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        <title>Frontiers in Materials | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/materials</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Materials | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <generator>Frontiers Feed Generator,version:1</generator>
        <pubDate>2026-10-26T02:13:22.439+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1938438</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1938438</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Insight on gold nanoparticle-decorated TiO2 nanotube electrochemical sensor for non-enzymatic glucose detection]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Halima Benghanoum</author><author>Syrine Sassi</author><author>Rabia Benabderrahmane Zaghouani</author><author>Amal Bouich</author><author>Asmae Arbaoui</author><author>Maha El Hawary</author><author>Hafedh Dhiflaoui</author><author>Lofti Khezami</author><author>Ali Karrech</author><author>Bernabé Mari Soucase</author><author>Anouar Hajjaji</author>
        <description><![CDATA[A non-enzymatic glucose sensor was fabricated by electrochemically depositing gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) onto anodically grown titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2-NTs). The sensor’s properties were systematically tuned by varying the number of deposition cycles (10–60). Comprehensive characterization revealed that the Au-NP decoration significantly alters the material’s optical properties, inducing a tunable bandgap shift due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), with the most pronounced redshift (2.94 eV) observed at 20 cycles. Morphological and elemental analyses (SEM, TEM EDX) confirmed that increasing deposition to 60 cycles drives the lateral coalescence of Au-NPs (average size ∼33 nm) into an interconnected network. Electrochemically, this configuration triggers a mechanistic shift from porous diffusion-limited kinetics to electronic percolation-dominated charge collection, successfully offsetting partial pore choking. The sensor achieved a high sensitivity of 7.96 μA/mM cm2, a low detection limit of 15.1 µM within a linear range of 0.5–4 mM, and excellent reproducibility over 40 operational cycles with notable selectivity against common interferents. The synergy between the high-surface-area TiO2-NT scaffold and the catalytic/plasmonic Au-NPs establishes this platform as a robust and promising candidate for advanced electrochemical biosensing applications.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1935061</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1935061</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mechanics-constrained Cosserat-rod digital twin for defect-aware continuous-tow composite deposition]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Honghong Wang</author><author>Yi Mao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Tow-steered automated fiber placement (AFP) enables tailored laminates, but curvature and compaction can generate bending, shear, contact concentration, and deposition mismatch before inspection. In this study, we develop a Cosserat-rod reduced mechanics layer that maps programmed paths to residual-balanced deposited states and exports objective kinematics, energy, dissipation, contact response, and defect-tendency indicators. Under identical geometry, elasticity, loading, restraints, and unilateral roller contact, three states are compared with independently assembled Q4 and 43,065-DOF Hex8 models; maximum discrepancies in centerline deformation, integrated reaction, and peak of the width-averaged pressure are 0.58%, 9.69%, and 6.57%, respectively. A corrected 320-case Latin-hypercube set and a 32-case severe set all satisfy the dual convergence criterion. At N=48, a process/geometry surrogate reverses severe-case order (ρ=−0.904), whereas a Cosserat-mechanics surrogate retains ρ=0.990 and identifies all 11 high-risk cases. In a separate fixed-geometry process counterfactual, mechanics-based features recover the top-risk ordering ρ=0.918 but underpredict all four high-risk thresholds, demonstrating why surrogate selections require nonlinear reevaluation. An unseen process candidate is reevaluated, with an absolute risk discrepancy of 2.27×10−4; prewarmed surrogate screening is 4.72×104 times faster than Cosserat-rod reevaluation. The evidence supports mechanics-constrained triage, not calibrated defect prediction or AFP qualification. Absolute thresholds require machine-specific experiments or calibrated high-fidelity process FE.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1950801</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1950801</link>
