RSC sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Using ultrasonic oil–water nano-emulsions to purify lithium-ion battery black mass†","authors":"Chunhong Lei, Karl S. Ryder, Andrew P. Abbott and Jake M. Yang","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00771A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00771A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Long-loop recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries is neither sustainable nor economical at scale. In the absence of design-to-recycle initiatives taken up by cell manufacturers, even for batteries produced today, all-in-one shredding processes are the only practical option to achieve circularity of critical materials. Shredding lithium-ion batteries ultimately produces ‘black mass’ – a low-value commodity comprising a mixture of graphite from the anode and lithium metal oxides from the cathode. Recovery of valuable metals such as cobalt and nickel from black mass using energy-intensive pyro- and hydro-metallurgy processes inevitably destroys the crystalline structure of lithium metal oxides and thus requires further resynthesis of battery material upon isolation and purification. This study presents an efficient process for direct separation of graphite and lithium metal oxides from numerous sources of black mass by utilizing a meta-stable oil-in-water emulsion. The purification of black mass is facilitated by one minute of high-power ultrasonic agitation followed by sieve separation, whereby the ultrasonic process enabling purification requires <em>ca.</em> 1% of the energy for heat removal of the binder. The separation exploits the disparity in hydrophobicity between graphite and lithium metal oxides, with ultrasonic energy enhancing the efficacy of the process to allow separation of cathode and anode counterparts with purity as high as 96% within minutes of operation. This innovative approach offers a promising solution for short-loop recycling of lithium-ion battery black mass.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1516-1523"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00771a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143553589","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":"Techno-economic assessment of biodiesel-derived crude glycerol purification processes†","authors":"Yash Bansod, Kamran Ghasemzadeh and Carmine D'Agostino","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00599F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00599F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic assessment of three glycerol purification processes: Membrane Separation (MBP), Vacuum Distillation (VDP), and Ion Exchange Purification (IEP). The analysis evaluated these processes based on product purity, product recovery, raw material and utility consumption, capital and operating costs, and economic resilience to market fluctuations. IEP achieved the highest glycerol purity (98.75%) and recovery rate (99.00%), followed by VDP (96.91% purity, 94.99% recovery) and MBP (93.92% purity, 86.20% recovery). However, IEP exhibited the highest raw material consumption and liquid waste generation, while VDP demonstrated the most favourable balance between resource utilization and waste production. Economic analysis revealed VDP as the process with the lowest capital cost of 4.44 MUSD and the only profitable process with an annual profit of 0.24 MUSD under the given conditions. Sensitivity analysis, considering variations in raw material prices, utility costs, and product prices, consistently identified VDP as the most economically resilient process. MBP and IEP remained unprofitable across most scenarios, with IEP showing extreme sensitivity to raw material price fluctuations. This assessment provides crucial insights for decision-making in the growing biodiesel industry, emphasizing the need for balancing economic viability with sustainability and adaptability in glycerol purification technologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 6","pages":" 2605-2618"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00599f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144213701","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":"Examining the effect of manganese distribution on alcohol production in CoMn/TiO2 FTS catalysts†","authors":"Jay M. Pritchard, Matthew Lindley, Danial Farooq, Urvashi Vyas, Sarah J. Haigh, James Paterson, Mark Peacock and Andrew M. Beale","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00746H","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00746H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Mn-doped Co<small>₃</small>O<small>₄</small> supported on TiO<small>₂</small> is a well-known Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) catalyst. It has been shown that when the Mn doping exceeds 3 wt%, CO conversion drops and the product selectivity to alcohols and olefins increases dramatically. Here we examine the effect of the preparation method to determine how the proximity of the Mn in the as-prepared catalyst affects FTS performance. Three preparation procedures were examined: preparation of Mn doped Co(Mn)<small>₃</small>O<small>₄</small> mixed oxides, surface doping of Co<small>₃</small>O<small>₄</small> with Mn<small>₃</small>O<small>₄</small> and a physical mixture of the two spinels. Characterisation studies including XRD, XPS and STEM-EDS, of the as-synthesised materials