Search Results (659)

Over the past decades, global air traffic has increased continuously, with passenger kilometers roughly doubling every fifteen to twenty years, and this trend is estimated to continue, with some adjustments due to COVID-19 impact. In response to the resulting environmental challenges, the European initiatives Flightpath 2050 and Clean Sky serve as central drivers of technological development aimed at achieving ambitious sustainability goals. Flightpath 2050 targets, relative to a reference engine from the year 2000, include a 75% reduction in CO₂ emissions per passenger kilometer, a 90% reduction in NO_x emissions, and a 65% reduction in noise emissions. These objectives highlight the urgent need for emission reduction strategies across all manufacturing domains, including turbine component production. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of the preturning and roughing operations employed in turbine disk production. The analysis focuses on these specific processes rather than the entire product, as the approach of process-level Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) are more universally applicable across different products, and their systematic combination can ultimately form a comprehensive product-level LCA. Operational data, such as energy usage, cooling lubricants, and compressed air, were gathered and processed from the equipment involved in manufacturing. The collected data were analyzed and modeled in Spheras life cycle assessment software LCA for Experts (version 10.9.0.20) to quantify the environmental effects of each process. The findings of the current research emphasize notable patterns of resource utilization and their respective environmental impacts. Furthermore, the Industrial Digital Twin Association (IDTA) Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) template was utilized to present the findings in a standardized manner, enabling effective data transfer between stakeholders. The results demonstrate the critical need to leverage machine data for sustainability analysis, providing inputs for industry practice enhancement and progress toward better environmental performance. Full article

The increasing energy crisis demands sustainable functional materials. Wood, with its natural three-dimensional porous structure, offers an ideal renewable template. This study demonstrates that microstructural engineering of wood is a decisive strategy for enhancing magnetothermal conversion. Using eucalyptus wood, we precisely tailored its pore architecture via delignification and synthesized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles in situ through coprecipitation. We systematically investigated the effects of delignification and precursor immersion time (24, 48, 72 h) on the loading, distribution, and magnetothermal performance of the composites. Delignification drastically increased wood porosity, raising the Fe₃O₄ loading capacity from ~5–6% (in non-delignified wood) to over 14%. Immersion time critically influenced nanoparticle distribution: 48 h achieved optimal deep penetration and uniformity, whereas extended time (72 h) induced minor local agglomeration. The optimized composite (MDW-48) achieved an equilibrium temperature of 51.2 °C under a low alternating magnetic field (0.06 mT, 35 kHz), corresponding to a temperature rise (ΔT) > 24 °C and a Specific Loss Power (SLP) of 1.31W·g⁻¹. This performance surpasses that of the 24 h sample (47 °C, SLP = 1.16 W·g⁻¹) and rivals other bio-based magnetic systems. This work establishes a clear microstructure–property relationship: delignification enables high loading, while controlled impregnation tunes distribution uniformity, both directly governing magnetothermal efficiency. Our findings highlight delignified magnetic wood as a robust, sustainable platform for efficient low-field magnetothermal conversion, with promising potential in low-carbon thermal management. Full article

Mesoporous carbons based on silica hard templates were used to investigate physical processes in confined pores. Nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy, and scattered X-ray analyses revealed two classes of materials: carbons with moderate and highly developed mesoporosity. The pore structure was strongly dependent on pore expanders which proved essential for generating open, accessible architectures. All carbons exhibited a basic, graphitic surface (pH_PZC = 8.4–10.9), enriched in electron-donating oxygen functionalities. Differential scanning calorimetry studies of confined water showed that melting point depression follows the Gibbs–Thomson relationship, confirming the strong dependence of phase transitions on pore size and water–surface interactions. Adsorption experiments using methylene blue demonstrated that capacity is governed by surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution. For carbon with the largest average pore size, adsorption of various dyes revealed that uptake decreases with increasing molecular size, whereas affinity depends strongly on electrostatic interactions. Kinetic studies indicated that carbons with larger mesopores exhibit the fastest adsorption, and that large, complex dye molecules undergo significant diffusion limitations. Overall, the results show that the interplay between pore structure, adsorbate size, and surface chemistry influences both the equilibrium uptake and adsorption kinetics in mesoporous carbon materials. Full article

