Davide Nodari, Zhuoran Qiao, Francesco Furlan, Oskar J. Sandberg, Koen Vandewal, Nicola Gasparini
{"title":"Towards high and reliable specific detectivity in visible and infrared perovskite and organic photodiodes","authors":"Davide Nodari, Zhuoran Qiao, Francesco Furlan, Oskar J. Sandberg, Koen Vandewal, Nicola Gasparini","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00830-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00830-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Perovskite and organic photodiodes have emerged as promising candidates for ultraviolet–visible and near-infrared photodetection owing to their tunable optoelectronic properties, solution processability and potential for low-cost fabrication. This Review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in these technologies. We focus on the characterization methodologies critical for assessing device performance, particularly specific detectivity (<i>D*</i>), the key metric for benchmarking photodetectors. We highlight state-of-the-art devices, identifying their architectures, materials and performance metrics, while analysing their fundamental charge recombination processes and device-level factors limiting further improvement. Finally, we discuss future research directions and technological innovations necessary to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale devices and their practical utilization in real-world applications. Our aim is to provide a roadmap for advancing the field towards next-generation high-performance and commercially viable photodiodes for ultraviolet–visible and infrared detection.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144778538","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}
Krzysztof K. Dudek, Muamer Kadic, Corentin Coulais, Katia Bertoldi
{"title":"Shape-morphing metamaterials","authors":"Krzysztof K. Dudek, Muamer Kadic, Corentin Coulais, Katia Bertoldi","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00828-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00828-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mechanical metamaterials use geometric design to achieve unconventional properties, such as high strength at low density, efficient waveguiding and complex shape morphing. The ability to control changes in shape builds on the complex relationship between geometry and nonlinear mechanics, and opens new possibilities for disruptive technologies across diverse fields, including wearable devices, medical technology, robotics and beyond. In this Review, we examine the current state of the field of shape-morphing metamaterials and propose a unified classification system for the mechanisms involved, as well as the design principles underlying them. Specifically, we explore two main categories of unit cells — those that exploit structural anisotropy and those that exploit internal rotations — and two potential approaches to tessellating these cells, based on kinematic compatibility or geometric frustration. We conclude by discussing the available design tools and highlighting emerging challenges in the development of shape-morphing metamaterials.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144737097","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}
Leonid V. Pourovskii, Dario Fiore Mosca, Lorenzo Celiberti, Sergii Khmelevskyi, Arun Paramekanti, Cesare Franchini
{"title":"Hidden orders in spin–orbit-entangled correlated insulators","authors":"Leonid V. Pourovskii, Dario Fiore Mosca, Lorenzo Celiberti, Sergii Khmelevskyi, Arun Paramekanti, Cesare Franchini","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00824-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41578-025-00824-z","url":null,"abstract":"In many materials, ordered phases and their order parameters are easily characterized by standard experimental methods. ‘Hidden order’ refers to a phase transition in which an ordered state emerges without such an easily detectable order parameter, despite clear thermodynamic evidence of the transition. The underlying mechanisms for these unconventional states of matter stem from spin–orbit coupling, which intertwines intersite exchange, classical electron–magnetic interactions and electron–lattice effects. This physics is elusive to experimental probes and beyond traditional theories of insulating magnetism, requiring sophisticated methodologies for its exploration. In this Review, we survey exotic hidden-order phases in correlated insulators, particularly focusing on the latest progress in material-specific theories and numerical approaches. The relevant degrees of freedom in these phases are local high-rank multipole moments of magnetic and charge density that emerge from spin–orbit-entangled correlated shells of heavy d and f electron ions and interact on the lattice via various mechanisms. We discuss approaches to modelling hidden orders in realistic systems via direct ab initio calculations or by constructing low-energy many-body effective Hamiltonian. We also describe how these new theoretical tools have helped to uncover driving mechanisms for recently discovered multipolar phases in double perovskites of heavy transition metals and how they have proved instrumental in disentangling the role of various interactions in ‘traditional’ f-electron multipolar materials such as actinide dioxides. In both cases, material-specific theories have played a key part in interpreting and predicting experimental signatures of hidden orders. Hidden orders involve phase transitions without obvious order parameters, challenging experimental detection and conventional theories. This Review summarizes recent advances in modelling hidden-order phases in correlated insulators, highlighting the role of material-specific theories in the interpretation and prediction of the experimental signatures of hidden orders.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"10 9","pages":"674-696"},"PeriodicalIF":86.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144701443","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}
Luo Yu, Minghui Ning, Yu Wang, Chuqing Yuan, Zhifeng Ren
{"title":"Direct seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production","authors":"Luo Yu, Minghui Ning, Yu Wang, Chuqing Yuan, Zhifeng Ren","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00826-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00826-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Direct seawater electrolysis (DSE) is a sustainable technology for green hydrogen production. However, implementing this technology remains highly challenging owing to the poor catalytic activity and limited lifetime that result from corrosion, chlorine-related side reactions and metal precipitates. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview and critical discussion of current challenges and possible solutions for DSE in terms of the seawater electrolyte, catalysts, membranes and electrolysers. We first discuss challenges and opportunities stemming from impurity ions in seawater and explore potential seawater treatment solutions to improve DSE performance. We then summarize and propose effective strategies for designing efficient hydrogen and oxygen evolution reaction catalysts for DSE. Next, recent progress in, and challenges for, membranes used in DSE are presented, including analysis of the membrane degradation mechanisms and possible mitigation strategies. We also critically review and discuss the advantages and challenges of both conventional and novel electrolysers for DSE. Importantly, to guide future research, we emphasize how to further optimize strategies and solutions to tackle degradation and corrosion in DSE under real-world operating conditions. Finally, we discuss future challenges and prospects for the large-scale application of DSE technology.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144694274","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}