confirmed the successful preparation of spinel materials with crystallite sizes ∼20 nm. Surface enrichment of Mn on Co<small>₃</small>O<small>₄</small> was seen in the as-prepared surface doped samples but not in the mixed oxide ones. STEM EDS studies revealed that after reduction Mn oxide had migrated to the surface in the mixed oxide samples similar to the surface doped samples. Subsequently, similar CO conversion and product selectivity was observed in both types of sample. However, unlike the surface doped and mixed oxide catalysts, the physically mixed oxide samples did not yield alcohols and olefins, although enhanced CO conversion was observed for the 3% physical mix. The results highlight the prevalence and importance of the effects of surface Mn doping on the Co speciation which leads to enhanced alcohol/olefin selectivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1376-1387"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00746h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143553577","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":"Afterglow quenching in plasma-based dry reforming of methane: a detailed analysis of the post-plasma chemistry via kinetic modelling†","authors":"Joachim Slaets, Eduardo Morais and Annemie Bogaerts","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00676C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00676C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >We have developed a kinetic model to investigate the post-plasma (afterglow) chemistry of dry reforming of methane (DRM) in warm plasmas with varying CO<small>₂</small>/CH<small>₄</small> ratios. We used two methods to study the effects of plasma temperature and afterglow quenching on the CO<small>₂</small> and CH<small>₄</small> conversion and product selectivity. First, quenching <em>via</em> conductive cooling is shown to be unimportant for mixtures with 30/70 and 50/50 CO<small>₂</small>/CH<small>₄</small> ratios, while it affects mixtures containing excess CO<small>₂</small> (70/30) by influencing radical recombination towards CO<small>₂</small>, H<small>₂</small> and H<small>₂</small>O, as well as the water gas shift reaction, decreasing the CO<small>₂</small> conversion throughout the afterglow. This is accompanied by shifts in product distribution, from CO and H<small>₂</small>O to CO<small>₂</small> and H<small>₂</small>, and the magnitude of this effect depends on a combination of plasma temperature and quenching rate. Second and more importantly, quenching <em>via</em> post-plasma mixing of the hot plasma effluent with fresh cold gas yields a significant improvement in conversion according to our model, with 258% and 301% extra conversion for CO<small>₂</small> and CH<small>₄</small>, respectively. This is accompanied by small changes in product selectivity, which are the result of interrupted reaction pathways at lower gas temperatures in the afterglow. Effectively, the post-plasma mixing can function as a heat recovery system, significantly lowering the energy cost through the additional conversion ensued. With this approach, our model predicts that energy consumption can be lowered by nearly 80% in comparison to DRM under the same plasma conditions without mixing.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1477-1493"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11783141/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143082534","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":"Optimizing nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery: insights from compartmental modeling via the CompSafeNano cloud platform","authors":"Periklis Tsiros, Nikolaos Chimarios, Dimitrios Zouraris, Andreas Tsoumanis, Haralambos Sarimveis, Georgia Melagraki, Iseult Lynch and Antreas Afantitis","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00686K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00686K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The deployment of nanoparticles (NPs) for targeted drug delivery <em>in vivo</em> holds immense potential for enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic side effects. However, the complexity of biological environments, including the biological barriers that need to be crossed for effective systemic delivery, presents significant challenges in optimizing NP delivery. This study demonstrates how a simple compartmental model facilitates the simulation and analysis of NP-mediated drug delivery, supporting targeted delivery optimization. The model involves reversible transport between five compartments related to drug delivery (administration site, off-target sites, target cell vicinity, target cell interior and excreta) that determine NP dynamics, including biodistribution, degradation, and excretion processes. This approach enables the estimation of delivery efficiency and the identification of critical factors affecting NP delivery through sensitivity analysis. A case study involving PEG-coated gold NPs delivered intravenously to the lungs demonstrates the model's capacity to describe observed biodistribution patterns and highlights key parameters influencing delivery outcomes. The model is exposed as a web application that provides a user-friendly graphical interface, enabling researchers to conduct <em>in silico</em> experiments with the goal of optimizing delivery strategies, thereby accelerating the development of precision nanomedicine. The model is made