Li-rich layered oxides (LLOs) are promising candidates for the cathode materials of next-generation high-energy density lithium-ion batteries because of their high reversible capacity and operating voltages. However, the LLOs always undergo structure transformation, which can result in rapid decay of capacity and voltage. Herein, LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ (LNMO) spinel layers are constructed on the surfaces of Li_1.2Mn_0.54Ni_0.13Co_0.13O₂ (LLO) particles synthesized by a coprecipitation method to form a heterostructural LLO-LNMO cathode. The LLO-LNMO cathode with 1% LNMO displays a more stable long-cycling life with 82.3% capacity retention and 0.534 V voltage drop after 400 cycles at 1 C. A capacity retention of 79.6% with a voltage decay of 0.545 V after 1000 cycles at 5 C is also achieved. A calculation based on density functional theory (DFT) also indicates that lattice oxygen can be stabilized by the LNMO spinel layer. This work demonstrates that the construction of a heterostructural LLO-LNMO cathode with an LNMO spinel layer covering the surfaces of LLO can inhibit the degradation of the layered structure of LLO, restrain the voltage attenuation, and achieve enhanced long-cycling properties for potential applications of high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

High-power energy storage devices, and supercapacitors (SCs) in particular, are critical for the progress of the energy sector as they gather distinctive characteristics, namely, long cyclability and high-power density. However, SC still faces some challenges, namely, very low energy density when compared to batteries and the need to operate in organic solvents to attain larger potential windows. Therefore, advances are necessary to reach higher energy density in more environmentally friendly electrolytes. This study focuses on testing mixtures of water with hydrophobic eutectic systems (ESs), in which the components are environmentally compatible, as electrolytes for SCs. Four different ESs of sodium hexanoate and carboxyl acids (hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, and decanoic acid) were studied. The physical characterization of these mixtures was studied through measurement and exploration of several properties, namely, sol–gel diagrams, conductivity, viscosity, density, and ionicity. The electrochemical performance of these mixtures was tested in electrochemical double-layer capacitor cells with microporous activated carbon electrodes through cyclic voltage diffraction and galvanostatic charge–discharge. Overall, it was observed that the hydrophobicity of these systems allows conductive gels to form simply by adding water. The conductivity and fluidity of ESs increased with the water content. Additionally, the specific capacitance decreases when the acid chain increases, while in the voltammograms, resistive features vanish as the water content increases. From this study, the ES of sodium hexanoate with hexanoic acid with 60% molar composition in acid mixtures [NaC₆:C₆(0.6)] showed the highest conductivity, 22.3 mS/cm at 293.15 K, and the highest electrode specific capacitance, 71.6 F/g at 0.2 A/g, for a weight water composition of 60%.

Establishing a rapid and sensitive biosensing method for organophosphorus pesticide (OP) is essential because of its pollution to the environment and potential harm to human health. In the report, copper ion-induced self-assembled aerogels of carbon dots are coupled with acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase to construct a multienzyme cascade catalysis-based colorimetric biosensor for the detection of OP dichlorvos. The copper–carbon dot aerogels (Cu-CDs) are massively fabricated using copper as the metal binding sites and carbon dots derived from sodium tartrate and adenine as building units. The Cu-CDs are verified to possess high peroxidase-mimicking activity toward the hydrogen peroxide-oxidation of o-phenylenediamine. It is revealed that the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) including ·OH, ·O₂^–, and ¹O₂ is involved in the peroxidase-mimicking process, and the high peroxidase-mimicking activity of Cu-CDs results from the synergistic effects of abundant ROS, fast Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycling, plentiful catalytically active metal sites, and three-dimensional porous structures. The dichlorvos biosensor achieves a linear range of 0.02–0.3 μM with a limit of detection of 7.6 nM. The proposed sensor is successfully applied to detect dichlorvos in real samples, including cabbage, pakchoi, and lake water, and the results compare well with those from a reference gas chromatography method.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are broad-spectrum antibacterial agents that are safe for the environment and the human body. To achieve a balance between material functionality, degradability, and safety of AgNPs, the peanut red skin (PSE)/polyphenol-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD)/AgNPs were prepared for the first time by ultrasound-triggered molecular encapsulation and biosynthesis for hydrophilic fusion of medicine and small molecules. Additionally, a novel “controlled release” sodium alginate (SA)-based hydrogel was developed and medicine/small-molecule self-assembled PSE/HPβCD/AgNPs were introduced into the three-dimensional network structure of the SA hydrogels. The SA-based hydrogels exhibited excellent mechanical and rheological properties. In different pH conditions, the hydrogels exhibit differing release and expansion behaviors, and the maximum cumulative release of AgNPs was 98.21% at pH > 6.8. Furthermore, the hydrogels exhibited strong antibacterial effects against pathogenic bacteria. They also showed excellent antioxidant properties and cytocompatibility. These advantages highlight the potential utility of the developed hydrogels for biomedical applications and agricultural fields.

