Surface chemistry articles from across Nature Portfolio

Surface heterogeneities lead to friction between droplets and solid surfaces, limiting the performance of the latter in a number of applications. A combination of friction force measurements and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations now sheds light on the influence of molecular scale heterogeneities on droplet friction.

Research into the control of conformational arrangements is of great importance for achieving bespoke nanoarchitectures. Here, the authors achieve topology selectivity of a conformationally flexible precursor by Se doping.

Mass transport at surfaces determines the kinetics of processes such as heterogeneous catalysis and thin-film growth, but our fundamental understanding of the contributions of molecular degrees of freedom to the process remains incomplete. Here, the authors use neutron spectroscopy together with theoretical methods to explain the “rolling” motion of triphenylphosphine adsorbed on exfoliated graphite.

Enhancing the kinetics and selectivity of CO₂/CO electroreduction towards valuable multi-carbon products poses a scientific challenge and is imperative for practical applicability. Here the authors report that modifying copper catalysts with surface thiol ligands significantly improves acetate selectivity.

Surface heterogeneities lead to friction between droplets and solid surfaces, limiting the performance of the latter in a number of applications. A combination of friction force measurements and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations now sheds light on the influence of molecular scale heterogeneities on droplet friction.

Artificial intelligence is used to automate the synthesis of single molecules using the tip of a scanning probe microscope, as well as to extract chemical information from these reactions.

Electrocatalytic transformations often involve the concerted transfer of electrons and protons at electrode interfaces; however, these processes are not well understood. Now, experiments on an electrode that features well-defined molecular sites deepen fundamental understanding of such transfers to pave the way for future catalysts.

Omar Matar explains how changes in surface tension can cause fluid flow, while navigating a sea of related dimensionless numbers.

It is difficult to identify stable surface reconstructions of complex materials. Now a Monte Carlo sampling strategy is coupled with a machine learning interatomic potential that is iteratively improved via active learning during the search.

Voronoi domains combined with modelled vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy can be used to investigate surfaces, interfaces, and hydrations shells at reduced computational costs.