Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Electrical switching of spin-polarized light-emitting diodes based on a 2D CrI3/hBN/WSe2 heterostructure Spin-polarized light-emitting diodes (spin-LEDs) convert the electronic spin information to photon circular polarization, but they are usually controlled only by external magnetic fields. Here, the authors report the realization of spin-LEDs based on 2D CrI3/hBN/WSe2 heterostructures, showing electrical tunability of the electroluminescence helicity. Jianchen Dang, Tongyao Wu & Xiao-Xiao Zhang Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Two-dimensional electrons at mirror and twistronic twin boundaries in van der Waals ferroelectrics The authors investigate the twin boundaries in ferroelectric transition metal dichalcogenides, predicting their trap electrons with low densities, enhancing electron-electron interactions and potentially promoting Wigner crystallisation. James G. McHugh, Xue Li & Vladimir I. Fal’ko Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access A rolling-mode triboelectric nanogenerator with multi-tunnel grating electrodes and opposite-charge-enhancement for wave energy harvesting Limited current output hinders triboelectric nanogenerators for maritime applications. Authors design a rolling-mode TENG with multi-tunnel grating electrodes, achieving 185.4 W/(m3·Hz) power density. They demonstrate a self-powered ocean sensing system for water quality monitoring and wireless communication. Yawei Wang, Hengxu Du & Minyi Xu Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Manganese-catalyzed cyclopropanation of allylic alcohols with sulfones Developing readily available and bench-stable reagents for the cyclopropanation of olefins is needed as traditional methodologies mainly rely on carbene-based strategies. Herein, the authors report a manganese-catalyzed cyclopropanation of allylic alcohols with sulfones via a borrowing hydrogen strategy under mild conditions. Ke Yu, Qin Nie & Weiping Liu Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Direct ketone synthesis from primary alcohols and alkenes enabled by a dual photo/cobalt catalysis Catalytic methods to couple alcohol and alkene feedstocks are highly valuable in synthetic chemistry but available methods typically rely on transition metal-catalyzed alkene hydroacylation. Here the authors design a dual photo/cobalt-catalytic method to manipulate the reactivity of nucleophilic ketyl radicals for the synthesis of ketones from primary alcohols and alkenes in complementary reactivity and selectivity. Guanghao Ji, Xinqiang Chen & Jing Zhang Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Bistable organic electrochemical transistors: enthalpy vs. entropy Understanding the physical origin on hysteresis in organic electrochemical transistors is important for achieving non-volatility. Here, the authors report a thermodynamic framework that explains the emergence of bistable device operation via the interplay of enthalpy and entropy. Lukas M. Bongartz, Richard Kantelberg & Karl Leo Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Offshore wind and wave energy can reduce total installed capacity required in zero-emissions grids Offshore wind and wave energy may play a key role in the energy transition. Here, authors identify cost targets for these technologies to become cost effective and show how the grid’s installed capacity decreases, and generation and transmission change as offshore energy deployment increase. Natalia Gonzalez, Paul Serna-Torre & Patricia Hidalgo-Gonzalez Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Electrically interfaced Brillouin-active waveguide for microwave photonic measurements The authors showcase an optical-to-microwave conversion method using an optomechanical waveguide integrated with a piezoelectric transducer. The presented system allows bidirectional optical-to-microwave conversion with a quantum efficiency of up to—54.16 dB. Yishu Zhou, Freek Ruesink & Peter Rakich Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access An order-disorder core-shell strategy for enhanced work-hardening capability and ductility in nanostructured alloys Nanocrystalline metallic materials have the merit of high strength, but usually suffer from poor ductility and rapid grain coarsening. Here, the authors develop a nanocrystalline core-shell alloy to overcome these challenges. Fenghui Duan, Qian Li & Jian Lu Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Simultaneously activating molecular oxygen and surface lattice oxygen on Pt/TiO2 for low-temperature CO oxidation Developing high-performance Pt-based catalysts with low Pt loading is crucial but challenging for CO