Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access Differential perovskite hemispherical photodetector for intelligent imaging and location tracking Differential spectrometers recognise different wavelength via their differential photodetector responsivity. The authors combine an 8-pixel hemispherical perovskite photodetector with neural network algorithms to realise 3D trajectory tracking and 2D location tacking with colour classification. Xiaopeng Feng, Chenglong Li & Haotong Wei Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access Accelerating process development for 3D printing of new metal alloys Process development for 3D printing of new metal alloys can be time-consuming and variability in the printing outcome makes it even more challenging. Here, authors demonstrate an in-situ method using high-speed imaging and deep learning to accelerate the process design for a more consistent quality. David Guirguis, Conrad Tucker & Jack Beuth Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access Broadband miniaturized spectrometers with a van der Waals tunnel diode Here, the authors report a high-performance broadband spectrometer based on a van der Waals heterostructure tunnel diode containing MoS2 and and black phosphorus, leveraging their electrically tunable photoresponse and advanced computational algorithms for spectral reconstruction. Md Gius Uddin, Susobhan Das & Zhipei Sun Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access Alkaline-based aqueous sodium-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage Aqueous sodium-ion batteries show promise for large-scale energy storage, yet face challenges due to water decomposition, limiting their energy density and lifespan. Here, the authors report a cathode surface coating strategy in an alkaline electrolyte to enhance the stability of both electrolyte and battery. Han Wu, Junnan Hao & Shi-Zhang Qiao Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access Regulating Au coverage for the direct oxidation of methane to methanol The direct oxidation of methane to methanol occurs in two steps that are difficult to control. Here, the authors use the OH binding strength as a descriptor to optimize the trade-off effect between the two pathways over PdxAuy catalysts. Yueshan Xu, Daoxiong Wu & Quanbing Liu Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access Reconfiguring nucleation for CVD growth of twisted bilayer MoS2 with a wide range of twist angles Twisted bilayers of 2D semiconductors are being intensively investigated due to their emergent physical properties, but their controlled bottom-up synthesis remains challenging. Here, the authors report a confined-space chemical vapour deposition strategy to synthesize MoS2 bilayers with twist angles ranging from 0° to 120°. Manzhang Xu, Hongjia Ji & Wei Huang Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access From chiral laser pulses to femto- and attosecond electronic chirality flips in achiral molecules Chirality is a unique property of certain molecules. Here the authors discuss method to induce and flip electronic chirality in oriented NaK molecules using circularly polarized laser pulses. Yunjiao Chen, Dietrich Haase & Yonggang Yang Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access Flexible, scalable, high channel count stereo-electrode for recording in the human brain Electrodes available for deep brain recording and stimulation have a number of limitations. Here the authors describe a thin-film depth electrode that may offer improved spatial and temporal resolution for recording brain activity. Keundong Lee, Angelique C. Paulk & Shadi. A. Dayeh Article 17 January 2024 | Open Access Cochaperones convey the energy of ATP hydrolysis for directional action of Hsp90 The precise role of cochaperones and ATP hydrolysis in driving Hsp90’s chaperone cycle is largely unclear. Here, the authors use single-molecule FRET to show that several cochaperones are necessary to establish directionality in Hsp90’s conformational cycle. Leonie Vollmar, Julia Schimpf & Thorsten Hugel Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access Microscopic mechanisms of pressure-induced amorphous-amorphous transitions and crystallisation in silicon The mechanism of amorphous-amorphous transitions is highly debated. Here, the authors use molecular dynamics simulations to reveal transitions via nucleation-growth or spinodal decomposition, resembling a thermodynamic phase transition but influenced by mechanics. Zhao Fan & Hajime Tanaka Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access Site-specific metal-support interaction to switch the activity of Ir single atoms for oxygen evolution reaction Common methods for regulating metal-support interactions for single-atom