Industrial Feasibility Research Articles

High-rate and -yield continuous fluidized-bed bioconversion of glucose-to-gluconic acid for enhanced metal leaching

Continuous low-cost bulk biolixiviant production remains as one of the main challenges of heterotrophic bioleaching towards large scale application. This study aimed at developing non-aseptic Gluconobacter oxydans-amended fluidized-bed reactor (FBR) process for continuous production of gluconic acid for efficient leaching of rare earth elements (REEs) and base metals from spent nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries. In preliminary experiments, the FBR became contaminated and massively overgrown by air-borne fungus, Leptobacillium leptobactrum. In a series of batch bioassays, operational conditions were investigated to discourage the fungal activity i.e., an ecologically engineered niche for gluconic acid production. High gluconate concentration (≥100 g/l) and/or low pH (≤2.5) gave a selective preference for G. oxydans growth over L. leptobactrum and controlled the activity of possible contaminants during FBR continuous operation. The highest gluconic acid production rate of 390 g/l∙d with corresponding glucose-to-gluconic acid conversion yield of 94% was obtained at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 6.3 h and 380 g/l∙d glucose loading rate. Using the FBR effluents as leaching agents, respectively, total base metals and REEs leaching yields of up to 82% and 55% were achieved within 7 days at 1% (w/v) spent battery pulp density. The obtained glucose-to-gluconic acid conversion rates and yields were one of the highest reported for any glucose biotransformation process. The REE leaching yields were higher than those reported for similar high metal-grade REE secondary sources. The high-rate glucose-to-gluconic acid bioconversion in the non-aseptic system utilizing microbial ecology based FBR operation strategy rather than aseptic chemostats indicates industrial feasibility of gluconic acid production and thus, the applicability of heterotrophic bioleaching.

Effective hybridization ofSiO2microsphere and graphene with tannic acid interface modifier for fabrication of multifunctional natural rubber/graphene nanocomposites

AbstractNowadays, although highly conductive polymer composites filled with two‐dimensional graphene‐based nano‐fillers have been explored extensively, constructing nanocomposites with high performance, industrial feasibility, and more efficient conductive networks at lower nano‐filler contents remains a challenge. To achieve the above objectives, industrial wastes microsilica powder (N98) with amorphous spherical structure and large particle size is employed in this work. And the hybrids (TGN) are obtained between N98 and graphene (GE) by the effective bridging and interface coupling of tannic acid, which can achieve the purpose of obtaining conductive composites with low‐filler contents by traditional polymer processing technologies. The volume exclusion effect of N98 and its own assisted dispersion effect can prevent and attenuate graphene agglomeration, enabling the formation of a dense, complete and uniform conductive network in natural rubber (NR) matrix based on a small amount of graphene addition (parts per thousand). Thus, it give the nanocomposite highly functional, especially electric property. The results show that when the ratio of GE to N98 hybridization is 1:20, N98 and graphene are more uniformly hybridized together, and the volume exclusion effect is best matched with the rubber composites, and the comprehensive performance is optimal. Moreover, the electrical conductivity of NR/TG1N20nanocomposite can reach the balanced value of 10−3 S·cm−1with the GE loading of 0.48 phr, which shows the effectiveness of the prepared hybrids.

Construction of Clostridium tyrobutyricum strain and ionic membrane technology combination pattern for refinery final molasses recovery and butyric acid production.

Clostridium tyrobutyricum has considerable prospect in the production of organic acids. Globally, refinery final molasses is rich in sugar and reported to have high levels of accumulation and high emission costs, recognized as an excellent substrate for C. tyrobutyricum fermentation, but there is no suitable method available at present. In this study, an acid-base treatment combined with a new green membrane treatment technology - a dynamic ion-exchange membrane -was used to pretreat refinery final molasses, so that it could be used for C. tyrobutyricum to produce butyric acid. A high-performance liquid chromatography method was established to determine the conversion of a large amount of sucrose into fermentable sugars (71.88 g/L glucose and 38.06 g/L fructose) in the treated refinery final molasses. The process of sequential filtration with 3, 1, and 0.45 μm-pore diameter dynamic ion-exchange membranes could remove impurities, pigments, and harmful substances from the refinery final molasses, and retain the fermentable sugar. This means that refinery final molasses from the sugar industry could be utilized as a high-value by-product and used for the growth of C. tyrobutyricum, with industrial feasibility and economic competitiveness. Using the treated refinery final molasses as a carbon source, C. tyrobutyricum was screened by the method of adaptive evolution. The strain with butyric acid yielded 52.54 g/L, and the yield of the six carbon sugar was increased from 0.240 to 0.478 g/g. The results showed that combination of C. tyrobutyricum and ionic membrane technology broke through the bottleneck of its utilization of refinery final molasses. This study provided an innovative idea for the C. tyrobutyricum fermentation to produce butyric acid.