The rapid commercialization of next-generation photovoltaic (PV) technologies, particularly perovskite, thin-film roll-to-roll (R2R) architectures, and tandem devices, requires robust assessment of environmental performance at the level of industrial manufacturing processes. Environmental impacts can no longer be evaluated solely at the device or module level. Although many life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies compare silicon, cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), and perovskite technologies, most rely on aggregated indicators and database-level inventories. Few studies systematically compile and harmonize process-level life-cycle inventories (LCIs) for the manufacturing steps that differentiate emerging industrial routes, such as solution coating, R2R processing, atomic layer deposition, low-temperature annealing, and advanced encapsulation–metallization strategies. In addition, inconsistencies in functional units, system boundaries, electricity-mix assumptions, and scale-up modeling continue to limit meaningful cross-study comparison. To address these gaps, this review (i) compiles and critically analyzes process-resolved LCIs for innovative PV manufacturing routes across laboratory, pilot, and industrial scales; (ii) quantifies sensitivity to scale-up, yield, throughput, and electricity carbon intensity; and (iii) proposes standardized methodological rules and open-access LCI templates to improve reproducibility, comparability, and integration with techno-economic and prospective LCA models. The review also synthesizes current evidence on recycling, circularity, and critical-material management. It highlights that end-of-life (EoL) benefits for emerging PV technologies are highly conditional and remain less mature than for crystalline-silicon systems. By shifting the analytical focus from technology class to manufacturing process and life-cycle configuration, this work provides a harmonized evidence base to support scalable, circular, and low-carbon industrial pathways for next-generation PV technologies. Full article

Copper-based electrocatalytic materials with high surface area are essential for various processes, such as water splitting and the electroreduction of carbon dioxide and nitrates. Three-dimensional nanostructured electrodes offer distinct advantages in these applications due to their expansive surface area, which enhances charge transfer and mass transport. For bimetallic systems, however, the phase state, whether a solid solution or a mechanical mixture of metals, is critically important for catalytic performance. This study explores the formation of Cu-Ni solid solutions via electrodeposition using the dynamic hydrogen bubble template method. Two types of electrolyte were employed: sulfate-based and citrate-based. Through characterization by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, elemental mapping, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, we demonstrate that metallic foams deposited from sulfate solutions are heterogeneous, with poor control over nickel content. In contrast, the use of citrate-based solutions allows the nickel content in the deposits to be effectively controlled by varying the solution composition, thereby enabling the formation of a solid solution. Full article

Reducing the consumption of energy-intensive cement and promoting the resource utilization of industrial waste are two critical challenges that should be urgently addressed to achieve the goals of carbon neutrality and green sustainable development in the building materials field. Among these, the massive stockpiling of industrial waste such as fly ash and silica fume poses serious threats to the environment and human health, making their efficient utilization an urgent need to alleviate environmental pressure. This study employs the ice-template method to incorporate fly ash and silica fume as functional components into a cement-based system, fabricating a novel composite material. This material features a layered porous structure, which not only reduces cement usage but also results in a lighter weight. The introduction of the ice-templating method successfully constructed an anisotropic lamellar structure, leading to significant enhancements in flexural strength and toughness—by approximately 26.6% and 30%, respectively, vertical to the lamellae compared to conventional dense cement. Meanwhile, the hybrid blend of silica fume and fly ash effectively improved the deformability of the material, as evidenced by a notable increase in compressive failure strain. These excellent behaviors of mechanical properties are attributed to the formation of a multi-scale microstructure characterized by “macroscopically continuous and microscopically dense” features. Moreover, this specific microstructure offers greater advantages in sound absorption performance. The acoustic impedance tube tests demonstrate that the noise reduction coefficient of the novel cement-based material incorporating fly ash and silica fume is improved by 82%, holding promising applications in noise reduction for the construction and transportation fields. This research provides a feasible pathway for the high-value application of industrial solid waste in low-carbon materials. Full article

