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Resource Sustainability: Sustainable Materials and Green Engineering
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Resource Sustainability: Sustainable Materials and Green Engineering

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 4156

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Romualdo Rodrigues Menezes

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Guest Editor
Academic Unit of Materials Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, PB 58430-330, Brazil
Interests: nanotechnology (nanofibers and nanostructuring); waste recycling; green technologies; biomaterials technology; synthesis and processing of ceramics; water treatment; clay technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Gelmires de Araujo Neves

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Guest Editor
Academic Unit of Materials Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, PB 58430-330, Brazil
Interests: processing of ceramic materials; non-metallic materials; extraction and transformation of materials; ceramic materials; environmental; development of new materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Alisson Mendes Rodrigues

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Guest Editor
Graduate Program in Materials Science (PPGCIMA), Faculty UnB Planaltina (FUP), University of Brasília (UNB), Brasília, DF 70904-910, Brazil
Interests: glasses; glass-ceramics, solid wastes; clays, crystallization, sustainable materials, eco-friendly materials, biomaterials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the rapidly evolving world, individuals are awakening to the profound impact of their daily choices on the environment. Driven by this awareness, the search for eco-friendly and sustainable technologies is one of the main objectives of scientists and researchers in this century.

In this scenario, it is my pleasure to present the Special Issue “Resource Sustainability: Sustainable Materials and Green Engineering”. This Special Issue aims to highlight and share cutting-edge research in the fields of sustainable materials and green engineering routes to develop sustainable materials and their applications. We invite contributions that explore innovative materials, their applications, and engineering approaches that can combat harmful practices and forge a greener path toward a thriving planet, from bio-based polymers to materials for energy-efficient process. This Special Issue number underscores the urgency of developing environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. As we stand on the cusp of technological advancements, sustainable practices are no longer optional—they are imperative. By dedicating this issue to sustainable materials and green engineering routes, we emphasize their significance in shaping our collective future.

In this Special Issue, we invite high-quality original research articles that explore the following topics:

  • Bio-based materials;
  • Energy-efficient materials;
  • Innovative materials;
  • smart/environmentally adaptable materials;
  • green composites/materials;
  • sustainable material processing;
  • material recycling and recovery.

Dr. Romualdo Rodrigues Menezes
Prof. Dr. Gelmires de Araujo Neves
Prof. Dr. Alisson Mendes Rodrigues
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainability
  • bio-based materials
  • energy-efficient materials
  • innovative materials
  • green route

