Articles publicats (Enginyeria Industrial i de l’Edificació)
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- ItemOpen AccessThermal energy storage and leakage prevention of phase change materials via one-step impregnation and in-situ polymerization process in hardwood(Elsevier, 2026) Grzybek, Jakub; Zsembinszki, Gabriel; Borri, Emiliano; Meindl, Alina; Paschová, Zuzana; Petutschnigg, Alexander; Cabeza, Luisa F.; Schnabel, ThomasWood is a versatile material widely used in building construction, but its low thermal mass limits its ability to regulate indoor temperatures and mitigate thermal load peaks. Phase change materials are effective at storing thermal energy, but when impregnated into wood, they leak out, compromising performance and restricting their use in buildings. This study introduces a novel one-step impregnation process combined with in-situ polymerization using furfuryl alcohol and a capric-stearic acid phase change material mixture to create a sustainable material for thermal energy storage. Various formulations were tested on European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) to evaluate effectiveness of the approach. The results confirm that this method successfully prevents phase change material leakage. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry and nuclear magnetic resonance verified that phase change materials retain their thermal energy storage functionality, with no chemical cross-linking between the phase change materials and furfuryl alcohol. The treated wood showed up to 185 % higher thermal energy storage capacity, enhanced dimensional stability (anti-swelling efficiency up to 87 %), and 28 % higher compressive strength than untreated wood. It is a step towards sustainable, multifunctional, leakage-free, enhanced mechanical properties, improved dimensional stability wood for thermal energy storage for building applications, with potential for further optimisation and characterisation.
- ItemOpen AccessSistema de maquetes per a l’anàlisi cinemàtica de mecanismes. Implementació de maquetes per a l’anàlisi cinemàtica de mecanismes i problemes de forma manual utilitzant peces de Lego®.(Congrés Internacional de Docència Universitària i Innovació (CIDUI), 2021) Baquero Armans, Grau; Esteban Dalmau, Bernat; Nogués Aymamí, Miquel; Roca Enrich, Joan; Solé Cutrona, Cristian; Terribes, XavierEn l'assignatura de teoria de mecanismes es planteja l’anàlisi cinemàtica de diferents mecanismes de forma teòrica.Sovintl'alumne té dificultats per entendre el moviment al voltant d’una configuració demanada, provocant una dificultat pervalorar críticament la seva resolució analítica. L’objectiu de l’activitat plantejada és disposar d’un material que permeti a l'alumne muntar mecanismes i reproduir el seu moviment usant peces de la marca Lego® junt amb pecesdissenyades i impreses en 3D.
- ItemOpen AccessFrom workplace standardization to worker well-being: lean manufacturing tools drive social sustainability in Mexican maquiladoras(Espringer Nature, 2025-12) Díaz Reza, José Roberto; García Alcaraz, Jorge Luis; Rodríguez Álvarez, José Luis; Puig, Rita; Limón Romero, JorgeThe growing interest in sustainable industrial practices has encouraged companies to revisit Lean Manufacturing (LM), not only as a way to improve productivity but also as a framework that supports worker well-being and organizational responsibility. Although LM has been widely studied, empirical work that clarifies how its human-oriented components contribute to social sustainability (SOS) in emerging economies remains limited. To contribute to this discussion, the present research explores four LM practices with a strong human dimension-Standardized Work (SW), Multifunctional Teams (MT), Decentralization (DS), and Vertical Information Systems (VIS)-and evaluates their influence on SOS within the Mexican maquiladora sector. We employed a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) using data collected from 240 professionals in automotive, medical, electronic, and textile manufacturing plants. The analysis indicates that MT has the strongest direct influence on DS (beta = 0.687, p < 0.001), and it also exhibits the highest total effect on SOS (beta = 0.630, p < 0.001). SW shows an indirect contribution to SOS through its effects on MT and DS (beta = 0.449, p < 0.001). All hypothesized relationships were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Taken together, the results underscore the relevance of teamwork, distributed decision-making, and structured communication systems as essential contributors to improved social outcomes in labor-intensive manufacturing environments. By incorporating human-centered LM practices into a robust analytical model, this study offers empirical insights that can inform both managerial actions and public policies aimed at strengthening social sustainability in manufacturing industries.
