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| Open AccessOrbital hybridization of donor and acceptor to enhance the conductivity of mixed-stack complexes
Mixed-stack complexes consisting of alternating donors and acceptors typically show low electrical conductivity. Here, the authors improved the conductivity by hybridizing the frontier orbitals of the donor and acceptor at the neutral–ionic boundary.
- Tomoko Fujino
- , Ryohei Kameyama
- & Hatsumi Mori
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Article
| Open AccessHighly efficient multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence material toward a BT.2020 deep-blue emitter
The realization of a BT.2020 blue emitter is challenging due to the spectral redshift associated with π-extension. Here, the authors report a multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter, exhibiting ultrapure deep-blue narrow emission and CIEy ≤ 0.05 exceeding 20% efficiency.
- Junki Ochi
- , Yuki Yamasaki
- & Takuji Hatakeyama
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| Open AccessTuning polymer-backbone coplanarity and conformational order to achieve high-performance printed all-polymer solar cells
All-polymer solar cells comprising both polymeric donors and acceptors offer better morphological and mechanical stability, and a broader processing window for printing. Here, the authors report a polymer acceptor based on bithiazole linker with more coplanar and ordered molecular conformation.
- Yilei Wu
- , Yue Yuan
- & Zhenan Bao
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Article
| Open AccessPrediction of highly stable 2D carbon allotropes based on azulenoid kekulene
Discovery of 2D materials with useful electronic properties is challenging. Here, the authors use DFT to design a stable semiconducting 2D carbon allotrope for optoelectronic applications that has light charge carriers and unusual secondary bandgap.
- Zhenzhe Zhang
- , Hanh D. M. Pham
- & Rustam Z. Khaliullin
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| Open AccessSublimed C60 for efficient and repeatable perovskite-based solar cells
Batch-to-batch reproducibility of device performances is crucial for perovskite photovoltaics moving towards industrialization. Here, the authors show that commercial as-received C60 source materials may coalesce during repeated thermal evaporation processes, jeopardizing such reproducibility.
- Ahmed A. Said
- , Erkan Aydin
- & Stefaan De Wolf
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| Open AccessSelf-encapsulated ionic fibers based on stress-induced adaptive phase transition for non-contact depth-of-field camouflage sensing
Fabrication methods for ionic conductive hydrogel fibers are challenged by complexity and poor stability. Using a stress-induced adaptive phase transition strategy, Liu et al. fabricate self-encapsulated hydrogel fibers for depth-of-field sensing applications in a sustainable, two-step process.
- Ying Liu
- , Chan Wang
- & Zhou Li
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| Open AccessNon-Faradaic optoelectrodes for safe electrical neuromodulation
Nanoscale optoelectrodes hold the potential to optically stimulate individual neuron. Here, the authors form nanoscale capacitive optoelectrodes by incorporating zinc porphyrin into nanorods, coated by TiO2, a design that allows for far-field optical modulation of neurons with efficiency and negligible side effects.
- Jian Chen
- , Yanyan Liu
- & Wenbo Bu
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| Open Access3D microprinting of inorganic porous materials by chemical linking-induced solidification of nanocrystals
3D microprinting is considered a next generation manufacturing process for microscale components. Here, authors develop a generalised microscale 3D printing method to produce purely inorganic nanocrystal-linked porous materials that exhibit excellent functionality and hierarchical porosity.
- Minju Song
- , Yoonkyum Kim
- & Jae Sung Son
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Article
| Open AccessGround-state electron transfer in all-polymer donor:acceptor blends enables aqueous processing of water-insoluble conjugated polymers
Chemical approaches to improve aqueous dispersions of conjugated polymers are limited by the feasibility of modifying the backbone or lead to poor performance. Here, Liu et al. show that ground-state electron transfer in donor:acceptor blends aids aqueous dispersion, for high conductivity and solubility.
- Tiefeng Liu
- , Johanna Heimonen
- & Simone Fabiano
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| Open AccessPeculiar transient behaviors of organic electrochemical transistors governed by ion injection directionality
Few studies have investigated the structural properties of organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors in relation to the transient device characteristics. Here, Kim et al. show that backbone-dependent molecular orientation affects ion injection directionality, which determines ion mobility and transient response.
