Materials Today Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Electrifying solutions: MOFs and multi-metal nanomaterials for sustainable methanol electro-oxidation and CO2 reduction","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100966","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100966","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The global energy crisis and the urgent need to mitigate carbon emissions have spurred intensive research into sustainable energy sources and efficient catalytic systems. This review integrates recent advancements in two key areas: electrocatalytic methanol oxidation and CO₂ reduction to methanol, leveraging metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and multi-metal nanomaterials. Despite methanol's effectiveness as an energy source, its electro-oxidation requires highly active electrocatalysts. Recent studies have highlighted the superior performance of MOF-based materials, especially when combined with multiple metals, in enhancing the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol. Downsizing components further boosts MOF activity, while the addition of carbon-containing supports like graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) improves catalytic capabilities through increased surface area and enhanced dispersion of active materials. Similarly, the electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to methanol using MOFs has gained traction due to their simplicity, large surface area, and unique structural properties. This review addresses the challenges of selective and efficient CO₂ electroreduction, proposing avenues to enhance MOF-based electrocatalysts for methanol production. Strategies include the development of novel MOFs with improved conductivity, chemical durability, and catalytic efficiency. Furthermore, exploration of multi-metal nanomaterials, including tri and tetra-metals, holds promise for advancing electrodes tailored for electrochemical methanol oxidation. By synergistically leveraging MOFs and multi-metal nanomaterials, this review underscores their pivotal roles in addressing energy scarcity and climate change while advancing the field of electrocatalysis towards sustainable methanol oxidation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589234724003026/pdfft?md5=39a47df8ac944d13067107253e260995&pid=1-s2.0-S2589234724003026-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142163269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harnessing Ti3C2-WS2 nanostructures as efficient energy scaffoldings for photocatalytic hydrogen generation","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100964","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100964","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Two-dimensional (2D) Ti₃C₂ MXene have attracted a lot of attention as frontier materials for the development of effective photocatalysts that can transform solar energy into chemical energy, which is essential for water splitting to produce hydrogen. Here, we use first principle calculations to understand the structural, electronic, and vibrational features of a novel heterostructure comprising a monolayer of tungsten disulfide (WS₂) and titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂) MXene. Our theoretical calculations revealed that the Ti₃C₂ maximizes the interfacial contact area with the WS₂ monolayer creating a strong <em>p</em>–-<em>d</em> hybridization for the WS₂/Ti₃C₂ heterostructure. As a result, a well-constructed Schottky junction is enabled, facilitating an interconnected electron pathway across the interface which is conducive for an efficient photocatalytic performance. Further, the experimentally designed WS₂/Ti₃C₂ heterostructure and its photocatalytic activity based on the synergistic action between MXene and WS₂ is investigated. Optical properties calculated are compared with experimental data derived from UV–Visible spectroscopy. The excellent conductivity and stability along with the light absorption in the visible region of WS₂/Ti₃C₂ enhances the photocatalytic performance approaching photocurrent densities of ∼33 and 120 μA/cm² in the HER and OER region, respectively. Overall, the present research not only improves our understanding of WS₂/Ti₃C₂ heterostructure for an improved photocatalytic activity, but also provides an efficient method toward sustainable hydrogen production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589234724003002/pdfft?md5=5402aa1fbec4091d56adb25ff4aaf0cb&pid=1-s2.0-S2589234724003002-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142163268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of bioflocculants for mineral processing","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Mining and minerals processing are essential to modern society, and the demand for metals and minerals is increasing due to the rapid development of clean energy technologies, such as electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, etc. The mining industry, however, is facing significant challenges in meeting sustainability and environmental goals. As more minerals are extracted, the use of water increases, leading to greater wastewater and tailings production. To tackle this issue, flocculants are commonly used across mining sites to dewater waste streams by binding and settling particles, to allow for improved solid-liquid separation. While conventional flocculants (synthetic polymers often derived from petrochemicals) are effective in rapidly settling particles, they present several issues, such as high levels of entrapped water, ineffective fine particle separation, and environmental and health concerns. To address these challenges, bioflocculants have been proposed as alternative flocculants. This review explores three main bioflocculant research directions, including plant based, graft copolymers, and microbial flocculants, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each. The ratio of flocculant dose to suspended solids (i.e. flocculant dose ratio) and the flocculation efficiency in these studies related to mineral and mining wastewater solid-liquid separation are evaluated. Finally, the review proposes future opportunities and directions to mitigate issues that have historically made bioflocculants less appealing. These include enhancing the recyclability of flocculants as well as advancing protein design and modification.