Article 25 August 2024 | Open Access Asymmetric N-oxidation catalyzed by bisguanidinium dinuclear oxodiperoxomolybdosulfate Among heteroatom oxidations, the conversion of amines to N-oxides is a critical and challenging facet. Herein, the authors present an enantioselective N-oxidation methodology for both cyclic and acyclic amines, employing an ion-pair catalyst comprising a chiral bisguanidinium cation and an achiral oxodiperoxomolybdosulfate anion. Wentao Wu, Esther Cai Xia Ang & Xinyi Ye Article 25 August 2024 | Open Access Photo-induced decarboxylative C-S bond formation to access sterically hindered unsymmetric S-alkyl thiosulfonates and SS-alkyl thiosulfonates The conventional method for synthesizing thioether compounds typically relies on thiol, disulfide, and sulfinyl halide as initial substances, suffering from strong odors, limited availability, and reactivity issues. Here, the authors present an approach for assembling S-thiosulfonates and SS-thiosulfonates through the integration of dual copper/photoredox catalysis Yu Guo, Guotao Lin & Qiuling Song Article 25 August 2024 | Open Access Cooperative spin crossover leading to bistable and multi-inert system states in an iron(III) complex Spin-crossover compounds are molecular switches with functional high- and low-spin states. Here, the authors present an iron(III) complex that additionally also allows for continuous population of both states at low temperatures. Andreas Dürrmann, Gerald Hörner & Birgit Weber Article 25 August 2024 | Open Access Exhaustive local chemical space exploration using a transformer model Understanding molecular near neighbours is key for molecular optimization. Here, authors propose a transformer model that improves correlation between generation probability and molecular similarity, enhancing exploration of molecular neighbourhoods. Alessandro Tibo, Jiazhen He & Ola Engkvist Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Dynamical decoding of the competition between charge density waves in a kagome superconductor The interplay between charge density wave states in emerging kagome superconductors is a topic of ongoing debate. Here, the authors unveil the out-of-equilibrium competition between two coexisting charge density waves in CsV3Sb5 by harnessing time-resolved X-ray diffraction. Honglie Ning, Kyoung Hun Oh & Nuh Gedik Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Quasi-one-dimensional hydrogen bonding in nanoconfined ice Structural rules dictate that water molecules in bulk ice form four hydrogen bonds. Here, using atomistic simulations, the authors show that nanoconfined ice breaks these rules, and adopts a quasi-one-dimensional hydrogen-bonding network instead. Pavan Ravindra, Xavier R. Advincula & Venkat Kapil Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Emergent coherent modes in nonlinear magnonic waveguides detected at ultrahigh frequency resolution The authors realize the generation and electrical detection of nonlinear magnons in a ferrimagnetic insulator, giving rise to secondary nonlinear magnons with fine frequency structures on the order of a few MHz and specific propagation characteristics. K. An, M. Xu & D. Grundler Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Generation of out-of-plane polarized spin current by non-uniform oxygen octahedral tilt/rotation The authors realize generation of out-of-plane polarized spin current in perovskite oxide CaRuO3 with reduced crystal symmetry by engineering the oxygen octahedra, which can drive efficient field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization. Furong Han, Jing Zhang & Yue Zhang Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Self-assembled superstructure alleviates air-water interface effect in cryo-EM Air-water interface hinders cryo-EM reconstruction and achievable resolution. Here, a superstructure called GSAMs is developed to alleviate the air-water interface effect and improve the efficiency of cryo-EM analysis. Liming Zheng, Jie Xu & Hailin Peng Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Selective hydrogenation of nitro compounds to amines by coupled redox reactions over a heterogeneous biocatalyst The reduction of nitro-groups is a common synthetic route to amines, but biocatalytic strategies for such reactions are still being developed. In this study, the authors repurposed the hydrogenase enzyme by immobilisation on carbon black to yield a heterogeneous chemobiocatalyst for selective production of amines. Daria Sokolova, Tara C. Lurshay & Kylie A. Vincent Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Polyphenol-stabilized coacervates for enzyme-triggered drug delivery Membrane-free coacervates are interesting, but balancing stability and permeability can be challenging. Here, the authors report the use of a tannic acid modification to improve stability, and subsequent use of the modified coacervates in