Mechanical Properties, Microstructure and Surface Quality of Polypropylene Green Composites as a Function of Sunflower Husk Waste Filler Particle Size and Content

Agricultural waste is a still untapped source of materials that can,in case of proper utilization,significantly improve the sustainability of polymers and their composites.In this work,polymer composites based on isotactic polypropylene were produced incorporating ground sunflower husk in the amount of 10 wt%and 20 wt%.The work’s main objective is to evaluate how preliminary fractioning of this agricultural waste filler affects the thermomechanical properties,microstructure and surface topology of polypropylene-based injection molded composites.The composites were analyzed for mechanical properties(tensile,impact strength and hardness),thermomechanical properties(Vicat softening point VST,heat deflection temperature HDT,and dynamic thermomechanical analysis DMTA)with reference to morphological changes evaluated using scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The quality of the produced composites was assessed on the basis of the analysis of the surface topology of the injected composites.It has been shown that the larger particle size of used filler has a direct impact on increasing composite stiffness in the room and elevated temperature.Moreover,a relationship was demonstrated between the size of the filler and the deterioration of the tensile strength in the case of composites with a higher content of filler.The results show that the addition of sunflower husk as a particle-shaped waste filler is an effective method to increase sustainability of polypropylene-based green composites with beneficial thermomechanical properties and to reduce the residue of sunflower husk from industrial oil production.

Mechanical properties and damage evolution characteristics of waste tire steel fiber-modified cemented paste backfill

During the process of constructional backfill mining,the cemented paste backfill(CPB)typically exhibits a high degree of brittleness and limited resistance to failure.In this study,the mechanical and damage evolution characteristics of waste tire steel fiber(WTSF)-modified CPB were studied through uniaxial compression tests,acoustic emission(AE)tests,and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The results showed that the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)decreased when the WTSF content was 0.5%,1%,and 1.5%.When the WTSF content reached 1%,the UCS of the modified CPB exhibited a minimal decrease(0.37 MPa)compared to that without WTSF.When the WTSF content was 0.5%,1%,and 1.5%,peak strain of the WTSF-modified CPB increased by 18%,31.33%,and 81.33%,while the elastic modulus decreased by 21.31%,26.21%,and 45.42%,respectively.The addition of WTSF enhances the activity of AE events in the modified CPB,resulting in a slower progression of the entire failure process.After the failure,the modified CPB retained a certain level of load-bearing capacity.Generally,the failure of the CPB was dominated by tensile cracks.After the addition of WTSF,a gradual increase in the proportion of tensile cracks was observed upon loading the modified CPB sample to the pore compaction stage.The three-dimensional localization of AE events showed that the WTSF-modified CPB underwent progressive damage during the loading,and the samples still showed good integrity after failure.Additionally,the response relationship between energy evolution and damage development of WTSF-modified CPB during uniaxial compression was analyzed,and the damage constitutive model of CPB samples with different WTSF contents was constructed.This study provides a theoretical basis for the enhancement of CPB modified by adding WTSF,serving as a valuable reference for the design of CPB constructional backfill.

Particle agglomeration and inhibition method in the fluidized pyrolysis reaction of waste resin

This work investigated the pyrolysis reaction of waste resin in a fluidized bed reactor.It was found that the pyrolysis-generated ash would adhere to the surface of ceramic particles,causing particle agglomeration and defluidization.Adding kaolin could effectively inhibit the particle agglomeration during the fluidized pyrolysis reaction through physical isolation and chemical reaction.On the one hand,kaolin could form a coating layer on the surface of ceramic particles to prevent the adhesion of organic ash generated by the pyrolysis of resin.On the other hand,when a sufficient amount of kaolin(-0.2%(mass))was added,the activated kaolin could fully contact with the Na+ ions generated by the pyrolysis of resin and react to form a high-melting aluminosilicate mineral(nepheline),which could reduce the formation of low-melting-point sodium sulfate and thereby avoid the agglomeration of ceramic particles.

