News & Comment

Dr Josh Makepeace is an Associate Professor in Materials Chemistry and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellow at the University of Birmingham. Raised in Australia, Josh started his journey in chemistry research at Flinders University of South Australia, investigating the origin of hematite crystals in William Bligh’s naval logbooks, and the detection of pesticides in waterways.

Anna G. Slater is a Professor of Chemistry and Royal Society University Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool’s Materials Innovation Factory and Chemistry Department. Exploiting continuous flow processes for enhanced control of chemistry is a central theme of her work, which spans molecular materials, supramolecular chemistry, and sustainable synthesis.

Today, Communications Chemistry launches a series of Q&A articles conducted with queer chemists. Here, we discuss the motivation for and aim of this series, and present some key take-home messages from our respondents.

The formation of Li dendrites at the Li/electrolyte interface at practically relevant current densities (> 1 mA cm⁻²) is a critical issue hindering the deployment of non-flammable and non-toxic Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) electrolyte in solid-state batteries. In this comment, the authors argue for an agreement to standardize measurements of the critical current density at which Li dendrites begin to penetrate the LLZO solid-state electrolyte.

Attosecond science is nowadays a well-established research field, and table-top attosecond sources based on high-harmonic generation are routinely used to access electronic motion in matter at its natural time scale. Here, the authors describe a new way of doing chemistry—attochemistry—by directly acting on the electronic motion, and discuss a few key open questions in this emerging field.

Fluorochemicals have a wide range of applications in industry, but accessing these relies on the energy intensive conversion of acid-grade fluorspar (CaF₂) to toxic hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas, which is in turn used for the downstream production of fluorochemicals via multistep processes. Now, directly treating acid-grade fluorspar with dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (K₂HPO₄) under mechanochemical conditions affords a fluorinating reagent for direct S–F and C(sp³/sp²)–F bond construction, bypassing the need for HF production.

Vat-polymerization 3D printing (3DP) enables the high speed printing of precise and intricate 3D models, yet it inevitably produces highly crosslinked polymers that are not easily degradable or recyclable. Here, the author highlights recent work that realizes the formation of fully degradable polymers based on organocatalytic vat-ring-opening photopolymerization 3DP.

Dr Zoe Schnepp and Professor David Smith share their experiences of working part-time in academia, discussing some of the benefits and challenges, and offering advice to those who may be seeking to work part-time.

Dr Satoshi Honda talks to us about pursuing his scientific dreams, scientific developments he is excited about, directions polymer synthesis and materials development should focus on, as well as his experience of being an Editorial Board Member for Communications Chemistry.

Dr David Nelson talks about his motivation for being a chemist, his viewpoints on the research field of homogeneous catalysis, as well as his experience of being an Editorial Board Member for Communications Chemistry.

Chiral halogen-bonding catalysts have emerged as a new approach towards asymmetric catalysis, but enantioselectivities have thus far remained low. Now, fine-tuning the substrate–catalyst halogen–halogen interactions is shown to significantly enhance enantioselectivity for a model anion-binding-catalyzed dearomatization reaction.

To solve the environmental disaster that is generated by legacy plastics accumulation, researchers are looking to design plastics with enhanced end-of-life options, but many circular plastics do not meet industrial requirements. Here, we highlight a metal-free approach to produce chemically recyclable poly(1,3-dioxolane) with ultra-high molecular weight and comparable properties to one of the most produced plastics, polyethylene.

Professor Wei Zhang answers questions on his scientific career, scientific developments he is excited about, directions electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies should focus on, as well as his experience of being an Editorial Board Member for Communications Chemistry.

Efforts are ongoing to address inequities in scientific fields. Here, the author provides a critical look at the practice and culture of science with calls to action to broaden participation and recognition of talented members from marginalized groups in the chemical sciences.

As Communications Chemistry turns five, the Editors reflect on the journal’s values, achievements, and ambitions for the years to come.

Economical and high-efficiency synthesis of single-atom catalysts is a tremendous challenge hampering their large-scale industrialization, which is mainly attributed to the complex equipment and processes necessary for both top-down and bottom-up synthesis methods. Now, a facile three-dimensional printing approach tackles this dilemma. From a solution of printing ink and metal precursors, target materials with specific geometric shapes are prepared with high output, directly and automatically.

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) underlies the formation of intracellular membraneless compartments in biology and may have played a role in the formation of protocells that concentrate key chemicals during the origins of life. While LLPS of simple systems, such as oil and water, is well understood, many aspects of LLPS in complex, out-of-equilibrium molecular systems remain elusive. Here, the author discusses open questions and recent insights related to the formation, function and fate of such condensates both in cell biology and protocell research.

Efforts to address equitable access to education and research in chemistry are ongoing in many countries around the world. Here, Professor Hind A. Al-Abadleh provides a personal account of her contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Canadian chemistry community.

Combining the superior photovoltaic performance of three-dimensional perovskites and the intrinsic durability of two-dimensional perovskites, the construction of 3D/2D perovskite bilayer heterojunctions is a promising strategy to realize efficient and stable perovskite solar cells, but it is still a challenge to control the phase purity, film thickness, orientation, and crystal structure of 2D perovskites. Now, a solution-processing strategy has overcome this challenge by directly coating a tailored single-crystal 2D perovskite ink on as-prepared 3D perovskite films, resulting in effective, ultra-stable and phase-pure 3D/2D perovskite bilayer heterojunctions.

Professor Jun Lu talks about the driving force for his career pathway and his academic journey from chemical physics to materials science and electrochemistry, as well as his experience of being an Editorial Board Member for Communications Chemistry.