Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Crystallization plays a pivotal role in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. This Comment briefly reflects on past achievements and emerging opportunities in industrial crystallization, particularly considering increasing molecular and system complexities.
The existential threat posed by the climate crisis calls for urgent solutions to manage hard-to-abate and unavoidable CO2 emissions. This Comment shows, by example, the key role that scientists can play in launching pioneering pilot projects, leveraging their research, systems understanding and networks, and thus educating the next generation of climate innovators.
We explore the challenges and opportunities for electrochemical energy storage technologies that harvest active materials from their surroundings. Progress hinges on advances in chemical engineering science related to membrane design; control of mass transport, reaction kinetics and precipitation at electrified interfaces; and regulation of electrocrystallization of metals through substrate design.
Polyimide-derived carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes mark an important step for various current, key energy-intensive separations. The excellent separation performance combined with economical scalability make CMS membranes ready to enable energy-transition-focused gas separations.
Chemical engineering principles will continue to help scientists design and optimize new medical devices, treatments and modalities. This Comment reflects on historical developments and potential opportunities in medicine for chemical engineering.
Heterogeneous catalysis will continue to be a fundamental pillar of chemicals manufacturing. The development of sustainable catalytic technologies requires a multidimensional approach, bridging atomic-level design with planetary impact considerations. Prioritizing sustainability metrics, industry partnerships and circular economy principles as well as raising public awareness are crucial.
Opportunities and challenges in data-driven chemical engineering thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and molecular simulation are discussed, and new possibilities offered by machine learning in these areas are assessed. Examples suggest how integration of data science and molecular simulation can prove impactful for the future of chemical engineering.
The balance of ‘outside–in’ and ‘inside–out’ signaling is critical in tissue development and regeneration. This Comment highlights emerging strategies to engineer and manipulate this delicate equilibrium and fine-tune cellular responses using complementary tools in biomaterials design and synthetic biology.
