Browse Articles

Hexamethoxy Triazocoronene Based Covalent Organic Frameworks: A Family of Tailored Tools for Efficient Gold Recovery

ABSTRACT Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have recently emerged huge prospects as new adsorption platforms for gold recovery, however, the design and construction of robust COFs with the superior capacity and kinetics is an urgent yet formidable challenge. Herein, three triazocoronene‐based COFs (COF‐JLU63–65) were synthesized for the first time via Schiff base polycondensation. The obtained materials combine high crystallinity, large surface area and abundant heteroatoms on the pore walls, as well as excellent photo redox properties in one structure, thereby greatly improving their adsorption performances for gold ion (Au 3+ ). Significantly, COF‐JLU63 shows an impressive uptake capacity of 7598 mg g −1 with high selectivity, rapid kinetics and excellent recyclability under visible light illumination, making it the new benchmark of adsorbents for Au recovery up to now. Multiple spectroscopy and theoretical simulation demonstrate that the triazocoronene‐based COF‐JLU63 not only exhibits rapid adsorption and large uptake capacity for Au 3+ , but also own effective photoreduction ability for Au 3+ into Au 0 . Such the well‐matched synergistic effects in adsorption and photoreduction is crucial in enhancing the Au recovery. This work contributes valuable insights for the synthesis of high‐performance precious metal adsorbents at molecular level.

A decision-making framework integrating energy efficiency and climate resilience: evidence from ASEAN economies

Accelerated Discovery‐to‐Unveiling of High‐Performance and Affordable Ammonia Electrode Process by Human–Machine Collaboration Framework

ABSTRACT The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (eNO 3 RR) to ammonia (NH 3 ) is a key for producing fuels during interstellar travel and an alternative to Haber−Bosch process. However, the complicated multi‐electron/proton transfer electrode process of eNO 3 RR makes affordable electrocatalyst discovery and its mechanistic understanding challenging. Herein, we established a human–machine collaboration framework by employing dimensionally reduced reaction descriptors which enables an accelerated data‐driven discovery‐to‐unveiling of unconventional and high‐performance eNO 3 RR electrocatalysts with desirable element choice. Using the current density difference between nitrite (NO 2 − ) reduction and hydrogen evolution as a descriptor, the optimal FeCoNiCuGa electrocatalyst was identified in a drastically short timeframe. Even compared with Pt or Rh, the FeCoNiCuGa exhibits a higher NH 3 production rate of 9.8 mmol mg cat −1 at −0.3 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode. Furthermore, together with a mechanistic study using rotating ring‐disk electrode combined with a new kinetic model, in situ infrared spectroscopy unveiled that the adsorbed NO 2 − (*NO 2 − ) plays a crucial role in the efficient electrode process: a moderate *NO 2 − binding accelerates NH 3 formation whereas a weak binding leads to unfavorable reactions. Our work demonstrates that a comprehensive human–machine collaboration approach enables an accelerated discovery‐to‐unveiling of promising electrode processes, providing a feasible way to promote game‐changing electrochemical technologies.

Industrial green transformation efficiency and its driving factors in resource-based cities: the case of the Yellow River Basin

Abstract Enhancing industrial green transformation efficiency (IGTE) of resource-based cities in the Yellow River Basin is critical for upgrading industries, controlling carbon emission, and fostering sustainable high-quality development. This study evaluates the IGTE of 40 resource-based cities within the basin from 2010 to 2021 using the Super-SBM model, and analyzes its spatiotemporal evolution. Furthermore, the Tobit model is employed to identify the driving factors of IGTE. The results indicate that: (1) During the study period, the IGTE of resource-based cities shows a fluctuating upward trajectory. From a spatial perspective, cities located in the lower reaches perform better than those in the middle and upper reaches. Regarding development stages, growing cities achieve the highest level of IGTE, followed by regenerative ones, whereas mature and declining cities exhibit comparatively lower efficiency. (2) At the basin-wide level, both economic development and environmental regulations exert significant positive effects on IGTE. (3) For mature cities, industrial structure upgrading and industrial agglomeration contribute positively to IGTE improvement. In contrast, technological advancement and industrial structure show no significant promoting effect in declining and regenerative cities. Based on these results, this paper proposes targeted policy recommendations to facilitate a balance between economic growth and environmental government in ecologically vulnerable regions like the Yellow River Basin.

