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The development of multifunctional materials and synergistic applications of various functions are important conditions for integrated and miniaturized equipment. Here, we developed asymmetric MXene/aramid nanofibers/polyimides (AMAP) aerogels with different modules using an integrated molding process. Cleverly asymmetric modules (layered MXene/aramid nanofibers section and porous MXene/aramid nanofibers/polyimides section) interactions are beneficial for enhanced performances, resulting in low reflection electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding (specific shielding effectiveness of 2483 (dB·cm 3 )/g and a low R -value of 0.0138), high-efficiency infrared radiation (IR) stealth (ultra-low thermal conductivity of 0.045 W/(m·K) and IR emissivity of 0.32 at 3–5 µm and 0.28 at 8–14 µm), and excellent thermal management performances of insulated Joule heating. Furthermore, these multifunctional AMAP aerogels are suitable for various application scenarios such as personal and building protection against electromagnetic pollution and cold, as well as military equipment protection against infrared detection and EMI.

Advancements in smart manufacturing have embraced the adoption of soft robots for improved productivity, flexibility, and automation as well as safety in smart factories. Hence, soft robotics is seeing a significant surge in popularity by garnering considerable attention from researchers and practitioners. Bionic soft robots, which are composed of compliant materials like silicones, offer compelling solutions to manipulating delicate objects, operating in unstructured environments, and facilitating safe human–robot interactions. However, despite their numerous advantages, there are some fundamental challenges to overcome, which particularly concern motion precision and stiffness compliance in performing physical tasks that involve external forces. In this regard, enhancing the operation performance of soft robots necessitates intricate, complex structural designs, compliant multifunctional materials, and proper manufacturing methods. The objective of this literature review is to chronicle a comprehensive overview of soft robot design, manufacturing, and operation challenges in conjunction with recent advancements and future research directions for addressing these technical challenges.

Structural power composites stand out as a possible solution to the demands of the modern transportation system of more efficient and eco-friendly vehicles. Recent studies demonstrated the possibility to realize these components endowing high-performance composites with electrochemical properties. The aim of this paper is to present a systematic review of the recent developments on this more and more sensitive topic. Two main technologies will be covered here: (1) the integration of commercially available lithium-ion batteries in composite structures, and (2) the fabrication of carbon fiber-based multifunctional materials. The latter will be deeply analyzed, describing how the fibers and the polymeric matrices can be synergistically combined with ionic salts and cathodic materials to manufacture monolithic structural batteries. The main challenges faced by these emerging research fields are also addressed. Among them, the maximum allowable curing cycle for the embedded configuration and the realization that highly conductive structural electrolytes for the monolithic solution are noteworthy. This work also shows an overview of the multiphysics material models developed for these studies and provides a clue for a possible alternative configuration based on solid-state electrolytes.

Additive manufacturing is a revolutionary three-dimensional (3D) printing technology that has applications in a vast number of fields from aerospace to biological engineering. In the field of bioengineering, it was recently discovered that the principles used in 3D bioprinting of organs and tissues could also be used to 3D print biological materials produced by genetically engineered bacteria. This new technology requires the development of modified bio-ink and optimized printing parameters to promote bacterial physiology while allowing printability. In this article, we highlight the recent advancements in additive manufacturing of engineered living materials using bacteria and their potential applications. We will discuss recent progress and significance of additive manufacturing of proteins and polypeptides produced in situ by engineered bacteria to make multifunctional materials. Finally, we discuss the challenges and prospects of this technology and highlight some of the biomaterials that may benefit from additive manufacturing with bacteria.

Living organisms have engineered remarkable protein-based materials through billions of years of evolution. These multifunctional materials have unparalleled mechanical, optical, and electronic properties and have served as inspiration for scientists to study and mimic these natural protein materials. New tools from synthetic biology are poised to revolutionize the ability to rapidly engineer and produce proteins for material applications. Specifically, advancements in new production hosts and cell-free systems are enabling researchers to overcome the significant challenges of cloning and expressing large nonnative proteins. The articles in this issue cover the mechanical and rheological properties of structural protein materials and nanocomposites; advancements in the synthesis and assembly of optical, electronic, and nanoscale protein materials; and recent development in the processing of protein materials using liquid–liquid phase separation and three-dimensional printing.

