Cellulose-based Materials Research Articles

Advanced cellulose-based materials toward stabilizing zinc anodes

Advanced cellulose-based materials toward stabilizing zinc anodes

Microplastic pollution in waters of the Antarctic coastal environment of Potter Cove (25 de Mayo Island/King George Island, South Shetlands)

Plastic pollution in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica is a growing concern, but many areas in this vast region remain unexplored. This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of marine microplastic (MPs) concentrations in Potter Cove, located near the Argentinian Carlini research station on 25 de Mayo/King George Island, Antarctica. Water samples were collected at 14 sites within the cove, representing various influences from the station's activities. Two sampling methods were used: a 5 L Niskin bottle and an in-situ filtering device called Microfilter, allowing for large water volumes to be filtered. MPs were found in 100 % of the samples. Microfilter samples ranged from 0.02 to 2.14 MPs/L, with a mean concentration of 0.44 ± 0.44 MPs/L. Niskin bottle samples showed concentrations from 0.40 to 55.67 MPs/L, with a mean concentration of 19.03 ± 18.21 MPs/L. The dominant types of MPs were anthropogenic black, transparent, and pink microfibers (MFs) measuring between 0.11 and 3.6 mm (Microfilter) and 0.06 to 7.96 mm (Niskin bottle), with a median length of 0.01 mm for both methods. Transparent and black irregular microfragments (MFRs) with diameters from 0.10 to 5.08 mm and a median diameter of 0.49 mm were also prevalent. FTIR-spectroscopy revealed the presence of 14 types of polymers. Cellulose-based materials and polyethylene terephthalate were the most abundant in MFs, while polyurethanes and styrene-based copolymers dominated in MFRs. MPs were more abundant near the Carlini station. Compared to other coastal Antarctic areas, the MPs in the cove were relatively abundant and mostly smaller than 1 mm. Local activities on the island were identified as the primary source of MPs in the cove, and the cyclonic water circulation likely affects the distribution of small-sized particles. To protect the ecosystem, reducing plastic usage, improving waste management, regulating MPs debris, and enhancing wastewater practices are essential.

Silver nanoparticles coated cellulose-based flexible membrane with excellent UV resistance, high infrared reflection and water resistance for personal thermal management

Designing of a green and multifunctionally integrated cellulose-based flexible wearable material with personal thermoregulation, water and ultraviolet (UV) resistance is essential for the development of personal thermal management and smart textiles. Herein, a hydrophobic silver nanoparticles cellulose-based membrane (H-AgNPs/CEPCM) was prepared through simple solution blending, spin-coating process and chemical vapor modification. The prepared membrane exhibited excellent UV resistance due to the synergistic effect of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as well as UV-absorbing functional groups. The spin-coated AgNPs layer with high infrared reflectivity has great radiant insulation, and temperature was reduced by 3.4 °C compared with H-CEPCM in indoor environment. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of H-AgNPs/CEPCM were significantly improved by the introduction of amide and ether bonds, as well as a large number of hydrogen bonds. This led to a tensile strength of 23.21 MPa and an elongation at break of 16.57 %, while also providing water resistance. Additionally, the H-AgNPs/CEPCM exhibited outstanding thermal stability and hydrophobicity. This work may provide a feasible and promising strategy for the construction of multifunctional integrated cellulose membrane materials for radiant insulation, outdoor textiles and novel UV protection applications.

Regulating oxygen functionalities of cellulose-derived hard carbon toward superior sodium storage

A pre-oxidation treatment was applied to adjust the microstructure of hard carbon; we investigated the mechanism of pre-oxidation, designed a closed-pore structure and constructed a high plateau capacity anode for sodium-ion batteries.

Ultrasonic-assisted in situ synthesis of MOF-199 on the surface of carboxylated cellulose fibers for efficient adsorption of methylene blue.

A high-efficiency porous adsorbent, MOF-199/carboxylated cellulose fibers (MOF-199/CCF), was synthesized in situ at room temperature through carboxylation modification, simple sonication, and vacuum drying. The sonication method produced small MOF-199 particles (tens of nanometers), which allowed for uniform distribution of MOF-199 on CCF and improved its efficiency. The presence of CCF carriers reduces the agglomeration of MOF-199 and enhances its performance. The BET-specific surface area of MOF-199/CCF is 264.83 m2 g-1, which is much larger than that of CCF (2.31 m2 g-1), proving the successful modification of CCF by MOF-199. MOF-199/CCF exhibits better adsorption capacity than CCF, with an adsorption capacity of 659.6 mg g-1 of methylene blue within 30 minutes, and good recycling performance. This work presents a straightforward method for preparing efficient cellulose-based adsorbent materials and offers a novel approach for synthesizing MOF composites.

