2015 - 2020，The research team led by Duan Xue carried out studies on the combination of mesoporous materials and biomaterials. They combined mesoporous silica with biodegradable polymers to prepare composite materials with biocompatibility and controllable release properties, which can be used in biomedical fields such as drug delivery and tissue engineering, expanding the application of mesoporous materials in the biomedical field.
Duan Xue
During 2015 - 2020, the research team led by Yin Yadong used the seed-mediated growth method to prepare mesoporous nanoparticles with a core-shell structure. First, nanoseeds were synthesized, and then a mesoporous shell was grown on their surface. This structure has obvious advantages in the field of drug delivery. The core can carry drugs, and the mesoporous shell can regulate the release rate and achieve targeted delivery, providing technical support for the precise application of mesoporous materials in biomedicine.
Yin Yadong
During 2015 - 2020, the research team led by German scientist Andreas Thomas developed highly efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution materials based on mesoporous materials. Transition metal phosphide nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of mesoporous carbon. Mesoporous carbon facilitates electron transfer and electrolyte diffusion. This composite catalyst has high hydrogen evolution activity and strong stability in acid and alkaline electrolytes, providing high-performance materials for hydrogen production from renewable energy.
Andreas Thomas
During the same period, the research team led by American scientist Angela M. Belchers was inspired by biomineralization and used genetically modified viruses as templates to synthesize mesoporous materials. These materials have unique advantages in drug carriers and bioimaging, can achieve controllable drug release and high-contrast imaging, providing new strategies for the green synthesis and biomedical application of mesoporous materials.
Angela M. Belchers
Since 2020, the research team led by Zhang Jin has focused on the research of nanostructure regulation and performance optimization of mesoporous carbon materials. By precisely controlling the pyrolysis process of carbon sources and introducing specific templating agents, mesoporous carbon materials with precise pore structure and high conductivity have been prepared. These materials exhibit excellent performance in energy storage devices such as supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, providing key material support for the development of high-performance energy storage devices.
Zhang Jin
Since 2020, American scientist Paul Alivisatos has studied the composite system of mesoporous materials and quantum dots. Quantum dots were embedded in the pores of mesoporous silica to obtain composite materials with the luminescence characteristics of quantum dots and the advantages of mesoporous materials. They have potential application values in fields such as light-emitting diodes and bioimaging, opening up new directions for the application of mesoporous materials in optoelectronic devices and biomedical detection.
Paul Alivisatos
Research and Development Characteristics
1. Performance Optimization and Mechanism Research
The research focus has gradually shifted to the fine regulation of the performance of mesoporous materials and in-depth research on the action mechanism. Scientists are committed to improving the stability of mesoporous materials, improving the regularity and uniformity of their pore structures, so as to meet the strict requirements of different fields for material performance.
2. Functionalization and Composite
In order to enable mesoporous materials to have more excellent and diverse properties, functionalization and composite have become important development directions. By introducing various functional groups into the pores of mesoporous materials or combining them with other materials, Endows mesoporous materials with new properties.
3. Diversified Applications
With the continuous improvement of the performance and the increasing richness of the functions of mesoporous materials, their application fields have been greatly expanded. In the field of energy storage and conversion, mesoporous materials show great potential in battery electrode materials, catalyst supports, etc.; in the field of environmental protection, they are used for wastewater treatment, air pollution control, etc.; in the biomedical field, they play an important role as drug carriers, biosensors, etc.
Mesoporous materials have also attracted more and more attention in biomedical applications, such as drug or gene delivery. Especially mesoporous silica materials can be prepared into various required shapes and sizes by different synthesis methods. Mesoporous silica materials have biocompatibility and can spontaneously degrade in human tissues, so they can be used as drug carriers. Moreover, since the pore diameter directly affects the drug loading and release kinetics in the delivery system, the ability to precisely control the pore diameter of silica will provide great advantages in biomedical applications.
The development process of mesoporous materials embodies the scientific wisdom of the world. From synthesis exploration to performance research and application expansion, remarkable achievements have been made. Nowadays, it has great potential in many frontier fields and continuously provides key material support for solving global problems.
