The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) has emerged as a viable substitute to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process for ambient ammonia (NH3) synthesis, but its practical implementation is limited by low NH3 yields and inadequate Faradaic efficiency under ambient circumstances. Recent advancements indicate that rare-earth (RE) elements, which contain multiple oxidation states, significant redox flexibility, a tendency to create oxygen vacancies, and multiple accessible active sites, make them suitable candidates for effective electrocatalytic NRR. Electrocatalysts are critical prerequisites for improving electrochemical efficiency and maximizing product yield. A comprehensive analysis of rare earth-based materials in influencing the electronic characteristics of NRR catalysts, alongside the structure-performance correlation in electrocatalytic activities, is summarized systematically. This review offers a timely and thorough overview of the advancements in the utilization of RE-based micro/nanomaterials and presents plausible forecasts for the future electrocatalytic NRR. Finally, challenges, perspectives, rational design, and development of highly efficient RE-based catalysts are articulated with particular focus on diverse metal-based electrocatalysts for N2 fixation.

Agroforestry, a traditional land management practice, offers several opportunities to meet financial and ecological goals. In the present study, the above and belowground biomass accumulation, carbon storage, and sequestration capacity of Bombax ceiba (L.) agroforestry trees were evaluated using a non-destructive, species-specific volume equation in the arid areas of Pakistan. Agroforestry plots containing B. ceiba trees aged between 1 to 15 years were purposefully selected to assess biomass and carbon dynamics across age classes. Tree inventory was conducted in 375 (0.405 ha) agroforestry plots and tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) was measured. The biomass was computed between the range of 1.65 Mg ha−1 to 216.17 Mg ha−1. The minimum total biomass was computed at 1 year of age and maximum was computed at 15 years of age. The overall carbon stocks demonstrated a positive correlation with age, indicating an increase with the increase in age of the trees: The carbon stocks ranged from 0.79 Mg ha−1 to 103.76 Mg ha−1. The minimum carbon stocks were computed in one year and maximum were computed in the trees of 15 years age group. The carbon sequestration rate (CSR) in mature B. ceiba trees (12–15 years) varied from 5.18 Mg ha−1 to 5.47 Mg ha−1 per year. The soil carbon stock (SOC) increased with age and ranged from 16.02 Mg ha−1 to 35.89 Mg ha−1 while displaying a decrease with increasing soil depth. The total ecosystem carbon stock, including both tree and soil components, exhibited a range of 18.32 Mg ha−1 at 1 year of age to 141.31 Mg ha−1 at 15 years of age. The results highlighted that B. ceiba trees have a significant potential to capture carbon and reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions and can be used for developing carbon trading policies and agroforestry financing.

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are promising energy storage systems due to their high energy density and cost-effectiveness. Yet, their performance is strongly limited by sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics during charging. In this work, Ag nanoparticle-decorated cobalt boride (Agx@CoB) heterostructures are developed as efficient electrocatalysts to enhance the charge performance and durability of ZABs. The engineered Ag-CoB interface promotes electronic modulation and facilitates surface reconstruction into an active amorphous CoOOH phase under operational conditions. As a result, the optimized Ag10-CoB catalyst exhibits low overpotentials (262 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and 350 mV at 100 mA cm−2), a small Tafel slope (61 mV dec−1), and sustained stability over 25 h in alkaline media. When integrated into a rechargeable zinc-air battery configuration, the catalyst delivers improved charge efficiency and cycling stability, demonstrating its relevance for practical energy storage applications. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that enhanced interfacial charge transfer, defect-rich regions induced by boron leaching, and increased active site availability collectively contribute to the observed performance. This study demonstrates an effective strategy for designing nanoparticle/boride heterostructures tailored for advanced metal–air battery systems and energy storage technologies.

Single-atom catalysts have recently emerged as a revolutionary frontier in catalysis, energy production, and storage. Due to their compositional diversity, structural tunability, and modulated distinctive electronic properties, SACs pave significant promises for viable avenues toward a more sustainable future. Here, the discussion begins with the emergence of SACs, their synthesis techniques to regulate atomic dispersion, atomically-resolved advanced characterizations, probing different supports, and engineering strategies to boost stability and reactivity. This review as a key reference in this field comprises the mechanistic understanding of SACs in electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, and thermocatalysis for energy and environmental applications. We also discussed their transformative potential in H2 and O2 evolution reactions for water splitting, the reduction of O2, carbon dioxide, N2, and nitrate for electrocatalysis and photocatalysis, and their remarkable role in energy storage technologies, including metal-O2, lithium-sulfur, and metal-CO2 batteries. Additionally, we assess their efficiency in environmental remediation by removing harmful nitrogen oxides, various hydrogenation processes, catalytic oxidation, and CO2 hydrogenation, which sets this review apart from others. Despite the considerable progress, challenges persist in the scalability and commercial implementation of SACs. This comprehensive review significantly delivers valuable insights into the current advancement of SACs, highlighting their substantial potential and suggesting future research avenues that would enable next-generation technologies for energy conversion, storage, environmental sustainability, and various other functional applications.

