The latest research from Nature Materials October 2021

[Nature Materials]( [] Advertisement Recharge your lithium research Quantitative mapping of lithium in the scanning electron microscope is now possible. To learn how lithium can be revealed from the macro- to nano-scale, see our [Experiment Brief]( TABLE OF CONTENTS --------------------------------------------------------------- October 2021 Volume 20, Issue 10 [Current issue]( [Editorial](#_20_10-1) [News & Views](#_20_10-2) [Perspectives](#_20_10-3) [Review Articles](#_20_10-4) [Letters](#_20_10-5) [Articles](#_20_10-6) [Why it Matters](#_20_10-7) Advertisement [Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis] Discover continuous full-colour analysis even in motion AZtecLive Chemical Imaging delivers real-time chemical information while navigating your sample in the SEM. [Investigate your samples with speed and confidence today](. Advertisement [Nature Communications’ Top 50 Physics Papers]( In 2020, [Nature Communications]( published more than 6,400 papers and we are pleased to share with you the 50 most downloaded physics articles from last year. Featuring authors from around the world, these papers highlight valuable research from an international community. [Browse the Top 50 collection >>]( [Nature Communications]( [] Editorial [ ] [A stand out family]( doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01127-8 Research continues to showcase the versatility and application potential of perovskites, while our understanding of their structural and mechanical properties continues to improve. [] News & Views [ ] [The two faces of molten phosphorus]( Philip Ball doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01113-0 [ ] [Asymmetry in deformation]( D. C. Chrzan doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01107-y Amorphous silicon shows abnormal tension–compression asymmetry, with much higher tensile yield strength than compressive yield. This discovery advances our understanding of plasticity in this and other similar amorphous materials. [ ] [Supercurrents in a topological antiferromagnet]( Su-Yang Xu & Qiong Ma doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01100-5 The non-collinear spin structure and nontrivial Berry curvature of Mn3Ge give rise to a long-range supercurrent in superconductor–Mn3Ge–superconductor lateral Josephson junctions. [ ] [Kagome lattices with chiral charge density]( Erik van Heumen doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01095-z Scanning tunnelling microscopy experiments reveal a chiral charge density wave order underpinning the anomalous Hall effect in kagome lattice materials. Under pressure this charge order is suppressed, while superconductivity gets a boost. [ ] [Breaking thermoelectric performance limits]( Bo Brummerstedt Iversen doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01065-5 Through meticulous care for detail, researchers have now shattered the ceiling on thermoelectric performance, achieving a figure of merit above 3 for bulk SnSe polycrystalline powder. [ ] [A solution for two-dimensional hole gases]( Mario Caironi doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01078-0 Metallic behaviour from a two-dimensional hole gas has been observed in solution-processed organic crystals, giving hope for this state of matter to be used in next-generation large-area soft electronics. [ ] [A ‘Swiss army knife’ probe for metastatic cancers]( Matthew Bogyo doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01105-0 A nanosensor probe that combines a tumour-targeting peptide, a diagnostic reporter and an imaging contrast agent enables early diagnosis, precision imaging, disease stratification and downstream therapeutic response monitoring of metastatic cancer. Advertisement [Bio-Inspired Nanomaterials]( Biological systems continue to inspire researchers to create new materials, structures and devices. This conference aims to capture diverse bio-inspired perspectives from prominent researchers pushing the boundaries of materials science and technology based in structures seen in nature. This event is now hybrid! [conferences.nature.com/Nanomaterials]( [NConfererence]( [] Perspectives [ ] [Perovskite semiconductors for room-temperature exciton-polaritonics]( Rui Su, Antonio Fieramosca, Qing Zhang, Hai Son Nguyen, Emmanuelle Deleporte et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01035-x An outlook on the potential of lead-halide perovskites as a playground for exciton-polariton studies and for the development of polaritonic devices operating at room temperature is provided. [] Review Articles [ ] [Emerging perovskite monolayers]( Antonio Gaetano Ricciardulli, Sheng Yang, Jurgen H. Smet & Michael Saliba doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01029-9 Metal-halide and oxide perovskites are a rich playground for fundamental studies and applications. This Review focuses on the opportunities opened by reducing the dimensionality of these materials to two-dimensional monolayers. [ ] [Strain analysis and engineering in halide perovskite photovoltaics]( Dongtao Liu, Deying Luo, Affan N. Iqbal, Kieran W. P. Orr, Tiarnan A. S. Doherty et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01097-x This Review provides an outlook on current understanding of the role of strain on the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells, as well as on tools to characterize strain in halide perovskite films and on strain management strategies. [] Letters [ ] [A medium-range structure motif linking amorphous and crystalline states]( Si Lan, Li Zhu, Zhenduo Wu, Lin Gu, Qinghua Zhang et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01011-5 An intermediate cube phase with a medium-range order structure is identified in Pd-Ni-P metallic glass, which links the amorphous and crystalline phases. [ ] [Unconventional chiral charge order in kagome superconductor KV3Sb5]( Yu-Xiao Jiang, Jia-Xin Yin, M. Michael Denner, Nana Shumiya, Brenden R. Ortiz et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01034-y An unconventional chiral charge order is observed in a kagome superconductor by scanning tunnelling microscopy. This charge order has unusual magnetic tunability and intertwines with electronic topology. [ ] [Long-range supercurrents through a chiral non-collinear antiferromagnet in lateral Josephson junctions]( Kun-Rok Jeon, Binoy Krishna Hazra, Kyungjune Cho, Anirban Chakraborty, Jae-Chun Jeon et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01061-9 Long-range lateral Josephson supercurrents are observed in a chiral non-collinear antiferromagnet, indicating topologically