Advanced Materials for Promoting Sustainability
1Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, India
2Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic
Advanced Materials for Promoting Sustainability
Description
There is no globally accepted definition for sustainable materials. Such materials improve process efficiency, reduce pollution and have minimal impact on health and the environment. There is a growing need for sustainable materials due to environmental concerns. The sectors responsible for the most environmental pollution are automobiles and aviation through emissions, home appliances such air conditioners and refrigerators through toxic cooling agents, and the electronics sector where end of life components make a huge impact on the environment.
However, these environmental impacts can be reduced with the help of advanced alternate materials. Replacing conventional dense materials with lightweight alloys or composites with a higher strength-to-weight ratio and enhanced functional properties can lead to reduction in vehicle emissions. Additionally, utilizing advanced nanomaterials in lubricants/coolants will improve the engine efficiency thus reducing pollution and lowering fuel consumption. Developing composites with end-of-life products/industrial waste is also a better methodology to reduce environmental pollution. Most importantly, utilizing green synthesis procedures for advanced materials development instead of conventional synthesis that involves toxic chemicals is also a promising solution towards sustainability. Hence, developing lightweight materials, utilizing green procedures, utilizing waste materials, and applying advanced materials in suitable applications in an effective manner will promote sustainability.
This Special Issue aims to present recent progress in sustainable materials that include lightweight composites, green materials, green synthesis approaches, etc. We welcome both original research and review articles that showcase achievements and developments so far and provide future guidance for developments in sustainable materials.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Lightweight alloys and composites
- Green synthesis of materials
- Green inhibitors for corrosion applications
- Reutilization of industrial and biowaste in composite development
- Reutilization of industrial and biowaste in building engineering
- Advanced materials for renewable energy harvesting and storage
- Natural fibre composites
- Biobased polymer composites synthesis
- Recycling of composites
- Materials for waste treatment
- Life cycle assessment and sustainability analysis of materials
- Challenges in sustainable material processing
- Research related to sustainable material – industrial problems and solutions