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Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) driven by renewable energy is a promising technology for the removal of nitrate‐containing wastewater. However, the sluggish kinetics resulted from the complex proton‐coupled electron transfer and various intermediates remain the key barriers for large‐scale application of NO3RR. Herein, a tactic is reported to raise rate of NO3RR and increase selectivity to N2 using bimetal catalyst: Co is inclined to act on the key steps needed in NO3RR process, rate‐determining step (RDS: *NO3 to *NO2, the asterisk means intermediates) and the subsequent *N hydrogenation as well as Fe exhibits the efficient activity for the selectivity‐ determining step (SDS: *NO to *N then to N2) via a relay catalysis mechanism. A removal efficiency of 78.5% and an ultra‐long cycle stability of 60 cycles (12 h per cycle) are achieved on FeCo alloy confined with nitrogen‐doped porous carbon nanofibers (FeCo‐NPCNFs). DFT calculations unveil that the introduction of Co active site not only regulates the d‐band center of FeCo alloy, optimizes the adsorption of intermediates, but also has a strong capacity to supply active hydrogen species. Clearly, this study elucidates the effects of bimetallic relay catalysis on the performance of electrocatalytic NO3RR and offers avenues for designing Fe‐based catalysts to realize the nitrogen‐neutral cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage devices play a crucial role in various applications, such as powering electronics, power backup for homes and businesses, and support for the integration of renewable energy sources into electrical grid applications. Electrode materials for energy storage devices are preferred to have a flexible nature, conductive, better capacity, and low‐toxicity. Using Gallium based liquid metal alloys, such as Eutectic Gallium‐Indium (EGaIn), Eutectic Gallium‐Tin (EGaSn), and Eutectic Gallium‐Indium‐Tin (EGaInSn), as electrode materials play very important role in energy storage devices. These liquid metals have some interesting properties with a self‐healing nature, high mechanical stability, compatibility with various materials, fluidity, low young's modulus, high electrical and thermal conductivity. Those properties have made it suitable to be used in various energy storage devices. In this mini review, we have concisely described the advantages and challenges of using liquid metal as electrode materials for various energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous proton batteries have received increasing attention due to their outstanding rate performance, stability and high capacity. However, the selection of anode materials in strongly acidic electrolytes poses a challenge in achieving high‐performance aqueous proton batteries. This study optimized the proton reaction kinetics of layered metal oxide WO3 by introducing interlayer structural water and coating polyaniline (PANI) on its surface to prepare organic‐inorganic hybrid material (WO3 ⋅ 2H2O@PANI). We constructed an aqueous proton battery with WO3 ⋅ 2H2O@PANI anode and MnO2@GF cathode. After 1500 cycles at a current density of 10 A g−1, the capacity retention rate can still reach 80.2 %. These results can inspire the development of new aqueous proton batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon oxide (SiOx) material is gradually developing as a promising alternative to silicon due to a better trade‐off in terms of volume expansion and theoretical capacity. However, the low conductivity and the instability of the electrode–electrolyte interface caused by the penetration of the fluorine anion (F−) severely affect the stability of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), ultimately leading to capacity loss and cycling instability. In this work, an "ionic fence" idea is proposed, which effectively inhibits the shuttle of F− and promotes the stability of the SEI. Based on this, a dense and orderly silicon‐based interconnected assembly covered by a TiN protective ionic fence is designed using melt‐assembly technique and nitridation strategy. After 1000 deep cycles, the capacity can be maintained at 431.7 mA h g−1, the average Coulombic efficiency can reach 99.69% throughout the cycling process, and even a steady state after 2000 cycles, showing excellent electrochemical stability. Finite element analysis reveals that the TiN fence, as a stress management layer, effectively constrains the volume expansion of materials and improves the mechanical structural stability of the particles in the fully lithiated state, thus ensuring long‐term cycling stability. Selective fence design for material interface has great universality and development potential in building stable electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical conversion of nitrate offers an efficient solution to nitrate pollution and a sustainable strategy for ammonia generation. Cu and Fe bimetallic electrocatalysts exhibit excellent electrochemical reduction of nitrate (NO3RR) reactivity but the conventional preparation strategy is complex and time‐consuming and this reaction is still suffers from unsatisfied kinetic and unidentified mechanisms. Herein, in situ electrodeposition strategy is employed to induce Cu to modify the Fe active sites of iron‐based N‐doping carbon nanofiber electrode (Fe/Fe3C@NCNFs) during NO3RR in Cu‐contained nitrate solution. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between Cu and Fe sites of Cu─Fe/Fe3C@NCNFs electrode, superior activity of rate‐determining reaction (*NO3 to *NO2) and reduced energy barriers of the following deoxidation and hydrogenation steps are achieved. Compared with Fe/Fe3C@NCNFs‐500, the pseudo‐first‐order (PFO) rate constant for NO3RR by Cu─Fe/Fe3C@NCNFs demonstrates nearly two‐fold improvement with high current efficiencies over wide pH and voltage range. Furthermore, the maximum NO3─N removal capacity and N2 selectivity of Cu─Fe/Fe3C@NCNFs reach 15593.8 mg N g−1 Fe and ca. 92% after twenty cycles. This work offers an avenue for highly active bimetallic electrode design, paving more insights into the interactions between active site construction and NO3RR performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic materials are widely used in various energy storage devices due to their renewable, environmental friendliness and adjustable structure. Dual‐ion batteries (DIBs), which use organic materials as the electrodes, are an attractive alternative to conventional lithium‐ion batteries for sustainable energy storage devices owing to the advantages of low cost, environmental friendliness, and high operating voltage. To date, various organic electrode materials have been applied in DIBs. In this review, we present the development of DIBs with a following brief introduction of characteristics and mechanisms of organic materials. The latest progress in the application of organic materials as anode and cathode materials for DIBs is mainly reviewed. Finally, we also discussed the challenges and prospects of organic electrode materials for DIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydronium‐ion batteries have received significant attention owing to the merits of extraordinary sustainability and excellent rate abilities. However, achieving high‐performance hydronium‐ion batteries remains a challenge due to the inferior properties of anode materials in strong acid electrolyte. Herein, a hydronium‐ion battery is constructed which is based on a diquinoxalino [2,3‐a:2',3'‐c] phenazine (HATN) anode and a MnO2@graphite felt cathode in a hybrid acidic electrolyte. The fast kinetics of hydronium‐ion insertion/extraction into HATN electrode endows the HATN//MnO2@GF battery with enhanced electrochemical performance. This battery exhibits an excellent rate performance (266 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, 97 mAh g−1 at 50 A g−1), attractive energy density (182.1 Wh kg−1) and power density (31.2 kW kg−1), along with long‐term cycle stability. These results shed light on the development of advanced hydronium‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water electrolysis has been considered a promising technology for the conversion of renewables to hydrogen. However, preventing mixing of products (H2 and O2) and exploring cost‐efficient electrolysis components remains challenging for conventional water electrolyzers. Herein, we designed a membrane‐free decoupled water electrolysis system by using graphite felt supported nickel‐cobalt phosphate (GF@NixCoy‐P) material as a tri‐functional (redox mediator, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER)) electrode. The versatile GF@Ni1Co1‐P electrode obtained by a one‐step electrodeposition not only exhibits high specific capacity (176 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1) and long cycle life (80 % capacity retention after 3000 cycles) as a redox mediator, but also has relatively outstanding catalytic activities for HER and OER. The excellent properties of the GF@NixCoy‐P electrode endow this decoupled system with more flexibility for H2 production by fluctuating renewable energies. This work provides guidance for multifunctional applications of transition metal compounds between energy storage and electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics are ubiquitous and indispensable in our daily life because of their low cost, portability, durability, and processability. However, due to the overuse, short service life, and chemical inert character, the accumulated discarded plastics pose a great threat to the sustainable development of ecology and environment. Photocatalysis represents highly promising technology in transforming plastic wastes into value‐added products via green and mild method. In this perspective, the advantages of photocatalysis are discussed and compared with other catalysis technologies including thermal catalysis, electrocatalysis, and enzyme catalysis. Then the possible photocatalytic upcycling path of plastic wastes is clarified under different experimental conditions. The types of plastic wastes that can be upcycled by photocatalysis, the integrating modus between plastic wastes and the photocatalysts as well as the modulation of the product selectivity are also emphasized. Finally, the challenges and insights into the future development of photocatalytic plastic waste upcycling fields are presented. It is expected that this timely and critical review provides the instructive guidance for the design of photocatalysts with high efficiency and high selectivity toward plastic waste upcycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One‐dimensional fiber architecture serves as an excellent catalyst support. The orderly arrangement of active materials on such a fiber substrate can enhance catalytic performance by exposing more active sites and facilitating mass diffusion; however, this remains a challenge. We developed an interfacial assembly strategy for the orderly distribution of metal nanocrystals on different fiber substrates to optimize their electrocatalytic performance. Using electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3−RR) as a representative reaction, the iron‐based nanofibers (Fe/NFs) assembly structure achieved an excellent nitrate removal capacity of 2317 mg N/g Fe and N2 selectivity up to 97.2 %. This strategy could promote the rational design and synthesis of fiber‐based electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal sulfides with mixed vulcanized states (TMS‐mVs) possess tremendous potential to realize highcapacity, superior redox reactions, and structural reversibility for metal‐ion (Mn+) storage owing to their multielectron reactions caused by the simultaneous participation of transition metal (TM) cations and S22− anions as well as multifarious TM or S valence states. Here, recent advances are systematically introduced regarding the mainstream TMS‐mVs that can be applied to Mn+ storage. These TMS‐mVs can be divided into two categories of TMS, those with mixed sulfur‐valence states (TMS‐mSs) and those with mixed metal‐valence states (TMS‐mMs). It is found that TMS‐mV anodes mainly experience three reaction mechanisms, inculding insertion‐accompanied conversion, insertion, and conversion reactions. During the reversible charge process, Li2S is possibly oxidized into