catalysts usually suffer from interference of the variation of supports or sacrificing the stability of catalysts. Here, the authors report a facile electrochemical deposition strategy to design highly active oxygen evolution catalysts with site-specific metal-support interactions via selective anchoring of single atoms. Jie Wei, Hua Tang & Jie Zeng Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access High-speed and energy-efficient non-volatile silicon photonic memory based on heterogeneously integrated memresonator Photonic integrated circuits have grown as potential hardware for neural networks and quantum computing, yet the tuning speed and large power consumption limited the application. Here, authors introduce the memresonator, a memristor heterogeneously integrated with a microring resonator, as a non-volatile silicon photonic phase shifter to address these limitations. Bassem Tossoun, Di Liang & Raymond G. Beausoleil Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access Spin-resolved topology and partial axion angles in three-dimensional insulators 3D higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs) exhibit 1D hinge states depending on extrinsic sample details, while intrinsic features of HOTIs remain unknown. Here, K.S. Lin et al. introduce the framework of spin-resolved topology to show that helical HOTIs can realize a doubled axion insulator phase with nontrivial partial axion angles. Kuan-Sen Lin, Giandomenico Palumbo & Barry Bradlyn Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access How solute atoms control aqueous corrosion of Al-alloys Understanding the underlying mechanisms during corrosion is one of the grand key missions to improve the sustainability of the material world. Here, the authors combine atomic scale imaging and calculations to show how solute atoms react during aqueous corrosion of a multicomponent Al alloy. Huan Zhao, Yue Yin & Dierk Raabe Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access Enhancing aortic valve drug delivery with PAR2-targeting magnetic nano-cargoes for calcification alleviation Achieving targeted drug delivery for calcified aortic valve is challenging. Here, the authors find that protease activated receptor 2 (PAR2) is up-regulated on calcified valves and develop a magnetic nanocarrier functionalized with PAR2-targeting peptide for dual-active drug delivery. Jinyong Chen, Tanchen Ren & Xianbao Liu Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access Anomalous enhancement of thermoelectric power factor in multiple two-dimensional electron gas system Thermoelectric power factor in multiple two-dimensional electron gas in GaAs is enhanced by the effect of multiple subbands. The enhancement rate is 4 times larger than that of conventional two-dimensional electron gas system. Yuto Uematsu, Takafumi Ishibe & Yoshiaki Nakamura Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access Atomic-scale observation of nucleation- and growth-controlled deformation twinning in body-centered cubic nanocrystals Deformation twinning in body-centered cubic (BCC) metals is generally believed to be controlled by twin nucleation, but facilitated by rapid twin growth once the nucleation energy barrier is overcome. Here, the authors demonstrate both nucleation- and growth-controlled twinning modes in BCC Ta nanocrystals depending on the crystal size. Li Zhong, Yin Zhang & Scott X. Mao Perspective 16 January 2024 | Open Access Neuromorphic hardware for somatosensory neuroprostheses Neuroprosthetic devices have recently emerged as promising solutions to restore sensory-motor functions lost due to injury or neurological diseases. In this perspective, Donati and Valle propose to combine neuroprostheses with neuromorphic technologies for designing more natural human-machine interfaces with possible improvements in device performance, acceptability, and embeddability. Elisa Donati & Giacomo Valle Article 16 January 2024 | Open Access Mesoscale simulation of biomembranes with FreeDTS In this work, the authors report the FreeDTS software to simulate biomembranes at the mesoscale. The software provides various membrane simulations, focusing on protein organization and shape remodeling. A versatile tool propelling realistic membrane studies and diverse applications. Weria Pezeshkian & John H. Ipsen Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Unified metal-free intermolecular Heck-type sulfonylation, cyanation, amination, amidation of alkenes by thianthrenation Direct and site-selective C–H functionalization of alkenes under environmentally benign conditions represents a useful and attractive yet challenging transformation to access value-added molecules. Here, the authors report a protocol for a variety of intermolecular Heck-type