Recently, Materials Horizons, an internationally renowned journal published by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), officially announced the winners of the 2025 Outstanding Paper Award. Associate Professor Liu Qingxian from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Shantou University, published the paper "Porous polymers: structure, fabrication and application." After being recognized as an ESI Highly Cited Paper and one of the 30 most popular papers in Materials Horizons in 2025, this paper has now further received the Materials Horizons 2025 Outstanding Paper Award. The award is jointly evaluated by the journal's editorial office and the International Advisory Board, based on the scientific value and future potential impact of the article. It is noted that Materials Horizons published nearly one thousand papers in 2025, with only one Outstanding Article and one Outstanding Review selected, indicating the journal's recognition of the quality and academic value of this work.
Porous polymers, which combine porous structures with polymer properties, offer advantages such as abundant raw materials, ease of processing, and tunable structural and surface functionalities, making them an effective platform for addressing challenges in the environment, energy, and health sectors. This paper investigates the structural characteristics, fabrication technologies, and application performance of porous polymers, and analyzes and establishes the intrinsic relationships among these three aspects. This work not only helps to reveal the fundamental principles of performance regulation and provide researchers with feasible design strategies, but also offers guidance on selecting appropriate fabrication methods to realize the potential applications of porous structures. Notably, drawing from his own research experience and reflections, the author identifies key bottlenecks in the preparation, performance, and industrialization of porous polymers, and provides corresponding solutions for reference, which are expected to offer valuable insights for further development and large-scale applications. During the conception and writing of the paper, Academician Wang Quan, Professor Guo Chuanfei from Southern University of Science and Technology, and Professor Liu Zhiguang from University of Science and Technology of China provided many valuable suggestions and assistance. In addition, the work also received strong support from Dr. Liu Jinlong at Shantou University and Assistant Researcher Wan Yongbiao at the Institute of Electronic Engineering, China Academy of Engineering Physics. The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation, and other funding sources.
Original link: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4MH01618A.
Materials Horizons is a flagship journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, dedicated to publishing high-quality research in cutting-edge fields including energy, electronics, materials, and fundamental research methods, and is open to researchers worldwide. The journal maintains rigorous peer review standards, emphasizing innovation and long-term scientific value. Its latest impact factor is 11.4, reflecting its high academic recognition and industry influence.
