The energy sector is one of the fields of interest for different nations around the world. Due to the current fossil fuel crisis, the scientific community develops new energy-saving experiences to address this concern. Buildings are one of the elements of higher energy consumption, so the generation of knowledge and technological development may offer solutions to this energy demand, which are more than welcome. Phase change materials (PCMs) included in building elements such as wall panels, blocks, panels or coatings, for heating and cooling applications have been shown, when heating, to increase the heat storage capacity by absorbing heat as latent heat. Therefore, the use of latent heat storage systems using phase change materials (PCMs) has been investigated within the last two decades. In the present review, the macro and micro encapsulation methods for construction materials are reviewed, the former being the most viable method of inclusion of PCMs in construction elements. In addition, based on the analysis of the existing papers on the encapsulation process of PCMs, the importance to pay more attention to the bio-based PCMs is shown, since more research is needed to process such PCMs. To determine its thermophysical and mechanical behavior at the micro and macro levels, in order to see the feasibility of substituting petroleum-based PCMs with a more environmentally friendly bio-based one, a section devoted to the excellent PCM with lightweight aggregate (PCM-LWA concrete) is presented due to the lack of description given in other reviews.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) provides a significantly eco-friendly and low-impact counterpart to conventional chemical methods. In the present study, we synthesized gold nanoparticles using Schinus molle (P-AuNPs) aqueous extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The obtained nanoparticles were then stabilized by another biocompatible agent, the chiral amino acids L-cysteine (L-Cys-AuNPs) and D-cysteine (D-Cys-AuNPs), to estimate the potential of the surface modification for enhancing AuNPs surface chemistry and antimicrobial action. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and circular dichroism to validate their formation, crystalline structure, surface properties, and chirality. Physicochemical characterization confirmed the formation of crystalline AuNPs with size and morphology modulated by chiral functionalization. TEM and DLS analyses showed that L-cysteine-functionalized AuNPs were smaller and more uniform, while FTIR and circular dichroism spectroscopy confirmed surface binding and the induction of optical activity, respectively. L-Cys-AuNPs exhibited the highest antimicrobial efficacy against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and, notably, Candida albicans. L-Cys-AuNPs showed the lowest MIC and MBC values, highlighting the synergistic effect of chirality on biological performance. These findings suggest that L-cysteine surface engineering significantly enhances the therapeutic potential of AuNPs, particularly in combating drug-resistant fungal pathogens such as C. albicans. This research paves the way for the development of next-generation antimicrobial agents, reinforcing the relevance of green nanotechnology in the field of materials science and nanotechnology.

This paper presents a theoretical and practical analysis of the application of the thermoeconomic method. A furnace for heating air is evaluated using the methodology. The furnace works with solar energy, received from a parabolic trough collector and with electricity supplied by an electric power utility. The methodology evaluates the process by the first and second law of thermodynamics as the first step then the cost analysis is applied for getting the thermoeconomic cost. For this study, the climatic conditions of the city of Queretaro (Mexico) are considered. Two periods were taken into account: from July 2006 to June 2007 and on 6 January 2011. The prototype, located at CICATA-IPN, Qro, was analyzed in two different scenarios i.e., with 100% of electricity and 100% of solar energy. The results showed that thermoeconomic costs for the heating process with electricity, inside the chamber, are less than those using solar heating. This may be ascribed to the high cost of the materials, fittings, and manufacturing of the solar equipment. Also, the influence of the mass flow, aperture area, length and diameter of the receiver of the solar prototype is a parameter for increasing the efficiency of the prototype in addition to the price of manufacturing. The optimum design parameters are: length is 3 to 5 m, mass flow rate is 0.03 kg/s, diameter of the receiver is around 10 to 30 mm and aperture area is 3 m².

Ingeniería Investigación y Tecnología es una publicación trimestral, arbitrada, de investigación científica y tecnológica editada e impresa por la Facultad de Ingeniería de la UNAM. Su propósito es difundir información y conocimientos originales e inéditos relacionados con la ingeniería. Es un espacio para profesores, investigadores, profesionales y estudiantes de todo el mundo.

In this paper, an evaluation of the performance and operating parameters of a hybrid compression/absorption chiller coupled with a low-capacity solar concentrator is presented. The study was carried out using energy and mass balances applied to each component of each system. The variables evaluated in the hybrid chiller were the cooling power, the supply power, the Coefficient of Performance (COP) of both cooling systems and the ratio between heat and power. The diameter and temperature of the hot spot as well as the performance of the dish collector were evaluated. The changed parameters were the heat removed by each refrigeration system, the condenser temperature, the evaporator temperature, the concentration ratio and the irradiance. Results have shown that the compression system can produce up to 53% more cooling power than the heat supplied to the hybrid system. Meanwhile, the absorption system produces approximately 20% less cooling power than the supplied heat. It has also been found that, for the cooling power produced by the hybrid cooler to be always greater than the heat supplied, the cooling power provided by the absorption system should preferably be between 20% and 60% of the total, with a Stirling engine efficiency between 0.2 and 0.3 and a condensation temperature from 28 to 37 °C. Likewise, it has been found that the compression system can produce cooling power up to 3 times higher than the heat of the Stirling engine hot source, with T_h = 200 °C and η_s = 0.3. Finally, it has been found that, in a low-capacity solar concentrator, on a typical day in Mexico City, temperatures in the hot spot between 200 and 400 °C can be reached with measured irradiance values from 200 to 1200 W/m².

The setting and hardening of cement paste can be taken as the progressive hydration reaction of cement. This paper reports the findings on setting time of cement paste at early hydration by using a novel method named relative electrical impedance (REI). The novel REI method measures the relative electrical impedance between electrodes (ring shaped) embedded in the cement paste. REI measurements were conducted on cement paste samples with a water-cement ratio of 1:2 over 24 hours. REI measurements were compared with VICAT and heat latent methods for indirect validation. It was found that the proposed REI technique determined the 4 periods of the setting time process (sleeping, hydration, deceleration, and diffusion) and allowed the measurement of the sleeping period in detail. It was concluded that the novel REI method could be used as a new method to measure the setting time of cement paste in early hydration.