functionalization of C(sp2)–H bond of alkenes by thianthrenation. Ming-Shang Liu, Hai-Wu Du & Wei Shu Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Synthesis of inter-[60]fullerene conjugates with inherent chirality Inter-fullerene conjugates are non-naturally occurring carbon allotropes. Here the authors report on the chemical synthesis and solid-state structure of three inter-[60]fullerene hybrids with inherent chirality. Yoshifumi Hashikawa, Shu Okamoto & Yasujiro Murata Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Photocatalytic aerobic oxidation of C(sp3)-H bonds The authors report a family of photocatalysts containing Ce active sites and perylene diimide ligands for the aerobic oxidation of substituted toluene, ethylbenzene, benzyl alcohol, thioanisole, and benzylamine in acetonitrile. Lei Zhang, Run-Han Li & Ya-Qian Lan Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Encoding of multi-modal emotional information via personalized skin-integrated wireless facial interface Technologies in human emotion recognition are challenged by their capability to accurately extract and exploit the emotional information. Lee et al. report a personalized skin-integrated facial interface to sense and combine facial and vocal expression data, enabling enhanced communication in virtual reality. Jin Pyo Lee, Hanhyeok Jang & Jiyun Kim Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Homolytic H2 dissociation for enhanced hydrogenation catalysis on oxides Zhu et al. report a quantitative and time-resolved analysis of hydrogen activation on Ga2O3, specifically shedding light on the long-standing puzzle of homolytic dissociation as opposed to the heterolytic pathway on oxides. Chengsheng Yang, Sicong Ma & Xinhe Bao Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Replicating shear-mediated self-assembly of spider silk through microfluidics Native spider silk has desirable mechanical properties, but these are challenging to replicate in an artificial material. Here, the authors report the use of a microfluidic system to create continuous fibers based on recombinant spidroin. Jianming Chen, Arata Tsuchida & Keiji Numata Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Flexible switch matrix addressable electrode arrays with organic electrochemical transistor and pn diode technology Organic neural implants hold considerable promise for biocompatible neural interfaces. Here, the authors employ polymer-based organic electrochemical diodes and transistors to develop neuron-sized complex circuits, enabling multiplexing without crosstalk and demonstrate that, when integrated onto ultra-thin plastic, these circuits achieve high performance while maintaining minimal invasiveness. Ilke Uguz, David Ohayon & Kenneth L. Shepard Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Organocatalytic diastereo- and atroposelective construction of N–N axially chiral pyrroles and indoles N–N axially chiral motifs are of synthetic interest due to their presence in natural products, pharmaceuticals, and chiral ligands. Here, the authors develop a direct catalytic synthesis of N–N atropisomers with simultaneous creation of contiguous axial and central chirality by oxidative NHC catalyzed (3 + 3) cycloaddition. Shao-Jie Wang, Xia Wang & Shenci Lu Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Predictive Minisci late stage functionalization with transfer learning Regioselectivity prediction for many reactions remains a challenging target for a priori prediction. Here, the authors develop a machine learning model that predicts the outcomes of Minisci reactions. Emma King-Smith, Felix A. Faber & Alpha A. Lee Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Gas diffusion enhanced electrode with ultrathin superhydrophobic macropore structure for acidic CO2 electroreduction Carbon dioxide electroreduction in acidic environments has been suboptimal. Here, the authors addressed this issue by designing a gas diffusion electrode with a special metal structure, which achieves efficient electroreduction while conducting a systematic investigation of the underlying mechanism. Mingxu Sun, Jiamin Cheng & Miho Yamauchi Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access A retrofit sensing strategy for soft fluidic robots In existing soft robotic sensing strategies, additional components and design changes are often required to sense the environment. Zou et al. introduce a retrofit self-sensing strategy for soft pneumatic actuators, utilizing internal pressure variations arising from interactions. Shibo Zou, Sergio Picella & Johannes T. B. Overvelde Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Unconventionally fast transport through sliding dynamics of rodlike particles in macromolecular networks Transport of rodlike