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| Open AccessFrustrated Lewis pair catalyst realizes efficient green diesel production
The commercial production of green diesel suffers from the requirement for continuous sulfur replenishment to maintain catalytic activity. Here, the authors report a sulfur-free catalytic system that can efficiently produce green diesel from various feedstocks over long periods of operation.
- De-Chang Li
- , Zhengyi Pan
- & Guang-Hui Wang
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Article
| Open AccessViolation of emergent rotational symmetry in the hexagonal Kagome superconductor CsV
3 Sb5 Superconductors with hexagonal symmetry are expected to be isotropic particularly near the critical temperature Tc, a property called emergent rotational symmetry (ERS). Here, the authors use calorimetry to study the hexagonal kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5 and find a violation of the expected ERS, hinting at realization of exotic superconductivity.
- Kazumi Fukushima
- , Keito Obata
- & Shingo Yonezawa
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Article
| Open AccessControlled condensation by liquid contact-induced adaptations of molecular conformations in self-assembled monolayers
Surface condensation is predetermined and is typically adjusted by chemical or topographical surface modification. Here, the authors report on a strategy to control the surface condensation behavior by adjusting molecular conformations in self-assembled monolayers.
- Guoying Bai
- , Haiyan Zhang
- & Yufeng Liu
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Article
| Open AccessSpiral packing and chiral selectivity in model membranes probed by phase-resolved sum-frequency generation microscopy
The properties of lipid membranes are intimately controlled by their complex heterogeneous structure. Here, the authors use phase-resolved sum-frequency generation microscopy to fully determine the hierarchical lipid packing from the molecular to the mesoscopic scale.
- Alexander P. Fellows
- , Ben John
- & Martin Thämer
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Article
| Open AccessPrecision ion separation via self-assembled channels
Selective nanofiltration membranes with accurate molecular sieving offer a solution to recover rare metals and other valuable elements from brines but this demands the development of membranes with precise sub-nanometer pores surpassing those available today. Here, the authors report a scalable approach for membrane fabrication in which functionalized macrocycles are seamlessly oriented via supramolecular interactions during the interfacial polycondensation on a polyacrylonitrile support layer.
- Shanshan Hong
- , Maria Di Vincenzo
- & Suzana P. Nunes
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Article
| Open AccessTwo-dimensional lead halide perovskite lateral homojunctions enabled by phase pinning
Hong et al. report 2D perovskite lateral homojunction consists of ordered and disordered phases, achieved by organic cation doping induced phase pinning, built upon which they develop tuneable optical properties under external stimuli and directional exciton diffusion in the homojunctions.
- Huilong Hong
- , Songhao Guo
- & Yongping Fu
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Article
| Open AccessA facile one step route that introduces functionality to polymer powders for laser sintering
Polyamide-12 is the main polymer employed to produce 3D objects by laser sintering constraining the functionality of the items produced. Here, the authors report a clean and scalable approach for the functionalization of polyamide-12 particles, yielding materials that can be printed using commercial apparatus.
- Eduards Krumins
- , Liam A. Crawford
- & Steven M. Howdle
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Article
| Open AccessBeyond nothingness in the formation and functional relevance of voids in polymer films
Voids are known to impact the properties of materials, but the nanovoids also present are less well understood than macroscopic voids. Here, the authors utilise 3D imaging and graph theory to study nanovoid formation and impact on material properties.
- Falon C. Kalutantirige
- , Jinlong He
- & Qian Chen
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Article
| Open AccessPhotonic-electronic integrated circuit-based coherent LiDAR engine
The researchers showcase a photonic-electronic FMCW LiDAR source composed of a micro-electronic based high-voltage arbitrary waveform generator, a photonic circuit-based tunable Vernier laser with piezoelectric actuators, and an erbium-doped waveguide amplifier.
- Anton Lukashchuk
- , Halil Kerim Yildirim
- & Tobias J. Kippenberg
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Article
| Open AccessRoom-temperature quantum emission from interface excitons in mixed-dimensional heterostructures
Interlayer excitons in 2D homo- and heterostructures have been intensively investigated due to their emerging optical properties. Here, the authors report the observation of interface excitons in 1D/2D carbon nanotube/WSe2 heterostructures, showing evidence of photon antibunching at room temperature.
