Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101323
Catalina Suescun Gonzalez , Benjamin Sandei , Fabio A. Cruz Sanchez , Sandrine Hoppe , Hakim Boudaoud , Joshua M. Pearce , Cécile Nouvel
The concept of bypassing the sorting process in post-consumer plastic recycling has emerged as an intriguing solution to circumvent the high costs and inherent inefficiencies of conventional processes. This approach demands the blend of polymers, whose physical properties have been known to be improved with the use of compatibilizers. In this study, the recycled polymer blends based on the two largest-volume waste plastics of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (rPET) and high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) at 90/10 wt% are investigated to develop a method that would be able to recycled water bottles directly. This blend was investigated with and without 10 wt% of three types of styrene-ethylene/butylene (SEBS), two non-reactive compatibilizers named by their code G1650 and G1652 and one maleated SEBS cirKular + c1010 - (C1010). It was prepared in a co-rotating twin screw extruder and 3-D printed using a large-format fused granular fabrication printer. The results showed that samples manufactured by conventional methods exhibited increases of approximately 50% in tensile strength and 34% in impact strength compared to those produced by 3D printing. Furthermore, the addition of compatibilizers enhanced the elongation at break by approximately 40% in samples processed through conventional methods.
{"title":"Compatibilizer effectiveness for the reuse of mixed post-consumer solid waste plastic towards Distributed recycling additive manufacturing","authors":"Catalina Suescun Gonzalez , Benjamin Sandei , Fabio A. Cruz Sanchez , Sandrine Hoppe , Hakim Boudaoud , Joshua M. Pearce , Cécile Nouvel","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101323","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101323","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The concept of bypassing the sorting process in post-consumer plastic recycling has emerged as an intriguing solution to circumvent the high costs and inherent inefficiencies of conventional processes. This approach demands the blend of polymers, whose physical properties have been known to be improved with the use of compatibilizers. In this study, the recycled polymer blends based on the two largest-volume waste plastics of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (rPET) and high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) at 90/10 wt% are investigated to develop a method that would be able to recycled water bottles directly. This blend was investigated with and without 10 wt% of three types of styrene-ethylene/butylene (SEBS), two non-reactive compatibilizers named by their code G1650 and G1652 and one maleated SEBS cirKular + c1010 - (C1010). It was prepared in a co-rotating twin screw extruder and 3-D printed using a large-format fused granular fabrication printer. The results showed that samples manufactured by conventional methods exhibited increases of approximately 50% in tensile strength and 34% in impact strength compared to those produced by 3D printing. Furthermore, the addition of compatibilizers enhanced the elongation at break by approximately 40% in samples processed through conventional methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"34 ","pages":"Article 101323"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146147568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-10DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101327
Muhammad Umar Aslam Khan , Saiqa Yousaf , Abdalla Abdal-Hay , Mohd Faizal Bin Abdullah , Sahar Madani , Muhammad Shahzad Zafar , Goran M. Stojanović , Lobat Tayebi
There is an increasing necessity for advanced, sustainable, and biocompatible materials for wound healing as therapeutic and diagnostic products. Marine environments, characterized by high biodiversity, offer an underutilized source of natural resources with enormous potential for creating novel materials for dressings. This review highlights the revolutionary nature of polymeric biomaterials of marine origin, with a focus on polysaccharides, like alginate, chitosan, and carrageenan; proteins, such as collagen and gelatin. These biopolymers are outstanding in their physicochemical properties, such as biodegradability, bioactivity, and modifiable mechanical strength, which enable their use in wound-healing systems. Besides, these biomaterials may be easily chemically and physically modified, enabling enhanced multifunctionality and integration into complex biomedical environments. Marine-based biopolymers are renewable, abundant, and offer environmentally benign alternatives to synthetic materials, thereby resolving sustainability concerns in large-scale biomedical manufacturing. This report addresses the recent development of maritime-derived polymers and the resulting wound dressings for state-of-the-art wound healing, highlighting significant challenges and future perspectives.
