Mussel inspired bacterial denitrification of water using fractal patterns of polydopamine

Lithium bioleaching: An emerging approach for the recovery of Li from spent lithium ion batteries

The rapidly growing demand for lithium has resulted in a sharp increase in its price. This is due to the ubiquitous use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in large-scale energy and transportation sectors as well as portable devices. Recycling of the LIBs for being the supply of critical metals hence becomes environmentally and economically viable. The presently used approaches for the recovery of spent LIBs like pyrometallurgical process can effectively recover nickel, cobalt, and copper, while lithium is usually lost in slag. Bioleaching process as an alternative method of extraction and recovery of valuable metals from the primary and secondary resources has been attracting a large pool of attraction. This method can provide higher recovery yield even for low concentration of metals which makes it viable among conventional methods. The bioleaching process can work with lower operating cost and consumed water and energy along with a simple condition, which produces less hazardous by-products ultimately. Here, we comprehensively review the biological and chemical mechanisms of the bioleaching process with a conclusive discussion to help how to extend the use of bioleaching for lithium extraction and recovery from the spent LIBs with a focus on recovery yields improvement. We elaborate on the three main types of the reported bioleaching with considering effective parameters including temperature, initial pH, pulp density, aeration, and medium and cell nutrients to sustain microorganism activity. Finally, practical challenges and future opportunities of lithium are discussed to inspire future research trends and pilot studies to realize the full potential of lithium recovery using sustainable bioleaching processes to extend a clean energy future.

Highly Stretchable and Flexible Melt Spun Thermoplastic Conductive Yarns for Smart Textiles

This study demonstrates a scalable fabrication process for producing biodegradable, highly stretchable and wearable melt spun thermoplastic polypropylene (PP), poly(lactic) acid (PLA), and composite (PP:PLA = 50:50) conductive yarns through a dip coating process. Polydopamine (PDA) treated and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) coated conductive PP, PLA, and PP/PLA yarns generated electric conductivity of 0.75 S/cm, 0.36 S/cm and 0.67 S/cm respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the interactions among the functional groups of PP, PLA, PP/PLA, PDA, and PEDOT:PSS. The surface morphology of thermoplastic yarns was characterized by optical microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The mechanical properties of yarns were also assessed, which include tensile strength (TS), Young’s modulus and elongation at break (%). These highly stretchable and flexible conductive PP, PLA, and PP/PLA yarns showed elasticity of 667%, 121% and 315% respectively. The thermal behavior of yarns was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Wash stability of conductive yarns was also measured. Furthermore, ageing effect was determined to predict the shelf life of the conductive yarns. We believe that these highly stretchable and flexible PEDOT:PSS coated conductive PP, PLA, and PP/PLA composite yarns fabricated by this process can be integrated into textiles for strain sensing to monitor the tiny movement of human motion.