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The Front Cover shows an amino‐modified copper(I) oxide catalyst reduces the Gibbs free energy for electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to ethylene. The roller coasters and tracks represent the catalysts and the Gibbs free energy, respectively. In their Full Paper, H. Deng et al, illustrate that the modification of amino on copper(I) oxide promotes the hydrogenation of *CO to *CHO, which is the rate‐determining step for the formation of ethylene. This work presents an amino‐assisted carbon‐carbon coupling mechanism during electroreduction of carbon dioxide to multi‐carbon products. More information can be found in the Full Paper by H. Deng et al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper reports an investigation into the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas on various ultra wideband channel coefficients. Measurements were conducted using apparatus consisting of a rubberized tube (6 mm diameter) connected to a source of CO2 or nitrogen (N2). For support, the rubberized tube was wrapped twice around a PVC pipe (160 mm diameter). The rubberized tube was flushed with 100% CO2 several times before being sealed in the tube at atmospheric pressure. In between measurement trials, removal of CO2 was achieved by flushing with pure nitrogen. A Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) using two identical directional antennas, with the wrapped section of tubing placed in-between, measured the channel coefficients over ultra wideband frequency spans of (0.3-8) GHz and (1-2) GHz. Significant magnitude differences between the baseline condition and that of CO2 were observed. We found the same signature of difference curves over the same frequency spans for different measurements. Difference in shape in the frequency band of (1-2) GHz is the same as that of the measured difference over 1-2 GHz in entire frequency band of 300 MHz to 8 GHz for the measured channel coefficients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:1543-1546, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we exploit a new formulation of the potential energy and of the related computational procedures, which embodies the coupling between the intra and intermolecular components, to characterize possible propensities of the collision dynamics in energy transfer processes of interest for simulation and control of phenomena occurring in a variety of equilibrium and nonequilibrium environments. The investigation reported in the paper focuses on the prototype CO2-N2 system, whose intramolecular component of the interaction is modeled in terms of a many body expansion while the intermolecular component is modeled in terms of a recently developed bonds-as-interacting-molecular-centers' approach. The main advantage of this formulation of the potential energy surface is that of being (a) truly full dimensional (i.e., all the variations of the coordinates associated with the molecular vibrations and rotations on the geometrical and electronic structure of the monomers, are explicitly taken into account without freezing any bonds or angles), (b) more flexible than other usual formulations of the interaction and (c) well suited for fitting procedures better adhering to accurate ab initio data and sensitive to experimental arrangement dependent information. Specific attention has been given to the fact that a variation of vibrational and rotational energy has a higher (both qualitative and quantitative) impact on the energy transfer when a more accurate formulation of the intermolecular interaction (with respect to that obtained when using rigid monomers) is adopted. This makes the potential energy surface better suited for the kinetic modeling of gaseous mixtures in plasma, combustion and atmospheric chemistry computational applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanol is a very useful platform molecule and liquid fuel. Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to methanol is a promising route, which currently suffers from low efficiency and poor selectivity. Herein we report the first work to use a Mo-Bi bimetallic chalcogenide (BMC) as an electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction. By using the Mo-Bi BMC on carbon paper as the electrode and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate in MeCN as the electrolyte, the Faradaic efficiency of methanol could reach 71.2 % with a current density of 12.1 mA cm−2, which is much higher than the best result reported to date. The superior performance of the electrode resulted from the excellent synergistic effect of Mo and Bi for producing methanol. The reaction mechanism was proposed and the reason for the synergistic effect of Mo and Bi was discussed on the basis of some control experiments. This work opens a way to produce methanol efficiently by electrochemical reduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanol is a very useful platform molecule and liquid fuel. Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to methanol is a promising route, which currently suffers from low efficiency and poor selectivity. Herein we report the first work to use a Mo-Bi bimetallic chalcogenide (BMC) as an electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction. By using the Mo-Bi BMC on carbon paper as the electrode and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate in MeCN as the electrolyte, the Faradaic efficiency of methanol could reach 71.2 % with a current density of 12.1 mA cm−2, which is much higher than the best result reported to date. The superior performance of the electrode resulted from the excellent synergistic effect of Mo and Bi for producing methanol. The reaction mechanism was proposed and the reason for the synergistic effect of Mo and Bi was discussed on the basis of some control experiments. This work opens a way to produce methanol efficiently by electrochemical reduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar as a carbon-rich coproduct of pyrolyzing biomass, its amendment has been advocated as a potential strategy to soil carbon (C) sequestration. Updated data derived from 50 papers with 395 paired observations were reviewed using meta-analysis procedures to examine responses of soil carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes, soil organic C (SOC), and soil microbial biomass C (MBC) contents to biochar amendment. When averaged across all studies, biochar amendment had no significant effect on soil CO2 fluxes, but it significantly enhanced SOC content by 40% and MBC content by 18%. A positive response of soil CO2 fluxes to biochar amendment was found in rice paddies, laboratory incubation studies, soils without vegetation, and unfertilized soils. Biochar amendment significantly increased soil MBC content in field studies, N-fertilized soils, and soils with vegetation. Enhancement of SOC content following biochar amendment was the greatest in rice paddies among different land-use types. Responses of soil CO2 fluxes and MBC to biochar amendment varied with soil texture and pH. The use of biochar in combination with synthetic N fertilizer and waste compost fertilizer led to the greatest increases in soil CO2 fluxes and MBC content, respectively. Both soil CO2 fluxes and MBC responses to biochar amendment decreased with biochar application rate, pyrolysis temperature, or C/N ratio of biochar, while each increased SOC content enhancement. Among different biochar feedstock sources, positive responses of soil CO2 fluxes and MBC were the highest for manure and crop residue feedstock sources, respectively. Soil CO2 flux responses to biochar amendment decreased with pH of biochar, while biochars with pH of 8.1-9.0 had the greatest enhancement of SOC and MBC contents. Therefore, soil properties, land-use type, agricultural practice, and biochar characteristics should be taken into account to assess the practical potential of biochar for mitigating climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global warming is directly related to the increased greenhouse gas emissions from both natural and anthropogenic origins. There has been a drastic rise in the concentration of CO2 and other greenhouse gases since the industrial revolution primarily due to the intensifying consumption of fossil fuels. With the need to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate global warming certain strategies relating to carbon capturing and sequestration are indispensable. This paper comprehensively describes several physicochemical, biological and geological routes for carbon capture and sequestration. The trend of the increase in greenhouse gases over the years is illustrated along with the global statistics for fossil fuels usage and biofuels production. The physicochemical carbon capturing technologies discussed include absorption, adsorption, membrane separation and cryogenic distillation. The algal and bacterial systems, dedicated energy crops and coalbed methanogenesis have been vividly explained as the biological routes for carbon sequestration. The geological carbon sequestering route centers on biochar application and oceanic carbon storage. A systematic survey has been made on the origin and impact of greenhouse gases along with the potential for sequestration based on some fast-track and long-term sequestration technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First tunnel boring machine to start soon at the GKI / Erste Tunnelvortriebsmaschine am GKI vor dem Start Tunnel ground breaking for the Stadtbahn extension in Dortmund / Tunnelanschlag für Stadtbahnerweiterung in Dortmund Semmering Base Tunnel: start of construction of the access shafts in the Fröschnitzgraben / Semmering-Basistunnel: Startschuss für Bau der Zugangsschächte im Fröschnitzgraben Variable Density Technology - game changer for Kuala Lumpur / Variable Density Technologie - Game Changer für Kuala Lumpur ILF is working on the longest rail tunnel in Georgia / ILF arbeitet am längsten Eisenbahntunnel in Georgien Breakthrough of the first tunnel for the Terzo Valico railway line in Italy / Durchbruch des ersten Tunnels der italienischen Eisenbahnlinie Terzo Valico European Parliament confirms 1.18 b. Euros of financing for the Brenner Base Tunnel / Europäisches Parlament bestätigt Finanzierung von 1,18 Mrd. Euro für den Brenner Basistunnel More than 110 projects entered for the ITA Award 2015 / Mehr als 110 Projekte für den ITA Award 2015 eingereicht Call for papers - Themes for the next issues of Geomechanics and Tunnelling / Themen für die nächsten Ausgaben der 'Geomechanics and Tunnelling' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective and long-term treatment of cellulite has not been well established. To our knowledge, no review has analyzed the whole range of treatments for this condition. We conducted a review of in vivo studies on humans adopting the key words 'cellulite' and 'treatment.' The studies were included according to eligibility criteria. We performed an analysis to estimate the overall effect of cellulite treatments from clinical studies. Medline library was screened up to December 2014 to identify eligible studies. We included 73 original studies in the present review. All of them were clinical studies, in most of them, only women were recruited. Above the studies searched up, 66 tested the effectiveness of an exclusive treatment performed without the association to other procedures: 11 topical agents, 10 shock-wave therapy, 10 radio frequency, eight laser therapy, five oral therapy, four manual massage therapy, three carbon dioxide therapy, two compressive therapy, two infrared therapy, one dermabrasion, and 11 devices that use an association of multiple treatments. Seven papers tested a combination of two or more treatments. The mean difference of clinical morphologic features and ultrastructural changes between the treated group