RSC sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Visible light promoted metal and oxidant-free stereoselective synthesis of functionalized succinimides from aza-1,6-enynes†","authors":"Shivam A. Meena, Deepika Thakur, Debanik Panda, Rahul Ranjan and Akhilesh K. Verma","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00753K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00753K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >An operationally simple approach has been developed for synthesizing diversely functionalized succinimides under transition-metal and oxidant-free conditions in PEG-400. The developed strategy is promoted by visible light and proceeds <em>via</em> radical cascade iodo-sulfonylation of aza-1,6-enynes in an atom atom-economical manner with excellent stereoselectivity. Control experiments well support the proposed pathway for the reaction. The reaction's expedient features include operational simplicity, eco-friendly solvent, atom economy, and functional group tolerance with a broad substrate scope.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 1","pages":" 592-598"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00753k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advances in the catalysis of reduction of nitroaromatics and its mechanism: a tutorial review","authors":"Wenjie Guo, Yisha Zheng, Wenlong Xiang and Yanhui Zhang","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00531G","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00531G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This paper reviews the research on the conversion of nitroaromatics to aminoaromatics through catalysis. The traditional catalytic technology employs iron powder as a catalyst, which tends to generate a large amount of solid waste and water pollutants, making it the focus of research for improvement. The current research status of the catalytic reduction of nitroaromatic reactions is introduced, highlighting the main catalytic mechanism currently employed and the work conducted by our group in furthering this research. The current status and limitations of the catalytic reduction of nitroaromatic reactions are discussed. Additionally, the possibility of modulating the reaction pathway and the future development of the reaction are explored.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 1","pages":" 243-254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00531g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Photodegradation of berberine hydrochloride at the interface of 1D–2D nanohybrid of nickel ferrite supported on reduced graphene oxide†","authors":"Sayanika Saikia, Salma A. Khanam, Priyanuj Kandali, Ankur Kanti Guha and Kusum K. Bania","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00638K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00638K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Morphologically tuned one-dimensional (1D) nickel ferrite (NiFe<small>₂</small>O<small>₄</small>) nanorod (NFNR) was synthesized through co-precipitation and hydrothermal methods. The NFNR was combined with two-dimensional (2D) reduced graphene oxide (rGO) derived from battery waste and designated as NFNR/rGO. The 1D–2D nanohybrid was used as a UV-light-harvesting photocatalyst for the degradation of berberine hydrochloride (BH), a hazardous water contaminant. Using NFNR/rGO, 97.61% of BH was degraded in 60 min upon exposure to UV light along with 83.87% of mineralization following the first-order kinetics. The present analysis showed that NFNR/rGO exhibited 4.8 times higher photocatalytic activity than the bare NFNR owing to increased surface area, reduced indirect band gap, more active sites and low charge recombination rate. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism of BH was investigated and examined with the help of trapping experiments and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The experimental evidences demonstrated that OH˙ (hydroxyl) and O<small>₂</small><small>⁻</small>˙ (superoxide) radicals played dominant roles in the photodegradation procedure. The various probable intermediates involved during the reaction were investigated through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS). The magnetically separable catalyst was reused and assessed for five consecutive cycles. The photocatalyst delivered strong activity towards the photodegradation of BH during recycling. The photodegradation process of BH was also studied using three other catalysts having variable molar ratios of Ni to Fe, and it was found that NFNR/rGO with Ni : Fe = 1 : 2 exhibited a superior activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 1","pages":" 510-525"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00638k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From citrus waste to value: optimizing sulfonated carbons for limonene upcycling into value-added products†","authors":"Gabrielle M. Reis, Renan S. Nunes, Gabriela T. M. Xavier, Marina V. Kirillova, Alexander M. Kirillov, Dalmo Mandelli and Wagner A. Carvalho","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00348A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00348A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Limonene extracted from orange essential oil represents one of the globally prevalent and low-cost terpenes. Through the isomerization of limonene, it is possible to obtain a variety of high-added-value terpenic compounds such as terpinolene, α-terpinene, and γ-terpinene, as well as <em>p</em>-cymene. These products have diverse applications in the food, cosmetic, polymer, and chemical industries. The present study focused on developing a sustainable approach to producing valuable chemicals from renewable resources such as limonene, particularly <em>via</em> the isomerization of limonene over modified sulfonated carbons as bio-based catalysts. The synthesis of sulfonated carbons from glucose was optimized through a Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD), which enabled the identification of correlations between synthesis conditions and catalytic performance. Thus, sulfonated carbon catalysts with larger surface areas and smaller pore diameters lead to higher results in limonene isomerization. Various characterization techniques were employed to elucidate the physicochemical properties of the synthesized carbons, confirming the presence of acidic surface groups and showing the influence of textural characteristics on the limonene isomerization. After a 2 hour reaction at 150 °C, a 96% conversion of limonene was achieved, resulting in a good overall yield of the major products, ranging from 40% to 50%, namely α-terpinene, γ-terpinene, and terpinolene. The obtained findings highlight that the use of sulfonated carbons has the potential to drive the sustainable transformation of limonene into valuable compounds. In particular, the sustainability approach of this work includes (i) using a minimal amount of concentrated H<small>₂</small>SO<small>₄</small> acid in the catalyst synthesis, (ii) employing bio-based and metal-free carbon catalysts, (iii) exploring a renewable substrate, and (iv) conducting the reaction process without added solvents.