Latest News
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UCAS Adds Another Discipline to ESI Global Top 0.1%
According to the latest Essential Science Indicators (ESI) in January 2025, UCAS ranks 16th globally in overall ranking and continues to maintain its position as the top university in the Mainland of China. The “Social Sciences, General” discipline of UCAS has, for the first time, entered the global top 0.1% ESI discipline rankings, marking a new milestone.
As of now, 7 disciplines of UCAS have entered ESI top 0.01%, ranking 1st among the Chinese mainland universities.
14 disciplines of UCAS have entered ESI top 0.1%, ranking 2nd among the Chinese mainland universities.
22 disciplines of UCAS have entered ESI top 1%, ranking 1st among the Chinese mainland universities.
ESI by Clarivate Analytics is one of the important tools widely used worldwide to evaluate the international academic level and influence of universities, academic institutions, countries, and regions. The statistical data of ESI is updated every two months. ESI categorizes all disciplines into 22 professional fields, assesses scientific research performance and tracks disciplinary development trends through citation analysis.
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The international students of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences have an in-depth experience of “Study in Beijing” and telling the story of China
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Research News
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Groundbreaking Catalysts Pave the Way for Sustainable Hydrogen Production and Zero-Carbon Future
Hydrogen energy is widely regarded as the cornerstone of a sustainable global energy system, playing a crucial role in achieving carbon neutrality and combating climate change. In a significant leap towards this vision, a collaborating team led by Prof. ZHOU Wu from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. MA Ding of Peking University have made breakthrough advancements in clean, efficient, and cost-effective hydrogen production. These complementary innovations not only set new benchmarks for hydrogen production stability and efficiency but also promise zero-carbon emissions. Their remarkable findings were published on February 13th and 14th in the prestigious journals Nature and Science, respectively, marking a milestone in the field of sustainable energy technology.
One of the breakthroughs, featured in Nature under the title “Shielding Pt/γ-Mo₂N by Inert Nano-overlays Enables Stable H₂ Production,” addresses the long-standing challenge of catalyst durability. In traditional hydrogen production methods, catalysts with high activity often suffer from rapid degradation, significantly limiting their industrial viability. To overcome this, the research team ingeniously introduced a novel stabilization strategy by partially shielding the Pt/γ-Mo₂N catalyst surface with inert rare earth oxide nano-layers. This "protective nano-shield" precisely preserves the active catalytic interface without compromising its intrinsic high activity. The rare earth-modified catalyst demonstrated exceptional stability, sustaining hydrogen production for over 1000 hours without noticeable degradation (Figure 1). Furthermore, each platinum atom in the catalyst could catalyze the formation of 15 million hydrogen molecules, setting a new record in the field of methanol steam reforming (MSR) for hydrogen production.
This innovative approach not only enhances catalyst longevity but also significantly reduces the cost of hydrogen production, paving the way for large-scale industrial applications in green energy, hydrogen fuel cells, and sustainable chemical industries. The broad applicability of this method, extending beyond rare earth elements to other inert oxides, opens new avenues for designing high-performance catalysts with both high activity and exceptional stability.
Complementing this advancement, the second breakthrough published in Science under the title “Thermal Catalytic Reforming for Hydrogen Production with Zero CO₂ Emission” introduces a pioneering strategy for zero-carbon hydrogen production using a brand-new catalytic pathway. Currently, approximately 96% of global hydrogen production relies on fossil fuels, emitting 9-12 tons of CO₂ per ton of hydrogen. This stark contradiction with global carbon reduction goals underscores the urgent need for truly green hydrogen production technologies.
To address these challenges, the research team has developed a novel PtIr/α-MoC bimetallic catalyst to selectively convert ethanol and water into hydrogen and acetic acid, with zero CO2 emission (Figure 2). This novel catalytic pathway allows for high-yield hydrogen production at a relatively mild condition of just 270°C while co-producing high-value acetic acid. Unlike traditional reforming methods, this process eliminates direct CO₂ emissions at the source, converting carbon atoms into liquid chemical products with high economic value, effectively addressing the dual challenges of energy efficiency and carbon neutrality. The key to this breakthrough lies in the Pt/Ir dual-metal α-MoC catalyst, achieved by atomic-level precision catalyst design and interface engineering. By optimizing the interaction between the atomically dispersed Pt/Ir species and the α-MoC support, the catalyst achieves a highly selective partial reforming pathway, efficiently breaking down ethanol without the release of CO₂.
This green hydrogen-co-production technology demonstrates substantial economic potential. For each ton of ethanol used, approximately 1.3 tons of acetic acid can be co-produced, meeting the rising global demand for acetic acid, which exceeds 15 million tons annually. Moreover, this new process reduces carbon emissions by 62% compared to conventional petrochemical methods, establishing a sustainable “hydrogen production-carbon storage-chemical co-production” closed-loop system.
These two complementary breakthroughs represent a significant stride towards zero-carbon hydrogen production and the realization of a sustainable energy ecosystem. The rare earth-modified catalysts provide an economical, long-lasting solution for industrial hydrogen production, while the zero-CO₂ emission reforming technology establishes a new paradigm for green hydrogen and chemical co-production. These innovations are expected to revolutionize the hydrogen energy industry, supporting the transition to a low-carbon energy system and contributing to global carbon neutrality goals. Their impact extends beyond hydrogen production to broader applications in green chemistry, sustainable manufacturing, and renewable energy storage. As the world advances towards a carbon-neutral future, these groundbreaking technologies stand at the forefront, driving the evolution of a sustainable hydrogen economy. With ongoing research and potential industrial scaling, these pioneering solutions will play a critical role in building a zero-emission energy landscape.
Article online:
Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08483-w
Science: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt0682
Research group website:
http://zhouwu.ucas.ac.cn/
Figure 1. Structural analysis and catalytic performance of the Pt/La-Mo₂N catalyst for highly stable hydrogen production via methanol-reforming.
Figure 2. Structure and catalytic performance of the PtIr/α-MoC catalyst that enables the new zero-carbon hydrogen production pathway.
Read more:
Xinhua: Breakthrough in Catalyst Technology Enables Long-lasting Hydrogen Production
China Daily: Major finding made in catalytic H2 production
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Breakthrough in Catalyst Technology Enables Long-lasting Hydrogen Production
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Major finding made in catalytic H2 production
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Prophylactic Vaccine Holds the Promise of Broad Cancer Prevention
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