Open Access
ARTICLE
Olga Mysiukiewicz1,*, Mateusz Barczewski1, Joanna Szulc2
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 347-363, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09276
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: The 10th Conference on Green Chemistry and Nanotechnologies in Polymeric Materials (GCNPM 2019))
Abstract In order to limit the negative impact of industry on natural environment,
ecological alternatives to conventional polymers are being proposed. One of the
most popular “green” polymers is polylactide, which can also be successfully
applied as a matrix of composites. The application of ground linseed cake as a
filler for polylactide-based composites is in line with the idea of Circular Economy, and moreover it provides a modifying effect on the polymer by increasing its
crystallinity and reducing its brittleness. This effect is caused by the presence of
linseed oil which can be released to the polymeric matrix in a non-controlled… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Nadezhda Petkova1,*, Radka Arabadzhieva1, Dragomir Vassilev2, Gergana Gencheva1, Yulian Tumbarski3, Tsveteslava Ignatova-Ivanova4, Sevginar Ibryamova4, Mina Todorova1, Milena Koleva2, Panteley Denev1
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 365-381, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09292
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: The 10th Conference on Green Chemistry and Nanotechnologies in Polymeric Materials (GCNPM 2019))
Abstract Microwave-assisted irradiation was performed for esterification of chicory inulin with high degree of polymerization with acetic anhydride without a solvent only with a catalyst. The resulting esters were characterized by melting point,
hydrophilic-lipophilic balance, thin-layer chromatography, ultraviolet spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Inulin acetate demonstrated a high degree of
acetylation (2.5–3.0) and presented a white, water-insoluble substance with bitter
taste. The FTIR and NMR spectra confirmed esterification and demonstrated the
incorporation of hydrophobic residue to the water soluble inulin backbone. Swelling capacity, water holding, oil-holding capacities, the foamability, foam stability
and emulsifying properties… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Mariia Stepanova1, Ilia Averianov1, Olga Solomakha1, Natalia Zabolotnykh2, Iosif Gofman1, Mikhail Serdobintsev2, Tatiana Vinogradova2, Viktor Korzhikov-Vlakh1,3, Evgenia Korzhikova-Vlakh1,3,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 383-395, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09206
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: The 10th Conference on Green Chemistry and Nanotechnologies in Polymeric Materials (GCNPM 2019))
Abstract The biocomposite films were prepared from poly(L-lactic acid) and cellulose nanocrystals. To improve interfacial compatibility of hydrophilic cellulose
nanocrystals with hydrophobic matrix polymer as well as to provide the osteoconductive properties, cellulose was functionalized with poly(glutamic acid). The
modified cellulose nanocrystals were better distributed and less aggregated within
the matrix, which was testified by scanning electron, optical and polarized light
microscopy. According to mechanical tests, composites filled with nanocrystals
modified with PGlu demonstrated higher values of Young’s modulus, elongation
at break and tensile strength. Incubation of composite materials in model buffer
solutions for 30 weeks followed with staining of Ca2+… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Rui Hou1, Zhihuang Zhang1, Guangzhao Zhang1, Donglin Tang1,2,3,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 397-403, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.08912
Abstract It has been proved that introducing isocyanurate into polymer chains
could improve the flame retardancy of polymers. We describe in this work the
synthesis and the thermal property study of three thermoplastic polyisocyanurates,
which are polyisocyanuratoamide (PICA-6), polyisocyanurato(ester amide)
(PICEA-6) and polyisocyanurato(urea ester) (PICUE-6). These polymers show
similar and improved thermal stability with the existence of isocyanurate rings.
PICA-6 is more crystalizable than the rest two and the melting temperature is
found to be around 240°C but it still crystalizes slowly. For PICEA-6 and
PICUE-6, only glass transition can be observed on the DSC traces. The glass transition temperature follows… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Zhichao Han, Yaojun Zhang*, Panyang He
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 405-416, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09351
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract In this study, a magnetic P zeolite was directly synthesized by utilization of industrial solid wastes of zinc slag (ZS) and circulating fluidized bed fly
ash (CFBFA) via one-step hydrothermal method. The effects of different
CFBFA/ZS ratios and hydrothermal times on the as-synthesized zeolite were
investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer
(VSM) results indicated that the magnetic P zeolite possessed well-defined
crystals and superparamagnetism. The as-prepared zeolite was employed as a
Fenton-like solid catalyst for degradation of direct green B dye wastewater. It
was discovered that the magnetic P zeolite took the advantage of rapid separation
and… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Hongze Gang1,2, Qiqi Zhang1, Wei Wang1, Bangxin Cai1, Jinfeng Liu1,2, Shizhong Yang1,2, Bozhong Mu1,2,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 417-429, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09201
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Waste cooking oils and non-edible vegetable oils are abundant and
renewable resources for bio-based materials which have showed great potential
applications in many industries. In this study, five fatty acids commonly found
in non-edible vegetable oils, including palmitic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid,
linolenic acid, ricinoleic acid, and their mixtures, were used to produce bio-based
zwitterionic surfactants through a facile and high-yield chemical modification.
These surfactants demonstrated excellent surface/interfacial properties with the
minimum surface tensions ranging from 28.4 mN/m to 32.8 mN/m in aqueous
solutions. The interfacial tensions between crude oil and surfactant solutions were
remarkably reduced to lower values… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Weiming Zhang1, Muhammad Wasim Khan1, Xueqin Zuo1, Qun Yang1, Huaibao Tang1,2, Shaowei Jin1,2, Guang Li1,2,3,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 431-446, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09158
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract A novel sunflower-like nanocomposite of SrCo2S4 nanoflakes and
functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) entanglement enveloped
in nitrogen-reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) is prepared by a cheap process. The
unique entanglement structure of the material exhibits higher specific surface area,
better electrical conductivity and other properties. This helps to reduce the transfer
resistance in the photoelectric process of the battery and improve the electrochemical activity, thus increasing the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the battery. The new ternary cobalt-based sulfide material can replace platinum as the
counter electrode (CE) material loaded on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).
DSSCs with SrCo2S4@f-MWCNTs@N-RGO (SCS@f-M@N-R) as CE material… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Xiaozheng Sun*, Qiang He, Yu Yang
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 447-460, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09671
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Nanocellulose and Nanocellulose-Derived Functional Materials)
Abstract Agricultural waste straw is the renewable resource with the highest
annual yield in the world. In value-added applications of agricultural waste, dicarboxyl cellulose nanocrystals (DCCs) are prepared from rice, wheat, and corn
straw by sequential periodate-chlorite oxidation. In this study, DCCs from rice,
wheat, and corn straw were characterized by transmission electron microscopy
(TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer (XRD),
and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The carboxyl content of the DCCs
was also investigated. XRD results show that the crystallinity index decreased
after sequential periodate-chlorite oxidation; however, the cellulose I structure
was maintained. TEM results show that rod-shaped DCCs… More >