Background Excess sulfur poses challenges in storage and management, contaminating soil and water, disrupting ecosystems, and hindering plant growth. Burning sulfur releases sulfur dioxide, a major air pollutant contributing to acid rain and respiratory issues. Therefore, managing excess sulfur involves finding sustainable uses to reduce its environmental...

Background Cement plays a vital role in the stabilization and enhancement of civil infrastructure performance, including foundations, pavement layers, bridges, pipelines, and dams. Its curing process, driven by water through cement hydration, is essential for developing concrete's strength and durability. However, in cold climates, the inherent...

Background Removal and immobilization of metal leachates from various compounds (industrial waste, mine tailings, waste engine oil, etc.) used in construction and the built environment is critical. Specifically, the use of mine tailing in construction of roadway base and sub-base could lead to leaching of metals to surface and ground water. In response...

Background According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), volatile organic compounds (VOC) are compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants. These VOCs break down and harm the atmosphere,...

Background Air pollution causes more than 6.5 million premature deaths globally, due to the significant adverse health effects particularly on children, the elderly, and communities with low socioeconomic status. There are many different sources of air pollution including vehicle emissions, natural gas for heating, by-products of manufacturing, and...

Background Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a commodity plastic that is used in many types of single-use applications (e.g., to-go containers, food packaging, water bottles). The accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and in the environment is fueling a greater push to advance polymer recycling technology. Chemically recycling plastics to...

Background Currently, the most common method of synthesizing of carbon fiber (CF) is by utilizing polyacrylonitrile (PAN). Although this is a very effective way of obtaining CF, this method requires a lot of energy and is expensive. There is currently a need for methods of synthesizing CF that provide safer, cheaper, and more energy efficient alternatives...

Background Recent research in the asphalt industry has focused on promoting sustainability through reducing mixing and compaction temperatures. Sulfur-extended asphalt has been studied extensively for this purpose because of the reduction in price of asphalt concrete that sulfur offers, as well as reducing the mixing and compaction temperatures. However,...

Background U.S. wood-constructed housing stock accounts for 750 million tons of sequestered carbon and can reduce CO2 emissions by replacing energy intensive materials including cement and steel. Currently popular manufactured woods such as oriented strand board (OSB) and cross laminated timber (CLT) have low durability and require adhesives that are...

Background In the manufacturing and construction industries, silica-based filters are commonly used to enhance performance of various materials. These silica-based filters are mostly hydrophobic in order to enhance dispersion and compatibility with surrounding constituents of the matrix, including organosilane or silsesquioxane. Hydrophobic silica...