Tania Patiño Padial, Shuqin Chen, Ana C. Hortelão, Ayusman Sen, Samuel Sánchez
{"title":"Swarming intelligence in self-propelled micromotors and nanomotors","authors":"Tania Patiño Padial, Shuqin Chen, Ana C. Hortelão, Ayusman Sen, Samuel Sánchez","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00818-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00818-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Living organisms, from single cells to multicellular systems, are capable of moving as a response to local stimuli using swarming intelligence, a trait researchers aim to replicate in artificial systems. Common strategies observed in natural swarms include motility towards specific signals from the environment, communication among individual units, coordination and cooperation to achieve complex tasks. Inspired by these features, the focus in bioinspired motile nanosystems has shifted from studying individual units to exploring and controlling collective behaviours. Various propulsion mechanisms including magnetic, electric or acoustic fields, as well as onboard chemical reactions, have enabled artificial micromotor and nanomotor (MNM) swarms that can move collectively as a response to environmental inputs. The controlled navigation and improved tissue penetration of MNM swarms is promising within the biomedical field, including in the active transport of medical agents. Despite these exciting advances, artificial MNMs still fall short of the complexity and autonomy seen in biological systems. This Perspective explores the collective behaviour of biological swarms and bioinspired artificial self-propelled nanosystems. We discuss how swarming intelligence applied to synthetic active nanosystems enables swarms to perform various tasks. Finally, we discuss challenges, including material limitations, information storage, communication between swarms and prospects for intelligent swarming systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144288497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kai Zhang, Junjiang Wu, Chunlong Sun, Dae Sung Chung, Yanhou Geng, Long Ye
{"title":"The rising promise of organic photodetectors in emerging technologies","authors":"Kai Zhang, Junjiang Wu, Chunlong Sun, Dae Sung Chung, Yanhou Geng, Long Ye","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00821-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00821-2","url":null,"abstract":"Built on the versatile chemistry of organic semiconductors, organic photodetectors offer efficient thin-film light absorption, mechanical flexibility, spectral tunability and biocompatibility. They are unlocking applications where conformability, seamless integration, human-centric integration and large-area processing are critical.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"219 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Coralie Jehanno, Marta Ximenis, Louise Breloy, Oğuzhan Akin, Rita Kol, Kevin M. Van Geem, Steven De Meester, Haritz Sardón
{"title":"What decades of plastics waste management have taught us","authors":"Coralie Jehanno, Marta Ximenis, Louise Breloy, Oğuzhan Akin, Rita Kol, Kevin M. Van Geem, Steven De Meester, Haritz Sardón","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00820-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00820-3","url":null,"abstract":"Waste management has transformed over the past half a century, from key dumping and landfilling laws in the 1970s to today’s complex policies targeting plastic waste reduction and recycling. Still, global disparities are glaring, and stronger policies, infrastructure and technology are necessary to achieve a truly circular plastics economy.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"218 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144260260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lu Chen, Le Yu, Luhe Qi, Stephen J. Eichhorn, Akira Isogai, Erlantz Lizundia, J. Y. Zhu, Chaoji Chen
{"title":"Cellulose nanocomposites by supramolecular chemistry engineering","authors":"Lu Chen, Le Yu, Luhe Qi, Stephen J. Eichhorn, Akira Isogai, Erlantz Lizundia, J. Y. Zhu, Chaoji Chen","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00810-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00810-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Increasing environmental concerns demand the replacement of petroleum with renewable, sustainable resources to produce biodegradable and carbon-neutral products. As a natural, abundant and versatile biopolymer, cellulose has long been used in traditional applications such as paper and textiles and is now emerging in advanced fields including energy storage, healthcare, food, cosmetics, and paints and emulsions. Supramolecular chemistry offers a powerful strategy for engineering cellulose nanocomposites through specific, directional, tunable and reversible non-covalent interactions between nanocellulose and matrix components to achieve certain mechanical, chemical and biological properties. In this Review, we present the multiscale supramolecular engineering of cellulose nanocomposites and their fabrication and processing into materials. We provide a material and structural perspective of how the mechanical, ionic, optical and thermal properties and the environmental degradability of these nanocomposites can be regulated through supramolecular chemistry. Finally, we discuss how these approaches might address circularity and environmental sustainability goals, and we highlight major challenges and future prospects in the field, calling for further attention on supramolecular chemistry engineering to maximize the potential of these materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144229183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ambient fabrication of perovskites for photovoltaics","authors":"Yu Zou, Wenjin Yu, Bo Qu, Zhijian Chen, Mingyang Wei, Lixin Xiao","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00813-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00813-2","url":null,"abstract":"Fabricating high-performance perovskite solar cells under ambient conditions — without strict humidity or atmospheric controls — paves the way for scalable, low-cost photovoltaics. However, achieving such fabrication requires deeper materials insights into how moisture and oxygen influence precursor solution chemistry and guide perovskite film crystallization.