        <title><![CDATA[EPD-grounded carbon-resilience allocation for low-carbon concrete supply: decision fidelity, route validation, and correlated-disruption stress testing]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Xin Yang</author><author>Yong Xiang</author><author>Yao Wei</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionGreen construction teams need a defensible way to convert product-specific concrete carbon declarations into supply decisions that recognize delivery and disruption exposure. Prediction-to-optimization workflows can obscure a critical evidence boundary: verified environmental product declaration (EPD) values can support formal supplier comparison, whereas machine-learning estimates require decision-level validation before allocation.Methods We introduce an evidence-aligned framework that separates observed EPD attributes, model-estimated screening outputs, scenario-derived A4 transport, and assumption-based disruption stress and assigns each a specific decision role. Model transportability was audited using plant, company, temporal, and geographic holdouts, followed by a direct comparison of predicted and EPD-observed rankings and allocations. Formal strength-constrained optimization minimized observed EPD A1–A3 plus scenario A4 under plant-share caps.ResultsAfter harmonization and deduplication, the analysis contained 45,739 EPD records from 663 plants. A prospective external cohort added 22 declarations from 14 plants and seven derivation-unseen companies; the frozen model reduced record-level MAE by 6.6% relative to the frozen training median, while the supplier-ranking gate retained the EPD-grounded path. Across nine city-strength cases, a 40% cap produced three-plant allocations with a mean Herfindahl–Hirschman Index of 0.36. Under a 10% independent plant-disruption stress rate, it reduced the probability of losing at least half of supply from 0.100 to 0.027; mean and median A1–A4 premiums were 14.57% and 7.76%, respectively. The benefits remained measurable across disruption probabilities of 5%–30% and pairwise correlations of 0–0.50. An OpenStreetMap routing check covered 79 plant–project pairs: median distance error was 6.39%, 17 of 18 allocation decisions were unchanged, and the remaining case had 0.026% route-evaluated objective regret.DiscussionThe contribution is a transparent carbon-concentration frontier with an empirical decision-fidelity gate: prediction supports early screening, whereas EPD values anchor formal allocation. The framework provides extensible planning evidence while preserving clear boundaries between comparative scenarios and operational procurement.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1951341</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1951341</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Analysis of multi-hole blasting-induced fracture and fragmentation in coal masses]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jianjian Zhao</author><author>Pengchu Ding</author><author>Burui Ta</author><author>Mi Zhou</author><author>Haojie Zhao</author><author>Changtai Zhou</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In this article, the plain strain mode using LS-DYNA is conducted to investigate the coal mass damage evolution under blasting load, and a fragment evaluation method is proposed to optimize mining blasting engineering. The Riedel–Hiermaier–Thoma model is applied and verified in the single-borehole blasting model with a validation parameter. Several blasting models are simulated to reveal the effect of biaxial isobaric stresses, delay explosion, and borehole space on the crack growth pattern. The results indicate that crack growth tends to be restrained with increasing isobaric stresses; in the multi-hole model, the crack tends to fully grow with the increase in delay, and there is an optimal hole spacing for crack growth and fragment formation. Finally, a fragment evaluation method based on damage threshold is proposed to optimize the blasting design in engineering practice.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1954859</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1954859</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A comprehensive review on development of texture in automotive-grade medium manganese steel]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Sudipta Mohapatra</author><author>Rururaja Pradhan</author><author>Bishnu Narayan Mahapatra</author><author>Prasant Kumar Swain</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Medium manganese steels (MMnSs, 3–12 wt% Mn) are pivotal for third-generation automotive applications due to their strong strength-ductility synergy from complex phase transformations and texture evolution. This review discusses the latest findings in texture development across ferritic, austenitic, and duplex MMnSs, focusing on the influence of alloying elements, stacking fault energy (SFE), and austenite reversion during processing. Studies show that γ-fiber strengthening, cube orientation, and twinning-induced reorientation affect mechanical anisotropy and crashworthiness. Key elements like Mn, Ni, and C stabilize austenite and foster γ-fiber textures, while Al and Si decrease SFE to enhance twinning and ferritic cube components. Despite significant progress, challenges in predicting quantitative prediction of texture evolution under industrial processing conditions, the stability of reverted austenite during cyclic loading, and the integration of TRIP/TWIP mechanisms into predictive models persist. Research gaps include the need for advanced in-situ characterization, multiscale simulations linking chemistry to texture, and long-term corrosion-mechanical coupling studies. By identifying these challenges, this review provides a roadmap for alloy design and processing strategies aimed at optimizing the strength–ductility balance of MMnSs for next-generation automotive steels.