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Chemical Society Reviews
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High impact, accessible reviews from across the chemical sciences. For queries, contact [email protected]

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"How can thermoelectric coupling catalysis be applied to facilitate biomass conversion into value-added products and hydrogen?" by Hao Chang, Ao Xia, Junyi Ji, Qiang Liao & colleagues.

Read the full Tutorial Review here 👉
How can thermoelectric coupling catalysis be applied to facilitate biomass conversion into value-added products and hydrogen?
Biomass conversion into fuels and chemicals holds great promise for sustainable development, yet its efficient valorization remains hindered by the intrinsic complexity of polymeric structures and oxygen-rich functionalities. While thermocatalysis specializes in depolymerization and electrocatalysis enables precise
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January 27, 2026 at 9:20 AM
Interested in solid-state lithium batteries?

Check out "Tailoring grain boundaries of solid-state electrolytes for building better all-solid-state lithium batteries" by Yang Luo, Yuke Shen, Xiaofei Yang, Zhonghao Rao, Xueliang Sun and Xianfeng Li

Full review here 👉
Tailoring grain boundaries of solid-state electrolytes for building better all-solid-state lithium batteries
Grain boundaries (GBs), which are inherent and unavoidable microstructural features in polycrystalline materials, play a decisive role in determining the overall performance of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs). Although SSEs hold great promise for enabling safer and higher-energy-density all-solid-state lithium batt
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January 26, 2026 at 11:02 AM
Be sure to read "Halogen bonding in functional chiral systems" by Shuguo An and Pengyao Xing

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Halogen bonding in functional chiral systems
The halogen bond (XB) is a directional noncovalent interaction formed between a halogen atom acting as an electrophilic site and a Lewis base. In recent years, it has shown great potential in the design of functional chiral systems. Due to its tunable interaction strength and pronounced directionality, the XB is be
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January 25, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Out now in ChemSocRev!

"Designing rare-earth-based nanoalloys for advanced catalysis: trends, challenges, and perspectives" by Shuai Zhang, Yong Jiang, Jinyuan Zhao and Yaping Du

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Designing rare-earth-based nanoalloys for advanced catalysis: trends, challenges, and perspectives
In recent years, rare-earth (RE) elements have demonstrated tremendous potential in constructing high-performance catalytic materials, owing to their unique 4f electronic configurations and low electronegativity. Incorporating RE elements into metallic alloy systems not only effectively regulates the electronic str
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January 24, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Don't miss "Transient absorption spectroscopy: a mechanistic tool for triplet sensitizers and their applications" by Mushraf Hussain, Ahmed M. El-Zohry, Jianzhang Zhao, Katharine Moore Tibbetts and colleagues!

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Transient absorption spectroscopy: a mechanistic tool for triplet sensitizers and their applications
Transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) is a well-known technique used to study events that take place upon photoexcitation at short time scales (usually from femtoseconds to nanoseconds and up to milli-seconds) and involve processes such as electron transfer, energy transfer, intersystem crossing, isomerization, p
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January 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Interested in conjugated polymers?

Check out "Precise synthesis of conjugated polymers via reducing homocoupling defects" by Bowei Ma, Qinqin Shi and Hui Huang

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Precise synthesis of conjugated polymers via reducing homocoupling defects
In recent years, π-conjugated polymers (CPs) have garnered significant attention for their versatile applications in optoelectronics, energy storage, and sensing technologies. This heightened interest stems from their advantageous properties, including tunable energy levels, intrinsic flexibility, and solution proc
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January 22, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Be sure to read this new review by Jianyu Zhang, Zuping Xiong, Qingyang Xu, Jacky W. Y. Lam, Jing Zhi Sun, Haoke Zhang and Ben Zhong Tang

"Through-space interactions of optoelectronic materials"

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Through-space interactions of optoelectronic materials
In molecular science, theories based on covalent through-bond conjugation (TBC) serve as the foundational framework for designing efficient organic functional materials (OFMs). However, while TBC has been extensively established, through-space interaction (TSI) has recently emerged as an equally crucial electronic
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January 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Don't miss "Transfer and beyond: emerging strategies and trends in two-dimensional material device fabrication" by Ping Koy Lam, Xuezhi Ma, & colleagues!