Achieving simultaneous flame retardancy and anti-corrosion properties in advanced polypropylene (PP) composites and coatings presents a significant challenge. In this work, porous alumina microspheres (Al2O3) were prepared via a hydrothermal method and subsequently calcined at 600 degrees C for 3 hours (h). Al2O3 was then hybridized with hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanosheets through sonication followed by simple stirring at ambient temperature for 24 h to obtain the Al2O3@HAP nanohybrid. The synthesized Al2O3 and Al2O3@HAP, together with melamine polyphosphate (MPP) and piperazine pyrophosphate (PAPP), were incorporated into PP as fillers to enhance flame-retardant properties. An MPP/PAPP intumescent flame-retardant (IFR) system was employed due to its high char-forming efficiency and environmentally friendly characteristics, offering a promising alternative to halogenated flame-retardants. The PP/12%IFR/3%Al2O3@HAP composite exhibited excellent flame retardancy, as demonstrated by a high limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 28.2%, a V-0 rating in the vertical burning test (UL-94), and substantial reductions in peak heat release rate (pHRR, 86%), total heat release (THR, 43%), and total smoke production (TSP, 44%) compared with the control PP. Furthermore, the Al2O3@HAP nanohybrid effectively protected Zn-Al-Mg (ZAM) coated-steel against corrosion. The PP/PP-g-MAH/Al2O3@- HAP nanocomposite coating maintained a high impedance (|Z|0.01 Hz) of 5.46 x 108 Omega cm2 after 60 days of immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, indicating excellent long-term stability. Pull-off adhesion tests demonstrated that the incorporation of the fillers significantly enhanced the adhesion strength compared with the pristine PP/PP-g-MAH coating. Overall, this research presents an efficient strategy for fabricating advanced PP-based materials with simultaneously improved flame retardancy and corrosion resistance, offering substantial potential for diverse industrial applications.

Mangrove forests in China have significantly degraded over the past several decades primarily due to rapid economic growth and land reclamation for aquaculture and infrastructure development. Among various threats, heavy metal pollution, primarily from urbanization, agricultural runoff, and industrial runoff, poses a substantial risk to mangroves in China. It impairs their ecological functions, limiting biodiversity and reducing their natural ability to sequester carbon and detoxify coastal areas. Despite these challenges, the mangrove ecosystem's resilience in China has not been completely compromised. Natural adaptations and phytoremediation mechanisms, such as limiting metal uptake, excreting metal binding proteins, upregulating antioxidants, forming Fe plague, excreting metals through salt glands, and tolerance to specific metal concentrations, help mitigate heavy metal toxicity. However, these adaptive strategies are limited by the extent of pollutants and the speed at which these pollution factors arise. This review highlights a need to shift restoration efforts from expanding mangrove areas to enhancing ecosystem integrity, with a specific focus on reducing heavy metal pollution through phytoremediation. It also examines how heavy metal interactions at the sediment-water interface impact microbial communities and local fauna, contributing to climate change. Addressing these challenges is critical to improving mangrove conservation in China and ensuring the long-term health and resilience of these critical ecosystems for future generations.

Global climate change accelerates the challenges of agricultural drought spells, which are alarming for food security and can trigger food scarcity. Therefore, improving soil-water retention capability and crop drought resilience is becoming more important for sustainable agriculture. This study investigates the individual and combined effects of biochar and potassium on soil water retention, crop drought resilience, and related physio-biochemical mechanisms over a 50-day growth period in potted plants. Pine needle biochar (350 g/10 Kg of soil) was used during the soil preparation stage while potassium sulfate (100 mg/L) was applied as a foliar spray at the development (10 days) and vegetative stages (45 days) under three drought stress conditions: control (100

Biostimulants algal powder containing beneficial bioactive compounds, signaling molecules, nutrients and essential organic minerals (AP) promote plant growth even in saline conditions.This study explores the potential of marine algae Ulva intestinalis as a biostimulant to improve seed germination, growth, nutrient fluxes, and antioxidant defense in Spinacia oleracea L. (spinach) under saline stress. Seeds were germinated in soil supplemented with 3 and 6 g of algal powder under treated with three 0, 80, and 120 mM NaCl to asses the ecophysiological paramtres of study plant. Plant treated with the 6 g algal powder stimulated the number of leaves, shoot length and root; ength at 120 mM NaCl compare to control. Plant fresh and dry biomass were optimum in salinity and algal pwders algal powder application in comparsion to control. Electrolyte leackage was higher in control and salinity treated plants and ranged as 34–91

