Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2025-12-25DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01835
Xuan Cui , Zhipeng Xu , Jinxi Qiao , Dong Li , Xueyi Guo , Qinghua Tian
Selenium, a strategically vital dilute metal, faces challenges in direct extraction due to its dispersed occurrence in natural minerals, yet it remains indispensable for ubiquitous industrial applications. Secondary selenium resources such as copper anode slime and discarded solar cells exhibit acute toxicity and corrosiveness, posing severe ecological threats if untreated. Efficient separation and enrichment of selenium from these sources not only mitigate environmental contamination but also enable critical resource circularity. Despite advances in separation technologies, a systematic assessment of their current status remains lacking. This study comprehensively investigates the distribution characteristics and environmental risks of diverse selenium-bearing secondary resources, conducts comparative analysis of separation and recovery approaches tailored to different secondary resources streams, and pioneers a five-dimensional evaluation framework encompassing sustainability, development potential, economic viability, eco-friendliness, and production efficiency. These investigations deliver pivotal insights for overcoming technological bottlenecks and strategizing future development pathways, ultimately advancing selenium resource utilization toward green and high-value transformation with enhanced efficiency.
{"title":"Recovery of selenium from hazardous secondary resources: Technological breakthroughs and sustainable prospects","authors":"Xuan Cui , Zhipeng Xu , Jinxi Qiao , Dong Li , Xueyi Guo , Qinghua Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01835","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01835","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Selenium, a strategically vital dilute metal, faces challenges in direct extraction due to its dispersed occurrence in natural minerals, yet it remains indispensable for ubiquitous industrial applications. Secondary selenium resources such as copper anode slime and discarded solar cells exhibit acute toxicity and corrosiveness, posing severe ecological threats if untreated. Efficient separation and enrichment of selenium from these sources not only mitigate environmental contamination but also enable critical resource circularity. Despite advances in separation technologies, a systematic assessment of their current status remains lacking. This study comprehensively investigates the distribution characteristics and environmental risks of diverse selenium-bearing secondary resources, conducts comparative analysis of separation and recovery approaches tailored to different secondary resources streams, and pioneers a five-dimensional evaluation framework encompassing sustainability, development potential, economic viability, eco-friendliness, and production efficiency. These investigations deliver pivotal insights for overcoming technological bottlenecks and strategizing future development pathways, ultimately advancing selenium resource utilization toward green and high-value transformation with enhanced efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01835"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01791
Shoukat Ali Mugheri , Ali Azam , Touqeer Aslam , Ammar Ahmed , Zutao Zhang , Chengliang Fan , Juhuang Song
Urbanization and transport development boost energy consumption; however, roadway harvesters prioritize traffic infrastructure needs with limited attention to powering nearby facilities. This research proposed a road stud-based mechanical energy extractor (MEE) system that uses vehicle kinetic energy to power sensors for health monitoring at a smart health unit adjacent to the road. The proposed setup comprises four modules: an energy intake module that captures vehicular kinetic energy, a mechanical drive module using a rack-and-pinion mechanism for energy conversion, a power output module that generates electrical energy, and a power backup module that ensures stable energy storage and supply. Mathematical modeling, finite element analysis using ANSYS to evaluate structural stability under varying loads, simulation with MATLAB Simscape, laboratory experiments using a Mechanical Testing and Sensing (MTS) machine, and field testing were conducted to assess the performance of the proposed setup model. The proposed system achieved a maximum RMS voltage of 2.42 V at a resistance of 6 Ω and an optimum RMS power of 7.05 W at a resistance of 2 Ω with an excitation frequency of 4 Hz. In the field test, the system attained an RMS power of 26.6 W at a speed of 20 km/h with the same load resistance. Furthermore, a deep learning-based performance monitoring system using the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) framework to categorize the motion states (low, medium, and high) and forecast maintenance requirements, attaining a training precision rate of 99.9 %. This novel approach generates higher energy at low traffic speeds, ensures a continuous power supply to IoT-based health sensors, and offers enhanced durability and adaptability.