and the controlled showed significant heterogeneity between studies. It is still difficult to indicate an exclusive and effective single treatment for this condition. Our analysis purposed to obtain a complete overview of the available treatments in cellulite reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, iron and steel plants are confronted with increased demands to reduce their CO2 emissions. Data on CO2 emissions derived from iron and steel making is a basic requirement for a certificate of CO2 reduction. In the current paper, carbon flows from blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) steelmaking systems are analyzed using Material Flow Analysis (MFA). The computation method is built and used to calculate CO2 emissions in three steel works. The amount of carbon flow and CO2 emission per ton of product ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the result of a fireside corrosion test carried out on four low alloyed ferritic alloys at 650 °C for 1000 h. The combustion gases were derived from co-firing cereal co-product with a UK coal. Synthetic deposits were used to assess the influence of the deposit compositions. The samples were examined using an ESEM/EDX. To quantify the metal damage the pre-exposure micrometre measurements were compared with the post-exposure image analyser measurements on sample cross-sections. The median metal damage of the alloys showed the following ranking (most to the least damage): 15Mo3>T22> T23> T91. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates that the CO2 conversion in a dielectric barrier discharge rises drastically upon addition of Ar or He, and the effect is more pronounced for Ar than for He. The effective CO2 conversion, on the other hand, drops upon addition of Ar or He, which is logical due to the lower CO2 content in the gas mixture, and the same is true for the energy efficiency, because a considerable fraction of the energy is then consumed into ionization/excitation of Ar or He atoms. The higher absolute CO2 conversion upon addition of Ar or He can be explained by studying in detail the Lissajous plots and the current profiles. The breakdown voltage is lower in the CO2/Ar and CO2/He mixtures, and the discharge gap is more filled with plasma, which enhances the possibility for CO2 conversion. The rates of electron impact excitation-dissociation of CO2, estimated from the electron densities and mean electron energies, are indeed higher in the CO2/Ar and (to a lower extent) in the CO2/He mixtures, compared to the pure CO2 plasma. Moreover, charge transfer between Ar+ or Ar2+ ions and CO2, followed by electron-ion dissociative recombination of the CO2+ ions, might also contribute to, or even be dominant for the CO2 dissociation. All these effects can explain the higher CO2 conversion, especially upon addition of Ar, but also upon addition of He. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we used a theoretical model for the variation of Eulerian porosity, which takes into account the adsorption process known to be the main mechanism of production or sequestration of gas in many reservoir of coal. This process is classically modeled using Langmuir's isotherm. After implementation in Code_Aster, a fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical analysis code for structures calculations, we used numerical simulations to investigate the influence of coal's hydro-mechanical properties (Biot's coefficient, bulk modulus), Langmuir's adsorption parameters, and the initial liquid pressure in rock mass during CO2 injection in coal. These simulations showed that the increase in the values of Langmuir's parameters and Biot's coefficient promotes a reduction in porosity because of the adsorption process when the gas pressure increases. Low values of bulk modulus increase the positive effect (i.e., increase) of hydro-mechanical coupling on the porosity evolution. The presence of high initial liquid pressure in the rock mass prevents the progression of injected gas pressure when CO2 dissolution in water is taken into account. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new methodology for carbon price forecasting. It posits a finite distributed lag (FDL) model and then applies a GA-ridge algorithm to determine a set of proper predictors with coefficient estimates. An empirical study was conducted in the European Union Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading market, revealing that our methodology not only yields good forecasting results but also provides some interesting analysis on the carbon price market. It turns out that the combination of the FDL model and GA-ridge algorithm is desirable for forecasting and analyzing the complicated carbon price market because of its capability of selecting proper predictors from a class of predictors of itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on carbonation-induced corrosion in concrete. This paper presents specific experiments which were developed in order to assess the influence of both pre-existing oxides layer at the surface of the steel bars and steel-concrete interface condition on active corrosion. Two types of active corrosion are studied: Microcell corrosion and galvanic corrosion. Results show that pre-existing oxide layer contributes to reduce both galvanic and microcell corrosion. Steel-concrete interface defect leads to a strong increase in galvanic corrosion but does not affect significantly microcell corrosion in carbonated concrete. The quantity of pre-existing oxides is highly scattered and these scatters can be superior to the mass of new oxides formed during relatively short-term corrosion tests in natural condition which makes mass loss analysis very difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY This paper deals with [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was investigated as a tool for analyzing changes on mineral grains (siderite and ankerite) caused by dissolution and precipitation processes. Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration is a technique investigated for its possible employment in the reduction of the amount of anthropogenic CO2 gas emitted into the atmosphere. Deep saline aquifers are one option for storing CO2 gas streams produced, e.g. by the combustion of fossil fuels at power plants. These gas streams contain different impurities depending on their origin, among them O2, NOx, SOx in addition to CO2. Geochemical experiments under in-situ pressure and temperature conditions of possible geological storage sites were performed, and preparation techniques for the solid products were developed for 3D analysis. The results show that it is possible to analyze the alterations that occur on the surface of siderite grains during CO2 or CO2/O2 exposures under CO2 storage site conditions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide and tropospheric ozone pose important threats to the abundance, diversity, and composition of forest arthropod communities. In turn, modification of arthropod communities may alter forest health, productivity, and ecosystem services. 2. We studied the independent and interactive effects of elevated CO2 (eCO2) and elevated O3 (eO3) on the abundance, species richness, and community composition of herbivorous arthropods in stands of trembling aspen and paper birch at the Aspen Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) site in northern Wisconsin, USA. We conducted timed, visual surveys of canopy arthropods during each of the summers of 2005, 2006, and 2007. 3. We examined 26 983 arthropods on aspen and 8344 arthropods on birch across the fumigation treatments. Elevated CO2 and eO3 had species-specific and temporally variable (i.e. idiosyncratic) effects on aspen and birch arthropod abundance and species richness. Weak, idiosyncratic effects of eCO2 and eO3 on herbivorous arthropod abundance and species richness did not significantly alter aspen arthropod community composition but occasionally altered birch insect community composition. Few interactive effects of CO2 and O3 were observed. 4. Growing evidence suggests that the effects of eCO2 and eO3 on communities of insects are difficult to predict because responses are generally weak and species- and time-specific. Although studies to date suggest that impacts of future atmospheres on insect community metrics are likely to be minimal, the possibility remains that effects on particularly important or susceptible species may cascade to alter trophic interactions and, ultimately, ecosystem processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ablative fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers have been widely used for several types of cosmetic dermatosis. A number of previous studies have evaluated this technique in animals or human beings by observing morphologic changes using an invasive modality such as skin biopsy. In this study, we assessed in vivo skin changes after CO2 ablative fractional laser treatment in a mouse model using noninvasive imaging modalities (Folliscope® and Visioscan 98®), and each results was compared with data from histologic examination. An ablative fractional CO2 laser was applied with different pulse energy between 7 to 35 mJ/microspot. As results of above methods, we also confirmed that the CO2 ablative fractional laser generated injuries with increasing width and depth with increasing pulse energy. Although numerous papers have described application of this laser in vivo skin specimens, our study evaluated the feasibility of using relative noninvasive imaging modalities for assessing the outcome of laser ablation. Based on our data, we suggest that these technologies may be useful alternative modalities for assessing laser ablation that are easier to perform and less invasive than skin biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Breath analysis has a potential prospect to benefit the medical field based on its perceived advantages to become a point-of-care, easy to use, and cost-effective technology. Early studies done by mass spectrometry show that volatile organic compounds from human breath can represent certain disease states of our bodies, such as lung cancer, and revealed the potential of breath analysis. But mass spectrometry is costly and has slow-turnaround time. The authors' goal is to develop a more portable and cost effective device based on Raman spectroscopy and hollow core-photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) for breath analysis. Methods: Raman scattering is a photon-molecular interaction based on the kinetic modes of an analyte which offers unique fingerprint type signals that allow molecular identification. HC-PCF is a novel light guide which allows light to be confined in a hollow core and it can be filled with a gaseous sample. Raman signals generated by the gaseous sample (i.e., human breath) can be guided and collected effectively for spectral analysis. Results: A Raman-cell based on HC-PCF in the near infrared wavelength range was developed and tested in a single pass forward-scattering mode for different gaseous samples. Raman spectra were obtained successfully from reference gases (hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide gases), ambient air, and a human breath sample. The calculated minimum detectable concentration of this system was ~15 parts per million by volume, determined by measuring the carbon dioxide concentration in ambient air via the characteristic Raman peaks at 1286 and 1388 cm-1 . Conclusions: The results of this study were compared to a previous study using HC-PCF to trap industrial gases and backward-scatter 514.5 nm light from them. The authors found that the method presented in this paper has an advantage to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This SNR advantage, coupled with the better transmission of HC-PCF in the near-IR than in the visible wavelengths led to an