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as versatile precursors and templates for developing high-performance electrode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), owing to their adjustable porosity, abundant metal-coordination sites, and structural flexibility. Among the diverse array of MOFs investigated, those based on manganese, copper, and cobalt, as well as their derivatives, have shown exceptional potential, exhibiting enhanced redox activity, structural integrity, and advantageous zinc-ion storage kinetics compared with many other MOF systems. This study emphasizes the synthesis methodologies, structural characteristics, and electrochemical benefits of these three significant MOF families. After a succinct overview of MOF chemistry, synthesis methodologies, and fundamental design principles for ZIB electrode materials, the article presents a systematic, comparative evaluation of Mn-MOFs, Cu-MOFs, Co-MOFs and V-MOFs, along with their corresponding metal oxides, sulfides, phosphates, carbon composites, and multidimensional hybrid structures. Recent publications for each MOF type are detailed in separate tables, including synthesis methods, morphological development, electrochemical behavior, and performance metrics. The discourse highlights the distinct properties of each metal center, Mn’s multivalent redox chemistry, Cu’s superior electron transport and coordination adaptability, and Co’s elevated activity and stable structures, which together facilitate improved ion diffusion, substantial reversible capacity, and prolonged cycling durability. Ultimately, existing obstacles and potential research avenues are delineated to advance MOF-based materials for next-generation aqueous ZIB systems. Full article

The increasing generation of biomass-derived waste has accelerated the development of sustainable strategies for its valorization into functional materials. Activated carbon (AC), due to its high surface area, tunable porosity, and chemical versatility, has emerged as a key product for applications in adsorption, catalysis, energy storage, and biosensing, among others. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of symmetry and asymmetry in determining the structural and functional performance of AC. Symmetric architectures, typically generated via templating methods, yield ordered pore networks, whereas asymmetric structures, commonly produced through direct chemical activation or heteroatom doping, exhibit hierarchical porosity and heterogeneous surface functionalities. This work critically examines the fundamentals of symmetry and asymmetry in AC materials, as well as their influence on design and use. It discusses synthesis strategies, characterization techniques, and recent approaches that enable the rational engineering of carbon structures. Application-specific case studies are presented, along with current challenges related to feedstock variability, scalability, and regulatory integration. By highlighting the interplay between structural order and functional diversity, this work provides a conceptual framework for guiding future research in the development on symmetrical and asymmetrical carbonaceous materials for sustainable waste valorization. Full article

The paper introduces a real-time digital-twin controller that manages evacuation routes while operating GEEM for emergency energy management during building fires. The system consists of three interconnected parts which include (i) a physics-based hazard surrogate for short-term smoke and temperature field prediction from sensor data (ii), a router system that manages path updates for individual users and controls exposure and network congestion (iii), and an energy management system that regulates the exchange between PV power and battery storage and diesel fuel and grid electricity to preserve vital life-safety operations while reducing both power usage and environmental carbon output. The system operates through independent modules that function autonomously to preserve operational stability when sensors face delays or communication failures, and it meets Industry 5.0 requirements through its implementation of auditable policy controls for hazard penalties, fairness weight, and battery reserve floor settings. We evaluate the controller in co-simulation across multiple building layouts and feeder constraints. The proposed method achieves superior performance to existing AI/RL baselines because it reduces near-worst-case egress time ($T_{95}$ and worst-case exposure) and decreases both event energy $E_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{v}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{t}}$ and CO₂-equivalent ${{CO}_2}_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{v}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{t}}$ while upholding all capacity, exposure cap, and grid import limit constraints. A high-VRE, tight-feeder stress test shows how reserve management, flexible-load shedding, and PV curtailment can achieve trade-offs between unserved critical load $U_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{g}\mathrm{y}}$ and emissions. The team delivers implementation details together with reporting templates to assist researchers in reaching reproducibility goals. The research shows that emergency energy systems, which integrate evacuation systems, achieve better safety results and environmental advantages that enable smart-city integration through digital thread operations throughout design, commissioning, and operational stages. Full article

A molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor was developed for the selective and sensitive detection of glyphosate in Traditional Chinese Medicine samples. An excellent conductive hierarchical porous carbon substrate made from sodium alginate and ammonium chloride co-carbonization was used to build the sensor. The molecularly imprinted polymer layer was systematically designed using Density Functional Theory calculations, which identified nicotinamide as the optimal functional monomer. A deep eutectic solvent was utilized as an effective green eluent for template removal. Under optimized conditions, the sensor demonstrated a wide linear detection range from 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ M with an exceptionally low detection limit of 8.8 × 10⁻¹⁰ M. The sensor exhibited satisfactory reproducibility (RSD = 3.35%, n = 6), repeatability (RSD = 5.0% over 6 cycles), and robust stability (retaining >90% initial response after 10 days). The sensor displayed satisfactory recovery rates of 94.47–112.23% and RSD values ranging from 1.37–3.01% when applied to real traditional Chinese medicine samples, thereby confirming its accuracy and practical utility for glyphosate residue analysis in complex matrices. This study introduces an effective sensing platform that integrates rational design principles with environmentally friendly synthesis strategies for quality control in traditional medicine applications. Full article

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) have emerged as a versatile and sustainable medium for the green synthesis of nanomaterials, offering a viable alternative to conventional organic solvents and ionic liquids. Nanomaterials can be synthesised in DESs via multiple routes, including chemical reduction, solvothermal, and electrochemical methods. Among the different pathways, this review focuses on the electrochemical synthesis of nanomaterials in DESs, as it offers several advantages: low cost, scalability for large-scale production, and low-temperature processing. The size, shape, and morphology (e.g., nanoparticles, nanoflowers, nanowires) of the resulting nanostructures can be tuned by adjusting the concentration of the electroactive species, the applied potential, the current density, mechanical agitation, and the electrolyte temperature. The use of DES as an electrolytic medium represents an environmentally friendly alternative. From an electrochemical perspective, it exhibits high electrochemical stability, good solubility for a wide range of precursors, and a broad electrochemical window. Furthermore, their low surface tensions promote high nucleation rates, and their high ionic strengths induce structural effects such as templating, capping and stabilisation, that play a crucial role in controlling particle morphology, size distribution and aggregation. Despite significant progress, key challenges persist, including incomplete mechanistic understanding, limited recyclability, and difficulties in scaling up synthesis while maintaining structural precision. This review highlights recent advances in the development of metal, alloy, oxide, and carbon-based composite nanomaterials obtained by electrochemical routes from DESs, along with their applications. Full article

The rapid advancement of humanoid robotics has spurred researchers’ interest in flexible sensors for wide linear range detection. In response, we report a capacitive flexible pressure sensor based on a multi-walled carbon nanotubes/titanium dioxide/polydimethylsiloxane (MWCNTs/TiO₂/PDMS) composite. A micro-hemispherical structure array formed on the composite surface via a templating method reduces the initial capacitance value. Modified carbon nanotubes (F-MWCNTs) were prepared using 2 wt%, 5 wt% and 10 wt% γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), significantly enhancing dispersion and interfacial bonding strength. The synergistic effect of microstructures and MWCNTs surface functionalization further enhances sensing performance. The F-MWCNTs/TiO₂/PDMS pressure sensor modified with 2 wt% APTES exhibits outstanding sensing capabilities: it demonstrates dual-stage sensitivity across a broad linear range of 0–95 kPa (0–13 kPa segment: 1.89 ± 0.49 kPa⁻¹; 13–95 kPa segment: 7.08 ± 0.63 kPa⁻¹), with a response time of 200 milliseconds, maintaining stability over 2500 cyclic loadings. In practical application exploration, this sensor has demonstrated strong adaptability, confirming its significant potential in micro-pressure detection, wearable electronics, and array sensing applications. Full article

