Featured
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Dynamic diagnosis of metamaterials through laser-induced vibrational signatures
A high-throughput, non-contact framework is described that uses the laser-induced vibrational signatures of metamaterials to non-destructively quantify their omnidirectional elastic information, dynamic linear properties, damping properties and defects.
- Yun Kai
- , Somayajulu Dhulipala
- & Carlos M. Portela
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Research Briefing |
Laser-induced vibrations probe microscale metamaterials without contacting them
Advanced materials engineered at the microscale have the potential to achieve unparalleled mechanical performance under extreme conditions. A laser-based characterization method enables the fast measurement of extreme properties in these materials, by extracting them from the sample’s vibrational ‘fingerprint’, without touching or permanently deforming the structure.
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News & Views |
Multi-material 3D printing guided by machine vision
A 3D printer uses machine vision to solve a problem that has plagued 3D inkjet printers, increasing the range of materials that can be used, and enabling the rapid production of complex objects such as a robot hand.
- Yong Lin Kong
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Article
| Open AccessVision-controlled jetting for composite systems and robots
We have developed an automated and high-throughput, three-dimensional, vision-controlled inkjet deposition process that enables the high-resolution, contactless printing of a range of materials with varying elastic moduli to create complex structures and robots.
- Thomas J. K. Buchner
- , Simon Rogler
- & Robert K. Katzschmann
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Imaging inter-valley coherent order in magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene
Scanning tunnelling microscopy imaging of the correlated phases of magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene shows marked signatures of interaction-driven spatial symmetry breaking.
- Hyunjin Kim
- , Youngjoon Choi
- & Stevan Nadj-Perge
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Article |
Ultralow-resistance electrochemical capacitor for integrable line filtering
A miniaturized narrow-channel in-plane electrochemical capacitor shows drastically reduced ionic resistances within both the electrode material and the electrolyte and an ultrahigh areal capacitance by downscaling the channel width with femtosecond-laser scribing.
- Yajie Hu
- , Mingmao Wu
- & Liangti Qu
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Article |
Continuous symmetry breaking in a trapped-ion spin chain
A one-dimensional trapped-ion quantum simulator with up to 23 spins is used to demonstrate a continuous symmetry-breaking phase that relies on long-range interactions.
- Lei Feng
- , Or Katz
- & Christopher Monroe
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Article |
Functional composites by programming entropy-driven nanosheet growth
Following a micro-then-nano growth sequence to fabricate composites that are blends of block-copolymer-based supramolecules, small molecules and nanoparticles shows that high-performance barrier materials can be manufactured by means of entropy-driven assembly.
- Emma Vargo
- , Le Ma
- & Ting Xu
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News & Views |
Flat bands find another dimension for exotic physical phases
Experiments reveal flat bands in the relationship between the energy and the momentum of electrons in a 3D solid. Such behaviour is indicative of unusual physical phenomena, and has previously been seen only in 2D materials.
- Xingjiang Zhou
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Article |
Three-dimensional flat bands in pyrochlore metal CaNi2
Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of CaNi2 shows a band with vanishing dispersion across the full 3D Brillouin zone that is identified with the pyrochlore flat band as well as two additional flat bands that arise from multi-orbital interference of Ni d-electrons.
- Joshua P. Wakefield
- , Mingu Kang
- & Joseph G. Checkelsky
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Article
| Open AccessPredicting crystal form stability under real-world conditions
Accuracy of free-energy calculations can be improved by constructing an experimental benchmark for solid–solid free-energy differences, quantifying statistical errors for the computed free energies and placing both hydrate and anhydrate crystal structures on the same energy landscape.
- Dzmitry Firaha
- , Yifei Michelle Liu
- & Marcus A. Neumann
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Article |
Aspartate all-in-one doping strategy enables efficient all-perovskite tandems
AspCl doping in Sn–Pb perovskite solar cells improves their performance and stability.
- Shun Zhou
- , Shiqiang Fu
- & Weijun Ke
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News |
Nature retracts controversial superconductivity paper by embattled physicist
This is the third high-profile retraction for Ranga Dias. Researchers worry the controversy is damaging the field’s reputation.
- Davide Castelvecchi
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Article |
Injectable tissue prosthesis for instantaneous closed-loop rehabilitation
An injectable hydrogel for use as a scaffold to aid tissue repair is described, the material of which is conductive so that it can be used both for electrophysiological measurement and electrostimulation in closed-loop robot-assisted rehabilitation.
- Subin Jin
- , Heewon Choi
- & Mikyung Shin
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News & Views |
Hydrogel implant rehabilitates muscles through electrical stimulation
An electrically conductive hydrogel injected into an injured muscle can help the muscle to regenerate and reconnect with the nervous system. This effective soft prosthesis has enabled rats to walk soon after muscular injury.
- Milica Radisic
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Article
| Open AccessHomogenizing out-of-plane cation composition in perovskite solar cells
We added out-of-plane cations to homogenize the distribution of cations in perovskite films, resulting in a solar cell with improved efficiency and stability.
- Zheng Liang
- , Yong Zhang
- & Xu Pan
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Interface design for all-solid-state lithium batteries
The inclusion of a Mg–Bi-based interlayer between the lithium metal and solid electrolyte and a F-rich interlayer on the cathode improves the stability and performance of solid-state lithium-metal batteries.
- Hongli Wan
- , Zeyi Wang
- & Chunsheng Wang
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Article |
On the origin of diffuse intensities in fcc electron diffraction patterns
Some of the diffuse intensities observed in electron diffraction patterns of face-centred cubic multi-principal element alloys are due to reflections from higher-order Laue zones.
- Francisco Gil Coury
- , Cody Miller
- & Michael Kaufman
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Article |
Remarkable heat conduction mediated by non-equilibrium phonon polaritons
Measurements of thermal transport along 3C-SiC nanowires with and without a gold coating on the end(s) suggest that thermally excited surface phonon polaritons can be used in nanostructures to substantially enhance thermal conductivity.
- Zhiliang Pan
- , Guanyu Lu
- & Deyu Li
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Article
| Open AccessA microfluidic transistor for automatic control of liquids
Flow limitation is exploited to develop a microfluidic device exhibiting flow–pressure behaviour analogous to the current–voltage characteristics of an electronic transistor.
- Kaustav A. Gopinathan
- , Avanish Mishra
- & Mehmet Toner
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Low-loss contacts on textured substrates for inverted perovskite solar cells
A co-adsorbent is used to achieve a uniform self-assembled phosphonic acid monolayer on a textured substrate, leading to more efficient inverted perovskite solar cells.
- So Min Park
- , Mingyang Wei
- & Edward H. Sargent
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News & Views |
Searching for phase transitions in the dark
An electrically insulating quantum material turns metallic when placed between two semi-reflecting mirrors — even if there is no illumination between them. This discovery paves the way for engineering other phase transitions.
- Edoardo Baldini
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News |
Meet the unsung scientists behind the Nobel for quantum dots
Nature speaks to those who worked alongside this year’s chemistry laureates to develop the award-winning nanocrystals.
- Neil Savage
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Article |
Cavity-mediated thermal control of metal-to-insulator transition in 1T-TaS2
Cavity-mediated thermal control of metal-to-insulator transition is achieved by embedding the charge density wave material 1T-TaS2 into cryogenic tunable terahertz cavities.
- Giacomo Jarc
- , Shahla Yasmin Mathengattil
- & Daniele Fausti
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Anion–π interactions suppress phase impurities in FAPbI3 solar cells
The use of anion–π interactions during perovskite film formation is shown to give better quality perovskite layers with high phase purity, leading to improved photovoltaic devices with high power conversion efficiency.
- Zijian Huang
- , Yang Bai
- & Huanping Zhou
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Research Highlight |
Bamboo gains super strength thanks to an ingredient from within
A component of bamboo itself can be used to bind the plant’s cells to form a strong material — no petrochemical glue needed.
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News |
How to build Moon roads using focused beams of sunlight
Experiments with lasers reveal a way to melt lunar dust into solid paving slabs.
- Katharine Sanderson
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Article |
Doping of molecular semiconductors through proton-coupled electron transfer
Proton-coupled electron-transfer reactions are used to achieve efficient chemical doping of organic semiconductor thin films under ambient conditions, and a reference-electrode-free, resistive pH sensor based on the method is proposed.
- Masaki Ishii
- , Yu Yamashita
- & Jun Takeya
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Research Highlight |
3D printing tackles tricky materials with help from tiny crystals
Technique that uses a molecular ‘glue’ allows 3D printing to make objects from challenging materials such as semiconductors.
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Research Highlight |
Crack this kind of diamond, and it heals itself
Synthetic diamond recovers from fracture when carbon atoms on both sides of the gap form bonds with each other.
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Article |
Enhanced optoelectronic coupling for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells
An independently certified power conversion efficiency of 32.5% for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells is achieved through improved charge transfer at the amorphous indium zinc oxide interconnecting layer and reduced optical losses at the front and rear electrodes.
- Erkan Aydin
- , Esma Ugur
- & Stefaan De Wolf
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News & Views |
The twisted material that splits the electron
Layers of a thin semiconductor material overlap in a particular pattern, giving rise to particle currents carrying a fraction of the charge of an electron — with potential for encoding quantum information.
- Cécile Repellin
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Article |
Geminal-atom catalysis for cross-coupling
Heterogeneous geminal-atom catalysts, which pair single-atom sites in specific coordination and spatial proximity, offer a new avenue for the sustainable manufacture of fine chemicals.
