Sustainable Materials and Technologies最新文献

{"title":"Ecofriendly nanoprobe for differentiation between hydrogen peroxide producing bacteria and nonproducers: Zero waste circular economy of cooking and harvesting of energy","authors":"Aya A. Abdella ,&nbsp;Engy El-Ekhnawy ,&nbsp;Sherin F. Hammad ,&nbsp;Samah F. Elmalla","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A novel, affordable, and environmentally benign highly fluorescent carbon dots valorized from ignited peel of flame roasted eggplant (EPCDs) were introduced for the first time. The EPCDs were spontaneously and rapidly formed during eggplant roasting, for only 5 min, with high quantum yield (28.5 %). The emission of EPCDs was selectively quenched in the presence of Fe³⁺ through a mixed static quenching/ inner filter mechanism. Accordingly, a turn-off sensing platform composed of EPCDs coupled to Fe²⁺ enabled the highly sensitive detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) through an acetate mediated Fe²⁺ oxidation. Acetate could boost sensor sensitivity by blocking Fe²⁺ back conversion to Fe³⁺ enabling the rapid detection of H₂O₂ down to concentration range from 13.12 to 87.55 nM, with very good accuracy (100 % ± 3), precision (%RSD &lt; 3) and low detection limit (3.88 nM). The sensor was applied for H₂O₂ detection in different water samples as well as for the differentiation of H₂O₂-producing bacteria from nonproducers, for the first time, in liquid cell culture without any pretreatment step. The utilized EPCDs showed ecological superiority on Complex GAPI and AGREE metrics in addition to a 250-fold reduction in CO₂ emission compared to the greenest reported H₂O₂ sensor paving the way for circular economy practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01265"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring printing methods for continuous natural fiber-reinforced thermoplastic biocomposites: A comparative study","authors":"Natália V. dos Santos ,&nbsp;Alberto Giubilini ,&nbsp;Daniel Carlos T. Cardoso ,&nbsp;Paolo Minetola","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01253","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01253","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites (CFRTPCs) are revolutionizing various industry sectors by enabling a combination of design, optimization, and high performance. The use of continuous natural fiber reinforcement integrates these factors with the potential for developing a sustainable product with a lower ecological footprint compared to tradition composites. However, challenges such as optimizing fiber-matrix impregnation and the identification of the most suitable manufacturing process for structural components remain significant. The objective of this study is to address these challenges by comparing the two main continuous printing methodologies - <em>in-situ</em> impregnation and semi-finished filament fabrication -in their application to natural fiber-reinforced composites. To achieve this, a method for manufacturing semi-finished filaments was developed and compared with the in-nozzle impregnation process by modifying a commercially available 3D printer. Image analysis, surface roughness measurements, deposition rates, and mechanical tests revealed that the semi-finished filament method resulted in better fiber-matrix impregnation, significantly improving tensile strength and elastic modulus by up to 18.4 % compared to the in-nozzle method. Additionally, the semi-finished filament process demonstrated a higher deposition rate, reaching 400 mm/s, compared to 300 mm/s for the in-nozzle process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01253"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experimental and computational approaches to optimizing the development of NFs reinforced polymer composite: A review of optimization strategies","authors":"Olajesu Favor Olanrewaju ,&nbsp;Justus Uchenna Anaele ,&nbsp;Sodiq Abiodun Kareem","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to increased environmental campaigns, natural fibers (NF) are receiving much interest as cost-efficient substitutes for synthetic fibers for engineering applications because they are eco-friendly, lightweight, and have excellent mechanical strength. However, NF-reinforced polymer composites (NFRPCs) sourced from plants and animals are hydrophilic, primarily incompatible with hydrophobic thermoplastics, and prone to moisture damage. To counter these challenges, there has been considerable attention to different optimization strategies for improving the properties of NFRPCs. This review encompasses the properties of various NFs (plants and animals) and the optimization strategies for enhancing interfacial shear strength and mechanical, fracture, and water absorption behavior. The review also covers the optimization strategies for improving the thermal, flame retardancy, temperature, and strain rate-dependent behavior of NFRPCs. Additionally, this review discussed optimization computational approaches, existing gaps in literature, and potential future directions for optimizing NFRPC development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01259"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Flexible biodegradable wearables based on conductive leaf networks","authors":"Min-Hsuan Lee ,&nbsp;Kuan-Hsiang