RSC Advances最新文献

Rice straw represents a plentiful agricultural by-product that remains largely underexploited, particularly for composite reinforcement, due to poor fiber-matrix interactions and its high amorphous fraction. In this study, environmentally benign surface modification strategies were explored to ensure better mutual performance of rice-straw grains with an epoxy pattern. Four activation approaches were evaluated: ultrasonic treatment (P1), ultrasonic assisted with sodium carbonate (P2), plasma exposure (P3), and a combined Na₂CO₃-plasma sequence (P4). Fibers were processed using 5% w/v Na₂CO₃ solution and low-pressure plasma at 13.56 MHz, followed by fabrication of epoxy composites. The materials were examined through several analytical methods, including flexural evaluation (ASTM D790), FTIR spectroscopy, SEM-EDX imaging, XRD diffraction, TGA/dTG thermal analysis, and BET surface analysis. An overall enhancement in mechanical characteristics was detected as the degree of treatment increased. Sample P1 had a flexural durability of approximately 109.1 MPa, while sample P4 showed elasticity at 162.0 MPA and the range of modalities in terms of their articulation was expanded by 5.625 GPa (passive modulus) from 3.709 GPa when tested against other methods. SEM micrographs revealed remarkable surface alterations, such as a 131% rise in micro-texture roughness (from 0.344 to 0.796), resin deposition reaching 90.8%, a 72% decline in pore or void fraction (from 3.319% to 0.917%), and an 84% reduction in silica or ash residues. XRD profiles showed more pronounced cellulose-I reflections at 15.7°, 22.6°, and 34.6°, alongside the suppression of the amorphous halo (18–20°), signifying increased crystallinity, particularly in P4 fibers. TGA results demonstrated reduced char residue and higher, sharper Tmax peaks, confirming improved thermal stability. Among the treatments, the Na₂CO₃-assisted plasma approach (P4) provided the most substantial enhancement, offering a scalable and sustainable method to upgrade rice-straw fibers for structural composite applications.

The development of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors remains a promising research direction in drug discovery for Alzheimer's disease. A series of eighteen pyrazino[1′,2′:1,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives was synthesized as novel tacrine-like AChE inhibitors. Sixteen compounds inhibited AChE in the micromolar range. Among them, 4-(dimethylamino)-7,8-dimethylpyrazino[1′,2′:1,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-6(7H)-one (22) exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against the enzyme with an IC₅₀ value of 0.22 ± 0.02 µM, showing mixed-type inhibition. In silico studies showed that 22 occupies the catalytic anionic site of hAChE and forms strong π–π stacking interactions with Trp86, similar to those of tacrine. This study demonstrates the potential use of methyl-substituted pyrazino[1′,2′:1,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines in the development of potent AChE inhibitors.

The intensive use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has led to a surge in battery waste, which is a valuable secondary resource for metal recovery. Discarded LIBs, rich in critical metals like lithium and cobalt, offer a concentrated and economically attractive source, addressing supply limitations and environmental protection. The current study presents a novel, low-cost method for selectively recovering lithium ions from both synthetic solutions and LIB waste. Using a newly created adsorbent, mesoporous carbon nanotubes functionalized with aminomethylenephosphonic acid (CNT–AMP), lithium ions were selectively extracted. Extensive characterization of the structural and functional features of CNT–AMP and/or CNT–AMP/Li was carried out utilizing a variety of techniques, including FT-IR, XPS, BET, magnetization investigations, TEM, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and GC-MS. The ideal lithium recovery (299 mg g⁻¹) was obtained at 500 mg L⁻¹ lithium ions, 0.08 g CNT–AMP, pH 12, 25 °C, and 100 minutes of contact time. The adsorption behavior was highly consistent with the Langmuir and D–R models, indicating that chemisorption is the primary driving force behind the process. In an ideal setting, the recovery procedure produced 99.5% pure lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃), which is confirmed by XRD and SEM, with a recovery efficiency of 95.76%. The results demonstrate that CNT–AMP can be utilized as a high-performance adsorbent for the sustainable recovery of lithium as a valuable recycling metal from battery waste. This helps conserve resources and promote environmental sustainability.

