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Alternative eco-friendly and sustainable construction methods are being developed to address growing infrastructure demands, which is a promising field of study. The development of substitute concrete binders is required to alleviate the environmental consequences of Portland cement. Geopolymers are very promising low-carbon, cement-free composite materials with superior mechanical and serviceability properties, compared to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) based construction materials. These quasi-brittle inorganic composites, which employ an “alkali activating solution” as a binder agent and industrial waste with greater alumina and silica content as its base material, can have their ductility enhanced by utilising the proper reinforcing elements, ideally “fibres”. By analysing prior investigations, this paper explains and shows that Fibre Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete (FRGPC) possesses excellent thermal stability, low weight, and decreased shrinking properties. Thus, it is strongly predicted that fibre-reinforced geopolymers will innovate quickly. This research also discusses the history of FRGPC and its fresh and hardened properties. Lightweight Geopolymer Concrete (GPC) absorption of moisture content and thermomechanical properties formed from Fly ash (FA), Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), and Sodium Silicate (Na2SiO3) solutions, as well as fibres, are evaluated experimentally and discussed. Additionally, extending fibre measures become advantageous by enhancing the instance’s long-term shrinking performance. Compared to non-fibrous composites, adding more fibre to the composite often strengthens its mechanical properties. The outcome of this review study demonstrates the mechanical features of FRGPC, including density, compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength, as well as its microstructural properties.

Curing is essential for enhancing the durability and strength of concrete. Researchers found that a lack of conventional curing in earlier days leads to a loss of economy over the years after construction finishes. Self-curing concrete is a contemporary type of concrete that holds water, prevents loss of moisture from the surface, and facilitates self-curing. The existing chemical admixture for self-curing, polyethylene glycol (PEG), is expensive. Hence, in this research, bio admixtures such as Aloe barbadensis miller and Musa x paradisiaca were tried as self-curing agents and compared with the performance of PEG. The functional groups of such bio admixtures match with those of PEG. The results show that the fresh and hardened properties of M30 concrete are better than the conventionally cured concrete and PEG added to concrete. The optimized percentages of admixtures are 0.25% for Aloe barbadensis miller, 1% for Musa x paradisiacal, and 0.5% for PEG, improving the compressive strength by 23.3%, 1.7%, and 4.5%, respectively. Similarly, split tensile and flexural strength have been enhanced up to 4.24 MPa and 15.05 MPa for Aloe barbadensis miller, and 3.82 MPa and 13.65 MPa for Musa x paradisiacal. The characterization studies’, such as XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscope), and EDX (energy dispersion analysis), results show the early formation of hydrated products, such as CSH and CH, after 7 days of curing with an optimized mix. Of the two plant extracts, Aloe barbadensis miller performed better than Musa x paradisiacal and water-cured concrete.

Recently, there is an interesting discussion that has transpired around the world about the usage of plant extracts as corrosion inhibitors. We report that to control corrosion in mild steel (MS) specimens in a 1M HCl medium, Trochodendron aralioides (T. aralioides) extract was used as an economical green corrosion inhibitor. The various tests, namely, potentiodynamic polarization, weight loss measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed to analyze the inhibition efficiency (IE) of the extract. The highest IE value of 96.42% was seen at 250 ppm, with the IE% increasing as the extract concentration increased. Potentiodynamic polarization suggests that T. aralioides plant extract acts as a mixed-type inhibitor. UV–visible (UV–Vis) and FT-IR spectroscopy were performed with the inhibitor to study the adsorption mechanism and surface analysis of the specimen, respectively. The results revealed that plant extracts form a protective film on the surface of the specimens, increasing inhibition and thereby reducing corrosion. Surface morphological studies such as AFM, EDX and SEM tests were performed in the presence and absence of the inhibitor with the results being analyzed by observing the surface of the metal.

Global agricultural challenges, especially soil degradation caused by abiotic stresses, significantly reduce crop productivity and require innovative solutions. Biochar (BC), a biodegradable product derived from agricultural and forestry residues, has been proven to significantly enhance soil quality. Although its benefits for improving soil properties are well-documented, the potential of BC to mitigate various abiotic stresses-such as drought, salinity, and heavy metal toxicity-and its effect on plant traits need further exploration. This review aims to elucidate BC production by highlighting primary feedstock’s and synthesis techniques, and examining its role in boosting soil decomposition efficiency and fertility, which are pivotal for sustainable crop growth. This review also discuss how BC can enhance the nutritional and chemical properties of soil under different abiotic stress conditions, emphasizing its capacity to foster crop growth and development in adverse environments. Furthermore, this article serves as a comprehensive resource for agricultural researchers in understanding the importance of BC in promoting sustainable agriculture, and addressing environmental challenges. Ultimately, this review highlights critical knowledge gaps and proposes future research avenues on the bio-protective properties of BC against various abiotic stresses, paving the way for the commercialization of BC applications on a large scale with cutting-edge technologies.

