Themed collection 2025 Highlight article collection

This review examines magneto-chiral dichroism (MChD) in 3d–4f complexes, where chirality couples with magnetism. Synergistic 3d/4f design boosts MChD for chiral spintronics and quantum tech, guided by rational synthesis and theory.

Benzothienobenzothiophene (BTBT) derivatives have been widely studied as excellent organic transistors. In recent years, BTBT derivatives have begun to be used for applications other than transistors and this paper will highlight these applications.

Lattice engineering precisely tunes lattice parameters and electronic states, optimizing intermediate adsorption and enhancing catalytic performance.

Flow-driven systems enable precise control of inorganic crystal nucleation, polymorph selection, and self-organization, creating tunable crystalline architectures under far-from-equilibrium conditions.

This highlight examines the application of diffusion-assisted synthesis in the generation of crystalline materials, including inorganic crystals, gold nanoparticles, and metal–organic frameworks.

This perspective highlights the need for an inclusive regulatory definition and touches upon some fundamental crystal-engineering aspects and considerations useful for the design and development of pharmaceutical co-crystals.

In this review, the synthetic strategies, magnetic properties and magnetic relaxation mechanism of the Dy^III-containing single-ion magnets or single-molecule magnets have been discussed from an electrostatic perspective.

This review covers recent advances in five-coordinate Co^II SIMs with trigonal bipyramidal and square pyramidal geometries, showing how these geometries influence magnetic anisotropy and magnetization dynamics.

The chalcogen atom Ch (O, S, Se or Te) replacement at element–Ch⋯nucleophile has a significant impact on the strength and directionality of chalcogen bonding.

Crystal engineering and chemistry can contribute effectively to Cultural Heritage preservation.

Electrocatalytic hydrogen production's efficiency is limited by the electrode–electrolyte interface. This review highlights how manipulating interfacial water structure enhances performance, discussing strategies like chemical modification and field regulation to optimize catalysis.

Metal halide hybrid materials exhibit significant potential in optoelectronics owing to their tunable band structures, high photoluminescence quantum yields, and structural diversity with tunable topologies.

Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2Is) are used to manage diabetes mellitus type 2. This drug class suffers from poor physicochemical properties, which can be modulated through multicomponent solid state approach.

This review summarizes the synthesis, structure, stability, and hydrogen bonding of MgCO₃·3H₂O nesquehonite, highlighting experimental and theoretical insights into its properties, phase behavior, and potential applications.

Tetrahedral Fe(II)-based metal–organic cages represent a distinctive family of spin crossover materials that display tunable magnetic bistability in the solid state under thermal, chemical or photonic stimuli.

This review dissects structural engineering strategies for hierarchical MOFs/derivatives, evaluating their electrochemical energy storage performance as advanced electrodes, and critically assesses future design opportunities and challenges.

Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) is being increasingly recognized as a critical intermediate step in non-classical crystallization pathways, representing a paradigm shift from early descriptions invoking single-step nucleation.

Integration of ionic liquids (ILs) in the crystal engineering domain has a promising role in sustainable drug development and offers diverse pharmaceutical solid forms with improved physicochemical properties.

This review outlines the recent research on organic charge transfer cocrystals for photoluminescence, including the cocrystal growth, photoluminescence mechanism, property tuning and future challenges and opportunities.

Developments in the discovery of a rare-earth cluster-based metal–organic framework (MOF) named RE-UiO-66 and its structural analogues.

Co-crystals offer a promising strategy to create drug constructs for which the pharmacokinetic properties of an active pharmaceutical ingredient can be improved without compromising its pharmacological effectiveness.

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) thin films of controlled thickness and area can be formed under a cathodic working electrode, showcasing a simple means of direct fabrication of thin metal–organic framework (MOF) films on various substrates.

This review highlights the recent advances in boron nitride (BN) nanomaterials, including their synthesis methods and multifaceted applications in various sectors such as energy storage, battery, gas sensing, and environmental monitoring.

