Publications — Jack Lab Research for Energy and Environment

Published Research Articles

19.‍ ‍Young, K., & Jack, J. (2026). Artificial Intelligence-Driven Design and Optimization Opportunities in Bio-electrocatalytic CO2 Conversion Systems. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering.

18.‍ ‍Yang, J., & Jack, J. (2026). Unlocking chain-elongating microbiomes for highly selective food waste conversion into caproic acid using a single-stage electro-fermentation technique. ACS ES&T Engineering.

17.‍ ‍Klein, M., & Jack, J. (2026). Non-thermal plasma upgrading of humidified CO2 into syngas in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor: tuning H2/CO ratios via specific energy input and gas flow rate.‍ ‍Energy Advances.

16. Young, K., Kochanek, S., Silveira, G., & Jack, J. (2025). Will Biohybrid or Tandem CO2 Electrolysis Prevail? Chem Catalysis.

15. Kim K., & Jack, J. (2025). Delineating Catalyst Deactivation Mechanisms in Electrocatalytic Glycerol Oxidation toward Biodiesel Wastewater/CO2 Co-valorization. Environmental Science & Technology. [Selected as Featured Journal Cover].

14. Gupta, P., Singh, M., Noori, M. T., & Jack, J. (2024). Microbial Photo Electrosynthesis for Efficient CO2 Conversion using MXenes: Materials, Mechanisms, and Applications. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 113063.

13. Jack, J. (*corresponding author), Weber, A., Bolzman, S., & McCord, S. (2024). Electrified CO2 valorization in emerging nanotechnologies: A technical analysis of gas feedstock purity and nanomaterials in electrocatalytic and bio-electrocatalytic CO2 conversion. Environmental Science: Nano, 2024, 11, 1770 - 1783. [Selected Front Cover Article, RSC Outstanding Paper in Environmental Science].

12. Zhu, X., Jack, J. (*equal first author), Leininger A., Tsesmetzis, N., & Ren, Z. J. (2022). Syngas-mediated microbial electrosynthesis for CO2 to acetate conversion using Clostridium ljungdahlii.Resources, Conversation, and Recycling. 184, 106395.

11. Jack, J., Fu H., Hyster T., & Ren, Z. J. (2022). Cell-free CO2 valorization to C6 pharmaceutical precursors via a novel electroenzymatic process. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 10(13), 4114-4121.

10. Jack, J., Zhu, W., Avalos, J. L., Gong, J., & Ren, Z. J. (2021). Anode co-valorization for scalable and sustainable electrolysis. Green Chemistry.

9.Jack. J., & Ren, Z. J. (2021). Metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) photoelectrodes: distance improves performance.National Science Review, Volume 8, Issue 8, August 2021, nwab089.

8. Zhu, X., Jack, J., Bian, Y., Chen, X., Tsesmetzis, N., & Ren, Z. J. (2021). Electrocatalytic Membranes for Tunable Syngas Production and High-Efficiency Delivery to Biocompatible Electrolytes. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 9(17), 6012-6022.

7. Lo, J., Humphreys, J. R., Jack, J., Urban, C., Magnusson, L., Xiong, W., ... & Maness, P. C. (2020). The Metabolism of Clostridium ljungdahlii in Phosphotransacetylase Negative Strains and Development of an Ethanologenic Strain. Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology, 8.

6.Jack, J., Lo, J., Donohue, B., Maness, P. C., & Ren, Z. J. (2020). High rate CO2 valorization to organics via CO mediated silica nanoparticle enhanced fermentation. Applied Energy, 279, 115725.

5.Jack, J., Park, E., Maness, P. C., Huang, S., Zhang, W., & Ren, Z. J. (2020). Selective ligand modification of cobalt porphyrins for carbon dioxide electrolysis: Generation of a renewable H2/CO feedstock for downstream catalytic hydrogenation. Inorganica Chimica Acta, 119594.

4. Park, E., Jack, J. (*equal first author), Hu, Y., Wan, S., Huang, S., Jin, Y., ... & Zhang, W. (2020). Covalent organic framework-supported platinum nanoparticles as efficient electrocatalysts for water reduction. Nanoscale, 12(4), 2596-2602.

3.Jack, J., Lo, J., Maness, P. C., & Ren, Z. J. (2019). Directing Clostridium ljungdahlii fermentation products via hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio in syngas. Biomass and Bioenergy, 124, 95-101.

2. Jack, J., Huggins, T. M., Huang, Y., Fang, Y., & Ren, Z. J. (2019). Production of magnetic biochar from waste-derived fungal biomass for phosphorus removal and recovery. Journal of Cleaner Production, 224, 100-106.

1. Castro, C. J., Srinivasan, V., Jack, J., & Butler, C. S. (2016). Decentralized wastewater treatment using a bioelectrochemical system to produce methane and electricity. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 6(4), 613-621.

Keywords: Electro-fermentation, food waste valorization, microbial chain elongation, sustainable fuels and chemicals

18.Yang, J., & Jack, J. (2026). Unlocking chain-elongating microbiomes for highly selective food waste conversion into caproic acid using a single-stage electro-fermentation technique. ACS ES&T Engineering.

Keywords: Non-thermal plasma, electrified CO2 valorization, electron energy distribution modeling, sustainable chemical synthesis

17. Klein, M., & Jack, J. (2026). Non-thermal plasma upgrading of humidified CO2 into syngas in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor: tuning H2/CO ratios via specific energy input and gas flow rate. Energy Advances.

