Acidic electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (eCO 2 RR) offers a promising way for achieving high CO 2 utilization efficiency and circumventing carbonate deposition issues. However, it is plagued by a compromised catalytic performance due to the severe hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, two types of silver chalcogenolate cluster-based MOFs were synthesized through ligand engineering by anchoring Ag 12 clusters with tri-topic imidazole and pyridyl ligands respectively. The imidazole-based MOF Ag 12 THIT demonstrated outstanding performance for the electroreduction of CO 2 to CO. In acidic electrolyte of pH ≈ 2, it achieved a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 98.5% with a commercial current density of 328.0 mA cm −2 at − 1.6 V versus RHE. Moreover, the CO partial current density ( j CO ) reached a maximum of 447.2 mA cm −2 with a FE CO of 96.8% at − 1.7 V versus RHE. No obvious degradation was observed during 70 h of continuous operation, and the performance significantly outperformed those of pyridyl-based MOFs Ag 12 TPEB and Ag 12 TPMA . Mechanistic studies revealed that the imidazole ligand endows Ag 12 THIT with enhanced Lewis basicity and superior σ -donating ability, thereby strengthening the ligand field with an upshifted d -band center and reduced energy barriers. This ligand effect facilitates more efficient electron transfer to *COOH intermediates, thus promoting acidic CO 2 to CO conversion.

Infrared radiative materials are pivotal for thermal management in aerospace, industrial furnaces, and refractory linings, yet conventional ceramics often struggle to combine high infrared emissivity with high melting temperature. This work employs a high-entropy strategy to tailor the properties of hexaborides. Compared to LaB6, the designed high-entropy hexaborides (Sr0.2La0.2Ce0.2Eu0.2Yb0.2)B-6 and (Ba0.2La0.2Pr0.2Eu0.2Dy0.2)B-6 exhibit a significant increase in the infrared emissivity (from 81.40% to 83.82% and 85.49% over 1.28-25 mu m respectively). Both samples exhibit a dramatic decrease in the electrical conductivity (11501.5 and 13016.3 S cm(-1) respectively), approximately an order of magnitude lower than that of LaB6 (112359.6 S cm(-1)). The pronounced lattice distortion intensifies electron scattering, which lowers both electrical conductivity and electronic thermal conductivity. The accompanying reduction in the relaxation time further alters the intraband dielectric function. These combined effects synergistically enhance the infrared emissivity of the hexaborides. The study thus demonstrates a novel and effective approach for designing advanced thermal management materials.

To address the challenges of high stranded assets of thermal power and difficult consumption of renewable energy in the low-carbon transformation of thermal-power-driven chemical industrial parks, a zero-carbon chemical industrial park model based on the synergistic operation of renewable power generation and deep peak-shaving of thermal power plant is proposed. By integrating battery energy storage system, water electrolysis units, and downstream chemical synthesis devices, a comprehensive energy system is constructed for stable supply of green electricity and green heat, as well as producing high-value-added by-product chemicals. Establish a mixed-integer linear programming model with the objective function of minimizing total annual costs, synchronously optimizing equipment capacity configuration and hourly operation scheduling. Taking a chemical park in Guangdong Province as a case study, the results show that the levelized cost of electricity and heat has significantly decreased after the renovation; A carbon dioxide utilization rate of 90% is identified as the optimal trade-off between current economic viability and low-carbon performance. Integrated electric heating boilers can break through the heating limit and reduce system investment. Compared with conventional wind-solar-storage-based zero-carbon chemical park construction models, the proposed model exhibits lower curtailment rate and superior economic performance, providing a system integration solution for the zero-carbon transformation of high-carbon chemical industrial parks.