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1978854</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1978854</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Performance enhancement of concrete with alkali-conditioned fly ash lightweight aggregate]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Xiaozhong Zheng</author><author>Tao Han</author><author>Zhuang Wang</author><author>Tingting Luo</author><author>Guangfei Liu</author><author>Bing Xue</author><author>Peihe Yu</author><author>Yongsheng Ji</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Lightweight concrete serves as an effective means of minimizing the dead load of shaft walls. In the present work, spherical lightweight aggregates produced from fly ash were employed as a substitute for conventional sand and gravel in wellbore concrete mixtures. A series of alkaline immersion curing experiments and material characterization tests were carried out to evaluate the effects of alkali type and concentration on the fundamental properties of non-sintered fly ash lightweight aggregates, including unconfined compressive strength and water resistance. The investigation also examined how aggregate grading and water-to-cement ratio influence the mechanical behavior and impermeability of fly-ash lightweight aggregate concrete. Scanning electron microscopy combined with microhardness testing was utilized to characterize the modifications in the interfacial transition zone induced by alkaline curing. A mechanistic model was proposed to explain the improvements in mechanical properties and impermeability under alkali treatment. Experimental results demonstrate that alkaline immersion promotes more complete hydration of fly ash, thereby directly enhancing both the unconfined compressive strength and impermeability of FLBA concrete. In alkali-activated FLBA concrete, the microhardness across the ITZ is considerably higher than that of the bulk cement paste matrix; the microhardness values increase as the aggregate surface is approached, and this gradient exhibits a strong correlation with the degree of improvement in mechanical strength and impermeability.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1954367</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1954367</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mechanical behaviors of weathered coal gangue filled concrete pavement based on surface solidification]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yingsong Li</author><author>Wei Guo</author><author>Xinge Miao</author><author>Xiangling Tao</author><author>Qingtao Wang</author><author>Jiangyi Zhang</author><author>Weichi Chen</author><author>Ziyao Wei</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Weathered coal gangue (WCG) is a solid waste formed by the long-term accumulation and weathering of coal gangue. Its low strength and poor stability prevent direct use as a concrete aggregate, limiting large-scale utilization. To overcome this, a consolidation treatment was developed and the treated WCG was evaluated as a replacement aggregate for concrete pavement in mining areas. The physical properties of the WCG before and after treatment were first measured. Then, the failure modes and stress changes of WCG concrete under different replacement intervals were evaluated by compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, shear strength tests and numerical simulation. The results showed that the Los Angeles wear rate, Vickers hardness and impact value of WCG after consolidation treatment were 19.88%, 141.43 kgf/mm2 and 5.66%, respectively, indicating improved wear resistance, hardness, and impact resistance after consolidation treatment. Under the condition of meeting the requirements of secondary road strength, the maximum substitution range of WCG replacement gravel was 2.36–19.0 mm. At this time, the flexural strength of concrete was 4.67 MPa, the compressive strength was 27.81 MPa, the splitting tensile strength was 2.13 MPa, the cohesion was 2.93 MPa, and the internal friction angle was 66.20°. The simulation results showed that the failure mode was of the ‘X’ type when no aggregate was replaced by coal gangue, whereas after full replacement the failure initiated at the outermost large aggregate and propagated inward, with the cracks propagating along the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and through the aggregate. When the replacement interval was 2.36–19.0 mm, the interval contributing most to the stress bearing capacity of WCG concrete was 19.0–31.5 mm, with a contribution rate of 58.31%. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of WCG in concrete pavement.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1965824</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1965824</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Section-level spatial autocorrelation enables cross-study evaluation of myocardial organization after dECM deployment]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Zhengyang Xue</author><author>Yifei Sheng</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) is a tissue-derived scaffold that remains after cellular material is removed. After delivery, it encounters the heterogeneous myocardium, creating a need for a tissue-scale readout that can be applied across formulations and delivery settings. We developed a section-level spatial-autocorrelation readout and applied it to 21 publicly available, analytically separable capture/section units from two rat Visium studies of intramyocardial dECM injection and simulated intracoronary infusion. A histology-based, sample-balanced atlas aligned the broad cardiac fields represented in both studies. For each section, we averaged separately calculated Moran’s I values for