Article 10 October 2023 | Open Access Fully automatic transfer and measurement system for structural superlubric materials A critical step to enable practical structural superlubricity (SSL) applications is to enable high throughput to both fabrication and performance evaluation. Here, the authors demonstrate an automated system for efficient and multiple SSL materials transfer and tribological measurement. Li Chen, Cong Lin & Ming Ma Article 10 October 2023 | Open Access Synthesis of piperidines and pyridine from furfural over a surface single-atom alloy Ru1CoNP catalyst The synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles from biomass is scarcely known. Here, the authors report a strategy for the N-heterocyclic piperidines synthesis by one-pot amination of the bio-based furfural utilizing a Ru1CoNP/HAP surface single-atom alloy catalyst. Haifeng Qi, Yurou Li & Tao Zhang Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Porphene 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 Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Phase regulation enabling dense polymer-based composite electrolytes for solid-state lithium metal batteries Polymer electrolytes based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) with residual solvents are appealing for room-temperature battery operations. Here, the authors present a phase regulation approach to achieve a dense electrolyte and enhance ionic conductivity through the incorporation of MoSe2 sheets. Qian Wu, Mandi Fang & Yingying Lu Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Crystal dissolution by particle detachment Crystal dissolution has been predominately viewed as a process of ion-by-ion detachment into a surrounding solvent. Here, the authors report an alternative mechanism of dissolution by particle detachment. Guomin Zhu, Benjamin A. Legg & James J. De Yoreo Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Asymmetric formal sp2-hydrocarbonations of dienes and alkynes via palladium hydride catalysis Sp2 carbon nucleophiles are generally not considered for transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric hydrofunctionalizations of unsaturated bonds due to challenges in cleaving corresponding inert sp2 C-H bonds. Here, the authors report a protocol to achieve asymmetric formal sp2 hydrocarbonations, including hydroalkenylation, hydroallenylation and hydroketenimination of both 1,3-dienes and alkynes via hydroalkylation and Wittig reaction cascade Ming-Qiao Tang, Zi-Jiang Yang & Zhi-Tao He Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Cloaking a qubit in a cavity Circuit QED with strongly driven cavities is a powerful framework for quantum technologies, but often undesired effects on the qubit are introduced. Here, by using an external tone tailored to destructively interfere with the cavity field, the authors show how a transmon can be protected from these unwanted effects. Cristóbal Lledó, Rémy Dassonneville & Alexandre Blais Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Concretized structural evolution supported assembly-controlled film-forming kinetics in slot-die coated organic photovoltaics The film-forming kinetics for large-area devices remains unclear for organic solar cells. Here, the authors propose assembly-controlled kinetics with the assembly determined by molecular configuration and tuned via external effects, contributing to the screening of device fabrication conditions. Hao Zhang, Chenyang Tian & Zhixiang Wei Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Electronic Janus lattice and kagome-like bands in coloring-triangular MoTe2 monolayers 2D materials with Kagome lattices have attracted significant interest due to their exotic electronic properties. Here, the authors report the synthesis and characterization of a 2D MoTe2 phase characterized by a colouring-triangular lattice (a Kagome variant), showing evidence of Dirac-like and flat electronic bands. Le Lei, Jiaqi Dai & Wei Ji Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Induced photoelectron circular dichroism onto an achiral chromophore An achiral molecule can acquire a chiral spectroscopic signature when interacting with a chiral host. Here, the authors report the asymmetry in the electron distribution following ionisation of phenol complexed by chiral methyloxirane, which reflects an induced chirality onto the achiral phenol. Etienne Rouquet, Madhusree Roy Chowdhury & Anne Zehnacker Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Joining of metallic glasses in liquid via ultrasonic vibrations Under-liquid joining of metals has far-reaching implications for energy storage, space exploration, offshore mining and defense. Here, the authors report an alternative method to join metallic glasses firmly under water, seawater, flammable alcohol and even cryogenic liquid nitrogen. Luyao Li, Xin Li & Jiang Ma Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Record ages of non-Markovian scale-invariant random walks Record ages characterise rare and extreme events in stochastic processes, however, their