{"title":"A road stud-based mechanical energy extractor with AI-supported monitoring for intelligent healthcare infrastructure","authors":"Shoukat Ali Mugheri , Ali Azam , Touqeer Aslam , Ammar Ahmed , Zutao Zhang , Chengliang Fan , Juhuang Song","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urbanization and transport development boost energy consumption; however, roadway harvesters prioritize traffic infrastructure needs with limited attention to powering nearby facilities. This research proposed a road stud-based mechanical energy extractor (MEE) system that uses vehicle kinetic energy to power sensors for health monitoring at a smart health unit adjacent to the road. The proposed setup comprises four modules: an energy intake module that captures vehicular kinetic energy, a mechanical drive module using a rack-and-pinion mechanism for energy conversion, a power output module that generates electrical energy, and a power backup module that ensures stable energy storage and supply. Mathematical modeling, finite element analysis using ANSYS to evaluate structural stability under varying loads, simulation with MATLAB Simscape, laboratory experiments using a Mechanical Testing and Sensing (MTS) machine, and field testing were conducted to assess the performance of the proposed setup model. The proposed system achieved a maximum RMS voltage of 2.42 V at a resistance of 6 Ω and an optimum RMS power of 7.05 W at a resistance of 2 Ω with an excitation frequency of 4 Hz. In the field test, the system attained an RMS power of 26.6 W at a speed of 20 km/h with the same load resistance. Furthermore, a deep learning-based performance monitoring system using the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) framework to categorize the motion states (low, medium, and high) and forecast maintenance requirements, attaining a training precision rate of 99.9 %. This novel approach generates higher energy at low traffic speeds, ensures a continuous power supply to IoT-based health sensors, and offers enhanced durability and adaptability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01791"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01796
Guoqiang Sun , Ruiqing Sun , Chen Yang , Yiming Li , Tong Lu , Guangchen Wang
The development of novel eco-friendly polyurethane bitumen modifiers utilizing sustainable bio-based resources was currently a research hotspot. Castor oil (CO), with its unique chemical structure (containing hydroxyl groups) and bio-renewable advantages, represented an ideal choice for preparing bio-based PU. This study aimed to develop a high-performance, environmentally friendly renewable castor oil-based polyurethane modified bitumen (CO-PUMB), using petroleum-based polyurethane modified bitumen (P-PUMB) as a comparison, to provide insights for advancing the greening of road construction materials. First, the PU composition (isocyanate index R = 1, hard segment content Ch = 20 %) was designed and optimized, and determine the optimal hydroxyl substitution ratio for CO-substituted petroleum-derived polytetrahydrofuran (PTMG). Subsequently, the preparation process (90 °C, 400 rpm, 2 min) and the curing process (100 °C, 2 h) were established. Then, five types of CO-PUMB and P-PUMB with varying PU contents were prepared and subjected to microscopic morphology observation, physical performance testing, and rheological testing. Fluorescence microscopy observation indicated that, benefiting from the trihydroxy structure and low molecular weight of castor oil (CO), CO-PU formed an earlier, more extensive, and more efficient chemically cross-linked network than P-PU at a lower PU content (≥40 %). In contrast, P-PU relied primarily on physical entanglement and required a higher PU content (60 %) to achieve cross-linking. Physical performance and rheological tests demonstrated that CO-PUMB, leveraging its dense chemical cross-linked network, exhibited significantly superior high-temperature stability, fatigue life, elastic recovery, and resistance to permanent deformation compared to P-PUMB. Additionally, increasing the CO/P-PU content enhanced the overall performance of CO/P-PUMB across the entire frequency (temperature) range. Notably, the performance improvement in CO-PUMB within the high-frequency (low-temperature) region was dependent on an effective crosslinking network, while that in P-PUMB relied on the high motional freedom generated by PTMG molecules. The experiments demonstrated that CO-PUMB incorporating optimized CO substitution (≥40 % CO-PU) represented an environmentally friendly, high-performance bitumen material with excellent high and low temperature performance and anti-fatigue capability.
{"title":"Development and performance assessment of polyurethane modified bitumen utilizing castor oil as a sustainable feedstock","authors":"Guoqiang Sun , Ruiqing Sun , Chen Yang , Yiming Li , Tong Lu , Guangchen Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01796","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01796","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of novel eco-friendly polyurethane bitumen modifiers utilizing sustainable bio-based resources was currently a research hotspot. Castor oil (CO), with its unique chemical structure (containing hydroxyl groups) and bio-renewable advantages, represented an ideal choice for preparing bio-based PU. This study aimed to develop a high-performance, environmentally friendly renewable castor oil-based polyurethane modified bitumen (CO-PUMB), using petroleum-based polyurethane modified bitumen (P-PUMB) as a comparison, to provide insights for advancing the greening of road construction materials. First, the PU composition (isocyanate index <em>R</em> = 1, hard segment content <em>C</em><sub><em>h</em></sub> = 