This study reports on self-aggregating injectable microcrystals for administering long-acting drug implants via low-profile needles, a key factor in patient adoption. Microcrystal self-aggregation is engineered through a solvent exchange process to form depots with minimal polymer excipient, demonstrating enhanced long-term release of a model contraceptive drug in rodents.

A critical necessity of electrochemical catalysts and reactions is that they demonstrate stable operation over time, but what defines something as stable or unstable? This Perspective discusses the complexities of stability in CO₂ electrolysis, calling for a re-evaluation and redefinition of stability as a performance metric.

Understanding adsorbate-induced phenomena and leveraging them in the design of improved catalysts presents an exciting challenge that is only beginning to be addressed. This Review explores how cutting-edge computations, combined with in situ and operando experiments, can unravel the dynamic interplay between adsorbates and catalysts, and how these interactions can be used for rational catalyst design.

As part of the March Focus issue of Nature Chemical Engineering, we asked 13 leading researchers to spotlight a challenge or opportunity in reaction engineering that they believe holds particular promise for advancing this core area of chemical engineering research and practice.

Enzymatic recycling is an emerging technology to circularize the ubiquitous polyester poly(ethylene terephthalate). Here the authors evaluate and implement multiple process changes to improve the scalability and viability of this recycling technology. Process modeling demonstrates that these changes could enable cost competitiveness and greatly reduce overall life cycle impacts.

The synthesis of chemicals through power-to-x economics is critical to achieve net zero goals, but is limited by the challenge of designing processes powered by intermittent renewable energy. Here the true cost of utilizing intermittent energy is assessed and the economic drivers for energy curtailment are revealed.

Atom-thin graphene membranes for gas separation face scale-up challenges. The authors introduce scalable and reproducible approaches that simplify the fabrication of atom-thin porous graphene membranes, achieving membrane areas up to 50 cm² with promising performance for point-source carbon capture.

This study reports positively charged membranes with ultrahigh charge densities and tunable water content. These membranes exhibit enhanced ionic conductivity and counter-ion/co-ion selectivity compared with commercially available alternatives, enabling energy-efficient brine concentration via electrodialysis.

This study reports on self-aggregating injectable microcrystals for administering long-acting drug implants via low-profile needles, a key factor in patient adoption. Microcrystal self-aggregation is engineered through a solvent exchange process to form depots with minimal polymer excipient, demonstrating enhanced long-term release of a model contraceptive drug in rodents.

Biomolecular condensates have emerged as a promising strategy to control metabolic reactions in living cells. Here the authors use mathematical modeling to uncover the key physical parameters that govern the outcomes of metabolic reactions modulated by condensates. These governing principles are then demonstrated experimentally by modulating the biosynthesis of metabolites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The chemical engineering field stands at a pivotal moment of transformation, driven in part by the convergence of process automation, robotics and artificial intelligence into self-driving laboratories (SDLs) to accelerate scientific discoveries. This Comment explores how process intensification principles can guide the development of SDLs to accelerate innovation while ensuring efficient use of resources across the multiscale chemical domain.

Membrane-based separations are a cornerstone of modern chemical engineering. This Editorial reiterates our interest in all aspects of the topic, highlighting some recent contributions in this issue of Nature Chemical Engineering.