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1122-1135"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00348a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143553534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study of adsorption efficiencies of biopolymer-based composites of chitosan with a sulfonic acid functionalized imidazolium ionic liquid for elimination of organic dyes in wastewater†","authors":"Subham Paul, Amlan Jyoti Gogoi, Krishna Dev, Prapti Priyam Handique, Debanga Bhusan Bora, Sangeeta Kalita and Ruli Borah","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00501E","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00501E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >In the present work, Brønsted acidic ionic liquid 2-methyl-<em>N</em>,<em>N</em>-disulfoimidazolium chloride [Mdsim]Cl impregnated chitosan composites were prepared by mixing chitosan with [Mdsim]Cl in different ratios. The prepared composites were characterized by FT-IR, PXRD, SEM and TGA techniques. The adsorption behaviour of the prepared composites was efficiently investigated for the removal of methylene blue (MB), as a cationic model dye compound from aqueous solution. Various concentrations of aqueous MB dye solutions were used to study the adsorption nature of composites through UV studies. The adsorption kinetics of MB was well described using a pseudo-second-order model and intra-particle diffusion model. The adsorption also followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the maximum adsorption capacity was 2.3 mg g<small>⁻¹</small> among the prepared composites. The adsorption capacity of the composite was also compared with three other dyes, namely methyl orange, crystal violet and methyl green.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 1","pages":" 486-502"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00501e?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ESG assessment methodology for emerging technologies: plasma versus conventional technology for ammonia production †","authors":"Le Yu, Amin Keilani, Nam Nghiep Tran, Marc Escribà-Gelonch, Michael Goodsite, Sukhbir Sandhu, Harpinder Sandhu and Volker Hessel","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00423J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00423J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria demand that enterprises should not be assessed solely on their financial performance, but also on their environmental, social, and governance performance. This numerical assessment of ESG criteria enables them to be evaluated with the consideration of other financial issues of enterprises' performance and thereby guides financial investments into environmentally and socially responsible firms. ESG, however, solidifies the continuance of conventional technologies but can potentially disadvantage emerging technologies. This study is the first to forecast the ESG potential of emerging chemical technologies. The Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) rating system is applied to one of the top 3 global chemical processes. Ammonia (NH<small>₃</small>) is produced <em>via</em> the Haber–Bosch (HB) process, which needs a huge fossil fuel input and high energy consumption, leading to a significant contribution to carbon dioxide (CO<small>₂</small>) emissions. In contrast, the ESG assessment rates emerging plasma technology and its spearhead companies that lead innovation and development in this field, which provide the benefits of being a clean, sustainable alternative for green NH<small>₃</small> production. Five different plasma-technology companies are considered, with the technology readiness level (TRL) ranging from 3 to 9. These are compared to five different conventional HB companies. We examine the final ESG result of the plasma technology companies, exploring their environmental advances and social viability. In this study, five different themes were selected, including eleven issues, to measure the plasma-technology company's management related to ESG risks and opportunities.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1102-1113"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11664233/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142899373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cork-derived magnetic composites: a preliminary study†","authors":"Francesca Scalera, Anna Grazia Monteduro, Alessandra Quarta, Annalisa Caputo, Robert C. Pullar, Giuseppe Maruccio and Clara Piccirillo","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00442F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00442F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Materials based on graphitic carbon are used for environmental remediation, due to their high surface area and their capacity to adsorb pollutants in liquid environments. Carbonaceous materials derived from residues are particularly interesting, as their synthesis has a smaller impact on the environment. In the present work, we report a preliminary study on the preparation of graphitic carbon made from cork waste powder modified with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). This is the first time such composites were prepared using pyrolysed/carbonised cork, from a powder residue of cork stopper production. This makes the process sustainable and in line with the circular economy. The composites were prepared by vacuum infiltration of the MNPs on pyrolysed cork powder, with a successive thermal treatment, resulting in a carbon material that retained the porous microstructure of the original cork, ideal for the absorption of pollutants or separation of oils and water, while also being magnetically separable afterwards. It was seen that post-infiltration heating was better in air than under nitrogen, with the nitrogen atmosphere and presence of