Correction for ‘Synergistic polyphenol–amino acid nanoparticles: a new strategy for reactive oxygen species management’ by Huizhou Ye et al., RSC Adv., 2025, 15, 5117–5123, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RA08496A.

The increasing rate of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, mainly resulted from the industrial and energy sectors is a serious global challenge for climate stability. Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technologies are being considered as important route to achieve the decarbonization objectives established in the Paris Agreement through reduction of CO₂ levels in the atmosphere while allowing for its conversion to useful products. This review presents advancements in materials and technologies that are used to enhance the efficiency of CCUS process. Adsorbents based on biochar and nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, graphene derivatives, cellulose nanofibers, and nanoporous carbon, have significant CO₂ capture potential, due to their tunable porosity and large surface area. In utilization metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), graphene-based catalysts, and single-atom catalysts (SACs) have promising selectivity in the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ into fuels and chemicals in a closed carbon economy. For long-term storage, routes for secure and versatile sequestration include mineral carbonation, hydrate formation, and mixed-matrix membranes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) enabled technology is increasingly crucial to the effectiveness of CCUS, not only in high-throughput material screening and predictive modeling for catalytic activity and plume migration forecasting, but also in system optimization. New digital tools, including digital twins, IoT-enabled monitoring, and life cycle assessments, increase the reliability, scalability, and sustainability of CCUS deployment. While there are many challenges remaining, especially with respect to cost, stability, and industrial scalability, CCUS can be seen as an emerging transformative technology towards net-zero energy transitions with advances occurring rapidly in synergy with materials science and digital intelligence.

The conversion of low-cost, sustainable biomass into high-value porous carbon as an electrode material for supercapacitors has attracted considerable recent attention. Almost all efforts are focused on developing advanced carbon electrode materials without conducting large-scale experiments. Utilizing cotton pulp board as the prototype, we demonstrate that honeycomb-like porous carbon could be completely and repeatedly obtained by a one-step activation method. The preparation method is facile and industrially feasible, and could be used for the scalable production of multiple heteroatom-doped honeycomb-like porous carbon (MHDHPC) with excellent reproducibility and high yield. MHDHPC exhibits ultrahigh gravimetric capacitance and volumetric capacitance due to its high surface area, ultrahigh microporosity, relatively high density and surface heteroatom-rich nature. A MHDHPC//MHDHPC based symmetric supercapacitor can deliver a superior volumetric energy density of 13.1 Wh L⁻¹ in 6 M KOH. These exciting results provide a sustainable, scalable and low-cost method to prepare MHDHPC for high volumetric-performance supercapacitors.

In protecting crops and increasing yields, the usage of pesticides, such as deltamethrin (DELTA), has increased due to rising worldwide food demand. However, the toxicity of DELTA, its limited biodegradability, and persistence are causing harm to the environment and also human health. There exist conventional soil remediation methods, but they are either costly, slow, or may cause secondary pollution, prompting interest in greener solutions. Atmospheric-pressure Cold Plasma (ACP) produced by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) can offer an eco-friendly and innovative method for remediating pesticide-contaminated soil. In this study, an ACP-DBD plasma source was designed and developed and employed for the degradation of DELTA in soil. Cocopeat was used as a model soil to simulate field conditions. The effects of key operational parameters such as frequency, discharge voltage, treatment time, various pesticide concentrations, cocopeat soil pH and moisture were systematically evaluated to determine optimal conditions for maximum degradation efficiency. The onsite generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species within soil pores facilitated the effective degradation of DELTA, achieving removal efficiencies of up to 84.8% under optimized operational parameters. The detailed FTIR and GC-MS analysis further identified distinct degradation intermediates, supporting a mechanistic pathway predominantly driven by hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen (¹O₂). These findings are consistent with established plasma chemistry and underscore the oxidative transformation routes underlying pesticide breakdown. The results also highlight the potential of ACP-DBD as a green and effective technology for remediating pesticide-contaminated soils.