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Transfer and beyond: emerging strategies and trends in two-dimensional material device fabrication
The field of two-dimensional (2D) materials has seen remarkable progress, driven by their exceptional electronic, optical, and mechanical properties. In addition to their intrinsic qualities, 2D materials are atomically thin and readily integrated with a wide range of devices, offering immense potential for next-ge
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January 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Learn more about organic thin-film transistors with this new Tutorial review by Shengyu Yu, Wei Deng, Xianshuo Wu, Yiwen Ren, Yidi Xie, Simin Sun, Lingjie Sun, Fangxu Yang, Hao-Li Zhang and Wenping Hu
Fully printed organic thin-film transistors: pathways to scalable, high-performance flexible electronics
The emergence of large-area electronics for the Internet of Things (IoT) necessitates the development of next-generation, lightweight, flexible, and energy-efficient devices. These devices demand high-throughput, low-cost production of reliable transistors and circuits seamlessly integrated into flexible sub
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January 19, 2026 at 4:00 PM
From our 2025 Pioneering Investigators collection...

"Advances in gold-catalyzed asymmetric alkyne functionalization" by Kewei Chen, Minghan Yao and Xinfang Xu

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Advances in gold-catalyzed asymmetric alkyne functionalization
Alkynes are indispensable chemical reagents in industry and academic laboratories, where they have been broadly exploited as practical building blocks in a wide array of synthetic methods by the incorporation of gold-catalysis under mild conditions. In the past two decades, remarkable progress in asymmetric alkyne
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January 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Check out "Dimensionally engineered MOF films for chemiresistive sensors" by Wei-Hua Deng, Ke Xiao, Zhibin Cheng, Chu-Long Liu, Shengchang Xiang and Gang Xu

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Dimensionally engineered MOF films for chemiresistive sensors
Accurate detection of trace gases is essential across a wide spectrum of fields, including smart home technologies, healthcare diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and public safety. Chemiresistive sensors have emerged as highly attractive platforms owing to their real-time response, portability, and non-c
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January 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Interested in small molecule helical emitters?

Learn more with this new review by Tadashi Mori

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Small molecule helical emitters
The development of materials exhibiting circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) is a key area of research for next-generation optical technologies, including 3D displays and secure communications. The central goal in this field is to create chiral emitters with a high luminescence dissymmetry (gCPL) factor, a measu
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January 16, 2026 at 11:00 AM
New #OpenAccess review in ChemSocRev!

"Quantum coherent dynamics in photosynthetic protein complexes" by Ajay Jha, Fulu Zheng, Zihui Liu, Shaul Mukamel, Michael Thorwart, R. J. Dwayne Miller and Hong-Guang Duan

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Quantum coherent dynamics in photosynthetic protein complexes
Since the birth of quantum mechanics, there has been a long fascination of the role of quantum effects in the evolution of biological systems, which has inspired decoding quantum coherence effects in photosynthetic systems. In photosynthetic complexes, the pigments do not exist in isolation; they interact with thei
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January 15, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Don't miss this new review by Li Wang, Yide Jiao, Hongjie Zhang, Yaqing Liu, Yujia Zhang, Peiyi Wu and Kai Xiao

"Neuromorphic iontronic devices based on soft ionic conductors"

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Neuromorphic iontronic devices based on soft ionic conductors
The human brain efficiently processes external information using ions as information carriers, inspiring the development of ionic brain-like intelligence. Central to such systems are neuromorphic iontronic devices (NIDs), including artificial axons, synapses, and neurons, which employ ions as charge carriers
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January 14, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Be sure to read "Recent advances in stable halide perovskite nanocrystals for optoelectronic devices, biological imaging, and X-ray detection" by Rongze Zhu, Xinyu Ge, Geyu Feng, Aifei Wang, Xiao-Chun Hang, Longfei Ruan, Zhengtao Deng & Wei Huang

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Recent advances in stable halide perovskite nanocrystals for optoelectronic devices, biological imaging, and X-ray detection
Halide perovskite nanocrystals (HPNCs) have excellent optoelectronic properties, but their applications are still limited by instability and lead toxicity. This review highlights significant advancements in enhancing the structural stability and photoelectrical properties of HPNCs through internal crystal st
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January 13, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Be sure to read "Chromium-activated phosphors: from theory to applications" by Shengqiang Liu, Leipeng Li, Bing Chen, Quanlin Liu and Feng Wang

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Chromium-activated phosphors: from theory to applications
The development of chromium-activated phosphors is essential for applications such as near-infrared (NIR) lighting and in vivo bioimaging. The intra-configurational transition within the 3d orbital of chromium ions, which is susceptible to the surrounding crystal environment, leads to remarkable luminescence tunabi
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January 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Out now in ChemSocRev!