ANALISIS KELAYAKAN USAHA INDUSTRI TEMPE DI KECAMATAN TERUSAN NUNYAI KABUPATEN LAMPUNG TENGAH

This study aims to describe the business of the tempe industry, the financial feasibility of the tempe industry, and the sensitivity of the tempe industry in the Terusan Nunyai District, Central Lampung Regency. This research was conducted from December 2021 to September 2022. Sampling using sampling, namely taking several samples in a group and using a structured questionnaire as the main data collection tool to obtain specific information and the number of respondents was 3 industries . Data analysis uses financial analysis and sensitivity analysis. The results showed that the production process for the tempe home industry went through several stages, namely peeling, washing, boiling, fermenting, and packaging. The Tempe Industry in the Terusan Nunyai District which is currently being implemented is said to be financially feasible because based on the investment criteria it is above the maximum feasibility limit. This can be shown by the Net Present Value (NPV) of Rp. 125,786,982, Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 37%, Net B/C ratio with a value of 1.99, Break Even Point (BEP) that is for 4 years 7 months 1 day and Payback Period (PBP) for 4 months 20 days. The sensitivity analysis shows that the tempe home industry is proven to be insensitive to changes from an increase in raw material costs and a decrease in revenue of 4.5% for the tempe home industry. The result of these changes is that all investment criteria still meet the criteria, so that home industries are still feasible to run.

Life cycle assessment of deep-eutectic-solvent-assisted hydrothermal disintegration of microalgae for biodiesel and biogas co-production

A life-cycle assessment was carried out to evaluate the industrial feasibility of deep eutectic solvents (DES) for microalgae pretreatment. The effects of DES on hydrothermal disintegration (HTD) of microalgae for biodiesel and biogas co-production was assessed in terms of net energy ratio (NER, Energy input/Energy output) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Although the addition of DES during HTD increased the energy output by 36.33 %, the NER increased from 0.65 to 0.83 due to the larger increase in energy input. The increase in energy input is because DES synthesis consumed a lot of energy, accounting for 45.93 % of the total energy input. The addition of DES also increased the net GHG emissions from −25.53 g CO2-eq MJ−1 to 26.04 g CO2-eq MJ−1. It is essential to reduce the GHG emissions and energy consumption via DES recovery for commercial applications. When DES was recovered by a combined method of membrane filtration and recrystallization, a low NER of 0.58 along with negative net GHG emissions were achieved for microalgal biofuel production via DES-HTD.

Techno-Economic Assessment of APS-Based Poultry Feed Production with a Circular Biorefinery Process

Poultry livestock profitability significantly depends on feed, accounting for 60–70% of the total production cost, of which protein sources are among of the most expensive ingredients. The maintenance of profitability while meeting feed demand and reducing the environmental impact represents a considerable challenge driving research of alternative protein sources (APS), such as insects and algae meals. This study employs, for the first time, techno-economic assessment (TEA) methodology to evaluate the technological performance and the industrial feasibility of an APS-based poultry feed production method based on the valorization of the pre-treated organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) as a substrate for Hermetia illucens larval growth and microalgae cultivation. The Excel-based analysis, which evaluated the mass and energy balance as well as the income statement, was integrated with a thematic analysis focused on exploring how the overall value attributed to the sustainability concept is reflected in the willingness to adopt sustainable business models by entrepreneurs in the poultry sector. Despite the ability to generate revenues, the model cannot be said to be profitable for animal feed production due to the strong dependence of its profitability on scale economy logics. Enabling solutions could be derived from the recovery of abandoned infrastructures, government financial incentives, and integrated systems associating OFMSW treatment with poultry farming, thus resulting in marked economic sustainability and profitability: key elements from the poultry entrepreneurs’ point of view.