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multimaterial extrusion 3D printing printheads","authors":"Nathan C. Brown, Daniel C. Ames, Jochen Mueller","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00809-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00809-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Printheads are the cornerstone of material extrusion 3D printing systems, now capable of processing virtually any material — organic or inorganic. Multimaterial capabilities have further expanded their versatility, enabling coextrusion, mixing and material switching. Advanced multifunctional printhead features allow for nozzle size and shape adjustments, printhead rotation and in situ property modulation. These improvements enable unprecedented design complexity, higher throughput and the fabrication of intricate material compositions across multiple length scales. Applications span from architected metamaterials with tunable properties to functional tissue from living cells and soft robotics with integrated sensing. This Review provides a comprehensive overview of this rapidly evolving field, introducing eight archetypal printhead categories and their hybrids. It explores their role in materials design, ability to overcome processing limitations and impact on emerging applications. Additionally, it identifies open challenges and offers an outlook on the future of multimaterial 3D printing.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144113965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Guoping Li, Mohammed Al-Hashimi, Antonio Facchetti, Tobin J. Marks
{"title":"Decoding the halogenation cost-performance paradox in organic solar cells","authors":"Guoping Li, Mohammed Al-Hashimi, Antonio Facchetti, Tobin J. Marks","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00804-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00804-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The power conversion efficiencies of organic solar cells have now surpassed 20%, marking a considerable advance in performance. This progress raises an important question: which molecular or macromolecular modifications contribute most effectively to efficiency gains? Among these, halogenation — specifically fluorination and chlorination — has been a key driver of performance improvements, making it a particularly promising avenue for materials exploration. In this Perspective, we provide a comparative discussion of a broad range of non-halogenated and halogenated building blocks, acceptors and donors, evaluating the impact of halogenation on efficiency and scalability. We also examine critical challenges, including organic solar cell durability, large-scale manufacturability and the realistic costs associated with halogenation, positioning it as a central factor in performance optimization.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144104517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Inorganic solid-state electrolyte membranes for lithium extraction","authors":"Ze-Xian Low, Qianxi Zhang, Qiuyue Wang, Zhouyou Wang, Zhaoxiang Zhong, Weihong Xing, Huanting Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00808-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00808-z","url":null,"abstract":"With the shift towards renewable energy, demand for lithium is surging — underscoring the need for more efficient and sustainable ways to harvest it. Inorganic solid-state electrolytes, most known for their role in all-solid-state batteries, offer largely untapped potential as ion separation membrane materials for direct lithium extraction.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144065993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francisco Freire-Fernández, Sang-Min Park, Max J. H. Tan, Teri W. Odom
{"title":"Plasmonic lattice lasers","authors":"Francisco Freire-Fernández, Sang-Min Park, Max J. H. Tan, Teri W. Odom","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00803-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00803-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Plasmonic lattice lasers offer a promising alternative to compact sources such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. These lasers have an open-cavity design consisting of periodic lattices of metallic nanoparticles that facilitate integration with both liquid-state and solid-state gain nanomaterials. Recent advances have enabled real-time control over lasing wavelength, tunable multimodal lasing, and design of complex polarization and intensity profiles. In this Review, we summarize key developments in plasmonic lattice lasers over the past 5 years, with a focus on unconventional lattice cavities and how they can facilitate tailored lasing characteristics. We discuss strategies for realizing multicolour and multidirectional emission, the advantages of different gain materials and the challenges of reducing lasing thresholds. Although substantial progress has been made, open questions regarding fabrication precision, threshold engineering and the realization of electrically driven plasmonic lasers remain. Plasmonic lattice lasers are poised to play a critical part in next-generation technologies for optical communication, sensing and quantum applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143940346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reducing immune response in semiconducting polymers through molecular design","authors":"Charlotte Allard","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00812-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00812-3","url":null,"abstract":"An article in Nature Materials reports on a method to reduce the foreign body response of semiconducting polymers.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143940345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}