evaluation is challenging when interaction with environment and memory effects are present in the random walk. The authors determine the statistics of record ages for a broad class of non-Markovian random walks and reveal their general features. Léo Régnier, Maxim Dolgushev & Olivier Bénichou Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Surfactant-free interfacial growth of graphdiyne hollow microspheres and the mechanistic origin of their SERS activity The 2D carbon allotrope graphdiyne possesses a direct band gap, high charge carrier mobility, and uniformly distributed pores. Here, the authors report the surfactant-free growth of graphdiyne hollow microspheres and investigate the origin of their SERS activity. Lu Zhang,, Wencai Yi, & Lanqun Mao Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Dual-modal piezotronic transistor for highly sensitive vertical force sensing and lateral strain sensing Developing mechanical sensors with two working modes for detecting vertical force and lateral strain is challenging. Here, Ge et al. report a piezotronic transistor with protrusions that enable dual-modal functionality and improve sensing performance. Rui Ge, Qiuhong Yu & Yong Qin Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Electrostatic force promoted intermolecular stacking of polymer donors toward 19.4% efficiency binary organic solar cells The low structural order of conjugated polymers limits their photovoltaic properties in organic solar cells. Here, the authors report a conjugated molecule as molecular bridge via electrostatic force for enhancing intermolecular packing, achieving certified efficiency close to 19% in binary devices. Zirui Gan, Liang Wang & Tao Wang Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Carrier multiplication in perovskite solar cells with internal quantum efficiency exceeding 100% While there has been evidence of strong carrier multiplication effects in halide perovskites, studies in actual solar cells are lacking. Here, the authors demonstrate such effects with a low threshold of 2Eg and a high efficiency of 99.4%, realizing unbiased internal quantum efficiency up to 160%. Yue Wang, Senyun Ye & Tze Chien Sum Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access In vivo noninvasive systemic myography of acute systemic vasoactivity in female pregnant mice The assessment of selective therapeutics targeted to treat altered vasoactivity, a major characteristic of cardiovascular and oncological diseases, is still challenging due to unknown whole-body selectivity. Here the authors demonstrate that photoacoustic tomography has the potential to capture significant acute vasodilation of major arteries and vasculature selectivity. Kristie Huda, Dylan J. Lawrence & Carolyn L. Bayer Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Reversible photoregulation of cell-cell adhesions with opto-E-cadherin Tools for high spatiotemporal control of cell-cell adhesions are lacking. Here, authors propose an optogenetic tool, opto-E-cadherin, that allows reversible control of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesions with blue light. Brice Nzigou Mombo, Brent M. Bijonowski & Seraphine V. Wegner Article 09 October 2023 | Open Access Bone disease imaging through the near-infrared-II window Skeletal disorders are commonly diagnosed by X-ray imaging, but the radiation limits its use. Here, the authors show that intravital NIR-II bone imaging is effective in diagnosis of a series of common bone diseases non-invasively in mice. Chao Mi, Xun Zhang & Dayong Jin Article 07 October 2023 | Open Access Machine learning electronic structure methods based on the one-electron reduced density matrix Electronic structure methods are vital, yet they are often too computationally expensive. Here, the authors develop machine learned density matrices to fully represent electronic structures in a computationally cheap and accurate way. Xuecheng Shao, Lukas Paetow & Michele Pavanello Article 07 October 2023 | Open Access Energy-saving and product-oriented hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis enabled by electrochemistry pairing and product engineering The development of robust catalysts that could work under industrial-scale current densities bring promise but also a challenge for hydrogen production. Here, the authors report an in situ activation method to produce ferromagnetic ruthenium clusters that can catalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction at high current densities. Jun Qi, Yadong Du & Jieshan Qiu Article 07 October 2023 | Open Access Triepoxide formation by a flavin-dependent monooxygenase in monensin biosynthesis MonCI, a flavin-dependent monooxygenase, transforms all three C = C groups in the polyene substrate into epoxides during monensin A biosynthesis. Here, the authors present the structural basis for this enzyme’s regio- and stereoselective epoxidation activity. Qian Wang, Ning Liu & Chu-Young Kim Article 07 October 2023 | Open Access In situ electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy using single nanodiamond sensors Nanodiamonds containing NV centers are promising electron paramagnetic resonance sensors, however applications are hindered by their random orientation. Qin et al. propose a new protocol that makes the technique insensitive to the sensor’s orientation and present a proof-of-principle in situ demonstration. Zhuoyang Qin, Zhecheng Wang & Jiangfeng Du Article 07 October 2023 | Open Access Unveiling the dynamic active site of defective carbon-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen peroxide production Active sites identification in metal-free carbon materials is crucial for developing practical electrocatalysts. Here the authors report a dynamic active site evolution phenomenon on oxygen modified defective graphene during electrochemical H2O2 production. Qilong Wu, Haiyuan Zou & Xiangdong Yao Article 07 October 2023 | Open Access Manipulating directional flow in a two-dimensional photonic quantum walk under a synthetic magnetic field Non-Hermitian phenomena such as non-Hermitian skin effect have a strong impact on open system dynamics. Here, the authors use a photonic quantum walk including a synthetic gauge field to show that the interplay of synthetic flux and dissipation enables the full control over the directional transport. Quan Lin, Wei Yi & Peng Xue Article 07 October 2023 | Open Access Reactive wetting enabled anchoring of non-wettable iron oxide in liquid metal for miniature soft robot Interfacial non-wettability between biocompatible iron oxide and liquid metal caused by the substantial mismatch in surface energy remains an issue. Here, the authors introduce a silver intermediate layer to reduce compositional mismatch and improve the wetting ability between iron oxide and liquid metal. Yifeng Shen, Dongdong Jin & Xing Ma Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Mechanism of the noncatalytic oxidation of soot using in situ transmission electron microscopy In this work, authors investigate mechanisms of noncatalytic soot oxidation and establish models applicable to different types of soot based on the particles oxidation behaviour using in-situ transmission electron microscopy. Ming Gao, Yongjun Jang & Fuchen Wang Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Microrobots powered by concentration polarization electrophoresis (CPEP) Concentration polarization electroosmosis (CPEO) has recently been found to produce similar flow patterns around spheres in an AC electric field as induced charge electroosmosis. Katzmeier and Simmel study the flow around the asymmetric particle dimers caused by CPEO and design a microrobot that can be steered with a joystick and facilitates the transport of cargo particles. Florian Katzmeier & Friedrich C. Simmel Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Dynamic metastable polymersomes enable continuous flow manufacturing Polymersomes, as analogues of liposomes, have interesting physical and chemical properties, but have not yet been translated into clinical or industrial applications. Here, the authors report the development of a continuous flow process for the production of polymersomes at scale. Chin Ken Wong, Rebecca Y. Lai & Martina H. Stenzel Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Catalytic enantioselective reductive alkynylation of amides enables one-pot syntheses of pyrrolidine, piperidine and indolizidine alkaloids Saturated α-alkyl aza-heterocycles are found in a wide array of bioactive molecules. Here, the authors disclosed a one-pot, catalytic enantioselective synthesis of pyrrolidine, piperidine and indolizidine alkaloids from amides and alkynes. Fang-Fang Xu, Jin-Quan Chen & Pei-Qiang Huang Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Multiple channelling single-photon emission with scattering holography designed metasurfaces Here the authors demonstrate on-chip single-photon source providing two emission channels with individual direction and polarization control of each channel by implementing a plasmonic holographic metasurface coupled to a Ge-vacancy nanodiamond. Danylo Komisar, Shailesh Kumar & Sergey I. Bozhevolnyi Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Metal-free photoinduced C(sp3)–H/C(sp3)–H cross-coupling to access α‑tertiary amino acid derivatives The cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction is the most efficient method for constructing α-tertiary amino acids (ATAAs). Here, the authors present a mild, metal-free CDC reaction for the construction of ATAAs with good regioselectivity. Yujun Li, Shaopeng Guo & Ke Zheng Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access In-situ electro-responsive through-space coupling enabling foldamers as volatile memory elements Molecular electronics holds promise for building memristor at nanoscales for in-memory computing. Li et al. design tailored foldamers with furan-benzene and thiophene-benzene stacking to achieve voltage triggered quantum interference switching for potential random number generator application. Jinshi Li, Pingchuan Shen & Zujin