Next Sustainability最新文献

Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) have recently garnered significant interest due to their high efficiency and low emissions operating in the intermediate temperature range (400−700 °C). However, due to the lack of efficient key cell materials, especially cathode materials with triple-conducting (O²⁻/H⁺/e⁻) characteristics, the practical application of PCFCs lags behind other energy conversion technologies. Over the past decade, considerable efforts have been devoted to the development of efficient triple-conducting cathode materials, leading to a remarkable progress in PCFCs performance. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the development of cathode materials in PCFCs, including the reaction mechanism, essential cathode material features, regulation strategies, and recent advancements. Challenges and research perspectives in this field are also presented. The focus is on harnessing the fundamental principles of compositional engineering and advanced technologies to provide valuable guidance for the design and development of novel cathode materials for high-performance PCFCs and related fields.

Durability property is a critical performance indicator of concrete in different environments and locations. However, durability also plays a key role in the sustainability and climate resiliency of concrete structures which is mostly ignored in the context of ways to improve the sustainability of concrete materials and structures. Hence, this paper aims to bring focus to this area by presenting an overview of the critical role of concrete properties especially durability on the sustainability and climate resiliency of concrete structures. This paper first presents a general overview of concrete materials followed by the connection of concrete to sustainability and climate resiliency. Discussions from this paper indicate that to improve concrete sustainability, there is a need to use materials with lower environmental impacts upfront in addition to producing concrete with improved durability to ensure long-term performance. In other words, merely reducing the upfront embodied carbon of materials is not sufficient to achieve sustainable concrete if the impact of such alternative low-carbon materials used to replace the traditional materials in concrete is not considered. On the other hand, the climate resiliency of concrete structures is mostly dependent on improved durability which would sustain their adaptation over time to the impacts of the changing climate conditions. Overall, to achieve sustainability and climate resilience of concrete structures; lower environmental impact, higher durability performance and resilience to applicable climatic conditions must be achieved.

Cocopeat has various distinguishing properties that encourage the slow decomposition and spontaneous Trichoderma growth. The cocopeat synthesizes responsive chemicals and regulatory mechanisms which assist in the Trichoderma growth. The exact chemical stimulant and efficient mechanisms governing the spontaneous Trichoderma growth in cocopeat remain unknown. The high lignin and cellulose concentration produces actinomycetes and deuteromycetes, which trigger slow decomposition in cocopeat. The chemical components, temperature, pH, nutrients, and aeration all have a direct impact Trichoderma growth and slow decomposition. The chemical constituents lignin, suberin, cutin, pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose are analyzed with sodium hydroxide solution and examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetry. The decomposition dynamics are determined using a mettler thermogravimetric analyzer. Simultaneously thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry are used to examine the stages of decomposition. The decomposition reactions are investigated using the distributed active energy model (DAEM). The glucose Murashige and Skoog (MS) media, chitin Murashige and Skoog (MS) media, Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal media, high-density oligonucleotide microarray, expressed sequence tag-based transcript and Blast2GO suite, hierarchical clustering and heat representation are involved in examination of Trichoderma species. The Upside regulating genes respond to signal transduction, transcription, translation, post-translational modification, and protein folding with the signal transcription factor Pac1 (PacC) for Trichoderma species growth. The dye decolorization assay, genome-wide gene family evolutionary analysis, and whole-genome sequencing were used to discover prospective genes for detecting high or slow decomposition in fungi. The methodologies and technology have the potential to investigate Trichoderma type, response chemicals, and mechanisms underlying Trichoderma growth and slow decomposition in cocopeat.

Compatible and environmentally clean activated carbon material was prepared via physicochemical method and used for harmful pollutant removal from aqueous solution. The performance of the pristine cottonseed cakes and its activated carbon was examined towards copper ions removal as targeted pollutant through adsorption process. The physicochemical properties of adsorbents were evaluated by numerous experimental techniques such as Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, the point of zero charge, iodine number and specific surface area. The effect of several key operational parameters such as contact time, adsorbent dose, pH, concentration and temperature were considered. Results of the adsorption tests exhibited significant sensitivity towards copper ions elimination at optimum conditions; the copper uptake capacity was enhanced with time up to equilibrium of 30 min with a minimum adsorbent dose of 0.1 g at alkaline pH of 10 for maximum concentration of 50 mg/L at room temperature (25 °C) and achieved appropriate adsorbed quantities of 51.56 mg/g for cottonseed cakes activated carbon (CCAC) and 48.5 mg/g for cottonseed cakes biosorbent (CCB). The values of point of zero charge are 2.63 and 6.32 for CCB and CCAC respectively which present high electrostatic attraction between positive charge of copper ions and negative charge of the surface at basic medium. Iodine number of 30.35 and 41.92 mg/g indicates random distribution of micropores. The specific surface area of CCAC (30.35 m²/g) is higher than the one of CCB (11.94 m²/g). FTIR shows good surface chemistry with various functional groups while Raman spectroscopy and SEM analyses revealed myriad morphological features and carbon phases (graphite and diamond). The adsorption of copper ions was described by pseudo second order kinetic model and favoured by Redlich Peterson isotherm corresponding to physisorption on CCB while the one CCAC involves chemical bonding and can be qualified as chemisorption mechanism as confirm by ΔH° of both materials.

