Juan Carlos Torres Lozada*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.6, pp. 523-525, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.04053

Abstract This paper presents the patent of a new additive for the construction industry, which is obtained from the biomass residues of the wood industry. This additive is biodegradable and has fluidifying, foaming, plasticizing and stabilizing properties. When the additive is mixed with cement binder compositions, cement mortar and concrete, lightweight, flame-retardant cellular materials, thermal and acoustic insulators are obtained. More >

Liang Wang^a,b, Jiping Liu^a,b, Shenghua Xu^b, Jinjin Dong^c, Yi Yang^d

Intelligent Automation & Soft Computing, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 391-398, 2018, DOI:10.1080/10798587.2017.1296660

Abstract Forest biomass is a significant indicator for substance accumulation and forest succession, and can provide valuable information for forest management and scientific planning. Accurate estimations of forest biomass at a fine resolution are important for a better understanding of the forest productivity and carbon cycling dynamics. In this study, considering the low efficiency and accuracy of the existing biomass estimation models for remote sensing data, Landsat 8 OLI imagery and field data cooperated with the radial basis function artificial neural network (RBF ANN) approach is used to estimate the forest Above Ground Biomass (AGB) in More >

Mehul Barde^1,2, Yusuf Celikbag³, Brian Via³, Sushil Adhikari⁴, Maria L. Auad^1,2,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.7, pp. 724-736, 2018, DOI:10.32604/JRM.2018.00116

Abstract Bio-based phenol-formaldehyde polymer (BioNovolac) was developed by reacting molar excess of bio-oil/phenol with formaldehyde in acidic medium. Glycidyl 3,5-diglycidoxybenzoate (GDGB), was prepared by direct glycidylation of α-resorcylic acid (RA), a naturally occurring phenolic monomer. GDGB was crosslinked in the presence of BioNovolac by anionic polymerization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the formation of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks. The glass transition temperature and moduli of bio-based crosslinked systems were observed to increase with increasing GDGB content. Active chain density and mass retention measured by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and Soxhlet extraction, respectively, indicated a high crosslink More >

Cristiane S. Farinas*, José Manoel Marconcini, Luiz Henrique C. Mattoso

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.2, pp. 203-216, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.6341578

Abstract The conversion of sugarcane lignocellulosic biomass into fuels, chemicals and high-value materials using the biochemical pathway is considered the most sustainable alternative for the implementation of future biorefineries. Actually, the first large-scale cellulosic ethanol plants that have started operating worldwide apply the enzymatic hydrolysis process to convert biomass into simple sugars that are fermented to ethanol by yeasts. However, several technological challenges still need to be addressed in order to obtain commercially competitive products. This review describes current challenges and perspectives regarding the enzymatic hydrolysis step for processing sugarcane lignocellulosic biomass within the biorefinery. Recent More >

Reynaldo Palacios-Bereche¹, Adriano Ensinas², Marcelo Modesto¹, Silvia Nebra^1,3,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.2, pp. 183-194, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634175

Abstract The aim of this study is to assess the possibility of increasing ethanol production by introducing the bagasse hydrolysis process into conventional distilleries. Simulations were performed for mass and energy balances using Aspen Plus® software. It was assumed that sugarcane trash and lignin cake—hydrolysis process residues—are available as supplementary fuel. Several cases were evaluated, including: (a) conventional ethanol distillery, (b) conventional plant combined with a hydrolysis process without heat integration, with different solid contents in the hydrolysis reactor, and (c) conventional plant combined with the hydrolysis process applying heat integration by pinch analysis. The highest More >

S.H. Hassan^1,2, Lee Hwei Voon^1*, T.S. Velayutham^2*, Lindong Zhai³, Hyun Chan Kim³, Jaehwan Kim³

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 1-25, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634173

Abstract Cellulose is a renewable biomass material and natural polymer which is abundantly available on Earth, and includes agricultural wastes, forestry residues, and woody materials. The excellent and smart characteristics of cellulose materials, such as lightweight, biocompatibility, biodegradability, high mechanical strength/stiffness and low thermal expansibility, have made cellulose a high-potential material for various industry applications. Cellulose has recently been discovered as a smart material in the electroactive polymers family which carries the name of cellulose-based electroactive paper (EAPap). The shear piezoelectricity in cellulose polymers is able to induce large displacement output, low actuation voltage, and low… More >

Castillo-Aguilar C de la C¹, JJ Zúñiga-Aguilar², AA Guzmán-Antonio², R Garruña³

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.86, pp. 199-204, 2017, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2017.86.199

Abstract The Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense) is intensively cultivated in the Yucatan peninsula, México. Because of adverse environmental conditions, it required seeding in germination trays, from which six-week-old seedlings were transplanted to the soil. Adequate nursing and fertilization programmes were made to improve health and vigour before seedlings transplanting. During seed germination, we investigated the effects of inoculation with four plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth, nutrient uptake and gas exchange of 8-week-old Capsicum chinense plants. Inoculation was made with Pseudomonas sp. -P61-, Pseudomonas sp. -A46-, Bacillus pumillus -R44-, and Paenibacillus polymyxa-BSP1.1-. The BSP1.1 strain produced the highest increase in… More >

Zhang J, YF Yang, HY Li, W Sun

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.86, pp. 163-170, 2017, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2017.86.163

Abstract Community succession is an orderly replacement process between dominant species of such community. The mutual opulations changes of two clonal plant species, Leymus chinensis and Kalimeris integrifolia, were analyzed during a process of restoration succession in a degraded meadow in Northeast China. It was based on the methods of space-for-time substitution and continuous sampling in different mixed ratios of community sections. The results showed that the two species populations adjusted the size of ramets to ensure a relatively stable number in the mixed community. The fluctuation and instability were more obvious in the K. integrifolia than in the L.… More >

Mirleau-Thebaud V^1,2, J Dayde¹, JD Scheiner^1,3,4

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.86, pp. 53-67, 2017, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2017.86.053

Abstract Soil compaction represents an important issue in the actual context of agricultural system sustainability. Research on the various developments of root systems under tillage has been explored for many crops, whether for the biomass area or the underground, but very little concerns Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The objectives of the study were to understand the impact of soil tillage and of the induced mechanically compacted soil on: i) sunflower’s root system architecture, ii) biomass area iii) production. Two complementary experiments were realized in the south of France (France’s main sunflower production area). In both experiments, increased More >

Enzo Alvarado-Cordero¹, Gabriela Montes de Oca-Vásquez², Reinaldo Pereira-Reyes², José Vega-Baudrit², Marianelly Esquivel-Alfaro^1*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.3-4, pp. 323-331, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634123

Abstract Biodegradable polymers from renewable resources are generating growing interest in the plastic industry because they have properties similar to synthetic polymers. Polyhydroxyalkanoates, mainly polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), have mechanical and physicochemical properties very similar to their synthetic counterparts. This work explores the use of residual glycerol from the bioenergy industry for the production of PHB by Bacillus megaterium DSM 32. The glycerol works as a source of carbon and energy. Raw glycerol was purified with sulfuric acid in order to neutralize saponified fatty acids. The purification process generated three different phases. One of the phases was the… More >