Article 11 September 2024 | Open Access Couple-close construction of non-classical boron cluster-phosphonium conjugates 2D π-conjugated systems incorporated with heteroatoms can suffer from stability issues and aggregation-induced quenching effects. Here, the authors develop a methodology for the synthesis of cluster-ring-fused 3D aromatic heterocycles, which could find use in functional materials, via the palladium-catalyzed B–H activation of boron clusters. Zhaofeng Sun, Jibo Zong & Hong Yan Article 11 September 2024 | Open Access Robust poor man’s Majorana zero modes using Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states A Kitaev chain formed by two quantum dots coupled via a superconductor support the so-called poor man’s Majorana bound states. Here, the authors form a minimal Kitaev chain using Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states and show that the resulting bound states are more robust than in the case of unproximitized quantum dots. Francesco Zatelli, David van Driel & Tom Dvir Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Combinatorial summation of Feynman diagrams Feynman’s diagrammatic technique is widely used in the description of quantum many-body systems. This work demonstrates an efficient method for summing Feynman diagrams with exponential computational cost in the diagram order, translating into polynomial scaling of the calculation time with the required accuracy. Evgeny Kozik Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access In situ generation of (sub) nanometer pores in MoS2 membranes for ion-selective transport Atomically thin materials can form ionic sieves, in which certain species pass through the films, and others are prevented. Here, the authors synthesize nanoporous membranes using chemical vapor deposition and electrochemistry and reveal the mechanism behind the large ion selectivity they observe. Eli Hoenig, Yu Han & Chong Liu Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Dialkylation of CF2 unit enabled by cobalt electron-shuttle catalysis The difluoromethylene subunit can confer advantageous biological properties to compounds of interest, and the incorporation of this moiety in mild and selective conditions is an active pursuit in synthetic organic chemistry. Here, the authors append a CF2 biradical synthon to two carbon units via cobalt catalysis. Changqing Rao, Tianze Zhang & Hanmin Huang Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Fully recyclable and tough thermoplastic elastomers from simple bio-sourced δ-valerolactones While a large number of chemically recyclable thermoplastics have been developed in recent years, technologically bio-based and fully recyclable thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) with excellent mechanical properties are lacking. Here the authors demonstrate an all δvalerolactone-based polyester tri-BCP TPEs, which exhibit not only closed-loop chemical recyclability but also exceptional toughness. Kai Ma, Hai-Yan An & Tie-Qi Xu Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Maglev-fabricated long and biodegradable stent for interventional treatment of peripheral vessels The interventional treatment of limb-threatening ischemia calls for a medical stent. Herein, a long and biodegradable stent appropriate for below-the-knee artery is developed based on a metal-polymer composite material, where a magnetic levitation is employed to achieve a homogeneous coating. Wanqian Zhang, Xian Gao & Jiandong Ding Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Ultra-high freshwater production in multistage solar membrane distillation via waste heat injection to condenser Multistage solar membrane distillation is facing challenges with current system designs due to constrained temperature and vapor pressure gradients. Here, the authors propose a stage temperature-boosting concept that enhances moisture transport with up to 88% improvement in overall distillate flux. Primož Poredoš, Jintong Gao & Ruzhu Wang Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access High-coherence parallelization in integrated photonics Researchers demonstrate the high-coherence parallelization in integrated photonics. Their high-coherence, high-power, multiwavelength light source drives a silicon photonic link with a 60 Tbit/s data rate and significantly reduces digital signal processing consumption. Xuguang Zhang, Zixuan Zhou & Lin Chang Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Multifunctional Magnetic Muscles for Soft Robotics Artificial muscles often struggle to match the performance of biological systems. Here, the authors report an artificial magnetic muscle that shows remarkable