Development of fluorescent film probes for toxic nitroaromatic compound pollutants (NACs) such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in real water samples implies broad applications in environmental and industrial safety control. Despite many recent advances, there are still some difficult challenges facing this area, for example, the restricted sensitivity and long response time caused by hindered and slow diffusion of aqueous NACs samples inside a dense, solid film. Hence, we report herein a robust fluorescent paper sensor with improved sensing abilities, which is prepared by absorbing hydrophilic pyrene-functionalized polymer uniformly into cellulose-based filter papers. Thanks to the numerous oxygen-containing groups grafted on cellulose papers, they allow passive and ultrafast capillary force driving diffusion of aqueous NACs samples into their hydrophilic matrix. Specifically speaking, these paper sensors can offer efficient self-diffusion paths inside the test strips and immediately bring the pyrene fluorophores and NACs quenchers into close proximity. Therefore, the developed paper-based test strips enable both naked-eye detection of low-ppm-level TNT and ultrafast fluorescence quenching with a response time of only a few seconds, which are difficult to be achieved by conventional film probes.Keywords: aqueous phase; fluorescence quenching; nitroaromatic pollutants; paper sensor; self-diffusion; ultrafast detection;

Although the construction of superwettability materials for oil/water separation has been developed rapidly, the postprocess of the used separation materials themselves is still a thorny problem due to their nondegradation in the natural environment. In this work, we reported the functionalization of polylactic acid (PLA) nonwoven fabric as superoleophilic and superhydrophobic material for efficient treatment of oily wastewater with eco-friendly post-treatment due to the well-known biodegradable nature of PLA matrix.Keywords: biodegradable; oil absorption; oil/water separation; PLA nonwoven fabric; superoleophilicity and superhydrophobicity;

Graphene oxide (GO), which is structurally analogous to graphene, was used as the ink to precisely tune the surface activity of graphene, without diminishing the outstanding properties of the 2D sp2 network, via microcontact printing-induced multiple π–π stacking interactions. The GO/graphene hybrids, thus, provide a robust platform for chemical/photo-active GO for further chemical modification with multifunctionality.

Supramolecular shape memory hydrogels (SSMHs) refer to shape memory polymers, in which temporary shapes are stabilized by reversible crosslinks such as supramolecular interactions and dynamic covalent bonds. Following a brief introduction of the conventional shape memory polymers (SMPs), this tutorial review is focused to summarize the recent advancement in various reversible crosslinks employed to construct SSMHs (supramolecular interactions and dynamic covalent bonds) and different shape memory behaviors (dual and triple shape memory effects). In addition, current challenges and future perspectives in this field are also discussed to suggest a new developing direction.

The Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique has been demonstrated as the most popular way to achieve freestanding two-dimensional (2D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) thin films on the surface of liquid, yet still suffers some limitations, such as the need of expensive instruments with complicated surface pressure detection and time-consuming processes, and thus is inaccessible to a large number of researchers. Here, we present a cheap, reliable, and ultrafast strategy to fabricate free-standing 2D CNTs networks on an air/water interface by a highly simplified LB method free of instruments, yet only with porous materials assisted capillary force driving compression. The formation of free-standing 2D CNTs networks with controlled thickness, transmittance, and conductivity could be further transferred to other various substrates. Growing polymer from one side of the flexible CNTs network allows us to achieve 2D hybrid Janus materials of polymer grafted CNTs thin films. This endows the conductive 2D CNTs hybrid networks with responsive chemical functionality, which is highly important for scalable developments as next generation flexible electronics in chemical sensing.