Stabilizing the Interphase in Cobalt‐Free, Ultrahigh‐Nickel Cathodes for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

AbstractHigh‐nickel layered oxide cathodes, such as LiNi1‐x‐yMnxCoyO2 (NMC) and LiNi1‐x‐yCoxAlyO2 (NCA), are at the forefront for implementation in high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries. The presence of cobalt in both cathode chemistries, however, largely deters their application due to fiscal and humanitarian issues affiliated with cobalt sourcing. Increasing the Ni content drives down the Co content, but introduces additional structural and electrochemical problems attributed to high‐Ni cathodes. Herein a dually modified cobalt‐free ultrahigh‐nickel cathode 0.02B‐LiNi0.99Mg0.01O2 (NBM) is presented with 1 mol% Mg and 2 mol% B that exhibits a high initial 1C discharge capacity of 210 mA h g−1 with a 20% capacity retention improvement over 500 cycles when benchmarked against LiNiO2 (LNO) in pouch full cell configurations with graphite anode. Postmortem analyses reveal the enhanced performance stems from reduced active lithium inventory loss and localized surface reactivity in the NBM cathode. The stabilized cathode‐electrolyte interphase subsequently reduces transition‐metal dissolution and ensuing chemical crossover to the graphite anode, which prevents further catalyzed parasitic reactions that harmfully passivate the anode surface. Altogether, this study aims to highlight the importance of electrode characterization and analysis from an interphasial viewpoint and to push the ongoing research to stabilize cobalt‐free ultrahigh‐Ni cathodes for industrial feasibility.

Tuning the oxidation state of SnOx and mass transport to enhance catholyte-free CO2-to-formate electrolysis

Efficient electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 to concentrated formate with facile CO2 mass transport can facilitate carbon neutrality with industrial feasibility.

Net-zero transition of the global chemical industry with CO2-feedstock by 2050: feasible yet challenging.

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) have been projected by the power and industrial sectors to play a vital role towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, we aim to explore the feasibility of a global chemical industry that fully relies on CO2 as its carbon source in 2050. We project the global annual CO2 demand as chemical feedstock to be 2.2-3.1 gigatonnes (Gt), well within the possible range of supply (5.2-13.9 Gt) from the power, cement, steel, and kraft pulp sectors. Hence, feedstock availability is not a constraint factor for the transition towards a fully CO2-based chemical industry on the global basis, with the exception of few regions that could face local supply shortages, such as the Middle East. We further conduct life cycle assessment to examine the environmental benefits on climate change and the trade-offs of particulate matter-related health impacts induced by carbon capture. We conclude that CO2 captured from solid biomass-fired power plants and kraft pulp mills in Europe would have the least environmental and health impacts, and that India and China should prioritize low-impact regional electricity supply before a large-scale deployment of CCUS. Finally, two bottom-up case studies of China and the Middle East illustrate how the total regional environmental and health impacts from carbon capture can be minimized by optimizing its supply sources and transport, requiring cross-sectoral cooperation and early planning of infrastructure. Overall, capture and utilization of unabatable industrial waste CO2 as chemical feedstock can be a feasible way for the net-zero transition of the industry, while concerted efforts are yet needed to build up the carbon-capture-and-utilization value chain around the world.

ВАРИАНТНОЕ ПРОЕКТИРОВАНИЕ ФУНДАМЕНТОВ ПРОМЫШЛЕННЫХ И ОБЩЕСТВЕННЫХ ЗДАНИЙ ДЛЯ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ГИДРОГЕОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ УСЛОВИЙ

The article considers the various foundation design for different regions of the Russian Federation. The calculation of the pile foundation was carried out taking into account the peculiarities of hydrogeological conditions in these regions for the multifunctional sport complex. The spatial frame modeling was performed using SCAD and Autodesk AutoCAD software packages. According the calculation S-5-30 5 m long with a section of 300x300 mm (by series) piles received for the Republic of Bashkortostan. For the Republic of Tatarstan: piles according to the S-3-30 series, 3 m long, with a section of 300x300 mm. According to the S-6-50 series, 6 m long, with a section of 500x500 mm piles are accepted for the Perm Territory. To define the price of building foundations, a local estimate calculation was composed based on bills of quantities. Based on the presented final price, it can be concluded that different categories of engineering and geological conditions complexity, imply additional activities in areas with more complex hydrogeological conditions. The cost of building the foundation for the Republic of Bashkortostan amounted to 93.711 million rubles, and turned out to be the largest in comparison with other regions, which is associated with a significant increase in the volume of work due to the installation of monolithic reinforced concrete belts. The authors noted, that analysis of engineering and geological conditions of the construction site is the determining factor in the choice of foundation structures for the designed building. The presented methodology allows to carry out a similar industrial and public buildings feasibility study in construction not only in the considered regions but throughout the Russian Federation.