A Comparative Investigation of the Biodegradation Behaviour of Linseed Oil-Based Cross-Linked Composites Filled with Industrial Waste Materials in Two Different Soils

The biodegradation of polymeric biocomposites formed from epoxidized linseed oil and various types of fillers(pine needles,pine bark,grain mill waste,rapeseed cake)and a control sample without filler was studied during 180 days of exposure to two types of forest soil:deciduous and coniferous.The weight loss,morphological,and structural changes of polymer composites were noticed after 180 days of the soil burial test.The greatest weight loss of all tested samples was observed in coniferous forest soil(41.8%–63.2%),while in deciduous forest soil,it ranged between 37.7%and 42.3%.The most significant changes in the intensities of the signals evaluated by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy,as well as morphological changes determined by scanning electron microscopy,were assessed for polymer composite with rapeseed cake and specimen without filler in coniferous forest soil and are in a good agreement with weight loss results.Whereas significantly lower changes in weight loss,morphology,and structure of polymeric film with pine bark were noticed in both soils.It was suggested that fungi of Trichoderma,Penicillium,Talaromyces and Clonostachys genera are the possible soil microorganisms that degrade linseed oil-based cross-linked polymer composites.Moreover,the novel polymer composites have the potential to be an environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum-based mulching films.

Characterization of Unsaturated Polyester Filled with Waste Coconut Shells, Walnut Shells, and Carbon Fibers

This study aims to evaluate the erosion behavior and the hardness of hybrid composites made of varying amounts of coconut shells,walnut shells,and carbonfibers dispersed in a polyester matrix.MINITAB(L16)Taguchi experiments were used to determine the optimal combination of parameters.In particular,an erosion device con-sisting of a motor with a constantflow rate of 45 L/min,a pump with a diameter of 40 mm,a nozzle with a dia-meter of 5 mm,and a tank made of“perspex glass”55 cm long,30 cm tall,and 25 cm wide was used.The tests were conducted by varying the sample-to-nozzle distance,the pattern angle,and the sand particle size.The results have revealed that the presence of 7.5%by weight of waste coconut shell,for conditions corresponding to 90°angle,sand size 425μm,stand distance 30 cm,gives the best wear resistance(3.04×10^(-5) g/g).Thefiller content and sand particle size affect the erosive rate,with the angle playing a secondary role.The distance between the sample and the nozzle has a weaker effect on erosive wear.The hardness results show that the models(UP-5%carbonfiber-2.5-3.5-4.5-5.5-6.5-7.5 wt.%waste coconut shell)give the best values for prayer compared to the samples(UP-5 wt.%carbonfiber-2.5-3.5-4.5-5.5-6.5-7.5 wt.%waste walnut shell).

Bearing capacity of circular footings on multi-layered sand-waste tire shreds reinforced with geogrids

The presence of waste tires poses an environmental challenge as they occupy a significant amount of land and are expensive to dispose in landfills.However,reusing waste tires can address this issue when waste tires are used in geotechnical applications.To determine the viability of this approach,laboratoryscale tests were conducted to investigate load-bearing capacity of circular footings on sand-tire shred(STS)mixtures with shredded waste tire contents of 5%e15%by weight and three different widths of shreds.The investigation focused on analyzing the thickness of layers composed of STS mixtures,the soil cap,and the impact of geogrids on bearing capacity.The results indicate that a specific mixture of sand and tire shreds provides the highest footing-bearing capacity.In addition,the optimal shred content and size were found to be 10%by weight and 2 cm×10 cm,respectively.Furthermore,for a given tire shred width,a particular length provides the largest bearing capacity.The results agree well with that of previous research conducted by the first author and his colleagues in direct shear and California bearing ratio(CBR)tests.The primary finding of this research is that the use of two-layered STS mixtures reinforced by geogrids significantly enhances the bearing capacity.

