Supported catalysts are widely used in various chemical processes. However, most catalysts perform well only for specific chemical reactions, necessitating new methods to diversify and improve performance. Now, researchers have developed an innovative gas-switch-triggered reduction method for impregnation-based synthesis of supported catalysts, consisting of multiple alloyed metals. This method is simple, scalable and can be integrated easily into industrial processes, paving the way for advanced catalysts for more sustainable chemical synthesis.

In a new paper published in National Science Review, the team of the Professor Long Li from the Xidian University, China have proposed an electromagnetic all-in-one radiation-scattering RIS. A unified and efficient theory for integrated radiation-scattering manipulation was established, along with a corresponding physical platform. This framework encompasses multi-dimensional electromagnetic properties—including phase, polarization, amplitude, waveform, frequency, and time—enabling the on-demand design of RIS. This approach provides a novel technological paradigm for the era of 6G communications and the Internet of Everything in wireless sensor networks.

A new type of “ink” makes it possible to 3D print electrochemically switchable, conducting polymers using a light-based process. Researchers from the universities of Heidelberg and Stuttgart have succeeded in making so-called redox polymers useful for additive manufacturing with digital light processing. The complex two- and three-dimensional structures created in this way can be manipulated electrochemically to change color. This opens up new perspectives for manufacturing 3D-printed optoelectronic devices. The research work was conducted within the Research Training Group “Mixed Ionic-Electronic Transport: From Fundamentals to Applications”, which is supported by both universities.

Seawater is not just a source of salt and water; but it contains a rich variety of ions that benefit to electrocatalytic reactions. This review article provides a timely appraisal of how ions in seawater can be harnessed to drive and enhance electrochemical processes. It identifies key mechanic insights, material design strategies, and future research directions to accelerate the transition from laboratory scale seawater electrocatalysis to real-world electrochemical applications.

A multidisciplinary team of researchers has combined deep botanical knowledge with powerful genomic technology to decode and mine the DNA of non-flowering seed plants and uncover genes that evolved to help plants build seeds. These findings, published in Nature Communications, may aid scientists in improving seed crop production in agriculture and in the conservation of these ancient endangered seed plants.

Ceramic tile manufacturing is a process that demands intensive energy use (30–40 kW/m²) and resources (0.02 t/m² of raw materials and 0.010 m³/m² of water). About 90% of the energy consumed comes from the combustion of natural gas. The spray-drying stage alone accounts for 95% of water use, 34% of energy consumption (mainly thermal), and 32% of CO₂ emissions. These figures highlight the urgent need to improve the sustainability of this process in order to reduce waste and water use, and to contribute to the challenge of decarbonization.

A consortium made up of three research institutions and four organizations from key European regions in ceramic tile production has launched the INNOVATILE project, funded by the European Union through the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. The project promotes a new, more sustainable technology aimed at significantly reducing the environmental impact of ceramic tile manufacturing, potentially cutting production costs by around 10%.

The initiative, coordinated by the University Institute of Ceramic Technology (IUTC) of the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló, seeks to lower energy and resource consumption in ceramic tile production by implementing an innovative atomised powder production process. This technology is designed to minimize the use of energy, water and raw materials during the drying stage of raw materials. The project has a total budget of €2,800,575.65, of which the EU provides €2,492,512.33, covering 89% of the total cost.