oxidation. Here, the authors report a novel Pt/TiO2 catalyst consisting of Pt–Ti intermetallic single-atom alloy and Pt nanoparticles to efficiently catalyze CO oxidation. Tengfei Zhang, Peng Zheng & Fabing Su Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Site-selective α-C(sp3)–H arylation of dialkylamines via hydrogen atom transfer catalysis-enabled radical aryl migration Site-selective C(sp3)–H arylation is an appealing strategy to synthesize complex arene structures but remains a challenge facing synthetic chemists. Here the authors report the use of photoredox-mediated hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalysis to accomplish the site-selective α-C(sp3)–H arylation of dialkylamine-derived ureas through 1,4-radical aryl migration. Jie Xu, Ruihan Li & Heng Jiang Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Covalent organic framework membrane reactor for boosting catalytic performance Membrane reactors are efficient alternatives to traditional bath process, yet their limited diversity challenges their applicability to various reaction requirements. Here, the authors report covalent organic framework membrane reactors applied to the Knoevenagel condensation with enhanced performance as compared to homogeneous catalysts. Liping Zheng, Zhengqing Zhang & Qi Sun Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Continuous tuning of persistent luminescence wavelength by intermediate-phase engineering in inorganic crystals Persistent luminescence is typically confined to discrete wavelengths. Here, the authors can fine tune emission color from green to orange through blending isostructural compounds in single-phase Ca(Sr)ZnOS crystals. Xin Zhang, Hao Suo & Feng Wang Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access A clean transfer approach to prepare centimetre-scale black phosphorus crystalline multilayers on silicon substrates for field-effect transistors Black phosphorus (BP) is a 2D semiconductor with potential for (opto-)electronic applications, but its large-scale integration with Si substrates is challenging. Here, the authors report a method to transfer cm-scale BP films onto SiO2/Si substrates retaining their uniformity and electrical properties. Yuqian Zhao, Jianfeng Mao & Jianhua Hao Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Morphology-independent general-purpose optical surface tractor beam Authors demonstrate that Minkowski momentum is relevant for optical manipulation by surface wave. Thus, unconditional optical pulling irrespective of particle morphology can be achieved by a forward-propagating surface wave with a negative k-vector. Neng Wang, Jack Ng & Guo Ping Wang Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Graphene-skinned alumina fiber fabricated through metalloid-catalytic graphene CVD growth on nonmetallic substrate and its mass production Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of graphene on widely used insulators can promote its application for functional composite materials. Here, the authors report the large-scale production of graphene alumina fibers/fabrics via a metalloid-catalytic CVD growth process on commercial alumina, showing their application for electrical heating and electromagnetic shielding. Wenjuan Li, Fushun Liang & Zhongfan Liu Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access High-performance Mg3Sb2-based thermoelectrics with reduced structural disorder and microstructure evolution The authors modify complex defect microstructure in Mg3Sb2-based thermoelectrics to reduce structural disorder and promote microstructural evolution, synergistically optimizing electron and phonon transport via a delocalization effect for high performance. Longquan Wang, Wenhao Zhang & Takao Mori Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Robust consistent single quantum dot strong coupling in plasmonic nanocavities A bright pure quantum light source is essential for photonic circuit quantum technologies. Here, authors develop a route to consistently couple single quantum dots into plasmonic nanocavities at high yield, achieving strong coupling at room temperature and electrically pumped devices. Shu Hu, Junyang Huang & Jeremy J. Baumberg Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access All-in-one wearable drug efficacy assessment systems for bulbar muscle function using amyotrophic lateral sclerosis animal models Preclinical studies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are challenging. Here, the authors propose a device mounted on the skin of animals that mitigates electromyography signal contamination and offers high precision in monitoring drug effects on dysphagia-responsible bulbar muscles. Beomjune