Spiro‑Linked Double Tetraphenylethenes: Solid‐State Emission and Circularly Polarized Luminescence Imaging

ABSTRACT Herein, we report the synthesis and structural characterization of two spiro‐linked tetraphenylethenes and investigate their optical properties in solution, as aggregates, and in the solid state. This family comprises two double spirobisanthracene‐tetraphenylethene hybrid systems. Approaching the synthesis and understanding the structure of these unexplored spiro‐systems opens the door to studying their properties both in solution and in the solid state. Besides the structural novelty of the prepared compounds, their solid‐state optical properties are remarkable. White and blue emissions are observed in the double spirobisanthracene‐tetraphenylethene hybrid derivatives. In addition, one of the synthesized compounds is chiral, and separation of its enantiomers enable the study of their chiroptical properties, revealing circularly polarized luminescence in films, aggregates and dispersions. Crystals were analyzed via circularly polarized luminescence microscopy, allowing the identification of racemic and enantiopure crystals via single‐particle analysis. This work paves the way for a further extension of the spirobisanthracene capabilities toward their implementation in emissive devices.

Fine grained reranking via caption bridging for knowledge augmented visual question answering

Multidentate Chelation Modulates PbI ₂ Crystallization and Buried‐Interface Formation in Perovskite Solar Cells

ABSTRACT The buried interface in two‐step processed perovskite solar cells (PSCs) remains a major performance‐limiting factor, primarily due to incomplete PbI 2 conversion and defect‐induced nonradiative recombination. Here, we demonstrate a rational molecular engineering strategy by employing a multifunctional additive, pentaerythritol tetrakis(2‐mercaptoacetate) (PTAC‐SH), featuring synergistic thiol and carbonyl coordination sites. Multidentate chelation between PTAC‐SH and Pb 2+ directs the formation of porous PbI 2 scaffold, enabling efficient infiltration, and conversion of organic salts. Notably, PTAC‐SH spontaneously enriches at the buried interface during crystallization, enabling in situ and targeted passivation of interfacial defects. Consequently, PTAC‐SH simultaneously regulates crystallization to yield large‐grained, high‐quality perovskite films, effectively passivates interfacial defects, and optimizes energy‐level alignment. As a result, FA 0.84 MA 0.16 PbI 3 ‐based devices incorporating PTAC‐SH achieve a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.33% with exceptional operational stability, retaining 95% of the initial PCE after 1700 h of maximum power point tracking. The generality of this approach is further corroborated in FA 0.98 Cs 0.02 PbI 3 ‐based devices, delivering a champion PCE of 26.07% with a high open‐circuit voltage of 1.199 V. This work highlights the pivotal role of structure‐guided molecular design for concurrently PbI 2 template engineering and buried‐interface optimization in high‐performance PSCs.

QS-MADS: quorum sensing perturbation-driven adaptive multi-agent scheduling for distributed power grids

Catalyst‐Controlled Chemodivergent Carbene Transfer Reactions With Bicyclo[1.1.0]butane‐Derived Acceptor Metallocarbenes

ABSTRACT Transition‐metal‐catalyzed carbene transfer reactions are powerful tools in organic synthesis, yet they traditionally rely on diazo compounds, which raise stability and safety concerns. While alternative precursors have emerged, a general, redox‐neutral, and atom‐economical platform for metallocarbenes generation remains a persistent challenge. Herein, we introduce carboxamide‐functionalized BCBs as versatile carbene precursors that undergo catalyst‐controlled chemodivergent reactions. Under nickel catalysis, cyclopropanation of multisubstituted alkenes proceeds via an acceptor‐type Ni‐carbene, affording azabicyclo[n.1.0] architectures bearing up to three contiguous stereocenters with excellent diastereocontrol. In contrast, copper catalysis promotes efficient and chemoselective formal C(sp 2 )─H insertion to access allyl oxindoles. Both protocols exhibit broad substrate scope, high functional group tolerance, and exceptional atom economy, and their synthetic utility is highlighted through the preparation of core structures of bioactive compounds. Computational and experimental studies reveal that Ni‐carbene generation proceeds via a stepwise dual C─C cleavage, contrasting with the concerted dual cleavage and subsequent electrophilic aromatic substitution manifold established for the copper system.

