Research articles

Many capacitive materials exist but assessment protocols that allow comparisons between laboratory-scale research and industrial-scale trials are lacking. Here, extremely lean electrolytic testing is proposed as a systematic evaluation framework to assess the performance of diverse battery systems.

The response of a polycrystalline material during loading is strongly dependent on grain-level effects, such as residual stress from plasticity and grain orientation. Here, in-situ three-dimensional X-ray diffraction reveals the role of local and interacting grain stresses in a ferritic steel.

Hole-doped polymer PEDOT:PSS shows high conductivity but the carrier transport mechanism is not yet clarified. Here, broadband optical conductivity spectra are derived using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and far-infrared to-ultraviolet reflection spectroscopy, demonstrating band transport of hole carriers.

Poly-nitrogen units are useful for next-generation high energy density materials but often have poor thermal stability. Here, cyclopentazolate anions are stabilized in a hydrogen-bonded organic framework through self assembly, displaying a decomposition temperature of 153 °C.

Gas-responsive polymers are unconventional smart materials that utilizes specific gases. Here, polydimethylsiloxane elastomers appended with amine groups react with CO₂ leading to gas-induced mechanical reinforcement.

Poor material biocompatibility of implanted medical devices endangers patient safety and impairs device functionality. Here, durable zwitterion grafts attached onto polymeric surfaces via plasma functionalization lead to superhydrophilic materials for safer and more durable devices.

Memory structures are key components of any functional computing device, but achieving persistent storage of information in the form of light is extremely difficult. Here, the authors demonstrate the sequential formation of multiple memory pathways in photochromic crystals via optical near-field interactions.

Doped carbon nanotubes are essential for molecular electronic and energy devices. Here, protonic acids and lithium salts are employed as hole dopants and stabilizers, respectively, to induce thermally stable p-doped states in carbon nanotubes.

Metallic surfaces are often coated with corrosion inhibitors to prevent damage but these are typically toxic to the environment. Here, a recombinant adhesive cement protein from barnacles is shown to effectively protect steel against corrosion under marine environment conditions.

Single atom detection in nanoporous materials is challenging due to their sensitivity to electron irradiation. Here, the three-dimensional atomic occupancy of natural beryl is quantitatively analysed using high-angle annular dark-field imaging in a scanning transmission electron microscope and statistical analysis.

Liquid crystal polymers rarely have high thermal conductivities due to their disordered directionality that limits conductivity in a specific direction. Here, an electric field is applied to align liquid crystal monomers before photopolymerization to result in high anisotropic thermal conductivity.

Unconventional superconductivity can be found in many artificial compounds such as cuprates, iron-based and heavy-fermion superconductors, and recently discovered exotic materials; however, it rarely occurs naturally. Here, nodal superconductivity is observed in synthetically clean miassite minerals, which can also be found in nature.

Cathodic protection is widely used in protecting structures from corrosion, but its working mechanism remains unclear. Here, in-situ and ex-situ characterization techniques, coupled with electrochemical measurements, are used to study the spatio-temporal changes at the steel-electrolyte interface.

Refractory high-entropy alloys are attractive for high-temperature applications, but are challenging to process. Here, a method is shown for identifying a processing window that allows the additive manufacturing of a TiZrNbTa refractory alloy with a low defect content and mechanical properties comparable to as-cast samples.

Polarization rotation is key for modern optics but achieving it at mid-infrared frequencies is challenging and requires very thick phase retarders. Here, α-MoO₃ flakes provide mid-infrared phase retardation and 90 degrees polarization rotation within one micrometer of material, a thickness ten times thinner than the operational wavelength.

Materials language and processing with large language models provide an automated approach for text classification. Here, a generative pretrained transformer (GPT) approach is reported to provide a simple architecture for text classification, including identifying incorrectly annotated data and for manual labelling.

Overcoming the strength-toughness trade-off is a key goal of alloy engineering. Here, a two-phase eutectic high entropy alloy is reported that harnesses microstructural and chemical heterogeneity to achieve high toughness and ductility.

4D printing techniques enable the realization of smart materials whose shape or properties can change with time. Here, utilizing the anisotropic deformation of a combination of polymers and the distribution of microdefects formed during the 3D printing process, the authors realize a variety of shape-changing curved structures that can be used in drug delivery systems.

Fenton-like catalysts are used for degrading refractory organic pollutants but the synthesis of dual active sites is difficult to control. Here, carbon-assisted flash Joule heating synthesis results in a structure with single atoms and high-index facets for antibiotic and medical micropollutant removal from water.

The segregation of elements in superalloys is known to influence their mechanical properties. Here, atomic-scale imaging and theoretical calculations reveal a mechanism by which segregation causes a yield strength anomaly, strengthening the superalloy.