Shin, Youngjin Kwon & Hyojung J. Choo Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access High-performance deep spiking neural networks with 0.3 spikes per neuron To address challenges of training spiking neural networks (SNNs) at scale, the authors propose a scalable, approximation-free training method for deep SNNs using time-to-first-spike coding. They demonstrate enhanced performance and energy efficiency for neuromorphic hardware. Ana Stanojevic, Stanisław Woźniak & Wulfram Gerstner Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Axion topology in photonic crystal domain walls Here the authors propose a scheme for observing axion topology in 3D photonic crystals. Exploiting gyromagnetism, they demonstrate topological switching of axionic channels of light, outlining a way to realize axion topology in Weyl semimetal domain walls. Chiara Devescovi, Antonio Morales-Pérez & Maia G. Vergniory Article 09 August 2024 | Open Access Hydrogel crosslinking modulates macrophages, fibroblasts, and their communication, during wound healing Impaired wound healing that leads to scar remains a clinical challenge. Here, the authors study the effects of hydrogel crosslinking on cellular behavior in skin wounds and its effect on immune and stromal cell activity. Sergei Butenko, Raji R. Nagalla & Wendy F. Liu Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Deoxygenative radical cross-coupling of C(sp3)−O/C(sp3)−H bonds promoted by hydrogen-bond interaction Conventional methods for forming C(sp3)−C(sp3) bonds via radical-radical coupling pathways often suffer from poor selectivity, limiting their practicality in synthetic applications. Herein, the authors report a single electron transfer strategy that enables the cleavage of amine α-C − H bonds and heterobenzylic C − O bonds to form C(sp3)−C(sp3) bonds. Yue Wang, Suping Zhang & Guoqin Xia Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Revealing and reconstructing the 3D Li-ion transportation network for superionic poly(ethylene) oxide conductor The sluggish ionic conductivity of polymer electrolytes has been a long-standing concern. Here, authors present a multiscale study of the lithium ion conduction network of poly(ethylene) oxide-based electrolytes and elucidate how aluminium-oxo molecular clusters improve the transport properties. Cheng-Dong Fang, Ying Huang & Jia-Jia Chen Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Influence of chirality and sequence in lysine-rich lipopeptide biosurfactants and micellar model colloid systems Lipopeptides show great potential as green surfactants but the aggregation behavior of designed lipopeptides bearing linear peptide sequences remains understudied. Here, the authors examine the micellization of chiral lipopeptides bearing lysine-rich tripeptide sequences and investigate structural effects as well as the surface tension and electrical conductivity. Ian W. Hamley, Anindyasundar Adak & Valeria Castelletto Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access High-entropy superparaelectrics with locally diverse ferroic distortion for high-capacitive energy storage High-entropy superparaelectrics with locally diverse ferroic distortion simultaneously achieve ultrahigh energy density and ultrahigh energy storage efficiency under large electric fields. Jianhong Duan, Kun Wei & Hao Li Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Printed polymer platform empowering machine-assisted chemical synthesis in stacked droplets Existing platforms for machine assistant synthetic workflows compatible with multiple liquid phases lack the possibility of easy customization and throughput increasement. Here, the authors report a droplet-based chip that allows self-organization of various liquid phases into stacked layers for conducting chemical transformations. Yingxue Sun, Yuanyi Zhao & Wenqian Feng Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Oxophilic gallium single atoms bridged ruthenium clusters for practical anion-exchange membrane electrolyzer Developing highly efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts is crucial for AEMWEs. Here, the authors employ electron-deficient and oxophilic Ga single atoms as an electronic bridge to stabilize Ru clusters in an N-doped carbon-supported catalyst. Chenhui Zhou, Jia Shi & Shaojun Guo Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Full-scale polymer relaxation induced by single-chain confinement enhances mechanical stability of nanocomposites Under service conditions of complex dynamic interference, stable dynamic mechanical properties with high energy dissipation becomes more critical but nanocomposites often exhibit a trade-off between static and dynamic mechanics. Here, the