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Researchers demonstrate a new way to create chiral nanostructures using a laser beam. By carefully controlling the direction of the laser beam's vibrations, the researchers created a variety of chiral structures made of platinum oxide in unique shapes, like twisted micropillars and spiral superstructures.
Hygromorphs are materials that can change their shape or size in response to changes in humidity or moisture. Synthetic hygromorphs, designed to have specific responses to changes in humidity, can be used in various applications, such as in sensors and actuators. A recent review generalizes a full design process for a 4D printed hygromorph which includes designing concepts, using additive manufacturing to produce designs, and measuring actuation.
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are complex devices made up of multiple materials that have many different factors affecting their properties, which makes it difficult to analyze them comprehensively. Machine Learning (ML) can efficiently handle these complexities and help scientists in the design of new PSCs. We outline the current state and future prospects of ML in perovskite solar cell research, including data sources, feature extraction, algorithms, model validation, interpretation, and challenges.
Inspired by living biological systems, which can sense, process information, and actuate in response to changing environmental conditions, researchers are exploring engineered living hydrogels. The convergence of engineering, biology, and materials science over the past 20 years is providing unprecedented opportunities to integrate living cells into these hydrogels. This integration yields engineered living hydrogels with the capabilities of self-replication, self-regulation, and environmental responsiveness.
The development of efficient cooling technology based on environmentally friendly and biobased materials is crucial to many day-to-day activities. A novel, highly efficient cellulose nanocrystal aerogel radiative cooler acts as a dual-function thermal insulator and daytime passive radiant cooler. These aerogel coolers can save on average more than 35% in cooling energy consumption and they are capable of achieving a nearly 9 degree C drop under direct sunlight, they even work effectively in hot, moist, and fickle extreme surroundings.
Although 4D printing is considered very promising for various biomedical applications - such as tissue scaffolds, neural scaffolds, grafts and stents, cardiac patches and valves, even bionic constructs - its broad-scale adoption for clinical use and tissue engineering purposes is complicated by a notable limitation of printable smart materials and the simplistic nature of achievable responses possible with current sources of stimulation. Nevertheless, 4D printing may offer a more favorable fabrication approach over 3D printing, as 4D constructs can respond to internal and/or external stimuli.
Researchers have designed and fabricated a bio-inspired, high strength and high toughness lignocellulose-based material that can serve as a 'wood armor' that rivals the performance of conventional engineering materials such as glass, ceramics or alloys. This wooden armor has biomimetic flexible-rigid layered Bouligand-like structures similar to the scales of pirarucu, a fish that can withstand piranha attacks. In ballistic tests it withstood 9 mm caliber bullets with an impact velocity of 214 meters per second.
3D printing with stimuli-responsive materials is called 4D printing. 4D printing enables 3D printed structures to change its configurations over time and is used in a wide variety of fields such as soft robotics, flexible electronics, and medical devices. The development of a water-responsive cholesteric liquid crystal ink and the accompanying direct ink writing (DIW) procedure is extending 4D printing to structurally colored inks. This is the first demonstration of a humidity-responsive color changing ink for extrusion 3D printing.