The research presented in this manuscript is focused on the pyrolysis of waste pharmaceutical blisters, which are a large and neglected group of waste, that could be possibly recovered. The studies were focused on the analysis of the chemical composition, as well as fuel properties of the char generated during the process and its possible applications. The process temperatures (400, 425, and 450 °C) were determined based on the thermogravimetric study that was performed prior to the pyrolysis tests. The selected materials included the pre- and post-consumer waste pharmaceutical blisters in order to determine the possible influence of impurities on the final products. The tests were performed on a laboratory scale fixed bed reactor. The obtained solid fractions (metal and char) were separated. Char was subjected to elemental analysis (C, H, N, Cl, S), as well as the heat of combustion and fuel-related properties (content of flammable, non-flammable, and volatile components) were determined. The results were used to compare the properties of char to the properties of active carbon. The market potential was analyzed.

This study investigated the effect of adding superhard ReB2 to atmospheric plasma sprayed (APS) coatings based on 60 wt% Al2O3 and 40 wt% ZrO2. The amorphous phases commonly present in such coatings are known to impair their performance. ReB2 was introduced as a crystallization nucleus due to its high melting point. ReB2 decomposes in the presence of moisture and oxygen into H3BO3, ReO3, HBO2, and HReO4. ReB2 was encapsulated with Al2O3 via metallothermic synthesis to improve moisture stability, yielding a powder with d90 = 15.1 μm. After milling, it was added at 20 wt% to the Al2O3-ZrO2 feedstock. Agglomeration parameters were optimized, and coatings were deposited under varying APS conditions onto 316L steel substrates with a NiAl bond coat. In the coating with the highest ReB2 content, the identified phases included ReB2 (2.6 wt%), Re (0.8 wt%), α-Al2O3 (30.9 wt%), η-Al2O3 (32.4 wt%), and monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO2. The nanohardness of the coating, measured using a Vickers indenter at 96 mN and calculated via the Oliver–Pharr method, was 9.2 ± 1.0 GPa. High abrasion resistance was obtained for the coating with a higher content of η-Al2O3 (48.7 wt%). The coefficient of friction, determined using a ball-on-disc test with a corundum ball, was 0.798 ± 0.03. After 15 months, the formation of (H3O)(ReO4) was observed, suggesting initial moisture-induced changes. The results confirm that Al2O3-encapsulated ReB2 can enhance phase stability and crystallinity in APS coatings.

Implementation of novel antiviral coatings and textiles, which can be utilised in the production of personal protective equipment, has the potential to enhance public health security against future pandemic outbreaks. Respiratory viruses, particularly SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, have emerged as a major global concern due to their rapid transmission and high mortality rates, leading to nearly seven million deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2025. This statistic underscores the necessity for the development and implementation of advanced antiviral materials to prevent viral infections. This research focused on the in vitro evaluation of the antiviral properties of three antibacterial compounds containing silver (Ag) that were functionalized with coatings. We assessed onsite synthesised Ag powder in comparison to commercially available antibacterial additives, which included nanosilver on colloidal silica (AgSiO₂) and silver sodium hydrogen zirconium phosphate (AgNaOPZr), as potential antiviral agents in coatings against human coronavirus (HCoV). Antiviral assessments revealed that coatings containing Ag at higher concentrations (2.5 and 5%) exhibited limited antiviral effectiveness, with a titer reduction in log < 2. In contrast, the functionalization of AgSiO₂ on coatings significantly suppressed viral replication resulting in a notable reduction in virus titer of log ≥ 2 for all tested concentrations.

The primary goal of this study was to comprehensively characterize the microstructure of refractory powder materials, particularly molybdenum (Mo) and molybdenum-rhenium (Mo-Re), in both non-spherical and spherical forms. The characterization was carried out with the use of advanced techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and nanohardness testing. This combination of analysis techniques provided a multi-scale understanding of the microstructural evolution and elemental distribution within the powders. Mo-Re powders were synthesized through powder metallurgy processes, while the spherical powders were produced with the use of the plasma spheroidization technique. Detailed analyses were conducted on the surface of powders, its cross-sections and thin foils. Spherical powders exhibited significant morphological changes, with evidence of rhenium diffusion within the molybdenum grain structure. This study provides detailed microstructural analysis of Mo-Re powders synthesized via plasma spheroidization, highlighting the role of rhenium in enhancing grain stability. The observed morphological changes in the spherical powders are indicative of enhanced material properties, which may influence their performance in critical applications. These findings provide valuable insights into the material properties, which may be crucial for demanding applications in high-temperature and high-stress environments, such as aerospace.