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| Open AccessDesign principle for increasing charge mobility of π-conjugated polymers using regularly localized molecular orbitals
Polymers are good potential processable materials for electronic components; however, their charge mobilities are quite low. Here, the authors show that wrapping polymers with macrocycles and localization of π-orbitals realizes an ideal orbital alignment for charge hopping with subsequently increased mobility.
- Jun Terao
- , Akihisa Wadahama
- & Yasushi Tsuji
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Stepwise self-assembly of C60 mediated by atomic scale moiré magnifiers
A promising route towards molecular devices is the self-assembly of atoms or molecules on a surface. Here, Gruznev et al. show that the synthesis of unique geometries of C60molecules on gold–indium-covered crystalline silicon is governed by moiré interference.
- D.V. Gruznev
- , A.V. Matetskiy
- & Y.L. Wang
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Mass spectrometric analysis of mono- and multi-phosphopeptides by selective binding with NiZnFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles
The isolation of phosphorylated peptides is important for understanding protein function. Here, the authors use magnetic nanoparticles for the selective analysis of phosphorylated peptides, and show that the composition of the nanoparticles affects the selectivity for mono- or multi-phosphorylated compounds.
- Hongying Zhong
- , Xiao Xiao
- & Jie Kang
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Photochemical activity of Titan’s low-altitude condensed haze
The atmosphere of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, consists of orange-yellow haze, but its formation and dynamics are not well understood. Here laboratory studies show that Titan’s lower atmosphere is photochemically active and the formation of complex prebiotic precursor molecules occurs at lower altitudes.
- Murthy S. Gudipati
- , Ronen Jacovi
- & Mark Allen
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Article
| Open AccessUnusually stable ~100-fold reversible and instantaneous swelling of inorganic layered materials
Cells are known to swell and shrink in certain solutions, however no inorganic equivalent has been observed to date. Here, the authors demonstrate 100-fold reversible swelling of crystalline lamellar materials, which may be attributed to the long-range directional structuring of intercalated water molecules.
- Fengxia Geng
- , Renzhi Ma
- & Takayoshi Sasaki
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Article
| Open AccessEffective localized collection and identification of airborne species through electrodynamic precipitation and SERS-based detection
Effective collection of molecules on a small sensing area is not possible based on diffusion alone and the employment of a directed force is required. The authors report a localized electrodynamic precipitation concept to collect, spot and detect airborne species in an active-matrix array-like fashion.
- En-Chiang Lin
- , Jun Fang
- & Heiko O. Jacobs
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Rotational separation of non-spherical bioparticles using I-shaped pillar arrays in a microfluidic device
Microfluidic separation devices are usually designed for spherical particles, but many biological particles are non-spherical; for example, red blood cells and bacteria. Using I-shaped pillar designs, Zhang et al. demonstrate a better sorting capability for non-spherical particles.
- Kerwin Kwek Zeming
- , Shashi Ranjan
- & Yong Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessQuantum coherence controls the charge separation in a prototypical artificial light-harvesting system
In artificial photosynthetic devices, conversion of light into electricity is thought to involve an incoherent electron transfer process. Rozzi et al.provide evidence for quantum-correlated wavelike motion inducing the ultrafast photoinduced electronic charge transfer in a light-harvesting supramolecular triad.
- Carlo Andrea Rozzi
- , Sarah Maria Falke
- & Christoph Lienau
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Solvent-free aerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons and alcohols with Pd@N-doped carbon from glucose
The development of efficient catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons to high-value chemicals is industrially important. Here, the authors show that palladium nanoparticles loaded on porous nitrogen-doped carbon are highly active catalysts under laboratory and industrially relevant conditions.
- Pengfei Zhang
- , Yutong Gong
- & Yong Wang
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Article
| Open AccessA two-atom electron pump
Transistors that operate by the passage of electrons through a single-dopant atom achieve the ultimate limit for the miniaturization of electronic devices, but only when multiple transistors are intimately connected can they become useful. Roche et al. demonstrate the equivalent of just this, connecting two such transistors to build a two-atom electron pump.