Teng ,&nbsp;Ya-Yu Liang ,&nbsp;Chien-Fang Ding ,&nbsp;Ying-Chun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01263","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01263","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electronic waste (<em>E</em>-waste) pollution is a global environmental problem because it contains various contaminants, including hazardous heavy metals and toxic chemicals. These contaminants may accumulate in the environment and pollute oceans worldwide, seriously threatening the environment and human health. Besides, agricultural wastes burning from straw and leaves may be the most significant contributor to haze particulate matter (PM) air pollution in developing countries. Developing biodegradable green electronics based on the circular economy principle is an ideal solution to address the above waste-related environmental issues. In this study, we report on a biodegradable conductor, integrating Poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)-based nanocomposites into leaf skeletons (used as substrates). In addition, the effective drop-casting technique is used to prepare biodegradable conductors for potential utility in lightweight wearable devices. The biodegradable conductor exhibits a remarkable sheet resistance of 2.4 ± 0.6 Ω sq.⁻¹ with one drop-casting step. Raman spectroscopy demonstrated that the enhanced electrical performance of the conductive leaf is attributed to an increase in the predominant quinoid structure of PEDOT chains. It is proved that this high-performance biodegradable conductor can be applied as a promising component for various next-generation wearable electronics, including electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes and flexible strain sensors, demonstrating promising potential for the development of United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in green electronics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01263"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unraveling the in-situ engineered mixed metal oxides anchored on activated carbon cloth as a flexible electrode material for electrochemical reduction of CO2 into formic acid","authors":"Hemavathi Manjunath ,&nbsp;Chob Singh ,&nbsp;Allwin Sudhakaran ,&nbsp;Rey Eliseo Torrejos ,&nbsp;Mohd Nor Faiz Norrrahim ,&nbsp;Akshaya K. Samal ,&nbsp;Arvind H. Jadhav","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Harnessing anthropogenic CO₂ for the production of pertinent value-added chemicals may substantially mitigate the adverse environmental effects. Consequently, the deployment of CO₂ adopting an electrochemical reduction strategy has become a coveted research gist area. Herein, an implementing the in-situ strategy to design mixed metal oxide microspheres decorated on carbon cloth (CeO₂-SnO₂@AC) via a facile hydrothermal method and used as ECO₂RR catalyst. An array of world-class spectroscopic and analytical techniques were adopted to characterized the as-designed catalyst. The designed bimetallic CeO₂-SnO₂@ACC is employed as an electrocatalyst for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ into formic acid. The electrochemical studies. Specifically, the CeO₂-SnO₂@ACC reveals considerably superior electrochemical performance which is evidenced by its high current density of −60.22 mAcm⁻², low overpotential −0.82 <em>V</em>, decreased Tafel slope value of 100 mV/dec, and higher electrochemical surface area. In light of this, the synthesized material exhibited high selectivity towards the formic acid by successful reduction of CO₂ via electrochemical approach with obtained faradaic efficiency 92.02 % at −1.3 <em>V</em> vs. RHE has been reached with excellent stability for 9 h. The remarkable electrocatalytic performance of the designed catalyst is supported by an in-depth analysis of its microstructural and elastic properties using DFT and theoretical calculations. This study is the first to correlate electrocatalytic activity with core physical properties. The catalyst's small crystalline size (11.5 nm) enhances surface area and active sites, while high microstrain (CeO₂ = 11.68 × 10⁻³ and SnO₂ = 10.62 × 10⁻³) leads to significant atomic deviation and dislocation density, indicating a higher defect concentration. An even crystal unit cell further boosts surface area and lower force constant and elastic stiffness suggest greater flexibility. Additionally, lower electron density promotes increased electron mobility, contributing to enhanced CO₂ conversion efficiency to formate. Notably, the CeO₂-SnO₂@ACC as an electrocatalyst accomplishes excellently and it facilitates charge transfer and improves the formation and adsorption of CO^⁎− intermediates, leading to improved formic acid selectivity. The high reactivity towards CO₂ reduction attributable to a trade-off between the potency of the interaction between CO^⁎- and electrocatalyst, followed by kinetic activation towards protonation and further reduction, was explained in the plausible mechanism to achieve the desired product.