Use Of Cellulose Research Articles

Monolithic metal-based/porous carbon nanocomposites made from dissolved cellulose for use in electrochemical capacitor

Porous metal-based carbon nanocomposites, with a monolithic shape, were prepared by a one-pot synthesis from dissolved cellulose and metallic salts using a simple, cheap, and environmentally friendly route. Their potential performances as electrochemical capacitors were tested with three metal precursors (M = Cu, Mn, and Fe) with two loadings and in an asymmetric cell for the Fe-based carbon material. Interestingly, here soluble metal precursors were not deposited on a hard cellulose template but mixed in a precooled concentrated NaOH solution where cellulose was previously dissolved, allowing for a good dispersion of the metallic species. After a freezing step where concomitant cellulose regeneration and pore ice-templating phenomena took place, followed by a carbonization step, the mixture led to a porous carbon monolith embedding well-dispersed metal-based nanoparticles having a diameter below 20 nm and present as metallic, oxide, or carbide phase(s) according to the element M. These materials were characterized by different physicochemical techniques and electrochemical tests. Their performances as supercapacitors are discussed in light of the specific behaviour of the metal-based phase and its influence on the carbon matrix properties such as mesopore formation and carbon graphitization. An asymmetric energy storage cell assembled with a Fe-based carbon electrode against a carbon xerogel electrode derived from a phenolic resin shows specific energy and power of 18.3 Wh kg−1 at 5 mA cm−2 and 1.6 kW kg−1 at 25 mA cm−2, respectively.

Synthesis of Hydrogel Based on Poly (Acrylic Acid–Co‐Vinyl Acetate) Grafted on Modified Recycled Cellulose for Use in Fertilizer Slow‐Release System

The aim of this work is a synthesis of suitable hydrogel to produce slow‐release fertilizer using recycled cellulose which is obtained from waste paper. For this purpose, initially, we extracted alpha cellulose from waste paper and modified it to obtain carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Then, the CMC was converted to a suitable hydrogel through in situ graft copolymerization of acrylic acid and vinyl acetate in the presence of methylene bisacrylamide as a crosslinker. The various factors that affect hydrogel synthesis, such as the amounts of CMC, monomers, initiator, and crosslinker, were evaluated. In the optimized formulation, the weight ratio of monomers to CMC is 7, the molar ratio of monomers to each other is 1, and the crosslinker is used as 3 molar percent of monomers. The products were characterized using Fourier transform infrared, thermal gravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscope analyses. The swelling behavior of the synthesized hydrogels was evaluated in different environments, such as distilled water, tap water, salt water, and different pH levels. The swelling ratio increases with an increase in pH level. Between the synthesized hydrogels, the best one was selected for slow‐release fertilizer production and loaded with 20‐20‐20 fertilizer (NPK), and the release behavior was evaluated. In an alkaline pH, there was a long time for NPK release within a slow‐release medium and even after 361 h, the release process was continued. Also, the performance of the fertilizer‐loaded hydrogel in soil using water holding capacity and water retention ratio tests were evaluated.

Design of co-continuous structure of cellulose/PAA-based alkaline solid polyelectrolyte for flexible zinc-air battery

In order to prepare high ionic conductivity and robust mechanical properties of alkaline solid polyelectrolyte (ASPE) for applications in flexible wearable devices, a co-continuous structure membrane was designed using in-situ polymerization to introduce cross-linked polyacrylic acid (N-PAA) into the cellulose network constructed by regenerated degreasing cotton (RDC). The resultant ASPE membrane showed high ionic conductivity (430 mS·cm−1 at 25 °C), strong mechanical properties, and excellent alkaline stabilities, proving the viability of cellulose for use in energy storage systems. Surprisingly, the sandwich-shaped zinc-air battery assembled using RDC/N-PAA/KOH membranes as electrolytes exhibits superior values of cycling stability, discharge time, specific capacity (731.5 mAh·g−1), peak power density (40.25 mW·cm−2), and mechanical flexibility. Even under bending conditions, the zinc-air batteries still possess stable energy supply performance, suggesting this novel solid polyelectrolyte has promising application for wearable technology.

Recent Advances in Chemically Modified Cellulose and Its Derivatives for Food Packaging Applications: A Review.