The study focuses on the mechanical performance of a blend of ocean-recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) and polypropylene (rPP) and explores the effect of adding burlap biocarbon from post-industrial waste as a filler. This study aims to upcycle ocean-recycled plastic and post-industrial waste and to compare the conventional injection molding with 3D printing. The Taguchi-gray relational analysis was utilized to determine the preferred printing conditions for both the rHDPE–rPP blend and the rHDPE–rPP–biocarbon composite. The study found that the preferred printing conditions for the rHDPE–rPP blend were a raster angle of 0°, a printing speed of 900 mm/min, and a nozzle temperature of 215 °C, while the preferred printing conditions for the rHDPE–rPP–biocarbon composite were a raster angle of 0°, a printing speed of 1200 mm/min, and a nozzle temperature of 255 °C. The study also compared the mechanical properties of 3D printed and injection-molded samples, with the 3D printed rHDPE–rPP blend samples, demonstrating higher tensile and flexural moduli with a percent increase of 7 and 12%, respectively, compared to the injection-molded counterparts. However, no considerable difference in tensile and flexural modulus was observed between 3D printed and injection-molded samples of the rHDPE–rPP–biocarbon composite. Moreover, it was also found that the addition of biocarbon resulted in an enhancement in the tensile and flexural modulus of the optimized 3D printed specimen with an increase of 17 and 5%, respectively. However, both the 3D printed rHDPE–rPP blend and rHDPE–rPP–biocarbon composite exhibited a decrease in impact strength of 63 and 23%, respectively, compared to the injection-molded counterparts.

Herein, we describe the use of Cyrene, a biobased green solvent, to prepare supramolecular gels composed of self-assembling dipeptide derivatives. The gelation behavior was evaluated by using a conventional tube-inversion method. The basic properties, of the obtained supramolecular gels, including critical gel concentrations and viscoelastic properties, were assessed. In addition, the self-assembled fibrous network inside the gels was investigated via confocal laser scanning microscopy after fluorescence staining. The results offer important insights into the preparation of supramolecular gel-based materials with minimal environmental damage for practical applications.

In this work, we report a novel spiral gas–solid two-phase flow (S-GSF) technique for the continuous mechanochemical synthesis of N-acylhydrazone derivatives. The synthesis of (E)-N′-(4-nitrobenzylidene)benzoylhydrazide (compound 1) was used as a model reaction to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. The prepared products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that the product prepared by this method was analytically pure and had a high yield. No solvent was used in the reaction, and the byproduct water was in the form of water of crystallization. Moreover, SEM images showed that the method can directly obtain ultrafine powder products that are attractive to the pharmaceutical industry. Subsequently, kinetic analysis was performed by detecting the UV–vis spectra of the products under different optimized reaction conditions. The green chemistry metrics of the method showed that it is more environmentally friendly than the conventional solution method. In addition, the method was used in preparing a variety of N-acylhydrazone derivatives by using aldehydes with different substituents.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of manure is commonly applied, yet the low methane (CH₄) production yield and rate are among the limitations of the process. AD integration with microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) and amendment of conductive materials to the digesters can compensate for the limitations via the enrichment of electroactive microorganisms. For the first time in the literature CH₄ production performances of cattle manure-fed AD-MECs were assessed under varying conditions, namely, by placing biofilm-attached electrodes (bioelectrodes) versus bare electrodes, the amendment of biofilm-attached granular activated carbon (BioGAC) particles versus fresh GAC particles under two different media (phosphate buffer saline (PBS) vs salt medium). The CH₄ yield of the AD reactor in PBS medium was notably low (50 mL/g VS_added) due to a severe P inhibition as compared to 247 mL of CH₄/g VS_added in the salt medium. AD-MECs alleviated inhibitory effects, that is, increased the yield and rate of CH₄ production and reduced the start-up time. Of all the reactors, the performance of BioGAC-amended AD-MECs were superior with a 4.4 times higher yield (∼223 mL CH₄/g VS_added) than the control with PBS and a 1.3 times higher yield (∼318 mL CH₄/g VS_added) than the control with salt medium. Despite requiring an electrical energy input, BioGAC-amended AD-MECs remain energy-positive compared to the control.

Solar-driven evaporators provide ecofriendly and efficient solutions for purifying seawater. This study developed a novel three-dimensional (3D) cut umbrella-like evaporator (CUL-evaporator) featuring four angle-adjustable evaporating surfaces incorporating cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) into cotton fabric. Notably, the CUL-evaporator with less production material outperforms the full umbrella-like evaporator (FUL-evaporator) in terms of the evaporation rate and pure water production. This superior performance results from the effective utilization of the back sides of the evaporating surface for water evaporation. When positioned at a 22.5° angle, the CUL-evaporator achieved a high evaporation rate of ∼3.45 kg h^–1 m^–2, benefiting from the gravity-assisted water transport. Furthermore, it performed consistently over 7 days, maintaining an evaporation rate of 3.36 kg h^–1 m^–2 using simulated seawater (3.5 wt %). The CUL-evaporator also exhibited excellent stability, preventing salt accumulation on the evaporating surface, even with high-concentrated salty water (20 wt % NaCl). Leveraging these characteristics, an outdoor submersible floatation evaporator installation was designed and achieved substantial water production of 7.63 L m^–2 within 8 h. This study presented a novel design model for 3D evaporators, offering an effective approach for long-term, stable, and salt-resistant evaporation processes.

