The development of advanced composite biomaterials combining the versatility and biodegradability of polymers and the unique characteristics of metal oxide nanoparticles unveils new horizons in emerging biomedical applications, including tissue regeneration, drug delivery and gene therapy, theranostics and medical imaging. Nanocrystalline cerium(IV) oxide, or nanoceria, stands out from a crowd of other metal oxides as being a truly unique material, showing great potential in biomedicine due to its low systemic toxicity and numerous beneficial effects on living systems. The combination of nanoceria with new generations of biomedical polymers, such as PolyHEMA (poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-based hydrogels, electrospun nanofibrous polycaprolactone or natural-based chitosan or cellulose, helps to expand the prospective area of applications by facilitating their bioavailability and averting potential negative effects. This review describes recent advances in biomedical polymeric material practices, highlights up-to-the-minute cerium oxide nanoparticle applications, as well as polymer-nanoceria composites, and aims to address the question: how can nanoceria enhance the biomedical potential of modern polymeric materials?

A new generation of functional coatings offers flame retardancy, antimicrobial efficacy, and self-cleaning properties, making them valuable additions to healthcare, the military, and industrial applications.

As textile production continues to grow worldwide, managing the mounting waste generated by this industry is becoming an urgent environmental concern. Globally, over 92 million tons of textile waste are produced annually, much of which is incinerated or disposed of in landfills, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, soil and water contamination, and ecosystem harm. This review explores how chemical and biotechnological methods, such as acid hydrolysis (achieving up to 70% glucose recovery) and enzymatic recycling (reducing energy consumption by approximately 20% compared to conventional methods), can transform textile waste into valuable resources, fostering a shift toward a circular economy that minimizes reliance on virgin materials. However, the diverse nature of textile waste-particularly in mixed fibers and materials treated with various finishes and additives-adds complexity to recycling processes, often necessitating specific pretreatment steps to ensure both efficiency and economic viability. Scalable solutions such as advanced solvent recovery systems, optimized pretreatment techniques, and fluidized-bed pyrolysis (which can increase bio-oil yields by up to 25% compared to fixed-bed reactors) play crucial roles in making textile recycling more sustainable and adaptable at an industrial scale. By addressing these technical and financial challenges, the industry can improve the efficiency and sustainability of textile recycling practices, reducing waste and contributing to environmental resilience. This review also suggests several future directions to enhance scalability and compatibility with environmental goals, highlighting the potential for these technologies to create valuable secondary materials and support greener practices in textile waste management. Through continued innovation and a commitment to sustainable practices, the textile industry can better balance resource recovery with economic feasibility, unlocking substantial opportunities to mitigate environmental impact and support a more resource-efficient, sustainable future.

Interactions of nanoparticles with biological matter—both somatically and in nature—draw scientists’ attention. Nanoparticulate systems are believed to be our saviors, acting as versatile drug delivery vehicles. However, they can also cause life-threatening bodily damage. One of the most important properties of nanocrystalline cerium dioxide is its antioxidant activity, which decreases the abundance of reactive oxygen species during inflammation. In this paper, we report on synergistic effects of inorganic cerium oxide (IV) nanoparticles conjugated with the antioxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase on scavenging oxygen and nitrogen radicals.

Functional recognition imaging in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) using artificial neural network identification is demonstrated. This approach utilizes statistical analysis of complex SPM responses at a single spatial location to identify the target behavior, which is reminiscent of associative thinking in the human brain, obviating the need for analytical models. We demonstrate, as an example of recognition imaging, rapid identification of cellular organisms using the difference in electromechanical activity over a broad frequency range. Single-pixel identification of model Micrococcus lysodeikticus and Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria is achieved, demonstrating the viability of the method.