The large-scale implementation of direct ethylene glycol fuel cells (DEGFCs) relies on the design of catalysts that possess exceptional activity, durability, and efficient C-C bond breaking ability. However, Pt and Pd-based nanomaterials continue to face challenges of low selectivity and slow reaction kinetics in driving the complete oxidation of ethylene glycol to CO2. In this work, a facile one-pot reduction method is reported for controllable synthesis of PtBi nanodendrites (PtBi-NDs) composed of ultrathin bimetallene subunits. In alkaline media, the composition optimized PtBi-NDs demonstrate outstanding activity and strong resistance to CO poisoning during the ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR). The PtBi-NDs show 5.8-fold higher mass activity, enhanced stability, and superior C1 selectivity relative to commercial Pt nanoparticles (Pt c-NCs). Most strikingly, PtBi-NDs deliver a higher power density (8.3 mW cm-2 ) than Pt c-NCs in DEGFCs. The theoretical analysis and experimental measurements explain that the introduction of Bi element into Pt induces d-p orbital hybridization and promotes electron transfer from Bi to Pt, thereby facilitating C-C bond cleavage and boosting EGOR kinetics. This work establishes an effective strategy for constructing Pt-based ultrathin bimetallenes and offers fundamental insights into boosting EGOR performance via d-p orbital hybridization.

This study aims to investigate the antifungal secondary metabolites produced by the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. FH-1 isolated from Valeriana officinalis via a high-salt rice medium. Compounds were isolated and purified by silica gel and ODS column chromatography, semi-preparative HPLC, and other techniques. The chemical structures were elucidated through analysis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data of nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR), infrared(IR), and mass spectrometry(MS). The inhibitory effects of all the compounds against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were evaluated via the mycelial growth rate method. Eight compounds were obtained from the ethyl acetate extract of Aspergillus sp. FH-1. They were identified as asperchoried A(1), butyrolactone Ⅱ(2), isobutyrolactone Ⅱ(3), aspernolide A(4), butyrolactone Ⅴ(5), clavatone(6), 1-hydroxy-6,8-dimethoxy-3-methylanthracene-9,10-dione(7), and(S)-7-methoxy-2,5-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-6-ol(8). Among them, compound 1 is a novel chlorinated butanolide derivative and was designated asperchoried A. Compounds 1, 2, 6, and 7 possessed inhibitory effects on C. gloeosporioides, with EC_(50) values of 15.08, 77.19, 89.94, and 62.02 μg·mL~(-1), respectively.

The construction of chiral covalent organic frameworks (CCOFs) with amino acid derived backbone is a promising and remains largely unexplored area of chiral porous materials. Herein, two CCOFs, denoted as...

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) electrosynthesis via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e- ORR) has garnered significant attention for its environmentally friendly operation under mild conditions. However, developing non-precious metal catalysts with high activity and selectivity remains a key challenge. Here, a nickel-zinc metal organic framework (NiZn-MOF) precursor synthesized via a one-pot solvothermal method is used to prepare a series of bimetallic oxide/carbon composites (Ni0.7Zn0.3O/C) with bimetallic sites. The bimetallic synergy in the triclinic crystal structure regulating 2e- ORR activity is systematically investigated. The Ni0.7Zn0.3O/C-450 (450 °C) exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance in alkaline media within the 0.2-0.6 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode) potential range, with H2O2 selectivity reaching 98.56% and an electron transfer number of approximately 2.05. In an H-type electrolyzer, Ni0.7Zn0.3O/C-450 demonstrates a Faradaic efficiency of 87.63% and an H2O2 yield of 6.26 mol h-1 gcat-1 at 0.5 V. The synergies between the two metal components, along with the triclinic lattice’s specific atomic arrangement and electronic structure, optimize the adsorption of the *OOH intermediate, thereby promoting H2O2 selectivity via the 2e- ORR pathway. This study highlights the role of bimetallic system in tuning 2e- ORR performance and offers a strategy for designing highly efficient non-precious-metal catalysts for H2O2 electrosynthesis.

This study develops an online energy management strategy (EMS) for fuel cell hybrid buses (FCHBs) to alleviate fuel cell degradation and improve hydrogen economy. High-precision models for the traction motor, fuel cell system and lithium-ion battery pack are established, and the system power balance is analyzed. A lifetime-aware dynamic programming (DP) EMS optimizes power split on typical cycles, from which control rules are extracted by mapping motor demand power and batteries state of charge (SOC) to fuel cell output power. A driving cycle identification module is built based on typical cycle characteristics. Simulations on the measured real driving cycle and supplementary Manhattan bus cycle verify its performance against the practical vehicle rule-based strategy and global DP benchmark. Offline simulation shows this DP-derived rule strategy cuts power source aging by 21.70% and raises fuel economy by 9.04% versus conventional rule control. Hardware-in-the-loop tests further confirm stable real-time operation with minor power deviation between simulation and hardware.

