Browse Articles

Josephson junctions based on topological insulators are expected to host Majorana bound states which are accompanied by the experimental absence of odd Shapiro steps in current-voltage characteristics. Here, the authors investigate Shapiro steps in a ballistic junction with Bi₂Te_2.3Se_0.7, finding that overheating effects, rather than topological superconductivity, are sufficient to explain the suppression of the first step, challenging conventional interpretations.

Prolonged antithrombotic use raises bleeding risk, posing a major clinical challenge. This study introduces a silk fibroin coated mesoporous silica platform for high drug loading and controlled heparin release, improving efficacy while minimizing hemorrhage.

Two-dimensional MXenes offer promising potential for energy storage but are limited by rapid oxidation and restacking issues. Here, the authors enhance MXene stability through polyvinylpyrrolidone-catechol functionalization, achieving superior performance in sodium-ion batteries with a composite anode, demonstrating significant improvements in capacity and ionic conductivity, and paving the way for advanced energy storage solutions.

Zinc‑ion battery performance depends on the molecular design of electrolyte additives, but the effects of molecular structure and steric factors on solvation behavior remain unquantified. Here, Retrieval‑Augmented Generation screening identifies rigid cyclic 2‑methylimidazole and flexible chain-like 3‑aminopropanol: 2‑methylimidazole limits solvation, whereas 3‑aminopropanol improves ion transport and extends battery life.

This review highlights recent advances in silk-based biomaterial scaffolds, and explores shortcomings in developing them as ideal dental

biomaterials for therapeutic delivery and regeneration.

Basal twist grain boundaries in titanium alloys were recently identified as key microstructure configurations that lead to mechanical failures in service. This study examines deformation and fracture in these specific locations to shed light on the mechanical behavior in relation to grain boundary characteristics.

Refractory complex concentrated alloys attract significant attention due to unique microstructures and properties, yet display limited strain hardening capacity. This work leverages inherent nanoscale compositional fluctuations with controlled phase-separation thermodynamics to achieve high strain hardening via confined nano-martensite transformations.

Perovskite solar cells promise high efficiency but face hurdles in stability and scalable production, complicating their commercialization. Here, the authors introduce Perovskite-R1, a large language model designed to enhance precursor additive discovery, which is validated by experimental confirmation of improved material stability and performance, providing an integrated workflow for intelligent, data-driven advancements in perovskite photovoltaics.

Calcite exhibits extreme anisotropy in its infrared properties, resulting in hyperbolic behavior that can support resonances. This study shows that the relative orientation between calcite resonators and crystal axes can be exploited to manipulate the spectrum, polarization, and propagation of infrared light confined by hyperbolic materials.

This Review surveys progress in the development of carbon nanotubes as single-photon sources for emerging quantum technologies, with a focus on chemical synthesis and quantum defect engineering, computational studies of structure-property relationships, and experimental investigations of quantum optical properties.

Helium accumulation in structural ceramics causes early failure, making damage control important. Here, defect landscape engineering is proposed as a general strategy to suppress helium-induced degradation, involving the deliberate creation of vacancy clusters prior to helium exposure.

The orientation relationship between phases governs crystallographic discontinuity and imposes constraints on the activation of deformation modes. Here, weakening the orientation relationship between L1₂ and B2 phases in a dual-phase high-entropy alloy via plastic deformation and recrystallization significantly improves ductility without sacrificing strength.

Dielectric materials are crucial for advancing nanoelectronics, yet their miniaturization poses significant challenges. Here, the authors synthesize atomically thin gallium oxide on graphene, achieving a clean interface and robust electronic properties, paving the way for scalable integration of conducting and insulating components in nanoelectronics and offering a versatile method for oxide synthesis.

The downstream recovery of rare earth elements from plant biomass via phytomining remains inefficient and resource-intensive. This study introduces a rapid electrothermal calcination strategy for rare earth enriched-enriched biomass, improving REE extractability through dilute acid leaching.

Here, longitudinal and transverse conductivity is studied in cadmium single crystals, finding that the amplitude of the first ten Sondheimer oscillations is determined by the quantum of conductance and a length scale that depends on the sample thickness, the magnetic length and the Fermi surface geometry.

Phase-shift engineering of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is a strategy for modulating the phase shifts of electrical output from multiple TENG units to achieve continuous constant voltage/current output. This Review summarizes the principles of phase shift engineered TENGs, and how it might further boost energy utilization efficiency and practicality.

Altermagnets recently emerged as a new class of magnetic materials, arising from specific spin crystal symmetries. This paper studies a layered triangular lattice altermagnet, cobalt-intercalated NbSe2, using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy.

This Review explores recent advances in MXene-based stimuli-responsive materials that respond to light, heat, mechanical deformation, chemical environment, magnetic fields, and biological cues. Opportunities for translating these intelligent materials into practical technologies by exploiting their multimodal responsiveness is also discussed

This study applies magnetic fields in selected in-plane directions to disentangle the mechanisms underlying the anomalous Hall effect in a representative noncollinear antiferromagnet.

Plastic crystals like neopentyl glycol show strong barocaloric effects but struggle with suitable operating temperatures and low-pressure performance. Here, the authors improved this by blending neopentyl glycol with pentaglycerine and adding 2% pentaerythritol for tunable, reversible phase transitions.