enzyme-triggered drug release. Wonjun Yim, Zhicheng Jin & Jesse V. Jokerst Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Trace element detection in anhydrous minerals by micro-scale quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy Nominally anhydrous minerals composing Earth’s and planetary rocks incorporate microscopic amounts of volatiles whose distribution affects their physical properties. Here the authors present an approach for trace-element quantification using micro-scale Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. Yunhua Fu, Renbiao Tao & Thomas Meier Article 24 August 2024 | Open Access Proximity-driven site-specific cyclization of phage-displayed peptides Cyclization provides a general strategy for improving peptide proteolytic stability, cell membrane permeability and target binding affinity. Here the authors develop a cyclopropenone-based proximity-driven chemical linker for the site-specific cyclization of phage-displayed peptides. Libby Brown, Aldrin V. Vidal & Gonçalo J. L. Bernardes Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Multiple-stimuli fluorescent responsive metallo-organic helicated cage arising from monomer and excimer emission Effectively regulating monomer and excimer emission in a singular supramolecular luminous platform is challenging due to high difficulty of precise control over its aggregation and dispersion behavior when subjected to external stimuli. Here, the authors report a metallo-cage featuring a triple helical motif that displays a unique dual emission. Zhe Zhang, Qixia Bai & Tun Wu Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Maximizing interface stability in all-solid-state lithium batteries through entropy stabilization and fast kinetics The positive electrode/electrolyte interface is crucial for the performance of all-solid-state lithium batteries. Here, authors use a sintering technique to form a conformal interface between high-entropy disordered rock salt electrodes and garnet-type electrolytes to reduce interfacial resistance. Xiangkun Kong, Run Gu & Chengwei Wang Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Pd-Ru pair on Pt surface for promoting hydrogen oxidation and evolution in alkaline media Hydrogen oxidation in alkaline media is vital for fuel cells and ammonia compressors but typically requires costly platinum catalysts. Here the authors report a Pd-Ru pair decorated on Pt to enhance the mass activity of noble-metal for hydrogen oxidation reactions. Longsheng Cao, Fernando A. Soto & Chunsheng Wang Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Improving the creation of SiV centers in diamond via sub-μs pulsed annealing treatment Silicon-vacancy (SiV) centers in diamond are emerging as promising quantum emitters for various applications. Here, authors devised a novel pulsed annealing scheme that improves the conversion efficiency of SiV centers in diamond. Yan-Kai Tzeng, Feng Ke & Steven Chu Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Boosting oxygen evolution reaction by FeNi hydroxide-organic framework electrocatalyst toward alkaline water electrolyzer Developing cost-efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction is crucial for various modern energy technologies. Here the authors report an efficient and durable NiFe hydroxide organic framework catalyst for water oxidation at 1 A/cm2 with long durability over 1000 h. Yuzhen Chen, Qiuhong Li & Xiaoyong Xu Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Long wavelength near-infrared and red light-driven consecutive photo-induced electron transfer for highly effective photoredox catalysis As photocatalysis in organic chemistry is typically limited by the thermodynamics of single-electron transfer from photocatalysts, multiphoton excitation has emerged as a promising development, although one usually reliant on higher-energy visible light. Here, the authors develop a photocatalytic system consisting of perylene diimide and long-wavelength-absorbing photosensitizers, which enable multiphoton excitation with red light or near-infrared irradiation. Le Zeng, Ling Huang & Gang Han Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access N, N’-bidentate ligand anchored palladium catalysts on MOFs for efficient Heck reaction Metal-organic frameworks have earned attention for their potential to address the longevity of catalytic centers. Here, the authors have synthesized an amino-pyridine benzoic acid ligand to disperse palladium catalytic centers atomically resulting in a high average turnover number (95000) and low metal residue (4.8 ppm) in the Heck reaction. Xiao-Li Xu, Nian-Nian Wang & Yi Lu Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Development of a practical formate/bicarbonate energy system Liquid (organic) hydrogen carriers form a toolbox for the storage and transport of green hydrogen but organic salts have been scarcely investigated. Here, the