20 %) was designed and optimized, and determine the optimal hydroxyl substitution ratio for <em>CO</em>-substituted petroleum-derived polytetrahydrofuran (PTMG). Subsequently, the preparation process (90 °C, 400 rpm, 2 min) and the curing process (100 °C, 2 h) were established. Then, five types of CO-PUMB and P-PUMB with varying PU contents were prepared and subjected to microscopic morphology observation, physical performance testing, and rheological testing. Fluorescence microscopy observation indicated that, benefiting from the trihydroxy structure and low molecular weight of castor oil (CO), CO-PU formed an earlier, more extensive, and more efficient chemically cross-linked network than P-PU at a lower PU content (≥40 %). In contrast, P-PU relied primarily on physical entanglement and required a higher PU content (60 %) to achieve cross-linking. Physical performance and rheological tests demonstrated that CO-PUMB, leveraging its dense chemical cross-linked network, exhibited significantly superior high-temperature stability, fatigue life, elastic recovery, and resistance to permanent deformation compared to P-PUMB. Additionally, increasing the CO/P-PU content enhanced the overall performance of CO/P-PUMB across the entire frequency (temperature) range. Notably, the performance improvement in CO-PUMB within the high-frequency (low-temperature) region was dependent on an effective crosslinking network, while that in P-PUMB relied on the high motional freedom generated by PTMG molecules. The experiments demonstrated that CO-PUMB incorporating optimized CO substitution (≥40 % CO-PU) represented an environmentally friendly, high-performance bitumen material with excellent high and low temperature performance and anti-fatigue capability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01796"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01811
Mengxin Bu, Qingrui Yang, Biqin Dong, Xianle Hua, Yue Wang, Yanshuai Wang
β-hemihydrate phosphogypsum (β-HPG) has been widely used in the preparation of low-carbon building materials and is regarded as one of the most effective and high-value-added approaches for the consumption and utilization of phosphogypsum (PG). To clarify the chemical properties of β-HPG in acidic and verify its feasibility for application in silico-aluminophosphate geopolymers (SAPGs), this study analyzed the influence mechanisms of typical acid activators, e.g., monoaluminum phosphate (MAP), phosphoric acid (PA), citric acid (CA), oxalic acid (OA), and tartaric acid (TA) on the hydration of β-HPG. The results showed that PA accelerated the dissolution and nucleation of β-HPG, while such nucleation was hindered in MAP. Molecular dynamics simulations further revealed that citric acid (CA) primarily adsorbs on β-HPG in a “ flat-lying “ configuration, oxalic acid (OA) mainly in a “standing” configuration, and tartaric acid (TA) predominantly in a “tilted” configuration. The adsorption energy followed the order of CA > TA > > OA, which inhibited the dissolution and nucleation of β-HPG in CA. The hydration of β-HPG in OA was similar to that in pure water, and the dissolution amount of β-HPG in TA is the highest. However, the formation of large amounts of calcium tartrate complexes limited the availability of calcium ions for the nucleation of CaSO4·2H2O, resulting in the slowest nucleation of β-HPG in TA. The addition of β-HPG can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of SAPG activated by MAP and low-concentration PA (7 mol/L). Besides, the mechanical properties of OA-modified SAPG varies with different curing conditions. The feasibility of β-HPG and OA for enhancing the early-stage performance of SAPG was validated.
β-半水磷石膏（β-HPG）广泛应用于低碳建筑材料的制备，被认为是磷石膏（PG）消费利用最有效、高附加值的途径之一。为了明确β-HPG在酸性环境中的化学性质，验证其在硅-磷酸铝地聚合物（SAPGs）中应用的可行性，本研究分析了磷酸单铝（MAP）、磷酸（PA）、柠檬酸（CA）、草酸（OA）、酒石酸（TA）等典型酸性活化剂对β-HPG水化的影响机理。结果表明，PA加速了β-HPG的溶解和成核，而MAP则阻碍了β-HPG的成核。分子动力学模拟进一步表明，柠檬酸（CA）主要以“平躺”构型吸附β-HPG，草酸（OA）主要以“站立”构型吸附，酒石酸（TA）主要以“倾斜”构型吸附。吸附能顺序为CA >； TA > >； OA，抑制了β-HPG在CA中的溶解成核。β-HPG在OA中的水化作用与在纯水中的相似，且β-HPG在TA中的溶解量最高。然而，大量酒石酸钙络合物的形成限制了钙离子对CaSO4·2H2O成核的可用性，导致β-HPG在TA中成核最慢。β-HPG的加入可显著提高MAP和低浓度PA （7 mol/L）活化的SAPG的力学性能。此外，不同的固化条件下，丙烯酸改性SAPG的力学性能也有所不同。验证了β-HPG和OA提高SAPG早期性能的可行性。
{"title":"Chemistry and feasibility verification of β-hemihydrate phosphogypsum in silico-aluminophosphate geopolymer","authors":"Mengxin Bu, Qingrui Yang, Biqin Dong, Xianle Hua, Yue Wang, Yanshuai Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01811","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01811","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>β-hemihydrate phosphogypsum (β-HPG) has been widely used in the preparation of low-carbon building materials and is regarded as one of the most effective and high-value-added approaches for the consumption and utilization of phosphogypsum (PG). To clarify the chemical properties of β-HPG in acidic and verify its feasibility for application in silico-aluminophosphate geopolymers (SAPGs), this study analyzed the influence mechanisms of typical acid activators, e.g., monoaluminum phosphate (MAP), phosphoric acid (PA), citric acid (CA), oxalic acid (OA), and tartaric acid (TA) on the hydration of β-HPG. The results showed that PA accelerated the dissolution and nucleation of β-HPG, while such nucleation was hindered in MAP. Molecular dynamics simulations further revealed that citric acid (CA) primarily adsorbs on β-HPG in a “ flat-lying “ configuration, oxalic acid (OA) mainly in a “standing” configuration, and tartaric acid (TA) predominantly in a “tilted” configuration. The adsorption energy followed the order of CA > TA > > OA, which inhibited the dissolution and nucleation of β-HPG in CA. The hydration of β-HPG in OA was similar to that in pure water, and the