Themed collection 2026 Green Chemistry Reviews

This study proposes a comprehensive classification framework for flotation reagents, grounded in four key pillars: safer chemical profiles, biodegradability, sustainable raw materials, and green production.

Producing ethylene glycol from lignocellulose requires effective and affordable removal of contaminants. Which are the troublesome contaminants and how to deal with them?

This Perspective looks at the original 12 Principles: where they are after over a quarter of a century relative to the original vision by Anastas & Warner, and what changes are needed given the events that have taken place in the world since 1998.

The principles of green chemistry have profoundly influenced the field of synthetic chemistry by promoting the adoption of catalytic methodologies.

Batteries rely on significant quantities of chemical reagents throughout their supply chain, which contribute non-negligibly to the carbon footprint and production costs of battery cells.

The energy transition faces challenges towards a global resilient energy sector based on renewable energies. We discuss the requirements for the implementation of H₂−/CCUS-based large scale energy storage systems coupled with renewable energies.

Advancing SSbD requires an effective and efficient regulatory-based data strategy to improve data availability and quality for safety assessments and LCA; without it, new methods may merely become empty promises that avoid the real issue.

Schematic representation of electrocatalytic synthesis of amino acids from different nitrogen sources.

This review explores the advancements made toward sustainable practices in the field of additive manufacturing for electroanalysis.

Strategies for enhancing the yield of urea synthesis via C–N coupling via electrocatalysis.

The emerging area and challenges of electrochemical nitrogen oxide formation from dinitrogen and ammonia are reviewed.

We have the renewable feedstocks and the technology, but we are lacking societal support. How can we progress the defossilisation of fuels and chemicals?

The rational design of biomass-based polymers and multi-network architectures gives hydrogels exceptional strength, toughness, and sustainability for next-generation green applications.

Sodium-ion batteries have emerged as promising candidates for large-scale energy storage systems, where the cost and long-term stability of cathode materials are of paramount importance.

This review outlines recent advances in synthesis of amino acids from biomass-based and plastic feedstocks via heterogeneous catalysis, summarizes catalytic mechanisms, material design, and performance, and discusses challenges and opportunities.

This review summarizes advances in aqueous zinc–bromine static batteries, starting with structural design, operation principles, major challenges, and electrode material, electrolyte, separator, and current collector modification strategies.

Global plastic production exceeded 413.8 million tons annually by 2023, yet recycling rates remain below 10%, with over 90% of plastics transitioning to waste post-consumption, exacerbating resource depletion and environmental contamination.

Synthetic routes and functional properties of BPUs and their applications in flexible wearable mechanical sensing.

This review summarizes the synthesis strategies, characterization studies and photocatalytic applications of Cu single-atom-modified g-C₃N₄ photocatalysts.

Muconic acid occupies a pivotal position at the confluence of biology, chemistry, and industrial technology. Synthesis and polymerization of muconic acid hold promise advanced materials and applications.

Isocyanides are versatile building blocks in organic synthesis. This review highlights photochemical and electrochemical transformations of isocyanides, focusing on mechanistic paradigms, key reaction manifolds, and sustainable applications.

This review summarizes recent advances in lignin-derived single-atom catalysts, highlighting how lignin structure, pretreatment, and coordination chemistry control atomic dispersion, active-site evolution, and catalytic performance.

This review summarizes the recent advances in the construction of diverse chiral centers by means of electrochemical enabled cobalt catalyzed enantioselective C–H activations.

Photochemical skeletal editing has emerged as a sustainable strategy for molecular restructuring. This review highlights advances in light-driven C–C and C–heteroatom bond activation, enabling selective insertion, deletion, and transmutation.

Microbial production of PHAs and lactate-based biopolymers provides environmentally responsible alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and advances environmental sustainability.

Exploring innovative catalytic approaches and advanced storage processes for ammonia, with the aim to pave the way toward a sustainable hydrogen economy, leveraging ammonia's inimitable properties and addressing its inherent challenges.

The graphical abstract illustrates CO₂ hydrogenation via photothermal and thermal catalysis over noble and non-noble metal-modified CeO₂ to produce valuable chemicals.

The performance of activated carbon (AC) from biomass relies on the precise control of its pore structure.

This review explores the recent progress (2022–2025) in electrochemical deoxygenation and deoxyfunctionalization of various oxo-chemicals, highlighting their potential for C–C and C–X bond formation toward the synthesis of speciality chemicals.

This review summarizes recent advances in metal halide perovskite photocatalysts for the valorization of biomass derivatives, highlighting their potential to enable sustainable fine chemicals and fuels production.

To address polyethylene (PE) pollution, high-value upcycling technologies are essential. This review systematically examines multi-path approaches for waste PE.

This review presents the advances in the fabrication, properties, and applications of regenerated native chitin films (R-NCFs), and guides researchers to continuously develop “green” regenerated chitin materials and expand their applications.

