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Establishing Co-Continuous Network of Conjugated Polymers and Elastomers for High-Performance Polymer Solar Cells with Extreme Stretchability

Researchers developed intrinsically stretchable organic solar cells (IS-OSCs) with exceptional mechanical robustness, by constructing co-continuous networks of conjugated polymers (D18) and elastomers (SEBS) in photoactive layers. The resulting IS-OSCs preserve 86% of their initial efficiency at 50% strain, demonstrating potential for wearable applications. Read more »

Nitrogen-fixing organelle in a marine alga

A nitrogen-fixing organelle, or “nitroplast,” has been identified in a marine alga on the basis of intracellular imaging and proteomic evidence. This discovery sheds light on the evolutionary transition from endosymbiont to organelle. The image depicts the cell architecture and synchronized cell division of the alga Braarudosphaera bigelowii with nitroplast UCYN-A (large brown spheres). Read more »

Novel modifications of PARP inhibitor veliparib increase PARP1 binding to DNA breaks

The catalytic activity of PARP1 is associated with DNA damage detection and repair among other cellular functions. We describe efforts to modify the allosteric properties of veliparib, a potent catalytic inhibitor of PARP1. These compounds highlight a unique way to trigger PARP1 retention on DNA breaks and open a path to unveil the pharmacological benefits of such inhibitors with novel properties. Read more »

Magnetically Selective Versatile Transport of Microrobotic Carriers

Field-driven transport systems offer the possibility of biofunctionalized carriers for microrobotics, biomedicine, and cell delivery. Here, researchers show how magnetic fields may selectively manipulate and drive microrobotics along a patterned micromagnet. Different-sized magnetic carriers move in multiple directions, including selective rotation and bidirectional movement. Such steering systems can direct the delivery of drugs or cells into artificial microvascular channels. Read more »

Influences of Metal Electrodes on Stability of Non-Fullerene Acceptor-Based Organic Photovoltaics

Researchers investigate interfaces in an organic photovoltaic device, revealing that the aluminum (Al) top electrode undergoes thermally activated diffusion into inner layers forming ionic and organo-metallic-like species, compromising long-term device performance. Chemical degradation process is characterized by 27Al solid-state NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Read more »

Spectroscopic investigation of a Co(0001) model catalyst during exposure to H2 and CO at near-ambient pressures

We have performed near-ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on Co(0001) model catalysts during exposure to gases relevant to Fischer–Tropsch synthesis, i.e., CO and H2, at 0.25 mbar total pressure. At this pressure, CO seems to be more efficient at keeping the Co(0001) surface metallic than H2, which is the opposite behavior as reported in the literature for other pressure ranges. Read more »

Precisely patterned nanofibres made from extendable protein multiplexes

Superhelical symmetry can be found in helical repeat proteins, and de novo helical repeat proteins are rigid and amenable to stacking in a head-to-tail fashion, which is an important factor in building up coincident symmetries. Now, using cyclic helical repeat proteins, Baker and colleagues generate protein nanostructures—as depicted on the cover—with coincident cyclic and superhelical symmetry axes. Read more »