dissolution amount of β-HPG in TA is the highest. However, the formation of large amounts of calcium tartrate complexes limited the availability of calcium ions for the nucleation of CaSO<sub>4</sub>·2H<sub>2</sub>O, resulting in the slowest nucleation of β-HPG in TA. The addition of β-HPG can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of SAPG activated by MAP and low-concentration PA (7 mol/L). Besides, the mechanical properties of OA-modified SAPG varies with different curing conditions. The feasibility of β-HPG and OA for enhancing the early-stage performance of SAPG was validated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01811"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Porous nature and water desorption capacity of recycled fine brick aggregate (RFCB) is crucial to the long-term evolution of shrinkage behavior of recycled concrete (RC) exposed to the dry environment. Thus, this study assessed both the pore feature and water desorption of RFCB with different particle sizes (including 0–5 mm, 0.075–5 mm and 0.15–5 mm), followed by the effect of particle size, replacement level and initial saturation degree of RFCB on the microstructure, strength development, water migration and drying shrinkage of RC. Results shown that the pore feature of RFCB yielded coarse pore size and high porosity with an increase in particle size, which in turn endowed a superior water desorption potential. Microstructure revealed that incorporating porous RFCB into RC increased the pore volume, porosity and total capillary pores, whereas performed better in improving the average pore diameter and interface bonding. The presence of RFCB imposed a deteriorate effect on the compressive strength, relative humidity, electrical resistivity and drying shrinkage, and this degraded effect exacerbated as particle size and replacement ratio raised. However, introducing full saturation degree of fine RFCB was beneficial for mitigating the relative humidity reduction, electrical resistivity increment and drying shrinkage development. Finally, the drying shrinkage-prediction model considering RFCB coefficients was developed based on the CEB-FIP model, which was helpful for the design of low-carbon and durable RC.
{"title":"Evolution of drying shrinkage and water migration of concrete: Effects of pore feature and water desorption of recycled fine brick aggregate","authors":"Juntao Dang , Huiqiang Jing , Jun Zhao , Wei Zhang , Jianzhuang Xiao , Hexin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Porous nature and water desorption capacity of recycled fine brick aggregate (RFCB) is crucial to the long-term evolution of shrinkage behavior of recycled concrete (RC) exposed to the dry environment. Thus, this study assessed both the pore feature and water desorption of RFCB with different particle sizes (including 0–5 mm, 0.075–5 mm and 0.15–5 mm), followed by the effect of particle size, replacement level and initial saturation degree of RFCB on the microstructure, strength development, water migration and drying shrinkage of RC. Results shown that the pore feature of RFCB yielded coarse pore size and high porosity with an increase in particle size, which in turn endowed a superior water desorption potential. Microstructure revealed that incorporating porous RFCB into RC increased the pore volume, porosity and total capillary pores, whereas performed better in improving the average pore diameter and interface bonding. The presence of RFCB imposed a deteriorate effect on the compressive strength, relative humidity, electrical resistivity and drying shrinkage, and this degraded effect exacerbated as particle size and replacement ratio raised. However, introducing full saturation degree of fine RFCB was beneficial for mitigating the relative humidity reduction, electrical resistivity increment and drying shrinkage development. Finally, the drying shrinkage-prediction model considering RFCB coefficients was developed based on the CEB-FIP model, which was helpful for the design of low-carbon and durable RC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01789"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01781
Xinyu Ni , Yoshifumi Amamoto , Jun Kikuchi
As the world shifts toward a sustainable and circular economy, the demand is growing for materials that are both high-performing and environmentally responsible. Biodegradable polymers present a fundamental design challenge, as increased mechanical strength can impede breakdown, creating a trade-off that conventional strategies struggle to reconcile. Here we present a multimodal, multitask deep-learning framework that models mechanical performance and mass-loss behavior from molecular descriptors, thermal properties, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) signals. Within a panel of seven representative biodegradable polyesters relevant to marine/estuarine setting as 0.2-mm films and evaluated in vacuum-filtered estuary water, the framework jointly addresses multiple targets—strain at break, maximum stress, Young's Modulus, and 30-day endpoint mass loss—and highlights hierarchical molecular and dynamic features underlying the toughness–degradability balance. SHAP analysis revealed that features governing segmental rigidity and thermal properties jointly drive the trade-off between mass loss and mechanical performance. In particular, descriptors from Time Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR) relaxometry and 13C/1H NMR principal components consistently emerged as top predictors linking degradability with strain at break, maximum stress, and Young's Modulus. This framework establishes a generalizable route to integrate multimodal NMR-derived dynamics with machine learning for rational design of biodegradable polymers.
