Analysis of Sustainable Materials Used in Ecovillages: Review of Progress in BedZED and Masdar City

This paper explores reclaimed and recycled material used in ecovillages. The models discussed in this paper include BedZED in the United Kingdom and Masdar City in the Middle East. These two communities contain features characterized by the sustainable principles of the ecovillage concept by using non-traditional building materials. The creations of more ecovillages, along with the growth of current ecovillages, play an important role in positively solvening environmental and social problems. The sustainable materials used in the ecovillages also act as a model for communities wishing to implement sustainable development.

Advances Toward Sustainable Lignin-based Gel for Energy Storage and Smart Sensing

Polymers obtained from biomass are promising alternatives to petrobased polymers owing to their low cost,biocompatibility,and biodegradability.Lignin,a complex aromatic polymer containing several functional hydrophilic and active groups including hydroxyls,carbonyls,and methoxyls,is the second most abundant biopolymer in plants.In particular,sustainable ligninbased gels are emerging as an appealing material platform for developing energy-and sensing-related applications owing to their attractive and tailorable physiochemical properties.This study describes the preparation strategies of lignin-based gels according to previously reported methods,with significant attention on the diverse performance of lignin-derived gel materials.Additionally,a detailed review of lignin-based gels utilized as an important resource in diverse fields is provided.Finally,a future vision on challenges and their possible solutions is presented.

Rheological and physicochemical characteristics of asphalt mastics incorporating lime kiln dust and dolomite powder as sustainable fillers

The filler-bitumen interaction mechanism is one of the most essential phases for comprehending the asphalt mixture's performance.However,despite numerous studies,in-depth knowledge of filler-bitumen reciprocity at a microscale level is yet to be ascertained.The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the fillerbitumen microscale interaction in terms of the synergy and coaction between the physicochemical and rheological performance of mastics due to filler inclusions.The rheological properties of two sustainable mastics,dolomite powder(DP)and lime kiln dust(LKD),together with a neat PEN 60/70 binder,were analysed based on a temperature sweep at elevated temperature conditions.Meanwhile,frequency sweep and multiple stress creep recovery(MSCR)tests were also conducted at pavement serviceability temperature using the dynamic shear rheometer(DSR).Physicochemical tests using a scanning electron microscope(SEM)and energy dispersive X-rays(EDX)were conducted to analyse the impact of parameters such as particle shape,grain size,texture,and chemical compositions.The DSR test results showcased how the incorporation of fillers in asphalt binder considerably improved the performance of the binder in terms of rutting and fatigue.Likewise,its strain and nonrecoverable compliance parameters were substantially reduced at higher filler and binder concentrations.Physical filler attributes of low rigden voids(R.V),high fineness modulus(FM),and high specific surface area(SSA)led to greater interfacial stiffness and elasticity in LKD mastics compared to DP mastics at different loading frequencies and temperature levels.The SEM/EDX results also indicated that the elemental calcium and carbon composition of each filler component,together with its grain morphology,strongly influenced its rheological performance.

Modular Design Using Sustainable Luminescent Materials in Energy-Saving Reflective Cat’s Eyes for Public Road Safety Planning

Recently,there has been a global movement toward environmental protection and energy conservation through the design and development of new products in accordance with sustainable utilisation.In this study,rare earth luminescent materials were used owing to their active light emission and reusability.Additionally,solar lightemitting diode lights and car-light reflection were utilised to increase the recognition and reliability of reflective cat eyes.Along with carbon reduction,this can save energy and enhance road safety.This study considered the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving and a literature review to analyse the issues in existing products.Then,expert interviews were conducted to screen projects and develop product design policies.Finally,the ratio of light-storage materials was experimentally determined and the prototypes implemented.This cat’s eye addresses the shortcomings identified in previous analyses of existing products.We applied energy storage environmental protection materials,together with material proportioning(which balanced warning efficiency against cost-effectiveness)to develop diversified modular kits;these were flexible in terms of quantity and easily assembled.This study achieved four key objectives:(1)reducing the research and development costs of the manufacturer;(2)offering buyers a diverse suite of products;(3)responding to a need to improve diverse road user safety;and(4)reducing government procurement costs for safety warning products.The results provide a reference for the creative modular design of energy-saving products for public road safety planning in various industries.

