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To meet the ever-increasing demand for the continuous development of human society and carbon neutralization, biomass has been demonstrated to be a pluripotent and powerful alternative. Regardless of the low cost, natural abundance, renewability, and biodegradability of biomass, the role of its unique (bio)chemical features in contributing to the on-demand regulatable structure and widely applicable versatility of the products has sparked growing interest. Besides, sustainable production from biomass to smart materials is believed to be one of the key strategies to achieve the global goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. This review will focus on the green engineering of diverse biomass feedstocks for different applications, and the proposed outline is as follows: First, renewable biomass feedstocks of different hierarchies are introduced. Second, green preparations of biomass-derived materials are systematically categorized from the viewpoint of the structural orientation of the biomass, and the correlation between the biomass's structural features and the sustainability assessments of the preparation process is also discussed. Third, the applications in electrochemical energy storage, biomedical engineering, electronics, and sensing which feature their smart functionality were comprehensively summarized. Fourth, the advantages and the limitations of biomass-derived materials are qualitatively evaluated. Finally, future prospects and directions on the sustainable production of materials with smart functionality from biomass will be presented. We endeavor to offer comparative and balanced views, as well as insights into which biomass is particularly advantageous for specific intelligent applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formamidinium (FA)-based quasi-2D perovskites show attractive potential for use in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to their broad absorption range and high stability. However, the toxic solvents used in their fabrication process hinder their further commercialization. Using a green solvent system to prepare highquality perovskite films is a crucial step in solar cell manufacturing. Herein, we employed a green solvent triethyl phosphate (TEP) to prepare an FA-based quasi-2D perovskite precursor and studied antisolvent effects by comparing less toxic petroleum ether (PE) and dibutyl ether (DBE). We found that the sample treated with the lower polarity solvent PE produced better perovskite films with larger grain sizes and fewer defects. The advantages of using PE as an antisolvent during film growth and the characterization of their properties are discussed and elucidated. Finally, a champion PCE of 17.42% was obtained with a solar cell configuration of ITO/PTAA/perovskite/PCBM/BCP/Ag, which is the highest value among FAbased quasi-2D PSCs containing perovskite layers fabricated using an all-green solvent system. This work provides a promising way to use an all-green process to fabricate high-performance quasi-2D PSCs in an environment-friendly manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into an innovative biorefinery approach to extract multiple high-value compounds from a single biomass source, Halobacterium salinarum R1, a resilient halophilic microorganism. By using bio-based solvents, namely an aqueous solution of gamma-valerolactone (GVL) and ethanol, a simple and efficient pipeline approach was developed, recovering unique pigments, including C50 bacterioruberin, as well as two additional fractions consisting of protein and polysaccharides. The process is based on sustainable engineering and green chemistry principles, providing a viable alternative to replacing non-renewable solvents. The study addresses environmental concerns by employing bio-based solvents while presenting a cost-effective and sustainable solution. This approach contributes to developing a high-performance and sustainable alternative, promoting the development of a blue bioeconomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argyrodites, Li6PS5Cl (LPSCl), are considered one of the most promising solid electrolytes (SEs) for all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). However, the use of petrochemical-based toxic solvents, such as dimethylformamide and tetrahydrofuran (THF), has limited their commercial applications in the mass production of SEs via liquid-phase synthesis both in the laboratory and industry. Herein, we aim to achieve the scalable production of cost-effective LPSCl-based sulfide SEs with high ionic conductivities (>2 mS cm−1) based on various green and sustainable inert solvents. Our simple liquid-phase synthesis route was designed by using sulfur to form an intermediate polysulfide to completely dissolve precursors in common organic solvents without employing high-energy and high-pressure processes. Metastable polysulfides have high solubility in a broad range of solvents; they offer the use of greener and/or sustainable alternatives. The ASSBs fabricated with the LPSCl SEs using green solvents exhibited excellent electrochemical performance comparable to that of LPSCl wet-synthesized using conventional THF. LPSCl SEs fabricated using monoglyme, which has the most similar solvent properties to those of THF, exhibited the best ionic conductivity and contributed to the high electrochemical performance of ASSBs. The state-of-the-art bulk-type production of sulfide SEs using solution-phase synthesis should ultimately be replaced by green and/or sustainable solvents to reduce chemical-related effects on human health and eliminate environmental pollution. Therefore, this study will be of great interest to those who wish to mass-produce sulfide-based SEs cost-effectively for commercial applications with minimal unnecessary steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