Ectoine, a cyclic amino acid derivative synthesized via the aspartate pathway, has emerged as a promising bioactive compound in the functional food industry owing to its exceptional protective effects on cellular structures and macromolecules. Despite its natural synthesis by halophilic microorganisms such as Halomonas, large-scale industrialization remains constrained by suboptimal yields and the technical complexities of hypersaline fermentation. To address these challenges, this structured narrative review outlines recent breakthroughs in the efficient biomanufacturing of ectoine. This review first outlines its biochemical properties and native biosynthetic mechanisms, followed by a comprehensive analysis of metabolic engineering strategies employed in both wild-type halophiles and engineered industrial chassis. At the molecular level, emphasis is placed on the precise regulation of the ectABC gene cluster, precursor pool expansion, and dynamic flux regulation to bypass feedback inhibition. At the process level, this article evaluates the impact of diverse fermentation optimization approaches—such as osmotic titration and sustainable feedstock utilization—and reviews advanced downstream separation and purification techniques. Finally, to overcome existing barriers to large-scale bio-manufacturing, this review prospects several critical future directions: the AI-driven intelligent design of microbial strains, dynamic metabolic regulation via biosensors, the development of novel microbial chassis and unconventional carbon sources, the digital and intelligent control of fermentation processes, and the advancement of continuous integrated downstream processing. Addressing these technological frontiers, alongside navigating food safety regulations, will facilitate the transition of ectoine toward efficient, green, and sustainable industrial production.

The structure of Pt/C agglomerates significantly impacts the performance of the catalyst layer in hightemperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs). Optimizing the size, shape and distribution of these agglomerates facilitates O-2 transport within the pores and on the surface of Pt/C catalysts. This study introduces a novel core-shell agglomerate model, featuring a solid carbon core and a Pt/C shell, to enhance mass transportation in the catalyst layer. Simulations confirm that the performance of the fuel cell based on the coreshell model has been improved up to 10% with the optimum core size. Electrochemical analyses further support these findings, indicating reduced local O-2 transport resistance in catalyst layers with the core-shell agglomerate structure by 31.3%. Nevertheless, with increasing core size, a trade-off emerges between reduced oxygen diffusion distance and increased primary porosity within the core-shell agglomerate model. The trade-off results in a volcano-shaped relationship between core size and performance of the catalyst layer, achieving improvement of 13% in the peak power density (347.6 mW cm(-2)) at 160 degrees C and H-2/air atmosphere with an optimum core size of 40 nm. Overall, the core-shell agglomerate model paves a pathway to reduce local oxygen transport resistance and improve catalyst utilization efficiency in HT-PEMFCs.

Electrochemical dehalogenation is a promising approach for removing persistent halogenated organic pollutants from water, but its practical application is often constrained by limited mass transfer and high energy demand in conventional batch reactors. Here, we report a self-separating flow cathode system using Pd-loaded Ti4O7 microparticles (Pd/Ti4O7), integrated with a porous Ti filter that enables in situ particle retention and recycling. With an optimized Pd loading of 0.5 wt %, the system achieved 93- and 13-fold faster diclofenac (DCF) dechlorination than systems without Pd/Ti4O7 and with Ti4O7 alone, respectively, while significantly reducing predicted biotoxicity. Efficient dehalogenation was further demonstrated for multiple chlorinated organic pollutants. Direct electron transfer (DET), rather than atomic hydrogen-mediated reduction, dominates the dehalogenation pathway, which confers strong resistance to common water matrix interferences. A single-pass system removed 99% of DCF from municipal wastewater within 7 min at an energy cost of 0.26 kWh·m-3, comparable to or lower than state-of-the-art technologies. Collectively, these results establish Pd/Ti4O7 self-separating flow cathodes as a robust and scalable platform for electrochemical dehalogenation, while highlighting remaining challenges related to material cost and life-cycle impacts.

