Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Non-identical moiré twins in bilayer graphene Here, the authors report the unexpected observation of different electronic properties of bilayer graphene/boron nitride heterostructures at 0° and 60° twist angles, showing the complex interplay between lattice relaxation and the electronic properties of moiré structures. Everton Arrighi, Viet-Hung Nguyen & Rebeca Ribeiro-Palau Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Nanophotonics for pair production The authors propose electron-positron creation by scattering of gamma-rays and polaritons, enabling the synthesis of ultrafast, localized positron sources and introducing the possibility to exploit nanophotonics for particle physics. Valerio Di Giulio & F. Javier García de Abajo Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Real-time photonic blind interference cancellation The authors demonstrate real-time blind photonic interference cancellation using FPGA-photonic coordinated processing with zero calibration micro-ring resonator control and sub-second cancellation weight identification. Joshua C. Lederman, Weipeng Zhang & Paul R. Prucnal Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Micro- and nanofabrication of dynamic hydrogels with multichannel information Responsive hydrogels containing multichannel information have potential in miniature devices, but their fabrication can be challenging. Here, the authors report the creation of hydrogel materials with each pixel containing three-channel information for printing of distinct images in one location. Mingchao Zhang, Yohan Lee & Metin Sitti Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Hydrogen-bonding and π-π interaction promoted solution-processable covalent organic frameworks Covalent organic frameworks are generally not dispersible in common solvents resulting in the poor processability which limits their practical application. Here, the authors develop a top-down process to produce solution-processable covalent organic frameworks based on the assistance of ionic liquids by means of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. Lei Zhang, Qiu-Hong Zhu & Ling He Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access The 5α condensate state in 20Ne Alpha particle clustering plays a significant role in lighter nuclei. Here the authors study the exotic 5α gas-like clustering state of 20Ne, that is 5α condensate state. Bo Zhou, Yasuro Funaki & Taiichi Yamada Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access In operando cryo-STEM of pulse-induced charge density wave switching in TaS2 Resistive switching of 1T-TaS2 is promising for next-generation electronics. Here, using in operando electron microscopy, the authors determine that Joule heating drives the switching process, which will aid the engineering of future devices. James L. Hart, Saif Siddique & Judy J. Cha Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Manipulation of fractionalized charge in the metastable topologically entangled state of a doped Wigner crystal The metastable state with a complex domain structure in 1T-TaS2 has been intensively studied. Using a multi-tip scanning tunnelling microscope, Mraz et al. reveal the microscopic dynamics of the current-pulse-induced metastable state and interpret it in terms of transport in a doped Wigner crystal lattice. Anze Mraz, Michele Diego & Dragan Mihailovic Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Elucidation of the structural basis for ligand binding and translocation in conserved insect odorant receptor co-receptors Insects rely on olfaction for behavior control. Recent structural studies of receptors provide insight into ligand binding. Here, the authors identify dynamic binding mechanism to Orco, explaining its high selectivity with insights in compound screening. Jody Pacalon, Guillaume Audic & Jérémie Topin Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Ultrafast THz probing of nonlocal orbital current in transverse multilayer metallic heterostructures By optically driving the magnetization in a magnetic system, terahertz emission can be induced from an adjacent normal metal, as a result of spin-to-charge conversion. Here, Kumar and Kumar successfully show the equivalent effect arising from orbital-to-charge conversion. Sandeep Kumar & Sunil Kumar Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Nonintrusive thermal-wave sensor for operando quantification of degradation in commercial batteries Monitoring real-world battery degradation is crucial for the widespread application of batteries