mechanical and actuating capabilities, comparable to natural muscles. Minho Seong, Kahyun Sun & Hoon Eui Jeong Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Inflammation-free electrochemical in vivo sensing of dopamine with atomic-level engineered antioxidative single-atom catalyst Electrochemical methods are promising for monitoring neurochemical dynamics, but are limited by inflammation effects from electrode implantation. Here, the authors report the development of a single-atom catalyst that acts both as an antioxidative nanozyme and an electrode material for the inflammation-free sensing of dopamine in the brain. Xiaolong Gao, Huan Wei & Lanqun Mao Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Superoxide radical derived metal-free spiro-OMeTAD for highly stable perovskite solar cells The migration and hygroscopicity of lithium salt in doped spiro-OMeTAD hampers the device efficiency of perovskite solar cells. Here, the authors employ Eu(TFSI)2 salts to generate superoxide radical for facile pre-oxidation, achieving enhanced efficiency and stability of solar cells and modules. Linfeng Ye, Jiahao Wu & Hongqiang Wang Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Synthetic vectors for activating the driving axis of ferroptosis Inducers of ferroptosis hold potential for cancer therapy. Here, the authors identify a peroxide-decorated liposome capable of inducing ferroptosis and enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy. Jun Jiang, Lili Yang & Ruibin Li Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Strategy to mitigate substrate inhibition in wastewater treatment systems To address substrate inhibition in wastewater treatment, the authors propose a non-lethal high substrate environment to enhance microbial community resistance. Testing this on anammox systems, they find increased nitrite tolerance and stability, with a shift to the dominant genus Candidatus Jettenia. Beiying Li, Conghe Liu & Bin Ma Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Intracellular morphogenesis of diatom silica is guided by local variations in membrane curvature The silica cell wall of unicellular algae has intricate architecture unattainable by current technology. In this work it is shown that membrane contact sites are the biological morphogenesis handles to shape such intracellular mineralization. Lior Aram, Diede de Haan & Assaf Gal Article 10 September 2024 | Open Access Controlled mechanochemical coupling of anti-junctions in DNA origami arrays Allostery is a hallmark of cellular function and important in every biological system, but difficult to artificially mimic. Here, the authors report an approach to study aspects of allostery in artificial systems, using a DNA origami domino array structure which, upon binding of trigger DNA strands, undergoes a stepwise allosteric conformational change that can be monitored by a double FRET probe. Fiona Cole, Martina Pfeiffer & Philip Tinnefeld Article 09 September 2024 | Open Access Thermodynamics-inspired explanations of artificial intelligence Predictive machine learning models, while powerful, are often seen as black boxes. Here, the authors introduce a thermodynamics-inspired approach for generating rationale behind their explanations across diverse domains based on the proposed concept of interpretation entropy. Shams Mehdi & Pratyush Tiwary Article 09 September 2024 | Open Access Cr dopant mediates hydroxyl spillover on RuO2 for high-efficiency proton exchange membrane electrolysis Developing highly active and stable anode catalysts for green hydrogen production is crucial but challenging. Here, the authors report a Cr0.2Ru0.8O2-x catalyst with an unconventional dopant-mediated hydroxyl spillover mechanism for high-efficiency proton exchange membrane water electrolysis. Yu Shen, Xiao-Long Zhang & Shu-Hong Yu Article 09 September 2024 | Open Access Electrohydraulic musculoskeletal robotic leg for agile, adaptive, yet energy-efficient locomotion Future bioinspired locomotion systems need design’s agility and adaptiveness. Here, the authors report a musculoskeletal leg design which leverages multi-layered electrohydraulic actuators to achieve highly energy-efficient and versatile motion. Thomas J. K. Buchner, Toshihiko Fukushima & Robert K. Katzschmann Article 09 September 2024 | Open Access Deoxytrifluoromethylation/aromatization of cyclohexan(en)ones to access highly substituted trifluoromethyl arenes Trifluoromethyl arenes are amongst the commonly encountered fluorinated substructures in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and material sciences. Herein, the authors report a deoxytrifluoromethylation/aromatization strategy that