Industrial-scale Production Research Articles

Unveiling astaxanthin: biotechnological advances, delivery systems and versatile applications in nutraceuticals and cosmetics.

Astaxanthin (ASX), "king of carotenoids", is a xanthophyll carotenoid that is characterized by a distinct reddish-orange hue, procured from diverse sources including plants, microalgae, fungi, yeast, and lichens. It exhibits potent antioxidant and anti-ageing properties and has been demonstrated to mitigate ultraviolet-induced cellular and DNA damage, enhance immune system function, and improve cardiovascular diseases. Despite its broad utilization across nutraceutical, cosmetic, aquaculture, and pharmaceutical sectors, the large-scale production and application of ASX are constrained by the limited availability of natural sources, low production yields and stringent production requirements. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of ASX applications, emphasizing its dual roles in cosmetic and nutraceutical fields. It integrates insights into the qualitative differences of ASX from various natural sources and assesses biosynthetic pathways across organisms. Advanced biotechnological strategies for industrial-scale production are explored alongside innovative delivery systems, such as emulsions, films, microcapsules, nanoliposomes, and nanoparticles, designed to enhance ASX's bioavailability and functional efficacy. By unifying perspectives on its nutraceutical and cosmetic applications, this review highlights the challenges and advancements in formulation and commercialization. Prospective research directions for optimizing ASX's production and applications are also discussed, providing a roadmap for its future development.

Size-Controllable High-Entropy Alloys Toward Stable Hydrogen Production at Industrial-Scale Current Densities.

Efficient and stable electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at high current densities is highly desirable for industrial-scale hydrogen production, which is yet challenging, because of the electrocatalyst with short lifespans during the acidic HER process. Here, a controllable preparation technique is successfully developed to synthesize PdPtRuRhAu high-entropy alloys (HEAs) of various sizes, within the 3.14nm particles (HEA-3.14) demonstrating exceptional catalytic performance and stable hydrogen production at current densities of -500 and -1000 mA·cm-2 with negligible activity loss over 100h. Theoretical calculations indicate that the bridge adsorption site of Pd-Au serves as an ideal location for HER, with HEA-3.14 possessing the highest proportion of such sites, reaching 18.97%. To further analyze the thermodynamic stability of HEAs, an element-encoding machine learning model is developed from over 300000 preprocessed dataset of HEAs that achieving an impressively low RMSE of 58.6°C and a high R2 value of 0.98. By integrating thermodynamic modeling with machine learning methods, the melting point of the PdPtRuRhAu HEAs at 3.14nm (366°C) is predicted, which aligns well with the results obtained from differential scanning calorimetry tests. This work offers new insights and approaches for designing HEAs that reliably produce hydrogen at high current densities.

Recent advances in engineering non-native microorganisms for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a biodegradable polymer that belongs to a group of polymers called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). PHB can be synthesized from renewable resources, making it a promising alternative to petroleum-derived plastics. It is also considered non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible, which makes it suitable for various applications in the medicine and biomedicine. Many microorganisms biosynthesize and accumulate PHB naturally. However, recent advancements in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology have allowed scientists to engineer non-native microorganisms to produce PHB. This review comprehensively summarizes all non-native microbial hosts used for PHB biosynthesis and discusses different metabolic engineering approaches used to enhance PHB production. These strategies include optimizing the biosynthesis pathway through cofactor engineering, metabolic pathway reconstruction, and cell morphology engineering. Moreover, the CRISPR/Cas9 approach is also used for manipulating the genome of non-host microorganisms to enable them produce PHB. Among non-native microbial hosts, Escherichia coli has been successfully used for industrial-scale PHB production. However, further genetic engineering approaches are needed to make non-native microbial hosts more suitable for large-scale PHB production.

Life cycle comparison of industrial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling and mining supply chains

Recycling lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can supplement critical materials and improve the environmental sustainability of LIB supply chains. In this work, environmental impacts (greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, energy consumption) of industrial-scale production of battery-grade cathode materials from end-of-life LIBs are compared to those of conventional mining supply chains. Converting mixed-stream LIBs into battery-grade materials reduces environmental impacts by at least 58%. Recycling batteries to mixed metal products instead of discrete salts further reduces environmental impacts. Electricity consumption is identified as the principal contributor to all LIB recycling environmental impacts, and different electricity sources can change greenhouse gas emissions up to five times. Supply chain steps that precede refinement (material extraction and transport) contribute marginally to the environmental impacts of circular LIB supply chains (<4%), but are more significant in conventional supply chains (30%). This analysis provides insights for advancing sustainable LIB supply chains, and informs optimization of industrial-scale environmental impacts for emerging battery recycling efforts.