- Ji Hwan Kim
- , Roman Halaksa
- & Myung-Han Yoon
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Article
| Open AccessAn ultrasmall organic synapse for neuromorphic computing
Designing high performance organic neuromorphic devices remains a challenge. Here, Liu et al. report the development of an organic synapse based on a semicrystalline polymer PBFCL10 with device dimension of 50 nm and integration size of 1 Kb and a mixed‐signal neuromorphic hardware system based on the organic neuromatrix and FPGA controller for decision‐making tasks.
- Shuzhi Liu
- , Jianmin Zeng
- & Gang Liu
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Article
| Open AccessRheological engineering of perovskite suspension toward high-resolution X-ray flat-panel detector
The film uniformity is essential to the fixed pattern noise (FPN) and resolution of X-ray detectors. Here the authors demonstrate the rheological engineering of the perovskite suspension to achieve low FPN of 1.39% and high resolution of 0.51 lp/pix.
- Zihao Song
- , Xinyuan Du
- & Jiang Tang
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| Open AccessPorphene and porphite as porphyrin analogs of graphene and graphite
Here the authors report Zn porphene, a member of a new organic metalloporphene family. Similar to graphene, these also are fully conjugated 2D polymers, but are composed of fused metalloporphyrin rings.
- Thomas F. Magnera
- , Paul I. Dron
- & Josef Michl
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| Open AccessControl of metal oxides’ electronic conductivity through visual intercalation chemical reactions
Cation intercalation is an effective method to optimise the electronic structures of metal oxides. Here authors present a visual intercalation chemical synthesis strategy to control intercalated structures of metal oxides and synthesise flexible conductive metal oxide films in one minute at room temperature.
- Yuanyuan Zhang
- , Xiaohua Zhang
- & Jianhua Yan
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| Open AccessA molecular pyroelectric enabling broadband photo-pyroelectric effect towards self-driven wide spectral photodetection
Broadband spectral photoresponse has potential for optoelectronic devices, but obtaining high photoactivity beyond the material bandgap is challenging. Here, the authors report the development of a molecular pyroelectric material with broadband photopyroelectric effects.
- Xi Zeng
- , Yi Liu
- & Zhihua Sun
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| Open AccessSuppressing electron-phonon coupling in organic photovoltaics for high-efficiency power conversion
Reducing non-radiative energy loss is critical to improving power conversion efficiency in organic solar cells. Jiang et al. show that alkyl side-chain engineering in acceptors reduces the free volume ratio, lowering non-radiative decay, to achieve 18.6% efficiency in bulk-heterojunction binary cells.
- Yuanyuan Jiang
- , Yixin Li
- & Xiaozhang Zhu
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Article
| Open AccessAchieving tissue-level softness on stretchable electronics through a generalizable soft interlayer design
Stretchable electronics are attractive for a range of biomedical applications, but are challenging to prepare with suitable mechanical properties. Here, the authors report the use of a soft interlayer that allows the development of stretchable electronics with tissue-like material properties.
- Yang Li
- , Nan Li
- & Sihong Wang
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| Open AccessVoltage-driven control of single-molecule keto-enol equilibrium in a two-terminal junction system
Keto-enol tautomerism offers a promising platform for modulating charge transport at the nanoscale. Here, the authors show that the keto-enol equilibrium can be modulated on the single-molecule scale by controlling charge injection in a two-terminal junction system.
- Chun Tang
- , Thijs Stuyver
- & Wenjing Hong
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Article
| Open AccessEnergy conversion and storage via photoinduced polarization change in non-ferroelectric molecular [CoGa] crystals
Energy harvesting by utilizing optical control has emerged as a promising solution to alleviate energy and environmental crisis. However, it is challenging to realise nano-scale energy storage and conversion in the same material. Here the authors report a nonferroelectric molecular [CoGa] crystal that uses light as an external stimulus to exhibit photoenergy conversion and energy storage properties.
