The paper summarizes current data on ceramic zirconia-graphene composites. Basic types of graphene-containing additives and the main approaches for composite synthesis are considered. The effect of the additive type and synthesis procedure on the composite structure, mechanical (microhardness and crack resistivity) and electrical (conductivity at room and at elevated temperature) properties of the material is discussed.

The development of novel proton-conducting membrane materials for electrochemical power units, i.e., low temperature fuel cells (FCs), efficiently working up to 300 °C, is a critical problem related to the rapid shift to hydrogen energy. Polyantimonic acid (PAA) is characterized by high conductivity, sufficient thermal stability and can be regarded as a prospective proton-conducting material. However, the fabrication of bulk PAA-based membranes with high proton conductivity remains a challenging task. In the present work, for the first time, the authors report the investigation on proton conductivity of bulk PAA-based membranes in the temperature range 25–250 °C, both in dry air and in moisturized air. Using PAA powder and fluoroplastic as a binder, fully dense cylindrical membranes were formed by cold uniaxial pressing. The structures of the PAA-based membranes were investigated by SEM, EDX, XRD and Raman techniques. STA coupled with in situ thermo-XRD analysis revealed that the obtained membranes corresponded with Sb₂O₅·3H₂O with pyrochlore structure, and that no phase transitions took place up to 330 °C. PAA-based membranes possess a high-grain component of conductivity, 5 × 10⁻² S/cm. Grain boundary conductivities of 90PAA and 80PAA membranes increase with relative humidity content and their values change non-linearly in the range 25–250 °C.

DLP and DIW were successfully employed for 3D printing of stable and active C ₃ N ₄ -based structures subsequently tested for their photo- and piezoelectric properties as well as electrochemical sensing.

Disposable plastic face masks (DPFMs), widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, have raised environmental concerns due to their improper disposal accompanied by unknown environmental degradation. This study adopts a dual approach to assess both the material degradation and the pollutant release of DPFMs subjected to long-term ultraviolet (UV-B) aging in water, simulating environmental exposure for up to one year. Physicochemical changes were monitored using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical testing, water contact angle measurements, and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Leachates were analyzed by non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC), Py-GC/MS, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The degradation of the DPFM layers was evidenced by structural weakening, a 2.46 % mass loss, and an increase in carbon release (NPOC up to 50 mg C/L). SEM and AFM confirmed the formation and release of micro- and nanoplastics, while Py-GC/MS identified oxidized polypropylene fragments in leachates. Metals such as barium (67.2 µg/L), zinc (14.1 µg/L), and copper (3.2 µg/L) were detected for the one-year testing. By combining material-level degradation analysis alongside leachate characterization, this work provides a comprehensive view of the environmental behavior of aged DPFMs. The overall findings highlight the potential of DPFMs to act as long-term sources of polymeric particles and chemical contaminants, underscoring the need for ameliorated waste management and further ecotoxicological assessment.