Themed collection RSC Sustainability Recent Review Articles

This work showcases lignin as a sustainable material for organic and bioelectronics, highlighting its renewability, unique chemical structure, and biocompatibility for flexible devices, biosensors, and cognitive computing applications.

This perspective reflects on the implementation of a multidisciplinary consortium project combining biological, chemical and computational sciences to discover and develop new enzymes for carbon dioxide fixation.

Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) roadmap for safe and sustainable chemicals, materials, products and process and a more sustainable future.

Natural organic materials might offer a sustainable solution at the crossroads of technological progress and environmental degradation.

The investigation of degradation processes provides opportunities for the stability improvement of photocatalysts and photoelectrodes. This perspective provides an overview on recent progress with a focus on (oxy)nitrides.

The global ambition is to reach a net zero waste and emissions society by 2050.

Traditional lab practices contribute to environmental issues through excessive energy consumption, hazardous- and single-use waste generation, and resource depletion. Sustainable laboratory practices are vital for the education of future scientists.

Established principles and practical application of phytomining and mycoremediation bioaccumulation processes hint at a feasible and environmentally sustainable “mycomining” solution with considerable growth environment versatility.

The 12 principles of green membrane materials and processes are formulated. Their contributions to the 3 pillars of sustainability and the UN-SDGs are explained. Research priorities are set. A membrane waste management hierarchy is introduced.

Plastics in oral healthcare: innovations to move away from landfills to create value and sustainable care.

We developed a Technology Roadmap for emissions intensive and trade exposed (EITE) sectors to help policymakers and firms formulate a climate change mitigation strategy employing innovative technologies for large industrial emitters.

What can we do with Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) once they have been used? What can be their disposal and final fate? This perspective adds some considerations to stimulate the debate.

As the global energy landscape transitions towards a more diversified mix, with electricity and hydrogen constituting half of the final energy consumption by 2050, the focus on efficient and sustainable hydrogen production intensifies.

Chemistry has a vital role in enabling the reductions in greenhouse gases, stewardship of material resources and new production processes needed to bring net CO₂ emissions to zero by 2050, keeping within 1.5 °C of global warming.

The Composites Industry needs to participate in future circular chemical economies. Cooperation, standardisation and increased availability of transparent industry data for life cycle analysis, are seen as critical to a more sustainable future.

The developments in enzymology and biocatalytic processes designed as per the rules of green chemistry and green engineering are the keys to the concepts of biorefinery and bioeconomy which in turn enable sustainable development.

Presented here is an overview of progress in one approach to reducing greenhouse gas emission, namely substituting photosynthesis generated, woody biomass for fossil carbon as feedstock in the production of chemicals and liquid fuels.

This study suggests that lowering the cost of electrolytic hydrogen obtained in water alkaline electrolyzers requires to develop new nanostructured or single-atom Ni-based catalysts and newly shaped electrodes obtained via 3D printing.

Herein, we review recent advances in liquid–liquid extraction systems using task-specific ionic liquids as extractants for the separation of rare earth elements.

We need a paradigm shift towards prevention-based risk governance of chemicals and advanced materials via a transition towards SSbD. Defining SSbD metrics and trade-offs should be a co-creative process and can benefit from applying digital tools.

Key reactions and possible biomass resources for the synthesis of industrially important unsaturated compounds are summarized.

Enabling the design of silica materials with ordered and controllable pore structure using the principles of green and sustainable chemistry.

Current European (EU) policies, such as the Green Deal, envisage safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) practices for the management of chemicals, which cogently entail nanomaterials (NMs) and advanced materials (AdMa).

Strain engineering has advanced in the past decade. Herein, we review the importance of growth coupling, growth decoupling, regulatory control and medium optimization for microbial bioproduction to provide stable conversion over a longer period.

Recent developments pertaining to the surfactant-free synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanomaterials are deliberated, with a focus on important challenges, opportunities, and future perspectives.

Integrating natural biomaterials into memristors and electrolyte-gated transistors shows great promise for advancing biomedical devices and paving the way for sustainable and intelligent healthcare systems.

This tutorial review focuses on the recent advancements in HAT-based direct C(sp³)–H bond functionalization with three unique classes of oxygen radicals: acyloxy, sulfate, and phosphate radicals.

Hydrogen is a highly versatile energy vector whose oxidation releases ‘green energy’. Its large scale production however has associated emissions.

The combined stability, mobility, and bioaccumulation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has prompted a global environmental crisis.

In this tutorial mini-review, we explore the application of Design of Experiments (DOE) as a powerful statistical tool in biotechnology.

This work explores the composition, synthesis and modification strategies and adsorption mechanisms of layered double hydroxide for the removal of fluoride ions from water.

Catalysis is a crucial tool to efficiently address the recycling and upgrading of polymeric waste within the context of a circular economy, providing affordable and selective methods for waste valorization.

To minimize the consumption of nonrenewable resources and ensure environmental sustainability, there ought to be greater utilization of abundant and renewable greener nanobiopolymers, particularly those derived from various plants and microbes.

Clean and safe water is a vital resource for human life. To ensure that consumable water is bacteria-free, water treatment, including the widely used chlorination process, is performed.