The application of cellulose in the food packaging field has gained increasing attention in recent years, driven by the desire for sustainable products. Cellulose can replace petroleum-based plastics because it can be converted to biodegradable and nontoxic polymers from sustainable natural resources. These products have increasingly been used as coatings, self-standing films, and paperboards in food packaging, owing to their promising mechanical and barrier properties. However, their utilization is limited because of the high hydrophilicity of cellulose. With the presence of a large quantity of functionalities within pristine cellulose and its derivatives, these building blocks provide a unique platform for chemical modification via covalent functionalization to introduce stable and permanent functionalities to cellulose. A primary aim of chemical attachment is to reduce the probability of component leaching in wet and softened conditions and to improve the aqueous, oil, water vapor, and oxygen barriers, thereby extending its specific use in the food packaging field. However, chemical modification may affect the desirable mechanical, thermal stabilities and biodegradability exhibited by pristine cellulose. This review exhaustively reports the research progress on cellulose chemical modification techniques and prospective applications of chemically modified cellulose for use in food packaging, including active packaging.

Improving the Quality of Cellulose for Use in Disposable Sanitary and Hygiene Products

Under modern conditions the creation of materials for sanitary hygiene and medical products based on cellulose is of paramount importance. Development and improvement in this area has become particularly relevant in the context of viral epidemics, including the COVID 19 pandemic. The production of disposable non-woven materials for sanitary and medical purposes has imposed a number of specific requirements on cellulosic raw materials used for their production including the content of impurities. The content of organochlorine compounds in the pulp is determined mainly by the bleaching technology. With the new bleaching technology, which includes ozonation and treatment with hydrogen peroxide, it is possible to minimize this content. An improved method for determination of the total chlorine and organically bound chlorine contents in cellulosic materials was developed on the basis of ISO 11480:2017. The method essentially involves the absorption of gaseous chlorine formed during the combustion process by an electrolyte and measurement of the amount of chloride ions by microcoulometric titration with determination of their mass in a recording device. The method is highly reliable and makes it possible to determine concentrations in the range of 1-1000 mg/kg.

Energy‐Storage Materials: Why Cellulose‐Based Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices? (Adv. Mater. 28/2021)

The recent progress of cellulose for use in energy storage devices as an appealing natural material that can outperform traditional synthetic materials is described by Sang-Young Lee, Leif Nyholm, and co-workers in article number 2000892. Driven by its structural/chemical uniqueness, cellulose brings exceptional benefits in the manufacturing of components and devices, along with improvements in their electrochemical performance, mechanical flexibility, cost competitiveness, and form factors.

Preparation of Scaffolds of Amorphous Calcium Phosphate and Bacterial Cellulose for Use in Tissue Regeneration by Freeze-Drying Process

The elaboration of scaffolds for use in tissue regeneration processes plays an important role in the area of biomaterials. Natural and synthetic polymers, together with calcium phosphates, form suitable compounds for these studies because their combinations favor the union of the properties of both materials, such as their biocompatibility, biofunctionality, shape, porosity, and mechanical properties. The objective of this work was to develop a scaffold of amorphous calcium phosphate and bacterial cellulose, applying a freeze-drying process. The results demonstrated the feasibility of scaffolds elaboration applying the freeze-drying methodology. The formulation that presented the best results was the one that contained amorphous calcium phosphate (50%), bacterial cellulose gel (20%), and sodium alginate (30%). Cytotoxicity studies showed that the studied formulation did not present cytotoxicity, promoting cell viability.

Exploring the Potential of Bacterial Cellulose for Use in Apparel

Exploring the Potential of Bacterial Cellulose for Use in Apparel

Simultaneous oxidation and esterification of cellulose for use in treatment of water containing Cu(II) ions

Cellulose powder was modified with Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl) and Octenyl Succinic Anhydride (OSA) in different proportions. The adsorbents were characterised by BET, FTIR, XRD, TGA and SEM. Intrinsic viscosity increased with degree of substitution (DS). FTIR peaks confirmed the presence of carbonyl groups. Batch adsorption parameters studied were contact time, adsorbent dosage, pH and temperature. Adsorption process was influenced significantly by pH. Freundlich isotherm showed a better correlation coefficient (R2 and χ2) than Langmuir and Temkin isotherms. The adsorption process was inferred as physico-chemical adsorption process (based on isotherm and kinetic modelling). Pseudo second order kinetics model was found to fit well on the empirical data obtained. Adsorption of Cu(II) ions over the modified cellulose was found to be exothermic in nature (ΔH<0). HCl was found to be more effective desorbing agent than NaOH.

