Alper Aytekin^1,*, Hikmet Yazıcı²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.8, pp. 1485-1501, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015768

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat treatment on decorative properties including glossiness, color coordinates including lightness (L), blue-yellow (b*) and red-green (a*), hardness (shore-D) morphological characterization and thermal properties of some exotic wood species. Heat treatment of anigre (Aningeria altissima), cedrorana (Cedrelinga catenaeformis), cemara (Casuarina sumatrana) and coronilla (Scutia buxifolia) wood materials were performed in an oven with a programmable controller at 210°C for 3 h. The obtained samples were conditioned in a climate cabin and the decorative properties, morphological characterization with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermal properties with thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) of… More > Graphic Abstract

Zheng Cao^1,2,3,4,*, Yang Zhang², Keming Luo², Yinqiu Wu², Hongxin Gao², Junfeng Cheng^2,*, Chunlin Liu^2,3, Guoliang Tao², Qingbao Guan¹, Lei Zhang⁵

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.8, pp. 1447-1462, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015593

Abstract

The preparation and application of functional hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides have always been a hot research topic. In this study, using acrylamide (AM) monomer, N, N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) as cross-linking agent, potassium persulfate (K₂S₂O₈) as initiator, in the presence of natural polysaccharide sodium alginate (SA), the PAM/SA hydrogel was prepared by free radical polymerization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), swelling performance tests, scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-visible spectrophotometer, mechanical property measurements were carried out to analyze the composition, morphology, and performance of the hydrogels. The swelling behavior, dye adsorption performance, and the mechanical properties of PAM/SA… More >

Neeti Gandhi^1,3, Nicholas Farfaras², Nien-Hwa Linda Wang³, Wan-Ting Chen^2,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.8, pp. 1463-1483, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015529

Abstract Increasing production and use of various novel plastics products, a low recycling rate, and lack of effective recycling/disposal methods have resulted in an exponential growth in plastic waste accumulation in landfills and in the environment. To better understand the effects of plastic waste, Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was done to compare the effects of various production and disposal methods. LCA shows the specific effects of the cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-cradle scenarios for landfill, incineration, and mechanical recycling. The analysis clearly indicates that increasing recycling of plastics can significantly save energy and eliminate harmful emissions of various carcinogens and GHGs into the… More >

Xiao Han¹, Zhaodi Wu¹, Yi Yang¹, Jian Guo¹, Yaning Wang², Lu Cai³, Wendong Song⁴, Lili Ji^2,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.8, pp. 1377-1391, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015076

Abstract In this study, a porous biochar material derived from waste crab shell was prepared by one-step hydrothermal carbonization and acetic acid activation method at 180°C, which was characterized by SEM, BET, XRD and FTIR. The results show that the as-prepared crab shell biochar (CSB) exhibits a fluffy irregular layered structure with abundant pores and oxygen-containing functional groups, which can facilitate the adsorption of diesel using CSB. In addition, batch adsorption experiments had been performed, effects of initial diesel concentration, adsorption time, adsorbent dosage and pH on the diesel adsorption using CSB were analyzed, which could be observed that CSB has… More >

Man Yuan, Lu Hong, Zehui Ju, Wenli Gu, Biqing Shu, Jianxin Cui, Xiaoning Lu^*, Zhiqiang Wang^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.8, pp. 1433-1445, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015040

Abstract In this study, the effects of three different particle sizes of wood wastes (A = –8 + 12 mesh; B = –12 + 20 mesh; C = –20 + 30 mesh) and factory shavings (D) on the properties of particleboard were investigated. According to the test results, three-layer particleboard was designed. Particleboard face layers made with mixture of A, B, and C. The core layer made with D. The ratio of core layer to face layers is 50:50. Three-layer particleboard were fabricated with 12% urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins and three different high voltage electrostatic field intensities (0 kv, 30 kv, 60… More >

Yottha Srithep^1,*, Onpreeya Veang-in¹, Dutchanee Pholharn², Lih-Sheng Turng³, John Morris⁴

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.7, pp. 1267-1281, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015604

Abstract A low-molecular-weight polylactide-poly(butylene succinate) (PLA-PBS) copolymer was synthesized and incorporated into polylactide (PLA) as a novel toughening agent by solvent casting. The copolymer had the same chemical structure and function as PLA and it was used as a plasticizer to PLA. The copolymer was blended with PLA at a weight ratio from 2 to 10 wt%. Phase separation between PLA and PLA-PBS was not observed from their scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and the crystal structure of PLA almost remained unchanged based on the X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement. The melt flow index (MFI) of the blends was higher as the… More >

Jiekun Zhu, Hongtao Kao^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.7, pp. 1329-1343, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015079

Abstract Based on the theory of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), pulverized coal combustion alone, and the co-combustion of pulverized coal and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in a Trinal-sprayed calciner (TTF) precalciner were simulated. The results revealed that when coal was used as a single fuel, the velocity field in the precalciner had good symmetry, and formed three spray effects and multiple recirculation zones. The main combustion zone was distributed in the lower tertiary air and pulverized coal area, and the highest temperature reached up to 1,500 K. According to the simulation results, the predicted decomposing rate of raw meal was 90.12%, which… More >

Syed Waheedullah Ghori^1,*, G. Srinivasa Rao²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.7, pp. 1283-1292, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.014987

Abstract Date palm fiber (DPF) and kenaf fiber were reinforced in epoxy having various fiber loading 40%, 50%, and 60% by weight. These hybrid samples were manufactured by hot press technique and then characterized for tensile, impact, and morphological behavior to evaluate the ratio of fibers in the hybrid composites; the addition of kenaf improved the tensile properties, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed the interfacial bonding of fiber/matrix, and dispersion and void content in composites. Impact test studies reflected the effect of natural fiber with epoxy, level of stress transfer from matrix to reinforced material, and reinforced material’s role in absorbing… More > Graphic Abstract

Xiaohua Gu, Hongxiang Luo^*, Shiwei Lv, Peng Chen

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.7, pp. 1253-1266, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.014876

Abstract Dramatically increasing waste polyurethane rigid foam (WPRF) draws the attention of the world. A mixture of ethylene glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG) is used as glycolysis agents. WPRF was subjected to alcoholysis using different catalysts which are titanium ethylene glycol and potassium hydroxide to obtain recycled polyol, respectively. The effect of a different catalyst on the viscosity and hydroxyl value of recycled polyol is discussed. The regenerated polyurethane (RPU) is performed using the recycled polyol. Infrared spectrum, compressive strength, apparent density, water absorption, scanning electron microscope, and thermogravimetric analysis are carried out to investigate the effect of WPRF degradation… More >

Chakib Mokhtari¹, Fouad Malek¹, Sami Halila², Mohamed Naceur Belgacem^3,*, Ramzi Khiari^3,4,5,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.7, pp. 1213-1223, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.015475

Abstract Bio-based polyurethanes (PUs) have been occurred a large attention nowadays. It was found to be an alternative to the petrochemical based materials to the fact of their weak environmental influence, availability, good price and biodegradability. In addition, the nature shows several bio-derived compounds as raw materials for the synthesis of polyols, including the vegetable oils, polyphenol, terpene, and other bio-renewable sources. With the aim to develop a new family of biobased polyurethanes (PUs) via vegetable oils, the elaboration of new Jojoba-based PUs was performed by catalyst-free polycondensation reaction of a synthesized Jojoba diol with various diisocyanates such us toluene diisocyanate… More > Graphic Abstract