- Pritam Sadhukhan
- , Shu-Qi Wu
- & Osamu Sato
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| Open AccessAnion redox as a means to derive layered manganese oxychalcogenides with exotic intergrowth structures
Low temperature chemical transformations of solids using high-energy intermediates have enabled the synthesis of a new series of layered oxide chalcogenide containing oxidised chalcogenide dimers promising a new range of solids.
- Shunsuke Sasaki
- , Souvik Giri
- & Simon J. Clarke
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| Open AccessConductive and elastic bottlebrush elastomers for ultrasoft electronics
Conductive materials with tissue-matched softness are needed for ultra-soft electronics. Here, the authors report ultra-soft and conductive bottlebrush elastomer composites and fabricate them into electronics with laser cutting and 3D printing methods.
- Pengfei Xu
- , Shaojia Wang
- & Xinyu Liu
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Article
| Open AccessSuppressing phase disproportionation in quasi-2D perovskite light-emitting diodes
Quasi-2D halide perovskites are attracting increasing attention for light-emitting devices. Here, the authors demonstrated efficient and stable quasi-2D perovskite LEDs enabled by suppressed phase disproportionation with newly designed organic ligands.
- Kang Wang
- , Zih-Yu Lin
- & Letian Dou
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| Open Access2D Titanium carbide printed flexible ultrawideband monopole antenna for wireless communications
Designing ultrathin and flexible antenna is of great interest for efficient wireless data communication and transmission at fast-growing IoT applications. The authors report a flexible ultrawideband Ti3C2 monopole antenna by combining strategies of interfacial modification and advanced extrusion printing technology.
- Weiwei Zhao
- , Hao Ni
- & Qiang Zhao
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| Open AccessHeteroepitaxial chemistry of zinc chalcogenides on InP nanocrystals for defect-free interfaces with atomic uniformity
Heteroepitaxy on colloidal nanocrystals often yields defective heterostructures due to intricate reaction pathways. Here, the authors decode the surface chemistry at the molecular level to realise defect-free interfaces with atomic uniformity.
- Yeongho Choi
- , Donghyo Hahm
- & Jaehoon Lim
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| Open AccessFast light-switchable polymeric carbon nitride membranes for tunable gas separation
Simuli-responsive separation membranes often suffer from slow response times or require high energy input for switching to occur. Here authors demonstrate light-switchable gas separation membranes based on polymeric carbon nitride with fast switching times for the efficient separation of gases with higher polarizabilities.
- Timur Ashirov
- , Julya Stein Siena
- & Ali Coskun
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Article
| Open AccessAzide-functionalized ligand enabling organic–inorganic hybrid dielectric for high-performance solution-processed oxide transistors
Low cost and low power consumption of transistors are needed for the development of internet of things. Here Chung et al. develop a high performance n-type oxide thin film transistor by introducing a ligand for crosslinking nanoparticles and polymers, obtaining a near-ideal hybrid dielectric layer.
- Juhyeok Lee
- , Syed Zahid Hassan
- & Dae Sung Chung
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| Open AccessSpray-coated perovskite hemispherical photodetector featuring narrow-band and wide-angle imaging
Hemispherical photodetectors allow wide sight angle without the complex optical paths of fisheye lenses. Here, Wei et al, report a spray-coated quasi-two-dimensional perovskite hemispherical photodetector with wavelength selective response from the visible to the near-infrared.
- Xiaopeng Feng
- , Yuhong He
- & Haotong Wei
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| Open AccessSwitching p-type to high-performance n-type organic electrochemical transistors via doped state engineering
Conventional strategies to obtain n-type organic electrochemical transistors are based on lowering the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. Here Lei et al., engineer the polymer doped states to fabricate high-performance n-type organic electrochemical transistors.
- Peiyun Li
- , Junwei Shi
- & Ting Lei
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Article
| Open AccessBond engineering of molecular ferroelectrics renders soft and high-performance piezoelectric energy harvesting materials
Improving piezoelectric strain and voltage constant generally compromises piezoelectric performance and mechanical softness. Here, the authors report a bond weakening strategy for organic-inorganic hybrid piezoelectrics and mitigated these issues.