cardiomyocyte, fibroblast, myeloid, and endothelial fields and then estimated the association with dECM exposure in a study- and time-stratified model. The dECM coefficient was +0.0832 (95% CI −0.0240 to +0.1903; exact two-sided p = 0.0933). The estimate was positive, while the interval included zero and retained substantial uncertainty in direction and magnitude. All four-field coefficients and all 21 leave-one-unit-out estimates were positive, and the direction persisted after field omission, broader spatial graphs, and the use of a separately constructed field representation. Orthology-corrected spatial ranks identified an overlapping extracellular matrix (ECM)/collagen program family whose fixed-rule scores were spatially structured. The analysis provides a common section-level axis for heterogeneous dECM studies and defines an ECM/collagen hypothesis for prospective experiments that measure material properties and tissue organization together.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1945972</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1945972</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Robust bio-based epoxy vitrimers with dual dynamic boronic ester and β-hydroxy ester bonds: self-healing, weldability and recyclability]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Quanxi Yi</author><author>Rongji Shen</author><author>Wenjie Mo</author><author>Yanning Zeng</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Development of bio-based epoxy vitrimers faces a persistent trade-off between high mechanical/thermal performance and efficient dynamic reversibility for self-healing and recycling. Herein, we report a series of furan-based epoxy vitrimers (DGFB-x) that integrate dual dynamic covalent bonds, boronic ester and β-hydroxy ester, within a single network. These materials are synthesized by curing a bio-based diglycidyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylate (DGF) monomer with an aminophenylboronic acid-derived crosslinker (di-BONH2). The chemical structures are confirmed by FTIR and NMR, and the crosslinked nature is verified by swelling tests. By adjusting the crosslinker ratio, the tensile strength can be tuned from 48.5 to 75.4 MPa and the Young’s modulus from 137.3 to 512.5 MPa, while the elongation at break decreases correspondingly. Thermal analysis shows excellent stability with initial decomposition temperatures (T5%) above 270 °C and heat-resistant indices (Ts) up to 163.3 °C. Owing to the dual dynamic exchange mechanisms, the optimized DGFB-1.0 exhibits outstanding self-healing efficiency (98.2% at 90 °C for 60 min), high welding efficiency (>94%), remarkable reprocessability (81.3% tensile strength retention after three cycles), and effective chemical recycling via alcoholysis (recovery >90%). Furthermore, DGFB-1.0-based carbon-fiber-reinforced composites are successfully recycled with preserved carbon fiber quality and mechanical properties. This work proposes a tentative molecular design approach aimed at alleviating the performance-recyclability conflict in sustainable thermosets.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1968513</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1968513</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mechanical performance and energy absorption of novel re-entrant auxetic honeycomb with I-beam inclined wall cross-section]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jiahe Sun</author><author>Yabo Liu</author><author>Jianjun Zhao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In this study, a novel re-entrant auxetic honeycomb with I-beam cross-sections in the inclined walls is proposed. A bending-dominated theoretical model is developed for the equivalent compressive modulus and nominal compressive strength, and the model is validated by quasi-static compression experiments and finite element (FE) simulations. The energy-absorption performance is compared with that of a conventional Auxetic-square honeycomb having the same macroscopic re-entrant topology and equal inclined-wall cross-sectional area. The Auxetic-I-beam honeycomb increases the equivalent modulus and compressive strength by 286.0% and 98.7%, respectively. Its volumetric energy absorption, specific energy absorption, and plateau stress increase by 67.90%, 66.67%, and 78.36%, respectively, while the mass increases by 5.52%. These results demonstrate that redistributing material away from the neutral axis of the inclined walls is an effective and mechanically interpretable strategy for improving the quasi-static load-bearing and energy-absorption performance of re-entrant auxetic honeycombs. The conclusions are restricted to the tested print orientation, material batch, geometric range, and quasi-static loading conditions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1931574</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1931574</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Functional materials for sustainable pavement engineering: multi-scale design and environmental integration]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Jiasheng Dai</author><author>Cesare Sangiorgi</author><author>Xiaolong Yang</author><author>Zifeng Zhao</author><author>Chen Li</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1980178</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1980178</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Optimization of multi-frequency resonant coupling acoustic