PAPS and its precursor APS are central activated sulfur metabolites that link inorganic sulfate assimilation, and advances in their biosynthesis and regeneration enable the efficient and sustainable production of sulfated metabolites.

A literature review was conducted on the optimization of poly(hydroxyurethane) synthesis via cyclic carbonates aminolysis, with particular emphasis on structural effects, catalyst selection, and reaction conditions.

This review explores bio-based polyurethane (BPU) for flexible electronics. It details reactive and non-reactive modification strategies, covering applications in flexible sensors, energy storage, and packaging.

The paper aims to offer systematic guidance and innovative insights for the rational design of integrated systems encompassing renewable energy coupling, electrolytes, electrodes, membrane materials, and hydrogen storage solutions.

Eutectogels based on DES offer conductivity, biodegradability, adhesion, biocompatibility, and environmental stability. These properties enable diverse applications and highlight promising future research directions.

This review spotlights the defining achievements in the photoelectrochemical N₂-to-NH₃ revolution, which can provide a definitive roadmap to steer future research toward achieving momentous breakthroughs in next-generation NH₃ synthesis systems.

Tunable pyridinium catalysts with redox activity and Lewis acidity, facilitate photocatalytic oxidations, bond cleavages, and tandem transformations of diverse organic molecules via ROS generation and electron transfer.

Optional green pathways for silica aerogel preparation from agricultural waste, including silicon extraction, drying, and modification.

This review highlights tandem depolymerization-electrocatalysis for plastic upcycling. It outlines depolymerization to monomers and their subsequent electrocatalytic conversion to valued chemicals, providing a roadmap for effective waste management.

Comprehensively reviews HDS and emerging non-HDS methods, highlighting green strategies and future directions for ultra-clean diesel production.

Engineered microbes utilize natural and synthetic pathways to capture industrial CO₂ emissions. The assimilated carbon is transformed into bioplastics and biofuels, contributing to a cleaner and sustainable environment.

Recent advances in biomass conversion into chemicals, fuels and materials by chemoenzymatic cascades are summarized in this work.

This review provides a phenomenal framework to develop an efficient, green, and scaled-up singlet-oxygen-mediated photooxidative process through the integration of flow photoreactors, photocatalytic materials, an LED light source, and a solvent.

This critical review compares reactivity and sustainability of hypervalent iodine reactions under solution-phase vs. solid-phase conditions, representing a possible new era for hypervalent iodine chemistry under mechanochemical conditions.

Catalytic transesterification of glycerol with organic carbonates for glycerol carbonate production, including the catalyst-assisted reaction pathway, subsequent product separation processes, and downstream applications of glycerol carbonate.

Decarboxylative functionalization of N-arylglycines represents a powerful strategy for accessing valuable nitrogen-containing compounds.

Molecular simulation techniques have significantly advanced our understanding of cellulose dissolution mechanisms, providing atomic-level insights that are challenging to obtain experimentally.

This review covers the recent progress in synthesis and appications of itaconic acid-derived monomers and polymers obtained by (poly)condensation chemistry.

Lignin condensation reduces lignin reactivity, increases structural heterogeneity, and limits efficient valorization. Condensation inhibition strategies preserve key linkages, promote depolymerization, and enhance downstream utilization of lignin.

The strong intramolecular hydrogen bond of curcumin is broken by ionization and curcumin anions form a weaker intermolecular hydrogen bond, which is easily disrupted, making it easy to react with iodine and form a new strong halogen bond.

A novel “preparation-path-defined” principle resolves the ionic liquid/deep eutectic solvent classification controversy by identifying homologous heterogeneity.

This review highlights the electrochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into clean energy and value-added chemicals, with a specific focus on key future directions.

Electrocatalytic strategies for cleaving and transforming key chemical bonds in biomass into valuable products.

Plastic-to-hydrogen technology is applied to convert waste plastics into clean fuel via pyrolysis, gasification, reforming, and photo/electro methods, supporting waste management, sustainable energy generation, and circular economy development. Created with Biorender and Canva.

Based on a complete BSLA saturation mutagenesis library, this review shows how ionic liquids reshape enzyme solvation and performance. Preserving and modulating the hydration shell emerges as a key design principle for IL-tolerant biocatalysts.

Multifunctional one-pot catalysis enables the efficient conversion of biomass-derived sugars to FDCA, intensifying the process and supporting the sustainable production of bio-based PEF as a viable alternative to fossil-derived PET.

Sustainability has been a focal point of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), with several operation modes, is a powerful in situ spatially resolved analytical technique, playing an important role in studies of critical interfacial processes in energy devices.

How cellulose and perovskites can be combined to form a green next-generation solar cell.

With the finite nature of fossil resources, rising energy demands, and the environmental impact of conventional battery materials, the shift toward bio-based materials in energy storage systems has become crucial.