- Yuzhong Hu
- , Kaushik Parida
- & Hong Jin Fan
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| Open AccessHigh-surface-area corundum nanoparticles by resistive hotspot-induced phase transformation
High-surface-area corundum are used in ceramics and catalyst supports, yet the synthesis is hampered by high energy barrier and aggregation. Here the authors report the ultrafast synthesis of corundum nanoparticles via the resistive hotspot triggered phase transformation in electric heating process.
- Bing Deng
- , Paul A. Advincula
- & James M. Tour
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| Open AccessStrong absorption and ultrafast localisation in NaBiS2 nanocrystals with slow charge-carrier recombination
Ternary chalcogenides are gaining interest as nontoxic, stable solar absorbers. Here, the authors investigate NaBiS2, finding cation disorder to be a critical parameter that enables its high absorption strength and unusual charge-carrier kinetics.
- Yi-Teng Huang
- , Seán R. Kavanagh
- & Robert L. Z. Hoye
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| Open AccessLight-responsive self-strained organic semiconductor for large flexible OFET sensing array
Strain engineering is effective to improve the carrier mobility of semiconductor materials. Here, the authors demonstrate lattice strain-induced mobility enhancement of an azobenzene compound under photoisomerization and its application in large-scale flexible organic field-effect transistors.
- Mingliang Li
- , Jing Zheng
- & Jinyao Tang
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Article
| Open AccessElectrical resistance of the current collector controls lithium morphology
The deployment of lithium metal batteries is forestalled by poor control over the deposition morphology of lithium. Here, the authors discover that high electrical resistance can be leveraged for controlling lithium morphology and enabling high-performing lithium metal batteries.
- Solomon T. Oyakhire
- , Wenbo Zhang
- & Stacey F. Bent
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| Open AccessA charge transfer framework that describes supramolecular interactions governing structure and properties of 2D perovskites
Understanding structure-property relationships is important when designing functional materials. Here, authors propose a descriptor to help understand and predict the electronic properties of two-dimensional lead iodide perovskites for photovoltaic applications.
- Xiaoming Zhao
- , Melissa L. Ball
- & Yueh-Lin Loo
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| Open AccessA-site cation influence on the conduction band of lead bromide perovskites
The A-cation influence on the mechanism of slow hot carrier cooling in perovskites is controversial. Here, Man et al. resolve a debated issue regarding A-cation influence on the electronic structure of lead halide perovskites.
- Gabriel J. Man
- , Chinnathambi Kamal
- & Sergei M. Butorin
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Article
| Open AccessDeciphering the phase transition-induced ultrahigh piezoresponse in (K,Na)NbO3-based piezoceramics
Functional oxides with coexisting states of comparable energy typically exhibit extraordinary responses to external stimuli. Here, the authors demonstrate that coexisting phase structures provide large electric field-triggered volume change.
- Mao-Hua Zhang
- , Chen Shen
- & Manuel Hinterstein
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| Open AccessPrintable logic circuits comprising self-assembled protein complexes
Proteins are promising molecular materials for next-generation electronic devices. Here, the authors fabricated printable digital logic circuits comprising resistors and diodes from self-assembled photosystem I complexes that enable pulse modulation.
- Xinkai Qiu
- & Ryan C. Chiechi
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Article
| Open AccessTetrathiafulvalenes as anchors for building highly conductive and mechanically tunable molecular junctions
Though charge transport in molecular devices depend on the electrode-molecule interface, controlling the interface’s contact geometry remains a challenge. Here, the authors report molecular junctions featuring TTF-fused NDI molecules anchored to gold electrodes through direct TTF-Au contacts.
- Qi Zhou
- , Kai Song
- & Daoben Zhu
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| Open AccessHypervalency in amorphous chalcogenides
The current study explores by ab-initio molecular dynamics simuations the concept of hypervalency in amorphous chalcogenide materials, from which a unified conceptual framework for understanding chemical bonding, microscopic structures, and structure-property relationships is established.
- T. H. Lee
- & S. R. Elliott
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| Open AccessBalancing the film strain of organic semiconductors for ultrastable organic transistors with a five-year lifetime
Aggregate state instability is a major cause of device degradation in organic field-effect transistors. Here, authors elucidate the origin of such instability and provide a strategy to overcome it, such that devices with ultra-long lifetimes can be obtained.