particles in macromolecular networks is relevant to various biological processes and technological applications, where thin rods have been mainly in focus. Here the authors investigate diffusion dynamics of thick rods in confinement media of macromolecular networks, and uncover dependence of translational diffusion upon rod length. Xuanyu Zhang, Xiaobin Dai & Li-Tang Yan Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access A dicarbonate solvent electrolyte for high performance 5 V-Class Lithium-based batteries Rechargeable lithium batteries featuring 5 V cathodes offer high energy density yet struggle with stability. Here, the authors formulate an electrolyte incorporating dimethyl 2,5-dioxahexanedioate solvent, which facilitates stable lithium plating and stripping while offering an extended cycle life. Xiaozhe Zhang, Pan Xu & Alexandru Vlad Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access Nanoscale silicate melt textures determine volcanic ash surface chemistry Nanotexture-sensitive fracture focusing during magma fragmentation determines the surface chemistry of volcanic ash particles, thereby modifying the reactive interface and subsequent environmental impacts Adrian J. Hornby, Paul M. Ayris & Donald B. Dingwell Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access Regio- and enantioselective synthesis of acyclic quaternary carbons via organocatalytic addition of organoborates to (Z)-Enediketones All-carbon quaternary stereocenters are an important synthetic motif but are especially difficult to synthesize enantioselectively. Here, the authors demonstrate the organocatalytic regio- and enantioselective synthesis of valuable acyclic 1,4-dicarbonyl products with vinylated and arylated quaternary centers. Po-Kai Peng, Andrew Isho & Jeremy A. May Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access A self-powered intracardiac pacemaker in swine model Harvesting biomechanical energy from cardiac motion is an attractive power source for implantable bioelectronic devices. Here, the authors report a battery-free, transcatheter, self-powered intracardiac pacemaker for the treatment of arrhythmia in large animal models. Zhuo Liu, Yiran Hu & Zhong Lin Wang Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access CO2 hydrogenation over Fe-Co bimetallic catalysts with tunable selectivity through a graphene fencing approach Product-selective switching of CO2 hydrogenation is a huge challenge. Here, the authors report an approach to manipulating Fe-Co sites with three-dimensional graphene fences that achieves integrated synthesis of different products. Jiaming Liang, Jiangtao Liu & Noritatsu Tsubaki Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access A ferroelectric fin diode for robust non-volatile memory Designing efficient high-density crossbar arrays are nowadays highly demanded for many artificial intelligence applications. Here, the authors propose a two-terminal ferroelectric fin diode non-volatile memory in which a ferroelectric capacitor and a fin-like semiconductor channel are combined to share both top and bottom electrodes with high performance and easy fabrication process Guangdi Feng, Qiuxiang Zhu & Chungang Duan Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access Identifying the distinct roles of dual dopants in stabilizing the platinum-nickel nanowire catalyst for durable fuel cell Doping strategies have been shown to stabilize the active platinum-nickel (PtNi) catalyst in fuel cells, however, the atomistic mechanism is less known. Here, the authors identify the roles of Mo and Au dopants in improving the durability of a PtNi nanowire catalyst for fuel cells. Lei Gao, Tulai Sun & Hongwen Huang Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access Photonic Stochastic Emergent Storage for deep classification by scattering-intrinsic patterns Photonic Stochastic Emergent Storage is a neuromorphic photonic device for image storage and classification based on scattering-intrinsic patterns. Here, the authors show emergent storage employs stochastic prototype scattering-induced light patterns to generate categories corresponding to emergent archetypes. Marco Leonetti, Giorgio Gosti & Giancarlo Ruocco Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access Accurate nowcasting of cloud cover at solar photovoltaic plants using geostationary satellite images Accurate nowcasting of cloud cover or fraction and its movement remains a significant challenge for stable solar photovoltaic electricity generation. Here, the authors combine continuous radiance images with high spatio-temporal resolutions to develop a nowcasting algorithm for predicting cloud cover at a leading time of 0–4 h. Pan Xia, Lu Zhang & Shengjie Jia Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access