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Highly ionically conductive and flexible solid-state composite battery electrolytes are engineered by alternately stacking inorganic Li_xM_yPS₃ (M = Cd or Mn) nanosheets with lithium-containing organic polymers in a perpendicular orientation to the surface of the electrodes.

This study elucidates nanoscopic strain evolution in single-crystal Ni-rich positive electrodes, demonstrating that mechanical failure results from lattice distortions, and redefines the roles of cobalt and manganese in battery cycling stability.

When two spatially separated parties flip a coin, it is impossible to choose between two alternatives in an unbiased manner. This study presents a quantum coin-flipping protocol that overcomes this problem and ensures a dishonest party cannot bias the outcome completely.

This study demonstrates how CO₂ directs defect control during the synthesis of Mn-rich sodium layered oxides, improving the stability and performance of earth-abundant positive electrode materials in non-aqueous sodium-based rechargeable batteries.

The success of Li batteries relies on electrolyte reduction at anodes for interphase formation, yet controlled interphase formation on high-energy cathodes has proven challenging. Now it has been shown that a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution-assisted strategy advances both primary and secondary batteries by regulating the electrolyte reduction potential and interphase passivation capability.

Membrane-bound protein channels that allow only urea to pass through are vital to the kidney's ability to conserve water. Crystal structures show that the channels select urea molecules by passing them through thin slots.

Native crystallographic defects are often introduced during synthesis of battery materials, but has been overlooked. Here, using in situ synchrotron X-ray probes and electron microscopy, the authors have revealed their adverse effect during battery operation.

New findings implicate sodium transport in α-cell secretory dysfunction, leading to impaired counter-regulatory responses in diabetes. However, these findings also raise important questions about the tissue-specific roles of sodium transport and suggest that inhibitors of sodium transport may have potentially divergent roles in the pancreas, kidney and heart.

Lithium metal batteries are restricted by their low safety and poor electrochemical performance. Here, authors present a flame-retardant electrolyte with weakly coordinating dichloroalkane diluents, demonstrating application potential in safer lithium metal batteries in the −60 to +60 °C temperature range.

Amorphous sulfurized polyacrylonitrile suppresses polysulfide shuttling in Li–S batteries, enabling long cycle life, but the structural processes involved during synthesis and initial cycling remained unclear. An operando pair distribution function, wide-angle scattering and sulfur absorption spectroscopy reveal S–C bond formation, π–π stacking and sulfur-chain shortening, which enable reversible sulfur redox.

The color of rhodopsins is regulated by the interaction of the chromophore with its counterion. Here the authors introduce a computational model showing that color tuning can be described in terms of virtual counterion migration and delocalization pathways.

Multimodal operando imaging reveals how multiscale structural design affects lithiation heterogeneity and electrochemical cycling stability in graphite/silicon composite battery electrodes.

Low-temperature batteries are detrimentally affected by the sluggish kinetics of the electrolyte. Here, the authors propose a quasi-solid-state polymer electrolyte capable of improving interfacial charge transfer and enabling stable Li metal cell operation even at −30 °C.

Fluorine-containing binders in battery dry electrode processing raise environmental concerns regarding restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Here, authors show that a fluorine-free binder, Parafilm, can be an alternative to enable primer-free high-loading electrodes with stable cycling for sustainable lithium-ion batteries.

Aqueous and non-aqueous Li-based electrolyte solutions have narrow electrochemical stability windows, which hinder the operation of batteries at high cell potentials. Here, to circumvent this limitation, the authors propose the combined use of tailored aqueous and non-aqueous electrolyte solutions in various Li-based cell configurations.

Ion association in electrolytes enables a robust protective layer on battery electrodes but compromises thermal stability. Here Yi-Chun Lu and colleagues develop an electrolyte-based strategy that preserves this benefit while enabling safer lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-ion battery cathode lifetime is limited by large expansion and contraction during cycling. This study uses electrochemical activation to suppress collapse in LiNi_0.9Mn_0.1O₂ cathodes, achieving improved capacity and cycle life.

The mechanism of collective magnetic excitations in unconventional superconductors remains controversial. Here, Song et al. show neutron spin resonance in a heavy fermion superconductor Ce_1-xYb_xCoIn₅, implying magnon-like excitation rather than spin-exciton type.

CHK2, an important player in the DNA-damage response signalling pathway, is a candidate multiorgan tumour susceptibility gene. Will the targeted modulation of this kinase or exploitation of its loss in tumours prove to be an effective anti-cancer strategy?

Recent experimental evidence shows a new type of intrinsic fluorescence in biomolecules void of aromatic chemical compounds whose origin is unclear. Here, the authors use non-adiabatic AIMD simulations to show a potential carbonyl-lock mechanism originating this phenomenon.

In patients with acute heart failure, personalized dosing of a diuretic led to treatment intensification in the majority of patients and improved natriuresis, but had no effects on time to all-cause mortality or heart failure rehospitalization.

