We release approximately 45 gigatons (Gt) of CO2 into the atmosphere annually, a figure projected to rise to about 50 Gt within the next decade. Conventional CO2 capture methods primarily utilize amine-based solutions, ionic liquids, solid adsorbents, photocatalysts and/or electrocatalysts. These methods, however, may fall short of the goal to limit cumulative CO2 emissions to 1,000 Gt by 2050. Here, we introduce a novel technique for selective CO2 adsorption on copper (Cu) surfaces, enabling low-energy CO2 collection. The results of this study indicate that electronically exciting H2O and CO2 transforms excited H2O into a non-polar species, which is difficult to adsorb onto the Cu surface, whereas excited CO2 becomes a polar species with strong adsorption affinity. Thus, excited CO2 can form stable complexes with Cu, while excited H2O demonstrates minimal adsorp- tion. Then, by stopping the light irradiation and applying a current of appropriate voltage to ionize Cu into Cu2+ and Cu2–, it is expected that CO2 can be quickly and easily desorbed from the complex. This approach suggests that selective and efficient CO₂ capture and collection from flue gas may be feasible by electronically exciting H₂O and CO₂ in the flue gas and adsorbing them onto the Cu surface.

In this study, we analyzed self-assessments presented in Chemistry I textbooks according to the 2015 Revised National Curriculum. The analytical framework, which consists of ‘learning stage’, ‘subject and content’, ‘response form’, ‘scoring criteria’, ‘reference’, ‘assessment criteria’, and ‘content of feedback’, was modified and supplemented based on previous studies. We analyzed ChemistryⅠtextbooks from nine publishers. The results revealed that self-assessments were most frequently presented in the inquiry stage, followed by the closing stage. The majority of self-assessments were to assess learner's competencies and knowledge, while those to assess students’ attitudes were relatively less common. The checklist was the most prevalent response form, followed by rating. Description forms often lacked specific items. Some of self-assessments did not provide response forms. None of the textbooks included scoring criteria, and most did not provide references. Additionally, no textbooks had students to create their own assessment criteria. Feedback contents were provided in a few textbooks, offering either additional learning opportunities or follow-up activities. Based on above results, implications for effective use self-assessments were discussed.

This study aimed to help chemistry teachers recognize the importance of the concept of entropy in explaining colligative properties of dilute solutions and to develop models that enable an integrated understanding of colligative properties from the perspectives of ‘Patterns’ and ‘Cause and effect,’ which are sub-elements of the ‘Crosscutting Concepts.’ To achieve this, an advanced organizer teaching model was employed in an educational program conducted overeight sessions. The participants were 23 in-service chemistry teachers, and their perception changes were analyzed through pre- and post-interviews. The results showed that, in the pre-interviews, only 3 out of 23 teachers recognized the necessity of entropy, but this number increased to 18 in the post-interviews. Additionally, the models developed through modeling activities involving the concept of entropy were categorized into two types: those recognizing the ignorance of the enthalpy concept and those not recognizing such ignorance. An analysis of the teachers’ perception changes and the types of models developed revealed that the advanced organizer teaching model effectively promoted the recognition of the importance of entropy and fostered integrated thinking using the ‘Crosscutting Concepts.’ Consequently, teachers were able to develop models from the perspective of ‘Crosscutting Concepts’ and enhance their ability to guide students in understanding colligative properties of dilute solutions. However, some teachers continued to adhere to the particulate-level explanatory approach due to the conceptual complexity of entropy and their familiarity with the presentation style of existing textbooks. To address this issue, additional modeling experiences and concrete case-based teacher education programs need to be developed.

Inquiry-based teaching and learning is influenced by the context in which it occurs and various factors surrounding that context. Among these, teachers, as key agents in the teaching and learning process, must be considered as crucial factors. In particular, teachers’ instructional practices emerge through the complex interplay of their perceptions and beliefs, teaching and learning content and materials, and surrounding circumstances. This study examined cases in which pre-service chemistry teachers engaged in authentic inquiry by identifying and solving problems within a Physical Chemistry Laboratory course. Based on these self-identified problems, they designed and implemented inquiry-based lessons. This study analyzed how pre-service chemistry teachers perceived inquiry in two contexts: (1) as learners engaging in authentic inquiry and (2) as instructors designing and implementing inquiry-based lessons. Furthermore, this study explored the relationship between these two contexts and proposed implications for pre-service teacher education aimed at fostering inquiry-based teaching and learning.

Chemistry focuses on the learning process to understand macroscopic phenomena with perspective of matter and to connect this to explanations with the microscopic perspective. The contents of chemistry which are studied in elementary school are presented to understand the properties and change of matter using the macroscopic perspective. And the understanding with microscopic perspective is presented to be achieved in middle and high school. Therefore, the contents of chemistry which are presented in elementary school are important, because it could be the foundation of elementary students’ understanding of the properties and change of matter. This study analyzed the characteristics of academic achievement of 6th grade students in the units ‘acid and base’ and ‘various gases’ in order to explore elementary school students' understanding of chemistry. For this purpose, this study analyzed the field trial results, which were conducted from representative sampling, for Customized Assessment of Educational Achievement. Specifically, the responses from the eight questions in the two units were categorized into response types and analyzed the correct responses rate and distribution of response types according to the percentage of achievement scores. According the results, it could be found that responses represented the characteristics in terms of students’ understanding about matter, such as acids, bases, and gases, and interms of competencies related to performing experiments, such as controlling variables and constructing experimental apparatus. Based on the results, this study discussed some implications that should be considered in the teaching and learning of chemistry in elementary school.