Silicon oxycarbides (SiOCs) impregnated with tetrabutylammonium halides (TBAX) were investigated as an alternative to silica-based supported ionic liquid phases for the production of bio-based cyclic carbonates derived from limonene and linseed oil. The support materials and the supported ionic liquid phases (SILPs) were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, microscopy, and solvent adsorption. The silicon oxycarbide supports were pyrolyzed at 300–900 °C prior to being coated with different tetrabutylammonium halides and further used as heterogeneous catalysts for the formation of cyclic carbonates in batch mode. Excellent selectivities of 97–100% and yields of 53–62% were obtained with tetrabutylammonium chloride supported on the silicon oxycarbides. For comparison, the catalytic performance of commonly employed silica-supported ionic liquids was investigated under the same conditions. The silica-supported species triggered the formation of a diol as a byproduct, leading to a lower selectivity of 87% and a lower yield of 48%. Ultimately, macroporous monolithic SiOC-SILPs with suitable permeability characteristics (k₁ = 10^–11 m²) were produced via photopolymerization-assisted solidification templating and applied for the selective and continuous production of limonene carbonate with supercritical carbon dioxide as the reagent and sole solvent. Constant product output over 48 h without concurrent catalyst leaching was achieved.

The conventional fabrication of photothermally active materials involves expensive, time-consuming, or environmentally hazardous processes. A scalable and environmentally benign fabrication of free-standing photothermal materials through 2D printing is obtained using cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) aqueous shear-thinning inks containing plasmonic nanoparticles. Polyvinylpyrrolidone was used to stabilize 14.7 ± 1.1 nm spherical plasmonic AuNPs for enhanced compatibility with CNCs. The resulting inks, containing 1 wt % AuNPs to CNCs, were shaped into ∼100 μm-thick lines, where CNC colloidal stability ensured homogeneous AuNP distribution within the printed materials. The suitability of printed materials for photothermal applications is demonstrated by a temperature increase of 12 °C after exposure to λ = 520–525 nm light over areas of 5 × 5 cm². Importantly, nondegradable synthetic petroleum-based polymers or multicomponent nanomaterials with serious environmental burdens are avoided. Printed materials show remarkable durability as evidenced by stable photothermia after 16 h of irradiation and no AuNP loss after immersion in stirring water for a week. Besides, given the nontoxicity of prepared materials, they may be disposed of at the end of their service life with negligible environmental impact. Therefore, this work provides cues to develop environmentally friendly photothermal microdevices that balance performance, material renewability, ease of processing, and degradability.

The optimal CO₂ injection timing is a critical factor in CO₂ utilization and sequestration during the mixing process of ready-mix concrete. In this study, the optimal CO₂ injection timing in fresh cement paste was evaluated based on the compressive strength and environmental benefits. X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric (TG), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) measurements were performed to explore the corresponding changes in carbonation ready-mix concrete (CRC) during the injection of CO₂. The beneficial impacts on the compressive strength were observed, which included the refinement effect of nano-CaCO₃ formation and the enhancement effect of vanished CO₂ bubbles. The early hydration reaction was promoted by CO₂ injection while the long-term hydration reaction was hindered, as noted from the corresponding degree of hydration. Furthermore, the win–win improvements of mechanical properties and CO₂ sequestration were assessed using the CO₂ index. The optimal CO₂ injection timing, which involved injecting CO₂ during the mixing process in the mixer, was determined based on the minimal CO₂ index.

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are perceived as a promising energy storage system for the next generation because of the advantages of high theoretical specific capacity and environmental friendliness. Whereas, challenges such as the poor conductivity of sulfur, the “shuttle effect” of polysulfides, and the sluggish redox kinetics of polysulfides in conversion reactions remain. Herein, the cubic shape of ZIF–67 was prepared, and Co-decorated carbon nanotubes covered on the nitrogen–carbon matrix (CoNC–CNT) and CoNC–CNT coated with reduced graphene oxide (CoNC–CNT/rGO) hybrids are obtained by using cubic ZIF–67 as raw material. The compounds are proposed as the sulfur carrier matrix of Li–S batteries to promote electrochemical performance. The porous three-dimensional (3D) conductive network provides physical confinement, and Co nanoparticles provide chemical adsorption and catalysis for polysulfides. The CoNC–CNT/S hybrid delivers a reversible high-capacity of 1267.2 mAh g^–1 at 0.05C and 509.4 mAh g^–1 even under 4C. The CoNC–CNT/rGO/S electrode exhibits an outstanding long-term cycle stability with the decay rate of 0.0516% per cycle. This study combines physical confinement, chemical adsorption, and catalysis strategies to obtain high-performance Li–S batteries.

Printed electrochromic displays (ECDs) have promising applications in visual communications. A cradle-to-gate ex-ante prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on six ECD architectures to uncover the environmental implications of material and technological choices. Several materials were considered in ECD fabrication, including silver, carbon, and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes, plastic- and paper-based substrates, and two electrolytes. The architectures differed in technology maturity levels, ranging from pilot-scale and lab-scale prototypes to conceptual designs. Regardless of their technological maturity, all architectures were scaled up to emulate impact burdens as if they were produced on an optimized industrial production scale. The analysis of ECD architectures at the early development stage, especially conceptual designs, determines their environmental viability without the need for experimental testing, resulting in significant savings of time and resources. The all-silver architecture was associated with the highest environmental impacts across all endpoint and midpoint indicators, except for the water consumption indicator. On the other hand, the all-carbon architecture exhibited the lowest environmental impacts, followed by the carbon-ITO architecture and all-ITO architecture. Based on the environmental impact results, we could identify ECD architectures that merit further development and those that have limited potential for improvement, thus recommending to cease research and development of ECD architectures employing silver electrodes. The approach employed in this LCA guides scaling-up and predicting the environmental impacts of conceptual ECD architectures. This may benefit LCA practitioners and researchers engaged in ex-ante prospective LCA studies. Furthermore, the findings of this LCA might be applicable to other electronic devices, where silver, ITO, and carbon could be interchangeably used as electrodes.

