Diamond Light Source

Ultrafast Dynamics of Competing Dimethyl Disulfide Photodissociation Pathways

Abstract Disulfide photochemistry impacts a wide range of chemical processes from biological UV photodamage to polymer self-healing and green photocatalysis. Despite this, the response of disulfide bonds to deep-UV light remains poorly understood. Dimethyl disulfide serves as a m...

Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering Covalency Analysis Reveals Non-Aufbau Electronic Configurations in Low-Valent Lanthanides

Abstract Divalent lanthanide ions can adopt complex 4fn5d1 electron configurations that formally violate the Aufbau principle. The blending of contracted 4f and diffuse 5d character strongly influences lanthanide frontier molecular orbitals, yet quantitative characterization of 5...

How Many Crystal Structures Do You Need to Trust Your Docking Results?

Abstract Structure-based drug discovery relies on the prediction of protein-bound poses of new molecule designs, the accuracy of which can impact downstream prioritization. While it is expected that crystal structures of similar molecules would provide the best template for predi...

Suppression of spectral gap and flat bands on a cuprate superconductor side-surface

Abstract Side surfaces of cuprate superconductors are expected to display a suppressed d -wave order parameter and zero-energy topological flat bands with a large density of states, making them susceptible to symmetry broken orders. Yet such surfaces have never been investigated...

Bulk ferroelectric heterostructures

Interfaces in oxide heterostructures act as critical regions to induce emergent and novel types of functionality in thin films. Herein, we demonstrate the creation of bulk ferroelectric heterostructures (BFHs) in monolithic ferroelectrics by nanoscale elemental partitioning, unlo...

Unveiling Plasmon-Enhanced Localized Fields of Titanium Nitride via Complementary Electron Microscopy Techniques

Abstract Titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiN NPs) are promising alternatives to noble metals for visible-range plasmonic applications, yet their structure–property relationships remain insufficiently understood. Here, we combine ultrafast transmission electron microscopy (UTEM) a...

Aromaticity Regulation in Isostructural Metal‐Organic Frameworks for Propyne Storage and Propylene Purification

ABSTRACT We report the exceptional propyne (C 3 H 4 ) storage and propylene (C 3 H 6 ) purification in a metal‐organic framework, PKU‐101, controlled via regulation of aromaticity. The pyrene‐fused pore interior of PKU‐101 provides multiple C─H···π interactions for alkyne, result...

Deformable precipitates locally modify fault-mediated plasticity for strength-ductility synergy

Precipitates in structural alloys are conventionally understood as passive obstacles to dislocation motion. Here we show that semi-coherent hexagonal close-packed precipitates in a low-stacking-fault-energy Ni50Co30Ru20 multi-principal element alloy cooperate with planar-fault pl...

Diblock Copolymer Nanoparticles Act as Nanoreactors for the Synthesis of Sterically‐Stabilized Inorganic Oxide Particles in Non‐polar Media

ABSTRACT Well‐defined diblock copolymer nanoparticles are prepared via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) in a poly(α‐olefin) oil at 90°C using a poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA) precursor. The P...

The weak shock limit as an organizing boundary in shock response

Materials under shock loading exhibit strengthening in the weak shock region followed by weakening in strong shock, but no general criterion defines this transition. Here, the weak shock limit (WSL) is proposed as a consistent and experimentally accessible boundary in shock respo...

Voltage‐Driven Non‐Volatile Interconversion Between Giant Single‐Domain and Multidomain Magnetic States in a Multiferroic Heterostructure

ABSTRACT Voltage control of magnetic states in multiferroic heterostructures represents a promising route toward voltage‐programmable magnetic devices. However, it remains challenging to achieve deterministic and non‐volatile electrical control of well‐defined magnetic states wit...

Element-Specific DonorNumbers for Anions

Abstract Anion interactions with cations/molecules are crucial across chemistry and biology: in battery electrolytes, synthesis, atmospheric processes, and protein denaturation. Selecting the optimum anion represents an immense challenge, as anion interactions are diverse and com...