Jinxing Chen

Silver bismuth sulfide (AgBiS2) quantum dots (QDs) are promising candidates for eco-friendly solution-based solar cells. However, structural defects in QDs hinder high efficiency. Controllable synthesis of AgBiS2 QDs remains challenging, often yielding crystals with surface and lattice defects that promote nonradiative recombination. Improving AgBiS2 QD quality before film formation is crucial, as synthesis-related imperfections often persist in devices and inherently limit effective passivation later on. This study presents a photoinduced surface reconstruction method for AgBiS2 QDs that achieves nearly perfect ionic ordering with lower lattice strain, leading to denser films and better band alignment with charge layers than the initial AgBiS2 QDs. Corresponding solar cells achieve a power conversion efficiency of 9.71%, exceeding 8.16% for untreated solar cells. By enhancing AgBiS2 QD quality at the source rather than relying solely on downstream passivation, this approach offers a complementary pathway to high-performance QD solar cells.

Polyolefin hydrogenolysis offers a promising route for the upcycling of plastic waste, yet is hindered by the high cost of noble‐metal catalysts and the safety concerns of high‐pressure H ₂ . Current systems typically rely on Ru or Pt catalysts to mediate key elementary steps, including H ₂ dissociation and C─C bond cleavage. However, achieving comparable performance with earth‐abundant metals under near‐ambient hydrogen pressure remains a significant challenge. Here, we present an elementary reaction kinetic matching strategy to enable efficient hydrogenolysis over a non‐noble metal catalyst. By tuning the electronic structure of Ni, the kinetics of H ₂ activation, C─C bond cleavage, and hydrogenation are balanced, facilitating the rapid removal of CH _x ^* intermediates and sustaining the dynamic exposure of catalytic active sites. As a result, the Ni‐based catalyst exhibited superior hydrogenolysis activity and selectivity toward waste polyolefins under low pressure, even at atmospheric pressure, surpassing the benchmark Ru and Pt catalysts. This study overturns the traditional perception of low efficiency in non‐noble metal‐catalyzed hydrogenolysis and provides new design principles for efficient catalysis under mild conditions.

Polyolefin hydrogenolysis offers a promising route for the upcycling of plastic waste, yet is hindered by the high cost of noble‐metal catalysts and the safety concerns of high‐pressure H ₂ . Current systems typically rely on Ru or Pt catalysts to mediate key elementary steps, including H ₂ dissociation and C─C bond cleavage. However, achieving comparable performance with earth‐abundant metals under near‐ambient hydrogen pressure remains a significant challenge. Here, we present an elementary reaction kinetic matching strategy to enable efficient hydrogenolysis over a non‐noble metal catalyst. By tuning the electronic structure of Ni, the kinetics of H ₂ activation, C─C bond cleavage, and hydrogenation are balanced, facilitating the rapid removal of CH _x ^* intermediates and sustaining the dynamic exposure of catalytic active sites. As a result, the Ni‐based catalyst exhibited superior hydrogenolysis activity and selectivity toward waste polyolefins under low pressure, even at atmospheric pressure, surpassing the benchmark Ru and Pt catalysts. This study overturns the traditional perception of low efficiency in non‐noble metal‐catalyzed hydrogenolysis and provides new design principles for efficient catalysis under mild conditions.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste poses a significant environmental challenge, while existing recycling technologies are often constrained by high energy demand, limited product value, and inefficient carbon utilization. Solar‐driven PET upcycling offers an attractive alternative by harnessing renewable solar energy to convert PET waste into fuels and value‐added chemicals. This Review summarizes recent advances in photocatalytic, photothermal, and photoelectrochemical PET upcycling. Particular emphasis is placed on reaction mechanisms, selective bond activation, charge and energy management, and catalyst and device design. The opportunities and limitations of different solar‐driven pathways are discussed in terms of reaction routes, product selectivity, and process integration. Finally, future challenges and perspectives are outlined, providing guidance for the development of scalable solar‐driven technologies for plastic valorization and a circular plastics economy.

Plastics and CO ₂ are two major waste carbon resources, and their management and recycling are attracting increasing attention. CO ₂ ‐mediated plastic upcycling represents a promising strategy for the simultaneous transformation of both wastes, yet it still suffers from high energy demand, low efficiency, and limited applicability to diverse plastics. Here, we report a solar‐driven photothermal strategy that enables the efficient and energy‐saving CO ₂ ‐mediated reforming of various plastics, including polyolefins, polyesters, copolymers, and their mixtures, into high‐value syngas and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The process achieves a syngas yield of 165.6 mmol g _cat ⁻¹ h ⁻¹ , an order of magnitude higher than that of conventional thermocatalysis. Within this system, CO ₂ acts not only as an oxidant that consumes the hydrogen species released during plastic dehydrogenation, thereby enhancing efficiency and suppressing methanation but also as a carbon feedstock that directly contributes to both gaseous and solid products. This study provides a powerful solution for the valorization of complex plastic wastes and greenhouse gases and offers new insights into solar‐driven chemical transformations toward a circular carbon economy, while further optimization of the H ₂ /CO ratio may expand its compatibility with specific downstream applications.

Plastics and CO ₂ are two major waste carbon resources, and their management and recycling are attracting increasing attention. CO ₂ ‐mediated plastic upcycling represents a promising strategy for the simultaneous transformation of both wastes, yet it still suffers from high energy demand, low efficiency, and limited applicability to diverse plastics. Here, we report a solar‐driven photothermal strategy that enables the efficient and energy‐saving CO ₂ ‐mediated reforming of various plastics, including polyolefins, polyesters, copolymers, and their mixtures, into high‐value syngas and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The process achieves a syngas yield of 165.6 mmol g _cat ⁻¹ h ⁻¹ , an order of magnitude higher than that of conventional thermocatalysis. Within this system, CO ₂ acts not only as an oxidant that consumes the hydrogen species released during plastic dehydrogenation, thereby enhancing efficiency and suppressing methanation but also as a carbon feedstock that directly contributes to both gaseous and solid products. This study provides a powerful solution for the valorization of complex plastic wastes and greenhouse gases and offers new insights into solar‐driven chemical transformations toward a circular carbon economy, while further optimization of the H ₂ /CO ratio may expand its compatibility with specific downstream applications.

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO ₄ , LFP) batteries are being retired at increasing rates due to their widespread use in electric vehicles. Conventional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical recycling routes remain energy‐intensive and economically challenging, while direct regeneration often fails because antisite defects (Fe _M1 ) block Li ⁺ diffusion. Here we report a vacancy‐driven regeneration strategy that destabilizes these kinetically persistent defects. Pre‐generated Li vacancies (Li _v ) trigger selective oxidation of adjacent to , inducing electronic redistribution across the Fe _M2 ‐O‐Fe _M1 bridge and weakening the antisite configuration. This local electronic modulation lowers the migration barrier of Fe _M1 , enabling its low‐temperature back‐migration to native lattice sites and reopening Li ⁺ diffusion pathways prior to relithiation. The regenerated LFP exhibits markedly improved electrochemical performance and achieves stoichiometric homogenization across spent cathodes with diverse degradation histories. Lithium resources on the lithiated anode can be gently extracted and utilized as a lithium supplement for cathode materials, with simultaneous regeneration of the anode. Techno‐economic and environmental analyses reveal substantial advantages of this process over both hydrometallurgical recycling and mineral mining processes.