Combining Alkali and Peroxide for Pretreatment of Sugarcane Wastes, Bagasse and Trash, for Bioethanol Synthesis

The use of agricultural waste material in the production of bioethanol can provide an alternative to fossil fuels that is renewable and readily available. This research sought to use a combination of chemical pretreatments to make available reducing sugars from sugarcane bagasse and trash for fermentation into bioethanol. A combination of alkali and peroxide was used. These results indicate that pretreatment with alkali peroxide is quite effective in reducing the levels of hemicellulose sugars and lignin in particular. The slight changes in cellulose quantities are an indication that alkali peroxide preatreatment conserves the quantities of cellulose and does not result in a loss in cellulose as compared to other pretreatment processes such as acid hydrolysis. The drawback is that this can also mean that the crystalline structure of the cellulose was not disturbed, which could slow down downstream processes of enzyme hydrolysis and subsequent fermentation. The pretreated bagasse contained significantly higher levels cellulose of 48 % and 63 % after pretreatment with 3 % and 5 % alkali peroxide, respectively. This represents a 28 % increase and a 70 % increase, respectively, in available exposed cellulose for use in further processes of enzyme hydrolysis and fermentation. Keywords: Pretreatment, bagasse, renewable energy, alkali peroxide.

Reduction of Nitroaromatics to Amines with Cellulose Supported Bimetallic Pd/Co Nanoparticles

Pd and Co nanoparticles were deposited on cellulose for use as a heterogeneous catalyst in the bimetallic catalytic reduction reaction. The catalyst was characterized with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction pattern, Thermal Gravimetric Analysis, Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy, and applied in the reduction reaction of nitroaromatics using NaBH4 at room temperature. Aromatic amines were obtained as the sole product of the reduction reaction during 2h. This reaction has some advantages such as mild reaction conditions, high yield, green solvent, and recyclable catalyst. Also, the recovered catalyst is applicable in the reduction reaction for 4 times without a significant decrease in the activity.

Three-dimensional carbon nanofiber derived from bacterial cellulose for use in a Nafion matrix on a glassy carbon electrode for simultaneous voltammetric determination of trace levels of Cd(II) and Pb(II)

The authors describe the preparation of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with a three-dimensional network structure by one-step carbonization of bacterial cellulose at 800 degrees C. The 3D CNFs wrapped wi ...

Natural Self-grown Fashion From Bacterial Cellulose: A Paradigm Shift Design Approach In Fashion Creation

The fashion industry is regarded as responsible for causing soil erosion, water pollution, and large-scale carbon dioxide emissions and waste because of the many production processes it involves. This paper reports on a study that explored the concept of future fashion, which uses materials that grow directly from natural and renewable sources (i.e. biofashion from bacterial cellulose). In this study, various types of bacterial cellulose were studied and evaluated. Green tea cellulose was identified as the most desirable for fashion creation. The cellulosic pellicles of green tea grown in various culture solution concentrations and incubation times were compared for an optimal result. A theoretical and practical framework was established to explore bacterial cellulose for use in fashion creation. Successful realization of natural self-grown fashion (SGF) has tremendous creative and practical potential, as well as a profound ecological effect on the fashion industry and the environment.

Oxidation of ethylbenzene to styrene oxide in the presence of cellulose‐supported Pd magnetic nanoparticles

Palladium and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were deposited on N‐(2‐aminoethyl)acetamide‐functionalized cellulose for use in a catalytic reaction. The catalyst was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction, energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis and transmission electron microscopy, and applied in the oxidation reaction of ethylbenzene at 100 °C using H2O2. Styrene oxide was obtained as the sole product of the oxidation reaction during 24 h. This reaction has some advantages such as one‐pot transformation of ethylbenzene to styrene oxide, high yield, excellent selectivity and magnetically recoverable catalyst. Also, the recovered catalyst could be used in the oxidation reaction four times without decrease in yield. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Systems Metabolic Engineering of Arabidopsis for Increased Cellulose Production