Engineering a high-throughput clone for industrial-scale production of long-acting GLP-1 analogue with retained bio-efficacy.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity are critical global health issues with rising incidence rates. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues have emerged as effective treatments due to their ability to regulate blood glucose levels and gastric emptying through central nervous signals involving hypothalamic receptors, such as leptin. To address the short plasma half-life of native GLP-1, a C-16 fatty acid was conjugated to lysine in the GLP-1 analogue sequence to enhance its longevity. This study focuses on engineering a high-throughput clone and evaluation of novel GLP-1 analogues with improved bio-efficacy and production yields. Five plasmid models were created using different N-terminal fusion partners and assessed for hydrophobicity, instability index, and isoelectric point. Three optimal plasmid models were selected based on high-valued hydrophobicity, solubility, and partial solubility. These plasmids were constructed with the pET24a vector, incorporating GLP-1 with fusion tags via recombinant DNA technology and transformed into E. coli BL21 DE3 hosts. The proteins were purified through enzyme digestion and chromatography, resulting in a high-yield peptide. The GLP-1 peptide was conjugated with in-house developed fatty acid compound n-Palmitoyl glutamic acid (n-PGA) and purified using C18 column chromatography, achieving a final product yield of 170-190 mg per liter of fermentation culture. Biological activity was confirmed by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) generation and 3 T3 cell differentiation assays, showing a 1.5-fold increase in mRNA gene expression with the clone having n-terminal hydrophobic amino acids, thioredoxin-modified tag, and enterokinase cleavage site, indicating high purity and biological potency of the GLP-1 analogue.

Enhanced production of recombinant calf chymosin in Kluyveromyces lactis via CRISPR-Cas9 engineering.

As an important industrial enzyme, chymosin has been widely used in cheese manufacturing. Fermentation with Kluyveromyces lactis has allowed recombinant chymosin production to fit the growing global demand for cheese consumption; yet improvements can be made to allow for stable and larger-scale production. In this work, various chymosin producing (CP) strains were constructed via targeted chromosomal integration of various copies of a prochymosin expression cassette (PEC) using a CRISPR-Cas9 platform optimized for K. lactis. It enabled the demonstration that chymosin yields could be increased along with gradual chromosomal accumulation of PEC inserts within up to 3 copies. Finally, an optimal CP3i strain was constructed, and with which high yields of recombinant chymosin were attained, reaching ca. 1,200 SU/mL in shake-flask fermentation and ca. 28,000 SU/mL in batch-mode bioreaction, respectively. The activity of the product in milk-curding was observed. These findings provide direction to apply K. lactis-based platforms in the subsequent industrial-scale production of recombinant chymosin.

Mild Temperature Thermal Treatments of Gold-Exfoliated Monolayer MoS2

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide is considered an extremely promising two-dimensional material for innovative electronics due to its direct bandgap and high charge-carrier mobility. The optical and electronic properties of monolayer MoS2 can, however, be strongly influenced by the specific synthesis route, posing challenges for industrial-scale production. In this study, we investigated the effects of moderate temperature thermal treatments under a controlled O2 atmosphere on the properties of monolayer MoS2 flakes. We found that the treatments can effectively tune the doping level of monolayer MoS2. Notably, 225 °C was identified as the optimal temperature for enhancing its optical emission properties. Our findings suggest that the removal of sulfur vacancies and impurities underlies these effects, demonstrating a promising approach for tuning the properties of monolayer MoS2 at mild temperatures.

