RSC sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Enhanced electrochemical dissolution of iridium oxide in acidic electrolytes through presence of metal ions: shortened lifetime and hope for recovery","authors":"Raghunandan Sharma, Per Morgen, Darko Makovec, Saso Gyergyek and Shuang Ma Andersen","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00257A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00257A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Nanoparticulate Ir-oxides are frequently used as highly active and robust anode electrocatalysts for acidic water electrolyzers. While their dissolution during the electrolyzer operation is unsought, it could be a green route for recovery of Ir from the spent electrodes. In this study, we explore such a possibility and show that the electrochemical dissolution of Ir-oxides during a potential cycling treatment can be enhanced by introducing transition metal ions (such as Cu<small>²⁺</small>) in the acidic electrolyte. Dissolution of Ir from a nanoparticulate Ir-oxide containing electrode through potential cycling between 0.0 and 1.65 V in 1 M HCl increases by a factor of ∼3 in the presence of low concentrations (<em>e.g.</em> 10 mM) of Cu<small>²⁺</small>. Impact of the presence of the metal ions on the Ir-oxide dissolution mechanism is characterized. Cyclic deposition and stripping of the Cu<small>²⁺</small> ion on the Ir-oxide may be attributed to the enhanced Ir dissolution, as evidenced by cyclic voltammograms studied in detail for Cu<small>²⁺</small>. Apart from exploration of the possibility of the electrochemical dissolution-based recovery of Ir from the spent Ir-oxide electrocatalysts, the study highlights the generally negative impacts of the presence of certain metal ions in the feedstock water on the electrocatalyst durability in acidic water electrolysis. Outcomes of this study are highly relevant for the fast-growing acidic water electrolysis industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00257a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141528432","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":"Preparation and evaluation of bioactive cellulose acetate films from Musa acuminata","authors":"Achuth Jayakrishnan, Shirin Shahana and Reshma Ayswaria","doi":"10.1039/D3SU00450C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D3SU00450C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Natural biodegradable polymers can be utilized in place of synthetic materials used in food packaging, as they are more effective from an economic and environmental standpoint. Cellulose acetate, derived from the esterification of cellulose with acetic anhydride, possesses inherent properties that can be enhanced by incorporating essential oils, thereby strengthening its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In this study, cellulose acetate films were fabricated using extracts from <em>Musa acuminata</em> (banana) leaves, with varying concentrations (25%, 50%, and 75%) of tea tree oil. Efficient cellulose extraction from <em>Musa acuminata</em> leaves was achieved after a 30 min incubation period, with optimal cellulose acetate production obtained following a 30 min delignification process and subsequent 15 min bleaching treatment. Among the cellulose acetate films produced, designated as CAT1 (25% tea tree oil), CAT2 (50% tea tree oil), and CAT3 (75% tea tree oil), CAT1 exhibited reduced opacity while CAT3 displayed the lowest water uptake capacity. Notably, CAT3 demonstrated pronounced antibacterial and antifungal activities, along with substantial phenolic content and antioxidant potential, surpassing CAT2 and CAT1. The environmental sustainability of the cellulose acetate films was demonstrated by their notable biodegradability and significant swelling in water and chloroform solvents. Moreover, the films exhibited varying solubility in organic solvents. Remarkably, the developed films effectively extended the shelf life of fruits, resulting in significantly reduced weight loss and deterioration compared to both unpacked fruits and those wrapped in polyethylene packaging. These findings underscore the potential of cellulose acetate-based films as sustainable alternatives for food packaging, offering enhanced functionality while minimizing environmental impact.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d3su00450c?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509916","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":"Environment-friendly acids for leaching transition metals from spent-NMC532 cathode and sustainable conversion to potential anodes†","authors":"Anjali V. Nair, Silpasree S. Jayasree, Dona Susan Baji, Shantikumar Nair and Dhamodaran Santhanagopalan","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00209A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00209A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >For a clean and sustainable world, energy storage systems like Li-ion batteries (LIBs) will play a vital role due to their wide range of applications. The exponential growth of batteries will lead to the generation of a substantial number of failed batteries in the near future. As a consequence, recycling will play a crucial role to reduce e-waste and to scale down the mining of virgin materials. Herein, we demonstrate a strategic approach to reduce e-waste and effectively reuse the same materials by regenerating batteries, enabling a circular economy. The study focuses on the recycling and regeneration of LiNi<small>_0.5</small>Mn<small>_0.3</small>Co<small>_0.2</small>O<small>₂</small> (NMC532) cathode material <em>via</em> a hydrometallurgical process with two different environmentally friendly acids. The regenerated materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Regenerated mixed metal phosphide and oxide anodes exhibited excellent electrochemical performance in an LIB system. This work opens up the scope for a simple and scalable approach to develop the recycling and regeneration of NMC batteries, which will facilitate a circular economy, thereby leading the way for more developments in this field.