Carbon aerogels (CAs) had been well applied in extreme condition thermal insulation, but achieving a balance between mechanical robustness and thermal insulation remains challenging. We present a novel strategy to fabricate carbon aerogels with tunable mechanical properties and thermal insulation properties by tailoring their skeleton architecture via molecular assembly. Carbon precursor aerogel with thick neck particle packing structure was obtained by strong hydrogen-bonding-induced self-assembly between polyurethane-urea oligomer (PUU) and phenolic resin (PF), and carbon aerogel retained robust interparticle connections after pyrolysis, resulting in excellent mechanical properties. The presence of PUU leads to denser packing of resin molecules, promotes graphitization of the carbon and formation of nanocrystalline structures at 1400 °C, resulting in optimized compression modulus and strength. The closed pore structure of carbon skeleton was further studied by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), while moderate pore width (0.4–0.6 nm) optimizes the balance between strength (110 MPa) and thermal conductivity (0.30 W/(m·K)). This work demonstrates that molecular-level assembly combined with pyrolysis control enables precise tuning of carbon aerogel structures and properties, providing new insights for high-temperature thermal insulation applications. Full article

With the intensifying global climate crisis and the urgent demand for carbon neutrality, carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture technologies have received growing attention as effective strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon-based porous materials are widely regarded as promising CO₂ adsorbents due to their tunable porosity, high surface area, and excellent chemical and thermal stability. Among them, biomass-derived porous carbon materials have received growing attention as sustainable, low-cost alternatives to fossil-based adsorbents. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in biomass-derived porous carbon materials for CO₂ capture, emphasizing the fundamental adsorption mechanisms, including physisorption, chemisorption, and their synergistic effects. Key synthesis pathways, such as pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization, are discussed in relation to the development of biomass-derived porous carbon materials. Furthermore, performance-enhancing strategies, such as activation treatments, heteroatom doping, and templating methods, are critically evaluated for their ability to tailor surface properties and improve CO₂ uptake capacity. Recent progress in typical biomass-derived porous carbon materials, including active carbon, hierarchical porous carbon, and other innovative carbon materials, is also highlighted. In addition to summarizing recent advances in porous carbon synthesis, this review introduces a unified techno-economic framework that integrates cost, sustainability, and performance-driven benefits. Overall, this review aims to provide systematic insights into the performance of biomass-derived porous carbon materials and to guide the rational design of efficient, sustainable adsorbents for real-world carbon capture applications. Full article

Porous Ti-6Al-4V foams are excellent materials due to their low density, high specific strength, and excellent biocompatibility. This study investigates the fabrication of open-cell Ti-6Al-4V foams using the replica impregnation method with polyurethane templates of varying pore sizes (20, 25, and 30 ppi) and sintering temperatures (1170 °C, 1200 °C, 1250 °C, and 1280 °C). The effects of these parameters on microstructural evolution, phase composition, and mechanical properties were examined. Microstructural analysis showed that optimum densification occurred at 1250 °C. However, at 1280 °C, excessive grain growth and pore coarsening were observed. XRD, SEM, and EDS analyses confirmed that α-Ti was the matrix phase, while titanium carbide formed in situ as a result of the carbon residues released from the decomposed polyurethane template. With the development of the TiC phase and enhanced interparticle bonding due to sintering, the compressive strength progressively increased up to 1250 °C. At 1280 °C, strength decreased due to excessive TiC growth, causing brittleness and pore coarsening, reducing structural integrity. Maximum compressive strength of 40.2 MPa and elastic modulus of 858.9 MPa were achieved at 1250 °C with balanced TiC dispersion and pore structure. Max density of 1.234 g/cm³ was obtained at 1250 °C. Gibson-Ashby analysis and the fracture surfaces confirmed the brittle behavior of the foams, which is attributed to the presence of TiC particles and microcracks in the structure. The study concludes that 1250 °C provides an ideal balance between densification and structural integrity, offering valuable insights for biomedical and structural applications. Full article