At the forefront of advanced material technology, radiation-induced hydrogels present a promising avenue for innovation across various sectors, utilizing gamma radiation, electron beam radiation, and UV radiation. Through the unique synthesis process involving radiation exposure, these hydrogels exhibit exceptional properties that make them highly versatile and valuable for a multitude of applications. This paper focuses on the intricacies of the synthesis methods employed in creating these radiation-induced hydrogels, shedding light on their structural characteristics and functional benefits. In particular, the paper analyzes the diverse utility of these hydrogels in biomedicine and agriculture, showcasing their potential for applications such as targeted drug delivery, injury recovery, and even environmental engineering solutions. By analyzing current research trends and highlighting potential future directions, this review aims to underscore the transformative impact that radiation-induced hydrogels could have on various industries and the advancement of biomedical and agricultural practices.

The rapid expansion of flexible and wearable electronics has necessitated a focus on ensuring their safety and operational reliability. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) have become preferred alternatives to traditional liquid electrolytes, offering enhanced safety features and adaptability to the design requirements of flexible lithium-ion batteries. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of recent advancements in GPE technology, highlighting significant improvements in its physicochemical properties, which contribute to superior long-term cycling stability and high-rate capacity compared with traditional organic liquid electrolytes. Special attention is given to the development of smart GPEs endowed with advanced functionalities such as self-protection, thermotolerance, and self-healing properties, which further enhance battery safety and reliability. This review also critically examines the application of GPEs in high-energy cathode materials, including lithium nickel cobalt manganese (NCM), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA), and thermally stable lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄). Despite the advancements, several challenges in GPE development remain unresolved, such as improving ionic conductivity at low temperatures and ensuring mechanical integrity and interfacial compatibility. This review concludes by outlining future research directions and the remaining technical hurdles, providing valuable insights to guide ongoing and future efforts in the field of GPEs for lithium-ion batteries, with a particular emphasis on applications in high-energy and thermally stable cathodes.

Hydrogels and microgels are emerging as pivotal platforms in biomedicine, with significant potential in targeted drug delivery, enhanced infection management, and tissue repair and regeneration. These gels, characterized by their high water content, unique structures, and adaptable mechanical properties, interact seamlessly with biological systems, making them invaluable for controlled and targeted drug release. In the realm of infection management, hydrogels and microgels can incorporate antimicrobial agents, offering robust defenses against bacterial infections. This capability is increasingly important in the fight against antibiotic resistance, providing innovative solutions for infection prevention in wound dressings, surgical implants, and medical devices. Additionally, the biocompatibility and customizable mechanical properties of these gels make them ideal scaffolds for tissue engineering, supporting the growth and repair of damaged tissues. Despite their promising applications, challenges such as ensuring long-term stability, enhancing therapeutic agent loading capacities, and scaling production must be addressed for widespread adoption. This review explores the current advancements, opportunities, and limitations of hydrogels and microgels, highlighting research and technological directions poised to revolutionize treatment strategies through personalized and regenerative approaches.

Biodegradable polymers play an important role in environmental concerns compared to non-biodegradable polymers. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a biodegradable polymer with film-forming properties with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and are considered for numerous practical applications in the industry, like food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and so on. The synthesis of PVA with promising properties like rheology, morphology, and mechanical performance is significant from the application point of view in industrial sectors. It is vital to realize the drawbacks and promising prospects associated with PVA rheology, morphology, and mechanical properties and how to address the problems concerning these properties. The present review describes the contemporary advancement of numerous synthesis approaches of PVA-based composite films and their rheology, morphology, and mechanical properties. This comprehensive review offers a comprehensive discussion of various strategies to enhance the rheology, morphology, and mechanical properties of composite films. It emphasizes modifications using environmentally friendly materials such as nanoparticles, metal oxides, polymers, and others. Additionally, existing challenges and the potential for forthcoming advancements in the properties of such composite films are discussed. The correlation between the PVA-based composite films and their promising properties like rheology, morphology, and mechanical performance may provide a reference for new insights into their applications in industrial sectors.

Hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) have garnered growing interest for their ability to combine the high energy storage capability of batteries with the rapid charge–discharge characteristics of supercapacitors. This review examines the evolution of HSCs, emphasizing the synergistic mechanisms that integrate both Faradaic and non-Faradaic charge storage processes. Transition metal oxides (TMOs) are highlighted as promising battery-type electrodes owing to their notable energy storage potential and compatibility with various synthesis routes, including hydro/solvothermal methods, electrospinning, electrodeposition, and sol–gel processes. Particular attention is directed toward Ti-, Co-, and V-based TMOs, with a focus on tailoring their properties through morphology control, composite formation, and doping to enhance electrochemical performance. Overall, the discussion underscores the potential of HSCs to meet the growing demand for next-generation energy storage systems by bridging the gap between high energy and high power requirements.

Recent evidence suggests that autophagy is a governed catabolic framework enabling the recycling of nutrients from injured organelles and other cellular constituents via a lysosomal breakdown. This mechanism has been associated with the development of various pathologic conditions, including cancer and neurological disorders; however, recently updated studies have indicated that autophagy plays a dual role in cancer, acting as a cytoprotective or cytotoxic mechanism. Numerous preclinical and clinical investigations have shown that inhibiting autophagy enhances an anticancer medicine’s effectiveness in various malignancies. Autophagy antagonists, including chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, have previously been authorized in clinical trials, encouraging the development of medication-combination therapies targeting the autophagic processes for cancer. In this review, we provide an update on the recent research examining the anticancer efficacy of combining drugs that activate cytoprotective autophagy with autophagy inhibitors. Additionally, we highlight the difficulties and progress toward using cytoprotective autophagy targeting as a cancer treatment strategy. Importantly, we must enable the use of suitable autophagy inhibitors and coadministration delivery systems in conjunction with anticancer agents. Therefore, this review briefly summarizes the general molecular process behind autophagy and its bifunctional role that is important in cancer suppression and in encouraging tumor growth and resistance to chemotherapy and metastasis regulation. We then emphasize how autophagy and cancer cells interacting with one another is a promising therapeutic target in cancer treatment.