The zigzag-edged triangular graphene molecules (ZTGMs) have been predicted to host ferromagnetically coupled edge states with the net spin scaling with the molecular size, which affords large spin tunability crucial for next-generation molecular spintronics. However, the scalable synthesis of large ZTGMs and the direct observation of their edge states have been long-standing challenges because of the molecules’ high chemical instability. Here, we report the bottom-up synthesis of π-extended [5]triangulene with atomic precision via surface-assisted cyclodehydrogenation of a rationally designed molecular precursor on metallic surfaces. Atomic force microscopy measurements unambiguously resolve its ZTGM-like skeleton consisting of 15 fused benzene rings, while scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements reveal edge-localized electronic states. Bolstered by density functional theory calculations, our results show that [5]triangulenes synthesized on Au(111) retain the open-shell π-conjugated character with magnetic ground states.

Ligand‐induced surface restructuring with heteroatomic doping is used to precisely modify the surface of a prototypical [Au25(SR1)18]− cluster (1) while maintaining its icosahedral Au13 core for the synthesis of a new bimetallic [Au19Cd3(SR2)18]− cluster (2). Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies reveal that six bidentate Au2(SR1)3 motifs (L2) attached to the Au13 core of 1 were replaced by three quadridentate Au2Cd(SR2)6 motifs (L4) to create a bimetallic cluster 2. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate a stronger electronic interaction between the surface motifs (Au2Cd(SR2)6) and the Au13 core, attributed to a more compact cluster structure and a larger energy gap of 2 compared to that of 1. These factors dramatically enhance the photoluminescence quantum efficiency and lifetime of crystal of the cluster 2. This work provides a new route for the design of a wide range of bimetallic/alloy metal nanoclusters with superior optoelectronic properties and functionality.

Spinel oxides (AB 2 O 4 ) with unique crystal structures have been widely explored as promising alternative catalysts for efficient oxygen evolution reactions; however, developing novel methods to fabricate robust, cost-effective, and high-performance spinel oxide based electrocatalysts is still a great challenge. Here, utilizing a complementary experimental and theoretical approach, pentavalent vanadium doping in the spinel oxides (i.e., Co 3 O 4 and NiFe 2 O 4 ) has been thoroughly investigated to engineer their surface structures for the enhanced electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. Specifically, when the optimal concentration of vanadium (ca. 7.7 at. %) is incorporated into Co 3 O 4 , the required overpotential to reach a certain j GEOM and j ECSA decreases dramatically for oxygen evolution reactions in alkaline media. Even after 30 h of chronopotentiometry, the required potential for V-doped Co 3 O 4 just increases by 16.3 mV, being much lower than that of the undoped one. It is observed that the pentavalent vanadium doping introduces lattice distortions and defects on the surface, which in turn exposes more active sites for reactions. DFT calculations further reveal the rate-determining step changing from the step of *-O to *-OOH to the step of *-OH to *-O, while the corresponding energy barriers decrease from 1.73 to 1.57 eV accordingly after high-valent V doping. Moreover, the oxygen intermediate probing method using methanol as a probing reagent also demonstrates a stronger OH* adsorption on the surface after V doping. When vanadium doping is performed in the inverse spinel matrix of NiFe 2 O 4 , impressive performance enhancement in the oxygen evolution reaction is as well witnessed. All these results clearly illustrate that the V doping process can not only efficiently improve the electrochemical properties of spinel transition metal oxides but also provide new insights into the design of high-performance water oxidation electrocatalysts.

Quantum states induced by single-atomic impurities are at the frontier of physics and material science. While such states have been reported in high-temperature superconductors and dilute magnetic semiconductors, they are unexplored in topological magnets which can feature spin-orbit tunability. Here we use spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy/ spectroscopy (STM/S) to study the engineered quantum impurity in a topological magnet Co 3 Sn 2 S 2. We find that each substituted In impurity introduces a striking localized bound state. Our systematic magnetization-polarized probe reveals that this bound state is spindown polarized, in lock with a negative orbital magnetization. Moreover, the magnetic bound states of neighboring impurities interact to form quantized orbitals, exhibiting an intriguing spin-orbit splitting, analogous to the splitting of the topological fermion line. Our work collectively demonstrates the strong spin-orbit effect of the single-atomic impurity at the quantum level, suggesting that a nonmagnetic impurity can introduce spin-orbit coupled magnetic resonance in topological magnets.

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Using combined scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements and first-principles electronic structure calculations, we extensively studied the atomic and electronic properties of √ 7-InBi overlayer on Si(111). We propose and demonstrate an effective experimental process to successfully form a large well-ordered √ 7 surface by depositing Bi atoms on the In-Si(111)-4×1 substrate. The STM images exhibit a honeycomb pattern. After performing an exhaustive computational search, we identified the atomic structures of the surface at In and Bi coverages of 6/7 and 3/7 monolayers, respectively. We discovered a new trimer model with a lower energy than the previously proposed model. The simulated STM images of trimer models confirm the presence of the honeycomb pattern in accord with our experimental STM images. Most importantly, we found that the surface is robust, preserving the topologically non-trivial phase. Our edge state calculations verify that InBi overlayer on Si(111) is indeed a two-dimensional (2D) topological insulator (TI). Moreover, hybrid functional calculations result in band gaps up to 70 meV which is high enough for room temperature experiments. Our findings lay the foundation for the materials realization of 2D-TIs by growing InBi overlayer on Si(111) substrate.

The abounding possibilities of discovering novel materials has driven enhanced research effort in the field of materials physics. Only recently, the quantum anomalous hall effect (QAHE) was realized in magnetic topological insulators (TIs) albeit existing at extremely low temperatures. Here, we predict that MPn (M =Ti, Zr, and Hf; Pn =Sb and Bi) honeycombs are capable of possessing QAH insulating phases based on first-principles electronic structure calculations. We found that HfBi, HfSb, TiBi, and TiSb honeycomb systems possess QAHE with the largest band gap of 15 meV under the effect of tensile strain. In low-buckled HfBi honeycomb, we demonstrated the change of Chern number with increasing lattice constant. The band crossings occurred at low symmetry points. We also found that by varying the buckling distance we can induce a phase transition such that the band crossing between two Hf d-orbitals occurs along high-symmetry point K2. Moreover, edge states are demonstrated in buckled HfBi zigzag nanoribbons. This study contributes additional novel materials to the current pool of predicted QAH insulators which have promising applications in spintronics.