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2860 KiB  
Article
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Sustainable Green Binders for Metal Injection Molding
by Isabel Lado-Touriño and Rosario G. Merodio-Perea
Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 2263; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052263 - 5 Mar 2025
Viewed by 541
Abstract
Polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(ethylene adipate) (PEA) are biodegradable, biobased polymers renowned for their versatility and environmental advantages. This study explores the potential of PLA-PEA blends as green binders in the metal injection molding (MIM) process, a crucial manufacturing technique for producing complex [...] Read more.
Polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(ethylene adipate) (PEA) are biodegradable, biobased polymers renowned for their versatility and environmental advantages. This study explores the potential of PLA-PEA blends as green binders in the metal injection molding (MIM) process, a crucial manufacturing technique for producing complex metal components. Substituting conventional, environmentally harmful binders with these blends offers a sustainable strategy to reduce the environmental footprint of MIM. Achieving compatibility between binder components is essential to ensure optimal molding performance in this application. To evaluate this compatibility, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to analyze the interaction and miscibility of both polymers. Simulations across various blend compositions and temperatures consistently yielded negative Flory–Huggins interaction parameters, demonstrating strong miscibility between PLA and PEA. Notably, blends with lower PEA content exhibited the most favorable compatibility. Radial distribution function analyses further confirmed these results, revealing enhanced miscibility with lower-molecular-weight PEA. This study underscores the potential of PLA-PEA blends as sustainable alternative binders in MIM, advancing the use of biobased materials in energy-efficient and eco-friendly industrial processes. By integrating PLA into MIM, this research contributes to the development of greener engineering practices and highlights the viability of sustainable material solutions for industrial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Sustainability: Sustainable Materials and Green Engineering)
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18 pages, 7365 KiB  
Article
Kaolin Waste Applied as Support for Photocatalytic Materials
by Mariana Braz Maia, Jessica Luisa Alves do Nascimento, Adervando Sebastião da Silva and Ieda Maria Garcia dos Santos
Sustainability 2025, 17(4), 1605; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041605 - 15 Feb 2025
Viewed by 493
Abstract
Kaolin is a common mineral resource that is used commercially. However, when processed, it generates a large amount of waste, usually rich in kaolinite, mica and quartz, which gives rise to the need to manage and reuse these mineral residues, in agreement with [...] Read more.
Kaolin is a common mineral resource that is used commercially. However, when processed, it generates a large amount of waste, usually rich in kaolinite, mica and quartz, which gives rise to the need to manage and reuse these mineral residues, in agreement with the SDG 12/UN (ensuring sustainable consumption and production) requirements. Therefore, this work aims to explore how to add value to this residue via its use as a photocatalytic support for TiO2, while also meeting the SDG 6 (clean water and sanitization) requirements. After determination of its chemical and mineralogical composition, the residue underwent mineralogical separation, by mechanical stirring and sieving of its aqueous suspension. After separation, TiO2 was deposited on the quartz fraction of the residue by the modified-Pechini method, using different quartz proportions and at different calcination temperatures. For the deposition of TiO2 on the mica fraction, the conventional hydrothermal synthesis was used, with 20% of the mica. Each material was tested in a photohydroxilation of terephthalic acid under UV-C irradiation to evaluate the formation of hydroxyl radicals. The results of the photocatalytic tests demonstrated that quartz and mica are inert to photocatalysis but provide an interesting support for TiO2. The highest photocatalytic efficiency was obtained for the material synthesized at 600 °C with 20% of the quartz. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Sustainability: Sustainable Materials and Green Engineering)
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14 pages, 2788 KiB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of a Composite Prototype Battery Enclosure for Electric Vehicles
by Paolo De Sio, Marica Gaito, Vitantonio Esperto, Ersilia Cozzolino, Antonello Astarita and Fausto Tucci
Sustainability 2025, 17(4), 1579; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041579 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 737
Abstract
The use of lightweight components in automobiles started a new chapter in the automotive sector due to the renewable energy and sustainability increasing the overall efficiency of vehicles. As vehicle weight is directly linked to energy consumption, reducing mass through advanced materials can [...] Read more.