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589234724003014/pdfft?md5=3561de6f3a4a09b6c5fbf5a7f6b8e858&pid=1-s2.0-S2589234724003014-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142122871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnetically separable BiZnO/Fe3O4 nanocomposites and their application for degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid pesticide","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100962","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100962","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to increase the photocatalytic activity of ZnO-based magnetically modified nanocomposites to degrade 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The physicochemical properties of the photocatalysts were thoroughly investigated, and the effects of various operational parameters were analyzed. The photodegradation efficiency of the pesticide increased with increasing reaction time. Among the synthesized nanocomposites, 1.5 wt% BiZnO and 1.0 wt% BiZnO/Fe₃O₄ had the highest photodegradation efficiencies. The photodegradation efficiency using 1.5 wt% BiZnO and 1.0 wt% BiZnO/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites were 96 and 94%, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that 1.5 wt% BiZnO and 1.0 wt% BiZnO/Fe₃O₄ samples can effectively degrade the model pollutant, 2,4-D, under sunlight illumination. Additionally, 1.0 wt% BiZnO/Fe₃O₄ was easily separated by a magnet showing the reusability of the prepared photocatalyst. The mechanistic pathways of 2,4-D are also proposed in this work. The results of these insights offer a holistic understanding of this photocatalyst's role in the field of green and efficient pesticides' photocatalytic degradation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142050021","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":"Advancements and approaches in developing MXene-based hybrid composites for improved supercapacitor electrodes","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The rapid increase in population and widespread use of energy-consuming technologies are contributing to a substantial increase in the world's energy consumption. Supercapacitors have recently become a more desirable alternative due to their quick charging and discharging times, high power densities, and extended cycle lives. For many researchers, improving supercapacitor efficiency for multifunctional applications is a major area of study. Many elements have been employed as electrode materials to provide the best energy and power density while achieving the largest specific capacitance. Among these materials, 2D transition metal carbides and nitrides, commonly called MXenes, are emerging candidates, particularly in electrochemical energy storage applications. Because of their strength, flexibility, unique structure, increased electrical conductivity, large surface area, diversity of active sites, hydrophobicity, and hydrophilicity for cutting-edge energy storage technologies, MXenes are among the best active electrode materials. MXene, with its unique 2D layered structure, offers the infinite possibility of the intercalation of various capacitive materials. Also, MXenes have the properties of high hydrophilicity of metal oxides and high electrical conductivity of metals. Alongside, activated carbon (AC), graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), transition metal oxides, and conducting polymers (CPs) act as excellent electrode materials owing to their outstanding thermal, mechanical, electrical, and morphological properties. According to recent studies, one of the perfect methods for energy storage applications is to integrate MXenes with other superior elements for generating MXene-based composite electrode materials. This review includes recent developments in the investigation of MXene-based hybrid composites for supercapacitors. It covers composite's synthesis strategies, electrode architecture, electrochemical performance, and their efficiency in supercapacitors.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142058545","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":"Thermally enhanced flexible phase change materials for thermal energy conversion and management of wearable electronics","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The developing trend of miniaturization and integration for electronics imposes challenges of efficient heat dissipation technology, where novel materials with advanced thermal energy conversion and management are urgently needed. In this work, we propose an emerging phase change material (PCM) system with polyvinyl alcohol/expanded graphite network loading paraffin wax (PE-PW), which exhibits superb flexibility, thermal energy storage capacity and thermal conductivity. The phase change enthalpy is from 115.61 J/g to 168.93 J/g without any leakage, which can be maintained even after 500 thermal cycles. The thermal conductivity can reach 1.46 W/mK, 484% enhanced compared with that of pure PCM. Meanwhile, the thermal management test indicates that the PE-PW composites can quickly absorb and store the generated heat to achieve temperature control, thus protecting the system from overheating and indicating excellent thermal management capacity. This flexible PE-PW system has broad application prospects in the field of thermal energy conversion and management for wearable electronics.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142040507","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":"CdSe nanoflower as a new near infrared-activated photocatalyst for remediation of pharmaceutical wastewaters","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100961","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100961","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Photocatalysis using Near Infrared (NIR) light is a promising method for a wide range of applications from environmental remediation. For this purpose, a flower-like cadmium selenide (CdSe nanoflower), as a new promising NIR-activated photocatalyst, was synthesized through a hydrothermal process and characterized using various spectroscopic and microscopic analytical techniques. The characterization results indicated that CdSe nanoflower is classified as an n-type semiconductor with a direct band gap of 1.7 eV (<em>i.e.</em>, E_CB = −0.7 V and E_VB = 1 V indicated by Mott-Schottky analysis), and crystallite size and strain of 9.17 nm and 2.14, respectively. In the presence of various scavengers, the production of reactive oxygen species decreases, resulting in lower degradation efficiency. To investigate the photocatalytic efficacy, sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was used as a model pollutant drug molecule. The optimization of the process revealed that over 98% of SMX could be degraded under NIR irradiation and optimal conditions (pH = 7, photocatalyst dosage = 0.1 g, SMX concentration = 40 mg/L, time = 60 min), where Lagergren model with a correlation coefficient of 0.9765 was the best kinetic model describing the empirical results. The study indicates that CdSe nanoflower can be reused and regenerated up to 7 times with a 12% decrease in performance and after 60 min of degradation, the TOC concentration decreased by 81% in the best conditions. Additionally, CdSe nanoflower showed photodynamic microbial inactivation efficacy against <em>Escherichia coli</em> (<em>E. coli</em>) and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (<em>S. aureus</em>) under NIR light irradiation, where almost 95 and 99 % of bacteria was reduced in 20 min. The results of this work show CdSe nanoflower has great potential as a photocatalytic material with antimicrobial properties in the context of wastewater treatment and the management of microbial infections.