estimated seven times improvement in the detection sensitivity. The authors' prototype device also demonstrated a 100-fold improvement over a recently reported detection limit of a reflective capillary fiber-based Raman cell for breath analysis. Continued development is underway to increase the detection sensitivity further to reach practical clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This perspective paper introduces the changing landscape for green & sustainable chemical production, by discussing three key aspects, in relation especially to the possible routes in using biomass and CO2 as new raw materials: i) introduction of renewable energy in the chemical production chain, ii) from biorefineries to bio-factories, and iii) moving to a new landscape for raw materials. It is remarked how they are challenging, but at the same time open chemical industry to innovation and competiveness. This is a critical element particularly in the transitions to new economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4065 4065 1 10/11/21 20211007 NES 211007 B The Cover Feature b highlights the successful use of gallium aminotrisphenolate compounds as catalysts for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO SB 2 sb and epoxides. In their Full Paper, L. Álvarez-Miguel et al. highlight the facile synthesis of the gallium compounds, demonstrate their wide substrate scope when employed as catalysts for cyclic carbonate synthesis and compare the gallium compounds to their aluminium congeners, through both experiments and a detailed DFT study. [Extracted from the article]

The Cover Feature shows the formation of silylformates, bis(silyl)acetals or methoxysilanes by catalytic reduction of CO2 with hydrosilanes. In their Full Paper, F. J. Fernández‐Alvarez and L. A. Oro summarize the different catalytic systems that have shown to be efficient for the transformation of CO2 into value added chemicals using silicon‐hydrides as reductants. Moreover, a description of some catalysts that have been employed for the formylation and/or methylation of the N−H bonds of secondary and/or primary amines by their reaction with CO2 and hydrosilanes have also been included. In addition, this Review also contains a brief description of the performance and conditions of each reaction. More information can be found in the Full Paper by F. J. Fernández‐Alvarez and L. A. Oro on page 4783 in Issue 21, 2018 (DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201800699). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their Full Paper, L. R. Borges et al. proposed the easy preparation of materials containing controllable platinum species depending on the ceria materials' surface energy. EN ceria platinum species oxygen vacancies CO oxidation. Cover Feature: Towards the Effect of Pt0/Pt + and Ce3+ Species at the Surface of CeO2 Crystals: Understanding the Nature of the Interactions under CO Oxidation Conditions (5/2021). [Extracted from the article]

Keywords: carbon dioxide; hydrogenation; Cu-based catalyst; hydrogen enrichment; ethylene carbonate EN carbon dioxide hydrogenation Cu-based catalyst hydrogen enrichment ethylene carbonate 3599 3599 1 07/23/20 20200721 NES 200721 The Cover Feature shows a nanoflower-like Cu/SiO SB 2 sb catalyst of H SB 2 sb -enrichment capacity used for the hydrogenation of ethylene carbonate (EC) derived from CO SB 2 sb to produce methanol and ethylene glycol. In their Full Paper, M. Zhang, Y. Yang et al. synthesized the nanoflower-like copper catalysts with open-ended fibers and well-dispersed active species via one-step hydrolysis precipitation method. Carbon dioxide, hydrogenation, Cu-based catalyst, hydrogen enrichment, ethylene carbonate. [Extracted from the article]

Catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methane can not only achieve the recycling of carbon resources, but also effectively meet the increasing demand for natural gas. In this paper, Ni‐based catalysts on different supports including ZrO2, CeO2 and Al2O3 were synthesized using citric acid complexation method and their CO2 methanation performances were tested. Among these catalysts, the Ni/ZrO2 catalyst achieved the best CO2 methanation activity. The catalysts were characterized by N2‐physisorption, XRD, H2‐TPR and H2‐TPD. The results indicate that the superiority of the Ni/ZrO2 catalyst can be mainly ascribed to its not only high Ni dispersion but also high reduction degree. Since the reduction degree of Ni/Al2O3 is low, it exhibits poor activity. The preparation condition for the Ni/ZrO2 catalyst was further optimized. The result shows that at molar ratio of citric acid to Ni ions of 3, the catalyst exhibits the best activity owing to the highest Ni dispersion, the largest Ni surface area, an appropriate metal‐support interaction and the most moderate basic sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Front Cover shows the production of formic acid from CO2 and H2 by a ternary hybrid catalyst composed of an Ir complex, poly(ethyleneimine) and titanate nanotubes (TNTs).In their Full Paper, Y. Kuwahara et al. demonstrate that immobilization of a poly(ethyleneimine)‐tethered Ir complex catalyst inside the cavity space of TNTs can afford efficient catalysts with both improved activity and reusability, owing to the CO2 adsorption capacity of poly(ethyleneimine) and stabilizing effect of TNTs. This study can potentially offer a generalized method to capture and convert CO2, which is particularly desirable for sustainable formic acid production. More information can be found in the Full Paper by Y. Kuwahara et al. on page 1906 in Issue 11, 2017 (DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201700508). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highlights of papers published in this issue are presented including one on the transfer hydrogenation of nitroarenes, one on the role of gold nanoneedles as catalyzer of carbon dioxide, and one on herbicidal ionic liquids.

