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2025 Vol. 10, No. 8

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Review articles
Advanced microwave synthesis strategies for innovative photocatalyst design
Shunda Li, Hao Ma, Ping Ouyang, Yuhan Li, Youyu Duan, Yunqiao Zhou, Wee-Jun Ong, Fan Dong
2025, 10(8): 1597-1623. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2024.11.005
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Amidst environmental pollution and the energy crisis, photocatalytic technology has emerged as a potent tool for promoting clean energy and environmental preservation. However, the promotion and widespread adoption of photocatalysis encounter the formidable challenge of synthesizing high-quality photocatalysts in a cost-effective and expedited manner. Thus, we have compiled an analysis elucidating the efficacy and heating mechanisms of microwaves, validating their superiority as a heat source. Furthermore, this review presents a comprehensive overview of microwave-assisted synthesis techniques for photocatalysts, marking the inaugural attempt to do so, and extensively discusses the merits of diverse microwave-based preparation methodologies. Moreover, we systematically examine approaches for modifying photocatalysts using microwave-assisted methods, providing insights into their pivotal role in photocatalyst enhancement. We aspire that this review will serve as a seminal reference, facilitating the judicious application of microwave-assisted synthesis techniques for the controlled and efficient production of photocatalysts, thereby advancing the dissemination and adoption of photocatalysis.
Heavy metal challenge in NH3-SCR DeNOx catalysts: Poisoning deactivation mechanisms and enhanced resistance strategies
Yu Xia, Fengyu Gao, Jiajun Wen, Tingkai Xiong, Honghong Yi, Qingjun Yu, Shunzheng Zhao, Yuansong Zhou, Xiaolong Tang
2025, 10(8): 1624-1647. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2024.11.007
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Ammonia selective catalytic reduction (NH3-SCR) is the most widely used technology in the field of industrial flue gas denitrification. However, the presence of heavy metals in flue gas can seriously affect the performance of SCR catalysts, leading to their deactivation or even failure. Therefore, it is of great significance to deeply study the poisoning mechanism of SCR catalysts under the action of heavy metals and how to enhance their resistance to poisoning. This article reviews the reaction mechanism of NH3-SCR technology, compares the impact of heavy metals on the activity of different SCR catalysts, and then discusses in detail the poisoning mechanism of SCR catalysts by heavy metals, including pore blockage, reduction of specific surface area, and destruction of active centers caused by heavy metal deposition, all of which jointly lead to the physical or chemical poisoning of the catalyst. Meanwhile, the mechanism of action when multiple toxicants coexist was analyzed. To effectively address these challenges, the article further summarizes various methods to improve the catalyst's resistance to heavy metal poisoning, such as element doping, structural optimization, and carrier addition, which significantly enhance the heavy metal resistance of the catalyst. Finally, the article provides a prospective analysis of the challenges faced by NH3-SCR catalysts in anti-heavy metal poisoning technology, emphasizing the necessity of in-depth research on the poisoning mechanism, exploration of the mechanism of synergistic action of multiple pollutants, development of comprehensive anti-poisoning strategies, and research on catalyst regeneration technology, in order to promote the development of efficient anti-heavy metal poisoning NH3-SCR catalysts.
Advances in Cu-based catalysts for electroreduction of CO2 to C2H4 in flow cells
Yunxia Zhao, Yunxin Dai, Yunfei Bu
2025, 10(8): 1648-1673. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.01.003
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Global investment in ethylene (C2H4) production via nonpetroleum pathways is rising, highlighting its growing importance in the energy and environmental sectors. The electroreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to C2H4 in flow cells is emerging as a promising technology with broad practical applications. Direct delivery of gaseous CO2 to the cathode catalyst layer overcomes mass transfer limitations, enhancing reaction rates and enabling high current density. This review summarizes recent research progress in the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR) for selective C2H4 production in flow cells. It outlines the principles of eCO2RR to C2H4 and discusses the influence of copper-based catalyst morphology, crystal facet, oxidation state, surface modification strategy, and synergistic effects on catalytic performance. In addition, it highlights the compositional structure of the flow cell, and the selection and optimization of operating conditions, including gas diffusion electrodes, electrolytes, ion exchange membranes, and alternative anode reaction types beyond the oxygen evolution reaction. Finally, advances in machine learning are presented for accelerating catalyst screening and predicting dynamic changes in catalysts during reduction. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable reference for the development of efficient catalysts and the construction of electrolytic devices for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to C2H4.
