Review Articles

Redox reactions played an important role in shaping the conditions that enabled the emergence of life on the early Earth, but how these relate to specific environmental conditions and whether they led to heterotroph or autotroph organisms remains a matter of debate. In this Review, the authors summarize and discuss evidence reconciling dominant theories — from the redox nature of the Hadean atmosphere and the presence of conditions that could have supported both heterotrophs and chemoautotrophs, to the transport of organic compounds that could have led to the emergence of life in multiple local environments.

There has been growing interest in the application of machine learning (ML) to the design of heterogeneous catalysts, including nanoparticle catalysts (NC) and single-atom catalysts (SACs). In this Review, the authors summarize recent advances in the ML-guided design of NCs and SACs for energy applications, focusing on the selection of features and descriptors for ML models from atom-scale structural information and identifying challenges and opportunities for the development of next-generation SACs through reliable datasets and advanced ML models.

The A₂Ir₂O₇ iridium pyrochlores series exibit an interplay between a 5d Ir sublattice and, in many members, a magnetic 4f A-site sublattice, which gives rise to a hierarchy of coupled structural, magnetic, and transport phenomena that may support magnetic monopole-like excitations that can enable novel magnetoelectric responses. In this Review, the authors discuss a unified framework linking lattice geometry, f-d exchange, and spin–orbit-driven anisotropies, summarising key experimental advances and outlining future research directions aimed at detecting and controlling magnetic monopole-like excitations through magnetic fields, electric fields, and lattice perturbations.

Continuous flow chemistry enhances pharmaceutical and specialty chemical synthesis but struggles with solid management, causing clogging and scalability issues. Here, the authors review recent strategies developed to overcome these obstacles, highlighting advancements that strengthen flow-based manufacturing’s role in chemical production.

Coacervate droplets are evolving from passive microreactors to dynamic protocell models capable of information processing and lifelike behaviors. Here, the authors review advances in controlling droplet reactivity, chemical memory, and signaling, offering insights into engineering cooperative architectures with potential applications in synthetic biology and materials science.

Polydiacetylene (PDA)-based colorimetric sensors have potential for rapid visual detection. However, their broader application remains limited by issues of sensitivity, selectivity, and stability. Here, the authors review functionalization strategies to overcome existing limitations, including chemical modification with reactive groups, conjugation with specific ligands or receptors, and integration with nanomaterials.

The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (eNO3RR) offers a sustainable solution for addressing nitrate pollution in water by converting it into a valuable feedstock, ammonia, but there are significant challenges in terms of efficiency, competing reactions, product selectivity and catalyst stability. In this Review, the authors highlight in-situ and operando techniques to understand the underlying reaction mechanisms, analytical challenges in product estimation, as well as reactor and catalyst design strategies for advancing eNO3RR-driven ammonia production.

Catalytic biomass valorization is crucial to reduce reliance on fossil resources and mitigate environmental impacts; however, the majority of chemical manufacturing still relies on conventional catalysts. Here, the authors review the potential of 3D-printed catalysts in biomass conversion, highlighting recent advances and their implications for scalable, cost-effective green chemistry.

Quantum dots (QDs) can improve the ability of bulk photocatalysts to harness a broad spectrum of photon energies, but their integration into electrodes for photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) is challenging and remains the subject of ongoing research. In this Review, the authors highlight the role of QDs in PEC systems and discuss their implementation for the design of next-generation photoelectrodes with superior light-harvesting ability and efficient charge transfer at solid–liquid interfaces.

Direct observation of liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) and resulting protein aggregation plays a crucial role in understanding the associated mechanisms and progression. Here, the authors review advanced imaging techniques for visualizing LLPS and protein aggregates, offering insights into real-time monitoring of phase-separated processes.

Au–Ti catalysts for the epoxidation of propylene to propylene oxide have shown to be advantageous in terms of economic efficiency and environmental compatibility, but their catalytic performance remains insufficient for industrial-scale implementation. In this Review, the authors discuss modification strategies to improve catalytic activity, selectivity, as well as stability to enable the commercialization of this epoxidation technology.

Recent advances in homogeneous catalysis in continuous flow have revolutionized chemical transformations. Here, the authors review the integration of continuous flow with photo- and electrocatalysis, automation and high-throughput methods, highlighting their potential to overcome synthetic challenges in batch processes.

Despite its therapeutic potential, key challenges continue to hinder the clinical integration of photothermal therapy. Here, the authors review key considerations for clinical integration and recommend directions for future endeavors.

Aluminum–sulfur (Al-S) batteries have emerged as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to aluminum’s safety and high theoretical capacity, however their practical implementation remains challenging. In this Review, the authors discuss recent advances in host structural design engineering, electrolytes for enhanced ion transport, and efficient electrocatalysts for Al-S technology.

Crystallization processes are underpinned by an interplay between thermodynamics and kinetics, leading to complex energy landscapes spanned by polymorphs and metastable intermediates that are challenging to identify and characterize. In this Review, the authors highlight how recent progress in computational methods, and their augmentation with machine learning, have advanced our ability to predict crystal structures and simulate crystal nucleation.

Efficient separation of americium from lanthanides is crucial for reducing nuclear waste radiotoxicity, yet highly challenging owing to the chemical similarities of Am(III) and Ln(III) ions. Here, the authors review advancements in the preparation and stabilization of higher-valent americium states, highlighting coordination chemistry strategies that enhance Am/Ln separation efficiencies.

Covalent probes have emerged as a pivotal tool in drug discovery, presenting unique challenges for integrating structural data compared to non-covalent probes. Here, the authors explore the role of structure-based design in optimizing covalent probes, emphasizing computational methods to harness structural insights, potentially transforming drug design strategies across various fields.

PROteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) represent a promising therapeutic approach by facilitating the degradation of target proteins via E3 ligase enzymes. Here, the authors analyze recent advances and challenges in cereblon-based PROTACs from synthesis to clinical trials, offering insights to guide future development in cereblon-based targeted protein degradation.

Lithium-ion batteries can be engineered to operate reliably under extreme cold conditions through innovations in electrode architecture, electrolyte design, and interfacial chemistry. In this Review, the authors discuss recent advances such as high-entropy electrolytes, pseudocapacitive anodes, and polymer or solid-state systems, highlighting promising strategies for applications in polar regions, aerospace, and space missions.

Mechanically-interlocked molecules like rotaxanes and catenanes are gaining attention for their dynamic properties and unique structures. Here, the authors review cyclodextrin-based rotaxanes, highlighting their potential in targeted therapy, drug release, and bioimaging, and discuss challenges in advancing these systems as next-generation therapeutic platforms.