Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access High-throughput computational stacking reveals emergent properties in natural van der Waals bilayers 2D bilayers have recently attracted significant attention due to fundamental properties like interlayer excitons and interfacial ferroelectricity. Here, the authors report a density functional theory approach to identify 2586 stable homobilayer systems and calculate their stacking-dependent electronic, magnetic and vibrational properties. Sahar Pakdel, Asbjørn Rasmussen & Kristian S. Thygesen Comment 31 January 2024 | Open Access Topological photonics: robustness and beyond Synthetic optical materials have been recently employed as a powerful platform for the emulation of topological phenomena in wave physics. Topological phases offer exciting opportunities, not only for fundamental physics demonstrations, but also for practical technologies. Yet, their impact has so far been primarily limited to their claimed enhanced robustness. Here, we clarify the role of robustness in topological photonic systems, and we discuss how topological photonics may offer a wider range of important opportunities in science and for practical technologies, discussing emergent and exciting research directions. Alexander B. Khanikaev & Andrea Alù Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Collective total synthesis of stereoisomeric yohimbine alkaloids Nature generates the stereoisomeric yohimbine alkaloids using bioavailable monoterpene secolaganin as the building block. Here, the authors reset the stage by the development of a bioinspired coupling, in which the pentacyclic skeleton is constructed through enantioselective kinetic resolution of an achiral, easily accessible synthetic surrogate. Meiyi Tang, Haigen Lu & Liansuo Zu Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Asymmetric α-C(sp3)−H allylic alkylation of primary alkylamines by synergistic Ir/ketone catalysis Primary alkyl amines are highly reactive in N-nucleophilic reactions with electrophiles but their α-C–H bonds are unreactive towards electrophiles due to their extremely low acidity. Combining 8-diazafluoren-9-one with an iridium catalyst, the authors demonstrate direct asymmetric α-C-H alkylation of unprotected primary alkyl amines with allylic carbonates. Jianyu Li, Sheng Gong & Baoguo Zhao Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Light-responsive MXenegel via interfacial host-guest supramolecular bridging Multifunctional composite hydrogels are promising candidates to develop smart and recyclable electronic components. Here, the authors report a reversible on-demand liquefication and solidification conductive gel formed by the self-assembly of photoresponsive host-guest complexes and MXene nanosheets which can be integrated into traditional solid-state circuits. Yu-Liang Lin, Sheng Zheng & Jiun-Tai Chen Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Impact of palladium/palladium hydride conversion on electrochemical CO2 reduction via in-situ transmission electron microscopy and diffraction The evolution of Pd-based material during CO2 electroreduction requires further investigation. Here the authors use in-situ liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy and select area diffraction characterization techniques to visualize the morphological and phase structure evolution of the Pd/PdHx catalysts under CO2 electroreduction conditions. Ahmed M. Abdellah, Fatma Ismail & Drew Higgins Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access A 5 × 200 Gbps microring modulator silicon chip empowered by two-segment Z-shape junctions The authors showcase a five-channel silicon microring modulator array with a total data rate in the terabit range. Each microring is equipped with two separate Z-shape junctions to overcome the bandwidth and modulation efficiency trade-off, providing a pathway for future 200 Gb/s/lane silicon optical interconnects. Yuan Yuan, Yiwei Peng & Raymond G. Beausoleil Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Floquet parity-time symmetry in integrated photonics Here the authors unveil an approach rooted in non-Hermitian physics to precisely control light amplification in an integrated photonic platform, paving the way for innovative on-chip functionalities, like coherent control of light amplification and routing. Weijie Liu, Quancheng Liu & Feng Chen Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Searching for ultralight dark matter conversion in solar corona using Low Frequency Array data Hypothetical dark photon (DP) dark matter (DM) and axion DM might resonantly convert into electromagnetic waves in the solar corona. Here, the authors show upper limits on the axion-photon coupling and on the kinetic mixing coupling of DPDM and photon within 30-80 MHz in the solar corona radio observations. Haipeng An, Xingyao Chen & Yan