- ItemOpen AccessValorization of tannery-derived FAMEs into bio-based epoxides via chemo-enzymatic synthesis(Elsevier, 2025) Deroncelé, Víctor; Tahmaz , Ismael; Sorolla, Sílvia; Bacardit i Dalmases, AnnaThe urgent transition toward low-carbon chemical manufacturing has prompted the development of renewable alternatives to fossil-based epoxy intermediates. This study presents an integrated and resource-efficient chemoenzymatic route for the synthesis of epoxidized methyl oleate (EMO) from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) derived from tannery waste—a lipid-rich but underutilized industrial residue. A single-step urea complexation achieved 86.7 ± 0.6 % methyl oleate purity with a 38.1 ± 0.9 % recovery yield, while the saturated-rich coproduct (~40 %) exhibited physicochemical properties suitable for biodiesel or lubricant applications. Subsequent epoxidation was carried out using immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozym® 435) and in situ generated performic acid, yielding an oxirane oxygen content of 6.42 ± 0.14 %, corresponding to >90 % conversion of double bonds under mild conditions. The enzyme retained 72 % of its initial activity after ten reuse cycles, significantly enhancing process circularity and reducing catalytic costs. Green chemistry metrics were favorable: atom economy reached 86 %, solvent recovery exceeded 85 %, and the E-factor remained as low as 0.86 kg waste/kg EMO. A cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) estimated a global warming potential (GWP) of 1.92 kg CO₂-eq/kg EMO—representing a 63 % reduction compared to petrochemical benchmarks. Economic analysis at the 1000 t/year scale yielded a production cost of €1.57/kg with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 15 %. Overall, this work demonstrates how lipid-rich industrial residues can be converted into high-value bio-based epoxides through a scalable and environmentally sound chemo-enzymatic route, aligning with circular economy principles and green chemistry targets.
- ItemOpen AccessSpatial distribution of flavor components and antioxidants in the flesh of ‘Conference’ pears and its relationship with postharvest pathogens susceptibility(Elsevier B.V., 2020-01-01) Torregrosa Sauret, Laia; Echeverria, Gemma; Illa i Alibés, Josep; Torres, Rosario; Giné Bordonaba, JordiThe spatial distribution of dry matter, ethylene production, respiration rate, organic acids, sugars, antioxidants, volatiles and fungal (Penicillium expansum and Rhizopus stolonifer) growth was evaluated analyzing four different slices of ‘Conference’ pear flesh taken along an equatorial radius. A common spatial distribution trend was found for ethylene emission, CO2 production, antioxidant capacity and total phenolic compounds with a minimum in the slice under the skin and a maximum in the slice near the core. Fructose, which was the dominant sugar followed by sucrose and glucose, showed a quasi-linear decreasing profile from the outer slice towards the core. Malic and ascorbic acid had the highest content in the outer slice while citric remained practically constant over the different slices. Twenty-nine volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified using solid-phase microextraction (SPME), yet only six of them showed significant differences between flesh slices. The content in VOCs was further related to the tissue susceptibility to the above-mentioned postharvest pathogens using a multivariate approach. Fruit flesh from inner sections was more prone to P. expansum whereas flesh from the slice under the skin presented the highest incidence of R. stolonifer. A Partial Least Square (PLS) model showed that P. expansum growth was negatively correlated with malic acid, dry matter content, 2-ethyl-hexanal and butyl hexanoate concentrations and R. stolonifer was negatively correlated to sucrose and some volatiles such as hexanal and 1-butanol. Based on the results from the PLS, selected volatiles naturally present in the pear flesh were tested in vitro, at different concentrations, in order to investigate their effectiveness to control blue mold caused by P. expansum and soft rot caused by R. stolonifer. A completely control of P. expansum was found with 2-ethyl-hexanal application and hexanal while 1-butanol showed a total fungicide effect against R. stolonifer. This study is a step towards a better understanding of how biochemical compounds are spatially distributed among different slices of ‘Conference’ pears as well as in the development of natural compounds to fight major postharvest pathogens in pear fruit.