{"title":"Recent insight and perspective of marine-inspired biopolymers for wound healing applications – A review","authors":"Muhammad Umar Aslam Khan , Saiqa Yousaf , Abdalla Abdal-Hay , Mohd Faizal Bin Abdullah , Sahar Madani , Muhammad Shahzad Zafar , Goran M. Stojanović , Lobat Tayebi","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101327","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101327","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is an increasing necessity for advanced, sustainable, and biocompatible materials for wound healing as therapeutic and diagnostic products. Marine environments, characterized by high biodiversity, offer an underutilized source of natural resources with enormous potential for creating novel materials for dressings. This review highlights the revolutionary nature of polymeric biomaterials of marine origin, with a focus on polysaccharides, like alginate, chitosan, and carrageenan; proteins, such as collagen and gelatin. These biopolymers are outstanding in their physicochemical properties, such as biodegradability, bioactivity, and modifiable mechanical strength, which enable their use in wound-healing systems. Besides, these biomaterials may be easily chemically and physically modified, enabling enhanced multifunctionality and integration into complex biomedical environments. Marine-based biopolymers are renewable, abundant, and offer environmentally benign alternatives to synthetic materials, thereby resolving sustainability concerns in large-scale biomedical manufacturing. This report addresses the recent development of maritime-derived polymers and the resulting wound dressings for state-of-the-art wound healing, highlighting significant challenges and future perspectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"34 ","pages":"Article 101327"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146193025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-06DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101321
Syeda Maria Batool , Syeda Sitwat Batool , Bazrafkan Aliashghar , DeSutter Thomsan , Meehan Miranda , B.D. Braaten , Peter G. Oduor
Monitoring CO2 levels in outdoors and indoor environments becomes crucial. Despite numerous commercially available sensors that are usually based on organic polymer or inorganic semiconductor materials that have limited response at lower temperatures. Recently, MOFs have emerged as one of the most promising candidates for CO2 sensing materials due to their tunable structural properties. These materials consist of metal ions or clusters coordinated with chemically tunable organic linkers. This modular design yields crystalline frameworks with very high surface areas and precisely defined pore structure. Host-guest interactions found in MOFs are unique and highly responsive to physical and chemical interactions, which can be successfully used to address the major issues in CO2 sensing, such as fast response, high sensitivity, and enhanced selectivity. This review is dedicated to the synthesis methods, classification, and fundamental structural changes of MOFs that directly affect sensing properties of MOFs. The functionalization strategies like amine grafting, metal doping, and development of composites with conductive materials are vital for efficient sensor performance. The main constraints of MOF-based CO2 sensors are discussed in a systematic manner. The analysis is guided by fundamental research questions related to structural optimization, transduction mechanisms, and pathways for improving overall sensing performance. Revealing the current problems and presenting possible solutions, this paper gives a clear understanding of the direction in which MOF-based gas sensing technologies will evolve in the future.
{"title":"Structural modifications in metal–organic frameworks for CO2 adsorption and sensing through sustainable synthesis and emerging designs","authors":"Syeda Maria Batool , Syeda Sitwat Batool , Bazrafkan Aliashghar , DeSutter Thomsan , Meehan Miranda , B.D. Braaten , Peter G. Oduor","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101321","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101321","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Monitoring CO<sub>2</sub> levels in outdoors and indoor environments becomes crucial. Despite numerous commercially available sensors that are usually based on organic polymer or inorganic semiconductor materials that have limited response at lower temperatures. Recently, MOFs have emerged as one of the most promising candidates for CO<sub>2</sub> sensing materials due to their tunable structural properties. These materials consist of metal ions or clusters coordinated with chemically tunable organic linkers. This modular design yields crystalline frameworks with very high surface areas and precisely defined pore structure. Host-guest interactions found in MOFs are unique and highly responsive to physical and chemical interactions, which can be successfully used to address the major issues in CO<sub>2</sub> sensing, such as fast response, high sensitivity, and enhanced selectivity. This review is dedicated to the synthesis methods, classification, and fundamental structural changes of MOFs that directly affect sensing properties of MOFs. The functionalization strategies like amine grafting, metal doping, and development of composites with conductive materials are vital for efficient sensor performance. The main constraints of MOF-based CO<sub>2</sub> sensors are discussed in a systematic manner. The analysis is guided by fundamental research questions related to structural optimization, transduction mechanisms, and pathways for improving overall sensing performance. Revealing the current problems and presenting possible solutions, this paper gives a clear understanding of the direction in which MOF-based gas sensing technologies will evolve in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"34 ","pages":"Article 101321"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146193024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-06DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101324
