capable of self-healing, corrosion sensing, and long-term durability. This review highlights the relationship between gel chemistry, microstructure, and corrosion resistance for the development of next-generation gel coatings. Full article

Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonol positioned at the interface of metabolic health and food preservation. This review integrates quercetin chemistry, plant biosynthesis and metabolism, production-relevant extraction and microbial synthesis, bioavailability, mechanisms of action, preclinical and clinical evidence in metabolic syndrome (MetS), and applications in clean-label food preservation. Experimental studies indicate that quercetin modulates obesity-associated inflammation, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, and gut-barrier impairment through interconnected Nrf2/HO-1, NF-κB/NLRP3, AMPK/SIRT1, PI3K/Akt, eNOS/NO, lipid metabolism, and microbiota-related pathways. Human evidence is narrower and heterogeneous: modest reductions in systolic blood pressure constitute the most consistent signal, whereas effects on fasting glucose, lipids, inflammatory markers, endothelial function, liver fat, and body weight vary by population, formulation, dose, and duration. In food systems, quercetin has been investigated as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm agent, and photodynamic photosensitizer. It is incorporated into edible films, coatings, freshness indicators, and controlled-release packaging, although most evidence remains laboratory-scale. Key translational challenges include limited aqueous solubility, variable bioavailability, incomplete long-term safety evidence, matrix-dependent efficacy, sensory constraints, manufacturing scale-up, migration, and regulation. Overall, quercetin is promising, but clinical use and industrial deployment require formulation-specific, adequately powered human studies and validation in clinically relevant populations and under commercially realistic processing conditions. Full article

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are now the leading delivery platform for nucleic acid therapeutics, but progress in the field is measured almost entirely by physicochemical and computational proxies rather than by functional properties that determine therapeutic outcomes. This review examines six interconnected areas of LNP development: microfluidic manufacturing, lyophilization, transdermal microneedle delivery, machine learning-guided formulation design, endosomal escape biology, and protein corona-mediated organ targeting. Although these areas are often discussed separately, they are linked by a common gap between routinely measured physicochemical or computational endpoints and the biological outcomes that determine therapeutic performance. A recently developed antifouling coating substantially reduced microfluidic channel fouling under the tested conditions, although its scalability remains to be validated. Lyophilization, by contrast, still requires formulation specific re-optimization for each new lipid composition, which remains an important barrier to clinical translation. In microneedle-based delivery, physicochemical integrity after fabrication is routinely treated as a proxy for therapeutic function, although, to our knowledge, no published study has directly compared endosomal escape capacity before and after microneedle fabrication. In machine learning, model accuracy is limited primarily by fragmented, outcome-biased training data rather than by algorithm design. Independent measurements of endosomal escape efficiency converge on a low ceiling whose biological origin, whether lipid-specific or inherent to the mechanism, remains unknown. For organ-selective targeting, one mechanistic account rests on a hypothesis tested in advance; another, equally prominent, has not been shown to have been anticipated rather than reconstructed after the fact. Closing this gap is now the field’s central methodologically priority. Full article

Conventional polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based antifouling coatings, despite their inherent fouling-release capability, exhibit critically insufficient antifouling performance under static seawater conditions. Inspired by the synergistic physical–chemical defense strategy of sessile marine organisms, specifically sea anemones, which combine a physical mucus barrier with antimicrobial peptide secretion, the present work develops a multi-mechanism hybrid coating—designated as sea anemone-inspired fluorosilicone polyurethane—that integrates low-surface-energy physical antifouling and cationic antibacterial chemical antifouling. This coating system is constructed from silicone polyurethane (PDMS-PU), a cationic antibacterial moiety (PDMS-N⁺), and fluorinated functional monomers. Through systematic compositional optimization, an optimal formulation (P-4) is identified, which achieves a fracture elongation of 78.19%, a normal adhesion strength of approximately 2.5 MPa, a water contact angle of 120°, and a surface energy of 12.86 mN/m. Notably, its antibacterial rates against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) exceed 95%. The resultant coating uniquely synergizes low surface energy, potent antibacterial activity, excellent mechanical properties, and thermal stability, thereby enabling long-term and stable antifouling performance in static seawater environments. This work provides a crucial technological foundation for the engineering application and industrialization of green, durable marine antifouling coatings. Full article

Background: During clinical service, removable orthodontic appliances are continuously exposed to environmental challenges that may compromise material stability and contribute to potentially increasing the risk of local inflammatory responses and hypersensitivity reactions. Method: A literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Studies investigating bio-inspired and surface-engineering approaches applicable to orthodontic polymers, acrylic resins, aligner materials, and related dental biomaterials were considered. Evidence from orthodontic adhesives and non-bio-inspired barrier coatings was included when relevant as comparative or translational support. Particular attention was given to polydopamine coatings, polyphenol- and tannic acid-based coatings, chitosan systems, peptide-functionalized surfaces, titanium and titanium oxide-based modifications, nanoparticle-enriched coatings, biomimetic hydrogel-like barriers, and conventional barrier coatings used as comparators. Results: Available evidence suggests that surface modifications reduce monomer diffusion, bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation, and improve cellular responses. Bio-inspired and titanium-based coatings show particular promise by enhancing biocompatibility while providing antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and protective barrier properties. Conclusions Bio-inspired surface engineering is a promising approach to improve the biological safety of removable orthodontic appliances. However, further standardized in vitro, in situ, and clinical studies are needed to confirm their long-term stability, durability, and clinical effectiveness in reducing hypersensitivity and other adverse biological effects. Full article

Food packaging plays an essential role in maintaining food quality, safety, and shelf life during storage, transportation, and retail distribution. However, conventional petroleum-derived plastics raise increasing environmental concerns, while many biopolymer-based packaging materials remain limited by insufficient mechanical strength, poor water resistance, limited barrier properties, and unstable active functions. Natural extract-based multifunctional gels provide a promising strategy for sustainable food packaging due to their inherent biocompatibility, structural versatility, and synergistic interplay between active extracts and gel networks, which can immobilize bioactive compounds, regulate mass transfer, and integrate preservation and monitoring functions within one material platform. This review summarizes recent advances in natural extract-based multifunctional gels for food packaging, with emphasis on polysaccharide-based, protein-based, lipid-based, and other naturally derived gel systems. Representative material formats include hydrogels, aerogels, emulsion gels, oleogels, and gel-derived films or coatings, while typical components include chitosan, alginate, pectin, starch, proteins, natural waxes, lignin, anthocyanins, curcumin, polyphenols, and essential oils. Their gelation mechanisms, structural features, preparation strategies, and functional applications are discussed, including antioxidant activity, antimicrobial preservation, barrier enhancement, controlled release, freshness monitoring, and biodegradability. Furthermore, the potential interactions between natural extracts and gel matrices are also discussed, including hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, ionic crosslinking, dynamic covalent bonding, hydrophobic association, and lipid crystallization. The main merits of these systems include renewability, biodegradability, tunable network interactions, active-agent protection, and integration of preservation and monitoring functions, whereas persistent challenges include moisture sensitivity, mechanical instability, variable extract composition, migration safety, and scale-up cost. This review provides guidance for designing natural extract-based gel packaging materials with improved functionality, sustainability, and practical applicability. Full article