Analisis Efisiensi Home Industry Keset di Desa Karangrejo Kecamatan Purwosari Kabupaten Pasuruan

The purpose of this study was to determine the income of the doormat home industry and the level of efficiency or business feasibility in the doormat home industry in Karangrejo Village, Purwosari District, Pasuruan Regency. This type of research is field research (field research). The method used in this study is a quantitative descriptive method of the amount of income and the level of efficiency of the doormat home industry in Karangrejo Village, Purwosari District, Pasuruan Regency. Data collection techniques in this study were questionnaires and interviews. The analytical technique used in this research is the micro approach with the income formula (π=TR-TC) and the business efficiency formula (R/C ratio). The results of this study indicate that; 1) The total net income of the doormat home industry in Karangrejo Village is Rp. 57,235,850, with an average income of Rp. 4,088,275; 2) The intermediate level of efficiency or business feasibility in the doormat home industry is 1,23. The doormat home industry in Karangrejo Village, Purwosari District, Pasuruan Regency, is classified as profitable and feasible to run so that in the future, it has good prospects for its development.

Влияние технологических параметров на качество травяного напитка из зеленой спаржи (Asparagus officinalis L.)

Green asparagus is widely consumed fresh due to its high nutritional value and a low calorie content. However, its short shelf-life due to a high water content causes high postharvest losses. In this study, we aimed to develop an innovative asparagus herbal drink to ease postharvest losses and diversify asparagus-derived products.
 We investigated the effects of process parameters on the quality of the herbal drink from green asparagus. In particular, we determined the optimal length and grinding size for asparagus and selected suitable blanching and drying methods. Analytical responses included the contents of total soluble solids, polyphenol, carbohydrates, and vitamin C, as well as the visual appearance of asparagus samples. 
 The length of 5 mm was found suitable for subsequent steps as it facilitated an increase in solute in the asparagus infusion. Microwave blanching and convective drying were selected to achieve high contents of total soluble solids, polyphenol, carbohydrates, and vitamin C in the asparagus infusion. Dried asparagus ground into 1.5–2.0 mm particles was packaged into tea bags. The asparagus infusion subjected to sensory evaluation had a yellowish color, a characteristic asparagus flavor, and a relatively sweet taste. Total soluble solids in the infusion amounted to 26%. 
 Our results showed a possibility of developing an asparagus herbal drink which could be a potent product in the commercial market. Therefore, further large-scale studies of the asparagus herbal drink should be carried out to enhance its feasibility in the food industry.

The integration of morphological design and topology optimization to enhance the visual quality of electricity pylons

Purpose: This paper aims to enhance the visual quality of artificial above-ground structures, like pylons, masts, and towers of infrastructures and facilities, through a systematic design method for their morphological and structural optimization.Design/methodology/approach: The method achieves the functional and aesthetic goals based on the application of computer-aided tools. In particular, this is achieved according to three key steps:• Morphological development of landscape-related symbolism, environment, or culture and social needs.• Topology optimization of the design concept to reduce the structural weight and its visual impact.• Engineering of the resulting optimized structure.Practical implications: As a case study, the method is used for designing electricity pylons for the coastal territory of a Mediterranean European country, such as Italy. Citizens were involved during the identification phase of a symbolic shape for the concept development and during the final assessment phase.Research limitations/implications: The engineering phase has been performed by assembling standard lattice components with welded connections. Even if the use of this truss-like structure should lead to a minimum cost, the developed structure employs an additional 15%–20% of trusses and sheet metal covers the final cost is higher than a standard lattice pylon.Findings: The result is a structure with enhanced visual quality according to the international guidelines and fully complying with mandatory and functional requirements, such as regulatory and industrial feasibility, as well as those arising from social components.Originality/value: The method shows its potential in defining a custom design for lightweight structures with enhanced visual quality regarding the critical situation discussed here. The method considers both the subjective perception of citizens and their priorities and the landscape where the structures will be installed.

