RSC sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Excellent phosphorus-doped porous carbon oxygen reduction reaction catalysts derived from natural wild Angelica dahurica","authors":"Wenhao Mo, Xiaohua Tan and Lei Zhao","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00182F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00182F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >At present, phosphorus-doped porous carbon–oxygen reduction catalysts prepared by chemical methods are not able to achieve good performance. In order to improve the catalytic performance of the phosphorus-doped oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), wild <em>Angelica dahurica</em> (WAD) with abundant phosphorus was used as a carbon carrier and phosphorus source at the same time. Phosphorus-doped carbon-based materials based on carbonization of biomaterials also had a homogeneous structure and excellent stability. WAD directly carbonized at 900 °C (WAD-900) had a half-wave potential of 0.822 V relative to a reversible hydrogen electrode, a limiting current density of 4.54 mA cm<small>⁻²</small> at 1600 rpm, an average number of transferred electrons of four, and a stability of 95.9% for 20 000 s, larger than the 82.6% of Pt/C. This study demonstrates the excellent performance of naturally occurring phosphorus dopants in oxygen reduction reactions and their favorable catalysis properties, opening up a new direction for chemical dopants that find it difficult to achieve good performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2709-2716"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00182f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141770129","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":"Hydrothermal liquefaction of different waste biomass using green solvent 2-methyltetrahydrofuran as extractant and co-solvent†","authors":"Yuen Wai Lui, Sze Ha Tsang, Tsz Hin Chan, Ka Hei Chan, Yin Hei Lee, Hoi Fung Man and Matthew Y. Lui","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00259H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00259H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Hydrothermal processes, such as hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), are widely used for converting biomass into fuel and chemicals using superheated water as the processing medium. However, conventional organic solvents are often utilized in these processes, raising potential concerns about their environmental impact. For example, dichloromethane (DCM) is commonly used in HTL processes due to its ability to effectively extract organic molecules from the aqueous phase. Alcohols such as ethanol, 1-butanol and non-renewable tetrahydrofuran (THF) have also demonstrated positive effects as a co-solvent with water in biomass conversion. 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) is recognized as a green solvent and is often used as a bio-renewable substitute for DCM and THF in low-temperature transformations. In this comparison study, we explored the potential of 2-MeTHF as a recovery agent and co-solvent in the HTL of several major examples of waste biomass, namely herb residues, paper towel and sawdust. In this investigation, we compare 2-MeTHF with other solvents as extractant and co-solvent in HTL processes. Our research demonstrates that 2-MeTHF is an exceptional option for biocrude extraction, surpassing DCM and consistently producing considerably higher biocrude yields for HTL under several identical conditions (<em>e.g.</em> atmosphere and pH) without lowering the quality of the biocrude products to any significant extent. When utilized as a co-solvent, 2-MeTHF significantly improved biocrude yields, generally outperforming ethanol, 1-butanol and THF while maintaining or enhancing their quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2589-2597"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00259h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141770130","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":"Recent developments and sustainability in monitoring chlorine residuals for water quality control: a critical review†","authors":"Yohanz Khor, A. R. Abdul Aziz and Su Sin Chong","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00188E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00188E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Clean and safe water is a vital resource for human life. To ensure that consumable water is bacteria-free, water treatment, including the widely used chlorination process, is performed. Free chlorine resulting from the chlorination process in consumable water is a dangerous analyte and it is one of the vital parameters in water quality monitoring. Global guidelines state that free chlorine in consumable water should be controlled at 0.2–5.0 mg L; deviations from this concentration range could cause consumers to suffer from dire health effects. To control the concentration within the said range, various methods for free chlorine monitoring have been developed in recent years, categorized into conventional, optical and electrochemical methods. However, limitations such as high cost and complexity of analysis prevent these conventional methods from meeting the “Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and Robust, Equipment-free and Deliverable to end users” criteria for diagnostic tests set by the World Health Organization. Paper-based methods are therefore introduced to replace the conventional methods in the hope of meeting the criteria. However, the paper-based methods are still confined to the lab scale and are highly dependent on chemicals for the detection of free chlorine. Therefore, the capabilities of carbon quantum dots are introduced as a suitable indicator for free chlorine measurement. Using carbon quantum dots as an indicator is recommended for the future development of sustainable portable paper-based sensors due to their excellent absorption and fluorescent properties; in addition, carbon quantum dots can be synthesized from natural resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2468-2485"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00188e?