RSC sustainability最新文献

Given the eruption of AI technology, the cooling requirement in data centres has drawn significant attention due to the increasing demand for data processing and storage. Indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) is a cutting-edge cooling technology with huge advantages of energy economy and environmental friendliness compared with conventional mechanical vapour compression cooling systems. Herein, we perform a levelized cost analysis (LCA) to determine the economic performance and energy consumption of the traditional mechanical vapor compression (MVC) cooling system and a novel hybrid IEC + MVC cooling system in data centre applications. A data centre model is adopted and applied in various climate zones in 10 cities from 8 countries. The results showed that the hybrid IEC + MVC system presented energy savings in all the cities, especially in Riyadh, with an energy saving of 41.3 GWh for the year. Most cities showed cost saving with the hybrid system, with London and Madrid achieving cost savings of 52–53%. All the cities showed significant CO₂ reduction with the hybrid system, especially in Riyadh (23 547 tons), Jeddah (18 740 tons), and Dubai (12 432 tons). This study sheds light on the cost analysis based on levelized cost analysis (LCA) for next-generation cooling technology for data centres.

Silica nanoparticles are extensively utilized in the biomedical field due to their large surface area, biocompatibility, chemical stability, and tunable surface properties. Their surface can be conveniently modified to support a wide array of applications such as targeted drug delivery, biosensing, and cellular imaging. The silica surface offers abundant reactive sites, enabling straightforward functionalization with a variety of chemical groups to impart specific properties or enhance performance for desired applications. This review presents a detailed account of different synthesis approaches for silica nanoparticles along with methods for introducing various functional groups onto their surfaces. Special emphasis is placed on functionalization techniques tailored for applications in drug delivery, cancer treatment, bioimaging, and biosensing. Furthermore, the review provides a critical evaluation of nanosilica toxicity to ensure their safe deployment in nanomedicine. By critically evaluating current progress and limitations, this review aims to support the development of next-generation silica-based nanocarriers for efficient and safe drug delivery systems.

The fragrance industry embraced sustainability early on through natural sourcing and green chemistry approaches, even before these concepts were formalised. Today, competition, regulations, and consumer expectations call for a sincere and substantial implementation of sustainability across every dimension of the fragrance business. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals provide a global framework of thinking. Aligning with these goals and recommendations can drive innovation, enhance social impact, and promote transparency, responding to environmental challenges and evolving consumer values.

Lactic acid obtained from cellulose over heterogeneous acid catalysts is one of the key areas in bioeconomy. Herein, we develop a series of biochar-supported nano-titanium–niobium oxides (with 10% Ti and 0.25 to 15% Nb) prepared via wet impregnation and evaluate their performances in cellulose conversion to lactic acid. We report for the first time a biochar which displays trimodal (micro-, meso-, and macro-) porosity and high surface area due to the synergistic effect between lanthanum and zinc during the carbonization of spent coffee grounds. The successful impregnation of Nb and Ti species on the surface of the biochar was confirmed by XRD, TGA, XPS, AFM, SEM-EDS, and STEM-EDS. The presence of niobia and titania generated a significant increase in the catalyst's acidity as noticed by NH₃-TPD and, subsequently, improved the lactic acid yield from 1.6% (for 10% Ti/AC) to 14% (for 10% Ti–0.5% Nb/AC). Furthermore, the high-water tolerance of niobium and titanium species allowed the biochar-supported nano-titanium–niobium oxides to be recycled three times without a significant loss in their catalytic activity.

Plastic waste presents a critical environmental challenge, with reports of global production surpassing 390 million tons annually and an effective recycling rate of less than 10%. This study investigates advanced recycling methodologies aimed at mitigating plastic waste and promoting a circular economy. Mechanical, chemical, and emerging advanced recycling technologies are evaluated based on efficiency, scalability, and environmental impact. Mechanical recycling achieves material recovery rates up to 60%, accompanied by a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to virgin plastic production; however, polymer contamination and degradation restrict its long-term effectiveness. Chemical recycling processes, including microwave-assisted pyrolysis and enzymatic plastic depolymerization, demonstrate recovery efficiencies exceeding 90%, producing high-quality feedstocks suitable for industrial reuse. Life-cycle assessments reveal that chemical recycling can reduce environmental footprints by approximately 45% relative to conventional disposal practices. Advanced recycling technologies, such as enzymatic and catalytic hydrocracking, blockchain-enabled plastic waste tracking, and bioplastic waste valorization conversion, exhibit conversion efficiencies ranging from 85 to 95%, though scalability remains limited by economic and technological constraints. Integration with digital innovations, such as AI-enabled waste sorting and blockchain-based supply chain transparency, enhances material recovery rates by up to 20%. Policy instruments, notably extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes and consumer engagement initiatives, further reinforce recycling outcomes. Case studies from Europe and Asia demonstrate landfill diversion rates reaching 75%, underscoring the effectiveness of integrated approaches. The analysis highlights the urgent necessity for multifaceted recycling strategies to curb the escalating plastic waste crisis and facilitate a transition toward a sustainable circular economy. Through the strategic application of technological advancements and policy interventions, it is feasible to achieve a 50% reduction in global plastic waste by 2030, thereby contributing significantly to environmental protection and resource conservation, while mitigating climate change impacts.

