For the first time, a well-defined all-solid-statelithium battery (denoted as ASS-LTO/Li) assembled by an electrode of lithiumtitanate (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂, LTO), a metal-organicframework (MOF) of wetted quasi [Zn₄O(bdc)₃] and ametallic lithium foil is prepared in this work, in which the wetted quasi [Zn₄O(bdc)₃]is not only employed as a separator but also used as the solid-stateelectrolyte. The initial charge and discharge capacities ofthe as-prepared ASS-LTO/Li at 0.2 C are as high as187.4 and 286.4 mAh·g^-1, respectively, corresponding to a Coulombicefficiency of about 65.4%. More importantly, the discharge capacity ofASS-LTO/Li after 100 cycles at 1 C is still as high as 125 mAh·g^-1. After a thoroughcharacterization, the greatly attenuated CV peak area, the evidently increasedcharge transfer resistance, as well as the decomposition of the quais [Zn₄O(bdc)₃]during cycling, are analyzed to be the main reasonsproviding the ASS-LTO/Li with an evident decay of the electrochemicalperformance in the long-term test of 100 cycles at 1 C. An all-solid-statebattery (denoted as ASS-Gr/Li) that is constructed by a pure graphite electrode(abbreviated as Gr), a wetted quasi [Zn₄O(bdc)₃], and ametallic lithium foil is also prepared in this work. The initial dischargecapacity of ASS-Gr/Li at 0.2 A·g^-1 is about 169 mAh·g^-1,a value evidently lower than the theoretical value of graphite (372 mAh·g^-1).The discharge capacity of ASS-Gr/Li at 1.0 A·g^-1 is about 24 mAh·g^-1,which decreases to about 12 mAh·g^-1 after 100 cycles. Although the batteryperformances of the above two newly developed batteries are poor ascompared to the state-of-the-art all-solid-state lithium batteries reportedrecently, this work sheds light on a novel approach for the further explorationof all-solid-state lithium battery.

Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.)leaves, a major by-product of pepper cultivation in the Yucatán Peninsula, arean underexploited source of phenolic compounds with relevant antioxidantpotential. In this work, phenolic-rich extracts obtained with a cholinechloride-glucose Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES) and ultrasound-assistedextraction were microencapsulated by spray-drying using maltodextrin and Guargum. The microcapsules were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, total polyphenolcontent (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (Ax), and were subsequently subjectedto in vitro gastrointestinal digestion to assess their bioaccessibility.Raman spectra confirmed the formation of a maltodextrin-Guar-gum matrix withbroad glycosidic bands (480-1450 cm^-1) and CH-stretching at ≈2900 cm^-1,indicative of polymer-phenolic interactions. From de experimental design, theformulation containing 5% Guar gum at 100 ℃ reached the highest intestinal TPC(31.00 ± 0.30 mg GAE/100 g powder) and increased TPC bioaccessibility at the intestinalphase (283.28 ± 3.22%), evidencing efficient enzymatic release of boundphenolics. The greatest pre-digestion antioxidant capacity (19.56 ± 0.33% DPPHinhibition) corresponded to 7.5% GG at 104 ℃, while intestinal antioxidantrecovery peaked at 17.34 ± 0.14% (7.8% GG, 89.4 ℃). The optimal TPCbioaccessibility value obtained was 358.3%, under optimal spray-dryingconditions, consisting of 4% guar gum and an inlet temperature of 104 ℃. Overall,the synergy between NADES-based extraction and optimized spray-drying enabled astable, digestion-responsive encapsulation system that substantially enhancedphenolic retention and intestinal bioaccessibility, supporting its applicationas a sustainable strategy to valorize C. chinense leaves intoantioxidant-rich functional ingredients.

Escalatingatmospheric CO₂ levels and the consequent climate crisis have becomeurgent imperatives for advancing efficient carbon capture technologies. Porouscarbon adsorbents stand out as a leading candidate in this field, owing totheir inherently high specific surface areas, tailorable pore architectures,and cost advantages over conventional solid adsorbents. This review focuses onrecent progress in the rational engineering of porous carbons for boosted CO₂ capture performance, with a particular emphasis on three complementarymodification pathways: pore structure refinement, surface functional groupregulation, and metal oxide incorporation. We begin by clarifying the distinctmechanisms of CO₂ physisorption and chemisorption on carbonaceoussurfaces, while also elucidating how key operating parameters (temperature,pressure) and real-world flue gas components (e.g., water vapor, SO₂)modulate adsorption behavior. Critical evaluation is then given to strategiesfor enhancing three core performance metrics—CO₂ uptake capacity,selectivity over N₂, and cyclic stability—including the constructionof sub-nanometer micropores (<0.8 nm) for efficient low-pressure CO₂ capture, the introduction of nitrogen- and oxygen-containing moieties tostrengthen dipole-quadrupole interactions with CO₂ molecules, andthe loading of alkaline metal oxides (e.g., MgO, CaO) to enable reversiblechemisorption, which is especially beneficial under humid conditions. Finally,we outline the key challenges that hinder the practical application of porouscarbon adsorbents, such as the design of hierarchical pores for both highuptake and fast mass transfer, the precise control of heteroatom doping sitesand concentrations, and the mitigation of competitive adsorption in complexmulticomponent flue gases. Corresponding future research priorities are alsoproposed, with a focus on scalable and sustainable synthesis routes usingbiomass or waste precursors. Ultimately, this review seeks to provide targetedinsights for the rational design of high-performance porous carbon adsorbents,thereby accelerating their deployment in sustainable CO₂ capturesystems.