polysulfides or even S. TMS‐mVs have the ability to transfer more electrons than other homogeneous TMSs. TMS‐mS anodes usually present higher theoretical specific capacities than TMS‐mM anodes. In these TMS‐mV anodes, Mo‐based, V‐based, and Co‐based TMS‐mM anodes exhibit good electrochemical reversibility, Ni‐based TMS‐mM anodes exhibit moderate electrochemical reversibility, and Fe‐based TMS‐mM and TMS‐mS anodes exhibit poor electrochemical reversibility. The strategies for enhancement of their electrochemical performance are classified into composite, coating, nanostructure, heterointerface, and lattice engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic water splitting powered by renewable energy is a sustainable approach for hydrogen production. However, conventional water electrolysis may suffer from gas mixing, and the different kinetics between hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) will limit the direct use of unstable renewable energies, leading to increased cost of H2 production. Herein, a novel phenazine‐based compound is synthesized to develop the solid‐state redox mediator associated water splititng process, and thus decoupling the H2 and O2 production in acid solution without the use of membrane. Excitingly, this organic redox mediator exhibits high specific capacity (290 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1), excellent rate performance (186 mAh g−1 at 30 A g−1) and long cycle life (3000 cycles) due to its π‐conjugated aromatic structure and the fast kinetics of H+ storage/release process. Furthermore, a membrane‐free decoupled water electrolysis architecture driven by solar energy is achieved, demonstrating high‐purity H2 production at different times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In Arabidopsis, although studies have demonstrated that phytochrome A (phyA) and phyB are involved in blue light signaling, how blue light‐activated phytochromes modulate the activity of the CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1)‐SUPPRESSOR OF PHYA‐105 (SPA1) E3 complex remains largely unknown. Here, we show that phyA responds to early and weak blue light, whereas phyB responds to sustainable and strong blue light. Activation of both phyA and phyB by blue light inhibits SPA1 activity. Specifically, blue light irradiation promoted the nuclear import of both phytochromes to stimulate their binding to SPA1, abolishing SPA1's interaction with LONG HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) to release HY5, which promoted seedling photomorphogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the flexural behavior of ultra‐high‐performance concrete decks with an innovative joint of fiber continuity at the joint interface. An experimental program with 21 specimens was designed and tested. Four types of joints were studied, that is, lap‐spliced rebar, fiber continuity, combination of fiber continuity and lap‐spliced rebar, and combination of additional reinforcement and lap‐spliced rebar. Finite element models were built and benchmarked using the test results. The influence of reinforcement ratio and interfacial fiber content was investigated. Experimental and numerical results showed that a joint with a combination of fiber continuity and lap‐spliced rebar achieved similar flexural performance as cast‐in‐place decks. In addition, the design theory of the Swiss code (SIA 2052‐2016) was recommended with promising accuracy in estimating the flexural capacity of precast ultra‐high‐performance concrete decks, based on the tensile strength of joint interface with various fiber contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) is an appealing technology for regulating the nitrogen cycle. Metallic iron is one of the well‐known electrocatalysts for NO3RR, but it suffers from poor durability due to leaching and oxidation of iron during the electrocatalytic process. In this work, a graphene‐nanochainmail‐protected iron nanoparticle (Fe@Gnc) electrocatalyst is reported. It displays superior nitrate removal efficiency and high nitrogen selectivity. Notably, the catalyst delivers exceptional stability and durability, with the nitrate removal rate and nitrogen selectivity remained ≈96 % of that of the first time after up to 40 cycles (24 h for one cycle). As expected, the conductive graphene nanochainmail provides robust protection for the internal iron active sites, allowing Fe@Gnc to maintain its long‐lasting electrochemical nitrate catalytic activity. This research proposes a workable solution for the scientific challenge of poor lasting ability of iron‐based electrocatalysts in large‐scale industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water splitting driven by renewable energy is considered to be a promising approach for sustainable H2 production. However, the simultaneous generation of H2 and O2 requires the use of a membrane to prevent the gas mixing, which significantly limits the flexibility of H2/O2 separation and H2 transportation, impeding the direct use of renewable sources. In recent years, the concept of decoupled water electrolysis has been proposed along with the utilization of solid‐state redox mediators, by which the H2 and O2 generated at different times and spaces could be separated in absence of membrane. Here, a comprehensive overview of the decoupled water electrolysis using solid‐state redox mediators (SRMs) is presented. After a brief introduction, the SRMs are systematically summarized, including the structural features, the reaction mechanisms, and the properties of decoupled systems. In addition, the coupling of decoupled hydrogen production with other valuable reactions is also involved. Finally, this work discusses the challenges and perspectives for the decoupled water splitting system for commercialization and sustainable H2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper‐based materials are known for converting CO2 into deep reduction products via electrochemical reduction reaction (CO2RR). As the major multicarbon products (C2+), ethanol (C2H5OH) and ethylene (C2H4) are believed to share a common oxygenic intermediate according to theoretical studies, while the key factors that bifurcate C2H5OH