Propane dehydrogenation reaction (PDH) is a highly endothermic reaction, typically requiring temperature above 600°C in conventional thermo-catalysis. However, elevated temperatures lead to significant energy consumption, catalyst sintering, and coke deposition. Overcoming these thermodynamic and kinetic challenges to achieve propane dehydrogenation under ambient conditions remains a major goal in catalysis.Recently, a research team led by Prof. ZHANG Tao and Prof. WANG Aiqin from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Prof. GAO Yi's team from the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute of CAS, developed a water-catalyzed PDH reaction route using a copper single-atom catalyst (SAC) through photo-thermo catalysis. This study, published in Nature Chemistry, enables highly efficient propane-to-propylene conversion under mild conditions.By using a Cu1/TiO2 SAC, researchers achieved PDH under near-ambient conditions in a water vapor atmosphere. The reaction temperature was reduced to just 50–80 °C in a continuous-flow fixed-bed reactor, achieving a maximum reaction rate of 1201 μmol gcat-1 h-1.The study revealed that Cu single atoms, water vapor, and light illumination all played essential roles in the propane-to-propylene conversion. Through photocatalytic water splitting on the Cu1/TiO2 SAC, hydrogen and hydroxyl species were generated. Hydroxyl radicals subsequently adsorbed on the catalyst surface, abstracting hydrogen atoms from propane to form propylene and water. Notably, water acted catalytically without being consumed. This mechanism fundamentally differs from traditional PDH and oxidative dehydrogenation of propane (ODHP).Furthermore, the researchers demonstrated that this strategy could be extended to the dehydrogenation of other light alkanes, including ethane and butane. The reaction could even be directly driven by sunlight using the Cu1/TiO2 SAC."Our study not only provides a novel pathway for PDH but also establishes a paradigm for conducting high-temperature reactions driven by solar energy," said Prof. LIU Xiao Yan, one of the corresponding authors of this study.<!--!doctype-->

Photocatalysis involves three fundamental steps: light absorption, charge separation and transfer, and chemical reactions. These reactions occur at the solid-liquid interface, where the complex charged environment influences reaction kinetics.Most research has focused on the charge transfer processes within solid catalysts, the influence of the surrounding solution remains underexplored. Understanding the interplay between surface charges and charge transfer at the catalyst-electrolyte interface is critical for advancing photocatalysis. However, directly measuring surface charges in electrolytes at the nanoscale has long been a challenge.Recently, Prof. FAN Fengtao and Prof. LI Can et al. from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed an innovative approach to measure surface charges in liquid environments. This study was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.By using a charged probe to isolate electrostatic forces from long-range interactions, researchers successfully mapped the electric field distribution within the electrical double layer. This method enabled direct measurement of surface potential and photovoltage under realistic liquid conditions. Moreover, the researchers uncovered a key phenomenon: surface charges at the solid-liquid interface create an additional driving force, pulling photogenerated electrons to the surface and driving the charge transfer reaction.Surface charge-induced interface electric field reversal and comparative imaging in air vs. electrolyte environments (Image by LI Qian and CUI Junhao)Researchers quantitatively demonstrated how local surface potential in the electrolyte varies with pH, providing micro-nano scale observations. By relating the surface potential and reaction product flux, they demonstrated that the photocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction rate is controlled by the surface charge induced electric field. Additionally, researchers identified the optimal pH range for efficient spatial separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. They visualized the entire charge transfer process from the space charge region to the active reaction sites."This imaging framework offers a platform to directly measure surface potential and reaction current under operational conditions, providing idea into photocatalytic charge transfer kinetics at the nanoscale," said Prof. FAN. "It provides new avenues for designing efficient photocatalysts and optimizing reaction conditions," added Prof. FAN."Our findings provide valuable understandings into addressing the bottleneck issues of photocatalytic reactions," said LI Can.

Lignans are low molecular weight polyphenolic compounds with important clinical value, including antitumor and antiviral properties. However, their low amounts in medicinal plants and complex structures make sustainable production through plant extraction and chemical synthesis challenging, limiting their availability to meet market demand.A research group led by Prof. ZHOU Yongjin from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Prof. ZHANG Lei and Prof. CHEN Wansheng from the Naval Medical University, has achieved the biosynthesis of the antiviral ingredient lignan glycoside in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The study was published in Nature Chemical BiologyDe novo biosynthesis of plant lignans by synthetic yeast consortia (Image by CHEN Ruibing)Researchers constructed a synthetic yeast consortium inspired by plant metabolism. By simulating the multicellular synthesis mechanism in plants, they addressed challenges related to side reactions and metabolic network promiscuity.Researchers designed two auxotrophic yeast strains (met15Δ and ade2Δ) to form a mutualistic relationship, cross-feeding metabolites while dividing the biosynthetic pathway into upstream and downstream. This enabled the de novo synthesis of lariciresinol diglucoside through over 40 enzymatic reactions."Our work demonstrates that Saccharomyces cerevisiae auxotrophic strains spontaneously establish a mutualistic community for the heterologous synthesis of complex active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine," said Prof. ZHOU. "And this strategy is expected to be extended to the design of other stable cooperative yeast cell systems to accomplish complex bioengineering tasks," Prof. ZHOU added.

