Reconfigurable, zero-energy, and wide-temperature loss-assisted thermal nonreciprocal metamaterials.

Thermal nonreciprocity plays a vital role in chip heat dissipation, energy-saving design, and high-temperature hyperthermia, typically realized through the use of advanced metamaterials with nonlinear, advective, spatiotemporal, or gradient properties. However, challenges such as fixed structural designs with limited adjustability, high energy consumption, and a narrow operational temperature range remain prevalent. Here, a systematic framework is introduced to achieve reconfigurable, zero-energy, and wide-temperature thermal nonreciprocity by transforming wasteful heat loss into a valuable regulatory tool.

Free-form and multi-physical metamaterials with forward conformality-assisted tracing.

Transformation theory, active control and inverse design have been mainstream in creating free-form metamaterials. However, existing frameworks cannot simultaneously satisfy the requirements of isotropic, passive and forward design. Here we propose a forward conformality-assisted tracing method to address the geometric and single-physical-field constraints of conformal transformation.

Higher-Order Topological In-Bulk Corner State in Pure Diffusion Systems.

Compared with conventional topological insulator that carries topological state at its boundaries, the higher-order topological insulator exhibits lower-dimensional gapless boundary states at its corners and hinges. Leveraging the form similarity between Schrödinger equation and diffusion equation, research on higher-order topological insulators has been extended from condensed matter physics to thermal diffusion. Unfortunately, all the corner states of thermal higher-order topological insulator reside within the band gap.

Investigation of the Relationship between Aptamers' Targeting Functions and Human Plasma Proteins.

Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules capable of recognizing targets via specific three-dimensional structures. Taking advantage of this unique targeting function, aptamers have been extensively applied to bioanalysis and disease theranostics. However, the targeting functionality of aptamers in the physiological milieu is greatly impeded compared with their applications.

Nonreciprocal Heat Circulation Metadevices.

Thermal nonreciprocity typically stems from nonlinearity or spatiotemporal variation of parameters. However, constrained by the inherent temperature-dependent properties and the law of mass conservation, previous works have been compelled to treat dynamic and steady-state cases separately. Here, by establishing a unified thermal scattering theory, the creation of a convection-based thermal metadevice which supports both dynamic and steady-state nonreciprocal heat circulation is reported.

Deep Learning-Assisted Active Metamaterials with Heat-Enhanced Thermal Transport.

Heat management is crucial for state-of-the-art applications such as passive radiative cooling, thermally adjustable wearables, and camouflage systems. Their adaptive versions, to cater to varied requirements, lean on the potential of adaptive metamaterials. Existing efforts, however, feature with highly anisotropic parameters, narrow working-temperature ranges, and the need for manual intervention, which remain long-term and tricky obstacles for the most advanced self-adaptive metamaterials.

Tunable thermal conduction force without macroscopic temperature gradients.

Ubiquitous thermal conduction makes its force effect particularly important in diverse fields, such as electronic engineering and biochemistry. However, regulating thermal conduction force is still challenging due to two stringent restrictions. First, a temperature gradient is essential for inducing the force effect.

Giant, magnet-free, and room-temperature Hall-like heat transfer.

Thermal chirality, generically referring to the handedness of heat flux, provides a significant possibility for modern heat control. It may be realized with the thermal Hall effect yet at the high cost of strong magnetic fields and extremely low temperatures. Here, we reveal magnet-free and room-temperature Hall-like heat transfer in an active thermal lattice composed of a stationary solid matrix and rotating solid particles.

Black-hole-inspired thermal trapping with graded heat-conduction metadevices.

The curved space-time produced by black holes leads to the intriguing trapping effect. So far, metadevices have enabled analogous black holes to trap light or sound in laboratory spacetime. However, trapping heat in a conductive environment is still challenging because diffusive behaviors are directionless.

Tunable liquid-solid hybrid thermal metamaterials with a topology transition.

Thermal metamaterials provide rich control of heat transport which is becoming the foundation of cutting-edge applications ranging from chip cooling to biomedical. However, due to the fundamental laws of physics, the manipulation of heat is much more constrained in conventional thermal metamaterials where effective heat conduction with Onsager reciprocity dominates. Here, through the inclusion of thermal convection and breaking the Onsager reciprocity, we unveil a regime in thermal metamaterials and transformation thermotics that goes beyond effective heat conduction.

Convective Thermal Metamaterials: Exploring High-Efficiency, Directional, and Wave-Like Heat Transfer.

Convective thermal metamaterials are artificial structures where convection dominates in the thermal process. Due to the field coupling between velocity and temperature, convection provides a new knob for controlling heat transfer beyond pure conduction, thus allowing active and robust thermal modulations. With the introduced convective effects, the original parabolic Fourier heat equation for pure conduction can be transformed to hyperbolic.

Thermal Willis Coupling in Spatiotemporal Diffusive Metamaterials.

Willis coupling generically stems from bianisotropy or chirality in wave systems. Nevertheless, those schemes are naturally unavailable in diffusion systems described by a single constitutive relation governed by the Fourier law. Here, we report spatiotemporal diffusive metamaterials by modulating thermal conductivity and mass density in heat transfer.

Diffusive Fizeau Drag in Spatiotemporal Thermal Metamaterials.