- N. Fang
- , Y. R. Chang
- & Y. K. Kato
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Article
| Open AccessProbing the tunable multi-cone band structure in Bernal bilayer graphene
Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene (BLG) has been extensively studied due to its tunable band gap and emerging electronic properties, but its low-energy band structure remains debated. Here, the authors report magnetotransport measurements of Bernal BLG, showing evidence of four Dirac cones and electrically induced topological transitions.
- Anna M. Seiler
- , Nils Jacobsen
- & R. Thomas Weitz
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Article
| Open AccessA terahertz meta-sensor array for 2D strain mapping
The researchers showcase a flexible meta-sensor array based on classical Mie resonance, enabling precise detection of in-plane strain direction and magnitude using dynamically transmitted terahertz (THz) signals. The sensor array holds immense promise for the real-life applications as it possesses high sensor density and has a very large size up to (110 ×130 mm2).
- Xueguang Lu
- , Feilong Zhang
- & Qiang Cheng
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Article
| Open AccessPowder-size driven facile microstructure control in powder-fusion metal additive manufacturing processes
Achieving facile grain microstructure control in metal additive manufacturing is essential for its advancement. Here, the authors present a powder-size driven melt pool engineering approach to control the grain morphology demonstrated by laser directed energy deposition and electron beam powder-bed fusion processes.
- Shubham Chandra
- , Chengcheng Wang
- & Xipeng Tan
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Article
| Open AccessMultiscale architecture design of 3D printed biodegradable Zn-based porous scaffolds for immunomodulatory osteogenesis
Rapid degradation inducing overdose toxicity remains challenging in porous biodegradable bone scaffolds. Here the authors present multiscale architecture design on ZnLi scaffolds with 90% porosity orchestrates immune responses and subsequent bone regeneration.
- Shuang Li
- , Hongtao Yang
- & Yufeng Zheng
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Article
| Open AccessDynamics of collective cooperation under personalised strategy updates
Collective cooperation is found across many social and biological systems. Here, the authors find that infrequent hub updates promote the emergence of collective cooperation and develop an algorithm that optimises collective cooperation with update rates.
- Yao Meng
- , Sean P. Cornelius
- & Aming Li
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Article
| Open AccessOrganocatalytic desymmetrization provides access to planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophanes
Planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophanes have a wide range of applications in asymmetric synthesis and materials science. However, they are accessed via time-consuming chiral separations or kinetic resolution approaches. Here, the authors report a simple, metal-free protocol for organocatalytic desymmetrization of prochiral diformyl[2.2]paracyclophanes.
- Vojtěch Dočekal
- , Filip Koucký
- & Jan Veselý
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Article
| Open AccessLow-nuclearity CuZn ensembles on ZnZrOx catalyze methanol synthesis from CO2
The ideal metal selection and atomic-level arrangement for catalysts in CO2 hydrogenation are still uncertain. Here, copper is identified as the most effective promoter for enhancing ZnZrOx catalysts when precisely structured into CuZn ensembles, offering new insights for designing superior catalysts for CO2-based methanol synthesis.
- Thaylan Pinheiro Araújo
- , Georgios Giannakakis
- & Javier Pérez-Ramírez
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| Open AccessThermally stable Ni foam-supported inverse CeAlOx/Ni ensemble as an active structured catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation to methane
An inverse CeAlOx/Ni/Ni-foam structured catalyst with high thermal stability and water resistance is shown to be effective at CO2 methanation across a wide temperature range because of efficient heat/mass transport.
- Xin Tang
- , Chuqiao Song
- & Lili Lin
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Article
| Open AccessReverse water gas-shift reaction product driven dynamic activation of molybdenum nitride catalyst surface
Catalyst activation commonly occurs during reactions. This study demonstrates that the surface’s active structure in nitride catalysts during the reverse water gas-shift reaction varies with the partial pressure of reaction products, resulting in enhanced catalytic activity through positive feedback between catalytic activity and the evolution of MoNx’s active structure.