Bo Wang , Yunfei Wu , Lipeng Liu , Liyang Wang , Zhicheng Qiu , Zhiyong Li , Xu Qiu , Chang Xu , Xijing Zhuang
Poly (ethylene furanoate) (PEF) has garnered attention for its sustainability and superior mechanical properties, making it a promising candidate for biomedical applications. This study focused on enhancing the toughness and compatibility of PEF through innovative blending with CO2-derived poly (butyl carbonate) (PBC), addressing the inherent brittleness and limited biocompatibility of neat PEF. A PEF/PBC blend with 20% PBC exhibited a significant improvement in toughness, with elongation at break increasing by 67% and tensile strength maintaining at 61 MPa, outperforming conventional biomedical materials such as PLA and PEEK. Biocompatibility was systematically evaluated using MC3T3-E1 osteoblast precursor cells. Proliferation assays revealed a 45% increase in cell density over three days, while live/dead staining demonstrated high cellular viability (>95%), highlighting the blend's low cytotoxicity and supportive microenvironment for cell growth. Mechanistic investigations suggested that PBC enhanced interfacial adhesion and matrix flexibility, while the addition of ADR as a compatibilizer optimized phase distribution and further improved compatibility. These findings underscore the potential of PEF/PBC blends as bone defect replacement materials, offering a balance of mechanical robustness and biocompatibility. This study lays a foundation for further exploration of FDCA-based materials in advanced biomedical applications.
{"title":"Synergistic toughening of biomass poly(ethylene furanoate) with CO2-derived poly(butylene carbonate) for sustainable materials","authors":"Bo Wang , Yunfei Wu , Lipeng Liu , Liyang Wang , Zhicheng Qiu , Zhiyong Li , Xu Qiu , Chang Xu , Xijing Zhuang","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101324","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101324","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Poly (ethylene furanoate) (PEF) has garnered attention for its sustainability and superior mechanical properties, making it a promising candidate for biomedical applications. This study focused on enhancing the toughness and compatibility of PEF through innovative blending with CO<sub>2</sub>-derived poly (butyl carbonate) (PBC), addressing the inherent brittleness and limited biocompatibility of neat PEF. A PEF/PBC blend with 20% PBC exhibited a significant improvement in toughness, with elongation at break increasing by 67% and tensile strength maintaining at 61 MPa, outperforming conventional biomedical materials such as PLA and PEEK. Biocompatibility was systematically evaluated using MC3T3-E1 osteoblast precursor cells. Proliferation assays revealed a 45% increase in cell density over three days, while live/dead staining demonstrated high cellular viability (>95%), highlighting the blend's low cytotoxicity and supportive microenvironment for cell growth. Mechanistic investigations suggested that PBC enhanced interfacial adhesion and matrix flexibility, while the addition of ADR as a compatibilizer optimized phase distribution and further improved compatibility. These findings underscore the potential of PEF/PBC blends as bone defect replacement materials, offering a balance of mechanical robustness and biocompatibility. This study lays a foundation for further exploration of FDCA-based materials in advanced biomedical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"34 ","pages":"Article 101324"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146147327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Despite their significant contribution to wearable electronic applications, conductive textiles face practical performance limitations due to the intrinsically insulating nature of textile fibers and the poor durability, adhesion, and low conductivity of traditional conductive polymer coatings. Materials like PEDOT: PSS, polypyrrole, graphene, and metal nanoparticles, all of which coat fibrous substrates non-uniformly, resulting in poor charge transport and high contact resistance. Unfortunately, these failures lead to rapid degradation in terms of either shortening the service life of electrical performance under mechanical deformation, washing, or long-term use. It limits their integration in reliable sensors, energy-harvesting devices, and health monitoring systems. This review demonstrates how cold plasma techniques are used to address such persistent drawbacks. Plasma-induced functional groups enhance the surface energy and introduce nanoscale roughness to provide strong adhesion interface with coatings while producing improved interfacial bonding. Thus, conductive polymers, MXenes, and metal-polymer nanocomposite coatings through plasma-assisted deposition exhibit comparatively less electrical resistance with superior mechanical properties, retaining the flexibility and breathability of the fabric. Additionally, the plasma-enabled coatings confer multifunctional properties such as antibacterial, photothermal, and stable bio signals in sensing. The review finally identifies future challenges-enhanced scalability, long-term electrical stability under extreme conditions, and a sustainable process-while highlighting emerging opportunities associated with plasma-engineered textiles for next-generation smart wearables.