Protein nucleation is sensitive to the presence of interfaces, which can be engineered to control the attributes of protein crystals, i.e., size and form, improve process reproducibility, and shorten nucleation time.

A paper summarizing the current major advances in the epitaxy of various semiconductor films on two-dimensional (2D) materials. 2D materials can enhance the freedom of epitaxy and expand the application areas of semiconductor films.

This highlight reviews the latest advances in the preparation of uniform films through magnetron sputtering. It provides a detailed discussion on the effects, characterizations, influence factors and optimization of film thickness and uniformity.

This review delves into isomerism observed in atomically precise nanoclusters within well-defined Au, Ag, and Cu-rich systems. It highlights how even minor variations in their atomic ordering affect symmetry, electronics, and crystal morphology.

Crystal packing and optoelectronic properties of DCV- and TCV-functionalized oligothiophenes are governed by molecular design and key intra/intermolecular interactions such as CN⋯S contacts and rare syn S⋯S conformations.

Shaping-induced strain, termed as the consolidation factor, critically stabilizes desired ceramic phases by restricting grain growth, thereby ensuring enhanced phase purity and performance across doped and undoped systems.

RE complexes: steric/electronic ligands tune geometry; O/N-donors boost luminescence; POM frameworks enable photocatalysis; C–O ligands yield thermoresponse. Multifunctional materials for energy/quantum tech.

This highlight presents advances in computational studies for epitaxial crystal growth of nitride semiconductors, showcasing case studies that reveal realistic reconstructions of GaN(0001) and AlN(0001) surfaces.

This review presents an overview of recent advances in the use of deep eutectic solvents for crystallization, including their roles in regulating polymorphism, crystal habit and cocrystal formation.

This highlight concisely overviews how porous materials achieve multiple synergistic mechanisms through structural features to optimize their performance in organic dye removal and selective separation processes.

This highlight article presents surface-engineered ceria additives for fuel cells to mitigate radical-induced degradation and improve durability.

The development of heavy metal ion sensors based on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has enabled effective detection through fluorescence quenching/enhancement, electrochemical sensing, and colorimetric methods, despite many existing challenges.

Dynamic molecular crystals exhibit multiple responses besides photomechanical motions, which are suitable for future multitasking actuation and switches under various conditions.

Fabrication of nanocrystal thin films through wet chemical processes and their resulting functional properties are explored. Special attention is given to the dimensionality of pre-formed nanocrystals spanning 0D, 1D and 2D, and its influence on the resulting films.

The solid form of an API depends on its thermodynamic stability and kinetic persistence. It is therefore important to understand its phase behaviour symbolised by the ternary phase diagram, but also the kinetics of possible phase transformations.

The two-electron multicentre (2e/mc) bond or pancake bond, a weak π-bond occurring between planar π-based organic radicals, is described and discussed.

We show that analysis including first-order thermal diffuse scattering (TDS) improves the accuracy of atomic displacement parameters (ADPs) of Al and Ag₈SnSe₆ determined by Rietveld analysis.

Many copper chalcogenides disobey oxidation state formalism and demonstrate p-type conductivity and Pauli paramagnetism despite covalent bonding. Crystal structures and electronic features of these compounds are analyzed.

The quantitative analyses of molecular mutual positions in a range of brickwork crystal structures of methylchalocogenolated (hetero)arenes gave us a hint to understand the key features of the system for designing better molecular semiconductors and the crystal structures.

This highlight provides an overview of the research progress in photonic crystal microparticles with multiple stopbands.

The GaN/TiO₂ heterostructure can enhance the separation efficiency of photogenerated charge. The doping of In improves the transfer ability of photogenerated charge. So, GaN/In-TiO₂ shows increased PEC properties compared with GaN/u-TiO₂.

The subcomponent self-assembly approach for molecular cages had been summarized. Mass spectrometry technology is promising for analyzing the solution behavior and monitoring the formation process of such sophisticated aggregations.

