Introduction to Key Laboratory of Jiangxi Province for Environment and Energy Catalysis

The Key Laboratory of Jiangxi Province for Environment and Energy Catalysis (hereinafter referred to as "Laboratory") was established in 2018 year, and was restructured and optimized in 2024 year. It is a provincial research platform relying on Nanchang University's key discipline of industrial catalysis, focusing on environmental protection and clean energy catalysis. The laboratory mainly addresses "environmental protection" and "energy transformation" these two major themes affecting human survival and development, and is committed to understanding catalytic reaction mechanisms, designing and optimizing efficient catalysts and related technologies, thereby promoting environmental protection and clean energy conversion processes. The laboratory construction emphasizes scientific research, achievement transformation, talent cultivation, and open exchange, aiming to form a Jiangxi Provincial Research Center for Environmental Protection and Energy Catalysis with a high-level leading role, creating a talent base suitable for cultivating talents that meet the strategic needs of Jiangxi Province's economic development. Centering on major national strategic needs, the laboratory combines fundamental research with engineering applications, and is committed to promoting the development of high-tech catalysis in our province and the transformation and application of its achievements, serving the value-added utilization of Jiangxi Province's advantageous resources, green environmental protection, and clean energy development.

The laboratory continuously conducts multiple research projects, mainly including the following directions:

(1) High-performance catalytic materials and technologies for environmental pollutant treatment: Developing practical catalysts for atmospheric pollutant treatment, such as catalytic elimination of soot particles, selective reduction of nitrogen oxides, and combustion of volatile organic compounds for pollutant purification catalysts.

(2) Key materials and technologies for clean energy conversion and storage: Committed to developing and optimizing energy conversion catalysts and related technologies, such as photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and photoelectrocatalysis conversion.

(3) Catalytic materials and technologies for high-value conversion of carbon resources: Converting C1 resources into useful chemicals or fuel, contributing to clean energy production and achieving the dual carbon goals, such as hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, methane, methanol reforming for hydrogen production, and oxidative coupling of methane to produce ethylene.

(4) Key catalytic materials and processes for green, low-waste fine chemical synthesis: Oriented toward fine chemical synthesis, developing and optimizing efficient catalysts, improving target product yields, and achieving environmentally friendly chemical processes, such as organosilicon synthesis, biomass-based green chemical synthesis, catalytic conversion of aromatics and alkynes, and asymmetric synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates.

The laboratory implements a director-responsibility system under the leadership of Nanchang University and "openness, mobility, cooperation, and competition" operating mechanism, with director 1, deputy directors 2, secretary 1, and research direction leaders 4. The management committee, composed of the director, deputy directors, and the main academic leaders of each research direction, is responsible for the daily management and operation of the laboratory according to the key laboratory regulations; domestic renowned scholars are invited to form an academic committee to guide the laboratory's research directions, review and supervise major academic activities and construction matters; an office is established to coordinate daily work and external opening of the laboratory.

The laboratory currently has 2200 square meters of laboratory space, with major instruments and equipment worth 2836 million yuan. The laboratory is fully open, with instrument and equipment resources shared externally, and conducts extensive close cooperation with domestic and international peers during operation. After the first phase of construction, the research level of industrial catalysis discipline at Nanchang University has been effectively improved, reaching an advanced domestic level as a whole, with some directions reaching international advanced levels. The Laboratory hosted the 11th National Conference on Preparation Science & Technology of Catalysts in China (2022) and the 4th National Conference on Science & Technology of Energy and Environment in China (2024). Its influence has further expanded both domestically and internationally, gaining peer recognition. Relying on the laboratory platform, with the industrial catalysis discipline as the main body, 2021 year the first-level doctoral program in Chemical Engineering and Technology was approved.