A Complementary FET (CFET) architecture with a top truncated CombFET is proposed and evaluated by TCAD simulations. The comb-like channel sustains drive capability at the same level as the nanosheet channel, while lateral truncation enlarges routing space and reduces parasitic resistance. Parameter optimization identifies the trade-off of key parameters: Tfin and Wcut. The design enables front-side signal-line connection without deep vias or backside processing, thereby simplifying layout design and making routing implementation more straightforward.

In this paper, the three-dimensional non-premixed H2/NH3/air rotating detonation engine (RDE) is numerically simulated by changing the fuel concentration ratio and air throat width. The flow field structure of the rotating detonation waves, and the generation and emission of NOX are revealed. The reactant mixing effect and propulsive performance are explored. The results indicate that the fuel concentration ratio significantly affects the propagation mode of the rotating detonation wave, and the mode influences the propagation speed of the detonation wave. As the mass fraction of NH3 increases, the NOx content at the outlet increases. The emissions of nitrogen oxides are dominated by NO. When the mass fractions of NH3 in the fuel are 0.5 and 0.6, the outlet NOx increases with an increased throat width. The RDE with the throat width of 1.2 mm has a better mixing effect and more propulsive performance than that of 0.8 mm.

One of the biggest challenges in the electrochemical synthesis of H2O2 is the development of high-performance and economical catalysts. In this work, a two-dimensional composite material consisting of NiOx nanosheets and defective graphene (DG) (NiOx@DG) was prepared and showed excellent electrocatalytic performance toward electrosynthesis of H2O2 from oxygen reduction reaction. Particularly, the NiOx@DG catalysts present superior activity indicators to physical mixing counterparts (NiOx-DG), encompassing a high onset potential of 0.78 V, high efficiency and 2e- selectivity over a wide potential range between 0.20-0.60 V (maximal value of 95%). The high activity of NiOx@DG can be attributed to the dual-defects (oxygen vacancies on NiOx and topological defects on DG)-induced strong electronic metal–support interaction. Such multi-defects collaborative enhancement strategy may provide a promising avenue for the preparation of high-performance catalysts toward application in different reactions.

The hydrogen volution reaction (HER) in alkaline media is hindered by sluggish water dissociation and strong hydroxy ("OH) poisoning, requiring catalysts that deliver both high activity and long-term stabil-ity. Here we design 3% Ru/MoC heterojunctions that operate via a causally coupled interfacial mecha-nism, in which electronic metal-support interaction (EMSI) reshapes the interfacial thermodynamic landscape that governs the feasibility and directionality of hydroxyl spillover. Uniform Ru nanoclusters anchored on MoC nanorods establish EMSI, leading to a downshift of the Ru d-band center and moder-ated "OH binding, Meanwhile, the MoC support accommodates hydroxyl species and facilitates their spil-lover away froth Ru sites, mitigating surface poisoning. As a result, 3% Ru/MoC delivers an overpotential of 35 mV at 10 mA cm and a Tafel slope of 35 mV dec & sup1; in 1 M KOH, while retaining nearly unchanged activity over 1800 min. As the cathode in anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWE), it sustains stable hydrogen production for 120 h at current densities up to 500 mA cm at 80 degrees C. In situ spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) confirm that interfacial thermodynamic modulation correlates with spontaneous hydroxyl spillover and sustained surface regeneration during alkaline HER. This study establishes a quantitative interfacial design principle for spillover-enabled catalysis, link- ing atomic-scale thermodynamics with device-level durability. @2026 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier BV. and Science Press. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining. Al training, and similar technologies.

S-MnO2 is a promising supercapacitor electrode material, but it suffers from Jahn-Teller distortion induced by Mn3+ ions. Conventional strategies to mitigate the Jahn-Teller distortion in S-MnO2, such as doping, defect engineering, or pre-intercalation, often occupy lattice sites or intercalate into crystal interstices, which will inevitably introduce new destabilizing factors or complexities. Herein, the reaction-pathway engineered S-MnO2 with source-mitigated Jahn-Teller distortion is synthesized by decreasing Mn3+ content during crystal growth. In an alkaline environment, octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (OTAB) acted as both a co-catalyst and a template to facilitate the disproportionation of MnO42-, enabling the one-pot synthesis of S-MnO2 with decreased Mn3+ content and consequently mitigating Jahn-Teller distortion. The optimized electrode delivered a specific capacitance of 380.3 F g(-1), which is higher than that of S-MnO2 (181.3 F g(-1)). More importantly, the cycling stability is also greatly enhanced, with capacitance retention increasing from 73% to 95% after 10,000 cycles. This work provides a new pathway for designing high-stability MnO2-based energy-storage materials through intrinsic reaction control.

