Surface chemistry articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Developing a generalizable model to describe adsorption processes at metal surfaces can be extremely challenging due to complex phenomena involved. Here the authors introduce a Bayesian learning approach based on ab initio data and the d-band model to capture the essential physics of adsorbate–substrate interactions.

    • Siwen Wang
    • , Hemanth Somarajan Pillai
    •  & Hongliang Xin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Precise patterning of functional nanoparticles can provide a powerful tool for next-generation macroscale devices. Here, the authors report a reliable nanoprinting technique that can pattern various functional nanoparticles on the substrate with a 200 nm pitch and 10 nm position accuracy, and above the millimeter scale.

    • Xing Xing
    • , Zaiqin Man
    •  & Zhenda Lu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been widely used for the formation of monolayers but self-assembly methods come with drawbacks such as need for dry environment or using specifically-synthesized precursors. Here, the authors demonstrate an approach for surface-anchoring of NHCs which overcomes these limitations by using electrochemically-assisted deprotonation.

    • Einav Amit
    • , Linoy Dery
    •  & Elad Gross

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Direct observation of carbon dioxide dissociation provides an origin of catalytic conversion for industrial chemical reactions. Here, the authors reveal their molecular interactions on the rhodium catalyst at near-ambient pressure by interface science techniques and computational calculations.

    • Jeongjin Kim
    • , Hyunwoo Ha
    •  & Jeong Young Park

  • Article
    | Open Access

    SERS can be unreliable for biomedical use. The authors demonstrate a metal-free nanostructure composed of porous carbon nanowires in an array as a SERS substrate. It offers 106 signal enhancement due to strong broadband charge-transfer resonance and substrate-to-substrate, spot-to-spot and time-to-time consistency in the SERS spectrum.

    • Nan Chen
    • , Ting-Hui Xiao
    •  & Keisuke Goda

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Development of strategies for the synthesis of pi-conjugated polymers is hampered by limited solubility. Here, the authors report a synthetic protocol based on the search for specific vibrational modes through an appropriate tailoring of the p-conjugation of the precursors, in order to increase the attempt frequency of a chemical reaction.

    • Bruno de la Torre
    • , Adam Matěj
    •  & David Écija

  • Article
    | Open Access

    MoS2 nanoparticles catalyze the extraction of heteroatom S in hydrocarbons by adsorption onto S vacancies. Here, the authors show that S vacancy properties are highly site sensitive and that adsorption of thiophene leads to self-generation of a more open double vacancy site.

    • Norberto Salazar
    • , Srinivas Rangarajan
    •  & Jeppe V. Lauritsen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Conveying electrochemistry in terms of the electrode/electrolyte interfacial properties remains challenging. Here, the authors employ a surface-bound molecular probe and photoelectron spectroscopy to peer into the anion-dictated and potential-induced interfacial electronic and structural properties.

    • Raymond A. Wong
    • , Yasuyuki Yokota
    •  & Yousoo Kim

  • Article
    | Open Access

    As nanoscale building blocks, proteins offer unique advantages, including monodispersity and atomically tunable interactions, but their self-assembly is limited compared to inorganic or polymeric nanoparticles. Here, the authors show modular self-assembly of an engineered protein into four physicochemically distinct patterned 2D crystals via control of four classes of interactions.

    • Shuai Zhang
    • , Robert G. Alberstein
    •  & F. Akif Tezcan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A fundamental and predictive understanding of molecule-surface interactions is challenging to obtain. Here the authors report an experimental technique allowing direct measurement of the scattering matrix, which reports on the coherent evolution of quantum states of a molecule scattering from a surface.

    • Yosef Alkoby
    • , Helen Chadwick
    •  & Gil Alexandrowicz

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The design of oxide-metal interface for heterogeneous catalysis has been hampered by the limited fundamental understanding. Here, the authors demonstrate that the activities of cuprous oxide nanostructures for CO oxidation can be tuned via the oxide-metal (Cu2O/M, M = Pt, Ag, Au) interaction.

    • Wugen Huang
    • , Qingfei Liu
    •  & Fan Yang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) is commonly used to study 2D molecular self-assembly but is not always enough to fully solve a supramolecular structure. Here, the authors combine a high-resolution version of STM with first-principles simulations to precisely identify halogen bonding in polycyclic aromatic molecules.

    • James Lawrence
    • , Gabriele C. Sosso
    •  & Giovanni Costantini

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Species migration across interfacial boundaries can affect the function of bimetallic catalysts. Here the authors report that palladium oxide drives the reduction of silver oxide by facilitating molecular hydrogen dissociation and migration of hydrogen atoms across the Pd–Ag interface with concurrent surface restructuring.