Application of Biocatalysis in the Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds

Biocatalysis has emerged as a transformative technology in pharmaceutical synthesis, enabling efficient and sustainable production of chiral bioactive compounds. This review focuses on recent advancements in biocatalytic methods, highlighting key enzyme systems, such as ketoreductases, aminotransferases, and imine reductases, which facilitate the synthesis of chiral alcohols, amines, and other pharmaceutical intermediates with high enantiomeric purity. Directed evolution and protein engineering have significantly enhanced enzyme stability, activity, and substrate specificity, broadening their applications in industrial-scale drug production. For example, ketoreductases have been successfully applied in the synthesis of intermediates for drugs, such as enalapril and duloxetine, while engineered transaminases enable efficient production of sitagliptin. Beyond asymmetric reduction and transamination, advancements in C-H bond activation using enzymes like P450 monooxygenases and unspecific peroxygenases provide new opportunities for regioselective functionalization. Additionally, multienzyme cascade reactions and chemo-biocatalytic approaches integrate multiple catalytic steps into single processes, reducing reaction complexity and waste while enhancing efficiency. These innovations highlight the growing role of biocatalysis in green chemistry, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional chemical synthesis methods. As the field advances with contributions from bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and high-throughput techniques, biocatalysis is poised to drive further innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing, fostering environmentally friendly processes and scalable solutions for complex drug synthesis. This review underscores the critical impact of biocatalysis in shaping the future of sustainable chemistry and its pivotal role in addressing the growing demand for greener pharmaceutical technologies.

Optimizing Hydrogen Production in the Co-Gasification Process: Comparison of Explainable Regression Models Using Shapley Additive Explanations.

The co-gasification of biomass and plastic waste offers a promising solution for producing hydrogen-rich syngas, addressing the rising demand for cleaner energy. However, optimizing this complex process to maximize hydrogen yield remains challenging, particularly when balancing diverse feedstocks and improving process efficiency. While machine learning (ML) has shown significant potential in simulating and optimizing such processes, there is no clear consensus on the most effective regression models for co-gasification, especially with limited experimental data. Additionally, the interpretability of these models is a key concern. This study aims to bridge these gaps through two primary objectives: (1) modeling the co-gasification process using seven different ML algorithms, and (2) developing a framework for evaluating model interpretability, ultimately identifying the most suitable model for process optimization. A comprehensive set of experiments was conducted across three key dimensions, generalization ability, predictive accuracy, and interpretability, to thoroughly assess the models. Support Vector Regression (SVR) exhibited superior performance, achieving the highest coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.86. SVR outperformed other models in capturing non-linear dependencies and demonstrated effective overfitting mitigation. This study further highlights the limitations of other ML models, emphasizing the importance of regularization and hyperparameter tuning in improving model stability. By integrating Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) into model evaluation, this work is the first to provide detailed insights into feature importance and demonstrate the operational feasibility of ML models for industrial-scale hydrogen production in the co-gasification process. The findings contribute to the development of a robust framework for optimizing co-gasification, supporting the advancement of sustainable energy technologies and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Synthesis of chiral alcohol (S)-CHBE by co-immobilization of double enzymes based on organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflower.

The chiral alcohols (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxy-butyric acid ethyl ester ((S)-CHBE) is a critical intermediate in the synthesis of various active pharmaceutical ingredients. This study presents the first investigation of the efficient production of (S)-CHBE using organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (GDH-CR@HNFs) for the co-immobilization of glucose dehydrogenase (BsGDH) and carbonyl reductase (BsCR). By optimizing immobilization conditions, we significantly enhanced the catalytic activity and immobilization efficiency of the hybrid nanoflowers. The GDH-CR@HNFs exhibited superior catalytic performance compared to the free dual enzyme system, demonstrating a higher affinity for the substrate COBE (47-fold lower Km value), increased maximum reaction rate (Vmax), and improved catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km). Additionally, the GDH-CR@HNFs displayed enhanced temperature adaptability, pH stability, and storage stability. The GDH-CR@HNFs retained over 60% of their initial catalytic activity after 8cycles of reuse. The hydrophobic nature of the substrate COBE can lead to substrate inhibition of the free enzyme. However, GDH-CR@HNFs exhibited excellent substrate tolerance, maintaining a high conversion rate (65%) even at a substrate concentration of 200mM, significantly outperforming the free enzyme system (13.8% conversion rate). The hybrid nanoflower co-immobilization strategy offers a novel approach to addressing substrate and product inhibition issues in enzyme-catalyzed reactions, paving the way for the industrial production scale of (S)-CHBE.