Benchmarking water saturation models for the Mishrif formation using dean–stark data

Edge‐Engineered Interfacial Carrier Dynamics for Efficient Photocatalytic Gold Recovery

ABSTRACT Developing highly efficient and sustainable precious metal recovery technologies is critical for meeting escalating global demand and mitigating the severe environmental impact of conventional metallurgy methods. Here, we report a novel edge‐engineering strategy utilizing amino‐functionalized graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 ‐NH 2 ) to achieve unprecedented performance in photocatalytic gold recovery. This material exhibits a state‐of‐the‐art photocatalytic gold recovery capacity of 3819.3 mg g −1 , achieving an efficiency exceeding 99.7%, and ultrahigh selectivity ( K d = 2.97×10 7  mL g −1 ) in complex leachates. Comprehensive multiscale analyses reveal that the engineered −NH 2 sites, upon protonation to −NH 3 + , govern preferential carrier dynamics. This mechanism enables a unique proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET) pathway that drives the highly efficient reduction of Au(III) and subsequent surface nanocrystal crystallization. To validate practical scalability, the g‐C 3 N 4 ‐NH 2 catalyst was successfully integrated onto a polyurethane foam (PUF) matrix and rigorously tested in a custom, pilot‐scale continuous‐flow photoreactor. This system achieved a 99% gold recovery rate from diverse e‐waste and ore leachates. A detailed techno‐economic analysis confirms the commercial viability of this approach, projecting a 2431.2% return on investment, thereby establishing a scalable photometallurgy paradigm for solar‐driven, highly selective, and sustainable precious metals recovery.

Sunlight-activated carbon nanotubes for anionic dye removal: characterization, efficiency, and biological assessment against some aquaculture and human pathogenic bacteria

Determinants of food safety practices among Ethiopian households: a multilevel mixed effects linear regression analysis

Herbert Walter Roesky (6.11.1935–5.12.2025): One Who Set Out to Learn Chemistry

<i>β</i> ‐Ketoenamine Porous Organic Cage Membranes Through Hydrogel‐Induced Shielding for Efficient Ion Sieving

ABSTRACT Porous organic cages (POCs) with intrinsic and extrinsic microporosity offer a promising platform for efficient ion sieving. However, assembling these cages into a continuous POC nanofilm with well‐defined pore architecture remains a challenge. Here we propose a hydrogel‐induced interfacial shielding strategy to fabricate continuous cage membranes via interfacial polymerization between (1 R ,2 R )‐1,2‐cyclohexanediamine (CHDA) and 1,3,5‐triformylphloroglucinol (Tp). Kevlar hydrogel capable of storing high‐concentration CHDA is utilized for rapid formation of an initial film barrier, preventing the diffusion of hydrophilic Tp‐based intermediates into the aqueous phase. This shielding effect enables the confinement of Tp‐based compounds within the organic phase and thereby intensifies molecular cage assembly at the hydrogel‐organic interface. Manipulation of high‐concentration diamine leads to accelerated formation of continuous nanofilms, which intensifies the shielding effect and thus yields crystalline cage films and POC nanoparticles in the organic phase. The resultant cage membranes exhibit an impressive water permeability of 22.8 L m −2 h −1 bar −1 and high cation removal efficacy. Further insights from molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the ordered assembly of POC molecules within the membrane is critical to enable the rapid and selective transport of ions. Our interfacial shielding strategy sheds light on developing crystalline cage membranes for efficient ion separations.