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00209a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509917","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":"Analyzing the interconnected dynamics of domestic biofuel burning in India: unravelling VOC emissions, surface-ozone formation, diagnostic ratios, and source identification","authors":"Arnab Mondal, Surajit Mondal, Paulami Ghosh and Papita Das","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00030G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00030G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Burning biomass fuels in Indian households is a common and cost-efficient way to generate energy for various domestic tasks. However, this practice is a significant source of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) released into the atmosphere, impacting local and global air quality. The substantial quantities of NMVOCs produced from burning biofuels at home can have adverse effects on climate and human health worldwide. This review focuses on exploring the processes involved in domestic biofuel combustion, detailing different stages of burning, and discussing the tools and techniques required to measure NMVOC emissions accurately. It also aims to identify potential emission sources through methods such as diagnostic ratios and PCA analysis. By striving to reduce NMVOC emissions from household biofuel burning, the goal is to provide a basis for informing policymakers in developing effective regulations and policies to address this environmental issue.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00030g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141528434","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 solid xantphos macroligand based on porous organic polymers for the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2†","authors":"Arne Nisters, Torsten Gutmann, Sun-Myung Kim, Jan Philipp Hofmann and Marcus Rose","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00164H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00164H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Porous organic polymers enable a novel approach to incorporate xantphos into a solid macroligand. Immobilizing a ruthenium complex on the xantphos framework results in an excellent catalyst for the hydrogenation of CO<small>₂</small> to formic acid. Recycling experiments indicate a minor partial degradation of the heterogenous catalyst after a certain induction period, which is referred to its structural changes.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00164h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141528435","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":"Green and sustainable devulcanization of ground tire rubber using choline chloride–urea deep eutectic solvent†","authors":"Hesam Ramezani, Fabrizio Scarpa, Qicheng Zhang, Wenfei Ji, Afifeh Khorramshokouh, Sebastien Rochat, Jean-Charles Eloi, Robert L. Harniman and Vijay K. Thakur","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00079J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00079J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This work describes the devulcanization of ground tire rubber (GTR) with particle sizes ranging from 0.6 to 0.122 mm using a non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible deep eutectic solvent (DES) based on choline chloride and urea. In addition to reducing the environmental impact of the process, other goals of this study were to minimize time and energy consumption. To meet these targets, a new de-vulcanization method has been developed. The methodology consists of using probe and bath sonication. The de-vulcanized rubber samples were then characterized using attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Flory–Rehner and Horikx analyses were also carried out to calculate the devulcanization percentage and investigate the successful devulcanization of the samples through selective crosslink scission. The results showed that rubber samples of 120 mesh (0.122 mm) were devulcanized up to 58% by using 182 W power only during a 30 minutes process.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00079j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141528433","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 dissolution of collagen and the formation of polypeptides in deep eutectic solvents for application as antibacterial agents†","authors":"Harmandeep Kaur, Manpreet Singh, Navdeep Kaur, Pratap Kumar Pati, Monika Rani and Tejwant Singh Kang","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00122B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00122B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Collagen is a protein that is hard to dissolve in water and many other solvents, which limits its applications. Herein, deep eutectic solvents (DESs), <em>i.e</em>. choline chloride : lactic acid (ChCl : LA) = 1 : 1 and ethylene glycol : zinc chloride (EG : ZnCl<small>₂</small>) = 4 : 1, are effectively used to dissolve type I collagen under different conditions. Type I collagen is readily soluble at a concentration of 9.5–22.5 w/v% in DESs, and the solubility is governed by the nature of the DES, temperature (45 °C, 70 °C and 90 °C) and the absence or presence of HCl<small>_(aq.)</small> (5 × 10<small>⁻⁵</small> M). The dissolved material is regenerated by employing ethanol as an anti-solvent at 4 °C and investigated for alteration in the polymeric structure using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD), UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and SDS-PAGE techniques. The increase in temperature and the presence of dilute HCl<small>_(aq.)