converts readily available cyclohexan(en)one substrate into highly substituted trifluoromethyl arenes. Pankaj Bhattarai, Mohammed K. Abd El-Gaber & Ryan A. Altman Article 09 September 2024 | Open Access Rational design of metal–organic cages to increase the number of components via dihedral angle control General design principles for self-assembly of discrete, large metal-organic cages composed of numerous components are challenging to develop. Here, the authors use remote geometric communications between components to realize several types of metal–organic assemblies based on dihedral angle control in multitopic ligands. Tsukasa Abe, Keisuke Takeuchi & Shuichi Hiraoka Article 09 September 2024 | Open Access Silicon photonic microresonator-based high-resolution line-by-line pulse shaping High-resolution pulse shaping is highly sought after, but existing systems are impractical outside of laboratory settings. Here, the authors introduce a chip-scale spectral shaper that uses high-Q microresonator filter banks and inline phase control to manipulate lines at GHz-level spacing. Lucas M. Cohen, Kaiyi Wu & Andrew M. Weiner Article 09 September 2024 | Open Access Polyphosphonate covalent organic frameworks Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) can be synthesized through a wide range of reactions but phosphonate-COFs remained elusive. Here the authors report a polyphosphonate-COFs constructed via P-O-P linkages with good water and exceptional electrochemical stability. Ke Xu, Robert Oestreich & Gündoğ Yücesan Article 09 September 2024 | Open Access Label-free 3D molecular imaging of living tissues using Raman spectral projection tomography RSPT enables 3D imaging of tissues with label-free molecular contrast at mesoscale resolution. Here, the authors demonstrate its effectiveness in visualizing complex phantoms and tissue heterogeneities. Elzbieta Stepula, Anders R. Walther & Mads S. Bergholt Article 08 September 2024 | Open Access Enhancing electrochemical carbon dioxide capture with supercapacitors Supercapacitors are emerging as energy-efficient devices for CO2 capture. This work investigates the effects of charging protocols and electrode structures on electrochemical CO2 capture and explores the potential of devices for practical CO2 capture, especially in the presence of O2. Zhen Xu, Grace Mapstone & Alexander C. Forse Article 08 September 2024 | Open Access Reactive capture of CO2 via amino acid The electrosynthesis of CO via integrated capture and conversion of dilute CO2 suffers from low energy efficiency. Here, the authors report an amino acid salt-based system that employs a single-atom catalyst and operates at an elevated temperature and pressure, which enables efficient CO production. Yurou Celine Xiao, Siyu Sonia Sun & David Sinton Article 08 September 2024 | Open Access Quantitative matching of forensic evidence fragments using fracture surface topography and statistical learning The complex jagged trajectory of fractured surfaces of two pieces of forensic evidence is used to recognize a match by using comparative microscopy. Here the authors leveraged statistical analysis of the surface topography to provide a quantitative description of the fracture surface, enabling forensic article comparisons with quantified probabilities. Geoffrey Z. Thompson, Bishoy Dawood & Ashraf F. Bastawros Article 08 September 2024 | Open Access Pressure-induced generation of heterogeneous electrocatalytic metal hydride surfaces for sustainable hydrogen transfer The authors demonstrate a facile pressure-induced methodology to generate a cost-effective heterogeneous electrocatalytic metal hydride surface for sustainable hydrogen transfer. Laihao Luo, Xinyan Liu & Chuan Xia Article 08 September 2024 | Open Access Stable Deuterium-Tritium plasmas with improved confinement in the presence of energetic-ion instabilities The use of clean energy sources is essential for the humankind. Here, authors show new experiments carried out with Deuterium-Tritium fusion reactions. Results show that energy production by such reactions can be more efficient than expected, confirming fusion as an alternative to fossil fuels. Jeronimo Garcia, Yevgen Kazakov & David Zarzoso Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Effect of ion-specific water structures at metal surfaces on hydrogen production Water structures at the electrolyte and electrode interfaces are crucial for electrochemical reactions. Here, the authors report that alkali metal cations can modify two-dimensional water networks at charged surfaces, impacting both reaction kinetics and efficiency. Ye Tian, Botao Huang & Ying