A hybrid strategy in selecting diverse combinations of innovative sustainable materials for asphalt pavements

This project integrates recent innovations of recycled materials used in designing and building sustainable pavements. An increasing environmental awareness and the demand for improving economic and construction efficiencies, through measures such as con- struction warrantees and goals to reduce air pollution under the Kyoto Protocol, have increased the efforts to implement sustainable materials in roadways. The objective of this research is to develop a systematic approach toward selecting optimum combinations of sustainable materials for the construction of asphalt pavements. The selected materials, warm mix asphalt （WMA）, recycled asphalt shingles {RAS）I and reclaimed asphalt pave- ment {RAP） were incorporated in this study. The results of this research are intended to serve as guidelines in the selection of the mixed sustainable materials for asphalt pave- ments. The approach developed from this project draws upon previous research efforts integrating graphical modeling with optimizing the amount of sustainable materials based on the performance. With regard to moisture susceptibility and rutting potential test re- suits, as well as the MIM analysis based on a 95% confidence interval, the rutting perfor- mance and moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures are not significantly different regardless of the percentages of RAS, RAP, or WMA. The optimum mixture choices could be made by the plant emission rankings with consideration of the optimal WMA types, per- centages of RAS/RAP, and WMA production temperatures. The WMA mixtures prepared with 75% RAP and Advera WMA have produced the lowest CO2 emissions among the investigated mixture types.

Special Issue on New Concepts and Advances in Photocatalytic Materials for Sustainable Energy

The use of solar energy to drive the chemical and energy processes,and the chemical storage of solar energy are the key elements to move to a low-carbon economy,sustainable society and to foster energy transition.For this reason,there is a fast-growing scientific interest on this subject,which is part of the general effort for a solar-driven chemistry and energy,the chemistry of the future.To realize this

Flame-assisted ultrafast synthesis of functionalized carbon nanosheets for high-performance sodium storage

The unique structural features of hard carbon(HC)make it a promising anode candidate for sodium-ion batteries(SIB).However,traditional methods of preparing HC require special equipment,long reaction times,and large energy consumption,resulting in low throughputs and efficiency.In our contribution,a novel synthesis method is proposed,involving the formation of HC nanosheets(NS-CNs)within minutes by creating an anoxic environment through flame combustion and further introducing sulfur and nitrogen sources to achieve heteroatom doping.The effect of heterogeneous element doping on the microstructure of HC is quantitatively analyzed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and image processing technology.Combined with density functional theory calculation,it is verified that the functionalized HC exhibits stronger Na^(+)adsorption ability,electron gain ability,and Na^(+) migration ability.As a result,NS-CNs as SIB anodes provide an ultrahigh reversible capacity of 542.7mAh g^(-1) at 0.1Ag^(-1),and excellent rate performance with a reversible capacity of 236.4mAh g^(-1) at 2Ag^(-1) after 1200 cycles.Furthermore,full cell assembled with NS-CNs as the can present 230mAh g^(-1) at 0.5Ag^(-1) after 150 cycles.Finally,in/ex situ techniques confirm that the excellent sodium storage properties of NS-CNs are due to the construction of abundant active sites based on the novel synthesis method for realizing the reversible adsorption of Na^(+).This work provides a novel strategy to develop novel carbons and gives deep insights for the further investigation of facile preparation methods to develop high-performance carbon anodes for alkali-ion batteries.

In Situ Mineralization of Biomass-Derived Hydrogels Boosts Capacitive Electrochemical Energy Storage in Free-Standing 3D Carbon Aerogels