Energy efficiency is critical for achieving building sustainability because it means that fewer resources are consumed. In this context, the advancement of phase-changing materials has attracted attention with regard to the integration and management of energy efficiency in construction projects. Buildings consume 40% of the global energy output annually, accounting for one-third of the global greenhouse gas emissions. For hot weather-prone construction, PCMs should have a melting temperature of 25–50 °C. For more than 30 years, researchers worldwide have experimented with PCMs at various temperatures, but few studies have been conducted in hot or harsh environments. According to recent studies, the amount of PCMs in construction materials has been limited to 20%, and exceeding this ratio was shown to significantly affect the compressive strength of concrete specimens. In this study, various phase-changing concrete materials were investigated to reduce the thermal energy consumption of buildings. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art phase change materials for constructing thermal energy storage building materials. It also includes a brief review of the most recent developments in phase change technologies and their encapsulation techniques based on thermophysical properties. Implementing PCM technology in buildings will also maintain good indoor air quality. These materials are widely used in various real-time applications to significantly enhance thermal comfort in buildings.

Soybeans are low in saturated fat and a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, and isoflavone; however, their nutritional shelf life is yet to be established. This study evaluated the change in the stability and quality of fatty acids in raw and roasted soybean flour under different storage temperatures and durations. In both types of soybean flour, the fatty-acid content was the highest in the order of linoleic acid (18-carbon chain with two double bonds; C18:2), oleic acid (C18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0), linolenic acid (18:3), and stearic acid (C18:0), which represented 47%, 26%, 12%, 9%, and 4% of the total fatty-acid content, respectively. The major unsaturated fatty acids of raw soybean flour—oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid—decreased by 30.0%, 94.4%, and 97.7%, and 38.0%, 94.8%, and 98.0% when stored in polyethylene and polypropylene film, respectively, after 48 weeks of storage under high-temperature conditions. These values were later increased due to hydrolysis. This study presents the changes in composition and content of two soybean flour types and the changes in quality and stability of fatty acids in response to storage temperature and duration. This study shows the influence of storage conditions and temperature on the nutritional quality which is least affected by packing material.

A mixture of hydraulic lime and pozzolanic material can be used as a binder in making concrete and mortar for energy-efficient construction purposes. Generally, lime possesses lower strength and higher setting time. By introducing pozzolans in the lime mortar, their cementitious properties could be increased and could compete with the cement mortars. The use of pozzolan-lime binder in mortar reduces the utilisation of cement, and hence reduces the environmental problem originating from cement production. This study mainly deals with the mechanical and microstructural properties of lime and lime composite mortars made up of hydraulic lime, silica fume and rice husk ash. Three composite mortars were made with the following combination such as hydraulic lime-silica fume (LSF), hydraulic lime-rice husk ash (LRA) and hydraulic lime-silica fume-rice husk ash (LSR). Further, their properties were compared with the pure lime mortar. Preliminary investigations were made on the lime reactivity and pozzolanic reactivity tests. It was understood that silica fumes have a (15%) better reactivity than rice husk ash. The introduction of pozzolans in the lime mortar promotes fresh, hardened and microstructural properties. The 28 days’ compressive strength of lime composite mortars achieved more than 16 Mpa, while the lime mortar attained 4 Mpa. The combined effect of pozzolanic reaction, hydration and carbonation in the lime composite mortars achieved four times the strength of lime mortar at 28 days. A high peak of calcium carbonate was detected in lime mortar as a result of carbonation. The well-developed microstructure of calcium silicate hydrate and calcium hydroxide exhibits the formation of hydration products in the lime composite mortars as observed from a scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Similar graphs of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) showed the presence of equivalent functional elements in all lime composite mortars.