authors report a general strategy for constructing ultra-stable dynamic mechanical complex fluid nanocomposites with high energy dissipation by infusing complex fluids into the nanoconfined space. Jin Huang, Hangsheng Zhou & Mingjie Liu Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Thermo-responsive aqueous two-phase system for two-level compartmentalization Hierarchical compartmentalization responding to changes in intracellular and extracellular environments is ubiquitous in living eukaryotic cells but remains a formidable task in synthetic systems. Here the Authors report a two-level compartmentalization approach based on a thermo-responsive aqueous two-phase system comprising poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and dextran. Huanqing Cui, Yage Zhang & Ho Cheung Shum Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access An ingestible, battery-free, tissue-adhering robotic interface for non-invasive and chronic electrostimulation of the gut Existing ingestible electronics suffer from poor tissue contact, short dwell time, and limited battery life. Here, the authors report an ingestible, battery- free, and tissue-adhering robotic interface for non-invasive and chronic electrostimulation of the gut. Kewang Nan, Kiwan Wong & Giovanni Traverso Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Palladium-catalyzed cascade of aza-Wacker and Povarov reactions of aryl amines and 1,6-dienes for hexahydro-cyclopenta[b]quinoline framework Achieving a direct cascade of the aza-Wacker and Povarov reactions in one-pot synthesis presents a challenge due to substrate compatibility issues between the two reactions. Here, the authors report an aza-Wacker/Povarov reaction of anilines with 1,6-dienes to obtain the hexahydro-cyclopenta[b]quinolines. Jiahao Wu, Xiangwen Tan & Huanfeng Jiang Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Deep learning tight-binding approach for large-scale electronic simulations at finite temperatures with ab initio accuracy Electronic simulations of large systems are computationally demanding. Here, authors develop DeePTB, a deep learning approach for efficient tight-binding calculations with ab initio accuracy, enabling million-atom simulations at finite temperatures. Qiangqiang Gu, Zhanghao Zhouyin & Weinan E Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Experimental verification of field-enhanced molecular vibrational scattering at single infrared antennas The authors study molecular vibrations in the near field of single antennas, showing that the vibrational signature in SEIRA spectra can be explained by field-enhanced molecular scattering. This opens pathways for the development of sensitive SEIRA sensors exploiting this concept. Divya Virmani, Carlos Maciel-Escudero & Martin Schnell Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access 0.68% of solar-to-hydrogen efficiency and high photostability of organic-inorganic membrane catalyst Solar-driven flat-panel H2O-to-H2 conversion is an important technology for value-added solar fuel production. Here, an organic-inorganic interface membrane catalyst displays high photostability and operability with 0.68% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency. Wei Li, Wen Duan & Chuanyi Wang Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Achiral hard bananas assemble double-twist skyrmions and blue phases In helical ferromagnets and liquid crystals, skyrmions arise due to chiral interactions. Using simulations, authors show that non-chiral hard banana shaped particles can form 2D or 3D skyrmion phases with potential applications in photonics and memory devices. Rodolfo Subert, Gerardo Campos-Villalobos & Marjolein Dijkstra Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Fluorescence changes in carbon nanotube sensors correlate with THz absorption of hydration SWCNTs are pivotal optical molecular sensors, but until now, the underlying mechanism how the binding of analytes affects the fluorescence remained elusive. This study has elucidated that coupling between exciton-coupled plasmon modes of SWCNTs and THz water modes is a significant factor. Sanjana S. Nalige, Phillip Galonska & Martina HavenithFeatured Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Time-reflection of microwaves by a fast optically-controlled time-boundary Time-reflected waves are a critical feature of time-crystals, yet their properties are historically difficult to measure. Here, the authors experimentally demonstrate time-reflected electromagnetic waves including direct evidence of their phase conjugate nature. Thomas R. Jones, Alexander V. Kildishev & Dimitrios Peroulis Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Two-dimensional