and C2H4 pathways on Cu‐based catalysts are not fully understood. Here, a surface oxophilicity regulation strategy to enhance C2H5OH production in CO2RR is proposed, demonstrated by a Cu‐Sn bimetallic system. Compared with bare Cu catalyst, the Cu‐Sn bimetallic catalysts show improved C2H5OH but suppressed C2H4 selectivity. The experimental results and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the surface oxophilicity of Cu‐Sn catalysts plays an important role in steering the protonation of the key oxygenic intermediate and guides the reaction pathways to C2H5OH. This study provides new insights into the electrocatalyst design for enhanced production of oxygenic products from CO2RR by engineering the surface oxophilicity of copper‐based catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of light signaling and diverse abiotic stress responses contribute to plant survival in a changing environment. Some reports have indicated that light signals contribute a plant's ability to deal with heat, cold, and stress. However, the molecular link between light signaling and the salt‐response pathways remains unclear. We demonstrate here that increasing light intensity elevates the salt stress tolerance of plants. Depletion of HY5, a key component of light signaling, causes Arabidopsis thaliana to become salinity sensitive. Interestingly, the small heat shock protein (sHsp) family genes are upregulated in hy5‐215 mutant plants, and HsfA2 is commonly involved in the regulation of these sHsps. We found that HY5 directly binds to the G‐box motifs in the HsfA2 promoter, with the cooperation of HISTONE DEACETYLASE 9 (HDA9), to repress its expression. Furthermore, the accumulation of HDA9 and the interaction between HY5 and HDA9 are significantly enhanced by salt stress. On the contrary, high temperature triggers HY5 and HDA9 degradation, which leads to dissociation of HY5‐HDA9 from the HsfA2 promoter, thereby reducing salt tolerance. Under salt and heat stress conditions, fine tuning of protein accumulation and an interaction between HY5 and HDA9 regulate HsfA2 expression. This implies that HY5, HDA9, and HsfA2 play important roles in the integration of light signaling with salt stress and heat shock response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) is regarded as the most promising anode material for high‐energy lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity, and low working potential. However, the large volume variation during the continuous lithiation/delithiation processes easily leads to structural damage and serious side reactions. To overcome the resultant rapid specific capacity decay, the nanocrystallization and compound strategies are proposed to construct hierarchically assembled structures with different morphologies and functions, which develop novel energy storage devices at nano/micro scale. The introduction of assembly strategies in the preparation process of silicon‐based materials can integrate the advantages of both nanoscale and microstructures, which significantly enhance the comprehensive performance of the prepared silicon‐based assemblies. Unfortunately, the summary and understanding of assembly are still lacking. In this review, the understanding of assembly is deepened in terms of driving forces, methods, influencing factors and advantages. The recent research progress of silicon‐based assembled anodes and the mechanism of the functional advantages for assembled structures are reviewed from the aspects of spatial confinement, layered construction, fasciculate structure assembly, superparticles, and interconnected assembly strategies. Various feasible strategies for structural assembly and performance improvement are pointed out. Finally, the challenges and integrated improvement strategies for assembled silicon‐based anodes are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate has a high level of stability and persistence in water, endangering human health and aquatic ecosystems. Due to its high reliability and efficiency, the electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) is regarded as the best available option for mitigating excess nitrate in water and wastewater, especially for the removal of trace levels of nitrate. One of the most critical factors in the electrochemical reduction are the catalysts, which directly affect the reaction efficiency of nitrate removal. Iron‐based nanocatalysts, which have the advantages of nontoxicity, wide availability, and low cost, have emerged as a promising electrochemical NO3RR material in recent years. This review covers major aspects of iron‐based nanocatalysts for electrochemical NO3RR, including synthetic methods, structural design, performance enhancement, electrocatalytic nitrate reduction test, and reduction mechanism. The recent progress of iron‐based nanocatalysts for electrochemical NO3RR and the mechanism of functional advantages for modified structures are reviewed from the perspectives of loading, doping, and assembly strategies, in order to realize the conversion from pollutant nitrate to harmless nitrogen or ammonia and other sustainable products. Finally, challenges and future directions for the development of low‐cost and highly‐efficient iron‐based nanocatalysts are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the mechanisms that underlie the assembly of plant communities is critical to the conservation of terrestrial biodiversity. However, it is seldom measured or quantified how much deterministic versus stochastic processes contribute to community assembly in alpine meadows. Here, we measured the decay in community similarity with spatial and environmental distance in the Zoige Plateau. Furthermore, we used redundancy analysis (RDA) to divide the variations in the relative abundance of plant families into four components to assess the effects of environmental and spatial. Species assemblage similarity liner declined with geographical distance (p <.001, R2 =.6388), and it decreased significantly with increasing distance of total phosphorus (TP), alkali‐hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN), available potassium (AK), nitrate nitrogen (NO3+–N), and ammonia nitrogen (NH4+–N). Environmental and spatial variables jointly explained a large proportion (55.2%) of the variation in the relative abundance of plant families. Environmental variables accounted for 13.1% of the total variation, whereas spatial variables accounted for 11.4%, perhaps due to the pronounced abiotic gradients in the alpine areas. Our study highlights the mechanism of plant community assembly in the alpine ecosystem, where environmental filtering plays a more important role than dispersal limitation. In addition, a reasonably controlled abundance of Compositae (the family with the highest niche breadth and large niche overlap value with Gramineae and Cyperaceae) was expected to maintain sustainable development in pastoral production. These results suggest that management measures should be developed with the goal of improving or maintaining suitable local environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An automatic chamber (AC) is an alternative method to the eddy covariance (EC) technique for estimating of CO2 fluxes. However, few direct comparisons between two techniques have been performed on nature alpine meadows. In order to determine diurnal pattern of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2 in summer on alpine meadows, and test the NEE measurement performance of AC under site conditions, we conducted simultaneous measurements of NEE using both EC and AC methods. The NEEAC can be estimated with the information from the initial slope of the time series of CO2 mixing ratio. We found that the application of linear regression, when photosynthesis processes were considered, could lead to serious deviations, even if closure times were short. The linear regression, however, was adequate for estimating CO2 fluxes when photosynthesis processes were not involved in, at least for short chamber closing times. Using appropriate fitting method, the fluxes of AC were relatively close to that of EC, but presented a daytime underestimation and nighttime overestimation. With the subsequent friction velocity (u*) filtering (

A N‐heterocyclic carbene‐phosphine iridium complex is presented for the efficient and selective mono‐N‐alkylation of sulfonamides with alcohols based on a borrowing hydrogenation strategy. Herein, water is the only by‐product and this methodology thus offers a more environmentally benign and interesting alternative to the use of traditional alkylating reagents. This facile protocol tolerates a large number of (hetero) aromatic and aliphatic sulfonamides as well as (hetero) aromatic and aliphatic alcohols to obtain the desired product is high isolated yield (up to 98%). The alkylation completely retards after the formation of the secondary sulfonamide and no over‐alkylation was observed in all cases. The option to run the reaction under solvent‐free conditions as well as the scalability of this borrowing hydrogenation are key features of this protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of highly efficient and stable oxygen reduction electrocatalysts and revealing their underlying catalytic mechanism are crucial in expanding the applications of metal‐air batteries. Herein, an excellent FeCo alloy nanoparticles (NPs)‐decorated N‐doped mesoporous carbon electrocatalyst (FeCo/NC) for oxygen reduction reaction, prepared through the pyrolysis of a dual metal containing metal‐organic framework composite scaffold is reported. Benefiting from the highly exposed bimetal active sites and the carefully designed structure, the Fe0.25Co0.75/NC‐800 catalyst exhibits a promising electrocatalytic activity and a superior durability, better than those of the state‐of‐the‐art catalysts. Suggested by both the X‐ray absorption fine structures and the density functional theoretical calculation, the outstanding catalytic performance is originated from the synergistic effects of the bimetallic loading in NC catalysts, where the electronic modulation of the Co active sites from the nearby Fe species leads to an optimized binding strength for reaction intermediates. This work demonstrates a class of highly active nonprecious metals electrocatalysts and provides valuable insights into investigating the structure–performance relationship of transition metal‐based alloy catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Arabidopsis, phytochrome (phy) A, phyB, and cryptochrome 1 (cry1) are representative far‐red, red, and blue light photoreceptors, respectively. Members of the SUPPRESSOR OF PHYA‐105 (SPA) protein family (SPA1–SPA4) form E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes with CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1), which mediates the degradation of photomorphogenesis‐promoting factors to desensitize light signaling. SPA2 has been reported to promote seedling etiolation in the dark. However, the unique roles of SPA2 and its three functional domains in suppressing photomorphogenesis under different light conditions are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that overexpression of the full‐length or the central coiled‐coil and C‐terminal WD‐repeat domains of SPA2 cause hyper‐etiolation phenotypes under several light conditions. The SPA2 central coiled‐coil and C‐terminal WD‐repeat domains are necessary and sufficient for repressing seedling de‐etiolation, cotyledon unfolding, and promoting hypocotyl negative gravitropism under several light conditions. Furthermore, phyA, phyB, cry1, and COP1 repress protein accumulation or nuclear translocation of SPA2 through direct interactions with its kinase‐like and coiled‐coil domains located in the N‐terminus in response to far‐red, red, and blue light treatments, respectively. Taken together, our results demonstrate that SPA2 functions under multiple light conditions; moreover, light‐activated photoreceptors rapidly suppress SPA2 activity via direct interactions in response to different light treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber‐based microplastic (FMP) pollution in the wastewater of the textile industry and urban sewage has become an emerging issue and a potential threat to marine life and human health. However, most reported reduction strategies, such as physical adsorption/filtration