This review describes the recent advancements in visible light-induced bromine radical enhanced hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reactions in organic synthesis.

This review addresses the aqueous processing of high-nickel NMC materials and its challenges, including pH elevation and lithium leaching. Tailored binder selection is crucial, offering a strategic pathway for sustainable battery manufacturing.

The impacts of burning biomass fuels for cooking and heating in indian homes on public health and communities.

Typical coatings incorporate organic groups as carrier of hydrophobicity and polar groups at the solid interface, which are weak points in the interaction with water. In contrast, REOs are shielded from interactions with the environment.

A review of the most representative advances in the chemical degradation of polythers and polysiloxanes, both in academia and industry.

Chemical modifications of vegetable oil and their 3D printing applications are discussed. Acrylate resin compatibility with 3D printing methods are presented. 3D printed products using vegetable oil-derived materials, providing insights into future opportunities are explored.

Supercritical fluid technology is a promising approach for sustainable and efficient resource recovery (especially fluorinated binders and electrolytes) from end-of-life lithium ion batteries with significant economic and environmental perspectives.

Seaweeds, or macroalgae, have been used for centuries as food additives, fertilizers, and in traditional medicines. Recent uses include energy (fuels) and as a source of bioactive compounds (vitamins and fucoidan).

The review explores porous thermoelectric materials, emphasizing controlled porosity's impact on phonon scattering and thermal conductivity reduction. Multiple studies were discussed, highlighting prospects and limitations, alongside the latest trends.

Nanoplastic residues in our aquatic ecosystems poses a serious global concern which needs effective monitoring to implement actions and control measures. Electrochemical chemo(bio)sensors emerge as a promising tool for their detection to protect our global water and environmental resources.

Journeying towards inherently sustainable and green synthetic chemistry. Commitment to change and (re)design of practices, processes and goals, through reflection, awareness and education.

The unique characteristics of oxygen-doped g-C₃N₄ (O@g-C₃N₄), including enhanced charge carrier mobility and changed electronic structure, make it especially appealing for photocatalytic applications.

Supercapatteries with liquid salt based electrolytes, battery negatrodes of alkali or alkaline earth metals and supercapacitor positrodes of high anodic stability are promising for outperforming both rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors.

This tutorial review aims at providing a complete overview of the strategies for the conversion of lignocellulose in current and future biorefineries, with a particular focus on the transformation of lignin toward valuable products.

The review covers the advancements in bio-based polycarbonates with regards to their raw materials, polymerization techniques, and modification strategies.

Surfactants are considered amphiphilic substances, having excellent adsorption and association capabilities, offering them the potential for a variety of techniques designed to eliminate pollution and preserve the natural world.

Cu-MOF has gained attention due to its exceptional thermal stability, large surface area and pore volume. This review summarizes its advantages covering synthesis, reactivity and applications in removing toxic pharmaceutical residues from wastewater.

High pressure hydrogen generation by dehydrogenation of formic acid.

3D printing has been elaborated in all stages of a continuous flow biocatalytic process, from the reactor to the support material for biocatalyst confinement or the peripheral accessories that can establish a highly controlled process.

This review highlights how the inherent properties of cellulose have been employed to improve the properties of ionic conductive hydrogels (IHCs) and their application in fabricating iontronics.

This tutorial mini-review gives critical insight into sustainable strategies to prepare ordered mesoporous hierarchically structured nanoporous carbons from biosourced compounds. Modified soft-templating methods are proposed as promising candidates.

Vegetable oils and lipids, terpenes, lignin derivatives, carbohydrates, and proteins are used as biomass feedstock to prepare new bio-based monomers for radical polymerization in aqueous dispersed media, producing bio-based latexes.

Production quantity ratio of petroleum derived chemical products. This also presents the concept of replacing all petroleum-based chemical products with natural biomass-based chemical products.

Ginger waste is an increasingly available renewable feedstock, which is rich in biobased chemicals and materials as well as a source of bioenergy. Ginger waste is explored as a feedstock leading to a potential zero-waste biorefinery.

Rare Earths (REs) are referred to as ‘industrial vitamins’ and play an indispensable role in a variety of domains.

This tutorial review showcases the diversity & utility of organophosphorus molecules, focusing on P(V) structures. Their rich nomenclature, application & industrial synthesis will be highlighted within the context of sustainable chemistry.

Modern polymer coatings are shifting away from dispersion in volatile organic solvents towards waterborne, minimizing harmful environmental emissions.

Carboxylation is a promising and versatile technology for producing industrially valuable products, being a potential process for future use of captured CO₂. Enzymatic and thermochemical routes are the closest to being scaled up.

Biobased polyacetals, as sustainable materials, are not only reprocessable and recyclable but also exhibit a range of mechanical properties. These attributes significantly broaden their potential applications across various industries.

The pharmaceutical industry plays a crucial role in enhancing life expectancy and the quality of life.

To verify if PET mechanical recycling is feasible, we need to acknowledge chemical and material property variations. This review highlights the relevance of the connectivity of these variations as a function of the number of recycling cycles.

Ionic liquid-based polymer inclusion membranes enable efficient and selective metal ion transport, utilizing the tunable properties of ionic liquids for sustainable metal separation.