The front cover artwork for Issue 10/2019 is a collaboration between the O'Hair group (University of Melbourne, Australia) and the Bonačić‐Koutecký group (University of Split, Croatia). The image shows how gas‐phase studies of model systems can be used for the design of MOF based catalysts for the selective decomposition of formic acid into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, a reaction of considerable interest for hydrogen storage applications. See the Full Paper itself at https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201900346. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new dephosphorization technology with introduction of partial CO2 into O2 is proposed in this paper. Thermodynamic characteristics and dephosphorization mechanism by introduction of CO2 are analyzed and the results show that using CO2 as partial dephosphorization oxidant can change the selective oxidation condition of steelmaking system, control the temperature of bath, strengthen the stirring ability, and finally obtain a high efficiency of dephosphorization. Meanwhile, the relationship between selective oxidation temperature T of C and P, partial pressure of CO gas, slag activity, and compositions of melt is obtained as follows. T=(PCO/P0)0.0401a4CaO·P2O50.0080·exp(−0.0403[%C]−0.0030[%Si]+0.0011[%Mn]+0.3515[%P]+7.3986) Furthermore, dephosphorization trails are carried out in a 30t steelmaking converter and a 300t special dephosphorization converter, respectively. It is concluded that the new technology of injecting CO2–O2 mixture is beneficial to reduce phosphorus content in liquid steel, increase the partition ratio of phosphorus, and reduce iron loss of slag. A new dephosphorization technology with introduction of partial CO2 into O2 is proposed during steelmaking process. Through the an alysis of thermodynamics and kinetics, it is found that CO 2 can participate in dephosphorization, strengthen s tirring ability, and control the bath temperature. Furthermore, industrial experiments are performed in a 30t steelmaking converter and a 300t special dephosphorization converter, respectively, which obtains good dephosphorization results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single nickel atoms are uniformly formed over graphene sheets with the assistance of tris(2‐benzimidazolylmethyl)amine (NTB) ligands. Strong interactions of NTB ligands between graphene oxide (GO) sheets and nickel ions facilitates the homogenous dispersion of nickel atoms over the GO sheets. Homogeneously dispersed Ni(NTB)–GO sheets were then chemically transformed into highly active single‐atom nickel sites that show high faradaic efficiency and selectivity for electrochemical CO2 to CO reduction reaction. For more information, see the Full Paper by K. T. Nam et al. on page 18444 ff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The image illustrates the operation mechanism of the photothermal activation of Ru/Au nanoparticles deposited on Siralox. Upon absorption of light by Au nanoparticles, the photon energy is thermalized, leading to the heating of smaller Ru nanoparticles located on the Au surface. This local heating serves to promote the selective methanation of CO2 by H2. For more information, see the Full Paper by H. García et al. on page 18436 ff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the densities of carbonated aqueous solution of amines (ethanolamine, methylethanolamine, aminoethylethanolamine, and N‐methyldiethanolamine with piperazine) in various concentration and CO2 loadings were measured with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 60°C. The measured densities are in good agreement with those reported in the literature. The density experimental data were correlated with temperature and CO2 loading. Additionally, in case of the monoethanolamine, amine concentration was included into the correlation. Furthermore, an obtained correlation for density prediction of carbonated monoethanoloamine solutions was compared with Jouyban–Acree model. The fitted models are able to predict the density of carbonated amine solutions with a satisfactory precision. Presented correlations can be used either to predict the density of carbonated amine solutions or to determine CO2 loading of the investigated solution, if the density is known. The results of this paper may have an industrial application as a tool for process control of CO2 capture systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The increasing emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) caused by the unrestrained consumption of fossil fuels in recent hundreds of years, has caused global environmental and social problems. Meanwhile, CO2 is a cheap, abundant and renewable C1‐feedstock, which can be converted into alcohols, ethers, acids and other value‐added chemicals. Compared with the thermal reactions, electrochemical reduction of CO2 is more attractive because of its advantages by using the seasonal, geographical and intermittent energy (tide, wind and solar) under mild conditions. In recent years, taking ionic liquids (ILs) as