Digital automation of transdermal drug delivery with high spatiotemporal resolution Microneedle patches that can actively address individual needles are challenging to realize. Here, the authors introduce a spatiotemporal on-demand patch for precise and personalized drug delivery, utilizing electrically triggered control with drug-loaded microneedles and biocompatible metallic membranes. Yihang Wang, Zeka Chen & Wubin Bai Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access Giant intrinsic photovoltaic effect in one-dimensional van der Waals grain boundaries The intrinsic photovoltaic effect (IPVE) in noncentrosymmetric materials has the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional photovoltaic devices. Here, the authors report the observation of a strong and gate-tunable IPVE in 1D grain boundaries of a van der Waals semiconductor, ReS2. Yongheng Zhou, Xin Zhou & Xiaolong Chen Article 13 January 2024 | Open Access Personalising intravenous to oral antibiotic switch decision making through fair interpretable machine learning The decision to switch patients from intravenous to oral antibiotic therapy is important for the individual and wider society. Here, authors show a machine learning model using routine clinical data can predict when a patient could switch. William J. Bolton, Richard Wilson & Timothy M. Rawson Article 12 January 2024 | Open Access Amide C–N bonds activation by A new variant of bifunctional N-heterocyclic carbene Developing efficient methods for the formation and cleavage of amide species is a primary research goal, but the amide C–N bond cleavage is exceptionally challenging. Here, the authors report the development of an organocatalyst that can effectively catalyze the atroposelective ring-opening of biaryl lactams via amide C–N bond cleavage. Yuxing Cai, Yuxin Zhao & Yong Huang Article 12 January 2024 | Open Access Vibronic effects on the quantum tunnelling of magnetisation in Kramers single-molecule magnets Quantum tunnelling of the magnetisation limits the performance of single-molecule magnets at low temperatures. Here, the authors combine ab initio and analytical methods to show that spin-phonon coupling subtly influences tunnelling via polaron formation. Andrea Mattioni, Jakob K. Staab & Nicholas F. Chilton Article 12 January 2024 | Open Access Lithiated porous silicon nanowires stimulate periodontal regeneration Prelithiation can introduce controllable amounts of lithium within porous silicon, however it yields a highly reactive material unsuitable for biomedicine. In this study, the authors present a strategy to lithiate porous silicon nanowires, resulting in a biocompatible and bioresorbable material. Martti Kaasalainen, Ran Zhang & Ciro Chiappini Article 12 January 2024 | Open Access Spatiotemporal imaging and shaping of electron wave functions using novel attoclock interferometry Electrons detached from atoms by photoionization carry valuable information about light-atom interactions. Here, authors propose a novel attoclock interferometry to spatiotemporally shape and image the electron wave function, from which the quantum nature of strong-field ionization is identified. Peipei Ge, Yankun Dou & Yunquan Liu Article 12 January 2024 | Open Access Improving rechargeable magnesium batteries through dual cation co-intercalation strategy Rechargeable magnesium batteries suffer from poor mobility of Mg-ions, severely affecting the electrochemical performance. Here, authors demonstrate a strategy of co-intercalation of monovalent ions into the host lattice, which substantially improves Mg-ion mobility and battery performance. Ananyo Roy, Mohsen Sotoudeh & Zhenyou Li Article 12 January 2024 | Open Access Design-rules for stapled peptides with in vivo activity and their application to Mdm2/X antagonists Stapled α-helical peptides are promising for targeting challenging targets such as transcription factors, but achieving sufficient cell permeability while avoiding off-target cleavage is difficult. Here, the authors present workflows for identifying stapled peptides against Mdm2(X) with in vivo activity and no off-target effects based on comprehensive investigations of their properties. Arun Chandramohan, Hubert Josien & Anthony W. Partridge Article 11 January 2024 | Open Access Field control of quasiparticle decay in a quantum antiferromagnet Quasiparticles’ have formed an extremely effective explanation for the charge, spin and lattice excitations of materials, allowing for the otherwise complex response to be explained in terms of a single (quasi)particle with an effective Hamiltonian. Here, Hasegawa et al demonstrate the tuning of magnon quasiparticle decay in the quantum antiferromagnet, RbFeCl3.’ Shunsuke Hasegawa, Hodaka Kikuchi & Takatsugu Masuda