MOFs-based porous liquids for CO2 capture and utilization
Xun Wang, Yuxi Liu, Hongxing Dai, Zhen Wei, Shaohua Xie, Jiguang Deng
2025, 10(8): 1674-1691. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.01.002
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Due to the greenhouse effect caused by carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, much attention has been paid for the removal of CO2. Porous liquids (PLs), as new type of liquid materials, have obvious advantages in mass and heat transfer, which are widely used in gas adsorption and separation. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with merits like large surface area, inherent porous structure and adjustable topology have been considered as one of the best candidates for PLs construction. This review presents the state-of-the-art status on the fabrication strategy of MOFs-based PLs and their CO2 absorption and utilization performance, and the positive effects of porosity and functional modification on the absorption-desorption property, selectivity of target product, and regeneration ability are well summarized. Finally, the challenges and prospects for MOFs-based PLs in the optimization of preparation, the coupling of multiple removal techniques, the in situ characterization methods, the regeneration and cycle stability, the environmental impact as well as expansion of application are proposed.
Progress and prospect of transition metal compound cathode materials with stable metal ion storage effect in various battery systems
Dongfang Guo, Bin Zhang
2025, 10(8): 1692-1726. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.02.001
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The field of energy storage devices is primarily dominated by lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their mature manufacturing processes and stable performance. However, immature lithium recovery technology cannot stop the continuous increase in the cost of LIBs. Along with the rapid development of electric transportation, it has become inevitable to trigger a new round of competition in alternative energy storage systems. Some monovalent rechargeable metal ion batteries (sodium ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium ion batteries (PIBs), etc.) and multivalent rechargeable metal-ion batteries (magnesium ion batteries (MIBs), calcium ion batteries (CIBs), zinc ion batteries (ZIBs), and aluminum ion batteries (AIBs), etc.) are potential candidates, which can replace LIBs in some of the scenarios to alleviate the pressure on supply. The cathode material plays a crucial role in determining the battery capacity. Transition metal compounds dominated by layered transition metal oxides as key cathode materials for secondary batteries play an important role in the advancement of various battery energy storage systems. In summary, this manuscript aims to review and summarize the research progress on transition metal compounds used as cathodes in different metal ion batteries, with the aim of providing valuable guidance for the exploration and design of high-performance integrated battery systems.
Hydrothermal liquefaction for preparation of liquid fuels and chemicals: Solvent effects, catalysts regulation and thermochemical conversion processes
Bingbing Qiu, Xuedong Tao, Yanfang Wang, Donghui Zhang, Huaqiang Chu
2025, 10(8): 1727-1750. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2024.11.009
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Hydrothermal liquefaction technology is an effective method for the resource utilization and energy conversion of biomass under the dual-carbon context, facilitating the conversion of biomass into liquid fuels and high-value chemicals. This paper reviews the latest advancements in the production of liquid fuels and chemicals from biomass hydrothermal liquefaction. It briefly introduces the effects of different types of biomass, such as organic waste, lignocellulosic materials, and algae, on the conversion efficiency and product yield during hydrothermal liquefaction. The specific mechanisms of solvent and catalyst systems in the hydrothermal liquefaction process are analyzed in detail. Compared to water and organic solvents, the biphasic solvent system yields higher concentrations of furan platform compounds, and the addition of an appropriate amount of NaCl to the solvent significantly enhances product yield. Homogeneous catalysts exhibit advantages in reaction rate and selectivity but are limited by high costs and difficulties in separation and recovery. In contrast, heterogeneous catalysts possess good separability and regeneration capabilities and can operate under high-temperature conditions, but their mass transfer efficiency and deactivation issues may affect catalytic performance. The direct hydrothermal catalytic conversion of biomass is also discussed for the efficient production of chemicals and fuels such as hexanol, ethylene glycol, lactic acid, and C5/C6 liquid alkanes. Finally, the advantages and current challenges of producing liquid fuels and chemicals from biomass hydrothermal liquefaction are thoroughly analyzed, along with potential future research directions.