Here,a novel fabrication method for making free-standing 3D hierarchical porous carbon aerogels from molecularly engineered biomass-derived hydrogels is presented.In situ formed flower-like CaCO_(3)molecularly embedded within the hydrogel network regulated the pore structure during in situ mineralization assisted one-step activation graphitization(iMAG),while the intrinsic structural integrity of the carbon aerogels was maintained.The homogenously distributed minerals simultaneously acted as a hard template,activating agent,and graphitization catalyst.The decomposition of the homogenously distributed CaCO_(3)during iMAG followed by the etching of residual CaO through a mild acid washing endowed a robust carbon aerogel with high porosity and excellent electrochemical performance.At 0.5 mA cm^(-2),the gravimetric capacitance increased from 0.01 F g^(-1)without mineralization to 322 F g^(-1)with iMAG,which exceeds values reported for any other free-standing or powder-based biomass-derived carbon electrodes.An outstanding cycling stability of~104%after 1000 cycles in 1 M HClO4 was demonstrated.The assembled symmetric supercapacitor device delivered a high specific capacitance of 376 F g^(-1)and a high energy density of 26 W h kg^(-1)at a power density of 4000 W kg^(-1),with excellent cycling performance(98.5%retention after 2000 cycles).In combination with the proposed 3D printed mold-assisted solution casting(3DMASC),iMAG allows for the generation of free-standing carbon aerogel architectures with arbitrary shapes.Furthermore,the novel method introduces flexibility in constructing free-standing carbon aerogels from any ionically cross-linkable biopolymer while maintaining the ability to tailor the design,dimensions,and pore size distribution for specific energy storage applications.

Synthesis and Characterization of Local Bio-Sourced Geopolymer Binder:Application to Compressed Earth

The construction industry continues to rely on conventional materials like cement,which often can come with a high cost and significant environmental impact,particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.To tackle the challenges of sustainable development,there is growing interest in using local available materials with low environmental impact.This study primarily focuses on synthesizing and characterizing a geopolymer binder made from local materials found in Benin to stabilize CEB(compressed earth brick).The synthesis involves combining amorphous aluminosilicate powder with a highly concentrated alkaline solution.Local calcined kaolinite clay(metakaolin)and corn cob ash obtained after calcination at 600°C were used with a 12 M sodium hydroxide(NaOH)solution.Different mixtures of geopolymer were formulated substituting metakaolin by corn cob ash at rates of 0%,5%,10%,and 15%of the dry weight of the mixture.Thereafter physical and mechanical characterization tests were conducted on each formulation.Results showed that geopolymer binders containing 85%metakaolin and 15%corn cob ash exhibited the best physical and mechanical performance(e.g.12.08 MPa for compression strength).Subsequently,this geopolymer formulation was used to stabilize CEB.Characterization revealed that CEBs stabilized with 10%geopolymer exhibit good mechanical properties(6.93 MPa),comparable to those of CEBs stabilized with 10%cement(7.40 MPa),justifying their use as load-bearing walls in construction.

Exploring the Synergy: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Steel and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Reinforced Slab Incorporating Alccofine and M-Sand

Introduction: This study investigates the Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Steel and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Reinforced Slab Incorporating Alccofine and M-sand. Objective: Specific objectives include evaluating the mechanical properties and structural behaviour of steel and GFRP-reinforced one-way slabs and comparing experimental and theoretical predictions. Methods: Four different mix proportions were arrived at, comprising both conventional concrete and Alccofine-based concrete. In each formulation, a combination of normal river sand and M-sand was utilized. Results: Concrete with Alccofine exhibits superior mechanical properties, while M-sand incorporation minimally affects strength but reduces reliance on natural sand. GFRP-reinforced slabs display distinct brittle behaviour with significant deflections post-cracking, contrasting steel-reinforced slabs’ gradual, ductile failure. Discrepancies between experimental data and design recommendations underscore the need for guideline refinement. Conclusion: Alccofine and M-sand enhance concrete properties, but reinforcement type significantly influences slab behaviour. GFRP-reinforced slabs, though exhibiting lower values than steel, offer advantages in harsh environments, warranting further optimization.

A Pioneering Low Carbon Material Database for Building Industry

Considering that buildings represent 40% of greenhouse gases and approximately 10% of global gross domestic product, the target the building industry has to accomplish is to get to a high quality and low carbon living, by reducing carbon emission by 2050, as said by Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Considering these needs, designers, manufacturers and construction companies should be able to make use of web and design tools for collecting and inventorying a large variety of environmentally friendly materials, through a specific database that encloses low carbon certified products and eco-labeled ones. The eco-labels are internationally identified as the best tools to encourage the spread of green products and low carbon notions, even if in Europe, there is no specific tool to be used. The project called LoCaMat （Low Carbon Material Database） will act as the first Italian and European database that encompasses multiple data on certified green materials to be used for the construction sector, making buildings climate change resilient, ensuring an efficient use of energy and resources, getting to a complete life cycle assessment for buildings materials and components, encompassing, for the first time, green data and every kind of environmental specs for sustainable design and green practice.