single-crystalline mesoporous high-entropy oxide nanoplates for efficient electrochemical biomass upgrading The authors developed a facile template-free strategy to prepare 2D high-entropy oxide with single-crystallinity and penetrated mesoporosity. It achieves the simultaneous electrosynthesis of value-added FDCA and ammonia in a two-electrode cell. Yanzhi Wang, Hangjuan He & Ben Liu Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Catalytic activity of violet phosphorus-based nanosystems and the role of metabolites in tumor therapy Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based nanocatalytic cancer therapy is hindered by insufficient substrates at the tumor site and potential side effects arising from metabolites. Here the authors report a violet phosphorus-based nanosystem that supplies catalysts and substrates for producing cytotoxic ROS and generates the degradation products that can promote tumor calcification. Hanjie Zhang, Yitong Zhang & Lin Mei Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Covalently linked molecular catalysts in conjugated polymer dots boost photocatalytic alcohol oxidation in neutral condition A strategy of covalently grafting molecular catalysts to polymer backbones in polymer dots photocatalysts is proposed in this work, realizing a groundbreaking photocatalytic oxidation of various alcohols in neutral conditions. Sicong Wang, Mariia V. Pavliuk & Haining Tian Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access In situ assembly of an injectable cardiac stimulator Heart pacing devices are bulky or rely on surgery. Here, the authors present an injectable cardiac stimulator based on a nanoparticle solution which attaches to the heart and forms a conductive path to the skin for external connection. It can regulate heartbeats and is thereafter cleared from the body. Umut Aydemir, Abdelrazek H. Mousa & Roger Olsson Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Controlled interlayer exciton ionization in an electrostatic trap in atomically thin heterostructures Here, the authors use electrostatic gates to trap interlayer excitons (IE) in MoSe2/WSe2 heterobilayers. They observe an exponential broadening of the IE emission linewidth that signals the IE ionization threshold. Andrew Y. Joe, Andrés M. Mier Valdivia & Philip Kim Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Transparent composites for efficient neutron detection Transparent composites are significant for various applications. Here, the authors propose the co-solidification strategy of crystal and glass melts for preparing transparent glass composite with high crystallinity and apply for neutron detection. Shichao Lv, Dazhao Wang & Shifeng Zhou Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Lattice distortion enabling enhanced strength and plasticity in high entropy intermetallic alloy Intermetallics are traditionally characterised by their inherent brittleness due to a lack of sufficient slip systems and the absence of strain hardening. Here authors show that a single-phase distorted high entropy B2 intermetallic alloy displays notable strength and plasticity at room temperature, along with stable plastic flow at high homologous temperatures. H. Wang, P. Y. Yang & Y. Yang Article 08 August 2024 | Open Access Nano-anticoagulant based on carrier-free low molecular weight heparin and octadecylamine with an albumin shuttling effect Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) has enhanced anticoagulant efficacy, long duration of action, and extended half-life, but achieving long-term efficacy is challenging. Here, the authors design and evaluate a nanoengineered LMWH and octadecylamine conjugate (LMHO) that can act for a long time while maintaining close to 97% of LMWH activity via end specific conjugation of the reducing end of LMWH. Jae-Hyeon Lee, Hansol Lim & Jooho Park Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Enantioselective synthesis of γ-chiral amides via copper-catalyzed reductive relay hydroaminocarbonylation Chiral amides are common and effective structural motifs found in many pharmaceuticals and biologically active molecules but existing synthetic methods are predominantly employed for the synthesis of α-amides and β-amides. Here, the authors present a general procedure for the copper-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of γ-chiral amides, employing a reductive relay hydroaminocarbonylation strategy with trisubstituted allylic benzoates and hydroxylamine electrophiles. Yang Yuan, Youcan Zhang & Xiao-Feng Wu Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Atomic-precision control of plasmon-induced single-molecule switching in a metal–semiconductor