Luo Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Nominally identical microplastic models differ greatly in their particle-cell interactions Microplastics research is often based on commercial model particles. Here, the authors show that nominally identical particles may differ significantly in their properties and thus in their interactions with cells. Simon Wieland, Anja F. R. M. Ramsperger & Holger Kress Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Experimentally validated design principles of heteroatom-doped-graphene-supported calcium single-atom materials for non-dissociative chemisorption solid-state hydrogen storage Via the first-principles calculations and experimental verifications, a guiding principle is established to design heteroatom-doped-graphene-supported Ca single-atom carbon nanomaterials for efficient non-dissociative solid-state hydrogen storage. Yong Gao, Zhenglong Li & Hongge Pan Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Flexible power generators by Ag2Se thin films with record-high thermoelectric performance Flexible Ag2Se possesses promising near-room-temperature thermoelectric performance, while trade-off in thermoelectric performance and flexibility enhances its practical utility. Here, the authors fabricate polycrystalline Ag2Se-based thin film with a high ZT of 1.27 at 363 K by Te doping. Dong Yang, Xiao-Lei Shi & Zhi-Gang Chen Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access A rechargeable Ca/Cl2 battery The development of practical Ca metal batteries has been hindered by the cathode chemistry. Here, the authors report a rechargeable Ca/Cl2 battery, which involves the reversible cathode redox reaction between CaCl2 and Cl2. Shitao Geng, Xiaoju Zhao & Hao Sun Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Slow light topological photonics with counter-propagating waves and its active control on a chip Topological slow light is of fundamental importance for science and technology. Here the authors reveal that the presence of magnetic phase vortices along with glide symmetric interfaces is crucial for the existence of slow light modes in topological valley photonic crystal waveguide. Abhishek Kumar, Yi Ji Tan & Ranjan Singh Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access DeepFocus: fast focus and astigmatism correction for electron microscopy High-throughput electron microscopy demands minimal human intervention and high image quality. Here, authors introduce DeepFocus, a data-driven method for aberration correction in electron microscopy, robust for low SNR images, fast and easily adaptable to microscopes and samples. Peer Review Information: Nature Communications thanks Yang Zhang and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. A peer review file is available. P. J. Schubert, R. Saxena & J. Kornfeld Article 31 January 2024 | Open Access Nanoconfinement-triggered oligomerization pathway for efficient removal of phenolic pollutants via a Fenton-like reaction Traditional mineralization of organic pollutants requires an excessive input of chemicals and causes undesirable carbon emissions. Here, authors report a nanoconfinement strategy to alter the carbon transfer pathway of phenol removal from ring opening route to oligomerization route. Xiang Zhang, Jingjing Tang & Bingcai Pan Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Observing growth and interfacial dynamics of nanocrystalline ice in thin amorphous ice films In-situ cryo-electron microscopy in thin amorphous ice films and ice-dynamics simulations reveal polymorph-dependent growth kinetics of nanoscale ice crystals. Hetero-crystalline ice exhibits anisotropic growth: fast-growing facets are associated with low-density interfaces, driving tetrahedral ordering of interfacial H2O molecules and accelerating ice growth. Minyoung Lee, Sang Yup Lee & Dong June Ahn Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Self-compliant ionic skin by leveraging hierarchical hydrogen bond association Ionic skins have potential in long-term physiological monitoring, but do not always achieve a desirable balance of viscosity and elasticity. Here, the authors report a material with hierarchical topological entanglements allowing desirable viscoelastic properties. Huating Ye, Baohu Wu & Peiyi Wu Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Mask-inspired moisture-transmitting and durable thermochromic perovskite smart windows Thermochromic perovskite smart windows require humidity for operation, but too much can lead to degradation. Tso and coworkers demonstrate a mask-inspired system for humidity regulation, to extend lifespan and minimize optical haze. Sai Liu, Yang Li & Chi Yan Tso Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Improved machine learning algorithm for predicting ground state properties Recent work proposed a machine learning algorithm for predicting ground state properties of quantum many-body systems