Browse Articles

Interdisciplinary strategies bridging oncology, neuroscience, bioelectronics and materials science will facilitate the development of next-generation therapies and devices for cancers of the central nervous system.

The increasing popularity of electric vehicles as an alternative to internal combustion engine vehicles brings new realities, challenges and opportunities for scientists and engineers. A key element of this transition will be to develop solutions for lubrication, thermal management, electrical compatibility and corrosion inhibition. Two-dimensional materials are well poised to address these challenges and enhance the performance, efficiency, durability and, hence, sustainability of electric vehicles during this century and beyond.

Memristive devices are emerging within the semiconductor industry. Solution-processed memristors present alternatives for flexible, transparent and low-cost applications. This Perspective reviews solution-processed memristors focusing on the reliability of their electrical performance, aiming to increase impact and technology readiness.

Light-emitting perovskite solar cells are emerging optoelectronic devices that integrate light-emitting and electricity-generating functions in one device. This type of device unlocks new possibilities for applications as outdoor light sources, in multifunctional architecture, smart automobiles, self-powered displays and portable power floodlights.

Interlayer hybridization in van der Waals stacks is key to understanding their physical properties. This Perspective article discusses the various parameters influencing interlayer hybridization and how they can be controlled, providing a comprehensive guide for designing materials with desired properties.

An article in Nature describes regular, modular protein building blocks that can be combined — following a standard blueprint — into a variety of architectures.

Solid-state lithium metal batteries have the potential to meet energy density and safety requirements that current commercial Li-ion batteries cannot. Given their solid-state components, these batteries are subject to — and strongly affected by — external pressure during their manufacturing and operation. This Review examines the relationship between external pressure and electrochemical behaviour in these batteries.

An article in Advanced Materials presents a drug delivery platform for cancer chemotherapy that is activated by radiation.

An article in Nature Materials reports the use of a co-doping strategy to produce a Cu₂Se-based superionic material that has a figure of merit of 3 at 1,050 K, an efficiency of over 13% when integrated into a thermoelectric module and good operational stability.

India’s commitment to its ambitious technology goals brings a unique opportunity for the materials science community in the country to achieve synergy, focus, large-scale employment and global impact. However, scientists need to engage more spontaneously in goal-oriented collaborations along with stakeholders in industry and government.

As new materials and manufacturing techniques are discovered, their benefits transform every branch of science and engineering. In spacecraft propulsion, a new generation of ion engines could provide unprecedented performance and flexibility in space mission design.

High-entropy materials (HEMs) are characterized by their high configurational entropy, providing unique property-tuning capabilities for a variety of applications. This Perspective discusses the potential of HEMs for applications in energy storage, energy conversion and electronics.

Cost and performance analysis, if applied properly, can guide the research of new energy storage materials. In three case studies on sodium-ion batteries, this Perspective illustrates how to implement this type of analysis at the battery material discovery phase to identify the most promising active materials and treatments.

Nanoparticles (NPs) administered in the human body will undergo rapid surface modification upon contact with biological fluids driven by their interfacial interaction with a diverse range of biomolecules. Such spontaneous self-assembly and adsorption of proteins and other biomolecules onto the NP surface constitute what is commonly known as the protein or biomolecule corona. This surface biotransformation of the NPs modulates their biological interactions and impact on physiological systems and can influence their overall pharmacological profile. Here, we comment on how the initially considered ‘nuisance’ of the in vivo corona formation can now be considered a nanoparticle engineering tool for biomedical use, such as in endogenous tissue targeting, personalized biomarker discovery and immunomodulation.

The organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), with its organic mixed ionic–electronic conductor (OMIEC) channel, serves as an amplifying transducer of biological signals. This Review highlights OMIEC design milestones and illustrates how incorporating specific properties into OMIECs can extend OECT applications beyond biosensing.

An article in Science Advances presents a method to create starch superstructures to potentially improve food supply.

An article in Matter uses rice grains as scaffolds for cultivated beef cells to produce an innovative beef-infused rice.

Solar photovoltaics has tremendous potential to address current gaps in electricity access for resource-challenged settings, such as sub-Saharan Africa. However, a rapid surge in installations and future growth will lead to an increase in waste from panels and batteries, which needs to be tackled urgently. Innovative technical solutions and improved policies and standards are required to address end-of-life challenges for solar photovoltaics in sub-Saharan Africa.

Material World: A Substantial Story of Our Past and Future, the latest book by Ed Conway, explores the materials that underline our modern civilization, discussing their supply and manufacturing, but also history and innovators.