Themed collection Focus article collection

46 items
Focus

Towards an information-based theory of structure

Extracopularity is a local structural phenomenon characterised by the occurrence of fewer different bond angles than combinatorially possible.

Graphical abstract: Towards an information-based theory of structure
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Nanoscience and nanotechnology for water remediation: an earnest hope toward sustainability

Contextualising the promise of nanoscience and nanotechnology for water pollution remediation.

Graphical abstract: Nanoscience and nanotechnology for water remediation: an earnest hope toward sustainability
From the themed collection: Recent Review Articles
Focus

Dual-ion conductors: from liquid to solid

This focus article primarily discusses solid dual-ion conductors, summarizes the design principles for building solid dual-ion conductors, and anticipates several potential applications based on their functional characteristics.

Graphical abstract: Dual-ion conductors: from liquid to solid
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy in drug delivery: a roadmap for correct characterization of nanoparticles and interpretation of results

In this focus article, we provide a scrutinizing analysis of transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering as the two common methods to study the sizes of nanoparticles with focus on the application in pharmaceutics and drug delivery.

Graphical abstract: Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy in drug delivery: a roadmap for correct characterization of nanoparticles and interpretation of results
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Bimetallic core–shell nanocrystals: opportunities and challenges

We present an overview of the opportunities provided by bimetallic core–shell nanocrystals, followed by a discussion of the challenges and promising solutions regarding the elucidation of the true surface composition and its dynamics.

Graphical abstract: Bimetallic core–shell nanocrystals: opportunities and challenges
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Ionic and electronic energy diagrams for hybrid perovskite solar cells

Generalized energy diagrams facilitate the understanding of the ionic and electronic charge carrier equilibrium in the bulk and at interfaces of devices based on mixed conductors, such as hybrid perovskite solar cells.

Graphical abstract: Ionic and electronic energy diagrams for hybrid perovskite solar cells
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Organic building blocks at inorganic nanomaterial interfaces

Inorganic–organic interfaces: a tutorial on using organic functional groups to enhance the performances and/or enable new functionality of inorganic nanomaterials.

Graphical abstract: Organic building blocks at inorganic nanomaterial interfaces
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Engineering of flat bands and Dirac bands in two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs): relationships among molecular orbital symmetry, lattice symmetry, and electronic-structure characteristics

An effective framework for the band engineering in 2D covalent organic frameworks is revealed by describing the fundamental relationships among the electronic structures, the lattice symmetries, and the frontier molecular orbitals of building units.

Graphical abstract: Engineering of flat bands and Dirac bands in two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs): relationships among molecular orbital symmetry, lattice symmetry, and electronic-structure characteristics
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Scattering techniques for mixed donor–acceptor characterization in organic photovoltaics

The effects of mixing in organic photovoltaics are unclear partly due to challenges in characterization. X-Ray and neutron scattering techniques have been successful in quantifying mixing but meet new challenges with emerging non-fullerene systems.

Graphical abstract: Scattering techniques for mixed donor–acceptor characterization in organic photovoltaics
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Plasmons: untangling the classical, experimental, and quantum mechanical definitions

Plasmons have been widely studied over the past several decades because of their ability to strongly absorb light and localize its electric field on the nanoscale, leading to applications in spectroscopy, biosensing, and solar energy storage.

Graphical abstract: Plasmons: untangling the classical, experimental, and quantum mechanical definitions
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Electronic properties of metal halide perovskites and their interfaces: the basics

Metal halide perovskites exhibit complex electronic properties. The presently identified fundamental concepts and phenomena governing the electronic behavior of this material class are addressed in this article.

Graphical abstract: Electronic properties of metal halide perovskites and their interfaces: the basics
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Structural complexity in Prussian blue analogues

We survey the most important kinds of structural complexity in Prussian blue analogues and their implications for materials function. In particular, we explore the challenges for K2Mn[Fe(CN)6], the leading cathode material for K-ion batteries.

Graphical abstract: Structural complexity in Prussian blue analogues
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Atomic vibration as an indicator of the propensity for configurational rearrangements in metallic glasses

Vibrational parameters fare better in correlating with local properties than purely static structural parameters.

Graphical abstract: Atomic vibration as an indicator of the propensity for configurational rearrangements in metallic glasses
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Nanoarchitectonics: what's coming next after nanotechnology?

The nanoarchitectonics concept has the ability to bridge nanoscale science and visual size materials. The final goal of nanoarchitectonics approaches is the creation of living-creature-like functional material systems from simple nanoscale objects.

Graphical abstract: Nanoarchitectonics: what's coming next after nanotechnology?
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Technology progress on quantum dot light-emitting diodes for next-generation displays

This article focuses on state-of-the-art technologies used in the research on materials, devices and processes to achieve high-performance QD-LEDs.

Graphical abstract: Technology progress on quantum dot light-emitting diodes for next-generation displays
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Are two-dimensional materials radiation tolerant?