Study on synergistic leaching of potassium and phosphorus from potassium feldspar and solid waste phosphogypsum via coupling reactions

To achieve the resource utilization of solid waste phosphogypsum(PG)and tackle the problem of utilizing potassium feldspar(PF),a coupled synergistic process between PG and PF is proposed in this paper.The study investigates the features of P and F in PG,and explores the decomposition of PF using hydrofluoric acid(HF)in the sulfuric acid system for K leaching and leaching of P and F in PG.The impact factors such as sulfuric acid concentration,reaction temperature,reaction time,material ratio(PG/PF),liquid–solid ratio,PF particle size,and PF calcination temperature on the leaching of P and K is systematically investigated in this paper.The results show that under optimal conditions,the leaching rate of K and P reach more than 93%and 96%,respectively.Kinetics study using shrinking core model(SCM)indicates two significant stages with internal diffusion predominantly controlling the leaching of K.The apparent activation energies of these two stages are 11.92 kJ·mol^(-1)and 11.55 kJ·mol^(-1),respectively.

Synergetic Bioproduction of Short-Chain Fatty Acids from Waste Activated Sludge Intensified by the Combined Use of Potassium Ferrate and Biosurfactants

The synergetic effect and underlying mechanism of potassium ferrate(PF)with tea saponin(TS,a biosurfactant)in producing short chain fatty acids(SCFAs)from anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge(WAS)were explored in this work.Experimental results showed that 0.2 g PF(g TSS)^(-1)(total suspended solid)combined with 0.02 g TS(g TSS)^(-1) could further improve SCFAs’production,and the maximum SCFAs content reached 2008.7 mg COD L^(-1),which is 1.2 and 4.5 times higher than those with PF and TS individually added,respectively,and 5.3 times higher than that of blank WAS on Day 12.In the model substrates experiments,the degradation rates of bovine serum albumin and dextran with combination of PF and TS were 41.3%±0.1% and 48.5%±0.06%,respectively,on Day 3,which are lower than those in blank WAS(with degradation rates of 72.3%±0.5%and 90.3%±0.3%).It was revealed that the oxidative effect of PF and the solubilization of TS caused more organic matters to be dissolved out from WAS,providing a large number of biodegradable substances for subsequent SCFAs production.While WAS pretreated with the combination of PF and TS,the relative abundances of Firmicutes increased from 6.4%(blank)to 38.6%,and that of Proteobacteria decreased from 41.8%(blank)to 21.8%.The combination of PF and TS promoted the hydrolysis process of WAS by enriching Firmicutes,and then increased acetic acid production by inhibiting Proteobacteria that consumed SCFAs.Meanwhile,at the genus level,acidogenesis bacteria(e.g.,Proteiniclasticum and Petrimonas)were enriched whereas SCFAs consuming bacteria(e.g.,Dokdonella)were inhibited.

Mixed plastics waste valorization to high-added value products via thermally induced phase separation and spin-casting

Plastic waste is an underutilized resource that has the potential to be transformed into value-added materials.However,its chemical diversity leads to cost-intensive sorting techniques,limiting recycling and upcycling opportunities.Herein,we report an open-loop recycling method to produce graded feedstock from mixed polyolefins waste,which makes up 60%of total plastic waste.The method uses heat flow scanning to quantify the composition of plastic waste and resolves its compatibility through controlled dissolution.The resulting feedstock is then used to synthesize blended pellets,porous sorbents,and superhydrophobic coatings via thermally induced phase separation and spin-casting.The hybrid approach broadens the opportunities for reusing plastic waste,which is a step towards creating a more circular economy and better waste management practices.