in different scenarios. Here, the authors report a simple non-embedded thermal-wave sensing technique that can quantitatively distinguish different battery degradation sources during operation. Yuqiang Zeng, Fengyu Shen & Ravi S. Prasher Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access ComplexEye: a multi-lens array microscope for high-throughput embedded immune cell migration analysis Video microscopy is key in studying cell migration, but accomplishing this in a high-throughput manner is still challenging. Here, the authors present an array microscope that can track the movements of thousands of individual cells simultaneously, and that can be used for drug screening studies. Zülal Cibir, Jacqueline Hassel & Matthias Gunzer Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Nonuniversal impact of cholesterol on membranes mobility, curvature sensing and elasticity Cholesterol both thickens and condenses membranes, yet it also softens them under certain conditions. Here, authors uncover cholesterol’s dual role in the delicate balance of rigidity and flexibility in membranes, crucial for diverse biological functions. Matthias Pöhnl, Marius F. W. Trollmann & Rainer A. Böckmann Article 11 December 2023 | Open Access Staphylococcus aureus functional amyloids catalyze degradation of β-lactam antibiotics A number of mechanisms are known to mediate bacterial antibiotic resistance. Here, Arad et al show that amyloid fibrils produced by Staphylococcus aureus rapidly degrade common antibiotic molecules. Elad Arad, Kasper B. Pedersen & Raz Jelinek Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access Alkali metal reduction of alkali metal cations Here the authors demonstate that counter to expectation provided by the relevant standard reduction potentials, a chloroberyllate, [{SiNDipp}BeClLi]2, reacts with the group 1 elements (M = Na, K, Rb, Cs) to provide the respective heavier alkali metal analogues, [{SiNDipp}BeClM]2. Kyle G. Pearce, Han-Ying Liu & Michael S. Hill Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access Total wash elimination for solid phase peptide synthesis Peptide drug manufacturing commonly uses large amounts of hazardous solvents primarily due to multiple washings after each step. Here, the authors introduce the concept of a completely wash-free methodology that enables up to 95% waste reduction. Jonathan M. Collins, Sandeep K. Singh & Christopher L. Houser Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access Highly scalable photoinduced synthesis of silanols via untraversed pathway for chlorine radical (Cl•) generation Contrary to photocatalysis, the use of photochemical energy solely to initiate reactions is underexplored. Here, the authors demonstrate light initiated synthesis of functionalized organosilanols, silanediols, and polymeric siloxanol under ambient reaction conditions. Argha Saha, Wajid Ali & Debabrata Maiti Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access One-dimensionally oriented self-assembly of ordered mesoporous nanofibers featuring tailorable mesophases via kinetic control One-dimensional materials have interesting physiochemical properties, but control over porosity is still a significant challenge. Here, the authors report a self-assembly method for the fabrication of 1D materials with an ordered mesostructure. Liang Peng, Huarong Peng & Dongyuan Zhao Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access Thermally-induced atropisomerism promotes metal-organic cage construction While heat modification is ubiquitous in biologic systems, it remains a significant challenge in artificial systems. Here the authors demonstrate thermal regulation of conversion between different rigid macrocycle atropisomers and related self-assemblies. Jiaqi Liang, Shuai Lu & Han-Yuan Gong Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access Strong and ductile high temperature soft magnets through Widmanstätten precipitates Soft magnetic materials are critical components of electric motors, generators and transformers, however obtaining a material that is magnetically soft, but mechanically robust and stable at high temperature is very difficult. Here, Han et al succeed in combining these disparate properties by introducing ferromagnetic Widmanstätten patterned intermetallic precipitates into a ferromagnetic alloy matrix. Liuliu Han, Fernando Maccari & Dierk Raabe Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access Resonant exciton transfer in mixed-dimensional heterostructures for overcoming dimensional restrictions in optical processes The variable