- Hui Xin
- , Rongtan Li
- & Xinhe Bao
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Article
| Open AccessThe fluidic memristor as a collective phenomenon in elastohydrodynamic networks
Collective behavior of nonlinear soft valves forming fluid flow networks is not well understood. The authors reveal the mechanisms underlying the collective behavior of soft flow networks with negative differential resistance elements.
- Alejandro Martínez-Calvo
- , Matthew D. Biviano
- & Miguel Ruiz-García
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Article
| Open AccessEnhancements of electric field and afterglow of non-equilibrium plasma by Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 ferroelectric electrode
The physics of how ferroelectric materials enhance plasma properties and discharge is unclear. Here, the authors enhance surface charge, electric field and afterglow of nonequilibrium plasma by ferroelectric barrier discharge with evidence from laser diagnostics.
- Yijie Xu
- , Ning Liu
- & Yiguang Ju
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Article
| Open AccessNonlocality activation in a photonic quantum network
Entangled local states can be made capable of violating Bell inequalities via nonlocality activation. Typical theoretical approaches require processing many copies of the original state and performing joint measurements on the ensemble. Here, instead, the authors experimentally demonstrate how to do so using a single copy of the state, broadcasting it to two spatially separated parties within a three-node network.
- Luis Villegas-Aguilar
- , Emanuele Polino
- & Geoff J. Pryde
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Article
| Open AccessManipulating the diffusion energy barrier at the lithium metal electrolyte interface for dendrite-free long-life batteries
Constructing an artificial solid electrolyte interphase to protect the lithium metal electrode is promising but challenging. Here, authors report a facile approach to form a layer to simultaneously overcome diffusion and advection-limited ion transport to achieve dendrite-free Li plating/stripping.
- Jyotshna Pokharel
- , Arthur Cresce
- & Yue Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessThe nature of non-phononic excitations in disordered systems
The frequency scaling exponent of low-frequency vibrational excitations in glasses remains controversial in the literature. Here, Schirmacher et al. show that the exponent depends on the statistics of the small values of the local stresses, which is governed by the detail of interaction potential.
- Walter Schirmacher
- , Matteo Paoluzzi
- & Giancarlo Ruocco
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Article
| Open AccessZero modes activation to reconcile floppiness, rigidity, and multistability into an all-in-one class of reprogrammable metamaterials
Floppiness, rigidity, and multi-stability often represent inherently contradictory macroscopic properties in solids. Here, authors introduce an all-in-one metamaterial that capitalizes on local state transitions to harmonize these divergent properties within a single transformable architecture.
- Lei Wu
- & Damiano Pasini
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Article
| Open AccessImpact of molecular symmetry on crystallization pathways in highly supersaturated KH2PO4 solutions
The molecular symmetry of solute structure in aqueous solutions is a key clue to understand Ostwald’s step rule. Here, the authors show that molecular symmetry and its structural evolution can govern the crystallization pathways in aqueous solutions.
- Yong Chan Cho
- , Sooheyong Lee
- & Geun Woo Lee
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Article
| Open AccessFlexible calorimetric flow sensor with unprecedented sensitivity and directional resolution for multiple flight parameter detection
Accurate perception of flight parameters is critical for flight control of micro air vehicles. Here, authors present a flexible calorimetric flow sensor with vanadium oxide thermistor arrays for flight parameters estimation, such as angle of attack and sideslip, flight velocity, and wing vibration.
- Zheng Gong
- , Weicheng Di
- & Huawei Chen
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Article
| Open AccessGiant Faraday rotation in atomically thin semiconductors
Here, the authors perform Faraday rotation spectroscopy around the excitonic transitions in hBN-encapsulated WSe2 and MoSe2 monolayers, and interlayer excitons in MoS2 bilayers. They measure a large Verdet constant - 1.9 × 107 deg T−¹cm−¹ for monolayers, and attribute it to the giant oscillator strength and high g-factor of the excitons.
- Benjamin Carey
- , Nils Kolja Wessling
- & Ashish Arora
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Article
| Open AccessStrain-insensitive viscoelastic perovskite film for intrinsically stretchable neuromorphic vision-adaptive transistors
Wearable neuromorphic optoelectronics require stretchable photosensitive materials and multifunctional integration. Here, authors develop intrinsically stretchable neuromorphic vision-adaptive transistors for skin-like neuromorphic vision systems.
