How did the collaborationo nt his project start? This work is ac ollaboration between two research groups in Waseda University (Kuroda-Shimojima-Wada Laboratory,w ith an interest in the synthesis of inorganic solids from molecular precursors) and the University of To kyo (Mizuno-Yamaguchi Laboratory, with an interest in the catalysis of metal oxide cluster compounds like polyoxometalates). The collaboration started when one of the authors (Y.K.) moved between these groups. During many discussions , we came to the idea that several polyoxometalates can be regarded as building blocks of inorganic solids, and techniques developed specially for the chemical design of polyoxometalates can also be applied to inorganic solids like brucite-type layered metal hydroxides. Thus, we succeeded in establishing the novel synthetic concept of hybrid metal hydroxide nanosheets by combining the chemistries of layered metal hydroxides and polyoxometalates. What is the most significant result of this study? The modification reaction developed in this study can be applied to aw ide range of materials, in terms of constituent metallic elements of metal hydroxide nanosheets and those of surface functional groups. Because tripodal ligands have flexible tridentate binding sites, they can adjust their conformations to metal hydrox-ide nanosheets with different lattice constants;t his is expressed by the phrase "one-size-fits-all modifier" in the title. What was the inspiration for this cover design? The cover design was inspired by the Japanese Sushi culture. We enjoy various fishes in as tandardized style, in which as lice of af ish is placed on av inegared rice ball. In this study,w ec an provide various metal hydroxide nanosheets in as tandardized method. The future goal of this study will be the production of designed nanosheets which satisfy the demands of functional devices , in the same way as aS ushi master makes flavored Sushi that fits the customer's taste. Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Yoshiyuki Kuroda and Kazuyuki Kuroda at the Waseda University in Tokyo. The image depicts how the production of diverse metal hydroxide nanosheets can be standardized in the same way as Sushi. Read the full text of the article at

Precise size control of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles (LDHNPs) is crucial for their applications in anion exchange, catalysis, and drug delivery systems. Here, we report the synthesis of LDHNPs through a reconstruction method, using tripodal ligands (e.g., tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane; THAM). We found that the mechanism of reconstruction at least includes a dissolution-recrystallization process rather than topotactic transformation. THAM is immobilized on the surface of recrystallized LDHNPs with tridentate linkages, suppressing their crystal growth especially in lateral directions. The particle size of the LDHNPs is precisely controlled by the concentration of THAM regardless of the synthetic routes, such as coprecipitation and reconstruction. It is suggested that the particle size is controlled on the basis of Ostwald ripening which is governed by the equilibrium of the surface modification reaction.

How did the collaborationo nt his project start?This work is ac ollaboration between two research groups in Waseda University (Kuroda-Shimojima-Wada Laboratory,w ith an interest in the synthesis of inorganic solids from molecular precursors) and the University of To kyo (Mizuno-Yamaguchi Laboratory, with an interest in the catalysis of metal oxide cluster compounds like polyoxometalates). The collaboration started when one of the authors (Y.K.) moved between these groups. During many discussions, we came to the idea that several polyoxometalates can be regarded as building blocks of inorganic solids, and techniques developed specially for the chemical design of polyoxometalates can also be applied to inorganic solids like brucite-type layered metal hydroxides. Thus, we succeeded in establishing the novel synthetic concept of hybrid metal hydroxide nanosheets by combining the chemistries of layered metal hydroxides and polyoxometalates.What is the most significant result of this study?The modification reaction developed in this study can be applied to aw ide range of materials, in terms of constituent metallic elements of metal hydroxide nanosheets and those of surface functional groups. Because tripodal ligands have flexible tridentate binding sites, they can adjust their conformations to metal hydroxide nanosheets with different lattice constants;t his is expressed by the phrase "one-size-fits-all modifier" in the title. What was the inspiration for this cover design?The cover design was inspired by the Japanese Sushi culture. We enjoy various fishes in as tandardized style, in which as lice of af ish is placed on av inegared rice ball. In this study,w ec an provide various metal hydroxide nanosheets in as tandardized method. The future goal of this study will be the production of designed nanosheets which satisfy the demands of functional devices, in the same way as aS ushi master makes flavored Sushi that fits the customer's taste.Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Yoshiyuki Kuroda and Kazuyuki Kuroda at the Waseda University in Tokyo. The image depicts how the production of diverse metal hydroxide nanosheets can be standardized in the same way as Sushi. Read the full text of the article at

A generalized synthetic method for organically modified metal hydroxide nanosheets using tripodal ligands as one‐size‐fits‐all modifiers is demonstrated. A variety of metal hydroxide nanosheets consisting of transition‐metal cations were prepared directly from solutions. The tripodal structure of the ligands provides adaptability to a wide range of structures and high stability to hydrolysis. This method allows the design of both inorganic framework and organic surface functional groups. More information can be found in the Full Paper by Y. Kuroda, K. Kuroda et al. on page 5023 ff.