bandgap of carbon nanotubes can be utilized for band engineering of van der Waals interfaces. Here the authors report on resonant exciton transfer and band alignment transition in carbon nanotube/tungsten diselenide heterostructures. N. Fang, Y. R. Chang & Y. K. Kato Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access In-plane charged antiphase boundary and 180° domain wall in a ferroelectric film The correlation between charged and antiphase states in BiFeO3 remain elusive. Here, the authors report a fabrication of in-plane charged antiphase boundaries in BiFeO3 thin films, revealing the atomic bonding configurations and atomically sharp 180° polarization reversal of such boundaries. Xiangbin Cai, Chao Chen & Deyang Chen Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access Orbital topological edge states and phase transitions in one-dimensional acoustic resonator chains The researchers demonstrate orbital-dependent sound-matter interactions in acoustic systems. They unveil duality symmetry and topological phase transitions beyond the conventional SSH model expanding the fundamental understanding of sound-matter interaction. Feng Gao, Xiao Xiang & Andrea Alù Article 09 December 2023 | Open Access Green electrosynthesis of 3,3’-diamino-4,4’-azofurazan energetic materials coupled with energy-efficient hydrogen production over Pt-based catalysts The hybrid water electrolysis system enables a potential for high-efficiency H2 production. Here, the authors propose an electrosynthesis of azo-energetic material coupled with water electrolysis, realizing energy-saving H2 production and obtaining azo-energetic materials via a green pathway. Jiachen Li, Yuqiang Ma & Jieshan Qiu Article 08 December 2023 | Open Access Catalytic stereodivergent allylic alkylation of 2-acylimidazoles for natural product synthesis The simultaneous control of regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity poses a significant synthetic challenge in contemporary organic synthesis. Here, the authors describe a stereodivergent allylation of 2-acylimidazoles using nickel and iridium catalysts to provide completely isomeric allylated compounds. Ruimin Lu, Qinglin Zhang & Chang Guo Article 08 December 2023 | Open Access Quadrupole anomalous Hall effect in magnetically induced electron nematic state The anomalous Hall effect in materials with complex magnetic structures has attracted significant research attention. Here the authors report anisotropic anomalous Hall effect in epitaxial NiCo2O4 films attributed to an extended toroidal quadrupole conical magnetic order. Hiroki Koizumi, Yuichi Yamasaki & Hideto Yanagihara Article 08 December 2023 | Open Access A highly proton conductive perfluorinated covalent triazine framework via low-temperature synthesis Perfluorinated covalent triazine frameworks are promising proton-conducting materials with high content of phosphoric acid anchor sites to enhance proton conductivity but their synthesis is challenging. Here, the authors report a mild method to produce perfluorinated covalent triazine frameworks displaying high proton conductivity. Lijiang Guan, Zhaoqi Guo & Shangbin Jin Article 08 December 2023 | Open Access Chiral metal-organic frameworks incorporating nanozymes as neuroinflammation inhibitors for managing Parkinson’s disease The treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is hampered by the lack of effective blood–brain barrier (BBB) traversing drugs. Here, the authors report nanozyme-integrated metal-organic frameworks with antioxidant activity and chiral-dependent BBB transendocytosis as anti-neuroinflammatory agents for PD treatment. Wei Jiang, Qing Li & Kelong Fan Article 08 December 2023 | Open Access Structural plasticity for neuromorphic networks with electropolymerized dendritic PEDOT connections Neural networks are powerful tools for solving complex problems, but finding the right network topology for a given task remains an open question. Here, the authors propose a bio-inspired artificial neural network hardware able to self-adapt to solve new complex tasks, by autonomously connecting nodes using electropolymerization. Kamila Janzakova, Ismael Balafrej & Fabien Alibart Article 08 December 2023 | Open Access The anti-symmetric and anisotropic symmetric exchange interactions between electric dipoles in hafnia Materials exhibiting anti-symmetric exchange interactions between electric dipoles are rare and the existence of the symmetric exchange interactions remains ambiguous. Here, authors identify hafnia as a candidate hosting such interactions by symmetry analysis