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.
Studying materials at high temperature and pressure provides information about phase transitions, with different X-ray probes to characterize material properties. This Primer describes how static and dynamic compression at synchrotrons and X-ray free-electron lasers can be used to reach high temperature, high pressure states and probe matter under extreme conditions.
Electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy measurements involve the collection of greatly enhanced Raman spectra at the electrified interface of nanostructured metal surfaces. In this Primer, Brosseau et al. describe the mechanisms of electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and important experimental details as well as data preprocessing, interpretation and analysis.
Protein film electrochemistry is used to study the redox properties of a protein adsorbed as a monolayer film on a working electrode. This Primer describes how protein film electrochemistry quantitatively investigates the thermodynamics and kinetics of processes such as ligand binding and redox catalysis.
Time-domain solutions to Maxwell’s equations can be computed using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. This Primer explores how FDTD can be used to study electromagnetic fields in complex media, including a summary of FDTD models, extensions, outputs and applications across the electromagnetic spectrum.
The unique electronic, mechanical and chemical properties of functionalized carbon nanotubes make them promising candidates for chemical sensors. In this Primer, Luo and Swager outline the material selection, device architecture and fabrication of carbon nanotube-based chemiresistive sensors and best practices for sensor testing.
The surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) effect holds an important position in advancing biological and chemical sensing technologies with chemical resolution. In this Primer, Kozuch et al. overview fabrication methods of SEIRA-active substrates and describe experimental considerations and interpretation of SEIRA spectra.
Functional material design can be enhanced by taking inspiration from nature. This Primer describes how micropatterns inspired by the natural world can be designed, fabricated and used to solve technical challenges.
Negative control variables (NCs) are variables that do not cause the outcome of interest and are not caused by the exposure of interest. This Primer describes how to use NCs to adjust for unmeasured confounding bias, for example in environmental or public health studies.
mRNA vaccines produce rapid and precise immune responses against infectious diseases and cancers. Chen et al. discuss the development of biomaterials and nanotechnology for mRNA vaccines, how these are designed and evaluated and the underlying mechanisms of cellular uptake and immune stimulation.
Light can be used to power CO2 conversion into value-added chemicals and fuels. In this Primer, Fang et al. provide a guide for the experimentation of photocatalytic CO2 reduction, including catalyst synthesis and characterization, reactor construction, photocatalytic testing and exploration of mechanism.
Sulfur fluoride exchange (SuFEx) is a click reaction used to rapidly synthesize and discover functional molecules. In this Primer, Homer et al. discuss the essential elements of SuFEx operation, catalysis and SuFExable connective hubs and explore applications of SuFEx in drug development, polymer science and biochemistry.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have vital functions and promise diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this Primer, Hendrix and colleagues discuss tools for isolating and characterizing EVs obtained from various sources, including the body and the environment.
Aptamers offer the specificity and affinity normally expected of antibodies but in small, chemically synthesized molecules free from cell culture-derived contaminants. In this Primer, DeRosa et al. provide guidance on the experimental design and data analysis of aptamers as well as considerations for improving reproducibility in experiments.
Containers are increasingly used in scientific projects to ensure reproducibility and promote collaboration. In this Primer, Moreau et al. explain containers, their use for scientific research and across various fields.
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) uses a plasma to ionize samples, followed by detection with mass spectrometry. This Primer discusses the major analytical variants of ICP-MS and how they can be used for trace elemental and isotopic analysis.
Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy employs short electromagnetic pulses to simultaneously measure the refractive index and the absorption coefficient of a material in a broad spectral range near a frequency of one terahertz. This Primer summarizes common techniques for generating and detecting terahertz pulses, which can be used to study physical, chemical and biological phenomena.
Light-based vat-polymerization bioprinting is used to create 3D cell-laden structures via vats filled with photoactivatable bioresins. In this Primer, Levato et al. discuss the experimental design for point-by-point, layer-by-layer and volumetric variations of the technique.
The upcycling of chlorinated plastics into value-added products is an effective method to reduce plastic pollution. In this Primer, Xu et al. describe upcycling strategies for the conversion of chlorinated waste plastics into value-added products and potential applications for these upcycled plastics.
Photocatalytic water splitting produces clean H2 gas by converting light to chemical energy. In this Primer, Nishioka et al. describe reliable methods for conducting experiments and the proper characterization and evaluation techniques to improve reproducibility in this field.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) can be used to investigate chemical bonding and elemental composition. This Primer discusses how XPS can be used to characterize thin films, including key considerations for sample preparation, experimental set-up and data analysis.