authors present a potassium formate/potassium bicarbonate hydrogen storage and release energy system, that is applicable and shows stability over months. Rui Sang, Carolin Amber Martina Stein & Matthias Beller Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Microporous membrane with ionized sub-nanochannels enabling highly selective monovalent and divalent anion separation Membranes tailored for selective ion transport represent a promising avenue toward enhancing sustainability across various fields but limited interaction between ions and nanochannels in polymers of intrinsic microporosity hinders their effectiveness. Here, the authors introduce the randomly twisted V-shaped structure of Tröger’s Base unit and quaternary ammonium groups to construct ionized sub-nanochannel membranes and demonstrate the enhanced transport of the dehydrated monovalent ions. Mei-Ling Liu, Yu Chen & Shi-Peng Sun Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Enantioconvergent synthesis of axially chiral amides enabled by Pd-catalyzed dynamic kinetic asymmetric aminocarbonylation Axially chiral biaryls containing carbonyl groups not only exist in various drug candidates but also serve as organo-catalysts or ligands in diverse asymmetric transformations. Herein, the authors report palladium-catalyzed enantioconvergent aminocarbonylation of racemic heterobiaryl triflates via dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation. Lei Su, Shen Gao & Jiawang Liu Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Femtosecond laser writing of ant-inspired reconfigurable microbot collectives Microbot collectives can cooperate to accomplish complex tasks that are difficult for a single individual. Here, the authors report magnetic and light-driven ant microbot collectives that are capable of reconfiguring multiple assembled architectures. Zhongguo Ren, Chen Xin & Dong Wu Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Molecular hydrogen in the N-doped LuH3 system as a possible path to superconductivity The search for near-ambient superconductivity in hydrides is hindered by the emergence of metastable phases during sample preparation. Tresca et al. predict that spontaneous formation of H2 molecules in N-doped LuH3 lead to dynamical stabilization, allowing low-temperature superconductivity at ambient pressure. Cesare Tresca, Pietro Maria Forcella & Gianni Profeta Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Anomalous continuum scattering and higher-order van Hove singularity in the strongly anisotropic S = 1/2 triangular lattice antiferromagnet A TLAF is an archetypal geometrically frustrated magnetic system, which serves as the foundation for many exotic states, including quantum spin-liquids. Here, Park et al perform INS measurements on BLCTO, which, combined with theoretical calculations, reveal distinctive fingerprints of spinon excitations, thereby suggesting proximity to a spin liquid even in the presence of strong XXZ anisotropy. Pyeongjae Park, E. A. Ghioldi & Andrew D. Christianson Article 23 August 2024 | Open Access Crossmodal sensory neurons based on high-performance flexible memristors for human-machine in-sensor computing system Constructing crossmodal in-sensor processing system based on high-performance flexible devices is important for the development of wearable human-machine interfaces. This work reports a bio-inspired spiking sensory neuron based on a flexible VO2 memristor and demonstrates a crossmodal in-sensor encoding and computing system. Zhiyuan Li, Zhongshao Li & Ronggui Yang Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Photoactivated room temperature phosphorescence from lignin Convenient and sustainable photoactivated room temperature phosphorescent (RTP) materials exhibit great potential in a wide ranging of applications but are difficult to obtain. Here the authors develop a photoactivated RTP materials by covalently attaching lignin to polylactic acid. Jingyi Zhou, Bing Tian & Zhijun Chen Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Integrated electrocatalytic synthesis of ammonium nitrate from dilute NO gas on metal organic frameworks-modified gas diffusion electrodes Capturing and converting dilute NO to ammonium and nitrate ions provides a sustainable solution for removing air pollutants and producing valuable chemicals. Here the authors report a metal-organic-framework-modified gas diffusion electrode for efficient capture and high-value conversion of dilute NO into NH4NO3. Donglai Pan, Muthu Austeria P & Wonyong Choi Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access High-sensitivity dual-comb and cross-comb spectroscopy across the infrared using a widely tunable and free-running optical parametric oscillator The authors demonstrate a widely tunable dual-comb optical parametric oscillator in the mid-infrared, and combine it with an intra-cavity up-conversion