and first-principles calculations. Longju Yu, Hong Jian Zhao & Yanming Ma Article 08 December 2023 | Open Access Plasmonic metasurfaces of cellulose nanocrystal matrices with quadrants of aligned gold nanorods for photothermal anti-icing Cellulose nanocrystals are very attractive as a matrix material for plasmonic nanoparticles, but controlling particle orientation for patterning is challenging. Here, the authors prepare annular ring patterns with quadrants of aligned gold nanorods for photothermal applications. Jeongsu Pyeon, Soon Mo Park & Hyoungsoo Kim Article 08 December 2023 | Open Access Electrical performance of a fully reconfigurable series-parallel photovoltaic module Reconfigurable modules have the potential to increase the energy yield of partially shaded photovoltaic systems. Here, the authors present outdoor test results of a full-scale prototype that can produce over 10% more energy than a module with fixed interconnections and six bypass diodes. Andres Calcabrini, Mirco Muttillo & Olindo Isabella Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Anti-Kasha triplet energy transfer and excitation wavelength dependent persistent luminescence from host-guest doping systems Anti-Kasha processes have potential in organic luminogens, but design of materials with these characteristics is challenging. Here, the authors report the development of a host-guest system with anti-Kasha behaviour and triplet energy transfer. Weiwei Xie, Wenbin Huang & Ben Zhong Tang Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access A dodecamethoxy[6]cycloparaphenylene consisting entirely of hydroquinone ethers: unveiling in-plane aromaticity through a rotaxane structure “Cycloparaphenylenes consisting of are cyclic π-conjugated structures presetting interesting physical properties upon functionalization. However, the ring strain and steric hindrance of the substituents hamper the functionalization of small sized cycloparaphenylenes. Here, the authors describe a [6]cycloparaphenylene with twelve methoxy units employed to form a rotaxane with in-plane aromaticity upon oxidation.” Naoki Narita, Yusuke Kurita & Yoshitaka Tsuchido Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Measuring gas discharge in contact electrification Contact electrification triggers gas breakdown. Using Coulomb force to estimate voltage, this work provides experimental evidence for the Paschen curves that govern such discharge. Hongcheng Tao & James Gibert Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Topological electronic structure and spin texture of quasi-one-dimensional higher-order topological insulator Bi4Br4 W. X. Zhao et al. study the higher-order topological insulator candidate Bi4Br4 by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and ab-initio calculation. They provide strong evidence for the higher-order topological insulator phase, including a signature of the hinge states inside the (100) surface gap. Wenxuan Zhao, Ming Yang & Lexian Yang Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Stabilizing ruthenium dioxide with cation-anchored sulfate for durable oxygen evolution in proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers Designing stable Ru-based catalysts for acidic oxygen evolution remains a challenge. Here, the authors propose an oxyanion protection strategy to prevent the formation of oxygen vacancies on the RuO2 surface by creating coordination-saturated lattice oxygen, thereby greatly enhancing the stability. Yanrong Xue, Jiwu Zhao & Xu Lu Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Near-infrared light-triggered prodrug photolysis by one-step energy transfer Prodrug photolysis enables spatiotemporal control of drug release at the desired lesions, but most of the photocleavable groups cannot be directly activated by near-infrared (NIR) light that features deep penetration and low phototoxicity. Here, the authors report an upconversion-like process via only one step of energy transfer for NIR light-triggered prodrug photolysis. Kaiqi Long, Wen Lv & Weiping Wang Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Pressure-induced reversal of Peierls-like distortions elicits the polyamorphic transition in GeTe and GeSe The subtle distortion in atomic structure underlies the drastic changes in the properties of amorphous phase-change materials. Here authors show that that pressure can reverse the Peierls-like distortions introduced by temperature, eliciting a polyamorphic transition in GeTe and GeSe. Tomoki Fujita, Yuhan Chen & Shuai Wei Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Photon-phonon