that outperforms any non-learning classical algorithm but requires extensive training data. Lewis et al. present an improved algorithm with exponentially reduced training data requirements. Laura Lewis, Hsin-Yuan Huang & John Preskill Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Bioinspired polymeric supramolecular columns as efficient yet controllable artificial light-harvesting platform The formation of artificial light-harvesting systems with high donor/acceptor ratios for efficient energy transfer remains challenging. Here, the authors describe a polymeric supramolecular column-based light-harvesting system by modular columnar assembly of donor/acceptor chromophores, enabling superior light-harvesting efficiency and dynamic full-color tunable emission. Bin Mu, Xiangnan Hao & Wei TianArticle 30 January 2024 | Open Access Anisotropic carrier dynamics and laser-fabricated luminescent patterns on oriented single-crystal perovskite wafers Based on differently-oriented MAPbBr3 single-crystal wafers, the authors revealed anisotropic carrier dynamics by using angle-resolved pump-probe technique, and the microstructural mechanism of the femtosecond laser-induced emission enhancement Chao Ge, Yachao Li & Yang Liu Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Atomically synergistic Zn-Cr catalyst for iso-stoichiometric co-conversion of ethane and CO2 to ethylene and CO Designing catalysts with atomically synergistic sites shows great promise as a pathway for advanced catalyst development. Here the authors report Zn-Cr catalyst with atomically binuclear active sites for iso-stoichiometric co-conversion of ethane and CO2 through proximal atomic synergy. Ji Yang, Lu Wang & Ji Su Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access A fast ceramic mixed OH−/H+ ionic conductor for low temperature fuel cells Low temperature ionic conducting materials such as OH- and H+ ionic conductors are important electrolyte materials. Here the authors report the discovery of fast mixed OH- /H+ conductors in ceramic materials, SrZr0.8Y0.2O3-δ and CaZr0.8Y0.2O3-δ, for potential use as electrolytes in fuel cells. Peimiao Zou, Dinu Iuga & Shanwen Tao Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Unraveling the rate-determining step of C2+ products during electrochemical CO reduction The electrochemical reduction of CO for sustainable fuel production has gained attention, but the reaction mechanism needs further clarification. Here the authors delve into the discussion regarding whether the rate-determining step for the generation of multi-carbon products is the C-C coupling or the hydrogenation of CO, and provide evidence for dimerization of two *CO as the pivotal step in this process. Wanyu Deng, Peng Zhang & Jinlong Gong Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Well-defined in-textile photolithography towards permeable textile electronics It is challenging to achieve simultaneous robustness, permeability and high electrical performance when patterning textile electronics. Here, the authors report an in-textile photolithography method for precise metal patterns while maintaining the 3D porous structure for wearable textile electronics. Pengwei Wang, Xiaohao Ma & Zijian Zheng Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Electron scale coherent structure as micro accelerator in the Earth’s magnetosheath Both particle and wave energy exist in plasma and energy transfer leads to many interesting phenomena like turbulence, particle acceleration. Here the authors show electron-scale coherent structure resulting from energy transfer in magnetosheath using a model and data from Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. Zi-Kang Xie, Qiu-Gang Zong & Per-Arne Lindqvist Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Enhancing antibody responses by multivalent antigen display on thymus-independent DNA origami scaffolds Three-dimensional DNA origami constructs can be used to deliver vaccine antigens in a multi-valent form. Here the authors design a DNA origami system for SARS-CoV-2 proteins and characterize in mice the immune response and protective capacity of generated antibodies, finding that the construct itself is not immunogenic. Eike-Christian Wamhoff, Larance Ronsard & Mark Bathe Article 30 January 2024 | Open Access Why flying insects gather at artificial light It is unclear why flying insects congregate around artificial light sources. Here, the authors use high-speed videography and motion-capture, finding that insects fly perpendicular to light sources due to a disruption of the dorsal light response. Samuel T. Fabian, Yash Sondhi & Huai-Ti Lin Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Switchable unidirectional emissions from hydrogel gratings with integrated carbon quantum dots Directional emission of photoluminescence is an emerging technique for light-emitting fields and nanophotonics. Here, the