The widespread use of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) in energy storage devices has resulted in the generation of additional waste which contains valuable metal ions and these metal ions are well known for their catalytic activities. The recovered black mass of cathode material was exposed to pretreatment with final calcination for 2 h at 800 ⁰C. After the calcination, the material was subjected to structural characterization (XRD, FE-SEM, EDAX, and XPS). In the present work, we have used spent LIBs cathode material as a catalyst for the oxidation reaction of benzyl alcohol to benzoic acid. The catalytic activity of this recovered cathode material was found to be highly efficient showing 100% conversion of benzyl alcohol with >99% selectivity of benzoic acid with lower catalyst loading of even 2%.

In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc oxide-zirconium dioxide nanocomposites (ZnO@ZrO₂) were synthesized by a low-cost solution combustion route to study their structural, morphological, optical, and photocatalytic performance. The properties of synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Phase formation and purity were confirmed using XRD and EDS. Optical absorption spectra revealed that the addition of ZrO₂ significantly affected optical absorption and band gap energy. The band gap energy increased from 3.01 to 3.24 eV with addition of ZrO₂ in ZnO. FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of ZnO and ZnO@ZrO₂. SEM micrographs showed a significant change in the morphology of the ZrO₂ addition in ZnO. BET analysis showed surface area for sample P3 ([email protected]₂) was 28.9 m²/g while for sample P1 (ZnO) was 22.5 m²/g. In addition, the photocatalytic performance of ZnO and ZnO@ZrO₂ for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) dye was studied for all samples exposed to solar light. The effect of different contents of ZrO₂ in ZnO@ZrO₂ in terms of degradation efficiency and degradation time are described in detail. The sample P3 showed highest photodegradation efficiency of 84.52 % at degradation time of 240 minutes.

There is a growing concern regarding the lack of sufficient justification for claims of "greenness" in research studies. This concern has sparked heated debates and prompted calls for mandatory discussions on adherence to green chemistry principles in studies that assert environmental friendliness. In response to this pressing issue, the present study introduces the ‘12 Principles of Red Chemistry’. These principles outline methodologies that prioritize immediate but risky chemical objectives over broader ecological considerations. Through the presentation of case studies, this discussion vividly illustrates the non-sustainability inherent in red chemistry practices. While green chemistry advocates for sustainable and environmentally responsible practices, red chemistry prioritizes short-term gains without adequate consideration for long-term environmental impacts. This contrast highlights the significance of green chemistry principles in guiding the chemical industry towards a more sustainable future. The comprehensive discussion on the Principles of Red chemistry serves as a guiding framework for understanding and evaluating the red chemical processes, emphasizing their potential risks and ecological impacts.

Solar energy is an effective means of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. This review provides an overview of building-integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPVT) systems, highlighting their potential advantages and challenges. The goal is to evaluate how BIPVT systems can improve energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. This article provides a comprehensive study of various BIPVT systems and spectral splitting techniques and discusses the performance and efficiency of different BIPVT applications. Additionally, this review analyzes the factors that influence the design, installation, and maintenance of BIPVT systems, as well as the economics, feasibility, and market potential of BIPVT systems. The results show that BIPVT systems have significant promise in improving photovoltaic (PV) module electrical efficiency, system thermal efficiency and reducing energy consumption, thus contributing to climate change mitigation. However, its high initial installation cost compared to traditional heating and cooling systems or stand-alone solar systems remains a major barrier to widespread adoption. To enhance market dynamism, further research and development work is required to improve performance and efficiency, reduce installation costs and overcome existing technical challenges.

The global warming concerns, greenhouse gas emission reduction, are not being addressed effectively in the energy-consuming building sector worldwide. This study presents a novel approach of solar technology interventions for sustainable buildings namely rooftop photovoltaic systems, use of carbon-free sustainable building materials, and passive solar heating systems. A methodology for achieving net zero energy and zero carbon emission buildings is described. This strategy is being implemented to develop an educational institution as a sustainable campus in a Western Himalayan cold region of India. The results show an energy yield of 1561 kWh/kWp/year from a proposed photovoltaic power system for a typical building at this location producing 10,928 kWh avoiding 7.7 t-CO₂ emissions which means the system will produce enough electricity in 2.6 years to offset the amount of carbon emissions during manufacturing of PV modules. The modeling and simulation analysis using the developed mathematical model shows that the space heating system provides 37–56 % of total energy needs with a payback period of 3.5–5.8 years depending on the type of six different construction materials used. The innovative mandatory policy and solar technology interventions implemented can be followed in remote rural and semi-urban areas in developing countries.

This study reports the optimum hydrogen (H₂) production from municipal solid waste (MSW) via waste eggshell derived-CaO catalyst through gasification technology. The response surface model was applied to design the experiments and the data validation. Results showed that CaO catalyst had a better performance that enhanced 15 mol% more H₂ production than non-catalytic gasification by mainly involving reaction temperature and catalyst loading as the critical parameters. Tar content was efficiently declined from 11.34 wt. % to 4.7 , wt. %, which ultimately elevated the H₂ and syngas from 33.95 mol% to 51.27 mol% and 74.05 to 83.4674.05–83.46 wt. %, respectively. The model showed a strong interaction among the statistical parameters verified through the regression values; R² = 0.990, P-value = 0.000005, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller techniques investigated the catalyst's structure hence; presented comparable results. From tar analysis, the aromatics were found as the dominant family followed by polycyclic aromatic, phenyls, aliphatic, aromatic heterocyclic, polycyclic, and aromatic ketones. Optimum H₂ production of 51.27 mol% (with H₂/CO ratio 2.82, LHV 9.47 MJ/Nm^3, and H₂ yield 22.74 mol kg-MSW⁻¹) was produced which can be a better alternative to depleting fossil fuels and utilized for liquid fuel manufacturing and power generation.