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01260"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Highly efficient treatment of complex uranium-organic wastewater via a self-driven photoelectrochemical system with TNR/Si PVC photoanode and nickel foam cathode","authors":"Xijun Fu,&nbsp;Lu Song,&nbsp;Yuyan Wu,&nbsp;Qingyan Zhang,&nbsp;Rongzhong Wang,&nbsp;Qingsong Zhang,&nbsp;Junwen Lv,&nbsp;Qingyi Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01251","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01251","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study introduces an eco-friendly, self-driven photoelectrochemical system (SDPS) capable of synergistically achieving 99.4 % UO₂²⁺ recovery and 97.7 % tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) removal, while generating a maximum power output density (<em>P</em>_max) of approximately 580 μW/cm² using only sunlight. This SDPS employs a TiO₂ nanorod array (TNR) film to absorb short wavelength light (λ &lt; 412 nm) generating electron-hole pairs. Meanwhile, the rear Si photovoltaic cell (Si PVC) absorbs longer wavelengths, creating a self-bias potential that enhances electron-hole separation and drives electrons towards the 3D cross-linked nickel foam (NF) cathode, continuously generating electrical energy in the external circuit. The retained holes and derived •OH with high redox potential can oxidize TCH, breaking UO₂²⁺-TCH complexation, while electrons reduce dissolved UO₂²⁺ to insoluble UO₂ by 88.5 %, and anchored on the NF cathode. This SDPS demonstrates robust performance in various conditions, including high salinity and TCH concentrations, a wide range of pH levels, and different coexisting ions. Moreover, this SDPS exhibits remarkable versatility in treating various types of uranium-containing organic wastewater, maintaining exceptional performance under both real sunlight and simulated seawater conditions, with only a slight performance decline observed after 20 cycles of use. This innovative resource treatment strategy overcomes the issues with stable uranium-organic complexes, catalyst recovery, and the need for sacrificial agents, offering a robust solution for extracting uranium, environmental preservation and sustainable nuclear energy development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01251"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An eco-friendly, sodium alginate degradable conformal triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powered sensing and real-time injury monitoring","authors":"Qingyang Feng ,&nbsp;Zhenning Xie ,&nbsp;Yuzhang Wen ,&nbsp;Zihang Cheng ,&nbsp;Mengqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Yunlu Wang ,&nbsp;Dongsheng Liu ,&nbsp;Yecheng Cao ,&nbsp;Yupeng Mao ,&nbsp;Chongle Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sodium alginate (SA) is a natural polysaccharide extracted from the kelp or sargassum of brown algae that has been attracting the attention of researchers for its non-toxicity, water-solubility, biocompatibility and degradability. Based on the unique properties of sodium alginate, a conformal triboelectric nanogenerator (SG-TENG) has been successfully fabricated in this study, which can realize self-powered sensing and real-time injury monitoring. By adding a certain proportion of glycerol as a plasticizer to the sodium alginate solution, the flexibility and adhesion of the sodium alginate film are improved to facilitate the generation of triboelectric charges. The SG-TENG exhibits excellent electrical output performance with an open-circuit voltage of 49 V, a peak power of 108.8 μW and a fast response time of 86 ms, which can be sufficient powered small electronic devices. More importantly, the application of SG-TENG for knee injury monitoring not only realizes the real-time tracking of knee joint movement status but also provides early warning of potential injuries. Combined with advanced narrow neural network technology for in-depth analysis of knee motion data, the accuracy of sensing signal recognition reached 97.96 %. It provides valuable data support for the treatment and rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis, which can help enhance the therapeutic effect and improve the quality of life of patients' lives. This study not only provides new ideas for the development of degradable and eco-friendly TENG based on marine plants, but also demonstrates a great potential of SG-TENG in the field of real-time monitoring of human injuries, which opens up a new path for future health monitoring technology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01262"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137386","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reinforcing silicate glass with waste lead and cadmium batteries to be used as shielding materials for gamma rays and thermal neutrons","authors":"Dalal Abdullah Aloraini ,&nbsp;W.A. Abu-raia ,&nbsp;Aly Saeed","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Safe recycling of waste is one of the most effective solutions for preserving the environment, saving raw material resources, and reducing wealth consumption. Accordingly, in this article, lead (Pb) extracted from spent lead-acid batteries (SLAB) and the cadmium (Cd) extracted from spent nickel‑cadmium batteries (SNiCdB)were recycled into a host glass network to enhance its ability to attenuate gamma rays and thermal neutrons, making it suitable as a multifunctional shield. A pure host network of sodium calcium silicate glass (SCSPbCd0) was prepared and simultaneously reinforced with Pb and Cd. The produced glasses were