Materials Today Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Insights into the stability of copper gas diffusion electrodes for carbon dioxide reduction at high reaction rates","authors":"Nicolò B.D. Monti ,&nbsp;Gumaa A. El-Nagar ,&nbsp;Marco Fontana ,&nbsp;Felicia Di Costola ,&nbsp;Siddharth Gupta ,&nbsp;Matthew T. Mayer ,&nbsp;Candido F. Pirri ,&nbsp;Juqin Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101124","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101124","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrosynthesis of value-added chemicals from CO₂ offers a sustainable solution to climate change, renewable energy use, and raw material shortages. This study examines the high-rate production of ethylene (C₂H₄) and ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH) through CO₂ reduction reaction on copper (Cu) gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) made by sputtering deposition. The catalyst layer thickness of the GDEs, adjusted by deposition time, significantly affects the electrode stability. During testing, a selectivity shift is observed, where C₂H₄ and CH₃CH₂OH selectivity decreases, while CH₄ and H₂ selectivity increases. However, an alternating operation by interrupting and restarting the polarization fully restores the C₂H₄ and CH₃CH₂OH selectivity. <em>Operando</em> X-ray absorption spectroscopy with online product analysis reveals that at constant potentials, the dominant oxidized Cu species gradually reduces to metallic Cu, along with a decline in C₂H₄ selectivity. Under alternating operation, some oxidized Cu species remains, and the C₂H₄ selectivity is also preserved. This outcome suggests a close link between cationic Cu species and C₂H₄ production, offering insights into stabilizing these species for prolonged C₂H₄ production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101124"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143859374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coarse-grained molecular studies reveal potential for increased CO2 storage in hydrates","authors":"Meisam Adibifard,&nbsp;Olufemi Olorode","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101106","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101106","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The interest in curtailing global warming has accelerated research in capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>), which accounts for 76% of all greenhouse gases. Considering the potential of capturing, storing, and transporting CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> as hydrates, several researchers have performed molecular dynamics (MD) and experimental studies of the formation and dissociation of gas hydrates. Although these studies have illustrated essential mechanisms, such as the nucleation and growth of gas hydrates, we show that the small length scales of these studies limit them to processes smaller than the sizes of the domain simulated. To address this limitation, we performed MD studies of CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> hydrate growth in systems that are two orders of magnitude larger than in previous studies. This allowed us to observe the trapping of CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> nanobubbles within a growing solid hydrate for the first time. We computed the CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> density in the trapped nanobubble and observed that it was 2.5 times its corresponding density in the solid hydrate, which indicates the potential to significantly increase the storage of CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> (and other gases) in gas hydrates. The CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> nanobubbles were bigger than the simulation domains used in most previous MD simulations of CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> hydrates, indicating the importance of these large-scale studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101106"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143867742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling host-guest interactions and stability of amine-functionalized silica sorbents for carbon capture","authors":"Briggs M.O. Ogunedo ,&nbsp;Basil Wadi ,&nbsp;Vasilije Manovic ,&nbsp;Seyed Ali Nabavi","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101123","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101123","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite making significant progress in terms of capture kinetics and capacity, the thermochemical and cyclic instability of silica-based amine functionalized adsorbents present challenges for their practical implementation and economic viability. Accordingly, this work provides a critical review to analyse factors affecting thermal and cyclic stability of functional silica-based sorbents. The first section provides background information and context for the review. The second section focuses on the synthesis routes employed for silica-based amine functionalized adsorbents. The third section delves into the mechanism underlying the thermal and cyclic instability observed in these adsorbents. The fourth section explored the factors that influence the thermal and cyclic stability of silica-based amine functionalized adsorbents. The last section dissects host-guest interaction in silica-based amine functionalized adsorbents. The review concludes by underscoring the importance of further research and development into host-guest interaction studies in amine functionalized adsorbents to optimize performance and address the challenges associated with thermal and cyclic instability, thereby enhancing the practical feasibility of these adsorbents in carbon capture applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101123"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143867741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing toward a low-carbon infrastructure: Emission reduction potential of geopolymer road maintenance","authors":"Xiaoli Ji ,&nbsp;Xiangbo Huang ,&nbsp;Shiyun Zhong ,&nbsp;Junli Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The burgeoning application of geopolymer technology in road maintenance and repair presents a significant opportunity to mitigate carbon emissions within the construction sector. This study conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the CO₂ emissions associated with geopolymer grouting technology, using a typical Chinese highway case study. The LCA spanned key life cycle stages, including raw material extraction, transportation, construction, and traffic delay impacts. A comparative analysis with traditional cement-based repair methods revealed a substantial 46.9 % reduction in CO₂ emissions per kilometer of road maintained using geopolymer technology. The construction phase and traffic disruption mitigation were identified as the primary contributors to this emission reduction. The findings advocate for the adoption of geopolymer technology as a sustainable, low-carbon solution in road maintenance, emphasizing the importance of full life cycle consideration in environmental impact assessments. This research provides actionable insights for transportation sector stakeholders, guiding the industry towards sustainable maintenance practices and contributing to the construction industry's overall carbon footprint reduction. Aligning with global sustainability goals, the study offers a pragmatic approach to enhance the environmental performance of road maintenance projects, advocating for the adoption of geopolymer technology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101121"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143828264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Utilizing desert sand as raw material for manufacturing silica-based materials and byproducts","authors":"Zhiming Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mineral exploitation, product manufacturing, and desertification are major challenges for achieving sustainable development in environmental and resource management. This study proposed a technology of utilizing desert sand to manufacturing silica-based materials and byproducts that can help in economizing mineral and land resources and protecting environment, while promoting desert restoration. The necessity, feasibility, issues, countermeasures, and prospects were elaborated in terms of the characteristics of desert sand, access to required raw materials, approaches and availability of manufacturing technologies, products, environmental response, desert restoration, and desert economics. Utilizing desert sand to manufacturing various silica-based materials and byproducts demonstrates the potential to overcome the limitations associated with traditional methods that mainly rely on high-quality quartz sand and clay. This study lays the strategies for helping researchers to further study the sustainable technologies and materials, government and organizations to make policy decision, and enterprises to conduct productions using desert sand.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101120"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143847951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive understanding of the experimental factors determining the leaching of rice husk, and their effect on the thermochemical properties and characteristics of bio-silica","authors":"Dairo Díaz-Tovar ,&nbsp;Miguel Angel Centeno ,&nbsp;Rafael Molina ,&nbsp;Sonia Moreno","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101122","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101122","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leaching is a pretreatment that removes ionic species responsible for undesired reactions during biomass thermochemical transformation. Despite numerous reported leaching conditions, the impact of specific factors on ionic species removal remains insufficiently understood for widespread application. This study investigates the relationship between experimental factors and their optimal levels in aqueous medium, focusing on the effects of pH and acid type on rice husk and bio-silica's physicochemical and thermochemical properties. Optimal leaching conditions were identified as HCl at pH 1.5, 70 °C, 150 min, 1 g rice husk per 80 g H₂O, and 30 rpm, yielding bio-silica with 99.45 ± 0.04 % purity, a surface area of 318 ± 10 m² g⁻¹, and a pore volume of 0.46 ± 0.01 cm³ g⁻¹. Leaching enhances devolatilization during thermal decomposition but inhibits biochar oxidation. ²⁹Si NMR analysis revealed 16.4 % Q³ and Q² silanol groups in the bio-silica, while SEM-EDX confirmed its high purity and porosity. These results offer key insights into improving leaching methods, helping to produce better-quality bio-silica, and supporting its use in eco-friendly industrial applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101122"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143838219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aluminium recycling: A critical review of iron-bearing intermetallics in aluminium alloys","authors":"H.R. Kotadia ,&nbsp;N. Bareker ,&nbsp;M.H. Khan ,&nbsp;J.I. Ahuir-Torres ,&nbsp;A. Das","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current understanding of Fe-bearing intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in cast and wrought aluminium (Al) alloys, also covering their significance in recycling and sustainable materials development. It explores the various types of Fe-bearing IMCs, their nucleation and growth mechanisms under diverse processing conditions, with a particular focus on chemical, physical, and thermal modification strategies aimed at mitigating their detrimental effects. The review further examines the impact of these IMCs on defect formation, mechanical performance, and corrosion resistance. While Al recycling offers substantial energy savings (up to 95 %), the accumulation of impurities, notably Fe. This work provides practical insights to guide materials scientists and engineers in optimising processing conditions for Al alloys with elevated Fe content or those derived from recycled scrap. Understanding the behaviour and control of Fe-bearing IMCs is essential for improving alloy performance and advancing the sustainable production of Al.