{"title":"Plasma-treated conductive textile advancements in coating and functional properties: A review","authors":"Asnake Ketema , Aklilu Azanaw , Li-Chun Chang , Wei-Yu Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101273","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101273","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite their significant contribution to wearable electronic applications, conductive textiles face practical performance limitations due to the intrinsically insulating nature of textile fibers and the poor durability, adhesion, and low conductivity of traditional conductive polymer coatings. Materials like PEDOT: PSS, polypyrrole, graphene, and metal nanoparticles, all of which coat fibrous substrates non-uniformly, resulting in poor charge transport and high contact resistance. Unfortunately, these failures lead to rapid degradation in terms of either shortening the service life of electrical performance under mechanical deformation, washing, or long-term use. It limits their integration in reliable sensors, energy-harvesting devices, and health monitoring systems. This review demonstrates how cold plasma techniques are used to address such persistent drawbacks. Plasma-induced functional groups enhance the surface energy and introduce nanoscale roughness to provide strong adhesion interface with coatings while producing improved interfacial bonding. Thus, conductive polymers, MXenes, and metal-polymer nanocomposite coatings through plasma-assisted deposition exhibit comparatively less electrical resistance with superior mechanical properties, retaining the flexibility and breathability of the fabric. Additionally, the plasma-enabled coatings confer multifunctional properties such as antibacterial, photothermal, and stable bio signals in sensing. The review finally identifies future challenges-enhanced scalability, long-term electrical stability under extreme conditions, and a sustainable process-while highlighting emerging opportunities associated with plasma-engineered textiles for next-generation smart wearables.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101273"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-08DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101298
Chiemela Victor Amaechi , Salmia Binti Beddu , Idris Ahmed Ja'e , Abiodun Kolawole Oyetunji , Raqib Abu Salia , Obafemi M. Oyewole , Olalekan O. Ojedokun , Bo Huang
There are numerous environmental impacts associated with the construction industry because it consumes significant energy and other resources. The design and construction of civil structures such as residential buildings require several construction materials. This paper presents an overview of sustainable composite materials for construction projects such as buildings, factories, public structures and offshore structures. The construction materials that are used to produce structural elements, or build houses, as well as other structures include composites and conventional materials. New construction technologies using composite materials, have been developed in the construction sector to promote sustainability. The advantages of using composites as construction materials over traditional materials are highlighted in this paper. There are increasing implementation of composite materials on construction sites as they incorporate fewer materials, light-weight materials, newer designs and time-saving materials. Also, composite materials offer a promising option when it comes to architecture and sustainable construction, as they guarantee high performance. Thus, this paper provides an overview of composites as construction materials for the development of sustainable structures in the construction industry with some recommendations given. This review is to enhance policies for industry application of composites geared towards sustainability.
{"title":"An overview of composites as construction materials for the Development of sustainable structures","authors":"Chiemela Victor Amaechi , Salmia Binti Beddu , Idris Ahmed Ja'e , Abiodun Kolawole Oyetunji , Raqib Abu Salia , Obafemi M. Oyewole , Olalekan O. Ojedokun , Bo Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101298","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101298","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There are numerous environmental impacts associated with the construction industry because it consumes significant energy and other resources. The design and construction of civil structures such as residential buildings require several construction materials. This paper presents an overview of sustainable composite materials for construction projects such as buildings, factories, public structures and offshore structures. The construction materials that are used to produce structural elements, or build houses, as well as other structures include composites and conventional materials. New construction technologies using composite materials, have been developed in the construction sector to promote sustainability. The advantages of using composites as construction materials over traditional materials are highlighted in this paper. There are increasing implementation of composite materials on construction sites as they incorporate fewer materials, light-weight materials, newer designs and time-saving materials. Also, composite materials offer a promising option when it comes to architecture and sustainable construction, as they guarantee high performance. Thus, this paper provides an overview of composites as construction materials for the development of sustainable structures in the construction industry with some recommendations given. This review is to enhance policies for industry application of composites geared towards sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101298"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vitrimers represent a transformative class of polymeric materials that combine the robust mechanical properties of thermosets with the reprocessability of thermoplastics. Among them, bio-based vitrimers have garnered increasing attention as a sustainable alternative to conventional petrochemical-derived networks, aligning with the principles of green chemistry and circular economy. This article provides a comprehensive overview of bio-based vitrimers, beginning with an introduction to their fundamental chemistry and dynamic covalent network architecture. Key associative exchange mechanisms such as transesterification, transamination, disulfide exchange, etc are discussed. A detailed examination of monomers derived from renewable sources, including epoxidized plant oils, lignin derivatives-based building blocks, is presented to highlight the versatility and eco-friendliness of feedstock options. The resulting vitrimers exhibit a wide range of desirable properties, including recyclability, self-healing, thermal stability, solvent resistance, and shape memory behavior. Despite their promise, challenges such as limited scalability, cost-effectiveness, and trade-offs between mechanical strength and dynamic behavior remain. Finally, the future outlook of vitrimer research is discussed, focusing on developing new dynamic chemistries, enhancing biocompatibility, and integrating smart functionalities for advanced applications in aerospace, biomedical, and electronic sectors. This review underscores the significant potential of bio-based vitrimers to reshape sustainable materials science while addressing the pressing need for circular material lifecycles.