{"title":"Simultaneous multimodal and multitask strategies for diverse biodegradable polymers powered by NMR data science","authors":"Xinyu Ni , Yoshifumi Amamoto , Jun Kikuchi","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01781","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01781","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the world shifts toward a sustainable and circular economy, the demand is growing for materials that are both high-performing and environmentally responsible. Biodegradable polymers present a fundamental design challenge, as increased mechanical strength can impede breakdown, creating a trade-off that conventional strategies struggle to reconcile. Here we present a multimodal, multitask deep-learning framework that models mechanical performance and mass-loss behavior from molecular descriptors, thermal properties, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) signals. Within a panel of seven representative biodegradable polyesters relevant to marine/estuarine setting as 0.2-mm films and evaluated in vacuum-filtered estuary water, the framework jointly addresses multiple targets—strain at break, maximum stress, Young's Modulus, and 30-day endpoint mass loss—and highlights hierarchical molecular and dynamic features underlying the toughness–degradability balance. SHAP analysis revealed that features governing segmental rigidity and thermal properties jointly drive the trade-off between mass loss and mechanical performance. In particular, descriptors from Time Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR) relaxometry and <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>1</sup>H NMR principal components consistently emerged as top predictors linking degradability with strain at break, maximum stress, and Young's Modulus. This framework establishes a generalizable route to integrate multimodal NMR-derived dynamics with machine learning for rational design of biodegradable polymers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01781"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01863
Ubaid Ur Rehman , Kashaf Ul Sahar , Chun-Ming Wang
This review highlights recent advancements in SnTe-based thermoelectric materials, emphasizing their potential as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional PbTe systems. SnTe offers several advantages, including a rock-salt crystal structure and favorable electronic band characteristics. However, intrinsic limitations such as high native hole concentration due to Sn vacancies and relatively large lattice thermal conductivity constrain its thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). This review outlines key strategies to address these challenges, including band convergence via alloying, resonant level doping, carrier concentration optimization, and defect engineering. Methods to reduce lattice thermal conductivity such as nanostructuring and multi-scale phonon scattering are also examined. Advances in doped alloys, hybrid composites, and low-dimensional SnTe systems with ZT values exceeding unity are summarized, highlighting the role of microstructural design. Computational developments, including first-principles modeling, carrier transport analysis, defect chemistry, and emerging machine learning frameworks, are discussed in the context of accelerating material optimization. At the device scale, considerations such as thermoelectric module architecture, contact engineering, thermal/electrical stability, and system-level integration are reviewed. Environmental sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and scalable synthesis routes are evaluated to gauge commercial viability. Current limitations and potential research pathways are presented to support progress in lead-free SnTe thermoelectric technologies.
{"title":"Lead-free SnTe thermoelectrics: Materials design, device engineering, and sustainable energy perspectives","authors":"Ubaid Ur Rehman , Kashaf Ul Sahar , Chun-Ming Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01863","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01863","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review highlights recent advancements in SnTe-based thermoelectric materials, emphasizing their potential as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional PbTe systems. SnTe offers several advantages, including a rock-salt crystal structure and favorable electronic band characteristics. However, intrinsic limitations such as high native hole concentration due to Sn vacancies and relatively large lattice thermal conductivity constrain its thermoelectric figure of merit (<em>ZT</em>). This review outlines key strategies to address these challenges, including band convergence via alloying, resonant level doping, carrier concentration optimization, and defect engineering. Methods to reduce lattice thermal conductivity such as nanostructuring and multi-scale phonon scattering are also examined. Advances in doped alloys, hybrid composites, and low-dimensional SnTe systems with <em>ZT</em> values exceeding unity are summarized, highlighting the role of microstructural design. Computational developments, including first-principles modeling, carrier transport analysis, defect chemistry, and emerging machine learning frameworks, are discussed in the context of accelerating material optimization. At the device scale, considerations such as thermoelectric module architecture, contact engineering, thermal/electrical stability, and system-level integration are reviewed. Environmental sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and scalable synthesis routes are evaluated to gauge commercial viability. Current limitations and potential research pathways are presented to support progress in lead-free SnTe thermoelectric technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01863"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01857