Theaggregation and leaching of nanoparticles often reduce catalytic activity andhinder the long-term application of catalysts. Here, we synthesis a hollowNi/SiO₂-AEH catalyst with small Ni nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulatedby nickel phyllosilicate (NiPS) via an ammonia evaporation-hydrothermal method.Compared with the Ni/SiO₂-AE only synthesized via ammoniaevaporation method, the Ni/SiO₂-AEH catalyst after furtherhydrothermal treatment possesses more nickel phyllosilicate (NiPS) species,which enhances the stability of Ni NPs through the strong metal-support bonding(Si-O-Ni) in NiPS. By controlling the size of Ni NPs to 3.6nm along with the presence of NiPS, we find that Ni/SiO₂-AEHdisplays superior catalytic performance for maleic anhydride (MA) hydrogenationand vanillin hydrodeoxygenation, achieving yields of 97% for succinic anhydride(SA) and 99% for 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (MMP), respectively. Importantly, thedeactivation of Ni/SiO₂-AEH is remarkably suppressed, with only a slightdecrease in activity after five or six runs. The excellent catalytic activityand stability of phyllosilicate materials imply an extensive application inother industrial catalytic reactions.

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) offers an efficientroute to simultaneously convert CH₄ and CO₂ intosynthesis gas (H₂/CO), a key intermediate to produce fuels andvaluable chemicals. Ni-based catalysts are regarded as the most promisingcandidates due to their high activity and low cost; however, their stabilityremains a major obstacle under the DRM conditions. Perovskite-type oxides suchas SrTiO₃ possess high thermal stability, tunable composition, andstrong metal-support interactions, making them ideal to enhance the dispersionand durability of Ni species. In this study, Ni/SrTiO₃ catalystswere synthesized via co-precipitation(CP), hydrothermal (HT), and sol-gel (SG) methods, and were comprehensively characterizedbefore and after the reaction. The characterizations revealed that all samplespreserved the perovskite framework after reduction and reaction. Among them,Ni/HT-STO and Ni/SG-STO exhibited larger surface areas (18.8 and 13.9 m²·g^-1)and higher initial CH₄ conversions (66.3% and 68.9%) than Ni/CP-STO(44.8%). However, Ni/HT-STO underwent rapid deactivation, with CH₄ conversion decreasing to 21.2% after 60 h due to severe carbon accumulation(12.4 wt%) and notable Ni particle growth. In contrast, the sol-gel derivedNi/SG-STO maintained a higher activity (25.6% after 60 h) with moderate carbondeposition (9.2 wt%) and showed the smallest Ni particle growth of only 2.64 nm(from 14.91 to 17.55 nm), compared with 4.29 nm for Ni/CP-STO (25.83 to 30.12nm) and 6.08 nm for Ni/HT-STO (27.12 to 33.20 nm). Temperature-programmedsurface reaction (TPSR) analysis further revealed that Ni/SG-STO exhibited amore balanced CH₄ activation and CO₂ dissociation,enabling efficient carbon-oxygen coupling and inhibiting graphitic carbonformation. Overall, these results demonstrate that the sol-gel methodeffectively enhances the anti-sintering and anti-coking performance of Ni/SrTiO₃ catalysts.

The dye extract of Curcuma longa (turmeric),which is very rich in curcumin, was chemically modified by complexationreaction with Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe³⁺ ions toenhance its stability, electron transfer and photovoltaic performance. The dyeand complexes were characterized by Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) absorption andFourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy of potential chromophores andfunctional groups. The spectral data obtained indicated that the curcuminoidligands were successfully coordinated with the metal centers, resulting inred-shifted absorption bands from beyond 460 nm and C=O vibrational frequencydecreasing below 1650 cm^-1. Complexation reaction resulted inimproved photochemical response and enhanced light-harvesting potential. Whencompared, the solar cells fabricated with titanium dioxide (TiO₂)photoanodes sensitized by the complexes afforded improvement in the magnitudeof short-circuit current density as well as power conversion efficiency comparedto the devices sensitized with the crude extract. Among the three complexes, theZn-complex afforded the highest efficiency (1.20%), attributed to favourableelectronic coupling and reduced recombination losses. Computational studiesconducted through quantum chemical calculations based on the curcumin structuresupported the experimental findings. The findings from this study demonstratethat metal ions-natural dye complexes have potential for application aslow-cost, eco-friendly and sustainable sensitizers, thereby opening a novelhorizon in green photovoltaic technologies.

The efficiency of lignocellulosic biorefineriesis limited because of the high recalcitrance and low reactivity of lignin. Thereactivity of lignin can be enhanced through various chemical and biochemicalapproaches. Demethylation is one of the methods that improve the availabilityof phenolic hydroxyl groups in lignin, thereby enhancing its reactivity andapplication in sustainable adhesives. The goal of this study is to integratemicrobial and chemical approaches to aid in the demethylation of lignin. Towardsthat end, lignin was first extracted and purified from the rice strawbiorefinery solid residue obtained post ethanol fermentation. This rice strawlignin was then subjected to chemical and microbial demethylation. Formicrobial demethylation under alkaline conditions, Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonasfluorescens were employed, while demethylation under neutral conditions wasconducted using Trametes versicolor.Integrated treatment using Pseudomonasputida followed by hydrogen iodide yielded an increase in the phenolichydroxyl content by approximately 39-43%. Demethylation using chemical methodsand biological methods alone provided approximately 18-27% increases inphenolic hydroxyl content, respectively. Furthermore, to assess the physicaland chemical properties of demethylated lignin, FT-IR, TGA, and morphologicalanalytical tools were employed.