S. Najmeh Aboutorabi¹, Majid Nasiriboroum,^2,*, Pourya Mohammadi¹, Hassan Sheibani^1,*, Hossein Barani³

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.8, pp. 787-794, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.06438

Abstract Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by a bio-reduction method using an aqueous extract of mullein leaves (Verbascum thapsus L.) functioning as reducing as well as a stabilizing agent. Various synthesis parameters such as reaction time, temperature and concentration of the extract were also studied for the synthesis of AgNPs. The so prepared AgNPs were characterized by various techniques including UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (equipped with energy dispersive analysis of X-rays), and transmission electron microscopy. The electron microscopy images suggest the formation of polydispersed spherical AgNPs with average particle size of about 20 More >

Fadhel Aloulou^1,*, Sabrine Alila², Habib Sammouda¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.8, pp. 763-774, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.04071

Abstract The influence of nanofiberwood on the properties of the fresh condition of cement based mortars is not known in detail, despite recent advances in nanocellulose technology and it is related composite materials. Nanofiber wood from industrial waste, produced by high-pressure homogenization, was used as cement partial replacement for cement paste at a content ranging from 0% to 2% by weight of cement. The effect of the nanofiber wood content on the porosity, the compressive strength and the degree of hydration of the cement was investigated. Results have shown an improvement in the compressive strength by… More >

Rakesh Kumar^1,*, Reshma Praveen¹, Shikha Rani¹, K. Sharma², K. P. Tiwary^3,*, K. Dinesh Kumar⁴

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.8, pp. 749-761, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.06286

Abstract ZnSe nanoparticles have been synthesized by microwave assisted method by using zinc chloride, selenium powder and ethylene diamine. The synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized structurally by FT-IR and XRD as well as morphological characterization was done by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystallite size after synthesis was obtained around 30 nm for pure ZnSe nanocrystallites. However, from SEM micrograph, agglomerated ZnSe nanoparticles of irregular shapes were observed. The as-synthesized ZnSe nanoparticles at different contents (1 to 5% w/w w.r.t SPI) were incorporated into soy protein isolate (SPI) to produce reinforced SPI films by solution casting… More >

Chaokun Hong^1a,2, Haitao Li^1a,2,*, Rodolfo Lorenzo³, Gang Wu^1b, Ileana Corbi⁴, Ottavia Corbi⁴, Zhenhua Xiong⁵, Dong Yang^1a,2, Huizhong Zhang^1a,2

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.8, pp. 713-730, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.07647

Abstract Bamboo is a green construction material in line with sustainable development strategies. The use of raw bamboo in architecture has existed since ancient times. In the long development years of original bamboo buildings, many areas in the world gradually formed unique bamboo buildings, which have become an important local cultural feature. For building structures, joints are the key to ensure structural load transfer. Because of hollow and thin-walled material property of bamboo, the connection in raw bamboo buildings has always been a major difficulty and problem in the application of bamboo, which seriously hinders the More >

Nina Graupner^1,*, Koranat Narkpiban^2,5, Thiprada Poonsawat³, Porntip Tooptompong⁴, Jörg Müssig¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.8, pp. 693-711, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.06785

Abstract Toddy palm fruit have an apparent density below 0.8 g/cm³ and offer an interesting lightweight construction potential in polylactide (PLA) composites reinforced with 37 mass-% fibres. Single fibre bundles show similar mechanical properties compared with coir: tensile strength of 240 MPa, Young´s modulus of 3.8 GPa and an elongation at break of 31%. However, density and diameter (~ 50 μm) of fruit fibre bundles are significantly lower. The compression moulded composites have a density of 0.9 g/cm³ and achieved an unnotched Charpy impact strength of 12 kJ/m², a tensile strength of 25 MPa, Young’s modulus… More >

Haitao Li^1,2,*, Zhenyu Qiu², Gang Wu^1,*, Dongdong Wei³, Rodolfo Lorenzo⁴, Conggan Yuan³, Huizhong Zhang^1,2, Rong Liu^1,2

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.7, pp. 583-600, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.07592

Abstract In order to investigate the influence of length and compression directions upon behaviour of parallel bamboo strand lumber (PBSL) specimens, 240 axial compression tests have been performed. With three similar one different typical failure modes, the mechanical performance for PBSL specimens under compression parallel to grain and perpendicular to grain are different as a whole. From the point of the characteristic values, the compression strength parallel to grain is 2.1 times of the compression strength perpendicular to grain. The elastic modulus for compression parallel to grain is 3.64 times of the compression strength perpendicular to… More >

Bahaa T. Shawky¹, Mohammed Nagah¹, Mosad A. Ghareeb², Gamal M. El-Sherbiny³, Saad A. M. Moghannem³, Mohamed S. Abdel-Aziz^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.7, pp. 667-682, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.04524

Abstract Rice straw (RS) collected from Egyptian agricultural environment (Al-Masied village-Alsharqia Governorate-Egypt) was used as substrate for three fungal isolates namely: 4b, 1Asp, Pleurotus ostreatus NRRL 3501 and mixed culture of (4b, 1Asp). Isolates number 4b and 1Asp were identified using the molecular technique (18S rRNA). Isolate 4b and 1Asp, were identified as Trichoderma saturnisporum MN1-EGY and Aspergillus niger MN2-EGY, respectively. Trichoderma saturnisporum MN1-EGY extract exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity compared to the other fungal extracts. Total phenolic, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were also determined from the ethyl acetate extract of rice straw inoculated by these… More >

Fadhel Aloulou^1,*, Alila Sabrine², Habib Sammouda¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.7, pp. 631-641, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.04070

Abstract Wood nanofibers from industrial waste have been used as polymeric material to reinforce the cement paste to a content of up to 2% by weight of cement. The effect of the wood nanofibre content on the porosity, the compressive strength and the degree of hydration of the cement was studied. The results showed an improvement in compressive strength of over 50% with 1% of added fiberwood. Chemical modification of nanofiber wood by grafting alkyl chains to their surface can reduce the amount of water absorbed by the sample. Addition of an anionic additive (SDBS) to More >

Malinda Syifa Yusharani, Stenley, Harmami, Ita Ulfin, Suprapto Suprapto, Yatim Lailun Ni’mah*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.7, pp. 643-653, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.04185

Abstract Water-Soluble Chitosan (WSC) has been sucessfuly synthesized from squid pens waste. The synthesis of chitosan from chitin was carried out by optimization of deacetylation temperature and time. Chitin was obtained from squid pens waste by demineralization and deproteinization process. HCl 7% was used for demineralization and NaOH 10% at 60°C was applied for deproteinization process. Deacetylation reaction was carried out at varied temperatures i.e., 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C and 100°C in NaOH 50% solution for 10 hours. Deacetylation reaction time were varied for 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, and 10 hours. The… More >

Le Van Hai^1,2, Lindong Zhai¹, Hyun Chan Kim¹, Jung Woong Kim¹, Jaehwan Kim^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.7, pp. 621-629, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.06466

Abstract This paper reports green nanocomposites made by blending polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with cellulose nanofiber (CNF) isolated from recycled deinked copy/printing paper (DIP). The reinforcement effect of DIPCNF in the nanocomposites is compared with other CNFs isolated from native cotton and hardwood by means of TEMPO-oxidation. The prepared PVA-CNF nanocomposites are characterized in terms of morphology, chemical interaction, structural, thermal and mechanical properties. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirm the reinforcing ability of cellulose nanofibers into PVA. By blending CNFs into PVA matrix, the thermal stability of the nanocomposites is improved and DIPCNF shows More >