Mangroves are plants known for their various medicinal and economical values, and therefore are widely investigated for their phytochemical, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, and antimicrobial activities. In the present study, we analyze the antioxidant and anticorrosive properties of Ceriops tagal (C. tagal), a tropical and subtropical mangrove plant of the Rhizophoraceae family. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were found to be 101.52 and 35.71 mg/g, respectively. The extract (100 µg/mL) exhibited 83.88, 85, and 87% antioxidant property against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide, and hydrogen peroxide free radicals. In addition, 600 ppm of C. tagal extract showed 95% corrosion inhibition against 1 M HCl attack on mild steel at 303 ± 1 K, which declined over other concentrations and temperatures, where AAS produced 82% inhibition at 600 ppm. UV-visible spectroscopy analysis revealed the formation of an inhibitor metal complex. The elemental analysis provided the presence of 84.21, 9.01, and 6.37% of Fe, O, and C, respectively, in inhibited mild steel, whereas the same were 71.54, 22.1, and 4.34%, respectively, in uninhibited specimen, stressing the presence of protective film on the metal surface. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) also showed some noteworthy changes in both uninhibited and inhibited mild steel, making C. tagal plant a better alternative than any other synthetic inhibitors. Further, the atomic force microscopy (AFM) surface topography analysis showed that 600 ppm of C. tagal extract significantly diminished corrosion on the surface of mild steel.

Panax ginseng C.A. (P. ginseng) Meyer has been in use since ancient times for its therapeutic activities. Although several studies have investigated the roles of phytoconstituents in human and animal health, no comparative studies have been conducted to test the efficacy of P.ginseng leaf, fruit and root. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the antioxidant and anticorrosion activities of ginseng prepared using five different solvents. The methanolic fruit extract showed comparatively good activity in all assays. The total phenolic content (TPC) was higher in fruit (95.21 mg/g), followed by leaf (39.21 mg/g) extracted in methanol solvent compared other solvents. The total flavonoid content (TFC) of fruit methanolic extract was 50.21 mg/g, which was followed by fruit extracted in ethanol (41.33 mg/g). The same phenomenon was observed in all antioxidant studies. Through Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC), the presence of 23 phenolic components categorized as hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids and a few other groups that play a vital role in antioxidation was identified. Phenols such as chlorogenic acid (1002.2 μg/g), gentisic acid (854.21 μg/g) and rutin (165.32 μg/g) were found in higher amounts in fruit whereas leaf showed significant amounts of m-coumaric acid (185.32 μg/g) and p-coumaric acid (125.24 μg/g). The anti-corrosive property of the fruit extract of the ginseng with methanol as a solvent was analyzed for a copper specimen exposed to 1 M HCl medium and found to have 96% corrosion inhibition efficiency at a 1000-ppm concentration. The smooth surface of the specimen exposed to corrosive media shown in a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) image confirms that the specimen was protected from corrosion, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) spectra show that the loss of Cu is reduced in inhibited metal surface. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images and surface roughness factor also validate the corrosion inhibition characteristic of ginseng plant extract.

Researchers have just discovered an alternative to synthetic corrosion inhibitors, which are hazardous and terrible for the ecosystem, to prevent rusting in the environment. A metal corrodes when it is subjected to corrosive media (acid, base, or saline) and they deteriorate, leading to failure. The most straightforward and affordable corrosion protection and prevention technique in acidic environments has been proven to be corrosion inhibitors. On industrial surfaces, pieces of machinery, or vessels, these inhibitors slow the rate of corrosion, preventing the monetary losses brought on by metallic corrosion. Recently, attention has been directed to developing ecologically appropriate corrosion retardation methods because inorganic and organic inhibitors are harmful and expensive. Recent studies have focused on green mild steel (MS) corrosion inhibitors that mimic industrial processes in acidic conditions. This presentation briefly covers the many types of corrosion, the corrosion process and the most recent studies on using natural plant extracts as corrosion inhibitors. Since they are safe and cost-effective, green corrosion inhibitors are a new trend in preventing corrosion. These inhibitors are produced from various plant parts, and inhibition efficiency (IE) also depends on them. To ascertain the IE of the corrosion inhibitor, some experiments, including computational studies (quantum calculations and MD simulations), electrochemical measurements (electrochemical impedance (EIS) and potentio-dynamic polarization), surface morphology atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and UV–visible spectroscopy are carried out. It has been demonstrated that the IE is maximum for green corrosion inhibitors compared to synthetic inhibitors. This paper provides an overview of the properties, mechanism of corrosion inhibitors, nature of green corrosion inhibitors and their IE obtained by performing tests. This review article discussion shows that reinforcement with plant extract performs well in aggressive environments, which is evident from electrochemical studies and surface analysis when compared to reinforcement with inhibitors.