Glycyrrhetinic acid 3-O-monoglucuronide (GAMG) and glycyrrhizin (GL) are typical pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins present in licorice roots that exhibit important pharmacological properties. GAMG and GL are sourced primarily from licorice, namely, “digging roots and extracting acid”, which results in ecological imbalance and environmental pollution. To overcome these issues, it is an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to de novo synthesize GAMG and GL in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by coupling UDP-glucuronic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) under the catalysis of glycosyltransferases. However, the reported productivity is too low for industrial production. The primary limiting factors include insufficient supply of precursors, poor activity, and low specificity of the glycosyltransferases. In this study, we reconstructed the GA-producing platform strain in which GA was mainly accumulated intracellularly, making it suitable for subsequent glycosylation modifications. Different glycosyltransferases were tested and selected in the platform strain for achieving the efficient and specific synthesis of GAMG and GL. Protein engineering of rate-limiting enzyme cUGT73P12 was performed to further facilitate the conversion from GAMG to GL. The glycosylation capacity of this system was assessed in vivo, uncovering that the insufficient supply of precursor GA limited glycosylation modifications. Correspondingly, multiple metabolic engineering strategies were applied to optimize the carbon flux distribution, increasing the titers of GAMG and GL by 115.6 and 50.2%, respectively. Finally, 552.9 mg/L GAMG and 476.6 mg/L GL were produced in the 5 L fed-batch fermentation, which were 238- and 79-fold higher than previously reported values, respectively. The strategy described herein can serve as a reference for the glycosylation of triterpenoids in a cost-effective manner.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved combined dosage forms of lesinurad (LND) and allopurinol (ALU) in fixed-dose combinations to treat hyperuricemia associated with gout. For the simultaneous estimation (SME) of LND and ALU, neither conventional “high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)” nor a greener HPTLC approach has been published to date. This study was carried out to design and validate a rapid, sensitive, and greener normal-phase HPTLC technique for the SME of LND and ALU in FDA-approved fixed-dose combination tablets. Ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water in a ternary ratio of 70:20:10 (v/v/v) were employed as a greener eluent system for the SME of LND and ALU. Normal-phase silica gel 60F254S plates were employed as the stationary phase. At a wavelength of 240 nm, LND and ALU were simultaneously estimated. The current method’s greenness was assessed using the National Environmental Method Index (NEMI), Analytical Eco-Scale (AES), ChlorTox, and Analytical GREENness (AGREE) methodologies. The current method was linear in the 30–1200 ng/band range for LND and ALU. The current approach was extensively validated and demonstrated to be accurate, precise, robust, sensitive, and greener for the SME of LND and ALU. The results of all greenness tools, including NEMI, AES (89), ChlorTox (0.96 g), and AGREE (0.81) showed that the current approach had an exceptional greener profile. Using the present methodology, the amounts of LND in FDA-approved fixed-dose combinations A and B were measured to be 98.73 and 99.17%, respectively. Using the present methodology, the amounts of ALU in FDA-approved fixed-dose combinations A and B were determined to be 99.27 and 100.58%, respectively. These data support the applicability of the current methodology for SME of LND and ALU in FDA-approved products. The findings of this study suggested that the current approach may be consistently applied to measure the LND and ALU in FDA-approved products.

Phenolic monomers and polysaccharides from the reductive catalytic fractionation of biomass are extremely important precursors for producing chemicals and liquid fuels instead of excessive consumption of fossil fuels. In this work, a novel Ni–N-doped catalyst (Ni/C_f) prepared by the metal and bacterial residue carbon was employed for promoting the production of phenolic monomers. The several key parameters such as reaction temperature, pressure, time, gas types, catalyst types, and catalyst carriers were systematically optimized. The experimental results demonstrated that the lignin-derived phenolic monomer (LDPM) yield of 45.2 wt % and holocellulose retention rate of 96.0% were obtained by the birch RCF over Ni/C_f accompanied by the optimal reaction conditions of 220 °C, 3 h, and 2 MPa H₂. The LDPM yield of birch over Ni/C_f was about 5.4 times and 3.1 times higher than that of Ni/C_f-u and C_f, respectively, and even better than Ni/AC, Ru/C, and Pd/C. The characterization analyses exhibited that the Ni–N-doped catalyst contained large specific surface areas, small particle sizes, microporous structures, and medium acid sites while increasing the electron transfer and interaction among C–O–N–Ni. These key factors jointly realized the efficient depolymerization of lignin into phenolic monomers and high-retention holocellulose.

Chitin is a natural biomass material with wide sources and high application potential, but the solvents for dissolving chitin are very limited. In this work, ternary alkaline deep eutectic solvents (DESs) containing amino acids, urea, and 1,8-diazabicyclo [5.4.0] undec-7-ene (DBU) were prepared, which can successfully achieve the dissolution of chitin and can be recycled. By adjusting the type of amino acids and the amount of DBU, the maximum solubility of chitin can reach 6.0 wt %. In addition, unlike the reported acidic DES system, this new ternary alkaline DES not only efficiently extracted chitin from crayfish shell waste but also efficiently prepared calcium lactate (CL), which successfully realized the effective recycling of calcium resources. Through 11 sets of extraction conditions, proteins in the crayfish shell were effectively removed, and the yields of chitin and CL remained above 85 and 90%, respectively. Finally, chitin nanofibers were successfully prepared by ultrasonic treatment with extracted regenerated chitin. Further processing of the chitin nanofibers can yield chitin films with high transparency and high tensile strength (63.2 MPa). It provides a novel DES system to dissolve chitin and an environmentally friendly utilization strategy to efficiently extract chitin and prepare CL from crayfish shell waste, thereby producing high-performance functional materials.

Reversible symmetrical solid oxide cell (RSSOC) exhibits considerable potential for direct power to X and X to power at low cost and enhanced reliability. The electrode with promising electrocatalytic activity is vital to promote its overall performance. Thus, this work explores the La_0.6Ca_0.4Fe_0.8Co_0.2O_3-δ (LCFC) perovskite oxide for RSSOC. The results demonstrate that the LCFC exhibits promising conductivity (203 S·cm^–1) and thermal expansion coefficient (14.3 × 10^–6 K^–1) as the air electrode. Moreover, the reduced LCFC (fuel electrode) with in situ exsolved Co–Fe alloy nanoparticles exhibits excellent CO₂ adsorption ability and sufficient oxygen vacancies. The performance of the LCFC electrode can be significantly enhanced with the good compatibility air electrode and highly active fuel electrode. The cell in the SOFC mode demonstrates outstanding peak power densities of 0.962 and 0.673 W·cm^–2 operated with H₂ and CO at 800 °C, respectively, while in the SOEC mode, the current densities of 1.631 and 1.574 A·cm^–2 can be obtained at 1.5 V with 50% H₂O–50% H₂ and pure CO₂, respectively. The cell also exhibits excellent short-term stability in both the SOFC and SOEC modes. All of the results confirm the feasibility of the LCFC material used for the implementation of RSSOC.

Starch, as an inexpensive natural polymer, can be used as a filler to effectively reduce the cost of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) products. In this work, corn starch, glycerol, initiator bis(1-(tert-butylperoxy)-1-methylethyl)-benzene and crosslinker 1,3,5-tri-2-propenyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione (TAIC) were first mixed and extruded into crosslinkable thermoplastic starch (TPS). Then, TPS and PBAT were melt-blended to prepare PBAT/TPS composites. Finally, the PBAT/TPS composites were blow molded into films. The effects of different TAIC contents on the degree of gelation, morphological structure, and properties of the composite films were explored. The results showed that TAIC as a crosslinking agent could improve the mechanical properties of the composite films and increase the compatibility of TPS and PBAT. When the content of TAIC was 2 wt % of TPS, and the TPS content was 30 wt %, the composite film exhibited a tensile strength of 25.43 MPa and elongation at break of 580.83%, along with good processing and degradation properties. The significant improvement in mechanical properties was primarily attributed to TAIC crosslinking the TPS and co-crosslinking the TPS and PBAT interface, enhancing their compatibility. The dynamic vulcanization process provided a simple yet effective approach to prepare inexpensive biodegradable composite films with excellent mechanical properties.

The increasing demand for recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (rPET) has raised concerns about the environmental impact of the production process, particularly regarding water consumption during the lye washing process. This study presents an integrated approach utilizing electrokinetic separation processes, specifically electrodialysis (ED) and electrodialysis with bipolar membranes (BMED), for on-site water reclamation and the circular regeneration of acid and base chemicals. Comprehensive treatment tests were performed on the actual effluent from the rPET process. Various performance indicators, including water reclamation efficiency, acid and base production, current efficiency, electricity consumption, and productivity, were systematically investigated. The results revealed that BMED, despite having higher energy consumption compared to ED, could recover 63.5 ± 8.8% of sulfate and 75.8 ± 7.3% of sodium from the wastewater. It produced sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide solutions that could be reused in the process. Economic analysis demonstrated that integrating BMED into the rPET process resulted in lower operating costs (at least 10%) compared with traditional procedures, such as reverse osmosis and ED. Implementing BMED instead of direct effluent discharge in the rPET industry can significantly reduce the water footprint by 10-fold. Additionally, the carbon footprint can be further reduced by 5–17% with BMED deployment in the rPET industry. In conclusion, the integration of BMED has proven to be technically feasible and cost-effective for mitigating the environmental impact of rPET production. By recovering water and chemicals and achieving zero liquid discharge, this approach contributes to the sustainable production of rPET products.

Nanoplastics, novel environmental pollutants widely dispersed, present challenges due to limited, dependable detection methods, particularly for trace levels. This study introduces a novel approach that integrates liquid-phase self-assembly nanoparticle technology with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the precise detection of nanoplastics. Utilizing hydrophobic–lipophilic interactions and SERS technology, we developed silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs)@poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films (Ag NPs@PMMA films) for the efficient extraction and simultaneous detection of polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanoplastics at extremely low concentrations (e.g., 10^–11 mg/mL for 20 nm PS nanoplastics and 10^–8 mg/mL for 70 nm PET nanoplastics). It also demonstrates a linear correlation between SERS intensity (y) and the logarithm of nanoplastics’ concentration (lg c) at extremely low levels. This technique’s applicability extends to real environmental samples, such as seawater, oysters, and bottled water, enabling both qualitative and quantitative detection of PS and PET nanoplastics. For example, it successfully identifies 1.23 × 10^–10 mg/mL PS nanoplastics in seawater samples and 8.61 × 10^–5 mg/mL PET nanoplastics in bottled-water samples. Overall, these findings provide a reliable basis for trace nanoplastic detection in the environment, addressing a pressing environmental concern.

Polyurethane (PUR) foams are widely used in many engineering applications, but their efficient recycling has remained a major challenge for many years. This study presents a novel strategy of incorporating hydrolyzable ester units into the PUR structure to enhance PUR foam recyclability. The present eco-design concept of PUR materials enables fully the replacement of petrochemical polyols with biobased alternatives and production of ultralow-density (16 kg·m^–3) PUR foams. To reach this target, a series of low-function polyols based on succinic acid (SA) were first synthesized. Their subsequent use in combination with a high-functional biobased tall oil-derived polyol led to the production of highly homogenous semirigid, partly open-cell PUR foams with outstanding structural, thermal, and mechanical properties. Additionally, the study shows that the incorporation of SA-polyols with hydrolyzable ester linkages into the PUR foams significantly enhances their recyclability via glycolysis, proving their potential in contributing to a circular economy and addressing plastic waste concerns.

An original kinetic model is proposed for the direct production of light olefins by hydrogenation of CO₂/CO (CO_x) mixtures over an In₂O₃–ZrO₂/SAPO-34 tandem catalyst, quantifying deactivation by coke. The reaction network comprises 12 individual reactions, and deactivation is quantified with expressions dependent on the concentration of methanol (as coke precursor) and H₂O and H₂ (as agents attenuating coke formation). The experimental results were obtained in a fixed-bed reactor under the following conditions: In₂O₃–ZrO₂/SAPO-34 mass ratio, 0/1–1/0; 350–425 °C; 20–50 bar; H₂/CO_x ratio, 1–3; CO₂/CO_x ratio, 0–1; space time, 0–10 g_In2O3–ZrO2 h mol_C^–1, 0–20 g_SAPO-34 h mol_C^–1; time, up to 500 h; H₂O and CH₃OH in the feed, up to 5% vol. The utility of the model for further scale-up studies is demonstrated by its application in optimizing the process variables (temperature, pressure, and CO₂/CO_x ratio). The model predicts an olefin yield higher than 7% (selectivity above 60%), a CO_x conversion of 12% and a CO₂ conversion of 16% at 415 °C and 50 bar, for a CO₂/CO_x = 0.5 in the feed. Additionally, an analysis of the effect of In₂O₃–ZrO₂ and SAPO-34 loading in the configuration of the tandem catalyst is conducted, yielding 17% olefins and complete conversion of CO₂ under full water removal conditions.

Photocatalytic decomposition of formic acid (FA) to syngas (H₂ + CO) is a valuable sustainable energy conversion strategy. In this study, we combine In₂S₃ nanoparticles with Cd_0.9Zn_0.1S nanorods (In₂S₃/CZS) to construct heterojunctions for directly converting formic acid to syngas under visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. The In₂S₃/CZS composite was facilely synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction. In₂S₃/CZS showed excellent photocatalytic activity for FA decomposition. The optimal generation rates of H₂ and CO can reach 200 and 204 μmol·h^–1, respectively, which is one of the best performances in the photocatalytic decomposition of formic acid for synthesizing syngas. Under irradiation with 420 nm monochromatic light, H₂ and CO exhibit apparent quantum yields of 9.7% and 10.6%, respectively. The test date confirms the formation of a type II heterojunction between Cd_0.9Zn_0.1S nanorods and In₂S₃ nanoparticles. It can effectively promote the transport and separation of the interfacial charges. This work also provides insight into the development of an efficient photocatalytic system for syngas production.

Utilization of renewable resources to produce value-added chemicals is highly desirable in biorefineries. However, the direct use of lignocellulosic biomass is difficult, with current processes requiring expensive multistep fractionation and downstream isolation steps such as steam explosion or organosolv treatments followed by enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis. Here, we describe the use of a homogeneous Al catalyst for the direct one-pot hydrolysis and dehydration of sugarcane bagasse to levulinic acid and concomitant formation of an immobilized AlOOH/C hydrochar residue, which finds value as a solid acid catalyst. A range of Al-containing metal salts were screened for the acid-catalyzed hydrothermal depolymerization of sugarcane bagasse, with AlCl₃ found to be most active and selective for levulinic acid production, with a yield of 39 wt % relative to the dry biomass in 6 h at 210 °C. In the presence of a Rh(CO)₂(acac) and tri(2-furyl)phosphine cocatalyst, the resulting acidic AlOOH/C hydrochar is efficient for the one-pot two-step cascade of hydroformylation of 1-alkenes with CO/H₂ to form linear and branched aldehydes, and their subsequent hydroxyalkylation with 2-methylfuran to form oxygenated jet fuel precursors. The functionalized AlOOH/C hydrochar support is recyclable for the hydroxyalkylation step with minimal loss of activity.

Sustainability of the leather industry demands a paradigm shift from existing chemical-based processing to bio-based degradable systems. Enzyme-based unhairing systems are evolving as an eco-friendly alternative to sodium sulfide- and lime-based conventional unhairing process. However, factors such as uncontrolled enzyme activity over the skin thus resulting in poor quality of leather, cost, and poor recyclability limit their commercial exploitation. To overcome these challenges, herein, we synthesized zinc-based metal organic framework as a supporting matrix, immobilized the protease, and studied its efficiency and recyclability for unhairing of skins. ZnMOF and ZnMOF-protease (ZnMOF-Enz) were prepared and characterized by FTIR, DLS, XRD, XPS, HR-TEM, and FESEM analyses. The activity of the immobilized enzyme on ZnMOF was studied at different temperatures and pHs and optimized. The application of ZnMOF-Enz for unhairing of the goat skin was studied, and the hair removal efficiency was found to be efficient even after the four recycles with supplemented ZnMOF-Enz. The microscopic analysis results of the protease-treated and ZnMOF-Enz-treated skin reveal that the efficiency of ZnMOF-Enz was comparable to that of the protease-treated one even after a fourth cycle. The present study provides an insight into the usage of enzymes immobilized on MOFs as an alternative and sustainable approach for the unhairing process with a good recyclability factor.