    • Christopher R. O’Connor
    • , Matthijs A. van Spronsen
    •  & Cynthia M. Friend

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The gold standard for diagnosis and monitoring of myocardial infarction is a chemiluminescence assay based on the detection of cardian troponin I (cTnI). Here, the authors develop a plasmonic gold nano-island chip assay for ultrasensitive detection of cTnI in as little as 10 μL of serum.

    • Wei Xu
    • , Lin Wang
    •  & Kun Qian

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Detailed atom-level anchoring mechanism of Ag species on γ-Al2O3 is largely unknown for the widely used Ag/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. Here, the authors demonstrate that single-Ag atom can be only anchored by the terminal hydroxyls on the (100) surfaces of γ-Al2O3 through consuming two or three terminal hydroxyls.

    • Fei Wang
    • , Jinzhu Ma
    •  & Xiao Cheng Zeng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Hydrated protons are always present in aqueous solution, but their molecular structure remains under debate. Here the authors use vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy to show that at negatively charged liquid–vapor interfaces, protons adopt a specific configuration characteristic of Eigen-like species.

    • Eric Tyrode
    • , Sanghamitra Sengupta
    •  & Adrien Sthoer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Water molecular motion on surfaces underpins a range of phenomena in nature. The authors resolve the nanoscale-nanosecond motion of water at a topological insulator’s surface by helium spin-echo spectroscopy and computations, reporting hopping among sites and repulsion between water molecules.

    • Anton Tamtögl
    • , Marco Sacchi
    •  & William Allison

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is an emergent method for the detection and discrimination of biological analytes. Here, the authors describe SERS sensors with arrayed mildly-selective surface chemistries to give a fingerprint based on different interactions for analysing biological samples.

    • Nayoung Kim
    • , Michael R. Thomas
    •  & Molly M. Stevens

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Identifying reacting species locally with nanometer precision is a major challenge in electrochemical surface science. Using operando Raman nanoscopy, authors image the reversible, concurrent formation of nanometer-spatially separated Au2O3 and Au2O species during Au nanodefect oxidation.

    • Jonas H. K. Pfisterer
    • , Masoud Baghernejad
    •  & Katrin F. Domke

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Extending the π‐conjugation of phthalocyanine dyes, while synthetically challenging, has the potential to produce desirable new molecular materials. Here, the authors use a templated on‐surface approach to synthesize several extended phthalocyanine derivatives from the same building block, including a lanthanide superphthalocyanine and an open‐chain polycyanine.

    • Qitang Fan
    • , Jan-Niclas Luy
    •  & J. Michael Gottfried

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The orientation of a molecule on a surface affects many processes, so the ability to control single-molecule rotation could be powerful. Here, the authors use the electric field from a scanning tunneling microscope tip to precisely induce unidirectional rotation of a polar molecule, allowing visualization of the molecule’s internal dipole moment.

    • Grant J. Simpson
    • , Víctor García-López
    •  & Leonhard Grill

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Controlling selectivity between homochiral and heterochiral reaction pathways on surfaces is intriguing but challenging. Here, the authors demonstrate strategies in steering the reactions of prochiral terminal alkynes between the homochiral and heterochiral pathways by tuning the precursor substituents and the kinetic parameters.

    • Tao Wang
    • , Haifeng Lv
    •  & Junfa Zhu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Controlling the rotation direction of individual molecular machines requires precise design and manipulation. Here, the authors describe a surface-adsorbed molecular propeller that, upon excitation with a scanning tunneling microscope tip, can rotate clockwise or anticlockwise depending on its chirality, and directly visualize its stepwise rotation with STM images.

    • Yuan Zhang
    • , Jan Patrick Calupitan
    •  & Saw Wai Hla

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Identifying reaction pathways is a major challenge in chemistry, and proves particularly difficult for surface reactions. Here the authors show that imaging the molecular orbitals with photoemission tomography provides insight into the structure of surface intermediates allowing their identification.

    • Xiaosheng Yang
    • , Larissa Egger
    •  & F. Stefan Tautz

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Mirror twin boundaries (MTBs) have been observed as metallic line defects in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides, but their chemical properties are not well understood. Here, the authors show that MTB defect networks on MoSe2 are more chemically reactive to organic molecules than pristine domains, and can template the self-assembly of hexagonal organic porous structures.

    • Xiaoyue He
    • , Lei Zhang
    •  & Andrew Thye Shen Wee

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Molecular photoswitches provide an extremely simple solution for solar energy conversion and storage. Here, the authors report on the assembly of an operational solar energy-storing organic-oxide hybrid interface, which consists of a tailor-made molecular photoswitch and an atomically-defined semiconducting oxide film.

    • Christian Schuschke
    • , Chantal Hohner
    •  & Jörg Libuda

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In vitro testing of implant materials bioactivity is important and the current methods take time. Here, the authors report on the development of a faster titration based method for assessing the mineralization activity of materials and validate the method in vitro and in vivo using titanium surfaces.