12-O-β- D -Glucopyranosyl-dammar-24-ene-3β,12β,20S-triol (12β-O-Glc-PPD) is a promising candidate for the development of anti-lung cancer drugs. Currently it can only be obtained by chemical semi-synthesis from protopanaxadiol (PPD) as a precursor, which leads to high cost and environmental unfriendliness. Synthetic biology has been acknowledged as a green and economical approach for the production of bioactive products. Herein, we first optimized the PPD-producing chassis to increase the precursor PPD supply. Then, the catalytic efficiency of UGT109A1 from Bacillus subtilis was improved through protein engineering to produce 3,12-Di-O-β- D -glucopyranosyl-dammar-24-ene-3β,12β,20S-triol (3β,12β-Di-O-Glc-PPD) more effectively. Next, a high-efficiency β-glycosidase Bgy2 was identified from Lactobacillus brevis and used to hydrolyze the C3 glucosyl moiety of 3β,12β-Di-O-Glc-PPD to produce 12β-O-Glc-PPD. Finally, combining protein and metabolic engineering led to de novo biosynthesis of 12β-O-Glc-PPD in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a titer of 38.6 mg L−1. This study utilizes a green and sustainable biotechnology to produce 12β-O-Glc-PPD, which lays the foundation for its industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-use, disposable, point-of-care diagnostic devices carry great promise for global health, including meeting urgent needs for testing and diagnosis in places with limited laboratory facilities. Unfortunately, the production and disposal of single-use devices, whether in lateral flow assay, cartridges, cassettes, or lab-on-chip microfluidic format, also poses significant challenges for environmental and human health. Point-of-care devices are commonly manufactured from unsustainable polymeric materials derived from fossil sources. Their disposal often necessitates incineration to reduce infection risk, thereby creating additional release of CO2. Many devices also contain toxic chemicals, such as cyanide derivatives, that are damaging to environmental and human health if not disposed of safely. Yet, in the absence of government regulatory frameworks, safe and sustainable waste management for these novel medical devices is often left unaddressed. There is an urgent need to find novel solutions to avert environmental and human harm from these devices, especially in low- and middle-income countries where waste management infrastructure is often weak and where the use of point-of-care tests is projected to rise in coming years. We review here common materials used in the manufacture of single-use point-of-care diagnostic tests, examine the risks they pose to environmental and human health, and investigate replacement materials that can potentially reduce the impact of microfluidic devices on the production of harmful waste. We propose solutions available to point-of-care test developers to start embedding sustainability at an early stage in their design, and to reduce their non-renewable plastic consumption in research and product development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the ongoing industrial revolution, solar-driven water splitting and pesticide degradation are highly sought to cope with catastrophes such as depleting fossil reservoirs, global warming, and environmental degradation. The development of stable and efficient photocatalysts has been extensively attempted for past several decades. Herein, SnO2-based nanomaterials (NMs) have been extensively explored due to their higher stability and wide band gap semiconducting properties. Thus, this review summarizes the recent innovations made on SnO2-based NMs/electrodes/scaffolds for highly efficient photocatalytic water splitting and pesticide degradation based on the type of dopants, their nature, concentration, sensitizers, chemical additives, scavengers, etc., with the corresponding mechanistic aspects. The theoretical aspects of SnO2-based NMs have also been elaborated. Various trend-setting modifications such as band gap engineering, enhanced charge separation, and electron transfer with various SnO2-based NMs are discussed in light of the search for real-life photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical metal products play an irreplaceable role in all aspects of modern society, however, uncertain supply risk pushed their sustainable recycling and manufacturing into central focus. Compared to traditional metallurgical processes, novel electrochemical technology has been well demonstrated to be a high-efficiency, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective process for critical metal recovery and manufacturing, which is in line with the concept of green chemistry. Originating from the discipline of product engineering, the concept of electrochemical product engineering was established towards sustainable recovery and green manufacturing of critical metals. For this purpose, a range of electrochemical strategies, including electrochemical deposition, cyclone electrowinning, supergravity-enhanced electrodeposition, molten-salt electrodeposition, ionic liquid electrodeposition, and electrodeposition-redox replacement, were successfully developed and systematically discussed. A detailed analytical discussion on various types of metal products/materials obtained via the implementation of electrochemical product engineering, including pure metals, alloys, powders, thin films, and nanomaterials as well as the corresponding applications, has also been presented. On this basis, the principles/directions for future optimization of electrochemical product engineering are proposed. Therefore, to better map the challenges and opportunities associated with the development of electrochemical metal production, key directions are recommended to tackle existing puzzles in the field of critical metal recovery and manufacturing, and promote the sustainability of future material cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]