Zhao Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Morphogenetic metasurfaces: unlocking the potential of turing patterns Inspired by Alan Turing’s last works on morphogenesis, this research introduces a technique for generating metasurfaces through the emergence of anisotropic patterns capable of self-structuring in response to electromagnetic constraints. Thomas Fromenteze, Okan Yurduseven & Cyril Decroze Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Hyper-cores promote localization and efficient seeding in higher-order processes Networks with higher-order interactions provide better description of social and biological systems, however tools to analyze their function still need to be developed. The authors introduce here a decomposition of network in hyper-cores, that gives better understanding of spreading processes and can be applied to fingerprint real-world datasets. Marco Mancastroppa, Iacopo Iacopini & Alain Barrat Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Topologically crafted spatiotemporal vortices in acoustics The topologically robust generation of acoustic spatiotemporal vortex pulses is reported by utilizing mirror- symmetry breaking meta-gratings, which paves the way for exploring spatiotemporal structured waves in acoustics and beyond. Hongliang Zhang, Yeyang Sun & Zhichao Ruan Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Rebound effects undermine carbon footprint reduction potential of autonomous electric vehicles Autonomous electric vehicles reduce operational emissions but increase manufacturing emissions due to rebound effects. Recycling helps, but their full life cycle emits 8% more greenhouse gases. Embrace renewable energy, circular economy, cleaner manufacturing, and improved efficiency. Nuri C. Onat, Jafar Mandouri & Abdel Magid Hamouda Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Injectable and biodegradable piezoelectric hydrogel for osteoarthritis treatment The use of biomaterial scaffolds-based cartilage grafts could potentially innovate the Osteoarthritis (OA) treatment, but has been limited by toxicity concerns and invasive surgical procedures. Here, the authors report an injectable and biodegradable piezoelectric hydrogel with ultrasound activation to offer a minimally invasive approach for OA treatment. Tra Vinikoor, Godwin K. Dzidotor & Thanh D. Nguyen Article 06 October 2023 | Open Access Chronological adhesive cardiac patch for synchronous mechanophysiological monitoring and electrocoupling therapy Flexible electronic hydrogels that allow conformal tissue integration, online precision diagnosis, and simultaneous tissue regeneration are desired for advancing the treatment of myocardial infarction. Here, the authors report a chronological adhesive hydrogel patch integrating diagnostic and therapeutic functions through mechanophysiological monitoring and electrocoupling therapy. Chaojie Yu, Mingyue Shi & Junjie Li Article 05 October 2023 | Open Access Title: Structure determination of ζ-N2 from single-crystal X-ray diffraction and theoretical suggestion for the formation of amorphous nitrogen The ζ-N2 phase is key for comprehending the pressure-driven molecular to polymeric shift in nitrogen. Here, the authors resolved the crystal structure of ζ-N2 and identified a gradual delocalization of its electronic density under pressure, culminating in the initiation of nitrogen’s polymerization. Dominique Laniel, Florian Trybel & Natalia Dubrovinskaia Article 05 October 2023 | Open Access Cascade electrocatalysis via AgCu single-atom alloy and Ag nanoparticles in CO2 electroreduction toward multicarbon products Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction into multicarbon products offers a means to close the anthropogenic carbon cycle using renewable electricity. Here, the authors report a cascade AgCu single-atom and nanoparticle electrocatalyst with favorable properties to improve the selectivity of multicarbon products. Cheng Du, Joel P. Mills & Yimin A. Wu Article 05 October 2023 | Open Access Statistical laws of stick-slip friction at mesoscale Whether stick-slip instabilities can give rise to avalanches of slip lengths is an outstanding issue in solid friction. Here, the authors demonstrated that there indeed exists a critical regime in which stick-slip friction can be described by a common set of statistical laws of avalanche dynamics. Caishan Yan, Hsuan-Yi Chen & Penger Tong Article 05 October 2023 | Open Access Modulation-doping a correlated electron insulator The metal-insulator transition in VO2 is concomitant with the structural transition, making purely electrical control challenging. Here the authors use a modulation-doped heterostructure to demonstrate modulation of the transition temperature with doping, without introducing structural changes. Debasish Mondal, Smruti Rekha Mahapatra & Naga Phani B. Aetukuri Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Visualizing moiré ferroelectricity via plasmons and nano-photocurrent in graphene/twisted-WSe2 structures Recent experiments have shown the formation of ferroelectric