package for electric motor based on a Kriging-genetic algorithm]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jieli Wang</author><author>Baozhong Sun</author><author>Hui Guo</author><author>Pei Sun</author><author>Shuang Huang</author><author>Xiaolong Xie</author><author>Ningning Liu</author><author>Minyuan Yao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As the core component of electric vehicle (EV) power systems, the electric motor (E-motor) is an important source of noise, which significantly affects passenger comfort. Nevertheless, due to weight- and volume-related limitations, the design of E-motor acoustic packages faces great challenges in low-frequency broadband noise reduction. Aimming to reduce the low-frequency noise below 2000 Hz of the E-motor effectively, this paper proposes a multi-frequency resonant coupled acoustic metamaterial acoustic package (MRPAM-AP) based on the multi-frequency resonant coupling mechanism. The sound transmission loss (STL) characteristics and the effect of structural parameters on STL are analyzed by finite element method (FEM) models. To achieve optimal STL characteristics, the MRPAM-AP topology parameters are optimized using the Kriging-genetic algorithm optimization method. The noise reduction performance is validated via E-motor noise tests. The experimental results illustrate that the MRPAM-AP can significantly reduce E-motor low frequency noise. The proposed acoustic package and optimization method provide a novel approach for the industrial application of acoustic metamaterials.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1919005</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1919005</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Design and optimization of an Ag/Cu–black phosphorus/Franckeite heterostructure for high-sensitivity surface plasmon resonance biosensing]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jacob Wekalao</author><author>Tobias Otieno</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionSurface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors enable label-free, real-time detection, but simultaneously achieving strong field confinement, near-critical coupling, and a high figure of merit (FoM) remains challenging, particularly when low-loss silver must be protected from aqueous media.MethodsA CaF2/Ag/Cu/black phosphorus (BP)/Franckeite Kretschmann heterostructure was modeled at λ = 633 nm using the frequency-domain Maxwell wave equation and the transfer matrix method under TM-polarized angular and phase interrogation. The Ag and Cu thicknesses were optimized individually and jointly, size-dependent Drude damping corrections were applied, and performance was benchmarked against a Cu-only reference with identical BP/Franckeite overlayers. Fabrication tolerance to BP layer number and Franckeite thickness was also evaluated.ResultsJoint optimization identified a near-critical-coupling configuration at approximately 31 nm Ag and 7 nm Cu, with a minimum reflectance of 1.1 × 10−3 within the sensing window. Over 1.328–1.336 RIU, the sensor reached a peak angular sensitivity of 372°/RIU and a FoM of 47.0 RIU−1 at ns = 1.332, approximately 62% and 78% higher than the Cu-only reference. Phase interrogation reached 29,200°/RIU, corresponding to a minimum detectable refractive-index change of approximately 3.4 × 10−7 RIU. The 1/e evanescent-field penetration depth was 178–201 nm. Size-dependent damping reduced the FoM by approximately 5%, and realistic 2D-layer thickness variations reduced it by no more than approximately 10%.DiscussionThe Ag/Cu/BP/Franckeite architecture is a promising platform for label-free biosensing, including carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) detection, subject to experimental validation of long-term stability, surface functionalization, and thermally compensated phase readout.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1922252</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1922252</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Phytofabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles from Celosia argentea L.: mechanistic insights into ROS-mediated apoptosis in the MCF-7 cell line and photocatalytic degradation of malachite green]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Gunika Kour</author><author>Divya Katal</author><author>Sandeep Kaur</author><author>Garima Rana</author><author>Nahaa M. Alotaibi</author><author>Vaseem Raja</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe green synthetic approach of nanoparticle synthesis using medicinal plants has emerged as an eco-friendly and efficient approach to develop novel therapeutic agents against cancer. In the present study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized using methanolic flower extract of Celosia argentea L., a plant known for its rich phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties.MethodsThe biosynthesized ZnO NPs were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and SEM analyses. The antioxidant activity of the extract and ZnO NPs was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, superoxide scavenging, and metal-chelation assays. Cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Apoptotic features were examined by DAPI/confocal microscopy, and ROS levels and apoptotic cell percentages were analyzed by flow cytometry. Expression of apoptosis-related proteins was assessed by Western blotting. Visible