Mapping of uranium particles on J-type swipes with microextraction-ICP-MS.

A microextraction liquid sampling system coupled to a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) was utilized to spatially discern uranium particles, isotopically, on a cellulose-based swipe material (i.e., J-type swipe). These types of swipes are often used by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as part of their environmental sampling program. A grid was created such that extraction locations covered the center circle (n = 34 without overlapping). Uranium (U) particulates (<20 μm) of varying U isotopic abundance and chemical form (i.e., uranyl fluoride and uranyl nitrate hexahydrate) were mechanically placed on the swipes in random locations and detected via the microextraction-ICP-MS methodology. Heat maps were subsequently generated to show the placement of the particulate with their respective intensity and isotopic determination. This detection of the uranium particulates, via isotopic determination, agreed with reference values for these materials. Additionally, depleted (235U/238U = 0.002) uranium particulates were placed directly within a clay matrix, on the swipe surface, and subjected to analysis by microextraction-ICP-MS. The mapping of the swipe demonstrated, for the first time, the employment of the microextraction-ICP-MS method for extracting sample from a complex matrix, and correctly identifying the uranium isotopic composition. This example ultimately demonstrates the utility of the methodology for detecting particles of interest in complex matrices.

Optimizing the synthesis conditions of aerogels based on cellulose fiber extracted from rambutan peel using response surface methodology

&lt;p&gt;A cellulose-based aerogel has been synthesized from rambutan peel to mitigate environmental pollution caused by agricultural waste, rendering it an eco-friendly material with potential applications in oil spill remediation as well as enhancing the value of this fruit. The objective of this study was to extract cellulose from rambutan peel using chlorination and alkalization processes, followed by optimizing the synthesis conditions of cellulose-based aerogels from rambutan peel through experimental designs to improve oil removal efficiency. In this research, cellulose-based aerogel material was synthesized using the sol-gel method, utilizing waste from rambutan peel as the substrate and polyvinyl alcohol as the cross-linking agent, followed by freeze-drying. A central composite design with 30 different experimental setups was employed to investigate the influence of cellulose content (1.0–2.0%), cross-linking agent (polyvinyl alcohol) content (0.1–0.3%), ultrasonic time (5–15 min), and ultrasonic power (100–300W) on the oil adsorption capacity (g/g) of cellulose-based aerogels from rambutan peel. The research findings demonstrated successful extraction of cellulose from rambutan peel through chlorination, followed by softening with 17.5% (w/v) sodium hydroxide. Response surface plots indicated that maximizing the cellulose component could lead to a maximum diesel oil adsorption capacity of up to 52.301 g/g. Cellulose-based aerogel exhibits ultra-lightweight properties (0.027±0.002 g/cm&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;), high porosity (97.88±0.19), hydrophobicity (water contact angle of 152.7°), and superior oil selective adsorption compared to several commercially available materials in the market, demonstrating promising potential for application in treating oil-contaminated water in real-world scenarios.&lt;/p&gt;

Large-scale and flexible circularly polarized room temperature phosphorescence with a high dissymmetry factor and chiral sensing

&lt;p&gt;Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials have attracted great attention because of their rich optical information and excellent sensitivity. However, the strategy to prepare CPL materials with a high dissymmetry factor (&lt;i&gt;g&lt;/i&gt;) is still limited. Herein, we demonstrate a facile route to scale up the fabrication of circularly polarized organic room-temperature phosphorescent (CP-RTP) materials with a high &lt;i&gt;g&lt;/i&gt; value, outstanding flexibility and complete biodegradability, via the reconstruction and enhancement of hydrogen-bonding interactions of cellulose. The absorption dissymmetry factor (g&lt;sub&gt;&lt;i&gt;abs&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;) and luminescence dissymmetry factor (g&lt;sub&gt;&lt;i&gt;lum&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;) of the CP-RTP materials are as high as 0.48 and 0.16, respectively, which are one or two orders of magnitude larger than previous records. These cellulose-based CP-RTP materials have full-color emission, and can be processed into different format. In particular, the CP-RTP materials exhibit chiral recognition performance in an instrument-free visual mode. They give a change of RTP performance once meeting different enantiomers, including lysine, histidine, cysteine, 2-chloromandelic acid, and 1-(2-naphthyl) ethanol. The novel strategy and new CP-RTP materials could promote the enrichment and practical applications of CPL materials.&lt;/p&gt;

Paper-based sustainable biosensors

Sustainability is a priority of researchers in designing and manufacturing biosensing devices in current research activities. Paper-based multifunctional biosensors are widely developed for different applications to realize a sustainable future.

