Photocatalytic Activation of Dealuminated Zeolite through In Situ Formation of Defective Graphene.

Adsorbents such as zeolite are widely used for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) removal, but a practical challenge is the decrease in VOCs removal efficiency under humid environment by competitive adsorption between water vapor and VOCs, which requires frequent regeneration using external energy. A combination of zeolites with photocatalytic materials can address this issue by oxidizing adsorbed VOCs from the zeolite surface to CO gas under light irradiation. Herein, the in situ formation of photocatalytic active defect-rich graphene is presented on a commercial zeolite surface (ZSM-5) when properly dealuminated ZSM-5 is exposed to an acetaldehyde/humid air mixture under visible light.

Feasibility of saccharide-rich invasive seaweed biomass valorisation for levulinic acid and syngas production.

The production of levulinic acid from waste biomass through acid-catalysed hydrolysis is a promising approach, yet the management of the resulting residual biomass remains a challenge. This study introduced a cascading thermochemical valorisation system for producing platform chemicals (levulinic acid and syngas) from saccharide-rich invasive seaweed biomass. The acid-catalysed hydrolysis of saccharide-rich invasive seaweed biomass was performed to produce levulinic acid through a sequential pathway: hydrolysis of biomass, conversion of sugar compounds into intermediate chemicals, and subsequent rehydration of these intermediates into levulinic acid.

Enhancing sustainability in meat production through insect biorefinery.

Valuable feed crops and fossil fuel energy are used to produce animal meat. To become sustainable, meat production methods must adapt to include non-food substrates and renewable fossil-fuel alternatives. We evaluated the potential of protein livestock feed and biodiesel production through insect biorefining.

Sustainable management of medical plastic waste through carbon dioxide-assisted pyrolysis.

To address the challenges associated with medical plastic waste and to characterize its heterogeneity, non-recyclability, and potential biohazard risks, this study explored a carbon dioxide (CO)-assisted pyrolysis process as a sustainable disposal method. Medical plastic waste typically includes polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride. To experimentally evaluate the functional reactivity of CO, we employed three pyrolysis setups (one-stage, two-stage, and catalytic processes).

Reusable and Porous Skin Patches with Thermopneumatic Adhesion Control Capability and High Water Vapor Permeability.

We present a reusable and porous skin patch (RPS patch) capable of controlling adhesion force with a thermal-pneumatic method for repetitive use as well as improving moisture permeability for long-term use without skin troubles. Previous skin patches cause skin troubles due to high adhesion force (∼30 kPa) and low moisture permeability (∼382 g/m/day), hindering them from repeatable and long-term use. We control the skin adhesion force of the RPS patch using thermopneumatic pressure generated by an embedded heater on multiple chamber arrays.