We summarize the latest advances of non-enzymatic glucose detection using non-noble transition metal materials, highlighting their opportunities and challenges.

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Multifunctional nanomaterials with efficient tumor-targeting and high antitumor activity are highly anticipated in the field of cancer therapy. In this work, a synergetic tumor-targeted, chemo-photothermal combined therapeutic nanoplatform based on a dynamically PEGylated, borate-coordination-polymer-coated polydopamine nanoparticle (PDA@CP-PEG) is developed. PEGylation on the multifunctional nanoparticles is dynamically achieved via the reversible covalent interaction between the surface phenylboronic acid (PBA) group and a catechol-containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) molecule. Due to the acid-labile PBA/catechol complex and the weak-acid-stable PBA/sialic acid (SA) complex, the nanoparticles can exhibit a synergetic targeting property for the SA-overexpressed tumor cells, i.e., the PEG-caused "passive targeting" and PBA-triggered "active targeting" under the weakly acidic tumor microenvironment. In addition, the photothermal effect of the polydopamine core and the doxorubicin-loading capacity of the porous coordination polymer layer endow the nanoparticles with the potential for chemo-photothermal combination therapy. As expected, the in vitro and in vivo studies both verify that the multifunctional nanoparticles possess relatively lower systematic toxicity, efficient tumor targeting ability, and excellent chemo-photothermal activity for tumor inhibition. It is believed that these multifunctional nanoparticles with synergetic tumor targeting property and combined therapeutic strategies would provide an insight into the design of a high-efficiency antitumor nanoplatform for potential clinical applications.

Aerogels, as ultralight three-dimensional (3D) highly porous materials, show great superiority in oil and organic pollutant cleanup. Notably, biomass aerogels have also attracted wide interest due to the advantages of huge reserves, low cost, renewability, biodegradation, and nontoxicity to the environment. Herein, a sustainable, flexible, and superhydrophobic functionalized cellulose aerogel, copper nanoparticles-coated cellulose aerogel (Cu/CEA), is reported. The hydrophobic Cu/CEA was simply fabricated by one-step depositing Cu nanoparticles coating on the cellulose fibers extracted from renewable natural sisal in liquid phase followed by freeze–drying. The hydrophobic functionalization approach is facile, cost-effective, and suitable for large-scale production and environmental friendliness, without additional organic hydrophobic modification. The highly porous Cu/CEA as absorbent can selectively and quickly collect oily contaminant, exhibiting high oil absorption capacity and rate, and good recyclability. In addition, it can also act as a thick film to continuously and rapidly separate oil/water mixtures including emulsions, possessing very high separation efficiency and flow rate. Hence, the versatile and high-performance functionalized cellulose aerogel possesses a promising practical application in oily wastewater treatment and pollution remediation.