{"title":"A life researching the path to better polymers.","authors":"Takuzo Aida, Stephanie Greed","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00824-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00824-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147817750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The chemistry of magnetoelectric multiferroics.","authors":"Nicola A Spaldin","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00827-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00827-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The development of magnetoelectric multiferroic materials, which combine and couple (ferro)magnetism and ferroelectricity in the same material, are discussed from a chemist's perspective. The chemical challenges that must be overcome to combine (ferro)magnetism and ferroelectricity are highlighted and the developments in crystal chemistry that have enabled identification of new multiferroics are outlined. The chemical applications of multiferroic materials are described and open questions that are particularly amenable to chemical solutions are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147817716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xia Wu, Yuxuan Hu, Quan Wang, Wei Zhang, Tao Liu, Fan Xia, Xiaoding Lou, Kanyi Pu
{"title":"Molecular rotor-based probes for protein monitoring in biomedical research.","authors":"Xia Wu, Yuxuan Hu, Quan Wang, Wei Zhang, Tao Liu, Fan Xia, Xiaoding Lou, Kanyi Pu","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00822-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00822-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As the fundamental executors of biological function, proteins are frequently dysregulated or differentially expressed in disease states, making them valuable biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets. Conventional approaches to monitoring the presence and activity of these proteins - including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting and mass spectrometry - have limited ability to provide real-time information on living cells. Fluorescence imaging overcomes these limitations by enabling selective, non-invasive and dynamic protein analysis. Molecular rotor fluorophores offer unique advantages owing to their high sensitivity to microenvironmental changes and tunable photophysical properties. Notably, these molecular rotor scaffolds can be functionalized into targeting probes that become highly emissive upon binding to specific proteins via the restriction of intramolecular rotation. Here, we introduce molecular rotor-based probes and outline their design principles and detection mechanisms. We highlight their applications in disease diagnosis and biological research, and we discuss the current challenges and prospects for clinical translation.</p>","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147776677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chenglong Zhao, Xia Zhang, Zhou Jin, Zhenpeng Yao, Marnix Wagemaker, Hong Li, Baohua Li, Xuejie Huang, Qidi Wang
{"title":"Chemical heterogeneity for battery materials.","authors":"Chenglong Zhao, Xia Zhang, Zhou Jin, Zhenpeng Yao, Marnix Wagemaker, Hong Li, Baohua Li, Xuejie Huang, Qidi Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00821-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00821-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Next-generation rechargeable batteries require materials that offer enhanced electrochemical capabilities. Achieving these goals depends on understanding the fundamental principles governing these materials, which presents challenges associated to the complex interactions between composition, structural characteristics and electrochemical performance in battery materials. Despite intensive research, progress remains limited regarding effective strategies to mitigate the degradation of fragile alkali-metal-deficient frameworks arising from lattice stress and structural or chemo-mechanical instability upon cycling. In this Review, we explore the importance of chemical heterogeneity in rechargeable battery materials. We discuss how heterogeneity at atomic scale, nano-domains and up to phase-segregated levels within particles can enhance the electrochemical properties of battery materials beyond those of their homogeneous counterparts. Introducing chemical heterogeneity, principles and mechanisms can be unlocked to develop materials with improved structural stability, ion conductivity, redox activity, and phase transition characteristics, driving progress in battery technology. Finally, we outline the challenges and strategies for developing the future battery materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147776681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bo Li,Nian Li,Huabin Zhang,Wen-Jing Xiao,Magnus Rueping
{"title":"Photochemical, electrochemical and electrophotochemical C-N bond-forming cross-coupling reactions.","authors":"Bo Li,Nian Li,Huabin Zhang,Wen-Jing Xiao,Magnus Rueping","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00819-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00819-6","url":null,"abstract":"Nitrogen-containing molecules are foundational to modern synthesis, spanning a wide range of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, life science and functional materials. Recent advances in photochemical and electrochemical methods have begun to redefine how C-N bonds can be constructed, expanding beyond traditional thermally driven metal-catalysed cross-couplings to encompass radical, hybrid, and fully metal-free pathways. These strategies can offer precise control over redox events, access to otherwise inaccessible intermediates and greater modularity in reaction design, thereby enabling transformations that are operationally simple, scalable and increasingly sustainable. In this Review, we systematically summarize photochemical, electrochemical and electrophotochemical C-N cross-coupling reactions, spanning mechanistic principles, catalytic paradigms, reaction classes and synthetic applications. We highlight convergent trends across these fields, analyse their distinct advantages and provide a forward-looking perspective on their potential and future development.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":36.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147726195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"More than just a delivery system.","authors":"Xueyan Zhen,Wei Tao,Na Kong","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00825-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00825-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":36.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147702412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Making movies with ultra-fast pair distribution functions.","authors":"Adam F Sapnik","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00826-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00826-7","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":36.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147685258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bharath Raj Madhanagopal, Ting Wang, Arun Richard Chandrasekaran
{"title":"Light-responsive DNA nanostructures.","authors":"Bharath Raj Madhanagopal, Ting Wang, Arun Richard Chandrasekaran","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00817-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00817-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>DNA is ideally suited for designing dynamic nanostructures that are reconfigured by external stimuli. One of these stimuli - light - has been used to control DNA nanostructures by the incorporation of light-responsive linkers into DNA strands. Light responsiveness adds to the already rich repertoire of functional properties of DNA nanostructures, including homogenous size, biocompatibility and programmability. Developments in the chemical synthesis of various light-responsive moieties and their incorporation into oligonucleotides have helped to create a library of DNA nanostructures with controlled reconfiguration, high thermal stability, enhanced nuclease resistance and triggered detachment of guest molecules. With these light-responsive features, DNA nanostructures are useful in applications such as diagnostics, drug delivery, data storage, plasmonics and site-directed reactions. In this Review, we discuss the emerging research trends in light-responsive DNA nanostructures, with specific focus on the types of light-responsive functional groups available for incorporation into DNA, strategies used to design and construct light-responsive DNA nanostructures, and their applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147675015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}