Carbon fixation continues through winter

A paper published in Carbon Research reports that microbial inorganic carbon fixation remains active in Qinghai Lake, the largest saline lake in China, during the ice-covered season. The work focuses on how microorganisms assimilate inorganic carbon beneath lake ice, a period that has received far less attention than the summer open-water season despite its importance for annual lake carbon cycling.

The team, led by corresponding author Xiaoyan Li of Beijing Normal University, examined both light-dependent carbon fixation and dark-dependent carbon fixation in under-ice waters. Qinghai Lake, located on the Tibetan Plateau, provides a natural setting for this question because it is a high-altitude saline lake with prolonged seasonal ice cover, low temperatures, and distinctive microbial habitats.

Halide-based solid electrolytes (HSEs) have garnered substantial interest for all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) due to their wide electrochemical windows, moderate-to-high room-temperature ionic conductivity, and enhanced air stability over traditional sulfide and oxide-based SEs. This review consolidates recent advances in HSEs, focusing on the link between structure, compositions, and materials properties that influence the transport of lithium-ion (Li-ion) and post-lithium-ion (P-Li-ion) and their stability at the interface. Based on the chemistry of their central metal, HSEs are divided into five classes; key factors influencing ionic conductivity are examined. Nevertheless, despite these benefits, many challenges remain, including interfacial instability, the trade-off between ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability, mechanical challenges, and material costs. The main synthesis methods, mechanochemical, co-melting, and wet-chemical, are investigated for phase formation, scalability, and defect control. The link between synthesis, microstructure, and device-level performance metrics, including critical current density, area-specific resistance, and cycle life, is examined. The strategies, involving bilayer and dual-electrolyte design as well as interface engineering, are analyzed to reduce interfacial resistance and dendrite growth. The applications of HSE in Li-ion and P-Li-ion systems are examined. This review offers a detailed framework and delineates potential research paths to advance scalable, high-performance HSEs for next-generation ASSBs.

Researchers from Zhejiang University and Northeast Forestry University have developed an exhalation-responsive optoelectronic clip that turns human breath into a clear optical ON/OFF signal. The wearable device combines optical microfibers with nanocellulose films and can be used for touch-free alerts, coded communication, and respiratory monitoring.

- KAIST and MIT develop an electrochemical marine carbon removal technology that converts carbon dioxide in seawater into solid minerals for permanent storage

- Technology reduces electricity consumption by up to 54% compared with conventional systems and demonstrates stable operation for more than 120 hours using Jeju lava seawater

- Next-generation carbon removal technology helps the ocean absorb more carbon dioxide, with potential applications aboard ships and offshore platforms

Supramolecular polymer science expands the scope of supramolecular chemistry and enriches the field of polymer science. It is expected to become an important contributor to scientific and technological progress for a sustainable society. A group of 37 international scholars from seven countries and regions, including China, Singapore, Germany, the UK, and the US, including Professor Xi Zhang from Tsinghua University, Professor Xiaodong Chen from Nanyang Technological University, Professor Frank Würthner from the University of Würzburg, Professor Oren A. Scherman from the University of Cambridge, Professor Amar Flood from Indiana University, Professor Feihe Huang from Zhejiang University, and Professor Junqi Sun from Jilin University, review the important progress in supramolecular polymer science in recent years from five perspectives: 1) driving forces of non-covalent polymerization, 2) polymerization methodologies, 3) physical mechanisms, 4) material morphology, and 5) engineering applications. They also raise nine fundamental questions and major challenges that urgently need to be addressed in response to future development needs: 1) synergy, 2) quantification, 3) spatiotemporal observation, 4) theoretical simulation, 5) digitalization, 6) recyclability, 7) healthcare, 8) energy conversion, and 9) large-scale manufacturing. They point out that the integration of new concepts, technologies, and methods, such as artificial intelligence, data-driven design, automated synthesis, and advanced manufacturing, supramolecular polymer science holds the keys to the development of recyclable materials, devices, and intelligent systems for sustainable social progress. This review is not only an in-depth summary and discussion, but also a collaborative initiative for the global multidisciplinary research community. The article was published as an open access Review in CCS Chemistry, the flagship journal of the Chinese Chemical Society.