Mechanical non-reciprocity, manifested as asymmetric responses to opposing mechanical stimuli, has traditionally been achieved through intricate structural nonlinearities in metamaterials. However, continuum solids with inherent non-reciprocal mechanics remain underexplored, despite their potential in applications such as wave guiding, robotics and adaptive materials. Here we engineer non-reciprocal

Room-temperature shallow defect spin qubits acting as a quantum sensor with favourable properties towards the biological environment are sought after, with promising impacts on bioimaging, radical detection and nanoscale nuclear spin sensing. Here we show that alkene-terminated silicon carbide hosting divacancy qubits located a few nanometres below the surface leads to a stable operation with superior

Matrix stiffness and the corresponding mechanosignalling play indispensable roles in cellular phenotypes and functions. How tissue stiffness influences the behaviour of monocytes, a major circulating leukocyte of the innate system, and how it may promote the emergence of collective cell behaviour is less understood. Here we show that human primary monocytes, uniquely among key immune cells, undergo

Hybrid integrated quantum photonics offers a scalable route to chip-based quantum networks by combining solid-state quantum dots (QDs) with low-loss and reconfigurable photonic circuits. However, limited integration scalability, spectral inhomogeneity of QD emissions and the challenge of achieving quantum interference between independent sources have impeded progress towards this goal. Here we demonstrate

Ionic transport within porous carbon electrodes is crucial for optimizing charge and discharge rates in supercapacitors, yet the material properties governing ion dynamics remain poorly understood. Unlike the traditional viewpoint, here we find that mesoporosity does not necessarily correlate with a high supercapacitor rate capability. We employed pulsed-field-gradient nuclear magnetic resonance to

Achieving the efficient integration and synergy of multi-component polymers is an effective approach for the development of new polymer materials and breakthroughs in performance. However, there are still considerable challenges in achieving molecular-level integration of multi-component polymers. Here we report polymer chain entanglement through asymmetric entangled nodes, inspired by macroscopic

The relationship between changes in the macroscopic dimensions of a solid and its environmental conditions such as temperature or pressure can be rationalized at the molecular level. The controllable conversion of such external stimuli to mechanical energy can be exploited to construct mechanical or electromechanical devices, which are sometimes required to operate in extreme environments. Here we

Immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors are effective in treating several advanced cancers, but these treatments have had limited success in metastatic ovarian cancer. Here we engineered liposomal nanoparticles carrying a poly-ʟ-arginine/poly-ʟ-glutamate coating that promotes their binding and retention on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. Covalent anchoring of the potent immunostimulatory

Cell-based cancer immunotherapy holds potential as a therapeutic approach, yet its application for solid tumour treatment remains challenging. Here we report a focused-ultrasound-based approach that mechanically induces the localized expression of CD19 antigen within a subpopulation of cells within solid tumours, which function as local ‘training centres’ to activate chimeric antigen receptor T cells

The coexistence of structural polarity and magnetism within a single material can give rise to coupled electromagnetic states, such as those observed in multiferroics. Unlike widely studied insulating polar materials, polar magnetic metals host unique coupling among their symmetry-breaking lattice distortions, spin order and intrinsic conductivity, offering a unique platform for emergent magnetotransport

Numerous attempts have been made to emulate the skin’s multimodal capabilities using different device architectures, but most suffer from slow response due to reactive components and limited scalability from stacking multiple elements, which restricts their practical use. Here we report a multimodal receptor based on a single memristive nanowire network that captures both thermal and mechanical properties

Dual-atom catalysts (DACs) exhibit high catalytic activity and metal utilization, alongside structural diversity with a wide range of catalytic site configurations. These features position DACs as promising candidates for energy conversion technologies. However, the precise control over atomic dispersion, pairing ratios and interatomic distances—which critically influence their multifunctional catalytic

Efficient wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells have pushed tandem efficiencies to 34.9%, reinforcing their promise for next-generation photovoltaics. However, their commercial adoption is hindered by stability issues of wide-bandgap perovskites, especially under high-temperature maximum power point tracking conditions. Here we report the stabilization of ~1.7-eV wide-bandgap perovskites via intermediate

Frustration of long-range order via lattice geometry amplifies fluctuations and generates ground states that are highly sensitive to perturbations. Traditionally, geometric frustration is used to engineer unconventional magnetic states; however, the charge degree of freedom and bond order can be similarly frustrated. Finding materials that host both frustrated magnetic and bond networks holds promise

The assembly of strong graphene into high-performance macroscopic materials has attracted great interest and sustained attention. Thermal treatment has proven effective in improving the performance by restoring pristine graphene lattice from defective graphene oxide. However, the mechanical performance of graphene fibres remains inferior to that of single-layer pristine graphene, primarily due to assembly-induced

Zeolites are a class of porous crystalline silicate-based materials with applications such as catalysis and separation. Zeolite intergrowths can have superior performance compared with conventional single-phase zeolites in these applications. This study develops a computational workflow to evaluate ~1.03 trillion atomistic structures to identify promising zeolite intergrowths through geometrical analysis

Elastic seals safeguard stretchable electronics from reactive species in the surrounding environment. However, elastic contact with device modules and the intrinsic small-molecule permeability of elastomers limit the hermeticity of devices. Here we present a viscoplastic surface effect in polymeric elastomers for deriving sealing platforms with high hermeticity and large stretchability, made possible

Iron redox cycling between low-valent oxidation states of FeII and FeIII drives crucial processes in nature. The FeII/III redox couple charge compensates the cycling of lithium iron phosphate, a positive electrode (cathode) for lithium-ion batteries. High-valent iron redox couples, involving formal oxidation higher than FeIII, could deliver higher electrochemical potentials and energy densities. However

We report a method for promoting electrochemical stability in garnet Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 solid-state electrolyte based on a composite two-phase oxide–oxide microstructure. Grain boundary precipitation of the controlled distribution of amorphous zirconium oxide microparticles is achieved through the addition of reactive tantalum carbide. During ambient-atmosphere sintering, the carbide decomposes

Subnanoscale (<2 nm) high-entropy alloys (SHEAs) have garnered increasing attention for their unique physicochemical properties that enable high catalytic performance. However, this potential is offset by reduced stability, a characteristic typically associated with high-entropy alloys, due to their high reactivity at this scale. Here we circumvent this obstacle by using the localized surface plasmon

Rolling two-dimensional materials into one-dimensional nanoscrolls introduces curvature, chirality and symmetry breaking, enabling emergent properties. Conventional methods relying on external driving forces, however, exhibit poor control, low yield and limited reproducibility. Here we report spontaneous scrolling in polar van der Waals materials via an electrochemical intercalation/exfoliation process

Understanding how light modifies long-range order in quantum materials is key to improving our ability to control functionality. However, this is challenging if the response is heterogeneous. Here we address the most common form of light-induced heterogeneity—surface melting—and measure the dynamics of orbital order in the layered manganite La0.5Sr1.5MnO4. We isolate the surface dynamics from the bulk

Various metastable ice phases and their complicated transition pathways have been found by pressurization at low temperatures at which slow kinetics and high metastability are easily achieved. By contrast, such diversity is less expected at room or elevated temperatures. Here, using a combination of a dynamic diamond anvil cell and X-ray free electron laser techniques, we demonstrate that supercompressed