authors demonstrate a hydrogel grating with integrated quantum dots for switchable unidirectional emission tuning. Chenjie Dai, Shuai Wan & Zhongyang Li Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Accurate additive manufacturing of lightweight and elastic carbons using plastic precursors This work reports a simple method to produce 3D printed complex carbon materials with low dimensional shrinkage (<4%) from printed to carbonized state, using commercially available carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene precursors and a fused filament fabrication-based process. Paul Smith, Jiayue Hu & Zhe Qiang Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Highly loaded bimetallic iron-cobalt catalysts for hydrogen release from ammonia Inexpensive iron catalysts often exhibit low activity in ammonia decomposition due to a strong iron-nitrogen binding energy. Here the authors demonstrate that combining iron with cobalt to form a Fe-Co bimetallic catalyst overcomes this limitation, presenting a promising solution for enhancing ammonia decomposition efficiency. Shilong Chen, Jelena Jelic & Malte Behrens Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Efficient conversion of propane in a microchannel reactor at ambient conditions The activation of propane at mild conditions is challenging. Now a microfluidic reaction system with a Cu microtube serving as both the catalyst and the microchannel reactor can selectively convert propane to propylene at room temperature and ambient pressure. Chunsong Li, Haochen Zhang & Qi Lu Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Defect passivation in methylammonium/bromine free inverted perovskite solar cells using charge-modulated molecular bonding Molecular passivation is promising for improving the performance and operation stability of perovskite solar cells. Here, authors employ piperazine dihydriodide to strengthen adhesion to MA-free perovskite via −NH2I and Mulliken charge distribution, realizing charge-regulated molecular passivation. Dhruba B. Khadka, Yasuhiro Shirai & Kenjiro Miyano Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access A genetic circuit on a single DNA molecule as an autonomous dissipative nanodevice Achieving genetic circuits on single DNA molecules could have varied applications. Here, authors observed proteins emerging from single DNA molecules through coupled transcription-translation complexes, and show that nascent proteins lingered on DNA, regulating cascaded reactions on the same DNA and allowing the design of a pulsatile genetic circuit. Ferdinand Greiss, Nicolas Lardon & Roy Bar-Ziv Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Catalytic carbon–carbon bond cleavage in lignin via manganese–zirconium-mediated autoxidation Efforts to produce aromatic monomers through catalytic lignin depolymerization were focused on aryl–ether bond cleavage, while the carbon–carbon bonds of a large fraction of aromatic monomers in lignin are difficult to cleave. Here, the authors report a catalytic autoxidation method using manganese and zirconium salts as catalysts to cleave the C–C bonds in lignin-derived dimers and oligomers from pine and poplar. Chad T. Palumbo, Nina X. Gu & Gregg T. Beckham Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Harnessing synthetic active particles for physical reservoir computing The ability of living systems to process signals and information is of vital importance. Inspired by nature, Wang and Cichos show an experimental realization of a physical reservoir computer using self-propelled active microparticles to predict chaotic time series such as the Mackey–Glass and Lorenz series. Xiangzun Wang & Frank Cichos Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access A strong fracture-resistant high-entropy alloy with nano-bridged honeycomb microstructure intrinsically toughened by 3D-printing Developing superior structural materials has been challenging because of the inherent conflict between their strength and toughness. Here, the authors use 3D-printing to produce a high-entropy alloy with a microstructure resembling nano-bridged honeycomb structure with good strength and toughness. Punit Kumar, Sheng Huang & Robert O. Ritchie Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Location-agnostic site-specific protein bioconjugation via Baylis Hillman adducts Proteins labelled site-specifically with small molecules are valuable assets for chemical biology and drug development. Here, the authors report Baylis Hillman orchestrated protein aminothiol labelling (BHoPAL), a bioconjugation strategy for specific labelling of the 1,2-aminothiol moiety and combine it with a lipoic acid ligase-based technology to achieve labelling at any desired site within proteins. Mudassir H. Mir, Sangeeta Parmar & Dimpy Kalia Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Sustainable biomimetic solar distillation