Discussion on“Dispersion characteristics of clayey soils containing waste rubber particles”[J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 15(2023)3050-3058]

We read with great interest the recent article by Erenson(2023)entitled“Dispersion characteristics of clayey soils containing waste rubber particles”.The author has studied the dispersion characteristics of clayey soils containing different percentages of waste rubber particles(WRPs)by performing several tests(viz.consistency limit,linear shrinkage limit,double hydrometer,crumb test and pinhole test)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis on five clayey(viz.Na-activated bentonite,refined ball clay,Ukrainian kaolin,Avanos kaolin and Afyon clay)samples containing 0%,5%,10%and 15%WRPs.It should be noted that Erenson(2023)has presented some interesting observations,but there are some serious issues that we want to share through this discussion and request the author of the original paper to address them to avoid their persistence in the scientific literature.

A cleaner production strategy for acid mine drainage prevention of waste rock:A porphyry copper case

An in-process technology approach is proposed to identify the source of acid mine drainage(AMD)generation and prevent its formation in a porphyry copper waste rock(WR).Adopting actions before stockpiling the WR enables the establishment of potential contaminants and predicts the more convenient method for AMD prevention.A WR sample was separated into size fractions,and the WR’s net acidgenerating potential was quantified using chemical and mineralogical characterization.The diameter of physical locking of sulfides(DPLS)was determined,and the fractions below the DPLS were desulfurized using flotation.Finally,the WR fractions and tailing from the flotation test were submitted to acid-base accounting and weathering tests to evaluate their acid-generating potential.Results show that the WR’s main sulfide mineral is pyrite,and the DPLS was defined as 850μm.A sulfide recovery of 91%was achieved using a combination of HydroFloat^(®)and Denver cells for a size fraction lower than DPLS.No grinding was conducted.The results show that size fractions greater than DPLS and the desulfurized WR are unlikely to produce AMD.The outcomes show that in-processing technology can be a more proactive approach and an effective tool for avoiding AMD in a porphyry copper WR.

Efficient and rapid capture of uranium(Ⅵ) in wastewater via multiamine modified β-cyclodextrin porous polymer

It is quite important to ensure the safety and sustainable development of nuclear energy for the treatment of radioactive wastewater. To treat radioactive wastewater efficiently and rapidly, two multi-amine β-cyclodextrin polymers(diethylenetriamine β-cyclodextrin polymer(DETA-TFCDP) and triethylenetetramine β-cyclodextrin polymer(TETA-TFCDP)) were prepared and applied to capture uranium. Results exhibited that DETA-TFCDP and TETA-TFCDP displayed the advantages of high adsorption amounts(612.2and 628.2 mg·g-1, respectively) and rapid adsorption rates, which can reach(88 ± 1)% of their equilibrium adsorption amounts in 10 min. Moreover, the adsorbent processes of DETA-TFCDP and TETATFCDP on uranium(Ⅵ) followed the Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order model, stating they were mainly chemisorption and self-endothermic. Besides, TETA-TFCDP also showed excellent selectivity in the presence of seven competing cations and could be effectively reused five times via Na2CO3as the desorption reagent. Meanwhile, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy illustrated that the enriched multi-amine groups and oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of TETA-TFCDP were the main active sites for capturing uranium(Ⅵ). Hence, multi-amine β-cyclodextrin polymers are a highly efficient, rapid, and promising adsorbent for capturing uranium(Ⅵ)from radioactive wastewater.

Utilization of recycled solid waste as ecological reclamation materials based on plant growth experiments and soil quality analysis