- Chengyu Wang
- , Yangshuang Bian
- & Yunlong Guo
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Article
| Open AccessRadionuclide tracing based in situ corrosion and mass transport monitoring of 316L stainless steel in a molten salt closed loop
In situ corrosion monitoring is essential to unveil corrosion mechanisms and safeguard materials’ health. Here, the authors develop a radionuclide tracing based in situ corrosion monitoring technique that can monitor corrosion attack depth and corrosion product transport in flowing molten salts.
- Yafei Wang
- , Aeli P. Olson
- & Adrien Couet
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Article
| Open AccessA bionic self-driven retinomorphic eye with ionogel photosynaptic retina
Luo et al. report a self-driven hemispherical retinomorphic eye that employs ionogel heterojunctions as photoreceptors. This photoreceptor exhibits broadband photosynapse, high conformability, retinal transplantation, and visual restoration for re-time optical imaging and motion tracking.
- Xu Luo
- , Chen Chen
- & Wei Huang
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Article
| Open AccessElectrochemically coupled CH4 and CO2 consumption driven by microbial processes
The microbial valorisation of greenhouse gases could offer promising approaches climate change mitigation. Here, authors demonstrate the coupling of methane oxidation and carbon dioxide reduction by microbial consortia, facilitated by the redox cycling of iron minerals.
- Yue Zheng
- , Huan Wang
- & Feng Zhao
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Article
| Open AccessTransparent ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene/MXene films with efficient UV-absorption for thermal management
While MXene-based composites have been reported as promising materials for photothermal conversion, their opaque appearance limits applications. Here, authors demonstrate visible-light transparent and UV-absorbing composite films by vacuum pressing solution blends of MXene with polyethylene.
- Xianhu Liu
- , Wenrui Zhang
- & Changyu Shen
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Article
| Open AccessMultilevel design and construction in nanomembrane rolling for three-dimensional angle-sensitive photodetection
Zhang et al. report a quasistatic multilevel finite element model to predict the 3D structures assembled by 2D nanomembranes, validated by large-scale, high-yield, and configurable fabrication. 3D Si/Cr photodetectors assisted by neural network are employed to resolve the incident light angle.
- Ziyu Zhang
- , Binmin Wu
- & Yongfeng Mei
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Matters Arising
| Open AccessReply to: Quantum mechanical rules for observed observers and the consistency of quantum theory
- Lídia del Rio
- & Renato Renner
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Article
| Open AccessHighly robust supramolecular polymer networks crosslinked by a tiny amount of metallacycles
Supramolecular polymeric materials have exhibited attractive features such as self-healing, reversibility and stimuli-responsiveness but because of the weak bonding nature of most noncovalent interactions, constructing supramolecular polymer materials with high robustness remains challenging. Here, the authors describe the construction of highly robust stimuli-responsive supramolecular polymer networks by using only a tiny amount of metallacycles as the supramolecular crosslinkers.
- Lang He
- , Yu Jiang
- & Shijun Li
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Article
| Open AccessTetris-inspired detector with neural network for radiation mapping
Detection of radiation is important for environmental health and safety. Here the authors demonstrate a method for radiation detection and mapping in 2D using minimum number of detectors and inter-pixel padding to increase the contrast between pixels.
- Ryotaro Okabe
- , Shangjie Xue
- & Mingda Li
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Article
| Open AccessSurface oxidation/spin state determines oxygen evolution reaction activity of cobalt-based catalysts in acidic environment
Co-based catalysts are promising candidates for oxygen evolution reaction catalysis in an acidic environment, but the structure-activity relationship is unclear. Here, the authors discover that their acidic water oxidation activity is determined by the surface oxidation/spin state.
- Jinzhen Huang
- , Camelia Nicoleta Borca
- & Emiliana Fabbri
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Article
| Open AccessA 2D chiral microcavity based on apparent circular dichroism
Here the authors induce asymmetric transmission in planar Fabry–Pérot microcavities by embedding organic thin films exhibiting apparent circular dichroism (ACD), an optical phenomenon based on 2D chirality.