with edge crystallization for passive salt collection and zero brine discharge Conventional desalination processes generate clean water and reject brine to sea, which is harmful to the aquatic life. Here, the authors propose a low- cost scalable and foldable mangrove-mimetic device for solar thermal distillation and passive salt collection without brine discharge. Mohamed A. Abdelsalam, Muhammad Sajjad & TieJun Zhang Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Electrically induced cancellation and inversion of piezoelectricity in ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 ferroelectric capacitors undergo a continuous transition from a positive effective to a fully inverted negative piezoelectric coefficient d33 upon electrical cycling. With proper ac training, both the net effective and the local piezoresponses can be nullified while the polarization is kept fully switchable. Haidong Lu, Dong-Jik Kim & Catherine Dubourdieu Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Effect of solid-electrolyte pellet density on failure of solid-state batteries A critical challenge of solid-state batteries is Li-filament penetration. Here, by quantifying microstructural properties and employing modeling techniques, the authors provide insight into solid-state battery failure modes and offer design guidelines to enhance safety and performance. Mouhamad S. Diallo, Tan Shi & Gerbrand Ceder Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Supercurrent mediated by helical edge modes in bilayer graphene P. Rout et al. study Josephson junctions where the weak link is WSe2-encapsulated bilayer graphene, which features helical edge modes. They argue that the supercurrent channels along opposite edges of the weak link are coupled by a circulating helical mode. Prasanna Rout, Nikos Papadopoulos & Srijit Goswami Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Adaptive tactile interaction transfer via digitally embroidered smart gloves Adaptive tactile interactions transfer across users, space, and time, via embroidered smart gloves is reported by the authors. The scalable fabrication and adaptive computation pipeline enable tactile occlusion alleviation, human skills transfer, and interactive teleoperation. Yiyue Luo, Chao Liu & Wojciech Matusik Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Strain-restricted transfer of ferromagnetic electrodes for constructing reproducibly superior-quality spintronic devices To optimize the interfacial quality and electrode magnetism in spintronic devices, the authors develop an electrode transfer technique that can greatly improve device interfacial quality, performance and reproducibility, universal to various spacers. Lidan Guo, Xianrong Gu & Xiangnan Sun Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Critical role of slags in pitting corrosion of additively manufactured stainless steel in simulated seawater Mechanisms occurring during seawater corrosion of as-built laser powder bed fusion 316L stainless steels are largely unknown. Here, the authors show that Mn, Si-rich slags found in between laser tracks are responsible for corrosion. Shohini Sen-Britain, Seongkoo Cho & Thomas Voisin Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access Two way workable microchanneled hydrogel suture to diagnose, treat and monitor the infarcted heart Myocardial infarction can lead to malignant arrhythmia and myocardial remodeling. Here, the authors report a microchanneled hydrogel suture for two-way signal communication, pumping drugs on demand, and cardiac repair. Fangchao Xue, Shanlan Zhao & Wen Zeng Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access The nature of carotenoid S* state and its role in the nonphotochemical quenching of plants Plant Light Harvesting complexes adjust to light conditions via a quenching mechanism involving carotenoids. The authors use computational simulations to reveal how carotenoids’ quenching capacity is tuned by conformational changes of the complex. Davide Accomasso, Giacomo Londi & Benedetta Mennucci Article 29 January 2024 | Open Access A nanoparticle-based sonodynamic therapy reduces Helicobacter pylori infection in mouse without disrupting gut microbiota Here, the authors develop a non-antibiotic approach using sonodynamic therapy mediated by a lecithin bilayer-coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic) nanoparticle preloaded with verteporfin, Ver-PLGA@Lecithin, to treat Helicobacter pylori. Tao Liu, Shuang Chai & Lihua Yang Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access An actor-model framework for visual sensory encoding Encoding and downsampling images is key for visual prostheses. Here, the authors show that an actor-model framework using the inherent computation of the retinal network yields better performance in downsampling images compared to learning-free methods. Franklin Leong, Babak Rahmani & Diego