Materials Today Sustainability最新文献

Improving thermoelectric generators (TEGs) performance remains challenging in the context of energy crisis and thermal-pollution. Here, we present a strategy for thermal management and performance enhancement of TEGs by sustainable evaporative cooling utilizing highly hygroscopic and adhesive ionogels (PIGs). Rational swelling and poly-[2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (PDMAPS) chains with group interactions prevent lithium chloride (LiCl) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM][Ac]) leakage, while carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and MIL-101(Cr) optimize the evaporative cooling of PIGs. PIGs possess high sorption (252.72% at 25 °C, 90% RH for 12 h) and steady sorption-desorption kinetics. Meanwhile, PIGs exhibit high adhesion (130.89 N m⁻¹) on TEGs. The evaporative cooling of PIGs enhances the temperature difference of TEGs. The potential of PIG-TEG is increased by three times at heat source temperatures of 50–80 °C, and the output power density stabilizes at ∼706.25 mW m⁻² after heating at 50 °C for 1 h. Moreover, the PIG-TEG maintains stable output enhancement for prolonged time (over 24 h). Additionally, we integrate PIG-TEGs for the durable power supply of devices and design a movable model car, which utilizes waste heat for self-powering. PIGs realize effective thermoelectric output enhancement of TEGs, and provide ideas in clean energy conversion, wearable devices, and mobile power.

This investigation explores the corrosion behaviour of Ni alloy (UNS718), which is a potential material for storing biodiesel and making engine components. The study also examines the connection between Ni alloy corrosion and biodiesel degradation. Immersion tests were conducted using in-house biodiesels to evaluate the corrosion rates of Used Cooking Oil (UCOB), Karanja oil (KOB), and Jatropha oil (JOB) biodiesels on Ni alloy (UNS718). The results highlighted the role of corrosion product morphology and the formation of corrosion-driven pitting, cracks, etc., on Ni alloy when exposed to different biodiesels such as KOB, JOB, and UCOB. The study utilized gravimetric techniques to measure the corrosion rate and advanced analytical tools such as FESEM, EDS, XPS, NMR and XRF. It revealed decreased corrosion rates of Ni alloys with prolonged biodiesel immersion. For example, after 2160 h, Jatropha biodiesel exhibited a corrosion rate of 0.000699 mm/year, while the corrosion rates of Ni alloy exposed to UCOB and KOB were 0.001398 mm/year and 0.001048 mm/year, respectively. The study also suggests a detailed mechanism of Ni alloy corrosion when exposed to different biodiesels such as Karanja, Jatropha, and Used Cooking Oil.

In this present communication, a novel ternary nanocomposite, NiO/TiO₂/rGO (NTG), was synthesised via a simple hydrothermal technique for photosupercapacitor application. The XRD pattern confirmed the crystalline nature and phase structure of the as-synthesised material. FE-SEM and HR-TEM analyses demonstrated the embellishment of NiO/TiO₂ nanoparticles on the rGO sheets, which facilitates more voids and shorter diffusion paths. The electrochemical investigation of the prepared samples was assessed using 1 M Na₂SO₄ and Na₂CO₃ aqueous electrolyte solutions. Among the synthesised samples, NTG-2 carried out under 1 M Na₂SO₄ electrolyte exhibited a maximum specific capacitance of 1285 Fg^-1 at 1 Ag^-1, maintaining a capacitance retention of 94 % after 5000 cycles. The NTG-2 electrode was additionally utilised in the construction of an asymmetric supercapacitor that has an impressive specific capacitance of 478 Fg^-1 at 1 Ag^-1. This displays an intriguing performance in terms of energy and power density of 42.2 Wh Kg⁻¹ at 0.5 kW kg⁻¹. In PSC, the as-fabricated TiO₂/N719/I⁻/I₃⁻/Pt@NTG-2//AC architecture possessed a specific capacitance of 567.5 Fg^-1 at 1 Ag^-1, with an energy density of 50.4 Wh Kg⁻¹ and a power density of 0.4 kW kg⁻¹. As a result, it has been concluded that the novel NTG-2 device opens new opportunities to develop new architectures for efficient energy storage applications.

Desalination is a process that extracts salt and minerals from seawater to produce fresh water. It is critical, particularly for those who live on islands or coastal areas. Solar thermal desalination harnesses solar energy to address some of the challenges of traditional desalination methods. It uses solar power to heat seawater directly, initiating evaporation and leaving the salt behind, and further the vapor is condensed to produce fresh water. This method reduces reliance on fossil fuels, minimizing environmental impact and energy costs. This research unveils the synthesis of a solar evaporator consisting of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene coated over the carbon-enhanced cellulose fibers (CCF) (hereby termed the Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@CCF composite), which is the first-time report in the field of solar water desalination in using sustainable solar heat absorber. The Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@CCF composite achieves an impressive evaporation rate of 3.8 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under 1 sun exposure. The hydrophilic Ti₃C₂T_x MXene coating on the porous CCF promotes rapid water evaporation. Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@CCF composite maximizes evaporation rates while maintaining water purity, which is in accordance with the World Health OrganizationFF (WHO) standards.

The dreadful risk to human and aquatic life posed by the released organic effluents from industries has been growing as a precarious concern. In this context, present research aim to address this global concern by developing an efficient photocatalyst comprising Ag nanoparticle decorated biochar-reduced graphene oxide (Ag@BC-rGO). The synthesis process involves the use of a marine alga Trentepohlia sp. as green reducing and stabilizing agent to minimize the use of harsh chemicals. Analyzing the catalyst using various techniques shows its high potentiality as efficient and easily recoverable and reusable catalyst for degradation of persistent antibiotic, as well as highly toxic Cr(VI) ion under scattered sun light irradiation. The catalytic property of the synthesized Ag@BC-rGO is a result of the generation of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, as evident by the quenching experiment. LC-MS confirming that rifampicin was indeed catalytically degraded to small fragments by Ag@BC-rGO nanohybrid. Hence, this work puts forward a sustainable, cost-effective, reusable, and highly efficient catalyst (Ag@BC-rGO) that can be used in the practical approach to remediate environmental pollution.

In the present work, an alternative pathway to produce liquid biogasoline with low aromatic value was done via catalytic hydrotreatment of waste cooking oil (WCO) over noble metal (Pd and Pt) loaded on cost-effective mesoporous silica (MS) synthesized from Lapindo mud. The implementation of 1.82 and 1.53 SiO₂/CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) weight ratio successfully produced Lp-MS with average diameters of 5.1 (Lp-MS1) and 4.7 nm (Lp-MS2), respectively. The XRD analysis showed a better dispersion for Pt with a considerably smaller particle size and TEM image revealed that while Pt was shown to occupy both external and internal surface of Lp-MS1, Pd was only present on the outer part of Lp-MS2. During the hydrotreatment of WCO using a semi-batch reactor, Pd/Lp-MS2 exhibited a superior deoxygenation and hydrogenation capacity than Pt/Lp-MS1 by generating over 60.9% liquid biofuel with 86.75% selectivity towards gasoline-range hydrocarbon. The liquid product obtained from the catalytic hydrotreatment contained very low aromatic compound (<4%) which was known to be responsible in the emission of harmful gas during fuel combustion. This result can be maintained for at least 4 consecutive runs. This study offers another efficient pathway to produce a cleaner source of energy in the form of biogasoline fuel.