All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSBs) have garnered attention for their high energy density and superior safety. However, their commercialization remains challenging due to the lack of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) with both high ionic conductivity and stable interfaces. To date, only a few SSEs have achieved ionic conductivities exceeding 10 mS/cm at room temperature.Recently, a research team led by Prof. WU Zhong-Shuai and Assoc. Prof. SHI Haodong from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) developed a high ionic conductivity sulfide-based solid electrolytes, enhancing the performance of ASSBs. Their study was published in ACS Energy Letters.A superionic Li20/3(GeSiSb)1/3S5I conductor is developed for all-solid-state power batteries (Image by MA Yuxin and SHI Haodong)Researchers developed the novel electrolyte, Li20/3(GeSiSb)1/3S5I (LGSSSI), by employing a multi-cation (Ge, Si, Sb) doping and substitution strategy. The electrolyte exhibited exceptional ionic conductivity, attributed to its low lithium-ion migration activation energy (0.17 eV). After cold pressing, LGSSSI achieved an ionic conductivity of 12.7 mS/cm, which further increased to 32.2 mS/cm after hot pressing.Intergraed with LGSSSI, ASSBs achieved high cycling stability under ultra-high cathode mass loading (100 mg/cm2) and across a wide temperature range (-20°C to 60°C). Additionally, LGSSSI demonstrated excellent interfacial compatibility with various cathode and anode materials, including LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2, LiCoO2 cathodes, lithium-indium alloy, and silicon-carbon composite anodes."Our study lays a foundation for achieving ASSBs with wide temperature adaptability, high cathode loading, and long cycle life," said Prof. WU.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a toxic and corrosive byproduct of fossil fuel extraction, poses significant environmental and industrial challenges. While the conventional Claus process converts H2S into elemental sulfur, it fails to recover hydrogen gas, missing an opportunity for sustainable energy production.Electrocatalytic H2S decomposition offers a promising strategy to simultaneously eliminating pollutants and producing green hydrogen. However, the acidic nature of H2S deactivates non-precious metal catalysts and degrades electrode structures, making it difficult to achieve both high efficiency and long-term stability.Efficient H2S electrolysis to H2 production in the flow-cell device using chainmail integrated-electrode (Image by ZHANG Mo)In a study published in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., a research group led by Prof. DENG Dehui and Assoc. Prof. CUI Xiaoju from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has developed a dual-level chainmail integrated-electrode that enables highly efficient hydrogen production via H2S electrolysis.Researchers designed a graphene encapsulating nickel foam (Ni@NC foam) electrode with a dual-level chainmail structure, enhancing both catalytic activity and durability. This electrode achieved an industrial-scale current density exceeding 1 A/cm2 at 1.12 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, which was five times higher than commercial nickel foam electrodes. Moreover, the Ni@NC foam electrode remained stable for over 300 hours, demonstrating a lifespan at least ten times longer than commercial nickel foam electrodes.In a simulated natural gas desulfurization test, the chainmail integrated-electrode completely oxidized and removed 20% H2S at the anode, producing sulfur powder simultaneously. Meanwhile, high-purity hydrogen was collected at the cathode. Compared with conventional water electrolysis, the system reduced energy consumption by 43% at the current density of 200 mA/cm², offering a more sustainable approach to hydrogen production."Our study provides an efficient, low-energy solution for natural gas purification and opens up the potential of converting H2S into valuable hydrogen fuel for industrial applications," said Prof. DENG.

Zeolites and zeotypes are widely used in the energy and chemical industries due to their unique pore structures and excellent shape-selective catalytic properties. However, these inherent advantages also lead to diffusion limitations, preventing guest molecules from effectively accessing internal active sites and thereby hindering catalytic efficiency.Schematic illustration of structure–mass transfer–activity relationships (Image by WANG Haodi)In a study published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition (VIP paper), a research group led by Prof. JIAO Feng and Prof. PAN Xiulian from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has revealed how the accessibility of zeolite acid site plays a crucial role in determining syngas conversion performance.Using mordenite (MOR) zeolite as a model catalyst, researchers investigated its unique pore structure, where acid sites within the 8-membered ring (8MR) side pockets serve as active sites for syngas-to-ethylene via OXZEO, while the 12-membered ring (12MR) channels act as molecular transport pathways.By systematically analyzing the mass transfer effects of MOR catalysts with varying 12MR channel lengths (2L), the researchers established a quantitative relationship between active sites accessibility and catalytic performance.Moreover, researchers identified 60 nm as the critical threshold for the 12MR channel length, where the reaction approached kinetic limitation. Using this property, they optimized the ZnAlOx-MOR bifunctional catalyst, achieving a CO conversion of 33% and an ethylene selectivity of 69%."Our study provides new insights into mass transfer mechanisms inside zeolites and offers a framework for designing high-performance zeolite-based catalysts," said Prof. JIAO.