Due to their low weight, small size and low power consumption, two-dimensional materials are expected to be used in space applications. This brings about the issue of their radiation hardness, which is briefly discussed in this article.

Graphical abstract: Are two-dimensional materials radiation tolerant?
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

A structural chemistry look at composites recycling

Composite materials, especially carbon fiber-reinforced polymers, are a class of structural materials now commonly used in aircraft, marine, and other applications, with emerging large-scale use in the automotive and civil engineering applications.

Graphical abstract: A structural chemistry look at composites recycling
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Ultrasmall Au nanoclusters for bioanalytical and biomedical applications: the undisclosed and neglected roles of ligands in determining the nanoclusters' catalytic activities

The structure and biocatalytic activities of Au NCs are discussed from the perspective of the ligands, with particular emphasis on the exploration of the undisclosed and neglected roles of shell ligands in the biocatalytic activities of Au NCs.

Graphical abstract: Ultrasmall Au nanoclusters for bioanalytical and biomedical applications: the undisclosed and neglected roles of ligands in determining the nanoclusters' catalytic activities
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Hollow multishelled structures revive high energy density batteries

This Focus article clarifies that hollow multishelled structure-based electrode is indispensable to realize practically high energy density of rechargeable batteries.

Graphical abstract: Hollow multishelled structures revive high energy density batteries
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Good or evil: what is the role of water in crystallization of organometal halide perovskites?

Water modulates the nucleation, growth and stability of halide perovskites, which can be rationally controlled.

Graphical abstract: Good or evil: what is the role of water in crystallization of organometal halide perovskites?
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Alloy scattering of phonons

Solid-solution alloy scattering of phonons is a demonstrated mechanism to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity.

Graphical abstract: Alloy scattering of phonons
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Thermally assisted delayed fluorescence (TADF): fluorescence delayed is fluorescence denied

Thermally assisted delayed fluorescence (TADF) allows for efficient collection of both singlet and triplet excitons with both emitting through the singlet channel.  TADF opens the door to photo- and electroluminescence efficiencies close to 100%.

Graphical abstract: Thermally assisted delayed fluorescence (TADF): fluorescence delayed is fluorescence denied
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Single atom catalysts: a surface heterocompound perspective

Evolution of heterogeneous catalysts with steady down-sizing: from small particles, clusters, dots to single atoms, and now the “surface heterocompound”.

Graphical abstract: Single atom catalysts: a surface heterocompound perspective
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Materials science based on synthetic polysaccharides

Automated Glycan Assembly produces well-defined oligosaccharides for detailed structural characterization. These glycans can assemble into supramolecular materials with different morphologies.

Graphical abstract: Materials science based on synthetic polysaccharides
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Thickness of elemental and binary single atomic monolayers

The thickness of monolayers is a fundamental property of two-dimensional (2D) materials that has not found the necessary attention. Since the boundary is not well-defined and it changes its value with the surrounding, the thickness is difficult to grasp.

Graphical abstract: Thickness of elemental and binary single atomic monolayers
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Small-angle X-ray scattering of nanoporous materials

Schematic of the general process of small-angle X-ray scattering acquisition, fitting, and modeling to determine material parameters of nanoporous materials.

Graphical abstract: Small-angle X-ray scattering of nanoporous materials
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Will surface effects dominate in quasi-two-dimensional gallium oxide for electronic and photonic devices?

The ultra-wide band gap semiconductor Ga2O3 has advantages for power electronics applications in the automotive industry, data center power management and industrial systems but attention must be paid to its surface sensitivity to the environment.

Graphical abstract: Will surface effects dominate in quasi-two-dimensional gallium oxide for electronic and photonic devices?
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

The impact of nanoparticle shape on cellular internalisation and transport: what do the different analysis methods tell us?

This focus article looks at how nanoparticle shape affects cellular internalisation of nanoparticles and what different analysis methods can tell us.

Graphical abstract: The impact of nanoparticle shape on cellular internalisation and transport: what do the different analysis methods tell us?
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Quantum-confined superfluid

The quantum-confined superfluid concept is introduced, and its applications in chemistry and biology are summarized.

Graphical abstract: Quantum-confined superfluid
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

When defects become ‘dynamic’: halide perovskites: a new window on materials?

If defects in materials cost more (energy) than decomposing them, defect densities will be low and thermodynamically controlled, with the right kinetics, as for halide perovskites.

Graphical abstract: When defects become ‘dynamic’: halide perovskites: a new window on materials?
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Nanomechanics of low-dimensional materials for functional applications

When materials’ characteristic dimensions are reduced to the nanoscale regime, their mechanical properties will vary significantly to that of their bulk counterparts.

Graphical abstract: Nanomechanics of low-dimensional materials for functional applications
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Aggregation-induced emission: fundamental understanding and future developments

In-depth discussion on recent progress of fundamental understanding of AIE mechanisms, identifying the existing challenges and opportunities for future developments.