A Mini-review for the Application of Bacterial Cellulose-based Composites

Countries are duly focusing more on biomass resources because of the increasing oil crisis.Owing to their excellent properties,such as natural characteristics,good mechanical performance,and outstanding chemical properties,cellulose-based materials are highly valued as promising bioderived nanomaterials,especially bacterial cellulose(BC).The main advantage lies in eliminating the problem of removing lignin and hemicellulose from woody cellulose.Moreover,the use of BC reduces the consumption of wood,the excessive use of which aggravates global warming.Herein,we summarize the applications of BC composites in filter,medical,and conductive materials,and other fields.This review contributes to further expand the applications of this renewable polymer.

Strength Characteristics of Treated Soil with Proposed Layer Formation

The engineering characteristics of the soil,soil-fly ash and fly ash-lime,were examined to utilize as base layer material in civil construction.The influence of fly ash percentage and the effect of curing on California bearing ratio(CBR)and unconfined compressive strength(UCS),of soil and soil-fly ash mixing and layered system were examined to estimate the optimum quantity.The volumetric swelling of the optimal mixture was estimated to be within the allowable limits.Scanning microscope analysis and X-ray diffraction tests were performed.A model test analyses with three layers were conducted by finite element method and stress-strain behavior was observed.

CLT Fabricated with Gmelina arborea and Tectona grandis Wood from Fast-Growth Forest Plantations: Physical and Mechanical Properties

Fabrication and use of Cross Laminated Timber(CLT)using tropical woods is still limited at present.Therefore objective of the present study aims to determine the possibility of using CLT panels of 3 and 5 layers,fabricated withTectona grandis and Gmelina arborea wood using adhesive of isocyanate polymer emulsion system catalyzed with polymeric isocyanate.Delamination,water absorption,density,flexure test,compression and glue-line shear were evaluated using ANSI/APA PRG320-2012 ASTM D198 and ASTM D4761 standard.The results showed that CLT panels of T.grandis presented higher values of density,less water absorption and lower delamination,with no evident differences between the CLT of 3 and 5 layers.The high density of T.grandis resulted in higher values of the mechanical properties.The flatwise and edgewise flexure tests in 5-layer CLT panels of both species pre-sented higher values of bending stiffness compared to those of 3-layer CLT panels.Further the bending stress values in 3-layer CLT panels were higher than for 5-layer CLT panels.As for shear stress in bending flatwise,in both species,3-layer CLT surpassed 5-layer CLT panels,but in the edgewise test no differences were observed.The MOE and Fc in the compression test were superior in relation to the edgewise test.MOE and Fc in compres-sion flatwise in 3-layer CLT was greater than in 5-layer CLT in both species,but edgewise these values were higher in 5-layer CLT panels.The most common failures were stress and delamination in the flexure test,whereas in the compression test these were:shearing,splitting and crushing.In the glue-line shear test no differences were observed between CLT panels of 3 and 5 layers for both species.

Plastic crisis underscores need for alternative sustainable-renewable materials

The current global plastic crisis is triggered by several factors including increased costs of petrochemical feedstock and Covid-19 disruption of the transport sector(Yuan et al.,2021).This disruption of world-wide supply chains of polyethylene,polypropylene and other petroleum-based hydrocarbon chemicals has significantly increased shortage and prices of plastics in for example Europe over the last year,hence calling for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics(WMW,2021,European Plastic Manufacturers sound the Alarm Bell on Supply Chain Disruption,Waste Management World.).This is critical due to extensive use of the non-biodegradable personal protective equipment(PPE)masks in the current pandemic,which might be even worse than the shortage of polyolefins at the moment(Deng et al.,2022).

On Designing Biopolymer-Bound Soil Composites (BSC) for Peak Compressive Strength

Biopolymer-bound Soil Composites(BSC),are a novel bio-based construction material class,produced through the mixture and desiccation of biopolymers with inorganic aggregates with applications in soil stabilization,brick creation and in situ construction on Earth and space.This paper introduces a mixture design methodology to produce maximum strength for a given soil-biopolymer combination.Twenty protein and sand mix designs were investigated,with varying amounts of biopolymer solution and compaction regimes during manufacture.The ultimate compressive strength,density,and shrinkage of BSC samples are reported.It is observed that the compressive strength of BSC materials increases proportional to tighter particle packing(soil dry bulk density)and binder content.A theory to explain this peak compressive strength phenomenon is presented.