highly porous carbon possibly partially reducing magnetite to FeO, with a reduction in magnetic properties. MNPs with different chemical compositions were tested – zinc ferrite (ZnFe<small>₂</small>O<small>₄</small>) and magnetite (Fe<small>₃</small>O<small>₄</small>) – with the magnetite composites showing the highest magnetisation. Moreover, magnetite particles of different dimensions were considered: 6, 9 and 15 nm; results indicated that the 9 nm magnetite NPs were the most easily infiltrated; the magnetisation, however, was higher for the composites with the 15 nm magnetite NPs (about 9 emu g<small>⁻¹</small>), despite the oxide component comprising only around 12 wt% of the composite, due to their greater initial magnetisation. This value is higher than those of similar composites prepared using carbon from other natural sources. SEM analysis showed the presence of MNPs on the surface of the material, with the particles being on the nanometric scale and showing no aggregation on the micron scale. Composites prepared with these 15 nm MNPs also showed greater stability in both water and an organic solvent (chloroform) and were demonstrated to be magnetically separable from suspensions, making them the most suitable for environmental remediation applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 2","pages":" 914-928"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00442f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143184573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pyrolysis of waste plastics for alternative fuel: a review of key factors","authors":"Haseeb Yaqoob, Hafiz Muhammad Ali and Umair Khalid","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00504J","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00504J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Plastic is a threat to the environment since it does not biodegrade, but it also has the potential to become a substantial resource to produce alternative energy sources, creating a multibillion-dollar untapped market. Every year, millions of tons of plastic are produced, resulting in a significant rise in plastic waste, which causes ecological and environmental problems. According to estimates, only around 10% of this waste plastic is now recycled. Plastic waste may be handled in two ways: recycling or converting it into energy. The first alternative, recycling, has several challenges, including the need for labor-intensive processes and concerns about water pollution, which may threaten its long-term sustainability. As a result, the second technique for turning waste plastic into energy has been developed, enhanced, and extensively researched. Pyrolysis is a technique that involves heating plastics at temperatures ranging from 455–700 °C without oxygen. This process yields high-calorific fuel that can be utilized as an alternative fuel. This study explores the thermal and catalytic cracking processes involved in waste plastic pyrolysis, focusing on crucial factors such as temperature, time, feedstock, reactor type, and catalyst that impact results such as oil production, gases, and heat. Furthermore, the study investigates the properties of the liquid oil produced and offers suggestions for enhancing the liquid fuel yield for each kind of plastic.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 1","pages":" 208-218"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00504j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: Enhanced mechanical strength of polypropylene bionanocomposites through spray-dried nanocrystalline cellulose reinforcement","authors":"Fatimah Athiyah Sabaruddin, Hidayah Ariffin, Siti Shazra Shazleen, Lawrence Ng Yee Foong, Pim-on Rujitanaroj, Kasinee Thitiwutthisakul, Patcharin Permpaisarnsakul and Phungjai Tinnasulanon","doi":"10.1039/D4SU90065K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU90065K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Correction for ‘Enhanced mechanical strength of polypropylene bionanocomposites through spray-dried nanocrystalline cellulose reinforcement’ by Fatimah Athiyah Sabaruddin <em>et al.</em>, <em>RSC Sustain.</em>, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/d4su00295d.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 1","pages":" 611-611"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su90065k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decarbonizing specialty chemical manufacturing: opportunities for electrochemists†","authors":"Robert J. Hacku, Thomas J. Henry, Michael A. Kane, Maxwell J. Vance, Zachary J. Sebastian, Glenn Cormack, Tyler J. Petek, Elisa Seddon and James R. McKone","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00375F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00375F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >To meet global decarbonization goals, the chemical industry faces the challenge of dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions even as demand for chemical products continues to grow. This challenge is amplified by the sector's reliance on petroleum-based hydrocarbons as both fuel and feedstock. Electrochemical synthesis is widely viewed as an attractive method to decarbonize chemical manufacturing through the use of low-carbon electricity to drive redox reactions. Presently, much of the work in this area is focused on electrochemical strategies to produce commodity chemicals. In this work, we make the case that developing electrosynthetic methods for specialty chemical manufacturing is another attractive entry point for electrochemical process design. We further outline the results of a scoping study aimed at assessing the potential to decarbonize the production of several organic compounds that are widely used in specialty chemical manufacturing by using electrochemical reactors. Our approach entails mapping the supply chain for each compound back to its petrochemical feedstock, identifying opportunities to incorporate electrochemical transformations along the supply chain, and estimating the potential for decarbonization through the adoption of electrosynthetic schemes. The results show there already exist significant opportunities to decarbonize specialty chemical transformations today, even under very conservative assumptions about process efficiency and the carbon intensity of the input electricity.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 1","pages":" 460-470"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00375f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}