Takashi Hisatomi, Taro Yamada, Hiroshi Nishiyama, Tsuyoshi Takata, Kazunari Domen
{"title":"Materials and systems for large-scale photocatalytic water splitting","authors":"Takashi Hisatomi, Taro Yamada, Hiroshi Nishiyama, Tsuyoshi Takata, Kazunari Domen","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00823-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00823-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Sunlight-driven photocatalytic water splitting has been studied as a means of producing renewable green solar hydrogen on a large scale at low cost. However, the research community has yet to define a common vision for practical solar hydrogen production, which requires not only photocatalyst materials that drive water-splitting reactions with high efficiency under sunlight but also systems and processes that can be scaled up. Herein, we discuss the current status and challenges in the development of materials, systems and processes for solar hydrogen production via photocatalytic water splitting. Despite the remarkable scientific progress in the development of photocatalyst materials and reaction systems over the past decade, many technological challenges remain before this technology can be put to practical use in terms of efficiency improvement, mass production, large-scale application of photocatalysts, cost reduction, process-efficiency improvement for reaction systems, and societal acceptance. It is, therefore, imperative to stimulate and accelerate research and development and large-scale demonstrations of hydrogen production via photocatalytic water splitting through collaborative efforts among industry, government and academia.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144629787","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":"Interfacial insight","authors":"Claire Ashworth","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00827-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41578-025-00827-w","url":null,"abstract":"An article in Science Advances reports a cryo-electron microscopy approach for the nanoscale imaging of dynamic interfaces in lithium metal batteries.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"10 8","pages":"565-565"},"PeriodicalIF":86.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144547512","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}
Yun Zhao, Hao Du, Yuqiong Kang, Jie Zhang, Bo Lan, Zhenyu Guo, Maria-Magdalena Titirici, Yunlong Zhao, Naser Tavajohi, Feiyu Kang, Baohua Li
{"title":"Spent battery regeneration for better recycling","authors":"Yun Zhao, Hao Du, Yuqiong Kang, Jie Zhang, Bo Lan, Zhenyu Guo, Maria-Magdalena Titirici, Yunlong Zhao, Naser Tavajohi, Feiyu Kang, Baohua Li","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00816-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00816-z","url":null,"abstract":"Current lithium-ion battery recycling extracts valuable metals while discarding much of the battery’s leftover value. An emerging strategy called direct battery regeneration upends this model, restoring the battery’s performance without taking it apart — presenting a more efficient, sustainable option for end-of-life batteries.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144520823","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}
Paul Wrede, Eva Remlova, Yi Chen, Xosé Luís Deán-Ben, Metin Sitti, Daniel Razansky
{"title":"Synergistic integration of materials in medical microrobots for advanced imaging and actuation","authors":"Paul Wrede, Eva Remlova, Yi Chen, Xosé Luís Deán-Ben, Metin Sitti, Daniel Razansky","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00811-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00811-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Medical microrobotics capitalizes on smart materials to target specific body sites effectively, precisely and locally, thus holding promise to revolutionize precision medicine in the future. Advances in material science and microfabrication or nanofabrication techniques have facilitated the implementation of a myriad of functionalities into microrobots. Efficient navigation and monitoring of microrobots within the highly dynamic and often inaccessible environment of living mammalian tissues is paramount for their effective in vivo applications and eventual clinical translation. This need calls for the deployment of biomedical imaging modalities with adequate sensitivity, penetration depth and spatiotemporal resolution, as well as for efficient integration of biocompatible contrast materials into microrobots. In this Review, we discuss emerging approaches for multiplexed imaging and actuation of microrobots within complex biological environments, focusing on the synergistic combination of responsive and contrasting materials to achieve desired morphological and functional properties, in vivo visibility and biosafety. The convergence between microrobotics and biomedical imaging paves the way for a new generation of medical microrobots enabling the use of energy for both mechanical actuation and efficient monitoring of their activity in vivo.</p>","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":83.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144500785","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}
Ana C. C. Dutra, Benedek A. Goldmann, M. Saiful Islam, James A. Dawson
{"title":"Understanding solid-state battery electrolytes using atomistic modelling and machine learning","authors":"Ana C. C. Dutra, Benedek A. Goldmann, M. Saiful Islam, James A. Dawson","doi":"10.1038/s41578-025-00817-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41578-025-00817-y","url":null,"abstract":"Solid-state batteries that use solid electrolytes are attracting interest for their potential safety, stability and high energy density, making them ideal for next-generation technologies including electric vehicles and grid-scale renewable energy storage. Advances in solid electrolytes require the design and optimization of current and new materials, informed by a deeper understanding of their properties on the atomic and nanoscale. This Review highlights progress in using atomistic modelling and machine learning techniques to gain valuable insights into inorganic crystalline solid electrolytes for lithium-based and sodium-based batteries. We discuss computational studies on oxide, sulfide and halide materials that examine three fundamental properties critical to their performance as solid electrolytes: fast-ion conduction mechanisms, interfacial effects and chemical stability. The resulting insights help to identify design strategies for the future development of improved solid-state batteries. Solid-state battery electrolytes offer the potential for enhanced safety, stability and energy density in both current and future technologies. This Review discusses the vital role that atomistic modelling and machine learning techniques continue to play in understanding and improving inorganic crystalline solid electrolytes for lithium-based and sodium-based batteries.","PeriodicalId":19081,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Materials","volume":"10 8","pages":"566-583"},"PeriodicalIF":86.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144479162","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}