"Chirality amplification in semiconductors for advanced optoelectronics" by Jaeyong Ahn, Wonbin Choi, Sang Hyuk Lee, Jonghyun Park, Seoyoung Kim, Inho Song and Joon Hak Oh

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Chirality amplification in semiconductors for advanced optoelectronics
Because circularly polarized light (CPL) uniquely carries spin-selective information, chiral optoelectronics offer a powerful platform for developing high-efficiency, spin-based optical devices and driving next-generation photonic technologies. Intrinsically chiral semiconductors can absorb or emit CPL throu
pubs.rsc.org
January 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Explore how legal frameworks affect organic research, with this new Tutorial review by Sophie Bianchi, Quentin Michel, Jean-Christophe M. Monbaliu and co!

From licensing to DURC, this review provides a comprehensive roadmap for EU chemists navigating modern legislation
Nemo censetur ignorare legem: what research chemists should know about the EU legal framework
Organic chemistry operates within its own intricate set of rules, governed by the strict principles of matter and physics, while law structures societal order through evolving legal frameworks. Both fields, though inherently distinct, converge. Organic chemistry seeks to solve societal challenges that law must regu
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January 10, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Don't miss "Symmetry breaking of single-atom catalysts in heterogeneous electrocatalysis: reactivity and configuration" by Bin Wu, Zuohuan Chen, Yifan Ye, Justin Zhu Yeow Seow, Daniel Mandler, Adrian Fisher, Dingsheng Wang, Shaojun Guo and Zhichuan J. Xu

Read it here 👉
Symmetry breaking of single-atom catalysts in heterogeneous electrocatalysis: reactivity and configuration - Chemical Society Reviews (RSC Publishing)
Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have emerged as transformative materials in heterogeneous electrocatalysis, yet their conventional symmetric coordination environments often yield suboptimal catalytic efficacy. This review systematically examines the deliberate disruption of local symmetry as a powerful design s
pubs.rsc.org
January 9, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Learn more about solid-state batteries with this new review by Tianpeng Huang, Yue Zheng, Deye Sun, Jun Ma, Pengxian Han and Guanglei Cui

"Multi-level structural modulation enables fast lithium-ion transport in inorganic solid-state batteries"

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Multi-level structural modulation enables fast lithium-ion transport in inorganic solid-state batteries
Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) are considered ideal candidates for the next-generation core technologies for development of clean energy storage and conversion systems owing to their inherent high energy density and exceptional safety. Nevertheless, the practical energy density, power character
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January 8, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Interested in fullerenes?

Check out "Constrained carbon bonding inside fullerene cages" by Yaoxiao Zhao, Mengyang Li, Wangqiang Shen, Kun Guo, Lipiao Bao and Xing Lu

Read the full review article here 👉
Constrained carbon bonding inside fullerene cages
Carbon is an incredibly versatile element and can form bonds via sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridization, forming diverse structures, which are responsible for the vast complexity and diversity of chemistry and biology. Therefore, understanding carbon bonding is crucial for comprehending the fundamental principles of
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January 7, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Be sure to read "Dynamic regulation of interfacial adhesion in biomedical hydrogels" by Hanjun Sun, Xinyu Qu, Qian Wang, Yuxin Guo and Xiaochen Dong

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Dynamic regulation of interfacial adhesion in biomedical hydrogels
Adhesive hydrogels represent a transformative technology in biomedicine due to their biocompatibility and multifunctionality. While extensive research has focused on improving their adhesion strength, the pursuit of long-term interfacial stability reveals a core conflict: strong adhesion often comes at the e
pubs.rsc.org
January 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Don't miss "Biomimetic liposomes in drug delivery: from design mechanisms to applications" by Zhi Li, Mengwen Li and Jianqin Lu

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Biomimetic liposomes in drug delivery: from design mechanisms to applications
Recent advancements in nanocarriers, particularly liposomes, have shown promising prospects for enhancing the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. However, liposome-based drug delivery systems are often constrained by high immunogenicity, poor targeting efficiency,
pubs.rsc.org
January 5, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Happy holidays from everyone in the ChemSocRev Editorial Office!

Thank you to all our authors, reviewers, readers and editors for their support in 2025

We'll be returning in the New Year to continue to showcase your highly impactful reviews from across the chemical sciences!
December 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Don't miss "Tailoring the dynamic nanocomposite hydrogels through surface-functionalized nanomaterials and interfacial crosslinking chemistry toward multifunctional biomedical and engineering applications" by Yi-Cheun Yeh & co.

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Tailoring the dynamic nanocomposite hydrogels through surface-functionalized nanomaterials and interfacial crosslinking chemistry toward multifunctional biomedical and engineering applications
Dynamic nanocomposite hydrogels (DNCHs) represent a cutting-edge class of materials characterized by their tunable architecture and stimuli-responsive behavior, making them particularly well-suited for applications that require mimicking the adaptive functionality of biological systems. A wide range of chemi
pubs.rsc.org
December 15, 2025 at 4:00 PM