Themed collection International Open Access Week 2020

This review explores the rapidly emerging field of hetero-nanotubes consisting of a carbon core and hexagonal boron nitride shell.

Labelling of nucleic acids as biologically important cellular components is a crucial prerequisite for the visualization and understanding of biological processes.

In this review, we exploit recent investigations to identify the exceptional roles of amino acids and peptides in chirality, based on local atomic conformation to macroscopic chiral morphology.

We discuss chemical-genetic means to mine locale-specific proteins of functional relevance and whose behaviors are pharmacologically malleable.

Biosensors with high sensitivity, selectivity and a low limit of detection, reaching nano/picomolar concentrations of biomolecules, are important to the medical sciences and healthcare industry for evaluating physiological and metabolic parameters.

Tin-halide perovskites have great potential as photovoltaic materials, but their performance is hampered by undesirable oxidation of Sn(II) to Sn(IV). NMR proves DMSO to be a main cause of oxidation.

A chemical catalyst system enabling high-yielding and comprehensive lysine acetylation of nucleosomal histones was developed as an epigenetics tool.

By studying transport through seven structurally related porphyrin derivatives with a machine learning algorithm we could identify and distinguish three different electronic paths.

Fluorescence detected double quantum coherence 2D spectroscopy reveals strong correlation between weakly coupled pigment pools directly after absorption of light before the Förster transfer regime sets in.

A combined experimental and theoretical approach reveals the intricacies related to an Yb^III complex, which functions dually as a SMM and a luminescent thermometer.

Understanding how mesoporous noble metal architectures affect electrocatalytic performance is very important for the rational design and preparation of high-performance electrocatalysts.

Cu₂O 3D photoelectrode for PEC water splitting are realized by a sequential process including extrusion-based 3D printing and electrodeposition.

The synthesis and characterization of a mixed metal ZnNa₂ MOF (NUIG1) is discussed; NUIG1 displays a new framework topology, and possesses an exceptionally high drug adsorption capacity and metal encapsulation potential.

Depending on the metal, C₆₀F₄₈ molecules lose all the fluorine atoms and transform to C₆₀ at room temperature. Molecular dynamics simulations with ReaxFF reactive force field provide a detailed mechanistic picture of the surface-induced de-fluorination.

Synthesis of 2D coordination network nanoparticles using block copolymer micelles as template.

Copper photodeposited on ceria aerogel yields reduced Cu that binds CO; CO conversion is high when combined with O₂-activating CeO₂.

A new fiber-based triboelectric nanogenerator with a coaxial double helix structure is developed to effectively and long-timely harvest mechanical energy.

In-depth study of intriguing bacterial interrupted adenylation domains from seven distinct families and six different types.

The favourable properties of acrylate–gelatin–cHAP composites fabricated via copolymerization reaction may make possible porosity and hydrophilicity remodelling and thus promote scaffold-implant integration.

Nanocomposite insulation materials for HVDC cables are demonstrated to dominantly rely on the inorganic particle terminations.

FeAs_2−xSe_x exhibits structural transition at x = 0.65, and a low lattice thermal conductivity (0.22 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹) at x = 0.5.

Investigation of the downstream effects of NMT inhibition identified novel defense mechanism against chemical toxicity in fungal pathogen Z. tritici.

The electron-withdrawing substituents on the tetrazine favour aza-Diels–Alder reactions towards nucleophilic ethylenes, but they do not react with electrophilic ethylenes.

Transitional metal oxide nanomaterials are considered to be potential electrode materials for supercapacitors.

The self-assembly of a series of low molecular weight gelator dipeptides containing para amino benzoic acid has been studied in mechanistic detail.

In this study, a biorefinery for the processing of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) based on clean and emerging technologies has been proposed.

Lanthanide coordination polymers with F-substituted carboxylate tectonics and phenanthroline ligands exhibit emission from the visible to near-infrared region with long lifetime. Dy(III) compounds show temperature dependent and field induced single molecule magnetism.

A new epoxy monomer, namely, tetraglycidyl-1,2-aminobenzamide (ER), was synthesized by condensation of the amines with epichlorohydrin in a basic medium.