light-driven photocatalytic activity was tested against Malachite Green (MG) under varying dye concentration, catalyst loading, and pH, and degradation kinetics, reusability over five consecutive cycles, and radical-scavenging assays were also evaluated.ResultsThe analyses confirmed the crystalline nature, nanoscale size, and phytochemical capping of the ZnO NPs. TEM analysis revealed an average apparent particle size of 18.76 nm, whereas Williamson–Hall analysis of the XRD data estimated a crystallite size of 28.83 nm. The extract exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity in all assays, and ZnO NPs were more active than the extract in all assays. The MTT assay showed dose-dependent cytotoxic effects of the extract (CAFE) and ZnO NPs against MCF-7 cells, with GI50 values of 32.71 and 8.735 µg/mL, respectively, at 24 hours. DAPI/confocal microscopy revealed chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, membrane blebbing, and apoptotic bodies. Flow cytometry showed increased ROS levels and percentage of apoptotic cells after treatment. Western blotting showed enhanced expression of p53, caspase-3, and caspase-9 and reduced expression of Bcl-xl, indicating induction of apoptosis. Under optimized conditions (initial dye concentration of 10 ppm, catalyst loading of 20 mg, pH 9), the ZnO NPs achieved 99.62% degradation of MG within 60 min under visible light. Degradation efficiency decreased with increasing dye concentration, whereas alkaline conditions and higher catalyst loading favored performance. The process followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with the highest apparent rate constant (k₁ = 0.061 min⁻¹; R² = 0.99) at 10 ppm MG. The ZnO NPs retained substantial photocatalytic activity after five consecutive cycles. Radical-scavenging assays revealed that superoxide radicals (O₂•⁻) played the predominant role, while hydroxyl radicals and photogenerated holes contributed to the overall oxidative degradation.DiscussionIn general, C. argentea-mediated ZnO NPs induce ROS-mediated apoptosis through regulation of apoptosis-related proteins in MCF-7 cells. These results suggest that plant-mediated ZnO NPs could be useful as anticancer agents, though further studies are needed in other cancer cell lines, with normal cells as controls, and in in vivo models. The phytofabricated ZnO NPs also show strong potential as reusable visible-light photocatalysts for dye degradation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1961834</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1961834</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Topology-mediated deformation and failure mechanisms in heterogeneous cellular SiCp/Al composites revealed by mesoscale finite element analysis]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Haipeng Chen</author><author>Zhong Zheng</author><author>Bo Yuan</author><author>Sainan Ma</author><author>Likun Wang</author><author>Bowen Gong</author><author>Wenting Ouyang</author><author>Dongming Chen</author><author>Cheng Liu</author><author>Xiang Gao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe spatial heterogeneity of reinforcement distribution strongly influences the mechanical response of particle-reinforced metal matrix composites (PRMMCs). However, the respective roles of local reinforcement concentration and network connectivity in deformation and failure remain unclear.MethodsIn this study, two-dimensional mesoscale finite element models of SiCp/6061Al composites with identical global SiC volume fraction but distinct cellular architectures were developed. By varying local SiC volume fraction and reinforcement-rich region connectivity, the effects of heterogeneous particle distributions on stress transfer, strain localization, crack initiation and propagation were investigated.ResultsThe results demonstrate that moderate reinforcement localization enhances tensile strength by improving stress transfer efficiency, whereas excessive localization accompanied by network discontinuity deteriorates macroscopic load-bearing capability. Furthermore, local SiC concentration primarily determines damage initiation through intensified deformation incompatibility, while reinforcement network connectivity governs subsequent crack propagation behavior. A continuous particle-rich framework promotes efficient load transfer but accelerates crack transmission after damage initiation, whereas a disconnected network enhances crack deflection but reduces strengthening efficiency.DiscussionThese findings establish a topology-based design principle for heterogeneous SiCp/Al composites, emphasizing that reinforcement connectivity is essential for achieving a favorable balance between strength and damage tolerance.