{"title":"Green by design, smart by chemistry: Recent advances in bio-based vitrimers for next-generation sustainable materials","authors":"Ankit Sharma , Sandeep Singh Bisht , Muskan Kumari , Manju Yadav , Harsh Saini , Shipra Jaswal , Inderdeep Singh , Bharti Gaur","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vitrimers represent a transformative class of polymeric materials that combine the robust mechanical properties of thermosets with the reprocessability of thermoplastics. Among them, bio-based vitrimers have garnered increasing attention as a sustainable alternative to conventional petrochemical-derived networks, aligning with the principles of green chemistry and circular economy. This article provides a comprehensive overview of bio-based vitrimers, beginning with an introduction to their fundamental chemistry and dynamic covalent network architecture. Key associative exchange mechanisms such as transesterification, transamination, disulfide exchange, etc are discussed. A detailed examination of monomers derived from renewable sources, including epoxidized plant oils, lignin derivatives-based building blocks, is presented to highlight the versatility and eco-friendliness of feedstock options. The resulting vitrimers exhibit a wide range of desirable properties, including recyclability, self-healing, thermal stability, solvent resistance, and shape memory behavior. Despite their promise, challenges such as limited scalability, cost-effectiveness, and trade-offs between mechanical strength and dynamic behavior remain. Finally, the future outlook of vitrimer research is discussed, focusing on developing new dynamic chemistries, enhancing biocompatibility, and integrating smart functionalities for advanced applications in aerospace, biomedical, and electronic sectors. This review underscores the significant potential of bio-based vitrimers to reshape sustainable materials science while addressing the pressing need for circular material lifecycles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101275"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145787526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-30DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101322
Peng Chang , Yuanliu Gao , Yanyun Hong , Yida Hou , Haiquan Yu , Yongqiang Dang , Xue Wang , Weibin Deng , Rui Zhou , Jun Deng , Yating Zhang
Coal-based hard carbon, with superior electrochemical properties and high economic practicality, has shown great potential in the sodium-ion battery (SIB) anodes. However, limited by the intrinsic high sulfur content, the development of high-performance hard carbon anodes from high-sulfur coal has been neglected for a long time. Herein, high-sulfur coal was employed as starting precursor to prepare in-situ S-doped coal-based hard carbon through a straightforward pre-oxidation and carbonization method. Thanks to the abundant organic sulfur components in raw coal, the resulting hard carbon exhibits homogeneous S doping, optimal microcrystalline and pore structures for high-performance sodium ion storage. As expected, the in-situ engineered S-doped hard carbon anodes could deliver a large reversible capacity of 281.4 mAh·g−1 (25 mA·g−1), high initial Coulombic efficiency of 80.7 %, good cycling stability (88.9 % capacity retention over 100 cycles) and superior rate performance (175.5 mAh·g−1 at 100 mA·g−1). This work not only provides novel insights on the doping engineering of coal-based carbon materials, but also uncovers new possibilities for high-performance SIB anodes.