domains in twisted van der Waals bilayers. Here, the authors report near-field infrared nano-imaging and nano-photocurrent measurements to investigate ferroelectricity in minimally twisted WSe2 by visualizing the plasmonic and photo-thermoelectric response of an adjacent graphene monolayer. Shuai Zhang, Yang Liu & D. N. Basov Comment 04 October 2023 | Open Access Extending research impact by sharing maker information The availability of maker resources such as 3D printers, makerspaces, and public repositories enable researchers to share information with research peers, educators, industry, and the general public. This broadens the impact of research and inspires its extension and application. Larry L. Howell & Terri Bateman Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Visualizing symmetry-breaking electronic orders in epitaxial Kagome magnet FeSn films The Kagome lattice consists of equilateral triangles occupying each edge of a hexagon, resembling a star with six-fold rotation symmetry. Here, using scanning tunnelling microscopy, Zhang et al observe the breaking of this six-fold rotation symmetry in the Kagome lattice plane of the planar antiferromagnet, FeSn. Huimin Zhang, Basu Dev Oli & Lian Li Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Metal to non-metal sites of metallic sulfides switching products from CO to CH4 for photocatalytic CO2 reduction The product selectivity of photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction from carbon monoxide to methane is determined by the active center from metal to sulfur site in metal sulfides. Non-metal sulfur in CuInSnS4 octahedral nanocrystal acts as carbon dioxide activation center for switching selectivity to methane. Yao Chai, Yuehua Kong & Zizhong Zhang Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Inverse design of chiral functional films by a robotic AI-guided system Chiral materials with strong and tunable chiroptical activities are highly desirable. Here, the authors employ an AI-guided robotic platform to fully execute a cyclic process to perform inverse design and fabricate chiral films with target chiroptical performance. Yifan Xie, Shuo Feng & Gang Zou Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Signature of spin-phonon coupling driven charge density wave in a kagome magnet The interplay between magnetism and charge density wave in the kagome magnet FeGe is under debate. By using elastic and inelastic X-ray scattering, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, and first principles calculations, Miao et al. propose that the charge density wave is stabilized by spin-phonon coupling. H. Miao, T. T. Zhang & H. N. Lee Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Macroscopic waves, biological clocks and morphogenesis driven by light in a giant unicellular green alga Self-organised waves propagate throughout the alga Caulerpa. Light temporal patterns control the waves and algal morphology, potentially tying light-synchronized self-oscillations to one of the mysteries of single-cell development, morphogenesis. Eldad Afik, Toni J. B. Liu & Elliot M. MeyerowitzArticle 04 October 2023 | Open Access Strain control of a bandwidth-driven spin reorientation in Ca3Ru2O7 Ca3Ru2O7 is a layered ruthenate, which undergoes a spin-reorientation transition where the spins rotate 90 degrees between two anti-ferromagnetic states. Despite extensive study, the driver of this transition has proved elusive. Here, using neutron and resonant x-ray scattering, Dashwood et al. show that this transition is driven by lattice strain. C. D. Dashwood, A. H. Walker & D. F. McMorrow Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Open-loop analog programmable electrochemical memory array Memory devices with open-loop analog programmability are highly desired in training tasks. Here, the authors developed an electrochemical memory array that can be accurately programmed without any feedback, offering unique capabilities for training. Peng Chen, Fenghao Liu & Gang Pan Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Glycoproteomic landscape and structural dynamics of TIM family immune checkpoints enabled by mucinase SmE Mucin glycoproteins are biologically relevant but are challenging to study. Here, the authors characterized the SmE enzyme and used it to glycoproteomic ally map immune checkpoint proteins. This information then drove MD simulations and binding assays to understand how glycosylation controls structure and function. Joann Chongsaritsinsuk, Alexandra D. Steigmeyer & Stacy A. Malaker Article 04 October 2023 | Open Access Integration of 3D-printed cerebral cortical tissue into an ex vivo lesioned brain slice Brain injuries can result in significant damage to the cerebral cortex, and restoring the cellular architecture of the tissue remains challenging. Here, the authors use a droplet printing technique to fabricate a simplified human cerebral cortical column and demonstrate its functionality and potential for future personalized therapy approaches. Yongcheng Jin, Ellina Mikhailova & Hagan Bayley