Keywords: Electrified CO2 valorization, tandem catalysis, biohybrid systems, sustainable fuels and chemicals

16. Young, K., Kochanek, S., Silveira, G., & Jack, J. (2025). Will Biohybrid or Tandem CO2 Electrolysis Prevail? Chem Catalysis.

Keywords: Electrooxidation, catalyst stability, industrial wastewater, CO2 valorization

15. Kim, K., & Jack, J. (2025). Delineating Catalyst Deactivation Mechanisms in Electrocatalytic Glycerol Oxidation toward Biodiesel Wastewater/CO2 Co-valorization. *Environmental Science & Technology. [**Featured Supplementary Journal Cove*r]

14. Gupta, P., Singh, M., Noori, M. T., & Jack, J. (2024). Microbial Photo Electrosynthesis for Efficient CO2 Conversion using MXenes: Materials, Mechanisms, and Applications. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 113063.

Keywords: CO2 valorization, photo-electrochemistry, nanomaterials, microbial electrosynthesis

13. Jack, J. (corresponding author), Weber, A., Bolzman, S., & McCord, S. (2024). Electrified CO2 valorization in emerging nanotechnologies: A technical analysis of gas feedstock purity and nanomaterials in electrocatalytic and bio-electrocatalytic CO2 conversion. Environmental Science: Nano*, 2024, 11, 1770 - 1783. [Invited Special Theme Collection, Selected Front Cover Article].

Keywords: Nanomaterials, Electrified CO2 valorization, electrochemical CO2 conversion, microbial electrosynthesis. Waste CO2 streams

12. Zhu, X., Jack, J. (equal first author), Leininger A., Tsesmetzis, N., & Ren, Z. J. (2022). Syngas mediated microbial electrosynthesis for CO2 to acetate conversion using Clostridium ljungdahlii. Resources, Conversation, and Recycling*. 184, 106395.

Keywords: Sustainable fuels, CO2 valorization, electrochemical syngas generation, syngas fermentation, microbial electrosynthesis

11. Jack, J., Fu H., Hyster T., & Ren, Z. J. (2022). Cell-free CO2 valorization to C6 pharmaceutical precursors via a novel electroenzymatic process. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 10(13), 4114-4121.

Keywords: Hybrid CO2 reduction, electro-enzymatic synthesis, 2-Deoxyribose-5-phosphate aldolase, sustainable chemicals, CO2 valorization

10. Jack, J., Zhu, W., Avalos, J. L., Gong, J., & Ren, Z. J. (2021). Anode co-valorization for scalable and sustainable electrolysis. Green Chemistry.

9. Jack. J., & Ren, Z. J. (2021). Metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) photoelectrodes: distance improves performance, National Science Review, Volume 8, Issue 8, August 2021, nwab089.

8. Zhu, X., Jack, J., Bian, Y., Chen, X., Tsesmetzis, N., & Ren, Z. J. (2021). Electrocatalytic Membranes for Tunable Syngas Production and High-Efficiency Delivery to Biocompatible Electrolytes. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 9(17), 6012-6022.

Keywords: electroactive membrane, CO2 electrolysis, tunable syngas, biocompatible

7. Lo, J., Humphreys, J. R., Jack, J., Urban, C., Magnusson, L., Xiong, W., ... & Maness, P. C. (2020). The Metabolism of Clostridium ljungdahlii in Phosphotransacetylase Negative Strains and Development of an Ethanologenic Strain. Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology, 8.

Keywords: syngas, acetogen, metabolic engineering, CO2 fixation, Clostridium ljungdahlii, autotrophic

6. Jack, J., Lo, J., Donohue, B., Maness, P. C., & Ren, Z. J. (2020). High rate CO2 valorization to organics via CO mediated silica nanoparticle enhanced fermentation. Applied Energy, 279, 115725.

Keywords: CO2 valorization, artificial photosynthesis, Clostridium ljungdahlii, electrosynthesis

5. Jack, J., Park, E., Maness, P. C., Huang, S., Zhang, W., & Ren, Z. J. (2020). Selective ligand modification of cobalt porphyrins for carbon dioxide electrolysis: Generation of a renewable H2/CO feedstock for downstream catalytic hydrogenation. Inorganica Chimica Acta, 119594.

Keywords: Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction, Heterogenous catalysis, local proton source, modified ligand porphyrin, catalytic hydrogenation

4. Park, E., Jack, J. (equal first author), Hu, Y., Wan, S., Huang, S., Jin, Y., ... & Zhang, W. (2020). Covalent organic framework-supported platinum nanoparticles as efficient electrocatalysts for water reduction. Nanoscale*, 12(4), 2596-2602.

3. Jack, J., Lo, J., Maness, P. C., & Ren, Z. J. (2019). Directing Clostridium ljungdahlii fermentation products via hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio in syngas. Biomass and Bioenergy, 124, 95-101.

Keywords: Clostridium ljungdahlii, syngas, H2/CO ratio, fermentation, liquid fuel

2. Jack, J., Huggins, T. M., Huang, Y., Fang, Y., & Ren, Z. J. (2019). Production of magnetic biochar from waste-derived fungal biomass for phosphorus removal and recovery. Journal of Cleaner Production, 224, 100-106.

Keywords: Magnetic biochar, iron impregnation, Neurospora crassa, wastewater, phosphorus, biofabrication

1. Castro, C. J., Srinivasan, V., Jack, J., & Butler, C. S. (2016). Decentralized wastewater treatment using a bioelectrochemical system to produce methane and electricity. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 6(4), 613-621.

Keywords: Hydraulically partitioned, methanogenesis, microbial fuel cell, sanitation, scale-up, wastewater treatment