01
Nanjing University of Technology: 
The hydrogel scaffold can inhibit hypertrophic scars. 
Due to factors such as aggravated inflammation, excessive proliferation of myofibroblasts and excessive collagen secretion, a common clinical pathological disease - hypertrophic scar (HS) is prone to form. Although various biomimetic ECM (extracellular matrix) biomaterials have been designed for HS treatment, most of these materials cannot simultaneously fulfill both biological and application functions in wound repair. Therefore, biomimetic scaffolds containing biological molecules or drugs with scar-suppressing functions have become the hope for scarless skin regeneration. These scaffolds can not only carry therapeutic drugs and cell signaling factors, but also provide structural support for cell proliferation. However, although synthetic polymer scaffolds can simulate the mechanical properties of ECM, they rarely can simulate ECM components other than collagen. Moreover, immune and allergic risks may limit their application in individuals with allergic constitutions. 
The research team led by researcher Chi Bo from Nanjing University of Technology has developed a multifunctional hydrogel fiber scaffold based on electrospinning and light-controlled crosslinking, composed of γ-polyglutamic acid and ginsenoside Rg3 (GS-Rg3), for tissue repair and wound treatment. The biomimetic fiber scaffold, under the action of attached small peptides, promotes the proliferation and differentiation of fibroblasts, forming a tissue-like space-filling base, and performs tissue repair at the depressed areas before the early wound closure. Through the continuous release of GS-Rg3 in the later stage, the fiber scaffold further promotes scarless wound healing of the tissue. Moreover, these bio-functionalized fiber scaffolds exhibit continuous GS-Rg3 release without an explosive effect. Therefore, this achievement provides a good treatment solution for accelerating wound healing and inhibiting HS formation, and has potential application value in regenerative medicine and drug delivery. 
02
Chinese Academy of Sciences 
Kevlar aerogel fibers have superior insulation and heat preservation properties. 
Due to the increasing demands for warmth retention, lightness, and functionality of winter clothing, the requirements for its basic materials - insulation fibers - have also become more stringent. In the 1950s, the DuPont Company in the United States developed special fibers, significantly improving the luster and fluffiness of chemical fibers. Among the various special fibers, hollow fibers have notably increased the content of static air inside, thereby significantly enhancing the warmth retention of chemical fibers. In the 1970s, researchers developed ultra-fine fibers, and the synthetic materials such as artificial leather made from these ultra-fine fibers made the warmth retention of chemical fibers on par with natural materials. 
Through the research on hollow fibers and ultra-fine fibers, it was found that the thermal insulation performance of the fiber materials is directly proportional to the content of static air inside the fibers, inversely proportional to the diameter of the fibers, and inversely proportional to the overall density of the material. Aerogel fibers have extremely high porosity and extremely low density, and theoretically are the best type of fiber for heat insulation and preservation. However, at the same time, the high porosity also poses great challenges in their preparation. 
In view of this, the research team led by Professor Zhang Xuetong from the Institute of Nano Technology and Nanobiotechnology in Suzhou, Chinese Academy of Sciences, obtained a nanofiber dispersion liquid by dissolving DuPont TM Kevlar fibers. Then, through processes such as wet spinning and special drying, they successfully prepared a Kevlar aerogel fiber with a high porosity (98%) and a high specific surface area (240 m2/g). This aerogel fiber exhibits excellent mechanical properties, allowing for arbitrary bending, knotting, and weaving. It also has excellent thermal insulation properties, with a thermal conductivity of only 0.027 W/m·K at room temperature. At low temperatures, its thermal insulation performance is 2.8 times that of cotton fabric. It can maintain its thermal insulation and heat preservation properties for a long time in extreme environments ranging from -196°C to 300°C. Moreover, this aerogel fiber has excellent chemical stability and can undergo various modifications such as dyeing, hydrophobization, and chemical plating without damaging the main structure of the aerogel. Additionally, this aerogel fiber can also be prepared into air conditioning fibers by filling phase change materials, with a heat storage value of up to 162 J/g, far exceeding the heat storage value of the existing commercial Outlast air conditioning fibers. 
03
Washington State University: 
New plant-based materials are expected to replace foam plastics. 
American researchers have developed an environmentally friendly plant-based material, which has better insulation properties than polystyrene foam plastic. It is expected to become a substitute material for manufacturing items such as disposable coffee cups in the future. Recently, the Washington State University in the United States reported that this environmentally friendly material is mainly composed of plant cellulose nanocrystals. The manufacturing process is simple and no harmful solvents are used. 
Polystyrene foam plastic is widely used in the manufacture of disposable coffee cups and various building materials. However, its raw materials usually come from non-renewable energy sources such as petroleum. The polystyrene produced under high temperatures may contain harmful components for the human body and cannot be naturally decomposed. Moreover, it causes environmental pollution when burned. Previously, researchers attempted to use plant fibers as substitutes, but they had poorer strength and insulation properties, and were prone to degradation under high temperature and high humidity conditions. 
