Advanced Functional Materials

H-doped black titania with a crystalline core/amorphous shell structure (TiO₂@TiO_2-xH_x) is synthesized by hydrogen plasma. Solar absorption is enhanced due to localized surface plasmon resonance. H doping reduces oxygen vacancies and eliminates the recombination of light-excited electrons and holes. These behaviors enable the black titania to be excellent for water splitting.

The incorporation of carbon nanofibers into plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) or poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) elastomers yields conductive nanocomposites that can be printed on fabrics to produce electronic textiles (e.g., strain sensors). Upon strain cycling, the nanofibers undergo reorientation and subsequent separation, causing the nanocomposites to exhibit strain-reversible piezoresistivity.

Significant advances in surface nanoarchitecture for bio-applications such as biocompatible surfaces, antifouling systems, implantation, stem cell research, organ-on-chip, and lab-on-chip are reviewed. The design of intelligent surfaces with both space- and time-dependent functionality requires selected materials, methodology used for nanostructuring, an active cell surface interface, patterning, drug depots in the substrate, and stimuli response (including multi-trigger response of system and self-regulation).

An in situ approach to activate semiconductor nanocrystals (SNCs) mediated by self-limited nanocrystallization of the glassy phase is proposed. The protocol is highly effective for intentionally introducing various cation/anion dopants or their combinations into Ga₂O₃ SNCs. It offers the possibility of precisely manipulating the photon emission of SNCs to cover the ultraviolet, visible and even near-infrared spectral ranges by simply tuning inert co-dopants.

The continuous assembly of polymers (CAP) is utilized to fabricate advanced functional nanocoatings with tunable film compositions on various substrates. The versatility of CAP is demonstrated by the formation of (super)hydrophobic coatings on hydrophilic substrates including paper, cotton, aluminium foil, and glass. Moreover, by simple alternate dipping in hydrophilic and hydrophobic macro-crosslinker solutions, novel stratified amphiphilic films can be assembled via CAP.