electrolytes in the CO2 electrochemical reduction reaction has been paid much more attention due to the advantages of lowering the overpotential of CO2 electroreduction and improving the Faradaic efficiency. In this paper, we summarized the recent progresses of electrochemical reduction of CO2 in ILs electrolytes, and analyzed the reaction mechanism of CO2 reaction in the electrode‐electrolyte interface region by experimental and simulation methods. Finally, the research which needs to be highlighted in this area was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The front cover artwork for issue 9/2018 is provided by Prof. Jin‐Ook Baeg's artificial photosynthesis research group from Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Republic of Korea. The image shows a light harvesting 3D aromatic polymer (3DAP) derived from triptycene that can efficiently and selectively convert CO2 to formic acid. See the Full Paper itself at https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201701730. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The front cover artwork for Issue 18/2017 is provided by the Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Berlin (Germany). The image shows the proposed network of consecutive and parallel reactions in oxidation of propane over vanadium oxide catalysts. Detailed understanding of the complex system is necessary to advance catalyst and process design in terms of high selectivity to desired olefins and oxygenates, prevention of CO2 formation, and sustainable use of resources. See the Full Paper itself at . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caging carbon dioxide: Self ‐ assembled discrete palladium(II) [Pd2(L)4]4+ cages with 2,6 ‐ bis(pyridin ‐ 3 ‐ ylethynyl)pyridine) ligands (L) have cavities, which bind guests containing carbonyl groups through hydrogen bonding interactions. In the solid state these cages have now been shown to bind up to four CO2 molecules, with selectivity over N2. Long ‐ range order in the packing of the molecules in powdered samples of the compound does not appear to be necessary for their activity, making their preparation easy. Additionally, the cages can be readily functionalized, opening up avenues for selective guest binding and gas separations. More information can be found in the Full Paper by B. F. Abrahams, J. D. Crowley et al. on page 10559. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol is one of the most attractive ways for carbon dioxide recycle and hydrogen storage. Our computationally designed Fe, Co, and Mn cyclopentadienone complexes are promising low‐cost catalysts for hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol. Density functional theory calculations also reveal a methanol‐ or water‐mediated proton‐transfer mechanism for H2 cleavage and a direct C−O bond‐breaking process for the formation of formaldehyde as key steps in the catalytic reaction. More information can be found in the Full Paper by X. Yang et al. on page 8850. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn(bpy)‐type complexes bearing local proton source catalyse the electrochemical reduction of CO2. Depending on the strength of the Brønsted acid added to the solution, CO or formate are produced. Spectroelectrochemical studies under Ar and CO2 atmospheres show fast solvolysis and the dimer formation is suppressed, providing an atypical reduction mechanism of MnI catalysts. Spectroscopic evidence of Mn hydride formation supports the existence of different electrocatalytic CO2 reduction pathways. For more information, see the Full Paper by R. Gobetto, C. Nervi et al. on page 4782 ff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cover shows a state‐of‐the‐art aluminum porphyrin‐based hyper‐crosslinked polymer for the chemical fixation of CO2 into cyclic carbonates under mild conditions.In their Full Paper, Y. J. Chen et al. demonstrate the outstanding catalytic activity and excellent reusability of aluminum porphyrin‐based heterogeneous catalysts in the solvent‐free synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO2 in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide as cocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalysis The Ru complex is set on its path, along which it must cross either a high mountain (EEC pathway) or a smaller hill (ECE pathway) to reach the glittering green palace where it can fulfill its goal of converting CO2 to CO. The sun shines brighter on the ECE path, which is alluring and less energy‐demanding. The complex can tread that path provided that its Ru heart has electrons (e−) pumped in (tBu on terpyridine), and that the CH3CN is easily removed. This is achieved by a CH3 group at the bipyridine, which pushes the bipyridine into the CH3CN with the force of a bull, thereby facilitating CH3CN dissociation from the complex. More information can be found in the Full Paper by S. Ott, S. Maji et al. on page 14870 ff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graphical abstract for the paper "Copper-Catalyzed N-Formylation of Amines with CO2 under Ambient Conditions," is presented.