Graphical abstract: Aggregation-induced emission: fundamental understanding and future developments
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

How to quantify isotropic negative thermal expansion: magnitude, range, or both?

Negative thermal expansion (NTE) is the counterintuitive material property of volume contraction on heating. We compare different systems with contrasting mechanisms for isotropic NTE using the metric of NTE capacity.

Graphical abstract: How to quantify isotropic negative thermal expansion: magnitude, range, or both?
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Physical magnification of objects

For hundreds of years, scientists have magnified images of objects to reveal their detailed composition and structure. Now, scientists are beginning to physically magnify objects themselves.

Graphical abstract: Physical magnification of objects
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

An introduction to ratchets in chemistry and biology

This article describes the functions and mechanisms of particle and electron ratchets, and the interplay between theory and experiment in this field of non-equilibrium transport.

Graphical abstract: An introduction to ratchets in chemistry and biology
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Engineering dendrimers to produce dendrimer dipole excitation based terahertz radiation sources suitable for spectrometry, molecular and biomedical imaging

Systematic engineering of PAMAM dendrimer CNDPs (i.e., surface chemistry and interior compositions) produced hyperpolarizable substrates that generated terahertz radiation when exposed to a pump laser.

Graphical abstract: Engineering dendrimers to produce dendrimer dipole excitation based terahertz radiation sources suitable for spectrometry, molecular and biomedical imaging
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Thermoresponsive polymers with lower critical solution temperature: from fundamental aspects and measuring techniques to recommended turbidimetry conditions

This focus article addresses fundamental and practical aspects of investigating polymers with lower critical solution temperature behavior.

Graphical abstract: Thermoresponsive polymers with lower critical solution temperature: from fundamental aspects and measuring techniques to recommended turbidimetry conditions
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Doping two-dimensional materials: ultra-sensitive sensors, band gap tuning and ferromagnetic monolayers

Well-designed defects can lead to unprecedented properties and interesting applications. For example, heteroatom-doped graphene exhibits enhanced Raman scattering for ultrasensitive detection of certain molecules.

Graphical abstract: Doping two-dimensional materials: ultra-sensitive sensors, band gap tuning and ferromagnetic monolayers
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

The living dead – common misconceptions about reversible deactivation radical polymerization

We illustrate common misconceptions and errors when interpreting polymerization data from ‘Living/controlled’ radical polymerization, preferably termed ‘reversible deactivation radical polymerization’ (RDRP). Avoiding the discussed errors leads to better defined materials for soft matter materials applications.

Graphical abstract: The living dead – common misconceptions about reversible deactivation radical polymerization
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Spraying functional fibres by electrospinning

This brief focus article shows you how to prepare functional fibers with controllable morphology, alignment and composition via an electrospinning technique.

Graphical abstract: Spraying functional fibres by electrospinning
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

Principles and implementations of electrolysis systems for water splitting

Efforts to develop renewable sources of carbon-neutral fuels have brought a renewed focus to research and development of sunlight-driven water-splitting systems.

Graphical abstract: Principles and implementations of electrolysis systems for water splitting
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Statistics, damned statistics and nanoscience – using data science to meet the challenge of nanomaterial complexity

Combining advances in digital technology and modern methods in statistics with a detailed understanding of nano-structure/property relationships can pave the way for more realistic predictions of nanomaterials performance.

Graphical abstract: Statistics, damned statistics and nanoscience – using data science to meet the challenge of nanomaterial complexity
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Fermi level, work function and vacuum level

Electronic levels and energies of a solid, such as Fermi level, vacuum level, work function, ionization energy or electron affinity, are of paramount importance for the control of device behavior, charge carrier injection and transport.

Graphical abstract: Fermi level, work function and vacuum level
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Light emission in nanogaps: overcoming quenching

Tiny metal nanogaps may offer a unique platform for achieving extremely larger spontaneous decay rate with high quantum yield.

Graphical abstract: Light emission in nanogaps: overcoming quenching
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Open Access Focus

A gentle introduction to the noble art of flow chemistry

The authors provide a simple tutorial-style introduction to do-it-yourself flow chemistry, emphasising the advantages of well designed, self-built kit over expensive off-the-shelf commercial equipment.

Graphical abstract: A gentle introduction to the noble art of flow chemistry
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
Focus

Mind the gap!

The energy gap is a critical material parameter. Here, we illustrate the concepts behind the various flavors of energy gaps relevant for organic materials and call for a more consistent use of appropriate terminologies and procedures.

Graphical abstract: Mind the gap!
From the themed collection: Focus article collection
46 items

About this collection

This themed collection contains Focus articles published in Materials Horizons and Nanoscale Horizons.

These articles are free to access upon publication.

Focus articles are educational articles that can take the form of either an editorial or review article. They are designed to address topic areas that are often misunderstood or require greater explanation.

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