available both as a web application, <em>via</em> the Enalos Cloud Platform, and as a RESTful aaplication programming interface (API), providing a user-friendly graphical interface and programmatic access, respectively, enabling researchers to integrate the model into their own computational workflows. This study illustrates how simple compartmental modelling can be employed to guide the development of targeted drug delivery systems, contributing to more effective and personalized healthcare interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1494-1506"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00686k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143553587","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":"Advanced catalytic strategies for CO2 to methanol conversion: noble metal-based heterogeneous and electrochemical approaches","authors":"Soumalya Roy, Ezhava Manu Manohar, Sujoy Bandyopadhyay, Manik Chandra Singh, Yeji Cha, Soumen Giri, Sharad Lande, Kyungsu Na, Junseong Lee and Sourav Das","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00749B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00749B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The next generation is threatened by climate change, the significant impacts of global warming, and an energy crisis. Atmospheric CO<small>₂</small> levels have surpassed the critical 400 ppm threshold due to significant reliance on fossil fuels to satisfy the increasing energy demands of our fast-progressing society. An overabundance of manufactured carbon dioxide (CO<small>₂</small>) emissions severely disrupts the ecology. The synthesis of methanol by the selective hydrogenation of CO<small>₂</small> is a viable approach for generating clean energy and sustainably safeguarding our biosphere. Methanol is a versatile molecule with several uses in the chemical industry as an alternative to fossil fuels. The methanol economy is recognized as a pivotal development in the pursuit of a net zero-emission fuel, representing a crucial stride toward a more sustainable planet. The developing green methanol industry, or renewable methanol initiative, primarily relies on CO<small>₂</small> adsorption and usage. This novel technique is essential for mitigating global warming. This review focuses on the synthesis of methanol utilizing noble metal-based catalysts and electrochemical reduction methods, examining the associated thermodynamic challenges and outlining future directions for research. It emphasizes the role of noble metals, including palladium, gold, silver, and rhodium, in enhancing catalytic activity and selectivity during the CO<small>₂</small> to methanol conversion process. The incorporation of these sophisticated catalytic processes improves methanol production efficiency and facilitates novel methods for carbon capture and usage, therefore advancing a more sustainable energy framework.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1303-1332"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00749b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143553546","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":"Techno-economic assessment of two-stage hydropyrolysis of lignin for BTX production using iron-based catalysts†","authors":"Giuseppe Bagnato, Jamie Horgan and Aimaro Sanna","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00652F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00652F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The thermal degradation of the lignin contained in biomass, followed by catalytic upgrading of the resultant bio-oil, offers a promising renewable generation pathway for aromatic commodity chemicals, in particular benzene, toluene and xylene (collectively ‘BTX’). The primary barrier to widespread adoption of this technology is its economic unfavourability relative to petroleum-derived BTX production. Previous work has determined that iron-based zirconium oxide catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) upgrading step are able to selectively generate aromatic hydrocarbons (up to 12 wt%) and minimise catalyst coking. The techno-economic assessment (TEA) of a hypothetical industrial-scale biomass hydropyrolysis plant, converting 2000 tonnes per day of lignin waste into commodity chemicals using FeReO<small>_<em>x</em></small>/ZrO<small>₂</small> and Fe/ZrO<small>₂</small> catalysed HDO respectively in scenario 1 (S1) and scenario 2 (S2), was investigated. The TEA was carried out by constructing a robust model that integrates both technical and economic aspects of the process. A Monte Carlo-type sensitivity analysis was then used to examine the sensitivity of the predicted earnings. With the yearly Cost of Manufacturing (COM) estimated to be 88/158 M£ per year and revenues predicted to be 116/171 M£ per year, the base-case processes were predicted to make a yearly gain of approximately 27.6 and 12.7 M£ per year respectively in scenarios 1 and 2, with the sensitivity analysis yielding gross earnings of approximately 65% (S1) and 95% (S2) of simulations. The variable to which the profitability was most sensitive was found to be the bio-oil yield, and maximisation of this yield is recommended as a focus of further research.