Themed collection UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.


A sustainable future: the impact of real-time feedback systems on water conservation efforts
Smart feedback water system with Arduino flow sensors, AI/ML analytics, mobile dashboard, real-time tracking, predictive insights, personalized reports for global sustainability challenges and efficient water management solutions.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 2863-2869
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00081E

Towards sustainable wood–plastic composites: polymer types, properties, processing and future prospects
Advancing the future of wood plastic composites: a synergy of materials, methods, and sustainability.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 2833-2862
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00153F

Chemical bio-manufacture from diverse C-rich waste polymeric feedstocks using engineered microorganisms
Engineering microbial metabolism is tapped potential to convert industrial waste and by-products into high-value chemical products, providing a more sustainable alternative to traditionally oil-derived chemicals.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 1672-1684
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00013K

Bioactive compounds in coffee husk: extraction, functional properties, applications, and sustainable approach in circular economy
Coffee husk is rich in bioactive compounds with functional properties and holds significant potential for various applications that promote a sustainable circular economy.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 4410-4425
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00531K

Waste-derived green N-doped materials: mechanistic insights, synthesis, and comprehensive evaluation
Nitrogen (N)-doped materials derived from biomass hold great promise for energy storage, gas adsorption, catalysis, and water treatment, offering an effective strategy for waste valorization.
RSC Sustainability, 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00555H

Towards polycotton waste valorisation: depolymerisation of cotton to glucose with polyester preservation
Polycotton waste textile valorisation; upgrading waste cotton from polycotton (left) to the platform chemical glucose without affecting the polyester (right).
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3863-3882
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00230C

Recent breakthroughs in the valorization of lignocellulosic biomass for advancements in the construction industry: a review
This review highlights the potential of lignocellulosic biomass as an eco-friendly component in green and sustainable construction materials, addressing environmental challenges through up-to-date research, applications, and life-cycle assessments.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3307-3357
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00142K

Advances in lead-free perovskite solar cell design via SCAPS-1D simulations
PSCs still face challenges such as lead toxicity. SCAPS-1D stands out as a valuable tool for investigating alternative metals as replacements for lead. This article reviews 54 simulation studies using SCAPS-1D, focusing on lead-free PSCs.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 4314-4335
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00526D

Negative emission technologies: a way forward?
The role and potential implications of Negative Emission Technologies (NETs) for atmospheric CO2 removal and long-term storage, supporting global efforts toward net-zero climate goals.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3652-3680
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00162E

Reducing fossil fuel demand by using biofuels as an alternative hydrothermal liquefaction is a promising process for transforming biomass into drop-in fuels
A currently accepted strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuels is to replace them with biofuels.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3228-3265
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00148J

Powering the sustainable future: a review of emerging battery technologies and their environmental impact
A comparative analysis of battery types, including primary, secondary, specialty, and emerging technologies. Key findings highlight charge time variations, energy storage efficiency, and scalability for future advancements in battery technology.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3266-3306
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00127G

Unlocking renewable energy materials in Nigeria: availability, application, and roadmap for sustainability
This study assesses Nigeria's renewable energy materials landscape, highlighting solar, wind, biomass, and hydro resources, challenges, and pathways for enhancing local capacity for a sustainable energy future.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 2534-2566
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00121H

Design for recycle of devices to ensure efficient recovery of technology critical metals
Design for recycle unlocks selective and efficient recycling of technology critical metals.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 2455-2471
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00128E

Integrating traditional ecological knowledge into a circular economy framework using the example of consumer durable goods for northern rural communities
Integrating Circular Economy (CE) principles with Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to promote equitable, sustainable and proactive materials design of consumer durable goods.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 2048-2063
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00623B

State-of-the-art of industrial PET mechanical recycling: technologies, impact of contamination and guidelines for decision-making
A design of PET mechanical recycling at the industrial scale requires the inspection of the relevance of pre-treatment steps, degradation reactions and repair potential, accounting for the impact of contamination (e.g. NIAS) and regulations.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 1996-2047
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00571F

Incorporating hyperaccumulating plants in phytomining, remediation and resource recovery: recent trends in the African region – a review
Phytomining, the extraction of valuable metals from soil or waste substrates using plants, has gained increasing attention as a sustainable and economically viable alternative to conventional mining practices.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 1652-1671
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00021A

Lignocellulose saccharification: historical insights and recent industrial advancements towards 2nd generation sugars
This study reviews saccharification technologies, focusing on HCl-based methods, their industrial evolution, and challenges in scaling, emphasizing the historical progress and ongoing need for innovation.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 1170-1211
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00600C

Fungal pretreatment methods for organic wastes: advances and challenges in biomass valorization
The image displays various biowastes, important constituents, and possible products of the pretreatment process.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 1234-1266
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00582A

Thermochemical and chemo-biological molecular recycling of plastic waste and plastic-biomass waste mixtures: an updated review
Thermochemical and bioprocessing are feasible for recovering valuable building block molecules from plastic residues. Chemo-enzymatic treatment of waste plastic-biomass mixtures is an open challenge due to the diverse composition of the residues.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 698-714
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00745J