    • Weitian Zhao
    • , David Michalik
    •  & Paul Bowen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Zeolites have attracted attention and have been applied as haemostatic agents; however, there are issues associated with released zeolite powder. Here, the authors report on the growth of zeolites on cotton fibres with high stability and haemostatic ability.

    • Lisha Yu
    • , Xiaoqiang Shang
    •  & Jie Fan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The synthesis of large acenes via traditional solution-chemistry routes is hindered by their poor solubility and high reactivity under ambient conditions. Here, the authors demonstrate the on-surface formation of large acenes, via visible-light-induced photo-dissociation of α-bisdiketone molecular precursors on an Au(111) substrate.

    • José I. Urgel
    • , Shantanu Mishra
    •  & Roman Fasel

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Understanding the structural dynamics of flexible metal-organic frameworks at a thin-film level is key if they are to be implemented in devices. Here, Fischer and colleagues anchor flexible MOF crystallites onto substrates and identify a structural responsiveness that is distinct to that of the bulk.

    • Suttipong Wannapaiboon
    • , Andreas Schneemann
    •  & Roland A. Fischer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The mechanism underlying the superlubricity of tetrahedral amorphous carbon coatings lubricated with organic friction modifiers is still under debate. Here the authors combine experiments and simulations to reveal that superlubricious layers form due the mechano-chemical decomposition of friction modifiers.

    • Takuya Kuwahara
    • , Pedro A. Romero
    •  & Michael Moseler

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Synthesizing precise conjugated nanostructures on a surface requires fine control over the covalent reaction pathways. Here, the authors show that reversible coordinative bonds can be used to template on-surface C-C coupling reactions, guiding the formation of porous organic nanoribbons.

    • Shuaipeng Xing
    • , Zhe Zhang
    •  & Ziliang Shi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The performance of supported metal nanoparticle catalysts can be tailored by metal-support interactions, but their use in catalyst design is still challenging. Here, the authors develop two-dimensional transition metal carbides as platforms for designing intermetallic compound catalysts that are efficient for light alkane dehydrogenations.

    • Zhe Li
    • , Liang Yu
    •  & Yue Wu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Light-driven CO2 reduction provides a way to limit greenhouse gas concentrations, but understanding how materials accomplish this transformation is challenging. Here, authors examine the reaction over plasmonic silver-titanium dioxide using time-resolved, in situ techniques to follow the mechanism.

    • Laura Collado
    • , Anna Reynal
    •  & Víctor A. de la Peña O’Shea

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Ultrathin metallic films are most often fabricated by atomic or molecular beam epitaxy under ultrahigh vacuum conditions, where it is difficult to control deposition and growth. Here, the authors describe a wet deposition method, using solution-borne gold nanocluster precursors, to regulate growth of atomically flat gold nanoislands on a surface.

    • Hai Cao
    • , Deepali Waghray
    •  & Steven De Feyter

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Molecular tessellations of complex tilings are difficult to design and construct. Here, the authors show that molecular tessellations can be formed from a single building block that gives rise to two distinct supramolecular phases, whose self-similar subdomains serve as tiles in the periodic tessellations.

    • Fang Cheng
    • , Xue-Jun Wu
    •  & Kian Ping Loh

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nanographenes with zig-zag peripheries are expected to have unique electronic properties, but their application in organic electronics has been curbed by their difficult synthesis. Here, the authors develop a facile route to zig-zag nanographenes based on a key dehydrative π-extension reaction.

    • Dominik Lungerich
    • , Olena Papaianina
    •  & Konstantin Amsharov

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Determining the arrangement of ligands on a nanoparticle is challenging, given the limitations of existing characterization tools. Here, the authors describe an accessible method for resolving ligand shell morphology that uses simple MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry measurements in conjunction with an open-access Monte Carlo fitting program.

    • Zhi Luo
    • , Yanfei Zhao
    •  & Francesco Stellacci

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Experimental determination of the contact angle of a two-dimensional film is crucial to understand its wettability characteristics. Here, the authors use the captive bubble method to estimate a contact angle value of 42° ± 3° for a monolayer graphene film.

    • Anna V. Prydatko
    • , Liubov A. Belyaeva
    •  & Grégory F. Schneider

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Configuring surfaces on-demand for desired functionalities is an ongoing challenge. Here, diverse and tailorable modifications of quartz and porous silica surfaces that are rapidly and reversibly switchable by the use of visible light are achieved via ruthenium-thioether coordination.

    • Chaoming Xie
    • , Wen Sun
    •  & Si Wu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Quasicrystals possess long range order but no translational symmetry, and rotational symmetries that are forbidden in periodic crystals. Here, a fullerene overlayer deposited on a surface of an icosahedral intermetallic quasicrystal achieves a Fibonacci square grid structure, by selective adsorption at specific sites.

    • Sam Coates
    • , Joseph A. Smerdon
    •  & Hem Raj Sharma

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