To date, the scientific research in the field of recycling of construction and demolition wastes was focused on the production of concrete, cements, and bricks. The attainment of these products was limited to the addition of suitable binder contents, such as lime or cement, compaction, and possibly heat treatment, without a concrete recycling method. In this paper, new cement materials consisting of 2.5 weight% composite and originating from construction and demolition waste powder, were prepared and investigated in view of applications in the construction industry as a substituent of cement. The materials with recycled powder from construction and demolition wastes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The XRD data indicate vitroceramic structures with varied crystalline phases. The NMR relaxometry data show four reservoirs of water associated with bounded water and with three types of pores in the composite construction material. The micro-Vickers hardness was measured to reflect the influence of composite nature in the local mechanical properties of the composite-cement for the mixture with Portland cement and (EC) expired cement.

The objective of this study was to determine the structural and textural description of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash that was subjected to a six-month seasoning process. Bottom ash samples, with a particle size fraction of 0.063–0.1 mm, were seasoned in a closed landfill and collected for laboratory analyses at monthly intervals. The research focused on determining the structural parameters, using methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and the textural parameters, using low-pressure nitrogen adsorption (LPNA) at −196.15 °C. The analyses of the porous structure of the bottom ash samples revealed differences in texture of ASH 1 to ASH 6, specifically in the pore volume (micro- and mesopores), specific surface area, and pore size distribution. Changes in the structural and porous characteristics of the samples were attributed to the duration of the seasoning process. The results of the structural analysis of the bottom ash suggest its application in the concrete industry, potentially enhancing the long-term mechanical strength of concrete. The results of the textural analysis indicate the possible use of MSWI bottom ash in environmental applications, as the internal surface area could be further developed.

Microscopic properties like network dynamics and phase compositions were studied for a series of commercially available cosmetics emulsions like hair shampoo, anti-UV shielding creams and hand and body creams. Proton longitudinal and transverse nuclear magnetic relaxations were measured by recording the 1D CPMG and 2D saturation recovery–CPMG echoes decays. The one and bi-dimensional inverse Laplace transformations reveals subtitle features which characterize the microscopic dynamic behaviour associated with the in vitro natural degradation of cosmetics. The IR and UV–VIS spectra were recorded and correlated with the NMR measurement.

The present study explores the transformation of waste packaging plastics high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene into combustible condensates through slow pyrolysis at low temperatures, using a custom-built reactor inspired by the Blest machine model. To characterize their structural properties, the original plastic materials, their pyrolysis derivatives, and three conventional liquid fossil fuels were examined using advanced techniques, including ¹ H relaxometry, double quantum nuclear magnetic resonance, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The resulting condensate oils, collected unfiltered, exhibited clear amber shades and demonstrated partially Newtonian fluid behavior. A comparative analysis of their calorific values with traditional fossil fuels revealed that HDPE and PS-derived oils possess viable fuel properties, although the production process remains costly.

Rubber materials undergo structural degradation that can lead to loss of functional performance. In this work, the effects of thermal ageing and uniaxial compression on segmental chain dynamics were investigated for cross-linked natural rubber samples (NR1–NR7) using unilateral NMR relaxometry. Transverse proton relaxation time ( T ₂ ) distributions were obtained by Fast Laplace Inversion of CPMG echo decays measured with a Bruker Minispec spectrometer coupled to a unilateral NMR-MOUSE ^® sensor. Samples were thermally aged at 90 °C for 24 h. Surface ageing was also induced using a 500 °C heat source at 10 cm distance, and the penetration depth of the thermal effect was estimated at ~ 0.6 mm. Results show that T ₂ -distributions depend strongly on cross-link density and ageing conditions. Two relaxation components, short (rigid) and long (mobile), were identified, with the long component showing higher sensitivity to structural changes. A correlation between relaxation parameters and shear modulus confirms the dependence of segmental dynamics on network rigidity. Under uniaxial compression, NR4 exhibited a linear dependence of both T ₂ components on pressure, with higher sensitivity than NR1. This correlates with lower mechanical stiffness and leads to failure of NR4 at ~ 3000 kgf/m², while NR1 remains intact up to 9000 kgf/m². These results demonstrate that unilateral NMR relaxometry is an effective non-destructive tool for probing polymer dynamics and evaluating thermal and mechanical degradation in elastomers, with relevance for material characterization and quality control.