- B. Roche
- , R.-P. Riwar
- & X. Jehl
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Controlling colloidal phase transitions with critical Casimir forces
Colloids consist of small particles distributed in another medium such as liquids or gases. Here, the demonstration that forces arising from the critical Casimir effect can control the interaction between particles offers new possibilities for the formation of colloidal nanostructures.
- Van Duc Nguyen
- , Suzanne Faber
- & Peter Schall
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Rational screening low-cost counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells
The main constraint on the large-scale use of platinum catalyst in energy-conversion devices is its cost. Hou et al.propose a screening strategy to search for non-platinum-based alternatives, which suggests that inexpensive and abundant ferric oxides exhibit comparable electrocatalytic activity to platinum.
- Yu Hou
- , Dong Wang
- & Hua Gui Yang
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Article
| Open AccessTuneable enhancement of the salt and thermal stability of polymeric micelles by cyclized amphiphiles
The cyclic structure of cell membrane lipids is known to allow thermophilic archaea to survive in extreme environments. Here, Honda et al.report an improvement in thermal and salt stability of self-assembled micelles by cyclized polymeric amphiphiles.
- Satoshi Honda
- , Takuya Yamamoto
- & Yasuyuki Tezuka
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Moderate doping leads to high performance of semiconductor/insulator polymer blend transistors
Blends of different polymer compounds are widely used for organic field-effect transistors. Here, Neher and colleagues show that moderate carrier doping is important to achieve maximum performance in blends of insulating and semiconducting polymers.
- Guanghao Lu
- , James Blakesley
- & Dieter Neher
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X-ray observation of a helium atom and placing a nitrogen atom inside He@C60 and He@C70
Helium has not, to date, been observed crystallographically. Here, the authors report the first crystallographic observation of a helium atom, encapsulated in a fullerene, and show that it exerts a small but detectable influence on the electronic structure of a coencapsulated nitrogen atom.
- Yuta Morinaka
- , Satoru Sato
- & Yasujiro Murata
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A hydrothermal anvil made of graphene nanobubbles on diamond
The hardness and incompressibility of diamond makes it an ideal material for high-pressure anvil cells. Here, a method for generating static pressure is described in which graphene-coated diamond is heated, forming graphene nanobubbles that trap water at pressures sufficient to etch the surface of diamond.
- Candy Haley Yi Xuan Lim
- , Anastassia Sorkin
- & Kian Ping Loh
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Substrate-mediated band-dispersion of adsorbate molecular states
Charge carrier mobility in molecular condensate is usually limited to small values by disorder and small intermolecular coupling. This work shows band dispersion of molecular states when hybridized with a metal substrate, resulting in enhanced carrier mobility.
- M. Wießner
- , J. Ziroff
- & F. Reinert
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Article
| Open AccessExcitation-dependent visible fluorescence in decameric nanoparticles with monoacylglycerol cluster chromophores
Organic fluorescent nanoparticles have potential biomaterials applications due to their low-toxicity and ‘green’ synthesis. Here, a series of self-assembled nanoparticles and polymers are synthesized with intense visible fluorescence stemming from chromophores of hydrogen-bonded monoacylglycerol clusters.
- Kwang-Ming Lee
- , Wan-Yin Cheng
- & Bi-Yun Lin
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Colloidal ribbons and rings from Janus magnetic rods
Materials with magnetic dipoles commonly form the building blocks of complex structures at many different length scales. Yan et al. show that by using cylindrical magnetic Janus colloids, greater control over the shape of the hierarchical structures formed by self-assembly can be achieved.
- Jing Yan
- , Kundan Chaudhary
- & Steve Granick
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Porous materials with pre-designed single-molecule traps for CO2 selective adsorption
The synthesis of porous materials designed with specific applications in mind is fundamentally challenging. Here, the authors fabricate single-molecule trap cavities designed for complimentary interactions with CO2 and show that these traps can be assembled into materials with high CO2selectivity.