Poonnawit Hanphaiboon , Xuejiao Liu , Riaz Ahmad , Jie Zhang , Beibei Pan , Yin Wang
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent and toxic pollutants, demand innovative, sustainable water treatment. This study introduces a steam-activated carbon from waste coffee grounds (CGAC) utilizing a chemical-free, nitrogen self-doping strategy for efficient PFAS removal. Raw coffee grounds, inherently rich in nitrogen (2.70 wt%), underwent pyrolysis and steam activation, yielding CGAC with high surface area (∼1200 m2/g), hierarchical porosity, and retained nitrogen (1.76 wt%). Batch experiments showed that CGAC achieved nearly 100 % PFOS and > 75 % PFBS removal at a low dose of 0.025 g/L, outperforming commercial coconut and bamboo activated carbons, with adsorption capacities of 286.1 mg/g (PFOS) and 32.4 mg/g (PFBS). CGAC exhibited excellent reusability, maintaining >90 % PFOS removal over four ethanol regeneration cycles. Water matrix studies revealed that divalent cations (Ca2+, Mg2+) enhanced PFAS uptake via cation bridging, while humic acid reduced adsorption through competitive interactions. CGAC maintained high PFOS selectivity even under anionic competition (Cl−, NO₃−), and competitive adsorption further confirmed suppressed short-chain PFBS uptake in the presence of PFOS. Mechanistic analyses showed that PFOS and PFBS follow fundamentally distinct adsorption pathways on the same surface: PFOS adsorption (Langmuir, pseudo-first-order, entropy-driven) was dominated by hydrophobic interactions facilitated by low desolvation energy and exhibited minimal pH dependence. Conversely, PFBS adsorption (Freundlich, pseudo-second-order, enthalpy-driven) relied on electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding, consistent with its pH sensitivity and cation-mediated enhancement. By explicitly demonstrating this dual-mechanism capability on a single waste-derived carbon surface, CGAC synergistically resolves the hydrophobic-electrostatic trade-off in PFAS adsorption. This leverages CG's intrinsic chemistry for a chemical-free, cost-effective, and scalable PFAS remediation solution, while simultaneously valorizing coffee waste.
{"title":"Sustainable nitrogen-self-doped coffee ground-derived activated carbon for efficient adsorption of short- and long-chain PFAS: Mechanistic insights and practical applications","authors":"Poonnawit Hanphaiboon , Xuejiao Liu , Riaz Ahmad , Jie Zhang , Beibei Pan , Yin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Per</em>- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent and toxic pollutants, demand innovative, sustainable water treatment. This study introduces a steam-activated carbon from waste coffee grounds (CGAC) utilizing a chemical-free, nitrogen self-doping strategy for efficient PFAS removal. Raw coffee grounds, inherently rich in nitrogen (2.70 wt%), underwent pyrolysis and steam activation, yielding CGAC with high surface area (∼1200 m<sup>2</sup>/g), hierarchical porosity, and retained nitrogen (1.76 wt%). Batch experiments showed that CGAC achieved nearly 100 % PFOS and > 75 % PFBS removal at a low dose of 0.025 g/L, outperforming commercial coconut and bamboo activated carbons, with adsorption capacities of 286.1 mg/g (PFOS) and 32.4 mg/g (PFBS). CGAC exhibited excellent reusability, maintaining >90 % PFOS removal over four ethanol regeneration cycles. Water matrix studies revealed that divalent cations (Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>) enhanced PFAS uptake via cation bridging, while humic acid reduced adsorption through competitive interactions. CGAC maintained high PFOS selectivity even under anionic competition (Cl<sup>−</sup>, NO₃<sup>−</sup>), and competitive adsorption further confirmed suppressed short-chain PFBS uptake in the presence of PFOS. Mechanistic analyses showed that PFOS and PFBS follow fundamentally distinct adsorption pathways on the same surface: PFOS adsorption (Langmuir, pseudo-first-order, entropy-driven) was dominated by hydrophobic interactions facilitated by low desolvation energy and exhibited minimal pH dependence. Conversely, PFBS adsorption (Freundlich, pseudo-second-order, enthalpy-driven) relied on electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding, consistent with its pH sensitivity and cation-mediated enhancement. By explicitly demonstrating this dual-mechanism capability on a single waste-derived carbon surface, CGAC synergistically resolves the hydrophobic-electrostatic trade-off in PFAS adsorption. This leverages CG's intrinsic chemistry for a chemical-free, cost-effective, and scalable PFAS remediation solution, while simultaneously valorizing coffee waste.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01857"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01892
Ubaid Ullah Jan , Kiruthika Mariappan , Subramanian Sakthinathan , Te-Wei Chiu , Yu-Han Tsai , Muhammad Sheraz Ahmad , Arshid Numan , Chao-Lin Liu , Ching-Lung Chen