nanojunction Single-molecule manipulation using light is essential for miniaturised optoelectronics. Here, the authors report the photoswitch of a molecule-silicon interface precisely tuned by 10-picometre-scale position control of a silver tip with localised plasmons. Youngwook Park, Ikutaro Hamada & Akitoshi Shiotari Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Uncovering low-frequency vibrations in surface-enhanced Raman of organic molecules Low frequency vibrations of molecules are collective motions of many atoms, and thus very sensitive to their surroundings. Here, authors use light ultra-confined to the nanoscale, to measure single molecule vibrations below 1 THz. These show tapping and shearing motions, like waves on a string. Alexandra Boehmke Amoruso, Roberto A. Boto & Jeremy J. Baumberg Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access A high-performance watermelon skin ion-solvating membrane for electrochemical CO2 reduction The development of ion-solvating membranes with low ion resistance and high ion selectivity remains a challenge in the field of electrochemical energy conversion and storage. Here the authors report that watermelon skin ion-solvating membrane exhibits high ion conductivity and high ion selectivity. Qinglu Liu, Tang Tang & Licheng Sun Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Ultra-highly efficient enrichment of uranium from seawater via studtite nanodots growth-elution cycle The continuous extraction of uranium from seawater is desired to sustain nuclear power technology and the development of uranyl up-recycle approaches remain a challenge. Here the authors report the uranyl consecutive extraction as studtite nanodots under visible light employing covalent-organic frameworks as photocatalysts. Peng Gao, Yezi Hu & Xiubing Huang Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Pushing redox potentials to highly positive values using inert fluorobenzenes and weakly coordinating anions While the development of weakly coordinating anions received much attention, the progress on weakly coordinating and inert solvents almost stagnated. Here the authors report that strategic F-substitution of fluorobenzene solvents strongly increases the redox potentials of Ag+ and NO+ salts and tolerates high potentials of perfluorinated radical cations. Christian Armbruster, Malte Sellin & Ingo Krossing Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Sequence-encoded bioactive protein-multiblock polymer conjugates via quantitative one-pot iterative living polymerization Protein therapeutics are useful but instability limits the range of applications for which they are viable. Here, the authors report the development of a one-pot method for the preparation of protein-polymer conjugates with defined sequences. Ziying Li, Kaiyuan Song & Ruijiao Dong Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Electrically tunable layer-hybridized trions in doped WSe2 bilayers Here, the authors combine theory and photoluminescence measurements on WSe2 bilayers and demonstrate the electrical tunability of the trion energy landscape, by showing that an out-of-plane electric field modifies the energetic ordering of the lowest lying trion states. Raul Perea-Causin, Samuel Brem & Ermin Malic Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Multi-species optically addressable spin defects in a van der Waals material The 2D material hBN hosts various optically addressable spin defects, promising for quantum technology applications. Here the authors report the co-existence of spin-1 and spin-1/2 defects in hBN, show their room temperature coherent control and optical readout, as well as cross-relaxation. Sam C. Scholten, Priya Singh & Jean-Philippe Tetienne Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Restructuring dynamics of surface species in bimetallic nanoparticles probed by modulation excitation spectroscopy Nanocatalysts can restructure during reactions. Here, the authors dynamically varied the stoichiometry of the surface species in 30 % Pd-in-Au nanoparticles by modulating H2 and O2 gases and quantified the formation kinetics of Pd regions and oxides. Prahlad K. Routh, Evgeniy Redekop & Anatoly I. Frenkel Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Discovery of molecular ferroelectric catalytic annulation for quinolines Molecular ferroelectrics possess switchable spontaneous polarization. Here, the authors show that a molecular ferroelectric crystal demonstrates evident catalytic effects on the synthesis of pharmacologically important substituted quinolines. Jun-Chao Qi, Hang Peng & Ren-Gen Xiong Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Ultrastrong, flexible thermogalvanic armor