The detection of highly toxic CS2, which is known as a notorious occupational hazard in various industrial processes, is important from both environmental and public safety perspectives. We describe here a robust type of chemical-reaction-based supramolecular fluorescent nanoprobes for ratiometric determination of CS2 with high selectivity and sensitivity in water medium. The micellar nanoprobes self-assemble from amphiphilic pyrene-modified hyperbranched polyethylenimine (Py-HPEI) polymers with intense pyrene excimer emission. Selective sensing is based on a CS2-specific reaction with hydrophilic amino groups to produce hydrophobic dithiocarbamate moieties, which can strongly quench the pyrene excimer emission via a known photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism. Therefore, the developed micellar nanoprobes are free of the H2S interference problem often encountered in the widely used colorimetric assays and proved to show high selectivity over many potentially competing chemical species. Importantly, the developed approach is capable of CS2 sensing even in complex tap and river water samples. In addition, in view of the modular design principle of these powerful micellar nanoprobes, the sensing strategy used here is expected to be applicable to the development of various sensory systems for other environmentally important guest species.Keywords: carbon disulfide; dithiocarbamate; excimer emission; ratiometric fluorescent probe; self-assembled micellar nanoprobe

A novel multifunctional supramolecular hydrogel with self-healing, shape memory and adhesive properties is successfully developed on the basis of dynamic phenylboronic acid (PBA)–catechol interactions. The reversible nature of PBA–catechol bonds renders the hydrogel with outstanding self-healing and shape memory behavior, and the mussel-inspired catechol moieties generate fascinating adhesive properties.

A polymer-based visible and quantitative fluorometric assay for CO2 gas is constructed using branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) covalently modified with tetraphenylethylene (TPE). The sensing mechanism relies on the reaction of CO2 with alkylamines of PEI to induce the “solution-to-precipitation” phase transition of the sensory polymer (TPE–PEI), thus resulting in strong aggregation-induced fluorescent emission of TPE–PEI. It works in a relatively environmental benign ethanol medium and avoids the use of toxic amine compounds with unpleasant odor. More importantly, this system is proved to be highly tolerant to possibly coexisting water, carbon monoxide, acid SO2 and H2S gases as well as many common volatile organic compounds. These characteristics make the presently developed fluorescent chemosensor hold great potential for many real-world applications.

A robust strategy for fabricating superhydrophobic carbon nanotube (CNT)-based hybrid materials as a separation membrane through the covalent attachment of the fluorine-bearing organosilane 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTS) onto –OH functionalized CNTs is proposed. This method resulted in PFDTS/CNT superhydrophobic materials with controlled functionalization that could be used to effectively separate various surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions with high separation efficiency and high flux. It maintains stable superhydrophobicity and high separation efficiency under extreme conditions, including high or low temperature and strongly acidic or alkaline solutions, and shows fire-retardant properties.

A robust strategy is explored to graft poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) brushes on two-dimensional vanadium carbide (V2C) materials through self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP). CO2 and temperature dual-responsive properties of PDMAEMA allow this hybrid to be used as a smart system for tuning the transmittance and conductivity of V2C.

A robust and simple strategy of microcontact printing is provided to fabricate micro-patterned polydopamine (PDA) films with tunable morphology achieved by altering the concentration of PDA “ink” solution. Photoactive sites on the surface of patterned PDA films allow the further growth of polymer brushes by self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP) endowing the bio-inspired PDA films with various functionalities.

High fidelity and regularity structures of nanoscale materials has opened up new opportunities for developing miniaturized devices. A simple yet robust approach of magnetic field assisted controlled evaporative self-assembly (CESA) is developed to achieve Fe3O4 nanoparticle (NP) micro- and nano-patterns in a two dimensional (2D) direction. In the magnetic field assisted CESA process, the self-assembly morphology can be well controlled by varying extrinsic and intrinsic variables such as temperature, external magnetic field, and concentration of Fe3O4 NPs. Under the optimized magnetic field rotation frequency and temperature, 2D self-assembly of Fe3O4 NPs can be well realized. In addition, as photoactive sites, double bonds on the surface of Fe3O4 NPs allow the growth of polymer brushes by self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP), and the further achievement of free-standing magnetic composite films with well-defined patterns.

A facile and robust strategy for fabricating superhydrophobic polymer/carbon nanotube hybrid membranes via covalent attachment of hydrophobic polymer, such as polystyrene onto carbon nanotube membrane is proposed. The as-prepared hybrid membranes can selectively remove a wide range of organic solvents from water with high absorption capacity and good recyclability. Moreover, the obtained membrane shows excellent separation properties for surfactant-stabilized water in oil emulsions with separation efficiency as high as 99.94% and high flux (5000 L m−2 h−1 bar−1). Therefore, the superhydrophobic hybrid membranes enable an efficient separation for various oil/water emulsions, showing attractive potential for practical oil/water separation.