Ghezzi Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Two-component nematic superconductivity in 4Hb-TaS2 I. Silber et al. discover a two-fold symmetry of the superconducting upper critical field in hexagonal 4Hb-TaS2 just below Tc, a clear signature of nematic, two-component superconductivity. They further suggest a theoretical model that reconciles the nematic superconductivity with the previously-observed time-reversal-symmetry-breaking in this material. I. Silber, S. Mathimalar & Y. Dagan Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Bioinspired light-driven chloride pump with helical porphyrin channels Artificial ion channels have potential in a range of applications, but achieving performance comparable to biological channels has been challenging. Here, the authors report an artificial, light-driven chloride pump, inspired by halorhodopsin, with a helical porphyrin channel array. Chao Li, Yi Zhai & Lei Jiang Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Catalytic hydrogenation of olefins by a multifunctional molybdenum-sulfur complex Exploration of molybdenum complexes as homogeneous hydrogenation catalysts has garnered significant attention, but hydrogenation of unactivated olefins under mild conditions are scarce. Here, the authors report the synthesis of a cationic Mo(II) complex, which exhibits intriguing reactivity toward C2H2 and H2 under ambient pressure. Minghui Xue, Zhiqiang Peng & Wenguang Wang Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Generating dual structurally and functionally skin-mimicking hydrogels by crosslinking cell-membrane compartments It is desirable to be able to mimic the properties of skin with hydrogels, but challenging to achieve. Here, the authors report the use of functionalised extracellular vesicles as crosslinkers for skin-mimicking hydrogels with good mechanical strength. Feng Wu, Yusheng Ren & Yan Pang Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Boosting a practical Li-CO2 battery through dimerization reaction based on solid redox mediator Li–CO2 batteries following Li2CO3-product route suffers from low output voltage and severe parasitic reactions. Here, the authors introduce a copper-based solid redox mediator in Li–CO2 batteries with an efficient Li2C2O4 product route to circumvent the shuttle effect and sluggish kinetics caused by soluble mediators. Wei Li, Menghang Zhang & Haoshen Zhou Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Self-poled piezoelectric polymer composites via melt-state energy implantation Lightweight flexible piezoelectric polymers are demanded for various applications, but restricted by the low instinctively piezoelectric coefficient and complex poling process. Here, the authors develop a high performance lightweight, flexible self-poled piezoelectric polymer composite towards sustainable self-powered sensing and energy harvesting. Zhao-Xia Huang, Lan-Wei Li & Jin-Ping Qu Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks with nia nets for efficient separation of benzene/cyclohexane mixtures The synthesis of three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with highly connected building blocks presents a significant challenge. Here, the authors report the synthesis of two 3D COFs with the nia topology, by introducing planar hexagonal and triangular prism nodes. Jianhong Chang, Fengqian Chen & Qianrong Fang Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access A dual-selective thermal emitter with enhanced subambient radiative cooling performance Radiative cooling is a sustainable subambient cooling technology. Here, authors show a scalable and practical design of a dual-selective thermal emitter that is shown to have enhanced radiative cooling potential over existing typical designs. Xueke Wu, Jinlei Li & Rufan Zhang Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Hydrogen bond unlocking-driven pore structure control for shifting multi-component gas separation function C2H4 is one of the most important chemical raw materials. Here, the authors report that tuning of pore structure shifts the multi-component gas separation function, enabling one-step production of high-purity C2H4 in the quaternary mixture. Rong Yang, Yu Wang & Kai-Jie Chen Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Phase transitions associated with magnetic-field induced topological orbital momenta in a non-collinear antiferromagnet Recent work has demonstrated the potential of polycrystalIine antiferromagnetic materials for spintronics. Here the authors report evidence of magnetic phase transitions in a polycrystalline non-collinear antiferromagnet, which are explained by a phenomenological model with topological orbital momenta. Sihao Deng, Olena Gomonay & Christoph Sürgers Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Accurate prediction of the optical properties of nanoalloys with both plasmonic and magnetic elements