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Flexoelectricity is an electromechanical coupling between electrical polarization and a strain gradient that enables mechanical manipulation of polarization without applying an electrical bias. Recently, flexoelectricity was directly demonstrated by mechanically switching the out-of-plane polarization of a uniaxial system with a scanning probe microscope tip. However, the successful application of flexoelectricity in low-symmetry multiaxial ferroelectrics and therefore active manipulation of multiple domains via flexoelectricity have not yet been achieved. Here, we demonstrate that the symmetry-breaking flexoelectricity offers a powerful route for the selective control of multiple domain switching pathways in multiaxial ferroelectric materials. Specifically, we use a trailing flexoelectric field that is created by the motion of a mechanically loaded scanning probe microscope tip. By controlling the SPM scan direction, we can deterministically select either stable 71° ferroelastic switching or 180° ferroelectric switching in a multiferroic magnetoelectric BiFeO thin film. Phase-field simulations reveal that the amplified in-plane trailing flexoelectric field is essential for this domain engineering. Moreover, we show that mechanically switched domains have a good retention property. This work opens a new avenue for the deterministic selection of nanoscale ferroelectric domains in low-symmetry materials for non-volatile magnetoelectric devices and multilevel data storage.

A B S T R A C TGraphene oxide (GO) membranes have been reported to be a promising separation barrier that can retain small molecules and multi-valent salts because of the well-defined interlayer space between GO flakes. However, while some studies suggested fast liquid transport through the extremely tortuous transport path, contradictory observations (e.g. low permeation flux) have also been obtained. This paper revealed the dynamic microstructure of GO membranes, which affected the membrane performance significantly. We showed that all GO membranes prepared by varied methods and on different substrates presented a severe reduction in water permeability during filtration, due to the compaction of their original loose microstructure. The water flux could drop continuously from tens of LMH bar −1 to < 0.1 LMH bar −1 after more than ten hours. This result demonstrated that the structure of GO membranes prepared by current approaches was far from the ideal laminar structure. The high permeability of GO membranes observed could be contributed by the disordered membrane microstructure. Therefore, the transport mechanisms assuming perfect laminar structure in GO membranes, and the fast transport hypothesis may not fully describe the water transport in GO membranes. Interestingly, the loosely packed microstructure of GO membranes was also found reversible depending on the storage conditions.

Flexoelectricity is a universal electromechanical coupling effect whereby all dielectric materials polarise in response to strain gradients. In particular, nanoscale flexoelectricity promises exotic phenomena and functions, but reliable characterisation methods are required to unlock its potential. Here, we report anomalous mechanical control of quantum tunnelling that allows for characterising nanoscale flexoelectricity. By applying strain gradients with an atomic force microscope tip, we systematically polarise an ultrathin film of otherwise nonpolar SrTiO3, and simultaneously measure tunnel current across it. The measured tunnel current exhibits critical behaviour as a function of strain gradients, which manifests large modification of tunnel barrier profiles via flexoelectricity. Further analysis of this critical behaviour reveals significantly enhanced flexocoupling strength in ultrathin SrTiO3, compared to that in bulk, rendering flexoelectricity more potent at the nanoscale. Our study not only suggests possible applications exploiting dynamic mechanical control of quantum effect, but also paves the way to characterise nanoscale flexoelectricity.

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P-glycoprotein (ABCB1)-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) has become a major obstacle in successful cancer chemotherapy, which attracted much effort to develop clinically useful compounds to reverse MDR. Here, we designed and synthesized a novel series of derivatives with a 5-cyano-6-phenylpyrimidine scaffold and evaluated their potential reversal activities against MDR. Among these compounds, 55, containing an acylurea appendage, showed the most potent activity in reversing paclitaxel resistance in SW620/AD300 cells. Further studies demonstrated 55 could increase accumulation of PTX, interrupt ABCB1-mediated Rh123 accumulation and efflux, stimulate ABCB1 ATPase activity, and especially have no effect on CYP3A4 activity, which avoid drug interaction caused toxicity. More importantly, 55 significantly enhanced the efficacy of PTX against the SW620/AD300 cell xenograft without obvious side effects for orally intake. Given all that, the pyrimidine-acylurea based ABCB1 inhibitor may be a promising lead in developing new efficacious ABCB1-dependent MDR modulator.

Coordination polymer (CP) glasses offer a way to tackle the fabrication challenges encountered by inorganic porous membranes and show great potentials for size‐exclusive gas separation. However, their processability and performance still cannot simultaneously meet the requirements for high‐performance membrane separation. Herein, we have developed a series of CP glasses (M‐P‐dmbIm, M=Zn, Cd, Cu, and Mn), which possess low vitrification temperature as well as low viscosity (η) and lave capability above the transition temperatures. The derived glass (agM‐P‐dmbIm) membranes show outstanding performances for H2/CO2, H2/N2, and H2/CH4 separation, which all far surpass the Robeson upper bound and even rival against the best of the state‐of‐the‐art gas separation membranes. The low viscosities not only allow us to hot‐cast or hot‐press the CP glasses into thin membranes within 5 min without sacrificing their selectivity and permeability, but also endow the resulted glass membranes with healing ability.