Jiang Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Spatiotemporal hologram The authors showcase a spatiotemporal holographic method that can arbitrarily sculpt spatiotemporal light by generating various spatiotemporal wavepackets. The ability to deploy these fully customizable wavepackets opens up exciting avenues for their use in broader applications. Qian Cao, Nianjia Zhang & Qiwen Zhan Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Asymmetric paired oxidative and reductive catalysis enables enantioselective alkylarylation of olefins with C(sp3)−H bonds The pursuit of methods to rapidly construct of molecular complexity from easy-to-obtain starting materials drives chemical synthesis. Here, the authors report an asymmetric three-component coupling of simple alkanes, alkenes, and aryl halides, using asymmetric paired oxidative and reductive catalysis. Long Zou, Xinyue Zheng & Qingquan Lu Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Supported Au single atoms and nanoparticles on MoS2 for highly selective CO2-to-CH3COOH photoreduction Reducing CO2 to CH3COOH using visible and near-infrared light is challenging. Here, Wu and Zhang et al. incorporate Au nanoparticles and single atoms into Mo-edge-rich MoS2 to provide a pathway to overcome limitations and boost productivity. Cai Chen, Chunyin Ye & Yuen Wu Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access A metal-free cascaded process for efficient H2O2 photoproduction using conjugated carbonyl sites Elucidating active sites and reaction pathways is an important goal for understanding catalytic reaction mechanisms. Here, the authors report the key role of conjugated carbonyl sites in carbon nitrides for photocatalytic H2O2 production. Tiwei He, Hongchao Tang & Zhenhui Kang Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Ambient-pressure alkoxycarbonylation for sustainable synthesis of ester Alkoxycarbonylation reactions are widely used in the chemical industry, but their sustainability is often hindered by inefficient CO utilization. Here, the authors tackle the challenge by developing a sustainable and efficient carbonylation process for producing methyl propionate, achieving high CO utilization and regioselectivity. Bin Zhang, Haiyang Yuan & Graham J. Hutchings Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Manipulation of anisotropic Zhang-Rice exciton in NiPS3 by magnetic field NiPS3 is a van der Waals antiferromagnet with a rich optical response including an exciton of very narrow linewidth, the origin of which is still a topic of active discussion. Herein, Song, Lv and coauthors study the response of the Zhang-Rice exciton to applied magnetic fields. Feilong Song, Yanpei Lv & Jun Zhang Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Large Spin Polarization from symmetry-breaking Antiferromagnets in Antiferromagnetic Tunnel Junctions Antiferromagnets have both negligible stray fields, and fast dynamics, making them ideal for fast and densely packed spintronic devices. However, readout of the antiferromagnet state is challenging. Here, Chou et al detect the spin-polarized current emanating from a noncollinear AFM, Mn3Sn. Chung-Tao Chou, Supriya Ghosh & Luqiao Liu Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Stabilized Cu0 -Cu1+ dual sites in a cyanamide framework for selective CO2 electroreduction to ethylene This study reports a cyanamide-framework stabilized multivalent copper catalyst for efficient electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to ethylene with 77.7% selectivity at 400 mA cm−2, offering a rational strategy for CO2 conversion. Kaihang Yue, Yanyang Qin & Ya Yan Article 07 September 2024 | Open Access Role of vector phenotypic plasticity in disease transmission as illustrated by the spread of dengue virus by Aedes albopictus There is a need for accurate models to predict disease dynamics by considering the interactions between environment and vector traits. This study finds that incorporating delayed phenotypic plasticity in mosquito traits significantly enhances the accuracy of dengue risk predictions. Dominic P. Brass, Christina A. Cobbold & Steven M. White Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access Transverse recoil imprinted on free-electron radiation Free-electron X-ray radiation is typically treated classically. Here, the authors identify unprecedented quantum features of X-ray emission from crystals, due to transversely recoiled electron-photon entanglement, enabling precisely tuned emission via quantum control of free electrons. Xihang Shi, Lee Wei Wesley Wong & Ido Kaminer Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access 3D height-alternant island arrays for stretchable OLEDs with high