Mediterranean Food Industry By-Products as a Novel Source of Phytochemicals with a Promising Role in Cancer Prevention.

The Mediterranean diet is recognized as a sustainable dietary approach with beneficial health effects. This is highly relevant, although the production of typical Mediterranean food, i.e., olive oil or wine, processed tomatoes and pomegranate products, generates significant amounts of waste. Ideally, this waste should be disposed in an appropriate, eco-friendly way. A number of scientific papers were published recently showing that these by-products can be exploited as a valuable source of biologically active components with health benefits, including anticancer effects. In this review, accordingly, we elaborate on such phytochemicals recovered from the food waste generated during the processing of vegetables and fruits, typical of the Mediterranean diet, with a focus on substances with anticancer activity. The molecular mechanisms of these phytochemicals, which might be included in supporting treatment and prevention of various types of cancer, are presented. The use of bioactive components from food waste may improve the economic feasibility and sustainability of the food processing industry in the Mediterranean region and can provide a new strategy to approach prevention of cancer.

Isobutanol production by combined in vivo and in vitro metabolic engineering

The production of the biofuel, isobutanol, in E. coli faces limitations due to alcohol toxicity, product inhibition, product recovery, and long-term industrial feasibility. Here we demonstrate an approach of combining both in vivo with in vitro metabolic engineering to produce isobutanol. The in vivo production of α-ketoisovalerate (KIV) was conducted through CRISPR mediated integration of the KIV pathway in bicistronic design (BCD) in E. coli and inhibition of competitive valine pathway using CRISPRi technology. The subsequent in vitro conversion to isobutanol was carried out with engineered enzymes for 2-ketoacid decarboxylase (KIVD) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). For the in vivo production of KIV and subsequent in vitro production of isobutanol, this two-step serial approach resulted in yields of 56% and 93%, productivities of 0.62 and 0.074 g L−1 h−1, and titers of 5.6 and 1.78 g L−1, respectively. Thus, this combined biosynthetic system can be used as a modular approach for producing important metabolites, like isobutanol, without the limitations associated with in vivo production using a consolidated bioprocess.

Characterization of nimodipine amorphous nanopowder prepared by quenching cooling combined with wet milling and spray drying

Currently, reducing particle size or preparing drugs into amorphous forms are widely used methods to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of insoluble drugs. The purpose of this study was to prepare nimodipine amorphous nanopowder (NMD-NAP) using nimodipine (NMD) as a model drug to increase the solubility and dissolution rate of insoluble drugs by the combined effect of reducing the particle size and preparing the drug into an amorphous form. The NMD-NAP was successfully prepared by quenching cooling combined with wet milling and spray drying. The prepared NMD-NAP was shown to have good redispersibility by particle size analysis. The shapeof NMD-NAP was characterized by SEM and AFM, showing a spherical or spheroidal structure. The results of PLM, DSC, XRD, and FT-IR indicated that the drug existed in an amorphous form. The dissolution study showed that the dissolution rate of NMD in NMD-NAP was improved about 5 times that of pure NMD and 3 times that of nimodipine nanocrystalline (NMD-NC), indicating the combination of nano size and amorphous form produced a synergistic effect that could significantly increase the dissolution rate of NMD. Due to the significantly improved solubility and good industrial feasibility of the prepared NMD-NAP, the preparation of insoluble drugs into amorphous nanopowders is an effective method to improve the solubility of insoluble drugs and has good application prospects.

A preliminary study on the feasibility of industrialization for n-caproic acid recovery from food wastewater: From lab to pilot

Food wastewater is associated with greenhouse gas emission and has a significant water footprint. Here, the platform chemical n-caproate was recovered from liquor brewing wastewater at maximum and mean concentrations of 26.4 g/L and 17.0 ± 4.3 g/L, respectively, after 377 d operation. Laboratory-scale lactate-driven chain elongation (CE) process was implemented first. Taxonomic composition and metagenomic data analyses revealed that Caproiciproducens (e.g., Ruminococcaceae bacterium CPB6) and bacteria affiliated with Lachnospiraceae transformed lactate to n-caproate by reverse β-oxidation and/or fatty acid biosynthesis. The lactate-driven CE process was then scaled up from 2.5 L to 500 L and achieved a n-caproate production of 14.5 ± 0.6 g/L within 96 h. n-Caproic acid was extracted at a concentration and purity of 815.9 ± 8.3 g/L and 88.6 ± 8.9 %, respectively. The present study demonstrated a commercially viable strategy for resource recovery and carbon fixation from food waste streams.