Oil-contaminated wastewater represents a major source of industrial pollution, posing significant risks to both the environment and human health. Traditional oil–water separation methods, including gravity separation, centrifugal separation, and air flotation, are limited by their processing efficiency and scope of applicability. In recent years, innovative oil–water separation technologies have gained considerable attention, particularly those utilizing adsorption, filtration, and membrane separation, owing to their high efficiency and environmental sustainability. Separation materials derived from biomass substrates—such as cellulose, chitosan, and lignin—along with metal-based membranes and polymeric filters, have shown remarkable performance. This is especially true for superhydrophobic/superoleophilic and stimuli-responsive materials, which excel in separating complex emulsified oil systems. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the strengths and limitations of current separation technologies and explores the potential applications of multifunctional materials in treating oil-contaminated wastewater, offering both theoretical insights and practical guidance for advancing green, efficient oil–water separation solutions.

This paper presents the development and characteristics of geopolymer foams modified with paraffin-based phase change materials (PCMs) encapsulated in diatomite. The aim was to increase both the thermal insulation and heat storage capacity of the foams while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength for construction applications. Eleven variants of composites with different PCM fractions (5–10% by mass) and grain sizes (<1.6 mm to >2.5 mm) were synthesized and tested. The inclusion of PCM encapsulated in diatomite modified the porous structure: the total porosity increased from 6.6% in the reference sample to 19.6% for the 1.6–1.8 mm_10% wt. variant, with pore diameters ranging from ~4 to 280 µm. Thermal conductivity (λ) ranged between 0.090–0.129 W/m·K, with the lowest values observed for composites 2.0–2.5 mm_5–10% wt. (≈0.090–0.091 W/m·K), which also showed high thermal resistance (R ≈ 0.287–0.289 m2·K/W). The specific heat (Cp) increased from 1.28 kJ/kg·K (reference value) to a maximum value of 1.87 kJ/kg·K for the 2.0–2.5 mm_10% mass variant, confirming the effective energy storage capacity of PCM-modified foams. Mechanical tests showed compressive strength values in the range of 0.7–3.1 MPa. The best structural performance was obtained for the 1.6–1.8 mm_10% wt. variant (3.1 MPa), albeit with a higher λ (≈0.129 W/m·K), illustrating the classic trade-off between porosity-based insulation and mechanical strength. SEM microstructural analysis and mercury porosimetry confirmed the presence of mesopores, which determine both thermal and mechanical properties. The results show that medium-sized PCM fractions (1.6–2.0 mm) with moderate content (≈10% by weight) offer the most favorable compromise between insulation and strength, while thicker fractions (2.0–2.5 mm) maximize thermal energy storage capacity. These findings confirm the possibility of incorporating natural PCMs into geopolymer foams to create multifunctional materials for sustainable and energy-efficient building applications. A unique contribution to this work is the use of diatomite as a natural PCM carrier, ensuring stability, compatibility, and environmental friendliness compared to conventional encapsulation methods.

Self-healing polymers are a new class of material that has recently received a lot of attention because of the lifespan improvement it could bring to multiple applications. One of the major challenges is to obtain multifunctional materials which can self-heal and exhibit other interesting properties such as protection against corrosion. In this paper, the effect of the incorporation of an aminosilane on the properties of a self-healing organic polymer containing disulfide bond is studied on films and coatings for aluminium AA2024-T3 using simple one step in situ synthesis. Hybrid coatings with enhanced anticorrosion properties measured by EIS were obtained thanks to the formation of a protective oxide interface layer, while exhibiting wound closure after exposition at 75 °C. The thermal, mechanical and rheological properties of the films with different aminosilane amounts were characterized in order to understand the influence of the slight presence of the inorganic network. Stiffer and reprocessable hybrid films were obtained, capable to recover their mechanical properties after healing. The nanocomposite structure, confirmed by TEM, had a positive effect on the self-healing and stress relaxation properties. These results highlight the potential of sol-gel chemistry to obtain efficient anticorrosion and self-healing coatings.