Dynamic Reconstruction of Fluid Interface Manipulated by Fluid Balancing Agent for Scalable Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.

Laboratory-scale spin-coating techniques are widely employed for fabricating small-size, high-efficiency perovskite solar cells. However, achieving large-area, high-uniformity perovskite films and thus high-efficiency solar cell devices remain challenging due to the complex fluid dynamics and drying behaviors of perovskite precursor solutions during large-area fabrication processes. In this work, a high-quality, pinhole-free, large-area FAPbI3 perovskite film is successfully obtained via scalable blade-coating technology, assisted by a novel bidirectional Marangoni convection strategy. By incorporating methanol (MeOH) as a fluid balance agent, the direction of Marangoni convection is effectively regulated, mitigating the disordered motion of colloidal precursor particles during the printing process. As a result, champion power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 24.45% and 20.32% are achieved for small-area FAPbI3 devices (0.07cm2) and large-area modules (21cm2), respectively. Notably, under steady illumination, the device reached a stabilized PCE of 24.28%. Furthermore, the unencapsulated device exhibited remarkable operational stability, retaining 92.03% of its initial PCE after 1800h under ambient conditions (35±5% relative humidity, 30°C). To demonstrate the universality of this strategy, a blue perovskite light-emitting diode is fabricated, showing an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 14.78% and an electroluminescence wavelength (EL) of 494nm. This work provides a significant technique for advancing solution-processed, industrial-scale production of high-quality and stable perovskite films and solar cells.

Changes in Microbial Community Diversity and the Formation Mechanism of Flavor Metabolites in Industrial-Scale Spontaneous Fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines.

The key flavor compound formation pathways resulting from indigenous microorganisms during the spontaneous fermentation of wine have not been thoroughly described. In this study, high-throughput metagenomic sequencing and untargeted metabolomics were utilized to investigate the evolution of microbial and metabolite profiles during spontaneous fermentation in industrial-scale wine production and to elucidate the formation mechanisms of key flavor compounds. Metabolome analysis showed that the total amount of esters, fatty acids, organic acids, aldehydes, terpenes, flavonoids, and non-flavonoids increased gradually during fermentation. Enrichment analysis indicated that metabolic pathways related to the synthesis, decomposition, transformation, and utilization of sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids were involved in the formation of key flavor compounds in wine. Metagenomic analysis revealed that Saccharomyces, Hanseniaspora, Zygosaccharomyces, Wickerhamiella, Lactobacillus, and Fructobacillus were the dominant taxa during spontaneous fermentation. They were significantly positively correlated with organic acids, fatty acids, esters, phenols, aldehydes, terpenes, and phenols. In conclusion, this research provides new insights into the metabolic pathways of key flavor compounds formed by indigenous microorganisms during wine fermentation.

All‐Polymer Solid Desiccant With High Moisture Capture Capacity and Fast Sorption Kinetics

ABSTRACTDesiccants play crucial importance in both daily life and industrial production. The development of low‐cost and easy industrial scale production all‐polymer solid desiccants with high water adsorption capacity, low regeneration temperature, and fast sorption kinetics remains great challenges. Herein, we report a novel all‐polymer porous solid desiccant (APPSD) with high moisture capture capacity, low regeneration temperature, and fast sorption kinetics via a new zero‐waste, eco‐friendly, and easily scaled‐up process. The present APPSD could adsorb 0.8 g/g water vapor at 70% relative humidity (RH) within 1.5 h, and 1.9 g/g at 90% RH within 2.0 h at 25°C, exhibiting fast adsorption kinetics. The equilibrium moisture adsorptive capacity is as high as 2.16 g/g at 90% RH and 25°C, much higher than most reported solid polymer desiccants without hygroscopic salts under the same conditions. Amazingly, more than 92% of the absorbed water could be released at 40°C and 20% RH within 30 min, demonstrating extreme low regeneration temperature and high regeneration efficiency. Furthermore, almost no performance decline was observed during a 20‐cycle adsorption–desorption measurement, showing excellent recycling stability.

Heterologous and High Production of Ergothioneine in Bacillus licheniformis by Using Genes from Anaerobic Bacteria.