Fizeau drag means that the speed of light can be regulated by the flow of water, owing to the momentum interaction between photons and moving media. However, the dragging of heat is intrinsically elusive, due to the absence of momentum in thermal diffusion. Here, we design a spatiotemporal thermal metamaterial based on heat transfer in porous media to demonstrate the diffusive analog to Fizeau drag.

Ascertaining the Inconsistency of AEC Students' Perceptions and Behaviors Regarding Sustainability by Mixed Methods.

University students in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) are the main force and future leaders of the construction industry, and their values shape the model and direction of the industry's future development. The construction industry is the largest contributor of waste and greenhouse gas emissions. However, there is an inconsistency between AEC university students' perceptions and behaviors regarding sustainability, which has received little attention.

Manipulation of Multiple Cell-Cell Interactions by Tunable DNA Scaffold Networks.

Manipulation of cell-cell interactions via cell surface engineering has potential biomedical applications in tissue engineering and cell therapy. However, manipulation of the comprehensive and multiple intercellular interactions remains a challenge and missing elements. Herein, utilizing a DNA triangular prism (TP) and a branched polymer (BP) as functional modules, we fabricate tunable DNA scaffold networks on the cell surface.

Oxygen Vacancy-Driven Reversible Free Radical Catalysis for Environment-Adaptive Cancer Chemodynamic Therapy.

Amplifying free radical production by chemical dynamic catalysis to cause oxidative damage to cancer cells has received extensive interest for cancer-specific therapy. The major challenge is inevitable negative modulation on the tumor microenvironment (TME) by these species, hindering durable effectiveness. Here we show for the first time an oxygen vacancy-rich Bi-based regulator that allows environment-adaptive free radical catalysis.

Tunable thermal wave nonreciprocity by spatiotemporal modulation.

Nonreciprocity is of particular importance to realize one-way propagation, thus attracting intensive research interest in various fields. Thermal waves, essentially originating from periodic temperature fluctuations, are also expected to achieve one-way propagation, but the related mechanism is still lacking. To solve the problem, we introduce spatiotemporal modulation to realize thermal wave nonreciprocity.

A Cascade Signaling Network between Artificial Cells Switching Activity of Synthetic Transmembrane Channels.

Cell-cell communication plays a vital role in biological activities; in particular, membrane-protein interactions are profoundly significant. In order to explore the underlying mechanism of intercellular signaling pathways, a full range of artificial systems have been explored. However, many of them are complicated and uncontrollable.

Geometric phase and bilayer cloak in macroscopic particle-diffusion systems.

Particle diffusion is a fundamental process in various systems, so its effective manipulation is crucially important. For this purpose, here we design a basic structure composed of two moving rings with equal-but-opposite velocities and a stationary intermediate layer, which can realize multiple functions to control particle diffusion. On the one hand, the intermediate layer allows particle exchange between the two moving rings, which gives birth to an exceptional point of velocity.

DNA-based artificial molecular signaling system that mimics basic elements of reception and response.

In order to maintain tissue homeostasis, cells communicate with the outside environment by receiving molecular signals, transmitting them, and responding accordingly with signaling pathways. Thus, one key challenge in engineering molecular signaling systems involves the design and construction of different modules into a rationally integrated system that mimics the cascade of molecular events. Herein, we rationally design a DNA-based artificial molecular signaling system that uses the confined microenvironment of a giant vesicle, derived from a living cell.

Dipole-assisted thermotics: Experimental demonstration of dipole-driven thermal invisibility.

Thermal management has made considerable progress in the past decade for the emerging field of thermal metamaterials. However, two severe problems still handicap the development of thermal metamaterials. That is, thermal conductivities should be singular and uncommon as required by corresponding theories.

Metathermotics: Nonlinear thermal responses of core-shell metamaterials.

Thermal metamaterials based on core-shell structures have aroused wide research interest, e.g., in thermal cloaks.

Designing effective thermal conductivity of materials of core-shell structure: Theory and simulation.

We introduce the phenomenon of golden touch from myth to thermotics. We define golden touch as extending the core property to a shell with an extremely small core fraction. We obtain the requirement of golden touch by making the effective thermal conductivity of the core-shell structure equal to the thermal conductivity of the core.

Engineering a 3D DNA-Logic Gate Nanomachine for Bispecific Recognition and Computing on Target Cell Surfaces.

Among the vast number of recognition molecules, DNA aptamers generated from cell-SELEX exhibit unique properties for identifying cell membrane biomarkers, in particular protein receptors on cancer cells. To integrate all recognition and computing modules within a single structure, a three-dimensional (3D) DNA-based logic gate nanomachine was constructed to target overexpressed cancer cell biomarkers with bispecific recognition. Thus, when the Boolean operator "AND" returns a true value, it is followed by an "ON" signal when the specific cell type is presented.

Facile Assembly/Disassembly of DNA Nanostructures Anchored on Cell-Mimicking Giant Vesicles.

DNA nanostructures assembled on living cell membranes have become powerful research tools. Synthetic lipid membranes have been used as a membrane model to study the dynamic behavior of DNA nanostructures on fluid soft lipid bilayers, but without the inherent complexity of natural membranes. Herein, we report the assembly and disassembly of DNA nanoprisms on cell-mimicking micrometer-scale giant membrane vesicles derived from living mammalian cells.