Plant metabolism offers a source to a diverse variety of commodity compounds. One current focus is on improving the yield of cellulose for use of bioethanol production. Most current metabolic engineering strategies involves altering the expression of target genes. Computational methods that utilize genome-scale models have been shown to aid in the prediction of effective gene targets to manipulate in microbes to synthesize biofuel. Most genome-scale modeling algorithms constrain and evaluate the flux values predicted with flux balance analysis. We recently introduced a new algorithm that constrains the ratios of fluxes. This work expands the use of this algorithm and develops Reverse Flux Balance Analysis with Flux Ratios (Reverse FBrAtio) to allow prediction of metabolic engineering strategies. As a proof-of-concept, this novel algorithm was used with a genome-scale model of Arabidopsis thaliana to predict genetic manipulations to increase cellulose content. Increasing mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase activity was predicted to increase cellulose yield. Transgenic overexpression plant lines were constructed and the cellulose content of mature plants were measured. The crystalline cellulose content and biomass of the transgenic plants were found to be significantly higher. These results suggest that Reverse FBrAtio can aid in the prediction of metabolic engineering targets. The accuracy of the prediction can also be addressed through a continuous improvement cycle.

Pretreatment of Wood Biomass with Ionic Liquids: A "Green" Approach to Separate Cellulose for Use in Oilfield Application

Pretreatment of Wood Biomass with Ionic Liquids: A "Green" Approach to Separate Cellulose for Use in Oilfield Application

Glucose, stem dry weight variation, principal component and cluster analysis for some agronomic traits among 16 regenerated Crotalaria juncea accessions for potential cellulosic ethanol

The objectives of this research were to identify candidate sunn hemp accessions having high concentrations of cellulose for use as parents in breeding for cellulose and to determine variability for glucose content and some important agronomic traits among sunn hemp accessions. Since sunn hemp is an under-utilized species, glucose content and agronomic trait variation is essential for the identification of superior sunn hemp accessions for use as potential ethanol for biofuel. Sixteen sunn hemp accessions including the following plant introductions (expressed as glucose concentration) and stem dry weights were studied. “Sixteen sunn hemp accessions including the following plant introductions (expressed as glucose concentration) and stem dry weights were studied.” In addition, to verify variability, these traits plus morphological, phenological, and seed reproductive traits were analyzed using multivariate and cluster analysis. The accessions, PI 250487, PI 337080, and PI 219717 produced the highest glucose concentrations (859, 809, and 770 mg g−1 stem dry weight, respectively), however PI 468956 produced the highest stem dry weight (258 g). Branching significantly correlated with foliage (r2 = 0.67**) and relative maturity (r2 = 0.60*), while maturity had a significantly negative correlation with seed number (r2 = −0.67**) and plant width (r2 = −0.53*) as well. Seed number significantly correlated with plant width (r2 = 0.57*). Average linkage cluster analysis grouped the 16 sunn hemp accessions into well-defined phenotypes with four distinct seed-producing groups and one outlier. Based on multivariate and cluster analysis, sufficient variation among these16 sunn hemp accessions exists to support the development of cellulosic ethanol producing cultivars with improved architecture, early maturity, seed yield, glucose concentrations, and stem dry weights.

American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation by Eric Rutkow

