Engineering articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    The catalytic partial oxidation of methane (POM) is a promising technology for synthesizing syngas but suffers from severe over-oxidation on the catalyst surface. Here the authors demonstrate that regulating O* occupation in an atomically dispersed MoNi alloy can achieve high catalytic performance for POM.

    • Zheyuan Ding
    • , Sai Chen
    •  & Jinlong Gong

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Probabilistic computing demands low power and high quality random number generation. Woo et al. demonstrate the use of a spin crossover in LaCoO3 to generate random numbers that outperform software-generated random numbers in probabilistic computing.

    • Kyung Seok Woo
    • , Alan Zhang
    •  & Suhas Kumar

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Perception methods that enable control systems to understand and adapt to unstructured environments are desired. Wang et. al. develop a memristor-based differential neuromorphic computing, perceptual signal processing, and online adaptation method providing neuromorphic style adaptation to external sensory stimuli.

    • Shengbo Wang
    • , Shuo Gao
    •  & Luigi Giuseppe Occhipinti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A comprehensive understanding of the transient characteristics in solid oxide cells is crucial when integrated with intermittent renewable energy. Here, authors reveal expressions for two general characteristic times quantifying transient phenomena due to heat and mass transfer lags in SOCs.

    • Zhaojian Liang
    • , Jingyi Wang
    •  & Mengying Li

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Flexible distribution networks with soft open points present a promising way to accommodate distributed generators and increasing loads. Here, authors present a multi-resource dynamic coordinated planning method, allowing allocation strategies to be determined over long-term planning periods.

    • Rui Wang
    • , Haoran Ji
    •  & Chengshan Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Human cervical mucosa and its interactions with the microbiome play a central role in female reproductive tract health and disease. Here, the authors develop physiological models of the human cervix using Organ-on-a-Chip technology that produce mucus, and respond to hormonal, environmental, and microbial cues similar to the living cervix.

    • Zohreh Izadifar
    • , Justin Cotton
    •  & Donald E. Ingber

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The transport behavior of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) remains unclear. Here, the authors explore the fundamentals of low-wear and high-conductivity refractory HEAs, examining the cocktail effect in conductivity, and highlight its potential applications in enhancing atomic-scale image resolution.

    • Cheng-Hsien Yeh
    • , Wen-Dung Hsu
    •  & Chuan-Feng Shih

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Efficient radiation is essential to reach thermodynamic limit of photovoltaic efficiency. Here, authors design thick quantum barriers to suppress interfacial quenching and boost photon recycling in perovskite cells, achieving high radiation and photovoltaic efficiencies and long device stability.

    • Kyung Mun Yeom
    • , Changsoon Cho
    •  & Jun Hong Noh

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Biohydrogen production technologies effectively use waste biomass resources and produce high-purity hydrogen. Here, authors present and evaluate a continuous pilot-scale biohydrogen production system based on spectrum coupling, thermal effect, and multiphase flow properties of hydrogen production.

    • Quanguo Zhang
    • , Youzhou Jiao
    •  & Nadeem Tahir

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Assessing failure pressure is critical in determining pipeline integrity. In this study, based on the unified yield criterion, authors propose a limit state equation for steel pipes under various loads which can be converted into a series of failure pressure evaluation models for pipeline with different yield criteria.

    • Ming-ming Sun
    • , Hong-yuan Fang
    •  & Ke-Jie Zhai

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In this work, authors synthesize transparent radiative cooling cover windows for flexible and foldable electronic devices. Besides demonstrated enhanced mechanical and moisture-impermeable properties, these mitigate temperature rise of devices under solar irradiation and improve overall thermal management.

    • Kang Won Lee
    • , Jonghun Yi
    •  & Dong Rip Kim

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In-vitro platforms for personalized cancer diagnosis is required high sensitivity. Here, the authors developed a digital microfluidic system for drug screening using primary tumor cells and established a working protocol for precision medicine.

    • Jiao Zhai
    • , Yingying Liu
    •  & Yanwei Jia

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Resonance-based systems such as electroacoustic transducers are often limited by narrow bandwidth. Here, authors report a digital non-Foster inspired circuit demonstrating significant bandwidth and power level enhancement with greater reconfigurability than conventional analog non-Foster approaches.

    • Xin Yang
    • , Zhihe Zhang
    •  & Andrea Alù

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Natural materials exhibit compelling functionalities owing to their irregular architectures, but the study on irregular architected materials is elusive. Here the authors report a generative computational framework to virtually grow irregular materials with optimized properties that match target stress distributions, facilitating tissue support for orthopedic femur restoration.

    • Yingqi Jia
    • , Ke Liu
    •  & Xiaojia Shelly Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors model the transient temperature response of micro-thermoelectric devices with AC current applied, which is locally integrated under a transient hot spot. They develop a strategy for actively canceling the transient temperature variations.

    • Yihan Liu
    • , Hao-Yuan Cheng
    •  & Feng Xiong

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Interface engineering by local polarization is becoming increasingly important for tunable electronics. Here, authors demonstrate an electric pulse-tuned piezotronic effect in Ag/HfO2/n-ZnO junction, enabling reversible and accurate regulation of barrier height and piezotronic modification range.