This study aimed to utilize genetically engineered Bacillus licheniformis for the production of ergothioneine (EGT). Given the value of EGT and the application of Bacillus licheniformis in enzyme preparation production, we cloned the key enzymes (EanA and EanB) from Chlorbium limicola. Through gene alignment, new ergothioneine synthase genes (EanAN and EanBN) were identified and then expressed in Bacillus licheniformis to construct strains. Additionally, we investigated the factors influencing the yield of EGT and made a comparison with Escherichia coli. The relevant genes were cloned and transferred into Bacillus licheniformis. Fermentation experiments were conducted under different conditions for yield analysis, and the stability of this bacterium was also evaluated simultaneously. The constructed strains were capable of producing EGT. Specifically, the yield of the EanANBN strain reached (643.8 ± 135) mg/L, and its stability was suitable for continuous production. Genetically engineered Bacillus licheniformis demonstrates potential in the industrial-scale production of EGT. Compared with Escherichia coli, it has advantages, thus opening up new possibilities for the application and market supply of EGT.

Collagen Hydrogel Tube Microbioreactors for Cell and Tissue Manufacturing.

The production of mammalian cells in large quantities is essential for various applications. However, scaling up cell culture using existing bioreactors poses significant technical challenges and high costs. To address this, we previously developed an innovative 3D culture system, known as the AlgTube cell culture system, for high-density cell cultivation. This system involves processing cells into microscale alginate hydrogel tubes, which are suspended in the culture medium within a vessel. These hydrogel tubes shield cells from hydrodynamic stress and maintain the cell mass below 400 µm in diameter, facilitating efficient mass transport and creating a favorable microenvironment for cell growth. Under optimized conditions, AlgTubes supported long-term culture with high cell viability, rapid expansion (1000-fold increase over 9 days per passage), and high yield (5×10⁸ cells/mL), offering significant advantages over conventional methods. Despite these benefits, AlgTubes have critical drawbacks. They are mechanically fragile, with frequent breakage during culture leading to cell leakage and production failures. Additionally, many cell types exhibit poor growth due to the inability to adhere to the alginate surface, making alginate hydrogel microtubes unsuitable for industrial-scale cell production. To overcome these challenges, we developed a novel collagen hydrogel tube-based microbioreactor system in this work. This system provides enhanced robustness and adhesion, enabling scalable, cost-effective, and efficient cell production for a wide range of applications.

Enhanced bacterial cellulose production by indigenous isolates: Insights from mutagenesis and evolutionary techniques.

Bacterial cellulose, with mechanical strength, high water absorption, and crystallinity, is used in eco-friendly packaging, wound dressings, and drug delivery systems. Despite its potential, industrial-scale production is limited by inefficiency and high costs, requiring high-yield strains and optimized growth conditions. This study found that indigenous isolates produce superior bacterial cellulose compared to standard strains. Using UV mutagenesis and Adaptive Laboratory Evolution (ALE), production efficiency increased over sixfold. Strains isolated from vinegar were screened and genetically tested, revealing a strain closely related (99.85 %) to Komagataeibacter sucrofermentans (NCBI code AJ007698). This strain, designated PP177480, achieved a productivity of 9.3 g/L, surpassing the standard strain's (K. xylinus PTCC 1734) yield of 1.31 g/L. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed larger nanopore sizes in the cellulose structure of the selected strain. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that bacterial cellulose from both strains is similar to cellulose I, with crystallite sizes of 25 nm for the selected strain and 12.9 nm for the standard strain. Crystallinity percentages were 62.45 % for the selected strain and 72.52 % for the standard strain, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed only a slight increase in the amorphous region of the selected strain.

Strategic choices in bioprocessing of L(+)Lactic acid: Homo-fermentative Lactobacilli monocultures with novel agro-residue combination enhances economic production.