- Jian-Rong Li
- , Jiamei Yu
- & Hong-Cai Zhou
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Influenza neuraminidase operates via a nucleophilic mechanism and can be targeted by covalent inhibitors
New influenza neuramidase inhibitors may increase preparedness against influenza outbreaks. Vavricka et al.confirm the catalytic mechanism of neuramidase and show that it can be inhibited irreversibly with covalent inhibitors.
- Christopher J. Vavricka
- , Yue Liu
- & George F. Gao
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Ion-association complexes unite classical and non-classical theories for the biomimetic nucleation of calcium phosphate
In many solution systems, nanometre-sized structural units are present before nucleation, but little is known about these pre-nucleation clusters. Habraken et al.show that, for the crystallization of calcium phosphate, these nanometre-sized units are calcium triphosphate complexes.
- Wouter J. E. M. Habraken
- , Jinhui Tao
- & Nico A. J. M. Sommerdijk
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Chemically programmed self-sorting of gelator networks
The fabrication self-sorting supramolecular gels, containing co-existing homomolecular assemblies with similar physical and chemical properties, is challenging. Here pH-controlled self-sorting gelators are reported, where the order of assembly of each component is predetermined by gelator pKa.
- Kyle L. Morris
- , Lin Chen
- & Dave J. Adams
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Organic topological insulators in organometallic lattices
Topological insulators are bulk insulators with conductive boundary states, and until now have been based only on inorganic materials. Wang et al.use first-principles calculations to predict a class of organic topological insulators based on organometallic lattices exhibiting robust topological edge states.
- Z.F Wang
- , Zheng Liu
- & Feng Liu
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Electrical power generation by mechanically modulating electrical double layers
Electricity can be generated by moving wires in magnetic fields, but this is not the only method. Moon et al. develop an electrochemical device that produces an AC current in a controlled manner by mechanically modulating water bridges sandwiched between two conducting plates.
- Jong Kyun Moon
- , Jaeki Jeong
- & Hyuk Kyu Pak
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Ground-state proton transfer in the photoswitching reactions of the fluorescent protein Dronpa
The ‘on’ and ‘off’ states of the photoswitchable protein Dronpa have been characterized, but the interconversion process remains poorly understood. Here the authors perform time-resolved ultrafast infrared measurements to follow both the structural changes and proton transfer events that occur during conversion.
- Mark M. Warren
- , Marius Kaucikas
- & Jasper J. van Thor
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Spatial separation of photogenerated electrons and holes among {010} and {110} crystal facets of BiVO4
Charge separation determines the efficiency of semiconductor-based photocatalysts. Here Li et al. show that, in BiVO4, photogenerated electrons and holes accumulate on different crystal facets and the targeted deposition of cocatalysts increases the efficiency of photocatalytic water oxidation.
- Rengui Li
- , Fuxiang Zhang
- & Can Li
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Engineering the architectural diversity of heterogeneous metallic nanocrystals
Engineering heterogeneous metallic nanocrystals could produce diverse materials with tunable properties. Here the authors develop a strategy for the rational and independent programming of each architecture-determining element, such as the shape, size and spatial relationship of the component nanocrystals.
- Yue Yu
- , Qingbo Zhang
- & Jim Yang Lee
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Electronic signature of the instantaneous asymmetry in the first coordination shell of liquid water
There are conflicting views about the symmetrical/asymmetrical nature of the hydrogen-bond network in water. This theoretical study reveals that water molecules in liquid form highly asymmetric hydrogen bonds and that this asymmetry relaxes rapidly towards an average symmetrical structure.
- Thomas D. Kühne
- & Rustam Z. Khaliullin
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A six-carbon 10π-electron aromatic system supported by group 3 metals
Aromaticity predicts the existence of the benzene tetra-anion, although it has not been unambiguously observed. Here, the authors have synthesized a tetra-anionic substituted benzene as a ligand and characterize the six-carbon, 10 π-electron system by structural, spectroscopic and theoretical techniques.
