Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
One of the most advanced and challenging topics in modern reticular chemistry is structure multivariation. This Perspective defines the fundamentals of multivariation by considering sequences of chemical species as its true essence, thereby addressing the classification of multivariate structures and presenting new concepts for their analysis and application.
Machine learning is poised to accelerate the development of technologies for a renewable energy future. This Perspective highlights recent advances and in particular proposes Acc(X)eleration Performance Indicators (XPIs) to measure the effectiveness of platforms developed for accelerated energy materials discovery.
van der Waals ferroelectrics are different from conventional oxide or polymer-based ferroelectrics in terms of both crystal structure and functionality. This Review discusses the experimentally verified van der Waals ferroelectrics, their unique characteristics and their potential applications in post-Moore’s law electronics.
Hydrogels are one of the most promising materials to bridge the stark disparities between traditional machines and biological tissues for successful interfacing between humans and machines. This Review discusses the functional modes, design principles, and current and future applications of hydrogel interfaces for the merging of humans and machines.
An article in Nature Communications reports a range of imperceptible on-skin devices based on ultrathin, ultralight and gas-permeable 3D microstructure arrays.
A group of scientists at Imperial College collaborated with The Blackett Lab Family, a collective of UK-based Black physicists, to host the UK’s first research school for Black physicists and engineers. Here they reflect on what they learnt and why we should all join in the mission to end inequality in academia.
Next-generation light-emitting displays should be not only flexible and bright but also soft and stretchable. Newly emerging light-emitting materials will enable body-conformable light-emitting devices with potential applications in a variety of fields, including displays, lighting, sensing, imaging, stimulation and therapy.
The metaverse may change the way we live and interact with one another, and its potential applications range from entertainment to health care. Extended reality is the main technology to realize the highly realistic, interactive and immersive metaverse experience, and wearable electronic devices and materials are at its core.
Organic photovoltaic cells are thin, lightweight, flexible and semi-transparent. These characteristics unlock new possibilities for applications in agriculture, architecture, wearable electronics and health science.
An article in Nature Biomedical Engineering reports a soft robotic aortic sleeve that can reproduce the blood dynamics associated with aortic stenosis, acting as a reliable model for the disease.
An article in Advanced Materials presents polymer donors with hydrogen-bonding spacers that enable intrinsically stretchable organic solar cells with a high power conversion efficiency and good stretchability.
An article in the Journal of the American Chemical Society reports azobenzene crystals that roll continuously under visible light, thanks to crystal packing effects that shift azobenzene’s light-responsive window.
An article in Nature Catalysis presents a computationally guided optimization of iron-based cathodes for protonic ceramic fuel cells that led to the fabrication of devices with good efficiency and stability.
Redox-active organic materials are a promising electrode material for next-generation batteries, owing to their potential cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness. This Review compares the performance of redox-active organic materials from a practical viewpoint and discusses their potential in various post-lithium-ion-battery platforms.