The front cover artwork for Issue 13/2016 is provided by researchers from the Catalysis Engineering group, Chemical Engineering Department, Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands). The image shows the formation of covalent triazine framework (CTF) based spheres by using commercially available polyimide as a binder. See the Full Paper itself at . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inside cover picture, provided by Arjan W. Kleij and co ‐ workers, illustrates an example of regio ‐ directing: a general route towards the regio ‐ selective formation of carbamates derived from substituted cyclic organic carbonates and amines is reported using a readily available organocatalyst (TBD; 1,5,7 ‐ triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec ‐ 5 ‐ ene) under attractively mild reaction conditions. The carbonate substitution pattern and the presence of a ternary intermediate dictate the carbonate bond scission process giving preferentially rise to highly functional carbamates with tertiary alcohol functions. The easy and regio ‐ selective formation of di ‐ carbamates/urethanes shows the potential of this process to become valuable in the context of the preparation of regio ‐ regular oligo/polyurethanes. Details can be found in the full paper on pages 2172 – 2178 (S. Sopeña, V. Laserna, W. Guo, E. Martin, E. C. Escudero ‐ Adán, A. W. Kleij, Adv. Synth. Catal.­ 2016, 358, 2172 – 2178; DOI: 10.1002/adsc.201600290). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The front cover picture, provided by Arjan Kleij and co ‐ workers, illustrates oxetane ‐ based carbamates: oxetane ‐ based carbamate scaffolds are formed using an efficient aluminium catalyst. The process combines three reagents (CO2, oxetanes and amines) in a one ‐ pot approach towards a wide diversity of carbamate structures. The methodology has been applied in the formal synthesis of drug ‐ relevant molecules such as Carisoprodol and the mono ‐ carbamate of Felbatol showing the utility of the new catalytic procedure. The work also illustrates the potential of oxetanes as versatile reagents in pharma ‐ organic synthesis. Details can be found in the full paper on pages 1602 – 1607 (W. Guo, V. Laserna, J. Rintjema, A. W. Kleij, Adv. Synth. Catal.­ 2016, 358, 1602 – 1607; DOI: 10.1002/adsc.201500895). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porphyrinoids CO2 is a cheap, abundant, and nontoxic C1 source, and the chemical conversion of CO2 into useful organic compounds has become increasingly important. In their Full Paper on page 6556 ff., C. Maeda, J. Hasegawa, T. Ema et al. describe the synthesis of bifunctional metalloporphyrins with quaternary ammonium bromides at the meta, para, or ortho positions of the meso‐phenyl groups and investigated their catalytic activities in the formation of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO2 under solvent‐free conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The front cover picture, provided by Qing ‐ Wen Song and Liang ‐ Nian He, illustrates a silver ‐ catalyzed carboxylative cyclization of propargylic alcohols/propargylic amines with CO2 for the synthesis of α ‐ alkylidene cyclic carbonates/oxazolidinones under ambient conditions without employing any additional organic base and ligand. The synergistic effect of Lewis basic and Lewis acidic species in conjunction with the bulkier counterion, via the alkyl carbonate intermediate, leads to the excellent efficiency. The picture shows an outline of exhaust gas and chemical conversion via a sustainable CO2 recycling process into value ‐ added products using a green catalytic method. Details can be found in the full paper on pages 1251 – 1258 (Q. ‐ W. Song and L. ‐ N. He, Adv. Synth. Catal.­ 2016, 358, 1251 – 1258; DOI: 10.1002/adsc.201500639). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercritical carbon dioxide, an environmentally friendly medium, is promising as an alternative to traditional organic solvents. However, polar molecules and high molar mass compounds are often poorly soluble in supercritical carbon dioxide. The first host–guest complex obtained in such a solvent is discussed herein, together with an analysis of the driving forces for the formation of supramolecular structures and suggestions for possible applications to fix solubility issues. More information can be found in the Full Paper by F. Ingrosso, A. Marsura, M. F. Ruiz‐López et al. on page 2972 ff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon Dioxide Adsorbents An effective approach to functionalize water ‐ stable metal – organic frameworks (MOFs) by a combination of optimization and metalated ‐ ligand exchange (MLE) for enhanced CO2 separation performance is reported. The optimized UiO ‐ 66(Zr) shows a high BET surface area of 1730 m2 g−1 and a mesopore size of 3.9 nm. The approach described in the Full Paper by D. Zhao and colleagues on page 17246 ff. can enhance both CO2 working capacity and CO2/N2 selectivity simultaneously and thus is an alternative design to achieving water ‐ stable MOFs with high CO2 affinity for efficient CO2 separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cover picture shows a copper(II) porous coordination polymer that can adsorb CO2 over CH4 at high selectivity under CO2/CH4 mixed gas conditions, and even in the coexistence of water. Flexibility and hydrophobicity of the coordination polymer are key factors to achieving high separation efficiency and high water tolerance. More details can be found in the Full Paper by Shin‐ichiro Noro, Takayoshi Nakamura, and co‐workers on page 1517 in Issue 10, 2015 (DOI: 10.1002/cplu.201500278). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]