Yuanhang Yang¹, Changjin Huang^2,*

The International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences, Vol.31, No.2, pp. 1-1, 2024, DOI:10.32604/icces.2024.010991

Abstract Achieving programmable and reversible deformations of soft materials is a long-standing goal for various applications in soft robotics, flexible electronics and many other fields. Swelling-induced shape-morphing has been intensively studied as one of the potential mechanisms. However, achieving an extremely large swelling ratio (>1000% in volume) remains challenging with existing swellable soft materials (e.g., hydrogels and water-swellable rubbers). Inspired by the shape change enabled by the osmosis-driven swelling in living organisms, herein, we report a polymer composite system composed of fine sodium chloride (NaCl) particles embedded in Ecoflex00-10 polymer. This Ecoflex00-10/NaCl polymer composite can achieve… More >

Denis Miroshnichenko¹, Vladimir Lebedev², Katerina Lebedeva², Аnna Cherkashina², Sergey Petrushenko^3,4,*, Olena Bogoyavlenska¹, Аnzhela Olkhovska⁵, Ihor Hrubnyk⁶, Liudmyla Maloshtan⁶, Natalja Klochko⁷

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.12, No.10, pp. 1691-1713, 2024, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2024.054769 - 23 October 2024

Abstract The main goal of the article is the creation and study of thermosensitive and wound-healing gelatin-alginate biopolymer hydrogels modified with humic acids. Their rheological properties, swelling and contraction behavior were experimentally investigated, elucidated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and used to achieve the physiological melting point, which is necessary for successful drug delivery. It has been shown that in the gelatin-alginate-humic acid biopolymer hydrogels systems, it is possible to obtain a gel-sol transition temperature close to the physiological temperature of 37°C, which is important for drug delivery in the treatment of wounds. By changing the… More > Graphic Abstract

Yalin Li^1,*, Lei Liu¹, Wenbao Huang¹, Junpu Xie², Zhaoxia Song¹, Shuna Guo¹, Enci Wang¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.7, pp. 3001-3023, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2023.026604 - 05 June 2023

Abstract To achieve optimal recovery and value-added utilisation of cellulose in peanut shells, the cellulose in peanut shells was first extracted using the sodium hydroxide-sodium chlorite method. Then, cellulose hydrogel was prepared by graft copolymerisation using N, N’-methylenebisacrylamide as the cross-linking agent, sodium persulfate as the initiator, and acrylic acid as the monomer. Orthogonal optimisation experiments were designed to obtain optimal process parameters for hydrogel preparation with the cellulose dosage of 0.40 g, initiator dosage of 0.20 g, polymerisation temperature of 70°C, cross-linking agent of 0.25 g, and monomer dosage of 3.0 mL. The effect of initiator… More > Graphic Abstract

Yalin Li^1,2,*, Yu Huang², Lei Liu¹, Haozhao Liu¹, Haiyang He¹, Dongxue Lu¹, Tingting Dong¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.3, pp. 1237-1253, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.022972 - 31 October 2022

Abstract

In this study, hydrogels were prepared from municipal sludge to recycle and realize the value-added utilization of the carbon components in this abundant waste material. The carbon sources were extracted from the municipal sludge using synthesised nano CaO₂ as an oxidant, and the carbon sources were graft copolymerised with acrylic acid monomer using N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide as a crosslinking agent and ammonium persulfate as an initiator. The factors influencing the hydrogel preparation were investigated by single-factor experiments. Based on the results of the single-factor experiments, a hydrogel with a swelling ratio of up to 19768.4% at 12

… More > Graphic Abstract

Shuangsheng Zhang, Bin Sun, Siyu Li, Xiangyu Lin, Muhua Chen^*, Xu Xu^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.2, pp. 853-865, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.022901 - 22 September 2022