Microbial fermentation of agro-industrial residues is gaining significant traction as a sustainable and economically viable approach in bioprocessing. This study explored lactic acid production from selected agro-industrial residues: pre-treated sugarcane waste, potato peel waste, or milk processing waste with alfalfa pellets using Lactobacilli strains of organic origin. Five homo-fermentative strains (VITJ1, VITJ2, VITJ3, VITJ4, and VITJ5) were assessed for compatibility and formed into 15 consortia. VITJ2 showed the highest individual production (147.1±0.26g/L at 48h) in MRS media. The combination of sugarcane waste and alfalfa pellets yielded the highest crude lactic acid production (9.1%) after 48h, suggesting its potential as a cost-competitive fermentation medium for industrial-scale lactic acid production. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the valorization of agro-industrial residues as feedstock for bioprocesses. Furthermore, it presents the novel concept of utilizing Lactobacilli consortia for lactic acid production.

Innovative submerged directed fermentation: Producing high molecular weight polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum.

Polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum (GLPs) exhibit unique bioactivity, but traditional cultivation yields low quantities and unstable quality, limiting their research and application. This study highlights how submerged fermentation processes enable the directed acquisition of structurally defined high molecular weight (MW) bioactive intracellular polysaccharides (IPS). The results showed that inoculation amount and fermentation scales had a significant effect on the content of high MW IPS. In the fermentor, by lowering the initial glucose concentration combined with fed-batch fermentation, the high MW IPS content was improved. The monosaccharide composition indicated that the high MW IPS obtained from different fermentation scales exhibited stability. This polysaccharide, which is a β-glucan with a β-1,3-Glcp backbone and β-1-Glcp attached at the O-6 position, demonstrated immunostimulatory effects in vitro. Overall, the consistent quality of GLPs during submerged fermentation underscores the feasibility of industrial-scale production, presenting a significant advancement over traditional cultivation methods and promising for biotechnological applications.

Spectroscopic analysis of Sri Lankan vein graphite, industrially purified using green and chemical approaches

Sri Lanka is well known for high-quality vein graphite, which can be exported with value addition at a higher price than the raw form to remain competitive in the global market. The present study aims at industrial scale production of Sri Lankan vein graphite above 99.9% purity level using ecofriendly and chemical methods. For the first time a novel mechanical floatation method was followed to purify vein graphite above 99% on mass scale. Acid leaching method was followed subsequently to remove most of the impurities from graphite at industrial scale as well. Subsequently, alkali-acid method was followed for further purification of graphite. The raw and treated graphite were subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis to verify any structural change resulting from the treatment process. XRD analysis showed that the crystalline structure of graphite has not significantly changed upon treatment. XPS and FTIR spectroscopic analysis also revealed that there is no apparent functional groups attached to graphite structure after treatment. SEM images demonstrated a flaky appearance of graphite without any clear changes in morphology even after the treatment with acids at commercial level quantitates. The results illustrated that combination of the flotation technique and chemical treatment allow graphite purification well above 99.9% carbon without significant structural changes.

Enhanced Charge Generation and Transport by Incorporating a Benzotriazole Unit for Low-Cost and High-Efficiency Organic Solar Cells.

The photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) has reached the threshold for industrial applications, but the cost of most high-performance organic photovoltaic molecules is too high to meet the needs of industrialization. Herein, two low-cost thiophene-alt-quinoxaline (TQ)-based polymers, PTQ16-10 and PTQ16-20, are designed and synthesized by incorporating a benzotriazole (BTA) unit into the PTQ10 backbone, with the consideration of expanding the chemical modifiability of PTQ10 and thus optimizing its photovoltaic properties. The incorporation of BTA induces improved light absorption, up-shifted energy levels, more orderly molecular π-π packing, enhanced molecular crystallinity, and better charge transport capacity of the two polymers. Consequently, PTQ16-10:K2-based OSCs achieve enhanced charge generation and transport with faster and more efficient hole transfer, suppressed carrier recombination, and higher charge mobilities, resulting in an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.83%. Meanwhile, by introducing the second acceptor K6 into the PTQ16-10:K2 host blend, the ternary device achieves an excellent PCE of 19.52%, which is among the highest PCEs of OSCs based on low-cost photovoltaic materials. More importantly, this device is highly cost-effective for industrial-scale production, with an estimated minimum sustainable price of only 0.377 $ Wp-1 (Wp = peak-Watt), which is appreciably lower than that of reported high-performance OSCs. This work offers a rational guide in the development of low-cost and high-performance organic photovoltaic molecules and suggests the great potential of PTQ16-10 in cost-effective OSCs for industrialization.