Chemical engineering articles from across Nature Portfolio

Artificial neurons based on printed molybdenum disulfide nanosheet networks achieve multi-order spiking dynamics that operate on physiologically relevant timescales, offering a platform for next-generation biohybrid interfaces.

Wastewater utilities use anaerobic digestion and biogas utilization to reduce energy costs and emissions, but methane leakage can undermine both the climate benefits and project economics of these systems, especially as power grids decarbonize. Safeguarding climate integrity will require performance-based methane policies that pair robust monitoring with enforceable leakage thresholds and targeted leak detection and repair.

AuCl_x species are frequently regarded as the active Au species among the AuCl_x and Au(0) species present in Au catalysts for acetylene hydrochlorination. Here, the authors show that Au sites free of chloride bonding act as highly active sites even at room temperature, with low-temperature activity vanishing when a small fraction of Au binds to chloride.

Chen et al. report a strategy of separating dipping and coating processes for fabricating highly conductive and comprehensive wearable graphene electronic fabrics. This low-cost methodology achieves 200-meter roll mass production, offering a universal platform for next-generation wearable technologies.

Current technologies face challenges in efficiently recovering monomeric building blocks from polyurethane (PU) waste, hindering circular economy goals. Here, the authors introduce an ionolysis-based recycling method using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (EMIM-Br) as a bifunctional solvent-catalyst, achieving a 94% depolymerization yield and producing high-quality polyols, enabling the creation of flexible PU foams by incorporation of recycled polyol.

Purifying electronic-grade propylene is challenging due to trace impurities. Here, authors demonstrate a ZIF-8 membrane that efficiently removes impurities at low temperatures, enabling high-purity propylene production with reduced energy and cost.

Turning mixed plastic waste into useful products is a major challenge for a circular economy. This study uses a microwave-driven iron-nickel catalyst to convert even halogenated plastic mixtures into hydrogen and carbon nanotubes with high yield and stability.

This study reports a knowledge graph framework for constructing evolvable predictive physical models to support the development of digital twins for chemical processes, enabling the seamless incorporation of chemical databases, AI models and large language models. This work represents a step toward the knowledge-driven paradigm for future chemical process development and manufacturing.

Artificial neurons based on printed molybdenum disulfide nanosheet networks achieve multi-order spiking dynamics that operate on physiologically relevant timescales, offering a platform for next-generation biohybrid interfaces.

As the CO₂ electrolysis field transitions to technological implementation, operational stability emerges as an essential focus of both fundamental and engineering research. This Comment discusses the in situ regeneration of CO₂ electroreduction metal catalysts as one of the tools to achieve operational stability.

Wastewater utilities use anaerobic digestion and biogas utilization to reduce energy costs and emissions, but methane leakage can undermine both the climate benefits and project economics of these systems, especially as power grids decarbonize. Safeguarding climate integrity will require performance-based methane policies that pair robust monitoring with enforceable leakage thresholds and targeted leak detection and repair.

CO and CO₂ electrolysis have progressed rapidly from laboratory test cells to pilot-scale stacks. This Comment argues that the field must now shift focus to confront the unique engineering and deployment challenges of stack-scale systems, which represent a decisive frontier for achieving commercialization and climate impact.

Electrochemical processes enable the efficient removal of persistent water pollutants, yet real-world applications are hindered by electrolyte addition and low overall energy efficiency. A device design now addresses these challenges, enabling electrolyte-free operation while coupling cathodic and anodic processes to improve treatment and energy efficiencies.

Silicon anodes promise far higher capacity than graphite but suffer from rapid decay at rest. Researchers evaluate cycling stability and calendar life of micron-sized silicon anodes after tuning electrolytes to form a LiF-rich solid–electrolyte interphase and propose a metric to assess calendar ageing.