Research papers
Photothermal dry reforming of methane reaction over (Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2)@SiO2 catalysts: The Ni content regulation
Xiaoyan Tian, Yu Shi, Jianming Zhang, Fagen Wang
2025, 10(8): 1751-1763. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.02.008
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Dry reforming of methane (DRM) converts CH4 and CO2 to syngas. Photothermal DRM, which integrates temperature and light, is a sustainable method for storing solar energy in molecules. However, challenges such as limited light absorption, low photocarrier separation efficiency, Ni sintering, and carbon deposition hinder DRM stability. Herein, we regulated Ni contents in (Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2)@SiO2 catalysts to enhance the optical characteristics while addressing Ni sintering and carbon deposition issues. The (3Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2)@SiO2 catalyst had insufficient Ni content, while the (9Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2)@SiO2 catalyst showed excessive carbon deposition, leading to lower stability compared to the (6Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2)@SiO2 catalyst, which achieved CH4 and CO2 rates to 231.0 μmol gcat−1 s−1 and 294.3 μmol gcat−1 s−1, respectively, at 973 K, with only 0.2 wt.% carbon deposition and no Ni sintering. This work adjusted Ni contents in (Ni/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2)@SiO2 catalysts to enhance DRM performance, which has implications for improving other reactions.
Activation of persulfate using a biochar polyacrylic acid composite loaded with nanoscale zero-valent iron for the in situ remediation of anthracene-contaminated soil
Fengjun Li, Dongyun Chen, Shihong Dong, Najun Li, Qingfeng Xu, Hua Li, Jianmei Lu
2025, 10(8): 1764-1776. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.03.007
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Synthesizing highly efficient, low-toxicity catalysts for the remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminated soils is crucial. Nanoscale zero-valent iron (n-ZVI) is widely used in the treatment of pollutants due to its high catalytic activity. However, n-ZVI is prone to aggregation and passivation. Therefore, to design an environmentally friendly, efficient, and practical catalyst material, this study designed a nanoscale zero-valent iron-loaded biochar (BC) polyacrylic acid (PAA) composite materials. Biochar and polyacrylic acid can prevent the aggregation of zero-valent iron and provide a large number of functional groups. The iron on the carrier is uniformly distributed, exposing active sites and activating persulfate to remove anthracene (ANT) pollutants from the soil. The BC/PAA/Fe0 system can achieve an anthracene degradation efficiency of 93.7% in soil, and the degradation efficiency of anthracene remains around 90% under both acidic and alkaline conditions. Free radical capture experiments indicate that the degradation of anthracene proceeds through the radical pathways SO4·−, ·OH, O2·− and the non-radical pathway 1O2. In addition, possible degradation pathways for anthracene have been proposed. Plant planting experiments have shown that the catalyst designed in this study has low toxicity and has excellent application prospects in the field of soil remediation.
Environmentally benign process for valorization of lignocellulosic bamboo residues with green solvent propylene carbonate
Jie Liang, Jingcong Xie, Jianchun Jiang, Yan Ma, Jun Ye, Xianhai Zeng, Kui Wang
2025, 10(8): 1777-1788. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.03.002
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A novel environmentally benign biphasic system composed of propylene carbonate (PC) and aqueous solution of p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TsOH aq) was designed for the efficient valorization of lignocellulosic bamboo residues, resulting in more than 95.5% of hemicellulose and 97.2% of lignin digested under mild conditions of 130 °C for 1 h. Meanwhile, 91.9% of cellulose was retained with loose structure, followed by 95.8% enzyme hydrolysis yield and 347.9 mg g−1 of glucose yield. Notably, the synergistic effect between PC and p-TsOH on efficiency and selectivity was proposed by a control group experiment and subsequently verified, which is believed to be responsible for the simultaneous degradation and separation of lignin and hemicelluloses into oligomeric phenols and pentose, also facilitating subsequent valorization. Furthermore, the novel PC/p-TsOH aq biphasic system demonstrated excellent retrievability and adaptability to different feedstocks, offering a promising green strategy for the efficient valorization of lignocellulosic biomass in industrial biorefineries.