The optical properties of nanoalloys are complex and difficult to describe. Here, the authors use density functional and Mie theory to calculate the extinction of Au-Co and other nanoalloys of interest for quantum optics, magnetooptics, catalysis, and metamaterials. Vito Coviello, Denis Badocco & Vincenzo Amendola Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Designing transparent piezoelectric metasurfaces for adaptive optics Most multi-degrees-of-freedom systems are composed of several piezoelectric stacks, leading to cumbersome and complicated structures. Here, the authors propose a piezo metasurface to achieve various types of high strains in a wide frequency range. Liao Qiao, Xiangyu Gao & Fei Li Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Sub-volt high-speed silicon MOSCAP microring modulator driven by high-mobility conductive oxide Silicon microring resonator plays crucial role in optical computing owing to the compact footprint and energy-efficiency, yet existing modulators require >2 V to drive it. Here, the authors present a solution to this by using metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor microring that brings down the driving voltage to 0.8 V. Wei-Che Hsu, Nabila Nujhat & Alan X. Wang Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Finding the gap: neuromorphic motion-vision in dense environments Inspired by insects in nature, the authors develop a neuromorphic robotic system with obstacle avoidance, tunnel centering and gap crossing capabilities. Their robotic system accomplishes these multiple capabilities by steering towards regions of low apparent motion. Thorben Schoepe, Ella Janotte & Elisabetta Chicca Article 27 January 2024 | Open Access Non-invasive transdermal delivery of biomacromolecules with fluorocarbon-modified chitosan for melanoma immunotherapy and viral vaccines Different approaches have been described for the transdermal delivery of drugs. Here the authors report the design of a fluorocarbon modified chitosan-based non-invasive transdermal platform for the delivery of biomacromolecules, such as viral antigens for vaccines or immune checkpoint inhibitors for melanoma immunotherapy. Wenjun Zhu, Ting Wei & Zhuang Liu Article 26 January 2024 | Open Access Thermo-optic epsilon-near-zero effects Nonlinear epsilon-near-zero nanodevices are attractive solutions for large-scale integrated system-on-chips yet heat genearation upon operation affects their performance. Here, the authors studied the linear and nonlinear thermo-optic effects in the indium tin oxide, commonly used material for this system. Jiaye Wu, Marco Clementi & Camille-Sophie Brès Article 26 January 2024 | Open Access Quantum octets in high mobility pentagonal two-dimensional PdSe2 Here, the authors report the characterization of stable few-layer PdSe2 transistors encapsulated in hexagonal boron nitride, showing field effect mobilities up to 700 cm2/Vs at room temperature and signatures of an 8-fold spin-valley degeneracy of the magnetotransport quantum oscillations at cryogenic temperatures. Yuxin Zhang, Haidong Tian & Chun Ning Lau Article 26 January 2024 | Open Access Stable and efficient pure blue quantum-dot LEDs enabled by inserting an anti-oxidation layer Blue QD-LEDs suffer from poor operational stability due to the carrier accumulation at transport layers. Here, the authors propose a strategy to mitigate the hole accumulation driven oxidation in hole transport layer, effectively elongating the operational lifetime of blue QD-LEDs. Wenjing Zhang, Bo Li & Huaibin Shen Article 26 January 2024 | Open Access A contact-electro-catalysis process for producing reactive oxygen species by ball milling of triboelectric materials Through contact-electro-catalysis (CEC), reactive oxygen species can be produced by chemically inert triboelectric materials in ball milling, enabling mechanoredox reactions with a broad selection of abundant triboelectric materials Ziming Wang, Xuanli Dong & Zhong Lin Wang Article 26 January 2024 | Open Access Uncovering supramolecular chirality codes for the design of tunable biomaterials Assembly of amyloids is important in neurodegenerative diseases, but there is limited understanding of how supramolecular chirality is controlled. Here, the authors report the design of peptide derivatives that allow chirality inversion at biologically relevant temperatures. Stephen J. Klawa, Michelle Lee & Ronit Freeman Article 26 January 2024 | Open Access Mechanochemical synthesis of organoselenium compounds While the reported methods for the synthesis of organoselenium compounds mainly employ preformed activated selenium reagents, the direct utilization of elemental selenium in the synthesis is a more attractive but challenging strategy. Here, the authors report the rapid synthesis of versatile organoselenium compounds via mechanical stimulation. Shanshan Chen, Chunying Fan & Xiaofeng Wei