Comparison of thermal and hydrothermal decomposition methods in the synthesis of thorium dioxide

Electroreductive Radical C–C Acylation Coupling from <i>N</i> , <i>N</i> ‐Dimethylamides and Organic Halides via Inert C(O)−N Bond Cleavage: Facile Access to Aryl Ketones

ABSTRACT The conversion of amides to ketones via C(O)−N bond cleavage has attracted significant attention, with cross‐electrophile coupling (XEC) between amides and organic halides emerging as a particularly valuable strategy. However, such transformations have so far been limited to activated amides and transition metal catalysis. The cross‐electrophile coupling acylation of simple N , N ‐dimethylamides via C(O)−N bond cleavage remains challenging due to their higher chemical inertness and lower electrophilicity compared to activated amides. Herein, we report the successful development of an electroreductive cross‐electrophile coupling (eXEC) reaction between N , N ‐dimethylamides and organic halides, which affords ketones through the highly inert C(O)−N bond cleavage. This work establishes an unprecedented electrochemical reduction method for C(O)−N bond cleavage of N,N ‐dimethylamides by single‐electron activation. Extensive experimental and computational studies elucidate the detailed reaction mechanism. The process begins with the single‐electron reduction of the N , N ‐dimethylamide in a lithium‐ion electroreduction system, generating a ketyl radical anion. This key intermediate disrupts the amide resonance, weakening the C(O)−N bond. Consequently, this facilitates the typically challenging radical‐radical cross‐coupling, followed by scission of the C(O)−N bond. The observed selectivity of the cross‐coupling is governed by the combined effects of a thermodynamic preference for coupling and the high concentration disparity between the two distinct radical species.

Dietary patterns are associated with premenstrual symptoms: a cross-sectional study among women from Central Europe

Controlled Interruption of Electrochemical Nitrite Reduction for Switchable NH ₂ OH and Formamide Synthesis

ABSTRACT Electrochemical nitrite reduction has the potential to yield a wide range of nitrogen‐containing products, yet it typically converges to fully reduced NH 3 . Here, we introduce a reduction–interruption strategy that programs the reaction pathway on a Bi@C catalyst through the cooperative regulation of pH and CO, enabling precise control over product distribution. Depending on the coordinated pH–CO environment, nitrite can be selectively intercepted at NH 2 OH or diverted toward C─N coupling. Under optimized alkaline conditions with CO, formamide is produced with a Faradaic efficiency of 80.2% and a yield rate of 204.8 mmol·g cat −1 ·h −1 , while at near‐neutral conditions, the same strategy enhances NH 2 OH Faradaic efficiency to 79.1%. Mechanistic studies reveal that pH governs the reorientation and hydrogen‐bond structure of interfacial water, which dictates active hydrogen (*H) generation kinetics and thereby defines the attainable reduction depth, whether it stops at NH 2 OH or proceeds to deeper deoxygenation to *NH 2 . Only when *H is sufficiently available, *NH 2 then selectively captures CO, redirecting it away from complete hydrogenation. Collectively, we show that multi‐electron electrocatalysis can be programmed by coupling interfacial structural control with targeted molecular trapping, offering a generalizable route to accessing metastable intermediates and expanding nitrogen electrosynthesis beyond ammonia.

Aberrant immunomodulatory signature in β-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration patient iPSC-derived microglia

Abstract Microglia are the brain’s resident immune cells, essential for homeostasis and implicated in common neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (PD), where their early activation and sustained inflammatory mediator release contribute to neuronal loss. However, their role in rare disorders is unclear. β-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (BPAN), caused by WDR45 mutations, shares key features with PD, including iron accumulation and dopaminergic neuron loss, but the impact of microglia and mutant WDR45 in BPAN pathophysiology remains unexplored. To address this, we established the first induced pluripotent stem stell (iPSC)-derived microglia model from BPAN patients. Parallel targeted transcriptomic and secretomic profiling revealed a shift from a homeostatic microglial toward a stress-adapted and transcriptionally reprogrammed state characterized by selective remodeling of immune signaling pathways and dysregulation of autophagy and cellular stress responses. Complementary secretomic analysis identified reduced secretion of lysosomal enzymes alongside increased shedding of immune-associated surface proteins, indicating altered lysosomal trafficking and remodeling of microglial immune signaling. These findings identify a distinct microglial phenotype in BPAN and implicate microglial dysfunction as a potential contributor to disease mechanisms, highlighting new avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting neuroimmune pathways.