During the highway construction,a large number of spoil areas will be generated while a large amount of waste slag and soil could not be rationally utilized.Besides,the vegetation recovery is slow in the spoil areas due to the soil depletion.Aiming at recycling the solid waste,the sieved engineering waste slag with local red clay and corn straw biochar was supplied to solve the problem of insufficient nutrients in engineering waste slag and soil.In addition,planting experiments of alfalfa(Medicago sativa L.)and Amorpha fruticosa L.combined with physical and chemical experiments were carried out to prove the feasibility of the novel improved substrate for the reclamation of spoil areas.The results show that the substrate's improvement effect is mainly affected by the soil to slag ratio and the biochar content.The improvement effect of soil matrix in highway spoil area decreases with the increase of the waste slag content,especially when the soil-slag ratio is less than 3,and the promotion of plants is limited.On the contrary,the improvement effect is proportional to the biochar content(3%-8%).But it is noted that the Cu and Pb in the soil will exceed the clean limit corresponding to the Nemero soil pollution index level when the biochar content is 8%.Therefore,it is recommended that the soil-slag ratio should be≥3,and the biochar content should reach 3%-5%.This research provides experimental basis and technical support for utilizing solid waste resources in the reclamation of highway spoil areas.

Waste Cotton-Derived Fiber-Based Thermoelectric Aerogel for Wearable and Self-Powered Temperature-Compression Strain Dual-Parameter Sensing

The rapid development of the global economy and population growth are accompanied by the production of numerous waste textiles.This leads to a waste of limited resources and serious environmental pollution problems caused by improper disposal.The rational recycling of wasted textiles and their transformation into high-value-added emerging products,such as smart wearable devices,is fascinating.Here,we propose a novel roadmap for turning waste cotton fabrics into three-dimensional elastic fiber-based thermoelectric aerogels by a one-step lyophilization process with decoupled self-powered temperature-compression strain dual-parameter sensing properties.The thermoelectric aerogel exhibits a fast compression response time of 0.2 s,a relatively high Seebeck coefficient of 43μV·K^(-1),and an ultralow thermal conductivity of less than 0.04 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1).The cross-linking of trimethoxy(methyl)silane(MTMS)and cellulose endowed the aerogel with excellent elasticity,allowing it to be used as a compressive strain sensor for guessing games and facial expression recognition.In addition,based on the thermoelectric effect,the aerogel can perform temperature detection and differentiation in self-powered mode with the output thermal voltage as the stimulus signal.Furthermore,the wearable system,prepared by connecting the aerogel-prepared array device with a wireless transmission module,allows for temperature alerts in a mobile phone application without signal interference due to the compressive strains generated during gripping.Hence,our strategy is significant for reducing global environmental pollution and provides a revelatory path for transforming waste textiles into high-value-added smart wearable devices.

Multi-Component Resource Recycling from Waste Light-Emitting Diode Under Hydrothermal Condition:Plastic Package Degradation,Speciation of Nano-TiO_(2),and Environmental Impact Assessment

Light emitting diodes(LEDs)have accounted for most of the lighting market as the technology matures and costs continue to reduce.As a new type of e-waste,LED is a double-edged sword,as it contains not only precious and rare metals but also organic packaging materials.In previous studies,LED recycling focused on recovering precious and strategic metals while ignoring harmful substances such as organic packaging materials.Unlike crushing and other traditional methods,hydrothermal treatment can provide an environment-friendly process for decomposing packaging materials.This work developed a closed reaction vessel,where the degradation rate of plastic polyphthalamide(PPA)was close to 100%,with nano-TiO_(2)encapsulated in plastic PPA being efficiently recovered,while metals contained in LED were also recycled efficiently.Besides,the role of water in plastic PPA degradation that has been overlooked in current studies was explored and speculated in detail in this work.Environmental impact assessment revealed that the proposed recycling route for waste LED could significantly reduce the overall environmental impact compared to the currently published processes.Especially the developed method could reduce more than half the impact of global warming.Furthermore,this research provides a theoretical basis and a promising method for recycling other plastic-packaged e-waste devices,such as integrated circuits.

