The family of van der Waals (vdW) materials is large and diverse with applications ranging from electronics and optoelectronics to catalysis and chemical storage. However, despite intensive research, there remains significant knowledge‐gaps pertaining to their properties and interactions. One such gap is the interaction between these materials and hydrogen, a potentially vital future energy vector and ubiquitous processing gas in the semiconductor industry. This work reports on the interaction of hydrogen with the vdW semiconductor SnS₂, where molecular hydrogen (H₂) and H‐ions induce a controlled chemical conversion into semiconducting‐SnS or to β‐Sn. This hydrogen‐driven reaction is facilitated by the different oxidation states of Sn and is successfully applied to form SnS₂/SnS heterostructures with uniform layers, atomically flat interfaces and well‐aligned crystallographic axes. This approach is scalable and offers a route for engineering materials at the nanoscale for semiconductor technologies based on the earth‐abundant elements Sn and S, a promising result for a wide range of potential applications.

The emergence of the hydrogen economy requires development in the storage, generation and sensing of hydrogen. The indium selenide ( $\gamma$ -InSe) van der Waals (vdW) crystal shows promise for technologies in all three of these areas. For these applications to be realised, the fundamental interactions of InSe with hydrogen must be understood. Here, we present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study on the interaction of $\gamma$ -InSe with hydrogen. It is shown that hydrogenation of $\gamma$ -InSe by a Kaufman ion source results in a marked quenching of the room temperature photoluminescence signal and a modification of the vibrational modes of $\gamma$ -InSe, which are modelled by density functional theory simulations. Our experimental and theoretical studies indicate that hydrogen is incorporated into the crystal preferentially in its atomic form. This behaviour is qualitatively different from that observed in other vdW crystals, such as transition metal dichalcogenides, where molecular hydrogen is intercalated in the vdW gaps of the crystal, leading to the formation of “bubbles” for hydrogen storage.

Cooking foods clearly has a beneficial impact for humans; the microbial content can be decreased, proteins made more digestible and the flavor and texture improved. But at the same time, amino acids, creatine and sugars, which occur naturally in meats, may be involved in reactions that generate heterocyclic amine (HA) carcinogens during cooking. Recently, another amine carcinogen, acrylamide, was found at relatively high levels in cooked carbohydrate-rich foods, especially potatoes. In this commentary acrylamide will be compared with the meat carcinogens (HAs) with respect to formation, human intake and health consequences—it's a meat and potato war. What conclusion about risks from these dietary carcinogens can we make from the available scientific data?