- Xiao Hai
- , Yang Zheng
- & Jiong Lu
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Multistable sheets with rewritable patterns for switchable shape-morphing
To demonstrate the power of multistability, a specific class of groovy metasheets is introduced as a new shape-morphing platform that allows repeated switching from the flat state to multiple, precisely selected and stable three-dimensional shapes.
- A. S. Meeussen
- & M. van Hecke
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News & Views |
Nickelates join the club of high-temperature superconductors
A nickel-based compound has shown evidence of a superconducting state at a temperature of 80 kelvin. The material bridges a gap between other nickelates and a notable class of superconductor containing copper.
- Matthias Hepting
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News |
This insect-sized robot can carry 22 times its own weight
The four-legged miniature machine is powered by tiny explosions.
- Katharine Sanderson
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Nature Podcast |
A mussel-inspired glue for more sustainable sticking
A soya-oil-derived adhesive matches the strength of conventional glues, and reassessing the extent and impacts of childhood malnutrition.
- Nick Petrić Howe
- & Shamini Bundell
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Article |
Shape memory polymer with programmable recovery onset
A four-dimensional printable shape memory hydrogel with shape-shifting onset adjustable by changing the programming conditions is reported.
- Chujun Ni
- , Di Chen
- & Tao Xie
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Article |
Phase-dependent growth of Pt on MoS2 for highly efficient H2 evolution
We report the production of MoS2 nanosheets with high phase purity, showing that the 2H-phase templates facilitate epitaxial growth of Pt nanoparticles, whereas the 1T′ phase supports single-atomically dispersed Pt atoms.
- Zhenyu Shi
- , Xiao Zhang
- & Hua Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessLearning heterogeneous reaction kinetics from X-ray videos pixel by pixel
Analysis of a large dataset of scanning transmission X-ray microscopy images of carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate nanoparticles shows that the heterogeneous reaction kinetics of battery materials can be learned from such videos pixel by pixel.
- Hongbo Zhao
- , Haitao Dean Deng
- & Martin Z. Bazant
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Article |
Flatband λ-Ti3O5 towards extraordinary solar steam generation
A route to greatly elevate joint densities of states by introducing a flat-band electronic structure is demonstrated, showing metallic λ-Ti3O5 powders have a high solar absorptivity and offering insights into access to cost-effective solar-to-steam generation.
- Bo Yang
- , Zhiming Zhang
- & Liang Zuo
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Sustainably sourced components to generate high-strength adhesives
We present a sustainably sourced adhesive system, with performance comparable to that of current industrial products, made from epoxidized soy oil, malic acid and tannic acid, all biomass derived, low cost and readily available.
- Clayton R. Westerman
- , Bradley C. McGill
- & Jonathan J. Wilker
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Towards linking lab and field lifetimes of perovskite solar cells
We correlate lab test and field test results to better predict the performance of perovskite photovoltaics as a step towards real-world implementation.
- Qi Jiang
- , Robert Tirawat
- & Kai Zhu
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Research Briefing |
Surprising reaction pathway observed in lithium–sulfur batteries
Electrochemical-reaction pathways in lithium–sulfur batteries have been studied in real time at the atomic scale using a high-resolution imaging technique. The observations revealed an unexpected collective charge-transfer process that could lead to improvements in the performance of these batteries.
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News Explainer |
Why are concrete schools crumbling in the UK — and what can be done?
Researchers say safety concerns over RAAC concrete in UK schools could be “the tip of the iceberg”.
- Jonathan O'Callaghan
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News Feature |
Why a blockbuster superconductivity claim met a wall of scepticism
Physicist Ranga Dias and his colleagues have twice claimed to make a room-temperature superconductor. But many researchers question the evidence.
- Edwin Cartlidge
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Article |
Stack growth of wafer-scale van der Waals superconductor heterostructures
Stacks of van der Waals superconductor heterostructures comprising many layers and several blocks of two-dimensional materials have been grown in a highly controllable manner at a wafer scale using a high-to-low temperature strategy.
- Zhenjia Zhou
- , Fuchen Hou
- & Libo Gao
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Visualizing interfacial collective reaction behaviour of Li–S batteries
In situ liquid-cell electrochemical transmission electron microscopy allows the direct visualization of the transformation of lithium polysulfides over electrode surfaces at the atomic scale, leading to a new energy-storage mechanism in lithium–sulfur batteries.
- Shiyuan Zhou
- , Jie Shi
- & Hong-Gang Liao
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Research Briefing |
A platform for exploring microscopic processes at electrode–electrolyte interfaces
A centimetre-sized monolayer of the material graphene has been suspended on the surface of an aqueous electrolyte to investigate the intrinsic properties of the graphene–electrolyte interface. The results, based on optical spectroscopy, could aid the design and study of state-of-the-art electrochemical devices.