{"title":"In-situ S doping engineering of hard carbon from high sulfur coal for high-performance sodium-ion storage","authors":"Peng Chang , Yuanliu Gao , Yanyun Hong , Yida Hou , Haiquan Yu , Yongqiang Dang , Xue Wang , Weibin Deng , Rui Zhou , Jun Deng , Yating Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coal-based hard carbon, with superior electrochemical properties and high economic practicality, has shown great potential in the sodium-ion battery (SIB) anodes. However, limited by the intrinsic high sulfur content, the development of high-performance hard carbon anodes from high-sulfur coal has been neglected for a long time. Herein, high-sulfur coal was employed as starting precursor to prepare in-situ S-doped coal-based hard carbon through a straightforward pre-oxidation and carbonization method. Thanks to the abundant organic sulfur components in raw coal, the resulting hard carbon exhibits homogeneous S doping, optimal microcrystalline and pore structures for high-performance sodium ion storage. As expected, the in-situ engineered S-doped hard carbon anodes could deliver a large reversible capacity of 281.4 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup> (25 mA·g<sup>−1</sup>), high initial Coulombic efficiency of 80.7 %, good cycling stability (88.9 % capacity retention over 100 cycles) and superior rate performance (175.5 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup> at 100 mA·g<sup>−1</sup>). This work not only provides novel insights on the doping engineering of coal-based carbon materials, but also uncovers new possibilities for high-performance SIB anodes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101322"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101304
L. Ojeda , J. Oliva , G. Gonzalez-Contreras , T.A. Esquivel-Castro , K.P. Padmasree , A.I. Mtz-Enriquez , V. Rodriguez-Gonzalez
This work reports AgSe/SbTe-based thermoelectric (THME) devices and their use as temperature sensors. The AgSe//SbTe-THME device produced an open-circuit-voltage (VO) of 32 mV, a power density (PD) of 100 nW cm−2 and an absolute seebeck-coeficient of 320 μV K−1 in range of 40–100 °C. Later, the AgSe electrode was replaced with AgSe + Boron nitride (BN) electrode, creating a (AgSe + BN)//SbTe-THME device. The SbTe electrode was also replaced by SbTe + SiO2/MnO/Graphene electrode, and this device was named as AgSe//(SbTe + MnO)-THME. We obtained VO values (at of 40–100 °C) of 480 mV and 520 mV for the (AgSe + BN)//SbTe-THME and AgSe//(SbTe + MnO)-THME devices, respectively. Those values are 14–15 times higher with respect to the AgSe//SbTe-THME device. The highest power/Seebeck coefficient of 0.9 μW cm−2/5.21 mV K−1 was obtained for the AgSe//(SbTe + MnO)-THME device. The devices above with BN and MnO were also evaluated as temperature sensors (TS) and the lowest response time (Res) of 12.88 s and the highest sensitivity (TCR) of 2.92 % °C−1 were obtained from the (AgSe + BN)//SbTe-TS sensor. Raman and UV–Vis techniques demonstrated that decreasing the content of defects on the electrodes increased the voltages generated by the THME devices and decreased the response times of the sensors. XPS demonstrated that the chemical stability is maintained only in the electrodes of the (AgSe + BN)//SbTe-TS devices despite the increase of temperature, therefore, they increased their sensitivity for the detection of temperature at higher temperatures. The dual devices with thermoelectric and temperature-sensor functions were fabricated on recycled plastics, which reduced considerably their cost.