with a Carnot-relative efficiency over 8% Flexible thermogalvanic device provides a sustainable platform for body heat harvesting, but its performance is limited by low energy conversion efficiency and poor mechanical strength. The authors report a flexible thermogalvanic armor with a Carnot-relative efficiency of 8.53% and strong mechanical toughness. Jinpei Wang, Yuxin Song & Zuankai Wang Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Minimally invasive soft tissue repair using shrunken scaffolds Minimally invasive insertion requires small sizes of scaffolds. Here, the authors inspired by the shrinking of puffed food in humid air develop a hydrogel scaffold posttreatment where lyophilization and dampening result in scaffold shrinkage of 90% in volume with post-surgery size recovery and lower foreign body response. Mingjun Xie, Shengxi Jin & Yong He Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Continuous polyamorphic transition in high-entropy metallic glass The understanding of polyamorphic transitions is of scientific and technological importance. Here, the authors report a continuous polyamorphic transition without first-order transition characteristics in high-entropy metallic glasses. Yihuan Cao, Ming Yang & Zhaoping Lu Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Mn-inlaid antiphase boundaries in perovskite structure The volatilization of alkaline ions is a main factor to degrade the performances of KNN films. Here, the authors utilized the volatilization and incorporation of Mn to construct periodical Mn-inlaid antiphase boundaries in KNN matrix, leading to an improvement of ferroelectric properties. Chao Li, Lingyan Wang & Feng Chen Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Significantly enhanced critical current density and pinning force in nanostructured, (RE)BCO-based, coated conductor In this work, authors demonstrate defect engineering in heteroepitaxially deposited high-temperature superconducting thin-films on coated conductor substrates achieving significant performance enhancement in the critical current density and pinning force achievable in coated conductors. A. Goyal, R. Kumar & M. Polichetti Article 07 August 2024 | Open Access Interspecies-chimera machine vision with polarimetry for real-time navigation and anti-glare pattern recognition The implementation of polarimetric functionalities in machine vision is beneficial for real-time navigation. Here, the authors report an optically-controlled polarimetry memtransistor with polarization sensitivity and synaptic functions. Tao Guo, Shasha Li & Yimin A. Wu Article 06 August 2024 | Open Access In situ tuning of platinum 5d valence states for four-electron oxygen reduction The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction catalyzed by efficient and economical catalysts is critically important for sustainable energy devices. Here the authors report anchoring Pt atoms onto valence-adjustable CuOx/Cu hybrid nanoparticle to dynamically tune the Pt 5d valence states at the initial reaction stage for optimizing oxygen reduction performance. Wanlin Zhou, Baojie Li & Qinghua Liu Article 06 August 2024 | Open Access High-entropy-perovskite subnanowires for photoelectrocatalytic coupling of methane to acetic acid Incorporating immiscible metals in high-entropy oxides creates unique catalytic sites but results in low specific surface areas due to the high formation temperature. Here the authors report low temperature synthesis of periodically aligned high-entropy LaMnO3 oxides and polyoxometalate heterostructures for photoelectrochemical coupling of methane into acetic acid under mild conditions. Siyang Nie, Liang Wu & Xun Wang Article 06 August 2024 | Open Access Efficient and stable perovskite mini-module via high-quality homogeneous perovskite crystallization and improved interconnect The quality of perovskite films and lateral contact of subcells limit the performance of perovskite solar modules. Here, authors regulate the growth of perovskites on low temperature substrate and apply an additional scribing step, realizing certified efficiency of 22.73% and long device stability. Haitao Zhou, Kai Cai & Jingbi You Article 06 August 2024 | Open Access Direct tracking of H2 roaming reaction in real time The H2 roaming mechanism in organic molecules is involved in the formation of \({{{{{{{{\rm{H}}}}}}}}_{3}}^{+}\), one of the most abundant molecular ions in the universe, but its direct visualization has been challenging. Here the authors obtain direct insights into these complex dynamics by tracking the roaming H2 molecules in acetonitrile with time-resolved Coulomb explosion imaging. Debadarshini Mishra, Aaron C. LaForge & Nora Berrah