With rapid and continuous consumption of nonrenewable energy, solar energy can be utilized to meet the energy requirement and mitigate environmental issues in the future. To attain a sustainable society with an energy mix predominately dependent on solar energy, photoelectrochemical (PEC) device, in which semiconductor nanostructure‐based photocatalysts play important roles, is considered to be one of the most promising candidates to realize the sufficient utilization of solar energy in a low‐cost, green, and environmentally friendly manner. Interface engineering of semiconductor nanostructures has been qualified in the efficient improvement of PEC performances including three basic steps, i.e., light absorption, charge transfer/separation, and surface catalytic reaction. In this review, recently developed interface engineering of semiconductor nanostructures for direct and high‐efficiency conversion of sunlight into available forms (e.g., chemical fuels and electric power) are summarized in terms of their atomic constitution and morphology, electronic structure and promising potential for PEC applications. Extensive efforts toward the development of high‐performance PEC applications (e.g., PEC water splitting, PEC photodetection, PEC catalysis, PEC degradation and PEC biosensors) are also presented and appraised. Last but not least, a brief summary and personal insights on the challenges and future directions in the community of next‐generation PEC devices are also provided.

In recent years, the emergence of novel two‐dimensional monoelemental materials (Xenes), e.g., graphdiyne, borophene, phosphorene, antimonene, bismuthene, and stanene, has exhibited unprecedented potentials for their versatile applications as well as addressing new discoveries in fundamental science. Owing to their unique physicochemical, optical and electronic properties, emerging Xenes have been regarded as promising candidates in the community of single‐atom catalysts (SACs) as single‐atom active sites or support matrixes, for significant improvement in intrinsic activity and selectivity. In order to comprehensively understand the relationships between structure and property of Xene‐based SACs, this review represents a comprehensive summary from theoretical predictions to experimental investigations. Firstly, theoretical calculations regarding both the anchoring of Xene‐based single‐atom active sites on versatile support matrixes and doping/substituting heteroatoms at Xene‐based support matrixes are briefly summarized. Secondly, controlled synthesis and precise characterization are presented for Xene‐based SACs. Finally, current challenges and future opportunities for the development of Xene‐based SACs are highlighted.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

The bacterial accumulation at the margins of dental resin composites is a main cause of secondary caries, which may further lead to prosthodontic failure. In this regard, this study for the first time incorporated 2D MXene Ti3C2Tx nanosheets (NSs) into epoxy resin at different mass ratios (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt%) by solution blending and direct curing for dental applications. Compared to the pure resin, the as-fabricated MXene/resin composite not only exhibited improved mechanical and abrasive results but also displayed gradually improved antibacterial activity with MXene loading which was further enhanced by illumination in natural light due to the high photothermal efficiency of MXene. In addition, the cytotoxicity result demonstrated that the MXene-modified resin did not cause severe damage to normal cells. This novel MXene/resin nanocomposite could pave the way for new designs for high-performance, multifunctional nanocomposites to effectively protect dental health in daily life.

No abstract