Phase change materials (PCMs) are crucial for sustainable thermal management in energy-efficient construction and cold chain logistics, as they can store and release renewable thermal energy. However, traditional PCMs suffer from leakage and a loss of formability above their phase change temperatures, limiting their shape stability and versatility. Inspired by the muscle structure, formable PCMs with a hierarchical structure and solvent-responsive supramolecular networks based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/wood composites are developed. The material, in its hydrated state, demonstrates low stiffness and pliability due to the weak hydrogen bonding between aligned wood fibers and PVA molecules. Through treatment of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) into the PVA/wood PEG gel (PEG/PVA/W) with strengthened hydrogen bonds, the resulting wood-based PCMs in the hard and melting states elevate the tensile stress from 10.14 to 80.86 MPa and the stiffness from 420 MPa to 4.8 GPa, making it 530 times stiffer than the PEG/PVA counterpart. Capable of morphing in response to solvent changes, these formable PCMs enable intricate designs for thermal management. Furthermore, supported by a comprehensive life cycle assessment, these shape-adaptable, recyclable, and biodegradable PCMs with lower environmental footprint present a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics and thermal management materials.

Agricultural waste presents a significant environmental challenge due to improper disposal and management practices, contributing to soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and pollution of water and air resources. To address these issues, there is a growing emphasis on the valorization of agricultural waste. Cellulose, a major component of agricultural waste, offers promising opportunities for resource utilization due to its unique properties, including biodegradability, biocompatibility, and renewability. Thus, this review explored various types of agricultural waste, their chemical composition, and pretreatment methods for cellulose extraction. It also highlights the significance of rice straw, sugarcane bagasse, and other agricultural residues as cellulose-rich resources. Among the various membrane fabrication techniques, phase inversion is highly effective for creating porous membranes with controlled thickness and uniformity, while electrospinning produces nanofibrous membranes with high surface area and exceptional mechanical properties. The review further explores the separation of pollutants including using cellulose membranes, demonstrating their potential in environmental remediation. Hence, by valorizing agricultural residues into functional materials, this approach addresses the challenge of agricultural waste management and contributes to the development of innovative solutions for pollution control and water treatment.

This article explores the use of carrageenan-based biomaterials in developing sustainable and efficient intelligent food packaging solutions. The research in this field has seen a notable surge, evident from >1000 entries in databases such as Web of Science, PubMed and Science Direct between 2018 and 2023. Various film preparation techniques are explored, including solvent casting, layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly, and electrospinning. Solvent casting is commonly used to incorporate active compounds, while LbL assembly and electrospinning are favored for enhancing mechanical properties and solubility. Carrageenan\'s film-forming characteristics enable the production of transparent films, ideal for indicator films that facilitate visual inspection for color changes indicative of pH variations, crucial for detecting food spoilage. Surface properties can be modified using additives like plant extracts to regulate moisture interaction, affecting shelf life and food safety. These materials\' antioxidant and antimicrobial attributes are highlighted, demonstrating their efficacy against pathogens such as E. coli.

The production of cementitious formulations involves the addition of chemical additives essential for the optimization of many properties. Superplasticizers are considered additives of great interest but when mixed with concrete they lead to an undesirable increase of air content, with the consequent development of foam. This can adversely affect both mechanical properties and workability, therefore, the use of an antifoam agent is also necessary which should be able to prevent or destroy the foam. This work aims to synthesize esters derived from the reaction of glycine betaine with saturated and unsaturated fatty alcohols of different chain lengths. The reaction products were analyzed by 1H NMR analysis, and the stability of antifoam agents in a superplasticizer solution was studied through foaming tests according to the Ross-Miles method. At the same time, their effectiveness in the cementitious systems was evaluated through flow Table tests. Finally, the effectiveness of the antifoam agents was quantified through an image analysis software, Image J, which allowed the investigation of the contents of the bubble in concrete samples. All synthesized antifoams showed properties superior to the commercial product, especially defoamers containing saturated fatty alcohols. It has been found that alcohols with too small or too long carbon chains were not effective. In particular, it was verified the optimal range of carbon atoms number contained in the antifoam chain which included between 12 and 14.

The inherent brittleness of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a well-studied polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), limits its applicability in flexible and impact-resistant applications. This study explores the potential of blending PHB with a different PHA to overcome brittleness. The synthesis of PHA polymers, including PHB and an amorphous medium-chain-length PHA (aPHA) consisting of various monomers, was achieved in previous works through canola oil fermentation. Detailed characterization of aPHA revealed its amorphous nature, as well as good thermal stability and shear thinning behavior. The blending process was carried out at different mass ratios of aPHA and PHB, and the resulting blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The blends exhibited complex DSC curves, indicating the presence of multiple crystalline forms of PHB. SEM images revealed the morphology of the blends, with PHB particles dispersed within the aPHA matrix. TGA showed similar thermal degradation patterns for the blends, with the residue content decreasing as the PHB content increased. The crystallinity of the blends was influenced by the PHB content, with higher PHB ratios resulting in an increased degree of crystallinity. XRD confirmed the presence of both α and β crystals of PHB in the blends. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of PHB+aPHA blends to enhance the mechanical properties of biopolymer materials, without com-promising the thermal stability, paving the way for sustainable material design and novel application areas.