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101119"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143854979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Boron/hydrocarbon plasma polymer nanofuels for green energy generation via laser-driven proton-boron fusion","authors":"Marco Tosca ,&nbsp;Mariia Protsak ,&nbsp;Daniil Nikitin ,&nbsp;Kateřina Škorvánková ,&nbsp;Ronaldo Katuta ,&nbsp;Pavel Pleskunov ,&nbsp;Jan Hanuš ,&nbsp;Daniel P. Molloy ,&nbsp;Vasiliki Kanterelou ,&nbsp;Veronika Červenková ,&nbsp;Kateryna Biliak ,&nbsp;Suren Ali-Ogly ,&nbsp;Hynek Biederman ,&nbsp;Gagik Nersisyan ,&nbsp;Aaron McNamee ,&nbsp;Jaakko Julin ,&nbsp;Mikko Laitinen ,&nbsp;Timo Sajavaara ,&nbsp;Jakub Čížek ,&nbsp;Oksana Melikhova ,&nbsp;Andrei Choukourov","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since 2005, materials rich with hydrogen and boron have been investigated as fuels for laser-driven proton-boron (pB) fusion, which is envisioned as a neutronless alternative to classical fusion for green energy generation. However, laser energy conversion is limited by large energy losses in bulk materials. Highly porous H/B-rich materials may mitigate this issue by enhancing laser absorption, but they are not readily available and are in high demand. Performing plasma polymerization of hexane in a gas aggregation cluster source, we prepared porous, dendrite-structured, micrometer-thick layers of plasma polymerized hydrocarbon nanoparticles of 65 and 560 nm size and optionally overcoated them with sputtered boron. Variable energy positron annihilation spectroscopy and N₂ sorption analysis found the multiscale porosity in the resultant nanomaterials, which is given by free volumes in the plasma polymer matrix (with characteristic diameter of 0.4–0.6 nm) and interparticle voids (10¹–10² nm). NPs were found to retain half the amount of precursor hydrogen, as determined by ERDA. Using the TARANIS laser system (10 J per 800 fs pulse, 2 × 10¹⁹ W/cm²), the pB fusion was successfully initiated to produce energetic α-particle fluxes of up to 5.6 x 10⁸ α/sr/shot and 5 × 10⁷ α/sr/J, which is competitive with the best results obtained so far. Our plasma-based method benefits from low amounts of source materials and almost no waste, offering a sustainable route toward hybrid H/B nanofuels with tunable porosity and strong potential for improving the energy conversion efficiency in laser-driven pB fusion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101118"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143854825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"BiOX(X=Cl, Br, I)-based S-scheme heterostructure photocatalysts for environmental remediation and energy conversion","authors":"Tunde L. Yusuf ,&nbsp;Benjamin O. Orimolade ,&nbsp;Daniel Masekela ,&nbsp;Kayode A. Adegoke ,&nbsp;Kwena D. Modibane ,&nbsp;Seshibe S. Makgato","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101115","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101115","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past decade, photocatalysis has gained recognition as a powerful tool for environmental remediation and sustainable energy production. Bismuth oxyhalides (BiOX, where X = Cl, Br, I) have attracted particular interest as efficient photocatalysts due to their excellent visible-light harvesting capabilities, straightforwardsynthesis, and high photostability. S-scheme heterojunctions have been developed to further improve their performance, which enhances electron-hole separation and significantly increases photocatalytic efficiency. This review examines recent advancements in BiOX-based S-scheme heterostructures, focusing on their diverse applications in pollutant degradation, CO₂ reduction, and H₂ production. An evaluation of the effectiveness, benefits, and limitations of various synthesis methods has been carried out in this article in addition to various strategies to improve the photocatalytic activity of BiOX. This study also compares the suitability of the synthesized methods for removing emerging organic and inorganic pollutants, including dyes, pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants of environmental concern. The performances of various BiOX catalysts for H₂ production and CO₂ conversion to chemicals and fuels were discussed to point out the strengths, weaknesses, and the need for high-performance BiOX catalysts for energy conversion. Also, an analysis of the specific mechanisms driving the photocatalytic activity and strategies to address current challenges have been presented in the article. Finally, this review identifies key knowledge gaps and presents recommendations for scaling BiOX photocatalysts toward large-scale and industrial applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101115"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143833351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing latent heat storage: Impact of geometric modifications, S-shaped enclosure walls, and L-shaped fins","authors":"Houssam Eddine Abdellatif ,&nbsp;Shan Ali Khan ,&nbsp;Nahid Fatima ,&nbsp;M.A. Aljohani ,&nbsp;Adeel Arshad ,&nbsp;Ahmed Belaadi ,&nbsp;Abdullah Alhushaybari","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101114","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101114","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the thermal performance and phase change behavior of five thermal energy storage (TES) models with varied geometric and design parameters, aiming to enhance heat transfer and storage efficiency.The impact of an innovative S-shaped heat source wall configuration and L-shaped fins on phase change dynamics was examined through numerical simulations, presenting a novel approach to enhancing TES system designs. Temperature distribution, transient PCM temperature, velocity fields, and liquid fraction evolution were analyzed to evaluate melting time, energy storage density (<em>SE</em>_<em>m</em>), mean power (<em>P</em>_<em>m</em>), and total heat storage capacity. The findings indicate that geometric enhancements and fin configurations significantly influence phase change performance. Model 01 exhibited the longest melting time of 11,040 s, whereas Model 05, with enhanced thinner (0.3 mm) and longer (112.3 mm) fins, achieved the shortest melting time of 2,720 s, reducing melting time by 75.36 %. Model 05 also demonstrated the highest <em>SE</em>_<em>m</em>of 274.12 kJ/kg and <em>Pm</em> of 67.72 W, highlighting its superior thermal storage efficiency. These results emphasize the crucial role of fin geometry and enclosure profiles in improving TES system performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101114"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143825946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}