➀ Researchers at Northwestern University have captured the nanoscale formation of a water molecule for the first time; ➁ Using palladium as a catalyst, they observed hydrogen and oxygen atoms merging to form H2O; ➂ The team achieved this by using a special ultra-thin glassy membrane and a high-vacuum electron microscope.

➀ The study investigates the enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production capabilities of nanoscale covalent organic frameworks (COFs). ➁ It highlights the importance of nanoscale dimensions and charge separation in achieving high hydrogen yields. ➂ The synthesized TFP-BpyD nano-COF demonstrates high photocatalytic activity with a mass-normalized hydrogen production rate of 392.0 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹.