Let us establish a Green Carbon Index
September 2026
We propose defining a Green Carbon Index (GCI) to measure the proportion of non-fossil carbon in chemical products. A GCI 0 would describe a compound with 100% fossil carbon atoms, while a GCI 100 would...
Bimetallic Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalyst for selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan
September 2026
A high-performance Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalyst was synthesized using a urea-assisted deposition-precipitation strategy and employed in the chemoselective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan...
Enabling highly efficient ambient-temperature formic acid dehydrogenation over ultrafine Pd–Ir alloy nanoclusters supported on aminated dealuminated Beta zeolite
September 2026
Palladium-based zeolite catalysts are promising candidates for formic acid dehydrogenation (FAD), enabling on-demand hydrogen release and utilization. Achieving uniform dispersion of Pd-based alloy...
Chemical recycling enables resource utilization of waste fishing nets
September 2026
Marine plastic pollution is an important issue in global ecological governance. Waste fishing nets are one of the main sources of marine plastic pollution and pose multiple threats to marine ecosystems...
Single-atom catalysis for plastic upcycling to high-value compounds
September 2026
Plastic waste has caused severe environmental pollution. Plastic upcycling through heterogeneous catalysis has emerged as a promising approach for producing high-value compounds. This perspective summarizes...
Bionic ultralow energy consumption for energy conversion, storage, and precision separation
September 2026
In biological systems, macroscopic functions with exceptionally low energy input can be achieved by regulating molecular and ionic motion in narrow chemically defined nanochannels. Biomimetic artificial...
Calcium carbonate formation in coastal macroalgal ecosystems via multiple pathways
September 2026
Macroalgae are dominant primary producers that drive carbon sequestration in coastal ecosystems. Macroalgal carbon sequestration primarily refers to the long-term storage of macroalgae-derived organic...
Biotechnology for plastic production, degradation, and upcycling
September 2026
Plastics are essential to modern life, but their predominantly linear use, low recycling rates, and slow breakdown generate persistent pollution. Bio-based production and biodegradation are promising;...
From curtailment to synergy: Integrating renewable energy utilization with forage production, ecological restoration and carbon sequestration in China’s Three-North drylands
September 2026
China's Three-North Region hosts of the world's largest wind and solar installations, yet renewable curtailment persists due to insufficient local demand and congested transmission. Simultaneously,...
Thermoresponsive self-blocking electrolytes and separators for intrinsically safe lithium batteries
September 2026
Thermal runaway remains the foremost safety challenge in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), spurring intensive research into its root causes and the development of intrinsic fail-safe mitigation strategies....
Photo-assisted regeneration in CO2 capture: Mechanisms and materials
September 2026
CO2 capture has emerged as a key strategy for mitigating climate change; however, the energy-intensive regeneration of CO2 adsorbents hinders its widespread deployment. Harnessing solar irradiation...
Degradable and recyclable polyesters and polycarbonates for next-generation sustainable solid-state lithium metal batteries
September 2026
With the rapid growth of the portable electronics and electric vehicle markets, there is an urgent demand for lithium-ion batteries with higher energy density and improved safety. Solid polymer electrolytes...
From AM0 to GW: Technological leap and stellar voyage of space photovoltaics
September 2026
The field of space photovoltaics (PVs) is on the verge of considerable growth. Unlike terrestrial PVs, space-based solar cells operate in the AM0 environment that involve harsh conditions, such as high-energy...
Sustainable biomanufacturing of fat-soluble vitamins: Rewiring carbon flux and green carbon management
September 2026
Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) are essential, high-value micronutrients with surging global demand. Traditionally, their industrial production has relied heavily on fossil-derived chemical...
AC/DC dual-mode household appliances for community microgrids
September 2026
Distributed photovoltaics (PVs), residential storage, and low-carbon buildings increasingly expose household appliances to coexisting alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) supplies. Most...
Perovskite-driven artificial photosynthesis: A perspective
September 2026
Recent trends have shown that artificial photosynthesis is moving from proof-of-concept demonstrations to integrated solar-to-chemical systems. This places new demand on photovoltaic absorbers, catalysts,...
Twenty years of green carbon: QIBEBT’s journey at the forefront of green and sustainable science and technology
September 2026
Electron transfer, proton transfer, and molecule transfer in photocatalytic nitrogen fixation
September 2026
Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation (PNF) can utilize water and nitrogen gas to synthesize ammonia via the light-driven conversion, significantly contributing to the carbon neutrality goal and mitigating...
Carbon greening: Constructing a new energy system in harmony with the eco-environment
September 2026
Carbon, with its unique valence state ranging from −4 to +4 and its diverse bonding capabilities, is the fundamental building block of both matter and life. The inherent stability of carbon–carbon bonds...
LATCH: a linear autocatalytic cycle tailored for carbon harvesting
September 2026
Autotrophic carbon assimilation supplies the organic carbon that forms the foundation for sustaining life on Earth. Enhancing the efficiency of the Calvin cycle or developing alternative pathways is...
Biocatalytic recycling of hydrolyzable plastics for a circular bioeconomy
September 2026
Currently, only a low fraction of petrol-based synthetic polymers is recycled with mechanical and chemical methods being dominant. The discovery and tailor-design of highly efficient enzymes now provides...
Boosting Active-Site Utilization in Organic Electrodes for Desalination via Side-Chain Engineering
Available online 21 September 2026
Conventional organic small-molecule electrodes typically exhibit suboptimal utilization of their inherent electrochemically active sites (<100%) during reversible ion insertion/extraction owing to steric...
Base-free aerobic oxidative cleavage of C–C bonds in lignin by dual-active-site regulation of CoOx@MCM-41-Co catalyst
Available online 5 August 2026
Cβ–H and oxygen activation are both critical during oxidative lignin depolymerization. Usually, a base is needed to promote the reaction. In this study, a series of CoOx@MCM-41-Co-n catalysts were developed,...
Toward a defossilized chemical industry – trends in Europe
Available online 3 August 2026
The chemical sector is th e 4th largest manufacturer in Europe in terms of sales. It employs over 1.2 million people directly, and 3.4 million, if the pharmaceutical sector is included. Chemicals are...
A feasible strategy for generating furfural and valuable cellulose-rich residue simultaneously from lignocellulosic biomass
Available online 3 August 2026
To achieve an optimal balance between high furfural and co-product yields from lignocellulosic biomass, this study proposed an integrated process for JUNCAO to produce furfural and high-quality cellulose...