As a novel class of catalytic materials, hollow nanoreactors offer new opportunities for improving catalytic performance owing to their higher controllability on molecular kinetic behavior. Nevertheless, to achieve controllable catalysis with specific purposes, the catalytic mechanism occurring inside hollow nanoreactors remains to be further understood. In this context, this Review presents a focused discussion about the basic concept of hollow nanoreactors, the underlying theory for hollow nanoreactor-driven kinetics, and the intrinsic correlation between key structural parameters of hollow nanoreactors and molecular kinetic behaviors. We aim to provide in-depth insights into understanding kinetics occurred within typical hollow nanoreactors. The perspectives proposed in this paper may contribute to the development of the fundamental theoretical framework of hollow nanoreactor-driven catalysis.

In recent years, electrocatalysis was progressively developed to facilitate the selective oxidation of biomass‐derived 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) towards the value‐added chemical 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Among reported electrocatalysts, alloy materials have demonstrated superior electrocatalytic properties due to their tunable electronic and geometric properties. However, a specific discussion of the potential impacts of alloy structures on the electrocatalytic HMF oxidation performance has not yet been presented in available Reviews. In this regard, this Review introduces the most recent perspectives on the alloy‐driven electrocatalysis for HMF oxidation towards FDCA, including oxidation mechanism, alloy nanostructure modulation, and external conditions control. Particularly, modulation strategies for electronic and geometric structures of alloy electrocatalysts have been discussed. Challenges and suggestions are also provided for the rational design of alloy electrocatalysts. The viewpoints presented herein are anticipated to potentially contribute to a further development of alloy‐driven electrocatalytic oxidation of HMF towards FDCA and to help boost a more sustainable and efficient biomass refining system.

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In this study, formic acid was selected as the catalyst to pretreat corn stover which is also a good substrate for biohydrogen and biogas production. The pretreatment effect and the acidogenic characteristic of hydrolysates were also evaluated. Using corn stover (8.00 g) mixed with 72.00 g of formic acid (2.5%) at temperature 190 °C for reaction time 10 min, 17.36 ± 0.80 g/L glucose, 18.13 ± 0.83 g/L xylose, 5.45 ± 0.25 g/L arabinose, 3.88 ± 0.17 g/L acetic acid, and 1.96 ± 0.07 g/L furfural were obtained in the hydrolysate. The kinetic parameters of the Saeman model were determined to predict the percentage of xylan remaining in the substrate and the xylose in the liquid. Two kinds of specific hydrolysates (the highest yield of total sugar and highest yield of furfural) in the following acidogenic fermentation experiments were examined. The results indicated that both of the hydrolysates were shown to be butyric acid type fermentation and got the highest VFAs concentration of 6.3 ± 0.48 g/L. Diluted formic acid had good catalytic effects on the hydrolysis of corn stover. The hydrolysates obtained from the pretreatment process could be used as good substrates for acidogenic fermentation process.

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