and chemical‐catalytic degradation are limited by the secondary pollution caused by the desorption of FMPs and inferior degradation performance. Advanced technologies for efficient FMP control remain largely insufficient and underdeveloped. This work reports a Z‐scheme Bi2O3@N‐TiO2 heterojunction synthesized by a solvothermal and wet‐impregnation strategy. Bi2O3@N‐TiO2 degrades ≈10.23 ± 1.91 wt% of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)‐FMPs (a major FMP existing in the environment) at pH = 9, which is nearly three times higher than that at pH = 7. Experimental results show that the hydrolysis of PET‐FMPs in alkaline media is the main reason for the superior performance. Importantly, the hydrophilic, weight‐average molecular weight and crystallinity of PET‐FMP are the key factors affecting the photocatalytic degradation performance of PET‐FMPs. This study demonstrates an eco‐friendly strategy for remediation of FMP contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report a universal single‐atom coating (SAC) strategy by taking advantage of the rich chemistry of tannic acid (TA). TA units not only self‐assemble into a cross‐linked porous polyphenolic framework, but also can grip on different substates via multiple binding modes. Benefiting from the diverse chelating ability of TA, a series of mono‐, and bi‐metallic SACs can be formed on substrates of different materials (e. g. carbon, SiO2, TiO2, MoS2), dimensions (0D–3D) and sizes (50 nm–5 cm). By contrast, uniform SAC cannot be achieved using common approaches such as pyrolysis of metal–dopamine complexes or metal–organic frameworks. As a proof‐of‐concept demonstration, two Co SACs immobilized on graphene and TiO2 were prepared. The former one shows six‐fold higher mass activity than Pt/C toward oxygen reduction. The latter one displays outstanding photocatalytic activity owing to the high activity of the single atoms and the formation of the single‐atom coating–TiO2 heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics are an emergent yet critical issue for the environment because of high degradation resistance and bioaccumulation. Unfortunately, the current technologies to remove, recycle, or degrade microplastics are insufficient for complete elimination. In addition, the fragmentation and degradation of mismanaged plastic wastes in environment have recently been identified as a significant source of microplastics. Thus, the developments of effective microplastics removal methods, as well as, plastics recycling strategies are crucial to build a microplastics‐free environment. Herein, this review comprehensively summarizes the current technologies for eliminating microplastics from the environment and highlights two key aspects to achieve this goal: 1) Catalytic degradation of microplastics into environmentally friendly organics (carbon dioxide and water); 2) catalytic recycling and upcycling plastic wastes into monomers, fuels, and valorized chemicals. The mechanisms, catalysts, feasibility, and challenges of these methods are also discussed. Novel catalytic methods such as, photocatalysis, advanced oxidation process, and biotechnology are promising and eco‐friendly candidates to transform microplastics and plastic wastes into environmentally benign and valuable products. In the future, more effort is encouraged to develop eco‐friendly methods for the catalytic conversion of plastics into valuable products with high efficiency, high product selectivity, and low cost under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of ultra‐high performance concrete (UHPC) in the bridge deck effectively increases the strength, ductility, and durability of the deck system, while the problem of fiber discontinuity at the joint‐deck interface remains unsolved. This study proposes an innovative UHPC joint to create steel fiber continuity at the interface and experimentally investigates its tensile behavior. Test parameters include fiber content, fiber length and diameter, fiber shape, and fiber strength. Test results indicate that the joint tensile strength increases with fiber content, fiber length, and fiber strength. The specimen with hooked end fibers also develops higher joint tensile strength compared with the specimen with straight fibers. It is recommended to use fibers with a smaller diameter to increase the interfacial bonding area between the fibers and the matrix. High‐strength fibers are also recommended to achieve the best efficiency in a high‐strength matrix, like UHPC. The tensile performance of the joint with a fiber content of no less than 0.5%, and an embedment length of 15 mm (with a fiber length/diameter ratio of 50), and a diameter of 0.3 mm is similar to the performance of the specimen cast as one piece. Therefore, a properly designed UHPC fiber continuous joint is recommended in engineering practice to improve the integrity of the joint‐deck system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic/inorganic hybrid fibers (OIHFs) are intriguing materials, possessing an intrinsic high specific surface area and flexibility coupled to unique anisotropic properties, diverse chemical compositions, and controllable hybrid architectures. During the last decade, advanced OIHFs with exceptional properties for electrochemical energy applications, including possessing interconnected networks, abundant active sites, and short ion diffusion length have emerged. Here, a comprehensive overview of the controllable architectures and electrochemical energy applications of OIHFs is presented. After a brief introduction, the controllable construction of OIHFs is described in detail through precise tailoring of the overall, interior, and interface structures. Additionally, several important electrochemical energy applications including rechargeable batteries (lithium‐ion batteries, sodium‐ion batteries, and lithium–sulfur batteries), supercapacitors (sandwich‐shaped supercapacitors and fiber‐shaped supercapacitors), and electrocatalysts (oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, and hydrogen evolution reaction) are presented. The current state of the field and challenges are discussed, and a vision of the future directions