Themed collection Exploring the Frontiers: Unveiling New Horizons in Carbon Efficient Biomass Utilization

The synthesis, characterization, and application of lignin-based hydrogels and adhesives are reviewed, highlighting their role in the advancement of sustainable biomedicine, flexible sensing, energy storage technologies, and wood adhesives.

This review compares biohydrogen and biomethane production via photo-fermentation, emphasizing their complementary roles as sustainable bioenergy sources.

Biodegradable lignin-based grafted polyesters have wide range of applications.

This review summarizes the progress in bio-based wearable flexible sensors, including materials, preparation methods and applications, highlighting key scenarios that exemplify the cutting-edge advancements.

Biomass (biowaste) can be converted into humic acid via hydrothermal humification under specific conditions, demonstrating significant application potential in agriculture, environmental management and materials science.

This review provides an in-depth understanding of the synthesis pathways and corresponding catalytic systems for the production of jet-fuel-range cycloalkanes from lignin and its derivatives via catalytic hydrodeoxygenation and C–C coupling.

Microbial lignin valorization unleashes the inherent aromatic potential of lignin to maximize the production of aromatic fine chemicals.

This review highlights the advancements in homogeneous and heterogeneous Re-based catalysts for the conversion of biomass into value-added chemicals.

Biochar from biomass and waste is a valuable component of various urban green infrastructures, including green roofs, permeable pavements, green walls, and green parking lots.

In this work, an efficient catalyst-/additive-free selective C–C bond cleavage of β-O-4 ketone lignin model compounds was carried out under the irradiation of light at room temperature in an air atmosphere.

High-purity chitin is extracted from fungal sources using an environmentally friendly method that employs 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate. This approach significantly reduces reliance on animal supply chains for chitin production.

C-lignin, a homo-biopolymer, has great potential as a feedstock for biorefineries that convert it into high value-added products, for example, catechol as a precursor of pharmaceuticals.

A novel strategy for the bioproduction of the strategic building block 5CVA using the lignin-derived biphenyl dimer DDVA as the substrate.

A simplified open culture chain elongation process with ethanol and acetate to produce renewable n-caprylate without adding yeast extract showed a trophic hierarchy between aerobic, facultative anaerobic, and fully anaerobic microbial species.

Hitting two targets with one arrow—assessing the benefit of co-producing hydrogen and acid from bio-alcohols.

A continuous and efficient method to extract and enrich cutin from tomato waste preserved the native three-dimensional polyester network.

Lignin-derived porous carbon produced through catalytic pyrolysis is crucial for energy storage, adsorption, and catalysis.

Cascade fractionation of poplar via synergistic FA–MSH pretreatment.

A schematic diagram of the “lignin-first” dissolution and conversion from lignocellulosic biomass.

Facile enzymatic synthesis of bis-pyrrolidone structures from dimethyl itaconate and various aliphatic diamines (C4–C12) and their use for the enzymatic synthesis of oligoesters and the plasticization of poly(lactic acid).

Green and sustainable production of valuable flavonoids from renewable substrates has been achieved by designing a versatile microbial cell factory.

A DES-based microextraction system with a salt crystal-stabilized emulsion enhances lignocellulose fractionation and furfural production, achieving a high yield and efficient biomass utilization.

This study introduces a photo-enzyme catalysis system for efficient DFF-to-FDCA conversion under mild conditions, achieving 84.14 ± 4.68% yield, with high selectivity and improved H₂O₂ handling.

For the sustainable recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), utilizing renewable materials and minimizing energy consumption are essential. A biomass-based, energy-efficient method was adopted to recover lithium and cobalt from spent LIBs.

Engineering Yarrowia lipolytica for sustainably synthesizing citric acid from undetoxified lignocellulosic hydrolysate.

An efficient NFCM-mediated chemoenzymatic system was constructed for selectively transforming HMF into furan carboxylic acids.

Genetic modification of Y. lipolytica for the production of succinic acid from undetoxified lignocellulosic hydrolysate.

This study presents a zero-waste biorefinery for pomegranate waste, extracting anthocyanins and ellagic acid with green solvents and converting leftovers to biochar.

A simple, low energy, and productive filtration method to clarify biomass hydrolysate to enable biochemical and thermochemical pathways to biofuels and biochemicals.

Sustainable separation processes like membrane technology are crucial for chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Membrane fabrication needs green materials.

Transforming waste stream of biorefinery into high-value bioproducts.

A sustainable method suitable for industrial-scale continuous flow synthesis of esters from biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol (FA) and C₈–C₁₈ carboxylic acids was developed.

Improve the synthesis of taxadiene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The catalytic activity and hydrothermal stability of Pt/WO_x are significantly improved by decoration with a mononuclear NbO_x promoter affording 25.90 g_ethanol g_Pt⁻¹ h⁻¹ in the one-pot conversion of cellulose.

We report a metal-free photocatalytic method for producing MEK from LA using acridine photosensitizers and thiophenols, achieving high yield and selectivity. This process has mild conditions and reduces carbon emissions compared to other methods.

A 3D structural lignin-based photocatalyst achieves high PFAS degradation and rapid pathogen sterilization efficiency under ambient conditions.

A selective and environmentally friendly method for the extraction of oleanolic acid from grape pomace using bio-based and non-toxic dimethyl carbonate.

Bioprocess development enhanced muconate titers and productivities from mixed sugars, leading to reduced production costs and a significant decrease in GHG emissions compared to fossil carbon-based adipic acid production. Created with BioRender.com.

Alkaline-catalyzed organosolv pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass affords excellent delignification, yielding a holocellulose-rich substrate for fermentable sugar production.

We propose an innovative approach to address the pressing need for efficient and transparent evaluation techniques to assess extraction processes’ sustainability.

A phosphorus-containing flame retardant was produced via reacting phytic acid and kraft lignin in water.

An alternative green and sustainable route is proposed to prepare doped activated carbons with large surface areas, rich dopants, and porous structures via co-pyrolysis of lignin or hemi-lignin in the presence of sodium pyrithione.

This work proposes a novel acid-free Ni_xMo_yN/C catalyst for the hydrodeoxygenation of lignin-derived phenolic compounds with high reaction efficiency and stability.

The present work provides a multiscale picture of the effect of a promising DES on biomass pretreatment by combining computational and experimental approaches.

Green and sustainable cellulose-based materials are of increasing interest to researchers due to the energy crisis and environmental pollution.

Lignocellulose fractionation using a polyhydric-alcohol-based deep eutectic solvent to directly obtain low-chromophore lignin for sunscreen production and digestible solid for outputting fermentable sugars.

Novel utilisation of seashell waste in lactic acid fermentation, showcasing fluorescent carbon quantum dots synthesised from cell biomass.

Enhancing the production of biochemicals from lignocellulosic biomass is one potential way to decrease society's dependence on fossil fuels.