The use of lightweight components in automobiles started a new chapter in the automotive sector due to the renewable energy and sustainability increasing the overall efficiency of vehicles. As vehicle weight is directly linked to energy consumption, reducing mass through advanced materials can significantly decrease energy usage and emissions over the vehicle’s lifetime. This present study aims to conduct a preliminary life cycle assessment (LCA) of a prototype battery pack manufactured using pultruded composite materials with a volume fraction of 50% glass fibers and a volume fraction of 50% nylon 6 (PA6) matrix by quantifying the CO2 emissions and cumulative energy demand (CED) associated with each stage of the battery pack’s life cycle, encompassing production, usage, and end-of-life recycling. The results of the EuCia Eco Impact Calculator and from the literature reveal that the raw materials extraction and use phases are the most energy-intensive and contribute mainly to the environmental footprint of the battery pack. For a single battery pack for EV, the CED is 13,629.9 MJ, and the CO2 eq emissions during production are 1323.9 kg. These results highlight the need for innovations in material sourcing and design strategies to mitigate these impacts. Moreover, the variations in recycling methods were assessed using a sensitivity analysis to understand how they affect the overall environmental impact of the system. Specifically, shifting from mechanical recycling to pyrolysis results in an increase of 4% to 19% of the total CO2 emissions (kg CO2). Future goals include building a laboratory-scale model based on the prototype described in this paper to compare the environmental impacts considering equal mechanical properties with alternatives currently used in the automotive industry, such as aluminum and steel alloys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Sustainability: Sustainable Materials and Green Engineering)
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16 pages, 30094 KiB  
Article
Thermal Processing Effects on Biomass Ash Utilization for Ceramic Membrane Fabrication
by Heloísa Maria de Oliveira, Hélio de Lucena Lira and Lisiane Navarro de Lima Santana
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 979; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030979 - 25 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1037
Abstract
Biomass carbon-rich ash is proposed as a sustainable alternative in the production of ceramic materials. This study investigated this waste product, combined with kaolin and alumina for the production of ceramic membranes. The formulations were defined based on the Al2O3 [...] Read more.
Biomass carbon-rich ash is proposed as a sustainable alternative in the production of ceramic materials. This study investigated this waste product, combined with kaolin and alumina for the production of ceramic membranes. The formulations were defined based on the Al2O3-SiO2-MgO ternary diagram with 51 wt% biomass ash, 36 wt% kaolin, and 13 wt% alumina. The shaping of the green body samples was conducted by using the uniaxial pressing method at 40 MPa and sintering at temperatures ranging from 1050 to 1150 °C. Several properties, such as morphology, porosity, pore diameter, mechanical strength, and chemical resistance, were investigated. It was revealed that the increase in temperature occasioned decreased porosity and water absorption; conversely, it increased bulk density, pore size, diametrical shrinkage, and flexural strength. Moreover, the samples demonstrated minimal weight loss (<0.6 wt.%) in acidic and basic solutions. The samples with porosity ranging from 31.5% to 44.4%, pore size from 1.0 μm to 1.5 μm, and flexural resistance from 9.0 MPa to 21.0 MPa were tested for pure water flux at 1.0 bar and an enhanced flux at a higher temperature, attributed to increased pore size resulting from higher sintering temperatures, was observed. The best-performing sample was sintered at 1050 °C with an average flux of 1716.8 L.h−1.m−2. Also, according to TGA/DTA data, these membranes have greater stability. These membranes are suitable for the treatment of effluents and contribute to reducing environmental impact and increasing sustainability by promoting the efficient utilization of resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Sustainability: Sustainable Materials and Green Engineering)
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12 pages, 4079 KiB  
Article
Freeze-Casting of Mining Wastes for Developing Sustainable Self-Supporting Ceramic Membranes
by Deyse Celestte S. Pereira, Vanderlane C. Silva, Josenildo I. Santos Filho, Juliana M. Cartaxo, Ieda Maria G. Santos, Lisiane N. L. Santana, Gelmires A. Neves and Romualdo R. Menezes
Sustainability 2024, 16(24), 11227; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162411227 - 21 Dec 2024
Viewed by 819
Abstract
In this work, kaolin processing waste (KW) and columbite–tantalite waste (CTW) from mining activities were used to manufacture sustainable self-supporting ceramic membranes using the freeze-casting technique. The wastes were characterized, and formulations using only wastes were developed. Gelatin was used in the freeze-casting [...] Read more.
In this work, kaolin processing waste (KW) and columbite–tantalite waste (CTW) from mining activities were used to manufacture sustainable self-supporting ceramic membranes using the freeze-casting technique. The wastes were characterized, and formulations using only wastes were developed. Gelatin was used in the freeze-casting as a processing aid to avoid dendritic or lamellar pores. The membranes were sintered at different temperatures (1100 °C, 1200 °C and 1300 °C) and analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, flexural strength measurement, and mercury porosimetry. The flux through the membranes was measured using a gravity-driven dead-end filtration system. The membranes containing 80% KW and 20% CTW sintered at 1200 °C showed high porosity (59%), a water permeate flux of 126.5 L/hm2, and a mechanical strength of 1.5 MPa. Filtration tests demonstrated effective turbidity removal (>99%) for synthetic water consisting of tap water and bentonite, reaching 0.1 NTU. The use of mining waste has shown considerable promise for the development of sustainable and affordable membranes for water treatment applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Sustainability: Sustainable Materials and Green Engineering)
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