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1950579</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1950579</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Temperature dependence and consistency of dark current measurement methods for infrared focal plane arrays]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-15T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Rongjie Feng</author><author>Jiaping Long</author><author>Xinjie Li</author><author>Yongyong Cao</author><author>Zilong Zeng</author><author>Zhenyi Deng</author><author>Zixin Liang</author><author>Yu Liu</author><author>Bo Li</author><author>Sanjie Liu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Dark current is a critical parameter for infrared focal plane detectors, while practical measurement methods may exhibit temperature-dependent discrepancies. This study systematically evaluates the consistency between the blind cold shield (BCS) and theoretical coefficient (TC) methods using paired measurements of 24 mid-wave infrared detector chips at 120 K and 150 K, with 140 K measurements included as an intermediate experimental condition for descriptive analysis. Relative deviation and Bland–Altman analyses were employed to quantify inter-method consistency. At 120 K, 70.8% of chips showed TC dark-current values more than 20% below the BCS baseline, compared with 29.2% at 150 K. The mean absolute relative deviation decreased from 74.9% to 42.1%, while the geometric mean TC/BCS ratio increased from approximately 0.40–0.92. Bland–Altman analysis showed persistent absolute chip-to-chip variability, while the geometric mean TC/BCS ratio moved closer to unity at 150 K. These results indicate improved relative BCS–TC consistency over 120 K–150 K while emphasizing that the applicable measurement range is detector and configuration dependent.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1933448</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1933448</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Comparative study of thermoelectricity in cotton fabrics coated by immersion with Pyrograf® III carbon nanofibers-based inks]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-15T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Antonio J. Paleo</author><author>Jose Abreu</author><author>Beate Krause</author><author>Sergio González-Casal</author><author>Louis Thomas</author><author>Maria F. Cerqueira</author><author>Enrique Muñoz</author><author>Petra Pötschke</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Herein, the thermoelectric (TE) properties of cotton woven fabrics (CWFs) modified by dip coating in aqueous inks made from two Pyrograf® III carbon nanofibers (CNFs), PR 24 LHT XT and PR 25 PS XT, are compared. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy analyses of CNFs reveal similar morphologies and structures, although PR 24 LHT XT have smaller diameters and higher grade of crystallinity than PR 25 PS XT. Despite these differences, CWFs made from inks with them are quite similar in terms of their electrical conductivity (σ), Seebeck coefficient (S), and thermal conductivity (k). Although, overall, textiles produced using PR 24 are slightly superior to those obtained using the PR 25 PS XT CNFs, achieving σ of ∼35 S m−1 and negative Seebeck coefficients around −6 μVK−1. These values correspond to a Power Factor (PF) of ∼1 × 10−3 μW mK-1, and a figure of merit (zT) of ∼6 × 10−6 at 30 °C. Notably, between 30 °C and 100 °C, the S of the conductive textiles (CTs) is slightly higher, in absolute terms, than that of the corresponding CNFs. In addition, in this same temperature range, the CTs exhibit negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior, which according to the 3D variable range hopping (VRH) model, can be interpreted as resulting from the thermal activation of charge carriers capable of crossing several potential wells, and a simultaneous increase in their S. All of these results are discussed in order to clarify the role played by these two types of Pyrograf® III CNFs on the TE properties of their conductive textiles.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1934242</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1934242</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Effect of Ti3C2Tx MXene content on the structural properties and optical band gap of PVA/PEG nanocomposite thin films]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Joyanta Sonowal</author><author>Ankur Tanti</author><author>Profulla Chandra Kalita</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In this work, Ti3C2Tx MXene was synthesized by selective chemical etching of the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase and incorporated into a poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) matrix to fabricate nanocomposite thin films with Ti3C2Tx MXene loadings of 0.5–1.5 wt% by using a simple drop-casting technique. The structural, morphological, compositional, and optical characteristics of pure PVA/PEG and Ti3C2Tx MXene/PVA/PEG nanocomposite thin films were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed enhanced interfacial interactions between the polymer chains and the surface functional groups of Ti3C2Tx MXenes. XRD and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results confirmed the successful formation of MXene and its incorporation into the polymer matrix. The crystallinity index showed a non-monotonic trend with Ti3C2Tx MXene loading, reaching a maximum at 0.5 wt% Ti3C2Tx MXene with crystallinity indices of 48.01% and 49.87% as determined by XRD and FTIR, respectively, due to the heterogeneous nucleation effect of MXene nanosheets at low filler loading. UV–Vis spectroscopy showed a gradual red shift of the absorption edge as the Ti3C2Tx MXene concentration increased. Both the direct and indirect optical band gap energies decreased from 5.49 to 4.98 eV and from 5.17 to 3.28 eV, respectively, as the Ti3C2Tx MXene content increased from 0.0 to 1.5 wt%. These findings suggest that Ti3C2Tx MXene/PVA/PEG nanocomposite thin films are promising candidates for future investigation in optoelectronic, sensing, and energy-related applications.