collaboratively pumped laser Ultrahigh-efficiency and low-threshold yet tunable and compact laser devices are at the base of new functional devices. Here the authors harness a new temperature degree of freedom to realize a tunable photon-phonon collaboratively pumped laser. Yu Fu, Fei Liang & Yan-Feng Chen Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Exploring the vibrational series of pure trilobite Rydberg molecules In trilobite Rydberg molecules a ground state atom is coupled to a Rydberg (high-angular momentum) atom, and a potential well is formed in their potential energy curves. Here the authors report observation of vibrational series in pure trilobite rubidium Rydberg molecules created by three-photon photoassociation. Max Althön, Markus Exner & Herwig Ott Article 07 December 2023 | Open Access Functional and analytical recapitulation of osteoclast biology on demineralized bone paper Here, authors report demineralized bone paper-based in vitro osteogenic culture and assay platforms that replicate essential bone tissue complexity, osteoclast processes, and drug responses with high fidelity and predictive power. Yongkuk Park, Tadatoshi Sato & Jungwoo Lee Article 06 December 2023 | Open Access Enhanced formation of methane hydrate from active ice with high gas uptake Gas hydrates have promising energy storage applications, a main bottleneck being their slow formation kinetics. Here, the authors demonstrate that by dispersing kinetic promoters in porous ice as active ice for gas hydrate formation, a minute-level formation process can be achieved for hydrate-based technologies. Peng Xiao, Juan-Juan Li & Guang-Jin Chen Article 06 December 2023 | Open Access Direct identification of interfacial degradation in blue OLEDs using nanoscale chemical depth profiling Understanding the degradation mechanism of organic light-emitting diodes is essential to improve device performance and stability. Here, authors present a high-resolution diagnostic method to obtain molecular information with 7-nm depth resolution and analyse devices at different degradation levels. Gustavo F. Trindade, Soohwan Sul & Ian S. Gilmore Article 06 December 2023 | Open Access Mid-infrared supermirrors with finesse exceeding 400 000 The researchers showcase all-crystalline and hybrid mid-infrared supermirrors with the lowest optical losses ever demonstrated in this wavelength range, representing an unprecedented improvement over any existing mirrors made with any production technology. Gar-Wing Truong, Lukas W. Perner & Garrett D. Cole Article 06 December 2023 | Open Access Defective oxygen inert phase stabilized high-voltage nickel-rich cathode for high-energy lithium-ion batteries The oxygen evolutions from layered cathode surfaces cause battery degradation during high-voltage operation and pose thermal safety concerns. Here, the authors propose a strategy to anchor and reserve surface oxygen with defective oxygen inert phase for high-voltage nickel-rich cathodes in lithium-ion batteries. Zhongsheng Dai, Zhujie Li & Li Li Article 06 December 2023 | Open Access Selective synthesis of tightly- and loosely-twisted metallomacrocycle isomers towards precise control of helicity inversion motion Molecular twist is a characteristic component of molecular machines. Here the authors report a kinetically selective synthesis of tightly- and loosely-twisted isomers of a trinuclear Pd-macrocycle and their markedly different molecular behaviours. Tomoki Nakajima, Shohei Tashiro & Mitsuhiko Shionoya Article 06 December 2023 | Open Access Discovery of type II polyketide synthase-like enzymes for the biosynthesis of cispentacin Type II polyketide synthases (PKSs) normally synthesize polycyclic aromatic compounds, but the potential for the synthesis of further diverse skeletons remains under investigated. Here, the authors report the discovery of the type II PKS machinery for the biosynthesis of a five-membered nonaromatic skeleton contained in the nonproteinogenic amino acid cispentacin and the plant toxin coronatine. Genki Hibi, Taro Shiraishi & Tomohisa Kuzuyama Article 06 December 2023 | Open Access Performance boost for bismuth telluride thermoelectric generator via barrier layer based on low Young’s modulus and particle sliding The lack of desirable barrier layers prohibits the power generation applications of bismuth telluride thermoelectric devices. Here, the authors construct a kind of Ti barrier layer with high strength and low resistivity with a module exhibiting high thermal stability during the service at 523 K. Yuxin Sun, Fengkai Guo & Jiehe Sui