High-voltage, anode-free sodium metal batteries combine high energy density and sustainability, but the lack of suitable electrolytes hinders their application. This work formulates an eco-friendly electrolyte design that supports exciting performance in such batteries.

Magnesium metal batteries hold great promise for next-generation energy storage but struggle with limited understanding of their deposition mechanisms. Here, authors employ cryogenic electron microscopy to uncover how interfacial chemistry governs magnesium deposition across diverse electrolytes.

The high-voltage oxygen redox activity of Li-rich layered oxides enables additional capacity beyond conventional transition metal redox contributions. Here, authors investigate the correlation between oxygen redox activity and superstructure units. They prove that an excess of LiNiMn5 hinders the extraction/insertion of lithium ions.

Lithium-ion batteries rely on lithium diffusion within particles, traditionally assumed to follow concentration gradients. Here, authors use X-ray microscopy to track lithium movement in single particles, discovering that lithium can move against concentration gradients due to strain effects.

Cobalt-free cathodes are needed for sustainable batteries, but their cycling stability remains a challenge. Here, authors report a dual-phase lithium nickelate, i.e., layered LiNiO₂ and rocksalt LixNi_2-xO₂, stabilized by interlocked domains, synthesized via kinetic control, that delivers high capacity and improved cycle life.

Ether solvents have poor anodic stabilities in lithium metal batteries. Here, the authors propose a non-aqueous electrolyte solution with a non-polar and non-fluorinated ether solvent. The electrolyte enables stable cycling of high-voltage Li metal batteries in pouch cell configuration.

An in-built fluoropolyether-based quasi-solid-state polymer electrolyte enables high-capacity lithium-rich manganese-based layered oxide cathodes with stable interfaces, achieving 604 Wh kg⁻¹ pouch-cell energy density.

Aqueous zinc batteries possess advantages in safety, cost and environmental friendliness. To address side reaction, limited cycle life and other challenges, the authors formulate a dual-salt electrolyte that decouples the interfacial electrolyte from the bulk, enabling suppressed hydrogen evolution, fast zinc transport and resilience against low temperature.

X-ray synchrotron measurements reveal heterogeneities at electrode|electrolyte interfaces of lithium metal batteries operating at high potentials. Here the authors demonstrate the rearrangement of ionically conductive phases in polymer electrolytes that lead to battery performance degradation.

Using sacrificial salts to enhance sodium-ion batteries is hampered by practical issues. Here, authors demonstrate a solvent-free dry-processing method that ensures complete salt decomposition for major gains in energy density and lifespan.

Topological phases play a fundamental role in a variety of physical systems, yet there is a lack of efficient tools for revealing the occurrence of associated quantum transitions. Here, Cardano et al.report that such transitions can be identified in the statistics of quantum-walk dynamics and validate this idea in a photonic experimental implementation.

Fluorescent proteins that self-assemble and localize in the neuron membrane are vital in neurosciences, particularly in optogenetics applications. Here the authors present a quantum-mechanics/molecular mechanics model for the photoisomerization of the natural highly fluorescent Neorhodopsin, explaining the highly fluorescent quantum yield that could lead to effective visualization of neural signals.

Solid-state polymer electrolytes are crucial for developing future rechargeable batteries, but they are still limited in performance. Here, the authors designed a topological polymeric solid electrolyte, enabling an all-solid-state high-voltage lithium metal pouch cell to cycle 200 times efficiently.

Current lithium-ion batteries still rely heavily on nickel (Ni), whose growing demand raises serious economic and environmental concerns. This work now presents a cathode that delivers longer cycle life than high-Ni chemistry while substantially reducing Ni use.

A full-cell-level accelerating rate calorimetry test requires large batteries, leading to high costs. The authors design small cylindrical pouch cells (~21 mAh, ~0.1 g cathode material) for lab-scale accelerating rate calorimetry tests, enabling efficient safety screening and faster high-safety battery development.

Fluorination of solvents, useful for non-aqueous lithium-based batteries, improves the electrochemical stability but decreases the ionic conductivity. Here, the authors report a targeted functionalization of an ether solvent to balance the electrolyte ionic conductivity and oxidative stability.

The development of fast-charging and high-capacity negative electrodes is critical for advanced lithium-ion batteries. Here, authors use a vacancy engineering strategy to develop a layered Prussian blue analogue with competitive rate capability, delivering a specific capacity of 510 mAh g⁻¹ at a specific current of 8 A g⁻¹.

Conversion electrodes with fast charging capability and extended lifespan remains challenging. Here, authors developed Cu_0.88Sn_0.02Sb_0.02Bi_0.02Mn_0.02S_0.9Se_0.1 with entropy-driven fast-charging capability as negative electrode for sodium-ion batteries, enabling fast charging up to 100 A g⁻¹.

Earth-abundant TiO₂ is a promising negative electrode material for low-cost sodium-ion batteries. Here, authors show that ordered rocksalt NaTiO₂ nanograins are in situ formed by electrochemically cycling with Na⁺ ions in anatase TiO₂, which determines the pseudocapacitive high-rate capability.