Influence of clearance and velocity during blanking on the fatigue behavior of cellulose-based biocomposites

Cellulose-based biocomposites, such as Cottonid, are a promising class of materials to improve the carbon footprint of products during their service life. Cottonid has high technological potential due to its physical and mechanical similarities to engineering plastics and light metals. To replace traditional metallic materials in industry, cellulose-based semi-finished products need to be formed and cut. In particular, blanking is the most cost-effective and industrially common cutting method for metals. However, this study investigates the influence of various blanking process parameters on the quality and the fatigue strength of the resulting cutting edges of Cottonid. The presented results give insights on how the relationships between process parameters during cutting and resulting material properties known from conventional materials can be transferred to cellulose-based biocomposites like Cottonid. The relative clearance was varied between 4 and 10% and the cutting velocity between 0.05 and 10 m/s. It was evident that slower velocities and smaller clearances resulted in visibly better cutting edges. In order to relate this effect to the mechanical performance of Cottonid, new 3-point bend specimens were taken from the blanked strips for fatigue testing. It was found that the fatigue strength was significantly affected by the velocity and clearance. Further, similar to metallic materials, clean-cut (smooth area) and a fractured zone can be clearly distinguished. A good cutting edge quality results in a higher resistance of the Cottonid component against crack initiation at process-induced defects. The knowledge gained may enable an efficient cutting process for cellulose-based materials with higher fatigue strength in the future.

A review on recent advances of cellulose acetate membranes for gas separation.

This review thoroughly investigates the wide-ranging applications of cellulose-based materials, with a particular focus on their utility in gas separation processes. By focusing on cellulose acetate (CA), the review underscores its cost-effectiveness, robust mechanical attributes, and noteworthy CO2 solubility, positioning it as a frontrunner among polymeric gas separation membranes. The synthesis techniques for CA membranes are meticulously examined, and the discourse extends to polymeric blend membranes, underscoring their distinct advantages in gas separation applications. The exploration of advancements in CA-based mixed matrix membranes, particularly the incorporation of nanomaterials, sheds light on the significant versatility and potential improvements offered by composite materials. Fabrication techniques demonstrate exceptional gas separation performance, with selectivity values reaching up to 70.9 for CO2/CH4 and 84.1 for CO2/N2. CA/PEG (polyethylene glycol) and CA/MOF (metal-organic frameworks) demonstrated exceptional selectivity in composite membranes with favorable permeability, surpassing other composite CA membranes. Their selectivity with good permeability lies well above all the synthesised cellulose. As challenges in experimental scale separation emerge, the review seamlessly transitions to molecular simulations, emphasizing their crucial role in understanding molecular interactions and overcoming scalability issues. The significance of the review lies in addressing environmental concerns, optimizing membrane compositions, understanding molecular interactions, and bridging knowledge gaps, offering guidance for the sustainable evolution of CA-based materials in gas separation technologies.

Novel diacid–superbase ionic liquids for efficient dissolution of cellulose and simultaneous preparation of multifunctional cellulose materials

Green and sustainable cellulose-based materials are of increasing interest to researchers due to the energy crisis and environmental pollution.

Citric acid-modified pineapple leaves (Ananas comossus) for nitrate and chloride ions removal

Industrial developments have provided both positive and negative impacts for the environment. The environmental pollution caused by industrial activities discharge toxic waste such as chloride and nitrate. Therefore, recent research employed pineapple leaves (Ananas comossus) as a cellulose-based material to remove chloride and nitrate ion in aqueous solution. The pineapple leaf powder was modified using citric acid to enhance its performance. The optimum conditions were achieved at pH 2, contact time 90 minutes, concentration 100 mg/L for chloride removal meanwhile the removal of nitrate reached the peak at pH 3, contact time 150 minutes, and concentration 50 mg/L for pineapple leaves before modification. After citric acid modification, the optimum point was reached at pH 5, contact time 120 minutes, concentration 100 ppm for chloride. For nitrate adsorption, the optimums condition was at pH 4, contact time 150 minutes, and concentration 50 mg/L. The adsorption capacity of both adsorbents did not significantly change after three times adsorption/desorption cycles. Adsorption of pineapple leaf before and after modification followed the Langmuir isotherm model for chloride and nitrate removal. The obtained adsorbents were characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Breuneur-Emmet-Teller (BET) indicating significant difference before and after adsorption onto pineapple leaves took place.