- Wenliang Huang
- , Florian Dulong
- & Paula L. Diaconescu
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Article
| Open AccessJanus graphene from asymmetric two-dimensional chemistry
Janus materials have distinct chemical functionalities on opposite faces. Zhang et al.report that a two-step covalent functionalisation and poly(methyl methacrylate)-mediated transfer process facilitates the synthesis of nonsymmetrically modified single-layer graphene.
- Liming Zhang
- , Jingwen Yu
- & Zhongfan Liu
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Solution-phase epitaxial growth of noble metal nanostructures on dispersible single-layer molybdenum disulfide nanosheets
The ‘wet’ chemical epitaxial growth of nanostructures on semiconducting surfaces is usually hindered by surface defects. Here, the authors show that large surface area single-layer molybdenum disulphide is an ideal substrate for epitaxial growth of a range of metallic nanoparticles.
- Xiao Huang
- , Zhiyuan Zeng
- & Hua Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessGlobally homochiral assembly of two-dimensional molecular networks triggered by co-absorbers
The construction of homochiral surfaces may play a significant role in applications including heterogeneous catalysis and bio-sensors. Here, globally homochiral two-dimensional assemblies of achiral molecules are formed via co-assembly with chiral co-adsorbers, demonstrating a ‘majority rules’ effect.
- Ting Chen
- , Wen-Hong Yang
- & Li-Jun Wan
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Unprecedented high-temperature CO2 selectivity in N2-phobic nanoporous covalent organic polymers
Porous materials are well studied for gas capture and separation technologies. Here, the authors report nitrogen-rich, nanoporous polymers, which display very high CO2/N2 selectivity with increasing temperature, which may be attributable to an entropically driven N2-phobicity effect.
- Hasmukh A. Patel
- , Sang Hyun Je
- & Ali Coskun
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Hydrogen bond-promoted metallic state in a purely organic single-component conductor under pressure
Purely organic materials are generally insulating and while charge-carrier generation can provide electrical conductivity, it is rare for single-component systems. Here, symmetric hydrogen bonding between tetrathiafulvalene-based molecules gives rise to room-temperature conductivity and low pressure metallic state transitions.
- Takayuki Isono
- , Hiromichi Kamo
- & Hatsumi Mori
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Probing the catalytic activity of porous graphene oxide and the origin of this behaviour
Graphene oxide has been proposed as an alternative to precious metals for the catalysis of aerobic oxidative reactions; however, high catalyst loadings are needed. Here a simple base and acid treatment is shown to enhance its catalytic activity for the oxidative coupling of amines under ambient conditions.
- Chenliang Su
- , Muge Acik
- & Kian Ping Loh
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Article
| Open AccessAbove-room-temperature ferroelectricity and antiferroelectricity in benzimidazoles
There are only a few known organic ferroelectrics, particularly ones that operate at high temperatures. Here the discovery of ferroelectricity above room temperature in members of an ubiquitous family of organic molecules reveals the possibility of novel low-cost electronic applications.
- Sachio Horiuchi
- , Fumitaka Kagawa
- & Yoshinori Tokura
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Article
| Open AccessBolaform surfactants with polyoxometalate head groups and their assembly into ultra-small monolayer membrane vesicles
Bolaform amphiphiles are surfactants with two hydrophilic end groups, known to form stable micelles. Polarz et al.have synthesized dipolar bolaform surfactants with polyoxometallate head groups, which have a very low self-organization concentration and form nanoscale monolayer vesicles.
- Steve Landsmann
- , Martin Luka
- & Sebastian Polarz
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Homo-coupling of terminal alkynes on a noble metal surface
Acetylenes can be covalently linked by oxidative coupling reactions. Zhanget al. report terminal alkyne Csp-H bond activation and concomitant homo-coupling on a silver surface, yielding polymeric networks with a conjugated backbone.