Urban green spaces are increasingly recognized for their potential to mitigate climate change by reducing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2). However, enhancing carbon sequestration efficiency in limited urban green areas remains a significant challenge for sustainable urban planning. Trees are among the most cost-effective and efficient natural carbon sinks, surpassing other types of land cover in terms CO2 absorption and storage. The present study aimed to evaluate the carbon sequestration potential of four native tree species, Pongamia pinnata, Azadirachta indica, Melia azedarach, and Dalbergia sissoo, in urban parks across Multan City, Pakistan. A total of 456 trees of selected species within six parks of Multan City were inventoried to estimate the biomass and carbon stock using species-specific allometric equations. Soil organic carbon at two soil depths beneath the canopy of each tree was also estimated using Walkley–Black method. The findings revealed that the highest mean tree biomass (2.16 Mg ha−1), carbon stock (1.04 Mg ha−1) and carbon sequestration (3.80 Mg ha−1) were estimated for Dalbergia sissoo, while Melia azedarach exhibited the lowest (0.12 Mg ha−1, 0.06 Mg ha−1 & 0.23 Mg ha−1, respectively) across all six parks. The soil carbon stocks ranged from 48.86 Mg ha−1 to 61.68 Mg ha−1 across all study sites. These findings emphasize the importance of species selection in urban green planning for carbon sequestration. Strategic planting of effective native trees like Dalbergia sissoo can mitigate climate change and provide urban forest ecosystem services.

Heavy metals (HMs) are major contributors to coastal pollution and pose serious threats to coastal biodiversity. Given their non-degradability, bio-accumulation, bio magnification, abundance, and toxicity through successive trophic levels, effective management strategies are crucial to addressing toxic metals. Recently, mangrove forestation regions in China have faced increasing HM pollution. This meta-analysis evaluates phytoremediation strategies employed by various mangrove species against toxic metals and organic pollutants in different provinces of China. Data on the phytoremediation potential of mangroves were collected and analyzed from 220 publications within 24 years, from 2000 to 2024. Results indicate a 28 % increase in phytoremediation potential in China. Notably, significant phytoremediation was observed in Bruguiera sexangula (33 %) in Hainan, Kandelia abovata in Guangdong (27 %), Zhejiang (25 %), Liaoning (26 %), and Tianjin (6 %), Avicennia marina in Shandong (22 %); Sonneratia apetala (3 %) in Jiangsu, Bruguiera gymnorhiza in Fujian (9 %) and Rhizophora stylosa (6 %) in Guangxi province. Additionally, significant accumulation of HMs was observed in sediments (5 mu g/g), plant parts (3-20 mu g/g), and soil (7 mu g/g). Our study demonstrated that K. obovata, B. sexangula, A. marina, B.gymnorhiza, R. stylosa, and S. apetala showed morphological changes such as pneumatophores and viviparous propagules, biochemical changes (e.g., increased antioxidants, such as MDA, PPO, SKDH, CAD) and genetic changes, (e.g., upregulation of antioxidant genes) in response to the toxic effects of HMs. Furthermore, Igeo, PLI, and ERI values reveal that Guangdong, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Tianjin would be considered polluted regions (Igeo >6; PLI < 1; ERI > 1).

Although double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) are valued for their electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, and thermal stability, understanding their growth mechanism is still evolving, with ongoing research efforts providing valuable insights. Sulfur plays a crucial role as a growth promoter. This research explores sulfur's effect using a floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FC-CVD) system with methane as carbon source and ferrocene as catalyst. Optimized sulfur concentration significantly improves CNT film quality with a sheet resistance of 61.4 Omega/sq at 90 % transmittance after being doped with AuCl3, along with a linear increase in yield as sulfur concentration increases. The proposed mechanism suggests that increased sulfur levels result in a growth transition from single-walled CNTs to double-walled CNTs by activating medium-sized catalyst particles, all while not altering the size distribution. The highest DWCNT proportion observed is 87 %, confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, a change in the catalyst particle size distribution may shift the growth window, resulting in the formation of multi-walled CNTs. Electron diffraction patterns reveal a random chirality and chiral angle distribution of CNTs, indicating minimal sulfur impact on the nanotube atomic structure. These findings underscore sulfur's importance in CNT synthesis and provide new insights into its mechanisms, potentially guiding future advancements in the controlled production of DWCNTs.