labeled as SCSPbCd1 (containing 10 and 5 wt% of Pb and Cd), SCSPbCd2 (containing 20 and 10 wt% of Pb and Cd), and SCSPbCd3 (containing 30 and 15 wt% of Pb and Cd). The chemical analysis, structural properties, and optical properties confirmed the successful recycling of extracted Pb and Cd within the proposed SCSPbCd0 glass network. Although not targeted in the current study, high concentrations of Ni were detected in the glasses, which surely accompanied the extracted Cd. Reinforcing the silicate glass network with the extracted Pb, Cd, and Ni significantly improved the attenuation ability for gamma rays of energies of 661.64, 1173.23, and 1332.51 keV. The half value layer of the produced SCSPbCd3 glass, which contained the highest concentration of Pb, Cd, and Ni (28.52, 14.88, and 8.11 wt%), was reduced by 81.88 %, 77.272 %, and 76.794 % for 661.64, 1173.23, and 1332.51 keV, respectively. A significant improvement in the thermal neutrons attenuation performance was observed in the proposed host glass network due to its reinforcement with Cd, as the cross-section largely increased by 10,374 % in the SCSPbCd3 glass. Accordingly, glass materials are suitable media for recycling the SLAB and SNiCdB and their components can be used to enhance the glass properties. The recycling of extracted Pb, Cd, and Ni from these batteries has improved the attenuation capabilities, producing effective shields against neutrons and gamma rays.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01257"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In-situ tailored hierarchical structures of high-mass-loading hydroxide electrode for superior areal performance supercapacitors","authors":"Min Lu ,&nbsp;Jiahui Liang ,&nbsp;Fenyun Yi ,&nbsp;Yuxiao Zhang ,&nbsp;Tao Meng ,&nbsp;Aimei Gao ,&nbsp;Dong Shu","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Designing a high-mass-loading electrode and settling its insufficient stability/low conductivity are urgently needed for the practical application of supercapacitors. Here, MOF-74 with different <em>Z</em>-axis dimensions is assembled by adjusting ligand concentration strategy at the molecular level, followed by an in-situ ion exchange process to fabricate a hierarchically structured Ni(OH)₂/Co(OH)₂ on self-supporting nickel foam (NiCo-NF), reaching an ultra-high mass loading and areal capacitance. The obtained self-supporting NiCo-NF presents a typical 3D hollow structure constituted by 2D ultrathin nanolayers, which can expose the abundant phase interface and a greater number of active sites, leading to an improvement in the utilization efficiency and electrochemical stability of the high-loading electrode. Theoretical calculations and simulations demonstrate that the re-adjustment of charge distribution at the abundant interface effectively promotes charge transfer and enhances electrode reaction kinetics. The high-loading H-NiCo-NF electrode (∼ 23.3 mg cm⁻²) delivers remarkable capacitance (53.6 F cm⁻² at 1 mA cm⁻²), and the M-NiCo-NF electrode (∼ 11.7 mg cm⁻²) shows the considerable capacitance (27.2 F cm⁻² at 1 mA cm⁻²) and structural stability (81.1 % after 7000 cycles). The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor devices show an enhanced OH⁻ storage capability (1.1 mWh cm⁻² and 64.0 mW cm⁻²). Such a functional hierarchical structure of hydroxide shows a new perspective for high areal capacitance self-supported supercapacitors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01258"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"One-stone-for-two-birds strategy for upcycling plastic wastes into high-value-added medical consumables via the dip-coating technique","authors":"Min-Hsuan Lee ,&nbsp;Bo Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the increase in polypropylene-based medical plastic waste (e.g., disposable single-use face masks) over the past few years (especially for the COVID-19 crisis), the innovative technologies for converting medical plastic waste into high-value medical consumables have attracted more attention in the reduction of environmental pollution and the provision of digital healthcare. This research explores the potential of polypropylene substrates extracted from disposable single-use face masks to highly flexible and wearable Electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes. Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), the emerging carbon-based nanomaterials, were used as high-potential electrical conductors due to their solution-processability and flexible nature to integrate with foldable polypropylene substrates, further leading to outstanding electrical performance (e.g., the sheet resistance of MWCNT-coated polypropylene composite electrode as low as 4.4 Ω/sq). In addition, ECG hybrid electrodes made of polypropylene substrates densely coated with MWCNT materials exhibited unexpected stability in commercial ECG devices. Such functional MWCNT-coated polypropylene composites as electrode materials display low sheet resistance, good flexibility, and high-quality ECG signals. We believe that this promising attempt may pave the way for simultaneously solving the plastic pollution crisis and developing flexible electronic textiles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e01261"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}