Limiting cationic mixing and lattice oxygen loss of single-crystalline Ni-rich Co-poor cathodes for high-voltage Li-ion batteries
Hujun Zhang, Haifeng Yu, Ling Chen, Muslum Demir, Qilin Cheng, Hao Jiang
2025, 10(8): 1789-1796. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.03.004
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Developing cost-effective single-crystalline Ni-rich Co-poor cathodes operating at high-voltage is one of the most important ways to achieve higher energy Li-ion batteries. However, the Li/O loss and Li/Ni mixing under high-temperature lithiation result in electrochemical kinetic hysteresis and structural instability. Herein, we report a highly-ordered single-crystalline LiNi0.85Co0.05Mn0.10O2 (NCM85) cathode by doping K+ and F− ions. To be specific, the K-ion as a fluxing agent can remarkably decrease the solid-state lithiation temperature by ∼30 °C, leading to less Li/Ni mixing and oxygen vacancy. Meanwhile, the strong transitional metal (TM)-F bonds are helpful for enhancing de-/lithiation kinetics and limiting the lattice oxygen escape even at 4.5 V high-voltage. Their advantages synergistically endow the single-crystalline NCM85 cathode with a very high reversible capacity of 222.3 mAh g−1. A superior capacity retention of 91.3% is obtained after 500 times at 1 C in pouch-type full cells, and a prediction value of 75.3% is given after cycling for 5000 h. These findings are reckoned to expedite the exploitation and application of high-voltage single-crystalline Ni-rich cathodes for next-generation Li-ion batteries.
Multicomponent high-entropy assisted high-rate and air-stable layered cathode for sodium ion batteries
Renyi Ma, Jiaqi Wang, Guohua Zhu, Yongguang Liu, Ling Wang, Xiaoyan Zhang, Linzhe Wang, Lei Dai, Shan Liu
2025, 10(8): 1797-1806. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.03.008
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Sodium-based O3-type layered oxide materials are attractive for Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their simple synthesis, affordability, and high capacity. However, challenges remain, including limited reversible capacity and poor cycling stability caused by detrimental phase transitions during cycling and the tendency to form sodium carbonate upon air exposure. In this study, based on O3-type NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 (NNFM), a high-entropy strategy was introduced to successfully synthesize O3-type NaNi0.25Fe0.21Mn0.18Co0.21Ti0.1Mg0.05O2 (HE-NNFM). The introduction of Co, Ti, and Mg ions increases the system's disorder, highlighting the synergistic interactions among inert atoms. The delayed phase transformation effect in high-entropy materials alleviates the destruction of the O3 structure by the insertion and extraction of sodium ions. Simultaneously, the narrower sodium layer in HE-NNFM acts as a physical barrier, effectively preventing adverse reactions with H2O and CO2 in the air, resulting in excellent reversibility and air stability of the HE-NNFM material. Consequently, the HE-NNFM material exhibits a reversible capacity of 110 mAh·g−1 with a capacity retention of 97.3% after 200 cycles at 1 C. This work provides insights into the design of high-entropy sodium layered oxides for high-power density storage systems.
Constructing multiple sites porous organic polymers for highly efficient and reversible adsorption of triiodide ion from water
Zhiyong Li, Yibo Fu, Yilong Li, Ruipeng Li, Yuanchao Pei, Yunlei Shi, Huiyong Wang
2025, 10(8): 1807-1818. doi: 10.1016/j.gee.2025.03.005
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The utilization of nuclear power will persist as a prominent energy source in the foreseeable future. However, it presents substantial challenges concerning waste disposal and the potential emission of untreated radioactive substances, such as radioactive 129I and 131I. The transportation of radioactive iodine poses a significant threat to both the environment and human health. Nevertheless, effectively, rapidly removing iodine ion from water using porous adsorbents remains a crucial challenge. In this work, three kinds of multiple sites porous organic polymers (POPs, POP-1, POP-2, and POP-3) have been developed using a monomer pre-modification strategy for highly efficient and fast I3− absorption from water. It is found that the POPs exhibited exceptional performance in terms of I3− adsorption, achieving a top-performing adsorption capacity of 5.25 g g−1 and the fastest average adsorption rate (K80% = 4.25 g g−1 h−1) with POP-1. Moreover, POP-1 exhibited exceptional capacity for the removal of I3− from flowing aqueous solutions, with 95% removal efficiency observed even at 0.0005 mol L−1. Such results indicate that this material has the potential to be utilized for the emergency preparation of potable water in areas contaminated with radioactive iodine. The adsorption process can be effectively characterized by the Freundlich model and the pseudo-second-order model. The exceptional I3− absorption capacity is primarily attributed to the incorporation of a substantial number of active adsorption sites, including bromine, carbonyl, and amide groups.

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