Microstructural analysis of marl stabilized with municipal solid waste and nano-MgO

Municipal solid waste(MSW)is accumulating over elapsed time across the world,and it is observed in many projects associated with weak soils,such as marl.Therefore,effective solutions to the environmental problem are essential.Conventional techniques for stabilizing marl generally use substances such as lime and cement,which could exacerbate pollution.For this,some new stabilizers,e.g.nano-MgO,are used.There are large quantities of marls and MSW in Shiraz City,Iran.The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility of using nano-MgO as a green low-carbon binder to remove MSW from the environment and make construction projects more cost-effective.Consolidated drained shear tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical behaviors of the nano-MgO treated marl specimens at high normal stresses.The marl specimens containing MSW percentages of 15%,25%,35%,and 45%and nano-MgO percentages of 0.25%,0.5%,0.75%,and 1%,were used.It is found that the marl containing 15%and 25%MSW and 0.5%nano-MgO at 28-d curing can perform cation exchange and form new cementitious products.The soils with merely MSW show good performance due to the removal of the kaolinite and the formation of brucite.However,the soil with 25%MSW and 0.5%nano-MgO shows the same strength enhancement as the specimen with the optimal nano-MgO(0.75%)through the formation of dolomite,with a 20.59%increase in strain energy(SE).

Effects of acid-rock reaction on physical properties during CO_(2)-rich industrial waste gas(CO_(2)-rich IWG)injection in shale reservoirs

"Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality"is an essential national strategy,and the geological storage and utilization of CO_(2)is a hot issue today.However,due to the scarcity of pure CO_(2)gas sources in China and the high cost of CO_(2)capture,CO_(2)-rich industrial waste gas(CO_(2)-rich IWG)is gradually emerging into the public's gaze.CO_(2)has good adsorption properties on shale surfaces,but acidic gases can react with shale,so the mechanism of the CO_(2)-rich IWG-water-shale reaction and the change in reservoir properties will determine the stability of geological storage.Therefore,based on the mineral composition of the Longmaxi Formation shale,this study constructs a thermodynamic equilibrium model of water-rock reactions and simulates the regularity of reactions between CO_(2)-rich IWG and shale minerals.The results indicate that CO_(2)consumed 12%after reaction,and impurity gases in the CO_(2)-rich IWG can be dissolved entirely,thus demonstrating the feasibility of treating IWG through water-rock reactions.Since IWG inhibits the dissolution of CO_(2),the optimal composition of CO_(2)-rich IWG is 95%CO_(2)and 5%IWG when CO_(2)geological storage is the main goal.In contrast,when the main goal is the geological storage of total CO_(2)-rich IWG or impurity gas,the optimal CO_(2)-rich IWG composition is 50%CO_(2)and 50%IWG.In the CO_(2)-rich IWG-water-shale reaction,temperature has less influence on the water-rock reaction,while pressure is the most important parameter.SO2 has the greatest impact on water-rock reaction in gas.For minerals,clay minerals such as illite and montmorillonite had a significant effect on water-rock reaction.The overall reaction is dominated by precipitation and the volume of the rock skeleton has increased by 0.74 cm3,resulting in a decrease in shale porosity,which enhances the stability of CO_(2)geological storage to some extent.During the reaction between CO_(2)-rich IWG-water-shale at simulated temperatures and pressures,precipitation is the main reaction,and shale porosity decreases.However,as the reservoir water content increases,the reaction will first dissolve and then precipitate before dissolving again.When the water content is less than 0.0005 kg or greater than 0.4 kg,it will lead to an increase in reservoir porosity,which ultimately reduces the long-term geological storage stability of CO_(2)-rich IWG.