Organic–inorganic lead halide perovskites have emerged as frontrunners in next-generation optoelectronic technologies due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. Despite remarkable advancements, their commercialization is hindered by their poor intrinsic stability and suboptimal charge-carrier dynamics. In this work, we introduced thionate-based additives, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate (BMIM-SCN) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium lead thiocyanate (BMIM-Pb(SCN)₃), as effective chemical modulators to simultaneously enhance the crystallinity, surface quality, and environmental resilience of hybrid perovskite films. The incorporation of these additives facilitates the formation of dense, uniform crystal grains with improved surface coverage and significantly reduced surficial and interfacial trap states. The modified films exhibit superior charge transport behavior and demonstrate remarkable resilience under humid, thermal, and light stress, outperforming their pristine counterparts. Specifically, BMIM-Pb(SCN)₃ is proven to be particularly effective, synergistically enhancing both the charge-carrier mobility and long-term film stability. This dual-functional additive strategy not only passivates defects but also regulates the structural evolution of the perovskite layer, leading to an improved optoelectronic performance. These findings present a viable route for stabilizing hybrid perovskites and advancing their practical deployment in photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.

Biodegradable polymers offer a promising solution to global plastic pollution. However, commercial options such as poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) often rely on petroleum-based feedstocks or costly microbial production. Lignocellulosic biomass presents a sustainable alternative, yet a substantial amount is discarded, and its utilization remains limited. In this study, we present a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to fabricating biodegradable plastic films from mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) peel waste. Using a simple, one-step process with aqueous sodium carbonate as a mild pretreatment reagent, we partially hydrolyze the mandarin peel structure while simultaneously blending it with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). To further enhance functionality, additional post-treatments including ultrasonication and washing are employed. The optimized films demonstrate excellent tensile strength (∼60 MPa), near-complete UV-blocking (∼100%), and strong antioxidant activity (∼54% radical scavenging). Furthermore, the films exhibit outstanding oxygen barrier properties and enhanced water vapor barrier properties. Finally, biodegradation under simulated river water and soil conditions, as well as soil ecotoxicity assessments, confirms the products' minimal environmental impact in various end-of-life scenarios. These findings highlight the potential of the developed material for packaging and agricultural mulch applications, addressing both plastic waste pollution and biomass valorization.

Efficient adsorbents require functional groups capable of strong coordination with surrounding species, combined with an open porous network that facilitates pollutant diffusion and storage. Conventional strategies to generate porosity typically rely on structure-directing agents, which are subsequently removed through time-consuming, energy-intensive, and environmentally unsustainable thermal or chemical treatments. Diverging from these traditional approaches, colloidal polysaccharides offer a sustainable alternative, forming inherently porous hydrogels that serve as self-supporting reactors for water purification. In this work, we harnessed this property to transform discarded seafood bio-waste chitosan into highly reactive adsorbents for the treatment of olive mill wastewater. To enhance polyphenol uptake, various exogenous nanoparticles were incorporated within the hydrogel matrix, among which activated carbon and, to a lesser extent, montmorillonite clay proved most effective. Adsorption tests were performed using syringic acid and caffeic acid as model polyphenols representative of olive mill effluents, followed by trials on real industrial wastewater. Unlike conventional powdered adsorbents, the self-standing nature and macroporous architecture of the chitosan beads offer significant advantages in terms of recyclability and handling. Furthermore, beads enriched with polyphenolic extracts can be repurposed for the subsequent removal of dyes, antibiotics, and copper contaminants.

Climate change is a critical global concern, driven in part by the continuous increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The refrigeration and air conditioning industries significantly contribute to these emissions through the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent GHGs. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of natural and fourth-generation synthetic refrigerants to support the development of a sustainable cooling action plan for India. Focusing on low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant blends, the study investigates the atmospheric oxidation pathways of HFOs—R1234yf, R1234ze(Z), R1234ze(E), and R1243yf—alongside propane, identifying a 90 : 10 propane–R1234yf blend as a promising alternative to R32 in residential split air conditioners up to 7 kW. Thermodynamic analysis reveals that this blend achieves a 15% improvement in both volumetric cooling capacity and coefficient of performance compared with R32 while significantly lowering GWP to the level of R1234yf. Environmental and economic assessments show that the blend emits approximately 5.1 tCO₂e annually, which is 22 times lesser than R32, and offers cost benefits due to its reduced capital and environmental expenditures. The total environmental impact metric for the simulated blend indicates that CO₂-equivalent emissions can be reduced up to 96% when R32 is replaced with the R1234yf + propane blend. Based on these findings, this study proposes key policy imperatives for accelerating the adoption of natural refrigerants in India, in alignment with the Kigali Amendment's HFC phasedown schedule.

This study reports the development of fully bio-based epoxy resins containing dynamic ester bonds capable of transesterification at 100 °C. The inherent functionality of lignin oil, derived from the reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) biorefinery process, enables effective curing with epoxidized soybean oil, eliminating the need for additional treatments. The resulting epoxy resins show similar thermochemical behavior for both pristine and reprocessed epoxy resins. This work highlights a sustainable and efficient route for producing reprocessable vitrimers using non-functionalized lignin oil.