Visible-light-induced photocatalytic oxidation of C–H bonds with O2 employing simple porphyrins as photocatalysts under solvent-free conditions
An efficient, low-energy consumption, low-carbon emission and sustainable oxidation of C–H bonds with O2 was realized utilizing porphyrins as photocatalysts under irradiation of visible light, and a successful reference of learning from nature.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 4759-4775
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00471C

Vanillin-derived epoxy resin as a high fracture toughness high stiffness matrix for carbon fibre reinforced structural composites
The following study cements vanillin’s position as a leading replacement for BPA-based epoxy resins in high performance epoxy–amine composite applications.
RSC Sustainability, 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00205B

Controlled surface acetylation of cellulosics to tune biodegradability - expanding their use towards conventional plastics
RSC Sustainability, 2025, Accepted Manuscript
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00377F

Methanolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using non-stoichiometric protic ionic liquids
Microwave-assisted methanolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) was catalysed by a recyclable, inexpensive non-stoichiometric protic ionic liquid from sulfuric acid and triethylamine.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3987-3996
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00316D

Morphological and chemical profiling of biochar derived from invasive aquatic weed towards bio-nanofertilizer development
Since the early 21st century, biochar (BC) has garnered attention for its agricultural and environmental applications.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3947-3963
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00052A

ProFA – valorization of macroalgae biomass as a source of proteins and formic acid
The ProFA process aims for the production of proteins and formic acid from macroalgae with a focus on resource utilisation and innovation.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3418-3436
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00012B

Microbial degradation of tannery chrome-solid waste using Bacillus thuringiensis: optimization of collagen hydrolysate extraction via response surface methodology
Bacillus thuringiensis was isolated from soil and used to biodegrade chrome shaving dust. Optimal degradation (94.8%) was achieved at 35% seed, 12.86% nutrients, and 101.27 h. This simple, efficient microbial process outperforms enzymatic methods.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3198-3214
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00666F

Minimum GHG emissions and energy consumption of U.S. PET and polyolefin packaging supply chains in a circular economy
Systems analysis tools such as material flow analysis, process simulation, life cycle assessment, and system optimization were applied to minimize environmental impacts of the U.S. plastics packaging recycling infrastructure in a circular economy.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3166-3183
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00284B

Transparent and flexible MXene-chitosan nanocomposite film for effective UV and high-energy blue light shielding applications
CMX-0.04 composite films exhibited high UV (≈100%) and HEBL (≈97.5%) blocking performance with enhanced mechanical properties (303% and 830% increased tensile and Young's modulus, respectively) and excellent film flexibility.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 3036-3048
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00271K

The impact of co-feeding carbon dioxide in Fischer–Tropsch-to-olefin catalysis: an inelastic neutron scattering study
An investigation into the addition of CO2 to the feedstock for a Fischer–Tropsch-to-olefins catalyst indicates a role for CO2 perturbing the equilibrium between iron carbides and oxides.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 2246-2254
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00042D

Superior proton conductivity and selectivity in sulfonated ionomer biocomposites containing renewably processed and fractionated lignin
Herein, we have synthesized high-performance, low-cost ionomer biocomposites comprised of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and softwood Kraft lignin with proton selectivities three- to ten-fold higher than that of neat SPEEK.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 2333-2351
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00031A

Microplastics in the rough: using data augmentation to identify plastics contaminated by water and plant matter
Microplastics are present in nearly all environments.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 1886-1899
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00612G

A high-performance nanofiltration membrane synthesized by embedding amino acids and ionic liquids in cellulose acetate for heavy metal separation
Cellulose acetate (CA) membranes incorporated with amino acids (AAs) and ionic liquids (ILs) fabricated using phase inversion technique have been proven to be efficient and effective for nanofiltration to treat heavy metal ion solutions.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 1966-1981
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00688G

Decarbonizing specialty chemical manufacturing: opportunities for electrochemists
The specialty chemical sector offers unique opportunities for the development of electrochemical reaction processes to integrate low-carbon electricity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
RSC Sustainability, 2025,3, 460-470
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00375F
About this collection
RSC Sustainability features solutions-focused research dedicated to solving sustainability challenges. We champion chemical science discoveries that support and enable any of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showcasing new sustainable technologies and greener chemical solutions that drive real-world impact.
We’ve collated recent articles published in RSC Sustainability that align with each of the UN SDGs.
This collection highlights Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. These articles explore sustainable material innovations, waste valorisation, and pollution reduction, such as bio-manufacturing from waste. Other topics include advanced recycling of plastics and PET and ensuring safe drinking water. These efforts aim to enhance resource efficiency, reduce environmental contamination, and support circular economies for greener cities.
To find out more about the United Nations Global Sustainability Goals visit: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Check out the other UN SDG collections in the series:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequality. Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production Home
UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action Home