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The Synthesis of Low-Carbon New Materials and Their Application in Green Design

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 2356

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yanchen Li

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Guest Editor
The Future Laboratory, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: low carbon composite material; phase change energy storage technology; furniture and interior decoration; landscape and display; sustainable design
Dr. Chenglong Zhang

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Guest Editor
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: air pollution; photo-chemistry; biomass fuel; clean combustion
Dr. Yanhong Jia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
2. The Future Laboratory, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: 3D printing; eco-friendly materials; industrial design; digital fabrication
Dr. Kaibao Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Future Laboratory, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: fibre reinforced composites; waste resources utilization; non-sintered ceramics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the deepening of sustainable concepts, consumer demand for low-carbon living products is becoming increasingly high. This Special Issue focuses on the synthesis process of low-carbon new materials and their applications in green design, with the intersection of engineering and design. The scope of the Special Issue includes the synthesis process and performance analysis of low-carbon new materials, the design and application of sustainable materials, experimental paths and design ideas for green design, sustainable materials and lifestyle, and the carbon reduction effect of sustainable new materials. The purpose of this Special Issue is to encourage authors to explore how material synthesis experiments can be transformed into products and analyze their sustainable performance, which is of great significance for promoting the integration of functionality and esthetics in sustainable products.

At present, the design industry is beginning to develop toward interdisciplinary integration, especially toward the application of sustainable materials in environmental design, furniture design, and product design, which is welcomed by consumers. However, there are few journals specifically focused on the intersection between engineering and design, and many scholars hope to have dedicated channels to submit their research results. Therefore, establishing this Special Issue, ‘The Synthesis of Low-Carbon New Materials and Their Application in Green Design’, is in line with the current interdisciplinary needs and provides an academic platform for numerous interdisciplinary researchers in the field of design.

Dr. Yanchen Li
Dr. Chenglong Zhang
Dr. Yanhong Jia
Dr. Kaibao Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • low-carbon composite materials
  • mechanism analysis
  • green design
  • sustainable design concept

