Articles in 2022

An article in the Journal of the American Chemical Society presents metal–organic frameworks with Olympic rings-inspired structures.

An article in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters reports the use of intercalation of Cu or Ag atoms in the 2D magnet CrI₃ to obtain 2D multiferroic materials.

An article in Nature Nanotechnology reports the phase-controlled synthesis of centimetre-scale films of the 2D ferroelectric In₂Se₃.

An article in Nature Communications sheds light on the influence of the number of layers in the sample on sliding ferroelectricity based on measurements on rhombohedral MoS₂.

DNA origami nanostructures are useful constructs for biophysical and therapeutic studies. This Review discusses how these nanostructures are functionalized with bioactive conjugates, purified and characterized, and compares the advantages and limitations of these methods in the context of different applications.

Organic solar cells that are semitransparent in the visible and strongly absorbing in the near-infrared spectral regions present unique opportunities for applications in buildings and agriculture. This Review surveys recent progress in semitransparent organic photovoltaic devices and discusses strategies to optimize their efficiency, visible transparency, lifetime and scalability.

Investigating single-molecule reactions will deepen our understanding of chemical reactions and establish new frameworks in materials science. This Review summarizes the chemical reactions occurring in single-molecule junctions, discusses how they differ from reactions in the bulk, and explores the possibility of leveraging single-molecule catalysis for large-scale synthesis.

Efforts to increase diversity in quantum information science education often centre on individual minority students. The co-founder of the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center argues that more resources should go towards faculty enablement strategies targeting schools with a proven track record of graduating minorities in STEM.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives are familiar household items spanning applications in everyday repair, office supplies and topical wound care. Through innovations in material and polymer science, pressure-sensitive adhesives will advance from current commodity to new specialty materials with resulting new clinical uses and improved patient care.

An article in Advanced Functional Materials reports a dual-functional hydrogel platform that can treat inflammation and promote bone regeneration.

An article in ACS Nano presents a hydrogel with a mushroom-like shape that can block and treat gastrointestinal puncture wounds.

An article in Advanced Functional Materials presents a hydrogel adhesive to treat nerve injuries.

The emergence of new materials and cell designs is enabling the transition of aqueous batteries into competitive candidates for reliable and affordable energy storage. This Review critically examines the scientific advances that have enabled such a transition and explores future research prospects.

Materials for extreme environments can help to protect people, structures and the planet. Extreme temperatures in aeroplane engines, hypervelocity micrometeoroid impacts on satellites, high-speed machining of ceramics and strong radiation doses in nuclear reactors are just some examples of extreme conditions that materials need to withstand. In this Viewpoint, experts working on materials for different types of extreme environments discuss the most exciting advances, opportunities and bottlenecks in their fields.

In perovskite solar cells, metal-oxide/perovskite interfaces suffer from a combination of issues related to interfacial defects, charge transfer, chemical stability and delamination, limiting performance. This Review discusses how molecular engineering of metal-oxide/perovskite interfaces with self-assembled monolayers can provide a solution and help to bring perovskite solar cells to market.

Liquid metals are promising multifunctional materials, but their single-colour physical appearance limits their applicability. There are several methods to endow liquid metals with colour and fluorescence, and although breakthroughs have been made in controlling their optical and interfacial properties, more work is needed to refine the synthetic strategies, better understand the coloration effects and enable the applications of colourful liquid metals.

Wearable electronics could enable us to optimize every aspect of our personal health and performance. They might also have important ramifications for clinical use and theranostics.

An article in ACS Applied Energy Materials presents recyclable one-dimensional fibre-shaped supercapacitors for powering wearable electronic devices.

Mechanical force modulates the conformation and function of individual proteins, and this underpins many mechanically driven cellular processes. This Review addresses single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments conducted on proteins with a known role in mechanosensing and mechanotransduction in eukaryotic cells.