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141770131","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":"Aloe vera mucilage as a sustainable biopolymer flocculant for efficient arsenate anion removal from water†","authors":"Deysi J. Venegas-García, Lee D. Wilson and Mayela De la Cruz-Guzmán","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00170B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00170B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >In recent years, utilization of biopolymers as natural coagulant–flocculant (CF) systems has become an area of interest, due to their sustainable nature (renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic) and potential utility as alternative systems to replace synthetic flocculants. Herein, a biopolymer extracted from <em>Aloe vera</em> mucilage (AVM) was investigated for its arsenic(<small>V</small>) removal properties in a CF water treatment process. Structural characterization of AVM was supported by spectroscopy (FTIR, <small>¹³</small>C solids NMR &amp; XPS), TGA, rheology, and pH<small>_pzc</small>. The arsenic(<small>V</small>) removal process was optimized by employing the Box–Behnken design under three main factors (coagulant, flocculant dosage and initial arsenic(<small>V</small>) concentration), which led to a reduction of the initial arsenic(<small>V</small>) concentration to levels below the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC; 10 μg L<small>⁻¹</small>). The kinetics and thermodynamics of arsenic(<small>V</small>) removal were analyzed with a one-pot <em>in situ</em> method, where the kinetic profiles followed a pseudo-first-order model. The thermodynamic parameters are characteristic of a spontaneous (entropy-driven) and endothermic physisorption removal process. Flocs isolated from the process were analyzed by XPS, where the results reveal that calcium and amide groups of AVM contribute to the arsenic(<small>V</small>) removal mechanism.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2632-2643"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00170b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141770132","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":"Nature-inspired recycling of a protein mixture into a green fluorescent protein-based hydrogel†","authors":"Laura Roset Julià, Sebastian J. Maerkl and Francesco Stellacci","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00212A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00212A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Protein-based materials are biocompatible and have a variety of remarkable properties; consequently, they are finding more and more applications. Nature recycles proteins in multiple ways, ranging from bio-degradation (a slow approach) to fast recycling of protein metabolism. The latter is a wonderful example because a random mixture of proteins gets digested into amino acids (AAs), the fundamental building blocks of proteins. These AAs are then used by cells to produce whichever protein is needed at the time of synthesis. Seen through the lens of recycling, this process transforms a random mixture into something not necessarily present at the start but needed at the moment of recycling. We have recently shown that the process of protein recycling can be performed <em>in vitro</em> and called it NaCRe (Nature Inspired Circular Recycling). In a previous NaCRe proof-of-concept experiment, we started with various protein mixtures but were able to produce only small quantities of recycled protein, in the microgram scale. Here, we show that NaCRe can be used to convert milligrams of a protein mixture containing one of the most common protein materials (silk) into a milligram of an hydrogel made of green fluorescent protein (GFP). We show that in order for NaCRe to be efficient the starting protein mixture must contain a good balance of all AAs and discuss the challenges encountered when scaling up NaCRe.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 10","pages":" 2903-2909"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00212a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141753939","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":"Sustainable, upscaled synthesis of pinene-derived (meth)acrylates and their application as high Tg monomers in styrene/acrylic-based bioderived copolymer coatings†","authors":"María Pin-Nó, Philippa L. Jacob, Vincenzo Taresco, Maud Kastelijn, Tijs Nabuurs, Chandres Surti, John Bilney, John Daly, Daniel J. Keddie, Steven M. Howdle and Robert A. Stockman","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00210E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00210E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >An improved synthesis of the pinene-derived monomers (3-pinanyl acrylate <strong>1</strong> and 3-pinanyl methacrylate <strong>2</strong>), replacing hazardous and/or expensive reagents from established methods with cheaper, more innocuous and sustainable reagents, is reported; the monomers of high purity are obtained at up to 160 g scale, without the need for chromatographic separation. Subsequently, these monomers (<strong>1</strong> and <strong>2</strong>) were successfully copolymerized with <em>n</em>-butyl acrylate/methacrylic acid or styrene/methacrylic acid using a radical semi-batch emulsion copolymerization process. For comparison, materials incorporating the more established terpene-derived monomer <em>iso</em>-bornyl methacrylate <strong>3</strong> were also prepared in an analogous fashion. The obtained polymer latexes had particle sizes between 65 and 90 nm and very low polydispersities (&lt;0.08) and were stable for several years without any coagulum formation. Gradient liquid chromatography indicated that all copolymers had relatively uniform chemical composition distributions. The <em>n</em>-butyl acrylate containing copolymers (<strong>P1–P3</strong>) were obtained with high molar masses (<em>M</em><small>_n</small> &gt; 40 000 and <em>M</em><small>_w</small> &gt; 400 000), very high dispersities (<em>Ð</em> &gt; 9.5), and low glass transition temperatures (<em>T</em><small>_g</small> &lt; −5 °C). The styrene-based copolymers (<strong>P4–P6</strong>) had slightly lower molar masses (<em>M</em><small>_n</small> &gt; 40 