Challenges and perspectives of the Industry 4.0 technologies within the last-mile and first-mile reverse logistics: A systematic literature review

The circular economy (CE) and supply chain management (SCM) paradigms were already synthetized within the concept of circular supply chain (CSC) but, recently, also Industry 4.0 has been identified as a disruptive factor in the field of CSC and as key for shifting toward sustainability. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the current contribution of Industry 4.0 technologies in logistics, with a focus in last and first mile activities.The study proposes a three-step methodological approach which includes bibliometric, network and content analyses has been adopted to systematically analyze the scientific literature and to investigate the evolving trends, challenges and perspectives within the last-mile and first-mile reverse logistics research field. From a managerial perspective, this study provides an overview of the potential associated with Industry 4.0 solutions adopted within the logistics management, focusing on interdependencies, possible trade-offs, and less understood pathways. The study has outlined that several gaps still remain present and future research developments should be addressed in this research field starting from in identifying critical points for the simultaneous management of last-mile and first-mile reverse logistics operations and evaluating economic feasibility of Industry 4.0 adoption. This study also provided feedbacks related to support define new business model in order to respond to new requirements deriving from the implementation of circular economy and Industry 4.0 paradigms.

Pilot Scale for Production and Purification of Lactic Acid from Ceratonia siliqua L. (Carob) Bagasse

The bioconversion of lignocellulose and organic waste bagasse to lactic acid (LA) is an important alternative process requiring valorization as a potentially viable method in the production of pure LA, to be utilized for various purposes. Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) biomass was used for the production of LA, using a thermophilic Bacillus coagulans isolate, cultivated in a batch pilot scale of 35 L fermenters without yeast extract supplementation, and operated for 50 h. During the fermentation process, most of the degradable sugar was consumed within 35 h and resulted in the production of 46.9 g/L LA, with a calculated LA yield of 0.72 g/g sugars and productivity at the log phase of 1.69 g/L/h. The use of LA for different industrial applications requires high purity; therefore, a downstream process (DSP) consisting of different purification stages was used, enabling us to reach up to 99.9% (w/w) product purity, which indicates that the process was very effective. The overall almost pure L-LA yield of the DSP was 56%, which indicates that a considerable amount of LA (46%) was lost during the different DSP stages. This is the first study in which carob biomass bagasse has been tested on a pilot scale for LA production, showing the industrial feasibility of the fermentation process.

Rational highly dispersed ruthenium for reductive catalytic fractionation of lignocellulose

Producing monomeric phenols from lignin biopolymer depolymerization in a detachable and efficient manner comes under the spotlight on the fullest utilization of sustainable lignocellulosic biomass. Here, we report a low-loaded and highly dispersed Ru anchored on a chitosan-derived N-doped carbon catalyst (RuN/ZnO/C), which exhibits outstanding performance in the reductive catalytic fractionation of lignocellulose. Nearly theoretical maximum yields of phenolic monomers from lignin are achieved, corresponding to TON as 431 molphenols molRu−1, 20 times higher than that from commercial Ru/C catalyst; high selectivity toward propyl end-chained guaiacol and syringol allow them to be readily purified. The RCF leave high retention of (hemi)cellulose amenable to enzymatic hydrolysis due to the successful breakdown of biomass recalcitrance. The RuN/ZnO/C catalyst shows good stability in recycling experiments as well as after a harsh hydrothermal treatment, benefiting from the coordination of Ru species with N atoms. Characterizations of the RuN/ZnO/C imply a transformation from Ru single atoms to nanoclusters under current reaction conditions. Time-course experiment, as well as reactivity screening of a series of lignin model compounds, offer insight into the mechanism of current RCF over RuN/ZnO/C. This work opens a new opportunity for achieving the valuable aromatic products from lignin and promoting the industrial economic feasibility of lignocellulosic biomass.