The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a heavy expansion of plastic pollution due to the extensive use of personal protective equipment (PPE) worldwide. To avoid problems related to the entrance of these wastes into the environment, proper management of the disposal is required. Here, the steam gasification/pyrolysis technique offers a reliable solution for the utilization of such wastes via chemical recycling into value-added products. The aim was to estimate the effect of thermo-chemical conversion temperature and steam-to-carbon ratio on the distribution of gaseous products obtained during non-catalytic steam gasification of 3-ply face masks and KN95 respirators in a fluidized bed reactor. Experimental results have revealed that the process temperature has a major influence on the composition of gases evolved. The production of syngas was significantly induced by temperature elevation from 700 °C to 800 °C. The highest molar concentration of H₂ gases synthesized from both types of face masks was estimated at 800 °C with the steam-to-carbon ratio varying from 0 to 2. A similar trend of production was also determined for CO gases. Therefore, investigated thermochemical conversion process is a feasible route for the conversion of used face masks to valuable a product such as syngas.

Electrical power generation by means of electrochemical systems utilizing wastewaters is a global energy challenge tackling technique for which a creation of novel eco-friendly electrode materials is in high relevance. For this purpose a Rhodophyta algae derived activated biochar anode bound with a flaxseeds mucilage binder (5, 10, 20, 30 wt.%) was formed and characterized by thermogravimetric, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis as well as conductivity and mechanical resistance determination. Activation technique with KOH prior to carbonization at 800 °C of algae was employed to obtain biocarbon with a large surface area. The highest specific surface area of 1298.49 m²/g was obtained with the binder-free sample and had a tendency to decrease with the increase of the binder content. It was estimated that biochar anodes are thermally stable at the temperature of up to 200 °C regardless of binder concentration. The concentration of the binder on the other hand had a significant influence in anodes mechanical resistance and electrical conductance: anode with 30 wt.% of the binder had the highest compressive strength equal to 104 bar; however, the highest conductivity was estimated in anode with 5 wt.% of the binder equal to 58 S/m. It is concluded that anode with 10 wt.% mucilage binder has the optimal properties necessary in MFC utilization.

Incineration remains Europe’s main practice for plastic packaging waste treatment, primarily due to the limitations of mechanical recycling technology. Consequently, research and development of more sustainable and flexible approaches are of high importance. Thermochemical conversion of polypropylene, polystyrene, and municipal plastic packaging mix via high-temperature flash pyrolysis (1000 °C/s) is studied in this research, focusing on the kinetics and yields of the devolatilisation stage. The primary stage results in the formation of volatile organic compounds considered intermediate products for carbon black production. The experiments were conducted in a pressurised wire mesh reactor, investigating the influence of temperature (600–1200 °C), residence time (0.5–10 s), and pressure (1–25 bar). The positive effect of temperature on the volatile yield was observed up to 2–5 s. The devolatilisation stage was completed within a maximum of 5 s at temperatures ranging from 800 to 1200 °C. The pressure was determined to be a kinetically limiting factor of the process to up to 800 °C, and the effect was not present at ≥1000 °C. Raman spectroscopy measurements revealed that pyrolytic carbon deposited on the post-experimental meshes is structurally similar to the industrially produced carbon black. The kinetic data and developed model can be further applied in the upscale reactor design.

In order to implement timely sustainability solutions, road transportation is gradually transitioning to electric power. However, the maritime sector faces challenges in finding ways to shift towards more sustainable fuel. From the perspective of long-distance shipping, electric transport is economically impractical. Therefore, alternative solutions or proposals contributing to the global reduction of pollutant gas emissions in maritime transport are vitally important. This investigation aims to find solutions that enhance the ecological efficiency of intercontinental cargo ships. In this study, an assessment of a magnesium hydride coating was conducted as it is a prospective coating capable of reducing hydrodynamic resistance to save fuel. Due to MgH₂’s ability to release hydrogen at higher temperatures or during a reaction with water, it is expected that this could contribute to an enhancement of the Leidenfrost effect, maintaining a vapor layer on the surface. Samples prepared in situ via reactive magnetron sputtering were submitted to thermal analysis for dehydrogenation range evaluation and the experimental rig for critical (Leidenfrost) temperature identification. In conclusion, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis indicated that the volatile content, primarily hydrogen, in the sample reached approximately 13% by mass. The TG curve exhibited variations in MgH₂ mass, with the most significant mass loss occurring at 300 °C. After conducting critical temperature experiments, the potential of MgO coating was observed to be greater than anticipated when compared to the main material, MgH₂.