The cost of anticorrosion maintenance is considered the most substantial expense associated with steel construction. Preventive maintenance of steel structures primarily depends on visual inspections, but the results are often inconsistent due to the inspector’s experience. To overcome this problem, this study proposed a three-pronged approach comprising distinct methodologies for automated image analysis. The proposed RustNet architecture uses a feature encoder, feature decoder, and Rust module for image analysis. The encoder applies convolution and down-sampling to generate feature maps, while the decoder, with three stacked blocks, reconstructs the image. The Rust module employs a multilayer attention network (MAN) to extract rust-specific features. Furthermore, gradient edge detection and linked segment analysis are employed to precisely quantify individual rust areas. The proposed model is validated on a large dataset of images captured under different light conditions; the validation results demonstrates promising performance in rust growth detection and quantification.

Inspired by molecular catalysts, researchers developed atomically precise nitrogen-coordinated single or dual metal sites imbedded in graphitized carbon (M-N-C) to fully utilize metallic sites for O2 activation. These catalysts performed remarkably well in the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their distinct coordination and electrical structures. Nonetheless, their maximum efficacy in practical applications has yet to be achieved. This agenda identifies tailoring the coordination environment, spin states, intersite distance, and metal-metal interaction as innovative approaches to regulate the ORR performance of these catalysts. However, it is necessary to undertake a precise assessment of these methodologies and the knowledge obtained to be implemented in the design of future M-N-C catalysts for ORR. Therefore, this review aims to analyze recent progress in M-N-C ORR catalysts, emphasizing their innovative engineering with aspects such as alteration in intersite distance, metal-metal interaction, coordination environment, and spin states. Additionally, we critically discuss how to logically monitor the atomic structure, local coordination, spin, and electronic states of M-N-C catalysts to modulate their ORR activity. We have also highlighted the challenges associated with M-N-C catalysts and proposed suggestions for their future design and fabrication.

Electronic structural engineering via integration of oxygen deficiencies and a variety of dopants in metal oxide electrodes has fascinated the research interest for developing next-generation supercapacitors. Herein, by incorporating Ni dopants and creating O vacancies, it has thoroughly been explored the potential of vanadium oxide (V2O5) nanosheets anchored on the carbon nanocoils (CNCs) grown on nickel foam (NF) for supercapacitor electrodes (O-V-Ni-V2O5/CNCs/NF). We validate a synergistic effect provided by heterostructure designed with multifunctional nano geometries. It is found that O vacancies and Ni dopants alter the electronic states of V2O5 with enhanced electrical conductivity and enriched redox active sites. We optimized O vacancies and achieved a specific capacity of 3485F g(-1) (1742.5C g(-1)) at 1 A/g, representing similar to 3.8 x higher compared to the best prior report. Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor device was assembled with binder-free electrodes, using O-0.075-V2O5/CNCs/NF as a cathode and sulfur-doped CNCs as an anode, which delivered a high energy density of 144 W h kg(-1) and long-term stability of 5000 cycles, which is superior to most of the previous studies. This study paves a rational strategy to design high-performance electrodes for next-generation supercapacitors and other energy storage technologies.

Recycling end-of-life lead acid batteries is essential for the recovery of lead oxide (active material of new laboratory assembly) from spent lead paste. In this approach, a low-temperature coalesced reduction and sulfur fixation process was introduced for the extraction of lead oxide from spent lead paste followed by wet chemical conversion and immobilized sulfur which usually coincide with the release of sulfur oxides and lead particulates by using traditional recycling techniques. This technique offers a facile green lead extraction alternative for end-of-life lead acid batteries that is economical and environmentally benign. Herein, the phase conversion technique for PbO2/PbSO4 components and impurity contents of spent lead paste were studied. Furthermore, the CH3OH/KOH reaction system for the reduction/desulfurization of PbO2/PbSO4 was also explored briefly. Moreover, the metal impurities were efficiently removed, and 99/99.9% of the reduction/desulfurization efficiency of PbO2/PbSO4 was achieved. As compared to pyrometallurgy and conventional hydrometallurgy, this novel technique significantly shortens flow, reduces power consumption and secondary pollution, and is excellent for commercial applications.

Poisonous wastes, including lead slag, mattes, acidic sludge, particulates, and emissions of airborne gases, are primary industrial wastes related to the lead-acid battery industry. Herein, the phase conversion technique for PbO2/PbSO4 components and impurity contents of spent lead paste were studied. The reductive sulfur fixation technique was employed for the extraction of pure lead product from spent lead paste and immobilizing sulfur, which was relatively improved as compared to the release of sulfur oxides and lead particulates when traditional recycling techniques were used. Furthermore, a bench-scale experiment was carried out for the revival of chemical reagents and removal of impurities from the spent lead paste to understand the reliability and efficiency of this novel method from the perspective of a chemical-free process. The results reveal that the products were achieved in three distinct layers, i.e., impurities-free P-paste, sulfated residue (PbSO4), desulfurized residue (PbCO3) and the final product (α-PbO). In this work, the recovery efficiency of spent lead-acid batteries is higher than 99.9