Materials Science

Infections associated with medical devices are a serious global issue, affecting millions of patients and increasing healthcare costs . These infections are primarily due to the formation of biofilms on the surfaces of devices such as catheters and implants, which act as protective barriers against antimicrobial treatments and compromise device functionality. Additionally, infections in indwelling devices contribute to environmental pollution due to the frequent need for replacements, further increasing the burden on healthcare system.

The presented work on the synthesis and functionalization of mesoporous carbon, as well as the preparation of anodic catalysts for direct ethanol fuel cells, has an essential connection with the principles of green chemistry. The synthesis of mesoporous carbon from a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin represents a sustainable approach, as it enables the design of materials with specific properties through controlled processes that maximize the use of available resources.

Graphitic carbon nitride is a semiconducting material of a graphite-like 2D layered structure. It is well known for its photocatalytic properties, which can be exploited for solar-light-driven water splitting and degradation of organic pollutants. Here, we report its capabilities of catalyzing the reduction of the azo bond by hydrazine to two amines under visible light. This photocatalytic reaction provides a novel, appealing way to reduce azo dye wastes as pollutants other than degradation.

Polymeric membranes have gained considerable interest in both the scientific and industrial communities due to their wide range of applications. This technology has emerged as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for gas separation. A polymeric material for gas separation applications must exhibit high permeability and selectivity for one of the components in the mixture. Therefore, the development of new materials with high performance in gas separation involves finding a balance between these two parameters.