Kokoette Effiong¹, Jing Hu¹, Caicai Xu¹, Tao Tang¹, Haomin Huang², Jiangning Zeng^1,3, Xi Xiao^1,3,4,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 461-483, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09111

Abstract The use of agricultural straw for algal bloom control has been studied for more than 30 years. In this article, we have reviewed the promising potentials of using agricultural straw as source of anti-algal agents, including the effectiveness of each major straw type so far used in this regard, and the investigated algal species. Various pre-treatment methods have also been widely reviewed. Signifi- cant progress has been made in natural product chemistry and molecular biology with regards to agricultural straw, especially in relation to the extraction of antialgal allelochemicals, degradation processes of agricultural straws and the mechanisms through which these… More >

Xianglong Lu¹, Tianshui Yu¹, Hailing Wang¹, Ruichun Luo², Pan Liu², Songliu Yuan¹, Lihua Qian^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.2, pp. 133-151, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.08650

Abstract Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in neutral medium suffers from slow kinetics as compared to that in alkaline or acidic conditions, owing to larger Ohmic loss and low proton concentration. Here we report that a self-supported nanoporous Au-SnO_x (NP Au-SnO_x) catalyst with gradient tin oxide surface could significantly enhance HER activity in neutral buffer solution (0.2 M PBS). The NP Au-SnO_x catalyst exhibits a low onset overpotential of 38 mV and a small Tafel slope of 79 mV dec⁻¹ . The current density of 10 mA cm⁻² is manifested at an overpotential as low as 148 mV, representing the comparable performance… More >

Refat Hassan^1,*, Hideo Takagi², Samia Ibrahim³

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.2, pp. 205-218, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.08530

Abstract A spectrophotometric investigation of oxidation of chondroitin-4-sulfate (CS) as a sustainable and biodegradable sulfated macromolecule by oxyanion permanganate ion as multi-equivalent oxidant in acid perchlorate solutions at a constant ionic strength of 2.0 mol dm^-3 has been studied. The experimental results on the influence of the concentration of the reactants the reaction rates revealed first-order dependence in MnO₄^– , fractional second-order in [CS] and fractional first-order with respect to the hydrogen ion concentration. The hydrogen acid concentration dependence of the rate constants indicated that the oxidation rates were increased with increasing the acid concentration which means that the oxidation reaction… More >

Kunal Wazarkar, Anagha Sabnis^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.1, pp. 57-68, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.07773

Abstract In the present research, cardanol based di-acrylic UV oligomer was synthesized by thiol-ene coupling followed by ring opening reaction with glycidyl methacrylate. The intermediate as well as final diacrylate materials were analyzed by chemical as well as spectroscopic analysis. Further, ultraviolet (UV) radiation curable formulations were prepared by replacing commercial epoxy acrylate with synthesized UV oligomer in 10-50 wt% and applied on wood panels. The coated films were then evaluated for their optical, mechanical, chemical and thermal properties. Studies showed that up to 30 wt% amount of UV oligomer the coatings exhibited at par mechanical and chemical properties. The stain… More >

Lina Gogoi¹, Rumi Narzari¹, Nirmali Gogoi², Muhammad Farooq³, Rupam Kataki^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.88, No.4, pp. 349-365, 2019, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2019.08406

Abstract The increasing deforestation with an alarming rate is the prime cause of upsetting the balance in the natural ecosystem and the livelihood of local communities. Sustainable forest management and reforestation efforts can equilibrium this destruction and maintain the protected areas. In this regard, soil management strategies for reforestation of the degraded forest land can be helpful. In this review, the potential of using biochar, a solid carbon rich product of biomass thermochemical conversion, as a soil amendment in forest soils has been discussed. The production procedures of biochar, availability of feedstocks and the biochar properties are discussed using the existing… More >

Argüello JA, L Seisdedos, MC Díaz Goldfarb, EA Fabio, SB Núñez, A Ledesma

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.82, pp. 289-295, 2013, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2013.82.289

Abstract The objective of this work was to analyze the impact of a vermicompost treatment on anatomical and physiological modifications related to assimilate partitioning and growth in lettuce seedlings. The results showed that vermicompost increased growth, which was most likely due to an increased activity of the ground meristem of the leaf blade. A greater height and number of chlorenchyma layers were observed in the leaf blade. This was related to an increase in the photosynthetic activity, expressed by an increase in the net assimilation rate. Vermicompost also showed an effect at the procambium level, producing an increase in the number… More >

Wilckens P¹, MP Fernández², M Gómez¹, I Peña³, G Montenegro¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.82, pp. 81-90, 2013, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2013.82.081

Abstract Buddleja globosa Hope is a well-known native, medicinal plant because of its digestive and cicatrizing properties. Due to the increasing domestic and international demand, B. globosa abundance and distribution in Chile has resulted in the intensive exploitation of the plant’s natural habitat, without consideration of the plant’s regenerative capacity. The main objective of this research was to establish the B. globosa growth cycle and model its regeneration cycle. This would allow for more productive, efficient and sustainable use and management of this species, thus ensuring its long-term conservation. We selected two study sites, one wild and another one cultivated. In… More >

Márquez-Hernández C¹, P Cano-Ríos², U Figueroa-Viramontes³, JA Avila-Diaz⁴, N Rodríguez-Dimas², JL García-Hernández¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.82, pp. 55-61, 2013, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2013.82.055

Abstract The scarcity of fertilizers that are allowed in organic agriculture (AO) encourages the search for alternatives, being the use of compost one of the most outstanding. AO has been recognized as a more sustainable system than conventional agriculture. AO is ruled by strict norms which forbid the use of most common fertilizers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various fertilization treatments on the organic production of greenhousegrown tomato. A completely randomized experimental design with five replications was used, with a 5x2 factorial arrangement. Factors A and B were: a) fertilization treatments and b) tomato genotypes.… More >

Puyou Jia¹, Fei Song¹, Qiaoguang Li^2,*, Haoyu Xia³, Mei Li^1,*, Xugang Shu², Yonghong Zhou¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.7, pp. 601-619, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.07011

Abstract Polymers from renewable resources are receiving tremendous attention due to the increasing concerns on the depletion of fossil oils and deteriorated environments. Cardanol, as an abundant and renewable chemical raw material, has been widely used for the production of renewable polymer materials via converting into various of chemical monomers with active functional groups. This comprehensive review deals with various aspects of cardanol as a starting material the preparing various polymer and polymer composites such as benzoxazine resins, phenolic resin, polyurethanes, epoxy resin, vinyl ester polymers, polyamide and cyanate ester resins. The assessment of the future prospects for the use of… More >

T. Côto¹, I. Moura¹, A. de Sá^1,*, C. Vilarinho², A. V. Machado¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.7, pp. 688-696, 2018, DOI:10.32604/JRM.2018.00006

Abstract Biopolymers exhibit unique properties and can be produced from plants’ and crops’ wastes. Cellulose has been used for the production of sustainable materials, nevertheless due to the difficulty inherent to its extraction, several methods have been studied in order to optimize the process. Therefore, this paper reports the extraction of natural polymers from food sector agro-food wastes, including cellulose, following a green chemistry aproach. The cellulose extracted from pumpkin peel was acetylated and dispersed in a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix. The developed materials were characterized in terms of their structure, morphology and thermal stability. The results demonstrated the efficient chemical… More >