detection scheme to obtain high-sensitivity and high-resolution spectroscopy measurements. Carolin P. Bauer, Zofia A. Bejm & Christopher R. Phillips Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Terahertz oscillation driven by optical spin-orbit torque Antiferromagnets are promising for nano-oscillator in terahertz frequency. However, realizing antiferromagnetic moment oscillation via spin-orbit torque remains elusive. Here, the authors demonstrate oscillations in Mn2Au films. Lin Huang, Yanzhang Cao & Cheng Song Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access A plug-and-play monofunctional platform for targeted degradation of extracellular proteins and vesicles Existing methods use bifunctional chimaeras for extracellular protein degradation but rely on specific lysosome-targeting receptors, raising resistance issues. Here, the authors develop MONOTAB, a monofunctional platform that degrades extracellular proteins and vesicles without receptor dependency. Shasha Yao, Yi Wang & Youqing Shen Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Strong and ductile Resinvar alloys with temperature- and time-independent resistivity Designing materials with temperature-independent electrical resistivity is difficult due to temperature-dependent electron-phonon scattering. Here, the authors achieve this in a strong and ductile alloy by tuning atomic-scale chemistry and structure. Shuya Zhu, Dingshun Yan & Zhiming Li Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access A synthetic moving-envelope metasurface antenna for independent control of arbitrary harmonic orders Here the authors propose and demonstrate a space-time-coding metasurface antenna capable of simultaneously generating arbitrary harmonic orders and independently manipulating their wave properties in a software-defined manner. Geng-Bo Wu, Jun Yan Dai & Chi Hou Chan Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Chirality hierarchical transfer in homochiral polymer crystallization under high-pressure CO2 Ordered phase transitions are commonly correlated to symmetry breaking, while disordered phase transitions are characterized by symmetry restoration but these relations are not always applicable in chiral polymers under high-pressure Carbon Dioxide. Here, the authors show the entropy impact of Carbon Dioxide can be utilized to regulate the morphological chirality of crystal superstructure and crystal form of homochiral Poly(lactide acid). Lei Zhang, Guoqun Zhao & Xianhang Yan Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Printable, stretchable metal-vapor-desorption layers for high-fidelity patterning in soft, freeform electronics Existing patterning methods for thin metal films rely on prefabricated rigid masks incompatible with soft substrates. Here, the authors report printable and stretchable metal-vapor-desorption layers that facilitate high-fidelity patterning, enabling circuits and devices on 3D curvilinear and stretchable substrates. Sujin Jeong, Hyungsoo Yoon & Yongtaek Hong Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Detecting single gravitons with quantum sensing While it has been suggested that low- energy experiments might allow to find evidence for quantization of gravity, direct detection of single gravitons has normally been considered a hopeless task. Here, the authors suggest that a massive body cooled to the ground state in a gravitational wave background should display detectable stimulated single graviton transitions. Germain Tobar, Sreenath K. Manikandan & Igor Pikovski Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Light-regulated soliton dynamics in liquid crystals Electrically powered solitons in out-of-equilibrium nematics face challenges due to their random generation and uncontrollable motion. The authors present a reconfigurable optoelectronic approach using multi-strategy digital light projection, which allows precise control over the soliton’s entire lifecycle, enabling tailored generation, velocity modulation, directional transformation, and on demand trajectory. Ke-Hui Wu, Li-Ting Zhu & Lu-Jian Chen Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Simultaneous capture of trace benzene and SO2 in a robust Ni(II)-pyrazolate framework Benzene and SO2 coexist as hazardous air pollutants. Here the authors synthesized a robust pyrazolate MOF sorbent with accessible Ni(II) sites that can simultaneously capture trace amounts of benzene and SO2 under humid conditions. Guang-Rui Si, Xiang-Jing Kong & Jian-Rong Li Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access In-situ atomic tracking of intermetallic compound formation during thermal annealing The mechanisms of intermetallic compound (IMC) formation during annealing are poorly understood. Here, the authors identify five stages of PtFe-IMC formation at the atomic level using in-situ STEM, emphasizing the role of high temperature in achieving