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589234724002975/pdfft?md5=0a53675a74c6c649aebc58dcd1f36e43&pid=1-s2.0-S2589234724002975-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142040506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of forging pretreatments on microstructure evolution and surface roughness of Al 6061 alloy","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100959","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100959","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Achieving ultra-smooth surfaces is the goal of aluminum optical manufacturing. Under certain processing conditions, improving the microstructure of aluminum and understanding its relationship with surface roughness requires systematic study. The grain structure and various types of second-phase particles are of paramount importance. This study analyzed the microstructure of 6061 alloy after undergoing severe plastic deformation under various processing conditions followed by T6 homogenization heat treatment. Utilizing a white light interferometer, a comparative analysis of the surface roughness was conducted on specimens that underwent single-point diamond turning to achieve a mirror finish. The assessment of surface roughness on machined surfaces is solely based on white light interferometry. The analysis and discussion focus on the effects of phases (causing scratches and voids), the grains and grain boundaries. Experimental findings signify: the grain size, grain boundary and residual second phase can both influence the surface quality, the increase in deformation temperature and accumulated strain both facilitate the dissolution and fragmentation of the secondary phases. However, they also contribute to some extent to grain growth, resulting in a minimum secondary phase area fraction of 0.87% and grain sizes reaching 147.8 μm. Subsequent heat treatments, while effective in reducing the negative impact of the phases, reveal noticeable step-like structures affecting the quality of surface roughness, with the lowest obtained Ra value being 0.8 nm. A proposed pretreatment method in cleaner ingot processing with lower alloy element content addresses the trade-off between reducing phases and controlling grain growth, aiming to achieve improved surface roughness, promoting the application of polycrystalline aluminum alloys in the field of optics manufacturing.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142096406","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":"Utilization of sugarcane bagasse ash in binary, ternary, and quaternary blended cement concrete –A waste to Wealth approach","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100954","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100954","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The rapid growth of infrastructure has led to a substantial increase in cement demand, resulting in high carbon emissions from cement production and contributing to global warming. Simultaneously, the disposal of sugarcane bagasse ash is rising, causing significant environmental pollution. Using bagasse ash as a partial substitute for cement in concrete presents a promising solution to both issues, by reducing cement usage and mitigating disposal problems. Currently existing studies focussed on the influence of usage of bagasse ash in binary blended concrete, however a comprehensive review on the utilization of bagasse ash in binary, ternary, and quaternary blended concrete is highly limited. Therefore, this study provides a systematic review of the synergistic use of bagasse ash with other potential supplementary materials to produce bagasse ash-based binary, ternary, and quaternary blended concrete. This study not only offers solution to global environmental challenges buts also promotes the use of alternative materials in concrete production worldwide. The study evaluates the fresh, mechanical, and durability properties of bagasse ash blended binary, ternary, and quaternary concretes. Results indicate that binary concrete with bagasse ash demonstrates a 10%–20% increase in compressive strength compared to reference concrete at an optimal replacement level of 20%. In ternary and quaternary blends, cement can be replaced by up to 40% without compromising strength. Notably, ternary blends incorporating bagasse ash with materials such as palm oil fuel ash or rice husk ash exhibit enhanced strength and durability properties. The addition of bagasse ash in binary, ternary, and quaternary blended concrete reduces workability of blended concretes but enhances resistance against chloride ion penetration, air permeability, and water permeability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142096405","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":"Revolutionizing cancer treatment: Enhancing photodynamic therapy with cyclodextrin nanoparticles and synergistic combination therapies","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100958","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100958","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>By combining the synergistic effects of a photosensitive substance, light activation, and molecular oxygen to stimulate selective tumor cell death, the utilization of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a successful cancer therapy strategy is growing in popularity. On account of its unique properties, such as biological compatibility, cyclodextrin-based nanoparticles (NPs) have garnered significant attention in the field of PDT. A thorough synopsis of recent research on CD-based NPs utilized in anti-tumor PDT are explored in this review. Due to their enhanced light absorption and drug-loading capacities, these NPs have demonstrated great promise for increasing PDT results and drug delivery efficiency. In addition, the review explores studies that demonstrate the potential utility of CD NP complexes in conjunction with ions, graphene, carbon nanotubes, and porphyrin, with a focus on the synthesis, characteristics, and photophysical characteristics of each. The ability of CD-based NPs to encapsulate and promote the regulated release of hydrophobic photosensitizers (PS) within cancer cells is a significant topic covered in this review. The review also assesses the therapeutic benefits and synergistic effects that result from combining cyclodextrin with other substances. In the context of cancer prevention photodynamic therapy, this investigation highlights the versatility and promise of cyclodextrin-based NP systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258923472400294X/pdfft?md5=8d8b9e805f15d61feb1ef6701e16bdaa&pid=1-s2.0-S258923472400294X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142040505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}