A simple strategy is provided to construct novel supramolecular hydrogels with both self-healing and shape memory properties. Starting from achieving self-healable hydrogel based on the dynamic interactions of phenylboronic acid modified sodium alginate (Alg-PBA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), further formation of a complex of alginate with Ca2+ renders this hydrogel with the capability of shape memory at the macro-/microscopic scales.

A robust and simple method is provided to fabricate Janus polymer/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid membranes for oil/water separation. Starting from CNT membranes formed by dispensing, hydrophobic poly(styrene) (PS) and hydrophilic poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) were grated from different sides of the photoactive CNT membranes via self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP) to achieve Janus polymer/CNTs hybrid membranes. The obtained membranes have excellent oil/water selectivity in the removal of oil from water. Moreover, they can effectively separate both surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions because of the anisotropic wettability of the membranes.Keywords: hydrophilic; Janus polymer/CNT membrane; oil/water separation; SIPGP; superhydrophobic

A robust and simple method is reported to prepare polymer brush functionalized Janus graphene oxide (GO)/chitosan hybrid membranes via the combination of interface self-assembly of GO and chitosan, with subsequent self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP) from both sides of the GO/chitosan composite membrane.

Supramolecular shape memory hydrogels (SSMHs) refer to shape memory polymers, in which temporary shapes are stabilized by reversible crosslinks such as supramolecular interactions and dynamic covalent bonds. Following a brief introduction of the conventional shape memory polymers (SMPs), this tutorial review is focused to summarize the recent advancement in various reversible crosslinks employed to construct SSMHs (supramolecular interactions and dynamic covalent bonds) and different shape memory behaviors (dual and triple shape memory effects). In addition, current challenges and future perspectives in this field are also discussed to suggest a new developing direction.

A robust strategy is explored to graft poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) brushes on two-dimensional vanadium carbide (V2C) materials through self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP). CO2 and temperature dual-responsive properties of PDMAEMA allow this hybrid to be used as a smart system for tuning the transmittance and conductivity of V2C.

A simple strategy is provided to construct novel supramolecular hydrogels with both self-healing and shape memory properties. Starting from achieving self-healable hydrogel based on the dynamic interactions of phenylboronic acid modified sodium alginate (Alg-PBA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), further formation of a complex of alginate with Ca2+ renders this hydrogel with the capability of shape memory at the macro-/microscopic scales.

A facile and robust strategy for fabricating superhydrophobic polymer/carbon nanotube hybrid membranes via covalent attachment of hydrophobic polymer, such as polystyrene onto carbon nanotube membrane is proposed. The as-prepared hybrid membranes can selectively remove a wide range of organic solvents from water with high absorption capacity and good recyclability. Moreover, the obtained membrane shows excellent separation properties for surfactant-stabilized water in oil emulsions with separation efficiency as high as 99.94% and high flux (5000 L m−2 h−1 bar−1). Therefore, the superhydrophobic hybrid membranes enable an efficient separation for various oil/water emulsions, showing attractive potential for practical oil/water separation.

A robust strategy for fabricating superhydrophobic carbon nanotube (CNT)-based hybrid materials as a separation membrane through the covalent attachment of the fluorine-bearing organosilane 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTS) onto –OH functionalized CNTs is proposed. This method resulted in PFDTS/CNT superhydrophobic materials with controlled functionalization that could be used to effectively separate various surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions with high separation efficiency and high flux. It maintains stable superhydrophobicity and high separation efficiency under extreme conditions, including high or low temperature and strongly acidic or alkaline solutions, and shows fire-retardant properties.

Graphene oxide (GO), which is structurally analogous to graphene, was used as the ink to precisely tune the surface activity of graphene, without diminishing the outstanding properties of the 2D sp2 network, via microcontact printing-induced multiple π–π stacking interactions. The GO/graphene hybrids, thus, provide a robust platform for chemical/photo-active GO for further chemical modification with multifunctionality.