the targeted stoichiometric ratio. Xiao Han, Yanan Zhou & Yue Lin Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Iron-catalyzed radical Markovnikov hydrohalogenation and hydroazidation of alkenes Alkenes are attractive building blocks for synthetic organic chemists as they are widely available and can be functionalized in ways that enable manifold further transformations. Here, the authors present a suite of hydrofunctionalizations of alkenes that lead to regioselective delivery of azides and halogens, under mild conditions, with iron catalysis. Jonas Elfert, Nils Lennart Frye & Armido Studer Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Multi-channel electron transfer induced by polyvanadate in metal-organic framework for boosted peroxymonosulfate activation Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation might not solely rely on electron transfer from dominant metal centers. Here, authors found that the formation of hydrogen bond between PMS and [V4O12] 4− in Co2(V4O12)(bpy)2 catalyst provided extra electron transfer channel for achieving efficient PMS activation. Ming-Yan Lan, Yu-Hang Li & Mingyang Xing Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Directly visualizing nematic superconductivity driven by the pair density wave in NbSe2 Understanding the nature of pair density waves provides valuable insights into the fundamental physics of correlated electron systems. Here, the authors observe coexisting pair density and charge density waves and characterize their interplay. Lu Cao, Yucheng Xue & Yuhang Jiang Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Characterizing barren plateaus in quantum ansätze with the adjoint representation Previous studies have highlighted the role of quantum circuit symmetries in ameliorating the barren plateau problem, but rigorous analytical results on this topic are scarce. Here, by looking at Lie algebra supported ansätze, the authors find an expression for the variance of the cost function gradient as a function of the dimension of the dynamical Lie algebra. Enrico Fontana, Dylan Herman & Marco Pistoia Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Efficient roller-driven elastocaloric refrigerator Elastocaloric cooling is an emerging cooling technology. This work develops a ternary TiNiCu alloy based elastocaloric prototype using a roller-driven mechanism for partial kinetic energy recovery. The prototype achieved a 125% improvement in the material coefficient of performance and a 78% work recovery efficiency. Sijia Yao, Pengfei Dang & Ya-Ling He Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access A Lie algebraic theory of barren plateaus for deep parameterized quantum circuits The barren plateau problem represents one of the major bottlenecks for parametrized quantum circuits algorithms. Here, the authors study the known sources of BP using the lens of Lie algebraic theory, finding an expression of the variance of the loss function depending on the dynamical Lie algebra of the circuit. Michael Ragone, Bojko N. Bakalov & M. Cerezo Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access A lumen-tunable triangular DNA nanopore for molecular sensing and cross-membrane transport Dynamic nanopores are promising tools for various biomedical applications. Here, the authors report on a triangular DNA nanopore that can switch in-situ between contracted and expanded states and provide low-noise repeatable signals in molecular sensing. Xiaoming Liu, Fengyu Liu & Tatsuo Arai Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Wrapping stem cells with wireless electrical nanopatches for traumatic brain injury therapy Electrical stimulation holds promise for enhancing neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells to treat traumatic brain injury. Here, the authors wrap stem cells with wireless electrical nanopatches and apply electrical stimulation in-situ to individual nanopatch-wrapped stem cells on demand Liang Wang, Jingyi Du & Jichuan Qiu Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access Interplay of kernel shape and surface structure for NIR luminescence in atomically precise gold nanorods Gold nanoclusters with strong emissions in the near-infrared are challenging to attain. Here, the authors show that for rod-shaped nanoclusters, both the shape of the kernal and the rigid surface structure are important to increase the NIR emissions. Xian-Kai Wan, Xu-Shuang Han & Quan-Ming Wang Article 22 August 2024 | Open Access An integrated and flexible ultrasonic device for continuous bladder volume monitoring Bladder volume monitoring is critical for lower urinary tract dysfunctions; however, accurate volume measurements require hospital settings and clinicians. Here, authors present a wearable ultrasonic device to enable continuous, accurate and operator-free bladder volume measurements. Alp Timucin Toymus, Umut Can Yener & Levent Beker