generated triplet pairing states. [] Articles [ ] [Chiral-spin rotation of non-collinear antiferromagnet by spin–orbit torque]( Yutaro Takeuchi, Yuta Yamane, Ju-Young Yoon, Ryuichi Itoh, Butsurin Jinnai et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01005-3 Current-induced rotation in epitaxial films of the non-collinear antiferromagnet Mn3Sn is investigated. [ ] [Tension–compression asymmetry in amorphous silicon]( Yuecun Wang, Jun Ding, Zhao Fan, Lin Tian, Meng Li et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01017-z Submicrometre-sized amorphous silicon samples show an unusually large tensile strength relative to the compressive strength, which is due to the reduced shear modulus and the activation energy barrier for shear transformations under compression. [ ] [Polycrystalline SnSe with a thermoelectric figure of merit greater than the single crystal]( Chongjian Zhou, Yong Kyu Lee, Yuan Yu, Sejin Byun, Zhong-Zhen Luo et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01064-6 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. [ ] [Chemical vapour deposition of Fe–N–C oxygen reduction catalysts with full utilization of dense Fe–N4 sites]( Li Jiao, Jingkun Li, Lynne LaRochelle Richard, Qiang Sun, Thomas Stracensky et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01030-2 Replacing platinum with metal–nitrogen–carbon catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells has been impeded by low activity. These limitations have now been overcome by the trans-metalation of Zn–N4 sites into Fe–N4 sites. [ ] [Revealing the role of the cathode–electrolyte interface on solid-state batteries]( Beniamin Zahiri, Arghya Patra, Chadd Kiggins, Adrian Xiao Bin Yong, Elif Ertekin et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01016-0 Interfaces play crucial, but still poorly understood, roles in the performance of secondary solid-state batteries. Using crystallographically oriented and highly faceted thick cathodes, the impact of cathode crystallography and morphology on long-term performance is investigated. [ ] [Two-dimensional hole gas in organic semiconductors]( Naotaka Kasuya, Junto Tsurumi, Toshihiro Okamoto, Shun Watanabe & Jun Takeya doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01074-4 A two-dimensional hole gas with high carrier density is confined at the interface between a solution-processed, single-crystalline organic semiconducting film and the electric double layer formed by an ion gel on top of the film. [ ] [Band gap engineering in blended organic semiconductor films based on dielectric interactions]( Katrin Ortstein, Sebastian Hutsch, Mike Hambsch, Kristofer Tvingstedt, Berthold Wegner et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01025-z Changes in dielectric constant due to intimate mixing of thiophene molecules with different gaps between ionization energy and electron affinity induce gap variations at the single-particle level, finely tunable by controlling the mixture ratio. [ ] [Quantifying charge carrier localization in chemically doped semiconducting polymers]( Shawn A. Gregory, Riley Hanus, Amalie Atassi, Joshua M. Rinehart, Jamie P. Wooding et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01008-0 A model describing the behaviour of charge carriers in semiconducting polymers both in the hopping-like and metal-like regimes is developed, and used to quantify charge carrier localization and other transport parameters in organic semiconductors. [ ] [Computational prediction of the molecular configuration of three-dimensional network polymers]( Lies De Keer, Karsu I. Kilic, Paul H. M. Van Steenberge, Lode Daelemans, Daniel Kodura et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01040-0 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. [ ] [Fast crystal growth at ultra-low temperatures]( Qiong Gao, Jingdong Ai, Shixiang Tang, Minhuan Li, Yanshuang Chen et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-00993-6 Charged colloidal systems undergo fast crystallization under deep supercooling due to a coupled mechanism involving the discrete advancement of the crystal growth front and defect repair inside the recently formed solid phase. [ ] [Microenvironment-triggered multimodal precision diagnostics]( Liangliang Hao, Nazanin Rohani, Renee T. Zhao, Emilia M. Pulver, Howard Mak et al. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01042-y 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. [] Why it Matters [ ] [Quantum engineers in high demand]( Gabriele Rainò, Lukas Novotny & Martin Frimmer doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01080-6 Gabriele Rainò, Lukas Novotny and Martin Frimmer discuss the approach they are pursuing at ETH Zürich to provide students with an education in quantum engineering. Advertisement 2020 Peer Review Metrics The Communications Chemistry team are pleased to announce their 2020 metrics, which now include a first Impact Factor of 6.581. The journal also has an Article Influence Score of 1.687 and an Immediacy Index of 1.197. The team thank their authors, reviewers and readers for their continued support. *2020 Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate Analytics, 2021) [Submit your research >>]( [CommChemistry]( [nature events]( Natureevents is a fully searchable, multi-disciplinary database designed to maximise exposure for events organisers. The contents of the Natureevents Directory are now live. The digital version is available [here](. Find the latest scientific conferences, courses, meetings and symposia on [natureevents.com](. For event advertising opportunities across the Nature Publishing Group portfolio please contact natureevents@nature.com [More Nature Events]( This email has been sent to {EMAIL}. If you no longer wish to receive the email alerts from Nature Materials [click here to unsubscribe](. If you wish to discontinue all email services from Nature Research please [click here to unsubscribe](. Visit [Nature Support]( for answers to our most frequently asked questions. For technical assistance please contact our [Online Service Team](mailto:onlineservice@springernature.com) and for all other enquiries including print subscriptions please contact [Customer Service](mailto:customerservice@springernature.com). Macmillan Publishers Limited is a company incorporated in England & Wales under company number 785998 & whose registered office is located at The Campus, 4 Crinan Street, London, N1 9XW. Nature Research | One New York Plaza, Suite 4500 | New York | NY 10004-1562 | USA Nature is part of Springer Nature. © 2021 Springer Nature Limited. All rights reserved. [Springer Nature]