Hydrogen-based technologies are among the most promising solutions to fulfill the zero-emission scenario and ensure the energy independence of many countries. Hydrogen is considered a green energy carrier, which can be utilized in the energy, transport, and chemical sectors. However, efficient and safe large-scale hydrogen storage is still challenging. The most frequently used hydrogen storage solutions in industry, i.e., compression and liquefaction, are highly energy-consuming. Underground hydrogen storage is considered the most economical and safe option for large-scale utilization at various time scales. Among underground geological formations, salt caverns are the most promising for hydrogen storage, due to their suitable physicochemical and mechanical properties that ensure safe and efficient storage even at high pressures. In this paper, recent advances in underground storage with a particular emphasis on salt cavern utilization in Europe are presented. The initial experience in hydrogen storage in underground reservoirs was discussed, and the potential for worldwide commercialization of this technology was analyzed. In Poland, salt deposits from the north-west and central regions (e.g., Rogóźno, Damasławek, Łeba) are considered possible formations for hydrogen storage. The Gubin area is also promising, where 25 salt caverns with a total capacity of 1600 million Nm³ can be constructed.

The paper presents the preparation of new adsorbents based on silica gel (SiO₂) impregnated with deep eutectic solvents (DESs) to increase benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and p-xylene (BTEX) adsorption efficiency from gas streams. The DESs were synthesized by means of choline chloride, tetrapropylammonium bromide, levulinic acid, lactic acid, and phenol. The physico-chemical properties of new sorbent materials, including surface morphology and structures, as well as porosity, were studied by means of thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. The effect of DESs type, flow rate, and initial concentration of BTEX were also investigated followed by regeneration and reusability of adsorbents. The results indicate that SiO₂ impregnated with tetrapropylammonium bromide and lactic acid in a 1:2 molar ratio have great potential for the removal of BTEX from gas streams. Its adsorption capacity was higher than the pure SiO₂ and other developed SiO₂-DES adsorbents. This result can be explained by the specific interaction between DESs and BTEX, i.e., hydrogen bonds interaction.

The paper presents experimental investigations of the concrete covers’ protective ability to counteract rebar corrosion in reinforced concrete cubes. The concrete sample was subjected to a chloride-induced environment to get corroded and combined with an un-corroded sample. The chloride-accelerated technique can induce a high degree of corrosion within a controlled time. Moreover, detailed and thorough experimental measurements and analyses of reinforcement loss due to corrosion and its influence on concrete microstructure, were studied through 3D X-ray micro-computed tomography. The rebar outside the concrete was heavily corroded due to the chloride-accelerated test, whereas, only local surface corrosion products appeared inside the concrete. It turned out that the concrete cover showed protective ability to counteract the reinforcing-steel corrosion mechanism despite the accelerated corrosion environment. Moreover, the bond strength between the reinforcement rebar and concrete was not visibly affected since the failure force in the pull-out test and failure mechanisms, observed by 3D X-ray micro-CT, were similar for corroded and un-corroded samples. The failure occurred due to radial cracks with a maximum width equal to approximately 0.25 mm.

The synthesis and ion-binding properties of a new amide L derived from 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid are described. Due to the presence of a catechol unit, the compound interacts selectively with iron(III) in organic solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO) to produce a color change from pale yellow to green. The incorporation of the ligand L into polymeric matrices or its encapsulation into surfactant-based spheres enables analyte detection in aqueous solutions. The influence of the ligand environment (i.e. organic solvent, polymeric membrane or micelle) on the properties of the sensing materials is analyzed and the sensors are compared.