Review Articles

Membranes have an increasingly important role in alleviating water scarcity and the pollution of aquatic environments. Promising molecular-level design approaches are reviewed for membrane materials, focusing on how these materials address the urgent requirements of water treatment applications.

Post-lithium-ion batteries are reviewed with a focus on their operating principles, advantages and the challenges that they face. The volumetric energy density of each battery is examined using a commercial pouch-cell configuration to evaluate its practical significance and identify appropriate research directions.

The incorporation of structural defects, in particular of interfaces, into crystalline lattices results in enhanced material properties. In this Review, different types of boundaries and interfaces are discussed, including high- and low-angle grain boundaries, twin boundaries, nanotwinned and nanolaminated structures, and gradient nanostructures.

New catalysis materials are required for electrochemical reactions that are vital for clean energy production and environmental remediation. The use of nanostructured materials for improving catalytic reactivity is analysed in this Review in the context of model reactions of O₂ reduction, CO₂ electroreduction and ethanol oxidation.

Iron-based superconductors display high transition temperatures. The physics behind the unconventional superconductivity of these systems can be investigated by taking into consideration the observed strong electronic correlations and bad-metal behaviour, the nature of their magnetic properties, and the presence of electronic nematicity and of quantum criticalities.

The mechanical performance of hard biological materials is not only governed by their composition and architecture but also by the interfaces they contain. This Review discusses the composition, structure and mechanics of key interfaces within nacre, bone and wood, and their role in deformation and toughness.

Grafting DNA strands onto colloidal nano- and microparticles endows them with sequence-specific interactions. This Review explains how these interactions emerge from reactions between the strands and how the DNA sequences can add information that tells the particles how to self-assemble.

Single-molecule electronic junctions comprise three components: anchors, electrodes and the molecular bridge. This Review surveys the relationship between the chemical structures and the electronic properties of each component, and extends the discussion to switching functions and the phenomenon of quantum interference.

Acoustic metamaterials can be used manipulate sound waves with a high degree of control. Their applications include acoustic imaging and cloaking. This Review outlines the designs and properties of these materials, discussing transformation acoustics theory, anisotropic materials and active acoustic metamaterials.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown promise in a broad range of applications, including catalysis. In this Review, the chemical, thermal and mechanical stabilities of MOFs, in particular with catalytic uses in mind, are discussed.

Tuning the reversible chemistries in hydrogels makes it possible to mimic the dynamic nature of the extracellular matrix. Various chemistries have been incorporated to regulate cell spreading, biochemical presentation and matrix mechanics.

Colloidal crystals composed of isotropic spheres are powerful model systems for the studies of crystallization, melting and solid–solid transitions at the single-particle level. Tunable, anisotropic or active particles provide greater opportunities to study crystal assembly and phase transitions.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices offer the promise of efficient artificial photosynthesis. In this Review, recently developed light-harvesting materials for PEC application are scrutinized with respect to their atomic constitution, electronic structure and potential for practical performance in PEC cells.

Ionic liquids and their solid-state analogues, organic ionic plastic crystals, have recently emerged as important materials for renewable energy applications. This Review highlights recent advances in the synthesis of these materials and their application as electrolytes for batteries, capacitors, photovoltaics, fuel cells and CO₂ reduction.

Conventional synthesis of nanocarbons, such as graphene, fullerenes and carbon nanotubes, yields mixtures of molecules with varying structures. However, harnessing the full potential of these materials demands atomically precise synthesis methods. Recent advances using organic chemistry are discussed in this Review.

Density functional theory has become an indispensable tool in the design of new materials. This Review details the principles of computational materials design, highlighting examples of the successful prediction and subsequent experimental verification of materials for energy harvesting, conversion and storage.

Angiogenesis is mediated by cytokines that function in concert with the extracellular matrix as a biofunctional physiological materials system. By analysing this system, design rules can be identified for biomimetic synthetic materials systems to induce therapeutic angiogenesis.

Ice repellency can be achieved on various hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces, although a surface that repels ice under all environmental scenarios remains elusive. Different strategies are reviewed with a focus on the recent development of superhydrophobic and lubricant-infused surfaces.

The charge transport properties of hybrid organic—inorganic perovskites, which can explain their excellent photovoltaic performance, are reviewed through an integrated summary of experimental and theoretical findings. The potential origins of these properties are discussed and future research directions are indicated.