In the new material developed by the team at Washington State University, plant cellulose nanocrystals extracted from wood pulp account for approximately 75%. The researchers added another polymer material, polyvinyl alcohol, to the plant cellulose nanocrystals to create a unique structure. Experimental results showed that its heat insulation performance was better than that of polystyrene foam plastic. The study also revealed that this environmentally friendly material is lightweight, can support objects 200 times its own weight without deformation, and can naturally degrade. Burning it will not produce polluting smoke. 
The relevant research has been published on the online version of the "Carbohydrate Polymers" journal. One of the authors of the paper, Amir Ameli, an assistant professor at the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University, said that as a renewable material, plant cellulose nanocrystals have good insulation and mechanical properties, which can save fossil energy and reduce the impact on the environment. 
04
Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics 
Multiscale helical fiber bundles for stretchable tissue engineering 
Recently, the research team led by Zhao Yong from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the research team led by Guo Ming from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) were inspired by the multi-scale helical fiber structure of natural biological tissues. They designed and fabricated helical fiber bundles with multi-scale structures through electrospinning combined with continuous twisting technology. These helical fiber bundles not only have excellent mechanical properties but also possess extremely high stretchability. Utilizing the structural characteristics of this design, the research team used biocompatible materials to prepare artificial micro-tissues with dynamic stretch stability of cells. They studied the dynamic orientation, growth, proliferation, and differentiation behaviors of cells on the multi-scale structure helical fibers. Through mechanical stretching and three-dimensional real-time observation, they explored the biological activity and stability of different structure fiber bundles as cell scaffolds under dynamic stretching conditions (including stretching and bending, etc.). 
Studies have shown that due to their unique helical structure, multi-scale fiber bundles significantly outperform linear fiber bundles in terms of dynamic stretching of cell activity. The multi-scale periodic topological structure on the material surface not only alters the physical properties of cells, such as cell survival rate, volume, orientation, and growth and detachment, but also induces the directional differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into muscle cells by regulating the types of cells and the transport of specific transcription factors to the cell nucleus. Such multi-scale helical fiber materials are expected to be used in the future as substitutes for tissue and organ repair, such as ligament and tendon tissues. 
This study proposes a universal method for preparing multi-scale structured helical fibers. This method provides a new idea for the preparation of novel large-strain biological materials. By adding other active components, regulating composition and microstructure, the prepared materials are expected to be further applied in fields such as health monitoring and tissue engineering scaffold materials. 
05
Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences:
Improving the properties of cellulose to achieve high-value utilization of resources 
In recent years, with the increasing concern over the shortage of fossil resources and environmental pollution, the utilization of renewable resources such as cellulose, lignin, starch, and proteins to prepare polymer materials has become a research hotspot. Cellulose, as the most abundant natural polymer with low cost, biodegradability and renewability in nature, has been widely applied in daily life. Due to the inferior performance of pure cellulose materials compared to petroleum-based products, modifying cellulose to enhance its functionality and application scope is an important way to achieve the high-value utilization of agricultural and forestry biomass resources and develop a sustainable economy. 
Recently, the research team led by Professor Chu Fuxiang from the Institute of Forest Chemical Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, focused on the theme of achieving high-value utilization of agricultural and forestry biomass resources through green production technologies. They modified and modified cellulose to prepare cellulose-based photoinitiators that could be used for metal-free photoinitiation ATRP. They also achieved active control over the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the grafted copolymers. This work modified cellulose using α-bromobenzoic acid to prepare the cellulose-based photoinitiator EC-B-Br. Then, using this initiator, ATRP polymerization of biodegradable monomers such as laurate methacrylate (LMA), furfuryl methacrylate (FMA), and damar-based monomer (DAGMA) was carried out. The research results showed that the metal-free photoinitiation ATRP process had good controllability, and the chain-end group Br had high fidelity. This can be further extended by metal-free photoinitiation ATRP to prepare cellulose-based grafted copolymers with block side chain structures. This achievement provides a new method for designing cellulose grafted copolymers with a clear structure and further expanding their application fields. 
06
Donghua University: 
Super-bionic materials create multiple protective properties 
Recently, the research team led by Professor You Zhengwei from the Key National Laboratory of Fiber Material Modification at Donghua University has made significant progress in the field of multifunctional protective materials. They proposed a new idea of constructing multiple protective properties in a single material by using multiple reactive groups. By introducing dimethylketoxime amide groups with multiple reactivity such as reversible dynamic cracking, metal coordination, and photolysis into polyurethane materials, they have accordingly obtained a protective material that simultaneously possesses strong toughness, mechanical gradient, room-temperature spontaneous self-repairing, and fluorescence properties. 
Based on the above materials, the research team has developed a super protective film. This film demonstrates rapid self-repairing ability for surface scratches, excellent resistance to puncture by sharp objects, fluorescence anti-counterfeiting performance, and seamless adhesion to plastics. This film has potential applications in the protection of valuable items such as computers, mobile phones, and certificates. This work initially demonstrates the multiple reactivity, excellent performance, and potential applications of polyoxamethylene urethane, and it can also be further developed to obtain a series of new materials. 
