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Controlling the charge and spin states of single molecular complexes at metal interfaces is a challenging task. Scanning tunnelling microscopy experiments now show that doping metal phthalocyanines with alkali ions is an effective way to achieve this.
The decision by the European Council to lower the expenditure ceiling for the next seven-year framework programme comes during a time of great debate on the distribution of research funding. The selection of two flagship projects that will each receive €500 million over the next decade raises further questions.
A comparison of the mechanical responses of (bio)polymer networks and shape-memory alloys to cyclic loading reveals strong phenomenological similarities resulting from strain-induced structural changes.
The rich dynamics of magnetic materials subject to very short laser pulses is important for both information processing and recording technology. The characterization of these phenomena with nanoscale spatial resolution shines new light on our understanding of them.
A predictive theoretical framework that incorporates both classical and non-classical crystal-nucleation pathways explains the observed rapid aggregation of metastable clusters in the nucleation process of minerals.
Three-photon imaging enables deeper tissue penetration in vivo, however, a lack of imaging probes has restricted its use. Now, this problem has been overcome by engineering non-toxic manganese-doped quantum dots.
By efficiently exploring the huge variety of possible grain shapes, computer algorithms that mimic evolution make possible the design of grains that pack into configurations with the desired mechanical or structural properties.
A nanostructuring processing route that leads to submicrometre grains and nanometric oxide particles uniformly distributed within the grains' interior is used to fabricate molybdenum alloys that have both exceptional high strength and ductility at room temperature.
Ceramic surfaces can be rendered hydrophobic by using polymeric modifiers, but these are not robust to harsh environments. A known family of rare-earth oxide ceramics is now found to exhibit intrinsic hydrophobicity, even after exposure to high temperatures and abrasive wear.
The dynamics of thin magnetic films revealed by ultrafast laser techniques cannot be explained by standard equilibrium descriptions. Diffraction experiments using an X-ray laser now allow the spin dynamics of the separate magnetic constituents of ferromagnetic GdFeCo alloys to be spatially resolved.
The control and manipulation of domain walls in perpendicularly magnetized nanowires by means of an electric current has gained attention for possible device applications. Now, the depinning of domain walls in Pt/Co/Pt nanowires is shown to be driven by the spin Hall effect.
A suitably engineered plasmonic metamaterial featuring topologically protected sharp phase variations close to a zero-reflection point of incident lightwaves has now been demonstrated. Exploiting the high sensitivity of the abrupt phase changes, and by using reversible hydrogenation of graphene and binding of streptavidin–biotin, the detection of individual biomolecules and an areal mass sensitivity of the order of fg mm−2 is reported.
The crystallization of many minerals from solution has been shown to involve disordered precursors that agglomerate into an amorphous intermediate phase, a pathway that seems to contradict classical nucleation theory. It is now found that the crystallization of magnetite—a magnetic iron oxide with many bio- and nanotechnological applications—occurs classically from the accretion of precursors in the absence of amorphous intermediates.
Metallic and ceramic surfaces can be rendered hydrophobic through a combination of multiscale surface structures and polymeric modifiers, but the imparted hydrophobicity is not robust to harsh environments. It is now shown that the lanthanide oxide series—a class of ceramics—is intrinsically hydrophobic as a result of their unique electronic structure, even after exposure to high temperatures and abrasive wear.
It is shown that by controlling the relaxation of graphene adhered on a biaxially pre-stretched polymer substrate, graphene films can be reversibly crumpled and unfolded to form tailored hierarchical structures with tunable wettability and transmittance, and that the crumpled graphene–polymer laminates can be used as actuators.
How the shape of jammed particle packings influences their mechanical response is unknown except for specific cases. An algorithm that mutates the shapes of packings of bonded identical spheres to optimize the packing’s mechanical performance, and the experimental testing of the optimized shapes through three-dimensional printing, are now reported.
The ultrafast dynamic phenomena associated with thin magnetic films irradiated by a laser pulse have been proposed to occur through a process involving spin transport. The observation that this is also the case when the films are covered by a non-magnetic capping layer provides compelling evidence in favour of this scenario.
Controlling the charge and spin states of single molecular complexes at metal interfaces is a challenging task. Scanning tunnelling microscopy experiments now show that doping metal phthalocyanines with alkali ions is an effective way to achieve this.
Although molybdenum alloys — often used in turbines and fusion reactors — can be easily hardened, they suffer from low ductility and toughness. Now, a nanostructuring processing route that leads to a microstructure consisting of submicrometre grains with nanometric oxide particles uniformly distributed in the grain interior achieves high-strength molybdenum alloys with large tensile elongation at room temperature.
Supercapacitors are electrochemical energy-storage devices that take advantage of electrostatic interactions between high-surface-area nanoporous electrodes and electrolyte ions. Molecular mechanisms at work inside supercapacitor carbon electrodes are now clarified with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance.
The application of three-photon excitation to biomedical imaging is demonstrated by combining the three-photon excitation properties of ZnS nanocrystals and the visible emission from Mn2+ dopants. The biocompatible, doped nanocrystals are used for high-resolution cellular imaging and in vivo tumour-targeting imaging under non-invasive conditions.
Microneedle arrays coated with a pH-sensitive releasable layer act as an intradermal delivery system for polyelectrolyte films containing bioactive molecules for DNA vaccination. The implanted films co-deliver DNA, transfection agents and adjuvants, promoting local transfection and generating immune responses that can be tuned from days to weeks.