Nanocellulose-based porous materials: Regulation and pathway to commercialization in regenerative medicine

We review the recent progress that have led to the development of porous materials based on cellulose nanostructures found in plants and other resources. In light of the properties that emerge from the chemistry, shape and structural control, we discuss some of the most promising uses of a plant-based material, nanocellulose, in regenerative medicine. Following a brief discussion about the fundamental aspects of self-assembly of nanocellulose precursors, we review the key strategies needed for material synthesis and to adjust the architecture of the materials (using three-dimensional printing, freeze-casted porous materials, and electrospinning) according to their uses in tissue engineering, artificial organs, controlled drug delivery and wound healing systems, among others. For this purpose, we map the structure-property-function relationships of nanocellulose-based porous materials and examine the course of actions that are required to translate innovation from the laboratory to industry. Such efforts require attention to regulatory aspects and market pull. Finally, the key challenges and opportunities in this nascent field are critically reviewed.

A perspective on sustainable energy materials for lithium batteries

Lithium ion battery has achieved great success in portable electronics and even recently electronic vehicles since its commercialization in 1990s.However,lithium-ion batteries are confronted with several issues in terms of the sustainable development such as the high price of raw materials and electronic products,the emerging safety accidents,etc.The recent progresses are herein emphasized on lithium batteries for energy storage to clearly understand the sustainable energy chemistry and emerging energymaterials.The Perspective presents novel lithium-ion batteries developed with the aims of enhancing the electrochemical performance and sustainability of energy storage systems.First,revolutionary material chemistries,including novel low-cobalt cathode,organic electrode,and aqueous electrolyte,are discussed.Then,the characteristics of safety performance are analyzed and strategies to enhance safety are subsequently evaluated.Battery recycling is considered as the key factor for a sustainable society and related technologies are present as well.Finally,conclusion and outlook are drawn to shed lights on the further development of sustainable lithium-ion batteries.

Usability of Waste Steel Grits in Concrete Pavement

The usability of waste steel grits and limestone sand in the construction of concrete pavement was investigated.Four different types of pavement concretes were produced,including coarse limestone concrete not containing waste steel grit,coarse limestone concrete containing waste steel grit,limestone sand concrete not containing waste steel grit,and limestone sand concrete containing waste steel grit.In this study,water/binder ratio in concrete production was taken as 0.44.In the production of limestone sand concrete containing waste steel grit,limestone sand with a grain diameter of 0.1-1.0 mm was used as aggregate.Waste steel grits with a grain diameter of 0.2-0.7 mm were added to the concrete mixture.Standard water curing and combined curing were applied to concrete samples.After standard water curing and combined curing,compression and bending tests of the same types of cube and beam concrete samples were carried out.As a result of the study,the maximum compressive and bending strengths were found to be 50.21 MPa and 5.07 MPa for limestone sand concrete containing waste steel grit.The study results show that waste steel grits increase the compressive and bending strength of concrete pavement.

Dyeing Fabrics by Using Extracts from Mulberry Branch/Trunk 1.Dyeability and Fluorescence Property

The dyeing of wool, silk, cotton, ramie, nylon, acrylic and polyester fabric by using the extracts from mulberry branches and trunks was tried and the dyeability was studied. While the dyeability of the ethanol-extracts from mulberry is low, that of the water-extracts is high for wool, nylon and silk fabrics. They are dyed brownish and yellowish colours. The obtained colours depend on the extracts concentration in the dye solution, dyeing time, dye solution pH and dyeing temperature. Wool, nylon and silk fabrics are dyed deeper with an increase in the dyeing temperature. The mulberry extracts show fluorescence and reducing property. The results indicate that the mulberry extracts contain flavonols such as morin, kaempferol or quercetin, which form complexes with Al3+ and show fluorescence. The wool treated with the mulberry extracts or AlCl3/mulberry extracts shows fluorescence with ultraviolet light irradiation.