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An Fe^III/V redox mechanism in Li₄FeSbO₆ on delithiation without Fe^IV or oxygen formation with resistance to aging, high operating potential and low voltage hysteresis is demonstrated, with implications for Fe-based high-voltage applications.

Garnet-type LLZO electrolytes are considered among the most promising solid-state electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries; however, numerous challenges need to be addressed before they are integrated into a cell. By precipitating amorphous zirconium oxide onto grain boundaries, increased ionic conductivity is observed and dendrite growth is suppressed.

An atomic stencilling method based on the co-adsorption of iodide and 2-naphthalenethiol on gold is described, yielding more than 20 different types of nanoparticle with masked and painted regions and patchy particle morphologies not reported previously.

Although uranium-nitrogen multiple bonding is well developed, there are far fewer uranium-phosphorus and -arsenic multiple bonds, and none for antimony, even in spectroscopic scenarios. Here, the authors report syntheses of uranium-stibido, -stibinidiide, -distibene, and -stibinidene derivatives containing single, double, and pseudo-triple bond interactions.

The authors demonstrate strain-induced morphotropic phase boundary-like nanodomains in lead-free NaNbO₃ thin films, enabling multi-state switching and large enhancements in dielectric susceptibility and tunability over a broad frequency range.

This study presents a design for fabricating a terahertz chiral photonic-crystal cavity with broken time-reversal symmetry. By combining density functional theory with a microscopic model, the cavity-induced gap in graphene was estimated, showing enhanced light–matter coupling at the Dirac nodes.

Surfaces of semiconductors exhibiting large Rasha effect are of great interest for spintronics applications. Here, Butler et al. present the spectroscopic observation and microscopic mapping of termination-dependent band-bending at the surface of Rashba semiconductor BiTeI.

The structure of red phosphorous remains poorly elucidated. Here, the authors report the adsorption and photopolymerization of P₄ encapsulated in a metal-organic framework to obtain a double-helical chain composite comprising of [P₈] units in the porous material.

The ability to selectively break a chemical bond in a molecule is indispensable to chemical synthesis. Here, the authors show that a hundred-fold bond selectivity can be obtained in electron-induced surface reaction due simply to different bond alignments at the surface.

Whether a molecule or material can exist, and with what structures and energies, is of critical importance. For demanding calculations the efficiency of density functional theory makes it the only practical electronic structure theory available to help answer these questions. Now, an efficient density functional is shown to have unprecedented accuracy for a diverse set of bonded systems.

The melting of transition metals at high pressures has been subject to intensive debate, given seemingly contradictory experimental evidence. Molecular dynamics calculations now demonstrate how, at high pressure, shear induces a transition from body-centred-cubic tantalum to a one-dimensional structure, offering a plausible explanation for experimental observations.

Insufficient AHR activation has been suggested in SLE, and augmenting AHR activation therapeutically may prevent CXCL13⁺ T_PH/T_FH differentiation and the subsequent recruitment of B cells and formation of lymphoid aggregates in inflamed tissues.

Amorphous shear bands in crystalline materials are found to increase the toughness of brittle materials, in contrast to their traditional role as precursors to fracture. Criteria for this toughening have been identified.

Exsolution of transition metal cations from non-stoichiometric perovskites offer a route for the formation of stable nanoparticles on the surface. Here authors present an anti-phase boundaries-accelerated exsolution and two-step crystallisation of nanoparticles in non-stoichiometric perovskite thin films.

Films of the correlated oxide NdNiO₃ form a metallic antiferromagnetic phase that can be identified using electrical currents, raising the prospect of applications in spintronics.

Proximity ferroelectricity is reported in wurtzite heterostructures, which enables polarization reversal in wurtzites without the chemical or structural disorder that accompanies elemental substitution.

Colored functional layers are transformed into imperceptible functional meshes. In doing so, various see-through devices are no longer susceptible to the color or opacity of the functional materials and have enhanced transparency.

Chain-reactions could provide an alternative method for surface patterning. Now the chain reaction of CH₃Cl molecules on a silicon surface has been observed to create lines that are made up of alternating CH₃ groups and Cl atoms. The reactions are propagated through surface-mediated charge-transfer and have been studied using microscopy and ab initio theory.

Understanding the mechanism of ionic diffusion in superionic materials is crucial for their potential applications in solid-state batteries. Now liquid-like dynamics that break the Debye law of lattice dynamics have been demonstrated in a lithium electrolyte.

Cathodic corrosion of platinum is investigated using operando high-resolution X-ray absorption spectroscopy matched with density functional calculations. Platinum hydrides are found to be reaction intermediates in conditions at which these species are expected to be unstable.

Ruthenium oxide is a promising electrocatalyst in PEM water electrolyzers, with significant research efforts focused on doping to enhance its stability. Here, the authors report that ruthenium oxide can achieve stability without doping by inhibiting bulk-phase proton participation.

Flash recycling method can achieve nondestructive cathode regeneration effectively with higher environmental and economic benefits over traditional destructive recycling processes.

Electrons in f orbitals can create localized states that interact strongly and drive strange metal and critical behaviour via the Kondo mechanism. Now a mechanism of geometric frustration enables similar phenomena with d electrons.

Point defects in 2D semiconductors have potential for quantum computing applications, but their controlled design and synthesis remains challenging. Here, the authors identify and fabricate a promising quantum defect in 2D WS₂ via high-throughput computational screening and scanning tunnelling microscopy.

