Sum-frequency generation (SFG) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy that can selectively probe molecular structures at surfaces and interfaces, but its spatial resolution has been limited to the micrometer scale by the diffraction limit of light. Here, we overcame this limitation by utilizing a highly confined near field within a plasmonic nanogap and successfully extended the SFG spectroscopy into nanoscopic regime with ~10-nm spatial resolution. We also established a comprehensive theoretical framework that accurately describes the microscopic mechanisms of this near-field SFG process. These experimental and theoretical achievements collectively represent a groundbreaking advancement in near-field second-order nonlinear nanospectroscopy, enabling direct access to correlated chemical and topographic information of interfacial molecular systems at the nanoscale.

As the global demand for clean and low-carbon energy grows, nuclear power is expected to play an increasingly important role. Yet the expansion of nuclear energy brings a persistent environmental challenge: the release of uranium into wastewater, mining effluents, and even the ocean. A new review paper published in Science of Carbon Materials provides the most comprehensive overview to date of how electrochemical technologies could help solve this problem by selectively capturing uranium in its most mobile and hazardous form.

Professor Qiming Sun of Soochow University and Researcher Manyi Yang of Nanjing University successfully achieved confined loading of highly dispersed Pt-FeO_x nanoparticles within nanosheet molecular sieves. This catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic performance in the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane and the hydrogenation of toluene, realizing hydrogen energy storage and release mediated by the "methylcyclohexane-toluene" reaction. The study shows that the Pt-FeO_x catalyst possesses excellent mass transfer performance; the introduction of FeO_x not only significantly lowers the activation energy barrier of the CH bond in methylcyclohexane but also regulates the formation of electron-rich Pt active sites to promote toluene desorption, while effectively inhibiting the aggregation and sintering of Pt nanoparticles, thereby significantly improving the structural and reaction stability of the catalyst. This work demonstrates the application potential of nanosheet molecular sieve-confined metal catalysts in organic liquid hydrogen storage reactions, contributing to the rational design and development of efficient catalytic systems for hydrogen energy technologies. The article was published as an open access Research Article in CCS Chemistry, the flagship journal of the Chinese Chemical Society.

An international team of scientists, led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), has discovered a new way that could speed up the healing of chronic wounds infected by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Published in Science Advances, the study done with collaborators at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, shows how a common bacterium, Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), actively prevents wound healing. The team also demonstrated how neutralising this biological process can allow skin cells to recover and close wounds.

Research about LENN -- a patent-pending, virus-mimicking platform technology that targets bladder cancer cells with mRNA therapies -- highlights compelling features of the system with respect to size, targetability, encapsulation efficiency, complex stability, gene expression, and “green” manufacturability.

Durotomy frequently results in cerebrospinal fluid leakage, leading to serious secondary complications. Tissue adhesives have become a popular alternative to sutures for achieving rapid, watertight sealing of dural tears. However, current materials cause excessive swelling and unwanted tissue adhesion. Now, researchers have developed an innovative monolithic Janus patch using a simple method that enables rapid sealing of dural tears through low-energy visible-light activation, while exhibiting minimal swelling (reduced mass effect) and excellent biocompatibility.

As global data traffic soars, transmitting information with light instead of electrical signals is becoming crucial for moving more data with much less power. Scientists in China have overcome a long-standing bottleneck in this area by growing high-quality barium titanate films on an industry-friendly platform and demonstrating a compact on-chip modulator. Their device switches light efficiently with small electrical signals at high speeds, enabling dense, energy-efficient optical links in future data centers and communication systems. 

Researchers have reported a zero-dimensional metal halide that switches its fluorescence ON through two independent pathways: pressure induces a structural transition to bright orange emission, while DMF solvent exposure activates intense yellow luminescence with 97% quantum yield. The solvent-driven “ON” state is fully reversible by mild heating, offering excellent cycling stability. This dual-stimuli response enables high-sensitivity DMF detection, advanced optical encryption, and reconfigurable logic operations.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) aid the body against autoimmune diseases and cancer, among other things. Patients have to pick up the medicine every few weeks. It would be easier for them to be able to inject the medicine themselves at home, but this would only be possible if the medications were highly concentrated but not too viscous. A team at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, led by Professor Lars Schäfer from the Center for Theoretical Chemistry and the company Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma have developed a quick and realistic simulation method to make this possible. This method can predict how formulations will behave. The team reports its findings in the Journal of Physical Chemistry from December 7, 2025.