- Yi-Qi Zhang
- , Nenad Kepčija
- & Johannes V. Barth
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Article
| Open AccessExpansion–contraction of photoresponsive artificial muscle regulated by host–guest interactions
Polymer-based actuators, which deform in response to external stimuli, may advance the understanding of biological movement or realization of soft robotics. Here, Harada et al. report a photo-responsive supramolecular hydrogel that displays expansion–contraction abilities owing to host–guest interactions.
- Yoshinori Takashima
- , Shogo Hatanaka
- & Akira Harada
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Single-particle structure determination by correlations of snapshot X-ray diffraction patterns
Free-electron lasers enable diffractive imaging of single nanostructures, but algorithms, such as correlation analyses, are needed to determine their diffraction volume from accumulated data. Starodub et al.present such a method for X-ray diffractive imaging of nanometre-scale polystyrene dimers.
- D. Starodub
- , A. Aquila
- & M.J. Bogan
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Stretchable heterogeneous composites with extreme mechanical gradients
Heterogeneous composite materials, which are potentially useful for flexible electronics, are widespread in nature but synthetic examples are rare. Here, a site-specific hierarchical approach is used to fabricate composites with extreme local variations in elastic modulus and which are reversibly stretchable.
- Rafael Libanori
- , Randall M. Erb
- & André R. Studart
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Iron-catalysed transformation of molecular dinitrogen into silylamine under ambient conditions
The transition metal-catalysed reduction of nitrogen, vital for the production of fertilizer, usually requires expensive molybdenum catalysts. Here, Yuki et al.describe the iron-catalysed reduction of nitrogen under ambient conditions and propose a reaction pathway supported by DFT calculations.
- Masahiro Yuki
- , Hiromasa Tanaka
- & Yoshiaki Nishibayashi
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Biomimetic superelastic graphene-based cellular monoliths
The exploitation of the properties of graphene, such as mechanical strength and electrical conductivity, in deformable macroscopic materials is desirable. Here, a combination of graphene chemistry and ice physics is used to fabricate biomimetic, ultralight and superelastic graphene cellular monoliths.
- Ling Qiu
- , Jeffery Z. Liu
- & Dan Li
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Article |
Nanosecond white-light Laue diffraction measurements of dislocation microstructure in shock-compressed single-crystal copper
Intense lasers enable scientists to study the behaviour of matter under extreme pressures, but obtaining information about its atomic structure is challenging. In this work, Suggit et al. demonstrate the use of white-light X-ray diffraction to probe the structure of laser-shocked copper on nanosecond timescales.
- Matthew J. Suggit
- , Andrew Higginbotham
- & Justin S. Wark
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Article |
A seamless three-dimensional carbon nanotube graphene hybrid material
Graphene and single-walled carbon nanotubes have high electrical conductivities and large specific surface areas. Here, these properties are extended into three dimensions by producing a seamless carbon nanotube graphene hybrid material.
- Yu Zhu
- , Lei Li
- & James M. Tour
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Article
| Open AccessCarbon nanotube–liposome supramolecular nanotrains for intelligent molecular-transport systems
There is growing interest in the development of artificial molecular-transport systems. Miyakoet al. develop a supramolecular system consisting of carbon nanotubes and liposomes that allows the directional transport and controlled release of cargo molecules.
- Eijiro Miyako
- , Kenji Kono
- & Yoshihisa Hagihara
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Non-syngas direct steam reforming of methanol to hydrogen and carbon dioxide at low temperature
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are good potential power sources for mobile devices but require very pure H2 production at low temperatures. Yu et al. report the use of a CuZnGaOx catalyst capable of producing CO-free H2from methanol via a non-syngas direct steam-reforming route at 150–200 °C.
- Kai Man Kerry Yu
- , Weiyi Tong
- & Shik Chi Edman Tsang
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Scalable organocatalytic asymmetric Strecker reactions catalysed by a chiral cyanide generator
The Strecker synthesis is an established method for the production of α-amino acids. Here, a scalable catalytic asymmetric Strecker reaction is reported that allows one-pot synthesis of enantiomerically pure α-amino acids.
- Hailong Yan
- , Joong Suk Oh
- & Choong Eui Song
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