Abstract Hydrogels have been widely applied in agricultural drought-resistance, pollution regulation, drug delivery and so on. Acrylamide (AM) is usually used as raw material to synthesize acrylamide hydrogels. However, inherently low mechanical strength greatly limits their applications in some special areas. Therefore, it is necessary to choose suitable functional monomers to optimize acrylamide hydrogels and improve their mechanical performances. In this paper, a novel acrylamide monomer modified by rosin was synthesized, and then polyacrylamide/rosin-based acrylamide (RAM) composite hydrogels were prepared via free radical polymerization using potassium persulfate as initiator, N, N′-methylene-bisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker. The… More > Graphic Abstract

Justin Loloi¹, Mustufa Babar², Umair Azhar², Jinrong Cheng³, Amanda North^1,2

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.29, No.4, pp. 11262-11265, 2022

Abstract Scrotal lymphangiomas represent an extremely rare cause of scrotal swelling. We report a case of scrotal lymphangioma in an 18-year-old male who presented with painful scrotal swelling. Scrotal ultrasound revealed a complex multicystic structure in the left hemiscrotum. The patient underwent successful surgical excision of the mass. Postoperatively, he developed a hydrocele which eventually spontaneously regressed. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis. We outline the unusual presentation, characteristic imaging and histology findings, and surgical management of scrotal lymphangiomas. With this information, urologists may exercise a heightened level of awareness for this rare cause of scrotal swelling. More >

Xin Han^1,4, Zhichao Lou^1,3,4,*, Chenglong Yuan^1,4, Xinwu Wu^1,4, Jie Liu^1,4, Fujin Weng², Yanjun Li^1,4,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.10, No.12, pp. 3313-3334, 2022, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.021066 - 14 July 2022

Abstract With the aim of utilizing reconstituted bamboo as a carbon cycle-oriented material, the improvement of physical and mechanical properties has been actively studied to solve using problems. The saturated steam heat treatment process has been widely used in worldwide. With the development and exploration of this technology, two-step saturated steam heat treatment process appears in some practical production, that is, after a period of saturated steam heat treatment at a lower temperature, the bamboo bundles are taken out and seasoned for a period of time, and then put back into the heat tank again, and… More >

Diego David Pinzón-Moreno^*, Eder Clidio Vicuña-Galindo, José Vulfrano González-Fernández, José Luis Soto-Gonzales, María Verónica Carranza-Oropeza^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.10, No.8, pp. 2179-2201, 2022, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.019793 - 25 April 2022

Abstract Several hydrogels were synthesized by free-radical polymerization in an aqueous medium based on potato starch (PS), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and N,N′-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBAm), being possible to study these hydrogels as a function of the proportion of components incorporated. In this way, the products generated from the synthesis were characterized by swelling and deswelling kinetics, the first swelling being verified with Schott and statistical models, allowing to contrast the proximity between the experimental and theoretical behavior. Additionally, water retention in soil (R%), spectroscopy (FTIR), morphological (SEM), and thermal (TGA and DSC) analysis allowing to know the intrinsic More >

Xing Zhou^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.10, No.6, pp. 1623-1639, 2022, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.018935 - 20 January 2022

Abstract A facile method, focusing on emulsification, chain extension and dispersion process in preparing waterborne polyurethane, was developed to prepare emulsion with rod-like nanoparticles. The facile method involves a water addition procedure by in situ generated water to react with polyurethane prepolymer instead of the external water addition process. As a comparison, waterborne polyurethane was synthesized through the external water addition process. According to the characterization methods including FTIR, ¹H-NMR, TEM and water swelling experiments, it is suggested there are two kinds of hydrogen bonds interactions in hard/soft domain of the novel polyurethane, and the phase separation of More > Graphic Abstract

Xiushao Zhao¹, Qijing Yang^1,2,*, Jianglong Rao¹, Daxin Geng¹, Zhouyong Tan¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.10, No.1, pp. 203-218, 2022, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015854 - 27 July 2021

Abstract Completely weathered phyllite (CWP) soil is a kind of special soil with high swell potential, while red clay is a special soil with high shrinkage. This means that these two kinds of special soils are usually not suitable for direct use as subgrade fill. To reduce the swell index of the CWP soil and the shrinkage of red clay at the same time, it was proposed to blend the CWP soil with red clay to improve their basic characteristics. A series of swell index tests and dry-wet cycle tests of the blended soils have been… More > Graphic Abstract