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1967190</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1967190</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Deep learning for biodegradable metallic biomaterials: from degradation modeling to performance prediction with a practical case study]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tongfei Shen</author><author>Xiaohui Wang</author><author>Huaicheng Li</author><author>Zhongze Pan</author><author>Zhaoliang Gao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Biodegradable metallic implants are transitioning from laboratory concept to clinical deployment, yet predicting their corrosion rate and residual strength in the physiological environment remains a substantial scientific challenge. The interplay of electrochemical, mechanical, and biological factors creates a high-dimensional problem that conventional modelling cannot easily capture, while experimental datasets are often too sparse and fragmented for traditional statistical approaches. Deep learning architectures, including graph, recurrent, and transformer networks, combined with physics-informed loss functions, now offer accurate forecasts of degradation rates, yield strength, and biological responses. Interpretation tools such as SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) and attention mapping further reveal which alloying elements and processing parameters dominate performance, tightening the prediction-experiment loop. This work also demonstrates MAGIC (Multi-task Alloy Gated-network with Integrated Constraints), a multi-task learner that fuses composition and processing modalities through learned uncertainty weighting. On a magnesium alloy dataset of 600 records it delivers cross-validated R2 values of 0.864 for ultimate tensile strength and 0.907 for yield strength, with root-mean-square errors of 28.0 and 26.8 MPa for ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS), outperforming seven standard baselines and providing a reproducible template. The boundary of this contribution is explicitly emphasised: MAGIC predicts the pristine (as-processed) ultimate tensilestrength and yield strength of undegraded material; it does not predict corrosion rates or post-implantation residual strength, and the coupling between corrosion damage and mechanical degradation is identified as a key open direction rather than a solved capability. Substantial barriers persist, notably the gap between in vitro and in vivo environments, scarce openly shared data, and the rigorous demands of clinical validation. Nevertheless, deep learning is progressively integrating into biodegradable metal research, and the central question is evolving from feasibility to whether the community can establish the required data infrastructure and interdisciplinary trust.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1950296</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1950296</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Recent advances in electrospun hydrogen-rich polymeric nanofiber composites for space radiation shielding]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author> Alka</author><author>Siddhi Srivastava</author><author>Priyanka Prajapati</author><author>Archana Bharti Sonkar</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As human space exploration extends beyond Low Earth Orbit toward sustained lunar and future Mars missions, lightweight and multifunctional radiation-shielding materials are increasingly required to mitigate the complex Galactic Cosmic Ray and Solar Particle Event (SPE) environment. Hydrogen-rich polymers offer advantages over conventional high-Z metallic shields because of their low density and reduced production of high-energy secondary radiation. This review critically evaluates recent advances (2020–2026) in electrospun hydrogen-rich polymeric nanofiber composites for space radiation shielding, with emphasis on the relationships among polymer chemistry, nanofiber architecture, functional fillers, and shielding performance. Particular attention is given to polyethylene-based systems, boron-containing fillers, hierarchical architectures, and the influence of processing and interfacial characteristics on radiation attenuation and multifunctional performance. Radiation-transport modelling, including Monte Carlo approaches, together with molecular-scale and computational materials-design strategies, is examined as a route toward predictive optimization; however, limitations associated with heterogeneous datasets, model validation, and the lack of standardized mission-relevant testing remain significant barriers. The review further identifies critical challenges in electrospinning scalability, environmental durability, long-duration radiation exposure, and translation from laboratory testing to aerospace implementation. Overall, the available evidence indicates that shielding performance cannot be attributed to nanofiber morphology alone and must instead be evaluated through the combined effects of hydrogen content, areal density, architecture, filler distribution, and radiation type. Future progress will require quantitatively validated structure-property-performance relationships, standardized testing protocols, scalable manufacturing, and integrated experimental-computational approaches to enable reliable qualification of lightweight shielding systems for long-duration space missions.]]></description>
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