News & Comment

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.

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.

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.

An article in Nature Electronics reports a printable, stretchable on-skin sweat-sensing platform.

An article in Nature Communications reports a range of imperceptible on-skin devices based on ultrathin, ultralight and gas-permeable 3D microstructure arrays.

An article in Nature Electronics reports a soft, reconfigurable synaptic transistor that retains functionality even when stretched by 50%.

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.