The aim of the present work is to highlight the unique role of anilato-ligands, derivatives of the 2,5-dioxy-1,4-benzoquinone framework containing various substituents at the 3 and 6 positions (X = H, Cl, Br, I, CN, etc.), in engineering a great variety of new materials showing peculiar magnetic and/or conducting properties. Homoleptic anilato-based molecular building blocks and related materials will be discussed. Selected examples of such materials, spanning from graphene-related layered magnetic materials to intercalated supramolecular arrays, ferromagnetic 3D monometallic lanthanoid assemblies, multifunctional materials with coexistence of magnetic/conducting properties and/or chirality and multifunctional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) will be discussed herein. The influence of (i) the electronic nature of the X substituents and (ii) intermolecular interactions i.e., H-Bonding, Halogen-Bonding, π-π stacking and dipolar interactions, on the physical properties of the resulting material will be also highlighted. A combined structural/physical properties analysis will be reported to provide an effective tool for designing novel anilate-based supramolecular architectures showing improved and/or novel physical properties. The role of the molecular approach in this context is pointed out as well, since it enables the chemical design of the molecular building blocks being suitable for self-assembly to form supramolecular structures with the desired interactions and physical properties.

Rethinking urban models requires resilient designs providing solutions to environmental problems at the building scale. Urban Heat Islands (UHI) and Urban Noise Islands (UNI) often coexist and significantly affect human health and comfort. This article aims to examine dual-function building envelope materials for reducing urban heat and noise islands using the literature review method. Dual-functional building envelope materials provide versatile benefits such as increasing energy efficiency, mitigating environmental challenges in densely populated areas, and improving individual and social health and comfort, in addition to their thermal and acoustic benefits. The use of these materials in building envelopes supports the climate adaptation of cities and provides resource efficiency.High albedo cool materials used for excessive heat reduction can be in the form of cool roofs or cool walls. High reflective materials, cool colored materials, retro-reflective materials, photoluminescent materials, thermochromic materials and sustainable materials are the most common among the cool material alternatives. The use of natural and local white colored gravel of various sizes on cool roofs is a low-cost and efficient approach to UHI reduction. Cool colored materials reflecting the near-infrared part of the solar spectrum bring a suitable solution for historical buildings where white color application is not appropriate. Highly reflective materials combat heat-related risks by reflecting incoming solar radiation directly back to their source due to their special content. Photoluminescent materials, which are still in the research phase, and thermochromic materials that change color when they reach a predetermined temperature are other solutions used to prevent heat-induced problems. Recycled or paraffin, biowaste oil added Phase Change Materials (PCM) also offer environmentally friendly, sustainable solutions for this case. In terms of UNI mitigating techniques, sound absorbing materials with high sound absorption coefficient and low density are widely preferred for building envelopes. Since high albedo materials generally have low sound absorption capacity, although reduction in heat- and noise-related threats is possible separately with the building envelope materials to be selected, multifunctional surface design diminishing both UHI and UNI effects simultaneously still involves various challenges. However, there are various strategies including applications of green walls and green roofs. Innovative approaches such as the use of PCM in pavements or the conversion of noise into green electricity using resonators or acoustic metamaterials also exist. While such solutions have not yet been widely found in practical applications, they are promising for the resilient smart cities of the future. Further experimental validation is needed to evaluate the long-term performance, cost-effectiveness and climate-specific applicability of multifunctional materials. Highlights Multi functional building envelope materials that simultaneously address UHI and UNI offer great opportunities to create resilient future designs. Using cool materials in building envelopes mitigate UHI related risks. Using sound-absorbing materials in building envelopes mitigate UNI related risks. Innovative solutions such as phase-changing materials and converting harvested noise into electricity are great future opportunities.