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3211 KB  
Article
Exploring the Sustainable Development Strategy of Wood Flour-Based Composite Materials in Outdoor Furniture
by Huidi Zhou, Yuqi Gao and Kaili Zhang
Sustainability 2025, 17(20), 9235; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17209235 - 17 Oct 2025
Viewed by 165
Abstract
Wood flour, a landscaping byproduct, poses disposal challenges due to its poor degradability, despite its potential as a sustainable material. This study modified wood powder by synergistically incorporating fly ash and TiO2, followed by curing it with polyamide and epoxy resin [...] Read more.
Wood flour, a landscaping byproduct, poses disposal challenges due to its poor degradability, despite its potential as a sustainable material. This study modified wood powder by synergistically incorporating fly ash and TiO2, followed by curing it with polyamide and epoxy resin to produce high-performance wood powder-based composites suitable for outdoor furniture applications, it can solve the environmental problems caused by fly ash. The research findings indicated that as the TiO2 content increased, the material’s pore size diminished, structural strength improved, and it demonstrated enhanced hydrophobic properties and UV absorption capabilities. The optimal UV absorption performance was observed at a TiO2 content of 1.5%. The combination of TiO2 and fly ash led to the formation of more stable Si-O-Ti and Si-O-Si bonds, which further strengthened the material. Water contact angle and water repellency tests indicated that the 1.5% TiO2 composite showed a 12% increase in compressive strength and a water contact angle of 100.6°, indicating improved hydrophobicity. The addition of TiO2 reduced the number of free-OH groups within the matrix, thereby improving the composite’s hydrophobicity. Outdoor chairs fabricated by mixing 1.5% TiO2-modified wood powder with PET for demolding exhibited excellent structural stability while also being safe and environmentally friendly. This study proposes a feasible preparation strategy for wood powder, enhancing durability through improved mechanical strength, water repellency, and UV shielding. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights into the material modification of wood powder-based materials for the production of outdoor garden furniture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Synthesis of Low-Carbon New Materials and Their Application in Green Design)
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20 pages, 3956 KB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment Sheds New Insights Toward Sustainable Management of Biodegradable Resin Blends Used in Packaging: A Case Study on PBAT
by Niloofar Akbarian-Saravi, Razieh Larizadeh, Arvind Gupta, Daniel Shum and Abbas S. Milani
Sustainability 2025, 17(19), 8645; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17198645 - 25 Sep 2025
Viewed by 654
Abstract
Bioplastics are gaining attention as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastics, with Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT) emerging as a promising biodegradable substitute for polyethylene (PE) in food packaging. Commercial PBAT is often blended with other plastics or bio-based fillers to improve mechanical properties and [...] Read more.
Bioplastics are gaining attention as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastics, with Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT) emerging as a promising biodegradable substitute for polyethylene (PE) in food packaging. Commercial PBAT is often blended with other plastics or bio-based fillers to improve mechanical properties and reduce costs, though these additives can influence its environmental footprint. Therefore, this study quantifies the environmental impacts of producing PBAT resin blends reinforced with common inorganic fillers and compares end-of-life (EoL) performance against PE. While prior studies have largely assessed virgin PBAT or PBAT/Polylactic Acid (PLA) systems, systematic LCA of commercial-style PBAT blends with inorganic fillers and screening LCA level for comparisons of composting vs. landfill remain limited. The contributions of this study are to: (i) map gate-to-gate environmental hotspots for PBAT-blend conversion, (ii) provide a screening gate-to-grave comparison of PBAT composting vs. PE landfill using ReCiPe 2016 and IPCC GWP100 methods, and (iii) discuss theoretical implications for material substitution in the context of EoL strategies. The results indicated that producing 1 kg of PBAT blend generated a single score impact of 921 mPt with Human Health and Resource categories contributing similarly, and a GWP of 8.64 kg CO2-eq, dominated by mixing and drying processes. EoL screening showed PBAT composting offered clear advantages over landfilling PE, yielding −53.9 mPt and 11.35 kg CO2-eq savings, effectively offsetting production emissions. In contrast, landfilling PE resulted in 288.8 mPt and 2.2 kg CO2-eq emissions. Sensitivity analysis further demonstrated that a 30% reduction in electricity use could decrease impacts by up to 10%, underscoring the importance of energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy adoption for sustainable PBAT development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Synthesis of Low-Carbon New Materials and Their Application in Green Design)
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12 pages, 5169 KB  
Article
Integrating Fly Ash into High-Temperature Ceramic Glazes: Achieving Sustainability, Cost-Effectiveness, and Aesthetic Appeal
by Yixuan Du, Minxuan Chen, Kaibao Wang, Tianyu Wang and Legeng Wang
Sustainability 2025, 17(17), 8017; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17178017 - 5 Sep 2025
Viewed by 927
Abstract
Industrial solid waste fly ash has been widely applied in various fields as a resource for waste repurposing. The use of fly ash can significantly reduce production costs and at the same time reduce environmental pollution to achieve sustainability. This study explores the [...] Read more.
Industrial solid waste fly ash has been widely applied in various fields as a resource for waste repurposing. The use of fly ash can significantly reduce production costs and at the same time reduce environmental pollution to achieve sustainability. This study explores the feasibility of using fly ash as a raw material to formulate high-temperature ceramic glazes, examining the composition, surface phases, and texture patterns of the resultant glazes. This study systematically assesses the impact of formulation modifications on glazing qualities by XRF, XRD, and SEM testing methods. The results show that 1. in high-temperature glazes, the element that determines the degree of transparency in the surface phase is the Ti content; 2. Zinc and Ferrum are important factors that can fine-tune the color shade and crystal mention; and 3. controlling the fly ash content in the glaze can change its color and texture. The novelty of this paper lies in utilizing fly ash to create high-performance, high-value-added ceramic products that feature unique aesthetics and artistic effects. In the future, we can investigate the influence of fly ash on glaze coloration, and the formation of different texture effects, as well as achieve specific color mixing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Synthesis of Low-Carbon New Materials and Their Application in Green Design)
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