to exploit OIHFs for electrochemical energy devices is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water electrolysis powered by renewable energies is regarded as the most promising technology for hydrogen production. However, in conventional acid water electrolysis, the H2 production and O2 production are tightly coupled and the proton exchange membrane is required to prevent the gases mixing, which reduce the flexibility of this technology and increase its cost. Here, a low‐cost hydrated Prussian blue analog (Turnbull's blue) electrode is introduced as a solid‐state redox mediator to decouple the acid water electrolysis into two steps without the use of membrane. The redox mediator shows high‐rate performance (42.7 mAh g−1 at 120 A g−1) and long cycle life (5000 cycles), which is owing to the diffusion‐free Grotthuss proton conduction. Moreover, this decoupled water electrolysis device facilitates the utilization of renewable energies for high‐purity hydrogen production at different spaces and times, which shows the high flexibility for H2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control of site selectivity in asymmetric mono‐hydrogenation of dienes or polyenes remains largely underdeveloped. Herein, we present a highly efficient desymmetrization of 1,4‐dienes via iridium‐catalyzed site‐ and enantioselective hydrogenation. This methodology demonstrates the first iridium‐catalyzed hydrogenative desymmetriation of meso dienes and provides a concise approach to the installation of two vicinal stereogenic centers adjacent to an alkene. High isolated yields (up to 96 %) and excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities (up to 99:1 d.r. and 99 % ee) were obtained for a series of divinyl carbinol and divinyl carbinamide substrates. DFT calculations reveal that an interaction between the hydroxy oxygen and the reacting hydride is responsible for the stereoselectivity of the desymmetrization of the divinyl carbinol. Based on the calculated energy profiles, a model that simulates product distribution over time was applied to show an intuitive kinetics of this process. The usefulness of the methodology was demonstrated by the synthesis of the key intermediates of natural products zaragozic acid A and (+)‐invictolide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the orbital coupling in 2D materials has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the magnetic anisotropy (MA) of CrTe2. The Te atomic layers on the surface layers determine the magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) of the system due to orbital coupling. Herein, Cr2Te3$\left(\text{Cr}\right)_{2} \left(\text{Te}\right)_{3}$ is proposed to investigate the surface and middle layers of Te atoms on MA. The MCA of Cr2Te3$\left(\text{Cr}\right)_{2} \left(\text{Te}\right)_{3}$ consists of in‐plane and out‐of‐plane components, which are contributed by the surface layer and middle layer, respectively. Due to the lack of Cr–Te–Cr chemical bonds in the z‐axis, the surface layer produces px/py$p_{x} / p_{y}$ coupling and results in the in‐plane MA. In addition, a tensile strain can enhance the pz/py$p_{z} / p_{y}$ coupling on the middle layer and lead to the out‐of‐plane MCA. At the same time, the out‐of‐plane MCA breaks the vertical mirror symmetry and an anomalous Hall effect has been detected on monolayer (1L) Cr2Te3$\left(\text{Cr}\right)_{2} \left(\text{Te}\right)_{3}$. Based on this result, an anomalous Hall device is designed to record and read information. The opposing contribution of the surface and middle layers provides a completely new way to understand 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the frequency of combining MXene, which has unique properties such as metal‐level conductivity and large specific surface area, with silicon to achieve excellent electrochemical performance has increased considerably. There is no doubt that the introduction of MXene can improve the conductivity of silicon and the cycling stability of electrodes after elaborate structure design. However, most exhaustive contacts can only improve the electrode conductivity on the plane. Herein, a MXene@Si/CNTs (HIEN‐MSC) composite with hierarchical interpenetrating electroconductive networks has been synthesized by electrostatic self‐assembly. In this process, the CNTs are first combined with silicon nanoparticles and then assembled with MXene nanosheets. Inserting CNTs into silicon nanoparticles can not only reduce the latter's agglomeration, but also immobilizes them on the three‐dimensional conductive framework composed of CNTs and MXene nanosheets. Therefore, the HIEN‐MSC electrode shows superior rate performance (high reversible capacity of 280 mA h−1 even tested at 10 A g−1), cycling stability (stable reversible capacity of 547 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles at 1 A g−1) and applicability (a high reversible capacity of 101 mA h g−1 after 50 cycles when assembled with NCM622 into a full cell). These results may provide new insights for other electrodes with excellent rate performance and long‐cycle stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction reaction (CO2RR) is an attractive approach to deal with the emission of CO2 and to produce valuable fuels and chemicals in a carbon‐neutral way. Many efforts have been devoted to boost the activity and selectivity of high‐value multicarbon products (C2+) on Cu‐based electrocatalysts. However, Cu‐based CO2RR electrocatalysts suffer from poor catalytic stability mainly due to the structural degradation and loss of active species under CO2RR condition. To date, most reported Cu‐based electrocatalysts present stabilities over dozens of hours, which limits the advance of Cu‐based electrocatalysts for CO2RR. Herein, a porous chlorine‐doped Cu electrocatalyst exhibits high C2+ Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 53.8 % at −1.00 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE). Importantly, the catalyst exhibited an outstanding catalytic stability in long‐term electrocatalysis over 240 h. Experimental results show that the chlorine‐induced stable cationic Cu0/Cu+ species and the well‐preserved structure with