Abstract not available

Water interactions with materials can dramatically change their properties, but the solute material also changes the properties of water. Here, a Solvation Shell-Liquid Solvate (SSLS) model is presented that provides a molecular-based description of water interacting with sucrose and cellulose for which multiple types of water are identified. Bound water most significantly changes the specific material’s

It is clear that AI will have a key role in scientific discovery. What is less clear is the relationship (and balance) between AI and human contributions. Here, Geoffrey Ozin, Distinguished University Professor at the University of Toronto and pioneer in the area of nanochemistry, whose career saw the emergence of computational tools and digital approaches complement traditional hands-on boots-in-the-lab

A soft, hermetic liquid metal-based seal is developed to encapsulate electrical components in stretchable systems. The packaging material allows stretchability and prevents the permeation of reactive substances both inside and outside the liquid metal-based seal. Electrical performance of stretchable components in a water-based lithium-ion battery with and without the liquid-metal-based seal is well

Designing more intelligent bio-inspired soft robots to effectively convert output stimulus into controllable and programmable deformations and motions is highly desirable. This Preview reviews the recent breakthroughs in biomimetic multi-organisms that achieve soft climbing robots with intelligent locomotion.

Materials acceleration platforms (MAPs) combine automation and artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery of molecules and materials. They have potential to play a role in addressing complex societal problems such as climate change. Solar chemicals and fuels generation via heterogeneous CO2 photo(thermal)catalysis is a relatively unexplored process that holds potential for contributing toward

Abstract not available

The field of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) faces a long road ahead to increase diversity in its academic workforce and student body. Here, we describe the framework and program outcomes for the Materials Initiative for Comprehensive Research Opportunity (MICRO), an online undergraduate research and education program in MSE for minoritized students across the United States. We demonstrate

Just because an intercalated atom can squeeze into a host material doesn’t mean the resulting properties are as anticipated or desired—strain and distortion of the host material during intercalation complicates prediction. Here, a recent study by Banerjee and colleagues at Texas A&M University is highlighted, introducing protecting groups that enable specific site-selection for precision intercalation

A sprinkling of dust may not give flight to its target like fictional characters, but with the right balance of elastic and cohesive interactions, a flexible sheet will bend and warp, enveloping granular matter on contact. In this issue of Matter, Guerra and Holmes explore a mechanism that is a new “twist” on classic approaches that deform elastic sheets into wrinkled or crumpled membranes.

Employing organic long-persistent luminescence emitters in efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) has been highly desired. In this issue of Matter, Su et al. develop a dimer that exhibits long-lived thermally activated delayed fluorescence, enabling an efficient afterglow OLED with an external efficiency of 14.7%.

Effective integration of biomedical implants requires understanding and control of interactions between cells and the implant surface. High-throughput screening and modeling can identify properties that elicit desired cell behaviors and reveal patterns to underpin the future development of general design rules. Recently in Matter, Vassey et al. developed the ChemoArchiChip to investigate effects of

Chronic wounds are a major challenge to public health around the world and place an enormous financial burden on the government of every nation. Wound dressings that can facilitate wound healing have long been investigated. Based on the pathological characteristics of chronic wounds, in a recent issue of Matter, Zhao and colleagues reported a novel hydrogel scaffold using 3D bioprinting technology

For practical applications, perovskite photovoltaics must deal with stability issues to endure temperature variations because of the phase transition tendency under thermal lattice strain. In recent work published in Science, an ordered dipolar polymer β-poly(1,1-difluoroethylene) was adopted to coat perovskite crystalline grains and align energy levels to endure temperature variations of p-i-n perovskite

Poly[n]catenanes exhibit intriguing properties, while their synthesis is the primary challenge to explore their widespread applications. In a recent issue of Nat. Synth., Yaghi and co-workers report the synthesis of a series of three-dimensional [∞]catenane frameworks from reticular chemistry.

In a recent study published in ACS Materials Letters, Lin and colleagues reported a compositionally complex superionic conductor, Li6.5[P0.25Si0.25Ge0.25Sb0.25]S5I, for solid-state battery applications. This (multi-cation substituted) argyrodite-based electrolyte material has a configurational entropy greater than 1.5 R and was found to exhibit high ionic conductivity at room temperature (∼13 mS/cm)

In the pursuit of next-generation energy storage systems, solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) that can match both high-voltage cathodes and lithium metal anodes have attracted considerable attention in both industry and academia due to their high-energy density, enhanced safety, and cycle-life benefits. However, SSLMBs suffer from severe degradation of solid electrolytes (SEs) along with the