BACKGROUND: There is a need to develop low-cost, reliable and portable devices to enhance the efficiency of microextraction techniques in complex samples. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have proven to be promising sorbents due to their well-documented properties. However, their green preparation and combination with paper-based substrates have not been satisfactorily explored to fabricate sustainable sorptive phases.
RESULTS: In this work, the hybridization of a paper substrate (as a sustainable support) with MOFs (as a sorptive phase) was carried out by one-pot approach. Concretely, the selected MOF, MIL-53(Al), was in-situ growth onto the paper surface in aqueous solution without the need for high temperature or pressure, thereby aligning with the Green Analytical Chemistry principles. The optimized composite (MIL-53(Al)@cellulose paper) was characterized and evaluated as extraction sorbent for five neonicotinoids (NEOs) (thiamethoxam, clothianidin, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and thiacloprid). Furthermore, its feasibility was demonstrated by isolating these pollutants from environmental water samples, followed their determination by HPLC coupled to diode array detection. The whole method showed satisfactory analytical performance with recoveries between 86 and 114 %, suitable precision (with RSD lower than 14 %), and limits of detection ranged from 1.0 to 1.6 μg L-1. Besides, the greenness of the method was assessed by application of different existing metrics. The developed extraction device was affordable (<0.08 €/device) and mechanical and chemically stable, being possible its reuse more than 11 cycles, thus demonstrating its suitability for rapid screening of pesticides in environmental samples.
CONCLUSIONS: This report presents, for the first time, the green synthesis of MIL-53(Al)cellulose paper composite and its application as a sorptive phase for the extraction of NEOs from environmental water samples. We believe that the proposed strategy for fabricating these sustainable paper-based sorptive phases paves the way for further hybridizations with other MOFs or materials. Additionally, it opens up large possibilities for their application in extraction of pollutants or other hazardous compounds in aquatic environments.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries as they can potentially offer significantly increased capacities and energy densities. The ever-increasing global battery market demonstrates that there will be an ongoing demand for cost effective battery electrode materials. Materials derived from waste products can simultaneously address two of the greatest challenges of today, i.e., waste management and the requirement to develop sustainable materials. In this study, we detail the carbonisation of gelatin from blue shark and chitin from prawns, both of which are currently considered as waste biproducts of the seafood industry. The chemical and physical properties of the resulting carbons are compared through a correlation of results from structural characterisation techniques, including electron imaging, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and nitrogen gas adsorption. We investigated the application of the resulting carbons as sulfur-hosting electrode materials for use in lithium-sulfur batteries. Through comprehensive electrochemical characterisation, we demonstrate that value added porous carbons, derived from marine waste are promising electrode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries. Both samples demonstrated impressive capacity retention when galvanostatically cycled at a rate of C/5 for 500 cycles. This study highlights the importance of looking towards waste products as sustainable feeds for battery material production.

The contamination of water sources with heavy metals, dyes, and other pollutants poses significant challenges to environmental sustainability and public health. Traditional water treatment methods often exhibit limitations in effectively addressing these complex contaminants. In response, recent developments in nanotechnology have catalyzed the exploration of novel materials for water remediation, with nanoparticle-doped zeolites emerging as a promising solution. This comprehensive review synthesizes current literature on the integration of nanoparticles into zeolite frameworks for enhanced contaminant removal in water treatment applications. We delve into synthesis methodologies, elucidate mechanistic insights, and evaluate the efficacy of nanoparticle-doped zeolites in targeting specific pollutants, while also assessing considerations of material stability and environmental impact. The review underscores the superior adsorptive and catalytic properties of nanoparticle-doped zeolites, owing to their high surface area, tailored porosity, and enhanced ion-exchange capabilities. Furthermore, we highlight recent advancements in heavy metal and organic pollutant uptake facilitated by these materials. Additionally, we explore the catalytic degradation of contaminants through advanced oxidation processes, demonstrating the multifunctionality of nanoparticle-doped zeolites in water treatment. By providing a comprehensive analysis of existing research, this review aims to guide future developments in the field, promoting the sustainable utilization of nanoparticle-doped zeolites as efficient and versatile materials for water remediation endeavors.

Cellulose hydrogels, formed either through physical or chemical cross-linking into a three-dimensional network from cellulose or its derivatives, are renowned for their exceptional water absorption capacities and biocompatibility. Rising demands for sustainable materials have spurred interest in cellulose hydrogels, attributed to their abundant supply, biodegradability, and non-toxic nature. These properties highlight their extensive potential across various sectors including biomedicine, the food industry, and environmental protection. Cellulose hydrogels are particularly advantageous in applications such as drug delivery, wound dressing, and water treatment. Recent large-scale studies have advanced our understanding of cellulose preparation and its applications. This review delves into the fundamental concepts, preparation techniques, and current applications of cellulose hydrogels in diverse fields. It also discusses the latest advances in nano-lignin-based hydrogels, providing a comprehensive overview of this promising material and offering insights and guidance for future research and development.

Ternary blended cements, made with silica fume and limestone, provide significant benefits such as improved compressive strength, chloride penetration resistance, sulfates attack, etc. Furthermore, they could be considered low-carbon cements, and they contribute to reducing the depletion of natural resources in reference to water usage, fossil fuel consumption, and mining. Limestone (10%, 15%, and 20%) with different fineness and coarse silica fume (3%, 5%, and 7%) was used to produce ternary cements. The average size of coarse silica fume used was 238 μm. For the first time, the carbonation resistance of ternary Portland cements made with silica fume and limestone has been assessed. The carbonation resistance was assessed by natural carbonation testing. The presence of coarse silica fume and limestone in the blended cement led to pore refinement of the cement-based materials by the filling effect and the C-S-H gel formation. Accordingly, the carbonation resistance of these new ternary cements was less poor than expected for blended cements.