000 and <em>M</em><small>_w</small> &gt; 150 000), lower dispersities (<em>Ð</em> &gt; 3) and high glass transition temperatures (95 °C &lt; <em>T</em><small>_g</small> &lt; 120 °C). Preliminary testing of the <em>n</em>-butyl acrylate-based materials demonstrated the potential of these copolymers for use in coating applications. The poly(<em>n</em>-butyl acrylate)/pinanyl methacrylate copolymer <strong>P2</strong> was found to be harder (König hardness) and had better stain resistance properties towards water-based substances than the analogous <em>n</em>-butyl acrylate-based copolymers containing 3-pinanyl acrylate (<strong>P1</strong>) or <em>iso</em>-bornyl methacrylate (<strong>P3</strong>). Through further refinement of the copolymerization process we expect that the properties of these polymers may be further tailored towards a range of coating applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2515-2523"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00210e?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141743260","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":"Fabrication of biological cushioning materials with natural wood structure by an ionic liquid-based sustainable chemistry approach†","authors":"Hiroki Sakagami and Tetsuya Tsuda","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00097H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00097H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >While retaining wood morphology and characteristics, <em>i.e.</em>, growth rings and brown color, biological cushioning materials were successfully fabricated by the partial removal of lignin and hemicellulose from <em>Cryptomeria japonica</em> wood during an ionic liquid-based sustainable chemistry approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2486-2490"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00097h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141743264","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":"A multi-biocatalytic system for effective fumarate synthesis from pyruvate and gaseous CO2†","authors":"Mika Takeuchi and Yutaka Amao","doi":"10.1039/D3SU00486D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D3SU00486D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Fumarate, an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid, is an important material for producing unsaturated polyester resins and biodegradable plastics. Fumarate synthesis from petroleum-derived benzene and butane as starting materials is expected to be replaced by synthesis methods from renewable raw materials. In this work, fumarate synthesis from gaseous CO<small>₂</small> and pyruvate in an aqueous medium using a multi-biocatalytic system consisting of pyruvate carboxylase (PC), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and fumarase (FUM) in the presence of ATP and NADH is accomplished. The conversion yield of fumarate from pyruvate using this system was estimated to be approximately 16% after 5 h of incubation.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2491-2495"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d3su00486d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141743263","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":"Facile synthesis of propargylamines by metal-free doubly decarboxylative coupling†","authors":"Junduo Hu, Xiaofan Shi, Liliang Huang, Rongkang Zhang and Huangdi Feng","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00258J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00258J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Doubly decarboxylative coupling between two different carboxylic acids to form a new C–C bond is a powerful tool for the rapid assembly of complex compounds. Herein, we report a metal-free three-component decarboxylative strategy for the construction of diverse propargylamines in good yields with high chemoselectivity. This operationally simple method can be applied to various amino acids, α-keto acids, and terminal alkynes, providing a powerful new protocol for propargylamine synthesis. The reaction without the addition of metal catalysts has the advantages of broad scope and functional group compatibility, and environmental friendliness.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2626-2631"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00258j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141743267","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":"Selective hydrodeoxygenation of oxygenated aromatic molecules using a molecular palladium catalyst covalently bound to a solid SiO2 support†","authors":"Jake G. Tillou, Joseph J. Kuchta, Nathan Thornburg, Santosh K. Balijepalli and Aaron K. Vannucci","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00333K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00333K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The selective hydrodeoxygenation of lignin derived aromatics represents an important step towards the valorization of biomass. With this goal in mind, we synthesized a hybrid molecular/heterogeneous catalyst comprised of a (2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazolyl)pyridine-4′-aminopropyltrisiloxane)palladium(<small>II</small>) molecular catalyst covalently bound to a solid silica support through the siloxane functional group. A series of model complexes containing C–O bonds typically found in lignin biomass were explored and varying degrees of C–O bond hydrogenation were achieved. The stable covalent binding of the catalyst to the support was attributed to the observed long catalyst lifetimes which led to over 6000 catalytic turnovers without catalyst deactivation. Spectroscopic characterization of the catalyst pre- and post-catalytic reactions shows the catalyst maintains molecular integrity under the reaction conditions examined. The catalyst also exhibited complete selectivity for hydrodeoxygenation over ring hydrogenation of oxygenated aromatic molecules.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 9","pages":" 2549-2558"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00333k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141743261","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}