 OHQ vol. 114, no. 1 tion from Spain,and heroically leading his men to victory in the Battle of York during the War of 1812. He died shortly after the battle, where he was struck by flying debris. As a southern complement to Lewis and Clark’s epic journey, Pike’s critical expedition to the mountains of Colorado further defined the western boundaries of the new Louisiana Territory. As an explorer, Pike brought back a general understanding of the Arkansas River and its interplay with the Rio Grande. He correctly established the longitudinal position of the mountain spine of the continent when many believed the main chain of the Rocky Mountains was hundreds of miles farther west. There are great errors in his maps, however, particularly his positioning of the headwaters of the great western rivers — the Platte,Arkansas ,Rio Grande,and Colorado — hundreds of miles north of their proper origins in today’s Colorado. But his maps and his account of the expedition, published in 1810, were pivotal in the early understanding of the interior West. They also brought to the public eye Baron Alexander von Humboldt’s new geographical information about northern Mexico and the Southwest. Each essay in the volume relates to Pike, Wilkinson, Jefferson, and the drama of the time but emphasizes a different aspect of those elements,building to create a satisfying whole. Harris summarizes the vacillating scholarship on Pike’s reputation as hero or spy — a question historians disagree on to this day. Buckley acquaints readers with Pike’s various expeditions and describes his personality,noting that he possessed“boldness to the point of recklessness ” (p. 33). The diplomatic and trade issues of the time and the “atmosphere of intrigue, suspicion and shadowy conspiracy” among American, Spanish, and French interests are described by James Ronda (p. 71). John Allen expands on Pike’s impact on science and the nation’s image of the West. In his second essay, Buckley focuses on Jefferson’s motivations and methodologies behind several other western explorations in the first decade of the nineteenth century. Jared Orsi explains how the nation used the information from the expeditions to gain control over remote lands. Leo Oliva describes the friendship between Pike and his Spanish captor, Lt. Facundo Melgares. The controversial double agent Wilkinson, commanding general of the U.S. Army and Pike’s sponsor and mentor, weaves through many of the essays.William Foley’s concluding essay focuses on that fascinating, audacious character. The essays are well written with helpful footnotes. Editors Harris and Buckley are to be commended for a work that is both an important assemblage of useful scholarship and a thoroughly enjoyable read. Wesley A. Brown Rocky Mountain Map Society American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation by Eric Rutkow Scribner, New York, 2012. Notes, bibliography, index. 406 pages. $27.50 cloth. American Canopy posits an argument for American exceptionalism, its story centered in the expansive and spectacular woodlands that provided essential ingredients for national expansion and economic development. A vital natural resource in the Americas, the uses of wood ranged from shelter and sources of energy to the production of cellulose for use in print material. During the nineteenth century, a few lonely voices — among them Henry David Thoreau and George Perkins Marsh — argued that trees provided functions other than commercial purposes.For Thoreau, born into a family business of pencil makers, the forest provided an escape from the evils of industrial life.To Marsh,forests“were essential to the very habitability of the nation” (p. 93).  Reviews In addition to its value for building material and firewood,Marsh’s interests extended to the broader importance of woodlands. Sixteenth-century geographer and archdeacon Richard Hakluyt, who published Divers Voyages in 1582, sets the tone for Eric Rutkow’s book. The English-born Hakluyt, who bemoaned “the want of tymber in the Realme,” authored a series of travel narratives that emphasized the nation’s need for sources of naval supplies. Multiplied tenfold, those critical raw materials would prove to be important to the fledglingAmerican economy. Hakluyt serves as the organizational strategy for the volume, with successive chapters featuring important individuals or developments that shaped the...

Incorporation of dithiooxamide as a complexing agent into cellulose for the removal and pre-concentration of Cu(II) and Cd(II) ions from natural water samples

The present study describes the incorporation of a complexing agent, dithiooxamide, into microcrystalline cellulose for use in the pre-concentration of Cu(II) and Cd(II) ions from aqueous samples. The FTIR spectrum of the adsorbent exhibited an absorption band in the region of 800cm−1, which confirmed the binding of the silylating agent to the matrix. Elemental analysis indicated the amount of 0.150mmolg−1 of the complexing agent. The adsorption data were fit to the modified Langmuir equation, and the maximum amount of metal species extracted from the solution, Ns, was determined to be 0.058 and 0.072mmolg−1 for Cu(II) and Cd(II), respectively. The covering fraction ϕ, which was 0.39 and 0.48 for Cu(II) and Cd(II), respectively, was used to estimate a 1:2 (metal:ligand) ratio in the formed complex, and a binding model was proposed based on this information. The adsorbent was applied in the pre-concentration of natural water samples and exhibited an enrichment factor of approximately 50-fold for the species studied, which enabled its use in the analysis of trace metals in aqueous samples. The system was validated by the analysis of certified standard (1643e), and the adsorbent was stable for more than 20 cycles, thus enabling its safe reutilization.

Biofunctional paper via the covalent modification of cellulose.

Paper-based analytical devices are the subject of growing interest for the development of low-cost point-of-care diagnostics, environmental monitoring technologies, and research tools for limited-resource settings. However, there are limited chemistries available for the conjugation of biomolecules to cellulose for use in biomedical applications. Herein, divinyl sulfone (DVS) chemistry was demonstrated to immobilize small molecules, proteins, and DNA covalently onto the hydroxyl groups of cellulose membranes through nucleophilic addition. Assays on modified cellulose using protein-carbohydrate and protein-glycoprotein interactions as well as oligonucleotide hybridization showed that the membrane's bioactivity was specific, dose-dependent, and stable over a long period of time. The use of an inkjet printer to form patterns of biomolecules on DVS-activated cellulose illustrates the adaptability of the DVS functionalization technique to pattern sophisticated designs, with potential applications in cellulose-based lateral flow devices.