</small> result in a relatively greater disruption of the H-bonded structure of collagen, causing the unwinding of its triple-helical structure coupled with reduction in the helical content of polyproline type-II helices, which exposed vital amino acid residues in the regenerated material. Such an unwinding is accompanied by the formation of low molecular weight polypeptides, which are readily soluble in water and show antimicrobial activity comparable to or more than that exhibited by a model antibiotic Kanamycin towards both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. DESs are reused for at least 3 cycles for collagen solubilization without alteration in their inherent structure and collagen solubilizing ability, whereas the material regenerated from reused DESs shows properties similar to that shown by the material regenerated from virgin DESs. In this manner, a new sustainable strategy for solubilizing collagen and the direct preparation of essential and active low molecular weight collagen peptides directly from collagen in a single step is established. An inventive approach to using collagen is made possible by the observation that lower molecular weight peptides formed from the sustainable dissolution of collagen with exposed aromatic amino acid residues can demonstrate antibacterial activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00122b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141528438","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":"Extraction of bioactive compounds from beach-cast brown algae: a review on accelerated solvent extraction and subcritical water extraction","authors":"Yu Zhang, Kelly Hawboldt and Stephanie MacQuarrie","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00204K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00204K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Brown algae accumulation on beaches, or beach-cast, can lead to negative environmental impacts. However, beach-cast brown algae harvested from coastlines is a potential resource of bioactive compounds for use in food, biomaterial, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The extraction and subsequent separation and purification of bioactive compounds using conventional Solid–Liquid Extraction (SLE) requires improvement for sustainability and efficiency. Subcritical water processes are a potential “greener” approach in extraction without a decrease in process performance. This review outlines the bioactive compounds (alginate, fucoidan, laminarin, phenolic compounds, and fucoxanthin) in beach-cast brown algae and summarizes and compares conventional SLE and pressurized water methods: Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) and Subcritical Water Extraction (SCWE). ASE is typically used in characterization/analysis, while SCWE is more appropriate for production. Extraction rate models and challenges related to scale-up in ASE and SCWE are also reviewed. ASE and SCWE can selectively extract bioactive compounds by modifying temperature/pressure and solvent combinations, and minimize extraction time, maximize yields and rates, and reduce chemical/solvent usage compared to SLE. However, kinetic modeling and scaling up of pressurized systems for brown algae valorization is still in its infancy. Future research is required to determine the green solvent combinations, develop batches into continuous processes, balance extraction conditions with product quantity and purity, and scale up for industrial-scale production.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00204k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141528436","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":"Lignin-based sustainable antifungal gel nanocoatings for disinfecting biomedical devices†","authors":"Sanjam Chandna, Kunal Gogde, Shatabdi Paul and Jayeeta Bhaumik","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00180J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00180J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >There is growing awareness that utilizing lignin as a sustainable biopolymer has emerged as a promising avenue to address challenges in antimicrobial protection. However, the application of lignin to prevent the spread of fungal infections is a less explored area and needs attention. Traditional antifungal agents often highlight significant concerns related to toxicity and environmental impact. To overcome these limitations, lignin, a renewable and biodegradable polyphenolic compound derived from plant cell walls, proves to be a substantial candidate. In this work, lignin is employed as a precursor molecule for the development of a gel-based coating. Rapid gelation technology was immensely useful in fabricating these versatile antifungal coatings. The developed coatings were highly transparent (nearly 85% transmittance values) and water resistant. Furthermore, the incorporation of lignin-based photodynamic nanoconjugates into coatings provides a multifaceted approach to combat fungal growth, thereby enhancing durability and sustainability, which enhanced the photodynamic activity of the lignin nanocoatings by approximately 50 fold. This work highlights the synergistic potential of lignin-based sustainable nanocoatings combined with photodynamic activity for on-demand disinfection of biomedical instruments.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00180j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509918","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":"Dimethylphosphite electrosynthesis from inorganic phosphorus building blocks via oxidative coupling†","authors":"Junnan Li, Hossein Bemana and Nikolay Kornienko","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00134F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00134F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Organophosphorus compounds carry importance in the chemical, medical, and fertilizer industries. Their production often entails the use of white phosphorus or PCl<small>₃</small>, which are toxic and energetically costly to produce. In this work we investigate phosphite ester formation through an electrochemical route which has the potential to serve as a greener alternative. In particular, dimethyl phosphite was electrosynthesized through oxidative coupling of an inorganic P source, H<small>₃</small>PO<small>₂</small>, and methanol as a model building block with high faradaic efficiencies approaching 100%. The reaction is proposed to proceed through electrooxidative phosphorus radical formation followed by coupling of this reactive species with proximal methanol molecules.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00134f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141528437","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}