As an important research area, the development of antibacterial materials has attracted extensive interest from researchers. Typical antibacterial materials involve the use of biocides and antibacterial metallic ions, such as Ag⁺, as well as killing by highly reactive species, such as hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide produced by the photocatalysis of TiO₂. However, the intensive usage of biocides has a growing concern in the increase of bacterial resistance and cross-resistance to antibiotics and antibacterial Ag⁺ depending on its dissolution property may have potential implications on human health and environment. Currently TiO₂ is mainly activated with UVA light and research on visible light photocatalysis is still under development. Recently, a new scheme using superhydrophobicity has raised more attention and interests especially for its ability in reducing bacterial adhesion. This paper provides a detailed review on the basics, recent developments, existing challenges and future perspectives of superhydrophobic surfaces especially in reducing bacterial adhesion.

Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) is carbon dioxide that is held beyond supercritical conditions of 31.1 °C and 7.4 MPa. As a non-toxic and environmentally benign green solvent, it has been widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries for extraction. However, scCO₂ also has many unique properties and thus has great potential for advanced, green materials processing. This concise review focuses on its use as a solvent and an anti-solvent in materials processing and synthesis. Different experimental routes are described that are used to synthesize bulk materials, thin films, coatings, particle suspensions and powders. Examples from the literature are highlighted to illustrate the different experimental set-ups and applications of the resulting materials. This review endeavours to reveal the potential and versatility of scCO₂ in materials processing and synthesis, aiming to encourage a wider application of scCO₂ to open more opportunities in innovative green processing of both traditional and functional materials.

A glass that won't break: Oxide glasses are important for applications ranging from smartphone screens to window panes. One familiar feature of glass is that it fractures and shatters when rapidly deformed, limiting the number of potential uses. However, Frankberg et al. found that they could deform thin films of glassy alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ) with high strain rates at room temperature (see the Perspective by Wondraczek). This surprising observation is supported by simulations of the material that show that dense and flawless glassy alumina samples can deform this way. The discovery provides important insight into designing new glasses that might be more fracture resistant. Science , this issue p. 864 ; see also p. 804