In recent years, MXenes have emerged as promising materials for eco-friendly electrochemical nitrate reduction and nitrogen fixation in nitrogen reduction reactions (NRR). MXene possesses high hydrophilicity, large specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and numerous active sites, making it a suitable candidate for catalytic applications. These features support functionalization and enhancement methods, including the integration of co-catalysts and the formation of MXene-based composites and hybrids. Notably, MXene–metal composite catalysts have been reported to achieve Faradaic efficiencies exceeding 95%, underscoring their strong industrial potential for efficient electrochemical nitrate reduction. MXene-based nitrate reduction presents challenges related to scalability, stability, and industrial integration, as well as an unclear structure-activity relationship that affects catalytic performance. Improving selectivity, faradaic efficiency, and nitrate conversion rates remains crucial, while deeper insights into reaction mechanisms and active sites are needed for optimized performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the properties, synthesis methods, and applications of MXene-based materials in electrochemical nitrate reduction and nitrogen reduction reactions, focusing on their roles as catalysts. Additionally, current challenges and future directions for sustainable nitrogen-based fuel production are discussed in detail. This work aims to offer valuable insights into the strategic design of MXene catalyst for ENR and NRR. The review also examines the impact of MXene structure, including layer spacing, surface termination, and edge chemistry, on enhancing electrocatalytic efficiency. A particular emphasis is placed on the synthesis of 2D and 3D Mxene metal composite, as well as single-atom catalysts (SACs), which enhance performance by creating highly active and selective sites for ENR. These advances have improved conversion rates and selectivity for desired products, such as NH₃ and N₂. The review examines NO₃− reduction, particularly ENR, using MXene catalysts, analyzing important reaction pathways, intermediates, and reaction rate parameters. Furthermore, the review also discusses how various experimental conditions, such as pH, applied potential, and nitrate concentration, influence the reaction rate and desired product distribution. The final section identifies the challenges and future directions for the ENR, particularly in scaling up the synthesis of MXene-based materials and achieving greater control over product selectivity for industrial applications. Improving the efficiency and selectivity of NO3 to clean nitrogenous fuel conversion will be critical for realizing the potential of MXenes in sustainable energy technologies.
{"title":"MXene-based catalysts for electrochemical nitrate and nitrogen reduction: A review toward sustainable nitrogenous fuels","authors":"Ubaid Ullah Jan , Kiruthika Mariappan , Subramanian Sakthinathan , Te-Wei Chiu , Yu-Han Tsai , Muhammad Sheraz Ahmad , Arshid Numan , Chao-Lin Liu , Ching-Lung Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01892","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01892","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, MXenes have emerged as promising materials for eco-friendly electrochemical nitrate reduction and nitrogen fixation in nitrogen reduction reactions (NRR). MXene possesses high hydrophilicity, large specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and numerous active sites, making it a suitable candidate for catalytic applications. These features support functionalization and enhancement methods, including the integration of co-catalysts and the formation of MXene-based composites and hybrids. Notably, MXene–metal composite catalysts have been reported to achieve Faradaic efficiencies exceeding 95%, underscoring their strong industrial potential for efficient electrochemical nitrate reduction. MXene-based nitrate reduction presents challenges related to scalability, stability, and industrial integration, as well as an unclear structure-activity relationship that affects catalytic performance. Improving selectivity, faradaic efficiency, and nitrate conversion rates remains crucial, while deeper insights into reaction mechanisms and active sites are needed for optimized performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the properties, synthesis methods, and applications of MXene-based materials in electrochemical nitrate reduction and nitrogen reduction reactions, focusing on their roles as catalysts. Additionally, current challenges and future directions for sustainable nitrogen-based fuel production are discussed in detail. This work aims to offer valuable insights into the strategic design of MXene catalyst for ENR and NRR. The review also examines the impact of MXene structure, including layer spacing, surface termination, and edge chemistry, on enhancing electrocatalytic efficiency. A particular emphasis is placed on the synthesis of 2D and 3D Mxene metal composite, as well as single-atom catalysts (SACs), which enhance performance by creating highly active and selective sites for ENR. These advances have improved conversion rates and selectivity for desired products, such as NH₃ and N₂. The review examines NO₃<sup>−</sup> reduction, particularly ENR, using MXene catalysts, analyzing important reaction pathways, intermediates, and reaction rate parameters. Furthermore, the review also discusses how various experimental conditions, such as pH, applied potential, and nitrate concentration, influence the reaction rate and desired product distribution. The final section identifies the challenges and future directions for the ENR, particularly in scaling up the synthesis of MXene-based materials and achieving greater control over product selectivity for industrial applications. Improving the efficiency and selectivity of NO<sub>3</sub> to clean nitrogenous fuel conversion will be critical for realizing the potential of MXenes in sustainable energy technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01892"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-15Epub Date: 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01885
