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The manufacture of nitriles is critical to various industrial applications, but poor selectivity results in the significant release of CO₂, NO_x and toxic cyanide. Here, the authors report the electroconversion of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to valuable nitriles at near-unity selectivities.

The valorization of glycerol to propylene glycol is economically attractive but involves high hydrogen pressures. Here, the authors report a thermo-electroreduction strategy using a cobalt-cluster-on-copper catalyst, which enables propylene glycol production even at ampere level current density.

The electro-oxidative synthesis of valued chemicals offers to enhance the overall efficiency and economic viability of renewable electrosynthesis systems. Here, the authors use dopant-tuned catalysts to promote the electrosynthesis of dimethyl carbonate from CO and methanol via oxidative carbonylation.

The production of hydrogen, and the refining of hydrocarbons, are significant contributors to the CO₂ emissions of the chemicals industry. Coupled electrification of these processes has the potential to reduce total emissions by up to 39% even when using the electricity mix available today.

An electrocatalyst mediator system in which CoO_x-cluster-decorated IrO₂ activates the NO₃^- mediator into a reactive radical that abstracts a hydrogen atom from benzylic C-H is presented. This approach enables the electrochemical conversion of toluene to benzaldehyde with high Faradaic efficiency.

Cobalt-based subsurface dopants induce a shift in the rate-determining step of electrochemical CO₂ reduction on copper to the chemical step: OCCO* + H* → OCCHO* + *. Electrochemical production of ethylene over the optimized catalyst is achieved at low voltage and high current in a membrane electrode assembly system.

The electrochemical production of ethylene oxide from CO₂ is an attractive yet challenging process. Now, a BaO_x/IrO₂ catalyst for ethylene oxidation is reported and applied in an O₂-redox-mediated paired system for complete CO₂ to ethylene oxide production.

Large potentials required for C(sp³)-H bond activation and low water solubility make electrochemical functionalization of alkanes challenging. Here, the authors report that Pt/IrO_x enables selective generation of Cl free radicals for chlorination of cyclohexane at industrially relevant rates.

The mechanical stability of interfaces in perovskite solar cells is not well understood. Chen, Wang, Wang et al. investigate the strength of the bonds between layers and the corresponding effects on the chemical and mechanical stability of perovskite solar cells.

CO₂ electroreduction to higher-value carbons can occur through adsorbed hydrogen or through proton-coupled electron transfer from water. Understanding the impact of each route on product selectivity is challenging. Now H/D isotopic labelling reveals the contribution of each mechanism towards product formation and shows that adsorbed hydrogen dominates the reaction.

An artificial neuron that detects dopamine using a carbon-based electrochemical sensor and then processes the sensory signals using a memristor with synaptic plasticity, before stimulating dopamine release via a heat-responsive hydrogel, can be used to trigger the controllable movement of a mouse leg and robotic hand.

Direct electroreduction of dilute CO₂ in flue gas streams is challenging due to the presence of O₂ impurities. Here the authors demonstrate that an acidic electrolyte can overcome this challenge, enabling the generation of multicarbon products from simulated flue gas at reasonable rates.

Modulating interfacial electric fields provides a means to control electrocatalyst activity for a broad range of reactions. Here the authors show that this can be achieved by tuning the nanocurvature of carbon supported single-atom catalysts.

Producing ethanol from carbon dioxide, water, and renewable electricity offers a route to sustainable energy. Here, the authors enhance electrocatalytic activity for carbon dioxide reduction by tuning adsorbed hydrogen in a class of copper catalysts with oxide- and hydroxide-modified surfaces.

High performance flexible strain sensors with accurate signal detection and noise screening are key to the development of smart sensing systems. Here, the authors demonstrate metal–organic framework based strain sensors that are ultrasensitive, robust, and non-responsive to environmental noise.

Ethylene glycol is a commodity chemical with an annual consumption of 20 million tonnes. Its production generates 1.6 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of ethylene glycol. To reduce these CO₂ emissions, the authors report a one-step electrochemical route to selectively convert ethylene to ethylene glycol at ambient temperature and pressure in aqueous media.

Tendon driven systems offer a simple way to transmit actuation force in robotic hands but current tendon fibres have low toughness, limiting the further development of tendon-driven actuators. Here the authors report a super tough electro-tendon based on spider silk, mechanically toughened by SWCNT and electrically enhanced by PEDOT:PSS.