We construct an extension of $f(T)$ gravity with the inclusion of a nonminimal torsion-matter coupling in the action. The resulting theory is a novel gravitational modification, since it is different from both $f(T)$ gravity, as well as from the nonminimal curvature-matter-coupled theory. The cosmological application of this new theory proves to be very interesting. In particular, we obtain an effective dark energy sector whose equation-of-state parameter can be quintessence- or phantom-like, or exhibit the phantom-divide crossing, while for a large range of the model parameters the universe enters in a de Sitter, dark-energy-dominated, accelerating phase. Additionally, we can obtain early-time inflationary solutions too, and thus provide a unified description of the cosmological history.

It has been proposed recently the existence of a non-minimal coupling between a canonical scalar field (quintessence) and gravity in the framework of teleparallel gravity, motivated by similar constructions in the context of General Relativity. The dynamics of the model, known as teleparallel dark energy, has been further developed, but no scaling attractor has been found. Here we consider a model in which the non-minimal coupling is ruled by a dynamically changing coefficient α≡f,/(f)1/2, with f() an arbitrary function of the scalar field . It is shown that in this case the existence of scaling attractors is possible, which means that the universe will eventually enter these scaling attractors, regardless of the initial conditions. As a consequence, the cosmological coincidence problem could be alleviated without fine-tunings.

A detailed dynamical analysis of the tachyonic teleparallel dark energy model, in which a noncanonical scalar field (tachyon field) is nonminimally coupled to gravitation, is performed. It is found that, when the nonminimal coupling is ruled by a dynamically changing coefficient $\alpha \equiv f_{,\varphi }/\sqrt{f}$, with $f(\varphi )$ an arbitrary function of the scalar field $\varphi$, the Universe may experience a field-matter-dominated era “$\varphi \mathrm{MDE}$,” in which it has some portions of the energy density of $\varphi$ in the matter dominated era. This is the most significant difference in relation to the so-called teleparallel dark energy scenario, in which a canonical scalar field (quintessence) is nonminimally coupled to gravitation.

It is investigated the cosmological dynamics of scalar-torsion $$f(T,\phi )$$f ( T , ϕ ) gravity as a dark energy model, where T is the torsion scalar of teleparallel gravity and $$\phi $$ϕ is a canonical scalar field. In this context, we are concerned with the phenomenology of the class of models with non-linear coupling to gravity and exponential potential. We obtain the critical points of the autonomous system, along with the stability conditions of each one of them and their cosmological properties. Particularly, we show the existence of new attractors with accelerated expansion, as well as, new scaling solutions in which the energy density of dark energy scales as the background fluid density, thus, defining the so-called scaling radiation and scaling matter epochs. The scaling solutions are saddle points, and therefore, the system exits these solutions to the current epoch of cosmic acceleration, towards an attractor point describing the dark energy-dominated era.

In this work, we perform a detailed dynamical analysis for the cosmological applications of a nonminimal torsion-matter coupled gravity. Two alternative formalisms are proposed, which enable one to choose between the easier approach for a given problem, and furthermore, we analyze six specific models. In general, we extract fixed points corresponding either to dark-matter-dominated, scaling decelerated solutions, or to dark-energy-dominated accelerated solutions. Additionally, we find that there is a small parameter region in which the model can experience the transition from the matter epoch to the dark-energy era. These features are in agreement with the observed evolution of the Universe, and make the theory a successful candidate for the description of nature.