Sprayed water-based lignin colloidal nanoparticle-cellulose nanofibril hybrid films with UV-blocking ability.

In the context of global climate change, the demand for new functional materials that are sustainable and environmentally friendly is rapidly increasing. Cellulose and lignin are the two most abundant raw materials in nature, and are ideal components for functional materials. The hydrophilic interface and easy film-forming properties of cellulose nanofibrils make them excellent candidates for natural biopolymer templates and network structures. Lignin is a natural UV-shielding material, as it contains a large number of phenolic groups. In this work, we have applied two routes for spray deposition of hybrid films with different laminar structures using surface-charged cellulose nanofibrils and water-based colloidal lignin particles. As the first route, we prepare stacked colloidal lignin particles and cellulose nanofibrils hybrid film through a layer-by-layer deposition. As the second route, we spray-deposite premixed colloidal lignin particles and cellulose nanofibrils dispersion to prepare a mixed hybrid film. We find that cellulose nanofibrils act as a directing agent to dominate the arrangement of the colloidal lignin particles in a mixed system. Additionally, cellulose nanofibrils eliminate the agglomerations and thus increase the visible light transparency while retaining the UV shielding ability. Our research on these colloidal lignin and cellulose nanofibril hybrid films provides a fundamental understanding of using colloidal lignin nanoparticles as functional material on porous cellulose-based materials, for example on fabrics.

Exposure to microcrystallized cellulose affects the health of tadpoles and sheds light on the threat these materials pose to amphibians

The increasing use of cellulose-based materials (CBMs) has provided beneficial applications in different sectors. However, its release into environments may represent an ecological risk, therefore demanding that ecotoxicological studies be conducted to understand the risks (current and future) of CBM pollution. Thus, we evaluated the possible effects of microcrystalline cellulose (CMs) in Physalaemus cuvieri tadpoles. After seven days of exposure to CMs (at 58.29 and 100 mg/L), the animals were subjected to behavioral evaluation, and different biomarkers (biometric and biochemical) were evaluated. Although our data do not point to a neurotoxic effect of CMs (inferred by the absence of behavioral changes and changes in AChE and BChE activity), animals exposed to CMs showed differences in body condition. Furthermore, we noticed an increase in the frequency of erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities and DNA damage, which were correlated with the ingestion of CMs. We noticed that the antioxidant activity of tadpoles exposed to CMs (inferred by SOD, CAT, and DPPH radical scavenging activity) was insufficient to control the increase in ROS and MDA production. Furthermore, exposure to CMs induced a predominant Th2-specific immune response, marked by suppressed IFN-γ and increased IL-10 levels, with a consequent reduction in NO levels. Principal component analysis and IBRv-2 indicate, in general, a primarily more toxic response to animals exposed to the highest CM concentration. Therefore, our study evidence that CMs affect the health of P. cuvieri tadpoles and sheds light on the threat these materials pose to amphibians.

Adopting the “Missile boats-Aircraft carrier” strategy via human-contact friendly oxidized starch to achieve rapid-sustainably antibacterial paperboards

Polysaccharide-based antibacterial agents have received tremendous attention for the facile fabrication, low toxicity, and high compatibility with carbohydrate polymers. However, the antimicrobial mechanism, activity, and cytotoxicity for human-contact paperboards of oxidized starch (OST) with high carboxyl content, has not been explored. Herein, OST-27– 75 with 27– 75 wt% carboxyl contents were fabricated by H2O2 and coated on paperboards. Strikingly, OST-55 coating layer (16 g/m2) did not exfoliate from paperboard and possessed the rapid-sustainable antibacterial performance against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The soluble and insoluble components of OST-55 (OST55-S: OST55-IS mass ratio = 1: 2.1) presented different antimicrobial features and herein they were characterized by GC–MS, FT-IR, H-NMR, XRD, bacteriostatic activities, biofilm formation inhibition and intracellular constituent leakage to survey the antibacterial mechanism. The results revealed OST55-S displayed an amorphous structure and possessed superior antibacterial activity against S. aureus (MIC = 4 mg/mL) and E. coli (MIC = 8 mg/mL). Distinctively, OST55-S could rapidly ionize [H+] like “missile boats” from small molecule saccharides, while OST55-IS polyelectrolyte could continuously and slowly release for [H+] like an “aircraft carrier” to inhibit biofilm formation and disrupt cell structure. Eventually, the “Missile boats-Aircraft carrier” strategy provided a green methodology to fabricate polymeric antibacterial agents and expanded the use of cellulose-based materials.

Effect of a Nanocellulose Addition on the Mechanical Properties of Paper.

Nowadays, the emphasis is on increasing the durability of all products. For this reason, it is also advisable to look into extending the durability of paper products. The main reason for using flax pulp is that flax and cotton pulp are widely used for the production of banknotes due to their higher strength. This paper deals with flax pulp with the addition of nanocellulose, which should further enhance the mechanical properties of the pulp. The tensile strength, breaking length, and tensile energy absorption index were evaluated as the key mechanical properties. At the same time, the effect of the addition of nanocellulose, whether it was added to the pulp mass or applied to the later produced paper as a spray or coating, was tested in comparison to paper without the addition of nanocellulose. The best mechanical properties, i.e., tensile strength, were achieved for the highest addition of 5% of nanocellulose into the pulp, at 24.3 Nm∙g-1, and for the coating application, at 28.7 Nm∙g-1, compared to the flax pulp without the addition, where the tensile strength was 20.5 Nm∙g-1. The results of this research are used for the assessment of nanocellulose as a natural compatible additive to enhance the strength properties of cellulose-based materials.

A review of the advancements of potentially toxic element adsorption by various cellulose-based materials and the used adsorbents' fate

AbstractIn this study, we compile the findings to date on using several cellulose-based materials as adsorbents of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from wastewater. Furthermore, this review discussed the destiny of PTEs-loaded cellulose-based adsorbents and some sustainable methods for their management, hoping to close the pollution loop.

Photocrosslinkable Cellulose Derivatives for the Manufacturing of All-Cellulose-Based Architectures.

Replacing petroleum-based polymers with biopolymers such as polysaccharides is essential for protecting our environment by saving fossil resources. A research field that can benefit from the application of more sustainable and renewable materials is photochemistry. Therefore, cellulose-based photoresists that could be photocrosslinked via UV irradiation (λ = 254 nm and λ = 365 nm) were developed. These biogenic polymers enable the manufacturing of sustainable coatings, even with imprinted microstructures, and cellulose-based bulk materials. Thus, herein, cellulose was functionalized with organic compounds containing carbon double bonds to introduce photocrosslinkable side groups directly onto the cellulose backbone. Therefore, unsaturated anhydrides such as methacrylic acid anhydride and unsaturated and polyunsaturated carboxylic acids such as linoleic acid were utilized. Additionally, these cellulose derivatives were modified with acetate or tosylate groups to generate cellulose-based polymers, which are soluble in organic solvents, making them suitable for multiple processing methods, such as casting, printing and coating. The photocurable resist was basically composed of the UV-crosslinkable biopolymer, an appropriate solvent and, if necessary, a photoinitiator. Moreover, these bio-based photoresists were UV-crosslinkable in the liquid and solid states after the removal of the solvent. Further, the manufactured cellulose-based architectures, even the bulk structures, could be entirely regenerated into pure cellulose devices via a sodium methoxide treatment.

Critical Role of Boundary Conditions in Sorption Kinetics Measurements.

In order to characterize the hygroscopic properties of cellulose-based materials, which can absorb large amounts of water from vapor in ambient air, or the adsorption capacity of pollutants or molecules in various porous materials, it is common to rely on sorption-desorption dynamic tests. This consists of observing the mass variation over time when the sample is placed in contact with a fluid containing the elements to be absorbed or adsorbed. Here, we focus on the case of a hygroscopic material in contact with air at a relative humidity (RH) differing from that at which it has been prepared. We show that the vapor mass flux going out of the sample follows from the solution of a vapor convection-diffusion problem along the surface and is proportional to the difference between the RH of the air flux and that along the surface with a multiplicative factor (δ) depending only on the characteristics of the air flux and the geometry of the system, including the surface roughness. This factor may be determined from independent measurements in which the RH along the surface is known while keeping all other variables constant. Then we show that the apparent sorption or desorption kinetics critically depend on the competition between boundary conditions and transport through the material. For sufficiently low air flux intensities or small sample thicknesses, the moisture distribution in the sample remains uniform and evolves toward the equilibrium with a kinetics depending on the value of δ and the material thickness. For sufficiently high air flux intensities or large sample thicknesses, the moisture distribution is highly inhomogeneous, and the kinetics reflect the ability of water transport by diffusion through the material. We illustrate and validate this theoretical description on the basis of magnetic resonance imaging experiments on drying cellulose fiber stacks.