Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41350428›Full record

ArticleNature materials2026

Cryogenically self-healing organic crystals.

Chengde Ding, Baolei Tang, Yuxing Zhou, Bowen Jin, Patrick Commins, Marieh B Al-Handawi, Liang Li, Panče Naumov, Hongyu Zhang

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature materials, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Healing crystals without heat.Nature materials · 2026
    Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Chengde DingState Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, P. R. China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-0184-4504
Baolei TangState Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, P. R. China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-0111-0870
Yuxing ZhouState Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, P. R. China.
Bowen JinState Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, P. R. China.
Patrick ComminsSmart Materials Lab, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4507-5201
Marieh B Al-HandawiSmart Materials Lab, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9642-6740
Liang LiSmart Materials Lab, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Panče NaumovSmart Materials Lab, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE. pance.naumov@nyu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2416-6569
Hongyu ZhangState Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, P. R. China. hongyuzhang@jlu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0219-3948

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 52173164National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 52373181Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province (Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province of China) 20230101038JCNew York University Abu Dhabi AD073New York University Abu Dhabi CG011
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Common self-healing mechanisms rely on the diffusion of chemical entities across a fissure to rebuild the interface. As diffusion is temperature-controlled, cryogenic conditions are prohibitive to self-healing. Here we report a molecular crystal that heals at ambient and high temperature (298 and 423 K) but that is also capable of autonomous recovery at 77 K. The efficiency of this process depends on dipole-dipole interactions as the dominant mechanism that reduces the separation between the interfaces. Comparative optical transmission measurements confirm that healed crystals are approximately 99% transparent relative to the same material before cracking. This cryogenic self-healing capability is used to design an autonomously reparative, all-organic, crystalline optical transmission system and enables substantial recovery of the optical losses due to the material's ability to recover after damage. This and possibly other similar materials overcome the natural limitations of macromolecular self-healing media at cryogenic temperatures, opening opportunities for developing materials that can operate practically indefinitely under extreme conditions.

Identifiers

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.