Suela Kellici

Strain engineering is an effective strategy to tune the electronic structure and catalytic performance of functional materials. Here, we demonstrate a single‐step continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis (CHFS) that produces multiphase titanate‐TiO ₂ ‐reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites capable of both photocatalytic and mechanocatalytic activity. In this approach, in situ KOH‐mediated reduction of graphene oxide introduces interfacial lattice strain and directs the co‐crystallisation of anatase TiO ₂ , layered K ₂ Ti ₄ O ₉ , and metastable TiO ₂ (B). The resulting multiphase composites feature strain gradients and nanoscale heterojunctions that enhance visible‐light absorption, charge separation, and mechanically assisted catalytic response. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations confirm strain‐induced bandgap narrowing and charge redistribution at oxide–2D interfaces. Under simultaneous visible‐light irradiation and mechanical stirring, these hybrids achieved near‐complete degradation of concentrated aqueous methylene blue (0.04 mM) within 60 min, with an apparent dual‐mode rate constant of 0.1046 min ⁻¹ , outperforming conventional photocatalysts. This single‐step, scalable platform provides a general route to design multifunctional catalysts for environmental remediation and solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion.

Strain-engineered TiO ₂ /K ₂ Ti ₄ O ₉ -rGO interfaces enhance photo-assisted Li storage by improving charge separation and Li ⁺ transport while suppressing cracking, lattice fatigue and capcity fade.

Bioconjugation is a pillar of modern medicine, enabling the likes of targeted therapeutics and sensitive diagnostics by exploiting synergies between biomolecules and functional materials. Conjugation techniques have expanded to match an evolving materials discovery landscape, fueling a new wave of bioconjugates. Despite the breadth of conjugate literature, most reviews describe common and relatively simple substrates such as metal nanoparticles or polymers. This review therefore centers around novel materials including biological (e.g., viral capsids, live cells), hybrid (e.g., gold‐decorated nanoparticles, covalent‐organic frameworks), and synthetic (e.g., piezoelectrics, upconverting nanoparticles) substrates. Applications in cancer and viral therapy, tissue engineering, optogenetics, antimicrobials, diagnostics, advanced imaging, and related topics are explored, revealing trends in conjugation approach. This review also compares characterization techniques used to confirm and optimize conjugation before offering perspectives on the future of the field. By shedding light on the latest materials, applications, and analytical methods, we hope to empower researchers to harness bioconjugation for transformative medical innovations.

DLP and DIW were successfully employed for 3D printing of stable and active C ₃ N ₄ -based structures subsequently tested for their photo- and piezoelectric properties as well as electrochemical sensing.

The capacity of a metal ion battery is limited by fundamental parameters. Various strategies have been employed to maximise energy storage, including manufacturing control and investigating the components within the battery system. Recent developments have focused on incorporating photoactive materials into battery architectures to enhance energy density. However, challenges remain in material selection and processing for high‐performance electrodes. Here, we show that hydrothermally produced WO ₃ is a safe, low‐cost material with excellent photo‐battery performance. Under illumination, the battery achieves a capacity of 1150 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1C and 800 mAh g⁻¹ at 1C, exceeding the theoretical limit (693 mAh g⁻¹). The battery exhibits excellent cycling stability, retaining a capacity of 623 mAh g⁻¹ after 400 cycles at 1C. Using Randles‐Sevcik and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, we show that enhanced carrier mobility contributes to the observed capacity beyond the theoretical limit. The photo‐conversion efficiency of the battery is 5.96%. Our results demonstrate that light can be used to enhance the capacity of an ion battery system beyond its theoretical limit. This approach can significantly boost the energy storage density of various metal‐ion batteries. Moreover, in systems with inherently slow metal‐ion diffusion, such as multi‐valent systems, photoenhanced charging can make these technologies more competitive.

Recently, there has been growing interest in deep red (DR) and near-infrared (NIR) thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters due to their potential use in applications in bioimaging and night-vision displays. However, the performance of long wavelength TADF emitters is inherently limited by the energy gap law, which reduces their photoluminescence quantum yields (ΦPL), making a robust design strategy challenging. Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of red/NIR TADF emitters. The emission wavelengths were rationally tuned by modulating the strength of the electron-donating groups, DMAC, PXZ, and DPACz, that are coupled to the same electron-accepting PyBP (dibenzo [f, h] pyrido [2,3-b]quinoxaline) moiety. These compounds emit with photoluminescence maxima (λPL) at 643 nm for DMACPyBP, 722 nm for DPACz PyBP, and 743 nm for PXZPyBP in toluene solution, while their thin films singlet-triplet energy gaps (ΔEST) are <0.1 eV. DMACPyBP, with the weakest donor, has the highest ΦPL of 62.3%, the smallest ΔEST of 0.03 eV, and a fast reverse intersystem crossing rate constant (kRISC) of 0.5 × 105 s-1 in a 1 wt% doped film in CBP. In contrast, PXZPyBP, containing the strongest donor, has a lower ΦPL (21.2%), a relatively larger ΔEST (0.10 eV), and a slower kRISC (0.04 × 105 s-1). Thus, our work highlights the molecular design challenges involved in pushing emission into the NIR region while maintaing both TADF and high PL in PyBP-based donor-acceptor emitters.

A novel approach for the efficient recovery of polypropylene from waste carpet feedstock utilising a solvent based method.