abundant active sites are critical to the high FE of C2+ in the long‐term run of electrochemical CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction reaction (CO2RR) is an attractive approach to deal with the emission of CO2 and to produce valuable fuels and chemicals in a carbon‐neutral way. Many efforts have been devoted to boost the activity and selectivity of high‐value multicarbon products (C2+) on Cu‐based electrocatalysts. However, Cu‐based CO2RR electrocatalysts suffer from poor catalytic stability mainly due to the structural degradation and loss of active species under CO2RR condition. To date, most reported Cu‐based electrocatalysts present stabilities over dozens of hours, which limits the advance of Cu‐based electrocatalysts for CO2RR. Herein, a porous chlorine‐doped Cu electrocatalyst exhibits high C2+ Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 53.8 % at −1.00 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE). Importantly, the catalyst exhibited an outstanding catalytic stability in long‐term electrocatalysis over 240 h. Experimental results show that the chlorine‐induced stable cationic Cu0/Cu+ species and the well‐preserved structure with abundant active sites are critical to the high FE of C2+ in the long‐term run of electrochemical CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material and energy efficiencies are two key parameters that benchmark the electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices (EECSDs). Maximizing both requires researchers to grasp the limits of the physiochemical properties of core electrode materials. Ordered mesoporous materials (OMMs) have been regarded as promising electrode materials; however, their intrinsic deficiencies (e.g., plugs, inaccessible pores, and surfaces) impose limits for wide applications. 2D ordered mesoporous materials (2DOMMs) featured with an extended lateral dimension and a nanometer thickness not only inherit the structure advantages of mesoporous materials, but also have a unique 2D ultrathin feature that can fully address the imperfections of conventional OMMs. Herein, recent achievements on the preparation of 2DOMMs by combining single micelle assembly strategy with 2D bottom‐up patterning techniques including the molecular/space confined, interfacial orientated, and surface limited assembly are focused. Special focus is devoted to the newly developed synthetic strategies and their fundamental mechanisms for accurate control of some key structural parameters. Recent advances of 2DOMMs in EECSDs are also highlighted, which suggest that 2DOMMs are excellent material platforms for developing new battery chemistry as well as targeting performance optimization and cost reduction. Finally, the challenges and prospects are proposed based on current development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solid amino‐supported palladium catalyst is used in an oxidative domino reaction for the diastereoselective construction of alkyne‐substituted cyclopentenol compounds. This heterogeneous catalyst exhibits high efficiency and excellent chemoselectivity, as well as good recyclability. The chemoselectivity of the domino reactions was readily controlled by switching the solvent and catalyst. Asymmetric syntheses and an oxidative carbocyclization‐borylation reaction have also been developed based on the heterogeneous palladium catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen oxides, including NO and NO2, are notorious air pollutants. The selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 (NH3−SCR) is the most widely studied and used technology for NOx removal. The spatially confined architectures in porous materials are promising designs for NH3−SCR catalysts. Porous metal oxides, metal‐based zeolite, and the metal organic frameworks catalysts, featuring active sites disperse in the pores, cavities, and frameworks, are the most widely studied NH3−SCR catalysts. In this review, we review the application of these three typical catalysts for NH3−SCR, emphasizing the spatial confined structure provided by the porous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing seismicity during excavation is a challenge faced by mining and the associated slip development on a near‐excavation fault under deep‐mining stress conditions is considered as an analog for understanding earthquake initiation mechanisms. In this paper, the quasi‐static slipping on a dipping fault near a horizontal tunnel was numerically studied by incrementally increasing horizontal stress. The equilibrium of the fault, which obeys a slip‐weakening friction law, is formulated by a boundary integral approach. The calculated rupture size is a function of the dimensionless factors derived by scaling from geometrical, loading, and friction conditions. The results show that the rupture becomes runaway at a critical stress level and prior to this, the slip zone either extends continuously and aseismically or experiences finite rapid extensions. Energy dissipated in friction in the presence of tunnel‐induced stress heterogeneity can arrest fast rupture events resulting in regained equilibrium. The energy radiated from arrested events, using an energy budget analysis, depends on the resulting fault strength change, the rupture arrest length, and the strain energy change during the event. These preceding energy radiations can mitigate the magnitude of runaway events. As the critical slip‐weakening distance decreases, the critical stresses for nucleation of both runaway and arrested events are reduced, but the energy radiated by arrested events does not always decrease because the rupture arrest length varies. The results of this study may help identify the initiation mechanisms for runaway ruptures and assess the seismic potential of a rock mass during excavation. Key Points: Fault slip development arising from tunnel‐induced stress perturbation is studied using a quasi‐static modelFast slip movement on a near‐tunnel fault can be arrested and the radiated energy depends on fault frictional propertiesInduced near‐excavation seismicity can be reduced by prior low‐magnitude arrested events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]