Environmental contamination from petroleum hydrocarbons poses significant challenges, particularly in regions affected by oil industry activities and conflict-related environmental disasters. This study investigated AI-optimized photo-Fenton systems for remediation of oil-contaminated desert soils through three key objectives: (1) systematically evaluating multiple catalysts, particularly iron(III) sulfate pentahydrate, and EDTA as a chelating agent for TPH removal, determining optimal conditions for specific reduction thresholds; (2) assessing four advanced photo-Fenton systems incorporating EDTA and Fe₂(SO₄)₃·5H₂O across multiple performance metrics, using statistical validation and machine learning to identify key performance factors; and (3) employing neural network modeling and hierarchical clustering to evaluate predictive accuracy, identify influential factors, and discover natural PAH classifications based on degradation patterns. Soil samples from Kuwait's Great Burgan Field were treated using various combinations of Fe₂(SO₄)₃·5H₂O (5–10 g L⁻¹), Fe₂O₃ (5–35 g L⁻¹), EDTA (15–20 g L⁻¹), and H₂SO₄ (5–25 mL L⁻¹). Fe₂(SO₄)₃·5H₂O demonstrated superior catalytic activity, achieving 99% TPH removal at 10 g L⁻¹, compared to Fe₂O₃'s 92% at 35 g L⁻¹. Advanced photo-Fenton system 3, combining both catalysts, showed exceptional performance with >98% removal of high-molecular-weight PAHs. The synergistic effect is proposed to arise from enhanced radical generation through both hydroxyl (˙OH) and sulfate radical (SO₄˙⁻) pathways, based on an established mechanistic precedent for Fe(III)-sulfate photochemistry. Neural network models successfully predicted PAH removal with R² > 0.91, while hierarchical clustering revealed distinct contaminant groupings. Treatment efficiency was primarily governed by EDTA concentration and Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ ratio, with degradation mechanisms varying based on PAH structure. This AI-driven optimization provides an efficient framework for soil remediation in petroleum-contaminated desert environments where traditional methods face significant challenges.

Correction for “Seeding the future of nanomaterials: a comprehensive review of nanosheet-mediated growth for energy harvesting, energy conversion, and photodetection applications” by Attia Shaheen et al., RSC Adv., 2025, 15, 20469–20494, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5RA01655J.

Nickel electrocatalysts present an economic alternative to noble metals for alcohol oxidation in alkaline fuel cells. Here, P,N-doped Ni-containing carbon nanofibers (Ni-CNFs) were synthesized by electrospinning of nickel acetate solutions with ammonium phosphate followed by thermal stabilization and calcination. Phosphate and nitrogen dopants regulated the electronic structure and surface chemistry of the nanofibers, which promoted the formation of active NiOOH species for catalysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the formation of a metallic nickel (Ni⁰)/graphitic carbon nanofiber (CNF) hybrid with nanoscale dispersion of nickel domains, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) verified the coexistence of Ni⁰/Ni²⁺ species together with phosphate (P⁵⁺–O) and nitrogen–carbon (N–C) functionalities, which collectively promote redox reversibility. Electrochemical activation in 1.0 M KOH yielded a high electrochemical surface area (∼40 600 cm² g⁻¹) and distinct Ni(II)/Ni(III) redox transitions. The optimized 1 wt% DAP-Ni-CNF electrode achieved a glycerol oxidation current density of ∼140 mA cm⁻² in 0.25 M glycerol with an apparent activation energy of ∼15 kJ mol⁻¹, which points towards fast charge transfer through a NiOOH-mediated pathway. In direct glycerol fuel cell tests, the same electrode achieved a peak power density of ∼200 mW m⁻² at 1.0 M glycerol. Notably, this study demonstrates that glycerol that is collected as a waste by-product from biodiesel production can be utilized as a viable new renewable energy source, valorizing low-value residues to clean electricity. The developed P,N-doped Ni-CNFs thus provide a sustainable route for glycerol valorization and circular bioenergy generation through alkaline fuel cell technology.