For environmentally friendly and sustainable development demands, visible-light-driven oxidation of sulfides has become one of the most popular strategies to synthesize functionalized sulfoxides and degrade mustard gas simulants. Herein, three novel polyoxometalate-based covalent triazine frameworks, SiW₁₂-CTF (1), PW₁₂-CTF (2) and PMo₁₂-CTF (3) (CTF = covalent triazine framework), were synthesized via hydrothermal reaction and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, XPS spectroscopy and UV–vis DRS, etc. These compounds are excellent photocatalysts for visible-light-driven selective synthesis of various sulfoxides as well as degradation of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) illuminated by a 10 W 425 nm LED in an O₂ atmosphere. Oxygen-rich POMs with strong electronegativity modulate the electronic structure and create a built-in electric field in POM-CTFs, which promotes the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers. Meanwhile, encapsulation of various POM guests into the CTF induces different electron transfer behaviors, resulting in different photocatalytic activities. Specifically, SiW₁₂-CTF and PW₁₂-CTF, in visible-light-induced oxidation of methyl phenyl sulfide, obtain sulfoxide yields of 96% and 88% within 2 h, respectively, which is higher than the CTF (68%) and SiW₁₂ (5%). However, PMo₁₂-CTF exhibits inferior photocatalytic properties, and the sulfoxide yield is 35% under the same conditions. The in-depth mechanism reveals that the electron transfer process dominated by the O₂^•– and the energy transfer process induced ¹O₂ exist in the photocatalytic system. In addition, SiW₁₂-CTF can be used to catalyze various sulfur-containing compounds and maintains boosted structural stability and catalytic activity after the reaction.

Beech sawdust was treated with a ternary solvent system based on binary aqueous ethanol with partial substitution of ethanol by acetone at four different water contents (60, 50, 40, and 30%v/v). In addition to standard, i.e., noncatalyzed treatments, the application of inorganic acid in the form of 20 mm H₂SO₄ was evaluated. The various solvent systems were applied at 180 °C for 60 min. The obtained biomass fractions were characterized by standard biomass compositional methods, i.e., sugar monomer and oligomer contents, dehydration product contents of the aqueous product, and lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose contents in isolated solid fractions. More advanced analyses were performed on the lignin fractions, including quantitative ¹³C NMR analyses, ¹H–¹³C HSQC analysis, size exclusion chromatography, and pyrolysis-GC/MS, and the aqueous product, in the form of size exclusion chromatography and determination of total phenol contents. The picture emerging from the thorough analytical investigation performed on the lignin fractions is consistent with that resulting from the characterization of the other fractions: results point toward greater deconstruction of the lignocellulosic recalcitrance upon higher organic solvent content, replacing ethanol with acetone during the extraction, and upon addition of mineral acid. A pulp with cellulose content of 94.23 wt % and 95% delignification was obtained for the treatment employing a 55/30/15 EtOH/water/acetone mixture alongside 20 mm H₂SO₄. Furthermore, the results indicate the formation of two types of organosolv furan families during treatment, which differ in the substitution of their C₁ and C₅. While the traditional lignin aryl–ether linkages present themselves as indicators for process severity for the nonacid catalyzed systems, the distribution of these furan types can be applied as a severity indicator upon employment of H₂SO₄, including their presence in the isolated lignin fractions.

Passive daytime radiative cooling without any energy input has attracted significant attention due to its ability to spontaneously radiate heat into cold outer spaces. However, the distinctive structure and optical properties made radiative cooling materials white in appearance, which limits their use in actual application. In this study, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), poly(ethyl cyanoacrylate) (PECA), polystyrene (PS), and pigments that selectively absorb visible light with high emissivity were adopted to fabricate a colored superhydrophobic radiative cooling coating through spraying and nonsolvent-induced phase separation. The as-fabricated yellow, red, and green PS/PDMS/PECA composite coatings exhibited high solar reflectivities of 92.8, 89.8, and 86.6% with strong infrared emissivities of 95.4, 95.3, and 96.3%, respectively, which correspondingly realized a subambient temperature reduction of 5.3, 3.5, and 2.5 °C. The self-cleaning property of the coating caused by superhydrophobicity helps protect the coating from contamination, favoring a stable outdoor cooling performance. Additionally, the composite coating was resistant to different chemical immersions, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, sand impact, water impact, and sandpaper abrasion, which might improve the applicability of the material and promote the cooling materials toward large-area production for practical application.