Excitonics provides a promising way to manipulate light-matter interactions for advanced optical applications, yet controlling core-exciton dynamics in the X-ray regime is challenging. Here, the authors combine experiments with an ab initio approach developed specifically for modelling pump-probe excitations, revealing how photoexcited carrier distributions can be used to control core-exciton resonances at absorption edges.

Determining the covalency of actinide chemical bonding is a fundamentally important challenge. Here, the authors report a ¹⁵N nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of a terminal uranium-nitride, revealing exceptional NMR properties and covalency that redefine ¹⁵N NMR parameter space and actinide chemical bonding.

Maximizing the electromechanical response is crucial for developing piezoelectric devices. Here, the authors demonstrate a giant electric-field-induced strain and its origin in alkali niobate epitaxial thin films with self-assembled planar faults.

Electrolytes with non-flammable solvents are important for the safe operation of sodium-metal batteries. Here the authors report an electrolyte engineering approach, employing salts as a diluent, to enhance interfacial stability and overall safety.

The catalytic conversion of polyolefins into gasoline-range alkanes requires a comprehensive understanding of the catalytically active species and their corresponding performance. Here the authors tackle this need by examining the nuclearity of the chloroaluminate ions and their interactions with reaction intermediates.

Electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction into multicarbon products offers a means to close the anthropogenic carbon cycle using renewable electricity. Here, the authors report a cascade AgCu single-atom and nanoparticle electrocatalyst with favorable properties to improve the selectivity of multicarbon products.

Tong et al. form a 2D perovskite layer with two large organic cations to improve the structural and optoelectronic properties of Sn–Pb perovskites, and eventually the performance of single-junction and tandem solar cells.

Polar domains have been observed in twist-stacked van der Waals layers, but their dynamics are unexplored. Here, using operando electron microscopy, it is found that polar domains in an antiferroelectric arrangement cannot transition to a ferroelectric state due to topological protection of the domain wall network.

The dynamics of water molecules at interfaces controls natural and artificial processes, but experimental investigations have been challenging. Here the authors investigate water molecules on a graphene surface using helium spin-echo spectroscopy, and reveal a regime where freely mobile molecules undergo strong repulsive mutual interactions which inhibit ice nucleation.

Converting solar energy to hydrogen fuel requires light-absorbers that well-match the wavelengths of incoming sunlight. Here, authors prepare a broadband visible-light-absorbing molecular complex that efficiently produces hydrogen from water.

Bipolar conductivity is fundamental for electronic devices based on two-dimensional semiconductors. Here, the authors report on-demand p- and n-doping of monolayer MoS₂ via defects engineering using thermochemical scanning probe lithography, and achieve a p-n junction with rectification ratio over 10⁴.

The Earth’s core may host most of the planet’s water inventory, according to calculations of the partitioning behaviour of water at conditions of core formation.

Neuromorphic computing requires the realization of high-density and reliable random-access memories. Here, Thean et al. demonstrate wafer-scale integration of solution-processed 2D MoS2 memristor arrays which show long endurance, long memory retention, low device variations, and high on/off ratio.

Earth’s volatile element content was established largely by volatile evaporation from molten planetesimals before Earth’s formation, according to first-principles calculations and examination of sulfur isotope fractionation.

Precise control of water oxidation activity calls for the mastery of surface reconstruction of electrocatalysts. Here, the authors identify the structural origin of surface reconstruction on spinel oxides and report a criterion to evaluate the reconstruction degree, which enable the design of spinel pre-catalyst with controlled reconstruction ability.

While solid oxide electrolysis presents an approach to remove CO₂ from high-temperature emission streams, it is challenging to engineer stable yet active interfaces. Here, authors show in situ exsolution of nanoscale metal-metal oxide interfaces that improve cathode activities and durabilities.

Transition metal fluorides have high theoretical specific capacities as cathodes for lithium ion batteries, but low working potentials and poor energy efficiency limit their practical applications. Here, the authors report a group of ternary metal fluorides, which may overcome these problems.

The atomic displacements that generate ferroelectricity in materials commonly fit a double-well potential energy surface. Here, ferroelectricity in two-dimensional CuInP₂S₆ is shown to fit a quadruple well due to the van der Waals gap between layers of this material.

An unusual new material, NiTTFtt, is reported that is structurally amorphous, precluding a classical band structure, but detailed characterization reveals high conductivity and a metallic character.

Carbon dioxide electrolysers are promising for chemical storage of renewable electricity; however, achieving effective adsorption/activation of CO₂ is still an issue. Here the authors make a perovskite titanate cathode where non-stoichiometry and chemical doping are used to tune the surface structures, facilitating CO₂reduction.

The crystallographic orientation of monolayers in van der Waals multi-layers controls their electronic and optical properties. Here the authors show how the twist angle affects Coulomb correlations governing the internal structure and the mutual interaction of excitons in homobilayers of WSe₂.

Evidence of modulated metallic and superconducting states stemming from an incommensurate structural stripe motif is reported in the bulk van der Waals superlattice SrTa₂S₅.

Design of materials with targeted properties requires innovative approaches to guide researchers through complex search space. Here, the authors report an adaptive design strategy, using inference and global optimization methods, which can find shape memory alloys with very low thermal hysteresis.