    • Qiuhong Yu
    • , Rui Ge
    •  & Yong Qin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here, the authors introduce Photoacoustic Tomography with Temporal Encoding Reconstruction (PATTERN) - a high-speed, non-destructive photoacoustic brain imaging technique that constructs 3D fluorescent maps of the brain and improves upon some of the limitations associated with traditional whole-brain optical imaging techniques.

    • Yuwen Chen
    • , Haoyu Yang
    •  & Bo Lei

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Infarted myocardium hampers the synchronous electroactivity of the cardiac tissue. Here, the authors showcase a battery-free conductive cardiac patch made of reduced graphene and its therapeutic efficacy for cardiac repair.

    • Renjie Qiu
    • , Xingying Zhang
    •  & Leyu Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Understanding the role of coherent structures in the dynamics of turbulent flows is of high relevance for fluid dynamics, climate systems, and aerodynamics. The authors propose a deep learning approach to evaluate the importance of various types of coherent structure in the flow, to uncover main mechanisms of wall-bounded turbulence and develop techniques for its control.

    • Andrés Cremades
    • , Sergio Hoyas
    •  & Ricardo Vinuesa

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here the authors have developed a superconducting microwave frequency comb that is fully integrated, easy to manufacture, and operates with ultra-low power consumption, and could significantly advance microwave photonics and quantum processor integration.

    • Chen-Guang Wang
    • , Wuyue Xu
    •  & Peiheng Wu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    By mimicking the strong adhesive locomotion ability of snails, the authors present a sliding suction method to allow robots to climb with high adhesive force and low energy consumption up walls and on ceilings.

    • Tianqi Yue
    • , Hermes Bloomfield-Gadêlha
    •  & Jonathan Rossiter

  • Article
    | Open Access

    As demand for organ transplants exceeds availability there has been an unmet need to extend preservation of deceased donor kidneys. Here, the authors show that a cell-free nutrient-supplemented perfusate allows 4-day preservation of human kidneys using spatially resolved lipidomics and metabolomics.

    • Marlon J. A. de Haan
    • , Marleen E. Jacobs
    •  & Ton J. Rabelink

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A field-programmable radio frequency surface (FPRFS) is proposed that can implement arbitrary antennas and impedance matching networks. An asymmetric excitation scheme is demonstrated to ensure radiation efficiency independent of the number of FPRFS switches.

    • Tianzhi Li
    • , Yang Yu
    •  & Efstratios Skafidas

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Despite advances in active drug-targeting for blood-brain barrier penetration, challenges related to brain biodistribution, and drug accumulation persist. Here the authors show a molecular library design centered on cyclic tertiary amine compounds and develop a self-enhanced brain-targeted nucleic acid delivery system inspired by the neuroprotective properties of vinpocetine.

    • Xufei Bian
    • , Ling Yang
    •  & Chong Li

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Conventional material processing methods often suffer by strength-ductility trade-off. Here, the authors show high-pressure and high-temperature treatment can transform an eutectic high entropy alloy to having a hierarchical microstructure with simultaneous enhancements of strength and ductility.

    • Yao Tang
    • , Haikuo Wang
    •  & Haofei Zhou

  • Article
    | Open Access

    When a solid object is placed in a supersaturated environment, it can exhibit interesting dynamics. Spagnolie et al. conducted an experiment using raisins and 3D-printed bodies in carbonated water and found that the motion of the solid object is influenced by the accumulation and release of bubbles as they reach the surface.

    • Saverio E. Spagnolie
    • , Samuel Christianson
    •  & Carsen Grote

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The BHMbot provides an efficient running gait and a novel actuation mechanism for insect scale legged microrobots to solve the bottleneck problem of the severe running speed degradation after carrying essential payloads for untethered locomotion.

    • Zhiwei Liu
    • , Wencheng Zhan
    •  & Xiaojun Yan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In this work, authors propose a flash Joule heating-based process for meat preservation, enabled by the formation of a thin, microbe-inactivated, and dehydrated layer on the surface. The method is energetically efficient and shown to significantly extend the food shelf life while maintaining food freshness.

    • Yimin Mao
    • , Peihua Ma
    •  & Liangbing Hu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Creating accurate digital twins and controlling nonlinear systems displaying chaotic dynamics is challenging due to high system sensitivity to initial conditions and perturbations. The authors introduce a nonlinear controller for chaotic systems, based on next-generation reservoir computing, with improved accuracy, energy cost, and suitable for implementation with field-programmable gate arrays.

    • Robert M. Kent
    • , Wendson A. S. Barbosa
    •  & Daniel J. Gauthier

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Plastics, chemical production, and fertilizers commonly rely on fossil fuels. Here the authors examine these uses in China and find that in 2017, 5%, 15%, and 7% of China’s total coal, crude oil, and natural gas were used as feedstocks in the chemical industry.

    • Meng Jiang
    • , Yuheng Cao
    •  & Bing Zhu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Conventional chemical engineering has limitations on heat transfer, leading to large setups. Here, authors propose a distributed electrified heating method, realizing fast and uniform heating of gaseous reactants, promising an energy-concentrated and compact reactor design.

    • Hanmin Yang
    • , Ilman Nuran Zaini
    •  & Tong Han

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Solving ill-posed inverse problems require regularisation based on prior knowledge, which is formulated mathematically or learned from data. Here, the authors demonstrated the concept of semantic regularisation based on large language model to circumvent the current limitation.

    • Hongrui Zhang
    • , Yanjin Chen
    •  & Lianlin Li

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