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The authors combine simultaneous transport and X-ray diffraction measurements with in-situ tunable strain to measure the temperature dependence of the shear modulus and elastoresistivity above the nematic transition and the spontaneous orthorhombicity and resistivity anisotropy below the nematic transition of Co-doped BaFe2As2.
Layered clays are of interest for membranes and many other applications but their ion-exchange dynamics remain unexplored in atomically thin materials. Here, using electron microscopy, it is found that the ion diffusion for few-layer two-dimensional clays approaches that of free water and that superlattice cation islands can form in twisted and restacked materials.
A strategy to confine phosphorescent organic chromophores within ionic crystals proves effective in suppressing non-radiative recombination channels and increasing the phosphorescence efficiency of blue-emitting heavy-atom-free emitters.
MoS2/graphite and MoS2/h-BN interfaces are shown to have ultra-low friction coefficients, whereas edges and interface steps mainly contribute to the friction force.
Nanostructured birnessite exhibits high specific capacitance and, while an important electrode material for high-power energy storage devices, its capacitive mechanism remains unclear. Capacitive charge storage in birnessite is now shown to be governed by interlayer cation intercalation.
SnSe has a very high thermoelectric figure of merit ZT, but uncommonly polycrystalline samples have higher lattice thermal conductivity than single crystals. Here, by controlling Sn reagent purity and removing SnOx impurities, a lower thermal conductivity is achieved, enabling ZT of 3.1 at 783 K.
A functional interfacial material has been developed for soft integration of bioelectronic devices with biological tissues. This has been applied in battery-free optoelectronic systems for deep-brain optogenetics and subdermal phototherapy as well as wireless millimetre-scale pacemakers and flexible multielectrode epicardial arrays.
An erbium(III)–bacteriochlorin probe with large Stokes shift and efficient near-infrared to near-infrared energy conversion enables multiplexed imaging of deep tissues in living animals.
Insertion compounds in layered oxide or sulfide electrodes provide the fundamental basis of current commercialized Li-ion batteries. The feasibility of reversibly intercalating Li+ electrochemically into halide compounds via the use of superconcentrated electrolytes is now demonstrated.
Interlayer hybridization in 2D van der Waals materials can change their properties. Here, it is shown that the coupling in CrSBr can be changed from switching the magnetic order from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic states.
Membrane distillation can use low-grade heat for salt water desalination, but the materials used can often suffer from limited permeance. Here, a strategy is proposed to construct a pore surface and size functionality gradient in a covalent organic framework, enabling a flux of 600 l m–2 h–1 with NaCl rejection of 99.99%.
Superionic conductors present liquid-like ionic diffusivity with applications ranging from energy storage to thermoelectrics. A two-dimensional type I superionic conductor α-KAg3Se2 is now reported and should help to design other materials with tailored ionic conductivities and phase transitions.
Multimodal nanosensors have been developed to target and respond to hallmarks in the tumour microenvironment and provide both a non-invasive urinary monitoring tool and an on-demand positron emission tomography imaging agent to localize tumour metastasis and assess response to therapy.
Typically undesired chemically heterogeneous microstructures are shown to enhance the resistance of high-strength steel against hydrogen embrittlement, with no loss in strength or ductility.
A non-affine to affine transition in elasticity occurs with the change of system topology in a packing-derived network, which enables the tuning of elastic moduli and Poisson’s ratio.
A computational platform describing the spatial and temporal interactions of monomers during the formation of network polymers provides structure–property relationships that are used to synthesize 3D network polymers with tailored functionalities.
Nanoarchitected materials have predominantly been studied in the quasi-static regime. Here, the supersonic microparticle impact regime for three-dimensional nanomaterials is uncovered, showcasing extreme energy dissipation and a predictive framework for damage.
Metal nanolattices are fabricated at an unprecedented scale by using a crack-free self-assembly method. The dense nanostructures enable tensile strengths that approach the theoretical limit.
Programmable triangular DNA blocks self-assemble into distinct icosahedral shells with specific geometry and apertures that can encapsulate viruses and decrease viral infection.