Special Issue "Sustainability and Circularity: New Material Scenarios for Product Design"

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 November 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Valentina Rognoli
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Design Department, Politecnico di Milano, Milano 20158, Italy
Interests: DIY-Materials for social innovation and sustainability; Bio-based and circular Materials; Urban materials and materials from waste and food waste; Materials for interactions and IoT (ICS Materials); Speculative materials; Tinkering with materials; Materials Driven Design method; CMF design; emerging materials experiences; and material education in the field of design
Prof. Dr. Carla Langella
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architecture and Industrial Design, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via S. Lorenzo, 31, 81031 Aversa CE, Italy
Interests: Bio-smart materials; product design innovation; Biomimetics; Industrial design; Sustainable design

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The concept of sustainability is a continually evolving threshold in step with technology and the ability it provides for understanding the environment. Various disciplines have always contributed by bringing essential concepts and tools to approach the growing complexity of the design project and its continuous dialogue with the environment.

The world we live in, now devastated in all its parts by depletion and pollution related to the choices of an unsustainable economy, needs adequate design solutions consistent with the concept of sustainability and circularity. Although it has been talked about for a long time, however, significant research and contributions are still needed on new material solutions that make new products possible and establish new design methods and practices.

It has been estimated that 80% of the environmental impact of a product or service is determined in the design phase, which is why product design has a great responsibility and must try to guide the transition towards a more sustainable and circular economy.

This Special Issue aims to bring together research on the development of materials and processes that can foster the development of innovative products that can promote a circular economy. It includes research on rethought and updated traditional materials; interactive, connected and smart materials; self-produced materials using alternative resources such as waste and scrap; upcycling processes, living biological materials or those that have lived, capable of self-generating and growing.

The contributions will highlight these different possible ways of closing the cycles through a virtuous integration between product design, material science and economy. The concepts of sustainability and circularity can be interpreted both in an environmental and a social sense.

We, therefore, welcome articles on recent or ongoing research in the field of materials for design that highlight valid alternatives to the current unsustainable and linear solutions.

Prof. Dr. Valentina Rognoli
Prof. Dr. Carla Langella
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 papers will be 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 1900 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

  • Sustainability
  • circular materials
  • bio-materials
  • DIY-Materials
  • ICS Materials

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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Article
Transformation of Glass Fiber Waste into Mesoporous Zeolite-Like Nanomaterials with Efficient Adsorption of Methylene Blue
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6207; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116207 - 31 May 2021
Viewed by 592
Abstract
Recycling and reusing glass fiber waste (GFW) has become an environmental concern, as the means of disposal are becoming limited as GFW production increases. Therefore, this study developed a novel, cost-effective method to turn GFW into a mesoporous zeolite-like nanomaterial (MZN) that could [...] Read more.
Recycling and reusing glass fiber waste (GFW) has become an environmental concern, as the means of disposal are becoming limited as GFW production increases. Therefore, this study developed a novel, cost-effective method to turn GFW into a mesoporous zeolite-like nanomaterial (MZN) that could serve as an environmentally benign adsorbent and efficient remover of methylene blue (MB) from solutions. Using the Taguchi optimizing approach to hydrothermal alkaline activation, we produced analcime with interconnected nanopores of about 11.7 nm. This MZN had a surface area of 166 m2 g−1 and was negatively charged with functional groups that could adsorb MB ranging from pH 2 to 10 and all with excellent capacity at pH 6.0 of the maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of 132 mg g−1. Moreover, the MZN adsorbed MB exothermically, and the reaction is reversible according to its thermodynamic parameters. In sum, this study indicated that MZN recycled from glass fiber waste is a novel, environmentally friendly means to adsorb cation methylene blue (MB), thus opening a gateway to the design and fabrication of ceramic-zeolite and tourmaline-ceramic balls and ceramic ring-filter media products. In addition, it has environmental applications such as removing cation dyes and trace metal ions from aqueous solutions and recycling water. Full article
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Article
Influence of Material Selection and Product Design on Automotive Vehicle Recyclability
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3407; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063407 - 19 Mar 2021
Viewed by 553
Abstract
From 2008 to 2020, Chinese automobile production and sales have ranked first in the world. The huge production, sales, and ownership of automobiles will inevitably lead to a rapid increase of end-of-life vehicles in the future and a corresponding issue of resource recycling. [...] Read more.
From 2008 to 2020, Chinese automobile production and sales have ranked first in the world. The huge production, sales, and ownership of automobiles will inevitably lead to a rapid increase of end-of-life vehicles in the future and a corresponding issue of resource recycling. Based on the analysis of a practical dismantling study and statistics declared by the supplier of 19.5% of components and parts with a weight greater than 0.5 kg from two typical vehicle models from 2011 to 2013, this paper focuses on nonmetallic components and parts, the connection of components and parts materials, and the product life cycle of each stage, to find rational technical solutions, and therefore maximize recyclability and recoverability and achieve sustainable development. On one hand, recycling at each stage for vehicles is considered in the design and development of products. As a result, it is found that the main methods, which are conducive to recycling, are increasing the use ratio of materials that are easy to recycle. In addition, general principles of material selection are summarized. On the other hand, vehicles’ dismantling is considered in the initial stage of product design and methods of structural design are summarized. Full article
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Review

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Review
Design, Materials, and Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing in Circular Economy Contexts: From Waste to New Products
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7269; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137269 - 29 Jun 2021
Viewed by 541
Abstract
The transition toward circular economy models has been progressively promoted in the last few years. Different disciplines and strategies may significantly support this change. Although the specific contribution derived from design, material science, and additive manufacturing is well-established, their interdisciplinary relationship in circular [...] Read more.
The transition toward circular economy models has been progressively promoted in the last few years. Different disciplines and strategies may significantly support this change. Although the specific contribution derived from design, material science, and additive manufacturing is well-established, their interdisciplinary relationship in circular economy contexts is relatively unexplored. This paper aims to review the main case studies related to new circular economy models for waste valorization through extrusion-based additive manufacturing, circular materials, and new design strategies. The general patterns were investigated through a comprehensive analysis of 74 case studies from academic research and design practice in the last six-year period (2015–2021), focusing on the application fields, the 3D printing technologies, and the materials. Further considerations and future trends were then included by looking at the relevant funded projects and case studies of 2021. A broader number of applications, circular materials, and technologies were explored by the academic context, concerning the practice-based scenario linked to more consolidated fields. Thanks to the development of new strategies and experiential tools, academic research and practice can be linked to foster new opportunities to implement circular economy models. Full article
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