Efficient electrooxidation of ethylene glycol (EG) to glycolic acid (GA) is highly desirable for biomass valorization and EG recycling, which remains challenging owing to side reactions involving C-C bond cleavage. Herein, the bimetallic AgPd hollow nanocubes (AgPd hNCs) are successfully prepared via a solvothermal-assisted Galvanic replacement strategy. Both theoretical calculations and experimental results indicate that the electronic interplay between the Pd atom and Ag atom hinders C-C bond breaking and enhances the adsorption of critical intermediates, resulting in high selectivity toward GA production. Benefiting from these features, AgPd hNCs achieve a Faradaic efficiency of 93% toward GA formation and a 2.8-fold increase in mass activity compared to Pd black. Moreover, the strong oxygen affinity of Ag promotes the removal of CO-like intermediates from the Pd surface, resulting in superior EG oxidation stability. This study highlights a generalizable Ag-based strategy to modulate bimetallic interfaces for selective oxidation reaction of specific functional groups, contributing to the rational design of electrocatalysts for biomass upgrading. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The development of atomic site catalysts has stepped onto a higher stage in recent years. Substantial research progress has been attained, including the precise regulation of atomic moieties, mechanistic deciphering of synergistic catalysis, and substantial enhancement of catalytic performance towards efficient water electrolysis. Herein, this review presents a full picture of atomic customization for water electrolysis catalysts, delivering insights on coordination and geometric structure regulation at the single-atomic scale, inter-site electronic interactions at the dual-atomic scale, synergistic effects of atomic moieties integrated with hierarchical decorations at the cross-scale, as well as dynamic structural evolution at the multi-spatiotemporal scale. Specifically, the variable dependence of site activity and stability on coordination environments and location geometry is dissected, including metal-support interaction variations, local charge redistribution, electronic orbital reconfiguration, and intermediate adsorption optimization. Furthermore, the complementary roles of two atoms in diverse dual-atom moieties are systematically analyzed to unravel regulation rules of inter-site charge transfer, electronic coupling, and spin-state interactions for boosted reactions. On this basis, insights are cast upon synergistic catalysis enabled by integrating atomic moieties with nanoclusters/particles, heterostructures, and various physical fields. More interestingly, the multi-scale dynamic reconstruction of atomically customized catalysts is discussed in terms of local coordination variation, atomic migration and aggregation, and phase transformation. Finally, we critically expound AI-assisted catalyst design, highlighting the frontiers in chemical composition screening, substrate type selection and local structure optimization. This review aims to offer comprehensive insights into the atomic-scale customization of energy materials and further advances in water electrolysis.

The efficient conversion of persistent polypropylene (PP) plastic waste via depolymerization process remains a significant challenge. This study presents a novel interfacial engineering strategy using low-concentration pre-implanted cobalt (Co) sites to enable efficient PP conversion in a hydrothermal-peroxymonosulfate (PMS) system. Plasma activation followed by immersion in a Co2 + solution created a bridged Co-O-C coordination interface on the PP surface. The system with an optimal Co concentration of 0.013 M achieved a dramatic similar to 12-fold increase in PP mass loss compared to the non-Co implantation. Comprehensive characterization revealed that this optimal interface facilitates PMS adsorption and activation, generating radicals directly at the polymer surface. Product analysis indicated a progressive oxidative degradation pathway. The proposed concentration-dependent mechanism shows that low Co loading forms a thin, effective catalytic layer, while excessive Co creates a thick buffer layer that causes radical quenching and efficiency loss. This work highlights that precise interfacial design, rather than high catalyst loading, is key to efficient solid plastic degradation, offering a promising approach for polyolefin waste treatment.