This review highlights structural engineering advances in POMs/zeolite and POMs/silica composites, including synthesis methods (in situ encapsulation, impregnation, sol–gel, and surface functionalization) and several representative composites.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are hybrid organic–inorganic porous materials composed of metal cations and polydentate organic ligands, forming high porosity and surface areas modular architectures, which could be applied for hydrogen technologies.

MOFs enhance biomedical test strips with high sensitivity, selectivity, and eco-friendliness via porous, tunable structures. Their luminescent and catalytic properties enable precise biomarker detection, advancing rapid and reliable point-of-care diagnostics.

Can computational spectroscopy predict the crystal structure of experimentally challenging systems?

Three growth methods for large organic semiconductors are summarized, characterization methods and applications in long persistent luminescence, nonlinear optics, and X-ray imaging.

Recent advancements of mononuclear dysprosium-based single-molecule magnets, and the strategies to said advancements, are highlighted within this article.

This review focuses on the multifaceted mechanisms of ionic liquids in protein crystallization and systematically summarizes the research progress in this field in recent years.

We highlight that the intrinsic electrical conductivity of MOFs with identical metal–ligand combinations follows the order 1D > 2D > 3D. This will lead to the formation of new 1D MOFs that can surpass the conductivity of 2D MOFs.

Summarizing the strategies for enhancing EQE and T₅₀ of high-performance perovskite LEDs.

Summary of a variety of characterization techniques to research into the coking behaviour of zeolites, covering the origins, formation processes, types of cokes and their effects on zeolites.

This highlight explores the diverse applications of AIE-MOF/COF materials, particularly in optoelectronic devices, sensing, biomedicine, and catalysis, with a focus on recent advancements in luminescence properties and multifunctional applications.

Metal halide double perovskites offer structural tunability, low toxicity, and promising optoelectronic properties. This review summarizes recent advances and key challenges in their design, carrier dynamics, and device applications.

Thin-film growth in II–IV semiconductors: a review based on atomistic simulations.

Ionic liquids construct zeolites with their unique properties, serving as solvents, structure-directing agents, porogens, and post-synthetic modifiers. This approach is reshaping zeolite synthesis and enabling the creation of new frameworks. Graphical abstract image generated with AI.

This review explores the synthesis, properties, and applications of Nb-based MXenes in energy storage, electrocatalysis, hydrogen evolution, EMI shielding, sensing, and biomedicine.

This highlight summarises recent research work done in the field of anion recognition chemistry, with a focus on designing artificial receptors for encapsulating anion–water clusters.

Invisible luminescence materials have attracted considerable attention due to their versatile applications in sterilization, photocatalysis, plant growth, night vision, and laser technology.

This highlight article presents a mosaic assembling the achievements of computational modeling of the impact of dynamic disorder in molecular crystals on the performance of organic barocaloric, pharmaceutical or semiconductor materials.

Advancement on the molecular beam epitaxy of AlGaN nanowires is discussed with a focus on the effect of system layout, through which it aims to spark new thinking on how the system layout – a less discussed topic – affects the material properties.

Thiazolothiazole-based MOFs offer a versatile platform for multifunctionality. This highlight reviews ligand design, synthesis methods, applications, challenges, and future trends.

Phase selection, and thus porosity, in aluminiumsilicate zeolites is driven by competition between water and framework elements to coordinate with extra-framework cations.

Crystal habit modification of salt crystals has been a fascinating area of research for decades.

The process of producing a nanosized cocrystal employing two or more components that possess hydrogen bonds, pi–pi stacking, and van der Waals interactions is known as nanococrystallization.

This work presents a data-driven framework that integrates HT computations and ML to accelerate materials discovery, enabling efficient feature extraction, structure–property analysis, and performance prediction for various applications.

Biominerals form via organic–inorganic interactions, but their molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Solution NMR with dispersive mineral particles enables conformational analysis, providing insights for biomimetic mineral synthesis.