- Tzu-Ling Chen
- , Andrew Salij
- & Randall H. Goldsmith
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Article
| Open AccessKinetically controlled metal-elastomer nanophases for environmentally resilient stretchable electronics
Metal-elastomer nanophases are critical for stretchable electronics but face mixing challenges. This study introduces a kinetic method for precise mixing, yielding gyrified nanophases with improved durability and strain-invariant conductivity, which holds promise for resilient stretchable devices.
- Soosang Chae
- , Won Jin Choi
- & Tae Il Lee
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Article
| Open AccessCarbon dioxide capture and functionalization by bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)-borylene complexes
Bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)-borylene complexes are capable of capturing and functionalizing CO2, but stable single-site-boron-carbon dioxide adducts are rarely reported. Here, the authors report the synthesis of a stable borylene-CO2 complex as well as the functionalization of the captured CO2.
- Jun Fan
- , An-Ping Koh
- & Cheuk-Wai So
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Article
| Open AccessQuantum simulation of the bosonic Kitaev chain
Interesting non-Hermitian quantum dynamics can be accessed in analogue quantum simulators consisting of Hermitian bosonic systems with squeezing and antisqueezing terms. Here, the authors use a coplanar waveguide resonator connected to a SQUID to simulate the bosonic version of the Kitaev chain.
- Jamal H. Busnaina
- , Zheng Shi
- & Christopher M. Wilson
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Article
| Open AccessEnabling robust blue circularly polarized organic afterglow through self-confining isolated chiral chromophore
The preparation of systems that give blue circularly polarised organic afterglow is desirable but challenging. Here, the authors confine a chiral chromophore within a polymer matrix to limit non-radiative transitions and give blue circularly polarised organic afterglow.
- Mingjian Zeng
- , Weiguang Wang
- & Wei Huang
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Article
| Open AccessVapor-induced phase-separation-enabled versatile direct ink writing
The extrusion-based three-dimensional printing of polymers, metals, and composites requires elevated temperatures and may lead to diverse undesirable defects on printed parts. Here, the authors develop a vapor-induced phase separation printing technique to construct polymeric, metallic, and composite parts by using a polymer as a binder.
- Marc Sole-Gras
- , Bing Ren
- & Yong Huang
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Article
| Open AccessViability leads to the emergence of gait transitions in learning agile quadrupedal locomotion on challenging terrains
A bio-inspired control architecture for learning agile quadruped locomotion on challenging terrain suggests Viability (i.e., avoiding falls) as the main criterion for quadrupedal gait transitions and energy efficiency is the secondary objective.
- Milad Shafiee
- , Guillaume Bellegarda
- & Auke Ijspeert
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Article
| Open AccessAnderson critical metal phase in trivial states protected by average magnetic crystalline symmetry
The authors identify a novel delocalization mechanism for topologically trivial obstructed insulators. In transitioning from two topologically trivial states, where one would expect Anderson’s localization to take place, a delocalized ‘critical metal phase’ appears.
- Fa-Jie Wang
- , Zhen-Yu Xiao
- & Zhi-Da Song
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Article
| Open AccessLayer-by-layer phase transformation in Ti3O5 revealed by machine-learning molecular dynamics simulations
Reconstructive phase transitions in materials are usually slow due to large activation energy barriers. Here, the authors show a kinetically favorable layer-by-layer mechanism in Ti3O5 transformations using machine-learning molecular dynamics simulations.
- Mingfeng Liu
- , Jiantao Wang
- & Xing-Qiu Chen
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Matters Arising
| Open AccessQuantum mechanical rules for observed observers and the consistency of quantum theory
- Alexios P. Polychronakos
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Article
| Open AccessObservation of spatiotemporal optical vortices enabled by symmetry-breaking slanted nanograting
A microscale platform composed of a slanted nanograting is experimentally demonstrated to efficiently generate spatiotemporal optical vortex. This approach paves the way towards an integrated system for ultrafast pulse shaping.
- Pengcheng Huo
- , Wei Chen
- & Ting Xu