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (ENRR) is emerging as a promising routine for the sustainable production of ammonia. Hindered by the strong triple bond in N₂ and unfavorable hydrogen evolution reaction, it is critical to develop efficient catalysts with excellent activity and selectivity. Herein, we propose a novel microfluidic platform that achieves the continuous synthesis and morphology regulation of a two-dimensional heterocatalyst FeMo/g-C₃N₄ through a precipitation process in a confined space. Owing to the rapid mixing and microfluidic manipulation, FeMo/g-C₃N₄ maintains an overwhelmingly favorable structure compared to the batch methods. Benefiting from the ultrasmall active sites (0.86 nm), homogeneous nanodot distribution, and abundant 2D surface, the promoted N₂ chemisorption and competitive ENRR performance can be simultaneously ensured, as confirmed by the experimental studies. By varying the applied working potential, the optimal ammonia yield can be determined as 33.25 μg h^–1 mg_cat.^–1 at −1.2 V. This work innovatively opens a pathway for morphological fine structural tuning of two-dimensional heterocatalysts, further promoting the ENRR field’s development.

Amidst declining fossil-based resources and environmental challenges, the focus on biobased materials has intensified. Carboxymethylation is one way to introduce reactive functionality to enhance the reactivity of lignin for a specified application. This research investigates the carboxymethylation of four lignin sources: eucalyptus kraft lignin, spruce kraft lignin, birch cyclic extracted organosolv lignin, and spruce cyclic extracted organosolv lignin. Our aim is to elucidate the role of the lignin structure in its reactivity. Using the advanced analytical techniques NMR spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, density functional theory, and size-exclusion chromatography, we provide a comprehensive characterization of the modified lignin. The findings offer valuable insights into how the chemical and physical properties of molecular lignin affect the selectivity and efficiency of the carboxymethylation reaction. These fundamental findings hold great potential for guiding considerations on the selection of lignin sources for specific applications based on their molecular properties.

Laccase was produced by heterologous expression of gene lacc6 from Pleurotus otreatus HAUCC 162 and then employed as an efficient catalyst to increase the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction in a liquid flow fuel cell (LFFC). An electron transport chain (ETC) was constructed in the LFFC with Ag₂O as an anode electrocatalyst and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and laccase as the cathode electron mediators. The LFFC could well convert furfural to furoic acid with co-generation of electricity. Under the optimized cathodic conditions of 40 °C, pH 4.0, 50 mM ABTS, and laccase loading of 300 U/mmol ABTS, a P_max of 70.8 mW/cm² could be obtained. For furoic acid production, a 91% yield could be obtained under the anodic condition of 100 mM furfural and 1.5 M KOH. The electrons released from the oxidation of furfural on the Ag₂O catalyst could be well transferred to that external circuit with a Faraday efficiency of 96.2%. This work thus can provide a novel route for clean production of biomass-based chemicals and electricity by a combination of chemical, electrochemical, and biological processes.

Producing thermosetting polymers using natural renewable resources has attracted great attention due to the requirement of sustainable development for human beings. Herein, we represent our design of a novel biobased thermosetting resin (KAE-fa) containing a polymerizable oxazine ring and a furan group derived from renewable kaempferol and furfurylamine. The distinctive presence of rich intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds within KAE-fa imparts it with thermal latent polymerization characteristic, long shelf life, and exceptional high performance of its resulting polybenzoxazine. Notably, the resulting thermoset, poly(KAE-fa), demonstrates a substantially high glass transition temperature (T_g) of 304 °C, an impressively elevated char yield (in N₂) of 63%, and an extraordinarily low heat release capacity of 10.12 J·g^–1·K^–1. In addition, KAE-fa has also been utilized to fabricate a carbon fiber-reinforced composite [CF/poly(KAE-fa)]. Employing this newly obtained high-performance bioresin as the matrix, CF/poly(KAE-fa) exhibits a remarkable property enhancement. For instance, CF/poly(KAE-fa) shows 108, 28, and 82.7% increases in T_g, tensile strength, and Young’s modules (room temperature), respectively, compared with the carbon fiber-reinforced BA-a composite [CF/poly(BA-a)]. These advantages underscore the great potential of using renewable bioresins for developing both high-performance thermosets and composites with key applications spanning from transportation to aerospace.

With increasing environmental requirements, biodegradable polymers have received widespread attention. Herein, we synthesized a series of poly(butylene diglycolate)s (PBDs), which was a novel biodegradable homopolyester, with number-average molecular weight (M_n) values between 13 and 97 K g·mol^–1. The effects of M_n on the thermal and tensile properties of PBDs were comprehensively investigated. The glass transition temperature (T_g), melting temperature (T_m), and temperature of 5% weight loss (T_d,5%) of PBDs were found to be approximately −26.4, 64.0, and 336 °C, respectively. PBD with 31 K g·mol^–1 exhibits a brittle fracture feature, while obvious yielding behavior occurs when the M_n of PBD is higher than 45 K g·mol^–1. Besides, PBD achieves stable mechanical properties when M_n reaches 51 K g·mol^–1, with the elastic modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break of 285, 27.1 MPa, and 290%, respectively, superior to those of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). Furthermore, the crystal structures of PBD were recorded by WAXD and POM. The spherulites were observed after isothermal crystallization of PBD in a wide temperature range, and the maximum nucleation density was obtained after annealing at 20 °C. Significant hydrolysis of PBD in both buffer solution and artificial seawater was confirmed by monitoring the changes in residual weight, intrinsic viscosity, surface morphology, crystallinity, and chemical composition. Finally, PBD exhibits considerable biodegradability under composting and freshwater environments, with the residual weight reducing to 49.2 and 94.7% after 35 days, respectively. Due to the balanced mechanical and barrier properties and biodegradability, PBD has potential application prospects in packaging materials.