Effect of Partial Replacement of Fly Ash by Decoration Waste Powder on the Fresh and Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer Masonry Mortar

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using decoration waste powder(DWP)as a partial replacement for fly ash(FA)in the preparation of geopolymer masonry mortar,and to examine the effect of different DWP replacement rates(0%-40%)on the fresh and mechanical properties of the mortar.The results showed that each group of geopolymer masonry mortar exhibited excellent water retention performance,with a water retention rate of 100%,which was due to the unique geopolymer mortar system and high viscosity of the alkaline activator solution.Compared to the control group,the flowability of the mortar containing lower contents of DWP(10%and 20%)was higher.However,as the DWP replacement rate further increased,the flowability gradually decreased.The DWP could absorb the free water in the reaction system of geopolymer mortar,thereby limiting the occurrence of geopolymerization reaction.The incorporation of DWP in the mortar resulted in a decrease in compressive strength compared to the mortar without DWP.However,even at a replacement rate of 40%,the compressive strength of the mortar still exceeded 15 MPa,which met the requirements of the masonry mortar.It was feasible to use DWP in the geopolymer masonry mortar.Although the addition of DWP caused some performance loss,it did not affect its usability.

Effect of drying cracks on swelling and self-healing of bentonite-sand blocks used as engineered barriers for radioactive waste disposal

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the healing of drying cracks in air-dried bentonite-sand blocks after hydration and swelling in groundwater,providing justifications to simplify the protection of blocks prior to installation in a high-level radioactive waste repository.Synthetic groundwater was prepared to represent the geochemistry of Beishan groundwater,and was used to hydrate the blocks during the swelling pressure and swelling strain measurements,as Beishan is the most promising site for China's repository.Healing of the surface cracks was recorded by photography,and healing of the internal cracks was visualized by CT images and hydraulic conductivity of air-dried blocks.The results indicate that the maximum swelling pressure and swelling strain are primarily affected by the geochemistry of Beishan groundwater,but not affected by the drying cracks.The maximum swelling pressure and swelling strain of air-dried blocks are comparable to or even higher than the pressure and strain of fresh blocks.The maximum swelling pressure measured in strong(i.e.high ion strength)Beishan groundwater was 44%of the pressure measured in deionized(DI)water,and the maximum swelling strain was reduced to 23%of the strain measured in DI water.Nevertheless,the remained swelling of the blocks hydrated in strong Beishan groundwater was sufficient to heal the surface and internal drying cracks,as demonstrated by the pictures of surface cracks and CT images.The hydraulic conductivity of the air-dried block permeated with strong groundwater was comparable(3.7×higher)to the hydraulic conductivity of the fresh block,indicating the self-healing of drying cracks after hydration and swelling in groundwater.A simplified method of protecting the block with plastic wraps before installation is recommended,since the remained swelling of the block hydrated in Beishan groundwater is sufficient to heal the drying cracks.

Global Research Progress on Municipal Waste and Future Prospect Based on the Cross-national Comparisons

Due to the acceleration of urbanization,the municipal waste(MW)problem has transformed into a global challenge for urb-an sustainability.To elucidate historical trends,current focal points,and future directions in MW research,we conducted a bibliometric analysis and employed knowledge graph visualization to scrutinize a total of 34212 articles,which were published between 1991 and 2021 in the Web of Science(WoS)core database.The results indicated that current major research themes encompass waste classifica-tion and recycling,waste management and public behavior,waste disposal methods and technologies,as well as environmental impact and evaluation.There has been a shift in the research focus from the environmental impacts of waste incineration to sustainable manage-ment related issues.A comparison of research from six typical countries revealed the differences in research priorities and techniques advantages.Scholars from the USA and Britain initiated MW research earlier than other countries and investigated management issues in depth,such as public behavior and willingness to pay.Meanwhile,Japanese,German,and Swedish scholars conducted extensive studies on advanced waste treatment technologies,such as disposal and recycling,risk assessment,and waste-to-energy techniques.Chinese scholars placed particular emphasis on end-of-pipe treatments and their associated environmental impacts.Hotspots and poten-tial future frontiers were identified by burst detection analysis.Keywords with high value of burst index(BI)worldwide are food waste and circular economy.Chinese scholars have put great efforts on waste environmental impact and its recycling technologies,while we’re expecting to further investigating vulnerable population.Furthermore,this study contributes to bridging the regional gap of scientific research among different countries and fostering international collaboration.