Jianing Wang , Linghua Yao , Shengbo Ge , Qiyu Zhang , Mashallah Rezakazemi , Jiachen Zuo , Lihua Cheng , Libo Zhang
Traditional furniture boards often use large amounts of adhesives, which leads to environmental pollution and cost increase. The development of adhesive-free boards from agricultural and forestry waste is beneficial for technological innovation in the furniture market and the promotion of greener development. This study proposes a strategy to enhance hydrogen bond interactions at the molecular, supramolecular, and inter fiber structural levels of lignocellulosic biomass fibers. Wheat straw, a typical agricultural waste, was selected as the raw material. Alkaline treatment was used to remove lignin from the fibers, followed by zinc chloride treatment to fully swell the cellulose components. Wet pressing was then employed to fabricate high-strength boards, establishing a process for producing self-adhesive boards from agricultural waste, named as WS-A-Zn. WS-A-Zn demonstrated a tensile strength of 12.42 MPa, an internal bonding strength of 0.749 MPa, a flexural strength of 26.366 MPa, and a flexural modulus of 2.963 GPa, which are much higher than the mechanical properties of untreated wheat straw samples (WS) under the same hot-pressing conditions. Among them, the tensile strength of WS-A-Zn is 47 times that of WS. In addition, this board exhibits remarkable water resistance, thermal stability, degradation resistance, and reusability. The life cycle assessment revealed that electricity consumption is the primary factor driving the environmental impact of producing wheat straw hot-pressed boards. In summary, this study offers important insights into the environmentally friendly production of adhesive-free boards for the furniture industry, the high-value utilization of agricultural and forestry waste, and the molecular-level improvements in biomass material properties.
传统的家具板往往使用大量的粘合剂，导致环境污染和成本增加。利用农林废弃物开发无胶粘剂板，有利于家具市场的技术创新，促进绿色发展。本研究提出了一种在木质纤维素生物质纤维的分子、超分子和纤维间结构水平上增强氢键相互作用的策略。以典型的农业废弃物麦秸为原料。采用碱性处理去除纤维中的木质素，再用氯化锌处理使纤维素组分充分膨胀。然后采用湿压法制造高强度板，建立了一种从农业废弃物中生产不干胶板的工艺，称为WS-A-Zn。在相同的热压条件下，WS- a - zn的抗拉强度为12.42 MPa，内部结合强度为0.749 MPa，抗弯强度为26.366 MPa，抗弯模量为2.963 GPa，远远高于未经处理的麦秸样品（WS）的力学性能。其中WS- a - zn的抗拉强度是WS的47倍。此外，该板还具有显著的耐水性、热稳定性、耐降解性和可重复使用性。生命周期评价表明，耗电量是麦草热压板生产对环境影响的主要因素。综上所述，本研究为家具行业无粘合剂板的环保生产、农业和林业废弃物的高价值利用以及生物质材料性能的分子水平改进提供了重要见解。
{"title":"Preparation and life cycle assessment of self-adhesive wheat straw board with wet hot-pressing by enhanced H-bonding","authors":"Jianing Wang , Linghua Yao , Shengbo Ge , Qiyu Zhang , Mashallah Rezakazemi , Jiachen Zuo , Lihua Cheng , Libo Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01885","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.susmat.2026.e01885","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditional furniture boards often use large amounts of adhesives, which leads to environmental pollution and cost increase. The development of adhesive-free boards from agricultural and forestry waste is beneficial for technological innovation in the furniture market and the promotion of greener development. This study proposes a strategy to enhance hydrogen bond interactions at the molecular, supramolecular, and inter fiber structural levels of lignocellulosic biomass fibers. Wheat straw, a typical agricultural waste, was selected as the raw material. Alkaline treatment was used to remove lignin from the fibers, followed by zinc chloride treatment to fully swell the cellulose components. Wet pressing was then employed to fabricate high-strength boards, establishing a process for producing self-adhesive boards from agricultural waste, named as WS-A-Zn. WS-A-Zn demonstrated a tensile strength of 12.42 MPa, an internal bonding strength of 0.749 MPa, a flexural strength of 26.366 MPa, and a flexural modulus of 2.963 GPa, which are much higher than the mechanical properties of untreated wheat straw samples (WS) under the same hot-pressing conditions. Among them, the tensile strength of WS-A-Zn is 47 times that of WS. In addition, this board exhibits remarkable water resistance, thermal stability, degradation resistance, and reusability. The life cycle assessment revealed that electricity consumption is the primary factor driving the environmental impact of producing wheat straw hot-pressed boards. In summary, this study offers important insights into the environmentally friendly production of adhesive-free boards for the furniture industry, the high-value utilization of agricultural and forestry waste, and the molecular-level improvements in biomass material properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22097,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Materials and Technologies","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article e01885"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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