active area ratio and maximum strain Conventional stretchable optoelectronics suffer from sacrificed area ratio of active components to enhance maximum strain. Here, the authors develop a 3D buckled height-alternant architecture, allowing high initial active-area ratio and maximum system strain in displays with reliable performances. Su-Bon Kim, Donggyun Lee & Seunghyup Yoo Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access Comprehensive analysis of ordering in CoCrNi and CrNi2 alloys Here authors use calorimetry to quantify chemical short-range order (CSRO) experimentally, in good agreement with atomistic simulations. Synchrotron in-situ tensile testing showed no effect of varied CSRO levels on mechanical properties. Vinícius P. Bacurau, Pedro A. F. P. Moreira & Francisco G. Coury Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access Cavity Floquet engineering The authors demonstrate enhancement by nearly two-orders of magnitude of the optical Stark effect in WSe2 embedded into a Fabry Perot cavity, and use this mechanism to obtain an effective magnetic field of over 200 T and implement a XOR switch. Lingxiao Zhou, Bin Liu & Hui Deng Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access Merging semi-crystallization and multispecies iodine intercalation at photo-redox interfaces for dual high-value synthesis Artificial photocatalytic systems based on graphitic carbon nitride are improving, but production of high-value products at electron and hole sites is challenging. Here, the authors report a system using graphite-phase carbon nitride modified with potassium iodide/triiodide eutectic salt to generate H2O2 and benzaldehyde. Fei Chen, Chang-Wei Bai & Han-Qing Yu Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access Site-specific template generative approach for retrosynthetic planning Enhancing retrosynthetic efficiency requires overcoming the vast complexity of chemical space, the limited known interconversions between molecules, and the challenges posed by limited experimental datasets. Here, the authors introduce generative machine learning methods for retrosynthetic planning that generate reaction templates. Yu Shee, Haote Li & Victor S. Batista Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access Wearable bio-adhesive metal detector array (BioMDA) for spinal implants No method exists for real-time evaluation of the status of spinal implants. Here, the authors developed a bio-adhesive metal detector array (BioMDA) that provides a wearable, non-invasive solution for positional analyses of osseous implants within the spine. Jian Li, Shengxin Jia & Giovanni Traverso Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access High-order diffraction for optical superfocusing The authors introduce the independent manipulation of high-order diffraction with a high-order diffractive lens for sub-diffraction limit focusing in confocal microscopy and laser ablation lithography. Jun He, Hong Liu & Kun Huang Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access Flexible solid-liquid bi-continuous electrically and thermally conductive nanocomposite for electromagnetic interference shielding and heat dissipation Composites of MXene-bridging-liquid metal (MBLM) networks in aramid nanofiber/polyvinyl alcohol matrices are developed, achieving high electrical and thermal conductivity, along with EMI shielding of 74.6 dB at 22 μm thickness Yue Sun, Yunting Su & Liping Heng Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access Triscysteine disulfide-directing motifs enabling design and discovery of multicyclic peptide binders Multicyclic peptides have the potential to mimic the antigen-binding potency of the complementarity-determining regions of antibodies, enabling the development of potent peptide binders to challenging targets, but the scaffolds of multicyclic peptides are difficult to engineer. Here, the authors design a range of triscysteine motifs with disulfide-directing capability for regulating the oxidative folding of multicyclic peptides and employ them in the design of disulfide-directed multicyclic peptide libraries for discovery of potent peptide binders. Zengping Duan, Chuilian Kong & Chuanliu Wu Article 06 September 2024 | Open Access MXene-based kirigami designs: showcasing reconfigurable frequency selectivity in microwave regime Modern communication applications may demand devices with tunable performances and simple fabrications. Here, we show strain dependent, adjustable RF/microwave performance by applying patterns of conductive Ti3C2Tx MXene coatings on low-cost acetate substrates in a straightforward coating process. Omid Niksan, Lingyi Bi & Mohammad H. Zarifi