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1448-1460"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00652f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143553585","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":"Lignocellulose saccharification: historical insights and recent industrial advancements towards 2nd generation sugars†","authors":"Jorge Bueno Moron, Gerard P. M. van Klink and Gert-Jan M. Gruter","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00600C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00600C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study explores the initial industrial development of saccharification technologies, with a primary focus on hydrochloric acid (HCl) saccharification of biomass, particularly wood chips. It traces the historical progress from early 20th-century research to modern advancements, emphasizing the challenges, failures and successes in scaling up these processes. The work details the structural composition of wood, <em>i.e.</em> cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and explains the mechanisms of their hydrolysis. Additionally, it reviews various methods for hydrolyzing wood chips into saccharides, including besides HCl-based methods also sulfuric acid hydrolysis, as well as other methods such as enzymatic hydrolysis and more recent technologies. This review highlights the industrial attempts to bring these technologies to scale, providing insights into the technological advancements and hurdles faced. As developers of Avantium's DAWN Technology, we introduce our optimized hydrochloric acid saccharification process, which enhances efficiency and addresses historical challenges. This comprehensive overview not only documents the historical and technical aspects of biomass saccharification but also underscores the importance of continued innovation in this field.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1170-1211"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00600c?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143553552","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":"Thermo-rheological and tribological properties of low- and high-oleic vegetable oils as sustainable bio-based lubricants†","authors":"Abiodun Saka, Tobechukwu K. Abor, Anthony C. Okafor and Monday U. Okoronkwo","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00605D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00605D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Vegetable oil-based lubricants have attracted increased research attention in recent decades as sustainable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based lubricants in metal machining. However, more studies are required to fully elucidate the thermo-rheological and tribological properties. This study presents an investigation of the thermo-rheological and tribological properties of different vegetable oils, including low- and high-oleic soybean oil, high-oleic sunflower, safflower, and canola oils. The lubricity, and evolution of viscosity and thermodynamic properties as a function of temperature were investigated to obtain important parameters including the viscosity index, flow behavior index, flow activation energy, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, coefficient of friction, contact angle, and thermal-oxidative decomposition profile. The properties were compared with those obtained with mineral oil, conventional emulsion coolant (CEC), and a commercial bio-based lubricant, Acculube LB-2000, commonly used for metal cutting applications. The vegetable oils displayed comparable properties to the commercial LB-2000 lubricant and pure mineral oil, featuring Newtonian fluid characteristics, high viscosity indices, high flow activation energy, low specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity, and high thermal-oxidative stability. Generally, vegetable oils with high oleic acid content featured higher rheo-thermal stability, higher contact angle, and better performance in reducing the coefficient of friction. On the other hand, CEC displayed non-Newtonian fluid behavior with lower initial viscosity and flow activation energy, and lower thermal-oxidative stability, but comparatively higher specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity compared to the vegetable oils. Compared to pure mineral oil, the vegetable oils show higher oxidative-thermal stability, thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity, and better lubrication performance in the mixed and hydrodynamic lubrication regimes of the Stribeck curve. The results provide important datasets that will contribute to improving the database on the properties of vegetable oils to guide their utilization in designing sustainable vegetable-oil-based biodegradable lubricants.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 3","pages":" 1461-1476"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d4su00605d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143553586","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":"Showcasing the technological advancements of carbon dioxide conversion: a pathway to a sustainable future","authors":"Xiao Jiang","doi":"10.1039/D5SU90006A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU90006A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >A graphical abstract is available for this content</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 2","pages":" 626-628"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/su/d5su90006a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143184537","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}