- Xiaosong Chen
- , Zhongwu Wang
- & Wenping Hu
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Article
| Open AccessIn situ-formed tetrahedrally coordinated double-helical metal complexes for improved coordination-activated n-doping
N-doping technologies are essential for high performance organic optoelectronics. Here, the authors report metalinkage diphenanthrolinetype ligands, which enable the formation of tetrahedrally coordinated double-helical metal complexes for coordination-activated n-doping.
- Ziyang Liu
- , Xiao Li
- & Lian Duan
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Article
| Open AccessSpatially resolved fluorescence of caesium lead halide perovskite supercrystals reveals quasi-atomic behavior of nanocrystals
By utilizing spatially resolved fluorescence (-lifetime) measurements and high precision X-ray nanodiffraction, the authors correlate the influence of structural misalignment and fluorescence (-lifetime) properties of all-inorganic CsPbX3 (X– = Br–, Cl–) perovskite superlattices.
- Dmitry Lapkin
- , Christopher Kirsch
- & Ivan A. Vartanyants
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Article
| Open AccessElectro-mechanically switchable hydrocarbons based on [8]annulenes
Pure hydrocarbons with properties that can be switched by external stimuli are interesting for the design and development of new responsive materials. Here, the authors develop an oligomeric [8]annulene-based material that combines topological switching upon redox changes with structural simplicity, stability, and straightforward synthesis.
- Magdalena Tasić
- , Jakov Ivković
- & Daniel Strand
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Article
| Open AccessTailoring the coercive field in ferroelectric metal-free perovskites by hydrogen bonding
All-organic perovskites exhibit structural tunability and solution-processability, but are disadvantaged by a lower coercive field compared to inorganic ones. Here, the authors demonstrate that modulating hydrogen bond strength in such perovskites can generate a large coercive field.
- Hwa Seob Choi
- , Shunning Li
- & Kian Ping Loh
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Article
| Open AccessPhase controlled synthesis of transition metal carbide nanocrystals by ultrafast flash Joule heating
Nanoscale carbides provide access to ultra-strong ceramics and show activity as high-performance catalysts. Here, the authors report a flash Joule heating process for the ultrafast, general synthesis of various transition metal carbides nanocrystals with phase controllability.
- Bing Deng
- , Zhe Wang
- & James M. Tour
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Article
| Open AccessA crystalline radical cation derived from Thiele’s hydrocarbon with redox range beyond 1 V
Organic molecules that can access various redox states have potential applications in electronics, batteries, catalysis, among others. Here the authors report the preparation of an unsymmetrical organoboron analogue of Thiele’s hydrocarbon and study its one- and two-electron oxidation reactions; remarkably, the radical cation is stable over a redox range of > 1 V and can also be isolated.
- Ying Kai Loh
- , Petra Vasko
- & Simon Aldridge
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Article
| Open AccessDirect observation of one-dimensional disordered diffusion channel in a chain-like thermoelectric with ultralow thermal conductivity
Disordered, diffusive atoms are rarely found in simple crystalline solids. Here, the authors observe one-dimensional disordered diffusion channel in a simple chain-like thermoelectric InTe with ultralow thermal conductivity.
- Jiawei Zhang
- , Nikolaj Roth
- & Bo B. Iversen
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Article
| Open AccessHigh dielectric barium titanate porous scaffold for efficient Li metal cycling in anode-free cells
The development of anode-free batteries requires current collectors able to deposit and remove Li metal upon cycling efficiently. Here, the authors report the use of high dielectric porous BaTiO3 to avoid the formation of inhomogeneous Li metal depositions during anode-free cell cycling.
- Chao Wang
- , Ming Liu
- & Marnix Wagemaker
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Article
| Open AccessStriping of orbital-order with charge-disorder in optimally doped manganites
Manganite perovskites display the intriguing property of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR), but only at very specific doping values. Now, a detailed crystallographic analysis of a prototype system reveals a novel type of orbital ordering that coexists with charge-disorder stripes, occurring precisely at the doping value where CMR is maximised.
- Wei-Tin Chen
- , Chin-Wei Wang
- & Mark S. Senn