The research team conducted in-depth studies on the coordination effect of metal ions on the above-mentioned butanedione oxime amide. By using copper ions for coordination, they not only enhanced the mechanical properties of the material, but also promoted the dynamic exchange reaction of the oxime amide groups, thereby improving the room-temperature self-repairing performance of the material. This provided a new idea for resolving the contradiction between high mechanical properties and self-repair efficiency commonly found in self-repairing materials, and they obtained a room-temperature self-repairing elastomer with the maximum strength and toughness reported so far. 
It is worth noting that the core raw materials (dibutyl oxime and isocyanate) used in this work are inexpensive and readily available industrial products. They can be used to construct polyurethane materials through a simple one-step process, or can be incorporated into other materials for the development of a series of functional materials, presenting broad application prospects. 
07
Zhejiang University: 
Flexible zeolite fiber materials solve the problem of emergency hemostasis 
To address the urgent issue of emergency life-saving and hemostasis, the research team led by Professor Fan Jie from the Chemistry Department of Zhejiang University spent two years exploring and developed an in-situ micro-supporting technology. They grew mesoporous clinoptilolite onto the surface of cotton fibers, and made the cotton fibers and the zeolite tightly bond through chemical bonds. This material perfectly retains the physical and chemical properties and stability of the zeolite, and generates mesopores by interrupting the framework, thereby significantly enhancing the adsorption capacity and being more conducive to hemostasis. The appearance and feel of this hemostasis material are almost indistinguishable from ordinary fibers, with good softness, and the combination of the zeolite and the cotton fibers is very strong. Recently, this research has been published online in the internationally renowned journal "Nature Communications". 
"We have been conducting long-term research on zeolite hemostasis. The original zeolite hemostasis products have obvious drawbacks," Fan Jie explained. The type A zeolite hemostatic agent used abroad has saved the lives of thousands of soldiers in wars. However, during its use, this product releases a large amount of heat when exposed to water or blood, causing the local temperature of the wound to exceed 90℃, resulting in skin burns and hindering wound healing. Moreover, since the existing zeolite hemostatic agents are hard inorganic powder materials, they tend to adhere to the wound surface, which is not conducive to debridement. 
According to Fan Jie, the emergency hemostasis life jacket is expected to be available in August this year. In addition, various products such as hemostasis towels and hemostatic gauze can also be manufactured. They can serve as protective equipment for special groups such as those engaged in outdoor sports, extreme sports, and car racing. They can also be used as first aid equipment and play a role in unexpected accidents such as wars, traffic accidents, and earthquakes. 
08
Four high-performance materials create the sporty and casual shoes X-Swift 
On May 15th, German company BASF, in collaboration with Longterm Concept and renowned designer Gu Guoyi, jointly created the brand-new sport and casual shoes X-Swift. X-Swift integrates four advanced BASF materials innovations and is meticulously crafted using the latest footwear automation technology. The BASF Innovation Center aims to attract designers and provide them with inspiration, turning creative ideas into reality through technological means. 
Gu Guoyi, who has designed shoes for well-known brands such as Reebok and Nike, said, "The X-Swift sport and casual shoes combine fashion and functionality perfectly, conforming to modern lifestyles. They are the best choice for consumers of multi-purpose and high-performance footwear." Longterm Concept is a footwear manufacturer headquartered in Taiwan, China. It has integrated four BASF materials into the X-Swift sport and casual shoes using the latest automated technology. Compared with traditional shoe-making techniques, this process is more cost-effective and has higher production efficiency. 
The four high-performance materials used in X-Swift sport and casual shoes each have their own unique advantages and complement each other, providing users with excellent stability and foot support: The outsole is made of Elastollan® thermoplastic polyurethane, featuring high grip tread patterns and maximum surface contact; the midsole uses high-resilience polyurethane elastomer®, offering superior cushioning performance and durability compared to traditional midsoles; the midsole is supplemented by a special breathable insole made of Elastopan, aiming to provide support for the high-performance insole. Additionally, X-Swift employs an innovative two-piece material upper structure, using sustainable synthetic leather Haptex® and fibers made from Freeflex®TPU. The seams between these materials are fine and the stitching is exquisite, fitting perfectly with the foot, providing users with exceptional comfort. 
09
Environmentally friendly polyurethane synthetic materials are specifically designed for shoe manufacturing. 
On May 10th, German company Covestro and Austrian Lanxess Group jointly launched environmentally friendly polyurethane synthetic materials developed for the footwear industry. The strengths of both parties complement each other. Covestro is an expert in water-based INSQIN® technology and PU textile coating raw materials, while Lanxess Group can provide unique professional expertise in fiber production and develop renewable materials based on wood. 
The environmental compatibility of coated textiles depends on a series of factors, such as the source of raw materials, the use of organic solvents, and the consumption of energy and water. The global warming impact caused by water-based polyurethane coatings using the INSQIN® technology is much more obvious.