{"title":"Adding boron nitride or SiO2/MnO/graphene composite to a flexible thermoelectric generator to change its operation mode to temperature sensor","authors":"L. Ojeda , J. Oliva , G. Gonzalez-Contreras , T.A. Esquivel-Castro , K.P. Padmasree , A.I. Mtz-Enriquez , V. Rodriguez-Gonzalez","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work reports AgSe/SbTe-based thermoelectric (THME) devices and their use as temperature sensors. The AgSe//SbTe-THME device produced an open-circuit-voltage (V<sub>O</sub>) of 32 mV, a power density (P<sub>D</sub>) of 100 nW cm<sup>−2</sup> and an absolute seebeck-coeficient <span><math><mrow><mo>|</mo><mi>S</mi><mo>|</mo></mrow></math></span> of 320 μV K<sup>−1</sup> in <span><math><mrow><mo>Δ</mo><mi>T</mi></mrow></math></span> range of 40–100 °C. Later, the AgSe electrode was replaced with AgSe + Boron nitride (BN) electrode, creating a (AgSe + BN)//SbTe-THME device. The SbTe electrode was also replaced by SbTe + SiO<sub>2</sub>/MnO/Graphene electrode, and this device was named as AgSe//(SbTe + MnO)-THME. We obtained V<sub>O</sub> values (at <span><math><mrow><mo>Δ</mo><mi>T</mi></mrow></math></span> of 40–100 °C) of 480 mV and 520 mV for the (AgSe + BN)//SbTe-THME and AgSe//(SbTe + MnO)-THME devices, respectively. Those values are 14–15 times higher with respect to the AgSe//SbTe-THME device. The highest power/Seebeck coefficient of 0.9 μW cm<sup>−2</sup>/5.21 mV K<sup>−1</sup> was obtained for the AgSe//(SbTe + MnO)-THME device. The devices above with BN and MnO were also evaluated as temperature sensors (TS) and the lowest response time (Res) of 12.88 s and the highest sensitivity (TCR) of 2.92 % °C<sup>−1</sup> were obtained from the (AgSe + BN)//SbTe-TS sensor. Raman and UV–Vis techniques demonstrated that decreasing the content of defects on the electrodes increased the voltages generated by the THME devices and decreased the response times of the sensors. XPS demonstrated that the chemical stability is maintained only in the electrodes of the (AgSe + BN)//SbTe-TS devices despite the increase of temperature, therefore, they increased their sensitivity for the detection of temperature at higher temperatures. The dual devices with thermoelectric and temperature-sensor functions were fabricated on recycled plastics, which reduced considerably their cost.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101304"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101302
Chen Jiao , Osama Alfarraj , Amr Tolba , Jianyong Yu , Jong Hyuk Park
An integrated Analytic Hierarchy Process–Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (AHP–TOPSIS) framework is developed to support renewable energy planning in low-carbon port cities, with explicit attention to marine-pollution mitigation. The approach is applied to Ningbo–Zhoushan Port, China, using a criteria system organised into four main groups and twelve sub-criteria. Judgements from 50 experts indicate that environmental and marine-pollution impacts (weight = 0.36) dominate over technical performance (0.24), social/policy acceptance (0.22), and economic feasibility (0.18), with emission reduction and marine-pollution pressure together accounting for almost 0.29 of the total weight. Combining these weights with normalised performance scores, TOPSIS identifies offshore wind farms (closeness coefficient = 0.83) and hybrid systems with storage and hydrogen-readiness (0.80) as the most suitable options for Ningbo–Zhoushan, followed by coastal onshore wind and port-area solar photovoltaic. At the same time, waste-to-energy/biomass CHP ranks lowest. Scenario analysis confirms the robustness of these findings under varying environmental, cost, and reliability priorities, highlighting portfolios centred on offshore wind and hybrid systems as key to reducing port-related emissions and pressures on coastal waters.
{"title":"Integrated AHP–TOPSIS model for renewable energy planning in low-carbon port Cities: Implications for marine pollution mitigation","authors":"Chen Jiao , Osama Alfarraj , Amr Tolba , Jianyong Yu , Jong Hyuk Park","doi":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101302","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtsust.2026.101302","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An integrated Analytic Hierarchy Process–Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (AHP–TOPSIS) framework is developed to support renewable energy planning in low-carbon port cities, with explicit attention to marine-pollution mitigation. The approach is applied to Ningbo–Zhoushan Port, China, using a criteria system organised into four main groups and twelve sub-criteria. Judgements from 50 experts indicate that environmental and marine-pollution impacts (weight = 0.36) dominate over technical performance (0.24), social/policy acceptance (0.22), and economic feasibility (0.18), with emission reduction and marine-pollution pressure together accounting for almost 0.29 of the total weight. Combining these weights with normalised performance scores, TOPSIS identifies offshore wind farms (closeness coefficient = 0.83) and hybrid systems with storage and hydrogen-readiness (0.80) as the most suitable options for Ningbo–Zhoushan, followed by coastal onshore wind and port-area solar photovoltaic. At the same time, waste-to-energy/biomass CHP ranks lowest. Scenario analysis confirms the robustness of these findings under varying environmental, cost, and reliability priorities, highlighting portfolios centred on offshore wind and hybrid systems as key to reducing port-related emissions and pressures on coastal waters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18322,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Sustainability","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101302"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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